Posted by the Alliance for Community Trees. In preparation for Super Bowl XLV on February 6, participants in the Super Grow XLV program have planted more than 6,500 trees in Dallas-area cities. The effort is an attempt to minimize the Super Bowl’s impact on the local environment. NFL environmental director Jack Groh said North Texas’s environmental initiatives, coordinated by Texas Trees Foundation, have been the largest in the history of the Super Bowl. Complete story at: http://actrees.org/files/Newsletter/treebune_11jan24.html Thanks to @plantyourlegacy and @BethSEGreen (www.southeastgreen.com) for the heads up about this great story!
Environmental and Sustainability Law
Chinese and American Officials Meet to Discuss Clean Energy Cooperation
Last week, top Chinese and American officials – including Chinese President Hu Jintao – met to discuss clean energy cooperation among the two countries. China and the United States are the two largest emitters of greenhouse gases. Chinese representatives also report that, by 2020, China plans to have double the economic output it did in 2000 so that, by 2050, China could be using half the world’s energy. At the joint conference the two countries signed an agreement to expand a joint clean energy research center that focuses on building energy efficiency, carbon capture and storage from coal plants and… Read more
Our Top 5: The Weekly Round-up, Environmental & Sustainability — January 26, 2011
1) Environmental Groups Sue EPA to Tighten Pesticide Regulations Environmental conservation groups sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to force it to tighten regulation of pesticide use, arguing that the agency was not consulting wildlife officials. The Center for Biological Diversity has successfully sued the EPA on similar grounds, focusing on individual species, but the new suit seeks a broad change in policy by the agency to meet what it says are Endangered Species Act rules. Source: Reuters, 2011-01-21. 2) After Health Repeal, House Turns to Revising Clean Air Act Now that the House of Representatives has voted to repeal… Read more
Oil Spill Commission Releases Final Report, Criticizes Regulatory Agencies and Louisiana Governor
Posted by Jessica Lee Reece. The National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling released its final Report to the President last week. The Report found, among other things, that the “immediate causes of the Macondo well blowout can be traced to a series of identifiable mistakes made by BP, Halliburton, and Transocean that reveal such systematic failures in risk management that they place in doubt the safety culture of the entire industry.” Based on its investigation, the Commission recommended “fundamental reform” in regulatory oversight and crisis response. The report also makes strong assertions against Gov…. Read more
Life in the Green Lane: This year let’s build a community.
New Years resolutions and I have a pretty tenuous relationship. January rolls around and I make some vow or another but by mid-February I am back to my old ways. Not this year. I have made one resolution that I know I can keep: I’m going local. From farmer’s market food to jewelry crafted by art students, if I can’t meet the owner, I’m gonna pass. It’s a pretty catchy trend. Whether it’s for financial reasons or peace of mind, Opinion Research reports that 80 percent of us are planning to be greener this year. Here are 10 easy ways to… Read more
Separate Reporting of Biomass GHG Emissions Required by EPA
U.S. EPA recently published a final rule reversing its prior position on reporting so-called biogenic GHG emissions–emissions created from burning plant-based fuels. Beginning this month, industries that are large emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs), or those that are planning to build new facilities or make major modifications to existing ones, must obtain air permits and implement energy efficiency measures or, where available, cost-effective technology to reduce their GHGs emissions. In an earlier proposed rule, EPA did not require separate reporting of GHG emissions from biomass. Yet, on December 17, EPA released its final rule, which requires power plants that burn… Read more
This Week on Speaking of Green: Wayne Robertson, Energy ACE.
This week “Speaking of Green” will feature Wayne Robertson of Energy ACE. Wayne will be discussing energy Efficiency and small businesses. The blogcast airs today, Monday, December 13 at 2 p.m. EST. To tune in this week, or catch up on past episodes, please visit http://blogtalkradio.com/southeastgreen. “Speaking of Green” is a weekly blogcast on issues ranging from corporate sustainability to creating green jobs to the future of renewable energy in the south. Please contact sustainability@sgrlaw.com for more information and details on how your business or organization can be featured as a guest.
Uncertainty in the Carbon Trading Markets
The Chicago Climate Exchange (“CCX”) recently announced it will be shutting down over the next few months due to Congressional inaction relating to climate change legislation. The Chicago Climate Exchange is a voluntary greenhouse gas emissions allowance trading system and was the only national carbon cap-and-trade exchange in the United States. Members of the legally-binding exchange included DuPont, Motorola, I.B.M. and other major companies. Meanwhile, New York announced that it made $16.9 million in its latest auction of carbon dioxide credits last week, held under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (“RGGI”). RGGI is the northeast’s cap-and-trade system. According to the… Read more
Life in the Green Lane: What to get the foodie in your life.
With holiday decorations going up across town it’s about time to start thinking about gift-giving. And what better way to show someone you love them than with a gift that says you really do care? This week in her Womenetics blog, “Life in the Green Lane“, attorney Jessica Lee Reece offers a few ideas for the foodies in your life and for those upcoming holiday cocktail parties. Read more at: http://womenetics.com/expert-blogs/-living-green/ One gift idea? A reclaimed slate cheese board made from old blackboards from elementary schools in Illinois. (Available at: http://uncommongoods.com/product/reclaimed-slate-cheese-board) Pair the gift with local cheeses and organic wines for a perfect gift or party tray!
EPA Releases Greenhouse Gas Permitting Guidance
Last Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), published a set of guidance documents to assist state authorities and industry applicants with the Clean Air Act “prevention of significant deterioration” (PSD) and Title V permitting for sources of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). EPA has declared that GHGs are a danger to human health and the environment and must be regulated under the Clean Air Act. With the guidance, EPA seeks to reassure major emitters (the first group to be regulated) that impending regulation will not be too burdensome and that permitting decisions will take cost and technical feasibility into account. The… Read more