State
Cleveland recognized for cleanup event
Bolivar Commercial
by Courtney Warren
After a successful cleanup in April Keep Cleveland Beautiful has been
recognized for its efforts by winning the Best Great American Cleanup
Activation Award by the Keep America Beautiful's national award program.
http://www.bolivarcom.com/view/full_story/26272681/article-Cleveland-recognized-for-cleanup-event?instance=latest_articles
Keep Corinth/Alcorn Beautiful receives recognition for work
By Lena Mitchell
Daily Journal Corinth Bureau
CORINTH – Efforts of Keep Corinth/Alcorn Beautiful Coordinator Andrea Rose,
the council's board and its many volunteers will be recognized Jan. 27,
2015, at the Keep America Beautiful national conference in Washington, D.C.
http://djournal.com/news/keep-corinthalcorn-beautiful-receives-recognition-work/
Entergy plans three solar-power pilot projects
by MBJ Staff
Published: December 22,2014
The Mississippi Public Service Commission has approved three solar power
projects to be constructed by Entergy.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2014/12/22/entergy-plans-three-solar-power-pilot-projects/
Citizen scientists help local wildlife and communities
MBJ
Published: December 23,2014
Funding and manpower are the most common limiting factors in conducting
research. These factors are especially limiting for wildlife and fisheries
research projects, which cover vast geographic areas, involve secretive
animals and generate large quantities of information.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2014/12/23/citizen-scientists-help-local-wildlife-communities/
National
Natural Gas: Abundance of Supply and Debate
NY Times
MEAD, Colo. — Natural gas is the Rorschach test of energy
policy. Depending on one's point of view, it can be either
an essential tool for meeting the challenge of climate
change or another dirty fossil fuel that will speed the
planet down the path to calamitous warming.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/23/science/natural-gas-abundance-of-supply-and-debate-.html?ref=science&_r=0
Nuclear: Carbon Free, but Not Free of Unease
NY Times
Next week, if all goes as planned, the 42-year-old nuclear
reactor at theVermont Yankee generating station will be
shut down for the last time. The steam turbine at the
plant, which at its peak could make enough electricity for
about half a million homes with virtually no greenhouse
gas emissions, will grind to a halt.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/23/science/nuclear-carbon-free-but-not-free-of-unease-.html?ref=science
Fed Scores in Bid to Keep Cash From Trash
Recycling Efforts Now Keep 90% of Discarded Bills Out of Landfills
Wall Street Journal
Money may not grow on trees, but the Federal Reserve is helping grow trees
out of money.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/fed-scores-in-bid-to-keep-cash-from-trash-1419294909
Opinion
The Clean Power Plan Is Unconstitutional
The EPA acts as though it has the legislative authority to re-engineer the
nation's electric generating system and power grid. It does not.
By LAURENCE H. TRIBE
Dec. 22, 2014 7:06 p.m. ET
As a law professor, I taught the nation's first environmental law class 45
years ago. As a lawyer, I have supported countless environmental causes.
And as a father and grandfather, I want to leave the Earth in better shape
than when I arrived.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/laurence-tribe-the-epas-clean-power-plan-is-unconstitutional-1419293203
Press Releases
XTO Energy, Inc. to Restore Areas Damaged by Natural Gas Extraction
Activities
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the
Department of Justice (DOJ) announced today that XTO Energy, Inc. (XTO), a
subsidiary of ExxonMobil and the nation's largest holder of natural gas
reserves, will spend an estimated $3 million to restore eight sites damaged
by unauthorized discharges of fill material into streams and wetlands in
connection with hydraulic fracturing operations. XTO will also implement a
comprehensive plan to comply with federal and state water protection laws
at the company's West Virginia oil and gas extraction facilities that use
horizontal drilling methods.
The company will also pay a civil penalty of $2.3 million for violations of
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), which prohibits the filling or
damming of wetlands, rivers, streams, and other waters of the United States
without a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). The
settlement resolves alleged violations of state law asserted by the West
Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP). The state of West
Virginia is a co-plaintiff in the settlement and will receive half of the
$2.3 million civil penalty.
"American communities expect EPA and our state partners to make sure energy
development is done responsibly," said Cynthia Giles, assistant
administrator of EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
"This case will help to protect clean water in West Virginia, and support a
level playing field for energy developers that play by the rules."
"The extraction of domestic energy resources is vitally important, and so
it is equally important that companies ensure that all activities are done
in accordance with the nation's environmental laws," said Sam Hirsch, the
acting assistant attorney general for the DOJ's Environment and Natural
Resources Division. "This settlement will resolve allegations that XTO
damaged wetlands and streams by illegally discharging dredge and fill
materials into streams, and restore wherever possible these damaged natural
resources."
The federal government and the WVDEP allege that the company impacted
streams and discharged sand, dirt, rocks and other fill material into
streams and wetlands without a federal permit in order to construct well
pads, road crossings, freshwater pits, and other facilities related to
natural gas extraction. Today's settlement resolves the alleged violations
that occurred at eight sites located in the West Virginia counties of
Harrison, Marion and Upshur. The federal government and WVDEP allege that
the violations impacted more than 5,300 linear feet of stream, and 3.38
acres of wetlands.
The settlement requires the company to fully restore the wetlands and
streams wherever feasible, monitor the restored sites to assure the success
of the restoration, and implement a comprehensive compliance program to
ensure future compliance with the CWA and applicable state law.
EPA discovered some of the violations through information provided by the
state and through routine joint inspections conducted with the Corps, who
actively supported EPA and DOJ in this case. In addition, the company
voluntarily disclosed potential violations at five of the sites following
an internal audit. Beginning in 2011, EPA issued administrative compliance
orders for violations at all eight sites. Since that time, the company has
been working with EPA to correct the violations and restore those sites in
full compliance with EPA's orders.
In July 2013, the United States concluded a settlement with XTO to resolve
an alleged violation of the Clean Water Act related to the discharge of
wastewater from XTO's Penn Township, Lycoming County, Pa., facility used
for the storage of wastewater generated by hydraulic fracturing operations.
Ensuring energy extraction activities comply with environmental laws is one
of EPA's National Enforcement Initiatives. Filling wetlands illegally and
damming streams can result in serious environmental consequences. Streams,
rivers, and wetlands benefit the environment by reducing flood risks,
filtering pollutants, recharging groundwater and drinking water supplies,
and providing food and habitat for aquatic species. Improving compliance
with the Corps' permit requirements and Clean Water Act regulations
developed by EPA helps to prevent violations and environmental harm.
XTO engages in the exploration and production of natural gas in the
Appalachian Basin. The company has Marcellus Shale holdings in
Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and West Virginia.
For more information about the permitting process under Section 404 of the
Clean Water Act, visit http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/cwa/dredgdis/
.
The consent decree, lodged today in the Northern District of West Virginia,
is subject to a 30-day public comment period and court approval.
For more information about the settlement:
http://www2.epa.gov/enforcement/xto-energy-inc-settlement-2014
EPA Tips for Building a Cleaner Fire this Holiday Season
WASHINGTON – Across the country this holiday season, families and friends
will gather around fires in woodstoves or fireplaces. But how you build
that fire – and what you burn – can have a significant impact on air
quality and health, both inside your home and out.
Whether you're using a woodstove, pellet stove, or your fireplace, seeing
smoke from your chimney means your fire isn't burning efficiently or
cleanly as it could.
Woodsmoke contains fine particles – also called fine particle pollution or
PM2.5 -- which can harm the lungs, blood vessels and heart. People with
heart, vascular or lung disease, and older adults and children are more at
risk.
Here are some simple tips for building cleaner-burning fires this holiday
season:
· Burn only dry, seasoned wood. Wet, or green logs, create excessive
smoke – and waste fuel. How do you tell if wood has been seasoned?
Listen for a hollow sound when you strike two logs together.
· Wood burns best when the moisture content is less than 20 percent.
You can purchase a wood moisture meter to test the moisture content
of your wood before you burn it. You can purchase these meters for as
little as $20 at most home improvement retailers.
· Start a small fire with dry kindling, then add a few pieces of wood.
Be sure there's space between the pieces of wood – and give the fire
plenty of air until it's roaring.
· A smoldering fire, "dirty" glass doors on a wood stove, or smoke from
the chimney are all signs that your fire needs more air – or the wood
is too moist.
· Never burn household garbage, cardboard, painted or treated wood, or
any wood that contains glue, such as plywood or particle board. These
items release toxic chemicals when burned -- and if you're using a
woodstove, they can damage it.
· Check your air quality forecast on airnow.gov before you burn. Some
local areas limit woodstove and fireplace use under certain air
quality conditions.
If you heat your home with wood, using an EPA-certified wood stove can help
you save wood while putting less smoke into the air. In January 2014, the
agency proposed updates to its requirements for newly manufactured wood
heaters that will make new woodstoves, outdoor wood boilers and other wood
heaters cleaner in the future. EPA anticipates issuing final requirements
by Feb. 3, 2015.
More best burning tips: http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/bestburn.html
Information on the proposed requirements for residential wood heaters:
http://go.usa.gov/MbmJ
