Waste & Recycling News Digital Edition

MARCH 30, 2009
Crain’s News Source for Environmental Management
^{wasterecyclingnews.com}EPA holdup irks mining firms
AT DEADLINE
WM buys 2 recyclers
of fluorescent lights
By Bruce Geiselman

The U.S. EPA plans to carefully review permit requests for two surface coal mining operations in West Virginia and Kentucky because of concerns about their environmental impact on water quality.

In addition, EPA officials said they plan to

Sens.BenjaminCardin,D-Md.,andLamar
Alexander,R-Tenn.,introduceabillthatwould
essentiallybanmountaintopmining.Page21
Waste Management Inc. has
acquired the assets of fluores-
cent light recyclers HTR Inc. and
Earth Protection Services Inc.

WM’s Lamp Tracker subsidiary bought the businesses for an undisclosed amount. In addition to its Roseville, Minn., fluorescent lamp recycling plant, WM now

carefully review other requests for coal mining permits.

The decision by the new Obama adminis-

tration to revisit the Bush administration’s procedures for granting these permits has raised concern and confusion among some in the mining industry.

A spokeswoman for a mining association said the EPA’s action could halt or delay 150

See Mining, Page 21

See At Deadline, Page 23

IN THIS ISSUE

SOLID WASTE

Massachusetts plans to cut the number of paper and plastic grocery bags distributed in the state by a third by 2013. Page 22

SCRAP/RECYCLING

RecycleBank has expanded from nine to 18 states since May, and the company expects to be in 25 states by the end of the year. Page 7

S moother sailing G overnment eases rules for s iting offshore wind projects

AIR

REUTERS / PHIL NOBLE

The Department of Interior and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission have agreed to work together to make it easier for developers to site offshore projects, such as this wind farm off the coast of North Wales in the Irish Sea. To date, no offshore wind energy projects have been developed in the United States.

By Joe Truini

Carl’s Jr., a California-based fast food chain, opens a green flagship restaurant. Page 3

The federal government has moved to simplify siting offshore renewable energy projects.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Department

TheLongIslandPowerAuthorityandConsolidatedEdisonInc.releasea jointfeasibilitystudytodevelopanoffshorewindfarm.Page5

of the Interior have reached an agreement that begins to spell out their respective roles in approving

offshore renewable energy projects. Both have jurisdiction over such ventures and will work together to

help developers site projects.

“Our renewable energy is too important for bureaucratic turf battles to slow down our progress,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken

See Sailing, Page 23

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar issues an order making renewable energy a top priority for his department. Page 5

C&D recyclers feel recession’s squeeze

By Jim Johnson

FormoreC&DWorldconfer- ence coverage, seePage 4

WATER

A New Jersey senator unveils a bill that would require double-hull ships to protect against oil spills. Page 5

materials they create remain viable.

“They are still calling for it. There’s still a demand for a lot of our products,” he said. “The markets are still there for a lot of the materials.”

Jeff Leech is general manager at Stoughton Recycling Technologies in Stoughton,

TAMPA, FLA. — Construction and demolition debris recyclers are certainly feeling the pinch of the current economic crisis.

A sampling of recyclers gathered at last week’s C&D World Exhibition & Conference in Tampa report that sales and volumes are down

as much as 40% to 50% from last year in some instances.

“Currently we are seeing reduced incoming levels into the (recycling) plants. No surprise to anyone. The landfills are seeing the same thing,” said William Turley, executive director of the Construction Materials Recycling Association, a trade group representing C&D debris recyclers.