Air pollution

October 30, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., today applauded the inauguration of a new carbon capture and sequestration project at the AEP Mountaineer Power Plant in New Haven, West Virginia.

“This path-breaking carbon capture and storage project, championed by American Electric Power and Alstom, signifies that coal is poised to be a clean, competitive 21st Century fuel,” said Byrd.    » read more »

Data will help protect public health from harmful emissions

10/26/2009 -- TIJUANA, MEXICO – Today in Tijuana B. C., Mexico, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Mexican Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), the Environmental Protection Agency of Baja California, the California Air Resources Board and the Border Environment Cooperation Commission will initiate the Baja California Air Monitoring Network coverage assessment study and the Tijuana-Rosarito Emissions Inventory.    » read more »

(Chicago, Ill. - October 19, 2009) In response to a citizen petition on Indiana's air permit modification for BP's Whiting Refinery, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that it has accepted some issues while denying others. In August 2008, the Environmental Law & Policy Center, Natural Resources Defense Council, Hoosier Environmental Council, Save the Dunes and Sierra Club petitioned EPA to formally object to the state's modification of BP’s operating permit for an expansion project to refine high-sulfur Canadian crude oil.    » read more »

October 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- BASF Corporation has agreed, under a Clean Air Act settlement filed today in federal court in Beaumont, Texas, to reduce the use of refrigerant chemicals that destroy the earth’s stratospheric ozone layer, the Justice Department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced.

The company will spend more than an estimated $250,000 to retrofit one refrigeration unit that currently uses such chemicals, replacing them with environmentally-friendly alternatives, and will either retrofit or retire two other units. BASF will also pay a civil penalty of $384,200 to resolve alleged Clean Air Act violations.    » read more »

Oct. 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- A new report from the National Research Council examines and, when possible, estimates "hidden" costs of energy production and use -- such as the damage air pollution imposes on human health -- that are not reflected in market prices of coal, oil, other energy sources, or the electricity and gasoline produced from them. The report estimates dollar values for several major components of these costs.    » read more »

New Policies Miss Opportunity to Reward Low Mileage Drivers and Reduce Pollution

SACRAMENTO, CA (October 19, 2009) –The Natural Resources Defense Council today said that new California “Pay As You Drive” insurance regulations will not likely save Californians money nor significantly reduce global warming pollution. The final regulations, which merely permit insurance companies to verify the miles their customers drive, can be found here.

“Our auto insurance policies are sorely behind the times,” said Justin Horner, NRDC transportation policy analyst. “No one should be fooled. The new regulations proposed today cannot be characterized as green. They are nowhere close to what is needed to help the environment or reduce global warming pollution.”    » read more »

Agency Decides in Favor of Citizens and Environmental Groups

CHICAGO (October 19, 2009) - The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today issued an objection to the operating permit for BP North America’s refinery in Whiting, IN that will require the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to rewrite the permit.    » read more »

DNREC Secretary approves plan for largest improvement in air quality in Delaware history by reducing emissions from Indian River power plant

October 14, 2009 -- DOVER – Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Collin O’Mara has issued a Secretary’s Order approving construction permits for air pollution control equipment at NRG’s Indian River power plant near Millsboro that will transform the facility from among the 50 dirtiest coal plants in the nation to the one of the cleanest while also providing substantial public health and environmental benefits to Delawareans.    » read more »

October 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. –In advance of expected public health and safety rules on the disposal of coal byproducts by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today sent a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson asking for information on EPA’s findings related to coal byproducts, their health and public safety effects, and the basis for proper regulation of the substances.    » read more »

October 14, 2009 -- Washington, DC - The Sierra Club, with the Sierra Student Coalition today launched the second in its series of online video ads, part of its nationwide campaign to kick coal off campuses. With organizers on the ground in several of the more than 60 campuses with on-site coal plants, the Campaign is working to transition schools to 100% clean energy.

The second ad takes the stereotypically “dirty” college behavior of the first ad and bumps it up a notch. Though college life allows for leniency in the socially acceptable, coal still crosses the line. Watch the ad here: http://www.2dirty4college.com/    » read more »

Levels of Benzene Found in Tonawanda's Air as High as 75 Times the Amount Allowed in NYS, Posing a Real and Present Threat to Residents' Health

October 14, 2009 -- Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer demanded owner and CEO of the Tonawanda Coke Corporation meet with community groups and listen – in person – to their complaints about the pollution coming from the Tonawanda facility and to explore potential solutions.

In a letter to Schumer, Crane wrote that the type of allegations being made against the Tonawanda coke plant “cannot be sustained when viewed in the clear light of supportable facts, science and analysis,” and blamed the elevated benzene levels on automobile traffic.    » read more »

October 14, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the region that includes New Jersey, New York, and Puerto Rico (EPA Region 2) with $1.2 million from the economic recovery package to reduce diesel emissions, boost job creation, and promote a healthy environment.

Under the management of the not for profit organization, CALSTART, the trucks belonging to three previously identified fleets operating within New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico will be replaced with new advance technology hybrid trucks to improve regional air quality.    » read more »

October 5, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Mosaic Fertilizer will spend approximately $30 million on air pollution controls that are expected to eliminate harmful emissions from its sulfuric acid production plant in Uncle Sam, La., the Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced. The company will also pay a civil penalty of $2.4 million to resolve alleged Clean Air Act violations.    » read more »

Clean Truck Fleet Key to Ending Diesel Death Zone in Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach

LOS ANGELES (October 1, 2009) – Today, a year after the Clean Truck Programs (CTP) launched at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, more than 2,000 polluting trucks are off the road and more than 5,500 clean trucks are in operation. The ports are two years ahead of their goal to reduce truck-produced emissions by 80%, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).    » read more »

October 1, 2009 -- “The Environmental Protection Agency has determined that greenhouse gas emissions pose a real threat to public health and safety, and has proposed a carefully targeted plan to regulate large industrial and commercial facilities under the Clean Air Act.

I fully support EPA’s actions to require that the nation’s largest stationary emitters, responsible for roughly 70 percent of America’s carbon footprint, take appropriate steps to contain these harmful emissions and improve energy efficiency.

Those who recognize that the Earth is in jeopardy, that global warming is real and that the climate is warming more quickly than anticipated, understand the urgent need to take action. We cannot lose time.    » read more »