Weak fracking rules pass in N.C.

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The North Carolina Mining and Energy Commission issued their final vote on proposed changes to the rules regulating the process of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas last Friday, voting unanimously to approve the rule set. Despite the outpouring of public comments requesting stronger rules, almost all of the commission’s changes fell short of what the public overwhelmingly asked for, and the few changes that strengthen the rules only minimally do so.

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EPA’s Benefits Greatly Outweigh Costs, According to OMB Report

By Davis Wax Editorial assistant, Spring/Summer 2013 During their push to abolish, obstruct and stymie the Environmental Protection Agency over the past few years, House Republicans have beleaguered the agency for regulatory measures they consider “job-killing” or “anti-industry,” hoping to revert federal environmental regulation to state control or make protections obsolete altogether. Those in favor…

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Clean Air, Water Standards Important to Undecided Voters

By Matt Abele Multimedia Communications intern, Fall 2012/Spring 2013 In light of the upcoming national elections, the National Resource Defense Council’s Action Fund investigated how undecided voters view some of today’s key environmental concerns. Public Policy Polling polled over 22,000 likely voters in eight battleground states, including Ohio and Virginia. These polls came back overwhelmingly…

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VICTORY: Alexander, Hagan, Rockefeller vote for Clean Air

Inhofe Resolution fails despite support of Virginia Senators Webb, Warner Big news out of the Senate as Senator Inhofe’s most recent effort to stop clean air protections (SR 37) was killed by a vote of 46 to 53. Much more on the specifics of the legislation here. A handful of Republicans, including Senator Lamar Alexander…

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Last Stand for the Southern Spruce-Fir?

Ancient Mountaintop Species Are Most Vulnerable As Appalachia Warms By Molly Moore At the nonprofit park atop northwestern North Carolina’s Grandfather Mountain, Director of Education Jesse Pope surveys the park’s cold-loving plants, keeping an eye out for the brassy Weller’s salamander and small Saw-whet owl, two of the many creatures that depend on the mountain’s…

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What’s Clean Air Worth to You?

Why is the EPA Advancing the Mercuryand Air Toxics Standard (MATS)? How much will the EPA’s MATS be worth to your state? CLICK HERE to find out. What happens when 40 year old coal-fired electric power plants don’t have modern pollution control systems to remove mercury and other air toxics from their smoke stack emissions?…

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Bad Coal Boyfriend Doesn’t Want Change His Dirty Ways!

Our letter about the EPA’s new Mercury and Air Toxics Rule was published in the Charlotte Observer last week. In response to “EPA limits toxic plant emissions” (Dec. 22): Thanks to EPA, it just got easier to dump that ‘bad boyfriend’ coal The coal industry reminds me of a controlling, abusive boyfriend when it complains…

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