12/12/13
State
Rural La., Miss. brace for accelerated Tuscaloosa drilling
Clarion Ledger
Drilling plans in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS) deposit - estimated to
hold 7 billion barrels of recoverable oil - could be a windfall for some
residents. But the search for crude has already harmed rural roads and left
landowners worried about mineral rights and future drinking water. What's
more, jobs are expected to go to oil workers from outside the shale play,
The Louisiana Weekly reported.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20131211/NEWS/131211007/
Company mulling plan to build new pipeline
by Associated Press
Published: December 11,2013
NATCHEZ — American Midstream Partners is proposing the reconstruction of
its American Midstream Midla mainline pipeline in Louisiana and
Mississippi.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2013/12/11/company-mulling-plan-build-new-pipeline/
National
Appeals court gives EPA split decision on ozone rules
BY MICHAEL DOYLE
MCCLATCHY WASHINGTON BUREAU
A key appeals court has given the Environmental Protection Agency somewhat
of a split decision in a complicated challenge to the agency's ozone rules.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/12/11/3812146/appeals-court-gives-epa-split.html
Business groups join for chemical push
The Hill
By Julian Hattem
A group of food, cleaning, clothing and other companies is launching a new
coalition to push Congress to reform the nation's toxic chemical law.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energy-environment/192896-business-groups-join-for-chemical-push
EPA: Ethanol limit 'has been reached'
The Hill
By Julian Hattem
A top Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official said on Wednesday that
the agency's biofuel program has led to an unrealistic demand for petroleum
refiners, a confirmation of warnings that have long been made by oil
companies.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energy-environment/192753-epa-ethanol-limit-has-been-reached
Another EPA official under investigation in CIA scheme
Washington Post
By Lenny Bernstein and Ann E. Marimow, Published: December 11
Investigators for the Environmental Protection Agency are reviewing the
activity of another high-level official in the agency's Air and Radiation
Office to determine whether to forward the case for possible prosecution,
according to congressional aides briefed on the matter.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/another-epa-official-under-investigation-in-cia-scheme/2013/12/11/4a321030-6288-11e3-91b3-f2bb96304e34_print.html
Fracking Boom Pushes U.S. Oil Output to 25-Year High
Bloomberg
By Christine Harvey and Asjylyn Loder - Dec 11, 2013
U.S. crude production rose to the highest level in a quarter-century as a
shale drilling boom in states such as Texas and North Dakota cut the need
for foreign oil and pushed the country closer to energy independence.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2013-12-11/fracking-boom-pushes-u-s-oil-output-to-25-year-high.html
ANALYSIS-U.S. drilling boom leaves some homeowners in a big hole
Reuters
By Michelle Conlin
Dec 12 (Reuters) - When Gary Gless bought his sleek, modernist house in Los
Angeles in 2002, he thought he had hit a "gold mine." The world's largest
inner-city park - featuring a lush, 18-hole golf course - was about to get
built across the street. Gless's balcony was set to overlook the clubhouse
and first tee.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/12/12/fracking-homeowners-idINL1N0JO0W620131212
Federal Court Hears Feverish Arguments Over Mercury Emissions
Forbes
While most of the energy sector's attention this week has centered on the
Supreme Court's review of pollution crossing state lines, a sizable portion
of it has been targeted to what a federal court will decide with regard to
mercury releases.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2013/12/11/federal-court-hears-feverish-arguments-over-mercury-emissions/
Press Releases
EPA Adds Nine Hazardous Waste Sites to Superfund's National Priorities List
Agency also proposes to add an additional eight sites
WASHINGTON - Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is adding
nine hazardous waste sites that pose risks to people's health and the
environment to the National Priorities List (NPL) of Superfund sites. EPA
is also proposing to add another eight sites to the list. Superfund is the
federal program that investigates and cleans up the most complex,
uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country to protect
people's health and the environment.
"Superfund cleanups protect the health of nearby communities and ecosystems
from harmful contaminants," said Mathy Stanislaus, assistant administrator
for EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. "They can also
provide positive economic outcomes for communities including job creation,
increased property values, enhanced local tax bases and improved quality of
life."
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act
(CERCLA), the law establishing the Superfund program, requires EPA to
update the NPL at least annually and clean up hazardous waste sites to
protect human health with the goal of returning them to communities for
productive use. A site's listing neither imposes a financial obligation on
EPA nor assigns liability to any party. Updates to the NPL do, however,
provide policymakers with a list of high priority sites, serving to
identify the size and nature of the nation's cleanup challenges.
The Superfund program has provided important benefits for people and the
environment since Congress established the program in 1980.Those benefits
are both direct and indirect, and include reduction of threats to human
health and ecological systems in the vicinity of Superfund sites,
improvement of the economic conditions and quality of life in communities
affected by hazardous waste sites, prevention of future releases of
hazardous substances, and advances in science and technology.
By eliminating or reducing real and perceived health risks and
environmental contamination associated with hazardous waste sites,
Superfund actions frequently convert contaminated land into productive
local resources and increase local property values. A study conducted by
researchers at Duke and Pittsburgh Universities concluded that, while a
site's proposal to the NPL reduces property values slightly, making a site
final on the NPL begins to increase property values surrounding Superfund
sites. Furthermore, the study found that, once a site has all cleanup
remedies in place, surrounding properties have a significant increase in
property values as compared to pre-NPL proposal values.
Since 1983, EPA has listed 1,694 sites on the NPL. At 1,147 or 68 percent
of NPL sites, all cleanup remedies are in place. Approximately 645 or 38
percent of NPL sites have all necessary long-term protections in place,
which means EPA considers the sites protective for redevelopment or reuse.
With all NPL sites, EPA first works to identify companies or people
responsible for the contamination at a site, and requires them to conduct
or pay for the cleanup. For the newly listed sites without viable
potentially responsible parties, EPA will investigate the full extent of
the contamination before starting significant cleanup at the site.
Therefore, it may be several years before significant EPA clean up funding
is required for these sites.
The following nine sites have been added to the NPL:
• Beck's Lake (former automotive and hazardous waste dump) in South Bend,
Ind.;
• Garden City Ground Water Plume (ground water plume) in Garden City, Ind.;
• Keystone Corridor Ground Water Contamination (ground water plume) in
Indianapolis, Ind;
• Cristex Drum (former fabric mill) in Oxford, N.C.;
• Hemphill Road TCE (former chemical drum recycling) in Gastonia, N.C.;
• Collins & Aikman Plant (Former) (former automotive rubber manufacturer)
in Farmington, N.H.;
• Jackpile-Paguate Uranium Mine (former uranium mine) in Laguna Pueblo,
N.M.;
• Wilcox Oil Company (former oil refinery) in Bristow, Okla.; and
• Makah Reservation Warmhouse Beach Dump (municipal and hazardous waste
dump) in Neah Bay, Wash.
The following eight sites have been proposed for addition to the NPL:
• Macmillan Ring Free Oil (former oil refinery) in Norphlet, Ark.;
• Keddy Mill (former sawmill, grist and wool carding mill) in Windham,
Maine;
• PCE Southeast Contamination (ground water plume) in York, Neb.;
• PCE/TCE Northeast Contamination (ground water plume) in York, Neb.;
• Troy Chem Corp Inc (chemical manufacturer) in Newark, N.J.;
• Unimatic Manufacturing Corporation (former chemical manufacturer) in
Fairfield, N.J.;
• Wolff-Alport Chemical Company (former metal extraction facility) in
Ridgewood, N.Y.; and
• Walker Machine Products, Inc. (former machine screw products
manufacturer) in Collierville, Tenn.
In the proposed rule, EPA is also soliciting additional comments on the
Smurfit-Stone Mill site based on additional references to the Hazard
Ranking System documentation record being made available to the public for
review.
EPA is also changing the name of the B.F. Goodrich site in Rialto, Calif.,
which EPA added to the NPL on September 23, 2009 (74 FR 48412). The site's
new name, Rockets, Fireworks, and Flares (RFF), informs the public of
activities that are believed to have contributed to contamination at the
site.
Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the final and
proposed sites: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/current.htm
Information about how a site is listed on the NPL:
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/npl_hrs.htm
Superfund sites in local communities:
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/index.htm
More information about the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), the law establishing the Superfund
program, can be found at:
http://epa.gov/superfund/policy/cercla.htm
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|Agriculture, Navy Secretaries Promote U.S. Military Energy Independence with|
| 'Farm-to-Fleet' |
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| |
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|Program blends homegrown biofuels with conventional fuels, propelling ships,|
| jets and jobs |
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| |
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| |
|WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2013 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Secretary |
|of the Navy Ray Mabus today announced the U.S. Departments of Agriculture |
|(USDA) and Navy's joint "Farm-to-Fleet" venture will now make biofuel blends|
|part of regular, operational fuel purchase and use by the military. The |
|announcement incorporates the acquisition of biofuel blends into regular |
|Department of Defense (DOD) domestic solicitations for jet engine and marine|
|diesel fuels. The Navy will seek to purchase JP-5 and F-76 advanced drop-in |
|biofuels blended from 10 to 50 percent with conventional fuels. Funds from |
|USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) will assist the effort. |
| |
| |
|"The Navy's intensifying efforts to use advanced, homegrown fuels to power |
|our military benefits both America's national security and our rural |
|communities," said Vilsack. "Not only will production of these fuels create |
|jobs in rural America, they're cost effective for our military, which is the|
|biggest consumer of petroleum in the nation. America's Navy shouldn't have |
|to depend on oil supplies from foreign nations to ensure our national |
|defense, and rural America stands ready to provide clean, homegrown energy |
|that increases our military's energy independence and puts Americans to |
|work." |
| |
| |
|Farm-to-Fleet builds on the USDA / U.S. Navy partnership inaugurated in |
|2010, when President Barack Obama challenged his Secretaries of Agriculture,|
|Energy and Navy to investigate how they could work together to speed the |
|development of domestic, competitively-priced "drop-in" diesel and jet fuel |
|substitutes. |
| |
| |
|"A secure, domestically-produced energy source is very important to our |
|national security," said Navy Secretary Mabus. "Energy is how our naval |
|forces are able to provide presence around the world. Energy is what gets |
|them there and keeps them there. The Farm-to-Fleet initiative we are |
|announcing today is important to advancing a commercial market for advanced |
|biofuel, which will give us an alternative fuel source and help lessen our |
|dependence on foreign oil." |
| |
| |
|Today's announcement marks the first time alternative fuels such as advanced|
|drop-in biofuels will be available for purchase through regular procurement |
|practices. It lowers barriers for alternative domestic fuel suppliers to do |
|business with DOD. Preliminary indications from the Defense Production Act |
|Title III Advanced Drop-in Biofuels Production Project are that drop-in |
|biofuels will be available for less than $4 per gallon by 2016, making them |
|competitive with traditional sources of fuel. |
| |
| |
|The program gets underway with a bulk fuels solicitation in 2014, with |
|deliveries expected in mid-2015. USDA and Navy also are collaborating on an |
|Industry Day, Jan. 30, 2014, where stakeholders can learn more about |
|Farm-to-Fleet. |
| |
| |
|# |
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EPA Program Seeks to Improve Air Quality in Port Communities
$4 Million Grant Program to Clean Older Diesel Engines at Ports
WASHINGTON - EPA is announcing the availability of $4 million in grant
funding to establish clean diesel projects aimed at reducing emissions from
marine and inland water ports, many of which are in areas that face
environmental justice challenges.
"Ports are essential to the nation's economy and transportation
infrastructure, but they also are home to some of the nation's toughest
environmental challenges," said Janet McCabe, acting assistant
administrator for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation. "These grants will
help port authorities to provide immediate emissions reductions that will
benefit those who work and live in port-side communities."
Most of the country's busiest ports are located near large metropolitan
areas and, as a result, people in nearby communities can be exposed to high
levels of diesel emissions. Older diesel engines can emit large amounts of
air pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides (NOX) and particulate matter (PM).
These pollutants are linked to a range of serious health problems including
asthma, lung and heart disease, other respiratory ailments, and even
premature death. Clean diesel projects at ports, employing readily
available technology, will make immediate emissions reductions and provide
health benefits.
This grant competition is available under the Diesel Emission Reduction Act
(DERA) Program and is the first competition to focus on solely reducing
emissions at ports. DERA funds are used to clean up the legacy fleet of
diesel engines that were produced before more recent environmental
standards. This grant competition is intended to help solve some of the
complex air quality issues in port communities.
Under this competition, EPA anticipates awarding between two and five
assistance agreements to port authorities through the DERA program. Port
authorities, governmental or public agencies that operate ports, are able
to work directly with a variety of fleet owners to lower emissions from
different types of equipment used in a port setting. Projects may include
drayage trucks, marine engines, locomotives, and cargo handling equipment
at marine or inland ports. Priority will be given to ports located in
areas of poor air quality.
The objectives of the assistance offered under this program are to achieve
significant reductions in diesel emissions in terms of tons of pollution
reduced and reductions in diesel emissions exposure from fleets operating
at ports. The program also seeks to build partnerships among port
stakeholders to promote ongoing efforts to reduce emissions from port
operations. Community groups, local governments, terminal operators,
shipping carriers, and other business entities are encouraged to
participate through partnerships with eligible port authorities. The
closing date for receipt of proposals is February 13, 2014.
This funding opportunity is being offered in addition to EPA's annual
National Clean Diesel Campaign (NCDC) Funding Assistance Program. EPA
intends to make future awards under the NCDC Funding Assistance Program,
subject to the availability of funding.
For more information and to access the Request for Proposals and other
documents, please visit http://www.epa.gov/otaq/ports/ports-dera-rfp.htm.
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| Secretary Vilsack Announces Partnership to Advance Commercial Potential of |
| Cellulosic Nanomaterial from Wood |
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| |
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| |
|WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2013 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary |
|Tom Vilsack today announced a public-private partnership to rapidly advance |
|the development of the first U.S. commercial facility producing cellulosic |
|nanomaterial, a wood fiber broken down to the nanoscale. The partnership is |
|between the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment) and the |
|U.S. Forest Service. |
| |
| |
|"We believe in the potential of wood- based nanotechnology to strengthen |
|rural America by creating sustainable jobs and adding timber value while |
|also creating conservation opportunities in working forests," said Vilsack. |
|"This public- private partnership will develop high-tech outputs from the |
|forest products sector, and promote the invention of renewable products that|
|have substantial environmental benefits." |
| |
| |
|For perspective, a human hair is about 100,000 nanometers wide. Materials at|
|this scale have unique properties. Cellulosic nanomaterial has exceptional |
|strength and considerably lighter weight when compared with materials it can|
|replace. It is lower cost than similar nanomaterial and it is made from a |
|renewable resource. Potential applications include ballistic glass |
|replacements, body armor, auto and aerospace structural materials, flexible |
|electronic circuits, solar panels and more. |
| |
| |
|The three-year partnership will promote cellulosic nanomaterial as a |
|commercially viable enterprise by building on work done by the Forest |
|Products Laboratory in Madison, Wis. The partnership seeks to overcome |
|technical barriers to large- scale wood-based nanotechnology processing, |
|while filling gaps in the science and technology that are needed for |
|commercialization. Initial funding comes from the Endowment and the Forest |
|Service. The partnership is currently seeking additional public and private |
|sector funding. |
| |
| |
|USDA, the Endowment, and the Forest Service have previously collaborated on |
|numerous ventures: the potential of biotechnology to address forest health; |
|technical advice given to African American forest landowners; and |
|wood-to-energy projects that support the growth of jobs in rural America. |
| |
| |
|Together with partners, this new venture will: |
| |
| |
| · Emphasize the potential of wood- based nanotechnology for the economy |
| and the environment. |
| |
| |
| · Overcome technical barriers to commercialization of wood- based |
| nanotechnology. |
| |
| |
| · Demonstrate commitment to creating high paying jobs in rural America |
| through value- added manufacturing and high value products. |
| |
| |
| · Showcase the commitment of USDA and the Forest Service to innovation. |
| |
| |
|The mission of the U.S. Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of |
|Agriculture, is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the |
|nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future |
|generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides |
|assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest |
|forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service|
|manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through |
|visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the nation's |
|clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency |
|has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of |
|the 850 million forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres |
|are urban forests where most Americans live. |
| |
| |
|# |
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EPA Honors Winners of the 2013 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge
Awards
WASHINGTON–The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recognizing
landmark green chemistry technologies developed by industrial pioneers and
leading scientists that are contributing to the use of chemicals and
products that are safer for people's health and the environment.
During the 18 years of the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge program,
EPA has received about 1500 nominations and presented awards to 93
technologies. Winning technologies over the lifetime of the program are
responsible for reducing the use or generation of more than 826 million
pounds of hazardous chemicals, saving 21 billion gallons of water, and
eliminating 7.8 billion pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent releases to
air.
"Today, EPA is recognizing groundbreaking scientific solutions to
real-world environmental problems that improve the bottom line for
America's manufacturing sector. These revolutionary technologies have great
potential to make consumer products from adhesives to paints safer for us
to use as well safer and less costly to manufacture by reducing hazardous
wastes, energy, and water wastes, " said Jim Jones, EPA's Assistant
Administrator for Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. "EPA
congratulates the 2013 winners, and looks forward to continuing to work
with them as their technologies are adopted in the marketplace."
The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards are presented in five
categories: academic, small business, greener synthetic pathways, greener
reaction conditions and designing greener chemicals. The awardees will be
honored at a ceremony in Washington, DC.
In the academic category, Professor Richard Wool, University of Delaware,
Newark, Del. was recognized for creating several materials from less toxic
and renewable biobased feedstocks such as vegetable oils, chicken feathers
and flax that can be used as adhesives, composites, foams, and even circuit
boards and as a leather substitute.
In the small business category, Faraday Technology Inc., Clayton, Ohio was
recognized for developing a plating process that allows chrome coatings to
be made from less toxic trivalent chrome. This reduces millions of pounds
of hexavalent chromium without comprising performance for uses such as
aircraft parts.
Winners in the "greener reaction conditions, designing greener chemicals,
and greener synthetic pathways," categories are:
- Life Technologies, Austin, Texas — for developing a more efficient, much
less wasteful way to manufacture the key chemicals used to perform genetic
testing. The new process prevents about 1.5 million pounds of hazardous
waste a year.
- The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich. — for improving TiO2-based
paints. Dow's EVOQUE™ technology uses a polymer coating that, when applied
to TiO2, improves dispersion of the pigment, decreasing the amount of the
chemical needed and allowing it to work better. This technology will
significantly reduce energy usage, water consumption, NOx and SOx
emissions, and algae bloom.
- Cargill, Inc., Brookfield, Wis..— for developing a vegetable oil-based
transformer fluid that is much less flammable, less toxic, provides
superior performance compared to mineral oil-based fluids and has a lower
carbon footprint.
EPA's Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Program award winners have
significantly reduced the hazards associated with designing, manufacturing,
and using chemicals. An independent panel of technical experts convened by
the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute selected the 2013
winners from among scores of nominated technologies.
More information: http://www2.epa.gov/green-chemistry
