News and Articles


EPA Regional Administrator Highlights Food Recovery

"As food rots in a landfill, it produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. At the same time, one in six Americans lack access to the nutrition they need to live an active, healthy life," according to EPA.

Pennsylvania Funding Restored Based on Clean Water Plan

"Pennsylvania was not on track to meet nutrient reduction targets, and EPA made clear in 2015 that it would withhold funding due to that lack of progress. DEP worked with our sister agencies and wrote a plan that will put us on track," said DEP Secretary John Quigley.

GE And Statoil Announce Winners of Open Innovation Challenge Focused on Reducing Water Usage in Onshore Oil and Gas Production

Powering Collaboration is a joint technology-focused program from GE and Statoil, intended to accelerate the development of more environmentally and economically sustainable energy solutions. Four winners for the second Open Innovation Challenge: Reduced Use of Water in Onshore oil and gas operations. The challenge received over 100 entries from 23 different countries.

Virginia Investment Bank Starts Water, Wastewater Practice Group

Managing Directors Mark Bertler and James Simpson together bring more than 50 years of executive-level water industry operating and investment banking experience at water companies.

WHO Warns of El Niño's Public Health Impacts

Based on the latest UN figures, the report estimates 60 million people will be affected by El Niño this year, with many of them suffering health consequences.

USGBC Releases its Annual Top 10 States for LEED Green Building

Illinois leads among all U.S. states for the third consecutive year; LEED momentum grows on the West Coast.

DOE Ups Investment in Electric Vehicle Infrastructure

These technologies will decrease carbon emissions and support DOE's EV Everywhere Grand Challenge to make plug-in electric vehicles as affordable to own and operate as gasoline-powered vehicles by 2022.

Human-Caused Bat Mortality Studied

The study's authors concluded infectious diseases are not the main worry, and that bats globally could benefit from policy, education, and conservation actions targeting human-caused mortality.

Governor Cuomo Launches $5 Billion Clean Energy Fund to Grow New York's Clean Energy Economy

The Clean Energy Fund will advance solar, wind, energy efficiency, and other clean tech industries to spur economic development and reduce harmful emissions. This action will result in lower energy costs for consumers and businesses beginning this year.

Canadian Government Ends Conditional Pesticide Registrations

Conditional registrations have been granted when scientific review determines the risks of a pesticide are acceptable but additional confirming data are required. Conditional registrations don't undergo a public consultation until the registration is amended, renewed, or converted to a full registration.

The two companies plan to merge in an all-stock transaction, with Waste Connections Inc. shareholders owning 70 percent of the combined company

Big Merger Announced in Solid Waste Field

Texas-based Waste Connections, Inc. and Toronto-based Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. are merging in an all-stock transaction. The combined company will bear the Waste Connections name.

Report Plots Course to New Plastics Economy

It envisions a global economy in which plastics never become waste. If this systemic change can't be realized, the potential damage will be severe -- given the projected growth in consumption and a business-as-usual scenario, by 2050 the world's oceans are expected to contain more plastics than fish by weight.

Federal Emergency Declaration Signed for Flint Water Crisis

As of Jan. 16, more than 11,300 homes had been visited by the water response teams that are distributing bottled water, filters, replacement cartridges, and water testing kits.

The January 2016 final rule from NOAA will allow aquaculture operations in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

New Rule Greenlights Aquaculture in Gulf of Mexico Federal Waters

"While this framework is the first of its kind in federal waters, the states already support many successful and thriving aquaculture operations in their waters," said Eileen Sobeck, assistant NOAA administrator for fisheries. "Allowing this type of seafood production will not only reduce U.S. dependency on imports, but also provide a domestic source of sustainable fish protein and create jobs."

First January Atlantic Hurricane Since 1938 Forms

"Remarkably, Alex has undergone the transformation into a hurricane," the National Hurricane Center announced Jan. 14. "A distinct eye is present, embedded within a fairly symmetric mass of deep convection."

Sacramento Non-Profit Project Manager Wins Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Award for ZNE Work

Sacramento-based nonprofit, Mutual Housing California, project manager Vanessa Guerra recently received a Latina “Rising Star” award from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for her work on the Department of Energy’s first zero-energy ready home for a rental development certified in the nation.

The time is right to begin looking beyond the tailpipe and instead consider the full life cycle emissions of vehicles.

Beyond the Tailpipe to Considering Life Cycle Emissions

The time is right to begin looking beyond the tailpipe and instead consider the full life cycle emissions of vehicles. The trend is not unlike what has happened in the construction industry over the last several years.

Solar Entrepreneur Among SOTU Special Guests

Mark Davis, owner of Washington, D.C.-based WDC Solar, will be among Michelle Obama's guests for her husband's final State of the Union address on Tuesday.

The study found that more than half of the surveyed home builders are building at least 16 percent of their new homes green.

Two Rooftop Solar Companies Leaving Nevada

Sunrun and SolarCity both announced this week that new rules adopted by Gov. Brian Sandoval's Public Utilities Commission have caused them to leave Las Vegas (and the rest of the Silver State).

NIST Researcher's Kit Recovers Trace Chemicals

If it can be successfully commercialized by industry, detectives, field inspectors, and others could carry with them a convenient version of NIST's "headspace analysis" technique that identifies solid or liquid compounds based on the makeup of vapors released into the air.