WIMS Environmental HotSheet 2/11/14

<> Op-ed by President Obama and President Hollande: An Alliance Transformed- The full text of an op-ed by President Obama and President Hollande of France. The piece, published today in the Washington Post and in Le Monde. France and the U.S. enjoy a renewed alliance By Barack Obama and François Hollande, Monday, February 10. . .includes our leadership to combat climate change."

<> Crude Behavior: How Lifting the Export Ban Reduces Gasoline Prices in the United States – Analysis by Resources for the Future (RFF). . . economic arguments for lifting the ban are strong, based primarily on the gains from free trade and the example it sets when we live by our market principles. Such action will create winners and losers, however, and may lead to increases in greenhouse gases.

<> Presidential Proclamation -- 20th Anniversary of Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice - 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 12898 ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE - BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES - Two decades ago, President William J. Clinton directed the Federal Government to tackle a long-overlooked problem. Low-income neighborhoods, communities of color, and tribal areas. . . 

<> GAO-14-103, Drinking Water: EPA Has Improved Its Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Program, but Additional Action Is Needed, January 09, 2014- What GAO Found The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has implemented all of the recommendations GAO made in its May 2011 report to improve the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) program. In that report, GAO recommended that EPA (1) monitor for the full 30 contaminants allowed by statute, (2) monitor for most or all contaminants using a more robust . . .

<> Senate Republicans Urge President to Approve Keystone XL Pipeline - The entire Senate Republican caucus: "Rejecting the Keystone pipeline will cost thousands of American jobs and prevent our country from accessing a large supply of North American energy."

<> EPW Republicans Request Full Committee Hearing on Beale Fraud at the EPA- hearing to examine the facts and circumstances surrounding convicted felon and former senior official at EPA John Beale's expansive fraud.

<> EPA Administrator McCarthy Joins Senior Obama Administration Officials in Fort Collins to Discuss Local Climate Change Efforts - Gina McCarthy, Administrator of the U.S.EPA, Nancy Sutley, Outgoing Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality; and David Agnew, Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs will join Fort Collins Mayor Karen Weitkunat to tour projects to restore the Cache la Poudre River and strengthen its resilience to. . .

<> Wyden, Senators to CFTC: Share Information for Energy Market Oversight Now – "Provide leadership necessary to address technical issues and initiate information sharing by the end of February" . . .

<> NRC Documents Related to Waste Confidence - a list of documents and links that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued in connection with Waste Confidence.

<> Maps show expected redistribution of global species due to climate change - An international team of scientists tracks how fast and in which direction local climates -- and species -- have shifted Fifty-year climate trajectory classes based on global climate 

<> Chasing the Biggest Story on Earth - Source: NY Times - When Elizabeth Kolbert joined The New Yorker in 1999, after more than a decade covering New York politics as a reporter and columnist for The New York Times, she began gravitating to environmental issues.

<> The Burning Question: Who is Up to the Climate Challenge?-The United Nations IPCC has issued its Fifth Assessment Report, which concludes the warming of the climate system is unequivocal, human influence on the climate system is clear, and limiting climate change will require. . .

<> New UCS Book on Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Gets Rave Reviews - New Union of Concerned Scientists Book on Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Gets Rave Reviews

 

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 2/10/14

<> Remarks by the President at Signing of the Farm Bill -- MI- Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan 2:16 P.M. EST THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Spartans! Go, Green!  AUDIENCE: Go, White!  THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much.  Everybody have a seat here. It's good to be at Michigan State. . .

• H.R. 2642 Details

<> Annual EPA Enforcement Results Highlight Focus on Major Environmental Violations - The U.S. EPA released its annual enforcement and compliance results demonstrating a focus on violations that have the most impact on public health. Our enforcement work over the past year reflects our focus on the biggest violators and the cas...

<> C40 Mayors Summit Demonstrates Why Cities Are Leading On Global Climate Change - During the Summit, C40 released a landmark report, Climate Action in Megacities Volume 2.0 (CAM 2.0), developed in partnership with consultancy firm Arup.

<> U.S. Sailors Sick From Fukushima Radiation File New Suit Against Tokyo Electric Power - Citing a wide range of ailments from leukemia to blindness to birth defects, 79 American veterans of 2011's earthquake/tsunami relief Operation Tomadachi ("Friendship") have filed a new $1 billion class action lawsuit against Tokyo Electric Power. The suit includes an infant born with a genetic condition to a sailor who served on the USS Ronald Reagan as radiation poured over it. . .

<> Chlidren Exposed to Increasing Concentrations of Pyrethroid Insecticides- (Beyond Pesticides, February 10, 2014)   A recent study has found that exposure to pyrethroids is increasing among children and adults. The study also finds that children are still widely exposure to chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate chemical that has been banned for household use for over 12 years.

<> A full month after West Virginia spill, many questions linger … along with the chemical's distinctive odor - By Richard Denison, Ph.D., is a Senior Scientist with EDF. Today marks exactly a month since what is now said to be 10,000 gallons of "crude MCHM" – mixed with what was later found to have included other chemicals – spilled into West Virginia's Elk River, contaminated 1,700 miles of piping in the water distribution system for nine counties. . .

<> New Tool Available to Help Track Spilled Oil - Computer model can help with current, future clean-up efforts. A newly developed computer model holds the promise of helping scientists track and predict where oil will go after a spill, sometimes years later.  U.S. Geological Survey scientists developed the model as a way of tracking the movement of sand and oil found along the Gulf of Mexico since the . . .

<> Simplifying the Energy Tax Code - The following post is SAFE's contribution to a dialogue on the relative benefits of changing the energy tax code, from the OurEnergyPorlicy.org forum. Senator Baucus should be commended for moving our nation closer to comprehensive tax reform, particularly as it relates to the energy tax code. The current system is a complex patchwork of incentives that would benefit from. . . 

<> EPA Evaluation Finds Use of Coal Ash in Concrete and Wallboard Appropriate- Using a newly developed methodology, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released its evaluation of the two largest beneficial uses of encapsulated coal combustion residuals (CCR or coal ash): use in concrete as a substitute for portland cement, and the use of flue gas...

<> Energy Department Announces Funding to Improve the Resiliency of the Electric Grid - Energy Department Announces Funding to Improve the Resiliency of the Electric Grid In support of the President's State of the Union address and Climate Action Plan, the Department of Energy today announced up to $7 million to advance the design of microgrids -- technology that will help communities become more adaptive and prepared for power outages caused by severe. . .

<> As natural gas prices climb, drillers agree to cut flaring - If North Dakota was a country, it would rank fifth behind Russia, Nigeria, Iran, and Iraq on the list of worst natural gas wasters, according to the World Bank. The New York Times compares the level of flaring in North Dakota's Bakken Shale to the emissions caused by two medium-sized coal fired power plants. This level of waste is allowing nearly a third of the natural gas being 

<> New Report: Early Lessons Learned in Bringing SSL to Market - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published a new report that documents early challenges and lessons learned in the development of the SSL market. Entitled "Solid- State Lighting: Early Lessons Learned on the Way to Market," it summarizes early actions taken by DOE and others to avoid potential problems that were anticipated based on lessons learned from the market. . . 

<> Beyond bulbs: Illinois raises the bar on energy efficiency- As more customers switch to high-efficiency lighting, utilities are having to look elsewhere to meet energy conservation mandates. (Photo by Dan McKay via Creative Commons) What happens when the "low-hanging fruit" of energy efficiency runs out? Illinois is about to find out. After years of heavy reliance on lighting upgrades and other programs, the state's two largest utilities. . .

<> Top Wolf Scientists Unanimous: Science Doesn't Support Plan to Strip Protections - Center for Biological Diversity

<> DOE Announces Webinars on Natural Gas for Biomass Technologies, Additive Manufacturing for Fuel Cells, and More - February 5, 2014, DOE Announces Webinars on Natural Gas for Biomass Technologies, Additive Manufacturing for Fuel Cells, and More EERE offers webinars to the public on a range of subjects, from adopting the latest energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies to training for the clean energy workforce. Webinars are free; however, advanced registration is typically required.

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 2/7/14

<> Bipartisan Group of Senators, House Members, Business & Labor Groups Call for Approval of Keystone XL Pipeline - Soon to be Chair of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee, Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., joined a bipartisan group of Senators, labor leaders and experts to call on the administration to give final approval to construct the Keystone XL Pipeline. 

• Confirmation of Sen. Max Baucus paves way for Mary Landrieu's move to Energy Chair
• President's Allies Join Growing Chorus In Declaring It's #TimetoBuild Keystone XL - After five years of delays, the voices in support of the Keystone pipeline, an important part of an all-of-the-above energy strategy, are growing louder. The Washington Post editorial board today expressed, "It's past time for President Obama to set aside politics" and act on the Keystone XL pipeline. The post criticized environmentalists' opposition to the jobs project, as their claims. . . 

<> A Farm Bill at long last - Phew! After a long, arduous two-and-a-half year process, we finally have a Farm Bill. The bill, approved recently in both the House and Senate, now goes to President Obama for near-certain approval. Unfortunately, as we reported last week after the House vote, the new law is a real mixed bag. On the plus side, support is up for local and regional food systems; farmers must conserve soil. . .

<> Texas Authority Over GHG Permitting Good News for U.S. Chemical Projects - The American Chemistry Council (ACC) statement in response to action by the U.S. EPA delegating authority over greenhouse gas (GHG) permitting to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)

<> WH names Mike Boots as acting CEQ director - On Thursday the White House promoted Mike Boots, the Council on Environmental Quality's chief of staff, to serve as the council's acting director.

• CEQ Website

<> Wyden, Cantwell Request Analysis of How Oil Exports Would Affect U.S. Gas Prices- Senators send letter to Energy Information Administration seeking details on impact to consumers...

<> Sen. Murkowski Calls for National Approach to Addressing Forest Management- Roadless Rule Remains Serious Economic Impediment in Southeast Alaska...

<> Meehan Introduces CFATS Authorization Bill - Patrick Meehan (R-PA) introduced H.R. 4007, the"Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) Authorization and Accountability Act of 2014." (H.R.4007)

<> Bill Prohibits EPA from Using Secret Science - Washington, D.C. – Members of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology today introduced the Secret Science Reform Act of 2014 (H.R. 4012), a bill to prohibit the EPA from proposing regulations based upon science that is not transparent or not reproducible. The bill was introduced by Environment Subcommittee Chairman David Schweikert (R-Ariz.). . .

<> A REACH milestone: First authorisation application passes the European Chemicals Agency - By Alissa SassoAlissa Sasso is a Chemicals Policy Fellow at EDF. It's been a while since we've posted an update on ongoing activities under the European Union's Regulation on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH).  The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has been quite busy in recent months. The first application for authorisation

<> Climate Data Online (CDO) - NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), located in Asheville, North Carolina, provides free access to NCDC's archive of historical weather and climate data in addition to station history information. These data include quality controlled daily, monthly, seasonal, and yearly measurements of temperature, precipitation, wind, and degree days as well as radar data and 30-year Climate Normals.

<> NRDC Sues EPA to Ban Two Toxic Pesticides in Pet Flea Collars- The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) today filed a lawsuit in federal court against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeking EPA to respond to NRDC's petitions to ban two hazardous pesticides used in popular pet flea treatment products. Due to concerns that the products can harm children's brains and nervous systems

<> As Bees Decline, EPA Registers Another Toxic Insecticide - (Beyond Pesticides, February 7, 2014) Flying in the face of recent science demonstrating that pollinator populations are declining, the U.S. EPA has made the decision to unconditionally register another pesticide that is known to be highly toxic to bees, coming almost one year after EPA registered sulfoxaflor, disregarding concerns from beekeepers. . .

<> Alaska unseasonably warm in January 2014- January 2014 was remarkably mild across nearly all of Alaska, resulting in this January ranking among the  "top ten" warmest on record for many Alaskan communities according to preliminary analyses.

<> Record levels of banned insecticide found in Illinois otters - The concentrations of dieldrin, an insecticide banned in 1978, are the greatest ever found in otters. Once used on cornfields, the chemical lingers in sediments and accumulates in fish and wildlife. Six Great Lakes states are among the nation's top 12 corn producers.

<> Water quality continues to improve after the ash basin release at the Dan River Steam Station - CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Test results from water samples analyzed by Duke Energy overnight and today demonstrate that water quality continues to improve downstream of the Dan River Steam Station. . .

• Water Samples Show Disturbing Levels of Heavy Metals from Duke Energy Coal Ash Spill - [This is the third article in a three-part series. Read part one, read part two.] Today Waterkeeper Alliance and Yadkin Riverkeeper issued the results of water sampling from the Dan River in the wake of the third largest coal ash spill in U.S. history. A certified laboratory analysis of Waterkeeper's samples, completed today, reveals that the water immediately downstream of Duke Energy's
• 82,000 Reasons Why Federal Coal Ash Regulations Are Needed - North Carolina spill comes just days after EPA sets deadline for first-ever federal safety standards The spill of 82,000 tons of coal ash into the Dan River in North Carolina is the latest illustration of the need for federal coal ash regulations. The nation's third largest coal ash spill came just days after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency settled a federal lawsuit brought by Earth. . .

<> Majority of Donations to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Given by Just 64 Entities - More than half of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's contributions in 2012 came from just 64 donors, according to a new report released today by Public Citizen's U.S. Chamber Watch program.

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 2/6/14

<> 2014 Farm Bill Drill Down: The Bill by the Numbers- With the 2014 Farm Bill about to become law, NSAC is doing a seven-part series here on our blog that delves into the details of the bill for sustainable food and farming systems.  This first post summarizes the big picture funding decisions reflected in the final bill.  Coming posts will look at specific issues within the farm bill in more detail.  A post from last week provided a broad

<> Secretary Vilsack Announces Regional Hubs to Help Agriculture, Forestry Mitigate the Impacts of a Changing Climate - Feb. 5, 2014 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the creation of the first ever Regional Hubs for Risk Adaptation and Mitigation to Climate Change at seven locations around the country. Seven major hubs and 3 Sub-Hubs including one in Houghton, MI

<> Sarbanes Announces Broad Coalition of Support for Government By the People Act- An unprecedented coalition of reformers rallied behind legislation to end big money politics and empower everyday Americans to take back their government. Introduced by U.S. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.), the bipartisan Government By the People Act (H.R. 20) has been endorsed by over 35 national organizations advocating for the environment, education, labor, civil rights, clean government and more.

<> Smith: EPA Should Allow States Flexibility to Regulate - The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee today held a hearing to focus on the scientific justification and cumulative impacts of regulations, policies and practices promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and their effects on state sovereignty. The hearing specifically focused on Texas as a case study. Chairman Lamar Smith. . .

• Committee Majority Assault on EPA – Science Democrats Stress EPA's Role in Protecting Public Health - The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing titled, "Examining the Science of EPA Overreach: A Case Study in Texas."  Testifying for the Committee Majority were representatives from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the Railroad Commission of Texas, the Texas Farm Bureau, and the Maguire. . .

<> Senate EPW Hearing On West Virginia Drinking Water Crisis - "Examination of the Safety and Security of Drinking Water Supplies Following the Central West Virginia Drinking Water Crisis"

<> Vitter: EPA Takes First Step Toward Evaluating Full Economic Impacts In Future Regulations - EPA announcement to proceed with a review and examination of whole-economy modeling and its ability to capture more complete regulatory impacts of air regulations across the economy.

<> Rep. Waxman and the Safe Climate Caucus to Launch New Initiative -

Rep. Henry A. Waxman and members of the Safe Climate Caucus will announce Thursday their new initiative to take action to respond to the threat of climate change.  They will discuss the climate change and environmental issues facing Congress and the country in the coming year. Rep. Waxman formed the Safe Climate Caucus in February 2013 to bring attention to the urgent need. Link to video statement

<> In Austin, Energy Secretary Moniz Announces New ARPA-E Solar Projects - In Austin, Energy Secretary Moniz Announces New ARPA-E Solar Projects $30 Million "FOCUS" Program Supports 12 Projects that Develop Cost-Effective Solar Energy. . .

<> NRDC Experts: EPA Carbon Pollution Limits for New Power Plants Workable, Popular and Would Address Climate Change - (February 6, 2014) – The Environmental Protection Agency's proposed limits on carbon pollution from future power plants are realistic, would deliver real results and have attracted broad support nationwide, experts at the Natural Resources Defense Council will say today in a public hearing.

<> W.R. Grace Pays Over $63 Million Toward Cleanup and Restoration of Hazardous Waste Sites in Communities Across the Country (HQ) -

WASHINGTON – Today, Columbia, Md.-based W.R. Grace & Co. under its bankruptcy plan of reorganization, paid over $63 million to the U.S. government to resolve claims for environmental cleanups at approximately 39 sites in 21 states, the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today. Includes N-Forcer Site - Dearborn, Mich.

<> EPA to Hold Public Hearing on Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants (HQ) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public hearing on Thursday, February 6, 2014 on the proposed carbon pollution standards for new. . . 

<> Senior Obama Administration Officials to Join Governor Brown, Mayor Garcetti, Other Leaders in L.A. for Climate Task Force Meeting (HQ) - On Thursday, February 13, senior Obama Administration officials, including White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs David Agnew, U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. . . for the second meeting of President Obama's Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience.

• Task Force Information

<> KXL "Contractor Controversy" About to "Get Heated" - When the State Department's long-awaited Final Environmental Impact Statement into the controversial Keystone XL (KXL) pipeline was published last week, the report argued that KXL would not significantly add to global warming. It therefore supposedly passed the test that Obama outlined in a speech last summer when he said he would only approve the pipeline if it. . .

• ERM Global Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

<> IMF chief Lagarde warns of "merciless" climate change - Speaking in London, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde says UN emissions deal and fossil fuel subsidies cut are now global priorities. . .

<> EPA Launches WaterSense H2Otel Challenge to Encourage Water Savings- U.S. EPA launched the WaterSense H2Otel Challenge to encourage hotels to assess water use, learn about the best management practices for reducing water in hotels, and track their results.

<> Current drought reduces hydro generation forecast for California -

(Thu, 06 Feb 2014) Forecasts for the water supply at nearly every major water gauge in the states of California and Nevada were less than half of average seasonal norms as of February 5. The water supply situation has not materially improved since the governor of California declared a state of emergency on January 17. The driest December on record has resulted in nearly 60% of.

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 2/5/14

<> Farm Bill Passes the Senate - David Rogers reported yesterday at Politico that, "The long-tortured farm bill cleared Congress on Tuesday, ending a two year struggle that split the old farm-food coalition as never before and dramatized the growing isolation of agriculture and rural America in an ever more urban House. "Written off as dead just months ago, the giant five-year measure won final approval. . .

·          Senate Approves Senator Stabenow's 2014 Farm Bill, Legislation Heads to the President - The U.S. Senate today voted overwhelmingly to approve the bipartisan Farm Bill authored by U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture. . .

• American Farm Bureau Statement Regarding Senate Passage of Farm Bill

<> U.S. to launch 'climate hubs' to help farmers face climate change - (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's administration will announce on Wednesday the formation of seven "climate hubs" to help farmers and rural communities adapt to extreme weather conditions and other 

<>EPA's 2012 Toxics Release Inventory Shows Air Pollutants Continue to Decline (HQ)- Total releases of toxic chemicals decreased 12 percent from 2011-2012, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) annual Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) report released today. The decrease includes an eight percent decline in total toxic air releases, primarily due to reductions in hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions

<> E.P.A. Staff Struggling to Create Pollution Rule - The new regulation would primarily affect the country's 600 coal-fired power plants, like this one in Texas, and could ultimately shutter hundreds of them. Tom Pennington for The Texas Tribune — In marathon meetings and tense all-day drafting sessions, dozens of lawyers, economists and engineers at the Environmental Protection Agency are struggling to create. . .

<> National Award for Smart Growth Achievement - EPA announced the winners of the 2013 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement. This year's award recognizes five winners and two honorable mentions in five categories. The Award ceremony is today and recognizes and supports communities that use innovative policies and strategies to develop in ways that protect the environment, provide housing and transportation choices, and strengthen their economies

<> GAO-14-140, Coal Leasing: BLM Could Enhance Appraisal Process, More Explicitly Consider Coal Exports, and Provide More Public Information, December 18, 2013

<> House Democrats Request Hearing on Crude Oil Exports - House Democrats Request Hearing on Crude Oil Exports Request comes on eve of Republican hearing on energy production on public lands. Today, Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee Peter DeFazio (D-OR) sent a letter to Chairman Doc Hastings. .  .

<> EPA finalizes first of two E-Manifest rules - Barnes & Thornburg LLP has issued an Environmental Alert on EPA's requirements governing the use of electronic manifests (or e-Manifests) as a means to track hazardous waste under RCRA. The final rule, announced Jan. 13, has not yet been published in the Federal Register and will become effective 180 days after publication.

<> Electricity Reliability and Affordability Act of 2014 - U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), introduced the Electricity Reliability and Affordability Act of 2014 (S.1988). The bill would allow states to permanently waive any federal regulation regarding electric generating units for the purpose of power reliability and affordability.

Pipeline rupture report raises questions about TransCanada inspections - A CBC News investigation has unearthed a critical report that the federal regulator effectively buried for several years about a rupture on a trouble-prone TransCanada natural gas pipeline.

<> United Arab Emirates to host meeting ahead of UN chief's climate summit - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Minisiter of State and Special Envoy for Energy and Climate Change of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, have announced that the Gulf country will host a high-level meeting in May to generate momentum for concrete actions to be taken at a climate summit Mr. Ban will convene four months later in New York.

<> Tons of illegal waste seized under Operation Demeter III- Customs officials continue to demonstrate leadership in preventing and combating the illegal trafficking of hazardous wastes. A joint global Customs initiative across Europe and the Asia Pacific region netted more than 7,000 metric tons of illegal waste, including hazardous waste, used vehicle parts and tyres, textiles, and e-waste.

<> C40 Releases Landmark Research Detailing a Clear Trend of Expanding and Accelerating Climate Action in the World's Megacities - C40 cities deliver on climate action, nearly doubling reported activities compared to 2011 and proving C40's collaborative, global model is working. . . The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) released landmark research today...