News and Articles


Light weight and easy to handle, the CCFRPM pipe awaits installation in a remote area.

Naches-Selah Irrigation District Upgrades System

The Naches and its tributaries drain a portion of the eastern side of the Cascade Range, east of Mount Rainier and northeast of Mount Adams. In terms of discharge, the Naches River is the largest tributary of the Yakima River.

EPA Strengthens Ozone Standards

The standards will tighten the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ground-level ozone to 70 parts per billion, down from from 75 ppb, in order to protect public health. Depending on the severity of their ozone problem, areas would have until between 2020 and 2037 to meet the standards.

New Technology Revs Up ‘Energy Neutrality’ for Municipal Wastewater Treatment

GE’s ZeeLung Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor is four times more energy efficient than conventional fine bubble aeration systems. The new technology offers simple, ultra-low energy nutrient removal in a small footprint.

Haze Closes Singapore Education Ministry Schools

The Sept. 25 forecast was for "Very Unhealthy" air quality, possibly "Hazardous," so the ministry closed kindergartens and primary, secondary, and special education schools for the day.

Washington Ecology Launches Greenhouse Gases Rule

The Washington Department of Ecology this week began writing a rule to require the state's largest polluters to reduce their greenhouse gases and considering that businesses and organizations responsible for producing 100,000 metric tons or more of greenhouse gases be covered under the rule.

Green floors are growing in popularity. (Tornado Industries photo)

Changes Ahead in Flooring

While they may not necessarily find their way into industrial locations, other floor types that are becoming more common today are what we could call "green" floors, mainly because they are made from more sustainable materials.

New York Receives Millions in Funding for Five New Clean Energy Projects

Governor Cuomo recently announced $175 million has been awarded to New York for clean energy projects to add to the state’s electric grid.

Milwaukee

Milwaukee Treatment Plant Passes Visitor Milestone

More than 20,000 visitors have toured the Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility, which Veolia manages and operates as part of its private-public partnership with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.

VW Admits 'Defeat Device' Software in 11 Million Vehicles Worldwide

"Discrepancies relate to vehicles with Type EA 189 engines, involving some eleven million vehicles worldwide. A noticeable deviation between bench test results and actual road use was established solely for this type of engine. Volkswagen is working intensely to eliminate these deviations through technical measures," the company's statement says.

Weight, design, transportability are all key factors in making the most of measurements in the field. (SPECTRO Analytical Instruments GmbH photo)

Analysis of Soil and Sewage Sludge in the Field with a Portable ED-XRF Spectrometer

Commonly accepted methods for ICP-OES analysis of soil and sludge involve sample digestion or extraction. But this is not useful for some special applications like determining the presence of antimony in soil, for example.

EPA

EPA, California Accuse VW of Clean Air Act Violations

"Our goal now is to ensure that the affected cars are brought into compliance, to dig more deeply into the extent and implications of Volkswagen's efforts to cheat on clean air rules, and to take appropriate further action," CARB Executive Officer Richard Corey said.

People living within 9 square miles surrounding a major airport are exposed to higher levels of airborne toxins.

Solutions for Airports' Emissions

Those living within the nine square miles surrounding an airport are exposed to higher levels of airborne toxins.

A New Analysis and Approach to Watershed Management

UMass Amherst watershed scientists offer national flood and runoff assessment.

Duke Energy Settles Clean Air Act Case

The settlement resolves federal claims that the company violated the act by unlawfully modifying units at five coal-fired power plants in North Carolina.

The new sculpture awaits the recipient of the 2016 Stockholm Water Prize.

Deadline Near for 2016 Stockholm Water Prize Nominations

They are due by Sept. 25 for the prize, which has been bestowed by the Stockholm International Water Institute for the past 25 years for extraordinary water achievements.

DOE Selects Nonprofit for Housing Innovations Award

Sacramento, Calif.-based Mutual Housing California has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a 2015 Housing Innovations Award.

Mutual Housing California Receives Grant from NeighborWorks America

Sacramento-based nonprofit Mutual Housing California recently received a $442,700 grant from NeighborWorks America to underwrite the organization’s activities and to continue developing rental housing in the Sacramento region.

General Mills announced its goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across its "entire value chain – from farm to fork to landfill – over the next 10 years."

General Mills Sets GHG Emissions Goal

"Climate plays a significant role in the long-term viability of our business," says Jerry Lynch, vice president and chief sustainability officer. "For example, changes in climate have an impact on weather conditions such as drought, floods, and excessive heat, all of which can decrease yields on our raw materials like corn, oats, and wheat."

New Rules for Hazardous Waste Management and Waterway Protection

Earlier this week, the EPA announced two new rule proposals for hazardous waste management that would help protect waterways without heavy restrictions on businesses.

Kentucky Water Commission Wins Spirit Award

McLean County's 9,500 residents are now served by five water systems, all of which nearing their functional life expectancy and struggling to meet the safe operating standards of federal regulations.