Anthony J. Orlando

March 14, 2011

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Rejects Challenges to Vermont Yankee

On Thursday, the NRC voted 4-0 to reject all challenges to extending the operating license of Vermont Yankee, the much-maligned Vernon, Vt. nuclear power plant. However, the Vermont legislature must issue additional certification if the plant is to operate beyond its initial 40-year license. Vermont Yankee has experienced tritium leaks and a cooling tower collapse, leading to growing environmental concern.

Source:

Matthew L. Wald, Showdown on Vermont Nuclear Plant's Fate, N.Y. Times, Mar. 10, 2011, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/11/science/earth/11nuke.html?_r=1&ref=environment.

Maine Considers Environmental and Business Regulatory Reform

A special legislative committee is considering a package of bills to simplify Maine's environmental and business regulations. Many proposals have drawn concern from environmental groups, including easing laws to keep dangerous chemicals and relaxing laws protecting vernal pools and regulating snow dumping.

Source:

Associated Press, Invasive Maine Lawmakers Inch Toward Regulatory Reforms, Bloomberg Businessweek, Mar. 10, 2011, http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9LSKKB81.htm.

New Haven Chemical Company Pays Environmental Noncompliance Penalty

Following EPA claims that they violated provisions in the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, New Haven-based H. Krevit has settled with the agency for about $50,000 in penalties, part of which will be used to purchase emergency response equipment for the city. H. Krevit stores water treatment chemicals in above-ground tanks which sit near the Quinnipiac River.

Source:

Environmental Protection Agency, New Haven Chemical Manufacturer and Distributor Pays Penalty for Environmental Violations, Mar. 8, 2011, http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/34bc6a7605c07fe28525784d006bdba4?OpenDocument.

Greenhouse Gas Bill Debate Heats Up in House

Particularly partisan and heated debate dominated a meeting of the House Energy and Power Subcommittee on Thursday, March 10th, as representatives adopted a Republican-backed bill that would strip the Environmental Protection Agency of its power to regulate greenhouse gases.

Electricity costs, jobs, global economic competition, and global climate change were all topics at the center of the debate.

Source:

Theo Emery, Debate Over Greenhouse Gas Bill: Temperature Rising, Boston Globe, Mar. 10, 2011, http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2011/03/debate_over_gre.html.

Greenhouse Gas Bill Debate Moves to Senate

Following passage in the Republican-lead House of a bill that would strip the EPA of its power to regulate greenhouse gases, the focus shifts to the Senate where Republican Senator James Inhofe has introduced identical legislation. Although the bill has garnered support from trade associations and industry, it has received criticism from environmental groups and is unlikely to pass in the Democratically-controlled Senate.

Source:

Cheryl Hogue and Jeff Johnson, House Panel Votes to Halt Climate Rules, Chemical & Engineering News, Mar. 11, 2011, http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/89/i11/8911notw1.html.