By P.J. Heller Soil, mulch and compost producers may soon be flying high, launching drones with sophisticated software to quickly and cost-effectively measure inventory, map their areas and improve safety. Used by both military and civilians, the latter primarily for aerial photography and videography, drones — or unmanned aerial vehicles or unmanned aircraft systems — are increasingly finding their way …
By Mark Ramsey A recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce (COC) study strongly criticizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for imposing unfunded federal mandates on states and industry for little benefit. The Chamber says the number of federal regulations and the associated costs have grown considerably during the past decade. According to the study, released in August, although EPA makes …
By Michael McGrady Since 2009 more than $49 million has been paid by federal agencies to environmental groups and lawyers engaged in “citizen lawsuits” against the Obama administration, with the identities of the recipients of the payouts being kept secret. A recent analysis conducted by The Daily Caller shows since 2009, more than $49 million has been paid by federal …
By P.J. Heller Cascade Minerals message for soil manufacturers and compost producers is simple: “rock on.” And those who are following that advice — by incorporating rock dust into their products — are discovering new ways to market their goods, grow their business and attract a loyal customer following. “I do really feel like it’s a good selling point for …
By H. Sterling Burnett The Obama administration has imposed expensive new regulations on heavy duty trucks to fight climate change. On August 16, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finalized new fuel efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles as called for by President Obama’s Climate Action Plan. The standards …
By H. Sterling Burnett A new report by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Inspector General says EPA’s Office of Research and Development has failed to report to Congress on the environmental impacts of biofuels as required by law. According to a new report by the Inspector General (IG) of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), EPA’s Office of Research and Development has …
By Kayleigh O’Keeffe Figuring out why certain soils keep plant parasites at bay could be a boon for agriculture around the globe September 21, 2016 — Plants around the world are constantly under attack — often with big implications for humans. In the 1960s, millions of elm trees in Britain, France and the U.S. fell victim to Dutch elm disease, …
By Ken McEntee Dry hot weather combined with indoor smoking bans create the ideal conditions for fires in mulched landscape beds. Such fires are on the rise across the country. “There seems to be a recent blossoming of local news reports relative to mulch fires in the planting beds of homes and businesses,” noted Robert LaGasse, executive director of the …
By Bonner R. Cohen E-mails uncovered by the Energy and Environment Legal Institute (EELI) show several state attorneys general (AGs) who have threatened possible prosecution of climate skeptics had collaborated in previous months with anti-fossil-fuel lobbyists to shape their legal and public relations strategies. At a March 29 press conference hosted by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, with former …
By P.J. Heller New battle lines are being drawn in both the United States and Europe over the contentious issue of whether emissions from power plants burning wood pellets to produce energy are carbon-neutral or if they are actually generating more carbon emissions than if the plants were burning only coal. The outcome could have major implications for the mulch …
