Friday, January 30, 2015

Senate Approves, S.1, Keystone XL Pipeline Act 62-36

<> Senate Approves, S.1, Keystone XL Pipeline Act 62-36 - 8 Democrats join Republicans to pass bill – here's the roll call

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Senate set for Thursday Keystone vote

<> Senate set for Thursday Keystone vote - The GOP still lacks the votes to override an imminent veto of its Keystone plan, and House leaders are undecided on whether to take a vote on the Senate version of the bill or to pursue the first bicameral conference talks of the new Congress.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Case Update: Michigan v. Environmental Protection Agency

<> Case Update: Michigan v. Environmental Protection Agency - In the U.S. Supreme Court, Docket No. 14-46. - Issue: Whether U.S. EPA unreasonably refused to consider costs in determining whether it is appropriate to regulate hazardous air pollutants emitted by electric utilities.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Keystone Vote Fails in Senate

<> Keystone Vote Fails in Senate A key vote to advance legislation green-lighting the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline failed 53-39 in the Senate on Monday; A second attempt at advancing pro-KXL legislation also failed by 53-39 after the initial vote.

Monday, January 26, 2015

President Obama Calls on Congress to Protect Arctic Refuge as Wilderness

<> President Obama Calls on Congress to Protect Arctic Refuge as Wilderness - President Obama announced plans to ask Congress to designate core areas of 
Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), known as "The Sacred Place Where Life Begins" to Alaska Native communities, as wilderness -- the majority of which is not protected as wilderness

Friday, January 23, 2015

Energy Department Unveils More Than $55 Million to Advance Fuel Efficient Vehicle Technologies

<> Energy Secretary Moniz Unveils More Than $55 Million to Advance Fuel Efficient Vehicle Technologies The technologies will play a key role in increasing fuel efficiency and reducing petroleum consumption, and support the Energy Department's EV Everywhere Grand Challenge to make plug-in electric vehicles as affordable to own and operate as today's gasoline-powered vehicles by 2022 -- The Department will fund cost-shared projects with private industry, national laboratories, and university led-teams

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Executive Order --- Enhancing Coordination of National Efforts in the Arctic

<> Executive Order --- Enhancing Coordination of National Efforts in the Arctic - The Arctic has critical long-term strategic, ecological, cultural, and economic value, and it is imperative that we continue to protect our national interests in the region, which include: national defense; sovereign rights and responsibilities; maritime safety; energy and economic benefits; environmental stewardship; promotion of science and research; and preservation of the rights, freedoms, and uses of the sea as reflected in international law.

  • Sen. Murkowski: White House's Arctic Focus Remains "Unbalanced" - "Today's Executive Order is a good step forward in strengthening the coordination of federal agencies on Arctic policy – and seeks direct input from Alaska's Arctic stakeholders – but it is unbalanced in what the Administration's Arctic priorities should be.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

WIMS Daily Environmental HotSheet, January 21, 2015 - National / International News

WIMS REPORTS EACH DAY ON National/International environment, energy & climate change news, along with all U.S. Appeals Courts' environmental decisions, important Federal Registers announcemsnts, Great Lakes news, detailed environmental happenings in Michigan and complete Michigan environmental legislative tracking. HERE'S today's complete National/International News section. For a free trial or to order (click here).
 

National / International News

<> ". . .no challenge -- no challenge -- poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change. . ." – Remarks by the President in State of the Union Address, January 20, 2015: "let's set our sights higher than a single oil pipeline. Let's pass a bipartisan infrastructure plan that could create more than 30 times as many jobs per year" 

<> House & Senate Bipartisan Infrastructure Bills - President Obama: "So let's set our sights higher than a single oil pipeline. Let's pass a bipartisan infrastructure plan. . ."

<> SOTU: A Missed Opportunity for Bipartisan, Constructive Engagement - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the President's State of the Union last night: "Last night, the American people heard two very different addresses. "One was focused on the middle class, and how Washington can work together in a serious way for better jobs, higher wages, and more opportunity. . ."

<> API highlights gaps in President Obama's remarks about oil and natural gas - President Obama's remarks about oil and natural gas in his 2015 State of the Union address fell short of acknowledging the true impact of our energy renaissance on the U.S. economy, said the American Petroleum Institute's President and CEO Jack Gerard. . .

<> New clean energy investment surges 12% in 2014 - New investment in the global clean energy sector totalled $67.9 billion in Q4.14, a 4% increase on the corresponding quarter in 2013 ($65.2 billion). More significantly total investment for CY2014 increased 12% year-on-year to $274.2 billion, the highest annual investment volume since 2011.

<> Old ice in Arctic vanishingly rare - Decades ago, the majority of the Arctic's winter ice pack was made up of thick, perennial ice. Today, very old ice is extremely rare.

<> Rep. Israel Calls for Study on Health Risks of Synthetic Fields and Playgrounds - Steve Israel (D-NY) joined with local stakeholders to call on U.S. EPA to conduct a comprehensive analysis of health risks associated with turf fields and playgrounds that contain recycled tire material known as "tire crumb."

<> Electronic Recyclers International Partners with United Nations University, US EPA and Basel Convention for Person in Port Project - The project focuses on identifying the types and amounts of e-waste imported, its functional status, how it is packaged, labeled and transported, its origin (exporting countries), and what will become of it once it arrives in Nigeria.

<> Melting Glaciers Increase the Flow of Carbon to Downstream Ecosystems – USGS reports that melting glaciers are not just impacting sea level, they are also affecting the flow of organic carbon to the world's oceans, according to new research that provides the first ever global-scale estimates for the storage and release of organic carbon from glaciers. 

<> Senate Republicans Block Markey Amendment to Keep Keystone Oil, Gasoline Here for American Consumers, Security - After years of the oil industry claiming building Keystone XL would increase energy security, and after months of Senate Republicans promising an open amendment process in the U.S. Senate, Senate Republican leaders today blocked a vote on an amendment offered by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) to keep the Canadian tar sands oil that would be transported through Keystone and the refined gasoline, diesel and other fuels produced from that oil, here in America for our consumers.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

White House Build America Investment Initiative

<> FACT SHEET: Increasing Investment in U.S. Roads, Ports and Drinking Water Systems Through Innovative Financing - The Obama Administration is announcing new steps that federal agencies are taking to bring private sector capital and expertise to bear on improving our nation's roads, bridges, and broadband networks; and including investing in Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure through a new Water Finance Center at U.S. EPA

Friday, January 16, 2015

Scientific Report Shows Strong Connection between Wetlands, Streams, Rivers and Estuaries

<> Scientific Report Shows Strong Connection between Wetlands, Streams, Rivers and Estuaries - An extensive, thorough review of more than 1,200 peer-reviewed, published scientific studies to learn how small streams and wetlands connect to larger, downstream water bodies -- Connectivity of Streams and Wetlands to Downstream Waters: A Review and Synthesis of the Scientific Evidence -- a state-of-the-science report that presents findings on the connectivity of streams and wetlands to larger water bodies.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

GAO Says Impact of Deadline Suits on EPA's Rulemaking Is Limited

<> GAO Says Impact of Deadline Suits on EPA's Rulemaking Is Limited - The report was requested by a number of House Republican leaders on the Energy and Commerce Committee. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) letter report indicates EPA and DOJ officials stated that the factors they consider include (1) the cost of litigation, (2) the likelihood that EPA will win the case if it goes to trial, and (3) whether EPA and DOJ believe they can negotiate a settlement that will provide EPA with sufficient time to complete a final rule if required to do so.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

White House & EPA Announces Actions To Cut Methane Emissions From Oil & Gas Sector

<> FACT SHEET: Administration Takes Steps Forward on Climate Action Plan by Announcing Actions to Cut Methane Emissions - Administration is announcing a new goal to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40 – 45 percent from 2012 levels by 2025, and a set of actions to put the U.S. on a path to achieve this ambitious goal

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Senate to debate Keystone pipeline bill, setting stage for more energy battles

<> Senate to debate Keystone pipeline bill, setting stage for more energy battles - The Senate voted Monday to take up a bill that would force approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, opening a debate on energy and climate change that will preview other clashes to come between President Obama. . .

Monday, January 12, 2015

Rep. Cramer's Keystone XL Approval Bill Passes U.S. House

<> Rep. Cramer's Keystone XL Approval Bill Passes U.S. House - The U.S. House of Representatives passed Rep. Kevin Cramer's (R-ND) bill to authorize the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline -- the bill passed on a bipartisan majority with 238 Republicans and 28 Democrats voting in favor.

Friday, January 09, 2015

Nebraska Supreme Court Issues Decision In Keystone XL Case

<> Nebraska Supreme Court Issues Decision In Keystone XL Case - Decision for Thompson v. Heineman, Case No. S-14-0158.
     Although there was a majority (4) ruling in favor of the landowners that the law is  unconstitutional, because of a lack of a super majority (5), required in Nebraska to rule on the constitutionality of a law, there was an impasse on the constitutional challenge to L.B. 1161 and it "cannot be resolved one way or the other in this case. . . Although we have four judges who conclude that L.B. 1161 is unconstitutional, we do not have five judges voting on the constitutionality of this enactment. Accordingly, we vacate the district court's judgment."

Thursday, January 08, 2015

EPA Clean Power Plan & Carbon Pollution Standards Key Dates

<> FACT SHEET: Clean Power Plan & Carbon Pollution Standards Key Dates - January 2015: EPA to begin the regulatory process for proposing a federal plan to meet goals for cutting carbon pollution from existing power plants