Preview Newsletter
ACC AM 26/12/18
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(ACC Mentioned) The Answer to Plastic Pollution is to Not Create Waste in the First Place
Dec 26, 2018 | The Guardian - Opinion, Yahoo! News UK
By Monica Wilson
As holiday shopping ramps up, so do the dizzying varieties of plastic packaging tossed in recycling bins. -
Reader's View: The Grinch Resides in Lansing
Dec 26, 2018 | Midland Daily News
By Gregory Eagle
The Michigan Republican Legislature continues to be the Grinch who is stealing democracy, public health, quality environment, and our vast natural resources. -
The Ultimate Guide to Non-Toxic Healthy Cookware Alternatives
Dec 26, 2018 | Ask Health News
By Hannah Cleese
Non-stick cooking pans have become popular since the last decade because of their easy use and convenience in cleaning. -
EWG’s Most Popular Stories of 2018 – and Some You May Have Missed
Dec 26, 2018 | Environmental Working Group
By Isang Udokwere
Another 12 months is just about in the books. -
Ohio EPA Issues Air Permit for Potential Cracker Plant
Dec 26, 2018 | The Times
By Jared Stonesifer
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has issued an air permit for a potential cracker plant in southeastern Ohio, about 65 miles southwest of Beaver County. -
2019 Outlook: Solar, Wind Could Hit 10 Percent of U.S. Electricity
Dec 26, 2018 | BNA Daily Environment Report
By Bobby Magill
Renewable energy industries have ample reason for optimism in 2019: The year is expected to be one of steady growth as renewable power prices continue to decline and solar developers take advantage of investment tax credits poised to ratchet down during the next several years. -
Capitol Corridor Passenger Trains Just Got the Biggest Safety Upgrade in a Century
Dec 26, 2018 | Sacramento Bee
By Tony Bizjak
Two years ago an Amtrak Capitol Corridor passenger train outside Sacramento jolted so violently that passengers thought it would derail. -
How to Rescue the Global Climate Change Agenda
Dec 26, 2018 | Financial Times
The depressing reality about climate change is that we could solve the problem, at manageable cost, but are failing to do so.
Industry and Association News
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(ACC Mentioned) The Answer to Plastic Pollution is to Not Create Waste in the First Place
Dec 26, 2018 | The Guardian - Opinion, Yahoo! News UK
By Monica Wilson
As holiday shopping ramps up, so do the dizzying varieties of plastic packaging tossed in recycling bins. And while we wish a Christmas miracle would transform this old garbage into something new, the reality is the waste left over from the holiday shopping frenzy is more likely than ever to end up in a landfill or incinerator. Until January of this year, the United States and other Western countries were foisting their low-value plastic waste on to China, with little concern for the environmental degradation this caused. To protect its citizens from the burden of foreign pollution, in the beginning of this year, China refused to be the world’s dumping ground and effectively closed its doors to plastic waste imports.
China’s new National Sword policy of refusing foreign waste has brought a long-overdue moment of reckoning for the recycling industry, and by proxy, for manufacturers. It’s clear recycling alone cannot come close to addressing the ballooning amounts of plastic waste piling up all over the country. Even before China’s waste ban took effect,only 9% of plastic in the US was actually recycled. No matter how diligently Americans sort their plastic waste, there is just too much of it for the US, or any other country, to handle.Plastic pollution discovered at deepest point of ocean
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On the bright side, the ban sparked a much needed conversation about improving domestic recycling infrastructure and recycling markets, and has forced both companies and the public to re-evaluate the products and packaging that were previously assumed to be recyclable. But the ban has also been used as a wrongful justification for burning trash in incinerators.
Waste incinerators became popular in the US in the late 80s, until harmful emissions of mercury and dioxins, toxic ash, technical failures, and prohibitive costs soured the public on the industry. However, there are still more than 70 relics left over from that failed experiment which continue to pollute surrounding communities and drain city coffers.
Producers should focus on preventing plastic from being made in such large quantities
One of the most notorious cases is in Detroit. The city’s incinerator, perversely named Detroit Renewable Power, exceeded emissions limits more than 750 times over the last five years, contributing to one of the highest rates of asthma in the country. Not only is the incinerator criminally polluting, it cost the city nearly $1.2bn in debt. According to US Energy Information Administration data, incinerators are the most expensive way to produce energy – costing twice that of nuclear and solar and three times the cost of wind.
In some cases, recent incineration schemes are even disguised as recycling programs. For example, the city of Boise, Idaho, which was rocked by China’s waste ban, is directing residents to “recycle” their plastic by putting it in a special orange bag called the Hefty Energy Bag. The plastic is then melted to make fossil fuels to burn.Advertisement
This method, called pyrolysis, or “plastic-to-fuel”, is being pushed by the American Chemistry Council, Dow Chemical, Unilever, and others who are invested in continuing the status quo of churning out massive amounts of single-use plastic. Not only is this form of incineration the opposite of recycling, it gives people a false sense of security that single-use plastic is acceptable to continue making and using. Instead of coming up with increasingly complicated and expensive ways to deal with plastic waste, why not focus on preventing it from being made in such large quantities in the first place? We simply need less plastic in the world.Packaging producers to pay full recycling costs under waste scheme
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Notably, many North American cities are cracking down on nonsense single-use plastic and resisting short-sighted, false solutions like plastic-to-fuel. Plastic bag bans or fees are underway in cities such as Seattle, Boston, San Francisco (leading to a statewide ban), and Washington, DC. Some cities are going even further: Vancouver is introducing a city-wide ban on single-use straws, foam cups, and containers starting June 2019. In addition to bans and fees on problematic products and packaging, several cities are also pursuing legislation that would force companies to pay for managing the waste created by their products instead of foisting disposal costs onto the consumer, thereby motivating them to change their manufacturing and delivery systems to eliminate or drastically minimize waste.
This holiday season, the greatest gift manufacturers can give consumers is the option to buy their products without ending up with a recycling bin full of single-use plastic packaging destined for the burner or the dump. As the saying goes, “necessity is the mother of invention”. China’s National Sword policy gives us the opportunity to kick our society’s plastic habit once and for all and to put pressure on those most responsible for it: not consumers, not cities, but producers.
Monica Wilson is policy and research coordinator and the associate director of the Global Alliance for Incinerators Alternatives (Gaia)As 2018 draws to a close….
… we’re asking readers to make an end of year or ongoing contribution in support of The Guardian’s independent journalism.
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https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/dec/26/pollution-plastic-waste-environment-china
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Reader's View: The Grinch Resides in Lansing
Dec 26, 2018 | Midland Daily News
By Gregory Eagle
To the editor:
The Michigan Republican Legislature continues to be the Grinch who is stealing democracy, public health, quality environment, and our vast natural resources. As I write this, I cannot keep up with the adverse legislation rushed in these waning days of the Snyder administration.
In addition to the legislation referenced in my recent opinion, bills are in progress to remove our state’s ability to use all science to assess the public threat of toxic chemicals (SB-1244) and, most disturbing, to remove the ability of Michigan to protect the environment (HB-4205) by making federal environmental regulations the law of the land. EPA regulations are often considered the minimum level of public health protection and a very generic level of environmental protection. Michigan is a leader in environmental protection with our laws predating federal protections and dating back to 1929.
Plus, changes will make protections a decision of the president rather than Michigan citizens. A current example is that many PFAS contaminants would not even be designated a toxic chemical under these bills. These bills and others passed or in progress, pose serious economic damage. Obtaining an environmental permit will be more complicated and costly. The value of hunting and fishing in our state economy is now estimated to be $11.2 billion annually.
An Michigan State Univesity ecological economist just recently estimated that a serious loss of oil from the 60-plus-year-old Enbridge Line 5 pipelines could trigger a domino effect of damage disrupting Great Lakes commercial shipping and steel production, slashing jobs, and shrinking the nation’s gross domestic product by $45 billion after just 15 days.
Recent legislation overrules the attorney general in making legal decisions on this pipeline. This is crazy, desperate political pandering ignoring public will and input. Please raise concern with your Michigan legislators and hold them accountable to you, rather their loyalty to divisive national party leadership.
GREGORY EAGLE
Midland
https://www.ourmidland.com/opinion/letters/article/Reader-s-view-The-Grinch-resides-in-Lansing-13489153.php
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The Ultimate Guide to Non-Toxic Healthy Cookware Alternatives
Dec 26, 2018 | Ask Health News
By Hannah Cleese
Non-stick cooking pans have become popular since the last decade because of their easy use and convenience in cleaning. The problem with these cooking pots is the toxic chemicals that have several dangers for health.
The type of cooking ware is often overlooked when cooking healthy foods. However, making the right choice is very important to save your meal from sabotaging. Toxic chemicals from the cooking ware can get absorbed in the food cooked which makes the healthiest foods as the most dangerous ones. Therefore, considering the right type of cooking ware is essential if you want to save yourself from the unnecessary toxins.
Teflon Cookware
Teflon cookware is linked to many health disorders including cancer and fertility problems. It is considered as the most dangerous type of cookware as the coating is achieved with a special method which evolved toxic fumes on heating. They get preheated over the safe temperature limits given by the company itself which turns toxic on the high burner. The temperature limit for Teflon is 660 degrees Fahrenheit which easily exceeds within minutes of heating the cookware. On reaching 680 degrees Fahrenheit, Teflon cookware produces six toxic gases which can lead to polymer fume fever when inhaled.
Polymer fume fever may include symptoms like flu and can be very dangerous for health. The chemicals released can be lethal for humans as well as birds and so alternatives should be opted to keep yourself and the environment safe. Moreover, toxic fumes are so harmful that they can lead to breast, prostate, and ovarian cancer.Kitchen Sanity
Copper Cookware
Copper cookware looks stylish and elegant only on the outside as uncoated copper can easily leach into the food you cook. Copper is popular because of its conductive properties which make the cookware evenly heated very quickly. While the uncoated copper may cause problems with leaching food, the coated one contains nickel which is extremely toxic itself. Nickel is also known to cause allergic reactions which are not a good choice in any case.
Also, excessive copper in the diet decreases zinc levels which account for proper immune system. Suppressed zinc levels in the body are known to cause malfunctioning of the adrenals and other glands of the body. Zinc is an essential nutrient for the body which is why individuals often take dietary supplements to overcome the deficiency. Although you may have seen various dietary supplements containing copper as it is only important for the human body in small quantities. Excessive amounts of copper can be devastating for health and may cause several problems like heavy metal poisoning.
Better alternatives are available for each of the toxic cookware. Even copper cookware can be replaced with better materials that can be heated quickly and conveniently. It is recommended to choose wisely and stay away from leaching products.ShedHeads
Aluminum Cookware
Aluminum cookware has been linked to nervous system problems as exceeded aluminum levels are harmful to health. Aluminum itself is pretty dangerous and its cookware is often coated so as to prevent the leaching process. Like other non-stick cookware, coated aluminum is known to chip and deteriorate which does no good for health as the food gets exposed to aluminum again. It is therefore recommended to opt for the greener companies manufacturing safe products and don’t risk money while buying toxic materials for cooking otherwise healthy organic food.
High levels of aluminum used for cookware will cause problems with the nervous system which include various conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and autism.Parade
Ceramic Coated Cookware
Soft ceramic is not a reliable material to use for cookware as it will start chipping easily. Several months of daily use will start damaging the cookware and its quality will not remain suitable for cooking food. The main elements that get into your food while cooking in ceramic coated cookware are lead and cadmium which get into your body to act dangerously in many ways. They may cause abdominal pain, headaches, and infertility problems in individuals which will be hard to cope with afterward.The Kitchen Advisor
Healthy Alternatives for Cookware
There are healthy alternatives to the toxic cookware which should be invested in for good health. It is also advised to look for the reliable manufacturing companies that have good name for providing customers with teh right product.
Glass Cookware
The glass is an absolutely safe choice for cookware as it does not produce any toxicity when heated. It is durable and safe for the environment too. Glass is one of the favorites of many individuals as it looks good and does not cause any harm. It does not deteriorate even if it is used for longer periods of time. No toxic fumes are produced when they are heated but the only concern is that is not suitable for frying purposes.Walmart Canada
Stainless Steel Cookware
Stainless Steel is scratch resistance which will keep your cookware neat and clean forever. It does not cause any damage to your health which is the best part about it. Stainless steel cookware are lighter in weight and are made resistant to chipping. They will not have scratches until long as the material is long lasting. However, only small amounts of nickel can leach from this cookware, it is not a big concern unless the food is simmered for longer periods. It is advisable to choose glass or other cookware for foods that have to be cooked for longer periods of time.Walmart
100% Ceramic Coated Cookware
100% ceramic coated cookware is not considered to be dangerous for health as it does not emit any toxic fumes. It is made up of natural materials which are all safe for use in cookware. This cookware is 100% safe from any chemicals and toxic materials as there is no other coating apart from ceramic. Therefore, it is better to opt for the 100% ceramic coated cookware to stay safe and keep yourself healthy.Best Kitchen Buy
Cast Iron Cookware
Cast Iron Cookware is known for consistent heating and it contains no toxic substances. Also, the main benefit of using cast iron cookware is increasing iron levels naturally in the body. It should still be taken care of when long simmering of foods has to be done as this may cause some harm. There are two main types of cast iron cookware like enameled cast iron cookware and bare iron pans both of which are good alternatives of the toxic materials.
The enameled cast iron cookware provides the non-stick properties of Teflon which will not emit any toxic fumes on heating. They will also require very little maintenance and can last long. The bare iron pans are known for their even heating properties but can also leach iron into the food cooked. Acidic foods like vinegar or tomatoes can cause leaching faster than other foods and so this should be kept in mind. Anemic patients can benefit greatly with such cooking pots as they can be able to overcome their deficiency while non-anemic patients should be careful about too much iron intake while using them.KaTom Restaurant Supply
Bottom Line
Choose the products of companies that are reliable and known for good quality. Use natural cookware wherever possible as that is the only healthy alternative to all other harmful materials. Also, don’t put your food on stake by choosing the wrong materials for cooking purpose as the healthy and organic foods will turn into the most dangerous foods when cooked with toxins and chemicals. It’s time to invest in healthy cookware as your health comes on a priority always.
https://askhealthnews.com/2241/the-ultimate-guide-to-non-toxic-healthy-cookware-alternatives/
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EWG’s Most Popular Stories of 2018 – and Some You May Have Missed
Dec 26, 2018 | Environmental Working Group
By Isang Udokwere
Another 12 months is just about in the books. It was full of moments that impacted health and the environment in a variety of ways. From clean water to Kavanaugh, from Pruitt to “poop lagoons,” EWG has been with you every step of the way, keeping you in the know. As the year comes to a close, it’s time to look back at the most popular stories.
Fact or fiction? A Russian company that’s one of the world’s biggest producers of asbestos (and is tied to Vladimir Putin) was so full of praise for President Trump’s support for continued use of asbestos that they wrapped their product with an image of his face. This really happened, and received more than 3,000 reactions on Facebook (most of which were not happy).
Remember the scene from the film “Erin Brockovich” where the lawyer picks up a glass of water, and Brockovich says: “We had that water brought in ‘specially for you folks?” More than 25 years after that real-life conversation, 200 million Americans still have the cancer-causing compound chromium-6 in their water supply.
Reef madness! Hawaii banned sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate. The two dangerous chemicals are linked to hormone disruption in people, the bleaching of coral reefs and coral death. Check out the EWG Guide to Sunscreens to learn more about products that contain minerals such zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to filter harmful radiation.
Our second-most popular report of 2018 is all about number 1 on our Dirty Dozen list. Up to 22 different pesticides can be found on a single sample of conventional strawberries. Do you remember what the other items on the list were? Click the image for a refresher about what other foods are included in the Dirty Dozen.
The EWG story of the year was – you guessed it – glyphosate. From DeWayne Lee Johnson’s landmark victory against Monsanto to our reports showing which popular oat-based cereals contain the pesticide, everyone was talking about the cancer-linked chemical. EWG kept you up to date on the latest news about this harmful chemical and how it makes its way into your life.5 Stories You May Have Missed
When you see “artificial flavors” listed in the ingredients of your food, you may not think “chemicals linked to cancer.” That’s exactly what consumers were getting with the commonly used chemicals benzophenone, ethyl acrylate, eugenol methyl ether, myrcene, pulegone, pyridine and styrene – before EWG and other groups pressured the FDA to institute a ban. Manufacturers have two years to comply with the new standards.
Who would’ve imagined that cleaning could do as much harm as smoking? A study by a team of European researchers found that using chemical cleaning products could harm female workers’ lungs as much as smoking a pack of cigarettes every day for 10 to 20 years.
President Trump’s nominee for White House environmental czar, Kathleen Hartnett White, former chair of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, admitted in a 2011 interview that the commission falsified data to make it appear that communities with excessive radiation levels were below the EPA's legal limit for drinking water. According to an EWG analysis of 2010-15 test results from public water systems nationwide, drinking water for more than 170 million Americans contains radioactive elements at levels that may increase the risk of cancer.
In April, EWG visited Capitol Hill to advocate for common-sense regulations on ingredients in personal care products. We were joined by a mother and concerned citizen you may have heard of: Kourtney Kardashian. Kourtney and the production crew from “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” spent the day alongside EWG staff, culminating with Kourtney speaking at a briefing for congressional staff.
The 2018 Farm Bill failed to fully address the farm pollution problem facing rural America. But it is an important step in the right direction and may long be remembered as the “drinking water” farm bill. Significant reform is coming to programs that encourage farmers to protect drinking water. Sens. Debbie Stabenow, Sherrod Brown, Bob Casey, Tom Carper and others played critical roles in what may prove to be the biggest environmental victory of the 115th Congress.
https://www.ewg.org/news-and-analysis/2018/12/ewg-s-most-popular-stories-2018-and-some-you-may-have-missed
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Ohio EPA Issues Air Permit for Potential Cracker Plant
Dec 26, 2018 | The Times
By Jared Stonesifer
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has issued an air permit for a potential cracker plant in southeastern Ohio, about 65 miles southwest of Beaver County.
The decision is seen as the last major regulatory hurdle needed to be cleared before the two companies overseeing the potential project make a final investment decision. Those two companies are Thailand-based PTTGCA and South Korea-based Daelim Industrial Co.
If those two companies agree to build the ethane cracker plant, the development could look a lot like what’s happened in Beaver County. According to a news release from the Ohio EPA, the potential cracker plant could result in hundreds of permanent jobs and thousands of construction jobs in the region.
If built, the plant would include six ethane cracking furnaces that would be able to produce 1.5 million tons per year of ethylene and polyethylene, both of which are used in plastics and chemical manufacturing.
The two companies haven’t specified a timeline for when a final investment decision might be forthcoming for the project, which is located near Shadyside in Belmont County, Ohio.
Despite that, Belmont County Commissioner Mark Thomas on Monday said the air permit is “one of the last few regulatory matters to clear the way” to a positive investment decision.
“We are now poised to continue to move forward to a 2019 favorable final investment decision, one which will solidify future economic growth for many years to come,” he said.
Thomas, who has toured the local Shell Chemicals’ cracker plant site numerous times, also said it’s an “exciting time in the tri-state region” with the prospect of two ethane cracker plants being built here.
“We have a unique opportunity here, and I firmly believe that if we build on our individual successes and try to merge them, it will have dramatic positive results for our youth and our economic future,” he added.
Dan Williamson, a spokesman for PTTGCA, called the approval of the air permit an “important step toward a final investment decision for the project.”
“We appreciate the professionals at Ohio EPA for their consideration,” he said.
The Ohio EPA said in a news release that the cracker plant could emit carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and other greenhouse gases and volatile organic compounds “within acceptable levels, along with minor quantities of other pollutants.”
The Ohio EPA is still considering issuing a modified wastewater discharge permit for the potential cracker plant, although the project can move forward and break ground with the current permit already in place.
http://www.timesonline.com/news/20181226/ohio-epa-issues-air-permit-for-potential-cracker-plant
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2019 Outlook: Solar, Wind Could Hit 10 Percent of U.S. Electricity
Dec 26, 2018 | BNA Daily Environment Report
By Bobby Magill
Renewable energy industries have ample reason for optimism in 2019: The year is expected to be one of steady growth as renewable power prices continue to decline and solar developers take advantage of investment tax credits poised to ratchet down during the next several years.
The industry is keeping an eye on whether wind and solar power will surpass 10 percent of total U.S. electricity generation, up from about 8 percent in 2017, John Rogers, a senior energy analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists, told Bloomberg Environment.
“I think it’s sort of helping people move past the notion of wind and solar as niche technologies,” Rogers said. “Once you get into double digits, it becomes a lot harder to shrug off.” Coming Up for Solar
Policy and market factors together point to 2019 as a year that will build on the growth of the last several, with major technological breakthroughs coming later, Jao van de Lagemaat, director of the Chemistry & Nanoscience Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, told Bloomberg Environment.
“There’s been typically 25 percent growth in [solar panel] installations,” he said. “I don’t see any reason for that to abate right now.”
The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects that total U.S. solar power generating capacity, including large- and small-scale solar, will grow from about 43 gigawatts in 2017 to 52 gigawatts in 2018 and 60 gigawatts in 2019, according to the agency’s November Short-Term Energy Outlook.
Longer term, the industry is expecting to install more than 61 gigawatts of solar capacity through 2023, Abigail Ross Hopper, president and chief executive officer of the Solar Energy Industries Association, told Bloomberg Environment.
“That’s going to be huge growth,” Hopper said. The investment tax credit “will decline, so companies will be racing furiously to meet the deadline.”
The federal solar investment tax credit steps down from 30 percent in 2019 to 10 percent in 2022.
“The solar industry is readying for another wave of project development as the ITC phases down,” Hugh Bromley, a Bloomberg NEF solar energy analyst, told Bloomberg Environment. “Developers have over the past two years been steadily replenishing their depleted pipelines with projects that are starting to secure finance. This should lead to an noticeable increase in construction activity next year.”
The industry also is looking out for the U.S. to install its 2 millionth rooftop solar panel system, according to Rogers.
“There were 1.6 million through 2017 and we put in 300,000 last year alone,” he said.What’s Up With Wind
Wind power is on a similar trajectory for 2019 as a federal wind energy production tax credit extended in 2015 is phased out.
“There is a mostly consensus view in the wind industry in the United States that toward the end of the phaseout period [2019-2023], wind will be cost-competitive against other fuel sources, so it will no longer need the tax credit subsidies,” Mackinnon Lawrence, director of energy at Navigant Research in Washington, told Bloomberg Environment.
Wind cost declines “suggest wind is already cost-competitive against other power plants in areas with good wind resources,” Lawrence said.
The industry is hoping that wind farms nationwide will reach 100 gigawatts of installed generating capacity in 2019, Celeste Wanner, a senior analyst for the American Wind Energy Association, told Bloomberg Environment.
The Energy Information Administration projects that wind capacity will grow from 87.5 gigawatts in 2017 to nearly 95.5 gigawatts in 2018 and 107 gigawatts in 2019. Rogers said 100 gigawatts of wind capacity can provide electricity for about 30 million homes.
The new also will likely see installations of some of the first 4-megawatt wind turbines in the U.S., each able to provide power to 1,400 homes, according to Wanner.
The average wind turbine installed in 2017 was 2.3 megawatts with the ability to power 750 homes, she said. ‘Pent-Up Interest’
Renewables industries are keeping a close eye on state-level clean energy policies, which are expected to get a boost in states where renewables-friendly governors were elected in 2018.
Maine and New Mexico stand out because both states have renewable energy resources and they elected Democratic governors in 2018 after eight years of little renewables growth under Republican governors, Rogers said.
“There’s a lot of pent-up interest in clean energy progress there,” he said.
Maine Gov.-elect Janet Mills (D) has pledged to promote offshore wind development, something outgoing Gov. Paul LePage (R) tried to block. She also said she supports decentralized electric power production and the “solarization” of the Maine power grid.
New Mexico Gov.-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) has pledged support for wind and solar development and campaigned on support for electric vehicles and a call for the state to obtain 80 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2040.
The solar industry is energized by support in states such as South Carolina and Massachusetts, whose Republican governors won re-election and “have embraced solar policy as economic engines,” Hopper said.
“I’m optimistic that those markets will continue to grow,” she said.
https://bnanews.bna.com/environment-and-energy/2019-outlook-solar-wind-could-hit-10-percent-of-us-electricity
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Capitol Corridor Passenger Trains Just Got the Biggest Safety Upgrade in a Century
Dec 26, 2018 | Sacramento Bee
By Tony Bizjak
Two years ago an Amtrak Capitol Corridor passenger train outside Sacramento jolted so violently that passengers thought it would derail.
The engineer had mistakenly sped at double the limit through a track crossover. Coffees, laptops and some bodies went flying. Two people were slightly injured. Ultimately, two train operators were disciplined. But the human-error incident left several passengers saying they wondered if rail officials were really focused on safety.
Now, corridor train officials say, an incident like that is unlikely to happen again.
As of this fall, all trains on the 170-mile Capitol Corridor system have been equipped with a computer system that will take control of the train from the engineer if the engineer fails to heed speed or other warnings.
The system, called Positive Train Control (PTC), gives the engineer an auditory countdown to act if danger looms. If the train is headed at too high a speed toward a curve, for instance, the system will warn the engineer. If the engineer fails to take remedial action in a timely fashion, the computer takes control and stops the train.
Amtrak, which operates the Capitol Corridor line, is one of 41 railroads that have been mandated by the federal government to install the system.
Federal Railroad Administration chief Ronald Batory, speaking recently to Congress, called PTC “the most fundamental change in rail safety technology since the introduction of Automatic Train Control in the 1920s.”
Davis City Councilman Lucas Frerichs, the Capitol Corridor board chairman, said the new system is a major step and statement about the importance of passenger safety.
“PTC is the gold standard of rail safety, and its implementation on the Capitol Corridor fleet that carried a record 1.7 million passengers last year is a huge milestone,” Frerichs said.
The implementation period since October, however, has been suffering from technology glitches. Numerous trains have been delayed because of technical difficulties with the PTC system, Capitol Corridor chief David Kutrosky said.
He said crews have typically been able to correct the problems in a few minutes in most cases, and the number of issues is on the decline.
“With any new technology, it just doesn’t work to full specifications on day one,” Kutrosky said. “You need to work through the systems. We knew there would be some delays. The delays are trending downward.”
Kutrosky said the PTC system has not yet had to step in to take over control of a train.
Capitol Corridor is among the first rail lines in the country to have its system fully up and running.
The federal government first mandated the PTC system for major railroads after a Metrolink passenger train engineer became distracted by text messages on his cell phone, causing the train to go through a red signal and crash head-on into a freight train. The 2008 crash killed 25.
Railroads have been slow to install the system, complaining it is complicated and costly. The federal government has repeatedly extended the deadline for railroads to have the system fully up, tested and running. The initial deadline of 2015 was first extended to the end of 2018, but that deadline, too, was extended for some railroads to 2020.
Union Pacific, the largest rail track owner and freight shipper in Northern California, has informed the federal government it will not be finished getting the system tested and fully operational by the end of this month, and is requesting an extension to 2020.
Although the Capitol Corridor train system has finished its PTC installation and testing, Amtrak overall will not meet the Dec. 31 deadline and has requested an extension to 2020.
Critics, including some members of Congress, say the railroads are dragging their heels and the federal government is complicit in letting them get away with it.
Experts say several recent fatal crashes likely would have been avoided if PTC had been fully in place and operating nationally.
In December of 2017, three people were killed and dozens injured when an Amtrak train in Washington sped at twice the speed limit through a turn and derailed onto Interstate 5. In February, an Amtrak train ran head-on into a freight train in South Carolina, killing two and injuring 100.
The system has limitations, rail officials say. While the computers know what speeds to go, as well as whether the train is on the correct track, the system cannot detect whether a person, car or other object is on the tracks ahead.
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/transportation/article223391230.html
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How to Rescue the Global Climate Change Agenda
Dec 26, 2018 | Financial Times
The depressing reality about climate change is that we could solve the problem, at manageable cost, but are failing to do so. This failure is due to a mixture of blindness and self-deception. The blindness comes from those, such as US president Donald Trump, who deny the reality of climate change. The self-deception comes from those who accept the reality, but only pretend to solve it. We must do better than this — and very soon. This is no longer a scientific or technological challenge, it is far more a political and social one. The Emissions Gap Report 2018 from the UN lays out the past failure with brutal clarity. This year will most likely be the fourth warmest year on record since 1880, with the past five years the warmest ever recorded. Worse, in 2017 emissions increased once again, after three years of stagnation. We are still to turn this corner. Furthermore, notes the report, the “nationally determined commitments” made in the context of the Paris agreement, in 2015, would be insufficient, even if implemented, to keep the increase in global average temperatures to below 1.5C above the pre-industrial level, as most experts think desirable. Instead, states the report, “current NDCs imply global warming of about 3C by 2100, with warming continuing afterwards”. Moreover, the shift has to start now: if emissions do not turn down before 2030, it will be too late to stay below 2C. The NDCs announced so far are inadequate. The climate talks that finished this month in Katowice, Poland, have not changed this in any way. That did not make the exercise worthless. Countries agreed to submit data on emissions to the UN every two years starting in 2024, along with new climate targets every five years. This will make progress (or the lack of it) more transparent. But it does not mean progress will be adequate, particularly now that the US established itself as an egregious free-rider. Yet, even without US backsliding, the commitments so far are inadequate to achieve the goals the world agreed to set for itself. What makes this so depressing is that — as Adair Turner, chairman of the Energy Transitions Commission, recently argued — a zero-carbon economy is now both feasible and affordable. Indeed, he stresses, this “would be undoubtedly technically possible at a very small economic cost”. The core of the transition would be a huge boost to the role of electricity, with a parallel shift to nuclear and, above all, renewable sources of electricity generation. Three other essential technologies will be: hydrogen power, from hydrogen produced by electrolysis; bioenergy, for aviation fuel and feedstocks for plastics; and carbon capture. Overall, estimates this commission, the economic cost would be just 0.5 per cent of global output by 2060. Yet this transition, feasible and desirable though it is, will not happen on its own. It requires determined policy, to promote the right technologies, set the right incentives and create the right plans, notably for land use. All this will be politically difficult, not least because free-riders must be penalised: carbon-dumping will be unacceptable. The tragedy is that while the scientists and technologists have won the argument, the climate sceptics and deniers have effectively won the policy debate: we are doing far too little, far too late. It is now essential to transform the discussion from fear of what the carbon-transition will cost to hope for the opportunities it will bring. What is needed now are people and organisations — above all, politicians — able and willing to persuade humanity that a promised land of sustainable prosperity for all is within our collective reach.
https://www.ft.com/content/df47339c-0433-11e9-9d01-cd4d49afbbe3
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