Monday, November 22, 2004

[Water] All Dried Up: How Clean Water is Threatened by Budget Cuts Water Pollution--United States Source: National Resources Defense Council All Dried Up: How Clean Water is Threatened by Budget Cuts (PDF; 596 KB) From press release: "Congress's plan to slash $279 million from federal clean water spending could lead to more sewer overflows, polluted water, disease outbreaks, and a loss of nearly 100,000 jobs, according to NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). The cuts, which Congress reportedly will make over the weekend, will reduce funding levels for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund -- the nation's biggest water quality financing source -- 20 percent from last year's level of $1.3 billion." [ResourceShelf's DocuTicker] 11:37:23 AM Google It!    [Alternative Energy] Ethanol Plant Would Run on Methane Produced from Cattle Manure A proposed ethanol plant near Mead, Neb., would use manure from a cattle feedlot to generate the energy needed to make the corn-based fuel. [ENN Energy Channel] 11:31:50 AM Google It!    [Alternative Energy] Biofuels Seen Key to UK Farming Future - Report (Reuters) Reuters - Biofuels could become a major revenue earner for Britain's arable farmers within 5-10 years, but much will depend on government support, a major study into the UK cereals sector concluded on Monday. [Yahoo! News: Science] 11:27:33 AM Google It!    [Environmental Regulation] After Extensive Analysis, EPA Removes Chemicals from Lists of Regulated Pollutants (Washington, D.C., November 18, 2004) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized several actions that will create incentives for industry to use solvents that are less toxic and may help decrease the formation of ground-level ozone or smog. Each of these actions is based on extensive scientific and technical review over a period of years. These reviews concluded that the chemicals pose less risk than previously thought and that reclassifying them would not compromise public health, and may even benefit public health if they are substituted for more toxic or environmentally damaging chemicals. Under the authority of the Clean Air Act, EPA has delisted or exempted six chemicals: the solvent ethylene glycol mono-butyl ether (EGBE) has been removed from the list of air toxics (also known as hazardous air pollutants) and the chemical t-butyl acetate (TBAC) and four others exempted from control as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Delisting an air toxic is a rigorous process, involving independent scientific peer review, to demonstrate there are adequate data to determine that emissions may not reasonably be anticipated to cause adverse effects. Public comment was received and considered in making this determination. EPA last delisted an air toxic (caprolactam) in 1996. [Note: The air toxic EGBE being delisted today remains regulated as a VOC and therefore will continue to be reported in the Toxics Release Inventory.]  [ChemAlliance Environmental News] 11:26:45 AM Google It!    [Corporate Sustainability] New Report Highlights Corporate Sustainability Reporting The organization, SustainAbility, has recently published the new report, "Risk & Opportunity: Best Practice in Non-Financial Reporting." The report is SustainAbility's sixth benchmark survey of corporate non-financial reporting with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and highlights trends, gaps, and emerging practice in sustainability and environmental reporting in industry. SustainAbility is an international consultancy specializing in business strategy and sustainable development – environmental improvement, social equity and economic development. [ChemAlliance Environmental News] 11:25:09 AM Google It!    [Energy Efficiency] ExxonMobil Recognized for Seventh Consecutive Year for Energy Efficiency Improvements The American Chemistry Council has recognized ExxonMobil with several awards for its energy efficiency projects at selected manufacturing sites as part of ACC's Energy Efficiency Continuous Improvement Program. The facilities earning awards are the company's Baton Rouge, LA, and Baytown and Beaumont, TX plants. Energy savings at these facilities equate to the needs of about 14,000 households and reductions in carbon dioxide emission of 150,000 tons. Strategies used to achieve the improvements include improved equipment design, operation and maintainance, process control and optimization, and others. The ACC's Energy Efficiency Continuous Improvement program is an avenue for ACC members to demonstrate commitment to Responsible Care ®, the chemical industry's environmental, health and safety performance improvement initiative. Go to the ACC website for more information. [ChemAlliance Environmental News] 11:23:07 AM Google It!    [Environmental Regulation] EPA FY 2004 Enforcement Secures Cleanups Worth a Record $4.8 Billion Preventing One Billion Pounds of Pollution EPA enforcement actions concluded in fiscal year (FY) 2004 will reduce a projected one billion pounds of pollution and require cleanups estimated to total a record $4.8 billion - significant increases from last year. Other annual measures of the Agency?s enforcement and compliance activity - such as the number of inspections (up 11 percent from FY 2003) and investigations (up 32 percent from FY 2003) - surpassed or kept pace with previous years, indicating continued progress in deterring violations of the nation?s environmental laws and reflecting an emphasis on environmental benefits and compliance. For more specifics on FY 2004 Enforcement and Compliance Accomplishments, go to the press release site listed below. More information on the program and data is available at: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/planning/results/press/2004eoy/index.html. [ChemAlliance Environmental News] 11:22:29 AM Google It!    [Energy Efficiency] Taft Announces Energy Efficiency Award Winners Governor Bob Taft today recognized the recipients of the 2004 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Energy Efficiency for their efforts to improve energy efficiency, the environment and Ohio’s economic competitiveness. The awards were presented at a ceremony at the Ohio Statehouse Atrium in Columbus. 11:05:18 AM Google It!    [Schools] Schools unload unwanted computers for recycling A multi-agency, collaborative effort designed to allow local and area schools to dispose of their old computers for free was hosted Wednesday afternoon with thousands of old electronic parts collected for recycling. The collection event was sponsored by the Washington County Office of Environmental Affairs, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, the city of Fayetteville and the Tri-County Solid Waste District, which covers Benton, Washington and Madison counties. [Source: Northwest Arkansas Times] 11:00:11 AM Google It!    [Schools] Connexus, Blaine High School team up for recycling As the energy and emotion of the first day of a new term at Blaine High School swirled around him at noontime Monday, Tsz L. Mak leaned in and solemnly penned his name on a pledge card, documenting his promise to recycle cans, plastic bottles and paper whenever he uses them and whenever and wherever he finds them. The school’s Recycling Club prompted the promise made by Mak and hundreds of his classmates when it kicked off its partnership with Connexus Energy and Minnesota Waste Wise to promote recycling awareness and activity. [Source: Blaine/Spring Lake Park (MN) Life] 10:57:19 AM Google It!    [Corporate Sustainability] Milliken Sets New Benchmark with Five Years of Zero Waste Milliken Carpet met a remarkable goal in 1999 when it achieved zero waste diversion to landfill. That zero winning streak now spans five years with repeats in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004. [ENN Press News] 10:51:18 AM Google It!    [Climate Change] Russia Ratifies Kyoto, Starts on Feb. 16 NAIROBI (Reuters) - Russia formally ratified the Kyoto Protocol on global warming on Thursday, clearing the way for the environment pact to come into force in February 2005. [Reuters: Science] 10:50:32 AM Google It!

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