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Rule Summary Former EPA Administrator, Scott Pruitt, signed the e-Manifest User Fee Final Rule on December 20, 2017 and it was published in the Federal Register (FR) on January 3, 2018. The final rule establishes the methodology that EPA will use in setting and revising user fees in order to recover the full costs of the electronic manifest system. This includes costs incurred in developing, operating, maintaining, and upgrading a national e-Manifest system, as well as any costs incurred in collecting and processing …

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UNR Business Environmental Program head: ‘Green’ can be profitable CARSON CITY, Nev. — The Northern Nevada Development Authority was told Oct. 24 being “green” doesn’t have to cost businesses on their bottom line. Chris Lynch, head of the UNR Business Environmental Program, told an audience of about 40 he was told by one businessman “environmental is nice, but I don’t have time for it.” “First, when it’s the environment, you don’t have a choice,” he said. “You have to comply.” The …

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Rule Summary EPA is issuing, with good cause, this interim final rule in response to the urgent public health issue posed by recalled Takata airbag inflators still installed in vehicles. With this rule, EPA is facilitating a more expedited removal of defective Takata airbag inflators from vehicles by dealerships, salvage yards and other locations for safe and environmentally sound disposal by exempting the collection of airbag waste from hazardous waste requirements as long as certain conditions are met. What does the …

Read MoreInterim Final Rule: Safe Management of Recalled Airbags

December 7, 2016 WASHINGTON–The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to ban certain uses of the toxic chemical trichloroethylene (TCE) due to health risks when used as a degreaser and a spot removal agent in dry cleaning. “For the first time in a generation, we are able to restrict chemicals already in commerce that pose risks to public health and the environment,” said Jim Jones, assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “Once finalized, today’s …

Read MoreEPA Moves to Ban Certain Aerosol Degreasers and Dry Cleaning Spot Removers as the First Major Regulatory Action Under Chemical Reform Law

November 29, 2016 EPA Names First Chemicals for Review Under New TSCA Legislation Agency answers call to move forward on chemical reform, naming asbestos among first to undergo risk evaluation WASHINGTON – Today, EPA is announcing the first ten chemicals it will evaluate for potential risks to human health and the environment under TSCA reform. “Under the new law, we now have the power to require safety reviews of all chemicals in the marketplace.” said Jim Jones, assistant administrator of …

Read MoreEPA Names First Chemicals for Review Under New TSCA Legislation

The top 50 winners of the Green Fleet Awards contest were announced last month at the National Green Fleet Conference in Columbus, Ohio. Click here to learn more about the Green Fleet Awards contest.       1    The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey 2    City of New York, NY 3    City & County of Denver, CO 4    New York City Police Department (NY) 5    State of California 6    U.S. Air Force / 441st VSCOS (VA) 7    Sacramento County (CA) 8    Alameda County (CA) …

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On October 1, 2015, EPA strengthened the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone to 70 parts per billion (ppb), based on extensive scientific evidence about ozone’s effects on public health and welfare. The updated standards will improve public health protection, particularly for at-risk groups including children, older adults, people of all ages who have lung diseases such as asthma, and people who are active outdoors, especially outdoor workers. They also will improve the health of trees, plants …

Read MoreEPA Strengthens the Air Quality Standards for Ground-Level Ozone

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are jointly proposing a national program that would establish the next phase of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fuel efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. This “Phase 2 program” would significantly reduce carbon emissions and improve the fuel efficiency of heavy-duty vehicles, helping to address the challenges of global climate change and energy security. Learn more

Biochar—Black is the new Green “Carbon farming”—adding a form of charcoal to the mix of soil amendments is currently being tested in laboratories, test plots and field demonstrations across the nation.  The carbon is called “biochar”.  Biochar registers in the 80 percent organic carbon range and can be produced from a wide range of forest and agriculture wastes. Why biochar? There are a wide stream of environmental and economic benefits but, most significantly, biochar increases water and fertilizer use efficiency …

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