Environmental News

Facilities are now allowed to recycle plastics separated from automobile shredder residue, according to the EPA's new interpretation of existing regulations. Source: Environmental Leader, 4/17/13

Coal-powered energy and cattle ranching are the two most environmentally expensive industries -- and cost the economy more in environmental damage than they generate in revenue, according to a UN-backed report. Source: Environmental Leader, 4/17/13

Yuanhui Zhang and Lance Schideman, both professors in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, have combined their research efforts to develop an innovative system that uses swine manure to produce biocrude oil, grow algal biomass, capture carbon, purify wastewater and recycle nutrients. Source: Biodiesel Magazine, 4/15/13

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that the USDA is extending for five years its agreement to work with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other partners to help develop a viable biofuel for the aviation industry. The Secretary signed the agreement with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood at the Advanced Biofuels Summit at Gaylord National Harbor in Maryland. Source: Algae Industry Magazine, 4/16/13

The Environmental Protection Agency has delayed indefinitely a much-anticipated final rule limiting greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants. Source: Governing, 4/16/13

In addition to installing solar, the Army also planted 14,700 trees and created biking and walking paths that wind through the complex. Source: GreenBiz, 4/12/13

Erratic weather can raise the public's view on climate change, but leading firms also should promote the business benefits of putting a price on carbon. Source: GreenBiz, 4/12/13

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has launched a new comprehensive, and interactive view of the U.S. government's national and state energy data and information currently available to the public. Found at www.eia.gov/state, the state energy portal adds a unique visual dimension to each state's energy resources and infrastructure. Source: CivSource, 4/11/13

The University of Minnesota's Resilient Communities Project is pleased to announce that the city of North St. Paul has been selected as its partner community for the 2013--2014 academic year. The partnership will bring the expertise of hundreds of graduate students and the University to sustainability-related projects identified by North St. Paul. Source: University of Minnesota, 3/18/13

Alert for Platers: Your Deadline is March 19, 2013 as EPA finalized the residual risk and technology review for the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for hard and decorative chromium electroplating and chromium anodizing tanks under 40 CFR Part 63 Source: Products Finishing, 1/31/13

ACEEE announces that nominations for the Champion of Energy Efficiency in Industry Awards are now open and may be submitted online. The awards will be presented at the 2013 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry and will recognize leadership and accomplishment in the energy efficiency field. Winners will be selected based on demonstrated excellence in the following categories: -- Research and Development (R&D): Excellence in research and development including baseline or background research, as well as R&D of products and practices. -- Energy Policy: Excellence in energy policy including writing, educating, promoting, and supporting energy efficiency in energy policy, at the federal, state, or local level. -- Implementation and Deployment: Effective design and implementation, including achievement of significant impacts on energy use. -- Leadership: Exceptional personal leadership demonstrated in the development, implementation, and growth of important energy efficiency initiatives. Source: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), 4/15/13

A conversation with the renowned designer and architect about his new book and a link to an excerpt. Source: Environmental News Bits, 4/15/13

Retired Marine Corps colonel outlines a vision for the U.S. that aims to pair the private sector with local communities. Source: GreenBiz, 4/11/13

The electronics industry isn't about to stop making its high-demand products because of their environmental burden. But the industry recognizes the cascade of challenges it faces, so manufacturers, retailers, and government and nongovernmental organizations are on the road to finding solutions. Together, these stakeholders have begun developing new products that use fewer toxic materials. And they are devising ways to make recycling easier. But there is still a long way to go. That's where an interdisciplinary team of engineers from Purdue University and Tuskegee University hopes to help. They have initiated a comprehensive international effort to develop new materials and technologies to replace conventional electronics with more sustainable ones. Along the way, they are training a workforce of scientists and engineers to ease the transition. Source: Chemical & Engineering News, 4/1/13

Success in energy efficiency is something worth bragging about in Michigan. Source: Great Lakes Echo, 4/8/13

Toxic chemicals clinging to plastics could cause health problems for fish and other organisms in the Great Lakes. Source: Great Lakes Echo, 4/9/13

The Ohio State University is this year's Environmental March Madness national champion. Source: Environmental Leader, 4/9/13

The U.S. Air Force, the largest single energy consumer in the federal government, released its Energy Strategic Plan, which will continue its successful efforts in cutting energy use. Source: GreenBiz, 4/8/13

From lead-contaminated soil to respiratory illness--inducing air pollutants, Pilsen's industrial past and present have created problematic environmental and health issues for area residents. Source: Gazette Chicago, 4/5/13

Companies need to understand the impacts of chemical use on society and business. Source: GreenBiz, 4/8/13

Collaborative efforts between UT and Austin Water showed that purple is the new green at a celebration ceremony Wednesday to mark the completion of a project aimed to save water, cut costs and increase system efficiency. Source: Daily Texan, 3/28/13

EPA is looking to academic institutions to help build a diverse portfolio of practical and replicable projects that benefit communities, the environment, academic institutions, and the TRI Program. EPA welcomes the submission of any project proposal that advances the knowledge, use and understanding of TRI data and related information. In reviewing project proposals, EPA intends to place priority on these key project themes and objectives: --Pollution Prevention & Sustainability: Promote the use of TRI as a sustainable development tool and the adoption of pollution prevention (P2) technologies. -- Stakeholder Engagement: Cultivate relationships among stakeholder groups and improve the communication of TRI-related information. -- Technology and Data Mashups: Investigate the use of new technologies or analytic methods to integrate TRI data with other datasets to unlock the broader potential of TRI data. -- Environmental Education: Explore replicable ways to integrate TRI information into college and university classrooms. Source: Environmental News Bits, 4/8/13

The WateReuse Association is accepting abstracts for a new Industrial Reuse Specialty Conference to be held December 9-10 in Long Beach, CA. The conference will include discussions of sustainability policies, technology, best practices, and case studies for industrial users that receive municipally treated recycled water, as well as those performing on-site reuse or internal recycling. Abstracts are due May 3 and authors will be notified June 28 regarding the status of their abstract. Source: Water Reuse Association, 4/8/13

The toolkit of an energy auditor largely consists of technologies that have been around for decades. Though effective in the right hands, blower doors, thermographic cameras, etc. only provide a snapshot of the efficiency of a building. The trouble with this is that it doesn't help auditors anticipate exactly what effect different energy conservation measures will have on overall consumption. Instead, through experience and training, auditors give an estimate of how much a retrofit will improve the building efficiency, and then take another snapshot after the measures are installed. The hallmark of the growth of clean energy has been the relentless improvement of technology, but can the same be said for energy efficiency? Source: GreenTechMedia, 4/4/13

Chicago is set to be the next U.S. city to park-ify on one of its abandoned rail-lines. First proposed back in 1997, the 2.7 mile, 13-acre Bloomingdale Trail and Park is proposed for a stretch of abandoned railway trestle dating from 1910, which has been lying unused since the turn of the century. And, even though it is already being compared to New-York's High Line, the planners are adamant that the park will be an entirely different animal to its New York cousin. Source: ArchDaily, 4/3/13

For the fifth straight season, the NBA has teamed with the Natural Resources Defense Council to celebrate Green Week from April 4-12. In partnership with league sponsor Sprint, the NBA is working with its franchises to support initiatives that increase awareness and promote sustainable action by fans. Source: Green Sports Alliance, 4/8/13

The American Chemical Society (ACS) today announced awarding the first grants in a new initiative intended to increase understanding of the science underpinning global climate change among thousands of people around the country. Source: American Chemical Society, 4/7/13