[WIMS] Environmental HotSheet 4/7/15

 

National / International News

<> FACT SHEET: Administration Announces Actions To Protect Communities From The Impacts Of Climate Change - As part of the Administration's overall effort to combat climate change and protect the American people, this week, the Administration is announcing a series of actions that will allow us to better understand, communicate, and reduce the health impacts of climate change on our communities President Obama is Right to Highlight Health Threats Posed by Dangerous Climate Change

<> Draft USGCRP Climate & Health Assessment Available for Public Review - Public comments are now being solicited on the draft version of The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment -- developed by the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), Interagency Group on Climate Change and Human Health as part of the sustained National Climate Assessment and as called for under the President's Climate Action Plan. USGCRP Climate & Health Assessment - The public comment period is open until 12 pm ET on June 8, 2015. The Complete 405-page Report

<> Yale Climate Opinion Maps - The Yale Project on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC) released a new interactive mapping tool called "Yale Climate Opinion Maps" (YCOM) and an accompanying peer-reviewed paper that allows users to visualize and explore differences in public opinion about global warming in the United States in unprecedented geographic detail. Access the Yale Climate Opinion Maps – opinions on a number of related topics by state, county, congressional district & nationally

<> Seeing into Water in New Ways: The Visualizing Nutrients Challenge - The U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Blue Legacy International (a nonprofit organization) announce the Visualizing Nutrients Challenge, an innovation competition with $15,000 in cash prizes

<> Sen. Murkowski Welcomes EIA Report on Refining Options - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, praised the recent release of a new report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), assessing technical options available to refiners to process more light tight oil.

<> A Conversation with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse on Putting a Price on Carbon - Location: Conference call A tax or fee on carbon is one of the most efficient ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and done right, will stimulate our economy.

<> EPA and DOE Honor 2015 Energy Star Partners of the Year for Leadership on Energy Efficiency, Acting on Climate - EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are honoring 128 businesses and organizations in 33 states with the Energy Star's Partner of the Year award for their commitment to saving energy and protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency achievements.

<> U.S. remained world's largest producer of petroleum and natural gas hydrocarbons in 2014 - (Tue, 07 Apr 2015) The United States remained the world's top producer of petroleum and natural gas hydrocarbons in 2014, according to EIA estimates --  continuing to exceed that of both Russia and Saudi Arabia, the second- and third-largest producers, respectively.

<> Coming Soon: National Centers for Environmental Information  – The NOAA, National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) and its sister data centers are merging into the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).

Federal Register Highlights  The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest.  (Click here to access today's complete Federal Register index with links to complete announcements).

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

Michigan News

<> Making Michigan the world's freshwater and freshwater innovation center - A new interactive report from the Michigan Economic Center at Prima Civitas, and the Grand Valley State University Annis Water Resources Institute, entitled "Michigan's Blue Economy: Making Michigan the World's Freshwater and Freshwater Innovation Center" — tells the story of how water and water innovation powered the rise of Michigan's economy. Michigan BLUE ECONOMY

<> State departments to merge Friday - The official merger of the state Department of Community Health with the Department of Human Services will happen this Friday.

<> Natural Resources Commission to meet Thursday in Lansing – Link to more information about the Natural Resources Commission, including full agendas and meeting minutes

<> MDEQ Misses Major Deadline to Cut Air Pollution - A release from ... indicates April 6 was the deadline to submit a plan to U.S. EPA that reduces sulfur dioxide emissions in Wayne County where they say the DTE Trenton Channel and River Rouge coal plants are responsible for 80 percent of all sulfur dioxide emissions in the county.

<> A Bridge primer: Untangling the pothole promise of Proposal 1 - Proposal 1, the May ballot question, seeks to raise money to fix this and thousands of other potholes pocking Michigan roads. Who supports, and opposes, Proposal 1

<> Activists To Speak On Fracking and Pipelines - Internationally known activist and environmentalist Winona LaDuke, of Honor the Earth and Colorado activist Shane Davis, who founded the blog fractivist.org, will speak about fracking and pipelines at two events in Bloomfield Hills and Detroit. On April 13 at Birmingham Unitarian Church and on April 14 at Marygrove College, the Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan and seven other sponsors are hosting "Honor the Earth."

<> Detroit conference to explore farming in highly populated areas - Urban agriculture and hobby farms are growing in popularity -- new guidelines for raising livestock in populated areas will be presented from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 10 in Detroit during a one-day seminar hosted by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and MSU Extension -- Detroit Center, 3408 Woodward Ave.

<> Smelt vanishing from Michigan rivers - The smelt population has declined so much, so quickly over the past two decades that most anglers don't even bother trying anymore.

<> Lisa Wozniak: Of the energy proposals on the table, some make more sense - Two state legislators are pedaling an energy plan in Lansing that would make Michigan the laughing stock of the nation.

Michigan Legislative Tracking  Newly introduced bills and bills that are moving, if any, are listed below. Click on the bill number for complete status, full text, & analyses. Uppercase is Senate action; lowercase is House action. Otherwise, for a complete list of environmental legislation this session (click here).