November 2012
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Fox River PCB Cleanup Allowed To Proceed
On November 21, 2012, a federal district court in Wisconsin rejected PRP efforts to throw out the remedial plan established by U.S. EPA and the State of Wisconsin to address PCB-contaminated sediments in the Fox River. In 2010, U.S. EPA and the State of Wisconsin sued a number of potentially responsible parties (“PRPs”) in order… Continue reading
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Mississippi River Historic Lows May Halt Barge Traffic
Drought conditions have resulted in significant drops in water levels not only in the Mississippi River but in a key tributary, the Missouri River. Last week, the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) began reducing flows from the Missouri River reservoir, a move anticipated to further lower water levels in the Mississippi River and potentially halt… Continue reading
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PHMSA Seeks Comments On Whether To Expand Accident And Incident Reporting Requirements
On November 21, 2012, the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (“PHMSA”) issued a notice seeking comments to improve its collection, analysis, reporting and use of data related to accidents and incidents involving the transportation of hazardous substances. Under existing hazardous materials regulations, any person (i) in physical possession of a hazardous… Continue reading
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National Research Council Updates Contaminated Groundwater Sites Report
At least 126,000 sites across the U.S. have contaminated groundwater that requires remediation, and about 10 percent of these sites are considered “complex,” meaning restoration is unlikely to be achieved in the next 50 to 100 years due to technological limitations, says a new report titled Alternatives for Managing the Nation’s Complex Contaminated Groundwater Sites… Continue reading
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Nevada Approves Water Storage For Mexico
A five year agreement creating a pilot program will allow Mexico to store its Colorado River allotment in Lake Mead for future use and for improvement projects. The program will be funded by U.S. water districts in exchange for a share of the water the projects will save. Continue reading