AgClips
Recent AgClips
New Jersey joins coalition backing Paris climate change deal
Washington Examiner | Posted onFebruary 26, 2018 in Energy, SARL Members and Alumni NewsNew Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill joining a coalition of states committed to cutting emissions of carbon dioxide to fulfill the United States' pledge under the Paris international climate change agreement. Murphy’s action requires New Jersey to join the U.S. Climate Alliance, a coalition of 15 other states and Puerto Rico vowing to uphold the Paris Agreement. Both chambers of the state legislature passed a bill to put New Jersey in the alliance.
Too big to Fine, too small to fight back;Texas targets small business owners
Texas Observer | Posted onFebruary 26, 2018 in NewsTexas’ environmental agency targets small business owners for minor recordkeeping violations, while letting the corporate polluters off easy. Unlike many other gas station owners, Farahnakian fought back. He hired a local attorney to contest the fines, and the case landed before a judge at the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH), an agency that holds trial-like proceedings for legal disputes. After eight months of wrangling, during which Farahnakian provided documentation that he’d cleaned up the tanks, TCEQ agreed to settle for $27,000. Farahnakian took the deal.
Judge orders gov't review of Keystone pipeline documents
Bismarck Tribune | Posted onFebruary 26, 2018 in Energy NewsFederal officials must go back and review documents related to the disputed Keystone XL oil pipeline, under a Wednesday court ruling that came after environmentalists accused President Donald Trump's administration of withholding details on the project's approval.U.S. District Judge Brian Morris said the government must provide any relevant documents by March 21 or explain why they should be withheld.The ruling came in a lawsuit pending in federal court in Montana from environmentalists seeking to stop the 1,179-mile (1,897-kilometer) pipeline.
Bill would preempt local control of oil and gas production in Utah
Deseret News | Posted onFebruary 26, 2018 in Energy, SARL Members and Alumni NewsThe Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee endorsed legislation that would put into law the "bright line of authority" Utah has over oil and gas production, as opposed to state and local government. SB191, sponsored by Sen.
Watchdog group investigates Ohio legislator and wind energy foe
Energy News | Posted onFebruary 26, 2018 in NewsA Washington-area watchdog group wants to know what’s behind an Ohio lawmaker’s opposition to wind energy projects. Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati), one of the state’s most outspoken opponents of commercial wind farms and enforceable clean energy standards. The group has chronicled the lawmaker’s actions and statements in a series of blog posts, and it’s filed a public records request to obtain his office’s communications on coal, wind and other energy issues.
Here are 10 states that employ thousands in solar power jobs
CNBC | Posted onFebruary 26, 2018 in Energy NewsLast year, just over 250,000 Americans were working in solar. While this figure is impressive, it represents a 3.8 percent drop since 2016. Looking at the bigger picture, however, there are reasons to be optimistic. Over the past seven years, the solar workforce has grown by 168 percent, rising from around 93,000 roles in 2010 to 250,271 in 2017.
Energy Alliance draws scrutiny over barrage of fraudulent emails in South Carolina,Ohio and Wisconsin
Think Progress | Posted onFebruary 26, 2018 in Energy NewsSouth Carolina law enforcement officials have opened an investigation into emails that were sent to state lawmakers in support of a mega-merger between Dominion Energy and utility company SCANA Corp. Many of these emails — all based on the same template — used the names and addresses of people without their knowledge. The industry group that encouraged customers to tell state lawmakers they supported the merger says it had nothing to do with the falsified emails, despite a history of deceptive letter campaigns.
Illinois Governor Drinks Glass of Chocolate Milk to Prove Commitment to Diversity
The Cut | Posted onFebruary 26, 2018 in Food NewsToday in unfortunate food analogies, Illinois governor Bruce Rauner took a big gulp of chocolate milk to demonstrate his commitment to workplace diversity during a Black History Month celebration.
To Stay on the Land, American Farmers Add Extra Jobs
The Wall Street Journal | Posted onFebruary 26, 2018 in Agriculture NewsCraig Myhre, a farmer in western Wisconsin, is trying to make a living off 600 acres of crops and a small herd of beef cattle. He also hires himself out to harvest other farmers’ fields, earning money to make payments on his combine. It’s still tough to make ends meet, despite putting in 12- to 16-hour days. In 2015, he added yet another job, as a mail carrier.“We’re constantly doing something around here to keep things moving,” said Mr. Myhre, who is 50 years old.
How a black history event at USDA became a ‘Me Too’ moment
Politico | Posted onFebruary 22, 2018 in Federal NewsRosetta Davis said she had not planned on publicly sharing what she alleges are the most intimate and painful details of her 16 years working for the Agriculture Department. But after hearing department officials praise the work environment at USDA during a Black History Month event last week, she said she felt compelled to speak. Before an audience of USDA employees in Jefferson Auditorium at USDA headquarters, Davis said she was fed up by what she described as years of sexual harassment and retaliation by senior management in civil rights offices.