Administration Officials Discuss Sustainable Electronics & E-cycling

CEQ, EPA, GSA, and USPS Leaders to Discuss Sustainable Electronics - Leaders from the White House Council on Environmental Quality, U.S. EPA, GSA, and U.S. Postal Service, along with electronics industry stakeholders, are holding a meeting today Monday, August 4, 2014 to discuss progress on the National Strategy on Electronics Stewardship and participation in the U.S. Postal Service BlueEarth® Federal Recycling Program.

[Note: The latest release was not available at press time. It should be available soon from the link under "Recent Additions" for 8/4/14.]

• Interagency Task Force on Electronics Stewardship

Get more Great Lakes, Michigan, National & International news from WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet

Senate Hearing On Economic Issues of Climate Change

Budget Issues: Opportunities to Reduce Federal Fiscal Exposures Through Greater Resilience to Climate Change and Extreme Weather - GAO Testimony before the Senate Budget Committee hearing entitled, The Costs of Inaction: The Economic and Budgetary Consequences of Climate Change

• Access the witnesses hearing testimony & webcast
  

White House Report: The Cost of Delaying Action to Stem Climate Change

White House Report: The Cost of Delaying Action to Stem Climate Change - A new 32-page report from the Council of Economic Advisers that examines the economic consequences of delaying action to stem climate change. The report finds that delaying policy actions by a decade increases total mitigation costs by approximately 40 percent, and failing to take any action would risk substantial economic damage.

 

Get more Great Lakes, Michigan, National & Interrnational news from WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet

EPA Media Call & Public Hearings On Clean Power Plan

EPA Administrator Holding Media Call to Preview Public Hearings on Clean Power Plan - Today, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy will discuss the importance of public input on the proposed Clean Power Plan. Next week, there will be four, two-day public hearings in Washington D.C., Atlanta, Denver and Pittsburgh, to give interested parties an opportunity to comment on the proposed rule -- The comment period on the proposal is open until October 16, 2014.

• EPA to Hold Public Hearings on Clean Power Plan/ Public hearings being held in Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Denver and Washington, D.C. 

Get more Great Lakes, Michigan, National & Interrnational news from WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet

Comments On The Administration's Build America Investment Initiative

What They're Saying Around the Country: Build America Investment Initiative - This past week, President Obama spoke about the importance of long-term investments in our country's infrastructure and launched the Build America Investment Initiative. The initiative  has been hailed by some leading stakeholders; here's a sample of what they're saying:

 

Get more Great Lakes, Michigan, National & Interrnational news from WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet

 

Readers Note: Upcoming Vacation Days: We will not be publishing the remainder of this week (Tuesday, the 22nd through Friday, the 25th). Next week we will be back on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday; and off again on Thursday and Friday July 31 & August 1).

President Obama's Bridges, Roads & Infrastructure Initiative

President Obama: "Let's Build Some Bridges. Let's Build Some Roads." - President Barack Obama delivers remarks before he signs an executive action creating the Build America Investment Initiative during an event near the Interstate 495 Bridge at the Port of Wilmington in Wilmington, Del., July 17

• FACT SHEET: Building a 21st Century Infrastructure: Increasing Public and Private Collaboration with the Build America Investment Initiative
• Remarks by the President on the Economy -- Wilmington, DE
• Presidential Memorandum -- Expanding Public-Private Collaboration on Infrastructure Development and Financing

Get more news from WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet

President's Remarks At Climate Preparedness and Resilience Meeting

Remarks by the President at Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience Meeting – "We've got Democrats and Republicans and independents from all the across the nation.  And we are here because we know that climate change is an undeniable scientific fact. . ."

• Preparing Communities for the Impacts of Climate Change - President Barack Obama drops by a meeting of the Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, in the State Dining Room of the White House

Get more news from WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet

White House Fact Sheet On Support For Impacts of Climate Change

FACT SHEET: Taking Action to Support State, Local, and Tribal Leaders as They Prepare Communities for the Impacts of Climate Change - To support communities in need of a more resilient infrastructure that can withstand impacts like more extreme weather and increased flooding, President Obama is responding to guidance from governors, mayors, county and tribal officials who are proven leaders in helping their communities prepare for climate impacts.

 

Get more news from WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet

Petra Nova Project: Largest Post-Combustion Carbon Capture Project

World's Largest Post-Combustion Carbon Capture Project Begins Construction - July 15, 2014. The Department of Energy – in partnership with NRG Energy Inc. and JX Nippon – announced that construction has begun on the first commercial-scale post-combustion carbon capture retrofit project in the U.S., the largest such project in the world -- The Petra Nova Project, located in Thompsons, Texas, southwest of Houston will capture 1.4 million tons of CO2 annually. . .

 

Get more news from WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet

NOAA : Australia's rainfall decline due to increases in manmade GHG emissions

Climate model shows Australia's rainfall decline due to human-caused climate change - NOAA scientists have developed a new high-resolution climate model that shows southwestern Australia's long-term decline in fall and winter rainfall is caused by increases in manmade greenhouse gas. . .

 

Get more news from WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet

House Passes Energy/Water Funding -- Administration Would Veto

House Passes H.R. 4923, the FY 2015 Energy & Water Appropriations Bill - On a bipartisan vote of 253-170, the bill totals $34 billion – a $50 million reduction from the fiscal year 2014 enacted level and an increase of $327 million above the President's request.

• Blackburn Secures Provision to Save Our Ceiling Fans & Protect American Jobs in FY15 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill - Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) today continued her fight against burdensome regulations being imposed on American ceiling fan manufacturers
• The Administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 4923 - If the President were presented with H.R. 4923, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill

Get more news from WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet

EPA Testifies On "Waters of the United States"

<> EPA Clarifies Proposed Water Rule for Committee - The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to examine the rule proposed by EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers to define the term the "waters of the United States"

• Smith: Water Rule Part of EPA 'Regulation Rampage' - Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) said the proposed water rule expands EPA jurisdiction over private property

Hearing webcast, charter, statement and testimony of EPA's Robert Perciasepe

 

Get more news from WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet

Hot Environmental News

 

<> Appropriations Committee Releases Fiscal Year 2015 Interior and Environment Bill - The House Appropriations Committee today released the fiscal year 2015 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, which will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow. The legislation includes funding for Department of the Interior, EPA, the Forest Service, and various independent and related agencies

<> EPA Air Chief Comments On Process For Climate Plan - "With all the coverage of EPA's Clean Power Plan, I wanted to take a few minutes or a few hundred words to tell you about the process we followed to write our 645-page proposal. The bottom line is that it is the product of many months of hard thinking and data analysis by EPA staff and substantial input from literally thousands of thoughtful stakeholders." Does NRDC Operate Like the Oil Industry? Not on Your Life - David Doniger, Director, Climate and Clean Air Program, Washington, D.C. The New York Times ran a very nice article yesterday about NRDC's part in developing an innovative proposal for curbing carbon pollution. . .

 

Get more news from WIMS Environmental HotSheet ecobizport.com/WDHotSheetMich iganlORDER.htm …

WIMS Environmental HotSheet

Stay Tuned

 

Changes coming to eNews USA Blog

WIMS Environmental HotSheet

 WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet

(click here to subscribe)

 

National / International News

 

<> Supreme Court Greenlights California's Clean Fuels Plan - (June 30, 2014) – In a big win for the fight against climate change, the Supreme Court today declined oil and ethanol companies' request to review a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that upheld [release and background from Natural Resources Defense Council]

• Access complete details for Corey v. Rocky Mountain Farmers Union
• Supreme Court Denies Appeal of California's Landmark Low Carbon Fuel Standard - [release and background from Environmental Defense Fund]

<> New York's highest court today upheld local bans on shale gas fracking - Local communities have triumphed over the fracking industry in a precedent-setting case decided today by the New York Court of Appeals, the state's highest court

• Additional details & links to decision

<> Federal Wildlife Agencies Finalize Policy to Improve Implementation of Endangered Species Act - The Department of the Interior's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service today announced a new policy to clarify the interpretation of the phrase "significant portion of its range" in the Endangered Species Act as it applies to decisions to list species as threatened or endangered.

• Obama Administration Finalizes Disastrous Policy Limiting Protection of Endangered Species; Conservation Group Will Challenge in Court - The Center for Biological Diversity said it will file a legal challenge to an Obama administration policy, finalized today, which they say "severely limits when a species qualifies for protection under the Endangered Species Act — a change that ignores both broad legal precedent and congressional intent. Under the Act a species qualifies for protection when it is 'in danger of extinction in all or a significant of portion of its range.'"

<> State Energy Data System: Complete Set of State-Level Estimates Through 2012 - (Fri, 27 Jun 2014) Annual state-level estimates by energy source and sector of total energy production and consumption from 1960 through 2012 and prices and expenditures from 1970 through 2012. . .

<> Draft Science Advisory Board Report On Environmental Justice - Draft (6/27/2014) SAB Review of the EPA's Draft Technical Guidance for Assessing Environmental Justice in Regulatory Analysis. . .

<> American Chemistry Council Publishes 2014 Comprehensive Economic Profile of $812 Billion Business of American Chemistry - The American Chemistry Council (ACC) today issued its 2014 edition of the Guide to the Business of Chemistry.

<> ACORE Releases New Report: "Evolving Business Models for Renewable Energy" - For Immediate Release—June 23, 2014 NEW YORK, June 23, 2014 -- The American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) today announced the release of a groundbreaking report titled Evolving Business Models for. . .

<> 2014 U.S. petroleum refinery update: capacity edges up, ownership shifts - (Mon, 30 Jun 2014) As of January 1, 2014, there were 139 operating refineries and three idle refineries with total atmospheric crude oil distillation capacity (ACDU) of 17.9 million barrels per calendar day (bbl/cd), a 101,000-bbl/cd increase in capacity from January 1, 2013. In 2013, four refineries changed ownership, continuing the trend of a handful of sales each year.

<> Cybersecurity for Energy Delivery Systems (CEDS) Peer Review August 5-7 - June 26, 2014Cybersecurity for Energy Delivery Systems (CEDS) Peer Review August 5-7 The Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) will hold a peer review of its Cybersecurity for Energy Delivery Systems (CEDS). . .

<> Highway Trust Fund Needs Immediate Intervention - The Highway Trust Fund (HTF), the federal government's primary account for funding the nation's highways, is going broke. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) estimates that the fund's balance will drop to zero by late August and stop payments altogether by late September if Congress does not approve a new cash injection.

<> Energy Department Sponsored Project Captures One Millionth Metric Ton of CO2 - Energy Department Sponsored Project Captures One Millionth Metric Ton of CO2 An Energy Department-funded project captured its millionth metric ton of carbon dioxide in Port Arthur, Texas.

<> The Sierra Club Takes Legal Action After Proposed Holcomb Coal Plant Fails to Meet Public Health Standards

<> Final Plan for Phase III of BP Early Restoration - The final Phase III plan proposes $627 million for 44 new early restoration projects across the Gulf states.

 

U.S. Appeals Court Environmental Decisions

 

<> Corey v. Rocky Mountain Farmers Union – In the U.S. Supreme Court, appealed from the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Docket No. 13-1308. Petition denied with no comment.

<> Sierra Club v. EPA - 6/27/14. In the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, Case No. 08-1144. Petitioners sought review of EPA's Gasification Exclusion Rule, arguing that it violated RCRA's plain language requiring the regulation of hazardous wastes used as fuel. The Panel said, "We hold that the regulation violates the plain language of RCRA and, for that reason, is vacated."

<> Natural Resources Defense v. EPA - 6/27/14. In the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, Case No. 98-1379. Petitioners seek review of a portion of a 1998 EPA's rule creating a "Comparable Fuels Exclusion" from regulation under RCRA. The Panel said, "We conclude the
Comparable Fuels Exclusion is inconsistent with the plain language of section 6924(q), which requires that EPA establish standards applicable to all fuel derived from hazardous waste. . . and vacate the Comparable Fuels Exclusion."

 

Federal Register Highlights 

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

 

1. Air Quality – Final Rule. U.S. EPA. Control of Air Pollution From Motor Vehicles: Tier 3 Motor Vehicle Emission and Fuel Standards PDF | Text | 

2. Air Quality - Notice. U.S. EPA. Integrated Review Plans - Release of Integrated Review Plan for the Primary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Oxides of Nitrogen PDF | Text |

(click for the complete Energy & EPA announcements)

 

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 6/27/14

Subscribe by June 30, 2014 

to avoid disruption in service 
(click here)

 

National / International News

 

<> EPA Proposes Approval of New Climate-Friendly Refrigerants - EPA is proposing to increase the options for refrigerants in the United States that offer better climate protection without harming the ozone layer. This is the agency's first action that addresses refrigerants under the Climate Action Plan, which calls on EPA's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program to identify and approve additional climate-friendly chemicals. . .

<> House Approves Bill to Lower Gasoline Prices and Create over One Million New American Jobs - The House of Representatives passed H.R. 4899, the Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America that Works Act, with a bipartisan vote of 229-185. This legislation would help ease the pain at the pump. . .

• H.R.4899 - Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America That Works Act of 2014 Legislative details

<> The Renewable Fuel Standard: Issues for 2014 and Beyond - Using the rising amounts of renewable transportation fuels required by the Renewable Fuel Standard will be difficult. In this 38-page report the Congressional Budget Office looks at how those requirements and alternatives would affect fuel and food prices and greenhouse gas emissions.

<> CASAC Review of the EPA's Second Draft Policy Assessment for the Review of the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards - "The CASAC advises that, based on the scientific evidence, a level of 70 ppb provides little margin of safety for the protection of public health, particularly for sensitive subpopulations. . ."

• Background, Meetings & Reports

<> House Hearing On Management Failures: Oversight of the EPA - House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing with testimony and webcast of Sens David Vitter (R-LA) & Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI); and EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy

<> Energy Department Launches Microgrid Competition to Support Resiliency in Communities Across America - The Challenge encourages organizations with operational microgrids, such as hospitals and water treatment plants, to submit their microgrid designs and operational data – such as when and how long the microgrid was disconnected from the traditional grid -- deadline for applying is August 29, 2014.

<> Senators: EPA's Attempts to Expand Authority Now Affecting Military Bases - U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, led a group of seven Senators in sending a letter to Nancy Stoner, Acting Assistant Administrator of the Office of Water at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), regarding EPA's attempts to impose stormwater regulations upon American military bases and the Agency's controversial proposal to expand their federal authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

<> Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces the 2014 National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Grants to Support Climate Resilience and Green Infrastructure - June 26, 2014 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the 2014 USDA Forest Service's National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge grant recipients.

<> Sen. Murkowski Advances Legislation to Improve Coordination on Energy-Water Issues - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) advanced legislation -- the Nexus of Energy and Water for Sustainability (NEWS) Act (S. 1971) -- to improve the efficiency of the federal government in addressing issues related to the interdependence of energy and water.

• Subcommittee hearing on S.1971, testimony & webcast

<> Murkowski: United States is Only Advanced Nation to Ban Oil Exports - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released a report that finds that the United States is the only advanced nation in the world with a ban on oil exports. The report – A Ban for One: The Outdated Prohibition on U.S. Oil Exports in Global Context – shows that of the 34 member countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the U.S. is the only member to prohibit oil exports.

<> Public Interest Groups Call on Obama to Cease Delays and Finalize Hazardous Waste Requirements - A large coalition of 200 environmental justice, public health and green organizations in a letter Thursday called on President Obama to fulfill a consent decree by finalizing a proposed rule that would strengthen safeguards governing billions of pounds of hazardous waste that were excluded from regulation in 2008.

<> NASA To Launch First CO2 Observing Satellite - Scheduled for launch July 1, 2014 at 2:56 AM, Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) will be NASA's first dedicated Earth remote sensing satellite to study atmospheric carbon dioxide from Space.

<> EPA's Climate Justice in Action Map & Stories - Over summer of 2014, EPA has launched the Climate Justice in Action blog series to focus on the unequal burdens climate change places on low income and minority communities – add your story. . .

 

Federal Register Highlights 

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

 

1. Water – Final Rule. U.S. EPA. - Expedited Approval of Alternative Test Procedures for the Analysis of Contaminants Under the Safe Drinking Water Act; Analysis and Sampling Procedures PDF | Text |

(click for the complete Energy & EPA announcements)