EPA Finalizes Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule
October 05, 2009
The U.S. EPA has finalized a rule to require facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons or more of carbon dioxide equivalent to report emissions. Please see full article below from Greenwire with links to the rule and further detail on EPA's Web site. Note: most small companies will fall below this threshold. The threshold was designed to collect data from the largest contributors, accounting for approximately 85% of total US emissions. For those required, data collection is scheduled to begin January 1, 2010.
SCA and EPA, through our Sector Strategies Partnership, developed a GHG emissions inventory tool that can estimate emissions from sources relevant to shipyards. You can find the tool here: http://www.epa.gov/sectors/sectorinfo/shipbuilding.html.
EPA finalizes greenhouse gas reporting rule (09/22/2009)
Robin Bravender, E&E reporter
U.S. EPA today finalized a nationwide system to require large sources of greenhouse gases to report their emissions.
The new rule will require about 10,000 facilities that emit about 85 percent of the nation's greenhouse gases to begin to collect emissions data under a new reporting system, EPA said. Suppliers of fossil fuels and industrial greenhouse gases, motor vehicle and engine manufacturers and other facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons or more of carbon dioxide equivalent will be subject to the new requirements.
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson called the new rule a major step forward in efforts to address the heat-trapping gases.
"For the first time, we begin collecting data from the largest facilities in this country, ones that account for approximately 85 percent of the total U.S. emissions," Jackson said in a statement. "The American public, and industry itself, will finally gain critically important knowledge and with this information we can determine how best to reduce those emissions."
Most small businesses would fall below the 25,000-metric-ton threshold, EPA said, and would not be required to report their emissions. The only agricultural sources that are required to report their emissions are manure management systems at livestock operations where greenhouse gas emissions meet or exceed the 25,000-ton limit. About 100 livestock operations meet that threshold, EPA said.
Facilities are required to begin collecting emissions data on Jan. 1, 2010, and the first emissions reports will be due in March 2011. EPA will verify the data and will not require third-party verification. Prior to EPA verification, the facilities will be required to self-certify their data.
Many industry groups expressed concerns that EPA's draft rule, released in March, would impose significant costs and regulatory burdens. The American Petroleum Institute and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce were among the groups that criticized the agency's draft regulations (Greenwire, Sept. 17). Representatives from those groups were not immediately available to comment on the final rule.
Environmentalists applauded the new regulation, which is widely viewed as a major step toward informing future policy decisions on carbon dioxide regulations.
"The public has both a need and a right to know about the country's biggest emitters," said Mark MacLeod, director of special projects at Environmental Defense Fund. "The transparency provided today will inform smart policy that targets the biggest sources of heat-trapping emissions."
Said David Bookbinder, chief climate counsel at the Sierra Club, "I think it shows they're continuing to move along, and they've got a bunch of rules that they've got to get done."
Bookbinder said that the suite of greenhouse gas regulations pending at EPA could give the Obama administration some leverage in upcoming climate change negotiations.
President Obama touted the new reporting rule today at a U.N. climate change summit in New York (see related story). "I am proud to say that the United States has done more to promote clean energy and reduce carbon pollution in the last eight months than at any other time in our history," he said, citing the reporting rule as one of the administration's achievements on that front.
White House clears GHG proposals
The White House yesterday finished its review of two draft regulations that are part of the suite of climate regulations expected to soon be proposed by EPA.
The Office of Management and Budget has cleared the agency's greenhouse gas "tailoring" rule, as well as its reconsideration of a George W. Bush administration policy on regulating emissions from coal-fired power plants.
The "tailoring rule" is expected to limit strict permitting requirements to industrial sources of more than 25,000 tons a year of carbon dioxide equivalent (Greenwire, Sept. 1).
The White House also cleared a proposal that is expected to detail the Obama administration's reconsideration of the "Johnson memo," a document issued by former EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson asserting that the government should not regulate carbon dioxide emissions from new coal-fired power plants (E&ENews PM, Sept. 10).
EPA has not yet released the text of the proposals.
Click here to read EPA's greenhouse gas reporting rule.
Metro Machine Pride in Local Schools
September 14, 2009
The following letter appeared in the Monday (9/14) edition of The Virginian-Pilot:
Metro Machine Corporation is a shipyard that has depended for 40 years on the residents of the Berkley/Campostella neighborhood. The youth of Berkley/ Campostella today will enter our work force 10 years from today.
That is the reason Metro Machine has watched closely as Norfolk Public Schools has effectively addressed the neighborhood’s challenging social and economic conditions. Its youth education improvement program, at St. Helena’s and Campostella Elementary schools, is now 10 years old.
Today, both schools have exceeded all accreditation standards, are competitive with elementary schools in other neighborhoods without their social and economic challenges and continue to make progress each year. Both schools provide a source of neighborhood pride.
Starting just five years ago, the elementary school graduates entered Lake Taylor Middle School, where they now comprise almost half the enrollment. As their ranks expanded, the performance of Lake Taylor showed steady improvement.
Those concerned that the education of these kids is “slipping” or “undeserving of accreditation” should see our kids and their teachers in action. They have overcome the advantages held by kids from more-affluent neighborhoods in just 10 years. While this is an extraordinary accomplishment, it remains a work in process.
Metro Machine is committed to support these heroic efforts. The neighborhoods don’t deserve to have their accomplishments unfairly diminished by certain negative headlines that have appeared recently in The Pilot.
Ken Newman
Executive Vice President, Metro Machine
Norfolk
UPDATE Fall JINII Schedule Announced
September 11, 2009
The U.S. Navy will host the Joint Industry Navy Improvement Initiatives (JINII) forum at the Town and Country Resort & Conference Center on 1 OCT 2009 from 0800-1600. JINII is an opportunity for Navy and Industry to interact, discuss and exchange perspectives on all matters of shipboard maintenance and modernization execution. Navy will provide four briefs concerning American Bureau of Ships (ABS) Hull Life surveys, Surface Ship Lifecycle Management Activity, Port (industrial) Loading Management, and Roll-out of Multi-ship, Multi-option Ship Repair Contracts. A panel discussion and open forum exchange is also planned. JINII is open to all members of Navy and industry involved in the maintenance and modernization of Navy ships.
The JINII Planning Session (JPS), will be held at the Town and Country Resort & Conference Center on 30 SEP 2009 from 1300-1700. The JPS is attended by Navy and Industry representatives (by invitation only).
Registration for JINII and the JPS will be conducted separately from the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) Fleet Maintenance & Modernization Symposium (FMMS) being held in conjunction. Advanced registration is preferred. Registration forms and instructions can be found on the ASNE website.
For information on FMMS, access to blocked rooms at the resort, and JINII Registration Fom, go to www.navalengineers.org/FMMS09.html . Save $100 in registration for FMMS by registering by September15th. There is no registration fee for JINII.
The preliminary 2009 JINII Agenda has posted here. It will also be posted soon on FEDBIZOPS.
Prepare Your Company for Pandemic Flu
September 08, 2009
Your company and co-workers may be interested in learning more about preparing businesses for Pandemic Flu with help from the Red Cross and OSHA. The website is listed below and gives you information on the webcast and step by step instructions on how to participate. If you have any questions on this please contact Pam Wakefield, Red Cross, at 446-7740.
Distributed to: American Red Cross Southeastern Virginia Partners
Good Day American Red Cross Partners,
Please see the important information below about how you and your business can be better prepared for a Pandemic Flu event.
Join experts from the American Red Cross and OSHA for a free Webcast on flu preparedness, where you’ll hear about the latest developments and resources available to help you:
§ Educate employees about how to prepare for and respond effectively to pandemic flu.
§ Aid in business sustainability in the face of pandemic flu.
§ Learn about OSHA’s new pandemic flu products and resources.
The external Webcast, “Prepare Your Employees and Your Business for Pandemic Flu with Help from the American Red Cross and OSHA ”, is scheduled for September 24 at 2:00 p.m. EDT through Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) magazine. Copy and paste this URL address into your web browser for additional information and to register for the Webcast.
Senator Webb Visits Norfolk Naval Shipyard
August 31, 2009
Washington, DC — During a comprehensive tour of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard today, U.S. Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) announced that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) had agreed to his request to investigate the material condition of the Navy’s four naval shipyards.
Senator Webb’s July 13 request, cosigned by Senator Mark Warner and six other Senate colleagues, followed confirmation by the Navy in May 2009 that its funding backlog at its four shipyards for sustainment, restoration, and modernization projects had grown to $1.3 billion. At that time, Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s backlog was $450.6 million.
“Norfolk Naval Shipyard takes justifiable pride in its long history of enabling Navy fleet readiness,” said Webb of the 230-year old shipyard. “But, Norfolk’s highly skilled workforce must be matched by the Navy making a more concerted effort to fix the yard’s aging facilities and its worn-out infrastructure.
“The GAO’s commitment to investigate the material condition of our nation’s four Naval shipyards is a necessary first step to ensure that we are allocating resources adequately and responsibly,” said Webb. “The Navy’s four public shipyards play an essential role in enabling the fleet’s operational availability and mission success.”
Senator Webb—a member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services and former Secretary of the Navy—has long emphasized the importance of sustaining the Navy’s shipbuilding and ship-repair industrial base in both its public and private sectors.
Earlier this year, he exercised rigorous oversight of the Navy’s fleet maintenance program when it was revealed that fiscal year 2009 funding shortfalls amounted to more than $400 million. He led bipartisan efforts to increase funding for the Navy’s ship depot maintenance work in the Fiscal Year 2009 Defense Supplemental Appropriations Act, resulting in the addition of $190 million for repairs to three ships damaged earlier this year in a grounding accident and a separate collision.
Following Senator Webb’s nearly three-hour visit, he praised the ongoing efforts of the yard’s management-labor partnership to improve productivity and safety while lowering overhead and operating costs.
“I was impressed by the commitment of the yard’s workers to complete scheduled ship maintenance on or ahead of schedule and on or below budgeted costs,” said Webb.
His visit included tours of the yard’s waterfront and industrial shops, as well as a visit to the fleet ballistic missile submarine USS Tennessee (SSBN 734). He also presented certificates to the top two graduates of the shipyard’s 2009 Apprentice Program, a four-year student career development program aimed at attracting talented youth to serve in the public sector. A total of 136 students participated in this year’s program, a reflection on the shipyard’s significant commitment to the professional development of its workforce.
VSRA Shipyards Snag Stimulus Money
August 19, 2009
Five shipyards snag more than $7.8M in federal aid
NORFOLK
Five local shipyards will receive a total of more than $7.8 million in federal stimulus funding as part of a program to assist small shipyards, the U.S. Maritime Administration announced Tuesday.
The grants were among 70 nationwide, totaling $98 million.
Lyon Shipyard Inc. in Norfolk received the largest award in the nation - $4.5 million for a dry-dock modernization project.
"Frankly, I was a little surprised we got the amount we requested," said Tom Ackiss, vice president at Lyon.
When the shipyard applied to the program, Ackiss said, "we didn't really hold out a lot of hope."
"Nice surprises do happen," he added.
The other local shipyards awarded grants are:
- Associated Naval Architects Inc. in Portsmouth - $476,893.
- Colonna's Shipyard Inc. in Norfolk - $1.96 million.
- Davis Boat Works Inc. in Newport News - $612,097.
- Marine Hydraulics International Inc. in Norfolk - $259,650.
"We're pleased with the amount that we got," said Richard "Soby" Sobocinski, vice president/contracts, at Colonna's Shipyard.
Colonna's will use its grant for a wastewater treatment barge.
"It's an environmental issue, something that we need to protect that area of the Elizabeth River," Sobocinski said.
The money came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, signed by President Barack Obama on Feb. 17.
The bill included $100 million for the U.S. Maritime Administration's Assistance to Small Shipyards grant program, of which $2 million went to program administration.
The grant announcement Tuesday came with a little more suspense than usual.
On July 22, shortly after the first stimulus award announcement, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood issued this statement:
"In reviewing the $98 million small shipyard grant program, I have determined that the process used to evaluate the applications was incomplete.
"We are instituting a process that complies with the statutory instruction to consider the economic conditions of the communities where these shipyards are located. This will include examining the unemployment rate and other available economic data. We will go back and review every application and give applicants the opportunity to provide additional information if necessary."
The original list of grant recipients was posted on the Maritime Administration's Web site "for less than a morning," spokeswoman Susan Clark said.
The only change in Tuesday's announcement was the addition of another Hampton Roads grant recipient - Associated Naval Architects.
The Maritime Administration received more than 500 applications for the small shipyard grants, requesting more than $1.25 billion.
The program is in its second year, Clark said.
Grants this year were awarded from two sources of funding - the $98 million available from the stimulus package, announced Tuesday, and another $17.1 million available via the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009.
The smaller allocation of $17.1 million in grants was announced on July 9 and included no Virginia shipyards.
Robert McCabe, (757) 446-2327, robert.mccabe@pilotonline.com
NOTE - The official MARAD announcement gives a full listing of shipyards receiving grants and can be found at http://www.marad.dot.gov/about_us_landing_page/marad_recovery_act/recovery.htm
Preliminary FY-11 Standard Items Posted for Comments
August 19, 2009
The preliminary FY-11 Standard Items (SIs), SSRAC-responsible Standard Work Templates, and Appendix 4-E to the Joint Fleet Maintenance Manual (JFMM) Volume VII, Chapter 4, resulting from the 2009 SSRAC Meeting, have been posted on the SSRAC website for review and comment in accordance with SSRAC milestones. Visit http://www.sermc.surfor.navy.mil/ssrac1/whatsnew.htm and follow the links to view the items. If you do not see the files, please "refresh" your browser and try again.
Please note that only those items reviewed and/or changed at the 2009 SSRAC Meeting have been posted. Changes or additions are identified by showing added or changed verbiage in bold Italics. Deletions are identified by a vertical line in the right-hand margin beside the deletion. New or completely revised SIs are identified by a vertical line in the right-hand margin beside the ITEM NO, DATE, and CATEGORY lines. Note: An item with a 24 JUL 2009 date but no visible changes indicates that the item was reviewed but no changes were made.
These results are PRELIMINARY and are not intended for immediate distribution or invocation.
Please review these products carefully and provide any comments you may have NLT 19 SEP 2009, using the 2009 Preliminary Revision Comment Form (also available on the website). Comments should relate only to proposals considered at the 2009 SSRAC Meeting and the resulting actions.
NOTE: Comments relating to subjects that were not reviewed by the subcommittees at the 2009 SSRAC Meeting will be deferred for consideration at the 2010 SSRAC Meeting.
Please attach and e-mail forms to linda.mayle@navy.mil or ssrac@supship.navy.mil .
Linda D. Mayle
NAVSEA SSRAC Program Asst Coordinator
SERMC Standards Program Manager
Ph: 904-270-5593/904-270-5126 Ext. 3239
linda.mayle@navy.mil
2009 SSRAC Standard Item Change Log Posted
August 18, 2009
The 2009 SSRAC Change Proposal Log with Actions Taken is posted for your information This is the result of the recent SSRAC meeting that was held in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
The Preliminary FY-11 products (Standard Items and Appendix 4-E) will be made available for review by August 20, 2009, in accordance with the SSRAC milestones.
If you have any questions, please contact Linda Mayle, NAVSEA SSRAC Program Assistant Cooridinator, SERMC Standards Program Manager, at (904) 270-5593 or (904) 270-5126 Extention 3239, or by email linda.mayle@navy.mil.
New UPDATE - 23rd Annual Golf Tournament is Full - Sponsorships Available
August 18, 2009
As of Wednesday (8/12), golfer slots are full, but Sponsorships are Still Available for the 23rd Annual VSRF Golf Tournament, which will be held Tuesday, August 18th at Bayville Golf Club. A Waiting List is being maintained for any cancellations. Join us at the beautiful and challenging Bayville in Virginia Beach, a short distance off Shore Dirve, where a spacious 268 acre, former dairy farm was transformed into a magnificent golf course - open to capricious winds and salt air of the Chesapeake Bay.
Torunament proceeds benefit the Virginia Ship Repair Foundation (VSRF), an IRS 501(c)(3) Educational Foundation - donations are tax deductible.
Tournament Schedule
- 10:00 - 12:30 Registration and Practice Range
- 11:00 Lunch
- 12:30 Shotgun Start
- "After Golf" Social - Prizes and Awards Presentation
- Beverage carts, photos, snacks, goody bags, raffle
Sponsorship Packages Available - Specifics can be found on the 2009 Golf Tournament Application Form below
- Platinum (8 GOLFERS) $5000
- Gold (4 GOLFERS) $2500
- Silver (2 GOLFERS) $1500
- Beverage Cart $ 750
- Hole Sponsor $ 500
- Longest Drive $ 400
- Closest-to-the-Pin $ 400
- Individual Golfers $ 250
The Golfer slots are full as of today (8/12)! We have plenty of sponsorships available, so don't miss ths marketing opportunity for your company. Please download the 2009 Golf Tournament Application .We are maintaining a Waiting List to fill any cancellations on a "First Come, First Served" basis.
TO REGISTER a SPONSORSHIP or get on the Waiting List, THE APPLICATION FORM MUST BE SENT TO LEIGH KENNEDY at lkennedy@earl-ind.com or faxed to 215-2547. Should you have any questions, please contact Leigh at 215-2550.
Amendment to Fix Navy Ship Repair Shortfall
August 03, 2009
Washington, D.C. – Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04) announced today that he offered an amendment to the annual defense appropriations bill to increase funding for ship repair. Forbes’ amendment would remove $200 million from the research and development of the Presidential (VH-71) helicopter program and instead direct the funding towards the Navy’s ship repair account. The Navy has identified ship repair funds as its number two priority on a list of requests that did not get fully funded in the Fiscal Year 2010 budget.
“Without proper maintenance, our ships cannot last 30 years. And if our ships do not last 30 years, we will not reach the 313-ship Navy our country needs to adequately deal with growing threats and instability around the world. There is no reason why we should spend $200 million on this over-cost helicopter program when our Navy’s second most important priority has yet to be funded,” said Forbes.
The VH-71 Presidential Helicopter program is intended to provide 23 new presidential helicopters to replace the current fleet of 19. In its statement of policy on the annual defense bill, the Administration said, “If the final bill were to include funds that continue the existing VH-71 program, or would prejudge the plan to re-compete the Presidential helicopter program, the President’s senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.”
The bipartisan amendment was offered by Congressman Forbes, Congressman Solomon Ortiz (TX), Congressman Glenn Nye (VA), and Congresswoman Susan Davis (CA), and championed by Congressman Pete Sessions (TX). The amendment was rejected on Tuesday by the House Rules Committee. In order for amendments to be considered on the House Floor, they must be approved by the Rules Committee.