WIMS Environmental HotSheet 3/13/14

<> Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Keystone XL Hearing - Testimony from U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Sierra Club, Dr. James Hansen, and Jones Group International; to be webcast and beginning at 11:15 AM

<> Committee Launches Investigation into EPA's Proposed Standards for New Power Plants that Threaten Affordable Energy and Jobs - The House Energy and Commerce Committee is launching an investigation into the Environmental Protection Agency's decision-making process relating to the agency's consideration of carbon capture technologies in developing greenhouse gas emissions standards for new power plants.

<> Report Finds Major Economic Risks of Climate Change Missing from U.S. Government Assessment - Report released by major environmental groups examines the government estimate of what the public pays for carbon pollution.

<> EPA Awards More than $500,000 to Schools to Help Reduce Children's Exposure to Pesticides Integrated pest management practices are shown to reduce pesticide use - U.S. EPA announced three grants to facilitate integrated pest management practices in schools. This funding will help reduce student's exposure to pests and pesticides in the nation's schools, while saving money, energy and pesticide treatment costs. Includes Michigan State University. . .

<> API: LNG exports support America's role as an energy superpower - March 12, 2014 – Liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports will grow the U.S. economy while strengthening the energy security of America and its allies, including Ukraine, said American Petroleum Institute (API) Director of Upstream and Industry Operations Erik Milito on a conference call. . .

<> Upcoming Funding Opportunity for Technology Incubator for Wind Energy Innovations - On March 12, 2014 EERE's Wind Program announced a Notice of Intent to issue a funding opportunity entitled "Technology Incubator for Wind Energy Innovations."

<> European Research Center Backs Climate-Friendly Coolant for Car Air Conditioners, Global Automakers Moving Forward – NRDC's David Doniger, reports that the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) issued its final report last week reaffirming the safety of the new climate-friendly coolant for car air conditioners called HFO-1234yf (R-1234yf).  The European experts flatly rejected fire risk claims leveled 18 months ago by Daimler (the maker of Mercedes-Benz). . .

<> Ohio Fracking Well Suspended After Quakes - Fracking operations at one site in the state of Ohio remain suspended until further notice after five small earthquakes over a period of twenty four hours earlier this week. Yesterday's tremor was recorded at 2.1, following earlier ones reaching 3.0 on the Richter scale, enough to be noticeable but not enough to cause structural damage. According to local media reports, the US Geological Survey. . .

<> Fracking Boom Would Increase California's Earthquake Danger, Report Finds - Hundreds of Oil Wastewater Wells Near Active Faults and Major Cities Already Raising Quake Risk for Millions of Californians SAN FRANCISCO — Oil companies are increasing California's earthquake risk by injecting billions of gallons of oil and gas wastewater a year into hundreds of disposal wells near active faults around Los Angeles, Bakersfield and other major cities, according to a. . .

<> Farmers warn of threats to farm economies posed by Dow's new genetically engineered corn and soybean varieties - USDA receives nearly 400,000 public comments opposing approval of2,4-D resistant crops Today over 387,000 farmers, farmworkers, health professionals, and concerned individuals from across the country joined together in urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reject Dow AgroSciences' application seeking approval of controversial genetically engineered (GE) corn and soybean