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President Obama's Climate Action Plan

Description: This report discusses President Obama's Climate Action Plan (CAP) to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHG), and to encourage adaptation to expected climate change.
Date: May 28, 2014
Creator: Leggett, Jane A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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EPA's Vessel General Permit: Background and Issues

Description: This report is an overview of the revised Vessel General Permit (VGP) from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and two key issues: inclusion of numeric performance standards to limit ballast water discharges from vessels, and controversies about the role of states in regulating vessel discharges.
Date: January 8, 2014
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Carbon Capture: A Technology Assessment

Description: This report is a brief summary of what carbon capture and storage (CCS) is, how it is supposed to work, why it has gained the interest and support of some members of Congress, and what some of the challenges are to its implementation and deployment across the United States.
Date: November 5, 2013
Creator: Folger, Peter
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Geoengineering: Governance and Technology Policy

Description: This report is intended as a primer on the policy issues, science, and governance of geoengineering technologies. The report will first set the policy parameters under which geoengineering technologies may be considered. It will then describe selected technologies in detail and discuss their status. The third section provides a discussion of possible approaches to governmental involvement in, and oversight of, geoengineering, including a summary of domestic and international instruments and ins… more
Date: November 26, 2013
Creator: Bracmort, Kelsi & Lattanzio, Richard K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Pollution Control Laws: How Are They Enforced?

Description: This report provides an overview of the statutory framework, key players, infrastructure, resources, tools, and operations associated with enforcement and compliance of the major pollution control laws and regulations administered by EPA. It also outlines the roles of federal (including regional offices) and state regulators, as well as the regulated community.
Date: December 16, 2013
Creator: Esworthy, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS): A Primer

Description: Report describing Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS), how it is supposed to work, why it has gained the interest and support of some members of Congress, and what some of the challenges are to its implementation and deployment across the United States.
Date: July 16, 2013
Creator: Folger, Peter
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Automobile and Truck Fuel Economy (CAFE) and Greenhouse Gas Standards

Description: Report that looks at vehicle fuel costs, fuel consumption in the United States, and examines the estimated costs to new vehicles that may arise from the Obama Administration's new passenger vehicle fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards for vehicle model years (MY) 2017-2025.
Date: September 11, 2012
Creator: Yacobucci, Brent D.; Canis, Bill & Lattanzio, Richard K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Clean Air Issues in the 112th Congress

Description: Report providing a brief overview of the climate change, power plant, and air quality standard issues, as well as information on other Clean Air Act issues that the 112th Congress has addressed.
Date: September 4, 2012
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Climate Change Science: Key Points

Description: This report discusses the climate change science, that though often is portrayed as controversial there is a broad scientific agreement over many points. The report provides data on long-term temperature observations, estimate of human-related versus solar contributions to global temperature change over the 20th century, estimated top 20 emitting nations of greenhouse gases in 2010, and sea ice extent in Arctic (September) and Antarctica (April), 1979 to 2012
Date: September 10, 2013
Creator: Leggett, Jane A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Climate Change Legislation in the 113th Congress

Description: Report regarding legislative actions that explicitly address climate change issues. The provisions in these bills fall into six general categories: carbon price (i.e., tax or fee) on greenhouse (GHG) emissions; other mechanisms intended to encourage mitigation of GHG emissions (e.g., sequestration of emissions); research on climate change-related issues; adaptation activities related to expected climate change impacts; support for international climate change-related activities; and action that… more
Date: September 16, 2013
Creator: Ramseur, Jonathan L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Ocean Acidification

Description: Report that discusses the increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, and the extent of related effects on the ocean and marine resources.
Date: July 30, 2013
Creator: Upton, Harold F. & Folger, Peter
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Air Quality: EPA's 2012 Proposed Changes to the Particulate Matter (PM) Standard

Description: This report summarizes the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) June 2012 proposed changes to the particulate matter (PM) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) and includes comparisons with previous (1997) and current (2006) promulgated and proposed standards. Key actions leading up to the June 2012 proposal, and potential issues and concerns associated with the proposal to strengthen the PM2.5 annual standard, are also highlighted.
Date: September 5, 2012
Creator: Esworthy, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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2006 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5): Designating Nonattainment Areas

Description: This report focuses primarily on the NAAQS implementation process for designating geographical nonattainment areas with respect to the tightening of the PM2.5 standards under the 2006 particulates NAAQS, including comparisons with the final designations under the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS. Also included is a brief overview of states' subsequent obligations for developing and submitting implementation plans (SIPs) for attaining or maintaining compliance with the NAAQS.
Date: October 25, 2012
Creator: Esworthy, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Federal Agency Actions Following the Supreme Court's Climate Change Decision: A Chronology

Description: This report presents a chronology of major federal agency actions, mainly by the Environmental Protection Agencey (EPA), in the wake of Massachusetts v. EPA. In this case, the Court held that greenhouse gases (GHGs), widely viewed as contributing to climate change, constitute “air pollutants” as that phrase is used in the Clean Air Act (CAA). As a result, said the Court, the U.S. EPA had improperly denied a petition seeking CAA regulation of GHGs from new motor vehicles by saying the agency lac… more
Date: February 2, 2011
Creator: Meltz, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Air Quality: Multi-Pollutant Legislation in the 110th Congress

Description: This report discusses air pollutants (petroleum, natural gas, and coal), which account for about two-thirds of U.S. electricity generation. These gases include several pollutants that directly pose risks to human health and welfare. The report also discusses the utilities that are subject to an array of environmental regulations.
Date: February 11, 2008
Creator: Parker, Larry & Blodgett, John
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Agency Actions Following the Supreme Court’s Climate Change Decision: A Chronology

Description: This report presents a chronology of major federal agency actions related to environmental concerns following the decision of Massachusetts v. EPA; it particularly looks at actions of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In Massachusetts v. EPA, the Supreme Court held that greenhouse gases (GHGs), widely viewed as contributing to climate change, constitute “air pollutants” as that phrase is used in the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Date: April 6, 2011
Creator: Meltz, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Revising the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for Lead

Description: This report provides background on the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), the process used to establish the standards, the factors leading to the reduction in lead emissions, and the proposed changes to the lead standard, as well as information regarding the potential effects of any revision.
Date: July 28, 2008
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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