WIMS Environmental HotSheet 5/22/14

National / International News

 

<> Leaders from Across the Nation Join Unprecedented Effort to Take Action on Climate Change - A diverse group of high-profile leaders, including climate scientist Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, named one of Time Magazine's "100 Most Influential People," is joining more than 140 leaders from faith, business, health, education and communities to develop actionable solutions to climate change at the MomentUs Leadership Summit onMay 21 and 22 in Chicago.

<> EPA Recognizes Over 400 Federal Facilities for Achieving $42 Million in Cost Savings and Environmental Benefits - Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recognizing federal facilities for their efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of facilities across the country. As part of the Federal Green Challenge. . .

<> Comments on EPA's Formaldehyde Emissions Standards for Composite Wood Products - The U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy (Advocacy) submits the following comments in response to Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) April 8, 2014 notice reopening the. . .

• Access the EPA docket for this rulemaking

<> Better Buildings Neighborhood Initiative Upgrades 100,000 Buildings, Saves $730 Million on Energy Bills - Building on President Obama's Climate Action Plan and the Administration's Better Buildings Initiative, the program worked with 41 competitively selected state and local governments and their partners to upgrade the energy efficiency of homes and local buildings and leverage early federal funds to launch sustainable community-based programs.

<> Energy Department Announces $2 Million to Develop Supply Chain, Manufacturing Competitiveness Analysis for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies - May 21, 2014. The Energy Department today announced up to $2 million to develop the domestic supply chain for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and study the competitiveness of U.S. hydrogen and fuel cell system and component manufacturing.

<> Remarks by Secretary of State Kerry  at CleanTech Challenge In Mexico - ". . .we are deeply committed to elevating our partnership with Mexico on innovation, entrepreneurship, and clean energy."

<> New Pilot Program Offers Coverage for Fruits and Vegetables, Organic and Diversified Farms - May 21, 2014 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a new risk management option that will be available for fruit and vegetable growers and producers with diversified farms. The policy, called. . .

<> Energy Department Announces Projects to Advance Cost-Effective Concentrating Solar Power Systems - The Energy Department announced $10 million for six new research and development projects that will advance innovative concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies. . .

<> Secretary Moniz's First Year - Secretary Moniz's First Year Check out our new interactive timeline to recap top moments from Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz's first year in office.

<> Minnesota Bans Hazardous Antibacterial (Triclosan) in Consumer Personal Care Cleaning Products - (Beyond Pesticides, May 22, 2014) The highly toxic and controversial antibacterial/antimicrobial pesticide. . .

 

U.S. Appeals Court Environmental Decisions

 

<> Larry Klein v. US DOE - In the U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, Case No.13-1165. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan at Marquette. Frontier Renewable Resources sought funding from the Department of Energy to build a plant in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan that would convert lumber into ethanol. Larry Klein and the Sierra Club sued to stop the project. The district court rejected the claims because the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring them and because the Department of Energy at any rate permissibly found no significant impact from the proposed plant. We reverse in part and affirm in part. The Appeals Court indicated that Klein had standing to sue, but, "In the final analysis, the Department completed a thorough environmental assessment of the Frontier plant and reasonably described the environmental impacts the assessment identifies as not significant. The National Environmental Policy Act requires no more."

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Thursday, May 22, 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)