pehoover Archives

Jan 30, 2018

U.S. EPA Targets Faster Cleanups for Superfund Sites in 2018

The U.S. EPA Administrator, Scott Pruitt, has set accelerated cleanup at Superfund sites as an Agency goal for 2018. The Agency insists that the goal is achievable despite the proposed slashing of the program’s funding by 30% for fiscal year 2018. In May of 2017, Pruitt directed a task force to study how to reshape the Program using the Agency’s current resources. The report, which makes over 40 recommendations, recommends emphasizing the potential for Superfund sites to be redeveloped or reused and encouraging responsible parties to work with developers eager to redevelop the land. Another proposed avenue to expedite cleanup… Read more

Jan 10, 2018

EPA Responds to States Regarding Ozone Nonattainment Areas

Factory Emitting Air Pollution and the Ozone

The U.S. EPA missed its October 1, 2017 deadline to designate which areas of the country exceed the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone under the updated 2015 standards. Environmental and public health groups sued the EPA for missing its deadline, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia gave the agency until January 12, 2018 to announce its plans to complete the process. In response, the EPA issued letters on December 22 to all 50 states informing them whether the agency agrees with state recommendations on which areas within their borders violate the 2015 standards. … Read more

Oct 10, 2017

TVA Appeals U.S. District Court Order for Removal of Coal Ash

The TVA has asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit to review an August 4 Order by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee to dig up and remove coal ash from its Gallatin, Tennessee site. In response to a lawsuit filed by conversation groups in April of 2015, the U.S. District Court agreed that violations of the Clean Water Act mandated “closure by removal” of the coal ash. According to the TVA, the estimated cost to dig up and move the coal ash from its current location is $2 billion. TVA officials have… Read more

Oct 2, 2017

States, Cities and Private Businesses Put U.S. Halfway to Paris Climate Accord Goal

Sustainable Earth & the Paris Climate Accord

According to a study released on September 25 by New Climate Institute and The Climate Group, efforts by states, cities and corporations to fight global warming have put the United States halfway toward its Paris Climate Accord goal even as President Donald Trump rolls back federal environmental efforts. The efforts by public and private leaders have put Greenhouse gases on track to fall 12-14% below 2005 levels over the next eight years. The study, which relied on data from the Carbon Disclosure Project, highlighted efforts by 22 states, 54 cities and 250 US-based businesses. The study found that, in the… Read more

Sep 25, 2017

Power Plants Get Two-Year Reprieve from Parts of Wastewater Discharge Rule

Power plants will not have to meet new limits until 2020 for toxic wastewater that comes from using air pollution control systems and transporting bottom furnace ash. The U.S. EPA announced that it was postponing by two years compliance dates that would be required for more than 1,000 power plants nationwide as it reconsiders how strictly it should limit those sources of wastewater. The postponement applies to Obama-era limits on wastewater generated by transporting bottom ash from scrubber units to capture sulfur dioxide emissions from the burning of petroleum coke and coal. Industry representatives have pushed for the extension of… Read more

Sep 13, 2017

SGR Congratulates Client, Cox Enterprises for their Water Conservation Initiatives at Manheim Georgia

Water Conservation: Spigot and Water Drop Illustration

The Georgia Water Coalition’s inaugural Clean 13 Report highlights extraordinary efforts on the part of businesses, industries, local governments, non-profits organizations, and individuals to protect the water and natural resources of Georgia. “Around the state, businesses and communities are making a difference for clean water,” said Joe Cook, advocacy and communication coordinator with Coosa River Basin Initiative, a Georgia Water Coalition member organization. “These may seem like small projects, affecting just an isolated area, but together they add up to big improvements for our water and communities.” SGR’s client, Cox Enterprises is being recognized for its water conservation initiatives at Manheim… Read more

Aug 1, 2017

New EPA Water Infrastructure Finance Website Open

On July 26, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opened a web-based portal to assist municipalities, counties, and communities in identifying grant, loan and other financial sources for infrastructure. Recent Safe Drinking Water Issues in Flint, Michigan and other communities involving lead in drinking water have increased focus on drinking water infrastructure needs and system investigation and replacement. EPA indicates that the Water Finance Clearinghouse has over $10 billion in water funding sources and over 550 resources to support local water infrastructure projects. Water Finance Clearinghouse consolidates and expands upon existing EPA-supported databases to create a one-stop-shop for all community water… Read more

Jun 20, 2017

Supreme Court Hands Chevron Victory In Ecuador Pollution Case

The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a certiorari petition seeking review of a decision that an $8.65 billion Ecuadorian judgment against Chevron Corporation was unenforceable in the United States. In 2014, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York blocked enforcement in the United States of an Ecuadorian judgment against Chevron. The District Court held, and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals later affirmed, that the Ecuadorian judgment was the product of fraud and racketeering. American lawyer Steven Donziger and Ecuadorians had sought to impose liability on Chevron Corporation for contamination in Ecuador linked to Texaco Petroleum,… Read more

Jun 15, 2017

Toshiba Backs Vogtle Nuclear Project

On June 9, Toshiba Corp. announced a $3.68 billion guarantee for the development of the Vogtle nuclear reactors. The guarantee is part of an agreement between Georgia Power, a subsidiary of the Southern Company, and Toshiba, the parent company of Vogtle contractor Westinghouse. Westinghouse was hired the primary contractor to build the Vogtle reactors, but filed for bankruptcy on March 29, 2017. The two Vogtle nuclear reactors in Georgia are co-owned by Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, MEAG Power and Dalton Utilities. According to a press release by Georgia Power, the agreement has been approved by the U.S. Department of Energy…. Read more

May 3, 2017

U.S. Wind Industry Has Biggest First-Quarter Installs In Eight Years

The U.S. wind industry had its strongest first quarter since 2009, adding nearly four times the capacity installed in the first quarter of 2016. Developers installed 908 utility-scale for a total of 2,000 megawatts of capacity. These installations coincide with the upcoming reduction in the value of federal Production Tax Credit for wind projects, which will drop by 20 percent each year for projects that start construction from 2017 through 2019. Xcel Energy Inc., Berkshire Hathaway Inc.’s MidAmerican Energy, Alliant Energy Corp, and DTE Energy Co. were responsible for nearly all of the recent utility wind capacity additions. Top installation… Read more