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Thursday, May 12, 2005
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With Gov. Christine Gregoire's recent signature, what is being called the most progressive renewable energy legislation ever passed in a U.S. state is now a reality. The two new laws reflect a fresh policy approach to promoting renewable energy at the state level and already have the full attention of industry manufacturers who expect the measures to kick-start a new regional market in the U.S. [Source: Renewable Energy Access]
2:17:40 PM Google It! 
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Defense Department officials are hoping to use an upcoming defense authorization bill to expand the military's exemptions from several environmental and public health regulations, arguing that the restrictions infringe on national security. [Source: Washington Post -- need a login/pw?]
2:16:05 PM Google It!
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Low impact development finds a place in local government stormwater ordinances. [Source: Water and Wastewater Products News]
2:14:57 PM Google It!
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Governors--United States
Source: SurveyUSA
Approval Ratings for All 50 Governors as of 5/10/05
From press release: "North Dakota Governor John Hoeven has the highest approval rating of any Governor in the United States and Ohio Governor Bob Taft has the lowest, according to 50 separate but concurrent statewide public opinion polls conducted by SurveyUSA for its media clients across the country. 600 adults in each of the 50 states were interviewed by telephone May 6 through May 8. Approval rating questions were asked identically in all 50 states." [ResourceShelf's DocuTicker]
2:04:33 PM Google It!
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WASHINGTON (AP) -- Thirty-four military bases shut down since 1988 are on the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund list of worst toxic waste sites - most of them for at least 15 years - and not one is completely cleaned up.... [AP Top Science News At 11:03 a.m. EDT]
2:03:04 PM Google It!
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Via Gil Friend:
The race is on. [SocialFunds.com]: JPMorgan Chase (ticker: JPM) released a comprehensive environmental policy that follows in the footsteps of Citigroup (C) and Bank of America (BAC) and even takes further strides. For example, JPMC not only adopts the Equator Principles (as did Citi and BofA), but also extends them beyond project finance to cover all loans, debt and equity underwriting, and even financial advisories, among other areas. And while the Principles apply to $50 million projects andup, JPMC will apply the principles starting at $10 million for financing of the extractiveindustries, such as oil and gas, forestry, and mining. In some areas, however, JPMC's policy falls short of commitments in Citi and BofA environmental policies...
"JPMorgan Chase's move represents a tipping point in the private financial sector, where the three largest banks have now publicly recognized that a sound long-term economic strategy relies on embracing environmental sustainability," said Ilyse Hogue, global finance campaigner for Rainforest Action Network (RAN), a nongovernmental organization (NGO). "The rest of the commercial and investment banks need to taker larger strides to confront their role in the environmental crisis facing us."
From the policy:
Protecting the natural systems upon which all life depends while lifting people out of poverty and advancing economic development are among the greatest challenges confronting humanity. These three pillars of sustainable development are central to the UN Millennium Development Goals adopted in 2000. We recognize that the policies and practices we adopt today will shape not only our lives but also those of future generations. We therefore have an opportunity to make a positive contribution to environmental and social concerns by enacting policies designed so that our business operations do not degrade the environment or cause social harm. Such policies not only indicate positive environmental stewardship, but also present business opportunities such as innovative financial products and investments in sustainable forestry and renewable energy. This will help us better manage our risks, attract and retain critical talent, develop expertise, and provide clients with solutions to evolving exposures. Coming on the heels of General Electric's Ecomagination announcement, this is a hopful sign of a tipping point extending even beyond the financial services sector -- a sign that more business leaders are beginning to grasp the new risk/reward equation that so many of us have been talking about for so long.
It's a pretty nice sixth birthday present for Natural Logic. :-)
[Gil Friend]
1:58:35 PM Google It!
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(Contact: John Millett, 202-564-4355 / millett.john@epa.gov) EPA has issued direct final amendments to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) for the Pharmaceutical Production Facilities and Miscellaneous Coating Manufacturing Facilities (and two others - see FR notice for details). These amendments do not alter the stringency of the final standards nor do they have any adverse health, environmental, or economic impacts.
EPA issued its final air toxics rule for pharmaceutical production in September 1998. That rule required the application of maximum achievable control technology (MACT) for approximately 100 facilities manufacturing pharmaceutical products. The direct final amendments include provisions for planned routine maintenance of wastewater tanks; includes alternative monitoring for condensers and scrubbers; and references general standards for wastewater containers.
The amendment to the NESHAP for Miscellaneous Coating Manufacturing Facilities will increase flexibility at these facilities by providing industry with additional options for compliance and by clarifying sections of the August 2003 rule. These amendments also revise the definition of transfer operations to clarify that all product loading operations are part of the miscellaneous coating manufacturing facility and thus, are not subject to EPA's National Emissions Standards for organic liquid distribution.
The files for the direct final rules, parallel proposals and fact sheets for the four technical amendments are posted at: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/new.html. [ChemAlliance Environmental News]
1:48:42 PM Google It!
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Resources on sustainable tourism and "what is now being called geotourism: tourism that supports the geographical character of the place being visited — its environment, culture, heritage, aesthetics, and the well-being of its citizens." Includes information for tourism professionals, travelers, and residents. From the National Geographic Society. [Librarians' Index to the Internet]
1:44:01 PM Google It!
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Newsweek talks to William McDonough, a leading ecological architect whose goal is nothing less than eliminating waste and pollution.
1:20:17 PM Google It!
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© Copyright
2005
Laura L. Barnes.
Last update:
10/25/2005; 12:10:10 PM.
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