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CNN —Flights from Catania airport in Sicily were grounded on Sunday after volcanic ash from an eruption of Mount Etna covered the runways. Volcanic ash in Nicolosi, near Catania Orietta Scardino/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockPictures and video footage show black volcanic ash covering planes at the airport, and blanketing roads in the area. In 2010, a volcanic eruption in Iceland sent a huge plume of ash moving across the Atlantic, causing massive disruption to air traffic across Western Europe. In the aftermath of the crisis, international aviation regulators introduced new risk management guidance on flight safety and volcanic ash. Mount Etna is Europe’s most active volcano, and also the highest, at about 3,350 meters (almost 11,000 feet) tall.

☆ Trevi Fountain: Climate activists dump charcoal in Rome monument
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Rome CNN —Climate change activists turned the blue water of the Trevi Fountain in central Rome black with diluted charcoal on Sunday. Luisa Regimenti, councilor for personnel, urban security, local police and local authorities in the Lazio region, which includes Rome, condemned the act. In a written statement she said that it was the “umpteenth demonstrative act of eco-vandals” that hit “a symbol of Rome universally known in the world.”Climate activists from the group Last Generation stand inside the Trevi Fountain in Rome. It will cost time, effort and water.”Last Generation activists at the Trevi Fountain, Rome. “Charcoal in the water of the Trevi Fountain,” they tweeted Sunday.

☆ What to know about buying a used electric vehicle as more hit the auto sales market
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Joe D'Allegro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Electric vehicle sales keep growing, too. As recently as 2021, total battery-powered electric vehicle sales in the U.S. were under 450,000, but Kelley Blue Book says sales surpassed 800,000 in 2022 and are expected to top one million this year. While the used EV market is still very small, the growth trajectory of EV sales means shopping for a used electric vehicle will become more common and get easier over time, and encompass more make and model choices. In many ways, shopping for a used electric vehicle is the same as looking for any other used car or truck. Electric vehicles lose value faster, but upkeep is lessEVs generally depreciate faster than ICE vehicles, according to Kelley Blue Book.

☆ I drove the $180,000 Lucid Air and experienced the stunningly fast, screen-filled future of luxury cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

I drove the Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance, a $180,000 electric car. The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance.

☆ The EPA Threatens to Turn Out the Lights
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( William S. Scherman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-epa-threatens-to-turn-out-the-lights-electricity-generation-energy-grid-natural-gas-coal-co2-a5ca4d77

☆ Exxon says Guyana insurance dispute could cut revenue $350 million per month
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Kiana Wilburg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

GEORGETOWN, May 19 (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) on Friday said an ongoing dispute with the government of Guyana over oil-spill insurance could halt production at its first offshore platform, cutting revenue by about $350 million per month. A Guyanese court this month found Exxon in breach of insurance obligations for Liza One, its first offshore oil project, and called for additional insurance adequate to protect against a catastrophic oil spill. Exxon and partners in an offshore consortium that has produced all the country's oil to date have $600 million in insurance and up to $19 billion in assets in the country, Exxon officials said at media briefing. Exxon said that if the sides are unable to agree, it could halt output from Lisa One platform and cost about $350 million in lost revenue. Guyana would incur a hit of $80 million to $88 million to earnings from its share of production, according to the country's National Resource Fund's latest quarterly report.

☆ I drove the $180,000 Lucid Air. It solved my EV range anxiety and charged faster than I've ever seen.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I drove the Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance, a $180,000 electric sedan. The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance.

The settlement between BP Products North America Inc., the Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency will also require the company to invest approximately $197 million in new technology and other capital improvements to reduce air pollution. The BP refinery near Lake Michigan released nearly 16 times the legal limit of benzene allowed by the Clean Air Act, the EPA said in 2009. Following the EPA's investigation, BP spent about $4 billion to expand the Whiting refinery to process heavy Canadian crude. The company also agreed to undertake a $5 million supplemental environmental project to reduce diesel emissions in the communities surrounding the Whiting Refinery and install 10 air pollutant monitoring stations. Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and Laura Sanicola in Washington; Editing by Chizu NomiyamaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ The GOP Can Win on Work Requirements and Welfare
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Photo: will oliver/EPA/ShutterstockHouse Republicans are holding firm as they negotiate a deal with President Biden to raise the debt ceiling—a small miracle for the GOP—and one sticking point is work requirements in welfare. Democrats are digging in, calling the rules this week a “nonstarter,” but the attacks are false, and the GOP has the high ground on the merits and the politics.

☆ Lithium has started coming back after a 'freefall' in China. What to know about the investing landscape
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Investors should focus on the long-term story in the lithium investing landscape, not the volatile price swings seen in recent months. Moves in China are driving changes in the global market for lithium as demand for electric vehicles increases, said Keybanc analyst Aleksey Yefremov. DeYoe reiterated his buy rating on Canadian producer Sigma Lithium earlier this month, calling it "the next big thing in lithium." Among the biggest names: Global X has a Lithium & Battery Tech ETF , Sprott has a Lithium Miners ETF and Horizons Global has a Lithium Producers Index ETF . "That's going to be quite a challenge, if we don't literally right now start digging up and finding sites for lithium," Langan said.

The proposal requires safe management of coal ash that was dumped in currently unregulated areas, including inactive power plants with surface impoundments that are no longer in use. Coal ash contains hazardous pollutants including arsenic, chromium, lead, and mercury, which have been linked to cancer, heart and thyroid disease and other illnesses. It tends to have a larger impact on low-income, minority communities living near power plants. The groups that filed the petition last year, represented by Earthjustice, found that the EPA exempted coal ash heaps at 566 landfills and dumps at 242 coal plants in 40 states. Now, plant owners in states including Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, New Mexico and Florida with some unregulated coal ash dumps would be required to monitor and clean up all coal ash at a given site, Earthjustice said.

☆ US House Republicans blast EPA refusal to appear at EV hearing
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A spokesperson for the House Oversight Republican majority said "the EPA’s excuse for not appearing before this week’s subcommittee hearing is devoid of logic" noting EPA Administrator Michael Regan's recent testimony. Last month, the EPA proposed sharp emissions cuts that it estimates would result in 60% of new vehicles by 2030 being electric and 67% by 2032. EPA said the requested witnesses had previously scheduled meetings with lawmakers and others Wednesday preventing their participation and because the proposed rules "are currently open for public comment." The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not yet new proposed fuel economy standards. Last week, an auto trade group warned the EPA proposal may rely on a too rapid transition to EVs and poses significant challenges.

☆ How a fleet of smart technology recycling trucks could help minimize waste
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Sponsor Post | Created Wm With Insider Studios | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"It comes down to clarity," said Brent Bell, vice president of recycling, WM. At WM, we are using technology to help remove the guesswork and educate our customers, so more materials can be captured and used again." Here's how Smart TruckSM works: When WM trucks collect recyclables from customer bins, cameras and sensors scan the materials and capture real-time video of the contents. WM"During our Smart TruckSM pilot, we found the technology and connected educational efforts reduced recycling contamination by more than 20%," said Pam Jansen, a WM director who oversees the Smart TruckSM program. Smart TruckSM and WM's investments are expected to help.

☆ The US wants to cut carbon emissions from power plants. Here are the 15 states where coal is king.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Biden administration proposed steep pollution cuts by coal- and gas-fired power plants. Most US electricity comes from fossil fuels — the sector creates 25% of the nation's emissions. Coal is the most polluting fossil fuel, and plants have been closing over the past decade. Most of the country's more than 3,400 fossil-fuel power plants would have to nearly eliminate their planet-warming greenhouse-gas emissions by 2040 under a proposal announced by the Environmental Protection Agency last week. Coal plants could also opt to shut down in the first half of the 2030s to avoid meeting most or even all pollution caps.

Persons: Biden, it's Organizations: Service, Environmental, Agency, EPA, Biden, US Energy Information Administration, West Virginia —, Missouri —, Wyoming, Kentucky —, Utah —, Indiana —, Dakota —, Nebraska —, Montana —, Wisconsin —, Colorado —, Mexico —, Arkansas —, Michigan —, Minnesota — Locations: Mexico

☆ Thailand Pro-Democracy Candidates Push to Break Military Grip in Election
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Feliz Solomon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A Pheu Thai party supporter wearing a cap with a photo of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Photo: rungroj yongrit/EPA/ShutterstockMillions of Thais are set to vote in nationwide elections Sunday that pit the country’s pro-military establishment, which has kept a grip on power for almost a decade, against pro-democracy opposition forces seeking to retake control. Thailand has for years weathered political turmoil, becoming a symbol of democratic decline, according to foes of the government. After leading a 2014 coup, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan -ocha, a former army leader, oversaw the writing of a new constitution that was widely seen as a tool to give the military electoral legitimacy. It paved the way for Mr. Prayuth to become the country’s elected prime minister after the last national vote in 2019.

☆ US oil lobby blasts EPA emissions cuts plan, California likes it
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, May 10 (Reuters) - The largest U.S. oil and gas trade lobby group said on Wednesday it believes sharp emissions cuts proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would result in the elimination of new internal combustion vehicles. Just said the rules would "eliminate the opportunity to improve" internal combustion and hybrid technologies "and create an outsized reliance on battery materials from other countries to meet United States' transportation needs." They testified the second day of the EPA's virtual public hearings on its aggressive proposal for cutting U.S. vehicle emissions for 2027-2032 model years. The plan would require 13% annual average pollution cuts and a 56% reduction in projected fleet average emissions over 2026 requirements. The EPA estimates the plan would result in 60% of new vehicles by 2030 being electric and 67% by 2032.

☆ Trump Mocks Sexual Abuse Case, Repeats False 2020 Election Claims at CNN Town Hall
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Alex Leary | John Mccormick | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Donald Trump was found liable and ordered to pay $5 million in damages for sexual abuse and defamation in a civil case brought by E. Jean Carroll. Photo: Justin Lane/EPA/Shutterstock/Jeff J Mitchell/Getty ImagesDonald Trump, appearing in a live CNN town hall a day after a federal jury in New York found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation, blasted the decision, repeated his false claims about the 2020 election and defended his behavior during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot by his supporters. “They’re doing this for election interference,” Mr. Trump said, nodding to his claims of a vast conspiracy to stop his political career. “This woman, I don’t know her, I never met her,” he said of columnist E. Jean Carroll on Wednesday night from St. Anselm College in New Hampshire, where the nation’s first Republican primary will be held early next year.

Senator Joe Manchin said on Wednesday he would oppose all nominees for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posts until President Joe Biden's administration halts what he described as its "radical climate agenda." Manchin, who represents the coal-producing state West Virginia, delivered his ultimatum a day ahead of the EPA's planned roll-out on Thursday of its new carbon emission standards for new and existing power plants. He said he worried the rules could cripple coal- and gas-fired power plants. "If the reports are true, the pending EPA proposal would impact nearly all fossil-fueled power plants in the United States, which generate about 60% of our electricity, without an adequate plan to replace the lost baseload generation," Manchin said in a statement. Reporting by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Doina ChiacuOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ I drove Nissan's electric Ariya SUV — it proves that 13 years after the Leaf, the automaker can compete with Tesla
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The basicsThe 2023 Nissan Ariya Empower+ Tim Levin/InsiderThe Ariya landed in the US earlier this year with a starting retail price of $43,190. The 2023 Nissan Ariya Empower+ Tim Levin/InsiderThere's no bulky tunnel running down the middle of the vehicle. The 2023 Nissan Ariya Empower+ Tim Levin/InsiderThe quirks don't stop there. The 2023 Nissan Ariya Empower+ Tim Levin/InsiderHands-free driving isn't available across the board, but Nissan doesn't skimp on standard safety features. The 2023 Nissan Ariya Empower+ Tim Levin/InsiderNissan says the Ariya can charge from 20%-80% in 40 minutes using a sufficiently powerful fast charger.

☆ Automakers say proposed US emissions rules pose challenges
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, May 9 (Reuters) - An auto trade group warned on Tuesday that aggressive U.S. targets for reductions in vehicle emissions may rely on a too rapid transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and pose significant challenges with manufacturing and supply chains. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed sharp emissions cuts that it estimates would result in 60% of new vehicles by 2030 being electric and 67% by 2032. The EPA proposal, if finalized, represents the most aggressive U.S. vehicle emissions reduction plan to date, requiring 13% annual average pollution cuts and a 56% reduction in projected fleet average emissions over 2026 requirements. Some say EPA should have proposed tougher rules. "These proposed rules effectively require an additional 10-fold sales increase in a mere eight years," the automaker group wrote.

☆ Top Colleges for High-Paying Jobs in Software
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Demetria Gallegos | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

UCLA graduates in the software industry average some of the highest salaries in the field. Photo: caroline brehman/EPA/ShutterstockGraduates of Stanford University who enter the software industry are out-earning their peers from other schools, according to a salary-based ranking of colleges. Among public schools, graduates from the University of California, Berkeley make the highest pay in software. The ranking of salaries over the first 10 years in a given field focuses on the impact one’s choice of undergraduate school can make. Graduates don’t have to have majored in the fields they eventually entered.

WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Friday launched a $4 billion effort to electrify U.S. ports and cut heavy duty truck emissions as the government looks to address disproportionate impacts on nearby communities. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it was seeking input in its $3 billion Clean Ports Program to reduce pollutants at U.S. ports and its $1 billion Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicle Program to reduce vehicle emissions near ports and other truck routes. EPA wants details about the availability, market price, and performance of zero-emission trucks, zero-emission port equipment, electric charging and other infrastructure needs for zero-emission technologies. The Senate voted 50-49 last week to overturn those rules that aim to drastically cut smog- and soot-forming emissions from heavy-duty trucks but President Joe Biden has promised to veto the measure. The EPA proposed in April new sweeping cuts to medium- and heavy-duty tailpipe emissions limits.

Exxon "engaged in a disingenuous attempt" to dilute its obligations under its environmental permit for Liza One, the project that inaugurated Guyana's oil production in 2019, High Court Justice Sandil Kissoon said in the ruling. Guyana's Environmental Protection Agency and the energy ministry so far has approved five offshore oil and gas projects submitted by the group. According to Kissoon's ruling, Exxon must furnish Guyanese authorities with a liability agreement from an insurance company by June 10, or the Liza One environmental permit will be suspended. The company "engaged in a course of action made permissible only by the omissions of a derelict, pliant, and submissive Environmental Protection Agency," the judge wrote. Exxon is reviewing the court decision and evaluating next steps, a company spokesperson said.

☆ Tyson processing plants accounted for nearly 60% of ammonia-related injuries reported to the EPA between 2012 and 2021, investigation finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tyson plants reported ammonia leaks and injuries at higher rates than other companies between 2012 and 2021, CNN reported. Nearly 150 workers were injured in at least 47 different ammonia leaks reported to the EPA. The company told Insider it often reports incidents that don't meet the legal standard for a leak to be reported to the EPA. Nearly 150 workers were injured in at least 47 different ammonia leaks reported to the EPA over that time span, according to an investigation from CNN. Tyson reported about 57% of ammonia-related injuries in the meat industry between 2012 and 2021, while only accounting for about 25% of the ammonia across the industry, according to CNN.

Federal worker safety inspections have alleged poor maintenance or a lack of safety training at some Tyson plants where ammonia leaks injured workers. CNN interviewed eleven current or former Tyson workers across three different plants who experienced ammonia leaks. !”A safety sign hangs on a fence at a Tyson plant in Hope, Arkansas, in March 2023. Still, some Tyson workers who lived through ammonia leaks said they wished more had been done to protect them. That means that the data doesn’t necessarily cover Tyson plants or other meat facilities that hold smaller amounts of ammonia.

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