Preview Newsletter
ACC PM 10/05/18
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(ACC Blog) U.S. Plastic Resin Producers Set Goal to Recycle or Recover All Plastic Packaging by 2040
May 10, 2018 | American Chemistry Matters
It’s ambitious, yet achievable—realistic—a true “stretch goal.” -
(ACC Mentioned) ACC Aims to Recycle, Recover or Reuse 100% of Plastic Packaging by 2040
May 10, 2018 | Waste Dive
By Kristin Musulin
The American Chemistry Council's (ACC) Plastics Division announced Wednesday its members have set three ambitious goals: to ensure 100% of plastic packaging is recyclable or recoverable by 2030; to reuse, recycle or recover 100% of plastic packaging by 2040; and for all U.S. manufacturing sites operated by members to participate in Operation Clean Sweep-Blue (OCS) by 2020, with all sites in North America involved by 2022. -
(ACC Mentioned) NPE '18: Plastics Industry Needs to Highlight Recyclability - Baerlocher
May 10, 2018 | ICIS
By David Haydon
With current consumer trends geared towards protecting the environment, the plastics industry needs to address misconceptions and highlight sustainability, Germany-headquartered additives supplier Baerlocher said on Thursday. -
(ACC Mentioned) TSCA CBI Guidance Documents a 'Missed Opportunity'
May 10, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Kelly Franklin
A coalition of NGOs says that the US EPA’s draft guidance on disclosing confidential information under the new TSCA falls short of what is needed to meet real-world needs. -
(ACC Mentioned) Surprise: EPA Will Finalize Obama Curbs on Paint Stripper
May 10, 2018 | E&E Greenwire
By Corbin Hiar
In an unexpected move, EPA said today it "intends to finalize" an Obama-era proposal that sought to restrict the sale of a deadly paint-stripping chemical. -
Action 'Shortly' on Solvent After Pruitt and Families Meet
May 10, 2018 | AP (In The New York Times)
The Environmental Protection Agency is promising quick action on new restrictions for a widely sold solvent used for paint stripping. -
Encouraging EPA Response to Families on Deadly Paint Stripping Chemical
May 10, 2018 | Environmental Defense Fund
“On Tuesday, Wendy Hartley and Cindy Wynne – both of whom lost their sons to methylene chloride exposure – met with members of Congress and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, asking that use of this deadly chemical in paint and coating removal products be banned." -
EPA Won’t Reverse Findings of Danger from Paint Stripping Chemical
May 10, 2018 | The Hill - E2 Wire
By Timothy Cama
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said Thursday that it won’t reverse an Obama administration report that enumerated various harms from exposure to paint-stripping chemical methylene chloride. -
US EPA Round-Up
May 10, 2018 | Chemical Watch
The EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) programme has released a preliminary agenda for its public science meeting on ammonia. -
EPA Reaffirms Lead-Safe Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule, Citing 150% to 500% Payback
May 10, 2018 | Environmental Defense Fund
By Tom Neltner
In April 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completed a thorough review of its Lead-Safe Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule (RRP) promulgated a decade ago. -
North American Organisation Examines Presence of PFASs in Apparel
May 10, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Leigh Stringer
A study conducted by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, a trinational organisation created by Canada, Mexico and the US, has examined 137 articles of clothing and apparel for the presence of PFAS substances. -
Cancer Warnings for Coffee May Be Overkill, But Proposition 65 is Not
May 10, 2018 | Los Angeles Times
By Jennifer Liss Ohayon and Claudia Polsky
It's official: Coffee sold in California must carry cancer warnings, a Los Angeles judge ruled this week. -
CIA Urges UK Government Accord on Echa Associate Membership
May 10, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Luke Buxton
The UK Chemical Industries Association is calling for swift progress towards a "joined-up" approach between itself and the British government on a post-Brexit associate membership of Echa. -
Echa Round-Up
May 10, 2018 | Chemical Watch
Echa has created a webpage to help registrants identify situations in which they need to contact the agency to request changes to a joint submission once it has been created in REACH-IT. -
UK Government Denies Ban on Wet Wipes
May 10, 2018 | Chemical Watch
The UK says it is not planning a ban on wet wipes, as was recently widely reported in the media, but is working with industry to find "suitable alternatives" that consumers can safely dispose. -
Anses Calls for New In Vitro Genotoxicity Tests for Titanium Dioxide
May 10, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Emma Davies
There is an urgent need for new and improved in vitro genotoxicity tests for titanium dioxide nanoparticles (NPs), according to the French Agency for Food, Environment and Occupational Health and Safety (Anses). -
Washington County Files Lawsuit Against Oil and Gas Industry Over Climate Change
May 10, 2018 | The Hill - E2 Wire
By Miranda Green
A Washington state county filed a lawsuit against the oil and gas industry Thursday for contributing to climate change. -
Pruitt to Hear Economic Arguments in Enforcing Clean Air Act
May 10, 2018 | AP (In The New York TImes)
Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt says the agency will seek input on the economic impact of enforcing the Clean Air Act. -
Total Invests in Clean Energy Fuels in the U.S.
May 10, 2018 | Houston Chronicle
By Jordan Blum
French energy major Total is betting on natural gas over diesel as a fuel source in the U.S. with an investment in California-based Clean Energy Fuels. -
Calif. Enacts Toughest Building Standards in Nation
May 10, 2018 | E&E Energywire
By Debra Kahn
California officials adopted building efficiency standards yesterday that will steer builders toward installing solar panels on all new homes. -
U.S. Sanctions Galvanize Iranian Hackers, Experts Warn
May 10, 2018 | E&E Energywire
By Blake Sobczak
President Trump's decision this week to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal could kick up a hornet's nest of hackers, cybersecurity experts and Democratic lawmakers warn. -
Manufacturers in Regulatory Limbo as TWIC Reader Rule Fuels Compliance Crisis
May 10, 2018 | National Association of Manufacturers
By Laura Berkey-Ames
Across the nation, manufacturers have demonstrated a firm resolve in protecting critical infrastructure, their facilities, and key assets from natural disasters, manmade hazards, and terrorism. -
AAR Supports Automated Railroad Technology
May 10, 2018 | Transportation Today
By Melina Druga
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) recently submitted comments to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in support of enhancements to rail safety and reliability through automation. -
ASLRRA Signs Herzog to Offer PTC Support to Members
May 10, 2018 | Progressive Rail Roading
By Linda Bauer Darr
The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has entered into an agreement with Herzog Technologies Inc. to provide positive train control(PTC) support to the association's members. -
Pruitt Changes NAAQS Review to Consider ‘Adverse’ Effects of Standards
May 10, 2018 | PoliticoPro - Whiteboard
By Alex Guillen
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt today directed the agency to change the review process for a critical air quality program to include the potential “adverse” effects of tighter standards. -
Emails Reveal Behind-the-Scenes Plans for Climate Debate
May 10, 2018 | E&E Climatewire
By Niina Heikkinen and Robin Bravender
Last July, a Democratic Capitol Hill staffer emailed an aide in EPA's congressional affairs shop. -
Pentagon Removes Numerous Climate Change References from Obama-Era Report
May 10, 2018 | The Hil - E2 Wire
By John Bowden
The Pentagon reportedly removed numerous references to climate change from a report about U.S. military installations, de-emphasizing the Department of Defense's (DOD) focus on preparing for the effects of rising temperatures and sea levels. -
Houston's Smog Won't Go Away Without EPA's Help
May 10, 2018 | Environmental Defense Fund
By Elena Craft
The Environmental Protection Agency recently gave Houston three years to meet health-based limits for ground-level ozone, or smog.
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(ACC Blog) U.S. Plastic Resin Producers Set Goal to Recycle or Recover All Plastic Packaging by 2040
May 10, 2018 | American Chemistry Matters
It’s ambitious, yet achievable—realistic—a true “stretch goal.”
This week ACC’s Plastics Division announced three new goals to guide and accelerate the capture, recycling and recovery of plastics packaging. Although we and our members have supported a variety of programs to increase plastics recycling, we want to be clear about our where we’re heading, and we want to get there faster.
The first two goals share a vision of the future we want for plastics packaging, and they are that:100% of plastics packaging will be re-used, recycled or recovered by 2040, and that100% of plastics packaging will be recyclable or recoverable by 2030.
Those who follow plastics recycling know this is a tall order: These are truly ambitious, stretch goals. They’ll require our industry’s best thinking, working with stakeholders across several value chains, and new ways of looking at materials and systems for capturing and reusing them. But given the rate of innovation in technology, deployment, and systems development, we believe they’re achievable.
In addition to accelerating our own progress, these goals are designed to support major brands and retailers, many of whom are making their own commitments, and we want to help them achieve their goals. In many cases, we’re already working together to increase consumer access to recycling, explore new technologies, and fund infrastructure. We believe that setting and sharing these goals will help to focus and better align these collaborative efforts moving forward.
This is important because ongoing innovations in plastics packaging—and how we manage packaging after use—are essential to improving living standards across the globe while enabling populations to live more sustainably.
Plastic packaging keeps the things we rely on fresh, sanitary, clean, and in some cases, even sterile. Often, plastics can provide these benefits using significantly fewer resources and with lower environmental impacts than alternatives. And while plastics already contribute to sustainability, we recognize more must be done to increase recycling, recovery and reuse of plastics under a circular economy framework.
This will include working with innovators to develop new products designed for greater efficiency and recycling, continued work to develop technologies and infrastructure that better separate materials, and development of systems that break down used plastics into their basic chemical building blocks, extending the life and value of these molecules as raw materials that can be manufactured into entirely new products, including virgin plastics, among other things.
In addition to our recycling goals, U.S. plastics resin producers will strengthen their systems to contain plastic pellets by committing to achieve Operation Clean Sweep-Blue status across their U.S. operations by 2020 and all of their North American operations by 2022.
OCS is a system of best practices for containing plastic pellets at all stages of production, shipping, handling and use to help minimize accidental releases to the environment. OCS-Blue is a higher standard that includes providing performance data that will be publically reported in aggregate over two- to three-year increments. Containing pellets throughout our North American operations will help advance our vision of a circular economy by keeping raw materials in use and out of the environment.
These goals are a first step, and we will adjust them going forward as we better understand how quickly new technologies can be implemented. We’re currently working to establish measurements and milestones to share on a regular basis. Achieving a more circular economy for plastics will enable society to continue to harness plastics’ essential benefits while optimizing how we use resources, and help to protect and restore the environment for future generations.
https://blog.americanchemistry.com/2018/05/u-s-plastic-resin-producers-set-goal-to-recycle-or-recover-all-plastic-packaging-by-2040/
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(ACC Mentioned) ACC Aims to Recycle, Recover or Reuse 100% of Plastic Packaging by 2040
May 10, 2018 | Waste Dive
By Kristin Musulin
Dive Brief:The American Chemistry Council's (ACC) Plastics Division announced Wednesday its members have set three ambitious goals: to ensure 100% of plastic packaging is recyclable or recoverable by 2030; to reuse, recycle or recover 100% of plastic packaging by 2040; and for all U.S. manufacturing sites operated by members to participate in Operation Clean Sweep-Blue (OCS) by 2020, with all sites in North America involved by 2022. Steve Russell, ACC's vice president of plastics, said in a press briefing the goals will be achieved "through innovation and through cooperation." ACC will focus on six key areas: designing new products; developing new collection, sorting and recycling technologies; improving consumer participation; expanding the types of plastics collected; aligning products with end markets; and expanding awareness of used plastics.By participating in OCS, member sites will commit to submitting data to the Plastics Industry Association and to ACC on metrics including amounts of resin pellets shipped and received, and amounts of pellets lost to the environment.WASTE DIVEWant news like this in your inbox?Our free newsletter will bring you the latest waste industry news & trends. From recycling to landfill operations, we'll deliver the waste intel you need to know.SUBSCRIBE TO WASTE DIVEDive Insight:
During the press briefing Russell said there had been a dissatisfaction across ACC with the rate of plastics recycling, which resulted in this decision to take aggressive action. These targets, however, will be a challenge to hit, especially if there isn't substantial buy-in from industry stakeholders.
He did note "pretty dramatic" commitments are being made across the plastics industry to include recycled content in products. "That's a good signal to the industry that there is wide and growing alignment on the need to do more and to do more faster," he said. "Yes [the goals] are aggressive but we think we can get there."
Russell also emphasized the importance technology will play in hitting these goals, including developing sortation technology that can improve bale quality and value, and developing innovations on the treatment side. "We're going to need to both improve the capacity and the scale for recovery technologies, and to better develop the end use markets for all kinds of recycled plastics," he said.
The distinction of recycling versus recovery was also clarified. Russell defined recycling as mechanical recycling, and recovery as the application of other technologies, such as pyrolysis and gasification systems, to blend plastic waste with other materials and develop new products. Initiatives such as the EnergyBag program have proven to be successful in collecting non-recyclable plastic materials from consumers — such as chip bags, juice pouches and other packaging — and turning them into fuel using pyrolysis.
While the bar is set high, Russell and other leaders have expressed significant confidence in the targets. By even attempting to achieve them, members are advancing the industry's goal of attaining a circular economy and committing to sustainable materials management.
https://www.wastedive.com/news/American-Chemistry-Council-recycle-recover-plastic-packaging-2040/523179/
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(ACC Mentioned) NPE '18: Plastics Industry Needs to Highlight Recyclability - Baerlocher
May 10, 2018 | ICIS
By David Haydon
With current consumer trends geared towards protecting the environment, the plastics industry needs to address misconceptions and highlight sustainability, Germany-headquartered additives supplier Baerlocher said on Thursday.
“Plastics are not seen favourably, and the value is declining,” Baerlocher’s North America CEO Ed Hall said on the sidelines of this year's National Plastics Exposition (NPE).
“We need to do something about that as the plastics industry to help people understand,” he added. “I’ve had that conversation a couple of times. People in plastics tell me, ‘This is in our hands.’”
Baerlocher’s director of specialty additives Roberto Nunez said that consumers are generally unaware of industry technology that addresses recycling, such as resin reprocessing systems.
“We have lots of interest in that,” he said, noting the company’s latest generation of stabilisation technology for polyolefins was being showcased at the expo.
Consumer misconceptions can be as simple as assuming paper is better for the environment than plastic, he said, despite the fact that plastics can be reprocessed.
“But the message that people are hearing, via the web, or wherever, is: choose paper,” Nunez said.
Hall cited businesses in the food industry that have considered phasing out expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) cups for reusable ceramic versions, without considering energy and water consumption, among other resources.
“The cost to create a ceramic mug, and to use a dishwasher, and soap, is far worse on the environment than a styrofoam cup,” he said. “You have to use energy to wash it, you’re putting detergent chemicals into the water stream.”
Despite technology advancements, recycling in the plastics industry is still driven by the costs for virgin resin, Hall noted.
“From a cost point of view, what we have is extremely effective,” Nunez said.
In the US, the American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) Plastics Division has established three goals for the recycling and recovering of all plastic packaging in the US by 2040.
The EU has set out to make all plastic packaging recyclable by 2030 in an effort to reduce single-use packages.
Sponsored by the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS), NPE2018: The Plastics Show takes place on 7-11 May in Orlando, Florida.
https://www.icis.com/resources/news/2018/05/10/10220638/npe-18-plastics-industry-needs-to-highlight-recyclability-baerlocher/
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(ACC Mentioned) TSCA CBI Guidance Documents a 'Missed Opportunity'
May 10, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Kelly Franklin
A coalition of NGOs says that the US EPA’s draft guidance on disclosing confidential information under the new TSCA falls short of what is needed to meet real-world needs.
The comments came in response to the agency’s consultation on three guidance documents that outline how certain people can access TSCA confidential business information (CBI) in emergency and specific non-emergency situations.
The EPA issued these consistent with the 2016 amendments to TSCA, which expanded the disclosure of protected information where such data could assist public officials and health professionals helping those at risk from chemical exposures.
But a coalition of 17 NGOs, spearheaded by Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, says the documents represent a "missed opportunity".
"While dutifully paraphrasing the requirements of the law, they fail to address the larger TSCA goal of enabling front-line professionals and public officials to successfully use the new provisions to meet real-life health and environmental needs," it says.Changes sought
Among the NGO coalition’s concerns is that the intended beneficiaries of the programme, such as first responder and physicians, are unlikely to be familiar with TSCA and legal intricacies around protecting CBI.
As such, the groups recommended the EPA develop outreach and education. And they believe the agency needs to train its staff to ensure "the statutory goal of providing necessary information to officials on the ground will [not] be stymied by poor communication, delays, and bureaucratic snags."
Other NGO commenters and New York’s environmental department echoed the coalition in recommending that the EPA include deadlines for how quickly it will process a request, to "avoid unreasonable delays in disclosing information".
And many also asked that the agency develop an electronic system for submitting requests and tracking their status.
More broadly, NGO the Environmental Defense Fund’s comments called on the agency to modify the documents to provide an "accurate description" of the confidentiality requirements outlined in section 14 of TSCA.
"EPA needs to accept that Congress consciously chose to impose more stringent substantive and procedural standards on confidentiality claims under TSCA, and that Congress called for wider disclosure of confidential information in this context," it said.Industry response
Industry groups largely supported the guidance documents, including provisions outlining the obligations on those requesting CBI to maintain the confidentiality of those data.
But the American Chemistry Council expressed concern the agency is not well equipped to respond quickly in emergency situations. It offered the use of its existing Chemtrec emergency response programme to facilitate implementation of this provision.
And the industry group also baulked at a statement in the guidance that suggests the EPA is generally required to release health and safety data. "While ACC agrees that the health and safety effects and results from a health and safety study must be disclosed, the underlying data is not, in fact, ‘required’ to be disclosed, as the guide suggests," it said.
The EDF, however, squarely disagreed that health and safety data are eligible for protection from disclosure. And it encouraged the agency to clamp down on companies "inaccurately" making overly-broad CBI claims.
https://chemicalwatch.com/66799/tsca-cbi-guidance-documents-a-missed-opportunity
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(ACC Mentioned) Surprise: EPA Will Finalize Obama Curbs on Paint Stripper
May 10, 2018 | E&E Greenwire
By Corbin Hiar
In an unexpected move, EPA said today it "intends to finalize" an Obama-era proposal that sought to restrict the sale of a deadly paint-stripping chemical.
The agency also announced it wouldn't re-evaluate "the paint stripping uses of methylene chloride and is relying on previous risk assessments," which found the chemical can trigger asphyxiation and heart attacks. The 2011 risk assessment also determined that long-term exposure can cause cancer and damage to the liver and kidneys.
EPA is currently moving to evaluate all other risks posed by uses of the chemical, as required by the recently overhauled Toxic Substances Control Act.
"EPA is working to send the finalized rulemaking to OMB shortly," the agency said in a news release. The Office of Management and Budget will review the regulation before it takes effect because the agency considers it "economically significant." That means it could have an annual economic impact of $100 million or more or have a material adverse effect on the economy, the environment, public health or communities.
The EPA announcement comes a day after the White House's regulatory plan labeled the draft rule from the Obama EPA a "long-term action," for which there was no expected date of completion. Shortly before leaving office, the previous administration proposed requiring methylene chloride-containing products to be distributed in 55-gallon drums — an effort to remove the toxic chemical from store shelves.
But the Trump EPA is facing pressure from the public and Congress to act on the chemical, which has killed more than 50 people in the last 35 years. Earlier this week, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt met with families of three young men felled by methylene chloride, and last month he faced sharp questioning on Capitol Hill about the delayed rule (Greenwire, May 8).
Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware, the top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, said the announcement was "welcome news."
But, he added, "just like a law doesn't mean much if it is not enforced, intentions to finalize a ban on a deadly chemical don't mean much if that chemical stays on the shelves."
Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families (SCHF) and the Environmental Defense Fund — two public health groups that have been organizing much of the support for the rule — also greeted EPA's release with cautious praise.
"This morning's announcement is an encouraging signal that would not be possible without the hard work and determination of the families of Drew Wynne, Kevin Hartley and Joshua Atkins, who have turned their grief into action to prevent further unnecessary deaths," Liz Hitchcock, the acting director of SCHF, said in a statement. "Like them, we look forward to seeing the details as the rule goes to OMB and look forward to seeing this dangerous chemical banned from store shelves and work places."
Sarah Vogel, EDF's vice president of health, said her group would be watching the administration's next methylene chloride moves closely, as well.
"We will delay any celebration until paint strippers containing this deadly chemical are actually off the market," she said. "There are a number of steps that now must be taken in order to effectively finalize and implement this ban. But if methylene chloride in paint strippers is effectively removed from the marketplace, it will be a good day for American families."
The chemical industry, meanwhile, is withholding judgment.
"Until we see the actual proposal, we really can't comment," Faye Graul, the executive director of the Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance, said in an email. "We're hoping to get details from EPA."
The American Chemistry Council said only that it "supports EPA's completion of the risk management rulemaking on methylene chloride and publication of a final rule." That more extensive process could take until 2024 to complete.
https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/05/10/stories/1060081379
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Action 'Shortly' on Solvent After Pruitt and Families Meet
May 10, 2018 | AP (In The New York Times)
The Environmental Protection Agency is promising quick action on new restrictions for a widely sold solvent used for paint stripping.
Thursday's announcement comes after EPA administrator Scott Pruitt met with families of men who died after using products with the compound methylene chloride.
The Obama administration in its last days proposed banning most consumer sales of methylene chloride. Lawmakers last month accused Pruitt of putting the rule on hold. Pruitt met Tuesday with families of a 31-year-old man and 21-year-old man who died after using paint-strippers.
The EPA said Thursday it would act "shortly" to put the new regulation on the books.
Activist Liz Hitchcock said she and other campaigners against methylene chloride welcome the announcement. Hitchcock says she will watch the final wording of the rule closely.
https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/05/10/us/politics/ap-us-epa-pruitt-families.html
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Encouraging EPA Response to Families on Deadly Paint Stripping Chemical
May 10, 2018 | Environmental Defense Fund
This statement is attributable to Dr. Sarah Vogel, Vice President for Health, Environmental Defense Fund:
“On Tuesday, Wendy Hartley and Cindy Wynne – both of whom lost their sons to methylene chloride exposure – met with members of Congress and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, asking that use of this deadly chemical in paint and coating removal products be banned.
We are encouraged that today EPA has decided to reverse course and move forward to finalize its proposed rule banning methylene chloride in these products. We are also encouraged that EPA is not re-evaluating the paint stripping uses of methylene chloride and is relying on its previous risk assessments, which found very high risks to consumers and workers from these products.
It needs to be noted that EPA’s statement falls short of committing to finalize a ban. It is vitally important that EPA move quickly to implement a ban, and that includes ensuring necessary administrative procedures are followed to guarantee a permanent ban and that these products are promptly removed from store shelves. We and families across this country will be watching closely to make sure this Administration actually delivers on today’s promise from Administrator Pruitt.
The credit for any step forward here belongs entirely to the brave members of the Hartley, Wynne and Atkins families who, to honor their sons and protect all of us, fought to ban this deadly chemical. They received important support from Senators Graham, Carper, Scott, and Udall and Representatives Sanford, Pallone, DeGette, Tonko, and Lowey, and others.
We will delay any celebration until paint strippers containing this deadly chemical are actually off the market. There are a number of steps that now must be taken in order to effectively finalize and implement this ban.
But if methylene chloride in paint strippers is effectively removed from the marketplace, it will be a good day for American families.”
http://blogs.edf.org/health/2018/05/10/encouraging-epa-response-to-families-on-deadly-paint-stripping-chemical/
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EPA Won’t Reverse Findings of Danger from Paint Stripping Chemical
May 10, 2018 | The Hill - E2 Wire
By Timothy Cama
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said Thursday that it won’t reverse an Obama administration report that enumerated various harms from exposure to paint-stripping chemical methylene chloride.
In a Thursday morning statement, the EPA stopped short of saying whether it will ban the chemical or certain uses of it.
But the announcement that the EPA “is not re-evaluating the paint stripping uses of methylene chloride and is relying on its previous risk assessments” is a welcome sign for environmental and health advocates who had suspected that the Trump administration would go soft on the substance.
The EPA also announced that it plans to continue the regulatory process for methylene chloride started under former President Obama in 2016 and will send it to the White House Office of Management and Budget for final review “shortly.”
The announcement came days after EPA head Scott Pruitt met personally with Wendy Hartley and Cindy Wynne, whose sons are among the dozens of people who have died due to exposure to the solvent.
Hartley and Wynne said they were glad that Pruitt agreed to meet with them, but disappointed that he did not make any commitments at the Monday meeting.
In the EPA’s semiannual regulatory agenda released in December, it did not commit to a timeline on a regulation for methylene chloride. Advocates took that as a sign that Pruitt wanted to abandon the effort.
But Pruitt told lawmakers at a hearing last month that he wasn’t dropping the issue.
“No decision has been made to deny that ban,” he said. “There will be a decision … I would imagine that is something we can do this year.”
Methylene chloride’s uses include stripping paint, degreasing and certain food production techniques.
If inhaled, it can cause symptoms ranging from dizziness, nausea and headaches to suffocation, coma and death.
Advocates for banning its use were pleased by the EPA’s announcement Thursday.
“Today’s announcement that EPA intends to finalize a ban on methylene chloride — a chemical so dangerous that it has killed dozens of people even when they were wearing protective gear — is welcome news, especially after the agency previously delayed finalization of this proposed ban indefinitely,” Sen. Tom Carper (Del.), the top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, said in a statement.
“We are encouraged that today EPA has decided to reverse course and move forward to finalize its proposed rule banning methylene chloride in these products,” said Sarah Vogel, vice president for health at the Environmental Defense Fund.
“We are also encouraged that EPA is not re-evaluating the paint stripping uses of methylene chloride and is relying on its previous risk assessments, which found very high risks to consumers and workers from these products.”
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/387112-epa-wont-reverse-findings-of-danger-from-paint-stripping-chemical
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May 10, 2018 | Chemical Watch
IRIS ammonia agendaThe EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) programme has released a preliminary agenda for its public science meeting on ammonia.
The 23 May web-based meeting will cover the IRIS Assessment Plan (IAP) non-cancer assessment for oral exposure to ammonia and ammonium salts. The programme is accepting public comments on this through 16 May.ELAB members sought
The agency is accepting nominations to its Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board (ELAB). This is an advisory committee tasked with providing advice and recommendations to the EPA’s leadership about "issues related to enhancing EPA's measurement programmes, and facilitating the operation and expansion of national environmental accreditation".
https://chemicalwatch.com/66732/us-epa-round-up
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EPA Reaffirms Lead-Safe Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule, Citing 150% to 500% Payback
May 10, 2018 | Environmental Defense Fund
By Tom Neltner
In April 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completed a thorough review of its Lead-Safe Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule (RRP) promulgated a decade ago. This rule requires contractors and landlords to use lead-safe work practices when more than minor amounts of lead-based paint in homes built before 1978 are disturbed. It also applies to pre-1978 child-occupied facilities. This review was conducted pursuant to Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Actbecause of RRP’s significant impact on more than 300,000 small businesses that perform more than 4 million affected projects each year.
EPA concluded that RRP, including several post-2008 amendments, “should remain unchanged without any actions to amend or rescind it.” As part of the review, the agency updated its economic analysis and found that the estimated annual societal benefits, primarily in improved children’s IQ, of $1.5 to $5 billion exceeds the $1 billion in estimated annual compliance costs. Those estimates translate into an impressive annual payback of 150% to 500%. Keep in mind that these benefits do not include the lower risk of premature cardiovascular deaths attributed to adult lead exposure in a March 2018 report in Lancet.
Separately, a report from the Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trust(RWJF/Pew Report) found that:
Ensuring that contractors comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s rule that requires lead-safe renovation, repair, and painting practices would protect about 211,000 children born in 2018 and provide future benefits of $4.5 billion, or about $3.10 per dollar spent. This includes $990 million in federal and $500 million in state and local health and education savings and increased revenue. The effort would cost about $1.4 billion.
As part of its Section 610 review, EPA carefully considered 35 comments, including EDF’s, which it received on RRP since 2008. The analysis reveals that the industry’s long-standing objections were either unsubstantiated, overblown, or had already been addressed through rule changes. I encourage every one of the hundreds of people who train and certify renovators in RRP compliance to study EPA’s analysis so they can help students understand why lead-safe work practices are so important.
A controversial rule from the start
Since it was promulgated in 2008, the RRP has been controversial with the lead poisoning prevention advocates and the renovation industry. Both groups challenged the rule in court. Advocates, led by Sierra Club, demanded three things: (1) removal of the option for people to opt out of work practices if no children were present; (2) require dust clearance testing, especially for major projects, to confirm that no lead-dust hazards remained after cleaning; and (3) extend the rule beyond residences and child-occupied facilities to include public and commercial buildings as required by Congress. In 2009, EPA reached a settlement with advocates to reconsider the rule in light of their three demands, ultimately accepting the first in 2010, rejecting the second in 2011, and continuing to work on the third.
Industry dropped its initial challenge but went to court to block the EPA’s 2010 rule change prompted by the settlement. In 2012, the U.S. District of Columbia Court of Appeals unanimously rejected their arguments. Despite the court decision, industry continued to seek action in Congress and at EPA, and health advocates continued to voice concerns about EPA’s inadequate efforts to ensure compliance with the rule.
In addition, EPA’s Inspector General (IG) has published two reports on RRP. In 2012, the IG criticized the agency’s cost-benefit analysis of the rule and in 2013 concluded that EPA is not recovering all its costs from licensing fees. In addition, the IG announced in March 2018 that it was investigating whether the agency “has an effective strategy to implement and enforce the lead-based paint RRP.”
Next steps for EPA
Since 2010, when RRP went into effect, we have seen significant reductions in children’s exposure to lead, thanks to this rule and many other federal, state, and local actions. Continued progress takes vigilance. Hopefully, EPA’s review will put industry complaints against the current rule to rest, enabling the agency to help states adopt the rule and strengthen efforts to ensure more effective local compliance. Since lead-based paint remains in homes, only through aggressive compliance assurance can we continue to make progress and not backslide. And, as an added benefit, compliance levels the playing field so that renovators committed to protecting children’s health are not working at a competitive disadvantage.
http://blogs.edf.org/health/2018/05/10/epa-reaffirms-rrp-rule/
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North American Organisation Examines Presence of PFASs in Apparel
May 10, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Leigh Stringer
A study conducted by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, a trinational organisation created by Canada, Mexico and the US, has examined 137 articles of clothing and apparel for the presence of PFAS substances.
PFASs (per- and polyfluorinated substances) are used in a wide range of consumer products for their heat, water and oil resistant properties. According to the US EPA, the group of compounds are persistent, resist degradation in the environment and bioaccumulate.
"The degree to which they can migrate out of apparel and contact the skin or saliva of the wearer, or enter the environment, can be a concern," the study says.
It was undertaken because, although environmental monitoring data is available, only limited information exists on the substances' presence and trends in consumer products, including children's items.
The degree to which [PFASs] can migrate out of apparel and contact the skin or saliva of the wearer, or enter the environment, can be a concern, CEC study
Consequently, last summer, the CEC, established under the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC), analysed articles of clothing and performance apparel, including children's items, purchased from 27 cities across North America.
Targeting 31 PFAS compounds, it found that 97 articles, or 68.6%, showed positive results for at least one.
Of the articles tested, outdoor jackets presented the highest number of "positive hits". The most frequently detected compounds were perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, (45%) and PFHxA (43%). But low concentrations of PFOS were also found, which the study says may "confirm improvements in the implementation of PFAS regulations in various sectors".Action on PFAS
In 2009, PFOS was added to Annex B of the UN treaty, the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs). This annex requires parties to the convention to take measures to restrict the production and use of the chemicals listed.
Other PFASs have been targets of international and regional regulatory action. PFOA and PFHxS are being considered for listing under the Stockholm Convention.
US state policy experts have predicted addressing PFOA, PFOS and related substances will be the biggest emerging chemical regulation issue at state level this year.
And in December 2017, the US EPA announced a cross-agency effort to address PFASs. However, the agency has not promised regulatory action.
In Europe, the Swedish Chemicals Agency, Kemi, and Germany's federal environment agency (UBA) have submitted a joint proposal to Echa to restrict the manufacturing and placing on the market of six PFASs. And in July last year the Nordic Council, an intergovernmental cooperation body representing five countries, called for prompt regulatory action on the substance group.
In 2006, the US EPA invited eight major fluoropolymer and telomer manufacturers to participate in its PFOA stewardship programme, where they made voluntary corporate commitments to eliminate PFOA and related chemicals from emissions and products by 2015.
Manufacturers in Europe, the US and Japan have largely phased out PFOA. However, its use in other countries, particularly China, has meant that it is still finding its way into the environment.
Meanwhile, a report from Australia's expert health panel for PFAS has concluded that evidence linking exposure to PFASs with human disease is limited or non-existent.
The CEC study is part of its Greening of Chemicals in North America project, which aims to develop knowledge useful to chemical risk assessment and/or risk management in the three countries.
The CEC's broader mission is to address "regional environmental concerns, help prevent potential trade and environmental conflicts and promote the effective enforcement of environmental law". It says it "complements the environmental provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta)".From the PFAS family
perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)
Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS)
Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)
https://chemicalwatch.com/66783/north-american-organisation-examines-presence-of-pfass-in-apparel
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Cancer Warnings for Coffee May Be Overkill, But Proposition 65 is Not
May 10, 2018 | Los Angeles Times
By Jennifer Liss Ohayon and Claudia Polsky
It's official: Coffee sold in California must carry cancer warnings, a Los Angeles judge ruled this week.
The warnings are required by California law, Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle said, because of the presence of acrylamide, a chemical that is formed when coffee beans are roasted and that remains in the final beverage.
The decision finalized a tentative ruling Berle had made in March. Since the initial ruling, an outpouring of commentary has suggested that, as one opinion writer put it, California has gone off the "deep end." There is no evidence that coffee causes cancer, many pointed out, and warnings about trivial risks could cause more serious notifications to lose resonance.
We agree that there is little gain, and possibly some harm, in issuing cancer warnings that don't convey relative risk. But much of the reaction has overlooked a crucial detail: The California law behind such warnings, Proposition 65, has been the single most effective tool for spurring American companies to eliminate toxic chemicals from processed foods and consumer products.
California voters approved the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, commonly known as Prop. 65, in 1986, by a margin of 2-1. Since then, companies have been required to warn the public of any exposure to hundreds of chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or reproductive harm. If a company fails to provide a warning or remove a chemical from its products, that business will be vulnerable to litigation.
Prop 65 has prompted manufacturers to remove lead from children’s products; arsenic from playground structures; and formaldehyde from portable classrooms.Share quote & link
The chemical in coffee, acrylamide, has a variety of industrial uses, and it has been on the Proposition 65 list of dangerous substances since 1990.
But while acrylamide on its own is designated a "probable" human carcinogen, coffee in beverage form is most likely not a carcinogen, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The less than crucial coffee warning, though, is a small price to pay for all that Proposition 65 has accomplished. It has protected consumers from countless hazards.
Proposition 65 has prompted manufacturers to remove lead and other heavy metals from children's products; arsenic from playground structures; and formaldehyde from portable classrooms.
When federal regulators faced difficulties regulating chlorinated tris, a flame retardant linked to cancer, Proposition 65 litigation caused manufacturers to remove it and other toxic fire retardants from furniture and children's products.
Proposition 65 ensures that retail giants like CVS and Target stock their shelves with safer products. It also informs the purchasing practices of many large institutions. Kaiser Permanente, the country's largest healthcare group, followed Proposition 65's guidelines and eliminated plasticizing chemicals associated with developmental disorders from their neonatal and pediatric intensive care units.
Moreover, because the law affects products that get sold nationwide, Proposition 65 protects all Americans from dangerous chemicals, not just Californians.
Now is a particularly critical time for state leadership when it comes to regulating toxic substances. Under administrator Scott Pruitt, the Environmental Protection Agency recently backtracked on banning the toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos. Soon after, California listed chlorpyrifos under Proposition 65, and this has paved the way for limiting its use.
Pruitt's EPA has also postponed bans on three toxic chemicals used in consumer products — methylene chloride, N-methylpyrrolidone and trichloroethylene. Thankfully, all three chemicals are subject to regulation under Proposition 65.
A number of groups are working to ensure that Proposition 65 targets significant public health threats rather than trivial ones. Our research team has a state-funded grant to identify potential improvements to Proposition 65 that could reduce exposure to chemicals that cause breast cancer.
California's toxicology agency, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, recently issued new regulations to make Proposition 65 warnings more informative. And regulations to curb abusive litigation under Proposition 65, issued by former Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris, are beginning to have a positive impact.
Coffee may not cause cancer, but Proposition 65 remains a critical public health tool. As the federal government abdicates its responsibility to regulate toxic substances, California's law is an example from which other states can learn.
Dr. Jennifer Liss Ohayon is a research fellow at the Silent Spring Institute and Northeastern University. Claudia Polsky is an assistant professor at UC Berkeley's law school and director of its Environmental Law Clinic.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-ohayon-polsky-coffee-cancer-warnings-20180510-story.html
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CIA Urges UK Government Accord on Echa Associate Membership
May 10, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Luke Buxton
The UK Chemical Industries Association is calling for swift progress towards a "joined-up" approach between itself and the British government on a post-Brexit associate membership of Echa.
Such an approach would pave the way to advancing proposal talks at EU level, CIA head Steve Elliott has told Chemical Watch.
Ahead of a second high level meeting with UK government departments later this month, Mr Elliott said it is essential that the chemicals industry’s view of associate membership "chimes" with that of Whitehall.
There is no point, he added, in the UK sector approaching European chemicals trade body, Cefic, and "trying to join the dots when we’re not in line with our own government".
At the Chemical Watch Brexit conference on 17 April, Mr Elliott outlined the terms to be considered by both sides of the negotiations as part of an associate membership agreement. They are:recognition under EU law and acceptance by both parties of registrations, authorisations, approvals and notifications obtained by UK and EU27 companies;existing compliance activities to remain valid and the establishment of a process to avoid reapplications in the EU and UK;a mechanism to allow the UK to negotiate access to the Echa database to ensure ongoing and future compliance efforts;authorities carrying out assessments on products undergoing testing, registration or authorisation processes at the point of exit, to be allowed to complete them; andthe UK to continue participating in and maintaining responsibilities under Echa’s regulatory processes.
In March, the CIA and Cefic issued a joint statement, in which they called for continued UK participation in Echa. Next, if UK industry – with governmental approval – can get into a position where it is "joined up on some of the detail" with Cefic, Mr Elliott said the proposal has a better chance of support across the Channel.‘Helpful’ meetings
In March, the CIA and other industry representatives took part in an inaugural meeting with various government departments to discuss Brexit topics. Subjects included associate membership and rules of origin and the impact they would have on customs arrangements.
Officials from the environment ministry (Defra), the business department (Beis) and the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) attended.
The meetings, which take place every six to eight weeks, are "helpful" Mr Elliott said because it is not just one government department talking to industry. "It’s also helpful that an industry like ours, which quite often has been away from the spotlight, now has quite a high profile."
The challenge, he added, is that the UK has to agree a headline deal on Brexit terms with the EU27 by October, "and if that means we’ve got to work up quite a level of detail then we haven’t got long".
What "can’t happen", he said, is for the group to do "a temperature check" each time it meets. It needs to have worked out specifics of "what’s really important for our industry and our customers, so the officials who are negotiating understand what’s valuable and what they could give away more cheaply in negotiations".
And what industry does not want, he said, is time wasted on negotiations from Brexit day of March next year until December 2020 – the date the tentative transition period ends, if formally agreed in the first instance.
That period, he said, "is supposed to be about preparing. The more the UK can do up front the better, to give us that period of grace to get business sorted, rather than ongoing negotiation and a lack of clarity until December 2020 and then suddenly things change overnight."
During a debate on the EU Withdrawal Bill on 8 May, Parliament's House of Lords voted through an amendment that would allow the UK to continue to participate in, or have a formal relationship with, the EU agencies after exit day.
https://chemicalwatch.com/66785/cia-urges-uk-government-accord-on-echa-associate-membership
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May 10, 2018 | Chemical Watch
Advice on changes to joint submissionsEcha has created a webpage to help registrants identify situations in which they need to contact the agency to request changes to a joint submission once it has been created in REACH-IT. Lead registrants can make some changes themselves but some have to be made by the agency.
The webpage lists six scenarios, including lead role verification, in which such a request would need to be made.Calls for evidence: restrictions of microplastics and oxo-degradable plastics
It is the last opportunity to provide comments to the agency's call for evidence on the use of intentionally added microplastic particles in products. The deadline is 11 May.
Meanwhile, the deadline for feedback on oxo-degradable plastics has been extended to 31 May.Webinar: last-minute advice on REACH 2018A reminder that Echa is running a webinar on 17 May, offering last minute advice on REACH registration with the deadline fast approaching. The event offers the opportunity to pose questions to an expert panel on all aspects of registration.Workshop on EUSES update needs
The agency is running a workshop looking at what is needed to update Euses, the EU system for the evaluation of substances. This is a decision-support software that enables government authorities, research institutes and chemical companies to carry out a rapid assessment of the risks posed by chemicals.
The main objective is to review the state of the art in environmental exposure assessment, and discussions will be based on recent scientific developments on release estimation and fate assessment within regulatory exposure assessments, the agency says.
The workshop will provide a platform for regulators, industry, academia and other stakeholders of REACH and biocides Regulations to participate in the review.
It is planned from 4-5 June in Brussels.Update to Echa-term database
The agency has added 45 new terms and their definitions to the Echa-term resource. This is a multilingual terminology database in 23 EU languages, where terms and their definitions can be found and downloaded free of charge.
The new terms come from:the Practical guide for SME managers and REACH coordinators;Iuclid material; andthe best practices document on how to prepare registration dossiers that cover nanoforms.Substance evaluation work translations availableGuide on substance evaluation: the practical guide How to act in substance evaluation is now available in 23 languages. This describes how authorities evaluate substances and explains registrants’ obligations. The guide also addresses data sharing and communication between registrants of the same substance.Summary of 2017 evaluation report: The summary and recommendations of the agency's annual progress report on evaluation under REACH are now available in 23 languages. The recommendations help new and existing registrants to comply with REACH requirements and improve the quality of their dossier.PEG consultation on revised CLP guidance
Echa has sent draft Guidance on labelling and packaging under CLP (version 4.0) for Partner Expert Group (PEG) consultation. The guidance has been fully revised. The main changes are:alignment with a new annex to the CLP Regulation on harmonised information relating to emergency health response; andaddition of a new section 6.2, describing the labelling of multi-component products with label examples.REACH-IT closed 4-5 June
Echa has advised that its REACH-IT tool will be closed from Monday 4 June 00:00 (EEST, GMT+3) until Tuesday 5 June 10:00 (EEST,GMT+3) for maintenance. The tool is not accessible during this period.
https://chemicalwatch.com/66752/echa-round-up
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UK Government Denies Ban on Wet Wipes
May 10, 2018 | Chemical Watch
The UK says it is not planning a ban on wet wipes, as was recently widely reported in the media, but is working with industry to find "suitable alternatives" that consumers can safely dispose.
Wet wipes, also known as wet towels or baby wipes, are small, moistened pieces of paper or cloth used for cleaning purposes. They contain plastics which, when flushed down the toilet, can block sewers and slowly break down into microplastics that in turn cause harm to marine life.
Reports across the UK media this week suggested that wet wipes would be banned as part of the government's 25-year environment plan, which aims to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by the end of 2042.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) subsequently clarified the position, saying that while eliminating single-use plastic waste is one of the government’s top priorities, "we have not announced plans to ban wet wipes".
Defra said it is working with manufacturers and water companies to understand which types of wet wipes cause sewer blockages, and make sure labelling on the products "is clear and people know how to dispose of them properly".
Authorities are employing tougher controls on microplastics pollution. The UK ban on the manufacture of cosmetics and personal care products containing plastic microbeads came into effect in January. A ban on sales of such products will follow on 30 June.
https://chemicalwatch.com/66792/uk-government-denies-ban-on-wet-wipes
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Anses Calls for New In Vitro Genotoxicity Tests for Titanium Dioxide
May 10, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Emma Davies
There is an urgent need for new and improved in vitro genotoxicity tests for titanium dioxide nanoparticles (NPs), according to the French Agency for Food, Environment and Occupational Health and Safety (Anses).
While collecting carcinogenicity information for hazard assessment of titanium dioxide, Anses found that few in vivo studies were good enough to reach a conclusion on genotoxicity. "The low quality of the in vivo dataset is likely to lead to possible false interpretation of the genotoxic profile of titanium dioxide NPs," according to a report written by a team from the agency's chemical assessment unit.
"Even if in vivo data are considered of higher relevance than in vitro data, unfortunately they are too limited to conclude on genotoxicity of titanium dioxide NPs," it writes in Nanotoxicology.
Numerous in vitro studies are available, but these also give an inconsistent genotoxicity profile, it adds.
Titanium dioxide was added to the Community Rolling Action Plan (Corap) in 2013, but its evaluation has been dogged by issues regarding the identity – the shape, size and coating - of different types of nanomaterials. The difficulties are exacerbated by the myriad uses of the substance.
France updated its Corap justification document in March 2018, stating that "in the absence of reliable in vivo assays, there is an essential need for further in vitro and in vivo investigations of the genotoxicity potential of titanium dioxide NPs".Room for improvement
Anses found that most in vitro studies are on rutile and anatase forms of titanium dioxide. The latter is a photo-catalyst, meaning light could significantly affect test results through formation of reactive oxygen species.
"It is essential to take the effect of light into account when interpreting the in vitro genotoxic results obtained from NPs with photocatalytic properties," writes the Anses team.
It is also important to choose the cell line carefully and to check that the NPs don't interfere with assay function, it adds. The team calls for in vitro tests lasting longer than 24 hours, as well as the standard, shorter assays. This should help to identify a "large range" of DNA damage mechanisms, it suggests.
Negative genotoxic results should be confirmed by checking how the cell line responds to NP exposure and whether the NPs could prevent the test system from working as it should.
Finally, the Anses team calls for studies to be reported in detail, with access to raw data. This is "essential for an adequate explitation by regulatory bodies", it says.
Because TiO2-NP toxicity is a "topic of interest for society", the agency expects an increase in published data. But it strongly reminds researchers that the "quality needs to be improved over quantity of data".
In 2017, Echa's Risk Assessment Committee decided that TiO2 should be classified as a category 2 carcinogen by inhalation. Some EU member states suggest that the classification should not be directly translated into CLP but should have a split entry based on particle size or form.
https://chemicalwatch.com/66798/anses-calls-for-new-in-vitro-genotoxicity-tests-for-titanium-dioxide
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Washington County Files Lawsuit Against Oil and Gas Industry Over Climate Change
May 10, 2018 | The Hill - E2 Wire
By Miranda Green
A Washington state county filed a lawsuit against the oil and gas industry Thursday for contributing to climate change.
King County's suit is targeting five fossil fuel companies BP, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch and ConocoPhillips — "for knowingly contributing to climate disruptions and putting the residents of King County at greater risk of floods, landslides, ocean acidification, sea level rise, and other impacts," according to a county statement.
The county, which encompasses Seattle, aims to require those companies to establish an abatement fund to mitigate the effects of climate change on salmon recovery, public health, storm water management and infrastructure.
"The science is undisputable [sic]: climate change is impacting our region today, and it will only cause greater havoc and hardships in the future,” King County Executive Dow Constantine said in a statement.
“The companies that profited the most from fossil fuels should help bear the costs of managing these disasters. Big Oil spent many decades disregarding and dismissing what is our most pressing generational challenge. We must hold these companies accountable as we marshal our resources to protect and preserve what makes this region great.”
The county adds its name to other districts in California, New York and Colorado that have filed similar lawsuits.
On May 24, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California will start hearings on whether a suit filed by San Francisco and Oakland should proceed to trial or be dismissed. A similar hearing will take place in New York City in June.
Environmentalist groups are cheering the latest suit.
Richard Wiles, executive director for the Center for Climate Integrity called it a "moment of reckoning."
"The fossil fuel industry is not above the law: oil and gas is a product just like lead, asbestos, and tobacco, where producers can be held liable for damages," he said in a statement.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/387113-washington-county-latest-to-file-climate-liability-lawsuit-against
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Pruitt to Hear Economic Arguments in Enforcing Clean Air Act
May 10, 2018 | AP (In The New York TImes)
Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt says the agency will seek input on the economic impact of enforcing the Clean Air Act.
Pruitt's announcement could set the stage for major changes and legal battles over how the United States enforces its 48-year-old law combating air pollution.
Pruitt set out the changes in a memo released Thursday.
Federal law and U.S. Supreme Court decisions require the EPA to focus on public health — not costs — in setting limits for smog, soot and other pollutants under the Clean Air Act.
Pruitt says EPA advisory committees will also consider how limits on pollutants would impact the economy and state and local governments.
Pruitt says in a tweet the changes are part of his drive to give state and local governments more say.
https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/05/10/us/politics/ap-us-epa-pruitt-clean-air-act.html
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Total Invests in Clean Energy Fuels in the U.S.
May 10, 2018 | Houston Chronicle
By Jordan Blum
French energy major Total is betting on natural gas over diesel as a fuel source in the U.S. with an investment in California-based Clean Energy Fuels.
Total will pay $83.4 million to become Clean Energy Fuels' largest shareholder with a 25 percent stake and with commitments to invest more in deploying thousands of additional natural gas-fueled, heavy-duty fueling trucks.
Total and Clean Energy plan to create a leasing program for natural gas fuel trucks to replace their diesel counterparts, which don't burn fuel as efficiently for the environment.
While, in the past, natural gas trucks were more expensive, Total is pledging there will be no cost increase for the cleaner alternatives.
"Customers and regulators around the world are demanding cleaner transportation alternatives, particularly in the heavy-duty (truck) market," said Total CEO Patrick Pouyanné. "Natural gas can become the fuel of choice. Total believes there is a strong development opportunity in the natural gas for transportation market, in particular in the United States, which benefits from unique, giant low-cost gas resources."
Total is one of the world's largest producers of natural gas.
Clean Energy Fuels is postponing its annual shareholders meeting from May 30 to June 8 to give investors more time to consider the deal.
https://www.chron.com/business/energy/article/Total-invests-in-Clean-Energy-Fuels-in-the-U-S-12903531.php
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Calif. Enacts Toughest Building Standards in Nation
May 10, 2018 | E&E Energywire
By Debra Kahn
California officials adopted building efficiency standards yesterday that will steer builders toward installing solar panels on all new homes.
The California Energy Commission's standards cover all building projects, from home remodels to retail and office buildings. New homes would have to include enough solar panels to offset their electricity use or else compensate by using extra-efficient materials.
The standards, which will take effect in January 2020, fall short of the state's goal, set in 2008, to achieve "zero net energy" for new and remodeled homes by 2020, with commercial buildings to follow by 2030. Regulators had trouble offsetting the use of natural gas for heating and cooking.
Instead, regulators have come up with a metric called "energy design rating" that scores buildings cumulatively against a benchmark rating. A building that forgoes solar, for example, can make up the difference by exceeding efficiency standards for lighting, appliances, insulation, heating or cooling. While homes will be more expensive up front, the rules are expected to save $1.7 billion in energy costs over the next 30 years and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.4 million metric tons.
As in previous versions, the standards vary according to geographic regions. The state is divided into 16 climate zones that have different preferred shades of window glazing, for example, depending on their sun exposure. The rules also put a varying value on electricity use depending on the time of day and season, known as "time-dependent valuation," that makes calculating zero net energy even more complicated (Climatewire, Jan. 22).
In recent months, regulators tweaked the standards to encourage the use of electric, rather than gas-fired, water heaters by assigning different baselines for gas and electric heaters. That heartened environmental groups that are pushing the state to decrease reliance on natural gas.
"The key part of this development is it levels the playing field between gas and electric for new construction," said Rachel Golden, a senior campaign representative with the Sierra Club.
Utilities and solar companies lined up at yesterday's hearing to praise the standards. Building industry advocates were also largely on board, including the California Building Industry Association, the state's main trade group. "Adoption of these standards represents a quantum leap," said Bob Raymer, CBIA's technical director. "You can bet every one of the other 49 states will be watching to see what happens."
Manufacturers of heaters, air conditioners and refrigerators said they opposed the rules for requiring high-efficiency air filters to compensate for particulate air pollution from passing vehicles. "We're asking you to delay adoption of this," said Tom Sheehy, a lobbyist for the Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute.
Voluntary, extra-green standards known as CALGreen are due to come before the CEC later this year. The state will also soon begin work on its next batch of building standards, to take effect in 2022. They will focus on large multifamily homes and commercial buildings.
https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2018/05/10/stories/1060081337
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U.S. Sanctions Galvanize Iranian Hackers, Experts Warn
May 10, 2018 | E&E Energywire
By Blake Sobczak
President Trump's decision this week to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal could kick up a hornet's nest of hackers, cybersecurity experts and Democratic lawmakers warn.
Hackers working for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have caused tens of millions of dollars of damages to U.S. banks and other critical companies in recent years, according to U.S. officials, even breaking into the control system of a small dam in upstate New York five years ago (Energywire, March 28, 2016).
With news that Trump has pulled out of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — an international agreement aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions — Tehran could use additional cyberattacks as a means to push back against renewed U.S. economic sanctions, observers say.
"We assess that within months, if not sooner, American companies in the financial, critical infrastructure, oil, and energy sectors will likely face aggressive and destructive cyber attacks by Iranian state-sponsored actors," Priscilla Moriuchi, director of strategic threat development at the cyber intelligence firm Recorded Future, said in a statement following Trump's announcement Tuesday.
She warned that Trump's actions "have placed American businesses at increased risk for retaliatory and destructive cyber attacks by the Islamic Republic [of Iran]."
In a speech Tuesday, Trump painted the 2015 deal as "horrible" that did "nothing to constrain Iran's destabilizing activities, including its support for terrorism" (E&E News PM, May 8).
In a separate fact sheet, the White House called for Iran to "end its cyber-attacks against the United States and our allies, including Israel," and cease pursuing "malign activities" in Syria, Yemen and Lebanon.
The 2015 JCPOA, hashed out by leaders in Iran, Germany, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the U.S., was aimed at blocking Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and so did not cause Iran to call it quits on cyber espionage.
This March, law enforcement authorities revealed that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which houses sensitive critical infrastructure information about the U.S. power grid and gas networks, was hit by Iranian hackers (Energywire, March 26).
While Iran has stopped short of disrupting the control networks that underpin the power grid and other lifeline U.S. industries, experts say the country has the technical chops and the willingness to wreak havoc. Iran has built out its cyber offensive capabilities since the late 2000s, when its Natanz nuclear enrichment facility fell victim to the infamous Stuxnet cyberattack, which caused nuclear centrifuges to spin out of control.
"Iranian actors remain among the most aggressive we track, carrying out destructive and disruptive attacks in addition to stealthier acts of cyber espionage," John Hultquist, director of intelligence analysis at the cybersecurity firm FireEye Inc., said in an emailed statement. Hultquist pointed out that while Iran-backed groups haven't abandoned U.S. and European targets, they've tended to focus on critical infrastructure in the Middle East since the nuclear agreement came into effect. "With the dissolution of the agreement, we anticipate that Iranian cyberattacks will once again threaten Western critical infrastructure," he concluded.
Jake Williams, founder of Rendition Infosec, said on Twitter that "we definitely expect to see more activity from Iranian hackers in the coming days/weeks after the US has withdrawn from the nuclear deal."
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that Iran is remaining in the JCPOA with the five remaining signatories but would "examine whether remaining JCPOA participants can ensure its full benefits for Iran," according to Iran's semiofficial Fars News Agency. He cast Trump's decision to phase in sanctions on Iran's energy, petrochemical and financial sectors as part of "the beginning of a psychological war against Iran."
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had sharper words for Trump on Twitter, declaring Trump's "shallow & ludicrous behavior wasn't unexpected" while suggesting that "nuclear energy is a necessity" for his country.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, a longtime geopolitical foe to Iran, has pledged to pursue its own nuclear program if Tehran acquires a nuclear capability, according to Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir.
Saudi Arabia's oil and gas sector has been subject to some of the most invasive and destructive cyberattacks in history, including the 2012 Shamoon virus that effectively destroyed thousands of computers at state-owned Saudi Arabian Oil Co.
Joe Slowik, adversary hunter at industrial cybersecurity firm Dragos Inc., said he expects to see continuing malicious hacking activity directed against Saudi Arabia. But he said he was not girding for anything "dramatic" elsewhere — at least immediately.
"I feel Iran will lay low for a bit, so as not to make things obvious," Slowiki said.
He noted that could change if European countries side with the U.S. and impose sanctions again.
Iran's history of hacking activity has been punctuated by occasional, sudden and devastating attacks — a "methodical vs. reactionary" dichotomy, according to an analysis posted yesterday by Recorded Future.
The cybersecurity firm pointed to an episode in October 2013, when casino magnate Sheldon Adelson called for the U.S. to launch a nuclear strike on Iran. A few months later, Las Vegas Sands Corp. — a major casino and resort company owned by Adelson — fell victim to a destructive cyberattack that erased hard drives and caused tens of millions of dollars in damages.
"This was the second public Iranian attack campaign on an American business, where the response called for speed over time and preparation," Recorded Future noted, hinting a new quick-turnaround attack or attacks could now be in the works.
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called cyberattacks "a key part of Iran's asymmetric strategy" against the U.S.
"Iranian cyberattacks against the United States happened before the JCPOA and will likely continue to happen in the aftermath of the United States' withdrawal from the deal," he said. "As the United States slaps on new nuclear and non-nuclear-related sanctions that were previously waived under the agreement, Iran has no incentive to pause their malicious behavior both in cyberspace and in places like Syria or Yemen."
https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2018/05/10/stories/1060081331
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Manufacturers in Regulatory Limbo as TWIC Reader Rule Fuels Compliance Crisis
May 10, 2018 | National Association of Manufacturers
By Laura Berkey-Ames
Across the nation, manufacturers have demonstrated a firm resolve in protecting critical infrastructure, their facilities, and key assets from natural disasters, manmade hazards, and terrorism. Industry prudently engages in risk management planning and invests in security as a necessary component of its business operations. To achieve this, manufacturers need regulatory certainty to make appropriate, economically justifiable long-term investments to protect facilities’ threat and vulnerability conditions. Unfortunately, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)’s Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Reader Requirements Final Rule (Final Rule) runs counter to manufacturers’ efforts to efficiently and effectively protect their facilities. In four short months, manufacturers must comply with a Final Rule that not only lacks regulatory certainty, but also creates significant logistical challenges for the regulated community.
The TWIC reader rulemaking was a long time in coming, as it took USCG several years to study readers’ performance, solicit and evaluate stakeholder feedback, and develop the rule. But when it emerged, the Final Rule was alarmingly flawed. Without notice, the scope of the Final Rule was expanded beyond what was initially proposed, and departed from established Coast Guard policy (PAC 20-04). Specifically, the Final Rule requires electronic TWIC inspections at facilities that only receive Certain Dangerous Cargoes (CDC) by non-maritime modes of transportation, such as truck or rail. It also requires electronic inspections at facilities that only receive, but do not unload, vessels containing CDCs. These changes did not go through public notice and comment – a clear violation of the Administrative Procedure Act.
Moreover, the TWIC Reader Rule is out of step with the new Administration’s regulatory reduction efforts. The rule runs counter to the White House executive order to reduce regulation burdens, as it would create substantial new regulatory burdens for manufacturing sites and for thousands of workers nationwide.
Congressionally-mandated assessments have called into question the effectiveness of the TWIC reader program. In May 2013, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report (GAO 13-198) that raised concerns about the TWIC reader program’s effectiveness in enhancing security. As a result, GAO called on Congress to halt the promulgation of a Final Rule until the assessment is completed. In December 2016, Congress passed legislation (PL 114-278) that requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of the TWIC program. DHS has yet to complete this critical assessment, but it is still moving forward and requiring that more TWIC readers be installed at more facilities and in more locations – despite uncertainty about their benefits. This situation is creating logistical challenges for facilities that are already in compliance with TWIC visual inspection requirements.
Importantly, for many months, industry expressed their concerns to DHS, the USCG, and Congress that the rulemaking process was undeniably flawed. The regulated community has relied on representations by the USCG that it would extend the Final Rule’s compliance date by three years, but this extension has not materialized. Industry is very concerned at the rapidly approaching deadline for the new rule, as manufacturers now lack the required lead time to sufficiently plan and install new equipment, infrastructure, software, and to train new employees.
Facility security remains a top priority for manufacturers and they want to ensure that their facilities are in compliance with all DHS and USCG regulations. With the compliance deadline looming, manufacturers concerns are growing as they remain in limbo. This flawed rule’s compliance deadline must be delayed while USCG addresses the critical issues regarding effectiveness of the new requirements and the scope of coverage.
http://www.shopfloor.org/2018/05/manufacturers-regulatory-limbo-twic-reader-rule-fuels-compliance-crisis/
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AAR Supports Automated Railroad Technology
May 10, 2018 | Transportation Today
By Melina Druga
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) recently submitted comments to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in support of enhancements to rail safety and reliability through automation.
As automation has increased in the industry, safety has also increased, AAR said. Since 2000, the track-caused accident rate has dropped 55 percent, the train accident rate 44 percent, the derailment rate 42 percent and the equipment cause accident rate 38 percent.
While there have been many benefits, regulations are impeding on progress, AAR said.
“While railroading in America is safer than ever, we are at an inflection point and further progress requires a paradigm shift,” AAR President and CEO Edward Hamberger said. “Emerging automated technology now makes it possible to envision, and more importantly build, a future free from the cause of one-third of all train accidents – human error. The Department of Transportation has encouraged the development and deployment of this game-changing technology in other transportation sectors, and we hope this is the beginning of an ongoing conversation about how it can be put to work across the world’s best freight rail network.”
Through its comments, AAR is urging the U.S. Department of Transportation to approach railroad automation as it has automobile automation.
https://transportationtodaynews.com/news/9365-aar-supports-automated-railroad-technology/
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ASLRRA Signs Herzog to Offer PTC Support to Members
May 10, 2018 | Progressive Rail Roading
By Linda Bauer Darr
The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has entered into an agreement with Herzog Technologies Inc. to provide positive train control(PTC) support to the association's members.
The Herzog Hosting solution offers complete PTC back office functionality and is designed to assist railroads with implementation of interoperable PTC systems, ASLRRA officials said in a press release.
The association is offering the solution to members who must equip with PTC per federal regulation or as required by their Class I partners, said ASLRRA President Linda Bauer Darr.
"The implementation of PTC is one of the most complex and challenging projects to be mandated for the U.S. rail system, particularly for our short-line members, who often do not have the technical staff and expertise, but have a complicated role to play, integrating with multiple Class I systems," Darr said. "Via our agreement with Herzog, we believe we are able to offer PTC support at a price that is reasonable for our small business railroad members."
The Herzog service will enable real-time information regarding train movement, speed restrictions, train position and speed, and the state of signal and switch devices to be shared between trains, rail wayside devices and back office applications.
"We understand the complexities and the hurdles of PTC implementation, particularly for the small business environment of short-line railroading, and are pleased to have developed a solution that meets the needs of this community, enabling them to work towards meeting the PTC mandate," said Jim Hanlon, Herzog Technologies' vice president-rail systems.
Under the agreement, railroads will be able to select from additional Herzog services, including startup support, compliance, training and in-service testing.https://www.progressiverailroading.com/short_lines_regionals/news/ASLRRA-signs-Herzog-to-offer-PTC-support-to-members--54633
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Pruitt Changes NAAQS Review to Consider ‘Adverse’ Effects of Standards
May 10, 2018 | PoliticoPro - Whiteboard
By Alex Guillen
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt today directed the agency to change the review process for a critical air quality program to include the potential “adverse” effects of tighter standards.
In a memo signed Wednesday, Pruitt directed the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, which advises on National Ambient Air Quality Standards issues, to provide advice on background pollution concentrations and the "adverse public health, welfare, social, economic or energy effects" from setting and achieving NAAQS standards.
The Supreme Court has previously ruled that EPA cannot consider implementation costs when setting NAAQS standards. Pruitt’s memo argues that such information, even if not used to set a standard, can provide “important policy context for the public, co-regulators and EPA.”
Pruitt also committed EPA to finish reviews of two controversial standards before the end of President Donald Trump’s first term.
Even as EPA continues internal deliberations over revising the 2015 ozone standard, Pruitt committed the agency to meeting the October 2020 deadline to again review the standard. He also directed EPA to complete its review of the particulate matter standard by December 2020.
The memo also:
— Calls for "more efficient ways" to conduct the scientific and policy assessments that underlie NAAQS reviews;
— Requests a "clearer distinction" between the scientific conclusions and the "wider range of policy concerns" that Pruitt considers in setting standards;
— Urges CASAC members who disagree with the panel’s consensus to "share their own individual opinions;" and
— Advises EPA to issue implementation rules and guidance concurrent with NAAQS revisions.
WHAT’S NEXT: The memo directs EPA to begin work on the next ozone review in order to complete it by October 2020.
https://subscriber.politicopro.com/energy/whiteboard
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Emails Reveal Behind-the-Scenes Plans for Climate Debate
May 10, 2018 | E&E Climatewire
By Niina Heikkinen and Robin Bravender
Last July, a Democratic Capitol Hill staffer emailed an aide in EPA's congressional affairs shop. House Democrats wanted more details about the EPA chief's plans to hold a public debate over climate science.
"We've seen some news reports come out about Administrator Pruitt's plan to put together a Red Team/Blue Team exercise on climate science but hadn't seen any specifics," Priyanka Hooghan, an aide on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, wrote in a July 18, 2017, email. "We were wondering if the agency had a timeline of when you expect this exercise to take place?"
Pruitt had publicly announced earlier that month that he wanted to set up a military-style "red-team, blue-team" exercise to evaluate mainstream climate science. He said he might like it to be televised. The idea has come under fire from scientists, Democrats and others who argue that it plays up the uncertainties in climate science.
The congressional request was sent to Samantha Linkins, an aide in EPA's Office of Research and Development — the agency's science arm. But she said her shop had nothing to do with it.
"The red team blue team exercise is not an ORD effort," Linkins replied. "The Administrator is the one who wants to do this and I'm guessing his folks are putting it together."
According to the emails released this week, obtained by the Natural Resources Defense Council under a Freedom of Information Act request, EPA's air office didn't have the answers, either.
The air office suggested that Pruitt's chief of staff, Ryan Jackson, or the policy shop, then led by Samantha Dravis, might have more information.
More than 500 pages of newly released emails offer a glimpse inside EPA's planning for the climate debate, which Pruitt still hasn't launched. They show how conservatives attempted to influence the administrator, which political aides were kept in the loop and how closely guarded Pruitt's plans were inside the agency.
White House officials and Pruitt's critics have pushed back against the EPA administrator's idea for a sweeping climate science debate, and it's unclear whether it will happen. Pruitt has continued to say publicly that he hopes it will take place, and some conservatives hope the exercise could be the first step in unraveling EPA's climate change regulations.The rollout
On May 1, 2017, several Pruitt aides circulated an April 28 Wall Street Journal op-ed by Steve Koonin, a former Obama-era Energy Department official, who pushed for the red-team, blue-team climate debate, the emails show.
That came after Pruitt had met with Koonin on April 28, according to the EPA boss's calendar. They discussed the idea of launching a debate aimed at poking holes in mainstream climate science, Pruitt told Reuters last year (Climatewire, Oct. 4, 2017).
By late June, plans to roll out a climate red team were underway at EPA.
Then-Pruitt communications aide Liz Bowman wrote a June 28 email asking, "How do I get a hold of Koonin to discuss Red Team Blue Team? Can someone send me talking points, details, etc. so that I can start working on a roll-out plan?"
Richard Yamada, a Pruitt appointee in EPA's science office and a former Republican staffer on the House Science Committee, replied to Bowman and Chief of Staff Jackson that he had "a brief 1 pager" on the red-team plans. But "there's a lot of details that need to be filled," he added.
Details about the strategy were removed from the emails released by EPA, citing a "deliberative process" exemption under FOIA.
Two days after that exchange, E&E News was the first to report that Pruitt hoped to launch the climate science critique (Climatewire, June 30, 2017).
Yamada appears to be one of the leading architects of the plan within EPA, despite indications that career staffers in the science office weren't involved.
Other staff members who appear to have participated in the strategy include Jackson, Bowman and former communications aide Amy Graham.
Bowman wrote to Brittany Bolen in the policy office on June 29 that she, Jackson and Yamada had a call on "Red Team/Blue Team" that night. "Amy if you can come to my office and listen in that would be great," she said.Red-team prospects
Beyond Koonin, EPA staffers consulted with a physicist who has bemoaned "climate hysteria" about potential candidates for a science debate.
William Happer, an emeritus Princeton University physics professor, had previously advocated for a "Team B" to counter evidence linking carbon dioxide emissions to global warming. Happer has long been rumored to be in the running to be President Trump's science adviser. He pushed the "Team B" idea in March 2017 at a conference organized by the conservative Heartland Institute (E&E News PM, March 24, 2017).
Jackson emailed Happer in November 2017 to discuss EPA's plans.
"I've been working with Dr. Koonin on his red team blue team idea," Pruitt's chief of staff wrote. Koonin, Jackson added, "mentioned that part of the idea is really spearheaded from your work. I wanted to contact you at a convenient time to talk with you about that group."
Happer appears to have provided Jackson with a list of candidates who could take part in such a debate.
"I am sorry that distractions prevented me [from] getting this material about potential red team members to you earlier. Please keep it confidential," Happer wrote later that month.Talking climate in Rome
Pruitt even talked about the climate debate at dinner with a Vatican official.
Cardinal George Pell, the Vatican's treasurer, had dinner with Pruitt when the administrator traveled to Italy as part of the Group of Seven summit last year. The administrator has come under fire for the trip for taking an Air Force jet from Cincinnati to New York in order to make meetings scheduled ahead of the summit (Greenwire, Sept. 27, 2017).
At the time, Pell was working as the prefect of the Vatican City's Secretariat for the Economy.
Pruitt's then-aide, Dravis, wrote to Pell's private secretary, the Rev. Anthony Robbie, "I am at dinner with Cardinal Pell and Mr. Pruitt."
Dravis told Robbie that Koonin's op-ed about the red team had come up.
"They discussed this article can you print a copy for His Excellency?" she wrote. She also thanked Robbie for a tour of the pope's official residence, the Apostolic Palace.
In November 2012, Pell was quoted in the publication Church Times referring to some environmental activists as "zealots."
He was quoted in the same article pointing to uncertainties in climate science. "I have discovered that very few people know how small the percentage of carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere. ... Carbon dioxide does not destroy the purity of the atmosphere, or make it foul or filthy. ... It is not a pollutant, but part of the stuff of life."
Pell is now heading to trial on charges of child sex abuse.
A Melbourne, Australia, magistrate ruled earlier this month that Pell will face trial on multiple charges of sexual abuse. He is the highest-ranking Vatican official to be charged in the global sex abuse scandal, according to NPR.
EPA did not respond to requests for comment about Pruitt's meeting with Pell or about its plans for a climate science debate.
https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2018/05/10/stories/1060081341
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Pentagon Removes Numerous Climate Change References from Obama-Era Report
May 10, 2018 | The Hil - E2 Wire
By John Bowden
The Pentagon reportedly removed numerous references to climate change from a report about U.S. military installations, de-emphasizing the Department of Defense's (DOD) focus on preparing for the effects of rising temperatures and sea levels.
An unpublished draft of a DOD report obtained by The Washington Postshows that a final version, which was presented to Congress in January, was missing several references to climate change as well as other key data.
In particular, maps detailing "those sites that indicated possible effects could occur due to increased mean sea level between 0-3 feet” were left out, the newspaper noted.
Other references to climate change were changed to "extreme weather," "climate," or were deleted entirely, it added. One passage describing how storms are "made more destructive by a reduction in sea ice and an increase in ice free periods" was removed completely from the final document.
“The wordsmithing, not saying ‘climate,’ I could live with that,” retired Navy vice admiral Dennis McGinn tells the Post. McGinn served as assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations and environment under the Obama administration.
“But taking out … maps of critical areas of flooding, that’s pretty fundamental. And the Arctic, that’s huge, for a lot of reasons, not just for Department of Defense, but for the Coast Guard, and commercial shipping business.”
A Pentagon spokeswoman wouldn't comment on the changes to the report in a statement to the Post, but stated that preparing for the impacts of climate change remains a priority.
“As highlighted in the report, the effects of climate are a national security issue with potential impacts to missions, operational plans, and installations,” Heather Babb said.
“DOD continues to focus on ensuring its installations and infrastructure are resilient to a wide range of threats, including climate. The Department has a proven record of planning and preparing for such threats.”
http://thehill.com/policy/defense/387078-pentagon-removes-numerous-climate-change-references-from-obama-era-report
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Houston's Smog Won't Go Away Without EPA's Help
May 10, 2018 | Environmental Defense Fund
By Elena Craft
The Environmental Protection Agency recently gave Houston three years to meet health-based limits for ground-level ozone, or smog. While it is a good goal, the six-county region cannot achieve it without the agency taking aggressive steps to reduce air pollution.
Unfortunately, we are not seeing EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt take those steps. He is moving in the other direction, promoting policies that will increase smog-forming pollution in Houston and beyond.
Here are three realities about Houston’s stubborn smog problem:
Our air is cleaner today because of regulation and enforcement
Houston is not as smoggy as it was in 1999, when the city took the unwanted title of America’s smog capital from Los Angeles – the product of the region's growing industries and traffic. Smog forms when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds from industrial facilities and vehicles cook in sunlight.
The reason for the vast majority of the documented pollution reductions in Houston? Federal action. Over the past two decades, EPA has reduced smog-forming pollution through consent decrees with Texas companies, stricter emissions controls for industrial sources and vehicles, and improved technologies to capture pollution from emissions sources.
Pruitt, however, appears determined to roll back protections for the air we breathe. He did not set the deadline for communities to meet smog standards until after courts ordered him to act. He also recently proposed to weaken Obama-era fuel economy standards for cars and trucks, a move that would increase smog-forming pollution that causes asthma attacks and other heart and lung diseases.
Houston needs more action because progress has stalled
After years of improving air quality, Houston has not seen any gains since 2014. Here is the bottom line: the region’s smog levels remain unhealthy.
Already this year, Houston has endured seven days with ozone levels considered too high for active children and adults and those with lung disease. These smoggy days happened between April 24 and May 9 – a span of 15 days.
What’s more, smog knows no boundaries. On May 7, more than half of the region’s 34 stationary monitors recorded unhealthy ozone levels, stretching from near Bush Intercontinental in the north to Galveston in the South, from Baytown in the east to the University of Houston in the west. A day later, the region’s worst smog was in The Woodlands, the leafy suburb some 30 miles north of downtown Houston.
We can do better
There is a lot more work to do to bring Houston’s air quality into compliance with health-based standards. To meet the 2021 deadline, we will need aggressive action from Pruitt’s EPA.
Let EPA know that you want clean air for a healthier Houston. You can write the agency here.
http://blogs.edf.org/texascleanairmatters/2018/05/10/houstons-smog-wont-go-away-without-epas-help/
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