WIMS Environmental HotSheet 1/16/14

<> Landrieu and Canadian Foreign Minister Discuss Urgency To Construct Keystone XL Pipeline - January 15, U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., and Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird discussed the urgent need to construct the Keystone Pipelines to secure North American energy independence.

• Landrieu's Rise to Energy Panel Chair Seen Boosting Oil - Bloomberg - Dec 23, 2013 - Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana will probably become the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
• Heitkamp, Canadian Foreign Minister Meet To Strengthen Energy Ties- U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) met with Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird to discuss and further strengthen the energy relationship between North Dakota and Canada. Heitkamp and Baird, who were also joined by Canadian Ambassador to the United States Gary Doer, discussed ways to improve rail transportation safety and the importance of the Keystone XL Pipeline to energy interests on both sides of the border.

<> House Approves Fiscal Year 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Package - House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers today applauded the House of Representatives for passing legislation to fund the government for the remainder of the 2014 fiscal year. The House approved the spending package on a vote of 359-67. "This legislation is one of our highest priorities as Members of Congress and it is critical to our ongoing economic stability and the safety and well-being. . .

• Chairman Rogers Floor Statement on Fiscal Year 2014 Omnibus
• Republican rider in omnibus spending bill would tighten rules on waste - A GOP rider in the $1 trillion omnibus racing to President Obama's desk would prevent the administration from tightening rules on waste materials that mining companies can dump in streams. It is one of several riders in the bill approved by the House...

<> EPA Releases Bristol Bay Assessment Describing Potential Impacts to Salmon and Water From Copper, Gold Mining / Agency launched study after requests for action to protect Bristol Bay watershed from large-scale mining - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released its final Bristol Bay Assessment describing potential impacts to salmon and ecological resources from proposed large-scale copper and gold mining in Bristol Bay, Alaska. The report, titled "An Assessment of Potential Mining Impacts on Salmon Ecosystems of Bristol Bay, Alaska," concludes that large-scale mining in the Bristol Bay watershed poses risks to salmon and Alaska Native cultures. Bristol Bay supports the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world, producing nearly 50 percent of the world's wild sockeye salmon with runs averaging 37.5 million fish each year.

• EPA Study Warns of Potentially "Catastrophic" Impacts to Bristol Bay Alaska Salmon Fisheries - Completing a three -year scientific peer-reviewed process, EPA issued its final Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment today, concluding that Pebble Mine would have "significant" and even "catastrophic" impacts – including the certain dewatering, destruction, and pollution of the Bristol Bay watershed.

<> Safeguarding Future Retirement Funds - Time for Investors to Move Out of High-Carbon Assets Says UN's Top Climate Official - The UN's top climate change official Christiana Figueres today urged investors to accelerate the greening of their portfolios as one crucial step towards a low-carbon economy that can better cope with the threats and seize the opportunities from climate change

<> EPA Proposes Updates to Air Standards for Newly Manufactured Woodstoves and Heaters/Updates would make the next generation of woodstoves and heaters significantly cleaner and more efficient 

<> EPA Takes Important Step in Implementing the Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act (HQ) - WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today issued a final rule that is a crucial step in the development of a national electronic manifest (e-Manifest) system, which will upgrade the current paper-based system of tracking hazardous waste to an electronic one

<> Major Companies Disagree with Trade Groups on Climate Policy -

Several companies on the boards of powerful trade associations disagree with these groups on climate policy, according to a new report from the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

<> New Study: Corn Ethanol Reduces GHG Emissions by 37-40% Compared to Fracking and Tar Sands - (January 15, 2014) WASHINGTON — A comprehensive new study (with appendix) conducted by Life Cycle Associates found that the carbon footprint of corn ethanol continues to shrink, while the carbon impacts associated with crude oil production continue to worsen as more marginal sources are introduced to the fuel supply.  According to the report, "As the average carbon intensity of. . .

<> Chamber's Energy Institute Unveils Comprehensive New Energy Works for US Platform- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for 21st Century Energy today unveiled its comprehensive new Energy Works for US platform that reflects the new reality of America's energy revolution. Energy Works for US consists of 64 specific, actionable recommendations in nine key areas.

<> Five minutes is too close - A careful review of threats leads the Bulletin's Science and Security Board to conclude that the risk of civilization-threatening technological catastrophe remains high, and that the hands of the Doomsday Clock should therefore remain at five minutes to midnight.

<> New industry report touts enhanced pipeline safety and performance -WASHINGTON, January 15, 2014 ─ Pipelines are extremely safe and efficient for transporting energy across the United States, the industry's continual efforts to improve the safety of the nation's network of crude and petroleum product pipelines have reduced pipeline incidents by 62 percent from 2001-2012, according to a new report by API and the Association of Oil Pipe Lines.

<> Major Breakthrough for E15: MAPCO to Offer E15 in 2014

<> Press release - Plastic waste: Parliament sounds the alarm - The most hazardous plastics and certain plastic bags should be banned by 2020, as part of an EU strategy to reduce plastic waste in the environment, says the European Parliament in a resolution voted on Tuesday.

<> President Obama Announces New Public-Private Manufacturing Innovation Institute- North Carolina headquartered consortium of 18 companies and 6 universities partnering with the federal government to strengthen U.S. manufacturing WASHINGTON, DC – The President announceD new steps with the private sector to strengthen the manufacturing sector, boost advanced manufacturing, and attract the good paying jobs that a growing middle class 

• FACTSHEET: Next Generation Power Electronics Manufacturing Innovation Institute - FACTSHEET: Next Generation Power Electronics Manufacturing Innovation Institute The Obama Administration announces the selection of North Carolina State University to lead a public-private manufacturing innovation institute for next generation power electronics.

<> Blue Sky Roadmap Report II: Real-time Disclosure Begins - The Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs and partners release the China Blue Sky Roadmap– Atmospheric Pollution Investigation Phase II Report, which finds that based on the real time disclosure of on-line monitoring data, a group of major emitters, including thermal power plants and steel factories, are seriously exceeding pollution discharge limits

• China's big polluters exceed emission limits - report - BEIJING (Reuters) - Online emissons figures reported by most coal-fired power plants and factories in China surpassed government limits, a group of NGOs and research institutes said, warning that the situation is likely to worsen in July, when targets get tougher.

<> Bracewell & Giuliani Launches ShalePlay App - HOUSTON, Jan. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the shale energy boom taking place in the United States and around the world, Bracewell & Giuliani LLP announced today it has launched the ShalePlay app. Powered by the firm's energy law and environmental law...

<> Investing in the Clean Trillion: Closing The Clean Energy Investment Gap - In 2010 world governments agreed to limit the increase in global temperature to two degrees Celsius (2 °C) above pre-industrial levels to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. To have an 80 percent chance of maintaining this 2 °C limit, the IEA estimates an additional $36 trillion in clean energy investment is needed through 2050—or an average of $1 trillion more per year compared. . . 

• Closing The Clean Energy Investment Gap Executive Summary
• Leading Global Investors Gather at UN on Urgency for Boosting Clean Energy to Curb Climate Change

<> Green Groups: Leaked Trans-Pacific Partnership Environment Chapter Unacceptable- WikiLeaks posted a draft environment chapter of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) that governments have negotiated in secret for nearly four years. TPP nations have billed the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement as an "ambitious, 21st-century trade agreement." However, a joint analysis of the WikiLeaks document, dated November 2013. . .

<> Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs: West Virginia Water Disaster Shows Need For Strong Environmental Standards - Every time we hear weaker regulation means a better economy, we should remember what  happened to the Elk River and the effects of the spill on working families in West Virginia. 

 

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 1/15/14

<> Risky Business Co-Chairs Announce Members of U.S. Climate Risk Committee - The co-chairs of the national Risky Business initiative announced the members of a Risk Committee who will oversee an analysis of the economic risks of climate change in the United States. Risk Committee members will join Risky Business co-chairs Michael Bloomberg, Hank Paulson, and Tom Steyer, who also sit on the Risk Committee and are the founding partners of the initiative.

·   Official Statements from Members of the U.S. Climate Risk Committee

<> Boxer, Whitehouse, and Senate Colleagues Kick Off New Initiative to "Wake Up Congress" on Climate Change- During a press conference today, Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), announced the members of a newly formed Senate Climate Action Task Force and discussed their plans to take action on climate change.

<> Sen. Murkowski Urges President to Lift Crude Oil Export Ban - Rising Domestic Production Creates Opportunities to Expand Energy Trade WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today sent a letter to President Obama urging him to lift the prohibition on exporting crude oil produced in the United States. Doing so, Murkowski wrote, will allow American producers to access global markets, which will boost production, protect 

<> New Report Recommends Methods for Investing in Transportation During Economic Downturns- A new report from the National Research Council's Transportation Research Board provides guidance for federal and state officials on the best ways to use stimulus funds for. . .

<> UN climate chief calls for tripling of clean energy investment-

Source: Guardian - The United Nations climate chief has urged global financial institutions to triple their investments in clean energy to reach the $1 trillion a year mark that would help avert a climate catastrophe.

<> Congress Advances Health and Environment Safeguards, but Spending Measure Still Carries Unwise Limits on Climate and Energy Efficiency -

WASHINGTON (January 14, 2014) –  Congress has moved forward on a catch-all spending bill that restores some needed funding for health and environment safeguards the American people depend on, while also advancing misguided provisions on climate and energy that deserve to be stricken in subsequent budgets.

·   Sierra Club Statement on Omnibus Appropriations Bill

<> The Costs and Consequences of Clean Air Act Regulation of CO2 from Power Plants- Resources for the Future discussion paper. . .

<> Subcommittee Advances Bipartisan Electricity Security and Affordability Act - WASHINGTON, DC – The Subcommittee on Energy and Power today advanced H.R. 3826, the Electricity Security and Affordability Act, authored by subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV). The bipartisan, bicameral legislation provides a reasonable alternative to EPA's proposed greenhouse gas standards for new power plants and the. . .

<> Farm Bureau Delegates Set Public Policy Positions for 2014- Voting delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation's 95th annual meeting today approved resolutions that will provide the organization with authority from its grassroots members to push Congress toward the goal line on unfinished issues like the farm bill and ag labor.

<> Vitter: Administration Fails to Implement President's Signature Environmental Legislation- Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, sent a letter to President Barack Obama regarding the Administration's failure to fully implement the Mercury Export Ban Act of 2008, which was sponsored by then-Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill).

<> January and February PSERC Webinars on CERTS Research- January 13, 2014January and February PSERC Webinars on CERTS Research The Power System Engineering Research Center (PSERC) is offering a free, public webinar series based on past and ongoing research coordinated by the Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions (CERTS) with funding provided by the Department of Energy. The webinars will run through April

<> Improved Regulations to Protect Human Research Subjects Would Reduce Burden on IRBs While Better Protecting Study Participants-

Proposed updates to federal regulations that protect human research subjects need additional clarification when applied to the social and behavioral sciences, says a new report from the National Research Council. The report reviews an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, issued in July 2011 to strengthen protection for. . .

<> Hansen puts out a call for help in testimony by pipeline engineering experts and climate scientists wrt tar sands development consequences- There is a request from Lansing, Michigan, for expert assistance in trials of young protestors who blocked reconstruction of a pipeline that caused a major oil spill. They want to use the necessity defense, their actions being required to protect the environment and their own future.

<> Dow Chemical, Jones Lang LaSalle and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Sign On for Smart Energy Wins with EDF Climate Corps - Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)'s Climate Corps expands its scope to address the growing variety of smart energy needs for businesses and organizations nationwide

<> NRDC Study Shows More Than 1.8 Million Thermostats Containing 8 Tons of Mercury Need Safe Recycling In Illinois - CHICAGO (January 14, 2014) –There are more than 1.8 million thermostats containing eight tons of mercury in Illinois homes and buildings, according to a study by the Natural Resources Defense Council and Clean Water Fund, which are calling for  stronger state rules this year to speed up safe recycling of these  thermostats.

<> ACC's Plastics Division Forms New Plastics-to-Oil Technologies Alliance - ACC's Plastics Division views the new Alliance as a complement to its existing programs to increase plastics recovery and as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce, reuse, recycle and recover plastics.

<> Major Investors Dump Pebble Mine, Time to Abandon Project Once and For All - Frances Beinecke, President of NRDC, New York City A few weeks ago, mining giant Rio Tinto said it was considering pulling out of the disastrous Pebble Mine proposed for Alaska's Bristol Bay. This came on the heels of the September announcement that Anglo American—the 50 percent owner of the Pebble Mine—was dumping the project. Mitsubishi had already walked away three. . .

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 1/14/14

<> GAO-14-80, Clean Water Act: Changes Needed If Key EPA Program Is to Help Fulfill the Nation's Water Quality Goals, December 05, 2013 - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the states each have responsibilities for developing and implementing pollution targets, known as total maximum daily loads (TMDL). EPA oversees states' TMDL efforts by establishing in regulations minimum requirements TMDLs need for approval, providing funding, and furnishing technical assistance. States develop TMDLs and. . . 

<> U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions in 2013 expected to be 2% higher than in 2012- (Mon, 13 Jan 2014) Once all data are in, energy-related CO₂ emissions in 2013 are expected to be roughly 2% above the 2012 level, largely because of a small increase in coal consumption in the electric power sector. 

<> Fiscal Year 2014 Government Funding Bill Released - House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski, House Appropriations Ranking Member Nita Lowey, and Senate Appropriations Ranking Member Richard Shelby today announced the release of the fiscal year 2014 consolidated appropriations bill. The bill meets the terms set by the Ryan-Murray

• Access details

<> Monsanto critics denied U.S. Supreme Court hearing on seed patents

• Farmers vs. Monsanto: Family Farmers File Brief in Final Appeal to U.S. Supreme Court - The Public Patent Foundation  recently filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark case, Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association et al v. Monsanto

<> State Coal Imports Drain Billions from Local Economies - The Union of Concerned Scientists released a report showing that power providers sent more than $19 billion across state lines and overseas in 2012 to import coal, creating a drain on local economies when they could be boosting local economies by investing in homegrown clean energy sources.

<> BTLaw Alert: EPA Publishes Proposed Rule to Cap Carbon Emissions from New Power Plants - U.S. EPA's long anticipated proposed rule for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from new power plants was published in the Federal Register on Jan. 8, 2014. Barnes & Thornburg LLP.

• AIR, CLIMATE – PR. EPA. Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New Stationary Sources: Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units PDF | Text | 

<> 60 Minutes Reply: Cleantech Rocks - Posted in Cleantech Investment Insight, by Sheeraz Haji | January 12th 2014, my belief that 60 minutes missed the mark and inspired me to write this blog on why cleantech is essential, massive, vibrant, and desired. [Includes many links to referenced information]

<> Northeastern US states tighten carbon trading scheme - Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative announces 45% cut in size of emissions cap in bid to boost market prices. . .

<> Study Indicates "Memory" of Benzene Remains in Marsh Sediment and Affects Its Future Degradation - a Louisiana marsh area where the study authors collected sediment samples for analysis the researchers have known that pollutant exposure alters the ability of ecological systems to degrade those pollutants upon encountering them again.Troy University scientists have shown that this principle holds true for Gulf coast. . .

<> New study finds toxic monsters lurking in children's clothing - Beijing, 14 January 2014 – Hazardous chemicals have been found in children's clothes and shoes made by major brands including Disney, Burberry and Adidas, according to a new investigation released today by Greenpeace East Asia 

<> Agrichemical Companies Sue to Halt Kauai Restrictions of GE Crops and Pesticides

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 1/13/14

<> President Obama Signs West Virginia Emergency Declaration - The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of West Virginia and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from a chemical spill beginning on January 9, 2014, and continuing. The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency 

·   Freedom Industries ordered to empty remaining tanks - The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Water and Waste Management (DWWM) is requiring Freedom Industries Inc. to remove the contents in the 11 remaining above-ground storage tanks at its Etowah Terminal inCharleston.

·   Cease Operations Order Issued to Freedom Industries - The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Water and Waste Management has issued a Cease Operations Order to Freedom Industries

·   Cease Operations Order issued for well pad in Tyler County - The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Oil and Gas (OOG) has issued a Notice of Violation, as well as a Cease Operations Order, to Jay-Bee Oil & Gas in connection with the company's Lisby gas well pad in Tyler County.

<> Green Bond Principles Created to Help Issuers and Investors Deploy Capital for Green Projects - Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC), Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C), Crédit Agricole CIB (EN Paris: ACA), JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM), BNP Paribas (PA: BNP), Daiwa (JP: 8601), Deutsche Bank (NYSE: DB), Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), HSBC (LSE: HSBA, NYSE: HBC, HK: 0005), Mizuho (NYSE: MFG), Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS), Rabobank and SEB (SS: SEBA) A consortium of 

<> AEA Sends Letter to Sec. Moniz Urging Him to Reconsider Approval of New NatGasExport Applications - January 9, 2014, Dear Mr. Secretary: It is our understanding that the Department of Energy may be on the verge of approving another application to export American natural gas to non-FTA nations.  If permitted, it would mark the sixth. . . With all due respect, we are very concerned that exporting such a large volume of this strategic commodity, which is vital to U.S. competitiveness, is contrary to the national interest.

<> Battery Storage Breakthrough at Harvard Could Play Huge Role in Future of Renewables - By Tim Radford Scientists in the U.S. think they may be on the track of a new kind of battery technology that could store huge reserves of energy. One of the great problems of renewable energy generators such as photovoltaic cells and wind turbines is that they can't respond to demand. 

<> Leaked Wisconsin DNR report says mine poses threats to human health, water - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' research bureau produced the report to brief agency regulators on what scientific literature says about extensive testing and environmental monitoring that are typically needed to prevent serious damage from acid runoff into streams and mercury emissions into the air.

<> McDonald's aims to begin purchasing verified sustainable beef in 2016 - "We cannot do this alone, so we will listen, learn, and collaborate with stakeholders from farm to the front counter to develop sustainable beef solutions."

<> Major win for the climate: Voluntary Market closes door to HFC-23 projects - WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA): In a major win for the climate, the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), the world's leading voluntary greenhouse gas program, has announced that it will no longer approve or accept for consideration...

<> Predicting the future of global water stress - The MIT researchers expect 5 billion (52 percent) of the world's projected 9.7 billion people to live in water-stressed areas by 2050. They also expect about 1 billion more people to be living in areas where water demand exceeds surface-water supply.

<> Fuel economy of vehicles sold last year at record-high - Gas mileage of new vehicles sold in the U.S. was 24.8 mpg in December, the same as the average for all of 2013 -- the best annual mark ever, say researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.

<> More oil trains means more risk - The Columbian. More oil trains means more riskThe ColumbianData from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, an arm of the U.S. Department of Transportation, show that crude-by-rail incidents climbed to 108 last year from 9 in 2010.

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 1/10/14

<> Presidential Memorandum -- Establishing a Quadrennial Energy Review - MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES SUBJECT: Establishing a Quadrennial Energy Review Affordable, clean, and secure energy and energy services are essential for improving U.S. economic productivity, enhancing our quality of life, protecting our environment, and ensuring our Nation's security.

·   Obama Administration Launches Quadrennial Energy Review - First QER Will Focus on Transmission and Distribution Infrastructure Today, President Obama signed a Memorandum directing his Administration to conduct a Quadrennial Energy Review (QER).  This first QER will focus on the development of a comprehensive strategy for the infrastructure involved in transporting, transmitting, and delivering energy.

·   New Steps to Strengthen the Nation's Energy Infrastructure - Today, President Obama signed a memorandum establishing the federal government's first Quadrennial Energy Review (QER) process, fulfilling an important commitment from his Climate Action Plan and ensuring that federal energy policies continue to meet the nation's economic, environmental, and security goals. Over the next four years, the QER will provide a comprehensive 

<> House Approves Committee Legislation to Modernize Environmental Law and Increase State Authority - WASHINGTON, DC – The House of Representatives approved H.R. 2279 by a vote of 225 to 188. The legislation is a product of a series of bills advanced by the Energy and Commerce Committee, including the Reducing Excessive Deadline Obligations Act, the Federal and State Partnership for Environmental Protection Act, and the Federal Facility Accountability Act. 

<> Whitfield and Manchin Introduce Bipartisan Electricity Security and Affordability Act - WASHINGTON, DC – Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) formally introduced the Electricity Security and Affordability Act today in the House and Senate. The lawmakers put forward a draft of the legislation last fall to offer a reasonable alternative to the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed greenhouse gas standards 

<> Rockefeller and Wyden Demand Investigation, Review of Crude Oil Transportation Safety Practices and Regulations - WASHINGTON, D.C.— In the wake of a series of explosive train derailments containing crude oil – including two in the last two weeks – Senators John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.), Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, wrote a letter to. . .

<> Chairman Boxer and Senator Sanders Op-ed: Congress Should Put a Price on Carbon Pollution

<> Is China really committed to addressing climate change? - Source: RTCC - What do Chinese leaders and energy experts really think about climate change? It's a critical question, as without a strong low-carbon drive from China there is no chance of the planet avoiding dangerous levels of global warming.

<> Energy Committee Senators Demand Interior Nominee End Flawed Rulemaking - U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Rob Portman (R-OH) and Mike Lee (R-UT) called on the Department of the Interior (DOI) nominee Janice Schneider to commit to ensuring that the Office of Surface Mining (OSM) does not "rig" job loss estimates associated with OSM's proposed stream rule.

<> Energy Department Updates Home Energy Scoring Tool for Advancing Residential Energy Performance - January 9, 2014Energy Department Updates Home Energy Scoring Tool for Advancing Residential Energy Performance As part of the Energy Department's commitment to helping families across the U.S. save money by saving energy, the Department announced today its first major software update to the Home Energy Scoring Tool. . .

<> Deadline Extended for Public Comment On BP Spill Restoration  - The Trustees have released a draft plan for the third phase of Early Restoration. The draft plan proposes more than $625 million in new early restoration projects across theGulf states

<> DeFazio, Holt, Pallone, and Garcia Express Concern Over Impacts of Offshore Oil Exploration - For Immediate Release: January 9, 2014 Contact: Jen Gilbreath (Resources),  DeFAZIO EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER IMPACTS OF OFFSHORE OIL EXPLORATION Washington, D.C. –Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR), ranking member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, led a letter to the Department of the Interior (DOI) and NOAA. . .

<> GAO-14-187R, Air Emissions: Status of Regulatory Activities and Permitting on Alaska's Outer Continental Shelf, January 09, 2014 -The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012, amended the Clean Air Act to transfer regulatory authority for air emissions on the outer continental shelf (OCS) off Alaska's north coast, including the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the Department of the Interior. Since the act was passed on December 23, 2011, there has been limited activity 

<> Texas Supreme Court Favors Landowner Over TransCanada in Keystone XL Eminent Domain Case - The Texas Supreme Court ruled in favor of landowner Julia Trigg Crawford, ordering TransCanada to submit information by Feb. 6 as the justices weigh arguments to hear the case regarding eminent domain abuse.

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 1/9/14

<> White House: We the Geeks: "Polar Vortex" and Extreme Weather - at the White House, while we're beginning to thaw from this week's bone-chilling deep freeze, our discussions about the science of weather extremes are heating up. We know that no single weather episode proves or disproves climate change. Video and Friday January 10,  2:00 PM ET

<> The Clean Energy Economy in Three Charts – White House: The simple fact is that key clean energy technology costs are continuing to come down, and these technologies are producing more American energy than ever before.

¨      Competitive Enterprise Institute Criticizes Proposed Carbon Pollution Standard - WASHINGTON, D.C., JAN, 8 – Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute criticized EPA's proposed Carbon Pollution Standard, a regulation which would effectively ban the construction of new coal-fired power plants. The regulation was published in today's Federal Register, thereby kicking off a 60 day comment period. CEI's initial comments on the proposal, submitted today, 

¨      Today: EPA to Publish Rules For New Power Plants After Delay- (Huffington Post) The Environmental Protection Agency will finally publish notice of new proposed rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants on Wednesday, more than three months after announcing the rules last September. Read original story

1.    AIR, CLIMATE – PR/Withdrawal. EPA. Proposed Standards of Performance: Withdrawal of Proposed Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating UnitsPDF | Text | 

2.    AIR, CLIMATE – PR. EPA. Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New Stationary Sources: Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units PDF | Text | 

<> CRS report outlines PTC phaseout allowing wind, gas parity - The renewable energy production tax credit is gone for now and, even if it is reinstated this year, there are growing calls to replace the current system of year-to-year extensions with a more definitive path meant to phase out the credit altogether. To that end, the Congressional Research Service last month produced a report weighing the pros and cons of various phaseout proposals. . .

<> Paper: Shining a Light on Fossil Fuel Subsidies at the WTO: How NGOs can contribute to WTO notification and surveillance - Liesbeth Casier, Robin Fraser, Mark Halle, Robert Wolfe - Fossil fuel subsidies undermine efforts to mitigate climate change and damage the trading system. However, multilateral discussion is hampered by inconsistent definitions and incomplete data. Members do not notify such subsidies as much as they should under the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing measures 

<> U.S. Ethanol Export Opportunities Abound - (January 8, 2014) WASHINGTON — U.S. ethanol exports surged to 82.4 million gallons (mg) in November, with large volumes finding their way into new or emerging markets such as China and India, as well as the Philippines, Tunisia, Panama, and Mexico, according to government data released this week. Total exports were up 54 percent from October, reaching the highest 

<> UN urged to recognize benefits derived from mountain regions as essential for sustainable development - As United Nations-led talks on outlining the future global development agenda continue to progress, UN agency officials joined representatives of mountain countries and organizations today at Headquarters to encourage mountain-specific policies in sustainable development strategies, with a particular focus on plans for adaptation and mitigation of climate change.

<> Road Map to Clean Energy and Climate Initiatives in Governor Cuomo's 2014 State of the State Report - Governor Cuomo announced some significant new clean energy and climate initiatives.  In case you didn't have time in listen in, or to pore through the 219-page State of the State report that the Governor's office released 

<> The Koch brothers political empire continues to metastasize - what a Washington Post investigative article on January 5 calls "a far-reaching operation of unrivaled complexity, built around a maze of groups that cloaks its donors"

<> USDA Extends Deadline for Conservation Stewardship Applications- Related ATTRA Resource:Accessing the New Conservation Stewardship ProgramThe U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has extended the deadline for new enrollments in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

<> China sets targets for curbing air pollution - BEIJING (Reuters) - China has set new targets for its provinces to reduce air pollution by 5 to 25 percent, state media said lateon Tuesday, underscoring the government's concern about a source of public anger.

<> Net metering controversy: How to calculate the true value of solar

<> First-Year Report: Market Strong for Cap and Trade in California

<> Bird Conservation Groups Announce Intention to Sue Over Ohio Wind Turbine in Key Bird Migration Corridor - The Ohio National Guard facility at Camp Perry, near Port Clinton in northern Ohio, is the focus of possible legal action by American Bird Conservancy and Ohio's Black Swamp Bird Observatory, which today announced the intention to sue the Ohio National Guard in connection with violations of the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and other federal laws

<> Senator Vitter: EPA Basing New Carbon Rule on Impracticable Technology