U.S. Supreme Court Will Review Flow Control Case
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review United Haulers Association, Inc. v. Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Management Authority. The local flow control laws were first challenged in 1995, and initially struck down by a federal court. On appeal, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals made a distinction between publicly-owned and privately-owned facilities, stating that there can be no discrimination against interstate commerce when favored disposal facilities are publicly-owned. NSWMA on behalf of United Haulers argued in an amicus brief filed with the Supreme Court earlier this year, that the appeals court decision is contrary to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in C & A Carbone, Inc. v. Town of Clarkstown, which found that Clarkstown, New York's flow control law violated the U.S. Constitution by interfering with interstate commerce...Read More »
A Good Week for Southeastern Public Service Authority
The Southeastern Public Service Authority has won much needed reprieve on two fronts. First, a Circuit judge dismissed both counts of a lawsuit brought by the City of Chesapeake that sought to extricate it from its contract with the authority. Then Wachovia Bank agreed to lend the authority as much as $22 million, money that the authority was having trouble raising largely as a result of the lawsuit. Without the interim financing the authority was faced with having to nearly double the rates charged to its other members. The Wachovia deal is expected to close in the next few weeks...Read More »
WHI Capital Partners Acquires Container Recycling Alliance from Waste Management
WHI Capital Partners (WHICP), a Chicago-based private equity firm focused on the middle market, has acquired the Container Recycling Alliance (CRA) from industry giant Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE: WMI). CRA operates eight glass recycling facilities throughout the United States, employs approximately 150 people and processes roughly 500,000 tons of glass per year...Read More »
Environmental Groups Critical of Waste Incineration Plans in Ontario
As Ontario explores the idea of incineration as a solution to its lack of landfill space, environmental groups have criticized the proposed plan. Critics claim that incineration produces air pollution, uses more energy than it produces, and produces potentially toxic waste that still requires landfill disposal. They also argue that Canada is weakening existing environmental protection laws in order to permit the creation of these pilot incineration projects...Read More »
Domenici Introduces Bill to Speed Development of Yucca Mountain Repository
Senate Energy & Natural Resources Chairman Pete V. Domenici (R-NM) recently introduced a bill that authorizes the Department of Energy (DOE) to begin moving spent nuclear fuel to the an above ground storage facility at the Yucca Mountain Repository as soon as NRC issues a license. The bill, cosponsored by Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID), is the Nuclear Waste Acceleration to Yucca bill or NU-WAY and is intended answer an immediate need for interim waste storage. It requires DOE to submit a license application for the storage facility at the same time it submits the license application for Yucca Mountain which is expected to occur in June 2008. Waste can then begin moving to the above-ground facility within the Nevada Test Site after the DOE Secretary determines that there are no recycling options available for that fuel within a reasonable period of time...Read More »
California Governor Schwarzenegger Signs Legislation to Curb Greenhouse Emissions
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed AB 32, legislation that commits the state to an aggressive schedule of reducing its greenhouse emissions. The historic legislation is all the more remarkable considering that California, by virtue of its enormous and growing economy, is the 12th largest emitter of carbon in the world. AB 32 requires the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to develop regulations and market mechanisms that will ultimately reduce California's greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020. Mandatory caps will begin in 2012 for significant sources and ratchet down to meet the 2020 goals. In the interim, CARB will begin to measure the greenhouse gas emissions of the industries it determines to be significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions...Read More »
U.S. EPA Names Jonathan Herrmann Director of National Homeland Security Research Center
Dr. George Gray, Assistant Administrator of the U.S. EPA's Office of Research and Development, named Jonathan Herrmann to the post of Director of the EPA's National Homeland Security Research Center. The center conducts research to develop the scientific foundations for preventing and managing threats. Efforts focus on developing methods to clean up contaminated buildings, protect the nation's drinking water supply, and improve risk assessment techniques...Read More »
American Ecology Corp. Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend
American Ecology Corporation (Nasdaq: ECOL) announced that shareholders of record on October 13, 2006 will receive a quarterly cash dividend of $0.15 per share, payable on October 20, 2006. On June 30, 2006, the Company reported 18 million shares outstanding with $10.8 million in cash and short-term investments on hand from which it estimates that approximately $2.7 million in cash will be paid out for the declared quarterly dividend. The Company also plans to announce third quarter (ended September 30, 2006) earnings at the close of market on October 17, 2006...Read More »
WTERT 2006 Annual Meeting at Columbia University, October 19-20
The Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council (WTERT) is holding its 2006 Annual Meeting on October 19 and 20, 2006 at Columbia University. Various industry luminaries including Prof. Nickolas J. Themelis, WTERT Chair, and Director of the Earth Engineering Center at Columbia will offer their sage assessments of the state-of-the-industry and the latest research on waste-to-energy, recycling, pollution control, and many other related topics...Read More »
Rubber Recycling Symposium 2006 on October 18-20 in Ottawa, Ontario
The Rubber Association of Canada and The Rubber Manufacturers' Association will jointly sponsor the Rubber Recycling Symposium 2006. The symposium will be held in downtown Ottawa, Ontario October 18-20, 2006...Read More »
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