Preview Newsletter
ACC AM 10/10/17
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(ACC Mentioned) Global Chemical Output Up in August Amid Harvey Disruptions
Oct 9, 2017 | Zacks (In Nasdaq)
Global chemical production continues its uptrend with August seeing a rise in production amid the impact of the devastating Hurricane Harvey, according to the latest monthly report from the American Chemistry Council (ACC). -
EU SVHCs App Will Cause ‘Unnecessary Concern’
Oct 10, 2017 | Chemical Watch
By Tammy Lovell
An EU-wide smartphone app that will enable consumers to scan products and receive information on the hazardous substances they contain will cause "unnecessary concern", according to retailer Kingfisher and UK chemicals trade body the CIA. -
EU Agencies Accused Of Cherry-Picking Evidence In Glyphosate Assessment
Oct 10, 2017 | Euractiv
By Paola Tamma
Lawyers on the “Monsanto papers” case accused the EU agencies responsible for food safety and chemicals of “wilfully sawing off certain studies” in their risk assessment of glyphosate. -
Handle With Care, NatGas Experts Warn on NAFTA Negotiations
Oct 9, 2017 | Natural Gas Intelligence
By Charlie Passut
Natural gas industry experts last week warned that efforts to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) should be handled delicately, but early fears that the Trump administration had a disruptive, protectionist slant that could roil gas markets appear to be unfounded. -
Shell Files Permit Application for Pennsylvania Cracker Ethane Pipeline
Oct 9, 2017 | Natural Gas Intelligence
By Jamison Cocklin
An affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell plc last month submitted a permit application to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for the nearly 100-mile ethane pipeline system designed to feed the multi-billion dollar cracker under construction. -
Hearing To Focus On Bill To Curb Regs, Boost Drilling
Oct 10, 2017 | E&E Daily
By Scott Streater
A House National Resources subcommittee this week will hold a hearing to discuss a sweeping piece of draft legislation designed to reduce federal regulatory requirements on oil and gas development in an effort to "achieve domestic energy independence." -
EPA Readying Tuesday Rollout to Repeal Clean Power Plan, Pruitt Says
Oct 9, 2017 | Natural Gas Intelligence
By David Bradley
The Trump administration will issue a proposed rule Tuesday to end the controversial Clean Power Plan (CPP), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt said Monday. -
Environmental Groups Denounce Trump Override of Climate Plan
Oct 9, 2017 | AP (In The New York Times)
A coalition of left-leaning states and environmental groups are vowing to fight the Trump administration's move to kill an Obama-era effort to limit carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. -
Dem AG Vows To Sue Over Clean Power Plan Repeal
Oct 9, 2017 | The Hill - E2 Wire
By Devin Henry
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman (D) said Monday he will sue the Trump administration over its decision to repeal the Clean Power Plan climate regulation. -
Dem Promises State CPP In Fla. Gubernatorial Bid
Oct 10, 2017 | E&E Daily
By Nick Bowlin
In response to the news the Trump administration plans to eliminate the Clean Power Plan, Florida gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham (D) announced that, if elected, she will implement a state version of the Obama-era climate measure. -
Is Dominion Already Planning A Pipeline Expansion?
Oct 9, 2017 | The Washington Post
By Peter Galuszka
For several years, there have been questions about whether the $5.5 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline that would take natural gas from West Virginia to points southeast is needed. -
Fourth Sabine Train Gets Green Light to Operate from FERC
Oct 9, 2017 | Natural Gas Intelligence
By Richard Nemec
Cheniere Energy Inc. last Thursday got FERC's approval to start operations of its fourth liquefaction train at the Sabine Pass liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility in Cameron Parish, LA. -
Lawmakers Continue To Solicit Industry Input On $1T Proposal
Oct 10, 2017 | E&E Daily
By Camille von Kaenel
Lawmakers this week will seek ideas for an infrastructure bill from road and transit interests. -
(ACC mentioned) EPA Launches Smart Sectors Program, Claims It Will Achieve ‘Better Environmental Outcomes’
Oct 9, 2017 | EHS Today
By Sandy Smith
EPA has launched Smart Sectors, a partnership program between the agency and regulated sectors that is focused on achieving better environmental outcomes.
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(ACC Mentioned) Global Chemical Output Up in August Amid Harvey Disruptions
Oct 9, 2017 | Zacks (In Nasdaq)
Global chemical production continues its uptrend with August seeing a rise in production amid the impact of the devastating Hurricane Harvey, according to the latest monthly report from the American Chemistry Council (ACC). However, the pace of growth eased in the reported month on a monthly comparison basis due to disruptions from Harvey.
Growth Moderates in August
The chemical industry trade group said that the Global Chemical Production Regional Index (CPRI) rose 0.4% in August on a monthly comparison basis, down from a 0.5% gain in July. Hurricane Harvey weighed on production in the reported month.
The Global CPRI, which is measured using a three-month moving average, measures chemical production volumes for 33 major nations, sub-regions and regions. It is comparable to the Federal Reserve Board (FRB) production indices.
The ACC also noted that the Global CPRI went up 3.1% year over year on a three-month moving average basis. Capacity utilization for the global chemical industry moved up 0.1 percentage points to 80.7% in August.
The results were favorable on a product basis in August. Gains were witnessed in pharmaceuticals, organic chemicals, plastic resins, manufactured fibers, coatings and other specialty chemicals.
By regions, gains in production were seen across Western Europe (up 0.5%), Africa & the Middle East (up 0.2%) and the Asia-Pacific (up 0.7%) in the reported month. Production was soft in other regions. North America saw flat production while Latin America registered a 0.6% decline.
The U.S. chemical industry saw flat production in August as activities in the Gulf Coast were interrupted by Harvey, leading to a 1.2% decline in output from that region, per the ACC. The Gulf Coast is the epicenter of the U.S. specialty chemicals and petrochemicals industry.
Declines across Gulf Coast and Ohio Valley offset gains in West Coast, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Output stalled in Midwest and Southeast in the reported month.
Chemical Industry in Good Health
The chemical industry is back on track after bearing the brunt of the global economic crisis. The favorable Zacks Industry Rank of 56 carried by the Zacks Chemicals Diversified industry is a testimony to the fact that the chemical industry is in fine shape. The favorable rank places the industry in the top 22% of the 250+ groups enlisted.
The Zacks Chemicals Diversified industry has also outperformed the broader market over the past year. The industry has gained around 31.7% over this period, higher than S&P 500's corresponding return of 17.2%.Notwithstanding some lingering headwinds, the chemical industry's momentum is expected to continue through the remainder of 2017, supported by continued strength across key end-use markets (such as automotive and construction), an upswing in the world economy and significant shale-linked capital investment.
Stocks to Consider
A few stocks that are worth considering in the chemicals space are The Chemours Company CC , Orion Engineered Carbons, S.A. OEC , Kraton Corporation KRA , Koppers Holdings Inc. KOP and Eastman Chemical Company EMN . While Chemours, Orion Engineered Carbons and Kraton sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), both Koppers and Eastman Chemical carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Chemours, Orion Engineered Carbons and Kraton have expected earnings growth of 255.4%, 19% and 7.2%, respectively, for 2017. Koppers and Eastman Chemical have expected earnings growth of 17.2% and 11.3%, respectively, for the current year.
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EU SVHCs App Will Cause ‘Unnecessary Concern’
Oct 10, 2017 | Chemical Watch
By Tammy Lovell
An EU-wide smartphone app that will enable consumers to scan products and receive information on the hazardous substances they contain will cause "unnecessary concern", according to retailer Kingfisher and UK chemicals trade body the CIA.
Paul Ellis, head of sustainable chemicals management for home improvement retailer, Kingfisher, said that by focusing on substances of very high concern (SVHCs), the app ignored other potentially hazardous substances not classified by the REACH candidate list and would not encourage full transparency within supply chains.
He told Chemical Watch it would "discourage and work against the efforts of forward thinking retailers who strive to know the full ingredient list".
Mr Ellis also questioned consumer demand for the app, saying that Kingfisher has only ever received six Article 33 requests for products sold in its 1,211 stores.
The app may cause "unnecessary concern for consumers", and does not take into account that the end user "may not have any exposure to the component deep inside the product".
The UK Chemical Industries Association echoed this, saying that the app only takes hazard properties into account.
CIA employment and communications director, Simon Marsh, told Chemical Watch, that although it made sense to "take advantage of the candidate list as a driver for innovation by enhancing customer demand", telling consumers whether an article contains SVHCs "doesn’t give them information about actual risk of exposure".
Also, the presence of SVHCs does not "show the whole picture" about whether an article is environmentally sound, he says. It may still have been made with "increased energy consumption or even contain more hazardous substances that haven’t been categorised as SVHCs yet," said Mr Marsh.
Eva Becker of the German environment agency, who announced the project, said SVHCs are identified not only for reasons of potential effects on human health, but also because of potential effects on the environment.
"They may be emitted not only during the use phase of articles, but also during production, processing and disposal. According to REACH, the aim is to "progressively replace SVHCs with suitable alternative substances or technologies […]."
Companies, she says, are legally obliged to inform consumers about SVHC in their articles if consumers so request. "We believe that consumers are interested to know what they buy and to avoid the use of SVHC. Besides, companies are free to provide additional explanations on consumer exposure and associated risks."Consumer education
Malene Teller Blume, quality manager for retailer, the Coop Denmark, said there is a need for more consumer education about the 'right to know' provision and the app would encourage awareness.
She told Chemical Watch, it had answered almost 2,000 Article 33 requests since 2014 from the Danish Tjek Kemien app.
The Coop, she said, was prepared for more requests and believed the EU-wide app would help people understand the retailer's ban on SVHCs in its products.
The app would also help reduce consumer concerns, because "only a few products contain SVHCs today", she said.Be prepared
With the announcement of the app, Echa urged industry and retailers to prepare for an increased number of Article 33 requests, in order to prevent them from becoming a burden.
It recommended companies ensure that the necessary information flows down the supply chains and they have the organisation in place to "receive, process and respond to the requests in an efficient manner".
A spokesperson said industry should find it "relatively easy to reply to requests by consumers" because "the obligation to communicate information on the candidate list substances (above 0.1%) down the supply chains has been in place since Autumn 2008, when the first substances were included in the list."
https://chemicalwatch.com/59769/eu-svhcs-app-will-cause-unnecessary-concern
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EU Agencies Accused Of Cherry-Picking Evidence In Glyphosate Assessment
Oct 10, 2017 | Euractiv
By Paola Tamma
Lawyers on the “Monsanto papers” case accused the EU agencies responsible for food safety and chemicals of “wilfully sawing off certain studies” in their risk assessment of glyphosate.
On 4 October, two plaintiffs and their lawyers in an ongoing US lawsuit against Monsanto came to Brussels to lobby against the renewal of glyphosate’s licence in Europe – a weed killer that has been described as potentially carcinogenic by IARC, the UN’s cancer research agency, but deemed safe by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
“The reason I am here today is to warn the EU Commission and you people of Europe to look at new studies that have been disclosed, not only by IARC, and at documents that have been declassified, showing that glyphosate is a probable carcinogen,” said John Barton, who was diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma and claims it is due to using glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup for more than 30 years.
Influencing science
Their lawsuit against Monsanto was instrumental in making public hundreds of internal company documents that became known as the “Monsanto papers”.
The documents suggest that Monsanto “ghost-wrote” academic articles and even pressured editors of scientific journals to retract articles that countered their interests.
Three review studies that appear to be ghost-written were considered in the EU agencies’ risk assessment of glyphosate. Lawyers argued this could have implications for the scientific validity of their assessments.
But EFSA and ECHA downplayed the revelations, arguing the review papers had little weight in their assessment and they “came to their independent conclusion based on the original data and not on someone else’s interpretation”.
Therefore, they declared in June, “even if the allegations were confirmed that these review papers were ghost-written, there would be no impact on the overall EU assessment and conclusions on glyphosate”.
Hiding evidence
The documents suggest Monsanto has been aware for decades of the carcinogenic risks of glyphosate and its commercial formulation, Roundup, and suppressed the evidence.
In one study commissioned by the company in 1999, Dr. James Parry informed Monsanto that glyphosate is genotoxic (capable of disrupting a cell’s DNA and causing mutations), and recommended that Monsanto study the effects of glyphosate’s “formulations” – that is, Roundup.
Parry’s study was never made public, and his recommendations ignored: “We simply aren’t going to do the studies that Parry suggests,” Monsanto toxicologist William Heydens wrote in 1999.
In the commercial product, chemicals known as “surfactants” enhance the penetration of glyphosate within the plant – and are shown to have higher genotoxic profiles.
“[Monsanto] cannot say that Roundup does not cause cancer. We have not done the carcinogenicity studies with Roundup” – Donna Farmer, a Monsanto Toxicologist, is quoted saying in 2002.
However, under the EU’s pesticide regulation EFSA and ECHA only consider the single active substance and not pesticide formulations, a task that is left to member states.
France and the Netherlands already banned Roundup in 2015, but glyphosate is present in many generic products on the market.
This may partly explain the difference in IARC and EFSA’s assessments of glyphosate, according to EFSA:
“There are good scientific reasons for assessing the individual chemical (e.g. glyphosate) separately from the other chemicals in the pesticide formulation. For instance, if you assess all chemicals together, it is very difficult to identify which chemicals are causing which effects. Some pesticide formulations may contain dozens of different chemicals,” a spokesperson for EFSA told EURACTIV.com.
“This distinction between active substance and pesticide formulations also explains differences in the ‘weight’ or relevance EFSA and IARC attach to certain studies. For the EU assessment, studies conducted with glyphosate were obviously more relevant than studies conducted with formulated products containing other chemicals, particularly when the other chemicals could not be identified.”
When in 2015, following a request by the Commission, EFSA carried out an assessment of the surfactant POE-tallowamine, it found it is more toxic than glyphosate, and recommended that the toxicity of formulations and their genotoxic potential should be further considered and addressed.
A recommendation which led to a EU ban on the two chemicals being used together.
Cherry-picking
Lawyer Michael Baum argued that EFSA and ECHA have been disregarding certain studies: “It’s like having a finely made Swiss watch. All the gears match nicely and tell the time, but they wilfully sawed off some of the teeth,” he told reporters.
“EFSA and ECHA wilfully sawed off some studies. By cutting out studies and levels of exposure you end up carving and counting data that gives you the outcome they wanted, which is that glyphosate is not carcinogenic.”
“If you count data correctly, you end up finding an increased risk. This is why an inquiry needs to be done.”
EFSA and ECHA confirmed that they do not consider a re-assessment necessary at this stage. However, an EFSA spokesperson said: “The option to revisit our work is always open should relevant information come to light. This is true both with regards to new scientific evidence and with regards to information about the process for the assessment.”
Evidence of collusion
The Monsanto papers include text messages showing close links between Monsanto and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in which EPA employees claim they “should get a medal” if they can “kill” a review into glyphosate.
“This is deeply disturbing in the US, for these are the people that are supposed to be protecting us. It should be disturbing in the EU as well because we don’t know what the relations are between Monsanto and the regulators in the EU,” lawyer Brent Wisner told reporters.
The law-firm made some documents available to the public and is looking to release more. “This is the tip of a very large iceberg,” Wisner added.
The media is now looking into connections between EU regulators and the firm. An article by the Guardian showed how large portions of EFSA’s own 2015 assessment were copy-pasted from Monsanto’s own study.
More recently, Le Monde found that one Monsanto scientist who killed a study which would have not conformed with European toxicity tests now works at ECHA.
The agency said these facts date back more than 15 years and the scientist in question did not, to its knowledge, participate in the risk assessment of glyphosate.
Upcoming vote
The licence for glyphosate is due to expire this year and EU member states will most probably vote at a meeting in November, after debate on 5 and 6 October failed to reach a conclusion.
EU Commissioner for Food Safety and Health Vytenis Andriukaitis announced there will be no re-authorisation without a qualified majority of member states.
France has already said that it will vote against the renewal, and on 3 October Italy’s Agriculture Minister Maurizio Martina said in a tweet that Italy will oppose the renewal.
https://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/news/eu-agencies-accused-of-cherry-picking-evidence-in-glyphosate-assessment/
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Handle With Care, NatGas Experts Warn on NAFTA Negotiations
Oct 9, 2017 | Natural Gas Intelligence
By Charlie Passut
Natural gas industry experts last week warned that efforts to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) should be handled delicately, but early fears that the Trump administration had a disruptive, protectionist slant that could roil gas markets appear to be unfounded.
During a panel discussion on infrastructure projects and cross-border trade at the North American Gas Forum in Washington, DC, Interstate Natural Gas Association of America CEO Don Santa said natural gas exports -- especially in the wake of the shale revolution -- are a growing part of the "demand pie" for gas produced in the United States.
"Exports are very important because if you think about the surplus of gas that we've got in the U.S., it is those export markets that really are keeping the price in balance," Santa said. "If you didn't have the growing LNG exports, you'd see far lower commodity prices and less E&P activity. It is a major part of maintaining a very robust industry in terms of production, and if anything we're in a situation in the U.S. where supply has outstripped demand."
That said, renegotiating NAFTA will be a tricky proposition.
"Whatever happens coming out of NAFTA or other trade agreements that suppresses international demand, or makes this nation less able to export its surplus of natural gas to worldwide markets, is going to have an impact in the U.S., and it's not going to be positive," said former FERC Commissioner Tony Clark. "Whatever potential short-term benefit that you get from a little bit lower natural gas price leads into the endemic problem with the natural gas industry in the past, where very low prices can't support the infrastructure...and then you get into some of that 'boom and bust' cycle.
"One of the very positive things about the shale gas and oil revolution is that it becomes more of a manufacturing process and less of a wildcatting process, where you know the price point at which you can produce this natural gas and you know where the formations are. It becomes a much more reliable source of energy, [especially considering] the degree that our electricity and natural gas markets are now linked at the hips."
Santa added that NAFTA "has been a huge success story from an energy perspective."
"If you think back to when NAFTA was first negotiated and ratified in the late 80s and early 90s, you recognize that led to great integration in U.S. gas markets, both in terms of pipelines and in terms of the commodities markets," Santa said. "For many years during the 80s and 90s, it was in fact Canadian gas imported into the U.S. that made up the difference. Now we're starting to see in eastern markets U.S. shale gas going into eastern Canada, and we've talked about announcing the emergence of the Mexican market for U.S. natural gas.
"I hope that as they enter into negotiations they be mindful of the fact that this has been such a tremendous success story, and not to upset it. If you were to do things that frustrate the energy trade or frustrate the creation of that demand for American energy, it will come back to the detriment of the U.S. energy industry. Ultimately, U.S. energy consumers would start to see gyrations in price and the impact that that has in upsetting that stability has been so great in terms of taking the volatility out of gas as a commodity so we can rely on it."
Guillermo Ignacio Garcia -- chairman of Mexico's energy regulatory commission, the Comisión Reguladora de Energía -- said he was optimistic, and used the agriculture sector as an example where the three countries work together well.
"The agriculture sector in the U.S. has been very clear that the relationship between Mexico and the U.S. is unique," Garcia said. "We are buying our corn from the U.S., and the U.S. is buying our fruits. There are a lot of people that would lose among the three countries [if NAFTA fails]."
Clark said he believes there will be a strong market for LNG in the future.
"Does that mean that every project that's been proposed or is in front of [the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission] is going to get built? No, it won't," Clark said. "The market will shake some of those things out. But I know some of them will probably get built. It's going to depend on some of the location attributes, how [export applicants] are able to sell themselves into the marketplace, their own design and engineering concepts. Some will become profitable and make their way through the process, and some are probably a much bigger reach. But if you look at the overall [LNG picture], it's quite strong."
Santa concurred, adding "in terms of the pipeline capacity associated with LNG, interstate gas pipe does not get built on speculation. It gets built when there's a shipper who [agrees] to a long-term firm contract that supports the ability to finance that infrastructure and also the ability to demonstrate need for it legally. I think that will discipline things in terms of not seeing pipe get built to serve facilities that will not come to be."
Strong Industry Signal
Clark indicated that the Trump administration got off to a strange start with FERC lacking a quorum until mid-September.
"They couldn't act on any new applications that were before it," Clark said. However, “it's fair to say that the administration has sent a lot of the right signals in terms of being pro-infrastructure development. The types of people that they have nominated for agencies, like FERC and other agencies that have something to say about the permitting, have generally fallen into that particular vein."
Clark said the Trump administration made several decisions early on that indicated it would be supportive of energy development, including development related to international trade.
"I had some fear early on in the administration that some of the economic protectionism arguments that you heard might have drifted over into things like LNG [liquefied natural gas] permitting, and might have been susceptible to some of those arguments," Clark said.
But when Trump issued anexecutive order in March calling for, among other things, expedited approval of permits to export LNG to countries that do not have a free trade agreement with the United States, that sent "a strong signal to the industry that American energy is something that is important not just for the U.S., but in terms of our own economic and global positioning in the rest of the world," Clark said.
Garcia said the 18-page document that outlined the NAFTA agreement between Mexico, the United States and Canada made mention of energy just once, and in only one sentence.
"In terms of the NAFTA negotiation, energy can be the line which we all agree upon," Garcia said. "In terms of the energy sector, we have more [areas of agreement] than differences.
According to Garcia, the regions of Mexico with access to natural gas have a different rate of growth and development than other regions of the country. "You cannot explain the automotive [industry], let alone [other industry in] the center of Mexico, without natural gas," he said. "The companies that weren't coming to Mexico were asking for the supply of gas for them to make their decisions into the investment in the country. Natural gas provides this development ingredient into the mix."
http://www.naturalgasintel.com/articles/112025-handle-with-care-natgas-experts-warn-on-nafta-negotiations
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Shell Files Permit Application for Pennsylvania Cracker Ethane Pipeline
Oct 9, 2017 | Natural Gas Intelligence
By Jamison Cocklin
An affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell plc last month submitted a permit application to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for the nearly 100-mile ethane pipeline system designed to feed the multi-billion dollar cracker under construction.
Shell Pipeline Co. LP continues to secure easements for the two-leg Falcon Ethane pipeline that would extend into West Virginia and Ohio. The company will need various federal, state and local approvals for the pipeline.
The Pennsylvania DEP is working to determine if the application is complete before it moves ahead with the actual review. Construction of the pipeline, which would have a capacity of more than 100,000 b/d, is expected to begin between 2018 and 2019. Shell is constructing the cracker in western Pennsylvania's Beaver County and plans to start operations in the early 2020s.
Falcon would have source points within the rich gas portions of the Marcellus and Utica shales. Ten natural gas producers have signed 10-20 year agreements to anchor the cracker. It’s unclear how long the DEP might take to review the pipeline permit application.
For years, Shell has been focused on site preparation, but company officials recently said that the plant’s major components would start being raised over the next year. The ethane cracker would have an annual average capacity of 3.3 billion pounds of ethylene. Three polyethylene units would produce 3.5 billion pounds per year to make the pellets for plastics manufacturing.
http://www.naturalgasintel.com/articles/112016-shell-files-permit-application-for-pennsylvania-cracker-ethane-pipeline
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Hearing To Focus On Bill To Curb Regs, Boost Drilling
Oct 10, 2017 | E&E Daily
By Scott Streater
A House National Resources subcommittee this week will hold a hearing to discuss a sweeping piece of draft legislation designed to reduce federal regulatory requirements on oil and gas development in an effort to "achieve domestic energy independence."
The Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources hearing on Friday will center on the merits of a discussion draft that takes aim at restrictions on drilling in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, hydraulic fracturing and federal oversight of drilling activity in general.
The draft of the "Opportunities for the Nation and States to Harness Onshore Resources Act" also combines aspects of other pending bills related to oil and gas regulation.
For example, the draft bill would establish "state primacy in oil and gas permitting on available federal land." It would do so by authorizing the Interior secretary to delegate permitting authority to states that submit an approved regulatory program.
That's roughly the same language found in H.R. 3565, sponsored by House Budget Chairwoman Diane Black (R-Tenn.).
But the wide-ranging draft bill goes well beyond that, paving the way to open tens of millions of acres of federal lands to oil and gas production, and is certain to draw heavy criticism from Democrats.
The draft bill includes sections that would reduce regulations for oil and gas drilling, and increase revenues from such activities to states.
In addition, it would require the Interior Department to review a 2012 "integrated activity plan" that placed much of the NPR-A off-limits to drilling, and to identify areas within the NPR-A that "should be made available for oil and gas leasing."
The Trump administration has vowed to open energy development across vast sections of the NPR-A.Fracking
The draft legislation would forbid Interior from enforcing any federal "regulation, guidance, or permit requirement regarding hydraulic fracturing" in any state "that has regulations, guidance, or permit requirements for that activity."
That's a potentially major provision, given the Trump administration's attempts to rescind an Obama-era rule that would authorize Interior to regulate fracking on public and tribal lands.
The draft bill also includes a section exempting "oil and gas operations" on state and other nonfederal lands from being required to obtain a Bureau of Land Management permit, and other National Environmental Policy Act requirements, when the federal government "holds an ownership interest" in the subsurface minerals.
The measure would require Interior to update land-use plans to identify "preferred oil and gas leasing areas." And it includes a section to allow states, at their request, to receive directly the revenues from "sales, bonuses, royalties (including interest charges), and rentals from all public land or deposits" in that particular state.
This section mirrors the intent, if not the exact wording, of Rep. Liz Cheney's (R-Wyo.) bipartisan H.R. 2661, which would eliminate a federal collection fee that amounts to about $40 million per year, allowing states to instead collect their share of mineral royalties directly from producers.
Schedule: The hearing is Friday, Oct. 13, at 9 a.m. in 1334 Longworth.
https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2017/10/10/stories/1060063147
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EPA Readying Tuesday Rollout to Repeal Clean Power Plan, Pruitt Says
Oct 9, 2017 | Natural Gas Intelligence
By David Bradley
The Trump administration will issue a proposed rule Tuesday to end the controversial Clean Power Plan (CPP), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt said Monday.
"Tomorrow in Washington, D.C., I'll be signing a proposed rule to withdraw the so-called Clean Power Plan of the past administration and thus begin the effort to withdraw that rule," Pruitt told coal miners gathered in Hazard, KY.
The Obama-era EPA overstepped its legal authority when it issued the CPP, which established for the first time federal limits on carbon emissions for the nation's power plants, Pruitt said.
"When you think about what that rule meant, it was about picking winners and losers. Regulatory power should not be used by any regulatory body to pick winners and losers. The past administration [was] using every bit of power and authority to use the EPA to pick winners and losers and how we generate electricity in this country. That's wrong.
"What we ought to be about as an agency -- this is not the most profound statement you may hear this year -- regulations ought to make things regular and work with folks all over the country and say 'how do we achieve better outcomes with industry?'
"...When you think about the Clean Power Plan, it wasn't about regulating to make things regular. It was truly about regulating to pick winners and losers and they interpreted the best system of emission reduction is generating electricity not using fossil fuels. Rule of law matters. Because rule of law is something that allows you to know what is expected of you. When you have a regulation passed inconsistent with the statute creates uncertainty."
The Obama administration unveiled the final version of the CPP in August 2015. The plan, which embraces renewables, solar and wind power, but not so much natural gas, calls for states to reduce emissions by 32% below 2005 levels by 2030.
Under the CPP, states must develop and implement plans that ensure power plants in their state -- either as single plants or as a collective group -- achieve goals for reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions between 2022 and 2029, and final CO2 emission performance rates by 2030. The CPP gives states the option of choosing between either an emissions standards plan or a state measures plan to reduce emissions. They would also have the option of trading emissions rate credits with other states.
Environmental groups were sharp in their denunciation of Pruitt's announcement.
"This assault on the Clean Power Plan won’t just dial up climate pollution -- it will hurt our economy by slowing the expansion of clean energy jobs while also increasing healthcare costs and leading to thousands of lives lost," said the Environmental Defense Fund in a Monday morning email to thousands of supporters.
Repeal of the CPP has been a goal of the Trump administration for some time. In July the Trump administration, following through on a promise to cut regulations, including many made during the Obama era, unveiled plans to repeal or scuttle hundreds of existing or planned rules across the federal government, including many that affect the oil and natural gas industry. Among the 63 long-term actions required of the EPA, the Trump administration proposed that the agency withdraw the CPP "on the grounds that it exceeds the statutory authority provided under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act."
Repeal of the CPP would dovetail neatly with the Department of Energy's (DOE) recently proposed notice of proposed rulemaking to implement reforms on the reliability and resiliency of the electricity grid -- changes that, according to some industry groups, would benefit coal and nuclear at the expense of natural gas.
In a report released in August, DOE concluded that cheap and abundant natural gas is the primary driver of coal and nuclear power plant retirements in the United States. Full implementation of the CPP would place additional pressure on coal-fired generation, according to the report.
The CPP has been on hold pending legal challenges working their way through the courts. Twenty-seven states -- among them Oklahoma, where Pruitt was then the state's attorney general -- have sued over the CPP, arguing that it is an overreach by EPA.
http://www.naturalgasintel.com/articles/112017-epa-readying-tuesday-rollout-to-repeal-clean-power-plan-pruitt-says
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Environmental Groups Denounce Trump Override of Climate Plan
Oct 9, 2017 | AP (In The New York Times)
HAZARD, Ky. — A coalition of left-leaning states and environmental groups are vowing to fight the Trump administration's move to kill an Obama-era effort to limit carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants.
Speaking Monday in the coal-mining state of Kentucky, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt said he would be issuing a new set of rules overriding the Clean Power Plan, the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's drive to curb global climate change.
"The war on coal is over," Pruitt declared, adding that no federal agency should ever use its authority to "declare war on any sector of our economy."
It was not immediately clear if Pruitt would seek to issue a new rule without congressional approval, which Republicans had criticized the Obama administration for doing. Pruitt's rule wouldn't become final for months, and is then highly likely to face a raft of legal challenges.
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman was among those who said they will sue.
"The Trump Administration's persistent and indefensible denial of climate change — and their continued assault on actions essential to stemming its increasing devastation — is reprehensible, and I will use every available legal tool to fight their dangerous agenda," said Schneiderman, a Democrat.Continue reading the main story
For Pruitt, getting rid of the Clean Power Plan will mark the culmination of a long fight he began as the elected attorney general of Oklahoma. Pruitt was among about two dozen attorney generals who sued to stop Obama's 2014 push to limit carbon emissions, stymieing the limits from ever taking effect.
Closely aligned with the oil and gas industry in his home state, Pruitt rejects the consensus of scientists that man-made emissions from burning fossil fuels are the primary driver of global climate change.
President Donald Trump, who appointed Pruitt and shares his skepticism of established climate science, promised to kill the Clean Power Plan during the 2016 campaign as part of his broader pledge to revive the nation's struggling coal mines.
In his order Tuesday, Pruitt is expected to declare that the Obama-era rule exceeded federal law by setting emissions standards that power plants could not reasonably meet.
Pruitt appeared at an event with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell at Whayne Supply in Hazard, Kentucky, a company that sells coal mining supplies. The store's owners have been forced to lay off about 60 percent of its workers in recent years.
While cheering the demise of the Clean Power Plan as a way to stop the bleeding, McConnell conceded most of those lost jobs are never coming back.
"A lot of damage has been done," said McConnell, a Kentucky Republican. "This doesn't immediately bring everything back, but we think it stops further decline of coal fired plants in the United States and that means there will still be some market here."
Obama's plan was designed to cut U.S. carbon dioxide emissions to 32 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. The rule dictated specific emission targets for states based on power-plant emissions and gave officials broad latitude to decide how to achieve reductions.
The Supreme Court put the plan on hold last year following legal challenges by industry and coal-friendly states. Even so, the plan helped drive a recent wave of retirements of coal-fired plants, which are also being squeezed by low cost natural gas and renewable power. In the absence of stricter federal regulations curbing greenhouse gas emissions, many states have issued their own mandates promoting energy conservation.
The withdrawal of the Clean Power Plan is the latest in a series of moves by Trump and Pruitt to dismantle Obama's legacy on fighting climate change, including the delay or roll back of rules limiting levels of toxic pollution in smokestack emissions and wastewater discharges from coal-burning power plants.
On Thursday, Trump nominated former coal-industry lobbyist Andrew Wheeler to serve as Pruitt's top deputy at EPA — one of several recent political appointees at the agency with direct ties to the fossil fuel interests.
The president announced earlier this year that he will pull the United States out of the landmark Paris climate agreement. Nearly 200 countries have committed to combat global warming by reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
"This president has tremendous courage," Pruitt said Monday. "He put America first and said to the rest of the world we are going to say no and exit the Paris Accord. That was the right thing to do."
Despite the rhetoric about saving coal, government statistics show that coal mines currently employ only about 52,000 workers nationally — a modest 4-percent uptick since Trump became president. Those numbers are dwarfed by the jobs created by building such clean power infrastructure as wind turbines and solar arrays.
Environmental groups and public health advocates quickly derided Pruitt's decision as short sighted.
"Trump is not just ignoring the deadly cost of pollution, he's ignoring the clean energy deployment that is rapidly creating jobs across the country," said Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club.
https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/10/09/us/ap-us-trump-climate-plan.html
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Dem AG Vows To Sue Over Clean Power Plan Repeal
Oct 9, 2017 | The Hill - E2 Wire
By Devin Henry
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman (D) said Monday he will sue the Trump administration over its decision to repeal the Clean Power Plan climate regulation.
“By seeking to repeal the Clean Power Plan — especially without any credible commitment to replacing it — the Trump administration’s campaign of climate change denial continues, once again putting industry special interests ahead of New Yorkers’ and all Americans’ safety, health, and the environment,” Schneiderman said in a statement.
“The Trump administration’s persistent and indefensible denial of climate change — and their continued assault on actions essential to stemming its increasing devastation — is reprehensible, and I will use every available legal tool to fight their dangerous agenda,” he said.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt said Monday that he will sign paperwork this week aiming to end the Clean Power Plan, an Obama-era rule designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector.
The agency will seek public comments on its decision to end the rule, arguing the Obama administration overstepped its legal authority when it issued the 2015 regulation.
“It’s Congress that passes legislation that gives us direction, that gives us our orders as far as how we administer the statute,” Pruitt said Monday. “The last administration simply made it up.”
The rule is the centerpiece of the Obama administration’s climate change work. A coalition of states, led by Schneiderman and others, defended the rule against GOP and industry lawsuits, though the Supreme Court stayed implementation of the rule in 2016 and the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has not decided the rule’s validity.
Other attorneys general and environmentalists have indicated they’re prepared to challenge the EPA’s decision to rescind the rule.
Earthjustice, which is part of the legal team defending the rule, said Monday that, “as the Trump administration tries to derail progress on climate change, we will hold them accountable in court,” and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said he will “do everything in my power to defend the Clean Power Plan.”
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/354572-dem-ag-vows-to-sue-over-clean-power-plan-repeal
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Dem Promises State CPP In Fla. Gubernatorial Bid
Oct 10, 2017 | E&E Daily
By Nick Bowlin
In response to the news the Trump administration plans to eliminate the Clean Power Plan, Florida gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham (D) announced that, if elected, she will implement a state version of the Obama-era climate measure.
"Our state is already feeling the effects of climate change and sea level rise — a single hurricane just destroyed countless homes, took dozens of lives and knocked out power across our entire state," Graham said in a statement.
A former congresswoman, Graham backed the Clean Power Plan in the House and has stressed environmental protection and clean energy thus far in the campaign. She represented the Florida Panhandle's 2nd District from 2015 to 2017.
Graham pitches herself as the environmental candidate. In June, she promised to join the alliance of states pledging to abide by the Paris climate accord and released a plan as to how Florida will meet the goals.
Her policy proposals include banning hydraulic fracturing, curbing oil and gas development offshore and in the Everglades, a renewable energy standard, and investment in clean energy technology, particularly solar.
Graham promised to appoint Public Service Commission members who "understand the threat of climate change and the need to support clean energy."
Environmental groups have criticized Republican Gov. Rick Scott's appointments for not promoting emissions reductions for Florida's utilities.
Renewable energy made up about 2.2 percent of Florida's net electricity generation in last year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Graham has repeatedly criticized Republican front-runner Adam Putnam for not opposing President Trump's environmental regulation rollbacks and support for offshore drilling.
Putnam has been the state agriculture commissioner since 2011 and has a substantial fundraising lead, with $12.3 million cash on hand at the end of July. Graham fronts the Democratic field with $2.1 million on hand, according to election filings.
As a member of the House, Putnam supported offshore drilling expansion but condemned the practice after the 2010 BP PLC spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
He has stated that the Earth's climate is changing but does not accept the scientific consensus behind human-caused global warming.
The gubernatorial primaries are expected to be full and competitive. Along with Graham, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and Orlando businessman Chris King have announced their candidacies on the Democratic side.
Possible additional entrants include Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, attorney John Morgan and Miami-Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.
Along with Putnam, physician Usha Jain, 2016 independent Senate candidate Bruce Nathan, state Sen. Jack Latvala and businessman Angel Luis Rivera have declared they are running for the GOP nomination. Rep. Ron DeSantis and state House Speaker Richard Corcoran may also join the GOP field.
Scott is term-limited and is eyeing a challenge to Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in 2018 (E&E Daily, Sept. 26).
https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2017/10/10/stories/1060063161
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Is Dominion Already Planning A Pipeline Expansion?
Oct 9, 2017 | The Washington Post
By Peter Galuszka
For several years, there have been questions about whether the $5.5 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline that would take natural gas from West Virginia to points southeast is needed.
Richmond-based Dominion Energy, the lead partner in the project, has pitched the 600-mile pipeline as necessary for its customers and argued that it should be given power of eminent domain to push through homeowners’ property. Using the rationale of public need, it is arguing before state regulators that Virginia ratepayers should pay $2.4 billion for the plan.
In September, that logic was turned on its head when an individual attending an energy conference in South Carolina sent an audiotape to the Associated Press.
On the tape, Dan Weekley, a Dominion vice president and general manager, can be heard telling conference attendees that the pipeline, which now is planned to stop at Lumberton, N.C., could be extended to South Carolina and provide nearly a billion cubic feet a day for Palmetto State customers.
That was unsettling news to various environmental and property groups that have vigorously opposed the project. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission may vote on a permit for it soon. The pipeline still needs water permits from Virginia regulators.
The opposition groups ask why Dominion and partners Duke Energy and the Southern Co. should proceed with their plans supposedly in the public good when it seems a strictly commercial project that won’t benefit Virginia electricity users that much.
One crucial question is how big the pipeline will be. In their arguments before FERC, pipeline developers have testified that 90 percent of the planned capacity of 1.5 billion cubic feet a day has been contracted. Most of it would go to subsidiaries of the pipeline partners.
So where does the extra billion cubic feet a day of gas for South Carolinians come from?
According to ThinkProgress, Dominion spokesperson Jen Kostyniuk said that Weekley was addressing concerns that South Carolina needs more natural gas and gas infrastructure. According to Kostyniuk, “He was asked, ‘What are your long-term plans?’ Weekley responded that the focus is on completing the project as proposed, but it could be expanded in the future.”
Dominion claims there are no plans for expansion, but it could be done by adding more compressor stations along the pipeline route.
The timing is unsettling. Pipeline partners have been advocating for the project for several years but have been vague about who the eventual users would be. Dominion has two new natural-gas-generating stations in the works in southern Virginia but admits those stations could be served by an existing pipeline operated by another company.
Dominion’s project includes a trunk line to the Hampton Roads area, raising questions about possible plans for a liquefied natural gas terminal for exports. The utility already has a similar terminal at Cove Point on the Maryland shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Dominion has steadfastly denied any export plans with the ACP.
So, why are we learning on the eve of a critical FERC vote that this might be a much bigger project than we were led to believe? Why all the legerdemain on markets and regulation and intentions?
FERC is notorious for approving most of the energy projects coming before it. The projects’ owners are guaranteed a generous return on equity — up to 14 percent. Virginia ratepayers may get to foot a big chunk of the pipeline construction costs.
For Dominion, what’s not to like?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/all-opinions-are-local/wp/2017/10/09/is-dominion-already-planning-a-pipeline-expansion/?utm_term=.78b2c968ef41
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Fourth Sabine Train Gets Green Light to Operate from FERC
Oct 9, 2017 | Natural Gas Intelligence
By Richard Nemec
Cheniere Energy Inc. last Thursday got FERC's approval to start operations of its fourth liquefaction train at the Sabine Pass liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility in Cameron Parish, LA.
Approval was granted to "commence service for liquefaction and export activities from the Train 4 inside Battery Limits and Heavies Removal Unit, and to commence service of the Enclosed Ground Marine Flare," according to Rich McGuire, environmental/engineering director at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Based on this action, FERC has determined that all of the construction and commissioning requirements for the added train at Sabine Pass have been completed satisfactorily. Cheniere now will take control of the train from its engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, a unit of Bechtel.
FERC's McGuire noted that based on its inspectors, the fourth train areas at the LNG export terminal site have met the orders by the federal regulators earlier this year in April and August.
In July, train 4 at the Sabine Pass LNG export terminal achieved its first LNG production and produced its first commissioning cargo in August, management for the Houston-based company reported to NGI. That cargo was reported to be on track for a date of first commercial delivery (DFCD) in the first half of next year, Cheniere has indicated.
The Sabine Pass facility has three trains now operational, and the fourth train now set to begin commercial operations. A fifth train is slated for 2019 start up. In addition, all regulatory approvals have been received to construct and operate a sixth train and the final investment decision will be made when commercial contracts and financing are in place to support construction.
Cheniere Energy Inc.’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility in Sabine Pass, TX, recently loaded its first cargo in more than a week following shut-ins from Hurricane Harvey. The Sabine Pass terminal had not had a ship offtake gas since Aug. 24, the day before Harvey made landfall.
Cheniere CEO Jack Fusco, in an interview on Bloomberg Television, said six LNG tankers were ready to load. The one tanker loaded Wednesday was ready to go, “but currents are still high and there is debris coming down the channel.” The expectation, said Fusco, is one or two cargos may be “disrupted,” but no material impact is expected.
Cheniere became the first U.S. LNG exporter when Sabine Pass launched its first cargo in February 2016. Dominion Energy will become the second U.S. LNG exporter later this year when its Cove Point, MD, facility ships its first cargo.
http://www.naturalgasintel.com/articles/112020-fourth-sabine-train-gets-green-light-to-operate-from-ferc
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Lawmakers Continue To Solicit Industry Input On $1T Proposal
Oct 10, 2017 | E&E Daily
By Camille von Kaenel
Lawmakers this week will seek ideas for an infrastructure bill from road and transit interests.
The House Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and Transit hearing is the latest in a series intended to gather input from the rail, road, transit and marine industry for an infrastructure package.
Witnesses represent unions, manufacturers, builders and transportation officials. They will likely ask for more money in light of budget cuts to Transportation Department grant programs.
The Trump administration said it planned to have its infrastructure proposal ready for Congress this fall, but officials could not decide on how to pay for it and Congress has been mired in other legislative priorities like hurricane relief and tax reform.
In the meantime, lawmakers have been staking out positions on infrastructure. Rep. John Faso (R-N.Y.) introduced a bill last week, H.R. 3977, to establish the Infrastructure Bank for America to serve as a lender for projects.
The White House's proposal includes $200 billion in additional federal funding meant to spark $1 trillion in state, local and private spending on infrastructure. The president, however, has recently soured on public-private partnerships. Other goals include speeding environmental reviews and dedicating funding to rural areas.
Schedule: The hearing is Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 10 a.m. in 2167 Rayburn.
Witnesses: Patrick McKenna, director, Missouri Department of Transportation; James Roberts, CEO, Granite Construction; Brent Booker, secretary-treasurer, North America's Building Trades Unions; Ray McCarty, CEO, Associated Industries of Missouri; and Peter Rogoff, CEO, Sound Transit.
https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2017/10/10/stories/1060063141
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Oct 9, 2017 | EHS Today
By Sandy Smith
EPA has launched Smart Sectors, a partnership program between the agency and regulated sectors that is focused on achieving better environmental outcomes.
EPA on Oct. 3 announced the launch of Smart Sectors, which the agency calls “a sector-based, collaborative approach” that allows for “more forward-thinking ways” to protect the environment.
“When we consider American business as a partner, as opposed to an adversary, we can achieve better environmental outcomes,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “The Smart Sectors program is designed to effectively engage business partners throughout the regulatory process. The previous administration created a narrative that you can’t be pro-business and pro-environment. This program is one of the many ways we can address that false choice and work together to protect the environment. When industries and regulators better understand each other, the economy, public, and the environment all benefit.”
The agency claims a sector-based approach can provide benefits such as: increased long-term certainty and predictability; creative solutions based on sound data; and more sensible policies to improve environmental protection. Program leads for each sector will serve as ombudsmen within the agency across program and regional offices. The program leads also will conduct educational site tours, host roundtables with EPA leadership, analyze data and advise about options for environmental improvement; maintain open dialogue with business partners and their environmental committees; and develop reports that profile the impact of each sector on the environment and the economy.
Smart Sectors aims to facilitate better communication and streamline operations internally at EPA. The program is located in the Office of Policy’s Immediate Office, which enables the sector leads to work across EPA’s land, water, air and chemical program offices, as well as with environmental justice, enforcement and compliance assistance and other offices, including EPA regional offices.
View the Smart Sectors Federal Register Notice.
EPA's Associate Administrator for the Office of Policy, Samantha Dravis; and EPA’s Chief of Operations, Henry Darwin, announced the launch at EPA Headquarters on Oct. 3. Both Dravis and Darwin are new to the agency. Dravis previously served in a senior role with the Republican Attorneys General Association and its Rule of Law Defense Fund, groups that fought alongside Pruitt against the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan. Darwin ran the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality from 2011 to 2015 and served as interim director of the state’s Department of Economic Security from November through May. Dravis and Darwin were joined by industry representatives who, not surprisingly, support less regulation and enforcement and more collaboration.What Industry Reps Have To Say
“The auto industry is living through what may be its most dynamic moment in history,” said Mitch Bainwol, president and CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. “Our technology is transforming the driving experience and mobility models, offering more fuel efficient and safer transportation for all. We are breaking ground on new plants and expanding existing plants to build the most innovative vehicles in the world. And as we innovate and produce, we are a vital – if not the vital – catalyst for the American economy, providing millions of jobs from coast to coast building, selling and servicing the vehicles that animate our economy. The Smart Sectors Program benefits us all by providing an open and transparent dialogue on policy that is predicated on solid facts and meaningful data. Protecting the environment while supporting economic growth – these twin goals are paramount, mutually supportive, and enabled by thoughtful collaboration between government and business.”
“The Smart Sectors Program shows it’s a new day at EPA, and that’s good news for the environment and the economy,” said Michael D. Bellaman, president and CEO of Associated Builders and Contractors. “The nation’s construction industry welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with regulators to ensure that environmental protection is streamlined and cost effective. That’s the way government can help industry be more productive, create more jobs and grow the economy.”“Manufacturers are committed to protecting the environment and the communities we serve, and we appreciate the efforts of Administrator Pruitt to work with us to jointly address current and future environmental challenges,” said Ross Eisenberg, vice president of energy and resources policy at the National Association of Manufacturers. “Smarter, modernized regulations are an essential ingredient in supporting manufacturing job growth here in America, so we are excited that the EPA is ringing in this year's Manufacturing Day – when we focus on building the next generation of modern manufacturing workers – with a new EPA Smart Sectors Program. This will hopefully yield better, smarter regulations that achieve their environmental goals while empowering manufacturers to be more competitive and create more well-paying jobs in America.”
“We are very pleased that the steel industry can be a part of the Smart Sectors Program, and appreciate the work of Administrator Pruitt and his team to partner with industry to develop a more sensible regulatory framework that better protects human health and the environment,” said Thomas J. Gibson, president and CEO of American Iron and Steel Institute.“The oil and natural gas industry is a major economic engine supporting 10.3 million jobs, is leading the world in the production and refining of oil and natural gas, and is a world leader in reducing carbon emissions from energy use which today are near 25-year lows,” said Kyle Isakower, American Petroleum Institute vice president for regulatory and economic policy. “We welcome this new partnership and look forward to working with the agency on this program to ensure that industry is doing all it can to protect the environment and support economic growth.”
“Community-owned, not-for-profit electric utilities exist to safely provide reliable, low-cost electricity to more than 49 million Americans, while protecting the environment,” said Sue Kelly, American Public Power Association president and CEO. “We very much appreciate the EPA’s invitation to participate in the Smart Sectors Program, and look forward to a productive dialogue.”
“We welcome the opportunity to explain how long-term, capital-intensive operations like ours – which require regulatory predictability – can be carefully aligned with important agency objectives for ensuring health and environmental protection,” said Hal Quinn, president and CEO of the National Mining Association. “Regulatory policies will be more effective when they are informed by actual conditions in regulated sectors.”
“Forest Resources Association serves the whole supply chain from the woods to the mill,” said Ryan Rhodes, director of public relations and government affairs. “The forest products supply chain supports 2.4 million jobs and is dedicated to the sustainability of forest land through conservation and best practices. We look forward to working together to promote a smarter regulatory outcome, which promotes both jobs and environmental stewardship.”
“Finding a way to combine a deep knowledge of how to protect the environment with an understanding of how construction firms operate is the most effective way to craft programs and policies that deliver significant environmental protections to commercial construction sites,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America. “The administrator clearly understands that firms will be able to do more to protect the environment if the regulations they must follow are crafted with an understanding of how employers operate.”
“ACC appreciates Administrator Pruitt’s actions to foster a more productive relationship between our industry and the agency through the Smart Sectors Program, which will help support economic growth in ways that protect our environment,” said Michael Walls, vice president of regulatory and technical affairs for the American Chemistry Council. “This program is an opportunity to have a more open and constructive dialogue about how the chemistry industry can continue to fuel the economy through innovation while working with EPA to make American businesses, homes and consumer products more efficient, environmentally friendly and sustainable.”
“America's aerospace and defense industry takes its long-held role as a leader in environmental stewardship seriously,” said David F. Melcher, Aerospace Industries Association president and CEO. “We strongly support the EPA's approach of partnering with industry on environmental policy and look forward to working with the administration to achieve our mutual environmental goals.”
“EEI’s member companies have a strong record of environmental stewardship,” said Phil Moeller, Edison Electric Institute executive vice president of business operations and regulatory affairs. “We appreciate the opportunity to participate in the Smart Sectors Program, which will enhance the process for developing and complying with regulations and will improve the efficiency of the permitting and siting processes that are pivotal to building smarter energy infrastructure. As this initiative launches, we look forward to participating in future discussions.”
“The real estate industry’s leaders are committed to sustainable building management and construction practices that tie directly to their business mission,” said Jeffrey D. DeBoer, president and CEO of the Real Estate Roundtable. “We look forward to participating in EPA’s Smart Sectors Program to share our industry’s perspectives on how responsible, measurable environmental stewardship can help create jobs, strengthen our economy, spur innovation and enhance lasting value for our communities.”
“Modern agriculture is environmentally sustainable,” said Zippy Duvall, American Farm Bureau Federation president. “From satellite technology and data management to the use of cover crops, farmers and ranchers continue to adopt innovations that are effective in helping them grow more food with fewer resources. That’s good for the environment and good for business. EPA’s Smart Sectors Program provides a framework of welcome collaboration that embraces continued innovation aligned with our commitment to continuous improvement.”
“The American Wood Council supports a smarter, more sensible and cost-effective regulatory process, such as the approach taken by EPA’s Smart Sectors Program,” said Robert Glowinski, president and CEO of the American Wood Council. “AWC represents more than 75 percent of the North American wood products industry, which provides approximately 400,000 men and women with family-wage jobs in the United States. AWC members make wood products that are essential to everyday life from a renewable resource that absorbs and sequesters carbon.”
“We’re grateful Administrator Pruitt invited the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) to participate in this Smart Sectors Program,” said Brian Jennings, ACE executive vice president. “The biofuels industry is essential to growing the rural economy and protecting the environment.”“America’s cement manufacturers have a strong track record of finding creative ways to reduce their environmental footprint while producing the high-quality material our economy needs for building everything from homes to highways and hospitals,” said Todd Johnston, Portland Cement Association executive vice president. “We look forward to working with EPA and the administration to protect health and the environment while reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens that undermine economic growth.”
“The paper and wood products industry faces enormous challenges from costly, complex and vast amounts of regulations that hurt our ability to contribute to economic growth and job creation,” said Mark Kowlzan, chairman and CEO, Packaging Corp. of Americaand immediate past chairman of the American Forest & Paper Association Board of Directors. “We’re pleased to participate in the Smart Sectors Program to achieve common-sense regulatory approaches that protect the environment and allow industry to compete at home and around the globe.”“We are thrilled to be part of the EPA’s launch of its Smart Sectors Program and are proud to represent an industry that’s always first in line when it comes to partnering with EPA to improve its processes and benefits,” said John McKnight, senior vice president of government relations for the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “The recreational boating industry is unique in that while the EPA, the state of California, and many international environmental government agencies place stringent environmental requirements on our products, our customers – the 142 million Americans who went boating last year – also demand and expect clean water and a healthy environment in which to fish, swim and enjoy watersports. As a treasured American pastime with 95 percent of the boats sold in the United States, made in the United States and with an estimated 35,000 marine-related businesses, which provide approximately 650,000 jobs and an estimated $121 billion in economic impact, the recreational boating industry is one of our country’s driving economic engines that is eager to continue meaningful collaboration with the EPA.”
“Seaports are vital economic engines and create American jobs,” said Kurt Nagle, American Association of Port Authorities president and CEO. “Seaport cargo activity accounts for over a quarter of the U.S. economy, supports the employment of more than 23 million people in the United States, and generates over $320 billion in tax revenue annually. AAPA is excited to partner with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the Smart Sectors Program. Improved communication between industry and EPA can streamline processes for all parties, achieving better environmental results and clearer goals and outcomes. The U.S. port industry looks forward to being part of an ongoing dialogue with EPA that furthers ports’ commitment to their roles as stewards of coastal resources.”“The Smart Sectors Program holds great promise to enable the technology industry to drive environmental protection and economic growth,” said Gary Shapiro, Consumer Technology Association president and CEO. “Improved dialogue and collaboration between industry and the EPA at the earliest stages will ideally lead to fewer onerous rules that handcuff innovation and job creation. Working together, we can unleash our nation’s tech sector to help improve environmental performance and increase sustainability across multiple industries.”
“CropLife America is excited to collaborate with EPA and other stakeholders to ensure agriculture-related regulations allow the U.S. food system to advance as well as feed the rising population,” said Jay Vroom, president and CEO of CropLife America. “Additionally, we believe that through the Smart Sectors Program and developing productive relationships with the agency and industry partners, we can successfully create the best approach to supporting both economic growth and advance innovation in agriculture, while protecting the environment.”
http://www.ehstoday.com/epa/epa-launches-smart-sectors-program-claims-it-will-achieve-better-environmental-outcomes
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