WIMS Environmental HotSheet 2/18/14

<> Climate, Environment, and Conservation: Remarks on Climate Change - Remarks on Climate Change John Kerry Secretary of State; Jakarta, Indonesia February 16, 2014 SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you, Robert. Thank you very, very much. I don't know. I think some of you were cheering twice for the same university. I don't know. (Laughter.) It seemed to come from the same place anyway. What a pleasure to be here at America, where we are looking at all of the a. . .

<> Climate, Environment, and Conservation: U.S.-China Joint Statement on Climate Change - U.S.-China Joint Statement on Climate Change Media NoteOffice of the Spokesperson Washington, DC February 15, 2014 In light of the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change and its worsening impacts, and the related issue of air pollution from burning fossil fuels, the United States and China recognize the urgent need for action to meet these twin challenges. Both sides reaffirm their. . .

<> NRDC: President Obama Driving America to Cleaner Energy Future-

WASHINGTON (February 18, 2014) – President Obama's newly announced fuel-efficiency standards for heavy trucks will help such vehicles go farther on less fuel while further curbing carbon pollution from America's transportation sector, the largest source of carbon pollution after power plants. NRDC is scheduled to be a White House guest at this morning's event in Upper Marlboro, Md.

• Whitehouse Fact Sheet: Opportunity For All: Improving the Fuel Efficiency of American Trucks – Bolstering Energy Security, Cutting Carbon Pollution, Saving Money and Supporting Manufacturing Innovation

<> 2014 Farm Bill Drill Down: Recap and Wrap Up - This post wraps up our series on what is in the new 2014 Farm Bill for sustainable food and farming systems.  We started the series with an overview of what was in the bill for sustainable agriculture, and then dove into a series of posts with the nitty-gritty details of the new bill: 

<> Extreme Weather in parts of the world (Updated 14 February 2014) - World Meteorological Organization reports parts of the world have witnessed a series of extreme weather conditions in the first six weeks of 2014, continuing a pattern that was set in December 2013.

<> Launch of WBCSD's new Policy Advisory Council- Geneva, February 12, 2014 - During a high-level dialogue at the recent World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) convened member CEOs and key policymakers to launch the WBCSD's first Policy Advisory Council. This new council will guide the WBCSD's global policy outreach, focused on working with. . .

<> New Study Shows Powerful Impact of Ethanol Industry on Jobs & Energy Independence- (February 18, 2014) ORLANDO, Fla. — The Renewable Fuels Association unveiled a new study today by ABF Economics entitled "Contribution of the Ethanol Industry to the Economy of the United States" at the National Ethanol Conference in Orlando, Fla. The study examines the nationwide impact of the ethanol industry in 2013 on job creation, the economy, household income, and. . .

<> Why We Need CCS, Part 1: The Basics - CO2 capture and storage (CCS) is often neglected as a low-carbon energy option next to renewables and nuclear. Part 1 of this three-part article will make the basic case why CCS is highly likely to actually play a very prominent role in a future climate-constrained world. 

<> The Fifth Anniversary of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - Five years ago, on February 17, 2009, less than a month into his first term, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. At the time, the country was experiencing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Private employers had already cut almost 4 million jobs, trillions in dollars in household wealth had been wiped out. . .

• Boehner Statement on Five-Year Anniversary of the President's Stimulus

<> Chemical and non Chemical Alternatives to Endosulfan- The webinar aims at:  Raising awareness of the obligations pertaining to endosulfan under the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions  Sharing information available on possible chemical and non chemical alternatives to endosulfan  Presenting Parties to the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions with a proposed methodology to assess the continued need of endosulfan. . .

<> Combating climate change with ammonia-fueled vehicles - Running vehicles on ammonia could reduce emissions to levels far below those achieved by other alternative fuels, such as natural gas or ethanol derived from corn.

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 2/14/14

<> New $1 billion Climate Resilience Fund - President Obama's 2015 Budget that will be released next month will include a new $1 billion Climate Resilience Fund - Obama will highlight the fund in a visit to California to address the state's worst droughts in over 100 years. . .

·  U.S. News & World Report‎ article

<> AEA To Rep. Upton On NatGas Exports - America's Energy Advantage (AEA), is a trade association representing many of the world's leading manufacturers and commodity producers, as well as the United States' publicly-owned natural gas distribution companies. . . While we respect the Committee's thoughtful approach to the subject, we strongly disagree with the report's central recommendation to export nearly half of current U.S. natural gas production to non-FTA nations.

·  Committee Releases Report on Global Benefits of U.S. LNG Exports

<> The unique cyber-vulnerabilities of the oil and gas industry - At the recent Information Systems Security Association conference, a sample poll of cybersecurity experts found that a majority of them believe there will be a "major" cyberterrorism event within the next year. A plurality predicts that this attack will focus on the energy industry. Thirty-five percent of the security professionals polled pointed at the power grid as the target of this strike. . .

<> U.S. Drought Monitor Update for February 11, 2014 - According to the February 11 U.S. Drought Monitor, moderate to exceptional drought covers 37.6% of the contiguous U.S. 

<> Press Release: Obama Administration to Offer 40 Million Acres in the Gulf of Mexico for Oil and Gas Development - Lease Sale 231 in the Central Planning Area and Lease Sale 225 in the Eastern Planning Area will be held consecutively in New Orleans, Louisiana, on March 19, 2014

<> Speaker Boehner on Retirement Announcement by Chairman Doc Hastings - House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement on the retirement announcement of House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA): "For nearly two decades, Doc Hastings has served in the House with honor, humility and distinction. In addition to being a skilled legislator and leader, he's the epitome of grace and. . . 

<> Senators Plan To Stay Up All Night To Talk Climate Change - Source: Huffington Post - A group of senators is planning to stage an all-night talkathon about climate change next month, aimed at stirring their fellow senators to action.

<> Keystone XL Will Significantly Increase Oil Industry Investment in the Tar Sands - A major issue in the decision around the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline is the extent to which this project will drive expansion of tar sands extraction and the associated 

<> Reminder EPA RFA: Human and Ecological Health Impacts Associated with Water Reuse and Conservation Practices - February 18, 2014 closing date is fixed.  funding competition supporting projects that focus on understanding the impacts of water reuse and conservation practices on human and ecological health and how they relate to broader issues of energy-efficient processes for water conservation and nutrient management and recovery.

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 2/13/14

<> FEDERAL OFFICES in the Washington, DC, area are CLOSED - February 13, 2014: Emergency and telework-ready employees required to work must follow their agency's policies, including written telework agreements.

• Severe winter weather threatens East Coast energy infrastructure - (Thu, 13 Feb 2014) The National Weather Service predicts that the major winter storm that dropped significant snowfall and ice on the Southeast yesterday will intensify as it moves up the Eastern Seaboard today. 

<> Sen. Landrieu Becomes Energy Committee Leader - It's official: Before adjourning yesterday, the Senate formally approved the shift in chairmanships following Max Baucus's departure that leaves Louisiana Democrat Mary Landrieu atop the Energy and Natural Resources Committee as Oregon Democrat Ron Wyden moves to the Finance Committee.

<> Energy Secretary Moniz Dedicates World's Largest Concentrating Solar Power Project - Energy Secretary Moniz Dedicates World's Largest Concentrating Solar Power Project Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz will participate today in the opening of the Ivanpah Solar Energy Generating System, the world's largest concentrating solar power (CSP) plant.

<> 2014 Farm Bill Drill Down: Conservation – Easements, CRP, and Energy- With the 2014 Farm Bill recently signed into law, NSAC is doing a blog series that delves into the details of the bill for sustainable food and farming systems.  Our coverage of the conservation title is divided into three parts: working lands conservation programs; the linkage between conservation and crop insurance; and this one on easement, land retirement, and energy programs.

<> U.S. Utility-Scale Solar 60 Percent Towards Cost-Competition Goal - February 12, 2014U.S. Utility-Scale Solar 60 Percent Towards Cost-Competition Goal Energy Department Announces $25 Million to Support U.S. Solar Manufacturing

<> Nuclear Waste Solution Seen in Desert Salt Beds - CARLSBAD, N.M. — Half a mile beneath the desert surface, in thick salt beds left behind by seas that dried up hundreds of millions of years ago, the Department of Energy is carving out rooms as long as football fields and cramming them floor to ceiling with barrels and boxes of nuclear waste.

<> Rep. Loebsack Introduces Legislation to Utilize and Expand Renewable Fuel Infrastructure - legislation that would establish a grant program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to invest in renewable and alternative fuel infrastructure. The Renewable Fuel Utilization, Expansion and Leadership (Re-FUEL) Act (HR 4051)

<> Upcoming Funding Opportunity for Wind Forecasting Improvement Project in Complex Terrain - February 12, 2014Upcoming Funding Opportunity for Wind Forecasting Improvement Project in Complex Terrain The DOE Wind Program has issued a Notice of Intent for a funding opportunity, tentatively titled Wind Forecasting Improvement Project in Complex Terrain. . .

<> The Science of Science Communication II - Not only the scientific complexity of topics such as climate change but also the public and political debates that surround many areas of science pose challenges for researchers trying to explain their findings clearly and effectively to the public. Read the summary of a three-day National Academy of Sciences colloquium held in September 2013 that brought together experts in social. . .

<> Another West Virginia 'Significant' slurry spill blackens Kanawha creek - More than 100,000 gallons of coal slurry poured into an eastern Kanawha County stream Tuesday in what officials were calling a "significant spill" from a Patriot Coal processing facility.

<> Economist Says Best Climate Fix A Tough Sell, But Worth It - Source: NPR - We often talk about climate change as a matter of science. But the biggest questions are really about money. How much would it cost to fix the problem — and what price will we pay if we don't?

<> U.S. EPA and its Federal Partners Advance Decontamination Techniques/Researchers clean up buildings to practice real world techniques of large-scale decontamination- U.S. EPA, along with federal partners, announced the results of a multi-year project called Bio-Response Operational Testing and Evaluation (BOTE) that tested and evaluated decontamination techniques for a biological incident

<> U.S. EPA Awards U.C. Davis $800,000 to Study How Chemical Exposures May Impact Brain Development 

<> Myths and Facts about the West Virginia Chemical Spill - Competitive Enterprise Institute senior fellow and chemical policy expert, Angela Logomasini, Ph.D., released a report examining the myths and facts surrounding the Jan. 9, 2014 chemical spill in West Virginia that affected 300,000 residents. According to Logomasini, some environmental groups have taken this opportunity to incite fear, propagating misinformation to pressure. . .

<> China's Plan to Clean Up Air in Cities Will Doom the Climate, Scientists Say - Coal-to-gas projects in rural areas could double carbon footprint of fuel burned in cities, spelling disaster for earth's climate, warn scientists. China is erecting huge industrial complexes in remote areas to convert coal to synthetic fuel that could make the air in its megacities cleaner. But the complexes use so much energy that the carbon footprint of the fuel. .

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 2/12/14

<> EPA Revises Permitting Guidance for Using Diesel Fuel in Oil and Gas Hydraulic Fracturing - EPA released revised underground injection control (UIC) program permitting guidance for wells that use diesel fuels during hydraulic fracturing activities.

• Rep. Waxman and Rep. DeGette Commend EPA Action to Clarify Safe Drinking Water Act Requirements for Certain Hydraulic Fracturing Activities - praised the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for releasing its long-awaited permitting guidance for oil and gas hydraulic fracturing activities using diesel fuels.

<> 2013 National Environmental Scorecard - The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) released its 2013 National Environmental Scorecard, which allows users to see how your members of Congress voted on the year's key environmental issues.

<> Environment Subcommittee Hearing - Ensuring Open Science at EPA - The GOP Secret Science Reform Act of 2014 is the result of more than two years of investigative work on the part of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. This work was initiated when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) failed to live up to its public commitment to make the data that supports its most costly air regulations available to the public.

• Democrats Hearing Site

<> House Passes Drought Research Legislation - The House of Representatives passed H.R. 2431, the National Integrated Drought Information Systems Reauthorization Act. The bill passed 365-21 with 45 members not voting. H.R. 2431 reauthorized the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS).  The NIDIS Act, signed into law in 2006, is a collaborative effort between numerous federal 

• H.R.2431 Details

<> Energy Department Conditionally Authorizes Cameron LNG to Export Liquefied Natural Gas - February 11, 2014. Energy Department Conditionally Authorizes Cameron LNG to Export Liquefied Natural Gas The Energy Department announced that Cameron LNG has been conditionally authorized to export LNG.

• API urges swift approval of LNG export applications

<> Protecting Iconic Species for Future Generations: A New National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking - To protect threatened species like elephants and rhinoceroses for future generations, today the President approved a new National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking. The Strategy strengthens U.S. leadership on countering the global security threat posed by poaching and illegal trade in wildlife, which is decimating iconic animal populations. Because of the actions of. . . 

• FACT SHEET: National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking & Commercial Ban on Trade in Elephant Ivory - Today the United States announced a National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking.  The Strategy will strengthen U.S. leadership on addressing the serious and urgent conservation and global security threat posed by illegal trade in wildlife. In addition to the strategy, we are also announcing a ban on commercial trade of elephant ivory, which will enhance our efforts to. . .
• Press Release: Interior Announces Ban on Commercial Trade of Ivory as Part of Overall Effort to Combat Poaching, Wildlife Trafficking - Following today's release of the Obama Administration's National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking, Secretary Jewell announced that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (The Service) will implement a U.S. ban on commercial trade of elephant ivory.

<> Department of Energy Oversight: Status of Clean Coal Programs - The House E&C Committee, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, chaired by Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA), held a hearing reviewing the status of the Department of Energy's clean coal programs.

• Democrats Hearing Site

<> Senator Boxer Welcomes Senator Markey to EPW Committee

<> Using ADAPTool to Assess What Makes Policies Adaptable under Climate Change - The ADAPTool was developed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and partners to assess the adaptability of policies or programs in relation to any defined stressor or external change, such as climate.

<> Kantor: Level Playing Field Will Help Unlock Benefits of Natural Gas - He shared details from the recent American Gas Foundation and IHS CERA study, "Fueling the Future with Natural Gas: Bringing it Home,"

<> Climate Adaptation Fund RFP - The Wildlife Conservation Society's Climate Adaptation Fund is pleased to announce the release of the 2014 Request for Proposals. Deadline: 5:00 PM MST on Friday, March 14, 2014.

<> NREL Scientists Find Key Function for Ferredoxins in Algae Hydrogen Production - The finding suggests ways to increase the production of hydrogen by algae, which could help turn hydrogen into a viable alternative fuel for transportation.

<> 4th Annual Utica & Marcellus NGL & Natural Gas 2014 - Providing Project And Infrastructure Updates And Identifying New Market Opportunities For Utica & Marcellus NGLs, Residue Gas And LNG To Ensure Optimal Markets Can Still Be Reached As Prices And Demand Fluctuate. April 29-30, 2014 Columbus, Ohio

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 2/11/14

<> Op-ed by President Obama and President Hollande: An Alliance Transformed- The full text of an op-ed by President Obama and President Hollande of France. The piece, published today in the Washington Post and in Le Monde. France and the U.S. enjoy a renewed alliance By Barack Obama and François Hollande, Monday, February 10. . .includes our leadership to combat climate change."

<> Crude Behavior: How Lifting the Export Ban Reduces Gasoline Prices in the United States – Analysis by Resources for the Future (RFF). . . economic arguments for lifting the ban are strong, based primarily on the gains from free trade and the example it sets when we live by our market principles. Such action will create winners and losers, however, and may lead to increases in greenhouse gases.

<> Presidential Proclamation -- 20th Anniversary of Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice - 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 12898 ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE - BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES - Two decades ago, President William J. Clinton directed the Federal Government to tackle a long-overlooked problem. Low-income neighborhoods, communities of color, and tribal areas. . . 

<> GAO-14-103, Drinking Water: EPA Has Improved Its Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Program, but Additional Action Is Needed, January 09, 2014- What GAO Found The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has implemented all of the recommendations GAO made in its May 2011 report to improve the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) program. In that report, GAO recommended that EPA (1) monitor for the full 30 contaminants allowed by statute, (2) monitor for most or all contaminants using a more robust . . .

<> Senate Republicans Urge President to Approve Keystone XL Pipeline - The entire Senate Republican caucus: "Rejecting the Keystone pipeline will cost thousands of American jobs and prevent our country from accessing a large supply of North American energy."

<> EPW Republicans Request Full Committee Hearing on Beale Fraud at the EPA- hearing to examine the facts and circumstances surrounding convicted felon and former senior official at EPA John Beale's expansive fraud.

<> EPA Administrator McCarthy Joins Senior Obama Administration Officials in Fort Collins to Discuss Local Climate Change Efforts - Gina McCarthy, Administrator of the U.S.EPA, Nancy Sutley, Outgoing Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality; and David Agnew, Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs will join Fort Collins Mayor Karen Weitkunat to tour projects to restore the Cache la Poudre River and strengthen its resilience to. . .

<> Wyden, Senators to CFTC: Share Information for Energy Market Oversight Now – "Provide leadership necessary to address technical issues and initiate information sharing by the end of February" . . .

<> NRC Documents Related to Waste Confidence - a list of documents and links that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued in connection with Waste Confidence.

<> Maps show expected redistribution of global species due to climate change - An international team of scientists tracks how fast and in which direction local climates -- and species -- have shifted Fifty-year climate trajectory classes based on global climate 

<> Chasing the Biggest Story on Earth - Source: NY Times - When Elizabeth Kolbert joined The New Yorker in 1999, after more than a decade covering New York politics as a reporter and columnist for The New York Times, she began gravitating to environmental issues.

<> The Burning Question: Who is Up to the Climate Challenge?-The United Nations IPCC has issued its Fifth Assessment Report, which concludes the warming of the climate system is unequivocal, human influence on the climate system is clear, and limiting climate change will require. . .

<> New UCS Book on Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Gets Rave Reviews - New Union of Concerned Scientists Book on Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Gets Rave Reviews

 

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 2/10/14

<> Remarks by the President at Signing of the Farm Bill -- MI- Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan 2:16 P.M. EST THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Spartans! Go, Green!  AUDIENCE: Go, White!  THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much.  Everybody have a seat here. It's good to be at Michigan State. . .

• H.R. 2642 Details

<> Annual EPA Enforcement Results Highlight Focus on Major Environmental Violations - The U.S. EPA released its annual enforcement and compliance results demonstrating a focus on violations that have the most impact on public health. Our enforcement work over the past year reflects our focus on the biggest violators and the cas...

<> C40 Mayors Summit Demonstrates Why Cities Are Leading On Global Climate Change - During the Summit, C40 released a landmark report, Climate Action in Megacities Volume 2.0 (CAM 2.0), developed in partnership with consultancy firm Arup.

<> U.S. Sailors Sick From Fukushima Radiation File New Suit Against Tokyo Electric Power - Citing a wide range of ailments from leukemia to blindness to birth defects, 79 American veterans of 2011's earthquake/tsunami relief Operation Tomadachi ("Friendship") have filed a new $1 billion class action lawsuit against Tokyo Electric Power. The suit includes an infant born with a genetic condition to a sailor who served on the USS Ronald Reagan as radiation poured over it. . .

<> Chlidren Exposed to Increasing Concentrations of Pyrethroid Insecticides- (Beyond Pesticides, February 10, 2014)   A recent study has found that exposure to pyrethroids is increasing among children and adults. The study also finds that children are still widely exposure to chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate chemical that has been banned for household use for over 12 years.

<> A full month after West Virginia spill, many questions linger … along with the chemical's distinctive odor - By Richard Denison, Ph.D., is a Senior Scientist with EDF. Today marks exactly a month since what is now said to be 10,000 gallons of "crude MCHM" – mixed with what was later found to have included other chemicals – spilled into West Virginia's Elk River, contaminated 1,700 miles of piping in the water distribution system for nine counties. . .

<> New Tool Available to Help Track Spilled Oil - Computer model can help with current, future clean-up efforts. A newly developed computer model holds the promise of helping scientists track and predict where oil will go after a spill, sometimes years later.  U.S. Geological Survey scientists developed the model as a way of tracking the movement of sand and oil found along the Gulf of Mexico since the . . .

<> Simplifying the Energy Tax Code - The following post is SAFE's contribution to a dialogue on the relative benefits of changing the energy tax code, from the OurEnergyPorlicy.org forum. Senator Baucus should be commended for moving our nation closer to comprehensive tax reform, particularly as it relates to the energy tax code. The current system is a complex patchwork of incentives that would benefit from. . . 

<> EPA Evaluation Finds Use of Coal Ash in Concrete and Wallboard Appropriate- Using a newly developed methodology, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released its evaluation of the two largest beneficial uses of encapsulated coal combustion residuals (CCR or coal ash): use in concrete as a substitute for portland cement, and the use of flue gas...

<> Energy Department Announces Funding to Improve the Resiliency of the Electric Grid - Energy Department Announces Funding to Improve the Resiliency of the Electric Grid In support of the President's State of the Union address and Climate Action Plan, the Department of Energy today announced up to $7 million to advance the design of microgrids -- technology that will help communities become more adaptive and prepared for power outages caused by severe. . .

<> As natural gas prices climb, drillers agree to cut flaring - If North Dakota was a country, it would rank fifth behind Russia, Nigeria, Iran, and Iraq on the list of worst natural gas wasters, according to the World Bank. The New York Times compares the level of flaring in North Dakota's Bakken Shale to the emissions caused by two medium-sized coal fired power plants. This level of waste is allowing nearly a third of the natural gas being 

<> New Report: Early Lessons Learned in Bringing SSL to Market - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published a new report that documents early challenges and lessons learned in the development of the SSL market. Entitled "Solid- State Lighting: Early Lessons Learned on the Way to Market," it summarizes early actions taken by DOE and others to avoid potential problems that were anticipated based on lessons learned from the market. . . 

<> Beyond bulbs: Illinois raises the bar on energy efficiency- As more customers switch to high-efficiency lighting, utilities are having to look elsewhere to meet energy conservation mandates. (Photo by Dan McKay via Creative Commons) What happens when the "low-hanging fruit" of energy efficiency runs out? Illinois is about to find out. After years of heavy reliance on lighting upgrades and other programs, the state's two largest utilities. . .

<> Top Wolf Scientists Unanimous: Science Doesn't Support Plan to Strip Protections - Center for Biological Diversity

<> DOE Announces Webinars on Natural Gas for Biomass Technologies, Additive Manufacturing for Fuel Cells, and More - February 5, 2014, DOE Announces Webinars on Natural Gas for Biomass Technologies, Additive Manufacturing for Fuel Cells, and More EERE offers webinars to the public on a range of subjects, from adopting the latest energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies to training for the clean energy workforce. Webinars are free; however, advanced registration is typically required.