First-ever national standard for perchlorate in the works


Reversing a Bush administration decision, the Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it the developing a regulation for perchlorate, a naturally occurring and man-made chemical that research shows may impact the normal function of the human thyroid.

The federal agency said that monitoring data shows more than 4 percent of public water systems have detected perchlorate and between 5 million and 17 million people may be served drinking water containing perchlorate. The science that has led to teh decision has been peer reviewed by independent scientists and public health experts including the National Academy of Sciences, the EPA said.

Perchlorate is both a naturally-occurring and man-made chemical that is used in the manufacture of rocket fuel, fireworks, flares and explosives, and may be present in bleach and in some fertilizers. This decision reverses a 2008 preliminary determination by the previous administration, and considers input from almost 39,000 public comments.
  
Looking ahead: Drinking water standard for VOCs

Also In a separate action, the agency is also moving towards establishing a drinking water standard to address a group of up to 16 toxic volatile organic compounts (VOCs) that may pose risks to human health. The VOC chemicals to be addressed include trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE), as well as other regulated and some unregulated contaminants that are discharged from industrial operations.

The VOC standard will be developed as part of EPA’s new strategy for drinking water, announced by the administrator in March 2010. A key principle of the strategy, according to the EPA, is to address contaminants as groups rather than individually in order to provide public health protections more quickly and also allow utilities to more effectively and efficiently plan for improvements.

“Clean water is critical to the health and prosperity of every American community and a fundamental concern to every American family. EPA is hard at work on innovative ways to improve protections for the water we drink and give to our children, and the development of these improved standards is an important step forward,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Our decisions are based on extensive review of the best available science and the health needs of the American people.” 
 
More information on the EPA”s drinking water strategy


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Who should pay for electric vehicle recharging stations?

As more makes and models of all-electric vehicle
start showing up in auto showrooms, a big question
in a potential buyer’s mind will be:

Where can charge up if my car if it starts running low on energy and  I’m not close enough to plug it into my home charging system? 

A secondary question that consumers likely have
not considered–but eventually will–is:

Who should pay for the installation of those away-from-home recharging stations?

 New Jersey Assemblyman Josephs Cryan wants
to save you the trouble of having your nice new car towed home when it runs out of electrons. He’s introduced several bills aimed at encouraging– and compelling–the installation of charging systems at away-from-home locations.

On Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011, when the New Jersey Assembly Appropriations Committee considers the bills, it’s likely that the second question will be on the minds–and lips–of lobbyists who represent the entities that would be required to pay for the installations.

The Senator’s first bill, A-3647, puts that obligation (and cost) on the owners of  newly 
developed shopping centers. To make sure the job gets done, A-3649 would prohibit the 
state Department of Environmental Protection from issuing permits to new shopping centers
that do not provide charging stations. Also shouldering the cost of the charging stations 
would be businesses that operate service stations on the state’s toll roads (A-3648)
  
That’s the “stick” side of the senator’s bill package. On the “carrot” side, he’s introduced:     
   
A-3650  and A-3651 which provides a corporate business tax credit and gross income tax deduction for the purchase and installation of vehicle charging stations for electric vehicles–and hybrid electric vehicles.

The committee debate should be interesting.  You can listen to it live (or later) via the Legislature’s web site.

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EPA NOT changing air standards for carbon monoxide

The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed to keep the current national air quality standards for carbon monoxide (CO), while taking steps to gather additional data through more focused monitoring. 

The agency said that “the science shows that the current standards will protect people, especially those susceptible to health problems associated with breathing CO from the outdoor air. ” 

The current health standards are 9 parts per million (ppm) measured over 8 hours, and 35 ppm measured over 1 hour.

To ensure people are protected from high concentrations of CO and to develop better information about CO and its health impacts, EPA said it is proposing to revise the air monitoring requirements.  The proposed changes would require a more focused monitoring network with CO monitors placed near highly trafficked roads in urban areas with populations of 1 million or more. The data from these sites would be available for scientific studies that could help inform future reviews of the standard. 

EPA estimates that the proposal would require approximately 77 CO monitors in 53 urban areas.  EPA expects that states would not need to purchase new monitoring equipment. They could relocate some of their existing CO monitors to the near-road monitoring stations already required in connection with the revised nitrogen dioxide standards issued in January 2010. CO monitors at the new locations would be required to be operational by January 1, 2013.

EPA will accept comments for 60 days after the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register. If requested, the agency will hold a public hearing on the proposed rule on Feb. 18, 2011. EPA will take final action by Aug. 12, 2011.  More information

Also see:
EPA seeks input on regulating largest GHG sources
EPA weighs using vapor intrusion as a Superfund criteria

 Our most recent posts:
Pro-solar bills to get NJ committee hearing on Thursday 
The NJ wind forum that did not blow by you after all
EPA seeks input on regulating largest GHG sources
EPA weighs using vapor intrusion as a Superfund criteria
Organic Farming conference this weekend in Princeton

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Pro-solar bills to get NJ committee hearing on Thursday

Separate but identical  Senate and Assembly bills designed to overcome municipal roadblocks to the installation of solar installations will receive a hearing on Thursday
(Feb. 3) in the Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee in Trenton, NJ.

Both S-2006 (Smith) and A-3125 (Quijano) limit the restrictions that a municipality could impose, through zoning ordinances, on the installation of residential energy panels.

The bills allow municipalities to limit the installation of solar panels on the roof of a residential building or structure only if the panels, and all accessory equipment


     –  rise more than 12 inches above the roof surface, or highest  point or

     –  extend more than 12 inches beyond the roof line.  

The measure allows the adoption of zoning laws for ground-based solar panels on a residential property only when

     –  the total number of solar panels is greater than 10 and
     –  the solar panels are located less than 50 feet from the nearest

         property boundary line.

The legislation also prohibits municipalities from imposing any fee that exceeds the municipality’s processing costs for an application pertaining to the approval, installation, or operation of a system.
The fee limitation also would apply, under the bills, to small wind-energy systems.

NJ environmental & energy bills in committee on Jan 31

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The NJ wind forum that did not blow by you after all

If you’re an enviro-maven who took the NJ Chamber of Commerce train to Washington on Thursday, disappointed that NJ Spotlight had picked the same day to host a forum on New Jersey’s prospects for offshore wind energy, we’ve got some good news.  
The forum–The Promise of Offshore Wind— has been rescheduled for February 17!
At the free event (lunch included), members of Governor Chis Christie’s administration will join and key corporate players — Atlantic Wind Connection, Garden State Offshore Energy and GE Energy — in exploring issues that proponents say will transform the New Jersey coastline into a source of clean, renewable energy.

Issues to be addressed include: Will offshore wind lead to lower electric rates and job creation in manufacturing, construction and ancillary services? What will be the impact on the environment and tourism and how can it be kept to a minimum? What does the state need to do to attract offshore wind farms and at what cost? How will the state Economic Development Authority decide who merits tax credits? What are the advantages and drawbacks of establishing a backbone transmission system to wheel power up and down the coast from Maine to Virginia?


For more details, visit our Enviro-Events Calendar. While you’re there, sign up for free updates. You can choose whether you want to receive them by email or in your reader.

NJ environmental & energy bills in committee on Jan 31

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EPA seeks input on regulating largest GHG sources

The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
is holding five  “listening sessions” to gain public input
on updating its Clean Air Act pollution standards to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution from fossil fuel power plants and petroleum refineries.

The federal agency says its goal is to develop a common-sense approach to reduce GHGs from two
of the largest industrial pollution sources which are responsible for nearly 40 percent of the GHG pollution in the United States. 
In a news release today, the EPA said that, as part of a settlement agreement announced December 23, 2010, it will propose GHG standards based on existing technologies for power plants in July 2011 and for refineries in December 2011.  Final standards will be issued in May 2012 and November 2012, respectively.
In addition to these GHG New Source Performance Standards, the agency said it also would address other pollutants, including mercury and particle pollution, in separate, coordinated actions.
More information on the public sessions is available here.
NJ environmental & energy bills in committee on Jan 31
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