Tuesday, April 15, 2014

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 4/15/14

National / International News

 

<> Administration Moves Forward on Methane Emissions - U.S. EPA released five technical papers today, initiating the first stage in a multifaceted process that is part of the White House methane strategy.

<> GAO Report: Petroleum Refining: Industry's Outlook Depends on Market Changes and Key Environmental Regulations - Requested by Sen. vitter and Inhofe, the report examines: (1) major changes that have recently affected the industry and (2) the future of the industry.

<> EPA Needs to Demonstrate Whether It Has Achieved the Goals It Set Under the National Petroleum Refinery Initiative - April 15, 2014. EPA Office of Inspector General Report

<> Environmentalists Could Win the Keystone XL Battle and Still Lose the War - Will the KXL fight be environmentalists' Vietnam?

<> EPA Administrator to Travel to Taipei and Hanoi to Highlight Environmental Education and Cooperation - Gina McCarthy will be in Taipei and Hanoi April 14-16 to highlight environmental cooperation between the United States and partners within the Asia-Pacific region, and to underscore the importance of environmental education.

<> Enbridge Posts 2013 Annual Corporate Social Responsibility Report Following 2013 Annual Report - CALGARY, ALBERTA-- April 15, 2014) - Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB) (NYSE:ENB) today published its 2013 annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report (csr.enbridge.com/Downloads) which... Read News Release. . .

<> NRC Proposes to Amend the Licensing, Inspection and Annual Fees Rule - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission seeks public comments on proposed changes to its regulations for the licensing, inspection, and annual fees it charges applicants and licensees for fiscal year (FY) 2014.

<> Twelve states produced 80% of U.S. wind power in 2013 - In 2013, 12 states accounted for 80% of U.S. wind-generated electricity, according to preliminary generation data released in EIA's March Electric Power Monthly report -- TX, IA, CA, OK, IL, KS, MN, OR, CO, WA, ND, WY.

<> Over 200 State Legislators Call on President Obama for Continued Action to Protect America's Public Lands - In anticipation of National Parks Week, 230 state legislators from around the country today released a letter calling on President Obama to continue to fulfill his State of the Union promise to use 

<> Toward a better understanding and quantification of methane emissions from shale gas development - Large emissions averaging 34 g CH4/s per well were observed from seven well pads determined to be in the drilling phase, 2 to 3 orders of magnitude greater than US Environmental Protection Agency estimates for this operational phase.

<> China set to elevate environment over development in new law - BEIJING (Reuters) - Smog-hit China is set to pass a new law that would give Beijing more powers to shut polluting factories and punish officials, and even place protected regions off-limits to industrial development, scholars with. . . 

<> Moth study suggests hidden climate change impacts - A 32-year study of subarctic forest moths in Finnish Lapland suggests that scientists may be underestimating the impacts of climate change on animals and plants because much of the harm is hidden from view.

<> Ohio State Webinar To Discuss Climate Change and Extreme Weather - The Ohio State University Climate Change Outreach Team will present "Climate Change and Extreme Weather: recent events and future forecasts" on Thursday, April 24, 2014, from 12 PM to 1 PM (ET). Attendance is free.

U.S. Appeals Court Environmental Decisions

 

<> Communities for a Better Environment v. U.S. EPA - 4/11. In the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, Case No. 11-1423. "Petitioners argue that EPA's decisions concerning both the primary and secondary standards for carbon monoxide were arbitrary and capricious. We conclude that EPA acted reasonably in retaining the same primary standards for carbon monoxide, and that petitioners lack Article III standing to challenge EPA's decision not to set a secondary standard for carbon monoxide."

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Tuesday, April 15, 2014.  (Click here to access today's complete Federal Register index with links to complete announcements).

 

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

 

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