Environmental Protection Agency

GOP Senators Boycott Committee Vote on EPA Nominee

Erica Peterson — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:00:15 +0000

President Obama's choice to lead the Environmental Protection Agency was scheduled for a vote today in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. That was supposed to happen at 9:15 this morning, but was derailed by absence of the committee's eight Republican members.

Poll: Majority of Small Business Owners Support EPA Nominee, Clean Energy Policies

Erica Peterson — Wed, 08 May 2013 19:38:02 +0000

A Senate committee is scheduled to vote tomorrow on President Obama’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. And according to a poll released today, nominee Gina McCarthy is supported by a narrow majority of small business owners.

McConnell Says EPA Nominee Will Foster "Radical Anti-Coal Jobs Agenda"

Erica Peterson — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 22:55:53 +0000

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's already been in the news a few times today, but here's one more story from an environmental perspective: McConnell says President Obama's nominee for Environmental Protection Agency Administrator will be detrimental to Kentucky's coal industry.

EPA Will Assess Some Flame Retardant Chemicals for Potential Human Health Effects

Erica Peterson — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:27:04 +0000

The Environmental Protection Agency plans to assess 23 commonly-used chemicals—including 20 flame retardants—for their potential effects on human health and the environment.

The study will also include an analysis of how several of those flame retardants behave in the environment…like whether they bioaccumulate in humans or can be absorbed into the body with a certain type of exposure.

New Greenhouse Gas Data Shows Little Change in Jefferson County Emissions

Erica Peterson — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 13:00:00 +0000

The Environmental Protection Agency has released the second year of data of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions, which it's congressionally-mandated to report.

Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, and are thought to be one of the primary drivers of climate change. The EPA has successfully argued that the gases are pollutants and pose a danger to human health.

Despite Fluctuations, Data Shows LG&E Released More Pollution in 2011 Than 2000

Erica Peterson — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:13:24 +0000

Every year, the federal government releases data about the toxic releases companies emit into the air or dispose of on land or in water. In the data from 2011 that was just released, the overall emissions for Kentucky continue a general downward trend. But in Jefferson County the most recent data shows that toxic pollution is still about as high as it was in 2004.

Kentucky Utilities to Pay Millions For Alleged Clean Air Act Violations

Erica Peterson — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 20:21:25 +0000

Kentucky Utilities will spend $57 million to install updated pollution control equipment and pay civil penalties under the terms of a proposed consent decree.

The money will go to installing a sulfuric acid mist emission control system at the company’s Ghent power plant, replace a coal-fired boiler and pay $300,000 in fines to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Here’s what the EPA said about the settlement in a news release:

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson Resigns

Associated Press — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 15:22:56 +0000

WASHINGTON — Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson says she's stepping down after nearly four years on the job.

Jackson announced her departure in a statement Thursday. She gave no particular reason for leaving but said she was ready for new challenges, time with her family and new opportunities to make a difference.

Jackson's tenure was marked by high-profile brawls with industry and congressional Republicans over such issues a global warming pollution, the Keystone XL oil pipeline and new controls on coal-fired plants.

EPA Tightens Soot Standard; Estimates Cleaner Air Will Save Billions in Health Costs

Erica Peterson — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 20:20:49 +0000

The federal government has strengthened the national air quality standard for soot and fine particle pollution.

The new standard is 20 percent more stringent than the current standard, which was set in 1997. It will require communities to make sure fine particle pollution is limited to 12 micrograms per cubic meter annually (the current limit is 15).

EPA Official, Environmental Activists Reflect on 40 Years of the Clean Water Act

Colleen Stewart — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 11:00:00 +0000

One of the country's most effective environmental laws-- the Clean Water Act--turns 40 today.

The act has been setting water quality standards and regulating pollution for the nation's streams, lakes and wetlands since being signed by a bipartisan Congress in 1972.

“Before 1972, this nation approached water quality as ‘the dilution is the solution to pollution,” said Hank Graddy of Kentucky Watershed Watch, in a breakout session at the Healthy Farms, Local Foods Conference last weekend.