WIMS Environmental HotSheet 6/3/14

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National / International News

 

<> Remarks for Administrator McCarthy, Announcement of Clean Power Plan, Washington, DC - About a month ago, I took a trip to the Cleveland Clinic. I met a lot of great people, but one stood out—even if he needed to stand on a chair to do it. Parker Frey is 10 years old. He's struggled with severe asthma all his life. . .

<> Smith: New EPA Power Plant Regs 'All Pain, No Gain' - Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) released the following statement in response to the Obama administration's announcement of stringent new EPA carbon. . .

<> The Consensus on Climate Change: It's Time to Act - The crisis of climate change is felt across our nation and around the world.  Today, President Obama's Administration proposed a bold plan to responsibly reduce carbon pollution and safeguard our children's health

<> Recent trends in energy-related CO2 emissions vary across regions and states - (Tue, 03 Jun 2014) U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2013 were 10% below the benchmark year of 2005. . . Recently released state-level data through 2011, calculated from the State Energy Data System (SEDS) and aggregated here by Census regions...

<> Report Reviews Estimates of Costs and Benefits of Compliance with Renewable Portfolio Standards to Date - A new report, prepared by analysts from the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), reviews estimates of the costs and benefits of compliance 

<> 2013 Annual Accomplishments Report - The report illustrates how NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC),continues to carry out critical climate science, develop new and better applications to enable climate data access, and monitor our changing planet.

<> China and the United States—A Comparison of Green Energy Programs and Policies – A 31-page report from the Congressional Research Service dated 4/30/14

<> Secretary Kerry's Call to Action to Help Protect Our Ocean - U.S. Secretary of State Kerry issued a call to action to people around the world to help protect our ocean, an encouragement as the Our Ocean Conference hosted by the Department of State in Washington, D.C., approaches on June 16-17.

<> EPA Rule on Treated Seeds Challenged, Activists Tell Lowe's to Stop Selling Neonics - (Beyond Pesticides, June 3, 2014) In a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Center for Food Safety (CFS) challenged EPA's position that seeds coated with pesticides. . .

<> World needs $48 trillion in investment to meet its energy needs to 2035 -

IEA World Energy Outlook special report sees rising role of governments in shaping investment decisions. . .

<> CO2 Levels Reach and Maintain 400 PPM - A Dubious Milestone in Human History - The World Meteorological Organization has reported that, for perhaps the first time in human history, atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) eclipsed 400 parts-per-million (ppm) in the northern hemisphere for the entire month of April. . .

 

U.S. Appeals Court Environmental Decisions

 

<> GenOn Power Midwest, L.P. v. Bell – In the U.S. Supreme Court, Docket No. 13-1013, Appealed from the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. The High Court denied the petition to appeal. Issue: Whether the Clean Air Act, which provides a comprehensive system for the regulation of air pollution in the United States and leaves "no room for a parallel track," American Electric Power Co. v. Connecticut, preempts state common law nuisance claims that would impose emissions restrictions different from those adopted pursuant to the Act and expose companies operating in compliance with all applicable emissions standards under the Act to liability for their emissions.

<> Venancio Aguasanta Arias v. Dyncorp – In the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, Case No. 13-7044. The Panel rules: "Appellants, a group of Ecuadorian provinces and individual farmers, alleged that they were injured by an anti-drug herbicide spraying operation in Colombia, conducted by an American company. In a series of rulings, the district judge dismissed all claims. Some of those are appealed. We affirm all but one."

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Tuesday, June 3, 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)

 

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 6/2/14

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National / International News

 

<> EPA Proposes First Guidelines to Cut Carbon Pollution from Existing Power Plants - "Clean Power Plan" is flexible proposal to ensure a healthier environment, spur innovation and strengthen the economy

• Fact sheets and details about the proposed rule
• Weekly Address: Reducing Carbon Pollution in Our Power Plants - In this week's address, President Obama discussed new actions by the Environmental Protection Agency to cut dangerous carbon pollution, a plan that builds on the efforts already taken by many states, cities

<> The following are a few representative comments on EPA's Clean Power Plan proposal. . .

• McConnell: EPA Overreach 'a dagger in the heart of the American middle class' - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell issued the following statement regarding the Obama. . .
• Promise Made, Promise Kept: "Electricity Rates Would Necessarily Skyrocket" - House Speaker Boehner: President Obama has kept his promise: "Electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket"
• Senator Boxer's Statement on Obama Administration's Proposed Standards - "The President's proposal is a win-win-win for the American people, as it will protect our health, saving thousands of lives, create thousands of jobs. . ."

• EPA Must Consider Impact of Power Plant Rules on U.S. Energy System - The American Chemistry Council (ACC) issued the following statement in response to the EPA'S proposed rules
• New EPA Rule Will Threaten Manufacturers' Competitive Advantage - National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) President and CEO Jay Timmons issued this statement
• American wind energy can help states, consumers meet new carbon pollution standard and save money - American Wind Energy Association. . .
• Center for Climate and Energy Solutions Statement - EPA's proposal today to reduce carbon pollution from power plants is an important, and long overdue, turning point in America's response to climate change.
• EPA Moves to Curb Emissions from Existing Power Plants - In a historic step, the EPA today proposed the first-ever limits on carbon emissions from existing power plants fueled by coal and natural gas, with new analysis from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) finding that there . . .
• Environmental Defense Fund Hails EPA Proposal to Limit Carbon Pollution from Power Plants
• Sierra Club Applauds Plan To Curb Carbon Pollution

<> Domestic production satisfies 84% of total U.S. energy demand in 2013 - (Mon, 02 Jun 2014) Total U.S. energy production reached 81.7 quadrillion British thermal units (quads) in 2013, enough to satisfy 84% of total U.S. energy demand, which totaled 97.5 quads. Natural gas was the largest. . . (U.S. Energy Information Administration).

<> "Weak Management of a Climate Change Services Contract Creates Risk EPA Did Not Receive Services for Which It Paid" - EPA Office of Inspector General (OIG) new report; May 30, 2014, Report No. 14-P-0272

<> In response to warming, Eastern forests inhaling more carbon dioxide than they're exhaling - In response to recent decades' warming, forests in the eastern United States have been "inhaling" more carbon dioxide through photosynthesis than they've "exhaled" through respiration.

<> A New Strategy to Drive Down the "Soft Costs" of Solar - Earlier this month, President Obama announced that more than 300 organizations in the public and private sector have made commitments to advance the deployment of solar power and invest in energy efficiency.

• The DOE SunShot Initiative is a national collaborative effort to make solar energy cost-competitive with other forms of electricity by the end of the decade

<> DOE Publishes CALiPER Report on Cost-Effectiveness of Linear (T8) LED Lamps - May 30, 2014. DOE Publishes CALiPER Report on Cost-Effectiveness of Linear (T8) LED Lamps The U.S. Department of Energy's CALiPER program has released Report 21.3, which is part of a series of investigations on linear. . .

<> Department of State Office of the Science and Technology Adviser:  Fact Sheet - STAS provides scientific and technical advice and resources to bureaus and offices at the U.S. Department of State, building upon the Secretary of State's emphasis on utilizing "smart power," "economic statecraft," and "whole-of-society" approaches.

• Office of the Science & Technology Adviser website

<> FDA launches open FDA to provide easy access to valuable FDA public data - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration launched open FDA, a new initiative designed to make it easier for web developers, researchers, and the public to access large, important public health datasets collected by the agency.

<> Secretary Jewell Announces Award of First Oil and Gas Leases in Gulf of Mexico Subject to U.S.–Mexico Transboundary Hydrocarbons Agreement - As part of President Obama's all-of-the-above energy strategy to continue to expand safe and responsible domestic energy production, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Acting. . .

 

U.S. Appeals Court Environmental Decisions

 

<> National Environmental Dev v. U.S. EPA - 5/30/14. In the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, Case No. 13-1035. In December 2012, two months after EPA's petition for rehearing was denied in Summit Petroleum, the Director of EPA's Office of Air Quality and Standards wrote a directive to the Regional Air Directors of each of the ten EPA regions "to explain the applicability of the decision by the [Sixth] Circuit Court of Appeals." Applicability of the Summit Decision to EPA Title V and NSR Source Determinations (Dec. 21, 2012), reprinted in Joint Appendix ("J.A.")("Summit Directive").

    The Panel in this case grant the petition for review and vacate the Summit Directive.

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Monday, June 2, 2014.  (Click here to access today's complete Federal Register index with links to complete announcements).

 

1. Air – Final Rule. U.S. EPA. Identification of Nonattainment Classification and Deadlines for Submission of State Implementation Plan (SIP) Provisions for the 1997 Fine Particle (PM2.5) [Including Michigan at Sec. 81-323] PDF | Text | 

(click for the complete Energy & EPA announcements)

 

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 5/30/14

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National / International News

 

<> A Proposed Change to the Energy Department's LNG Export Decision-Making Procedures - To reflect changing market dynamics, the Department of Energy is proposing a change in the way it reviews applications to export liquified natural gas to non-Free Trade Agreement countries.

• Sierra Club statement: New rules at Department of Energy for LNG export applications
• API urges rapid approval for LNG export applications - API Director of Upstream and Industry Operations Erik Milito urged faster action after the Department of Energy announced new procedures
• Upton and Gardner Respond to DOE's LNG Export Changes - House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Rep. Cory Gardner (R-CO), author

<> Slideshow from the White House Energy Datapalooza - Go behind the scenes of the Energy Datapalooza to see how entrepreneurs and government are working together to empower consumers and save energy

<> 8 State Alliance Releases Plan to Put 3.3 Million Zero-Emission Vehicles on the Road - Eight states located on the East and West Coasts released a collaborative Action Plan to develop infrastructure, coordinated policies, codes and standards and a consumer market primed to put 3.3 million zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) on the road by 2025.

<> EPA Environmental Appeals Board Denies Fracking Injection Petitions - Three petitions challenged an Underground Injection Control (UIC) permit to Seneca Resources Corporation for a Class II injection well. The "Board denies Ms. Swanson's petition because it lacks the requisite specificity, denies Highland Township's petition as untimely, and denies Ms. Hudson's petition for lack of standing."

<> GAO-14-645T, DOE Loan Programs: DOE Has Made More Than $30 Billion in Loans and Guarantees and Needs to Fully Develop Its Loan Monitoring Function, May 30, 2014 –

• House E&C Committee Department of Energy Oversight: Status of Loan Programs - Statements, testimony & webcast

<> EWG To Ethanol Lobby: Tell the Truth on the Renewable Fuel Standard - Bob Dinneen, president of the Renewable Fuels Association, has issued a statement calling EWG's new report, "Ethanol's Broken Promise: Using Less Corn Ethanol Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions," "simply preposterous" and misrepresenting studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy.

• RFA Disputes Flawed EWG Report - (May 29, 2014) Today, the Environmental Working Group released a report titled "Ethanol's Broken Promise: Using Less Corn Ethanol Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions." Bob Dinneen, president. . .

<> Moms Tell EPA to Ban Glyphosate After Residues Found in Breast Milk - Beyond Pesticides, May 30, 2014) This week, a group of concerned mothers and environmentalists met with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials to discuss a recent pilot study that detected glyphosate residues. . .

<> 7 Groups Attacking The President's Plan To Cut Carbon Pollution, Even Though It Hasn't Been Released Yet - Tiffany Germain, Senior Researcher with the Center for American Progress Action Fund, contributed to this piece. . .

• McConnell to Introduce Legislation to Fight Back Against President Obama's Latest Attack on Kentucky Coal Jobs and the Commonwealth's Economy
• New Carbon Pollution Standards Can Save Americans $37.4 billion on Electric Bills, Create 274,000 Jobs - (May 29, 2014) – The first-ever limits on carbon pollution from power plants can save American households and business customers $37.4 billion on their electric bills in 2020 while creating more than 274,000 jobs
• NRDC: Door Slammed On McConnell's Anti-Climate Move
• GAO's Role and Responsibilities Under the Congressional Review Act

<> Energy Department Announces National Geothermal Data System to Accelerate Geothermal Energy Development - May 28, 2014Energy Department Announces National Geothermal. . .

<> USDA Awarding $6 Million to Prepare Farmers for New Farm Bill Programs - May 29, 2014 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding $6 million to universities and cooperative state extension services to develop. . .

<> DOE Announces Webinars on Energy Efficiency Expert Evaluations, the Better Buildings Challenge and More - May 29, 2014DOE Announces Webinars on Energy Efficiency Expert Evaluations, the Better Buildings Challenge and More EERE offers webinars to the public on a range of subjects, from adopting the latest energy efficiency. . .

<> Wood-waste biofuel to cut greenhouse gas and transform shipping industry - A sustainable biofuel made from Norwegian forest wood waste could help transform the shipping industry and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

<> GE Labeling Narrowly Defeated in California Senate - Center for Food Safety Vows to Continue to Push for the Right to Know California's SB 1381 (Evans) to label genetically engineered foods was narrowly defeated in the California Senate today, with 19 votes in favor and 16. . .

<> Legal Action Taken to Reduce Wildlife Poisoning - Groups intervene in lawsuit by d-CON producers fighting California's controls on super-toxic rat poisons. . .

<> The Future of Solar Economics and Policy - Solar power is at a unique place in history. It's growing rapidly, its price is falling precipitously. Within the next 10 years, it will compete favorably with utilities for electricity sales, on price, and without subsidies.

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Friday, May 30, 2014.  (Click here to access today's complete Federal Register index with links to complete announcements).

 

1. Toxics - Proposed Rule. U.S. EPA. Lead - Framework for Identifying and Evaluating Lead-Based Paint Hazards From Renovation, Repair, and Painting Activities in Public and Commercial Buildings PDF | Text | 

 

(click for the complete Energy & EPA announcements)

 

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 5/29/14

National / International News

 

<> White House Releases Report on the Administration's All-of-the-Above Energy Strategy as a Path to Sustainable Economic Growth - Today, the White House released a report, "An All-of-the-Above Energy Strategy as a Path to Sustainable Economic Growth," detailing the President's all-of-the-above energy strategy and the profound transformation in the domestic energy sector since the President took office.

• Access the 43-page report

<> EPA Report Shows Impact of Changing Climate on Americans' Health and Environment - U.S. EPA released the third edition of a report, Climate Change Indicators in the United States. The report pulls together observed data on key measures of the environment, including U.S. and global temperature and precipitation, ocean heat and ocean acidity, sea level, length of growing season, and many others.

<> President Said to Be Planning to Use Executive Authority on Carbon Rule - President Obama's proposed regulation to cut pollution from coal-fired power plants by up to 20 percent would be the strongest action taken by an American president to tackle climate change.

<> A Pushback on Green Power - Opponents of government policies that have spurred the growth of renewable energy are pushing back on mandates nationwide.

<> EPA Selects 171 Communities for New Brownfield Investment Grants - 171 communities will receive 264 grants totaling $67 million in brownfields funding to clean and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies and leverage jobs while protecting public health and the environment [includes 5 MI communities]

<> EPA Funds Universities For Cleaner Fuel Burning in Developing World - $9 million IN new funding for six universities to research cleaner technologies and fuels for cooking, lighting, and heating homes that will help improve air quality and protect the health of Alaska Natives and people across the developing world.

<> EPA's Catalog of Federal Funding Updated wIth FY 2014 Funding Data - EPA's online catalog of federal funding sources for watershed protection was recently updated to include the latest information about FY2014 federal funding allocations for programs focusing on watershed protection and restoration.

<> Study: Crude exports yield economic benefits across 50 states - May 29, 2014 ─ A new state-by-state analysis shows that 18 U.S. states could gain over 5,000 jobs each in 2020 from exports of U.S. crude oil, said API Vice President for Regulatory and Economic Policy Kyle Isakower.

<> Everything You Need to Know About Agricultural Emissions - The Greenhouse Gas Protocol launched a new guidance this week to help agricultural companies measure and manage their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from crop and livestock production. 

<> EPA Plan To Reduce Corn Ethanol Mandate Would Cut Carbon Emissions - An EPA proposal to cut the amount of corn ethanol required in gasoline would lower greenhouse gas emissions by 3 million metric tons, according to a new report released by the Environmental Working Group

<> GAO-14-628R, Surface Transportation: Actions Needed to Improve Documentation of Key Decisions in the TIGER Discretionary Grant Program, May 28, 2014 – In A Management Report to Anthony Foxx, Secretary of Transportation, GAO found the Department of Transportation (DOT) did not document key decisions made in evaluating grant applications and selecting projects during the fifth round of Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) 

<> Wisconsin scientists release climate change scenarios for 2070 - A group of University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers released Yahara 2070, an iniative to explore possible futures for the people, lakes, and ecosystems of Wisconsin's Yahara Watershed.

<> EPA Has Not Implemented Adequate Management Procedures to Address Potential Fraudulent Environmental Data - EPA Office of Inspector General (OIG) report, May 29, 2014, Report No. 14-P-0270

<> Draft Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee Report - May 27. CASAC Review of the EPA's Integrated Review Plan for the Primary National Ambient Air Quality Standard for Sulfur Dioxide (External Review Draft - March 2014)

• Background, meetings, & documents

U.S. Appeals Court Environmental Decisions

 

<> US v. Certified Environmental Services, Inc. - 5/28/14. In the U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, Case No. 11-4872. The defendants, consist of an asbestos air monitoring company, five of its employees, and an employee of an asbestos abatement contractor, were convicted, collectively. The Appeals Court ruled the judgments of conviction as to CES, and 4 of the employees are vacated. The case is remanded for a new trial as to CES, and two employees and for resentencing for two employees.

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Thursday, May 29 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)

 

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 5/28/14

Subscribe by June 30, 2014 to avoid disruption in service
(click here)

National / International News

 

<> FACT SHEET: Harnessing the Power of Data for a Clean, Secure, and Reliable Energy Future – White House fact sheet: "We are blessed when it comes to energy, but we're much more blessed when it comes to the innovation and the dynamism and the creativity of our economy." – President Barack Obama

<> EPA Adds Clothes Dryers to Energy Star Program, Increasing Energy Efficiency of New Appliances - If all residential clothes dryers sold in the U.S. meet these new requirements, the utility cost savings will grow to more than $1.5 billion each year and more than 22 billion pounds of annual greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented.

<> NRC Commissioners Kill Further Study of Moving Spent Fuel from Overcrowded Cooling Pools - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission today announced that four of its five members voted to decline further consideration of a plan to expedite transferring spent nuclear fuel from cooling pools to dry casks at U.S. nuclear. . .

<> GEF Countries Meet with a Strong Mandate for Environmental Action - This week, the leadership and member countries of the Global Environment Facility meet in Mexico with a strong mandate – nearly $4.5 billion in pledges, a record level, to support developing countries as they work to prevent the degradation of the world's environment.

<> NRDC Reports Governor Christie Trying to Double Down on Climate Inaction - The Christie Administration has announced its intention to once again try to stop New Jersey from participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative despite the New Jersey legislature twice voting to keep them in place, a recent court ruling finding its previous attempt was illegal, and overwhelming bipartisan support for pollution limits from New Jersey residents.

<> A Stronger America: Cutting Carbon Pollution from Power Plants and Cleaner, Safer Energy - The Carbon Pollution Standards, which are expected to be announced next week, will finally put national limits on the amount of carbon pollution emitted by fossil fuel fired power plants. Environmental Defense Fund listing of facts with links to sources.

<> Potential EPA carbon regulations could significantly harm the U.S. economy - We've done the math: New Report Released Today. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing new regulations on carbon emissions from the power plants of today and tomorrow. In order to evaluate these new regulations, all Americans should understand the effect… U.S. Chamber Energy Institute

<> Cutting Carbon: States Can Use What they've Already Got to Whittle Power Plant Emissions - As the Environmental Protection Agency gets ready to release proposed greenhouse gas standards for existing power plants on June 2, state officials around the United States are weighing options on the best ways to cut carbon. . . 

<> Girls Rule at 2014 White House Science Fair - Senior Administration officials and young female participants in the 2014 White House Science Fair gather in the Roosevelt Room for a discussion about girls in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

 

U.S. Appeals Court Environmental Decisions

 

<> Oklahoma v. Environmental Protection Agency – 5/27/14. In the U.S. Supreme Court, Docket No. 13-921. On appeals from the U.S. Appeals Court, Tenth Circuit, certiorari denied. The High Court refused to review the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals prior decisions to uphold the United States Environmental Protection Agency's plan to cut haze pollution.

• Sierra Club: "United States Supreme Court Leaves Clean Air Protections Standing, Knocks Oklahoma Polluters"

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Wednesday, May 28, 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)