Energy & the Environment News and Discussions

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California: "can i finally have the sunshine state title now"

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HS2 Chiltern Tunnel sinkholes appear in Buckinghamshire

3 hours ago

Sinkholes thought to be caused by the boring of tunnels for the HS2 rail project have opened up in a field.

Two new holes were discovered on land on the outskirts of South Heath, near Great Missenden, Bucks, where the Chiltern Tunnel is being constructed.

It means four craters have been caused by HS2 in the county in nine months.

HS2 Ltd said "safety was its top priority" and both sinkholes had been fenced off amid ongoing tunnelling operations.

The smaller of the two holes was found next to Frith Hill during routine monitoring on 7 February, with a larger feature found in the same field five days later, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-b ... s-68326138

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Biden administration to reportedly relax EV rule on tailpipe emissions

Source: CNBC

Published Sun, Feb 18 2024 11:22 AM EST

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration intends to relax limits on tailpipe emissions that are designed to get Americans to move from gas-powered cars to electric vehicles, the New York Times reported, citing people familiar with the plan.

The administration would give car manufacturers more time instead of requiring them to rapidly ramp up sales of electric vehicles over the next few years, the report said, adding that the new rule could be published by early spring.

The shift would mean that EV sales would not need to rise sharply until after 2030.

Reuters previously reported that the White House could enact proposed Environmental Protection Agency regulations as soon as March that would mandate dramatic reductions in tailpipe emissions. The administration proposal would require boosting U.S. EV market share to 67% by 2032 from less than 8% in 2023.

Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/18/biden-a ... sions.html

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Biden administration to approve E15 gasoline expansion starting in 2025, sources say

Source: Reuters

February 20, 2024 7:07 AM EST

Feb 20 (Reuters) - The White House will approve a request from a group of Midwest governors to allow year-round sales of gasoline with higher blends of ethanol, but will push the start date into next year, two sources familiar with discussions said.

The decision will likely be bittersweet for the biofuel industry, which wants to expand sales of corn-based ethanol but might be frustrated by the 2025 start date. The one-year delay could put off any potential localized price spikes and supply issues that the oil industry says could arise from the decision until after the U.S. election, the sources said.

Under the plan, the administration would grant a 2022 request from the governors of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin to allow year-round sales of E15, or gasoline with 15% ethanol, starting next year, the sources said. In the meantime, the EPA could issue a temporary waiver enabling such sales as needed.

Wisconsin and Minnesota are battleground states in this year's presidential contest in November. Inflation and the economy are key vulnerabilities for President Joe Biden's re-election campaign. The U.S. government restricts sales of E15 gasoline in summer months due to environmental concerns over smog.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden- ... 024-02-20/

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Mercury mystery: Poisonous element persists in tuna

1 hour ago

Levels of mercury persist in tuna, decades after pollution controls were introduced to limit emissions, scientists say.

The poisonous element is released by mining and burning coal and ends up in the ocean, where it builds up in fish.

Levels have fallen dramatically in the atmosphere - but remained stable in tuna since 1971.

Very old mercury lurks deep in the ocean and wells up into the waters where the tuna swim, experts say.

Mercury entering marine ecosystems is converted into methylmercury, the most dangerous form of the chemical.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-68339664