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National P2 News Archive    (From Last 14 days)      Browse by : Funding | Mercury | Tribal

Smart meters save energy, water, and dollars (02/03/2010)
While I was out and about in Berkeley, a worker from my utility, PG&E, slipped in the side gate and gave my old gas and electric meter a digital upgrade. So-called smart meters allow the two-way transmission of electricity data and will eventually let me monitor and alter my energy consumption in near real-time. I'll be able to fire up an app on my iPhone and see, for instance, a spike in watts because my son has left the lights on in his room and a laptop plugged in. Click on the link to read the complete article:

EPA biofuels guidelines could spur production of ethanol from corn(02/03/2010)
The nation's farmers got a big boost Wednesday when the Obama administration issued new biofuels guidelines that could open the way for large increases in the production of corn-based ethanol. The Environmental Protection Agency said new data showed that, even after taking into account increased fertilizer and land use, corn-based ethanol can yield significant climate benefits by displacing conventional gasoline or diesel fuel. Click on the link to read the complete article:

APPLICATIONS DUE MARCH 9 FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY GRANTS (CARE), WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS FEB. 2, 23 AND 26 (02/03/2010)
EPA is making $2 million available in 2010 to reduce pollution at the local level through the Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program. This competitive grant program gives local communities a way to take action to reduce the toxic pollutants they face and the funding to address these risks. Applications for the CARE grants are due March 9, 2010. EPA will conduct three Webcasts to answer questions from prospective applicants about the application process on Feb. 2, 23, and 26 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. CARE cooperative agreements are awarded at two levels. Level I awards range from $75,000 to $100,000, and Level II awards range from $150,000 to $300,000 each. To learn more about the CARE program, go to http://www.epa.gov/care/basic.htm#Description To apply, click on the link:

MA: Patrick-Murray Administration announces final approval of Nation-Leading Energy Efficiency Plans(02/03/2010)
BOSTON - Heralding a new era in energy efficiency across Massachusetts, the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has given final approval to plans committing the state's investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities to a three-year agenda of innovative, customer-focused programs that will deliver unprecedented savings for consumers, the economy and the environment, Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Ian Bowles announced today. "These plans provide a roadmap toward a clean energy future that includes more local jobs in the efficiency sector, a cleaner environment thanks to fewer power plant emissions, and lower electric and natural gas bills for consumers residing in more energy efficient, comfortable homes," Governor Deval Patrick said. The Green Communities Act signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick in 2008 required the state's investor-owned electric and gas utilities (and the Cape Light Compact, which operates efficiency programs on Cape Cod) to prepare energy efficiency plans that secure for their customers all available energy efficiency and demand reduction resources that cost less than new energy supply. Following an exhaustive process led by EEA's Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and Attorney General Martha Coakley's office, the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council created by the Act unanimously approved the electric and natural gas utilities' three-year efficiency plans last fall, and the utilities filed them with the DPU on October 30, 2009.

PA: Pennsylvania DEP highlights benefits of mercury-free thermostat law(02/03/2010)
YORK, Pa., Dec. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvanians are at lower risk of exposure to mercury as a result of the Mercury Free Thermostat Act, which took effect on Dec. 8. The law bans the sale, installation and disposal of mercury-containing thermostats and requires contractors and homeowners to recycle out-of-service thermostats. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that affects the brain and nervous system, especially in pregnant women, women of child-bearing years, and children. Mercury accumulates in the environment and can remain active for thousands of years. "Mercury thermostats were a staple of the heating and cooling industry for decades. Millions of homes and businesses used them and continue to use them safely," said Department of Environmental Protection Deputy Secretary for Waste, Air and Radiation Protection Kenneth Reisinger. "But when out-of-service mercury thermostats are broken, disposed of in landfills or incinerated, the mercury can contaminate the air, surface water and ground water and threaten human health and the safety of the environment.

Deca-bromine to be phased out(02/03/2010)
The controversial fire retardant used on some plastic pallets has been dealt a double blow. Two separate nationwide actions that aim to stop the use of deca-bromine (deca or DecaBDE) by the end of 2013 have arisen. In December, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the two largest U.S. producers and the largest U.S. importer of deca-bromine had reached a voluntary agreement with the EPA to phase out the production, importation and sales of the chemical in the United States. The chemical will be phased out for most uses by the end of 2012 and entirely by the end of 2013.

Web Site Offers Companies Chance to Recycle Unused Chemicals(02/02/2010)
Under the notion that one company's trash is another's treasure, a new Web site aims to help companies be rid of unused or discarded chemicals. The Chemical Recycling Solutions exchange site allows other companies to agree to take on unwanted chemicals, according to a press release. Posting unwanted chemicals is free, but registration is required. The site has listings for acids, bases, solvents, acrylics, paints, surfactants, inks, oils and greases. The site accepts out-of-date chemicals, as well. The site eventually will add an industry forum and tips for recycling chemicals. The Obama Administration has made a point of increased scrutiny over chemicals. For instance, the EPA has rejected the right of businesses to file a confidentiality claim, known as Confidential Business Information (CBI) on the identity of chemicals. The move is expected to increase the public's access to information on chemicals. Click on the link for additional information:

CT: Twelve Connecticut Marinas and Yacht Yards Receive Recognition as "Connecticut Clean Marinas"(02/02/2010)
The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today recognized twelve marine facilities, including nine more of the of the Brewer family of Marinas, Yacht Yards and Shipyards in Connecticut, as recreational boating facilities to be certified as "Connecticut Clean Marinas." At a ceremony at the Connecticut Marine Trades Association (CMTA) Hartford Boat Show, the Clean Marina certification was presented to nine Brewer group recreational boating facilities in Connecticut and to Spicer's Marina in Noank, Reynolds Garage and Marine in Lyme, and Mystic Shipyard East in Mystic. DEP's Clean Marina designation acknowledges the efforts of marinas and other boating facilities to go beyond regulatory compliance and participate in voluntary measures to keep Connecticut waters clean. With the addition of the twelve facilities today, there are now twenty-seven Clean Marinas in Connecticut. Governor Rell said, "Connecticut's Clean Marina program serves as an outstanding example of responsible use of our natural resources for recreational purposes. I commend the marina and shipyard owners and their excellent teams of marine facility managers for making commitments to go beyond regulatory compliance and participate in voluntary measures to keep Connecticut waters clean. Their efforts serve as models for other marinas, not only in Connecticut, but throughout all of New England."

EPA's Budget Proposal Seeks Efficiencies, Increased Environmental Protection Budget proposal aligned with Administrator Jackson's key priorities (01/31/2010)
The Obama Administration today proposed a budget of $10 billion for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This budget heeds the president's call to streamline and find efficiencies in the agency's operations while supporting the seven priority areas EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson outlined to guide EPA's work. "To meet our environmental challenges and ensure fiscal responsibility, we're proposing targeted investments in core priorities. This budget cuts spending while promoting clean air, land and water, growing the green economy and strengthening enforcement," said Administrator Jackson. "The president's budget is focused on creating the conditions that help American families, communities and small businesses thrive. Clean air, clear water and green jobs are rebuilding the foundations for prosperity in communities across the country." Budget Highlights: Cleaning up communities: This budget includes $1.3 billion to address Superfund sites that may be releasing harmful or toxic substances into the surrounding community. Cleaning up these sites improves communities' health and allows for these properties to be used for economic development. In addition, $215 million is provided to clean up abandoned or underused industrial and commercial sites that are available for alternative uses but where redevelopment may be complicated by the presence of environmental contaminants. Revitalizing these once productive properties, known as brownfields, helps communities by removing blight, satisfying the growing demand for land, and enabling economic development. EPA will focus its efforts on area-wide planning and cleanups, especially in under-served and economically disadvantaged communities. This budget also offers $27 million for EPA's new Healthy Communities Initiative. This initiative will address community water priorities; promote clean, green, and healthy schools; improve air toxics monitoring in at-risk communities; and encourage sustainability by helping to ensure that policies and spending at the national level do not adversely affect the environment and public health or disproportionally harm disadvantaged communities. Improving Air Quality: In addition to the funding provided through the Healthy Communities Initiative, this budget includes $60 million to support state efforts to implement updated National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). EPA proposed stricter air quality standards for smog and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and will work with states to help them meet those standards in the years ahead. Building Strong State and Tribal Partnerships: This budget includes $1.3 billion for state and tribal grants. State and local governments are working diligently to implement new and expanded requirements under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. New and expanded requirements include implementation of updated NAAQS and addressing emerging water quality issues such as nutrient pollution. In addition to the $25 million for greenhouse gas permitting and $60 million to support state efforts to implement updated NAAQS, the $1.3 billion for state and tribal grants includes $45 million for states to enhance their water enforcement and permitting programs. In order to help tribes move forward with implementation of environmental programs, $30 million is budgeted for a new competitive Tribal Multi-media Implementation grant program. To further enhance tribal environmental management capabilities, this budget also includes an additional $9 million for Tribal General Assistance Program grants. Taking Action on Climate Change: This budget contains more than $43 million for additional efforts to address climate change and work toward a clean energy future. EPA will implement the greenhouse gas reporting rule; provide technical assistance to ensure that any permitting under the Clean Air Act will be manageable; perform regulatory work for the largest stationary sources of greenhouse gas emissions; develop standards for mobile sources such as cars and trucks; and continue research of carbon capture and sequestration technologies. Protecting America's Waters: This budget broadens efforts to clean up America's great waterbodies. It provides $63 million for efforts to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay and $17 million for the Mississippi River Basin to respond to non-point source control recommendations of the Nutrients Innovation Task Group and implement recommendations outlined in the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Action Plan. This budget also invests $3.3 billion to maintain and improve outdated water infrastructure and keep our wastewater and drinking water clean and safe. This is in addition to $6 billion in funding provided to states through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Assuring the Safety of Chemicals: This budget calls for $56 million for chemical assessment and risk review to ensure that no unreasonable risks are posed by new or existing chemicals. This budget also invests $29 million (including $15 million in grants funding) in the continuing effort to eliminate childhood lead poisoning, and $6 million to support national efforts to mitigate exposure to high-risk legacy chemicals, such as mercury and asbestos. Expanding the Conversation on Environmentalism and Working for Environmental Justice: This budget contains $8 million for environmental justice programs. It targets increased brownfields investments to under-served and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, and proposes $9 million for community water priorities in the Healthy Communities Initiative, funds that will help under-served communities restore urban waterways and address water quality challenges. EPA is committed to identifying and addressing the health and environmental burdens faced by communities disproportionately impacted by pollution. This commitment is fulfilled through the agency's efforts to give people a voice in decisions that impact their lives and to integrate environmental justice in EPA programs, policies and activities. For more information, click on the link:

Federal Agencies Spent $1.7B on Energy-Efficiency Projects in 2009(01/28/2010)
Federal agencies spent more than $1.7 billion last year on energy-efficiency projects, increasing their environmental spend by more than an 80 percent from 2008, reports Federal Times. About two-thirds of the investments were paid for with appropriated dollars, primarily from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, with the remainder financed by private-sector financing arrangements, such as Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) and Utility Energy Services Contracts (UESCs), reports Federal Times. Under these programs, contractors pay for renovations upfront and are paid back over time with cost savings that result from reduced energy consumption, according to the article. Click on the link to read the complete article:

U.S. Officially Pledges to Cut GHG Emissions by 17%(01/28/2010)
Bolstering the global warming deal made at the Copenhagen talks in December, the Obama administration officially pledged that the United States would cut its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the range of 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, reports the Baltimore Sun. President Barack Obama said at the Copenhagen talks that the U.S. would stick with its previously announced reduction targets of cutting GHG emissions by 17 percent by 2020 from 2005 levels. Click on the link to read the complete article:

EPA Construction Stormwater Rule Takes Effect February 1, 2010(01/27/2010)
EPA has issued a long-awaited final stormwater rule, impacting nearly every construction and development project in the United States. The rule, published in the Federal Register on December 1, 2009, for the first time imposes an enforceable numeric limit on stormwater discharges from large construction sites, requires monitoring to ensure compliance with the numeric limit, and requires nearly all construction sites to implement a range of erosion and sediment controls and pollution prevention measures. While the non-numeric effluent limitations will apply to every construction site over one acre when the rule takes effect on February 1, 2010, the numeric limit and associated monitoring requirements applicable to large sites will be phased in over four years. Click on the link to read the article:

EPA Issues New Clean Water Act Enforcement Action Plan(01/27/2010)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") has issued a Clean Water Act Enforcement Action Plan ("CWA Action Plan"), which promises to overhaul and increase federal and state water quality enforcement, particularly against concentrated animal feeding operations, industrial and construction sites, and municipal separate stormwater systems. The CWA Action Plan proposes (1) targeted enforcement at the most important water pollution problems, including both point and non-point pollution sources; (2) strengthened oversight of state water quality compliance and enforcement, including possible direct EPA action where state enforcement is perceived as lacking; and (3) improved transparency and accountability, including mandatory nationwide electronic reporting of water quality permit data and reports. EPA has not settled on particular targets, but is expected to focus on mining companies, large livestock farms, municipal wastewater treatment plants, and construction companies. Click on the link to read the complete article:

ME: Hearing on Maine mercury cleanup under way(01/26/2010)
AUGUSTA, Maine -- A two-week hearing aimed at determining the appropriate cleanup option for the former HoltraChem Manufacturing site on Maine's Penobscot River is under way. The Board of Environmental Protection will decide the best way to protect the public from mercury and other toxic chemicals buried in five hazardous waste landfills on the site in Orrington. The factory's former owner, Mallinckrodt LLC, is at odds with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection over the extent of cleanup that's needed on the 235-acre site.

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: RFP Submission Due January 29(01/26/2010)
Due Date for Submissions: Proposals must be received by EPA by noon Central standard time on January 29, 2010.

New NREL Web Site Helps Campuses Go Green(01/26/2010)
The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Cornell University have launched a Web site to help campus-based institutions develop clean energy and carbon-reduction strategies.

Coal-Burning Campuses Face Increased Pressure to Find Alternative Fuels(01/26/2010)
Under scrutiny from environmental groups and students, colleges seek alternatives to the popular fuel...

Waste Management R2 standards for e-waste(01/26/2010)
Waste Management, Inc., the largest waste services and recycling company in North America, has announced that its subsidiary WM Recycle America is implementing the Responsible Recycling (R2) Program for electronics recyclers. The R2 Program establishes a set of accepted practices that helps protect the environment and workers' health and safety during the handling of e-waste, provides the ability for third parties to monitor activity and offers greater transparency in the fast-growing electronics recycling sector.

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