FW: Oct. 18 -- BNA, Inc. Daily Environment Report

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Subject: Oct. 18 -- BNA, Inc. Daily Environment Report

______________________________

DAILY ENVIRONMENT REPORT
Highlights & Table of Contents
October 18, 2001
______________________________

ISSN 1521-9402

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HIGHLIGHTS
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EPA NOMINEE URGES CAREFUL BALANCING OF ACCESS TO
INFORMATION, SECURITY

President Bush's choice to become EPA's chief information
officer tells a Senate committee that public access to EPA
data will have to be more carefully balanced with growing
concerns that such data could be of use to terrorists. "I've
always been a very staunch advocate for public access to
information," Kimberly Terese Nelson tells the Senate
Environmental and Public Works Committee. "However, Sept. 11
did change some things." EPA's Office of Environmental
Information has removed general risk management information
from the agency's Web site and is reviewing manuals and
information products for data that could compromise national
security. . . . Page A-1

http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1g2w8_

1,100 ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS CALL FOR DEEP CUTS IN POWER PLANT
EMISSIONS

A coalition of 1,100 national and local environmental groups
plans to release principles today emphasizing large cuts in
power plant pollution--a sign the groups are not willing to
compromise on legislation introduced by Sen. Jeffords that
is opposed by the Bush administration and industry groups.
The release of the principles comes as Jeffords, chairman of
the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, is
planning a hearing next week on his legislation (S. 556),
which calls for major reductions in power plant emissions of
sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, and carbon dioxide
by 2007. . . . Page A-1

http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1c2q6_

RESEARCHER SUGGESTS USING EMISSIONS TRADING TO CUT POWER
PLANT POLLUTION

If emission allowances for power plant pollution are
distributed through a government-led auction among electric
utilities, the cost of carbon reductions would be
dramatically reduced, suggests a researcher. . . . Page A-11

http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1p1j3_

EPA CLOSE TO COMPLETING PROPOSAL ON RECYCLING OF CATHODE RAY
TUBES

EPA is close to completing long awaited rules on recycling
cathode ray tubes and disposing of solvent-contaminated shop
towels and wipes, according to the director of EPA's Office
of Solid Waste, Elizabeth Cotsworth. She says the rules on
cathode ray tubes, aimed at removing some of the regulatory
barriers industry faces in recycling the tubes, are headed
to the White House Office of Management and Budget for
review. Cathode ray tubes are major sources of lead and
mercury in the country's waste stream. . . . Page A-2

http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1p1m2_

SNOWE INTRODUCES BILL TO REQUIRE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS
OF TRUCKERS

Companies that transport hazardous materials would have to
conduct background investigations of drivers and document
the drivers' identities under legislation introduced by Sen.
Snowe. Employers would have to obtain fingerprints and
photographs of job applicants and conduct criminal
background checks on applicants for jobs with access to very
sensitive hazardous materials. Immigration and
naturalization service records also would have to be
reviewed under provisions in Snowe's bill (S. 1557).
"Federal authorities already recommend that companies hiring
drivers conduct these tests, and my legislation will simply
make this a mandatory requirement," Snowe says. . . . Page
A-3

http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1g6m9_

DOE SELECTS PROCESS FOR SEPARATING MATERIAL IN RADIOACTIVE
SALT WASTE

The Energy Department chooses a process to separate
high-activity and low-activity portions of high-level
radioactive salt waste stored at the Savannah River Site in
South Carolina. The department says it will use "caustic
side solvent extraction" to separate highly radioactive
components of the radioactive salt waste from the
low-activity constituents. . . . Page A-6

http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1p2r7_

OZONE HOLE OVER ANTARCTIC SAID NOT TO HAVE GROWN OVER PAST
THREE YEARS

The hole in the stratospheric ozone layer has not grown in
the past three years because the level of ozone-destroying
chlorine compounds has peaked and is beginning to decline,
according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration and the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration. Satellite data show the area of the ozone
hole above Antarctic peaked at about 26 million square
kilometers, making it about the same size as North America
and similar to its size over the past three years. . . .
Page A-12

http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1q3r7_

PANEL HAS LITTLE CONCERN ABOUT EXPOSURE TO METHANOL IN DIET,
AT WORK

A federal advisory panel concludes that it has "minimal
concern" that normal exposures to methanol through diet or
in the workplace will harm human development or
reproduction. However, the panel is more concerned over the
effects of high accidental exposures on human development.
EPA is assessing the risks of methanol to develop an
inhalation standard. . . . Page A-5

http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1h0j3_

MEETING ADVANCES CAUSE FOR HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS, PESTICIDES
TREATY

The three-year-old Rotterdam Convention on the prior
informed consent procedure for certain hazardous chemicals
and pesticides moves closer to coming into force after the
conclusion of talks at the headquarters of the U.N. Food and
Agriculture Organization. The talks feature delegates from
102 countries meeting in dozens of small groups to "close
the open paragraphs" in the Rotterdam Convention, says one
observer. . . . Page A-8

http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4v6b6c8_

U.N. PANEL REPORTS ON MAXIMUM RESIDUE LIMITS FOR 26
PESTICIDES IN FOOD

An international scientific panel recommends maximum residue
limits for 26 pesticides in food that ultimately may be used
by some countries to determine what food products are
acceptable in trade. The Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues
for 2001 recommends the residue limits to the Codex
Alimentarius Committee on Pesticide Residues. . . . Page
A-13

http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1q0m9_

OVERFISHING, HABITAT DAMAGE SEEN AS WORSE THAN POLLUTION FOR
OCEANS

Destruction of aquatic habitats and overfishing are having a
greater adverse impact on international waterways than is
pollution, says Dag Daler, project manager for the global
water assessment effort and a participant in a United
Nations-sponsored conference in Sweden. About 120 conferees
representing 40 countries attend the first general assembly
of the Global International Waters Assessment, a United
Nations Environment Program project. . . . Page A-9

http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1f9c5_

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CONGRESS
________

HEARINGS POSTPONED: Three congressional hearings on
environmental issues scheduled for today are postponed
indefinitely while public health and law enforcement workers
conduct an environmental sweep of Capitol Hill looking for
anthrax spores. . . . Page A-7

http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1t2a7_

BUDGET: Congress approves the conference report (H. Rpt.
107-234) to the bill funding the Interior Department in
fiscal year 2002, clearing the measure to go to President
Bush for his signature. The conference agreement provides
$19.1 billion to Interior and related agencies. . . . Page
A-12

http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1r1x6_

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WETLANDS
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NATIONWIDE PERMITS: A proposal by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers to reissue nationwide permits authorizing activity
in wetlands should not include changes that weaken
environmental protections until a comprehensive assessment
of the program is complete, says EPA comments to the corps.
Developers, who are subject to the nationwide permit
requirements under the Clean Water Act, deride the proposal
as doing little to correct flaws they say are inherent in
the program. Environmental advocates criticize the proposal,
saying the permit program has resulted in thousands of acres
of lost wetlands. . . . Page A-3

http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1q5r1_

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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NEWS

AIR POLLUTION
Coalition of environmental groups calls for deep cuts in
plant emissions . . . Page A-1
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1c2q6_

BUDGET
Congress approves conference report to Interior funding
bill . . . Page A-12
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1r1x6_

CLIMATE CHANGE
Researcher advocates auctioning power plant emissions
allowances . . . Page A-11
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1p1j3_

CONGRESS
Speaker closes House buildings, but senators vow to keep
working . . . Page A-7
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1t2a7_

EPA
Agency nominee urges careful balancing of access,
security . . . Page A-1
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1g2w8_

GENERAL POLICY
Firms facing new responsibilities on environmental
accountability, OECD says . . . Page A-8
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1b8y2_

HAZARDOUS WASTE
Federal court bar on state proceedings upheld by U.S.
appeals court . . . Page A-11
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1f8w6_

Proposal would remove barriers to recycling of cathode
ray tubes . . . Page A-2
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1p1m2_

HAZMAT TRANSPORT
Sen. Snowe introduces bill to require criminal background
checks of truckers . . . Page A-3
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1g6m9_

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
Habitat damage, overfishing greater threat to water than
pollution . . . Page A-9
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1f9c5_

MICHIGAN
Consent decree did not bar cross claim seeking
investigative costs . . . Page A-10
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1f9n2_

OHIO
Jury awards neighbors of egg farm $19.7 million for
diminished home values . . . Page A-10
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1f7z5_

OZONE DEPLETION
Scientists say ozone hole has remained stable over past
three years . . . Page A-12
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1q3r7_

PESTICIDES
Meeting advances possibility of PIC treaty coming into
force in 2003 . . . Page A-8
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4v6b6c8_

U.N. pesticide residue meeting reports on maximum residue
limits in food . . . Page A-13
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1q0m9_

RADIOACTIVE WASTE
DOE selects process for separating material in
radioactive salt . . . Page A-6
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1p2r7_

RISK ASSESSMENT
Inhalation standard being developed . . . Page A-6
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/A0A4W1T6N1_

Panel finds 'minimal concern' exposure to methanol causes
harm . . . Page A-5
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1h0j3_

WETLANDS
Proposal on permits criticized by EPA, developers,
advocates . . . Page A-3
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1q5r1_

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CALENDAR
________

CONGRESS
Legislative calendar . . . Page C-1
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1v9d0_

PRESIDENT
President's calendar . . . Page C-6
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1v9w2_

PUBLIC LAWS
Legislation recently signed into law . . . Page C-6
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1v9y1_

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REGULATORY AGENDA
_________________

COMMENT DEADLINES
Due dates for comments on pending rules . . . Page D-4
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w0w2n3_

OCTOBER 18 FEDERAL REGISTER
Entries from today's table of contents . . . Page D-1
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1f4q8_

OCTOBER 17 FEDERAL REGISTER
Previous day's entries with page citations . . . Page D-2
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w0w2p1_

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TABLE OF CASES
______________

American Forest and Paper Assoc. v. EPA (D.C. Cir.) . . .
Page A-6
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/A0A4W1T6N1_

Attorney General ex rel Dep't of Environmental Quality v.
Richfield Iron Works Inc. (Mich. Ct. App.) . . . Page A-10
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1f9n2_

California v. Randtron (9th Cir.) . . . Page A-11
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1f8w6_

Seelke v. Buckeye Egg Farm (Ohio Ct. Cmm. Pls.) . . . Page
A-10
http://pubs.bna.com/ip/BNA/den.nsf/id/a0a4w1f7z5_

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