Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Follow-up: Supreme Court Blocks Obama's Limits on Power Plants

<> Follow-up: Supreme Court Blocks Obama's Limits on Power Plants - The Supreme Court on Monday blocked one of the Obama administration's most ambitious environmental initiatives, an EPA regulation meant to limit emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from coal-fired power plants.

Monday, June 29, 2015

U.S. Supreme Court decides Michigan v. EPA

<> U.S. Supreme Court decides Michigan v. EPA - 6/29/15. In the U.S. Supreme Court, Docket Nos. 14–46, 14–47, and 14–49. SCALIA, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which ROBERTS, C. J., and KENNEDY, THOMAS, and ALITO, JJ., joined. THOMAS, J., filed a concurring opinion. KAGAN, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which GINSBURG, BREYER, and SOTOMAYOR, JJ., joined. 
     5-4 decision indicates that EPA unreasonably refused to consider costs in determining whether it is appropriate to regulate hazardous air pollutants emitted by electric utilities.

Friday, June 26, 2015

Senator Boxer's Statement on the Path Forward on TSCA Reform Legislation

<> Senator Boxer's Statement on the Path Forward on TSCA Reform Legislation - Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), reached out to Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy, on the near unanimous passage in the House of Representatives this week of his toxic chemicals reform bill, the TSCA Modernization Act of 2015 (H.R. 2576) -- Senator Boxer informed Congressman Shimkus that because of the clarity, simplicity, and overwhelming bipartisan support in the House for H.R. 2576, she would push for the Senate to take up the House bill with a few perfecting amendments.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Speaker Boehner Signs Bipartisan Trade Legislation

<> Speaker Boehner Signs Bipartisan Trade Legislation - A short while ago, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) signed H.R. 2146, the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act, which now goes to President Obama's desk for his signature.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

G-7 Commissioned Report on Climate and Fragility Risks

<> G-7 Commissioned Report on Climate and Fragility Risks - A press statement from Secretary of State John Kerry indicates that climate change is a threat multiplier for instability throughout the world — and the report released this week further illustrates this -- climate change has far-reaching political and economic implications, and poses a serious threat to global security.

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

American recycling is stalling, and the big blue bin is one reason why

<> American recycling is stalling, and the big blue bin is one reason why - Once a profitable business for cities and private employers alike, recycling in recent years has become a money-sucking enterprise -- the business of American recycling has stalled -- and industry leaders warn that the situation is worse than it appears.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Pope Francis Aligns Himself With Mainstream Science on Climate

<> Pope Francis Aligns Himself With Mainstream Science on Climate - If anything, environmental scientists say, the pope may have bent over backward to offer a cautious interpretation of the scientific facts.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Pope Francis warns of destruction of Earth's ecosystem in leaked encyclical

<> Pope Francis warns of destruction of Earth's ecosystem in leaked encyclical - Vatican condemns early release of document in which pontiff calls on people to change their lifestyles and energy consumption or face grave consequences

Monday, June 15, 2015

World Energy Outlook Special Report on Energy and Climate Change

<> World Energy Outlook Special Report on Energy and Climate Change - A peak in global energy-related emissions could be achieved as early as 2020 and at no net economic cost, the International Energy Agency said today in its new report

Friday, June 12, 2015

Governments Shift Gear To Deliver Paris Agreement

<> Governments Shift Gear To Deliver Paris Agreement - The road map to a new universal climate agreement will step into a higher gear over the next two months as the world works towards Paris in December -- negotiations in mid-July will begin shaping what will be the Paris agreement -- the so called 'Paris Package'

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Administration Announces Actions to Bring Jobs and Clean Energy to Rural America

<> Administration Announces Actions to Bring Jobs and Clean Energy to Rural America - Financing Hundreds Of Projects To Reduce Carbon Pollution In Rural Communities President Obama is committed to combating climate change to protect future generations while supporting a strong rural economy. 

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Global Citizens' Views on Climate Change

<> Global Citizens' Views on Climate Change - 10,000 sampled; almost 80 per cent of citizens across the globe are very concerned about the impacts of climate change, but close to 70 per cent also see action to combat it as an opportunity to improve their quality of life -- largest ever citizen consultation on climate change carried out by the more than 100 partners of the World Wide Views Alliance in the run up to the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris (COP 21), taking place this December.

Tuesday, June 09, 2015

Public-Private Partnership to Empower Climate-Resilient Developing Nations

<> Fact Sheet: Launching a Public-Private Partnership to Empower Climate-Resilient Developing Nations - The Obama Administration is announcing the launch of an international public-private partnership to empower developing nations to boost their own climate resilience -- Climate Services for Resilient Development, will provide needed climate services – including actionable science, data, information, tools, and training – to developing countries that are working to strengthen their national resilience to the impacts of climate change.

Monday, June 08, 2015

Both Sides Claim Victory Over EPA Fracking Study: NPR

<> Both Sides Claim Victory Over EPA Fracking Study: NPR - The EPA found no evidence that hydraulic fracturing has led to widespread, systemic pollution to drinking water -- Now, two important things there - first, it found no evidence -- That doesn't mean it's not happening, just that in this big study of the science available, the EPA didn't find evidence.

Friday, June 05, 2015

EPA Releases Draft Assessment on the Potential Impacts to Drinking Water Resources from Hydraulic Fracturing Activities

<> EPA Releases Draft Assessment on the Potential Impacts to Drinking Water Resources from Hydraulic Fracturing Activities - The assessment, done at the request of Congress, shows that while hydraulic fracturing activities in the U.S. are carried out in a way that have not led to widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources, there are potential vulnerabilities in the water lifecycle that could impact drinking water -- the water used for hydraulic fracturing from water acquisition, chemical mixing at the well pad site, well injection of fracking fluids, the collection of hydraulic fracturing wastewater (including flowback and produced water), and wastewater treatment and disposal 

Thursday, June 04, 2015

House Hearing EPA Regulatory Overreach: Impacts on American Competitiveness

<> House Hearing EPA Regulatory Overreach: Impacts on American Competitiveness - Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) opened saying, "Over the last year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released some of the most expensive and expansive regulations in its history -- these rules will cost billions of dollars, place a heavy burden on American families and diminish the competitiveness of American industry around the world. [Charter, statement, testimony & webcast]

Wednesday, June 03, 2015

OMB Responds to GOP Reduced Priority Spending Levels

<> OMB Responds to GOP Reduced Priority Spending Levels - OMB says House and Senate Republicans have started to show how they plan to budget at discretionary levels that are the lowest in a decade, adjusted for inflation -- compared to the President's Budget, their budget will force cuts in areas critical to the economy and the middle-class, ranging from research to education to environmental protection, as well as in national security priorities, ranging from homeland security to peacekeeping and foreign assistance to the base defense budget.

Tuesday, June 02, 2015

EPA Climate Plan Sent to White House For Review

<> EPA Climate Plan Sent to White House For Review - U.S. EPA has sent its rules on carbon emissions for existing power plants to the White House Office of Management and Budget for a final review before being finalized in August

 

Monday, June 01, 2015

Next Round of UN Climate Negotiations,Bonn, June 1-11

<> Next Round of UN Climate Negotiations,Bonn, June 1-11 - Work on the text of the Paris 2015 universal climate agreement will continue in Bonn as of Monday, June 1, at a 10-day meeting to continue progress on addressing the most effective ways to raise climate action before 2020, which is when the new agreement would come into effect.