Greenhouse Gas
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Governor Approves Bill That Could Curb Some Proposition 65 Claims
California Governor Jerry Brown recently signed into law a measure that may curb what many believe to be meritless Proposition 65 claims against certain businesses in California. The current modus operandi for the Proposition 65 plaintiffs’ bar in California is to hire people to visit restaurants, bars, and other businesses in the hope that the… Continue reading
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New IPCC Report: Human Influence On Global Warming Is Clear
Meeting in Stockholm last week, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released new research from its Fifth Assessment Report – the culmination of six years of research and data analyses since the Fourth Assessment Report was issued in 2007. The IPCC Working Group concluded “… It is extremely likely that human influence has been… Continue reading
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FAA Seeks To Penalize Model Airplane (aka “Drone”) Pilot
In what appears to be a case of first impression, a drone operator that had been hired to take aerial photographs for an advertising agency was assessed a civil penalty in the amount of $10,000 for operating an “Unmanned Aircraft System” (“UAS”) in a careless or reckless manner in violation of Federal Aviation Regulations. According… Continue reading
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EPA Releases Proposed Carbon Pollution Standard For New Power Plants
On September 20, 2013, the U.S. EPA announced a Proposed Carbon Pollution Standard for New Power Plants. The announcement marks the first major step under President Obama’s Climate Action Plan announced this July. Continue reading
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Will Phthalates Go The Way of BPA?
Recent actions taken by retailer Walmart may have sounded the death knell for phthalates. Phthalates are a group of chemicals that are typically used to soften and increase the flexibility of plastics and vinyl. In chemical mixtures, phthalates can also carry other chemicals and are often found in fragrances and other consumer products. Certain categories… Continue reading
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Live: Costa Concordia Salvage Operation – Italy Anticipates Minimal Environmental Impacts
Follow live as the Costa Concordia, which capsized off Giglio Island, Italy, is raised in the biggest salvage operation of its kind in maritime history. Progress has been made and the ship is slowly rightsizing with efforts expected to continue at least through Tuesday. Continue reading
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EPA, OSHA and ATF Issue Ammonium Nitrate Chemical Advisory
EPA, OSHA and ATF have issued a chemical advisory that provides information on the hazards of ammonium nitrate (AN) storage, handling and management. This action supports the goals of President Obama’s August 2013 executive order on “Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security.” The advisory provides lessons learned for facility owners and operators, emergency planners and… Continue reading
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ECHA Reports Significant Non-Compliance And Limited Enforcement Of REACH Requirements
According to a report issued by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), one out of every ten companies were found to be using unregistered chemical substances. Under the REACH regulations, companies are prohibited from using chemical substances unless those substances were registered on or before December 1, 2008. In addition, the ECHA report found that 67… Continue reading
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New Preliminary Risk Data Available For Explosives
EPA is announcing a public meeting to provide an opportunity for public input and discussion on preliminary materials for Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) chemicals prior to the development of the assessments for the following chemicals: ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE); tert-butyl alcohol (tert-butanol); and, hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX). Continue reading
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Federal Appellate Court Rules That The Clean Air Act Does Not Preempt State Common Law Claims
On August, 20, 2013, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued a ruling reversing dismissal of common law claims brought by a group of residents who live near a coal-fired power plant in Springdale, Pennsylvania. Bell v. Cheswick Generating Station, No. 12-4216 (Aug. 20, 2013). The residents are complaining that ash and… Continue reading