By Renee Schoof, McClatchy Newspapers Renee Schoof, Mcclatchy Newspapers – Tue Apr 21, 7:07 pm ET
WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday called for the nation's first limits on mercury emissions from the more than 100 cement factories across the U.S.
The proposed new rule would require cement kilns to add pollution controls that would reduce mercury emissions by 81 percent by 2013. The rule also would reduce emissions of soot, hydrocarbons, hydrochloric acid and sulfur dioxide from the production of cement.
Mercury is contained in the raw material used in kilns and in the coal used for power. Once released into the air, mercury travels over wide distances and settles in soil and water. People are exposed to mercury mainly from eating contaminated fish.
The toxin can damage the brain and nervous system and is especially dangerous to fetuses and small children.
Environmental groups sued the EPA over a decade ago to try to force it to impose the emissions controls. The agency agreed to set new standards in court documents last year. It announced the new regulations late Tuesday.
A report by the environmental law firm Earthjustice, which was involved in the cases, said that the largest concentration of cement manufacturing in the U.S. is in Midlothian, Texas . Other plants are scattered around the country.
The EPA said in a statement that cement kilns were the fourth largest source of mercury emissions in the U.S. In addition to setting the first limits on mercury from existing kilns, the new rules also would tighten the limits for new kilns, it said.
Andy O'Hare , the vice president for regulatory affairs for the Portland Cement Association , said in a statement that the industry group was reviewing the rules and would work with the EPA , but had no further immediate comment about them.
Before the rules take effect, EPA will have a 60-day public comment period.
Jim Pew of Earthjustice said the regulations were "very good news for health and the environment."
ON THE WEB
Map of cement plants
=======================
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20090421/sc_mcclatchy/3217160;_ylt=AoO1pomYysiZAoj9AM9ZFjRpl88F
Thursday, April 23
Tuesday, April 21
The Day I Lost My Phone.
I really hate this day.
First, by the time I left the house, it was raining. It was raining hard. Grrrrr.... I hate to wear jacket during summer days but I need to because of the rain.
Next, I haven't heard from him and I miss him so much.
Last, my phone got stolen while riding the jeepney going to Philcoa when I'm on my way to the review center. It was my globe number phone actually but I need that phone. All of my contacts are there. It was the number I used when I send my resume to companies that I had applied for. My contacts that was saved in that phone was already almost 1000.
So, I got a new globe sim and I'll let you know my number ASAP.
First, by the time I left the house, it was raining. It was raining hard. Grrrrr.... I hate to wear jacket during summer days but I need to because of the rain.
Next, I haven't heard from him and I miss him so much.
Last, my phone got stolen while riding the jeepney going to Philcoa when I'm on my way to the review center. It was my globe number phone actually but I need that phone. All of my contacts are there. It was the number I used when I send my resume to companies that I had applied for. My contacts that was saved in that phone was already almost 1000.
So, I got a new globe sim and I'll let you know my number ASAP.
Saturday, April 11
My Visita Iglesia.
I can still remember when I was a kid and I was 7 or 8 years old that my family used to visit different churches every Maundy Thursday. During those time, we used our Toyota Ricni Jeep type to visit churches and Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu Parish Church in San Mateo, Rizal will be our first stop for the Station of the Cross.
We usually left our house after dinner and that would be around 8pm. As a kid, you were curious on many things and you keep asking questions to your parents on the things you can see in the streets. I usually ask my parents why groups of people are walking and where they are heading because you can see a lot of groups every Maundy Thursday. My parents will answer me back that they are going to a grotto. All the while, I thought there is just one grotto because from doing a church hopping, I can see more and more groups that are walking. So my parents told me that there are lots of grotto where people could visit and one of them is located in Montalban, Rizal; the other one is San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan and the other is located in Antipolo City.
We tried to visit as many churches as we can to complete the station of the cross. Before, we have tried to complete 14 churches and I forgot what churches were those. Hehe. As a kid, you were so playful. I was so playful. I was a naughty kid. One of the church has a sloping road where you can drop off your family if you have a car but there's still stairs beside the road and this church is the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Claret, QC. I used to walk going to church and run downwards in the sloping road. As usual, my parents will scold at me because we were inside the church vicinity and I need to pay attention and respect. See, I was a naughty kid. Hehe.
I know it was already late and I was sleepy yet I keep fighting for it and wants to see the colorful streets. By the time we arrived in some churches, those churches were already closed because we know it in ourselves it was already late because it was already eleven in the evening. But we still continue to visit the next nearest church from the last church we had visited. Mostly, we tried to visit the churches in Quezon City, Marikina City and San Mateo, Rizal. This was our route every year.
After several years of not doing the Visita Iglesia, it happened again last April 9 and I insisted my parents that we need to do this. But this time, my elder sister couldn't join us because she has her own family already. Maybe in the next few years, my sister and her family could join us again.
We usually left our house after dinner and that would be around 8pm. As a kid, you were curious on many things and you keep asking questions to your parents on the things you can see in the streets. I usually ask my parents why groups of people are walking and where they are heading because you can see a lot of groups every Maundy Thursday. My parents will answer me back that they are going to a grotto. All the while, I thought there is just one grotto because from doing a church hopping, I can see more and more groups that are walking. So my parents told me that there are lots of grotto where people could visit and one of them is located in Montalban, Rizal; the other one is San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan and the other is located in Antipolo City.
We tried to visit as many churches as we can to complete the station of the cross. Before, we have tried to complete 14 churches and I forgot what churches were those. Hehe. As a kid, you were so playful. I was so playful. I was a naughty kid. One of the church has a sloping road where you can drop off your family if you have a car but there's still stairs beside the road and this church is the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Claret, QC. I used to walk going to church and run downwards in the sloping road. As usual, my parents will scold at me because we were inside the church vicinity and I need to pay attention and respect. See, I was a naughty kid. Hehe.
I know it was already late and I was sleepy yet I keep fighting for it and wants to see the colorful streets. By the time we arrived in some churches, those churches were already closed because we know it in ourselves it was already late because it was already eleven in the evening. But we still continue to visit the next nearest church from the last church we had visited. Mostly, we tried to visit the churches in Quezon City, Marikina City and San Mateo, Rizal. This was our route every year.
After several years of not doing the Visita Iglesia, it happened again last April 9 and I insisted my parents that we need to do this. But this time, my elder sister couldn't join us because she has her own family already. Maybe in the next few years, my sister and her family could join us again.
Tuesday, April 7
One Month From Now.
May 7, 2009.
One month from now, I will be taking the Civil Engineering Board Exams again. Yes, for the second time around, I will take it. I know some of you already have a speculation that I didn't pass the board exams during my first take and some of you know the real reason why.
It was November 17-18, 2007 when I first take the board exams and I know in my heart that I am surely gonna pass it. But it turns out to be my dreams will be shattering apart in an instant. Usually, the results of the board exams for Civil Engineering will be released after two to three days after the second day of the exam. A week had passed and no signs yet of the board passers.
November 23, 2008. This was the day that the PRC recommending to nullify the examination results of two (2) subjects - Hydraulics and Geotechnical Engineering; and Structural Engineering and Construction. PRC also proposed all examinees to re-take the said subjects on January 12, 2008. I was shocked. Everybody was shocked to the announcement of the PRC.
The proposed re-take exam day came. Around six in the morning I was already outside UE campus because this was the building assigned for me. I was having a chat with some of my batch mates if they will take the exam or boycott the exam. Prior to that, I was in doubt and made a blog of it as well. You can check these two blogs: http://icyblue12.blogspot.com/2008/01/few-hours-left.html and http://icyblue12.blogspot.com/2008/01/to-retake-or-not-to-retake.html
You know what I did, I boycott the exam and I was interviewed by an ABS-CBN reporter Nikko Baua why will I boycott the exam. It was fun and I was determined not to take the re-take exam. I never regret my decision and I am proud of it.
Too much for the drama and right now, I am ready to take again the Civil Engineering board exam and this will be the start in order to fulfill my dreams as a Civil Engineer.
So help me GOD.
One month from now, I will be taking the Civil Engineering Board Exams again. Yes, for the second time around, I will take it. I know some of you already have a speculation that I didn't pass the board exams during my first take and some of you know the real reason why.
It was November 17-18, 2007 when I first take the board exams and I know in my heart that I am surely gonna pass it. But it turns out to be my dreams will be shattering apart in an instant. Usually, the results of the board exams for Civil Engineering will be released after two to three days after the second day of the exam. A week had passed and no signs yet of the board passers.
November 23, 2008. This was the day that the PRC recommending to nullify the examination results of two (2) subjects - Hydraulics and Geotechnical Engineering; and Structural Engineering and Construction. PRC also proposed all examinees to re-take the said subjects on January 12, 2008. I was shocked. Everybody was shocked to the announcement of the PRC.
The proposed re-take exam day came. Around six in the morning I was already outside UE campus because this was the building assigned for me. I was having a chat with some of my batch mates if they will take the exam or boycott the exam. Prior to that, I was in doubt and made a blog of it as well. You can check these two blogs: http://icyblue12.blogspot.com/2008/01/few-hours-left.html and http://icyblue12.blogspot.com/2008/01/to-retake-or-not-to-retake.html
You know what I did, I boycott the exam and I was interviewed by an ABS-CBN reporter Nikko Baua why will I boycott the exam. It was fun and I was determined not to take the re-take exam. I never regret my decision and I am proud of it.
Too much for the drama and right now, I am ready to take again the Civil Engineering board exam and this will be the start in order to fulfill my dreams as a Civil Engineer.
So help me GOD.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
