WIMS Environmental HotSheet 4/10/14

National / International News

 

<> EPA Strategic Plan Charts Direction for Next Four Years - U.S. EPA issued its fiscal year (FY) 2014 to 2018 Strategic Plan today, which provides a blueprint for advancing EPA's mission to protect public health and the environment across the country.

<> "Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investments 2014" Report - From Frankfurt School-UNEP Collaborating Centre for Climate & Sustainable Energy Finance, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Bloomberg New Energy Finance authoritative annual report tells the story of the latest developments, signs and signals in the financing of renewable power and fuels.

<> Obama Administration Outlines New Strategy for Wildland Fire Ahead of 2014 Fire Season - U.S. Secretary Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary Sally Jewell, and Council on Environmental Quality Acting Chair Mike Boots released the Administration's National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy.

<> Heitkamp Recruits 10 Democratic Senators to Join Her Call for President to Make Decision on Keystone XL Pipeline - Heitkamp (D-ND) recruited Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Mark Begich (D-AK), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Mark Warner (D-VA), Jon Tester (D-MT), John Walsh (D-MT), and Kay Hagan (D-NC)

<> DOI Landscape-Scale Mitigation Strategy to Encourage Dual Objectives of Smart Development and Conservation - Strategy seeks to provide clarity and consistency to more effectively avoid, minimize and compensate for impacts on public lands. . .

<> DOE Inspector General Confirms Mishandling of Leaked Grid Vulnerability Report - The U.S. Department of Energy's inspector general alerted the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to the fact that sensitive information on potential physical security vulnerabilities at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Thursday morning on the reliability and security of the nation's electric grid from cyber and physical attacks.

<> House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Hearings - The House Committee on Appropriations' Subcommittee on the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Regarding the Department of the Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2015 is holding two separate sessions today with testimony from dozens of environmental, public interest and other outside witnesses (link above to both sessions)

<> Water is Quickly Becoming an Economic Issue for US Companies - Water quality and supply are emerging as major challenges in the 21st century. At the 2014 World Economic Forum, global business leaders cited water as a top three global risk. What is not clear is how, or if, U.S. companies are responding to these challenges.

<> Full Breakout Session Lineup for 2014 SunShot Summit - April 9, 2014, Full Breakout Session Lineup for 2014 SunShot Summit SunShot is pleased to announce its lineup of Grand Challenge Breakout Sessions for the 2014 SunShot Grand Challenge Summit and Peer Review. Stay tuned for. . .

<> DOE Marks Major Milestone with Startup of Recovery Act Demonstration Project - pilot project to demonstrate a warm gas cleanup carbon capture technology in a coal gasification unit at the Polk Power Plant Unit-1 in Tampa, Florida…

<> Report Reveals Major Potential Sources of Climate Pollution - "Dirty Fuels, Clean Futures," a new report released today by the Sierra Club reveals four major potential sources of carbon pollution that, if developed, could dramatically alter the world's climate.

<> NASA Looks to Go Beyond Batteries for Space Exploration - NASA is seeking proposals for the development of new, more capable, energy storage technologies to replace the battery technology that has long powered America's space program.  . .

<> Mine Safety: Basis for Proposed Exposure Limit on Respirable Coal Mine Dust and Possible Approaches for Lowering Dust Levels, April 09, 2014 - What GAO Found The Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) appropriately did not use recent trend data on coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) as a basis for its proposal to lower the. . . 

<> Less than Half of Americans Believe Humans are Cause of Global Climate Change - April 10, 2014 -- It's something everyone complains about – it's too hot or it's too cold; it's too snowy/rainy or it's too dry.  Results of The Harris Poll® of 2,234 adults surveyed online between March 12 and 17, 2014.

<> Hollywood heavyweights put climate change manifesto on TV - "Years of Living Dangerously," a nine-part documentary beginning Sunday on CBS Corp's premium cable network Showtime, chronicles the human impact on the global climate and the consequences for humans of climate change.

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Thursday, April 10, 2014.  (Click here to access today's complete Federal Register index with links to complete announcements).

 

1. Nothing We're Highlighting Today (click for the complete Energy & EPA announcements)