News Briefs

Court finds flaws in clean air interstate rule

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit found several fatal flaws in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Interstate Rule on July 11. The court struck down the agency’s method for allocating emissions allowances for upwind states and its interpretation of protections for downwind states, leading the judges to vacate the entire rule.

Lafarge scraps tire-burning plan

Lafarge Canada plans to scrap its plan to burn tires at its Bath, Ontario, Canada, cement plant before it goes to an independent hearing through the Ontario Court of Appeal. The company stated, “There will be no need for parties to continue expending time and resources on the appeal hearing.” The company stands behind the safety of tire-burning technology and has been working for about five years to get provincial permission to burn tires, bone meal, and other waste at its Bath cement kiln.

Robotic mining trucks

A joint venture between Caterpillar and mining company BHP Billiton will develop driverless mining trucks to increase worker safety and efficiency. The objective is to combine Cat’s robotic truck technology with Billiton’s mining processes to develop autonomous, robotic mining trucks for use by 2010.

Scholarship awarded

Joseph W. Roth, a senior at the Missouri University of Science & Technology, was selected to receive the 11th annual Barry K. Wendt Memorial Scholarship from the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association in conjunction with the Aggregates Foundation for Technology, Research and Education. Roth is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering with a minor in explosives engineering.

Holcim Awards competition

The Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction and the International Union of Architects (UIA) joined forces to promote sustainable architecture worldwide. The global Holcim Awards competition for architects, engineers, and related professions aims to recognize practitioners with ground-breaking and more sustainable approaches to designing and building houses, working environments, and infrastructure, and includes a “Next Generation” category for young professionals to develop “blue sky” concepts that point the way to the future.