President Obama's Bridges, Roads & Infrastructure Initiative

President Obama: "Let's Build Some Bridges. Let's Build Some Roads." - President Barack Obama delivers remarks before he signs an executive action creating the Build America Investment Initiative during an event near the Interstate 495 Bridge at the Port of Wilmington in Wilmington, Del., July 17

• FACT SHEET: Building a 21st Century Infrastructure: Increasing Public and Private Collaboration with the Build America Investment Initiative
• Remarks by the President on the Economy -- Wilmington, DE
• Presidential Memorandum -- Expanding Public-Private Collaboration on Infrastructure Development and Financing

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President's Remarks At Climate Preparedness and Resilience Meeting

Remarks by the President at Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience Meeting – "We've got Democrats and Republicans and independents from all the across the nation.  And we are here because we know that climate change is an undeniable scientific fact. . ."

• Preparing Communities for the Impacts of Climate Change - President Barack Obama drops by a meeting of the Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, in the State Dining Room of the White House

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White House Fact Sheet On Support For Impacts of Climate Change

FACT SHEET: Taking Action to Support State, Local, and Tribal Leaders as They Prepare Communities for the Impacts of Climate Change - To support communities in need of a more resilient infrastructure that can withstand impacts like more extreme weather and increased flooding, President Obama is responding to guidance from governors, mayors, county and tribal officials who are proven leaders in helping their communities prepare for climate impacts.

 

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Petra Nova Project: Largest Post-Combustion Carbon Capture Project

World's Largest Post-Combustion Carbon Capture Project Begins Construction - July 15, 2014. The Department of Energy – in partnership with NRG Energy Inc. and JX Nippon – announced that construction has begun on the first commercial-scale post-combustion carbon capture retrofit project in the U.S., the largest such project in the world -- The Petra Nova Project, located in Thompsons, Texas, southwest of Houston will capture 1.4 million tons of CO2 annually. . .

 

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NOAA : Australia's rainfall decline due to increases in manmade GHG emissions

Climate model shows Australia's rainfall decline due to human-caused climate change - NOAA scientists have developed a new high-resolution climate model that shows southwestern Australia's long-term decline in fall and winter rainfall is caused by increases in manmade greenhouse gas. . .

 

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House Passes Energy/Water Funding -- Administration Would Veto

House Passes H.R. 4923, the FY 2015 Energy & Water Appropriations Bill - On a bipartisan vote of 253-170, the bill totals $34 billion – a $50 million reduction from the fiscal year 2014 enacted level and an increase of $327 million above the President's request.

• Blackburn Secures Provision to Save Our Ceiling Fans & Protect American Jobs in FY15 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill - Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) today continued her fight against burdensome regulations being imposed on American ceiling fan manufacturers
• The Administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 4923 - If the President were presented with H.R. 4923, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill

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EPA Testifies On "Waters of the United States"

<> EPA Clarifies Proposed Water Rule for Committee - The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to examine the rule proposed by EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers to define the term the "waters of the United States"

• Smith: Water Rule Part of EPA 'Regulation Rampage' - Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) said the proposed water rule expands EPA jurisdiction over private property

Hearing webcast, charter, statement and testimony of EPA's Robert Perciasepe

 

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Hot Environmental News

 

<> Appropriations Committee Releases Fiscal Year 2015 Interior and Environment Bill - The House Appropriations Committee today released the fiscal year 2015 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, which will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow. The legislation includes funding for Department of the Interior, EPA, the Forest Service, and various independent and related agencies

<> EPA Air Chief Comments On Process For Climate Plan - "With all the coverage of EPA's Clean Power Plan, I wanted to take a few minutes or a few hundred words to tell you about the process we followed to write our 645-page proposal. The bottom line is that it is the product of many months of hard thinking and data analysis by EPA staff and substantial input from literally thousands of thoughtful stakeholders." Does NRDC Operate Like the Oil Industry? Not on Your Life - David Doniger, Director, Climate and Clean Air Program, Washington, D.C. The New York Times ran a very nice article yesterday about NRDC's part in developing an innovative proposal for curbing carbon pollution. . .

 

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National / International News

 

<> Supreme Court Greenlights California's Clean Fuels Plan - (June 30, 2014) – In a big win for the fight against climate change, the Supreme Court today declined oil and ethanol companies' request to review a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that upheld [release and background from Natural Resources Defense Council]

• Access complete details for Corey v. Rocky Mountain Farmers Union
• Supreme Court Denies Appeal of California's Landmark Low Carbon Fuel Standard - [release and background from Environmental Defense Fund]

<> New York's highest court today upheld local bans on shale gas fracking - Local communities have triumphed over the fracking industry in a precedent-setting case decided today by the New York Court of Appeals, the state's highest court

• Additional details & links to decision

<> Federal Wildlife Agencies Finalize Policy to Improve Implementation of Endangered Species Act - The Department of the Interior's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service today announced a new policy to clarify the interpretation of the phrase "significant portion of its range" in the Endangered Species Act as it applies to decisions to list species as threatened or endangered.

• Obama Administration Finalizes Disastrous Policy Limiting Protection of Endangered Species; Conservation Group Will Challenge in Court - The Center for Biological Diversity said it will file a legal challenge to an Obama administration policy, finalized today, which they say "severely limits when a species qualifies for protection under the Endangered Species Act — a change that ignores both broad legal precedent and congressional intent. Under the Act a species qualifies for protection when it is 'in danger of extinction in all or a significant of portion of its range.'"

<> State Energy Data System: Complete Set of State-Level Estimates Through 2012 - (Fri, 27 Jun 2014) Annual state-level estimates by energy source and sector of total energy production and consumption from 1960 through 2012 and prices and expenditures from 1970 through 2012. . .

<> Draft Science Advisory Board Report On Environmental Justice - Draft (6/27/2014) SAB Review of the EPA's Draft Technical Guidance for Assessing Environmental Justice in Regulatory Analysis. . .

<> American Chemistry Council Publishes 2014 Comprehensive Economic Profile of $812 Billion Business of American Chemistry - The American Chemistry Council (ACC) today issued its 2014 edition of the Guide to the Business of Chemistry.

<> ACORE Releases New Report: "Evolving Business Models for Renewable Energy" - For Immediate Release—June 23, 2014 NEW YORK, June 23, 2014 -- The American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) today announced the release of a groundbreaking report titled Evolving Business Models for. . .

<> 2014 U.S. petroleum refinery update: capacity edges up, ownership shifts - (Mon, 30 Jun 2014) As of January 1, 2014, there were 139 operating refineries and three idle refineries with total atmospheric crude oil distillation capacity (ACDU) of 17.9 million barrels per calendar day (bbl/cd), a 101,000-bbl/cd increase in capacity from January 1, 2013. In 2013, four refineries changed ownership, continuing the trend of a handful of sales each year.

<> Cybersecurity for Energy Delivery Systems (CEDS) Peer Review August 5-7 - June 26, 2014Cybersecurity for Energy Delivery Systems (CEDS) Peer Review August 5-7 The Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) will hold a peer review of its Cybersecurity for Energy Delivery Systems (CEDS). . .

<> Highway Trust Fund Needs Immediate Intervention - The Highway Trust Fund (HTF), the federal government's primary account for funding the nation's highways, is going broke. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) estimates that the fund's balance will drop to zero by late August and stop payments altogether by late September if Congress does not approve a new cash injection.

<> Energy Department Sponsored Project Captures One Millionth Metric Ton of CO2 - Energy Department Sponsored Project Captures One Millionth Metric Ton of CO2 An Energy Department-funded project captured its millionth metric ton of carbon dioxide in Port Arthur, Texas.

<> The Sierra Club Takes Legal Action After Proposed Holcomb Coal Plant Fails to Meet Public Health Standards

<> Final Plan for Phase III of BP Early Restoration - The final Phase III plan proposes $627 million for 44 new early restoration projects across the Gulf states.

 

U.S. Appeals Court Environmental Decisions

 

<> Corey v. Rocky Mountain Farmers Union – In the U.S. Supreme Court, appealed from the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Docket No. 13-1308. Petition denied with no comment.

<> Sierra Club v. EPA - 6/27/14. In the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, Case No. 08-1144. Petitioners sought review of EPA's Gasification Exclusion Rule, arguing that it violated RCRA's plain language requiring the regulation of hazardous wastes used as fuel. The Panel said, "We hold that the regulation violates the plain language of RCRA and, for that reason, is vacated."

<> Natural Resources Defense v. EPA - 6/27/14. In the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, Case No. 98-1379. Petitioners seek review of a portion of a 1998 EPA's rule creating a "Comparable Fuels Exclusion" from regulation under RCRA. The Panel said, "We conclude the
Comparable Fuels Exclusion is inconsistent with the plain language of section 6924(q), which requires that EPA establish standards applicable to all fuel derived from hazardous waste. . . and vacate the Comparable Fuels Exclusion."

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Monday, June 30, 2014.  (Click here to access today's complete Federal Register index with links to complete announcements).

 

1. Air Quality – Final Rule. U.S. EPA. Control of Air Pollution From Motor Vehicles: Tier 3 Motor Vehicle Emission and Fuel Standards PDF | Text | 

2. Air Quality - Notice. U.S. EPA. Integrated Review Plans - Release of Integrated Review Plan for the Primary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Oxides of Nitrogen PDF | Text |

(click for the complete Energy & EPA announcements)

 

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 6/27/14

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National / International News

 

<> EPA Proposes Approval of New Climate-Friendly Refrigerants - EPA is proposing to increase the options for refrigerants in the United States that offer better climate protection without harming the ozone layer. This is the agency's first action that addresses refrigerants under the Climate Action Plan, which calls on EPA's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program to identify and approve additional climate-friendly chemicals. . .

<> House Approves Bill to Lower Gasoline Prices and Create over One Million New American Jobs - The House of Representatives passed H.R. 4899, the Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America that Works Act, with a bipartisan vote of 229-185. This legislation would help ease the pain at the pump. . .

• H.R.4899 - Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America That Works Act of 2014 Legislative details

<> The Renewable Fuel Standard: Issues for 2014 and Beyond - Using the rising amounts of renewable transportation fuels required by the Renewable Fuel Standard will be difficult. In this 38-page report the Congressional Budget Office looks at how those requirements and alternatives would affect fuel and food prices and greenhouse gas emissions.

<> CASAC Review of the EPA's Second Draft Policy Assessment for the Review of the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards - "The CASAC advises that, based on the scientific evidence, a level of 70 ppb provides little margin of safety for the protection of public health, particularly for sensitive subpopulations. . ."

• Background, Meetings & Reports

<> House Hearing On Management Failures: Oversight of the EPA - House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing with testimony and webcast of Sens David Vitter (R-LA) & Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI); and EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy

<> Energy Department Launches Microgrid Competition to Support Resiliency in Communities Across America - The Challenge encourages organizations with operational microgrids, such as hospitals and water treatment plants, to submit their microgrid designs and operational data – such as when and how long the microgrid was disconnected from the traditional grid -- deadline for applying is August 29, 2014.

<> Senators: EPA's Attempts to Expand Authority Now Affecting Military Bases - U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, led a group of seven Senators in sending a letter to Nancy Stoner, Acting Assistant Administrator of the Office of Water at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), regarding EPA's attempts to impose stormwater regulations upon American military bases and the Agency's controversial proposal to expand their federal authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

<> Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces the 2014 National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Grants to Support Climate Resilience and Green Infrastructure - June 26, 2014 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the 2014 USDA Forest Service's National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge grant recipients.

<> Sen. Murkowski Advances Legislation to Improve Coordination on Energy-Water Issues - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) advanced legislation -- the Nexus of Energy and Water for Sustainability (NEWS) Act (S. 1971) -- to improve the efficiency of the federal government in addressing issues related to the interdependence of energy and water.

• Subcommittee hearing on S.1971, testimony & webcast

<> Murkowski: United States is Only Advanced Nation to Ban Oil Exports - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released a report that finds that the United States is the only advanced nation in the world with a ban on oil exports. The report – A Ban for One: The Outdated Prohibition on U.S. Oil Exports in Global Context – shows that of the 34 member countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the U.S. is the only member to prohibit oil exports.

<> Public Interest Groups Call on Obama to Cease Delays and Finalize Hazardous Waste Requirements - A large coalition of 200 environmental justice, public health and green organizations in a letter Thursday called on President Obama to fulfill a consent decree by finalizing a proposed rule that would strengthen safeguards governing billions of pounds of hazardous waste that were excluded from regulation in 2008.

<> NASA To Launch First CO2 Observing Satellite - Scheduled for launch July 1, 2014 at 2:56 AM, Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) will be NASA's first dedicated Earth remote sensing satellite to study atmospheric carbon dioxide from Space.

<> EPA's Climate Justice in Action Map & Stories - Over summer of 2014, EPA has launched the Climate Justice in Action blog series to focus on the unequal burdens climate change places on low income and minority communities – add your story. . .

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Day, Month, date, 2014.  (Click here to access today's complete Federal Register index with links to complete announcements).

 

1. Water – Final Rule. U.S. EPA. - Expedited Approval of Alternative Test Procedures for the Analysis of Contaminants Under the Safe Drinking Water Act; Analysis and Sampling Procedures PDF | Text |

(click for the complete Energy & EPA announcements)

 

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 6/26/14

Subscribe by June 30, 2014 
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National / International News

 

<> Boxer Statement: Press Conference with Transportation Leaders to Signal Highway Trust Fund Facing a Mayday Situation – "Today, we are facing a mayday situation, and I am here to send an SOS call to Congress and the American people. We are on the verge of a Transportation Government Shutdown. . . MAP-21, expires on September 30th, and without action to extend the Highway Trust Fund, all payments to states stop on October 1st.

<> EPA Releases Final Risk Assessment on Trichloroethylene (TCE)/ Agency begins process to address potential human health risks - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a final risk assessment for trichloroethylene (TCE). The assessment identified health risks from TCE exposures to consumers using spray aerosol. . .

<> Major-US-companies-facing-climate-change-related-risks-and-costs -

Major U.S. public companies from all economic sectors now facing climate change related risks and costs, a new report from Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). . . a State-by-State analysis of the business response to climate change, shows companies across America are factoring global warming into their business planning because they see climate action as a prudent way to build competitive advantage for their firms nationally and globally.

<> Senators: EPA is Cherry-Picking Science in New Chemical Risk Assessment - U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee sent a letter to Jim Jones, Assistant Administrator of the U.S. EPA regarding how the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) conducts chemical risk assessments. . .

<> APGA Expresses Opposition to Udall-Landrieu LNG Export Legislation - On June 25, American Public Gas Association expressed concern to Chairman Landrieu (D-LA) of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and Senator Udall (D-CO)—also of the committee—regarding their recently introduced legislation. . . "As every study on the issue has shown, exporting LNG increases the domestic price of natural gas. This means that whether you are a homeowner, small business, or large industrial enterprise, exporting LNG increases the prices you pay for not just energy but also the goods and services that have the cost of energy built into them. . ."

• S.2494 - Natural Gas Export Promotion Act of 2014 Legislative Details
• House Approves Bill to Boost Gas Exports, Create Jobs - The House of Representatives today approved H.R. 6, the Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act, by a bipartisan vote of 266 to 150.
• H.R.6 - Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act Legislative Details

<> Calling on Congress to Eliminate Outdated and Duplicative Reporting Requirements - Every year, Congress requires Federal agencies to produce thousands of written reports and plans on far ranging topics. While these reports and plans often provide useful information for legislative decision-making, oversight, and public. . .

<> New Energy Efficiency Standards for Furnace Fans to Reduce Carbon Pollution, Help Americans Save on Energy Bills - The new standard for furnace fans will help reduce harmful carbon pollution by up to 34 million metric tons – equivalent to the annual electricity use of 4.7 million homes – and save Americans over $9 billion in home electricity bills through 2030.

<> Senators Push Administration for Expanded Offshore Drilling in Next 5-Year OCS Leasing Plan - U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee sent a letter to Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Department of Interior, regarding the Department's oil and gas leasing plan for 2017 through 2022 on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

<> Sportsmen: Energy bill would gut leasing reforms - Hunters, anglers reject assault on balanced energy development and the public's right to speak out on decisions affecting their lands. . .

<> Request for Information for Environmental Impact Minimization Technologies and Field Testing Opportunities - June 25, 2014. The Energy Department's Wind Program is seeking feedback from the wind industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders regarding a potential funding opportunity to advance the readiness of environmental impact minimization technologies through investments in technology development and field testing.

<> NREL and General Motors Announce R&D Partnership to Reduce Cost of Automotive Fuel Cells - The Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and General Motors (GM) are partnering on a multiyear, multimillion dollar joint effort to accelerate the reduction of automotive fuel cell stack costs through fuel cell. . .

<> Carbon Storage in U.S. Eastern Ecosystems Helps Counter Greenhouse Gas Emissions Contributing to Climate Change - Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell released a new report showing that forests, wetlands and farms in the eastern United States naturally store 300 million tons of carbon a year (1,100 million tons of CO2), which is nearly 15 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions EPA estimates the country emits each year or an amount that exceeds and offsets yearly U.S. car emissions.

<> New tests find bee-killing pesticides in 51% of "bee-friendly" plants from garden centers across U.S. and Canada - Metro Detroit plants found to contain the hazardous pesticide [DETROIT, MI]– Many "bee-friendly" home garden plants sold at Home Depot (NYSE: HD), Lowe's (NYSE: LOW) and Walmart (NYSE: WMT) have been pre-treated with pesticides. . .

 

U.S. Appeals Court Environmental Decisions

 

<> Asarco LLC v. Goodwin - 6/25/14. In the U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, Case No. 13-3954. The Panel concluded that the district court properly dismissed Asarco's direct contribution claims because they are barred by the applicable three‐year statute of limitations, and that its subrogation claims were properly dismissed because Asarco is not a subrogee.   

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Day, Month, date, 2014.  (Click here to access today's complete Federal Register index with links to complete announcements).

 

1. Hazardous Waste - Final Rule - Revisions to the Export Provisions of the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Rule PDF | Text | 

(click for the complete Energy & EPA announcements)