Wednesday, May 28, 2014

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 5/28/14

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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.

 

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)