Wednesday, January 08, 2014

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 1/8/14

<> API's Gerard outlines election year campaign in State of American Energy event - WASHINGTON, January 7, 2014 - API President and CEO Jack Gerard outlined API's advocacy and messaging priorities, issued a new report, and launched a new advertising campaign during his 2014 State of American Energy speech, which focused on the impact of future policy decisions on America's energy revolution.

·   API begins election year with launch of new website, campaign video - The American Petroleum Institute has begun the election year with a campaign video that promotes domestic energy production as a driver of economic growth 

<> Debate grows over whether U.S. should end decades-long ban on oil exports

·   Murkowski calls for end to US crude oil ban - Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) officially came out in favor of ending a decades-old ban on crude exports on Tuesday. At a conversation hosted by the Brookings Institute on Tuesday the ranking member on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources.

<> Oregon Legislation To Restrict Home Use of Bee-Killing Pesticides -

(Beyond Pesticides, January 7, 2014) An Oregon state representative, Rep. Jeff Reardon (D-Portland), plans to introduce legislation in February that will effectively ban for home and garden use certain neonicotinoid pesticides implicated in mass bee deaths this summer. This legislation is part of the growing national effort to ban or restrict the use of neonicotinoid pesticides. 

<> Cold Snap Will Be a Killer for Birds, Group Warns - American Bird Conservancy is reminding people that we're not the only ones suffering in the cold gripping much of the nation. This weather can be deadly to birds, some of which are being driven farther south than normal in search of open water and sources of food.

<> Ocean Acidity is Increasing for Reasons Beyond CO2 Emissions: PLoS Study – [Abstract] Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) from anthropogenic sources is acidifying marine environments resulting in potentially dramatic consequences for the physical, chemical and biological functioning of these ecosystems. Yet, there is also substantial temporal variability in pH and other carbon system parameters in the ocean resulting in regions that already experience change that exceeds long-term projected trends in pH. 

<> New method for assessing nanoparticle toxicity in cells - Read the full story at Safenano. Researchers from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have developed a novel method, based on optical techniques, for measuring the level of oxidative stress induced by nanoparticles in cells.

<> Ford to Introduce First Solar-Powered Car - Ford C-MAX Solar Energi Concept is first-of-its-kind sun-powered vehicle with the potential to deliver the best of a plug-in hybrid without depending on the electric grid for fuel.

<> Leaked Document Reveals Big Food Lobby's Plans to Preempt State GMO Labeling - Grocery Manufacturers Association pushing legislation after spending millions against state ballot initiatives Center for Food Safety (CFS) today strongly criticized the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), after Politico revealed the lobbying group intends to carry through with legislation aimed at blocking states from mandating labeling of genetically engineered foods