Blue Heron Deaths Results in $2.75M Fine
On January 2, 2019 Syncrude Canada Ltd. pled guilty in the Alberta Court to one count of violating the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 along with several provincial charges. An abandoned sump pond by Syncrude at one of its oilsands mines north of Fort McMurray resulted in the death of 3…
View the post titled Blue Heron Deaths Results in $2.75M FineDust in the wind: big fine for blowing tailings dust
The recent conviction of Unimin Canada Ltd (R v Unimin Canada Ltd, 2015 CarswellOnt 11640) underscores again the potential regulatory costs of failing to take appropriate preventative measures to ensure compliance with the Environmental Protection Act, RSO 1990, c E.19 (“EPA”)&…
View the post titled Dust in the wind: big fine for blowing tailings dustUS EPA again proposes carbon standards for new sources in power plants
Since the US Congress can’t, or won’t, regulate greenhouse gases, President Obama is moving ahead to do so using his executive powers and the existing Clean Air Act. The US Environmental Protection Agency has proposed revised greenhouse gas “New Source” performance st…
View the post titled US EPA again proposes carbon standards for new sources in power plantsGHG regulation by US EPA upheld
Can the US Environmental Protection Agency enforce its ambitious greenhouse gas emission rules under the Clean Air Act? Yes, according to the Endangerment Opinion of the District of Columbia US Court of Appeals:
View the post titled GHG regulation by US EPA upheldBP to spend $400M to reduce emissions from tar sands refinery
When BP received approval to re-engineer its Whiting operation in Indiana, intended to refine oil from Canada’s tar sands, environmental groups challenged the permits. It turned out that BP’s air permit application did not accurately reflect the real emissions from the refinery. As exp…
View the post titled BP to spend $400M to reduce emissions from tar sands refineryZephyr Wind REA Appeal dropped
To date, every Renewable Energy Approval for a wind farm has been appealed to the Environmental Review Tribunal. The Environmental Review Tribunal rejected the first appeal, for the Kent Breeze wind farm, but ruled that it will allow the same or similar evidence in subsequent cases.11-208 MI…
View the post titled Zephyr Wind REA Appeal droppedLead from airplanes still widespread
In 2003, Friends of the Earth petitioned the US EPAto get lead out of aviation gasoline. While there had been much discussion about taking lead out of racing vehicle gasoline, aviation gasoline actually releases much more lead into the environment than racing.
View the post titled Lead from airplanes still widespreadWhat will the new TCE health classification mean?
Now that the US EPA has classified TCE as a carcinogen, and dangerous at levels previously believed to be safe, what will happen to risk assessments and other regulatory decision-making in Ontario? Noted risk assessor, Brett Ibbotson, tells me that the new numbers are two to four times as st…
View the post titled What will the new TCE health classification mean?Yes, TCE is a carcinogen
After 22 years of study, and intense political maneuvering, the US Environmental Protection Agency has formally classified TCE (trichloroethene, also called trichloroethylene) as a carcinogen, as well as a non-cancer hazard to human health. The assessment is now a formal part of the the Inte…
View the post titled Yes, TCE is a carcinogenHow green is my carpet?
Are carpets safe? It depends on the person, on the carpet and on how you look after it.
View the post titled How green is my carpet?Receive Blog Posts
By subscribing to our blog, you will receive an email when a new post is added. You can unsubscribe at any time by sending an email to us at [email protected] with the word “unsubscribe” in the subject line.