Category: Special Topics in Environmental Management

March 22 is World Water Day—What’s on Tap for 2015?

An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating March 22, 1993, as the first World Water Day. Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. The theme for 2015 is Water and Sustainable […]

4 Points to Consider About Using Reclaimed Water

There are many points to consider when deciding whether to use recycled water for your facility operations. These include: The cost of water Quality constraints when reusing on-site wastewater Growing recognition of the value of reclaimed water Community and employee outreach  Join us on Tuesday, March 3, for a webinar that will help you decide […]

Managing Water at Your Facility: Pros and Cons of Recycling and Reuse

Industrial reuse Reclaimed water can be used in industrial applications and facilities, power production, and extraction of fossil fuels. When reclaimed water was first used for industrial purposes (dating back to the first pulp and paper industries), it was generally treated and reused on-site. As water resources in the arid states have become increasingly stressed […]

EPA Targets Oil and Gas Industry Methane Emissions

EPA Targets Oil and Gas Industry Methane Emissions Methane is a potent GHG that represents a global warming potential that is more than 25 times greater than that of carbon dioxide. It is also the primary constituent of natural gas, and according to the EPA, almost 30 percent of U.S. methane emissions originate in the […]

10 Things to Know About the GHG Reporting Program—Part 2

10 Things to Know About the GHG Reporting Program—Part 2 6) Facility owners and operators, not the EPA, are responsible for determining the facility’s “Designated Representative.” According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), when facilities covered by the GHG Reporting rule have more than one person sharing responsibility for reporting, “the greenhouse gas reporting rule […]

10 Things to Know About the GHG Reporting Program

10 Things to Know About the GHG Reporting Program 1) The GHG Reporting Program covers only specific emissions. Only man-made (or anthropogenic) GHG emissions covered under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) must be reported. These are: Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), Perfluorocarbons (PFC), Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), […]

NPDES FAQs for Fracking Operations in the Marcellus Shale—Part 2

NPDES FAQs for Fracking Operations in the Marcellus Shale—Part 2 Q: If a publicly owned treatment works (POTW) were to consider accepting shale gas extraction (SGE) wastewater from a fracking operation, what wastewater information would the POTW need to collect? A: To meet the requirements of its own NPDES permit, a POTW operator would need […]

NPDES FAQs for Fracking Operations in the Marcellus Shale—Part 1

NPDES FAQs for Fracking Operations in the Marcellus Shale—Part 1 Q: Are hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” operations allowed to discharge wastewater directly to waters of the United States if they have a NPDES permit? A: The Clean Water Act (CWA) prohibits the discharge of pollutants by point sources into waters of the United States, except […]

Multiple Ski Areas Learn SPCC Compliance Lesson

Multiple Ski Areas Learn SPCC Compliance Lesson Over the past few years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached settlements with a number of ski areas in New England communities throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. According to the EPA, the settlements “were reached under an expedited settlement program whereby EPA agreed to resolve […]

Simple Steps for Minimizing Stormwater Pollution—Part 2

Simple Steps for Minimizing Stormwater Pollution—Part 2 5) Although many facilities are required by different regulations to implement spill prevention, control, and cleanup plans, even those that are not should consider the potential benefits. The EPA recommends the following aspects to incorporate in such plans: Spill prevention is the best way to avoid contaminated runoff […]