12.13.2013
Oil Spill
Ex-BP engineer on trial in oil spill case unlikely to testify
The Associated Press
December 12, 2013 at 2:07 PM
A former BP drilling engineer isn't expected to testify at his trial on
charges he deleted text messages about the company's response to its
massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/12/ex-bp_engineer_on_trial_in_oil.html
State
Southern Miss president touts energy research at USM
WDAM
HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) -In the wake of Gov. Phil Bryant's energy summit
last week, Southern Miss President Dr. Rodney Bennett is taking time to
tout some of what he calls the "life-changing" energy research going on at
USM.
http://www.wdam.com/story/24198216/southern-miss-president-touts-energy-research-at-usm
National
NOAA: Arctic sea-ice melt linked to extreme summer weather
BY SEAN COCKERHAM
McClatchy Washington BureauDecember 12, 2013
WASHINGTON — A growing body of evidence demonstrates a link between the
melting of Arctic sea ice and worsening summer heat waves and other extreme
weather in the United States and elsewhere in the world, leading scientists
said Thursday.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/12/12/5190517/noaa-arctic-sea-ice-melt-linked.html
NASA says ozone hole stabilizing but won't fully recover until 2070
LA Times
By Tony Barboza
December 12, 2013, 3:32 p.m.
The hole in the ozone layer is stabilizing but will take until about 2070
to fully recover, according to new research by NASA scientists.
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-ozone-hole-recovery-nasa-20131212,0,2385709.story#ixzz2nKGkMY19
Bipartisan push imperils ethanol mandate
The Hill
By Ben Goad
A group of eight senators unveiled legislation Thursday to repeal the
federal Renewable Fuel Standard's contentious ethanol mandate, saying
regulations are pushing up corn prices and threatening the oil-and-gas
industry.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energy-environment/192978-bipartisan-push-imperils-ethanol-mandate
Experts Eye Oil and Gas Industry as Quakes Shake Oklahoma
NY Times
By HENRY FOUNTAIN
OKLAHOMA CITY — Mary Catherine Sexton has been rattled enough.
This fall her neighborhood in the northeastern part of this city has been
shaken by dozens of minor earthquakes. "We would just have little trembles
all the time," she said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/13/science/earth/as-quakes-shake-oklahoma-scientists-eye-oil-and-gas-industry.html?ref=earth&_r=0&pagewanted=print
GOP gangs up on endangered species law
The Hill
By Julian Hattem
House Republicans are charging the Obama administration with using
"political science" to justify adding new plants and animals to the
endangered species list.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energy-environment/192965-gop-gangs-up-on-endangered-species-law
Press Releases
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| USDA and DOE Fund 7 Research Projects to Develop Plant Feedstocks for |
| Bioenergy |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2013 - The U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and |
|Energy (DOE) today announced $8 million in research grants to develop |
|non-food feedstocks that can be used for bioenergy. The grants are part of a|
|broader effort by the Obama administration to develop domestic renewable |
|energy and advanced biofuels, providing a more secure future for America's |
|energy needs and enhancing rural economies. |
| |
| |
|"Today's investments are a critical piece of President Obama's strategy to |
|create a clean source of energy and advance the sustainable use of natural |
|resources," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "Innovative research |
|plays a vital role in boosting rural economies and creating jobs in rural |
|America, and the benefits this type of research may offer is another |
|pressing reason we need a new Food, Farm and Jobs bill passed." |
| |
| |
|Overall, the USDA and DOE projects are designed to improve biomass to be |
|grown for biofuels-including selected trees and grasses-by increasing their |
|yield, quality and ability to adapt to extreme environments. Researchers |
|will rely on the most advanced techniques of modern genomics to develop |
|breeding and other strategies to improve the crops. The research will be |
|conducted on switchgrass, poplar and pine, among other plants. |
| |
| |
|The potential benefits of this research range from decreasing oil imports to|
|increasing options for American farmers. Because these non-food crops will |
|be optimized to tolerate conditions such as drought and poor soils, they can|
|be grown on marginal lands unsuitable for food crops, thereby avoiding |
|competition with food production. Farmers will have the option to grow |
|bioenergy crops in addition to other existing crop choices. |
| |
| |
|Fiscal Year 2013 awardees include: |
| |
| |
|USDA-NIFA-funded |
| |
| |
| · University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla., $1,000,000 |
| |
| |
| · Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore., $1,000,000 |
| |
| |
|DOE-funded |
| |
| |
| · Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, Colo., $1,385,763 |
| |
| |
| · University of Georgia, Athens, Ga., $1,314,235 |
| |
| |
| · University of Illinois, Urbana, Ill., $998,564 |
| |
| |
| · Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., $863,576 |
| |
| |
| · University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C., $1,543,490 |
| |
| |
|Project descriptions can be found online at: |
|http://genomicscience.energy.gov/research/DOEUSDA/#page=news. |
| |
| |
|The joint USDA and DOE funding program was begun in 2006. DOE's Office of |
|Science will provide $6.1 million in funding for five projects, while USDA's|
|National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) will award $2 million to |
|fund two projects. Initial funding will support research projects for up to |
|three years. |
| |
| |
|For more information on the joint DOE-USDA Plant Feedstocks Genomics for |
|Bioenergy research program, visit: |
|http://genomicscience.energy.gov/research/DOEUSDA/index.shtml. |
| |
| |
|# |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Friday, December 13, 2013
Thursday, December 12, 2013
News Clippings 12/12/13
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
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|Agriculture, Navy Secretaries Promote U.S. Military Energy Independence with|
| 'Farm-to-Fleet' |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|Program blends homegrown biofuels with conventional fuels, propelling ships,|
| jets and jobs |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|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. |
| |
| |
|# |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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.
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Secretary Vilsack Announces Partnership to Advance Commercial Potential of |
| Cellulosic Nanomaterial from Wood |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|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. |
| |
| |
|# |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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
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
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|Agriculture, Navy Secretaries Promote U.S. Military Energy Independence with|
| 'Farm-to-Fleet' |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|Program blends homegrown biofuels with conventional fuels, propelling ships,|
| jets and jobs |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|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. |
| |
| |
|# |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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.
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Secretary Vilsack Announces Partnership to Advance Commercial Potential of |
| Cellulosic Nanomaterial from Wood |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|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. |
| |
| |
|# |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
News Clippings 12/11/13
12/11/13
Oil Spill
Judge tosses some charges in BP supervisors' case
Posted on December 10, 2013 at 3:52 pm by Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS ? A federal judge agreed Tuesday to dismiss some of the
manslaughter charges against two BP supervisors in the deaths of 11 workers
when the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico.
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/12/10/judge-tosses-some-charges-in-bp-supervisors-case/
Judge nixes mistrial request in deleted text message case
BY KEVIN MCGILL
Associated Press
A federal judge has refused to declare a mistrial in the case of former BP
drilling engineer charged with obstruction of justice following the 2010
oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
http://theadvocate.com/news/7809478-123/bp-engineer-attorneys-ask-for
State
Developer to plead guilty in Hancock County wetlands case
Sun Herald
BY ROBIN FITZGERALD
GULFPORT -- A real estate developer set for trial on charges of wetlands
and Clean Water Act violations in Hancock County has notified court
officials he plans to plead guilty to a reduced charge.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/12/10/5183899/developer-to-plead-guilty-in-hancock.html
Lower court to hear dispute
Petal, Hattiesburg sewage lawsuit removed from feds
Hattiesburg American
A legal dispute over sewage treatment between the cities of Petal and
Hattiesburg has been remanded back to Forrest County Chancery Court from
U.S. District Court.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20131211/NEWS01/312110019/Lower-court-hear-dispute?nclick_check=1
Entergy, ITC merger rejected
Clarion Ledger
Mississippi utility regulators on Tuesday unanimously rejected a merger
proposal by Entergy Corp. and ITC Holdings Corp. of Novi, Mich., saying the
deal could have meant a $300 million rate increase for Mississippi
customers over 30 years.
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20131211/BIZ/312110016/Entergy-ITC-merger-rejected
National
Supreme Court tries to pierce fog of cross-state pollution laws
BY MICHAEL DOYLE
McClatchy Washington Bureau December 10, 2013
WASHINGTON ? A complicated Supreme Court fight over clean air Tuesday pit
Texas Solicitor General Jonathan F. Mitchell against the Obama
administration, among others.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/12/10/5184259/supreme-court-tries-to-pierce.html
Justices Express Sympathy for EPA's Tack on Pollution Crossing State Lines
Agency Focuses on Using Most Cost-Effective Methods to Cut Emissions
Wall Street Journal
By JESS BRAVIN
Updated Dec. 10, 2013 7:57 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON?Supreme Court justices on Tuesday expressed sympathy for the
Environmental Protection Agency's approach to air pollution that crosses
state lines, in a case testing the high court's view of environmental
regulations opposed by industry.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303560204579250361550008096?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5
Oil groups file brief in EPA suit
The Hill
By Julian Hattem
Oil and gas industry trade organizations are accusing the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) of ignoring a series of legal deadlines in their
lawsuit against the agency.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/court-battles/192696-oil-groups-file-brief-in-epa-suit
Senators like House idea of stopping EPA's fire hydrant guidance
The HIll
By Pete Kasperowicz
A bipartisan group of four senators wants to follow the House's lead by
overriding guidance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that
would require fire hydrants to meet a new lead-free standard.
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/energy-environment/192640-senators-like-house-idea-of-stopping-epas-fire-hydrant
Press Releases
Aberdeen, Mississippi One of Four Winners of the 2013 "Livable Communities"
Competition
Contact Information: Dawn Harris Young, (404) 562-8421 (Direct), (404)
562-8400 (Main), harris-young.dawn@epa.gov
ATLANTA ? The Appalachian communities of Corbin, Kentucky; Anniston,
Alabama; Pikeville, Tennessee; and Aberdeen, Mississippi have been selected
by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Appalachian Regional
Commission (ARC), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as winners
to receive technical assistance and implementation support through the
$250,000 Livable Communities program. The assistance and support will help
these communities improve their livability by promoting economic
development, preserving rural lands, and increasing access to locally grown
food. This partnership is one example of the White House Rural Council's
commitment to leveraging community solutions to solve economic challenges
in rural America.
The 2013 Livable Communities program focuses on developing local food
systems as a means of revitalizing traditional downtowns and promoting
economic diversification. The selected communities drew on the help of
their Local Development Districts or their local university or community
college to submit their winning applications. A team of small town
development experts will work with each community to develop achievable
plans for the local production, distribution, and consumption of healthful
foods.
"It's exciting that so many Appalachian communities have a renewed interest
in revitalizing their downtowns by promoting local food systems," said EPA
Agricultural Counselor to the Administrator Sarah Bittleman. "Focusing
development in downtowns and existing neighborhoods is good for the natural
environment and human health because it helps preserve rural lands and
makes it easier for people to walk, bicycle, or drive shorter distances to
their destinations."
"ARC is pleased to partner with the Environmental Protection Agency and
the U.S. Department of Agriculture in supporting this exciting program,"
stated ARC Federal Co-Chair Earl F. Gohl. "The plans developed by the
winners we are announcing today will support reinvigoration of downtowns
and traditional neighborhoods in a variety of ways, including locating
farmers' markets or food hubs in 'Main Street' areas. They represent the
kind of creative approaches developing local food systems while protecting
the environment that will benefit our Appalachian communities for many
years to come."
"There is a growing momentum for the idea of integrating local food systems
into rural economic revitalization efforts," said USDA Acting Under
Secretary for Rural Development Doug O'Brien. "Local foods are a critical
component of creating stronger, healthier communities. These projects,
along with the Livable Communities Partnership between EPA, USDA and ARC,
show how innovation and cooperation are absolutely essential to successful
community development."
The winners of the competition submitted the following projects. Other
winners may be announced in the future.
Corbin, Kentucky will expand its seasonal outdoor market into a year‐round
local food network hub in downtown Corbin. Whitley County Farmers' Market
is a small market of about thirty vendors in a mainly rural county that
includes the cities of Williamsburg and Corbin. It has achieved steady
growth over the seven years of its existence. However, to expand, the
Farmers' Market must develop ways to market local foods not only to
individuals and families during the summer, but also to institutions and
businesses in the county such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, state
parks, and restaurants year‐round. This project will help meet the
technical and organizational challenges associated with this expansion.
Anniston, Alabama will develop a system of community and neighborhood
gardens tied to neighborhood and downtown revitalization efforts. Anniston
was once a thriving industrial and military community, but by 1990, its
economy was on a downward spiral. Major iron foundries and many
manufacturing facilities closed. The environmental degradation these
industries left behind began to have devastating results. This project will
build on the city's efforts to create a strong economy based on a healthier
environment for its residents.
Pikeville, Tennessee will build a farmers' market on vacant land in the
heart of downtown Pikeville, and establish a community kitchen where the
dying art of canning and jelly-making could be promoted and the homeless
and poor fed. The city and county mayors have also talked with local
artists about providing a diverse selection of products and year round
vendors for the facilities. The grant will allow the city and county to
develop and implement an action plan to pull all of these important
projects together and help create a vibrant food economy.
Aberdeen, Mississippi will establish a farmers' market and neighborhood
nutrition education center in a revitalized and refurbished former railroad
building. Among the major goals of the project is the development of food
systems managed by the residents, giving them the opportunity to feed their
families and supplement their income. The result will be a revitalized
economic landscape in the area.
Learn more at http://www.arc.gov/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=414:
# # #
Oil Spill
Judge tosses some charges in BP supervisors' case
Posted on December 10, 2013 at 3:52 pm by Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS ? A federal judge agreed Tuesday to dismiss some of the
manslaughter charges against two BP supervisors in the deaths of 11 workers
when the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico.
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/12/10/judge-tosses-some-charges-in-bp-supervisors-case/
Judge nixes mistrial request in deleted text message case
BY KEVIN MCGILL
Associated Press
A federal judge has refused to declare a mistrial in the case of former BP
drilling engineer charged with obstruction of justice following the 2010
oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
http://theadvocate.com/news/7809478-123/bp-engineer-attorneys-ask-for
State
Developer to plead guilty in Hancock County wetlands case
Sun Herald
BY ROBIN FITZGERALD
GULFPORT -- A real estate developer set for trial on charges of wetlands
and Clean Water Act violations in Hancock County has notified court
officials he plans to plead guilty to a reduced charge.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/12/10/5183899/developer-to-plead-guilty-in-hancock.html
Lower court to hear dispute
Petal, Hattiesburg sewage lawsuit removed from feds
Hattiesburg American
A legal dispute over sewage treatment between the cities of Petal and
Hattiesburg has been remanded back to Forrest County Chancery Court from
U.S. District Court.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20131211/NEWS01/312110019/Lower-court-hear-dispute?nclick_check=1
Entergy, ITC merger rejected
Clarion Ledger
Mississippi utility regulators on Tuesday unanimously rejected a merger
proposal by Entergy Corp. and ITC Holdings Corp. of Novi, Mich., saying the
deal could have meant a $300 million rate increase for Mississippi
customers over 30 years.
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20131211/BIZ/312110016/Entergy-ITC-merger-rejected
National
Supreme Court tries to pierce fog of cross-state pollution laws
BY MICHAEL DOYLE
McClatchy Washington Bureau December 10, 2013
WASHINGTON ? A complicated Supreme Court fight over clean air Tuesday pit
Texas Solicitor General Jonathan F. Mitchell against the Obama
administration, among others.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/12/10/5184259/supreme-court-tries-to-pierce.html
Justices Express Sympathy for EPA's Tack on Pollution Crossing State Lines
Agency Focuses on Using Most Cost-Effective Methods to Cut Emissions
Wall Street Journal
By JESS BRAVIN
Updated Dec. 10, 2013 7:57 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON?Supreme Court justices on Tuesday expressed sympathy for the
Environmental Protection Agency's approach to air pollution that crosses
state lines, in a case testing the high court's view of environmental
regulations opposed by industry.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303560204579250361550008096?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5
Oil groups file brief in EPA suit
The Hill
By Julian Hattem
Oil and gas industry trade organizations are accusing the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) of ignoring a series of legal deadlines in their
lawsuit against the agency.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/court-battles/192696-oil-groups-file-brief-in-epa-suit
Senators like House idea of stopping EPA's fire hydrant guidance
The HIll
By Pete Kasperowicz
A bipartisan group of four senators wants to follow the House's lead by
overriding guidance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that
would require fire hydrants to meet a new lead-free standard.
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/energy-environment/192640-senators-like-house-idea-of-stopping-epas-fire-hydrant
Press Releases
Aberdeen, Mississippi One of Four Winners of the 2013 "Livable Communities"
Competition
Contact Information: Dawn Harris Young, (404) 562-8421 (Direct), (404)
562-8400 (Main), harris-young.dawn@epa.gov
ATLANTA ? The Appalachian communities of Corbin, Kentucky; Anniston,
Alabama; Pikeville, Tennessee; and Aberdeen, Mississippi have been selected
by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Appalachian Regional
Commission (ARC), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as winners
to receive technical assistance and implementation support through the
$250,000 Livable Communities program. The assistance and support will help
these communities improve their livability by promoting economic
development, preserving rural lands, and increasing access to locally grown
food. This partnership is one example of the White House Rural Council's
commitment to leveraging community solutions to solve economic challenges
in rural America.
The 2013 Livable Communities program focuses on developing local food
systems as a means of revitalizing traditional downtowns and promoting
economic diversification. The selected communities drew on the help of
their Local Development Districts or their local university or community
college to submit their winning applications. A team of small town
development experts will work with each community to develop achievable
plans for the local production, distribution, and consumption of healthful
foods.
"It's exciting that so many Appalachian communities have a renewed interest
in revitalizing their downtowns by promoting local food systems," said EPA
Agricultural Counselor to the Administrator Sarah Bittleman. "Focusing
development in downtowns and existing neighborhoods is good for the natural
environment and human health because it helps preserve rural lands and
makes it easier for people to walk, bicycle, or drive shorter distances to
their destinations."
"ARC is pleased to partner with the Environmental Protection Agency and
the U.S. Department of Agriculture in supporting this exciting program,"
stated ARC Federal Co-Chair Earl F. Gohl. "The plans developed by the
winners we are announcing today will support reinvigoration of downtowns
and traditional neighborhoods in a variety of ways, including locating
farmers' markets or food hubs in 'Main Street' areas. They represent the
kind of creative approaches developing local food systems while protecting
the environment that will benefit our Appalachian communities for many
years to come."
"There is a growing momentum for the idea of integrating local food systems
into rural economic revitalization efforts," said USDA Acting Under
Secretary for Rural Development Doug O'Brien. "Local foods are a critical
component of creating stronger, healthier communities. These projects,
along with the Livable Communities Partnership between EPA, USDA and ARC,
show how innovation and cooperation are absolutely essential to successful
community development."
The winners of the competition submitted the following projects. Other
winners may be announced in the future.
Corbin, Kentucky will expand its seasonal outdoor market into a year‐round
local food network hub in downtown Corbin. Whitley County Farmers' Market
is a small market of about thirty vendors in a mainly rural county that
includes the cities of Williamsburg and Corbin. It has achieved steady
growth over the seven years of its existence. However, to expand, the
Farmers' Market must develop ways to market local foods not only to
individuals and families during the summer, but also to institutions and
businesses in the county such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, state
parks, and restaurants year‐round. This project will help meet the
technical and organizational challenges associated with this expansion.
Anniston, Alabama will develop a system of community and neighborhood
gardens tied to neighborhood and downtown revitalization efforts. Anniston
was once a thriving industrial and military community, but by 1990, its
economy was on a downward spiral. Major iron foundries and many
manufacturing facilities closed. The environmental degradation these
industries left behind began to have devastating results. This project will
build on the city's efforts to create a strong economy based on a healthier
environment for its residents.
Pikeville, Tennessee will build a farmers' market on vacant land in the
heart of downtown Pikeville, and establish a community kitchen where the
dying art of canning and jelly-making could be promoted and the homeless
and poor fed. The city and county mayors have also talked with local
artists about providing a diverse selection of products and year round
vendors for the facilities. The grant will allow the city and county to
develop and implement an action plan to pull all of these important
projects together and help create a vibrant food economy.
Aberdeen, Mississippi will establish a farmers' market and neighborhood
nutrition education center in a revitalized and refurbished former railroad
building. Among the major goals of the project is the development of food
systems managed by the residents, giving them the opportunity to feed their
families and supplement their income. The result will be a revitalized
economic landscape in the area.
Learn more at http://www.arc.gov/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=414:
# # #
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)