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EPA Takes Charge of Ten MoreToxic Superfund Sites The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is adding 10 new hazardous waste sites that pose risks to human health and the environment to the National Priorities List of Superfund sites. The listings makes these sites eligible to receive federal funds for long-term cleanup while the EPA seeks to recover costs from the responsible parties.In addition to the final sites added on Tuesday, the EPA also is proposing to add eight sites to the list. The list covers priority sites that the EPA investigates to determine if actions are needed to clean up the waste. www.ens-newswire.com |
Wastewater Treatment Plant Recognized for ExcellenceThe Newtown, Connecticut Wastewater Treatment Plant was recently selected by EPA for a Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Excellence Award. The staff of Newtown Wastewater Treatment Plant, led by Julio Segarra, Plant Manager, was recognized by EPA's New England Office for exceptional work in operating and maintaining the plant. "The professionals operating these wastewater treatment plants, as well as the municipalities and the state environmental agencies that support them, are essential to keeping our environment healthy," said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA's New England Office. "I am proud to give them the credit they deserve." The EPA Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Excellence Award was established to recognize and honor the employees of publicly owned wastewater treatment plants for their commitment to improving water quality with outstanding plant operations and maintenance and on-going operator training. www.yosemite.epa.gov |
Senate Signs Off on HIRE ActContinued funding for federal highway and transit programs received a significant boost when the United States Senate -- in a rare display of bipartisanship -- voted today to pass the $15 billion Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act. A major component of this bill would extend highway and transit programs through the end of 2010, as well as transfer $20 billion from the United States General Trust Fund to the Highway Trust Fund in interest foregone since 1998. And the bill's text added it would also halt annual payments that the Highway Trust Fund makes to the General Trust Fund as reimbursement for tax-exempt users of the highway program, including state and local fleets and transit providers. www.logisticsmgmt.com |
U.S. Utilities Get $6 Billion From Recovery ActOf the $6 billion allocated for drinking water and clean water state revolving funds (SRFs) by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, 100 percent was committed to signed contracts in time for the February deadline. "Not one dime had to be reallocated," Lisa Jackson, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief, told Congress. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., responded, "If we had more money, the need is there." The Drinking Water SRF, which received an extra $2 billion appropriation from ARRA, has 1,348 project agreements signed with contracts executed. Construction has begun on more than 80 percent of those projects -- 1,097 projects, valued at $1.5 billion. www.awwa.org |
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New York's Aging Infrastructure a Costly Problem Tens of thousands of miles of aging sewer and water treatment systems need extensive repairs and upgrades that could cost New York billions in the next two decades, an expensive undertaking even with the help of federal stimulus funding, according to state officials. New York's Department of Environmental Conservation found sewage-treatment infrastructure around the state is aging out and in need of an estimated $36.2 billion in repairs over the next 20 years. A similar state Health Department study estimated that drinking water infrastructure is in need of approximately $38 billion in repairs over 20 years. www.seattletimes.nwsource.com |
State, Feds Resist Their Own Stormwater RulesDecades after Georgia imposed stormwater rules on local governments in metro Atlanta, it has yet to set such rules for its own highways, university campuses and other properties. State and federal agencies have also balked at paying fees to defray local costs of meeting state and federal stormwater mandates, a stance that could leave private property owners footing the entire bill for keeping urban runoff out of creeks. State agencies and state lawmakers have tried once -- and are expected to try again -- to bar local governments from billing state properties for the cost of controlling their runoff. www.ajc.com |
Solar Power Project in Mojave Desert Gets $1.4 billion BoostThe Energy Department announced a "conditional" $1.4 billion loan guarantee for a solar thermal power complex in the Mojave Desert that would ultimately produce as much as 392 megawatts of electricity. The loan guarantee would be drawn from the resources given to the Energy Department under the economic stimulus bill adopted last year. While the terms of the solar loan guarantee -- like the terms of nuclear loan guarantees announced last week -- are still being negotiated, the Obama administration highlighted the jobs it said would be created. BrightSource, the project developer, estimates that during the construction phase, the solar power complex will employ about 1,000 people. Operation of the plant will require 86 permanent jobs. www.washingtonpost.com |
Recovery Act Support to Repair Infrastructure, Finance Community Centers, Public Safety Buildings and Health Care FacilitiesAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that facilities in 40 rural communities across a dozen states will be upgraded with loan and grant funding provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Act was signed into law by President Obama a year ago. The $14 million in Recovery Act projects are funded through the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Program and will be leveraged with $10 million from other sources. "These projects help rural communities build and upgrade essential infrastructure and demonstrate President Obama's continued efforts to improve the quality of life for rural residents throughout the country," Vilsack said. "We are seeing towns and communities across America receive significant benefits from projects funded through the Recovery Act." www.usda.gov |
Oregon Gets First U.S. Wave-Power FarmConstruction has begun off Oregon's coast on the first commercial U.S. wave-energy farm, planned to supply power to about 400 homes, according to a USA TODAY report. Wave power draws from the energy of ocean surface waves. A float on a buoy rises and falls with the waves, driving a plunger connected to a hydraulic pump that converts the vertical movement into electricity. The first buoy will measure 150 feet tall by 40 feet wide, weigh 200 tons and cost $4 million, according to Phil Pellegrino, spokesman for New Jersey-based developer Ocean Power Technologies, which is developing the project. www.usatoday.com |
Clean Energy Shows SparkThe clean-energy industry is poised for record growth in the U.S., with big companies expecting to invest billions of dollars, despite Washington's failure to enact limits on greenhouse-gas emissions. Many politicians and environmentalists had argued that a clean-energy revolution requires passage of a cap-and-trade program that limits greenhouse-gas emissions and provides a market for trading on the ability to meet the caps. The idea is that such a system would make traditional energy sources more expensive and cleaner energy more appealing. But that doesn't seem to be the case. Existing programs to support clean energy, combined with the prospect that Congress will pass an energy and jobs bill, have many analysts projecting a banner 2010. www.online.wsj.com |
Cement Industry, Environmentalists Debate Emission RegulationsThe cement industry is launching a late push to water down new regulations that would limit the amount of mercury and other hazardous pollutants emitted by their plants. The industry argues that the proposal would result in higher cement prices, which would hamper government-funded stimulus investments in airports, highways, nuclear plants and wind farms. A study by Southern Methodist University says the rule would crimp new investment in plants over the next several years and result in more than 15,000 job losses. www.dallasnews.com |
10.2 Billion Trips Taken On U.S. Public Transportation In 2009For the fourth year in a row, Americans took more than 10 billion trips on public transportation in 2009, despite high unemployment, a severe economic recession and lower gas prices, according to a report released today by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). The 10.2 billion trips taken on U.S. public transportation systems in 2009 is a 3.8 percent decrease from the 52-year modern ridership record that was set in 2008. Bus and rail service cutbacks resulting from lower state and local funding also contributed to the ridership decline. www.apta.com |
Nuclear Plants on HoldA project to build the nation's first new nuclear plant in 30 years is eligible for $8.3 billion in federal loan guarantees -- even though the Westinghouse Electric Co. reactors to be used in the plant don't have final Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval. President Obama announced that the loan guarantees will be offered to four electric utilities that would own the expanded Plant Vogtle near Waynesboro, Ga. Two new reactors are to be built there at a cost of about $14 billion. www.pittsburghlive.com |
Houston Aims to Be Electric Car CapitalHouston, nicknamed the Petro Metro for the profusion of oil and gas companies that dot its skyline, is an unlikely host for an electric-car revolution. But the fourth-biggest U.S. city that claims the title of the "Energy Capital of the World" is competing with cities like San Francisco to be the nation's electric car capital. Cities like Houston and San Francisco are forging partnerships with automakers and power companies to make the vision a reality. Such agreements are key to easing skeptical consumers' fears of running out of juice if their car batteries run low before they can reach their garage charging stations. www.reuters.com |
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