September 2010
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New Focus On Environmental Justice
The Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice met this week at the White House renewing the federal government’s commitment to equal environmental protection for all. The group plans to review and update its strategies for addressing disproportionate environmental impacts on poor, minority or tribal communities consistent with Executive Order 12898 “Federal Actions to Address Environmental… Continue reading
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CBA-YLS Environmental Law Committee Meeting Features Robert Kaplan, Regional Counsel, U.S. EPA Region 5
The Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Environmental Law Committee held its first meeting of the bar season on Thursday, September 23rd. The meeting featured a presentation from Robert Kaplan, Regional Counsel, U.S. EPA Region 5. Continue reading
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EPA Seeks Data About Hydraulic Fracturing
EPA plans to study the potential health concerns associated with the use of hydraulic fracturing to free up natural gas deposits. EPA has sent an information request to the nine leading hydraulic fracturing services providers seeking more detail about these business practices, including the names of the chemicals they use. Continue reading
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The U.S. EPA’s Review of the Draft 2002 Subsurface Vapor Intrusion Guidance
On August 30, 2010, the U.S. EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (“OSWER”) published its “Review of the Draft 2002 Subsurface Vapor Intrusion Guidance.” OSWER’s Review of the Draft 2002 Guidance suggests that when OSWER finalizes the Draft 2002 Guidance, which it has promised will be done by November of 2012, the final… Continue reading
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Tenth Circuit Overturns Rocky Flats Class Action Property Owner Award
By Katherine Rahill On September 3, 2010, the Tenth Circuit reversed a lower court's decision to award over $926 million to a class of property owners near the former Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant, a facility that produced nuclear weapon components, northwest of Denver, Colorado. The class of property owners claims that the former plant's… Continue reading
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EPA’s Failure To Regulate Lead Ammunition Challenged
The American Bird Conservancy (ABC), the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and other members of a diverse coalition of conservation, animal health and hunting groups have challenged the recent EPA decision to deny their petition to ban the use of lead as a component on hunting ammunition. Contrary to EPA’s position, the groups content that… Continue reading
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EPA Selects Five State Capitals For Greening America’s Capitals’ Project
On September 8, 2010, EPA announced that the Greening America’s Capitals’ program would provide sustainable design assistance to: Boston, MA; Jefferson City, MO; Hartford, CT; Charleston, WV; and, Little Rock, AR. Greening America’s Capitals is a project of Partnerships for Sustainable Communities between EPA, HUD and DOT to help state capitals develop implementable vision of… Continue reading
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National Conversation On Public Health And Chemical Exposures
The National Conversation on Public Health and Chemical Exposures is a collaborative project between the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). The project’s goal is to develop an action agenda with clear, achievable recommendations that can help government agencies and other organizations strengthen their efforts to… Continue reading
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September 21, 2010 Webinar—How Low Can the Regulators Make You Go: The Dilemma Posed by Cleanup Standards that are Lower Than “Background”
Steven Siros will be one of two presenters at a September 21, 2010 webinar titled: How Low Can the Regulators Make You Go: The Dilemma Posed by Cleanup Standards that are Lower Than “Background”. Continue reading
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A Book Review: Power Hungry by Robert Bruce
Recently published, this book takes a critical look at whether or not “green” forms of energy can really work for this country. Mr. Bruce takes aim at those promoting greener energy by disclosing the environmental costs of such “green” energy and disclosing that reliance on such forms of energy are impossibly long term. Continue reading