State
Traffic smoother after 18-wheeler wreck in Madison County
Clarion Ledger
6:52 a.m. update:
Traffic is running smoother today after officials clean up a
chemical spill following an 18-wheeler accident in Madison County.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2014/12/10/madison-county-wreck/20194795/
Overturned truck slows traffic on I-55 in Madison
WAPT
One northbound lane of Interstate 55 remained closed in Madison on
Wednesday night to allow crews to remove an overturned truck.
http://www.wapt.com/news/central-mississippi/overturned-truck-slows-traffic-on-i55-in-madison/30163732
New welcome center kiosks focus on nature tourism
WLOX
JACKSON COUNTY, MS (WLOX) -The growing popularity of nature tourism is
getting a boost at the two Mississippi welcome centers on I-10. Interactive
kiosks have been installed to direct visitors to the more than 40 birding
trails along the coast.
http://www.wlox.com/story/27588692/new-welcome-center-kiosks-focus-on-nature-tourism
Oil Spill
RESTORE proposals cut in half
By JOHN HENDERSON | News Herald
Published: Wednesday, December 10, 2014 at 17:12 PM.
PANAMA CITY — A citizens advisory committee has whittled in half a list of
environmental and economic development projects that will move ahead in the
application process and potentially receive funding from damages from the
2010 oil spill.
http://www.newsherald.com/news/government/restore-proposals-cut-in-half-1.412058
Regional
Water-related Senate hearing again focuses on EPA proposed rule
Delta Farm Press
David Bennett
Fri, 2014-12-05 12:52
U.S. water quality and the ability of the agriculture industry to affect
the precious resource was the focus of a wide-ranging Dec. 3 Senate
Agriculture Committee hearing.
http://deltafarmpress.com/government/water-related-senate-hearing-again-focuses-epa-proposed-rule
National
U.S. falling behind on levees, dams, Corps of Engineers' commander general
says
The Associated Press
December 10, 2014 at 10:20 PM
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The nation is falling behind on maintaining its aging
levees, dams, ports and harbors and needs to get creative as it seeks ways
to pay for the critical projects, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers'
commander general said Wednesday.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/12/us_falling_behind_on_levees_da.html#incart_river
EPA restricts hazardous recycling rules
The Hill
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set new standards Wednesday
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/226627-epa-restricts-hazardous-recycling-rules
Petroleum Marketers Urge White House To Cut Compliance Cost of Storage Tank
Rule
Bloomberg
Petroleum marketers urged the White House Office of Management and Budget
to reduce the compliance costs associated with revisions to underground
storage tank requirements under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA), Rob Underwood, director of congressional relations at the Petroleum
Marketers Association of America (PMAA), told Bloomberg BNA.
http://www.bna.com/petroleum-marketers-urge-n17179918282/
Lawmakers frustrated at EPA over ethanol mandate delay
The Hill
Lawmakers vented their frustration at the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) Wednesday over its repeated delays of the annual ethanol mandate.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/226669-lawmakers-frustrated-at-epa-over-ethanol-mandate-delay
Methane still belches from USA's old oil and gas wells
USA Today
Two studies out this week focus on unintentional emissions of
methane — a potent greenhouse gas — into the air.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/12/09/methane-greenhouse-gas-abandoned-oil-gas-wells/20104593/
Press releases
EPA Rule Promotes Responsible Hazardous Materials Recycling, Protects
Communities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
12/10/2014
WASHINGTON- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today finalized
new safeguards that promote responsible recycling of hazardous secondary
materials and demonstrate a significant step forward in promoting recycling
innovation, resulting in both resource conservation and economic benefits,
while strengthening protections for environmental justice communities.
"Americans do not have to choose between a clean environment and economic
prosperity," said Mathy Stanislaus, assistant administrator for EPA's
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. "This important rule gives
communities a voice in the decisions that impact them, promotes safe and
responsible recycling of hazardous secondary materials and conserves vital
resources, while protecting those most at risk from the dangers of
hazardous secondary materials mismanagement. This innovative rule
demonstrates that protecting communities and leveraging economic advantages
for sustainable recycling and materials manufacturing can go hand-in-hand."
The Definition of Solid Waste (DSW) final rule modifies the EPA's 2008 DSW
rule to protect human health and the environment from the mismanagement of
hazardous secondary material, while promoting sustainability through the
encouragement of safe and environmentally responsible recycling of such
materials.
EPA conducted a rigorous environmental justice analysis of the DSW rule
that examined the location of recycling facilities and their proximity and
potential impact to adjacent residents. The methodology and scope was
developed through a broad public engagement and expert peer review process.
The analysis identified significant regulatory gaps in the 2008 rule, which
could negatively impact communities adjacent to third party recyclers,
including disproportionately impacting minority and low-income populations.
It includes several provisions that result in both resource conservation
and economic benefits by encouraging certain types of in-process recycling
and remanufacturing:
· The rule addresses significant regulatory gaps in the 2008 rule by
requiring off-site recycling at a facility with a RCRA permit or
verified recycler variance, which will allow EPA and the states to
verify that a facility has the equipment and trained personnel to
safely manage the material, adequate financial assurance, is prepared
to respond in case of an emergency, and can demonstrate that the
recycling is not disposal in the guise of recycling. The new verified
recycler exclusion also includes a public participation requirement
for recyclers seeking variances, so that communities are notified
prior to the start of recycling operations.
· The rule affirms the legitimacy of the pre-2008 DSW exclusions, such
as the scrap metal exclusion, and does not change the regulatory
status of material legitimately recycled under these long-standing
exclusions.
· The final rule includes a revised definition of legitimate recycling
that re-affirms the legitimacy of in-process recycling and of
commodity-grade recycled products, such as metal commodities. The
rule retains the exclusion for recycling under the control of the
generator, including recycling onsite, within the same company and
through certain types of toll manufacturing agreements, which
recognizes those generators who follow good business practices by
taking responsibility for their recycling and maintaining control of
their hazardous secondary materials.
· Finally, the final rule includes a targeted remanufacturing exclusion
for certain higher-value hazardous spent solvents, which are being
remanufactured into commercial-grade products. This allows
manufacturers to reduce the use of virgin solvents, resulting in both
economic and environmental benefits, including energy conservation
and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
More information about this rulemaking can be found on EPA's website at:
http://www.epa.gov/waste/hazard/dsw/rulemaking.htm.
The docket for this rulemaking is EPA-HQ-RCRA-2010-0742 and contains the
supporting documents for the final rule, including the final DSW
environmental justice analysis. The docket can be accessed at
http://www.regulations.gov once the final rule is published.
EPA Takes Action to Protect Consumers from Harmful Chemicals that can Cause
Reproductive and Developmental Harm
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking
action to protect the public from seven ethylene glycol ethers or glymes
chemicals that can cause health effects including birth defects and blood
toxicity.
"Today's action is part of our continuing efforts to help ensure that
chemicals in products we use every day are safe for the American public,"
said Jim Jones, assistant administrator for chemical safety and pollution
prevention. "Finalizing this action could prevent an increase in the use of
these chemicals and reduce human exposure through ingestion and
inhalation."
Some of these chemicals are currently used in consumer products, including
paints, inks, and glues. The final rule will allow EPA to review any
proposed new uses of these chemicals to ensure that human health and the
environment are protected. EPA believes that new uses of these chemicals
should not be allowed without an opportunity for review and, if necessary,
place restrictions on these chemicals, as warranted.
EPA has also added one of the more toxic of these ethylene glycol ethers,
ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (monoglyme), to the Work Plan for Chemical
Assessments. Monoglyme met the criteria for priority assessment because of
its toxicity and use in some commercial and consumer products. EPA will
conduct a risk assessment for this chemical and determine if further risk
reduction action should be taken.
This rule, known as a Significant New Use Rule (SNUR), is issued under the
Toxic Substances Control Act and will require manufacturers (including
importers) to notify EPA at least 90 days before starting or resuming new
uses of these chemicals in consumer products. This notification allows EPA
the opportunity to evaluate the intended use and, if necessary, to prohibit
or limit that activity. SNURs ensure that once a chemical has been phased
out or taken off the market for certain uses, no use can resume without
notification and review by the agency.
A complete list of these chemicals and additional information about this
SNUR on ethylene glycol ethers (glymes) can be found at:
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/glymes.html
