To: From: Sent: Subject: Hearing
Jackson, Ryan[jackson.ryan@epa.gov] Bloomberg Environment Wed 12/6/2017 11:56:32 AM First Move: Disasters and Superfund Sites Clean Air Bills Moving EPA to Get Earful at
Disasters and Superfund Sites Clean Air Bills Moving EPA to Get Earful at Hearing
By Chuck McCutcheon
Senators will talk today about toxic waste sites and what to do after natural disasters inflict damage on them.
The Senate Environment and Public Works' subcommittee on Superfund and waste
management will look not only at the impact on toxic-waste sites from the recent
hurricanes in the southeast*
but also how California's record-setting
wildfires affected toxic sites.
California Sen. Kamala Harris, the top Democrat on the subcommittee, told David
Schultz she'll be highlighting the need for greater accountab
Superfund sites
from both tl
id the companies that are responsible for dumping waste on
them. But South Dakota GOP Sen. Mike Rounds, the subcommittee chairman,
emphasized he wants to avoid a "gotcha" hearing, in which lawmakers seek only to
make federal officials look bad.
The problem of natural disasters affecting Superfund sites predates this year's hurricane and wildfire season. In 2011, floods caused by Hurricane Irene threatenec berms for benzene-laden lagoons at a New Jersey Superfund site, requiring reinforcement of the structures to withstand similar floods.
It oductive day for the Hou: " i srgy and Commerce Committee, which will mark up seven bills for eventual House floor action.
Four of those bills are meant to relax clean ;
s for industry. One throws a
lifeline to plants powered by coal waste that can't conform to ; ' -era i n 9;
another extends the date by which brick makers have to control hazardous air
pollution from their kilns.
' I rd clean-air bill gives manufacturers thn. wre years before their heaters have to meet more stringent emissions standards under the Clean Air Act. A final one excludes cars made or modified for racing from being regulated as motor vehicles
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under the Clean Air Act.. Steph
; is tracking.
I IP' s likely to get an ec on sides today when it discusses at a
public meeting how it's changed its reviews of new chemicals following changes
Congress made last year to the prime
lemicals law.
Chemical manufacturers remain frustrated with how long it takes the ERA to review
chemicals they'd like to bring to market. Meanwhile, environmental and health
advocates .
strated the agency isn't being more rigorous or transparent. Steve
Gibb is covering.
Other Stories We're Covering
The Senate's environment committee hole
aring on the nomination of
lames, an engineer for the Mississippi River Commission, to lead the
A rps J m - ineers. David Schultz is covering.
The
i ide Representati I' - I oaring ci p ending solar panel trade
case. The International Trade Commission in September decided that the sola
industry is being hurt by cheap solar panel imports, recommending that
President Trump take action.
A host of agencies i pected < et Dec. 1 Energy Department-
sponsored talks to discuss plans for the future of Puerto Rico's storm-ravaged
electricity grid, Dep
ergy Secretary Mark Menezes tells Rebecca Kern.
Likely participants include FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, New York
Power Authority, Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, and the Energy
Department's national labs.
Pope Francis appears with Cardinal Peter Turkson at the Vatican in November 2016.
Photographer: Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images
Quote of the Day
"America First. America can be first, only you have to ask the question of who must
be number two? What does it take for one to be first and for another one to be
number two?"
--Cardinal Peter Turkson, who led the drafting of Pope Francis's 2015 encyclical
letter on climate change and the environment, in calling for tl
opean Union or
China to fill the void left by 1
tier President Trump's decision to pull the
coun
: of the Paris Agreement.
Around the Web
FERC Acting Chairman Neil Chatterjee has gotten into a spat with
actor/environmental activist Jam
tmwell, known for his roles in "Babe"
and "L.A. Confidential," following Cromwell's participation in recent pipeline
protests. Cromwell's criticism of Chatterjee and FERC I
atterjee to refer to
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the actor as a "C-list movie star," then--following further barbs from the
actor--posted "Come at me bro!" above a screenshot on Cromwel
ebook
page..
The Texas county that's home to Houston has adopted regulations that will, for
the first time in two decades, increase the amount that new homes must be
elevated to avoid floodwaters..
Rhode Island's Sheldon Whitehouse and six other Senate Democrats want
Congress' watchdog arm to analyze the social cost of carbon--an influential
figure used to weigh the value of effo
t reduce greenhouse gas
emissions--after Trump administration agencies used lower values in a recent
regulatory analysis..
Today's Events
10 a.m. Endangered Fish House Natural Resources panel holds hearing
on a bill to extend endangered fish recovery programs.
0 p.m. Agriculture/Environment American Enterpri h 1 :itute
sponsors talk with agricultural economists on conservation programs,
i' ewable Fuel Standai 1 i Clean Water Rule..
ater Infrastructure Democratic Reps. Dan Kildee of IVIichigan and
Elizabeth Esty of Connecticut will hos
cussion on water infrastructure at
the Capitol as part of Kildee's "Future of Ameri<
ties and Towns" initiative.
All Day Electricity gridCONNEXT conference brings together business,
utility, and policymakers to explore topics affecting the electricity grid at the
national, regional, state, and local levels. Scheduled speakers include Alaska
GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski, chairman of the Senate's energy committee, and
Bruce Walker, assistant energy secretary for electricity deliv
d energy
reliability.
For all of today's Bloomberg Environment headlines, visit Envirc
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