August 20, 2008

Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Weblog

Cuyahoga County Planning Commission

Greater Cleveland in nonattainment

The U.S. EPA released a list of counties it plans to designate as nonattainment areas under new fine particle air pollution regulations. It includes Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit counties. Most Greater Cleveland counties failed to comply with older, less strict standards, so the announcement was not a surprise. The EPA plans to make final designation decisions by December 18.

by Kevin Leeson at7:01 PM under air, greater cleveland


August 6, 2008

Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Weblog

Cuyahoga County Planning Commission

Ford to pay Ohio EPA penalty

Ford agreed to pay a $1.4 million fine for failing to upgrade pollution control equipment at its Cleveland Casting Plant in Brook Park. When the company announced plans to close the plant last year, it stopped work on new furnaces and supporting emissions controls needed to comply with air pollution regulations.

by Kevin Leeson at5:28 PM under air, brook park, industrial


July 30, 2008

Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Weblog

Cuyahoga County Planning Commission

Korleski testifies before Congressional committee

Yesterday, Ohio EPA Director Chris Korleski testified before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety about the implications of the court decision that struck down the U.S. EPA's Clean Air Interstate Rule. He encouraged Congress to pass a bill that would reinstate the rule.

by Kevin Leeson at6:01 PM under air, ohio, united states


July 29, 2008

Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Weblog

Cuyahoga County Planning Commission

The Clean Air Interstate Rule ruling and Ohio

Ohio EPA officials worry that the agency's plans to reduce smog and soot may now be insufficient, because a federal appeals court recently struck down a U.S. EPA rule intended to reduce soot and smog through a cap-and-trade program.

Update: an Akron Beacon Journal editorial urges federal leaders to create a replacement for the rejected rule.

by Kevin Leeson at4:26 PM under air, ohio, united states


July 28, 2008

Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Weblog

Cuyahoga County Planning Commission

New global warming report

A new report (PDF) from the University of Maryland's Center for Integrative Environmental Research predicts that global warming could cost Ohio billions of dollars in the shipping, tourism, and recreation industries if current trends continue unabated.

Update: WCPN presents more details.

by Kevin Leeson at2:25 PM under air, ohio, water