Berkeley Lab's Carbon Cycle 2.0 Series: Mark Zoback.

Video Published on Sep 11, 2012

Mark Zoback on Scientific Challenges of Producing Natural Gas from Shale. September 4th, 2012

Carbon Cycle 2.0 Big Questions in Energy Seminar Series: Carbon Cycle 2.0 is hosting a series of talks and discussions aimed at answering the most pressing questions in energy, and how they can be addressed. The first question "What is Fracking?" will be addressed in a series of talks aimed at exploring shale gas hydraulic fracturing and its impacts on the environment and the energy landscape.

U.S. Navy Settles Hazardous Waste Violations at Facility in Virginia Beach, Va.

Press release:

U.S. Navy Settles Hazardous Waste Violations at Facility in

Virginia Beach, Va.

PHILADELPHIA (August 23, 2012) -- The U.S. Navy has agreed to pay a $32,800 civil penalty to settle alleged violations of hazardous waste regulations and underground storage tank (UST) regulations at the Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story facility in Virginia Beach, Va. , the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today.

EPA cited the U.S. Navy for violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the federal law governing the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. RCRA is designed to protect public health and the environment, and avoid costly cleanups, by requiring the safe, environmentally sound storage and disposal of hazardous waste. In addition, RCRA regulates underground storage tanks with the emphasis on preventing releases from USTs which can cause serious contamination to our nation's groundwater.

The U.S. Navy facility, which provides housing and training for the nation’s expeditionary forces, allegedly violated RCRA by failing to determine if the waste was hazardous; storing hazardous waste at the facility, failing to label containers with date and contents; failing to have functioning spill and over fill equipment for two USTs; and failing to notify the state when a new oil-containing UST was installed.

The settlement penalty reflects the Navy's compliance efforts, and its cooperation with EPA in the investigation and resolution of this matter. The facility has made significant improvements to come into compliance including the removal of an underground storage tank, providing personnel training and implementing better management practices. As part of the settlement, the U.S. Navy has neither admitted nor denied liability for the alleged violations, but has certified its compliance with applicable RCRA requirements.

Press release:

April 30, 2012 08:29 AM Eastern Daylight Time 

Cleanup Continuing at Location of Crude Oil Spill by ExxonMobil Pipeline Company

TORBERT, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cleanup operations were continuing at the site of a spill of crude oil on remote rural property near Torbert LA, ExxonMobil Pipeline Company said today.

The oil from the North Line crude pipeline was contained in the immediate area and recovery efforts began on Sunday. Crews used vacuum trucks to recover the oil. Additional resources will be available on Monday as necessary.

There were no injuries. Air quality monitoring was conducted in the impacted area and confirmed no danger to the public. Additional air monitoring will continue.

“ExxonMobil Pipeline Company regrets that this spill has occurred and we apologize for any disruption or inconvenience,” said Karen Tyrone, southern operations manager. “Our crews will be on location until the cleanup has been completed. Fortunately the oil was contained in the immediate area which will enhance our recovery efforts.”

The cleanup is being coordinated with local authorities, including the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. Notification to the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies has taken place.

The cause of the spill was under investigation.

A preliminary estimate of approximately 1,900 barrels of oil was provided to regulatory authorities. An early spill volume estimate is required to support planning of response efforts by regulatory agencies and other responders. Once the incident investigation is complete, the spill volume estimate will be updated.

The North Line is a 22-inch pipeline which originates in St. James, Louisiana and carries crude oil to the northern part of Louisiana. The pipeline was shut down after a loss in pressure was identified on Saturday night.

Customers have been notified and efforts are under way to minimize any potential impacts.

About ExxonMobil

ExxonMobil, the largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, uses technology and innovation to help meet the world’s growing energy needs. ExxonMobil holds an industry-leading inventory of resources, is the largest refiner and marketer of petroleum products, and its chemical company is one of the largest in the world. For more information, visit www.exxonmobil.com.

News Release from EPA - Sumter Coatings

Sumter Coatings Inc. to Pay Civil Penalty for Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Violations 

Contact Information: Dawn Harris-Young, (404) 562-8421, harris-young.dawn@epa.gov

(ATLANTA - Feb. 27, 2012) — Sumter Coatings Inc. (SCI) agreed to pay a $55,000 civil penalty as part of a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a series of hazardous waste violations at its facility in Sumter, South Carolina.  As part of the settlement, SCI agreed to develop a personnel training program, develop a schedule for implementation of the training program and identify facility employees that require training. 

SCI manufactures paints and coatings primarily for the steel and farm implement industry. SCI also blends raw materials onsite to create custom coatings. The violations were observed during April 2010, when inspectors from the EPA and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control performed a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Compliance Evaluation Inspection.

The settlement resolves several alleged violations that were noted during the inspection. The alleged violations include:

• Improper management of hazardous waste containers on site;
• Failure to provide a sufficient base beneath containers which held hazardous waste;
• Failure to make a hazardous waste determination;
• Failure to inspect all areas where hazardous waste containers are stored weekly;
• Failure to develop personnel training program to ensure compliance with hazardous waste management’s;
• Failure to update information contained in the contingency plan, along with failing to make arrangements with local police and hospital authorities regarding the contingency plan and submitting copies of the contingency plan to first responders.

SCI implemented the process changes to reduce the risk of release from hazardous waste containers.  The changes include: labeling all containers with the necessary information; reducing the number of locations where short term storage occurs; changing container sizing and completing all necessary waste determinations.  SCI also applied a non-porous sealant to the base floor surface where the majority of hazardous waste containers are staged during regular operations. 

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Hunting Sandhill Cranes?

Excerpt from an article in The New York Times
Friday, February 24, 2012

Wisconsin Consider Hunting of Sandhill Crane 

By MONICA DAVEY

In Wisconsin, a place where word of dwindling numbers of sandhill cranes set off elaborate conservation efforts decades ago, the birds — elegant, prehistoric-looking creatures that bugle hauntingly — are once more at the center of discussion among state leaders. This time, a member of the State Assembly wants to allow cranes to be hunted.

For some among the scores of volunteers who wake up before dawn on a chilly spring day each year to watch the skies for cranes as part of an Annual Midwest Crane Count, organized by the Wisconsin-based International Crane Foundation, the notion seems unthinkable.

But some farmers said they desperately need a reprieve from the cranes that, they complain, eat acres and acres of newly seeded cornfields. “The good thing is that there’s been a recovery here in the population of sandhill cranes,” said Paul Zimmerman, a lobbyist for the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. “But when it gets to be too much of a good thing, it’s a problem.”

While Wisconsin’s sandhill crane population dipped to low levels in the 1930s, partly because of hunting, these cranes seem now to be flourishing. More than 600,000 exist worldwide, said Kent Van Horn, a migratory game bird ecologist from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and an estimated 72,000 — more than double the estimate from a decade ago — live along the migratory path that runs from states like Wisconsin down to the Southeastern United States.

Southern Wood Piedmont Co. Settles Financial Assurance Claims

News Release from EPA Headquarters:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 23, 2012

Southern Wood Piedmont Company Settles Financial Assurance Claims

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Southern Wood Piedmont Company and its parent company, Rayonier Inc., have agreed to pay a $317,000 penalty to resolve violations of hazardous waste financial assurance requirements and have obtained more than $41.7 million in financial assurance. Financial assurance protects public health and the environment by ensuring that financial resources are available to properly close and clean up facilities in the event that an owner or operator defaults on its closure, post-closure, or cleanup obligations under environmental laws.

“EPA is committed to bringing hazardous waste facilities into compliance with financial assurance requirements that prevent shifting future cleanup costs onto taxpayers,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s settlement will reduce the likelihood of improper handling of hazardous waste and ensure that environmental damage at these facilities can be properly cleaned up.”

On February 4, 2010, EPA sent a notice of violation to Southern Wood Piedmont Company notifying the company that its hazardous waste facilities were not in compliance with applicable financial assurance requirements under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and it needed to obtain qualifying financial assurance for these obligations.

 Southern Wood Piedmont Company also had inadequate RCRA financial assurance coverage at a facility in Chattanooga, Tenn. not covered by EPA’s administrative agreement. In 2010, EPA worked with Tennessee to ensure that Southern Wood Piedmont Company obtained an additional $1.6 million in financial assurance for that facility.

Southern Wood Piedmont Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rayonier, Inc., a global forest products company, involved in the ownership, leasing, and management of forest resources and related real estate, and the production of performance fibers.

More information on the settlement:

http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/cases/civil/rcra/swp.html

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