Main Feed - Environmental Defense

Is BLM Phoning It In?

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:35:06 +0000

By Matt Watson

Source: Soundcheck-WNYC

Yesterday the Bureau of Land management released a new draft of its so-called “fracking rule.” To be fair, the proposed rule does represent a level of progress compared to sorely outdated rules on the books. But we’re dealing with critical issues here – not the kinds of things we can afford to only get half right. And unfortunately, “half right” is about all we got here.

The most significant failings of the proposed rule have to do with well integrity – the way an oil or gas well is constructed and operated to minimize risks to the environment and public safety. Proper casing, cementing and pressure management are critical to protecting groundwater resources and the lives of the men and women who work the rigs. The rule takes steps in the right direction, but it doesn’t include nearly the level of detail necessary to ensure casing is set where it’s needed, operators are getting good cement jobs and the whole system is checked for mechanical integrity at critical points in the well development process.

The rule also falls short on chemical disclosure. We’re pleased to see the agency propose the same basic disclosure framework that has already been established by leading states – including requirements that operators disclose all chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing fluids (not just chemicals subject to OSHA reporting), and requirements to post the information on a user-friendly, publicly accessible website like FracFocus. But the proposal is far too weak on trade secrets. For the public to have confidence trade secret protections aren’t being abused, there needs to be a clear path for challenging trade secret assertions and policing the system.

Finally, while we recognize that you can’t address every issue in a single rule, it’s still worth noting two areas where agency rules are in glaring need of an overhaul. First, BLM needs to improve its rules for the handling, storage and disposal of the huge volumes of wastewater produced by unconventional oil and gas operations (the proposed rule merely asks operators to submit a plan). Second, BLM needs to adopt requirements to minimize emissions of methane – a highly potent greenhouse gas – and other contaminants that create local and regional air quality problems like they’re seeing in Colorado and Wyoming. There’s long been talk of dealing with methane emissions at BLM, but so far we’ve yet to see action. We hope that changes soon.

Moving forward, EDF will submit detailed comments on this rulemaking; and we’ll keep pressing for new and better rules on methane, waste and other key issues. We’ll work with other NGOs, state and federal regulators, forward-thinking companies and anyone else who’s willing to come to the table in good faith and help BLM complete their assignment and improve their grade. As the nation’s largest land holder – with almost 40 million acres leased for oil and gas development, and more than 12 million already under production – it’s critical that BLM set the highest standards for operations on these important public lands. Nothing less than excellence will do.

Gross Domestic Product: Grossly incomplete, but we can fix it

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:27:26 +0000

By Gernot Wagner

Via EDF Voices. This first appeared online in an article posted at ensia.com.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is broken. Robert F. Kennedy said as much in his first major presidential campaign speech. Simon Kuznets, the father of GDP, acknowledged its shortcomings. GDP is an imperfect indicator of human well-being at best, and outright misleading at worst.

Still, we shouldn’t scrap GDP and start over.

Up to a point, GDP does tell us important facts about people’s lives, livelihoods and aspirations. Living on a dollar a day is miserable no matter how you look at it.

Choking on economic growth, of course, is equally bad. There are a few simple, well-established steps we ought to take to bring GDP closer to where we should be. That, by the way, isn’t “Green GDP” or “green accounting.” It’s honest accounting.

Start with accounting for the true value of natural assets still in the ground. We don’t “produce” coal. We extract it. And the fact that the ton of coal extracted today is no longer there for the taking tomorrow should show up in our national income accounts. A ton of West Virginian coal adds about $30 to GDP. Honest bookkeeping would decrease that amount to $15. The same holds for oil, trees, water and all the other valuable natural assets that fuel our economy but are largely treated as free in our GDP accounting.

Then quickly move on to pollution. Every ton of coal, every barrel of oil causes more in external damages than it adds value to GDP. Properly measured GDP ought to reflect that fact.

In the end, policy makers should expand their horizon and look at a dashboard of indicators to get a fuller picture of the true state of the economy, society and the planet. Yet when it comes to GDP itself, the name of the game is fixing it rather than scrapping it. We know how to do that. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis is at the ready. Let’s have a go at it.

See the original post on ensia.com for a perspective from Sir Partha Dasgupta, Frank Ramsey Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Cambridge.

Managing Our Nations Fisheries 3 Conference: Take away messages

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:21:06 +0000

America’s fishing laws are generally working well to rebuild fish stocks, but there is still work to be done to make sure that our sustainable fisheries are sustainable for fishermen. That was the takeaway message from the recent gathering of the nation’s top fisheries advisors, scientists, members of regional councils and the eNGO community who [...]

Latest Mississippi River Delta News: May 17, 2013

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:31:09 +0000

The Louisiana Coast: Last Call — The Master Plan
By Bob Marshall, WWNO (New Orleans). May 17, 2013.
"If you’ve been listening and reading along this week, by now you know the consensus among coastal experts is that New Orleans and southeast Louisiana are headed for an early grave before the end of the century…" (Read more)

BP blasts US judge in fight against compensation claims
Russia Today. May 17, 2013.
"Oil giant BP has petitioned a US court regarding the company’s payouts stemming from its 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico, accusing a judge of allowing “absurd” compensation claims and a “raid on its coffers…" (Read more)

BP Oil Spill Claims Chief Braces for Surge in Filings
By Kathy Finn, Insurance Journal. May 17, 2013.
"The deadline for claims against BP Plc in connection with the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill is 11 months away, but the man responsible for paying the claims said on Thursday he is already bracing for a late surge in filings…" (Read more)

Corps declares massive hurricane project complete
By John Snell, WVUE-TV. May 17, 2013.
"Plaquemines Parish, LA—For the first time, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the hurricane risk-reduction system for metro New Orleans will be finished this season…" (Read more)

Bill would stop feared Louisiana levee
The Sun Herald. May 16, 2013.
"WASHINGTON — The water-projects bill the U.S. Senate passed this week could promote investment in ports and protect the Coast from Louisiana flood-control projects…" (Read more)

Jack Payne: Science and support needed in Gulf Coast restoration
The Gainesville (Fla.) Sun. May 16, 2013.
"Noted American satirist and journalist H.L. Mencken once said, “For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple and wrong…" (Read more)

Statement of EDF President Fred Krupp

Thu, 16 May 2013 20:56:12 +0000

On Today’s Senate Committee Vote for Gina McCarthy to be EPA Administrator

Fred Krupp comments on Senate EPW Committee approval of Gina McCarthy as EPA Administrator

Thu, 2013-05-16

Contact:

Keith Gaby, 202-572-3336, kgaby@edf.org

Sharyn Stein, 202-572-3396, sstein@edf.org

“I’m thrilled that the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted today in favor of Gina McCarthy as our next EPA Administrator. In the end, the committee approved a highly-qualified candidate for one of our country’s most important jobs.

“Ms. McCarthy is an experienced leader who has a well-deserved reputation for being pragmatic and fair. She has worked with both parties, and has garnered the support of both environmental advocates and industry leaders. I think she’ll do an outstanding job as head of EPA, and I look forward to her quick confirmation by the full Senate."

-- Fred Krupp, President of Environmental Defense Fund

# # #

Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org), a leading national nonprofit organization, creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. EDF links science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships. Connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Lessons Learned From West

Thu, 16 May 2013 20:53:29 +0000

By Elena Craft, PhD

Source: KVUE

At 4:00 p.m. today, the State Fire Marshal's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives plan to announce the results of their investigation of the West, Texas fertilizer explosion that killed 14 people and injured over 200.

Information leaked to The Dallas Morning News indicated that investigators have three possible explanations for the explosion fueled by ammonium nitrate: ignition from a faulty golf cart, ignition from the fertilizer and seed building’s electrical system or an intentional act.

No matter what the conclusion, we’ve learned some very important lessons from this tragedy:

There is not enough coordination among state agencies covering the oversight of facilities like West;
Current penalties and fines don’t seem to be a deterrent to the those who violate safety and environmental laws;
There is a need for more thoughtful consideration as to appropriate locations of schools, hospitals and nursing facilities; and
There is a critical need for local emergency responders to have the best possible information regarding hazardous materials and potential health and safety risks in their communities.

As we begin to wrap up the legislative session in Texas, we are hopeful that our elected officials will do the right thing and strengthen environmental and safety protections instead of weaken them. Over 400 people a year lose their lives in Texas from occupational injuries. We can and should do better.

On a personal note, I’d like to give a shout out to my favorite Texan, Willie Nelson, 80 years young, who hosted a birthday concert benefitting the community of West and raised over $120,000. Thank you Willie!

Statement of EDF President Fred Krupp

Thu, 16 May 2013 20:18:42 +0000

On Today’s Senate Vote Confirming Ernest Moniz as Secretary of Energy

Statement EDF President Fred Krupp On Senate Vote Confirming Ernest Moniz as Secretary of Energy of DOE, Department of Energt

Thu, 2013-05-16

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:
Keith Gaby, kgaby@edf.org, 202-572-3336
Sharyn Stein, sstein@edf.org, 202-572-3396

“Today’s unanimous Senate vote to confirm Ernest Moniz as our next Secretary of Energy is great news for America. It shows that when Congress puts politics aside, a highly-qualified and experienced nominee can win bipartisan support in order to tackle some of the most pressing problems facing our country.

“Dr. Moniz is a theoretical physicist from MIT and a member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology with a well-deserved reputation for being thoughtful and pragmatic. He’s also well-known for his enthusiasm for creating a clean energy future for America, and he has repeatedly observed that just because the environmental challenges of shale gas are manageable does not mean that they are yet managed.

“I look forward to working with Dr. Moniz on accelerating the transition to a clean energy economy by developing a smart “green” electric grid, promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy through a “Race to the Top” program, and furthering other critical energy projects.”

- Fred Krupp, EDF president

# # #

Texas Legislature Update: Chapter 313 And Texas Wind Production

Thu, 16 May 2013 18:44:13 +0000

By Marita Mirzatuny

Source: Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center

This week, the Texas Senate will likely debate House Bill (HB) 3390, introduced by Representative Harvey Hilderbran and sponsored by Senator Bob Deuell. This bill, which passed in the House and out of the Economic Development Senate Committee on May 14^th, reauthorizes Chapter 313 of the Texas Tax Code – commonly known as the Texas Economic Development Act. Chapter 313 is an economic development program that allows companies to apply for a temporary reduction in property taxes in exchange for a major capital investment commitment.

Chapter 313 has helped put Texans to work and grow rural economies. Wind energy is among the industries that take advantage of this program and, in the process, has attracted around $24 billion in wind energy investments to 56 counties throughout the lone star state – $15 billion of which was a direct result of Chapter 313. Wind energy projects create new jobs and employ meteorologists, surveyors, structural engineers, assembly workers, electrical workers, construction workers, lawyers, bankers, technicians and local service jobs associated with increased growth.

However, Chapter 313 is set to expire in 2014. If the Texas Senate does not renew this crucial bill as is (with renewable energy projects included), then the state stands to lose its competitive advantage in attracting wind and solar development to the state – potentially losing projects to the 34 other states offering clean energy incentives. Some states don’t impose a property tax on wind projects at all.

Furthermore, including renewables in Chapter 313 helps growing school districts’ tax bases, which benefit from the substantial investment that wind energy projects bring to their communities. The expected 30+ year life span of these projects makes them lucrative municipal assets. Additionally, landowners in rural Texas receive lease payments for each turbine installed on their property. These infusions of capital help farmers and ranchers support their land, particularly during times of extreme drought. 95 percent of land used for wind turbines can still be used for agricultural purposes, allowing farmers and ranchers to benefit from a second harvest – of wind.

Another aspect unique to wind and solar projects is their long, durable life spans. One of the rules of Chapter 313 requires companies who are developing projects to stay in the communities for three years following the limitation period, meaning the life of the contract. Unlike some other types of development, wind energy and large-scale solar projects are committed for the long haul. The upfront investment is substantial and the large wind turbines and ground-mounted solar arrays are not easy to move. For taxpayers in Texas, this guarantees long-term benefits for both the state and local communities.

Opponents to clean energy’s continued inclusion in Chapter 313 have attacked the number of jobs created by the industry. The program reports are misleadingly low because they only count direct jobs created by the participating companies – whereas large-scale wind and solar projects also create indirect jobs from contracted construction, maintenance and operations. Because they can’t meet Chapter 313’s direct job creation requirement, wind and solar companies typically seek a waiver from the job creation requirement, which local school boards approve. Now, critics want to move control of these waivers to the Comptroller’s office, and out of local control. This move concerns those who may be wary of potential political agendas of state agencies in Texas.

While improvement to this waiver process is welcomed, with even the Wind Coalition stating that they support “other changes that would add some state oversight to ensure taxpayers are getting a good deal and that the program is incentivizing projects that would not come to Texas otherwise,” we are concerned that these attacks by critics are designed to unfairly target wind for exclusion by anti-renewable groups with an ideological motive.

Renewable energy needs to remain, as it currently reads, in Chapter 313 with local control maintained when job waivers are considered. As Chapter 313 is reviewed, we encourage Texas Senators to support clean energy – which is spurring economic development, creating jobs and helping Texas further its leadership position in the multi-trillion dollar clean energy economy.

Latest Mississippi River Delta News: May 16, 2013

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:30:29 +0000

The Louisiana Coast: Last Call — How We Got This Way: Canal Dredging
By Bob Marshall, WWNO (New Orleans). May 15, 2013.
"These days when fishing guide Ryan Lambert motors away from the boat launch in Buras, he’s fishing in the what locals call “the land of used-to-bes…" (Read more)

The Louisiana Coast: Last Call — How We Got This Way: Rising Seas, Sinking Land
By Bob Marshall, WWNO. May 16, 2013.
"The clang of tide gauges throughout parts of southeast Louisiana aren’t from a science fiction movie, though they may make residents feel like they’re caught in one…" (Read more)

Louisiana lists 39 restoration projects that would be financed with BP oil spill fine money
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). May 15, 2013.
"Louisiana coastal officials have put together a list of 39 restoration projects that they hope will be partially or fully financed by money the state or federal agencies expect to receive as a result of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill…" (Read more)

Program aims to boost La. seafood industry
By Timothy Boone, The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.). May 15, 2013.
"A program to help the state’s seafood industry by establishing better ties between fishermen and consumers got a major boost Tuesday when one of the first products designated as “Certified Authentic Louisiana Wild Seafood” was unveiled…" (Read more)

Voluntary Clean Truck Programs Reduce Emissions At Ports, But Fall Short Of Clean Air Goals

Wed, 15 May 2013 18:50:55 +0000

By Marcelo Norsworthy

Voluntary truck replacement programs at ports are a common means of improving local air quality without imposing strict restrictions. However, new research shows that these voluntary programs, while a critical component of a comprehensive clean air plan for ports, are limited in their overall effectiveness, especially when considered in the context of mandatory programs. A new peer-reviewed study by Environmental Defense Fund, “Emissions reduction analysis of voluntary clean truck programs at U.S. ports”, will be published in the July issue of Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment. The study, authored by Elena Craft, PhD and me, demonstrates that voluntary programs only reduce emissions by one to four percent compared to a baseline of truck emissions before program implementation. Furthermore, the potential emission reductions are limited to 15 percent for particulate matter (PM) and 35 percent for nitrous oxides (NOx), two pollutants linked to serious health risks. This means that, under current program guidelines, only a fraction of total truck emissions could be reduced through voluntary replacements. These findings are striking given the accomplishments noted at ports that have implemented more rigorous programs, such as the Port of Los Angeles Clean Truck Program, which set a progressive ban on older, more polluting trucks, ultimately requiring the use of clean trucks that meet the 2007 emissions standards.

This is a critical environmental and public health issue. Short-haul drayage trucks have been found to contribute substantially to port area air pollution, and there is broad consensus from communities, cargo owners, transportation providers, and ports that older trucks need to be retrofitted or retired in order to reduce the public health risk from emissions associated with freight transportation.

In 2009, EDF announced a partnership with the Houston-Galveston Area Council and the Port of Houston to replace older, polluting trucks with new, cleaner models. The outcome of this partnership resulted in the best incentive program in the country for owner-operator truck drivers. The Drayage Loan Program combined federal and state grants to provide drivers with low-interest loans and high value grants to trade in their truck. While voluntary programs, such as the one at the Port of Houston, have helped build stakeholder support and drive progress toward cleaner air, the limited capability of voluntary programs, as demonstrated by this study, highlights the need for stronger actions on behalf of all partners. This is especially true for Houston, as emissions from trucks operating at the port are estimated to amount to approximately half of all emissions within the port’s 2015 projected emissions inventory.

The ports that have enacted voluntary truck programs should be applauded; they trail blazed the path toward clean air with an important step and truckers started upgrading to newer, cleaner truck models. But now is the time to do more and these early successes should be the force for driving greater environmental improvement. We have the knowledge base, the partnerships and the resources to implement more rigorous truck programs and emission reduction initiatives.

Latest Mississippi River Delta News: May 14, 2013

Tue, 14 May 2013 17:21:14 +0000

The Louisiana Coast: Last Call — How We Got This Way, Part 1
By Bob Marshall, WWNO (New Orleans). May 14, 2013.
"Anyone flying into New Orleans on a clear day now looks down on a panorama of delicate marsh floating like green lace on the brown waters of the Mississippi delta. Those wetlands seem endless — stretching to the horizons…" (Read more)

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation fund is launched to restore Louisiana, Gulf Coast natural resources
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). May 13, 2013.
"The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation on Monday announced the creation of a fund that will administer $2.5 billion from criminal plea agreements approved earlier this year between BP and Transocean and the federal government concerning the companies’ roles in the blowout of BP’s Macondo oil well, the fire and explosion aboard Transocean’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that killed 11 crew members, and the ensuing three-month uncontrolled release of oil into the Gulf of Mexico…" (Read more)

New Data Shows Mitigation Banks Can Speed Approval Process
By Jemma Penelope, Ecosystem Marketplace). May 13, 2013.
"13 May 2013 | NEW ORLEANS | USA | Mitigation bankers have long claimed that their combination of simplicity, commodification, and regulation offers the most environmentally effective and economically efficient vehicle for approving development projects that require mitigation…" (Read more)

Saving the delta is a pipe dream sans sediment diversion projects.
By Len Bahr, LaCoast Post. May 13, 2013.
"Last week the concentration of atmospheric CO2 reached 400 ppm, more than at any time in human history. This is the legacy of a century of accelerating combustion of fossil carbon, which has triggered dramatic changes in a climate pattern that had been extraordinarily stable for eleven millennia. The world ocean is warming, expanding and becoming more acidic, with very serious coastal consequences…" (Read more)

The River and the Dredge build land together
By Scott Eustis, Gulf Restoration Network. May 13, 2013.
"As you may have seen from our last GulfTides video, some of the money from BP fines will pay to build land using the Mississippi River. Restoring the river to the delta is the "lynchpin" of Louisiana's Coastal Restoration program, as embodied in the Coastal Master Plan…" (Read more)

EDF Heads to Atlanta for TSC's Spring Member Summit

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:55:05 +0000

By Katie Ware

This week, Environmental Defense Fund's (EDF) Retail Team travels from Bentonville, AR to Atlanta to attend and speak at the The Sustainability Consortium’s (TSC) second Member Summit.

EDF is an NGO member of TSC, an independent organization of diverse global participants who collaborate to improve consumer product sustainability through all stages of a product’s life cycle. TSC has over one hundred member organizations representing over $1.5 trillion in revenue. Other members include Walmart, Coca-Cola, Disney, L'Oréal, NRDC and WWF. Scientific American Magazine named TSC one of the “Top 10 World Changing Ideas of 2012.”

Because of EDF’s in-depth work with Walmart (we even have an office in Bentonville, AR), our Retail Team’s expertise spans across the multitude of categories TSC tackles, from apparel to food to packaging and many things in between. We’re excited to share our knowledge, while continuing to learn from our fellow TSC members in Atlanta.

If you’ll be there, keep an eye out for our Retail Team: Elizabeth Sturcken, Michelle Harvey, Jenny Ahlen and Alisha Staggs. We will be actively involved throughout the event and speaking at the sessions below.

An Introduction to Membership in The Sustainability Consortium

Tuesday, May 14 1pm – 2:45pm

Conference Room 7

Elizabeth Sturcken, managing director at EDF, will speak at this session for invited, non-member organizations wishing to gain a better understanding of The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) and what it means to be a member. After a brief history and overview, member organization panelists will share their perspective on the value of TSC and the return on their investment, their time commitment to TSC and how their organizations are using its work. This is an opportunity for guests considering membership to have candid conversations with current members and to understand how TSC can provide value.

On-Farm Improvement Opportunity Workshop Series

Tuesday, May 14 1pm – 2:45pm

Conference Room A

Jenny Ahlen and Alisha Staggs, project managers at EDF, will help lead this workshop, which will review the existing information in the knowledge products related to fertilizer use on-farm and build on the list of improvement opportunities for addressing impacts related to fertilizer use. It will also provide information about how to communicate across the supply chain in a way that facilitates progress in addressing impacts related to fertilizer use on farm.

Agriculture Supply Chain Committee

Wednesday, May 15 8:30am-12:00pm

Conference Room 7

Jenny Ahlen and Alisha Staggs, project managers at EDF, will present at this session, working to increase the relevance and application of the Sustainability Measurement and Reporting System for product categories that have commodity market supply chains. The approach will be to identify the points of connection (where product category materials and information transfer from one stakeholder to another) across commodity market supply chains and for each point of connection. This workshop will identify one commodity product on which to initially focus and further define the scope, objectives and goals for the committee.

Subscribe to receive our blog updates by email, like our page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Premature To Remove Texas City From The Air Pollution Watch List

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:06:24 +0000

By Elena Craft, PhD

Estimated Distribution of Benzene Annual Concentration, Based on Retrieved Primary Source Location and Wind Direction Frequency

Last week, EDF, along with Air Alliance Houston (AAH), submitted comments to the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality (TCEQ) reflecting why we believe the proposed removal of Texas City for the pollutants benzene and hydrogen sulfide from the state’s Air Pollution Watch List (APWL) is premature.

The APWL is a list of areas in Texas where concentrations of harmful pollutants exceed the state’s own health-based screening level guidelines. While inclusion on the list indicates that additional scrutiny is given to permits issued to facilities in the area, some of the APWL areas have been listed for over a decade. This is significant because exposure to these toxics may impact human health and may lead to serious health outcomes, such as birth defects or cancer.

EDF has been actively engaged with TCEQ to improve management of the APWL program and to renew efforts to improve air quality in hotspot areas. TCEQ first added Texas City to the Air Pollutant Watch List in 2001 because of elevated concentrations of propionaldehyde. The organization added benzene in 2003 because the annual average concentration at the Ball Park Monitor exceeded the long-term health-based Air Monitoring Comparison Value (AMCV) of 1.0 ppb.[1] Hydrogen sulfide was then added in 2004 based on mobile and stationary monitoring data showing exceedances of the 0.08 parts per million (ppm) threshold.

TCEQ’s proposal claims that recent air monitoring information justifies the removal of Texas City from the APWL. However, new analyses completed by EDF and AAH, indicate that data from the current monitoring network are not adequate in justifying the removal of Texas City from the APWL. Here are a few reasons why:

Air monitoring information has not been correlated with wind direction, meaning that the existing monitoring network does not capture the predominant downwind concentrations of pollutants in neighborhoods closest to the largest sources. As illustrated in the insert, the largest concentration of benzene is expected in between the existing monitors.
BP Texas City: The largest emitter in the area is also the worst environmental performer. BP Texas City is ranked as the largest benzene emitter in the region, not just the state. On March 23, 2005, an explosion killed 15 employees and injured 170 as a result of workers re-starting a unit at the BP refinery that had been closed for repairs. The problem started when workers filled a tank with 138 feet of flammable liquid, when it should have been filled with only 6.5 feet of liquid. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that BP had cut costs, resulting in risky working conditions, which were likely the cause of the catastrophic event. An investigation by the Chemical Safety Board found numerous problems, including out-of-date equipment, corroded pipes, and faulty safety alarms. This explosion has been characterized as one of the worst workplace incident in the U.S. between 1989 and 2005.
BP Texas City II: More recently in November 2011, there were reports of gas leaks at the BP Texas City refinery. A concerned citizen initially reported a sulfur dioxide leak to the National Response Center. BP confirmed an ongoing leak of methyl mercaptan; the odor was so toxic that 30 workers from a neighboring plant downwind were taken to the hospital.

Bottom line: It is too early to remove Texas City from the APWL for benzene or hydrogen sulfide. While we appreciate the efforts that the state has made in working to improve air quality in the Texas City region, there is strong evidence that residents in Texas City continue to be at higher risk for health impacts from pollutants such as benzene.

We therefore recommend that the agency place additional monitoring equipment in the areas expected to have the highest concentration of pollutants. Only properly sited monitors with validated data can justify a delisting. Without proper data collection and analysis, the TCEQ cannot ensure that it is maintaining the Air Pollutant Watch List in a manner that protects public health.

[1] The long-term AMCV for benzene has since been made less health protective, with a revised AMCV of 1.4 ppb.

Latest Mississippi River Delta News: May 13, 2013

Mon, 13 May 2013 14:29:01 +0000

The Louisiana Coast: Last Call — The Shape We're In Now
By Bob Marshall, WWNO (New Orleans). May 13, 2013.
"If you enter New Orleans in a Google search you’ll get words and images that echo the city’s unofficial motto: laissez les bon temps rouler, let the good times roll…" (Read more)

Boxer seeks Sacramento levee funding in water bill
By Curtis Tate, McClatchy. May 12, 2013.
"WASHINGTON – In contrast to contentious debates over issues such as guns, immigration and the federal budget, a bill to address critical water infrastructure – including flood protection for Sacramento – looked like it might have an easier time getting through a divided U.S. Senate…" (Read more)

Huge Swamp Rats are Eating Louisiana
By Sean Breslin, The Weather Channel. May 9, 2013.
"They're huge, they're nasty, and now, they're becoming an invasive problem for Louisiana…" (Read more)

Levee meant to contain sinkhole water breaches
The Associated Press. May 10, 2013.
"BAYOU CORNE, La. (AP) – Water continues to pour into a massive Assumption Parish sinkhole after five holes opened in the levee surrounding it…" (Read more)

Walmart's Sustainability Trilogy: A Close-Up Perspective from EDF's Office in Bentonville

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:13:22 +0000

By: Alisha Staggs, Bentonville-based project manager at Environmental Defense Fund

In Marc Gunther’s recent article "Walmart’s index: a real life toy story," he calls the Walmart supplier Sustainability Index, "the biggest environmental initiative in the company's history," and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) agrees. He also questions whether "Walmart is taking this too far”"and "how the world's largest retailer is exercising its market power."

With a 25-year track record challenging companies to make decisions that are good for the environment and the economy, we at EDF are used to asking these types of tough questions.

That's precisely why we have an EDF office based in Bentonville dedicated solely to working together with Walmart to advance sustainability. Because we don't take money from the company, we can push hard to achieve the kinds of transformational change of which it is capable.

When it comes to the Sustainability Index, we're on board. And here’s why:

With over 100,000 suppliers, Walmart has the ability to use the Sustainability Index to move entire industries to go beyond what is required by law, benefiting consumers, workers and the planet.

The recent launch of the Index marks a highly anticipated milestone three years in the making for Walmart. Put it this way, if Walmart's sustainability journey were a bestselling trilogy, we'd be starting the second book. In the first book, the goals were set, the groundwork built, some smaller battles were won and lost. ..but now we're getting to the real action. As the environmental advocate in the room, this is a book I don't want to put down.

If you missed the first book (where were you?), Gunther gives a nice recap here.

For the first time, environmental outcomes truly worthy of Walmart's scale seem achievable: Major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Improved efficiency across supply chains and sectors. Improvements in water quality and human health. The list goes on.

Beginning this year, Walmart will use The Sustainability Index to influence the design of its U.S. private brand products and will require its buyers to set specific sustainability objectives that will be tied to their annual reviews. For example, Gunther zooms in on Walmart’s senior buyer for baking commodities, Tim Robinson, in another recent story to show how this is happening in real time. Of course, Robinson's story is one of many.

By the end of 2017, Walmart will buy 70 percent of the goods it sells in U.S. stores and U.S. Sam’s Clubs from suppliers who use The Sustainability Index to evaluate and share the sustainability of products.

And while we see the Index moving in the right direction, EDF continues to ask the tough questions. How do we keep the momentum going across hundreds of buyers and thousands of suppliers? How do we avoid unintended consequences? How do we track and measure the true impact of progress on the ground? What is the full potential of the Index? Is incremental change enough to get us where we need to be by when we need to be there?

These are the questions to be answered in the second part of this sustainability story, and I have my fingers crossed for something truly epic.

This content is cross-posted on Walmart's The Green Room.

Subscribe to receive our blog updates by email, like our page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.