Highway Trust Fund Legislation Passed House and Senate

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters last week announced that federal-aid payments to the state transportation departments would be reduced because of a shortage of funds in the Highway Trust Fund (HTF).

The state reimbursements would change from twice daily to once weekly on a pro rata share of funds received into the HTF.

The Secretary’s announcement spurred Congressional action to pass legislation that would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to restore the HTF balance by transferring more than $8 billion from the General Fund to the HTF.

The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday passed the Senate amended legislation that will transfer the stated amount to the HTF.

The legislation will now be sent to the President, who has indicated he will sign it into law.   Incidentally, the legislation was amended to become effective immediately upon signature.     

Contact John Sullivan or Leif Wathne.

Agency Reaches First Consent Decree with Cement Industry on New Source Review

The owners and operators of a cement manufacturing facility in western Illinois will pay an $800,000 civil penalty and install modern pollution control equipment under a September 8 consent decree.

This action thereby settles violations of new source review requirements under the Clean Air Act (United States v. St. Mary's Cement Inc., N.D. Ill., No. 08 C 50199, consent decree entered 9/8/08).  

The settlement marks the first formal action related to a federal enforcement initiative aimed at the portland cement industry under new source review requirements. Two years ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began focusing on such compliance breaches.  EPA asserted a wide degree of noncompliance by the industry, the result of which the agency alleges, is  excessive, unpermitted nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide emissions.

The Department of Justice and the EPA announced settlements of clean air charges with St. Barbara Cement Inc., the owner of a portland cement manufacturing plant in Dixon, Ill., and St. Mary’s Cement Inc., the operator of the plant.

Under the agreement, the defendants have agreed to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides by approximately 2,700 tons annually.

Contact Deidra Ciriello.

Former Prime Ministers, Business Leaders
Urge Climate Change Action

Four former Canadian prime ministers earlier this week joined a new coalition of business leaders, organized labor, and scientists who are urging  the federal government in Canada to take immediate action to address climate change.  

The group, Canadians for Climate Leadership, called for setting a price on carbon dioxide emissions of at least $28 per metric ton to help spur market-based incentives to reduce emissions.

The group said Canada will need to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases by more than 50 percent, and possibly more than 80 percent, by 2050 to avoid the worst environmental risks posed by climate change.
Achieving such reductions, even over the space of several decades, will require societal change, and Canada must take action now, the group said.

The former prime ministers include Liberal party members Paul Martin and John Turner, along with Joe Clark and Kim Campbell, both members of the Conservative party, which is headed by current Prime Minister Stephen Harper .

Contact Deidra Ciriello.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters announced last Friday the release of $4 million by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to initiate repairs on roads and bridges damaged by Hurricane Gustav.

Louisiana and Mississippi will receive $3 million and $1 million, respectively. The FHWA has indicated that more resources could be made available, depending on further evaluations of the severity of the damage.

Contact Kevin Walgenbach.

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