Free Compact Fluorescent Lamps

December 11, 2006

Now there’s no excuse for not replacing your energy-wasting incandescent lamps with compact fluorescents. By using less than 20% of the energy of a standard incandescent lamp, you’ll cut your electricity bill while doing your part to prevent global warming. Over its life span, each compact fluorescent can prevent 1 ton of carbon dioxide from being released to the atmosphere. 

If you live in Massachusetts, you can save $4 instantly on each 4-pack, using the Residential Energy form which is usually located near where the bulbs are sold. Forward this e-mail to help your co-workers do their part to protect the environment. Don’t procrastinate, the offers expire soon.


Senate to Probe EPA Air Policy

 

U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) is the incoming chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Boxer stated last week that she will make a top priority for oversight in the next Congress a probe of an EPA air policy that reduces the role of scientists in setting air pollution standards.

“Since the Clean Air Act became law in 1970, EPA has set standards to protect public health from air pollution based on the best available science, not politics,” Senator Boxer said. “This has occurred under both Democratic and Republican presidents. For decades, the cornerstone of this process was that EPA got expert advice from the leading independent scientists, and then EPA scientists proposed standards to EPA managers based on the science and health evidence.“

 


EPA Fines Silly String Manufacturer for CFC Violations

 

 

The agreement, which includes a $109,849 penalty, resolves EPA allegations that Tween Brands sold or distributed, or offered to sell or distribute in interstate commerce cans of a confetti string product propelled by an ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbon. The product is marketed under the brand name Silly String.

When CFC depletes the stratospheric ozone layer, dangerous amounts of cancer-causing ultraviolet rays from the sun strike the earth. Production of some of these chemicals was stopped in 1995, and federal law strictly controls their use and handling.


EPA Orders Federal Contractor, U.S. Navy to Reduce Drinking Water Chemical Levels at El Centro Naval Air Facility

 

 

The Naval Air Facility provides drinking water for approximately 4,000 people. The water plant is operated by KBR Inc., a federal government contractor.

“Chemical byproducts in treated drinking water must meet federal guidelines to protect public health,” said Alexis Strauss, water director for the EPA Pacific Southwest. “The EPA will ensure this system returns promptly to compliance and keeps the public well-informed.”

Byproducts such as trihalomethanes are formed when disinfectants used in water treatment plants react with bromide and/or natural organic matter, such as decaying vegetation, present in source water. After years of consumption, trihalomethanes may cause liver, kidney, or central nervous system problems and may increase the risk of cancer.

The U.S. Department of the Navy is required to notify the public when levels are above health-based standards. Between 2004 and 2006, the drinking water at the Naval Air Facility in El Centro averaged 116 ppb of total trihalomethanes, violating federal drinking water standards of 80 ppb.

By Jan. 31, 2007, the U.S. Department of the Navy must provide a written compliance plan describing how it will meet EPA water regulations. By Dec. 31, 2007, the Navy must reduce its total trihalomethane levels to below federal standards. (Failure to comply with the EPA order could result in fines up to $32,500 per day per violation.)

The EPA established new disinfection byproduct regulations in 1998 to protect public health from potentially harmful byproduct chemicals that form when chlorine reacts with natural organic compounds during the treatment process.


Senator Blocks EPA Nominees Until Agency Expedites Clean-up Study

 

Senator Max Baucus, a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which has jurisdiction over the EPA, said that he’ll block all nominees for positions with the EPA until the agency agrees to expedite a long-awaited study to verify asbestos cleanup efforts in Libby, Montana.

Baucus’ announcement came one day after the release of a study which showed the EPA cannot definitively say its cleanup standards are safe for human health in the community. The report said EPA should have performed a toxicity study to set baseline standards for environmental cleanup and verify that houses and other sites that have been cleaned up are indeed safe. The report said EPA staff requested the study, but agency managers did not approve the request. Baucus has been asking the EPA for a toxicity review since last spring.

Baucus said he’s placed a “hold” on Alex Beehler, who’s been nominated to be the EPA’s inspector general. The inspector general performs independent reviews and investigations of the agency. Baucus said he will hold up all other EPA nominees as well until the agency agrees to perform the study immediately.

“It’s been seven years and the EPA can’t tell us whether or not their cleanup activities are working,” Baucus said. “That’s a disgrace. And that’s why nobody from EPA will move through the Senate until we get this fixed.”

Administration appointments are subject to confirmation in the Senate, but not the U.S. House. Since appointments must be approved by the U.S. Senate, senators often place holds on nominees as leverage to get the agency to take action. Any senator can place a hold, and it only takes one hold to block the nomination from advancing.

 Baucus said the EPA incorrectly told people in Libby that the agency’s cleanup actions had eliminated the risk of getting asbestos-related disease.

“In addition to getting this study going immediately, I expect the EPA to correct any public statements they’ve made so folks in Libby know exactly what’s going on,” Baucus said.


New Jersey to Sue EPA on Air Pollution from Pennsylvania

 

New Jersey Attorney General Stuart Rabner announced the issuance of a formal notice of intent to sue the EPA for violating the Clean Air Act by not responding to a petition from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that objected to a proposed operating permit for a coal-fired power plant in Pennsylvania.

According to Rabner, New Jersey petitioned the EPA on July 21 to review a proposed Pennsylvania operating permit for a coal-fired plant in Upper Mount Bethel Township – within one mile of New Jersey – owned by Reliant Energy Mid-Atlantic Power Holdings. Although required by the Clean Air Act to do so within 60 days of receiving the petition, EPA has yet to respond to the petition.

Known as the Portland Generating Station, the Reliant-owned plant is located directly across the Delaware River from Warren County, New Jersey.

"We are committed to working with the Department of Environmental Protection to pursue litigation, where appropriate, that will help protect the quality of air we breathe here in New Jersey," said Attorney General Rabner. "The state’s position is that the EPA has a clear, non-discretionary duty under the Clean Air Act to address DEP’s petition. The department’s petition raises significant concerns about the terms and provisions of the proposed operating permit for the Reliant plant."

"It's unconscionable that the EPA to date has shown so little regard for the environmental and public-health concerns we have detailed in our petition," said DEP Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson. "In this case, the EPA is ignoring the law, and we are putting the agency on notice that it cannot continue to thumb its nose at the people of New Jersey".

DEP’s July 21 petition to the EPA objected to Pennsylvania’s proposed approval of a permit for the Portland Generating Station for two reasons:

The Portland plant made modifications allowing it to increase its emissions of air pollutants without installing the pollution controls required under the Clean Air Act. As a result, a “compliance schedule” – including an enforceable sequence of compliance milestones – that will eventually lead to the elimination of all violations is needed in the permit.

The permit lacks operational limits called heat input limits, and would allow the Portland plant to exceed air quality standards set by the Clean Air Act. Heat input is a measure of the amount of coal burned each hour, and limits on heat input are necessary to avoid excessive hourly emissions for many air contaminants, for example particulate matter and hazardous air pollutants. The Portland coal-fired plant is located upwind of New Jersey’s Highlands, and prevailing winds carry its air pollution directly into the state.


EPA Orders Two Companies to Comply with Stormwater Regulations

 

The EPA ordered Coulter Forge Technology, an iron and steel forging facility in Emeryville, Ca., and California Waste Solutions, Inc., a recycling facility in Oakland, Ca., to immediately comply with the federal Clean Water Act at their facilities.

Polluted stormwater runs off these two facilities and into the collection system where it eventually runs into the San Francisco Bay, a violation of the facility’s stormwater discharge permit.

Companies need to do their part to protect our waterways from industrial runoff,” said Alexis Strauss, EPA’s water division director for the Pacific Southwest region. “To protect the San Francisco Bay, we trust that Coulter Forge Technology and California Waste Solutions will promptly comply with the Clean Water Act and take the steps needed to protect San Francisco Bay from pollution.”

The EPA is ordering California Wastes Solutions, Inc. and Coulter Forge Technology to:

  • Minimize and prevent the discharge of pollutants into the San Francisco Bay or any other body of water.
  • Perform a daily inspection of the industrial activity areas.
  • Complete specific clean-up tasks.

On September 18, EPA investigators inspected both facilities and discovered inadequate stormwater pollution controls and pollution prevention plans, which are violations of the companies’ stormwater discharge permit and the Clean Water Act.

Polluted runoff is the leading cause of water pollution in the San Francisco Bay. Stormwater runoff can carry pollutants from industrial sources metals, oil and grease, acidic wastewater, bacteria, trash, and other toxic pollutants into nearby water sources. The EPA requires industrial facilities to prevent water pollution by complying with federal and state water pollution requirements.

Failure to comply with the EPA order could bring penalties against the companies for as much as $32,500 per day per violation.

 

EPA Draft Staff Paper Outlines Lead Air Quality Standards Review

 

 The document is part of the agency's review of the lead NAAQS to ensure that federal air quality standards reflect the latest air pollution and health effects research. The Clean Air Act requires EPA to set, and periodically review, NAAQS for six major pollutants.

This initial draft document does not include any conclusions or recommendations with regard to keeping or changing the current lead air quality standard. The draft includes assessments and preliminary analyses related to air quality characterization; integration and evaluation of health information; human exposure analysis and health risk assessment; evaluation and analysis of information on vegetation damage and other welfare effects. The draft is based upon the agency's Air Quality Criteria Document for Lead, which was issued in October.

As a result of removing lead from gasoline, and other EPA regulations, airborne lead concentrations have decreased dramatically in the United States. From 1980 to 2005, national lead air quality levels dropped more than 90 percent.

Later this month, EPA will release its draft Lead Human Exposure and Health Risk Assessments and Ecological Risk Assessment for Selected Areas (Pilot Phase). This technical support document will present initial results from the exposure and risk assessments that are summarized and discussed in the first draft lead staff paper.

EPA will accept public comment on the lead documents until Feb. 5, 2007.

 The agency is now moving forward to implement a new, more efficient process for conducting NAAQS reviews. EPA intends to transition to the new process during the course of the lead NAAQS review.


EPA and DOJ Reach Agreement with Von Roll on Clean Air Act and Hazardous Waste Violations

 

The EPA and U.S. Department of Justice have reached an agreement with Von Roll America Inc. on alleged clean-air and hazardous-waste violations at the company's commercial hazardous waste incinerator in East Liverpool, Ohio.

The consent decree resolves a judicial complaint that alleged violations of the Clean Air Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

Von Roll has been ordered to comply with designated statutes, pay a penalty of $750,000 and implement a $34,000 environmental project which will enhance environmental protection in and around East Liverpool.

The agreement resolves EPA allegations that Von Roll failed to properly operate, monitor, and maintain its vapor collection and carbon adsorption systems. It ensures that emissions of benzene and other volatile organic compounds from hazardous waste storage tanks will be reduced. The company will also sponsor a household hazardous waste collection in fall 2007.


EPA Seeks Civil Penalties against Bruneau Cattle Company in Idaho for Federal Clean Water Act Violations

 

As part of an ongoing campaign to protect human health and water quality in Idaho’s Snake River, the EPA has filed a complaint against the Bruneau Cattle Company (Owyhee County, Idaho.) for unauthorized discharges of pollutants from a confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) to the South Side Canal. The canal flows to the Snake River and C.J. Strike Reservoir near Bruneau, Idaho.

According to Elin D. Miller, EPA regional administrator in Seattle, the agency took action after an inspection in 2006 revealed clear evidence of several direct discharges of CAFO wastewater from cattle pens to the canal, which flows to reservoir and the Snake River.

“This is an especially important case since the discharge was immediately upstream of a public campground,” said EPA’s Miller. “Feedlots have a responsibility to protect water quality and downstream water users. We share the state of Idaho’s concern for protecting water quality and want to send a clear message that less responsible feedlots won’t enjoy a competitive advantage over those who do the right thing.”

Bruneau Cattle Company, with a capacity of approximately 7,000 head of cattle, is located in Owyhee County in Southwest Idaho. On February 8, at the time of the inspection, there were approximately 4,000 head of cattle on site. During the inspection, EPA inspectors observed evidence of past discharges and documented that the facility did not have any wastewater containment systems to prevent wastewater runoff from cattle pens.

Manure and wastewater from CAFOs have the potential to contribute pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus, organic matter, sediments, pathogens, heavy metals, hormones, antibiotics, and ammonia to the environment. Excess nutrients in water (i.e., nitrogen and phosphorus) can result in or contribute to fish kills.

“We look forward to working closely with the Idaho Department of Agriculture to ensure that feedlot owners comply with regulations that protect the state’s rivers, lakes and streams for all Idahoans.” EPA’s Miller added.


85 Percent of Highway Diesel Fuel Meets EPA Standards

 

New, cleaner diesel fuel is producing cleaner air, according to preliminary surveys and the EPA. Surveys of retail stations since mid-October show that about 85 percent of highway diesel fuel meets ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) standards, exceeding the 80 percent regulatory mandate. One hundred percent of highway diesel fuel must meet the ULSD standards by 2010.

"These results show that we are making significant progress in protecting the environment and public health," said Bill Wehrum, EPA's acting assistant administrator for Air and Radiation.

Having clean diesel fuel at the pump will help all Americans breathe easier. ULSD fuel has 97 percent less sulfur than diesel fuel produced in previous years. 

Although almost all pumps contain ULSD, preliminary data indicates that some retail stations have not properly labeled their diesel pumps as such. Proper labeling is critical for consumers to know that they are using the correct fuel for new clean diesel cars and light trucks coming on the market.

 


Developer Settles with EPA after Destroying Provo Wetlands

 

Pettro Properties, LLC has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $9,500 for destroying more than nine acres of wetlands in Provo, Utah. In addition, Pettro will pay $15,500 to the nature conservancy for use in the conservancy’s Lower Hobble Creek Restoration Project. The conservancy is striving to protect endangered June Sucker habitat at Utah Lake.

Pettro will also perform wetlands compliance training at a cost to the company of $10,000. This includes preparing and presenting a seminar for local real estate development trade associations and environmental firms in Salt Lake City regarding Clean Water Act requirements.

Assistant Regional Administrator Carol Rushin said, “EPA is taking these actions to prevent the pollution of the wetlands, streams, and lakes of Utah and to provide deterrence against future violations of federal laws designed to protect valuable water resources.”

The wetlands destroyed by Pettro were part of the Provo Bay Wetland Complex and tributary to Utah Lake through a series of natural channels and ditches. Pettro was developing a light industrial park when it filled them, permanently eliminating 9.39 acres of wetlands.

The creeks, streams, rivers, and adjacent wetlands in this area are important as habitat for wildlife, water storage and retention, and flood control. Placing dredged or fill material in creeks, streams, rivers, or wetlands can have adverse impacts on fish and wildlife habitat and can adversely impact the plants or insects they rely on as food sources. Damaging or destroying wetlands can lead to serious results such as increased flooding, a decline of water quality, and extinction of species.

A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ permit is required before performing any work that results in discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States, which include lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands. Property owners, contractors or developers planning to do work in such waters need to contact the Corps of Engineers’ regulatory office in Bountiful, Utah, at 801-295-8380 before they begin work to determine if they need a permit.


Pennsylvania Fines Phoenix Resources $13,000 for Groundwater Contamination at Tioga County Construction/Demolition Waste Landfill

 

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) fined Phoenix Resources Inc. $13,000 for groundwater contamination at its construction/demolition waste landfill in Duncan Township, Tioga County.

“The company is properly addressing this problem as required by DEP, but a violation of this nature threatens the environment and requires an appropriate penalty,” DEP Northcentral Regional Director Robert Yowell said.

Landfill monitoring wells first showed elevated levels of total organic halogen in October 2004. Other contaminants later found at elevated levels included several volatile organic compounds and arsenic, a common constituent found naturally in coal-bearing strata. Phoenix submitted a groundwater assessment plan in November 2004, which was revised in February 2005 to include the drilling of three additional monitoring wells to further identify the aerial extent and depth of the groundwater contamination.

Additional well monitoring has shown that the groundwater contamination has not migrated off the landfill property, and there have been no known effects to any private or municipal drinking water wells in the area.

Phoenix reported in September that groundwater at the site has been improving and should continue to do so as the landfill is capped. The $13,000 fine was paid to the Solid Waste Abatement Fund, which finances cleanups across the commonwealth.


Ohio EPA Drafts Rules to Reduce Ground-Level Ozone

 

Ohio EPA accepted until Dec. 11 comments on draft rules that would require manufacturers and retailers of coatings and paintings to limit the amount of evaporative chemicals in their products. Lowering the content of these volatile organic compounds will help reduce the levels of ground-level ozone statewide. The draft rules would particularly help the Cleveland-Akron area get closer to meeting the federal ozone standard.

These rules need to be implemented by April 2008 to help the state's most serious nonattainment areas of Cincinnati and Cleveland/Akron meet and maintain the ozone standard. The requirements also would help improve air quality in other areas in the state.

The draft rules are based on the Ozone Transport Commission's model rules for paints and other architectural coatings and are consistent with rules being updated in California and several Northeastern states.

The rules are listed in numerical order. Scroll to near the bottom of the page to see these draft rules, Chapter 3745-113.

The draft rules open a preliminary phase of discussion with the public. After getting feedback on this draft, Ohio EPA plans to propose formal rule revisions next year. A public hearing and another public comment period will be held at that time, prior to adopting a final rule.


Pure Water Company Fined for not Providing Pure Water

 

Under a settlement with Ohio EPA, Pure Water Company, Inc., Caldwell, Ohio, will take steps to ensure it is providing safe drinking water to its 1,989 customers. Pure Water also will pay a $26,800 civil penalty for exceeding safe levels of disinfection byproducts and not maintaining adequate chlorine in its distribution system.

Pure Water Corporation receives treated surface water from the village of Caldwell. The company adds chlorine and distributes the water, making Pure Water a consecutive community public water supply.

Treatment with a disinfectant like chlorine is designed to kill microbial pathogens (including types of bacteria, viruses) in the water supply. When chlorine and naturally occurring organic material in the water combine, disinfection byproducts are formed. Water age in the system, temperature, and a number of other factors will affect these compounds.

One of these disinfection byproducts is trihalomethanes, for which Pure Water exceeded the allowable limits of 0.080 milligrams per liter in drinking water in the last quarter of 2004 and all of 2005 and all of 2006. It still exceeds that limit with an annual average of 0.081 milligrams a liter.

Within three months, Pure Water is required to submit to Ohio EPA a general plan for resolving the exceedances and maintaining the minimum amount of chlorine required in the distribution system. Compliance must be achieved by May 31, 2008.

Of the $26,800 penalty, $5,360 will go the Clean Diesel School Bus Program, $14,915 will go to Ohio EPA, and the remaining $6,525 will be used by Pure Water for a distribution system modeling project.


Washington State Revises Water Quality Standards to Benefit Salmon, Trout

 

The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has revised a portion of the state's water quality standards that will make dozens of watersheds across the state healthier for salmon and trout.

The state's water quality standards set regulatory requirements for maintaining the health of lakes, rivers, and marine waters. The standards set the level of pollution that is allowed to enter waters while keeping them clean and safe for people, fish, and wildlife. The standards also cover water quality attributes such as temperature and dissolved oxygen.

The state's revised water quality standards require colder water, and in some cases more dissolved oxygen, to assure healthy summertime spawning and rearing habitat for endangered fish.

The changes are tailored to specific rivers and include major rivers that drain into Puget Sound, such as the Nooksack, Skagit, Stilliguamish, Snohomish, Green, Puyallup, and Nisqually. In Eastern Washington, rivers affected include the Snake, Yakima, Wenatchee, Methow, Okanogan, Naches, and Walla Walla rivers.

Starting Dec. 21, Ecology will begin applying the new standards to new wastewater discharge permits and to new water quality improvement plans, known as total maximum daily load (TMDL) studies. Existing permits and plans will be implemented over time to make sure the new standards are met. Ecology will begin using the new standards for developing the state "303(d)" list of impaired waters beginning with the 2008 listing cycle.

Ecology will begin implementing the new surface water quality standards to the fullest extent possible under state authority while awaiting formal approval from the EPA.

"These more-protective water quality standards have been a long time coming, so we're going to implement them right away to benefit Washington's endangered salmon and trout," said Ecology Director Jay Manning. "Colder, oxygen-rich water, when combined with healthier river flows we are working to achieve, is good news for fish and good news for polluted receiving waters, such as our troubled Puget Sound."

"Improving water quality is one of the best things we can do for people, salmon, and the health of Puget Sound,” said Billy Frank Jr., chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. “These stronger water quality standards provide a huge increase in protection for salmon. Restoring and protecting habitat is the single most important action we can take to save our wild salmon." The latest revisions enhance the state's existing standards adopted in 2003. The change satisfies requirements of the federal Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts.

 

Missouri Hazardous Waste Generator Fees Due Before January 1

 

 

If you are a small or large quantity generator in Missouri, you are required by law to pay certain hazardous waste fees before January 1, 2007. Mail your payment early to ensure it arrives on time. With the rush of holidays and wintertime sick days, it is all too easy to miss the hazardous waste fees due date. Failure to pay the assessed fees on time will result in a 15 percent penalty. If you owe a land disposal fee, an interest rate of 10 percent per annum will also be charged. If you have not received your hazardous waste billing, it may be that you have not filed your hazardous waste summary reports or the department has not received your annual or quarterly hazardous waste summary reports. Please contact the Hazardous Waste Program's Fee & Tax Unit at 573-751-3176 for more information.


FRA Proposes Higher Fines for Violations of Federal Rail Safety Regulations

 

The civil penalty guideline amounts assessed against railroads for violating numerous federal rail safety regulations would be substantially increased under a proposal announced Dec. 5 by Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph H. Boardman.

“Higher fines across all categories of federal regulations will encourage railroads to focus on safety compliance and improve the rail industry’s overall performance,” Boardman stated, noting that the proposed statements of agency policy would double the current guideline civil penalty amounts for most violations.

Boardman explained that FRA evaluated each of the more than 2,000 provisions of the federal rail safety regulations using a five-point severity scale. The measure takes into consideration the likelihood that a rail accident or graver consequences will occur as a result of failing to comply with a particular section of the regulations. At the low end of the scale, the guideline penalty amount would be $1,500. At the high end of the scale where a violation is extremely likely to result in an accident or incident, the guideline penalty amount would be $8,500. Willful violations would range from $2,500 to $11,000. The current statutory maximum of $27,000 for grossly negligent violations or for patterns of repeated violations that have caused an imminent hazard of death or injury, or have caused death or injury to individuals, would remain unchanged.

Examples of some of the increased fines the FRA is proposing include operating a train above the track speed limit (from $2,500 to $8,500); not providing a timely response to a report of malfunctioning highway-rail grade crossing equipment (from $2,500 to $6,500); and not performing a pre-departure inspection of a freight car (from $2,000 to $5,000). Under the proposal, most fines would increase, but in some instances the amounts would remain unchanged or be reduced where data and experience have shown that a failure to comply with a specific regulatory provision poses less of a safety risk.

The proposal also supports the National Rail Safety Action Plan, a broad effort to focus on reducing the highest risk causes of train accidents, Boardman said. The last comprehensive revision by the Federal Railroad Administration of its guideline civil penalty amounts was in 1988, he added.


TCI Manufacturing and Equipment Fined for Hazardous Waste Violations

 

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced that under a court order, TCI Manufacturing & Equipment Sales, Inc. will undertake a work plan to properly clean up an area where it illegally stored hazardous paint residue and other wastes without a permit. The company will pay a civil penalty of $65,000 under terms of a consent order.

“The company has taken steps to correct some very serious violations and is on notice to adhere to a strict schedule to assure my office and the Illinois EPA that the order is carried out to the letter,” Madigan said.

Last March, Madigan filed an amended complaint charging TCI with violations that arose from spray painting operations which, according to Madigan, produced a Xylene-based paint and solvent material that is classified as hazardous waste. Madigan’s suit maintained the company stored the waste beyond allowable time limits, without proper labeling, and without an EPA identification number. In addition, TCI was accused of failing to perform special waste and hazardous waste determinations on the stored waste and to comply with disposal requirements and procedures.

The court order also requires that the company complete work as detailed in a statement of work included in the consent order. Among the requirements, TCI must submit a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) closure plan for the area where the hazardous waste was stored for more than 90 days. TCI also must submit quarterly reports to the IEPA describing the progress made in achieving final cleanup and closure of the former storage area.


Global Warming of the Future is Projected by Ancient Carbon Emissions

 

Global warming 55 million years ago suggests a high climate sensitivity to carbon dioxide, according to research led by Mark Pagani, associate professor of geology and geophysics at Yale, and published in the Dec. 8 issue of Science.

For some years, scientists have known that a massive release of carbon into the atmosphere caused the ancient global warming event known as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) that began about 55 million years ago. The geologic record shows that the resulting greenhouse effect heated the planet as a whole by about 9 F (5 C), in less than 10,000 years.

That temperature increase lasted about 170,000 years, altered the world’s rainfall patterns, made the oceans acidic, affected plant and animal life in the seas and on land, and spawned the rise of our modern primate ancestors.

“The PETM is a stunning example of carbon dioxide-induced global warming and stands in contrast to critics who argue that the Earth’s temperature is insensitive to increases in carbon dioxide,” said Pagani. “Not only did the Earth warm by at least 9F (5C), but it did so during a time when Earth’s average temperature was already 9F warmer than today.”

However, what has not been clear is how much carbon was responsible for the temperature increase and where it came from. Scientists have speculated that it might have come from massive fires from burning coal and other ancient plant material, or from ‘burps’ of methane from the continental shelves that rapidly became atmospheric carbon dioxide.

“According to this work, if the PETM was caused by the burning of plant material then climate sensitivity to carbon dioxide is more than 4.5F (2.5C) per carbon dioxide doubling. And if methane was the culprit, then Earth’s climate must be extremely sensitive to carbon dioxide — increasing, over 10F (5.6C) per carbon dioxide doubling,” noted Pagani.

This finding contradicts the position held by many climate-change skeptics that the Earth’s climate is resilient to such carbon dioxide emissions and suggests that Earth’s temperature will rise substantially with atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations that are expected to double around mid-century.

“The last time carbon was emitted to the atmosphere on the scale of what we are doing today, there were winners and losers,” remarked Ken Caldeira, a co-author from the Carnegie Institution’s Department of Global Ecology. “There was ecological devastation, but new species rose from the ashes. Our work provides even more incentive to develop the clean energy sources that can provide for economic growth and development without risking the natural world that is our endowment.”

Other authors on the paper include David Archer in the Department of Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, and James C. Zachos in the Earth Sciences Department, University of California, Santa Cruz.


REACH: Update on EU Chemicals Regulation

 

 Members of the European Parliament will vote on this draft regulation on the registration, evaluation, and authorization of chemicals on December 13 in Strasbourg. Parliament fought with the council up to the last minute on key points such as mandatory substitution of the most hazardous substances.

The REACH project seeks to improve protection of human health and the environment while making Europe's chemicals industry more competitive. It is the result of many years of negotiations between the European Parliament, the member states represented by the council, and the European Commission. It has also been the focus of intense lobbying on behalf of the industry's economic and commercial interests on the one hand, and NGOs battling for consumers and the environment on the other.