Oil Spill
Transocean asks judge to make key witness testify
AP
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Lawyers for the owners of the drilling rig that exploded
at the start of the 2010 oil spill are asking a federal judge to make a key
witness talk to them before their trial.
http://www.wlox.com/story/16918187/transocean-asks-judge-to-make-key-witness-testify
At CPAC, Jindal revives attack on Obama administration over oil spill
recovery
NBC
WASHINGTON – Speaking before an audience of Republican activists Saturday,
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal blasted the Obama administration over its
response to the 2010 BP oil spill in the gulf, saying Obama officials
"wasted precious time while that oil was coming in to our coast."
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/11/10381914-at-cpac-jindal-revives-attack-on-obama-administration-over-oil-spill-recovery?email=html
State News
Air quality at issue
Officials meet in D.C.
DeSoto Times
By ROBERT LEE LONG
Published: Saturday, February 11, 2012 1:02 AM CST
DeSoto Officials met with Congressional members and staff on Tuesday to
discuss the County's recent Non-Attainment Air Quality Designation by the
Environmental Protection Agency.
http://www.desototimes.com/articles/2012/02/11/news/doc4f35ada082194129577146.txt
Work continuing at Superfund site
Final phase in an on-going process has begun
By Jeremy Pittari
The Picayune Item
PICAYUNE — The final phase of removing creosote left behind by Picayune
Wood Treating off of Rosa Street has begun. Workers under contract with the
Corps of Engineers have been working at the 40 acre site for about a month
to collect and contain soil contaminated with creosote and other chemicals
previously used to treat lumber.
http://picayuneitem.com/local/x980635422/Work-continuing-at-Superfund-site
Sierra Club maintains majority of citizens oppose oil and gas drilling
WLOX
It would appear a lot of people want don't want oil and gas drilling rigs
in state waters.
http://www.wlox.com/story/16911631/sierra-club
Coastal Conservation Association Mississippi sponsors student awards at
Biloxi meeting
Published: Sunday, February 12, 2012, 6:11 AM
By Harlan Kirgan, Mississippi Press
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- Coastal Conservation Association Mississippi
recently exhibited and sponsored student awards for academic papers on
fisheries at the American Fisheries Society Southern Division meeting in
Biloxi, according to a news release from F.J. Eicke of CCA Mississippi.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2012/02/coastal_conservation_associati_1.html
National News
Taylor Energy wells still leaking in Gulf after 8 years
Published: Saturday, February 11, 2012, 9:13 AM
By Ben Raines, Press-Register
A cluster of leaking wells in the Gulf may have released as much as 1.2
million gallons of oil since 2004, when they were damaged during Hurricane
Ivan, according to a report from the Skytruth environmental group.
http://blog.al.com/live/2012/02/taylor_energy_wells_still_leak.html
Obama administration slows environmental rules as it weighs political cost
Washington Post
By Juliet Eilperin, Published: February 12
After pushing through some of the most sweeping and contentious
environmental measures in years, the Obama administration has slowed action
on several policies as it calculates what it should undertake before the
end of the term.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/obama-administration-weighs-political-cost-of-environmental-rules/2012/02/07/gIQAvJzx8Q_print.html
NY leads 11 states in suing EPA over soot rules
AP
NEW YORK — New York and 10 other states filed a lawsuit Friday designed to
force the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to issue new regulations on
soot pollution.
http://online.wsj.com/article/APf8eee360d2e545c6af1ee12cdfad8227.html?grcc=f77ff1737da71a56f3c0d134ade45ab2Z9&mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_newyork
E.P.A. Is Sued Over Delays in Soot Standards
NY Times
By MIREYA NAVARRO
Eleven states sued the Environmental Protection Agency on Friday over its
delays in tightening air quality standards involving soot.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/11/science/earth/epa-is-sued-over-delays-in-soot-standards.html?_r=1&ref=earth&pagewanted=print
Lights Out for Some Coal Plants
Forbes
First there were six. Now there's three more. What's going on in the
coal-fired utility business? FirstEnergy of Ohio plans to close by
September those 9 units, which supply as much as 13 percent of the
company's electricity.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2012/02/12/lights-out-for-some-coal-plants/
Texas challenges EPA greenhouse gas regulations
Dallas Business Journal
Date: Friday, February 10, 2012, 2:57pm CST
The State of Texas has filed its opening brief challenging the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's decision to impose greenhouse gas
regulations in the state.
http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2012/02/10/texas-challenges-epa-greenhouse-gas.html
Lawmakers ask Obama EPA not to arm terrorists
Oklahoman
Joel Gehrke
Published: February 11, 2012
President Obama's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials have
proposed a rule that could give terrorists "one more weapon" for attacking
the United States, according to House lawmakers, in order to avoid having
to answer as many Freedom of Information Act requests.
http://newsok.com/lawmakers-ask-obama-epa-not-to-arm-terrorists/article/feed/346991
Press Releases
Settlement with New Cingular Wireless to Resolve Violations of Community
Right-to-Know Law
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced
an agreement with New Cingular Wireless to resolve violations of the
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). New Cingular
Wireless voluntarily disclosed reporting violations to EPA, which related
to the presence of sulfuric acid, diesel, and lead at 642 cellular
facilities in 35 states and Puerto Rico, after performing a comprehensive
audit of their operations. EPCRA requires facilities to report information
about the chemicals and hazardous materials they have onsite to ensure that
local emergency planners have the information they need to protect people's
health in the event of a release or emergency.
New Cingular Wireless was created in October 2004 through the merger of
AT&T Wireless and Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC. This settlement concerns
violations occurring at legacy Cingular Wireless sites from 2001 to 2003
and at New Cingular Wireless sites from October 2004 to 2006, specifically,
violations at cellular sites, transmitter sites, switching stations, and
warehouses. All of the violations disclosed by the company have been
corrected, and the company has made improvements to its battery inventory,
recordkeeping and management systems to prevent the reoccurrence of these
violations.
Since EPA reached its first audit policy settlement with a
telecommunications company in 1998, nearly 40 telecommunications businesses
have disclosed EPCRA violations. In doing so, they have enhanced facility
and emergency response personnel's capabilities to react to hazardous
chemical emergencies at nearly 5,000 facilities. The audit policy provides
incentives to companies that voluntarily discover, promptly disclose, and
expeditiously correct environmental violations. The companies must also
take steps to prevent future violations. EPA may reduce or waive penalties
for certain violations if the facility meets the conditions of the policy.
Under the settlement, New Cingular Wireless will pay a civil penalty of
$125,728.
More information about the settlement:
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/cases/civil/mm/ncw.html
Industry Progressing in Voluntary Effort to Reduce Toxic Chemicals
Companies have successfully developed more than150 alternatives to
long-chain perfluorinated chemicals.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released
the interim results of a voluntary effort by eight chemical manufacturers
to reduce emissions and use of long-chain perfluorinated chemicals
(LCPFCs), including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Used in hundreds of
manufacturing and industrial applications, LCPFCs are toxic, persistent in
our environment worldwide and can accumulate in people. Reducing toxic
chemicals in our environment is one of EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson's
top priorities.
EPA's 2010/15 PFOA Stewardship Program was established in 2006 in
partnership with DuPont, Solvay Solexis, Asahi Glass Company, Daikin
America, Inc., Clariant International Ltd., 3M/Dyneon, Arkema Inc. and BASF
(formerly Ciba Specialty Chemicals Corporation). The program set a goal of
reducing facility emissions and product content of PFOA and related
chemicals on a global basis by 95 percent, no later than 2010, and to work
toward eliminating emissions and product content of these chemicals by
2015. The interim results released today highlight the success companies
participating in the partnership have made in reducing releases of PFOA and
other LCPFCs.
Daikin, DuPont, 3M/Dyneon and Solvay Solexis have met the program's
intermediate goal of a 95 percent reduction in global emissions and product
content by 2010. The companies continue to reduce emissions of LCPFC's as
well as overall product content of LCPFC's. Additionally, more than150
replacement chemicals have been developed. The eight participating
companies have informed EPA that they are on track to phase out LCPFCs by
the end of 2015.
"I am pleased to see that many of the Stewardship Program companies are
making excellent progress and all are on track to meet the ultimate goal of
phasing out LCPFCs by the end of 2015," said Jim Jones, acting assistant
administrator for EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.
"The program is an important part of the agency's efforts to mitigate
exposures to LCPFCs."
EPA remains concerned about LCPFCs being produced by companies that are not
participating in the stewardship program and intends to take action to
address those concerns. These actions are part of an ongoing effort
outlined in 2009 that would further reduce exposure to LCPFCs by addressing
their use in products from sources other than the eight companies
participating in the stewardship program. For more information on these
efforts, see the action plan at:
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/actionplans/pfcs.html
More information on PFOA and LCPFCs: www.epa.gov/oppt/pfoa
Company progress reports and EPA's summary tables:
http://epa.gov/oppt/pfoa/pubs/stewardship/preports5.html
EPA Releases Final Health Assessment for Tetrachloroethylene (Perc)
Public health protections remain in place
WASHINGTON – Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted
the final health assessment for tetrachloroethylene – also known as
perchloroethylene, or perc – to EPA's Integrated Risk Information System
(IRIS) database. Perc is a chemical solvent widely used in the dry cleaning
industry. It is also used in the cleaning of metal machinery and to
manufacture some consumer products and other chemicals. Confirming
longstanding scientific understanding and research, the final assessment
characterizes perc as a "likely human carcinogen." The assessment provides
estimates for both cancer and non-cancer effects associated with exposure
to perc over a lifetime.
EPA does not believe that wearing clothes dry cleaned with perc will result
in exposures which pose a risk of concern. EPA has already taken several
significant actions to reduce exposure to perc. EPA has clean air standards
for dry cleaners that use perc, including requirements that will phase-out
the use of perc by dry cleaners in residential buildings by December 21,
2020. EPA also set limits for the amount of perc allowed in drinking water
and levels for cleaning up perc at Superfund sites throughout the country,
which will be updated in light of the IRIS assessment.
"The perc health assessment released today will provide valuable
information to help protect people and communities from exposure to perc in
soil, water and air," said Paul Anastas, assistant administrator for EPA's
Office of Research and Development. "This assessment emphasizes the value
of the IRIS database in providing strong science to support government
officials as they make decisions to protect the health of the American
people."
The toxicity values reported in the perc IRIS assessment will be considered
in:
� Establishing cleanup levels at the hundreds of Superfund sites
where perc is a contaminant
� Revising EPA's Maximum Contaminant Level for perc as part of the
carcinogenic volatile organic compounds group in drinking water, as
described in the agency's drinking water strategy
� Evaluating whether to propose additional limits on the emissions
of perc into the atmosphere, since perc is considered a hazardous air
pollutant under the Clean Air Act
The assessment replaces the 1988 IRIS assessment for perc and for the first
time includes a hazard characterization for cancer effects. This assessment
has undergone several levels of rigorous, independent peer review
including: agency review, interagency review, public comment, and external
peer review by the National Research Council. All major review comments
have been addressed.
EPA continues to strengthen IRIS as part of an ongoing effort to ensure the
best possible science is used to protect human health and the environment.
In May 2009, EPA streamlined the IRIS process to increase transparency,
ensure the timely publication of assessments, and reinforce independent
review. In July 2011, EPA announced further changes to strengthen the IRIS
program in response to recommendations from the National Academy of
Sciences. EPA's peer review process is designed to elicit the strongest
possible critique to ensure that each final IRIS assessment reflects sound,
rigorous science.
More information on the perc IRIS assessment:
http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0106.htm
More information on perc:
http://epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/perchloroethylene_fact_sheet.html
More information on IRIS: http://www.epa.gov/IRIS
