News


Pennsylvania DEP Promoting Governor's Infrastructure Plan

"Unexpected flood repairs can drain a municipality's budget. Restore Pennsylvania will provide financial relief to make necessary repairs and allow communities to return to normal," Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Southcentral Regional Director Joe Adams said when he visited York County to talk with local leaders about the plan.

Ohio Landfill Misses First Deadline for Odor Control

The first key deadline required Sunny Farms Landfill LLC to ensure parts of the landfill, not currently accepting waste, were covered with 3 feet of soil by Feb. 28, but an inspection on March 1 by Ohio EPA inspectors found many areas where the facility failed to provide adequate soil cover.

Texas Agency OKs $30 Million for Water, Wastewater Projects

The Texas Water Development Board on March 5 approved financial assistance totaling $30,024,161 for water and wastewater system projects located in three counties. Part of the funding, $4,739,161, was approved for rural projects.

Resident Inspectors Chosen for New Vogtle Units

Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials in Atlanta recently announced the selection of Kenya Carrington and Patrick Heher as resident inspectors for the construction of Vogtle Units 3 and 4, new units being built near Waynesboro, Ga.

The Netherlands Ratifies Ship Recycling Convention

Under the treaty, ships to be sent for recycling are required to carry an inventory of hazardous materials, specific to each ship. Ship recycling yards are required to provide a "Ship Recycling Plan" specifying the manner in which each ship will be recycled, depending on its particulars and its inventory.

MDEQ Announces Plans to Deal with Climate Change

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's Feb. 20, 2019, executive order reorganizes the MDEQ into the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, which will integrate the state's mission of protecting the Great Lakes, providing clean drinking water, and addressing climate change

DOE Opens Battery Recycling Center at Argonne National Laboratory

The goal is to reclaim and recycle critical materials such as cobalt and lithium from lithium-based batteries cost effectively.

Vermont Top State for Battery Recycling in 2018

Atlanta-based Call2Recycle, Inc. revealed the top 10 battery recycling states on Feb. 18, National Battery Day.



Survey Finds 18 Million Trees Died in California During 2018

"It is encouraging that the rate of mortality slowed in 2018. However, 18 million trees are an indication that the forests of California are still under significant stress," said Thom Porter, CAL FIRE's director and California's state forester. "The stress of drought, insects, disease, and prolific wildfire will continue to challenge the resilience of the state's forests."

TVA to Retire Two Coal-Fired Power Plants

TVA's board of directors on Feb. 14 approved the retirement of Paradise Unit 3 in Drakesboro, Ky., and the Bull Run facility in Clinton, Tenn., older coal generating units that TVA describes as "not designed to efficiently respond to today's continually fluctuating power needs of customers."

Nine Teams Chosen for Colorado's NextCycle Program

Each of the nine teams selected for the first-of-its-kind pilot program will receive a $5,000 business development grant, mentoring from the Colorado NextCycle technical advisory committee, and technical support from RRS, the recycling and sustainability consulting firm assisting with the Colorado NextCycle program.

California's Governor Warns Climate Change Pressuring Utilities

In his first State of the State address, Gov. Gavin Newsom said climate change is putting pressure on all of California's utilities, public and private, and that two recently had their credit ratings downgraded.

Florida DEP Presents 2018 Plant Excellence Awards

The department is awarding a total of 18 facilities, including 10 domestic wastewater facilities and eight drinking water facilities statewide. This is the 29th year that the Florida Rural Water Association has conducted the Focus on Change Seminars in conjunction with DEP.

Marathon Subsidiary Signs Contracts with Solaris Water

Solaris Water Midstream, LLC will manage all produced water transportation, disposal, fresh water, and recycled water needs within a 369,000-acre region in Lea County, N.M.

PA DEP Sets Meeting on Proposed Waste Treatment Facility

Elcon Recycling Services, LLC wants to construct and operate a hazardous waste treatment and storage facility to treat and store liquid waste at the Keystone Industrial Port Complex in Falls Township, Bucks County.

Climate Scientists Awarded 2019 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement

Michael E. Mann, Ph.D., distinguished professor of atmospheric science and director of the Earth System Science Center at Penn State University, and Warren M. Washington, Ph.D., distinguished scholar at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, are the 2019 Laureates.

IKEA Norfolk Store to Feature Large Solar Array

The new store will feature a 180,000-square-foot solar array and three EV charging stations.

NRC Raising Some Fees This Year

Proposed annual fees for FY2019 have increased for operating reactors, some materials users, and Department of Energy transportation activities.

Top Energy Efficiency Strategies for Building Owners

Investing in new "green" technology to reduce energy use can be intimidating at first, but it doesn't need to be.

Green Cleaning: Where We've Been and What's Next

The professional cleaning industry, like so many other industries, is now realizing that sustainability helps minimize risk, making sustainability simply smart business.