7.2.14
State
Gautier leaders concerned about unfunded mandates of new EPA rule
Mississippi Press
Joanne Anderson
July 01, 2014 at 8:55 PM
GAUTIER, Mississippi --- Concerned that a proposed new Environmental
Protection Agency rule would result in unfunded mandates for
municipalities, Mayor Gordon Gollott and the City Council on Tuesday night
unanimously approved Resolution 54 in response to EPA's proposal to broaden
the scope of what is considered a regulated waterway.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/07/gautier_leaders_concerned_abou.html#incart_river
Water advisory issued for Lac La Buche area of Pascagoula
SUN HERALD
July 1, 2014
A broken sewer line near Mississippi 610, or U.S.S. Vicksburg Way, in
Pascagoula resulted in a temporary water contact advisory Tuesday issued by
the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/07/01/5679081/water-advisory-issued-for-lac.html?sp=/99/184/201/
Cost of Kemper plant dropped $1.8 million in May
Sun Herald
BY MARY PEREZ
Mississippi Power reported in its monthly filing to the Public Service
Commission on Tuesday the total cost of the Kemper County lignite plant
dropped by $1.8 million in May and the plant remains on target to begin
commercial operation in the first half of 2015.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/07/01/5679069/cost-of-kemper-plant-dropped-18.html?sp=/99/184/185/
National
Nine states join lawsuit against EPA climate rule
The Hill
Nine states are joining coal company Murray Energy in suing the
administration for its proposal to cut carbon pollution from existing power
plants.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/211124-nine-states-join-lawsuit-against-epa-climate-rule
EPA to reach out to farmers on water jurisdiction rule
The Hill
Environmental Protection Agency officials are planning to meet with farmers
and agricultural interests this summer about their proposal to redefine the
extent of the federal government's water jurisdiction, starting with a
visit next week to Missouri.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/211111-epa-to-reach-out-to-farmers-on-water-jurisdiction-rule
Cleaning up the trash? EPA looks to reduce emissions at landfills
The Hill
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is looking to clean up the trash
at landfills, where garbage is disposed of and buried.
http://thehill.com/regulation/211110-epa-looking-to-reduce-landfill-emissions
North Dakota Regulator Sets New Gas-Flaring Rules
Producers Have to Abide by Production Allowances That Limit Burn-offs
Wall Street Journal
North Dakota's chief energy regulator said Tuesday it would enforce new
restrictions on the amount of natural gas burned off at oil wells, a move
designed to reduce flaring to a level more in line with other energy states
including Texas.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/north-dakota-regulator-sets-tough-gas-flaring-rules-1404257684
Press Releases
EPA Proposes Updates to Reduce Methane, Other Harmful Pollution from New
Landfills
Agency also seeks public input on potential updates to guidelines for
existing landfills
WASHINGTON – As part of the President's Climate Action Plan – Strategy to
Reduce Methane Emissions, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is
proposing updates to its air standards for new municipal solid waste (MSW)
landfills. These updates would require certain landfills to capture
additional landfill gas, which would reduce emissions of methane, a potent
greenhouse gas, and help further reduce pollution that harms public health.
The agency also is seeking broad public feedback on how and whether to
update guidelines for existing landfills.
Non-hazardous waste from homes, business and institutions ends up in
municipal solid waste landfills, where it decomposes and breaks down to
form landfill gas, which includes carbon dioxide, a number of air toxics
and methane. Methane has a global warming potential 25 times that of carbon
dioxide.
"Reducing methane emissions is a powerful way to take action on climate
change," said Administrator Gina McCarthy. "This latest step from the
President's methane strategy builds on our progress to date and takes steps
to cut emissions from landfills through common-sense standards."
Today's proposal would require new MSW landfills subject to the rule to
begin controlling landfill gas at a lower emissions threshold than
currently required. Under the proposal, landfills would capture two-thirds
of their methane and air toxics emissions by 2023 – 13 percent more than
required under current rules. EPA estimates the net nationwide annual costs
of complying with the additional requirements in the proposed rule would be
$471,000 in 2023.
Today, methane accounts for nearly 9 percent of all greenhouse gas
emissions in the United States, and landfills are the third-largest source
of human-related methane in the country, accounting for 18 percent of
methane emissions in 2012. Regulatory and voluntary programs, including the
agency's Landfill Methane Outreach Program, have helped reduce emissions
from landfills by 30 percent from 1990 to 2012. However, without additional
actions, methane emissions are projected to increase through 2030.
Also today, EPA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR)
seeking broad public input on whether and how to update current emissions
guidelines for existing landfills to further reduce their emissions,
including methane. The agency is considering updating those guidelines
based on a several factors, including significant changes that have
occurred in the landfill industry since the original guidelines were issued
in 1996. Nearly 1,000 MSW landfills in the U.S. currently are subject to
either the 1996 emission guidelines for existing landfills or the 1996 NSPS
for new landfills.
EPA will take public comment on the proposed performance standards updates
and the ANPR for 60 days after they are published in the Federal Register.
If a hearing is requested, it will be held on August 12, 2014 in
Washington, D.C.
More information: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/landfill/landflpg.html
Information on the Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/03/28/strategy-cut-methane-emissions
Information on the Climate Action Plan:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/climate-change
