Monday, March 23, 2015

[WIMS] Environmental HotSheet 3/23/15

 

National / International News

<> Interior Department Releases Final Rule to Support Safe, Responsible Hydraulic Fracturing Activities on Public and Tribal Lands – 3/20/15. Following a robust and transparent public process that included more than 1.5 million public comments, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell released final standards which she said will support safe and responsible hydraulic fracturing on public and American Indian lands -- commonsense standards will improve safety and help protect groundwater by updating requirements for well-bore integrity, wastewater disposal and public disclosure of chemicals.

<> Noted Harvard Experts debate the constitutionality of the president's climate change plan - Noted constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe '66 says EPA's Clean Power Plan is unconstitutional; while  Jody Freeman '91, Archibald Cox Professor of Law and director of the Environmental Law Program, and Richard Lazarus '79, Howard and Katherine Aibel Professor of Law, take an opposing view saying -- "Like most proposed rules, the Administration's climate rule is far from perfect, but sweeping assertions of unconstitutionality are baseless."

<> Sens. Feinstein, Leahy Introduce Bill to Ensure Consumers are Informed about BPA - Sens. Feinstein, Leahy Introduce Bill to Ensure Consumers are Informed about BPA - Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced the BPA in Food Packaging Right to Know Act to ensure consumers know whether the chemical Bisphenol-A is used in food packaging.

<> Case Update: Michigan v. Environmental Protection Agency - 03/18/15 – In the U.S. Supreme Court. Reply of petitioners Michigan, et al. filed and more. Oral argument scheduled for Mar 25, 2015 -- Linked with: Utility Air Regulatory Group v. EPA & National Mining Association v. EPA

<> Glyphosate Classified Carcinogenic by International Cancer Agency, Group Calls on U.S. to End Herbicide's Use and Advance Alternatives - A national public health and environmental group, Beyond Pesticides, is calling on the U.S. EPA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to stop the use of the country's most popular herbicide, glyphosate -- produced and sold as Roundup by Monsanto

<> Reps. Introduce "Frack Pack" Bills to address the hydraulic fracturing - U.S. Reps. Matt Cartwright (D-PA-17), Diana DeGette (D-CO-01), Jared Polis (D-CO-02), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) said by closing loopholes, the "Frack Pack" bills (H.Rs.1460, 1482 & 1515 would hold the energy industry to the same standards that apply to everyone.

<> Governor Brown, Legislative Leaders Announce $1 Billion Emergency Drought Package - Mobilizing state resources to face another year of extreme dry conditions, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today joined Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León, Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, and Republican Leaders Senator Bob Huff and Assembly member Kristin Olsen to announce legislation to help local communities cope with the ongoing, devastating drought.

<> Statement From the Trustee Council on the BP Five Year Report - In a news statement BP claims that the "…Gulf environment (is) returning to pre-spill conditions" although the Deepwater Horizon oil spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees (NRDA Trustees) are still assessing the injury resulting from the largest offshore oil spill in our nation's history -- It is inappropriate as well as premature for BP to reach conclusions about impacts from the spill before the completion of the assessment.

<> Climate change: China official warns of 'huge impact' - Climate change could have a "huge impact" on China, reducing crop yields and harming the environment, the country's top weather scientist has warned, in a rare official admission.

<> Inhofe Calls to Question White House Hire from the Environmental Defense Fund - Sen. Inhofe said, "It appears highly inappropriate to have Ms. Ceronsky serve in any capacity interacting with EPA or otherwise involved in the development of these rules, considering her prior legal representation and advocacy on behalf of EDF before EPA on these very same matters."

U.S. Appeals Court Environmental Decisions

<> Consolidation Coal Company v. Georgia Power Company - 3/20/15. In the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, Case No. 13-1603 & 13-1664. Consolidated Coal Company and PCS Phosphate Company, Inc. filed a CERCA complaint against Georgia Power, to recover cost contending that, as supplier of some of the PCB transformers, it should be liable for a contribution to those costs. The district court granted summary judgment in favor of Georgia Power and the Appeals Court affirmed the judgment of the district court.

Federal Register Highlights 

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

<> AIR QUALITY - Proposed Rule. U.S. EPA - Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards: State Implementation Plan Requirements

(click for the complete Energy & EPA announcements)

Great Lakes News

<> Agency to fund input on lakeside nuke waste facility - The Joint Review Panel, which held hearings on a proposed deep geologic repository in 2013 and 2014, will submit its environmental assessment by May 6 -- the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency is offering funding to aboriginal groups and participants who would like a say in the conditions placed on the nuclear waste repository should it be approved.

<> Has the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Made a Difference? - Through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), our region has seen an investment of over $1.6 billion in projects designed to restore and protect the Great Lakes.

<> Mott Foundation: Lessons from 35 Years of Supporting Community Foundations - The Great Lakes Protection Fund, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and the Joyce Foundation have long histories of supporting community foundations.

<> Industrial Water Stewardship – Creating a Positive Impact in the Great Lakes Region - How does an industrial facility know it is being responsible in its use of water?

Michigan News

<> Snyder hits the road to push for passage of Proposal 1 - With just seven weeks left before Election Day, Gov. Rick Snyder last week began making the rounds to stump for a contentious ballot proposal that would generate $1.2 billion for Michigan's crumbling roads by increasing the state sales tax.

<> MDEQ Environmental Calendar for March 23, 2015

<> EPA will fund Krispin Drain project on Harsens Island - A project to restore the habitat and provide recreational opportunities on Harsens Island, MI 

<> Mercury collection program continues in Michigan this year - U.S. Ecology and The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Mercury Collection Project have announced residents and businesses of Michigan recycled 665 pounds of mercury in 2014

<> Wind Energy and a 'no regrets' Energy Policy Vital to Michigan's Energy Security, says Michigan Eco-Tourism Leader – An interview with Jim MacInnes, president and CEO of Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa who has served as an energy policy advisor for Governors Granholm and Snyder and is nationally involved in energy conservation and renewable energy.

<> Michigan Coalition Against Tar Sands (MI CATS) Issues Manifesto - Line 6B is in the ground, the community in southwest Michigan is still reeling from the effects of the spill in 2010, and an increased volume of tar sands is flowing through southern Michigan with the intention of exporting it from terminals on the east coast.

Michigan Legislative Tracking 

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

 

 

Posted by JPMcJ at 3/23/2015 11:03:00 AM 0 comments

Friday, March 20, 2015

[WIMS] Environmental HotSheet 3/20/15

National / International News

<> Arctic sea ice maximum reaches lowest extent on record - The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) indicates that Arctic sea ice appears to have reached its maximum extent for the year on February 25 at 14.54 million square kilometers (5.61 million square miles) -- this year's maximum ice extent is the lowest in the satellite record.

<> Senator McConnell Urges Nation's Governors to "Carefully Review the Consequences" Before Submitting a Plan to Implement EPA's New Regulation - McConnell's letter to Governors says EPA's proposal raises "serious legal and policy concerns" -- he called on the Nation's Governors to reject U.S. EPA's proposed regulation that requires states to dramatically restructure their electricity systems based on how the agency thinks electricity should be produced and used in each state.

<> Agriculture Committee advances bill to protect producers from duplicative regulations and permit requirements - The House Committee on Agriculture approved H.R. 897, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2015. This legislation (H.R. 872 in the 112th Congress and H.R. 935 in the 113th) would clarify Congressional intent regarding pesticide regulation in or near waters of the United States.

<> Florida Environmental Staffer Says He Was Reprimanded For Talking About Climate Change - A Florida state employee is in hot water for speaking about climate change at an official meeting and keeping notes of that discussion in official minutes, according to a complaint filed by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) -- in response, his superiors at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued him a letter of reprimand, ordered him to take two days leave and then told him not to return until he had medical clearance of his fitness for duty.

<> Studying the air above oil and gas production areas in the western United States - NOAA and Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) researchers and their colleagues are studying what escapes to the air—and how it is transformed in the atmosphere and affects air quality and climate.

<> EPA Awards Clean Diesel Grants in 21 States, Puerto Rico - EPA has awarded $8 million to communities in 21 states and Puerto Rico to reduce emissions from the nation's existing fleet of diesel engines through the agency's Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) program. In Michigan, Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision is replacing five short-haul trucks and one crane

<> Energy Department Announces $20 Million to Develop Advanced Components for Next Generation Electric Machines - DOE announced up to $20 million in available funding to spur the development of high speed industrial motors and drives, using high power-density designs and integrated power electronics to increase efficiency.

<> GAO Report: On DOE  transfer of 83 facilities at six of its eight sites for disposition - GAO indicates that Better Prioritization and Life Cycle Cost Analysis Would Improve Disposition Planning, GAO-15-272, March 19

<> These 15 animal species have the lowest chance for survival - Climbing rats, seabirds and tropical gophers are among the 15 animal species that are at the absolute greatest risk of becoming extinct very soon.

<> Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index Corporate Adaptation Survey - The survey is expected to clarify best practices, barriers, enablers, and effective strategies to prepare for climate change in the corporate world and will inform a State of Corporate Adaptation Report to be released in May.

<> 11 States' Governors Write EPA Opposing Ozone Proposal - 11 state Governors -- AR, GA, ID, IN, LA, ME, MS, OK, SC, TX, WI -- signed on to a letter to EPA Administrator McCarthy saying the "proposed change to the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone jettisons these free market policies in favor of an onerous, job-crushing standard.

<> Cameroon: An example of the work needed to combat illegal logging - In May 2014, Greenpeace Africa published the report "Licence to Launder" that revealed how US palm oil company Herakles Farms was, via the front company Uniprovince and with the knowledge of some Cameroonian authorities, commercialising timber even though much of it had been felled illegally using a permit obtained without following due process of the law.

U.S. Appeals Court Environmental Decisions

<> Sierra Club v. EPA - 3/18/15. In the U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, Case Nos. 12-3169, 12-3182 & 3420.
     Sierra Club challenged EPA's particulate matter attainment status and redesignation of the Cincinnati-Hamilton metropolitan area to "attainment" status and said the agency had acted illegally with respect to both actions, and it filed a petition for direct appellate review. The parties dispute both Sierra Club's standing to challenge the agency action and the correct interpretation of the relevant statute, the Clean Air Act.
     In a significant decision, the Appeals Court rules, "We find that the Club has standing, and we agree with its claim that "reasonably available control measures" are a prerequisite to redesignation. Therefore, we vacate EPA's redesignation of the Ohio and Indiana portions of the Cincinnati area."

Federal Register Highlights 

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

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

Great Lakes News

<> Great Lakes Economic Forum - The Council of the Great Lakes Region will host the premier Great Lakes Economic Forum on April 26-28, 2015. The Forum will provide a venue for Great Lakes leaders to share ideas and insights that will help shape economic policy, boost the region's competitive edge and secure its long-term success.

<> OH lawmakers near compromise on Lake Erie algal bloom bill - Lawmakers on the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee plan to restore language that prohibits dumping of dredge material in all of Lake Erie by 2020, which was changed in the House version of the plan.

Michigan News

<> MDNR director approves Graymont's eastern U.P. land transaction proposal - Following a recommendation from MDNR officials, Director Keith Creagh announced  his approval of the direct sale of approximately 1,781 acres of state-owned land and 7,026 acres of mineral rights to Graymont which is planning a limestone mining operation in the Upper Peninsula's Mackinac County, near the town of Rexton.

<> CRC Releases Analysis of Proposal 15-1: Sales and Motor Fuel Tax Increases Related to Transportation Funding - The Citizens Research Council of Michigan has released its analysis of Proposal 15-1, which will appear on the statewide ballot at a special election on May 5, 2015

<> Businesses recognized for Environmental Leadership - MDEQ honored 20 facilities as Michigan Environmental Leaders for their outstanding, voluntary environmental stewardship -- the newly awarded facilities represent the first group of facilities to receive this honor.

<> Charlevoix and Port Huron Selected as newest Michigan Main Street Communities - Gov. Snyder announced that Charlevoix and Port Huron have been selected as Michigan Main Street communities by MSHDA.

<> Army Corps pressed for Soo Locks study - Practically all of Michigan's members of Congress signed a letter Tuesday urging the Army Corps of Engineers to prioritize consideration of a long-awaited replacement of a key shipping lock at Sault Ste. Marie, saying a failure at the Poe Lock would devastate Great Lakes shipping traffic.

  • Rep. Benishek: Soo Locks Must be a Priority - Dr. Dan Benishek led a bipartisan, bicameral effort to encourage officials at the United States Army Corps of Engineers to publically release new information related to the Soo Locks

<> MDEQ Wastewater Treatment Technology Webinar - Apr 23, 10:00 - 11:30 AM. This webinar explores general wastewater treatment technologies and teaches the physical, chemical and biological process of wastewater treatment.

Michigan Legislative Tracking 

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

Posted by JPMcJ at 3/20/2015 10:53:00 AM 0 comments
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