Administration Launches Climate Action Champions Competition

Obama Administration Announces Climate Action Champions Competition to Recognize Climate Leaders Across the United States - New Competition will Showcase Local and Tribal Governments Taking Action to Cut Carbon Pollution and Build Resilience to the Impacts of Climate Change -- The application for the Competition will be open until October 27

• Recognizing American Communities as Climate Action Champions - From more frequent and extreme storms to higher average temperatures and rising seas, Americans are experiencing first-hand what climate change will mean for their communities and their children. [Blog post by John Podesta Counselor to the President].

Power Plant Standards Could Save Thousands of U.S. Lives Every Year

Power Plant Standards Could Save Thousands of U.S. Lives Every Year - New study from Harvard, Syracuse, and Boston University scientists links strong carbon standards to substantial reductions in air pollution and widespread health benefits -- the study, "Health Co-benefits of Carbon Standards for Existing Power Plants"

• Links to more information and details on the study

More Action Is Needed to Protect Water Resources From Unmonitored Hazardous Chemicals

OIG: More Action Is Needed to Protect Water Resources From Unmonitored Hazardous Chemicals – EPA's Office of Inspector General says "Management controls put in place by the EPA to regulate and control hazardous chemical discharges from sewage treatment plants to water resources have limited effectiveness."

U.S. EPA Approves Carbon Sequestration Permit in Decatur, Illinois

U.S. EPA Approves Carbon Sequestration Permit in Decatur, Illinois - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved a permit allowing the Archer Daniels Midland Company to inject carbon dioxide deep underground in Decatur, Illinois -- the second facility in the nation to receive a Class VI underground injection permit for carbon sequestration after the FutureGen Alliance facility in downstate Illinois.

New York summit: what it means for climate treaty prospects

New York summit: what it means for climate treaty prospects - ANALYSIS: The world's superpowers have woken from their climate coma, but there is still much work to do towards a global deal. . .

• International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Summary of Climate Summit 2014

Historic UN Climate 2014 Summit Closes

Ban hails 'bold' announcements on tackling climate change as historic UN summit closes - Bold new actions to immediately tackle climate change were announced today by Government, business, finance and civil society leaders attending a historic Climate Summit convened by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has long urged workable solutions based on "clear vision anchored in domestic and multinational actions."

• 2014 Climate Change Summary – Chair's Summary - The purpose of the 2014 Climate Summit was to raise political momentum for a meaningful universal climate agreement in Paris in 2015 and to galvanize transformative action in all countries to reduce emissions and build resilience to the adverse impacts of climate change.
• Mayors at UN climate summit announce pledges towards major carbon cuts in cities - A compact of Mayors from cities around the world announced today that they will expand their commitments to scale up climate resilience efforts, energy efficiency programs and resilient financing mechanisms including through an initiative that aims to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 454 megatons by 2020.
• Governments, corporations pledge at UN summit to eliminate deforestation by 2030
• More from the Climate Summit 2014 Website

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President Obama: "No Nation Is Immune" to Climate Change

President Obama: "No Nation Is Immune" to Climate Change - President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the United Nations General Assembly Climate Summit 2014 in the General Assembly Hall at the United Nations in New York, N.Y., Sept. 23, 2014. "For all the immediate challenges that we gather to address this week -- terrorism, instability, inequality, disease -- there's one issue that will define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other, and that is the urgent and growing threat of a changing climate."

• FACT SHEET: President Obama Announces New Actions To Strengthen Global Resilience To Climate Change And Launches Partnerships To Cut Carbon Pollution
• Executive Order -- Climate-Resilient International Development - EXECUTIVE ORDER - - - - - - - CLIMATE-RESILIENT INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America
• Chart of the Week: Why We Can't Wait to Act on Climate Change - President Obama addressed 120 countries at the United Nations General Assembly today on a global challenge that concerns us all: Climate change.   Climate change is a problem that knows no borders. . .
• An Important Step in Our Fight Against Climate Change

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"We Mean Business" Calls for Climate Action

"We Mean Business" Calls for Climate Action - An unprecedented collaboration that brings together high-profile business sustainability groups to unify and amplify the international business voice for bold climate action.

• We Mean Business launches its first report, "The Climate Has Changed"
• Business in a Climate-Constrained World - a program helping business develop a greater understanding of climate science and take ambitious and pragmatic steps to both reduce emissions and adapt to the changing climate

Thousands Call for Climate Action in Historic Rally in New York

Thousands Call for Climate Action in Historic Rally in New York - Thousands of people took to the streets of New York City calling on world leaders to take action on the climate crisis.

• Climate march shatters records - Organizers estimated that the march drew nearly 400,000 people, far exceeding their projections of 100,000 attendees
• Largest Global Call for Climate Action in History - Nearly 400,000 march in NY, events in over 150 countries; From Manhattan to Melbourne, more than half a million people took to the streets in a unified global move to demand ambitious commitments from world leaders in tackling the climate crisis.

August 2014 was warmest August on record for globe

August 2014 was warmest August on record for globe, driven largely by record warm oceans - The combined average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces for August 2014 was record high for the month, at 0.75°C (1.35°F) above the 20th century average of 15.6°C (60.1°F), topping the previous record set in 1998.

 

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The People's Climate Train Leads to People's Climate March Sep. 21

The People's Climate Train Leads to People's Climate March Sep. 21 - From Sept. 15 to Sept. 18, more than 150 people — including nuns, ministers, tribal leaders and student activists — are boarding the People's Climate Train, organized by the Center for Biological Diversity, which starts in Emeryville, Calif., for a four-day, cross-country trip en route to the largest demonstration in the history of the climate movement.

• The People's Climate March September 21

Environmental Information Specialists -- WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet -- eNewsUSA blog -- EcoBizPort.com

 

EPA Extends Comment Period On Clean Power Plan

EPA Extends Comment Period On Clean Power Plan - Comments on the June 2, 2014, Clean Power Plan Proposed Rule must be received by December 1, 2014, instead of the original October 16^th date.

• Sierra Club Statement on EPA Clean Power Plan Public Comment Period Extension

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EPA Announces New Actions to Curb Potent Greenhouse Gases

EPA Announces New Actions to Curb Potent Greenhouse Gases/ EPA GreenChill Partners Join Industry Leaders to Drive the Transition to Climate-friendly Refrigerants - EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy joined private and public sector leaders at the White House today to recognize progress and take new steps to curb emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), potent greenhouse gases used in refrigeration and air conditioning. Administrator McCarthy announced additional EPA actions to reduce HFC emissions and encouraged private sector investment in HFC-free technology.

• FACT SHEET: Obama Administration Partners with Private Sector on New Commitments to Slash Emissions of Potent Greenhouse Gases and Catalyze Global HFC Phase Down

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Preparations for Climate Summit 2014

Press briefing on preparations for Climate Summit 2014 - Ahead of the Climate Summit that will take place on September 23 at UN Headquarters in New York, the UN announced more than 120 Heads of State and Government will be attending the one-day Summit hosted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to generate political will toward a meaningful universal climate agreement in 2015, and advance action on the ground that will reduce emissions and build resilience to the impacts of climate change.

• Climate Change Summit 2014 website

Environmental Information Specialists -- WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet -- eNewsUSA blog -- EcoBizPort.com

Senate Republicans Block Measure To Overturn Citizens United

Senate Republicans Block Measure To Overturn Citizens United - After voting overwhelmingly to debate the Democracy for All Amendment (79-18 ) the Senate voted 54-42 (straight party-line vote) to defeat the measure (S.J.Res.19) designed to overturn the Supreme Court's disastrous Citizens United decision and help get money out of politics.

• Sponsor Udall Encouraged by Growing Support for Constitutional Amendment - Disappointed GOP sided with corporations and billionaires in filibuster of measure to limit influence of big money on American elections
• Sierra Club Statement on Senate Vote on Democracy for All Amendment
• Manufacturers: Free Political Speech a Bedrock of Democracy – Statement National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) 
• Access legislative details for H.J.RES.20, H.J.RES.119

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EPA Should Incorporate Sustainability Approaches More Broadly

EPA Should Incorporate Sustainability Approaches More Broadly - A broad array of tools is available to help the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency incorporate sustainability concepts into its decision making, and the agency should do so across its spectrum of activities, says a new report from theNational Academy of Sciences' National Research Council.

 

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House Approves Southerland Bill to Halt EPA-Corps Clean Water Rule

House Approves Southerland Bill to Halt EPA-Corps Clean Water Rule - Despite a White House veto warning, U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, II applauded House approval (262 - 152) of legislation he introduced "prohibiting Washington agencies from disrupting the federal-state partnership that has successfully improved water quality for more than 40 years." H.R. 5078, the Regulatory Overreach Protection Act passed the House with the votes of 35 House Democrats. . .

• H.R.5078 Legislative details - Introduced by Rep Steve Southerland, II [R-FL] with 120 cosponsors; now on the House Floor
• Waters of the U.S. Proposed Rule

House Vote against Clean Water Protections Ignores Toledo Lessons - One month after the toxic algae disaster in Toledo demonstrated the perils of water pollution, the Republican-controlled House today passed a bill (H.R. 5078)

WMO Report: Record Greenhouse Gas Levels Impact Atmosphere and Oceans

WMO Report: Record Greenhouse Gas Levels Impact Atmosphere and Oceans - The amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a new record high in 2013, propelled by a surge in levels of carbon dioxide according to the World Meteorological Organization's annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, which injected even greater urgency into the need for concerted international action against accelerating and potentially devastating climate change.

 

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EPA Proposal For Startup, Shutdown and Malfunction

State Plans to Address Emissions during Startup, Shutdown and Malfunction: Supplemental Proposal – [Fact Sheet] On September 5, 2014, U.S. EPA proposed a rule supplementing and revising its February 2013 proposal to ensure states have plans in place that require industrial facilities across the country to follow air pollution rules during times when the facility is starting up or shutting down, or when a malfunction occurs.

• Prepublication 152-page supplemental proposal
• Sierra Club celebrates clean air victory for communities living near polluting facilities

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BP, found grossly negligent, may face $18 billion in gulf spill

BP, found grossly negligent, may face $18 billion in gulf spill - Energy giant BP's willful misconduct and gross negligence led to the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history, a federal judge said in a ruling Thursday that exposes the company to billions of dollars in civil penalties.

• BP Responds To "Grossly Negligent" Ruling - BP strongly disagrees with the decision issued today by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and will immediately appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
• Sen. Markey Statement on Gross Negligence Ruling against BP for Gulf Oil Spill - Senator Edward Markey (D-MA), who led the congressional investigation into the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, praised the ruling by a Louisiana federal court that BP was "reckless" and guilty of "gross negligence" in their contributions to the spill.
• Conservation Groups React to Ruling that BP Grossly Negligent in 2010 Oil Disaster

Environmental Information Specialists -- WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet -- eNewsUSA blog -- EcoBizPort.com

CRS Report: Clean Coal Loan Guarantees and Tax Incentives

Clean Coal Loan Guarantees and Tax Incentives: Issues in Brief - From the Congressional Research Service (CRS): At issue for Congress is the extent to which the private sector has used the financial incentive tools available, and whether they are the right tools for promoting the development of technology to reduce CO2 emissions from fossil fuel power plants -- No loan guarantees have been issued to clean coal projects since enactment of Section 1703 of EPACT05.

EPA Extensive Staff Report Proposes Stricter Ozone Standards

EPA Policy Assessment for the Review of the Ozone NAAQS, Final Report - EPA staff 597-page report. The current O3 standards established in 2008 are 75 ppb, and a secondary identical to the primary standard. Staff reaches the overall conclusion that the available health evidence and exposure/risk information call into question the adequacy of the public health protection provided by the current standard.

• EPA staff recommends a health protective standard that ranges between 60 to 70 parts per billion.
• New Ozone Standard Would Squelch Growth - U.S. Chamber: EPA staffers recommended a lower standard despite ozone levels declining by 25% over the last three decades.
• NAM: New EPA Ozone Regulations Could Be Costliest in U.S. History

Global Shale Gas Development: Water Availability & Business Risks

Global Shale Gas Development: Water Availability & Business Risks - This report analyzes water availability across all potentially commercial shale resources worldwide. It also reveals that water availability could limit shale resource development on every continent except Antarctica.

• Access a 9/2/14 release from World Resources Institute

Mapping the Truth - EPA Responds To "WOTUS" Concerns

Mapping the Truth - EPA Responds To "WOTUS" Concerns - Regarding the proposed "Waters of the U.S." (WOTUS) definition rule EPA says, "The idea that EPA can use the Clean Water Act to execute a land grab or intrude on private property rights is simply false."

 

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Climate Change and Existing Law: A Survey of Legal Issues Past, Present, and Future

Climate Change and Existing Law: A Survey of Legal Issues Past, Present, and Future - Congressional Research Service. August 20, 2014. The 42-page report surveys existing law for legal issues that have arisen, or may arise in the future, on account of climate change and government responses thereto.

 

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Obama Pursuing Climate Accord in Lieu of Treaty

Obama Pursuing Climate Accord in Lieu of Treaty - Source: NY Times - The Obama administration is working to forge a sweeping international climate change agreement to compel nations to cut their planet-warming fossil fuel emissions, but without ratification from Congress.

 

Environmental Information Specialists -- WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet -- eNewsUSA blog -- EcoBizPort.com

GAO Report On Development of Social Cost of Carbon Estimates

GAO-14-663, Regulatory Impact Analysis: Development of Social Cost of Carbon Estimates, July 24, 2014 - The social cost of carbon (measured in dollars per metric ton of carbon dioxide) is the monetized net effects (damages and benefits) associated with an incremental increase in carbon emissions in a given year. Estimates of the social cost of carbon depend on the data and the models used to calculate them and can include a wide range of damage categories, such as projected changes in net agricultural productivity, human health, and property damages from increased flood risk due to increased carbon emissions.

Final 2014 RFS Rule Moves to OMB

Final 2014 RFS Rule Moves to OMB - (August 22, 2014) Washington D.C. – Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent the final 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard Renewable Volume Obligation rule. . .

 

Environmental Information Specialists -- WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet -- eNewsUSA blog -- EcoBizPort.com

One Month Countdown Until Major Climate Marches

One Month Countdown Until Major Climate Marches in NYC and Around the World - The People's Climate March scheduled for September 21, is expected to be the largest demonstration for climate action in history and will take place just two days before President Obama and world leaders gather for an emergency Climate Summit at the United Nations.

• The People's Climate March website

Environmental Information Specialists -- WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet -- eNewsUSA blog -- EcoBizPort.com

EPA Report Shows Progress in Reducing Urban Air Toxics Across the United States

EPA Report Shows Progress in Reducing Urban Air Toxics Across the United States - At 11 AM U.S. EPA released the Second Integrated Urban Air Toxics Report to Congress - the final of two reports required under the Clean Air Act (CAA) to inform Congress of progress in reducing public health risks from urban air toxics. 

Solar plant's downside? Birds igniting in midair

Solar plant's downside? Birds igniting in midair - Federal wildlife investigators who visited the BrightSource Energy plant last year and watched as birds burned and fell, reporting an average of one "streamer" every two minutes, are urging California officials to halt the operator's application to build a still-bigger version.

Draft National Electric Transmission Congestion Study Now Available for Public Comment

Draft National Electric Transmission Congestion Study Now Available for Public Comment - August 19. The draft study is now available for review and downloading and the public comment period will close on October 20, 2014.

Energy Department Reports Highlight Strength of U.S. Wind Energy Industry

Energy Department Reports Highlight Strength of U.S. Wind Energy Industry - August 18, 2014. The U.S. continues to be a global leader in wind energy, ranking second in installed capacity in the world, according to two reports released today by the Department of Energy -- 2013 Wind Technologies Market Report; & 2013 Distributed Wind Market Report

#AskEnergy: Join the Live Q&A on Wind Energy - #AskEnergy: Join the Live Q&A on Wind Energy Energy Department experts will be answering your wind energy questions August 19 at 1 p.m. ET on Twitter.

Can Earth's and Society's Systems Meet the Needs of 10 Billion People?

Can Earth's and Society's Systems Meet the Needs of 10 Billion People? - The Earth's population, currently 7.2 billion, is expected to rise at a rapid rate over the next 40 years -- the Earth will need to support 9.6 billion people by the year 2050,

 

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