WIMS Environmental HotSheet 5/15/14

National / International News

 

<> Report Highlights Urgent Need to Protect American Communities from Toxic Coal Ash Pollution - Sierra Club and Earthjustice joined national experts and local activists in releasing "Dangerous Waters: America's Coal Ash Crisis," a report that illustrates the ongoing damage and risks to public health from the toxic sludge left over when power plants burn coal.

<> Notice of Availability of External Peer Review Draft Aquatic Life Criterion for Selenium in Freshwater - EPA is requesting public comment on a draft updated national recommended aquatic life criterion for the pollutant selenium.

<> Join a White House Google+ Hangout with Energy Secretary Moniz & EPA Administrator McCarthy - Monday, May 19, 2014, at 1 p.m. ET for a live White House Google+ Hangout with Secretary Moniz and EPA. . .

<> Yearly Survey Shows Better Results for Pollinators, but Losses Remain Significant - May 15, 2014 – USDA: A yearly survey of beekeepers, released today, shows fewer colony losses occurred in the United States over the winter of 2013-2014 than in recent years, but beekeepers say losses remain higher. . .

<> Global Platinum-Group Resources Estimated at More than 150K Metric Tons - Summary: From USGS the first-ever inventory and geological assessment of known and undiscovered platinum-group element (PGE) resources

<> Biodiesel Producers Hit Hard by Policy Uncertainty - Survey Finds Nearly Six in Ten Have Idled Production

<> Tropical cyclone 'maximum intensity' is shifting toward the poles - Over the past 30 years, the location where tropical cyclones reach maximum intensity has been shifting toward the poles in both the northern and southern hemispheres at a rate of about 35 miles. . .

<> Meeting the Elevation Needs of the Nation - Summary: Want to know how elevation will benefit your state? The USGS National Geospatial Program is advancing the 3D Elevation Program, known as 3DEP, in response to the growing need for high-quality three-dimensional. . .

<> Implications of Shale Gas Development for Climate Change - While natural gas can reduce greenhouse emissions when it is substituted for higher-emission energy sources, abundant shale gas is not likely to substantially alter total emissions without policies targeted at greenhouse gas reduction, Duke researchers find.

<> 64 Environmental and Community Groups File Petition Demanding Federal Limits on Toxic Oil & Gas Well Air Pollution

<> NRDC Hails New Approach to Expedite Permitting of Infrastructure Proposals - (May 14, 2014) -- The Obama administration unveiled a fresh approach toward reviewing and approving major construction projects on federal lands, such as roads, bridges and airports.

<> California's Thirst Shapes Debate Over Fracking - As concerns over environmental effects and water usage have grown, about a dozen local governments have voted to restrict or prohibit fracking in their jurisdictions.

<> Fuel Cell Project Selected for First Ever Technology-to-Market SBIR Award - May 14, 2014Fuel Cell Project Selected for First Ever Technology-to-Market SBIR Award EERE recently announced the selection of 40 small businesses for new Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards that total nearly. . .

<> EPA Extends Comment Period for Proposed New Safety Measures to Protect Farm Workers from Pesticide Exposure - U.S. EPA is extending the comment period for the proposed revisions to the agricultural Worker Protection Standard for an additional 60 days, until August 18, 2014. . .

<> National Day of Action on Keystone XL May 17 - "Three weeks after the powerful 'Reject and Protect' encampment in Washington, DC, and two weeks after release of the National Climate Assessment, Americans will take to bridges, beaches, refineries, and government offices to ask the president to reject the Keystone XL pipeline and other dirty fuel projects that threaten our communities and destabilize our climate."

<> Keystone Delays Fuel Push for Canada East Oil Pipeline - Delays by the U.S. in reviewingKeystone XL are helping build momentum for an oil pipeline toCanada's East Coast.

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Thursday, May 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)