Gore Launches Environmental Attacks On Bush
Former Vice President Al Gore has in effect kicked off his 2004 campaign with a series of speeches and articles strongly criticizing the Bush administration. "Put simply, on the environment, this administration has consistently sold out America's future in return for short-term political gains," the 2000 Democratic presidential nominee said in a New York Times guest column last Sunday. Democrats have been searching for an issue on which Bush is vulnerable during a wartime period when he enjoys high approval ratings, and polls say the public regards Democrats as more likely than Republicans < by 20 to 30 percentage points < to give domestic issues such as the environment a high priority...Read More »
Michigan Levels $36m In Fines For Illegal Dumping
Michigan Attorney General Jennifer Granholm has announced that more than $36 million in fines will be imposed against Macomb businessmen in what could be the largest-ever environmental dumping penalty in Michigan history. A Macomb County Circuit Court judge assessed fines over the illegal disposal of construction waste. Granholm accused 16 individuals and businesses of violating the state's environmental laws at nine different sites in Wayne, Oakland, and Barry Counties. In addition to the cost of the past efforts, the defendants were also ordered pay the state for current and future cleanup costs...Read More »
Waste Holdings Inc. Opens Two New Operations
Waste Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: WWIN) has announced the recent opening of its Red Rock Construction and Demolition Landfill, located in Wake County, North Carolina, and a transfer station, located in Durham, North Carolina. Both facilities will serve the Raleigh, Durham and Research Triangle market area. Waste Holdings, Inc. is a vertically integrated solid waste services company that provides collection, transfer, disposal and recycling services to commercial, industrial and residential customer locations in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida...Read More »
NYC Mayor Bloomberg Sticks To Recycling Reduction Plan
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced plans to temporarily do away with most recycling in an effort to close a nearly $5 billion budget gap. Despite opposition, Bloomberg has stuck with the proposal in revised versions of the budget. Bloomberg would suspend the recycling of glass, metal and plastic for 18 months at an estimated savings of $56.6 million. The city collects more than 320,000 tons of recyclable glass, metal and plastic annually, but Bloomberg said it does the job inefficiently. Environmental groups say they are unaware of any major American city that has scaled back its recycling program. The cost of glass, metal and plastic recycling is $240 per ton, according to the mayor's office; simple trash disposal runs about $130 per ton, accounting for the savings. The city would continue its paper recycling program, which runs about $87 a ton...Read More »
Fort Lauderdale Funding For Landfill Study Under Debate
Residents of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as well as local leaders and state and federal investigators are fighting over what to do with nearly a quarter of a million dollars. The $240,000 federal grant at issue was set aside to study the Wingate landfill, a Broward County dump that operated from 1954 to 1978, burning and burying trash. Although no study has ever linked the landfill to health problems, residents in the area say they have suffered a host of illnesses. The federal funds are slated for another study on those sicknesses, but just what aspect of the health problems to focus on is being argued...Read More »
Supreme Court Will Consider Norcal Stock Lawsuit
The Supreme Court has asked the Justice Department to consider whether former shareholders of Norcal Waste Systems Inc., a San Francisco garbage hauler, can sue the company's employee stock-ownership plan in state court for failing to look after their interests. Norcal says the allegations belong in federal court because ESOPs are governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA. ERISA trumps most state-law claims against private worker pension and benefit plans. The high court is seeking to decide whether to hear an appeal from Norcal and Bank of America Corp. (BAC), which served as trustee under an agreement that governed $36.5 million in long-term notes issued to the former shareholders. Norcal issued the notes and $65 million in cash in 1986 when it created the ESOP to purchase shares of its stock from current and former employees. The ESOP defaulted on the notes in 1991 after taking on additional debt in a pair of mergers...Read More »
ARI Signs Agreement For Hazwaste Processing In Ireland
ARI Technologies, Inc. of Kent, Washington has signed an agreement with Irish Environmental Processes, Ltd. of Dublin, Ireland to design, fabricate, assemble, test and install a system in Ireland that will recycle asbestos into non-hazardous, asbestos-free construction aggregate. ARI licensed IEP to become the owner/operator of the system in Ireland. Hazardous waste disposal in Ireland has been problematic with the bulk of waste in the past being exported for disposal. The new system will be the first such installation in Europe and will convert a toxic, typically bulky waste into a usable product...Read More »
Tetra Tech Announces 2Q 2002 Results
Tetra Tech, Inc. (Nasdaq:TTEK) has announced second quarter results for fiscal year 2002. Gross revenue for the quarter ended March 31, 2002 was $226.1 million, down 3.5% from gross revenue of $234.3 million for the same quarter last year. Net revenue for the quarter was $178.1 million, down 0.9% from $179.7 million for the same quarter last year. Operating income for the quarter was $10.2 million, or 50.1% less than the $20.4 million for the same period last year. Net income declined 49.7%, to $5.3 million, compared to $10.5 million a year ago. Diluted earnings per share for the quarter decreased to 10 cents from 20 cents for the previous year...Read More »
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