Tag Archives: refineries

The Next Generation of GM Crops Has Arrived

by Myrna Posted on June 24, 2014

And so has the controversy. Maciek/Flickr The first of a new generation of genetically modified crops is poised to win government approval in the United States, igniting a controversy that may continue for years, and foreshadowing the future of genetically modified crops. The agribusiness industry says the plants—soy and corn engineered to tolerate two herbicides, rather than one—are a safe, necessary tool to help farmers fight so-called superweeds. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Agriculture appear to agree. However, many health and environmental groups say the crops represent yet another step on what they call a pesticide treadmill: an approach to farming that relies on ever-larger amounts of chemical use, threatening to create even more superweeds and flood America’s landscapes with potentially harmful compounds. Public comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s draft review of the crops will be accepted until June 30. As of now, both the EPA and USDA’s reviews favor approval. Their final decisions are expected later this summer. To keep reading, click here. Credit – The Next Generation of GM Crops Has Arrived Related Articles“Almost Everything It Wanted”There Are 1,401 Uninspected High-Risk Oil and Gas Wells.Here’s What the Battle Over Iraqi Oil Means for America

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The Next Generation of GM Crops Has Arrived

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“Almost Everything It Wanted”

by Myrna Posted on June 24, 2014

A slight setback at the Supreme Court doesn’t change the fact that we’re winning the war on carbon pollution. gvgoebel/Flickr The political war surrounding the government’s efforts to limit emissions is ending not with a bang but a whimper. “It bears mention that EPA is getting almost everything it wanted in this case,” Justice Antonin Scalia said on Monday while announcing the 5–4 verdict in Utility Air Regulatory Group v. EPA. Technically, though, the ruling was a slight loss for the EPA. The majority found that the agency’s efforts to force any fixed operation that emits pollutants to get permission before it expands was an overreach of the agency’s authority. But the ruling also upheld the ability of the EPA to force power plants and other operations that emit pollutants to adhere to its new standards. The way Scalia saw it, the decision lets the EPA regulate 83 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, instead of the 86 percent it could regulate under the authority it abrogated unto itself. “To permit the extra 3 percent, however, we would have to recognize a power in EPA and other government agencies to revise clear statutory terms,” Scalia said, adding that would contradict “the principle that Congress, not the president, makes the law.” To keep reading, click here. Source:  “Almost Everything It Wanted” ; ;Related ArticlesThere Are 1,401 Uninspected High-Risk Oil and Gas Wells.Why David Brat is Completely Wrong About Climate ScienceBipartisan Report Tallies High Toll on Economy From Global Warming ;

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“Almost Everything It Wanted”

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EPA to clamp down on deadly oil refinery pollution

by rustyfitzpatrick7432 Posted on May 16, 2014

You can almost smell the changes

EPA to clamp down on deadly oil refinery pollution

By

Wyatt Wellman

The millions of Americans who risk cancer every day by breathing in toxic pollution belched out by oil refineries could soon be breathing a little bit easier.

The EPA proposed overdue new rules on Thursday that would force about 150 refineries in 30 states to rein in their air pollution, and to do a better job of monitoring it. Here’s the Natural Resources Defense Council’s John Walke with an overview of the proposal:

EPA has proposed for the first time to require fenceline monitoring for carcinogenic benzene emissions around each refinery. Because much of the air pollution from refineries does not come directly from the emission stacks, a great deal of this air pollution escapes detection—and control—through leaks, flares and other emission sources. …

Along with landmark fenceline monitoring provisions, EPA has also proposed to require increased flare management at facilities. Refineries often flare off excess waste gases, leading to huge emissions of toxic air pollutants. The new standards proposed by EPA will require refineries to manage their flares at a much higher level of burn-off efficiency than they do currently, which will mean that much less toxic pollution makes it into the air. …

Finally, EPA is also proposing new emission standards for cokers located at refineries. Cokers are part of the refining process, but they involve heating up the petroleum and hydrocarbons to high temperatures, producing large amounts of toxic air pollution. The proposed coker standards will reduce toxic air pollution by 1,800 tons per year alone.

The EPA estimates that its proposed changes would reduce toxic air pollution, including emissions of benzene, toluene, and xylene, by 5,600 tons per year. Volatile organic compound emissions would be cut by more than 50,000 tons per year, and greenhouse gas pollution levels would also fall.

Which is great. It’s just a shame that Earthjustice and other environmentalists had to sue the agency two years ago to force it to produce its first proposed update to refinery rules in well over a decade.


Source
EPA Proposes to Limit Cancer-Causing Toxic Air Pollution From Petroleum Refineries, Natural Resources Defense Council
EPA Proposes Updates to Emissions Standards for Refineries to Protect Nearby Neighborhoods/Proposed steps will protect public health and improve air quality, EPA
EPA proposes stricter emission standards for oil refineries following lawsuit, The Associated Press

John Upton is a science fan and green news boffin who tweets, posts articles to Facebook, and blogs about ecology. He welcomes reader questions, tips, and incoherent rants: johnupton@gmail.com.

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EPA to clamp down on deadly oil refinery pollution

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Shell Opts Not to Build Plant on Gulf Coast, Citing Costs

by Myrna Posted on December 5, 2013

After two years of research, the company said a plant that would convert natural gas to liquids would have cost more than $20 billion. Originally posted here:  Shell Opts Not to Build Plant on Gulf Coast, Citing Costs ; ;Related ArticlesCiting Cost Concerns, Shell Will Not Build Gulf Coast PlantOPEC, Foreseeing No Glut, Keeps Oil Production Level SteadySolarCity to Use Batteries From Tesla for Energy Storage ;

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Shell Opts Not to Build Plant on Gulf Coast, Citing Costs

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Citing Cost Concerns, Shell Will Not Build Gulf Coast Plant

by Myrna Posted on December 5, 2013

After two years of research, the company said a plant that would convert natural gas to liquids would have cost more than $20 billion. View this article –  Citing Cost Concerns, Shell Will Not Build Gulf Coast Plant ; ;Related ArticlesOPEC, Foreseeing No Glut, Keeps Oil Production Level SteadySolarCity to Use Batteries From Tesla for Energy StorageLarge Companies Prepared to Pay Price on Carbon ;

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Citing Cost Concerns, Shell Will Not Build Gulf Coast Plant

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You can look forward to more blackouts in a climate-changed world

by Natalia681 Posted on July 12, 2013

You can look forward to more blackouts in a climate-changed world

By John Upton

Julian Bravo

Climate change can bring with it forest fires, which can threaten power lines.

More global warming will mean a less reliable power system.

That warning comes from the Department of Energy, which released a report [PDF] on Thursday detailing the threats posed to the nation’s power infrastructure by rising temperatures, droughts, storms, floods, and sea-level rise.

“Climatic conditions are already affecting energy production and delivery in the United States, causing supply disruptions,” the report states. “The magnitude of the challenge posed by climate change on an aging and already stressed U.S. energy system could outpace current adaptation efforts, unless a more comprehensive and accelerated approach is adopted.”

Some of the threats listed in the report:

Power plants are threatened by decreased water availability and rising air and water temperatures, which make it harder to keep the facilities cool.
Refineries, oil and gas drills, power plants, and power lines along the coasts are at risk from rising seas, powerful storms, and flooding.
Hydropower, bioenergy, and some forms of solar power can be affected by droughts and rising temperatures.
Power lines carry less current and operate less efficiently in hot weather, and they are vulnerable to damage wrought by storms and forest fires.
Demand for electricity for air-conditioning is expected to rise, though demand for fuel oil and natural gas for heating is expected to fall.

According to The Hill, the release of the report marks the beginning of a larger effort by the DOE to push the energy industry to prepare for the rise in extreme weather events.

The department isn’t just talking in hypothetical terms. Click on the following map of climate-related energy disruptions to open an interactive version on the Energy Department’s website:

energy.gov

John Upton is a science fan and green news boffin who tweets, posts articles to Facebook, and blogs about ecology. He welcomes reader questions, tips, and incoherent rants: johnupton@gmail.com.

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You can look forward to more blackouts in a climate-changed world

Posted in alo, Anchor, Dolphin, FF, G & F, GE, LG, ONA, solar, solar power, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on You can look forward to more blackouts in a climate-changed world