Citing the energy security provided by the current high levels of U.S. oil and natural gas production, the Obama Administration has announced plans to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40-50 percent (from 2012 levels) by 2025 – a move intended to address climate change and reduce the effects of pollutants on health.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its fourth year of Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program data, detailing greenhouse gas pollution trends and emissions broken down by industrial sector, geographic region and individual facilities.
Regs aren't the only factor threatening coal jobs, though
July 30, 2014
The EPA wraps up four days of public hearings on its Clean Power Plan today -- and the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) rally against it tomorrow in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
A report from a group charged with identifying ways to improve chemical safety and security in the U.S. says that communities with chemical facilities must be much better prepared for incidents than they are at present.
A report released by the EPA yesterday, Climate Change Indicators in the United States, presents strong evidence that climate change is occurring across the United States – and is affecting human health in ways ranging from a longer ragweed pollen season to a rise in heat-related deaths.
After receiving input from stakeholders including community groups, industry and the states, the EPA is proposing to update the toxic air pollution standards for petroleum refineries to protect neighborhoods located near refineries. The agency describes the change as a “common-sense” proposal that includes new monitoring requirements.
The EPA is extending the comment period for the proposed revisions to the agricultural Worker Protection Standard for an additional 60 days, until August 18, 2014, in response to requests from growers, industry, farmworker advocates and states for additional time to provide input.
One of the major controversies involving hydraulic fracturing – or, “fracking” – will be the subject of an EPA inquiry that could lead to new regulations on the industry.
May is Asthma Awareness Month, and EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy is taking the opportunity to spread the word about how environmental asthma triggers affect sufferers of the disease. “One in ten kids in America today suffers from asthma, whichdisproportionately impacts communities of color and low-income families,” said U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.
As reported previously, we found a causal factor of the tragedy to be long-term, undetected High Temperature Hydrogen Attack (HTHA) of the steel equipment, which led to the vessel rupture on the day of the accident and the massive release of highly flammable hydrogen and naphtha.