After All, EPA to Regulate Climate Change via The Clean Air Act
The Environmental Protection Agency is set to make final new air-pollution standards for coal-fired power plants by mid-December, sparking disagreement among power companies about how quickly aging coal plants need to be pushed offline. The EPA wants to give coal-fired plants three years to comply with the new standards—either by shutting down or going through … Read more
EPA announces schedule to develop hydrofracking wastewater standards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a schedule to develop standards for wastewater discharges produced by natural gas extraction from underground coalbed and shale formations. No comprehensive set of national standards exists at this time for the disposal of wastewater discharged from natural gas extraction activities, and over the coming months EPA will … Read more
EPA to Ease Air Emissions Rule on Power Plants
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under industry pressure, is expected to ease an air quality rule that would require power plants in 27 states to slash emissions, said the Wall Street Journal. It appears that changes are needed because the original rule from July 2011 required steep reductions too quickly. This summer the administration, pressed … Read more
Fracking under Fire
The Securities and Exchange Commission is asking oil and gas companies in the US to provide it with detailed information—including chemicals used and efforts to minimize environmental impact—about their use of hydrofracking. The federal government’s investor-and-markets watchdog is stepping into the heated environmental debate surrounding hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” according to government and industry officials, … Read more
Water Price
There is a saying from the book and movie Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) “Water is powerful. It can wash away earth, put out fire, and even destroy iron. Water can carve its way through stone. And when trapped, water makes a new path.” There is also a famous Chinese proverb about water: “not only … Read more
Carbon Regulations Under Fire: AB32 Delayed to 2013
At a legislative hearing on the status of California’s cap-and-trade system yesterday, the Chair of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), Mary Nichols, indicated they are proposing to start the program in 2012 but delay the first compliance period to 2013. Cap-and-trade is a cornerstone of California’s approach to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to … Read more
US is opposed to the European Union’s plan to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from airplanes
Obama administration is opposed to the European Union’s plan to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from airplanes. Many argue that US is reneging on its commitment to fight global warming. Under EU law, any airline operating to or from an EU airport after January 1 must participate in the EU’s cap-and-trade system. The U.S. government and … Read more
The Wall Street Journal Publishes The Facts About Fracking
Today The wall Street Journal published an article about “The Facts About Fracking”. Many comments are available at the WSJ.com web site. For more information check here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303936704576398462932810874.html?KEYWORDS=fracking
EPA Delays Rules for Boilers to April 2012
The Environmental Protection Agency is delaying issuing final regulations aimed at cutting pollution from factory boilers until April 2012. The delay is one in a serious of slowdowns in regulatory agenda to curb carbon dioxide emissions using the Clean Air Act and several rules aimed at reducing emissions from coal-burning power plants. Although the federal … Read more
Hydraulic Fracturing Disclosure Becomes the Law in Texas
Texas is now the first state with a law requiring upstream oil companies to publicly disclose the chemicals they use when extracting oil and gas from dense shale formations. The natural-gas industry, bowing to longtime pressure, will disclose more information about the chemicals it uses for hydraulic fracturing. Several other state agencies have regulations forcing … Read more
