The 19th Century American industrialist Andrew Carnegie probably didn’t have solar power in mind when he advised aspiring tycoons to “concentrate your energies.” If he were alive today, however, he might have seen how apt the principle is to turning sunlight into electricity.
Fans of solar power sometimes boast that energy from the sun is “unlimited” when what they really mean is “vast.” Scientists have quantified the average amount of solar radiation (insolation) striking most inhabited land on Earth as ranging from approximately 150 to 300 watts per square meter.
For decades, most photovoltaic (PV) research has been directed at increasing the efficiency of the conversion process – to wring more electricity from that finite amount of light energy. Those efforts have had great success. From an efficiency of just 4 percent for the first cells made from crystalline silicone in the early 1950s, efficiency has increased to around 20 percent today – a five-fold jump.
Scientists Jerry Olson and Sarah Kurtz have taken a radically different approach. They began working in the 1980s on increasing not just efficiency but also on maximizing the total amount of light striking the cell. In other words: concentrating and maximizing the amount of energy that strikes the cells. Their pioneering work was recognized in 2006 when Olson and Kurtz were named Dan David Prize laureates (an international prize that carries a million dollar award). After making giant strides in research at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), concentrating photovoltaic power (CPV) has begun to move out of the lab and into production.
Rick Russell, head of engineering for the young CPV manufacturing firm Soliant, showed me how their SE-1000X unit works. The apparatus stood in a giant exhibition hall during the just-ended Solar Power Industry trade show in Los Angeles. Eight gleaming white rectangles (each measuring 14” x 28” and 16” deep) stood out in a room dominated by panels of dark silicon.
“These,” said Russell pointing to the Fresnel lenses that topped each box, “concentrate the sunlight like a magnifying glass does, onto the solar cell below.” The lenses can increase the amount of light focused on the cell by one thousand times. The solar cells themselves aren’t visible, but sit in box so small you could hold it in one hand.
“They may be small,” Russell explained, “but they’re extremely efficient.”
Known in the industry as “triple junction” cells, they’re made from extremely thin layers of Gallium Indium Phosphide and Gallium Indium Arsenide put onto a substrate of Germanium.
Each layer is sensitive to a different part of the spectrum, allowing the triple junction cells to produce even more electricity. These high-efficiency cells were developed for space applications, where small size and peak efficiency are more important than just the price. (Soliant was founded by a group of former NASA and JPL scientists.)
Combining high-efficiency cells with concentrating lenses began bringing the price down to earth (pardon the pun). But Russell pointed to a third engineering feature that is critically important to helping CPV approach grid parity – and achieve it in some locations. Solar tracking, NASA style.
Attaching solar panels to mechanized tracking devices that follow the sun throughout the day isn’t exactly new – although the practice has grown more popular in recent years. What is new, is the precision method adopted from the space agency.
Most tracking devices follow a “virtual sun,” using an algorithm based on known factors like latitude and longitude and time of year.
But that process doesn’t incorporate real world factors.
“Predicting the position of the sun is easy,” Russell explained. “What’s harder to predict -- in fact, what’s impossible to predict with a high degree of accuracy -- is the position of the sun relative to the position of the solar cell at a given moment.”
That’s because the panels are mounted on a roof that can sag and in locations where high winds can shift the panels themselves enough to affect electrical output. Soliant’s solution was to incorporate sensors that allow the array to tilt and turn in three dimensions so that any tracking errors are self-corrected – with a phenomenal accuracy of .1 of a degree.
The result is a commercial CPV rooftop system that can generate double the electrical output of a traditional solar array of the same cost.
There is one caveat, however. Brian Robinson alluded to it earlier in the week, in a panel discussion at SPI.
“CPV is perfectly positioned to grow,” he said, adding, “where the market will be.”
As the CEO of the California-based CPV company, Amonix, Robinson believes in his product 100 percent, but only in the right location.
“CPV is not the best choice for everywhere,” Robinson cautioned.
It only becomes competitive with other energy sources in areas with sufficiently high amounts of solar insolation, places like the Southwest and west Texas. “I wanted a technology strategy that could address the energy markets, not the subsidized solar markets,” Robinson emphasized.
CPV may be the first form of solar power to reach full grid parity on a large scale – without subsidies or incentives, or even a truly level playing field, i.e., one that includes environmental and health costs in its price. It won’t happen everywhere, but, then, why does solar have to be the best energy choice for the entire planet, right now?
As the technologies develop, and as our political will matures to the point that we’re able to deal rationally with climate change, solar power will likely spread.
CPV can flourish now in locations where it’s cost effective – a hint, perhaps, of things to come
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Climate change affects India flower exports
Unseasonal weather is negatively impacting southern India's flower export industry.
Heavy snowfall in Tamil Nadu has caused many blooms to perish, according to indiatoday.com having a knock-on effect on its flower industry.
Being one of the top providers of jasmine, roses and other blooms, the area is now struggling to meet demand.
One grower noted that, of the flowers they do have, they are more likely to go to overseas buyers.
"Whatever be the price, foreign countries especially the Gulf nations are ready to pay the price we demand," commented a local flower seller in Madurai.
Recently, an Indian university revealed its intention to reduce floral waste in the country by turning discarded blooms into organic paints.
Jadhavpur University is currently testing the durability of its paints and hopes that the scheme will be able to reduce waste.
excerpts from iflorist
Heavy snowfall in Tamil Nadu has caused many blooms to perish, according to indiatoday.com having a knock-on effect on its flower industry.
Being one of the top providers of jasmine, roses and other blooms, the area is now struggling to meet demand.
One grower noted that, of the flowers they do have, they are more likely to go to overseas buyers.
"Whatever be the price, foreign countries especially the Gulf nations are ready to pay the price we demand," commented a local flower seller in Madurai.
Recently, an Indian university revealed its intention to reduce floral waste in the country by turning discarded blooms into organic paints.
Jadhavpur University is currently testing the durability of its paints and hopes that the scheme will be able to reduce waste.
excerpts from iflorist
Friday, October 15, 2010
Automakers, Retailers, Gas Stations Roll Plans for EV Charging Stations
As more electric vehicles are set to launch over the next several months, automakers, retailers and gas stations are putting plans in place to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in strategic locations to help build out the fueling infrastructure.
For example, General Motors plans to install Envision Solar’s CleanCharge solar-powered EV charging stations integrated into EnvisionTrak tracking Solar Trees at a number of locations.
The Chevy Volt extended-range electric car is expected to be showrooms in November 2010 and will be rolled out initially in California, Michigan, Washington, D.C., Texas and New York, followed by New Jersey and Connecticut in mid-2011.
Gas stations also are gearing up for the EV roll-out. BP, a partner in the EV Project, for example, announced it will install ECOtality’s Blink EV DC Fast Chargers at 45 BP and ARCO locations. They will be available to the public as early as March 2011.
Locations will be selected based on population density and transportation corridors in each project region. BP is expected to install the DC Fast Chargers near major EV Project pilot markets, which include Phoenix (AZ), Tucson (AZ), San Diego (CA), Los Angeles (CA), Portland (OR), Eugene (OR), Salem (OR), Corvallis (OR), Seattle (WA), Nashville (TN), Knoxville (TN) and Chattanooga (TN).
ECOtality is the project manager for the EV Project, an initiative that plans to install approximately 15,000 charging stations in 16 cities and major metropolitan areas in six states, and will place 8,300 EVs on the road. The project is funded with a $114.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), with matching funds from the private sector.
Retailers are also installing EV charging station as pilot programs to see how useful they are and if they can make any money by investing in the stations, reports CNET. As an example, twelve Best Buy stores plan to install Ecotality Blink EV charging stations by March at stores in Tucson, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Seattle.
Public charging stations is an important consideration for making EVs more viable and to ease concerns over driving range, although it’s expect that more drivers will charge their vehicles at home, reports CNET.
Ninety five percent of consumers surveyed in Southern California say they would prefer to charge their EVs at home, according to a report from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).
Best Buy also plans to sell electric transportation products at its stores, including bicycles, scooters, and a motorcycle, reports CNET.
Because Enterprise Rent-A-Car will offer electric vehicles to customers across eight different markets, starting in November 2010, charging stations will be installed at select locations, including several of the Enterprise “hybrid branches.”
For example, General Motors plans to install Envision Solar’s CleanCharge solar-powered EV charging stations integrated into EnvisionTrak tracking Solar Trees at a number of locations.
The Chevy Volt extended-range electric car is expected to be showrooms in November 2010 and will be rolled out initially in California, Michigan, Washington, D.C., Texas and New York, followed by New Jersey and Connecticut in mid-2011.
Gas stations also are gearing up for the EV roll-out. BP, a partner in the EV Project, for example, announced it will install ECOtality’s Blink EV DC Fast Chargers at 45 BP and ARCO locations. They will be available to the public as early as March 2011.
Locations will be selected based on population density and transportation corridors in each project region. BP is expected to install the DC Fast Chargers near major EV Project pilot markets, which include Phoenix (AZ), Tucson (AZ), San Diego (CA), Los Angeles (CA), Portland (OR), Eugene (OR), Salem (OR), Corvallis (OR), Seattle (WA), Nashville (TN), Knoxville (TN) and Chattanooga (TN).
ECOtality is the project manager for the EV Project, an initiative that plans to install approximately 15,000 charging stations in 16 cities and major metropolitan areas in six states, and will place 8,300 EVs on the road. The project is funded with a $114.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), with matching funds from the private sector.
Retailers are also installing EV charging station as pilot programs to see how useful they are and if they can make any money by investing in the stations, reports CNET. As an example, twelve Best Buy stores plan to install Ecotality Blink EV charging stations by March at stores in Tucson, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Seattle.
Public charging stations is an important consideration for making EVs more viable and to ease concerns over driving range, although it’s expect that more drivers will charge their vehicles at home, reports CNET.
Ninety five percent of consumers surveyed in Southern California say they would prefer to charge their EVs at home, according to a report from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).
Best Buy also plans to sell electric transportation products at its stores, including bicycles, scooters, and a motorcycle, reports CNET.
Because Enterprise Rent-A-Car will offer electric vehicles to customers across eight different markets, starting in November 2010, charging stations will be installed at select locations, including several of the Enterprise “hybrid branches.”
Most Americans Get a Failing Grade in Climate Change Facts
While 63 percent of Americans believe that global warming is happening, many do not understand why, according to a Yale project study on climate change communication. The study finds that eight percent of Americans have knowledge equivalent to an A or B grade, while 40 percent would receive a C or D, and 52 percent would get an F.
The study, “Americans’ Knowledge of Climate Change” (PDF), also finds gaps in knowledge and common misconceptions about climate change and the earth system, which has led some people to doubt global warming or that human activities are a major contributor, say researchers.
Researchers say this lack of knowledge can lead to uninformed decision making.
Here are some of the key findings:
–57 percent know that the greenhouse effect refers to gases in the atmosphere that trap heat
–50 percent of Americans understand that global warming is caused mostly by human activities
–45 percent understand that carbon dioxide traps heat from the Earth’s surface
–25 percent have ever heard of coral bleaching or ocean acidification
The study also finds that most Americans understand that emissions from cars and trucks and the burning of fossil fuels contribute to global warming, and that a transition to renewable energy sources is an important solution.
Researchers also say despite the recent controversies over “climategate” and the 2007 IPCC report, Americans trust scientists and scientific organizations far more than any other source of information about global warming.
They also recognize their own limited understanding of the issue. Only 1 in 10 say that they are “very well informed” about climate change, and 75 percent say they would like to know more.
The study, “Americans’ Knowledge of Climate Change” (PDF), also finds gaps in knowledge and common misconceptions about climate change and the earth system, which has led some people to doubt global warming or that human activities are a major contributor, say researchers.
Researchers say this lack of knowledge can lead to uninformed decision making.
Here are some of the key findings:
–57 percent know that the greenhouse effect refers to gases in the atmosphere that trap heat
–50 percent of Americans understand that global warming is caused mostly by human activities
–45 percent understand that carbon dioxide traps heat from the Earth’s surface
–25 percent have ever heard of coral bleaching or ocean acidification
The study also finds that most Americans understand that emissions from cars and trucks and the burning of fossil fuels contribute to global warming, and that a transition to renewable energy sources is an important solution.
Researchers also say despite the recent controversies over “climategate” and the 2007 IPCC report, Americans trust scientists and scientific organizations far more than any other source of information about global warming.
They also recognize their own limited understanding of the issue. Only 1 in 10 say that they are “very well informed” about climate change, and 75 percent say they would like to know more.
New MHI Ship Design Cuts Emissions 35%
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has designed a new large-sized, fuel-efficient container vessel that reduces carbon-dioxide emissions by 35 percent compared with conventional container carriers, reports IBN.
MHI attributes the reduction to the Mitsubishi Air Lubrication System (MALS), which reduces frictional resistance between the vessel hull and seawater using air bubbles at the vessel bottom, and an advanced ship hull design and propulsion system, including an electronically controlled diesel engine and waste heat recovery system.
The MALS-14000CS also is designed with a SOx scrubber to remove sulfur oxide (SOx) from flue gas and a ballast water treatment system.
The vessel, dubbed MALS-14000CS, will be able to carry 14,000 6-meter equivalent unit containers and travel through the Panama Canal after the waterway’s expansion is completed in 2014, reports Japan Times.
Takashi Unseki, acting general manager of the company’s ship and ocean engineering department, told IBN that with a 1 percent CO2 emission cut, the vessel will be capable of cutting fuel costs by up to $368,250 (30 million yen) annually.
MHI says it has installed the MALS on the “YAMATAI,” a module carrier operated by the NYK-Hinode Line, and is verifying its CO2 reduction efficiency, expecting about a 10 percent cut.
Other shipping companies like Maersk are moving ahead with plans to reduce their shipping speed as a way to reduce emissions.
These moves come at a time when the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is working to develop a plan to cut CO2 emissions. At the environment protection committee meeting in October, the IMO failed to agree on proposals to cut carbon emissions.
IMO plans to hold further talks in March 2011 to discuss a market-based mechanism for lowering emissions.
MHI attributes the reduction to the Mitsubishi Air Lubrication System (MALS), which reduces frictional resistance between the vessel hull and seawater using air bubbles at the vessel bottom, and an advanced ship hull design and propulsion system, including an electronically controlled diesel engine and waste heat recovery system.
The MALS-14000CS also is designed with a SOx scrubber to remove sulfur oxide (SOx) from flue gas and a ballast water treatment system.
The vessel, dubbed MALS-14000CS, will be able to carry 14,000 6-meter equivalent unit containers and travel through the Panama Canal after the waterway’s expansion is completed in 2014, reports Japan Times.
Takashi Unseki, acting general manager of the company’s ship and ocean engineering department, told IBN that with a 1 percent CO2 emission cut, the vessel will be capable of cutting fuel costs by up to $368,250 (30 million yen) annually.
MHI says it has installed the MALS on the “YAMATAI,” a module carrier operated by the NYK-Hinode Line, and is verifying its CO2 reduction efficiency, expecting about a 10 percent cut.
Other shipping companies like Maersk are moving ahead with plans to reduce their shipping speed as a way to reduce emissions.
These moves come at a time when the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is working to develop a plan to cut CO2 emissions. At the environment protection committee meeting in October, the IMO failed to agree on proposals to cut carbon emissions.
IMO plans to hold further talks in March 2011 to discuss a market-based mechanism for lowering emissions.
Sustainability Builds Brands
The more sustainable a brand is perceived, the more meaningful it becomes to consumers, according to research from Havas Media.
A key finding of the “Brand Sustainable Futures” analysis finds that only one-third of brands are considered meaningful to consumers. It also reveals that while sustainability is a key issue for consumers worldwide few brands live up to increasing expectations.
According to the survey of more than 30,000 people across four continents and nine markets, the vast majority of mainstream consumers wouldn’t care if two thirds of today’s global brands disappeared in the future.
More than half of the consumers surveyed say confusion, a lack of clarity and perceived higher prices prevent responsible purchasing.
The analysis also shows that social issues and sustainability still rank as major concerns among consumers worldwide with 80 percent of consumers expecting business to act responsibly. In addition, an increasing majority (76 percent vs. 70 percent in 2009) place the responsibility for environmental and social issues on business rather than governments, say researchers.
Other key findings reveal that only 29 percent of respondents believe that brands are working hard to resolve sustainability issues and 68 percent (64 percent in 2009) believe companies only act responsibly in order to improve their image.
The analysis also shows opportunities for brands who adopt clear and engaging communications, offer greater product incentives (such as price) and availability, which were all cited as key barriers to responsible consumption, say researchers.
These barriers varied by country, with price the main issue in western economies (France, UK, US and Germany) and lack of information the most important in Spain and fast growing markets such as China, Brazil, Mexico and India.
Havas Media says the project’s proprietary metric, the Brand Sustainable Futures Quotient (BSF Quotient), allows a company to assess, track and compare its brand’s sustainable health over time.
In the 2010 analysis, IKEA received the highest score of the “multi-market” brands, while scores have risen for almost all brands surveyed from 2009. Companies that improved the most this year include Volkswagen, BMW, L’Oreal , BBVA, Reckitt Benckiser and Carrefour.
The study also looks at brands by sector. The brands with the most defined sustainability profiles last year included food and consumer-product brands and retailers such as Danone, Nestlé and Unilever, say researchers.
This year a more diverse selection of brands from other industries are making a difference versus their competitors by raising their sustainability brand profile including BMW, Volkswagen and Philips, say researchers.
The study also finds that integrated 360-degree approaches are needed to communicate sustainable issues. These include digital and indirect communications channels (such comments from employees, friends & family, key opinion leaders, experts, NGOs, certification labels).
Branding of green products also is considered to be more difficult than traditional products.
excerpts from environmental leader
A key finding of the “Brand Sustainable Futures” analysis finds that only one-third of brands are considered meaningful to consumers. It also reveals that while sustainability is a key issue for consumers worldwide few brands live up to increasing expectations.
According to the survey of more than 30,000 people across four continents and nine markets, the vast majority of mainstream consumers wouldn’t care if two thirds of today’s global brands disappeared in the future.
More than half of the consumers surveyed say confusion, a lack of clarity and perceived higher prices prevent responsible purchasing.
The analysis also shows that social issues and sustainability still rank as major concerns among consumers worldwide with 80 percent of consumers expecting business to act responsibly. In addition, an increasing majority (76 percent vs. 70 percent in 2009) place the responsibility for environmental and social issues on business rather than governments, say researchers.
Other key findings reveal that only 29 percent of respondents believe that brands are working hard to resolve sustainability issues and 68 percent (64 percent in 2009) believe companies only act responsibly in order to improve their image.
The analysis also shows opportunities for brands who adopt clear and engaging communications, offer greater product incentives (such as price) and availability, which were all cited as key barriers to responsible consumption, say researchers.
These barriers varied by country, with price the main issue in western economies (France, UK, US and Germany) and lack of information the most important in Spain and fast growing markets such as China, Brazil, Mexico and India.
Havas Media says the project’s proprietary metric, the Brand Sustainable Futures Quotient (BSF Quotient), allows a company to assess, track and compare its brand’s sustainable health over time.
In the 2010 analysis, IKEA received the highest score of the “multi-market” brands, while scores have risen for almost all brands surveyed from 2009. Companies that improved the most this year include Volkswagen, BMW, L’Oreal , BBVA, Reckitt Benckiser and Carrefour.
The study also looks at brands by sector. The brands with the most defined sustainability profiles last year included food and consumer-product brands and retailers such as Danone, Nestlé and Unilever, say researchers.
This year a more diverse selection of brands from other industries are making a difference versus their competitors by raising their sustainability brand profile including BMW, Volkswagen and Philips, say researchers.
The study also finds that integrated 360-degree approaches are needed to communicate sustainable issues. These include digital and indirect communications channels (such comments from employees, friends & family, key opinion leaders, experts, NGOs, certification labels).
Branding of green products also is considered to be more difficult than traditional products.
excerpts from environmental leader
Environmental Enforcement Roundup: Goodman Oil; Pesticide Violations; Mountaintop Mining; Attleboro Cleanup
Related Stories
EPA Addresses Mountaintop Removal Mining, Water Heater Efficiency
Coal Industry Sues Obama Admin
Mining Industry: BofA’s Coal Policy A PR StuntRelated TopicsAll EL StoriesCoalComplianceFacilitiesHazardous WasteManufacturingMiningPenaltiesPolicy & LawPollutionWaste Environmental Leader’s daily roundup of key environmental enforcement news:
Goodman Oil to Pay $171,000 for Tank Violations
Goodman Oil Company and Goodman Oil Company of Lewiston agreed to pay a $171,091 fine for a series of fuel storage tank violations at former gas stations across Idaho under a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice, EPA announced yesterday.
The settlement, approved by the federal court in Boise, Idaho on October 1, covers a range of violations beginning as early as 1991 and ending in 2009. The companies have agreed to pay the penalty from the sale of their properties in Idaho and Oregon.
The violations occurred at former gas stations owned by the Goodman Oil companies in Boise, Homedale, Nampa, Weiser and Lewiston, Idaho. EPA inspectors identified fuel storage tanks at the stations that were not compliant with EPA requirements. They risked contaminating groundwater, which is a primary source of drinking water for much of Idaho.
“Poorly maintained fuel storage tanks and piping can endanger an area’s groundwater supply, so gas station owners must keep storage systems in good shape,” Peter Contreras, manager of the Ground Water Unit at the EPA in Seattle said in a press release. “Thousands of people in Idaho depend on groundwater, so we expect facilities to run their businesses in a way that protects nearby residents.”
The facilities had a range of violations that included failure to:
Conduct adequate leak detection
Upgrade pipes and tanks in a timely way to prevent corrosion
Comply with an EPA request for information on the facilities
Document financial resources to clean up petroleum releases and cover potential hazards to third parties, including citizens, in the event of a release
The Boise-based companies have since closed or sold most of their facilities in Idaho and Oregon. When storage tanks are not properly maintained, they risk leaking fuel and chemicals into groundwater, which can harm human health. There are approximately 96,000 confirmed releases from storage tanks awaiting cleanup across the nation according to EPA.
Pesticide Importer/Manufacturer Faces Fines for Reporting Violations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed penalties against a Massachusetts company that produces and imports pesticides and pesticide devices for importing these products for distribution or sale without submitting the required forms to EPA, the agency said in a press release.
In its complaint, EPA’s New England office alleges that Millipore Corp. of Billerica imported unregistered pesticides (chlorine tablets) for distribution or sale on numerous occasions without submitting the Notice of Arrival forms required by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, known as FIFRA.
According to the complaint, Millipore also imported pesticide devices (water purification devices) on numerous occasions without submitting the required Notice of Arrival forms. EPA’s complaint alleges that these FIFRA violations occurred from Sept. 2005 to Oct. 2008 and seeks a penalty of up to $6,500 for each violation.
Under FIFRA, all pesticides used and sold in the U.S. are required to undergo a rigorous, science-based review process to ensure that they can be used safely and do not pose an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment. Importers of pesticide products must provide data to EPA regarding pesticides or devices that may be entering the U.S. prior to their import.
The Notice of Arrival forms provide important information to EPA regarding pesticides and pesticide devices entering the country including, for example, the major active ingredients, quantities, countries of origin, identity of producing establishments, carriers, ports of entry, and contact information.
Citizen Groups Attempt to Intervene in Mountain Mining Lawsuit
The Sierra Club and a coalition of regional citizen groups are seeking to intervene in a coal industry lawsuit over the Obama administration’s crackdown on mountaintop removal coal mining, the Charleston Gazette reports.
Lawyers for the coalition groups filed a motion to intervene in the suit brought by the National Mining Association in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Mining industry lawyers are seeking to block more detailed permit reviews and tougher water quality guidance issued earlier this year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
In a news release, the citizen groups said that they filed their motion because “the mining industry should not be able to prevent government agencies from doing their jobs: To follow the Clean Water Act, consider the key scientific information discussed in the guidance, and protect America’s water from destruction.”
“For 40 years the Clean Water Act has protected Americans from unacceptable pollution like the mining waste that destroys our essential mountain streams,” Debbie Jarrell, assistant director of Coal River Mountain Watch told the Charleston Gazette. “But here in Appalachia, we’re still waiting for real protection.”
The other groups seeking to intervene are Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards, and Statewide Organizing for Community Empowerment.
While the coal industry favors mountaintop removal’s efficiency, and local political leaders praise the jobs provided, there is a growing scientific consensus that the practice is causing widespread and irreversible damage to the region’s forests, water quality and communities.
Shortly after taking office, the Obama administration announced it was taking “unprecedented steps” to reduce the environmental impacts of mountaintop removal.
EPA began much more rigorous reviews of valley fill permit applications being considered by the federal Army Corps of Engineers and threatened to exercise its Clean Water Act authority to block those permits if it believed the impacts were too great.
In its suit, the mining association alleges this process “adds significant additional time to the corps regulatory review” and is “dramatically altering timelines” for companies to receive new mining permits.
This April, EPA also announced a new guidance for its regional offices in reviewing water pollution permits for mining projects being considered for issuance by state agencies like West Virginia’s Department of Environmental Protection.
The new guidance calls for much tougher review, and perhaps rejection of permits, based on the potential to increase the electrical conductivity of streams, which is a stronger measure of many harmful pollutants from mining and has been linked to damage of aquatic life.
EPA made its guidance effective immediately on an interim basis, but is also conducting an eight-month public comment period and subjecting the scientific reports the guidance is based upon to peer review.
In its suit, the mining association said the guidance constitutes a rulemaking that should have gone through a public comment before it was put into effect.
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin ordered the state Department of Environmental Protection last week to file a similar lawsuit against EPA and the Corps of Engineers.
EPA to Begin Attleboro Cleanup–Public Meeting to be Held on Oct. 18
Clean up of the hazardous waste at the former Walton & Lonsbury facility at 78 North Ave., Attleboro, Mass. begins next week on Oct. 19. EPA will also hold an informational Public Meeting to discuss the work on Monday, Oct. 18 at 7:00 p.m. in the Municipal Council Chambers at Attleboro City Hall at 77 Park Street.
Walton & Lonsbury, Inc. operated the 13,500 square foot chrome plating facility from 1940 to 2007, specializing in plating oversized objects such as pistons for large hydraulic equipment.
Until 1970, the hazardous wastes generated from the facility were discharged directly via an underground pipe into the wetlands behind the facility. From 1970 until the mid-1980s the facility disposed of waste in surface lagoons; and then from 1986 until 2007, the company operated their own wastewater treatment facility to manage their wastes. As a result of their waste management and plating practices, toxic contaminants remain on Site both in and around the building. EPA will be working to remove these contaminants over the next 18-36 months.
During building demolition and excavation, EPA will install air monitoring stations around the Site to continuously check the air quality in order to ensure the safety of the public near the Site.
excerpts from environmental leaders
EPA Addresses Mountaintop Removal Mining, Water Heater Efficiency
Coal Industry Sues Obama Admin
Mining Industry: BofA’s Coal Policy A PR StuntRelated TopicsAll EL StoriesCoalComplianceFacilitiesHazardous WasteManufacturingMiningPenaltiesPolicy & LawPollutionWaste Environmental Leader’s daily roundup of key environmental enforcement news:
Goodman Oil to Pay $171,000 for Tank Violations
Goodman Oil Company and Goodman Oil Company of Lewiston agreed to pay a $171,091 fine for a series of fuel storage tank violations at former gas stations across Idaho under a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice, EPA announced yesterday.
The settlement, approved by the federal court in Boise, Idaho on October 1, covers a range of violations beginning as early as 1991 and ending in 2009. The companies have agreed to pay the penalty from the sale of their properties in Idaho and Oregon.
The violations occurred at former gas stations owned by the Goodman Oil companies in Boise, Homedale, Nampa, Weiser and Lewiston, Idaho. EPA inspectors identified fuel storage tanks at the stations that were not compliant with EPA requirements. They risked contaminating groundwater, which is a primary source of drinking water for much of Idaho.
“Poorly maintained fuel storage tanks and piping can endanger an area’s groundwater supply, so gas station owners must keep storage systems in good shape,” Peter Contreras, manager of the Ground Water Unit at the EPA in Seattle said in a press release. “Thousands of people in Idaho depend on groundwater, so we expect facilities to run their businesses in a way that protects nearby residents.”
The facilities had a range of violations that included failure to:
Conduct adequate leak detection
Upgrade pipes and tanks in a timely way to prevent corrosion
Comply with an EPA request for information on the facilities
Document financial resources to clean up petroleum releases and cover potential hazards to third parties, including citizens, in the event of a release
The Boise-based companies have since closed or sold most of their facilities in Idaho and Oregon. When storage tanks are not properly maintained, they risk leaking fuel and chemicals into groundwater, which can harm human health. There are approximately 96,000 confirmed releases from storage tanks awaiting cleanup across the nation according to EPA.
Pesticide Importer/Manufacturer Faces Fines for Reporting Violations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed penalties against a Massachusetts company that produces and imports pesticides and pesticide devices for importing these products for distribution or sale without submitting the required forms to EPA, the agency said in a press release.
In its complaint, EPA’s New England office alleges that Millipore Corp. of Billerica imported unregistered pesticides (chlorine tablets) for distribution or sale on numerous occasions without submitting the Notice of Arrival forms required by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, known as FIFRA.
According to the complaint, Millipore also imported pesticide devices (water purification devices) on numerous occasions without submitting the required Notice of Arrival forms. EPA’s complaint alleges that these FIFRA violations occurred from Sept. 2005 to Oct. 2008 and seeks a penalty of up to $6,500 for each violation.
Under FIFRA, all pesticides used and sold in the U.S. are required to undergo a rigorous, science-based review process to ensure that they can be used safely and do not pose an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment. Importers of pesticide products must provide data to EPA regarding pesticides or devices that may be entering the U.S. prior to their import.
The Notice of Arrival forms provide important information to EPA regarding pesticides and pesticide devices entering the country including, for example, the major active ingredients, quantities, countries of origin, identity of producing establishments, carriers, ports of entry, and contact information.
Citizen Groups Attempt to Intervene in Mountain Mining Lawsuit
The Sierra Club and a coalition of regional citizen groups are seeking to intervene in a coal industry lawsuit over the Obama administration’s crackdown on mountaintop removal coal mining, the Charleston Gazette reports.
Lawyers for the coalition groups filed a motion to intervene in the suit brought by the National Mining Association in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Mining industry lawyers are seeking to block more detailed permit reviews and tougher water quality guidance issued earlier this year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
In a news release, the citizen groups said that they filed their motion because “the mining industry should not be able to prevent government agencies from doing their jobs: To follow the Clean Water Act, consider the key scientific information discussed in the guidance, and protect America’s water from destruction.”
“For 40 years the Clean Water Act has protected Americans from unacceptable pollution like the mining waste that destroys our essential mountain streams,” Debbie Jarrell, assistant director of Coal River Mountain Watch told the Charleston Gazette. “But here in Appalachia, we’re still waiting for real protection.”
The other groups seeking to intervene are Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards, and Statewide Organizing for Community Empowerment.
While the coal industry favors mountaintop removal’s efficiency, and local political leaders praise the jobs provided, there is a growing scientific consensus that the practice is causing widespread and irreversible damage to the region’s forests, water quality and communities.
Shortly after taking office, the Obama administration announced it was taking “unprecedented steps” to reduce the environmental impacts of mountaintop removal.
EPA began much more rigorous reviews of valley fill permit applications being considered by the federal Army Corps of Engineers and threatened to exercise its Clean Water Act authority to block those permits if it believed the impacts were too great.
In its suit, the mining association alleges this process “adds significant additional time to the corps regulatory review” and is “dramatically altering timelines” for companies to receive new mining permits.
This April, EPA also announced a new guidance for its regional offices in reviewing water pollution permits for mining projects being considered for issuance by state agencies like West Virginia’s Department of Environmental Protection.
The new guidance calls for much tougher review, and perhaps rejection of permits, based on the potential to increase the electrical conductivity of streams, which is a stronger measure of many harmful pollutants from mining and has been linked to damage of aquatic life.
EPA made its guidance effective immediately on an interim basis, but is also conducting an eight-month public comment period and subjecting the scientific reports the guidance is based upon to peer review.
In its suit, the mining association said the guidance constitutes a rulemaking that should have gone through a public comment before it was put into effect.
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin ordered the state Department of Environmental Protection last week to file a similar lawsuit against EPA and the Corps of Engineers.
EPA to Begin Attleboro Cleanup–Public Meeting to be Held on Oct. 18
Clean up of the hazardous waste at the former Walton & Lonsbury facility at 78 North Ave., Attleboro, Mass. begins next week on Oct. 19. EPA will also hold an informational Public Meeting to discuss the work on Monday, Oct. 18 at 7:00 p.m. in the Municipal Council Chambers at Attleboro City Hall at 77 Park Street.
Walton & Lonsbury, Inc. operated the 13,500 square foot chrome plating facility from 1940 to 2007, specializing in plating oversized objects such as pistons for large hydraulic equipment.
Until 1970, the hazardous wastes generated from the facility were discharged directly via an underground pipe into the wetlands behind the facility. From 1970 until the mid-1980s the facility disposed of waste in surface lagoons; and then from 1986 until 2007, the company operated their own wastewater treatment facility to manage their wastes. As a result of their waste management and plating practices, toxic contaminants remain on Site both in and around the building. EPA will be working to remove these contaminants over the next 18-36 months.
During building demolition and excavation, EPA will install air monitoring stations around the Site to continuously check the air quality in order to ensure the safety of the public near the Site.
excerpts from environmental leaders
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