Texas lawmakers say more study needed before “hog apocalypse”

Two bills from Texas lawmakers – state Rep. Lynn Stucky, R-Denton, and state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin – would require state agency or university research before the use of lethal pesticides on wild pigs. The legislation comes after outcry from Texas hog hunters and meat processors over state approval of a new feral hog poison called Kaput, which they say would hurt their businesses and contaminate other game animals and livestock.

White House Said to Debate Icahn Plan Revamping Ethanol Rule

White House officials have spent the past two days in deliberations with billionaire refinery owner Carl Icahn about his proposal to modify federal policy on renewable fuels and with ethanol producers who oppose it, according to three people familiar with the talks. The flurry of meetings and phone calls came after Bloomberg News reported Monday that Icahn had helped broker a compromise with a leading biofuel group on reworking the program.

EPA Chief Woos Staff Skeptical of Tilt to Pro-Energy Mission

President Donald Trump’s newly installed environmental chief Scott Pruitt laid out his vision for reshaping the way the federal government safeguards air and water, as he tried to convince skeptical federal employees that a refashioned agency can remain effective. Pruitt addressed the Environmental Protection Agency’s workforce — including hundreds who had actively battled his confirmation — on Tuesday, in his first speech since he was sworn in as administrator Friday.

VW Subsidiary Invests $2 Billion to Promote Electric Cars

Volkswagen AG has formed a new subsidiary to manage the $2 billion it is required to spend over the next decade in support of zero-emission vehicles in the U.S. The company, Electrify America LLC, will invest in the construction and maintenance of electric vehicle charging stations, including a “high-speed, cross-country” network of more than 200 fast-charging stations for electric cars. It will also install more than 300 chargers in 15 U.S. metropolitan areas and fund “brand-neutral” advertising campaigns to promote awareness about electric cars, among other activities, the company announced Tuesday.

Public Workshop on Chapter 101: Visible Emissions Regulation

On Friday, January 13th, at 10:00 A.M. in Augusta, the Department of Environmental Protection will be holding a workshop and presentation on a pre-rulemaking draft of Chapter 101: Visible Emissions Regulation that will address visible emission standards for certain regulated sources, including during periods of start-up, shutdown, and malfunction. At the workshop, Marc Cone, Bureau of Air Quality Director, and Jane Gilbert, Air Licensing Unit Manager, will present and discuss proposed changes to the Department’s Chapter 101, Visible Emissions Regulation.

Opening the FDAa s History Vault

Welcome to the FDA’s History Vault, which contains more than 10,000 artifacts that provide a journey through American history and document the critical role played by one of the nation’s oldest public health agencies in support of its mission to promote and protect American health. The items featured in this new series of short videos reflect the constant changes in science and society.