Climate Change News - April 23, 2018 | Newsletter

Emails disclosed through a FOIA request confirmed that political officials at EPA are planning to ban the use of any scientific studies that do not publicly disclose their data and methods, affecting the regulatory justification process. Image courtesy of wikimedia.org.

Trump Appointees Chipping Away at EPA's Ability to Enforce Air Pollution Controls

Over the course of several months, EPA has issued three memos that are expected to weaken the enforcement of air pollution regulations for industrial facilities. The first memo limits EPA's ability to verify a company's emission calculations after a major change to a facility, essentially blunting any consequences if a company's pollution estimates are incorrect. The second memo repeals the "once in, always in" policy that prevented facilities from being downgraded to "minor" hazardous pollution sources if they had ever been considered "major" sources. The third memo allows companies to use a "project netting" procedure in applying for permits, meaning they can use more industry-friendly emission calculations when proposing a project. President Trump also signed an order for EPA to use more industry-friendly practices in enforcing the National Ambient Quality Standards (NAQS) program under the Clean Air Act. Critics warn that the rollbacks will lead to an increase in harmful air pollutants, including mercury, benzene, and nitrogen oxides. EPA has also been accused of skirting the public review process associated with regulatory changes and making the agency's actions more opaque.

For more information see:

The Hill

EPA Drafting New Rules Governing Scientific Data Used to Justify Regulations

Documents released under a Freedom of Information Act request by the Union of Concerned Scientists has shed light on an effort by EPA staff to restrict the use of scientific data at the agency. EPA political staff have been working to replicate a long-time bill proposed by Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) that would require all scientific data and findings be made publicly available before they may be used to justify agency regulations. Opponents to the bill say this would exclude many public health studies used to gauge the potential impacts of pollution. The undertaking was revealed in an email exchange meant to schedule a meeting between the staff director for the House Science Committee’s environment panel and EPA’s deputy associate administrator for congressional affairs, with a note that stated the meeting was part of a “pitch that EPA internally implement the HONEST Act.” The emails also showed that Deputy Assistant Administrator Nancy Beck expressed concern that the results of confidential private sector studies, such as product tests from the pesticide industry, may be inadvertently revealed by the proposed stipulation.

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The Hill

Recent Droughts Prompt Consideration of Regional Water Management Measures

A new wave of droughts in parts of the West, Southwest, and Southeast regions of the United States have refocused concerns about water management practices going forward. Nearly a third of the continental United States was suffering from drought conditions as of April 10, more than three times the reach during that month a year ago. A long line of studies has warned that future demand in these regions is likely to outpace water availability unless there is a policy intervention. Cape Town, South Africa provides a recent example for how Americans may adapt to water shortages. The city of 4 million practiced water austerity measures for months to avoid depleting its water supply and succeeded in cutting its individual water consumption to 13.2 gallons per day (the U.S. average is 80-100 gallons). While experts agree that such a scenario will not threaten any major U.S. cities in the short-term, smaller communities have been struggling to cope. Climate change, regional population growth, and strained water resources are all expected to exacerbate these issues.

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Los Angeles Times

Report: RGGI Boosts Regional Economies

A new report by the Analysis group, an economic research firm, has found that the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) has generated significant economic benefits. The program's nine participating states gained $1.4 billion in economic benefits over the past three years by reinvesting proceeds generated from the cap-and-trade system. Energy efficiency investments yielded the largest gains in terms of commercial activity and employment. Overall, the report estimated RGGI has added at least $4 billion and 40,000 "job-years" (a full-time job for a year) to the regional economy over its nine-year lifespan. The estimate excluded additional benefits, such as the avoidance of climate-related damages, public health costs, and money spent on out-of-state fuel. Under RGGI, a declining number of carbon emission credits are auctioned off to power plant owners, with the auction revenue reinvested by the states. Report co-author Sue Tierney explains that auction costs present "an out-of-pocket cost to consumers in the very short run, but in the long run consumers don't spend as much on electricity because of the investment of the proceeds on energy efficiency."

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InsideClimate News

Global Shipping Industry Reaches Historic Deal to Regulate Emissions

During April’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) meeting in London, the world’s marine shipping industry reached its first-ever agreement to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Under the deal, shipping emissions would be reduced by 50 percent by 2050, relative to 2008 levels. The industry had not been covered by previous international climate agreements, despite generating emissions that would make it the sixth-largest global source if it were to be ranked as a country. The European Union, United Kingdom, and a group of small island nations were seeking cuts of 70-100 percent under the new deal. Meanwhile, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and others were opposed to cutting shipping emissions at all. The secretary-general of the IMO, Kitack Lim, said "This initial strategy is not a final statement but a key starting point." The IMO also approved an amendment to the MARPOL Annex VI that would ban ships from using high-sulphur fuel starting in 2020 if they lack the proper scrubber equipment. The amendment is viewed as the second to last step necessary to formalize a ban on fuel oil, a highly polluting fuel.

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BBC, Reuters

Colorado Communities Take Oil Companies to Court

On April 17, the Colorado counties of Boulder and San Miguel and the city of Boulder filed a state-level lawsuit against the petroleum companies Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy. The suit argues that use of fossil fuels sold by these companies has worsened wildfires, droughts, and severe storms in Colorado, thus impacting the state's industries. Boulder Mayor Suzanne Jones explained, "Our communities and our taxpayers should not shoulder the cost of climate change adaptation alone. These oil companies need to pay their fair share." Earlier climate-related suits brought against fossil fuel companies tended to focus on coastal regions and issues, such as sea level rise. Observers note that the Colorado case may provide a template for other communities to claim long-term damages from fossil fuel emissions. The cases focus on the area of "nuisance under common law," which allows courts to hold parties responsible for actions that interfere with the use of property. A 2011 Supreme Court decision ruled that the Clean Air Act displaced nuisance common law at the federal level, so plaintiffs are now exploring cases under state common law.

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New York Times

Global Food Production Is Shifting Along with Changing Climate

Climate change is gradually shifting where certain crops can be grown and where fisheries can be found. Rising temperatures are moving ideal growing conditions away from the tropics and lower lying areas, while fish and shellfish are moving to cooler waters. These trends present a boon for northern regions, where North Dakota's growing seasons are longer and Russia has seen abundant wheat harvests. The U.S. corn belt is also moving toward Canada, which has been able to grow more crops than it used to. Pests and fungi have become more abundant due to warmer temperatures, resulting in losses for coffee growers in Central and South America. Unpredictable and severe weather patterns have caused headaches for French vineyards and their sensitive crops. Food prices and supplies stand to be affected by severe weather, leaving regions that are heavily reliant on food imports at the mercy of the price swings that result. Jason Clay of the World Wildlife Fund observed, "The areas where foods are grown the most efficiently are shifting."

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Bloomberg

Study: Bleaching Events Changing Makeup of Great Coral Reef

According to a new study appearing in the journal Nature, the last two major coral bleaching events experienced by the Great Barrier Reef over the past two years have vastly changed the aquatic ecosystem there. Scientists assessed more than 1,400 miles of reef to better understand how higher water temperatures caused by climate change are affecting the coral. The die-offs have caused the collapse of 29 percent of the 3,863 reefs that make up the giant coral reef system. Scientists are not optimistic about the reef’s future health, since even the fastest growing corals can take 10-15 years to recover, while the more mature corals can take decades or centuries. As the bleaching events become more frequent, it becomes even harder for the coral to regenerate. Mark Eakin of NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch said that the bleaching “has changed the whole community of coral living on many of these reefs, killing many of the more temperature-sensitive corals and just leaving a community that's been sort of flattened or homogenized.”

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NPR

Scientists Discover Enzyme Capable of Fully Recycling Plastic Waste

Scientists have created a mutant enzyme capable of breaking down plastic bottles, allowing for the full recycling of the ubiquitous litter for the first time. One million plastic bottles are sold every minute around the world, but just 14 percent are recycled. The bottles go on to pollute even the most remote parts of the ocean and can bring harm to marine life and humans who consume seafood. Currently, plastic bottles can only be recycled into opaque fibers for clothing or carpets. The new enzyme would clear the way for old bottles to be turned into clear plastic bottles, significantly reducing the need to produce new plastic and the consumption of petroleum in its manufacturing. The discovery dates to 2016, when a bacterium was discovered that had naturally evolved to eat plastic in a landfill. The latest research documents the structure of the plastic-loving enzyme produced by these organisms. Experiments to study the enzyme’s evolution unexpectedly created a version that was 20 percent more effective. Scientists hope to eventually scale up the enzyme-based process to recycle plastic at an industrial scale.

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Guardian