EPA announces action on coal ash, and solar energy makes more news at the national and state levels, this week in CIB:

Washington Watch: EPA Will Issue Coal Ash Rules

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced last week that it will finalize its first rules governing the disposal of coal ash by December 14 of this year. This agreement comes as part of a settlement with environmental groups of the lawsuit they filed against EPA concerning the issue two years ago. Among the dozen groups involved were North Carolina-based Western NC Alliance and Appalachian Voices.

In a joint statement, the plaintiff groups commended the “certainty that EPA is going to take some action” to protect communities threatened by coal ash storage facilities. They also said that “this deadline alone is not enough. EPA needs to finalize a federally enforceable rule that will clean up the air and water pollution” associated with coal ash storage.More here.

Speaking for Appalachian Voices, Matt Wasson said, “It’s absolutely historic that we’re finally going to have a resolution of this. This has been going on not just since the (Tennessee ash) spill in 2008, but well before that.” More here.

The terms of the settlement can be found here.

Climate Change Update: Obama Pledges Continued Executive Action

As expected, a central theme of President Obama’s 2014 State of the Union address last week was his commitment to use executive authority to act on multiple fronts where Congress is deadlocked. These include the promotion of clean energy development and energy efficiency measures to combat climate change.

Obama used the high profile of the annual presidential presentation to Congress to dismiss the climate-change-denial echo chamber. He declared that “the debate is settled. Climate change is a fact. And when our children’s children look us in the eye and ask if we did all we could to leave them a safer, more stable world, with new sources of energy, I want us to be able to say yes, we did.”

Among clean energy alternatives, he particularly touted solar: “Every four minutes, another American home or business goes solar, every panel pounded into place by a worker whose job cannot be outsourced.” He called for tax code changes to encourage this trend by shifting incentives from fossil fuel industries to renewable energy development.

On energy efficiency, he pledged to set new efficiency standards for trucks, to join the standards already in progress for cars. He also pointed to the limits on power plant carbon pollution already in progress.

While discussing energy policy and climate change, he mentioned natural areas protection almost as an afterthought: “And while we’re at it [energy development], I’ll use my authority to protect more of our pristine federal lands for future generations.”

After the speech, LCV president Gene Karpinski commented, “President Obama sent a clear signal that action to address the climate crisis won’t be held hostage by the climate change deniers running the House of Representatives. The President has already made major progress implementing his Climate Action Plan, and it’s clear he’s going to keep using his executive authority to make the kind of progress on addressing climate change and protecting public lands that will leave a lasting legacy. In addition to the priorities he discussed tonight, we urge the President to make critically important progress in fighting climate change by rejecting the dangerous Keystone XL pipeline once and for all.”

Around the State: News Under the Sun

Yes, there is something new under the sun–at least, new to North Carolina. Solar development news is shining all over.

In Durham, the citizen environmental group NC WARN is sponsoring “Solarize Durham”, a new program to encourage the installation of solar electric panels using volunteer marketers and group purchasing discounts to reduce costs. It is working with neighborhood associations and others to promote the program. Details are available here.

In Raleigh, a similar program is getting off the ground with the aid of a federal grant through the NC Solar Center and the City of Raleigh. Details can be found here.

In Winston-Salem, NC Solar Now in December installed a 22.8 kW, net-metered solar electric system designed to offset the building’s total annual energy needs at Clinard Insurance Agency.

In Charlotte, the city’s Habitat for Humanity affiliate announced plans to launch this spring a program to install solar electric panels on the roofs of new construction homes.

And in Asheville, one of North Carolina’s home-grown solar energy companies announced another $30 million investment from new financial partners, which will enable the company to continue adding jobs and building more solar electricity production facilities. More here.

Meanwhile on the national level, researchers report that employment within the solar industry has climbed by 20% overall in just 14 months.

With news like what’s coming out of North Carolina, it’s easy to see why.

Education & Resources: Conversation on Rising Sea Levels

The inaugural “Coastal Conversation” program at N.C. State University will feature an array of state and local experts discussing “North Carolina’s Rising Sea Problem” this Wednesday, February 5, 7 p.m., at NCSU’s Centennial Campus, Hunt Library Auditorium, in Raleigh.

Panelists will include coastal geologist Stanley Riggs, NCSU science journalism adjunct professor David Kroll, Nag’s Head municipal manager Cliff Ogburn, and more. The event will also feature the new documentary film “Shored Up”. The event is free and open to the public.

Program sponsors include NCSU’s Collaborative on Science and Society. Full details and directions to the event are found here.

That’s our report for this week.