ACID RAIN is increasing

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Buck

Image via numbphoto – Color mad on Flickr

Acid rain is an environmental problem, because it destroys forests and aquatic ecosystems. More from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:

Acid rain causes acidification of lakes and streams and contributes to the damage of trees at high elevations (for example, red spruce trees above 2,000 feet) and many sensitive forest soils. In addition, acid rain accelerates the decay of building materials and paints, including irreplaceable buildings, statues, and sculptures that are part of our nation’s cultural heritage. Prior to falling to the earth, sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) gases and their particulate matter derivatives—sulfates and nitrates—contribute to visibility degradation and harm public health.

Emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from utilities contribute to the problem of acid rain. However, emissions trading or cap and trade, a market-based regulatory program, which is also “a program within the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments,” was successful in reducing these pollutants. As a result, the Acid Rain Program was successful in reducing acid rain. However, an increase in other types of anthropogenic activities is contributing to the problem of acid rain. For example, industrial agriculture operations, such as concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, also contribute to acid rain. Other factors for the return of acid rain include agricultural nitrogen runoff and more vehicles, which are displacing the gains made from the introduction of the catalytic converter. More from Scientific American:

The acid rain scourge of the ’70s and ’80s that killed trees and fish and even dissolved parts of statues on Washington, D.C.’s National Mall is back. But unlike the first round, in which sulfur emissions from power plants mixed with rain to create sulfuric acid, the current problem stems primarily from nitrogen emissions mixed with rain to create nitric acid.

. . .

Sulfur emissions from power plants were one of the primary motivations for the U.S.’s Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, which set reduction targets for both sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). However, whereas sulfur dioxide emissions decreased almost 70 percent from 1990 to 2008, emissions of one NOx—nitrogen dioxide (NO2)—went down only 35 percent for that same period, and amendment targets have yet to be made, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “This comes as scientists have grown increasingly aware of the consequences of the remaining nitric acid deposition,” Schlesinger says.

. . .

Nitric acid rain is derived primarily from power plant, car and truck emissions as well as from gases released by fertilizer use. Part of the problem dates back to WWI, when two German scientists invented the Haber–Bosch process, which took nonreactive nitrogen from the air (N2) and converted it into reactive, usable ammonia (NH3). Most of the nitrogen harvested via this process has been used in fertilizers, and the runoff from farms has created dead zones in Chesapeake Bay and at the mouths of the Columbia and Mississippi rivers. Some efforts have been made to regulate the agricultural nitrogen runoff, but atmospheric emissions of agricultural ammonia remain virtually unrestricted.

Agri-ammonia vapors also derive from concentrated animal feeding operations in the U.S. South. The gas rises into the air and is deposited dry or in rainfall where in the ground bacteria breaks it into nitrogen and nitric acid, which can kill fish and plants. “Agriculture is increasingly functioning as an intensively managed industrial operation, and that is creating serious water, soil, and air problems,” says Viney Aneja, a professor at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. Aneja says that state’s concentrated animal feeding operations may also emit particulate matter from swine and chicken manure into the atmosphere, which can carry diseases.

NOx escapes from power plants as a by-product of coal combustion, whereas vehicular engines run at high enough pressures and temperatures to combine nitrogen and oxygen in the air. “Though catalytic converters have decreased the amount of pollution per vehicle, there are more vehicles on the road and more miles driven,” Schlesinger says. Emissions from fertilizers are the chief source of atmospheric nitric oxide, but motor vehicles have now overtaken coal power plants as the secondary most critical source of this problem.

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GREENHOUSE GASES: EPA to announce that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare

Posted on December 7, 2009 by Buck

An endangerment finding from the EPA would be a win for Copenhagen. More from The Hill:

EPA is expected to issue a formal finding today that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare, which sets the stage for the agency to regulate the emissions under its existing power.

. . .

The so-called endangerment finding stems from a major 2007 Supreme Court decision that enables EPA to limit the emissions if it finds that greenhouses gases are indeed a danger. The agency issued a preliminary finding in April.

The EPA announcement could also give U.S. negotiators more leverage at the international climate talks in Copenhagen that begin today, demonstrating domestic action even though Congress has not completed a final bill to curb emissions.

Of course the so-called United States Chamber of Commerce doesn’t support an endangerment finding, because the Chamber believes that climate change regulations will hurt businesses. However, the impacts of climate change—and from environmental degradation and exploitation—will cost (and is currently costing) small businesses and families. The Chamber’s positions are shortsighted and lack prudence, because their position on climate change isn’t based on the science and observations of what’s really occurring. From the New York Times:

The move gives President Obama a significant tool to combat the gases blamed for the heating of the planet even while Congress remains stalled on economy-wide global warming legislation.

The E.P.A. finding also will allow Mr. Obama to tell delegates at the United Nations climate change conference that began today in Copenhagen that the United States is moving aggressively to address the problem.

. . .

Industry groups and the United States Chamber of Commerce have objected to the proposed regulations, saying they would damage the economy and drive jobs overseas. Some groups are likely to file lawsuits challenging the new regulations, which could delay their effective date for some years.

Thomas J. Donohue, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, said that the endangerment finding “could result in a top-down command-and-control regime that will choke off growth by adding new mandates to virtually every major construction and renovation project.” He said that his group supports “rational” federal legislation and an international agreement to control global carbon emissions.

Update: EPA officially announces endangerment finding:

Video: EPA: Greenhouse Gases Endanger Human Health:

On the Net:

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY reviewing how mountaintop removal impacts water quality and aquatic ecosystems

Posted on March 24, 2009 by Buck

With the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Obama Administration, perhaps the environment will become the focus instead of industry interests—which was the case under the Bush Administration.

Today, the EPA asserted that it will use the “best science and follow the letter of the law” in protecting the environment, and the agency announced that it would review the practice of mountaintop removal and investigate how the coal industry is impacting aquatic ecosystems. It will be interesting to see what type of rules the EPA promulgates for the coal industry following its announcement.

The images illustrate the destructive nature of mountaintop removal. From the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has sent two letters to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expressing serious concerns about the need to reduce the potential harmful impacts on water quality caused by certain types of coal mining practices, such as mountaintop mining. The letters specifically addressed two new surface coal mining operations in West Virginia and Kentucky. EPA also intends to review other requests for mining permits.

“The two letters reflect EPA’s considerable concern regarding the environmental impact these projects would have on fragile habitats and streams,” said Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “I have directed the agency to review other mining permit requests. EPA will use the best science and follow the letter of the law in ensuring we are protecting our environment.”

EPA’s letters, sent to the Corps office in Huntington, W.Va., stated that the coal mines would likely cause water quality problems in streams below the mines, would cause significant degradation to streams buried by mining activities, and that proposed steps to offset these impacts are inadequate. EPA has recommended specific actions be taken to further avoid and reduce these harmful impacts and to improve mitigation.

The letters were sent to the Corps by EPA senior officials in the agency’s Atlanta and Philadelphia offices. Permit applications for such projects are required by the Clean Water Act.

EPA also requested the opportunity to meet with the Corps and the mining companies seeking the new permits to discuss alternatives that would better protect streams, wetlands and rivers.

The Corps is responsible for issuing Clean Water Act permits for proposed surface coal mining operations that impact streams, wetlands, and other waters. EPA is required by the act to review proposed permits and provides comments to the Corps where necessary to ensure that proposed permits fully protect water quality.

Because of active litigation in the 4th Circuit challenging the issuance of Corps permits for coal mining, the Corps has been issuing far fewer permits in West Virginia since the litigation began in 2007. As a result, there is a significant backlog of permits under review by the Corps. EPA expects to be actively involved in the review of these permits following issuance of the 4th Circuit decision last month.

EPA is coordinating its action with the White House Council on Environmental Quality and with other agencies including the Corps.

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CLEAN COAL: Senate wants EPA to produce new coal ash regulations

Posted on March 6, 2009 by Buck

The Senate is pressuring the EPA to promulgate new regulations managing coal ash. From Environment & Energy Daily:

In 2000, EPA produced a draft regulatory determination that said certain fossil fuel combustion wastes like coal ash should be regulated as a hazardous waste under RCRA, but no regulations have ever been promulgated.

Senate EPW Committee staff member Bettina Poirier said the Senate resolution is a largely symbolic gesture intended to demonstrate that EPA has the authority under RCRA to produce new coal ash regulations. “The notion of the resolution is we don’t have to have legislation for action to occur,” she explained.

While no hearings are planned for the resolution, Poirier said sponsors will attempt to gather more supporters before bringing it to a vote “to provide very public support for the action EPA takes.”

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said last week that the agency is primarily focused on its enforcement and response to the spill and ensuring that other facilities manage their impoundments better than TVA did in Tennessee, but she said EPA will likely produce new regulations soon.

. . .

Earlier this week, more than 100 environmental groups sent a letter to Jackson saying federal standards are needed to govern the disposal of coal combustion waste. The groups described coal ash waste as a huge threat, noting that nearly 100 million tons of coal ash and coal combustion waste are dumped in ponds, pits and mines across the United States each year.

Related headlines:

Coal ash will be dredged from the Emory River. From MSNBC.com:

Environmental regulators also approved the start of dredging to remove ash from the Emory River. Until now, officials have been stabilizing the ash and working on a plan, said Anda Ray, the Tennessee Valley Authority’s top environmental officer.

Some 5.4 million cubic feet of coal ash, a byproduct of burning coal to make electricity, breached an earthen retention wall at the Kingston Fossil Plant about 40 miles west of Knoxville on Dec. 22.

Residents of the Tennessee coal ash spill are worried about their health, and some are complaining of respiratory problems. From WAAYTV.com:

Tennessee and federal environmental officials are encouraged with the progress in cleaning up a massive coal ash spill, but residents worry their health is being compromised.

Paul Davis, Tennessee’s top environmental officer, told more than 200 people attending a community meeting on the spill Thursday night in Harriman that “we appreciate to the fullest extent that we can the impact of this spill on you.” He vowed “total remediation” of the 300 acres that were covered by 5.4 million cubic yards of ash near the Kingston Fossil Plant on Dec. 22.

But Rick Cantrell with a residents’ group said the community is worried about coal dust in the air and in their homes. Some are complaining of trouble breathing and other illnesses.

Not only is TVA having legal trouble from the toxic coal ash spill but also out of control credit card spending is causing problems. From the Institute of Southern Studies:

The Tennessee Valley Authority, already caught in a legal quagmire following December’s disastrous spill of a billion gallons of coal ash from its Kingston power plant, is in trouble yet again — this time for out-of-control credit card spending by its employees.

A two-year review by TVA’s Inspector General found that spending as part of a program created in 1995 for minor business-related expenses had ballooned to more than $75 million annually

Homeowners are upset with performance bonus and pay raise accepted by Tennessee Valley Authority’s CEO as electricity rates shoot up. From MSNBC.com

When electric bills across Tennessee recently shot up, homeowners and lawmakers went after the TVA’s top man, CEO Tom Kilgore, and his $1 million bonus — a paycheck that became a real turn-off to rate payers.

His nearly $2.5 million paycheck is adding to the anger of everyday people who are struggling to pay their bills.

The public was angered by October’s rate increase. At that same time, Kilgore accepted a pay raise.

The end of wet fly ash storage may be over. From the Knoxville News Sentinel:

The spill near Harriman three days before Christmas most likely spells the end for wet storage at the steam plant, according to a mandatory corrective action plan submitted Monday to the state Department of Environment and Conservation. Any such transition would be subject to state approval and would take about two years.

“TVA has committed to ceasing wet ash storage in the failed dredge cell,” according to the plan. “In order to manage future ash production, TVA is considering the installation of equipment that enables the fly ash from Kingston to be collected dry. Collecting fly ash on a dry basis will allow for more flexible marketing and disposal options and reduce the size of pond structures. … If the decision is made to convert to dry collection, the time from project start to completion is expected to take 18-24 months.”

The spill has raised questions across the state and around the nation about the safety of coal ash and how to store it.

State Sen. Tim Burchett, R-Knoxville, introduced a bill Tuesday that would ban wet storage of fly ash.

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ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS PICKS

Posted on December 21, 2008 by Buck

Environmental News Picks presents a summary of news regarding the environment, conservation, science, politics, and other interesting subject matter. The Conservation Report does not endorse any content found in these news picks, but the information is provided to put readers on notice of the various different beliefs and viewpoints. Comments, corrections, and suggestions are very much welcomed. Send your news tips and picks: .