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EPA to Tailor Environmental Regulations to Promote Growth

October 30, 2017

The EPA recently released its final report on how EPA is implementing President Trump’s Executive Order 13783 to cut regulations in order to promote energy production and economic growth—while protecting human health and the environment.

The report discusses nine EPA actions on energy-related regulations covered by EO 13783. It further includes the following four initiatives EPA plans in undertaking to implement this order:

1. New Source Review reform (NSR) – EPA is establishing an NSR Reform Task Force to review and simplify the NSR application and permit process.

2. National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) reform – EPA plans to use the newly formed Ozone Cooperative Compliance Task Force to review administrative options to meaningfully improve air quality as it relates to ozone. EPA will also work to streamline the approval of state air pollution plans, and eliminate EPA’s backlog of state pollution plans.

3. Robust Evaluations of the Employment Effects of EPA regulations – Five environmental statutes state that EPA must conduct continuing evaluations of potential shifts in employment that may result from implementation of statutes. EPA intends to conduct these evaluations consistent with the statutes.

4. Reestablishing the Smart Sectors Program – EPA recently relaunched the Smart Sectors program to re-examine how it engages with American businesses to cut regulations, while protecting human health and the environment.

Macy’s Fined $375,000 for Hazardous Waste Violations

The EPA recently announced a settlement with Macy’s Retail Holdings, Inc., (Macy’s) over violations of hazardous waste regulations. In addition to correcting violations, Macy’s will also develop a program with the capacity to train 400 retailers in Oklahoma and Texas, and conduct third-party audits at 11 of its largest facilities within Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and New Mexico, among other required actions. The company will also pay a $375,000 civil penalty within 30 days of the effective date of the settlement, and must comply with all other requirements within one year.

“EPA takes hazardous waste regulations seriously, and we appreciate companies taking responsibility to correct violations,” said Administrator Scott Pruitt. “Appropriately managing hazardous waste from ‘cradle-to-grave’ is vital to protecting people’s health and the environment.”

“We appreciate EPA’s willingness to use our suggestion and offer Macy’s the opportunity for a supplemental environmental project involving compliance training instead of simply a penalty,” said Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality Executive Director Scott Thompson. “The Macy’s settlement highlights the importance of states and EPA working together on common-sense approaches that respect the needs of businesses, while still protecting public health.”

EPA enforcement staff found Macy’s had violated the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the federal law that regulates hazardous and solid wastes, for several periods during 2012-2015. During these times, each Macy’s store identified in the settlement generated thousands of pounds of hazardous waste to qualify as a small-quantity generator but failed to notify EPA and state authorities. Macy’s also failed to meet the conditions for small-quantity generator status and did not complete appropriate manifests. Overall, Macy’s generated more than 269,168 lb of hazardous waste from 2012-2015 for the 44 locations identified in the settlement.

As part of the settlement, Macy’s will develop a program to train an estimated 400 retailers in Oklahoma and Texas on how to comply with hazardous waste requirements. Live training events held in Oklahoma and Texas and will also be recorded to create a webinar version that can be shared to Macy’s locations nationwide. After completing the 11 third-party audits, Macy’s will share results with all of its other facilities (more than 620 locations outside EPA Region 6 with instructions to review the issues and address noncompliance. Macy’s will also promote the training webinars and recorded sessions to appropriate personnel nationwide. Based on the average rate of hazardous-waste generation at the 44 stores involved in the settlement, EPA estimates that Macy’s may manage about 1.2 million lb of hazardous waste nationwide per year.

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, passed by Congress in 1976 gives EPA the authority to control hazardous waste from cradle-to-grave. RCRA sets national goals for protecting human health and the environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal, conserving energy and natural resources, reducing the amount of waste generated, and ensuring wastes are managed in an environmentally sound manner.

Texas to Revise UST Regulations

In order for the State of Texas to be consistent with federal underground storage tank (UST) requirements, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) incorporates specific EPA rule changes into state rules after promulgation.

In 1988, the EPA promulgated UST regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 280), which set minimum standards for new tanks and required owners and operators of existing tanks to upgrade, replace, or remove those not in compliance. That same year, the EPA also promulgated regulations for state program approval (40 CFR 281), which allows states to operate a UST regulatory program in lieu of federal regulation. EPA has not significantly changed these regulations since their adoption in 1988.

On July 15, 2015, the EPA published updates to the UST regulations and the state program approval regulations. The EPA's stated goal of revising the 1988 federal UST regulations was to establish federal requirements similar to key provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct). The revisions increase the emphasis on proper operation and maintenance of UST equipment, address UST systems deferred in the 1988 regulations, and include current technologies and practices.

Separate from the federally mandated issues above, this rulemaking also proposes minor rule revisions relating to the fee on delivery of petroleum products and the funding of the Petroleum Storage Tank Remediation (PSTR) account, which are required by the Texas Water Code (TWC). More specifically, House Bill (HB) 7, 84th Texas Legislature, amended TWC, §26.3574(b-1) to clarify the calculation method of the petroleum products delivery fee, which funds the PSTR account. The proposed rule change will reflect the fee reduction changes that were implemented in 2015 through the Texas Register and the Texas Comptroller's rules, but were not reflected in the TCEQ's rules.

Additional minor rule revisions related to the fee on the delivery of certain petroleum products are proposed to implement the amendment to TWC, §26.3574, made by Senate Bill (SB) 1557, 85th Texas Legislature. The revisions include changing the term "operator of a bulk facility" to "supplier" such that the "supplier" would now collect the fees on delivery of a petroleum product.

The proposed rulemaking will:

Add periodic operation and maintenance requirements for UST systems
Add requirements to ensure UST system compatibility before storing certain biofuel blends
Update codes of practice

In addition to updates to EPA's UST regulations, this rulemaking also proposed minor rule revisions relating to the fee on delivery of petroleum products and the funding of the PSTR account (HB 7, 84th Texas Legislature, which amended TWC, §26.3574(b-1)), and rule revisions related to the fee on the delivery of certain petroleum products (SB 1557, 85th Texas Legislature, which amended TWC, §26.3574(a) - (i)).

POTW NESHAP Revised

In the October 26 Federal Register, EPA finalized the residual risk and technology review (RTR) conducted for the Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) source category regulated under national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP). In addition, the Agency took final action addressing revised names and definitions of the subcategories, revisions to the applicability criteria, revised regulatory provisions pertaining to emissions during periods of startup, shutdown, and malfunction (SSM), initial notification requirements for existing POTWs, revisions to the requirements for new POTWs, requirements for electronic reporting, and other miscellaneous edits and technical corrections.

The revised NESHAP renames Industrial POTWs as Group 1, and non-industrial POTWs as Group 2. While EPA does not anticipate any emission reductions as a result of these revisions, the Agency indicated that the changes should provide clarity for sources determining applicability and ensuring compliance.

Proposed New Mercury Reporting Requirements

EPA published a proposed rule under TSCA section 8(b)(10) to require reporting to assist in the preparation of “an inventory of mercury supply, use, and trade in the United States.” The rule would require reporting from any person who manufactures (including imports) mercury (including mercury compounds) or mercury-added products, or otherwise intentionally uses mercury in a manufacturing process.

EPA published its initial inventory report in the Federal Register on March 29, 2017, which noted data gaps and limitations encountered by the Agency in its historic reliance on publicly available data on the mercury market in the U.S. As stated in the initial inventory report, “[f]uture triennial inventories of mercury supply, use, and trade are expected to include data collected directly from persons who manufacture or import mercury or mercury-added products, or otherwise intentionally use mercury in a manufacturing process.” The proposed reporting requirements would help the Agency narrow such data gaps, as well as to prepare subsequent, triennial publications of the inventory, and to execute the mandate to "identify any manufacturing processes or products that intentionally add mercury; and . . . recommend actions, including proposed revisions of Federal law or regulations, to achieve further reductions in mercury use" (15 U.S.C. 2607(b)(10)(C)).

This information could also be used by EPA to assist in its national reporting regarding its implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury (Minamata Convention), to which the U.S. is a Party. The Minamata Convention is an international environmental agreement that has as its objective the protection of human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of elemental mercury and mercury compounds. Article 21 of the Convention requires Parties to include in their national reports, among other information, information demonstrating that the Party has met the requirements of Article 3 on Mercury Supply Sources and Trade and of Article 5 on Manufacturing Processes in Which Mercury or Mercury Compounds Are Used. As proposed, the reporting requirements of the rule will further enhance the understanding of the use of mercury in the U.S., in particular with respect to mercury supply sources and trade, mercury-added products, and manufacturing processes, thus providing a body of information that will assist the U.S. in its implementation of the reporting requirements of the Minamata Convention. EPA intends to use the collected information to implement TSCA and shape the Agency's efforts to reduce the use of mercury in commerce. In so doing, the Agency would conduct a timely evaluation and refinement of these reporting requirements so that they are efficient and non-duplicative for reporters.

EPA proposed that supply, use, and trade of mercury include reporting requirements for activities comparable to established TSCA terms: Manufacture, import, distribution in commerce, storage, and export. The reporting requirements also would apply to otherwise intentional use of mercury in a manufacturing process. Persons who manufacture (including import) mercury or mercury-added products, or otherwise intentionally use mercury in a manufacturing process, would report amounts of mercury in pounds (lb) used in such activities during a designated reporting year. Reporters also would identify specific mercury compounds, mercury-added products, manufacturing processes, and how mercury is used in manufacturing processes, as applicable, from pre-selected lists. For certain activities, reporters would provide additional, contextual data (e.g., country(ies) of origin/destination for imports/exports and NAICS codes for mercury or mercury-added products distributed in commerce).

The proposed reporting requirements would not apply to persons engaged in the generation, handling, or management of mercury-containing waste, unless that person manufactures or recovers mercury in the management of that waste with the intent to use the recovered mercury or store it for use. In addition, persons engaged in trade (e.g., brokering, selling wholesale, shipping, warehousing, repackaging, or retail sale), but who do not first manufacture mercury or mercury-added products, or otherwise intentionally use mercury in a manufacturing process, are not required to report. Finally, in an effort to avoid reporting that is unnecessary or duplicative, the Agency is proposing certain exemptions for persons who already report for mercury and mercury-added products to the TSCA section 8(a) Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule and the Interstate Mercury Education and Reduction Clearinghouse (IMERC).

Environmental Groups Comment on Plan to Bail Out Outdated Coal Plants

Earthjustice, along with eleven other environmental organizations, recently filed comments against a proposal by the Department of Energy (DOE) to subsidize outdated coal plants at a cost to customers of billions of dollars per year. The proposed rule, which is pending before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), would prop up aging and unprofitable coal plants by providing them special subsidies to keep running. The 100-plus page comments show that the plan is illegal and unjustified, and Earthjustice stands ready to challenge it in court if it moves forward.

“This is the Clean Power Plan in reverse—it’s a Dirty Power Plan that would keep uneconomic coal plants running longer, while charging consumers more for polluting, less reliable energy,” said Kim Smaczniak, Clean Energy Staff Attorney, Earthjustice. “The public should not have to pay for more asthma and power outages—but that’s exactly what DOE’s plan would do.”

DOE put the plan on an incredibly fast track, which FERC has approved—giving the public less than three weeks to comment on a plan that gravely threatens public health and the power grid. Under the guise of protecting the power grid, the plan appears to try to deliver on the personal promise President Trump made to several coal executives to bail out their failing companies.

“In a truly Orwellian move, the government is using extreme weather that is worsened by climate change as an excuse to prop up coal,” Smaczniak said. “Americans will not have clean and resilient power until this administration is ready to act on climate change.”

Illinois Speedway LLC Site Released Gasoline into the Sanitary Sewer System

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Alec Messina has referred an enforcement action to the Illinois Attorney General's office against Speedway, LLC, for releasing gasoline into the sanitary sewer system in DuPage County. The Agency is seeking an order requiring the company to immediately control any additional gasoline at the site, investigate the cause of the release and remediate contamination and continue air monitoring on the sewer line.

Speedway, LLC, is the owner/operator of a Speedway gas station #7445 located at 6241 South Cass Avenue in Westmont.

On October 19, 2017, the Tri-State Fire Department contacted the Illinois Emergency Management Agency to report an odor of nail polish remover and high Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) of unknown origin in lower garden apartments on Knoll Valley Drive, Willowbrook. At the time, it did not appear to be a petroleum-based odor. Officials were unable to locate the source of the odor. On October 20, 2017, Illinois EPA received a call from the Tri-State Fire Department reporting similar information. At that time, it was reported the odor extended over a half mile in the sanitary sewer. Later that morning, Illinois EPA received a report of an explosion on Knoll Wood Road in Willowbrook, believed to be related to the initial report. Illinois EPA representatives responded to the incident, where the local public works department had traced the source to the Speedway in Westmont.

The Speedway gas station reported they had become aware of an issue with loss of product on Monday, October 16, 2017 and began pumping their product tanks on Thursday, October 19. The release resulted in the explosion with one injury, multiple house fires, and fourteen manhole covers blown off due to pressure in the sanitary sewer. The gas station has since been isolated from the sanitary sewer and was shut down.

In the referral, the Agency cited violations of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, in which the facility caused, threatened, or allowed the discharge of contaminants so as to cause or tend to cause air pollution and water pollution and deposited contaminants upon the land creating a water pollution hazard. Illinois EPA asks the Attorney General to obtain immediate injunctive relief. Agency representatives will continue to monitor the situation.

Guidance on Reporting Air Emissions of Hazardous Substances from Animal Waste

EPA recently released guidance to assist farmers in reporting air releases of hazardous substances from animal waste at farms. EPA is making this information available to provide time for farmers to review and prepare for the reporting deadline, currently set for November 15, 2017.

On December 18, 2008, EPA published a final rule that exempted farms from reporting air releases of hazardous substances from animal waste. On April 11, 2017, the DC Circuit Court vacated this final rule. In response to a request from EPA, the DC Circuit Court extended the date by which farms must begin reporting these releases to November 15, 2017. Unless the court further delays this date, all farms (including those previously exempted) that have releases of hazardous substances to air from animal wastes equal to or greater than the reportable quantities for those hazardous substances within any 24-hour period must provide notification of such releases.

The EPA guidance information includes links to resources that farmers can use to calculate emissions tailored to specific species of livestock. EPA will revise this guidance, as necessary, to reflect additional information to assist farm owners and operators to meet reporting obligations. Interested parties may submit comments or suggestions by November 24, 2017.

Lead Poisoning in Maryland at Lowest Recorded Levels

Childhood lead poisoning cases in Maryland decreased last year to the lowest levels since data has been collected in connection with the state’s 1994 lead law, according to a 2016 Childhood Blood Lead Surveillance report released by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). Additionally, blood lead testing rates increased across Maryland in the first year of the state’s initiative to test all children at ages 1 and 2. MDE continues to work with the Department of Health (Health) and the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), as well as local partners, to prevent childhood lead poisoning in Maryland.

For the first time, the report also tracks potential sources of lead exposure in reported cases of childhood lead poisoning and finds that many young children with elevated blood lead levels may have been exposed to lead from sources other than deteriorated lead-based paint.

The report follows Governor Larry Hogan’s announcement earlier this year that the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved an application by the Maryland Department of Health to launch a $7.2 million initiative to reduce lead poisoning and improve asthma, two conditions related to environmental conditions in housing. The Department of Health, in collaboration with the MDE and the DHCD, will implement the initiative. Governor Hogan also proclaimed this week as Lead Poisoning Prevention Week in Maryland.

Click here for more information.

Climate Change Already Costing U.S. Billions in Losses

A non-partisan federal watchdog says climate change is already costing U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars each year, with those costs expected to rise as devastating storms, floods, wildfires, and droughts become more frequent in the coming decades. A Government Accountability Office report released Monday said the federal government has spent more than $350 billion over the last decade on disaster assistance programs and losses from flood and crop insurance.

2017 Green Power Leaders

The EPA recently announced its 17th annual Green Power Leadership Awards, recognizing 19 Green Power Partners across the country—including Amphitheater Public Schools (Tucson, Arizona), Apple, Bainbridge Island (Washington), Capital One, the City of Houston (Texas), Google, Intel, L’Oreal, Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, and University of Missouri—for achievements in advancing the nation’s voluntary green power market.

The award winners are being recognized for their efforts in expanding the domestic voluntary green power market. From using enough green power to meet 100%of electricity needs to signing long-term contracts to enable new green power projects, these organizations are demonstrating leadership by furthering the case for accessible, affordable green power use.

The winners for each of four award categories are:

Green Power Partner of the Year

City of Houston, Texas purchased wind renewable energy certificates equal to 80% of the city’s annual power use in 2016, and also entered into a power purchase agreement (PPA) that will supply the city with the output from 50 megawatts (MW) of solar power generated at a facility in Alpine, Texas, with anticipated savings to consumers of more than $1.9 million per year over the 20-year term.
L'Oréal USA’s manufacturing operation has since 2016 increased its use of green power from 33% up to 100%, and installed on-site solar panel arrays at its factories in Florence, Kentucky and North Little Rock, Arkansas, bring L’Oréal's total number of solar energy installations to 16 across the United States.

Green Power Community of the Year

Bainbridge Island, Washington holds one of the highest community participation rates in the Puget Sound Energy’s green power program, and all city facilities use 100% green power.

Direct Project Engagement

Amphitheater Public Schools entered into a 25-year power purchase agreement for installed solar across 24 school sites and support facilities in 2016, supplying more than 65% of the school district’s electricity demand.
Apple, Inc., generates more than 228 million kWh at its facilities and has built or contracted for 580 megawatts (MW) of solar PV and 200 MW of wind power to support its data centers and corporate offices in California, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, and North Carolina.
Intel Corporation uses more than 3.8 billion KWh or green power annually in the U.S., through on-site projects, utility programs, and renewable energy certificates, and in 2016 added a 6.5 megawatt (MW) solar carport at its Folsom campus to its green portfolio.
Iron Mountain Information Management, LLC’s green power use accounts for 40% of its power requirements and is encouraging the development of new green power generation in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Lockheed Martin Corporation procured green power for 20% of its total U.S. operations’ electricity needs, and has 11 operational on-site green power installations.
Stanford University’s cutting-edge energy supply facility has district-level heat-recover and 72 megawatts of solar capacity, meeting more than 50% of the university’s electricity needs.
University of Missouri currently combines on-site generation and an innovative wind power purchase agreement (PPA) to purchase more than 90 million kilowatt-hours of green power, representing 36% of the university’s campus electricity.
Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority produced nearly 7.5 million kilowatt hours on-site, representing 74% of its own electricity, through an innovative Biogas-to-Energy Program.

Excellence in Green Power Use

Capital One achieved its corporate energy goals three years early, including powering the company 100%with green power.
Clif Bar & Company has sourced 100% green power for all its owned and operated facilities since 2003, and has developed innovative programs to support green power for its supply chain and employees.
Equinix, Inc. was the first interconnection and data center to announce a goal of using 100% green power across its global footprint and has signed financial power purchase agreements for wind power that will, as of 2016, cover 80% of its U.S. load.
Google Inc. procures more than 1.7 billion kilowatt-hours of green power for its operation, and is on track to achieve its commitment to power all of its operations with green power in 2017.
Microsoft Corporation procured more than 3.3 billion kilowatt hours of green power last year for its domestic operations to expand its ongoing investment in building a cleaner, more responsible cloud.
TOTO USA/Morrow, Georgia Facility uses green power for 100% of its facility electricity use, and was the first large-volume participant in Georgia Power’s Simple Solar Program to meet 100% of its use through the purchase of RECs from certified solar power.
University of California has made numerous large-scale investments in green power, including long-term power purchase agreements for 80 megawatts of with solar energy projects in California’s Central Valley that began to come online in 2016 and represent the largest solar purchase ever made by a university in the United States.
University of Tennessee, Knoxville became the largest college or university green power user in the partnership as of 2016, purchasing more than 250 million kilowatt hours of green power annually.

The EPA established the Green Power Partnership (GPP) in 2001 to protect human health and the environment by increasing organizations’ voluntary green power use to advance the American market for green power and development of those resources. The program provides a framework that includes credible usage benchmarks, market information, technical assistance, and public recognition to companies and other organizations that use green power.

EPA’s SmartWay Top Performers in the Freight Industry Announced

The EPA recently announced the 2017 winners of the coveted SmartWay^® Excellence Award for freight carriers, logistics companies and shippers in the retail and manufacturing sectors. The award ceremony was held at the 2017 American Trucking Associations Annual Management Conference & Exhibition in Orlando, Florida. The Award honors the top 1 to 2% of SmartWay partners that reduce their operational costs through gains in freight efficiency, mitigating their transportation environmental footprints by using less energy and cleaner technologies to move goods across America.

EPA’s SmartWay Transport Partnership is a market-driven initiative that empowers businesses to move goods in the cleanest, most energy-efficient way possible to protect public health by reducing harmful air emissions. Demonstrating a commitment to corporate sustainability and social responsibility through SmartWay provides for a more competitive and sustainable business environment. Since 2004, SmartWay partners have avoided emitting more than 94 million metric tons of air pollutants, while saving more than 197 million barrels of oil and $27.8 billion in fuel costs—equivalent to eliminating the annual energy use of over 12 million homes. SmartWay also contributes to cleaner air and healthier citizens by significantly reducing emissions of the pollution that contributes to smog, including fine particulate matter and nitrogen oxides.

The 2017 SmartWay Excellence Awardees for retailers, manufacturers and logistics companies are:

Alliance Shippers, Inc.
Knichel Logistics
Union Pacific Distribution Services
Gap, Inc.
HP, Inc.
Johnson & Johnson
Kimberly-Clark Corporation
Kohl's Department Stores
Ledvance, LLC
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
McDonald's
Meijer Distribution, Inc.
The Home Depot U.S.A., Inc.
Whirlpool Corporation

The 2017 SmartWay Freight Carrier and Multimodal Excellence Award recipients are:

Bison Transport, Inc.
Brian Kurtz Trucking, Ltd.
Carter Express, Inc.
Celadon Group, Inc.
Cliff Viessman, Inc.
Contract Freighters, Inc. d/b/a CFI
Contract Transportation Systems, Co. (Sherwin Williams)
C.R. England, Inc.
CRST Expedited, Inc.
Customer Service Quality Transportation
Dedicated Transport, LLC
DHL
Diversified Automotive, Inc.
Doug Andrus Distributing, LLC
Duncan and Son Lines, Inc.
Eagle Transport Corporation
General Logistics, Inc.
Halvor Lines, Inc.
Heartland Express, Inc., of Iowa
Hirschbach Motor Lines
Hub Group
J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc.
Karr Transportation, Inc.
Knight Transportation, Inc.
Logistics Trans West, Inc.
Lone Star Transportation, LLC
May Trucking Company
McElroy Truck Lines, Inc.
Mesa Systems, Inc.
Mesilla Valley Transportation
Mustang Express, LTD
Navajo Express, Inc.
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
Owens & Minor Distribution, Inc.
Pacific Cascade Trucking, LLC
Penske Logistics, LLC
Pitt Ohio
Rocha Transportation
Royal Trucking Company
RSP Express, Inc.
Ryder Dedicated Transportation Solutions (DTS)
Schneider
Sheehy Mail Contractors, Inc.
Swift Transportation Co.
USXL Worldwide
Walmart Transportation, LLC
Werner Enterprises
White Arrow, LLC

Freight carrier award winners are setting efficiency benchmarks in how they move products and supplies. Shipper and logistic company award winners demonstrate a commitment to environmental leadership by achieving lower emissions and through effective collaboration; advanced technology and operational practices; robust SmartWay data validation and reporting; effective communication and public outreach; and implementation of sustainability practices in local communities.

Delaware Energy Efficiency Grant Money Available

DNREC’s Division of Energy & Climate will host two public workshops to discuss updates to the Energy Efficiency Investment Fund (EEIF), and to announce the launch of a new program, Energy Efficiency Industrial (E2I) grants. Both public workshops will cover the same topics. The workshops will take place at:

4 p.m. Monday, October 30, at the Pat Ellis Conference Room, 391 Lukens Drive, New Castle, DE 19720
1 p.m. Tuesday, October 31, at the DNREC Auditorium, Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901

The EEIF and E2I programs offer grant funds and low-interest loans for energy efficiency upgrades. Since 2011, EEIF has helped businesses, non-profits, and local governments make upgrades to their buildings to save energy and lower utility bills. The workshops will discuss updates to this program, including a new pathway for Combined Heat and Power (CHP) projects, and an opportunity for businesses to apply as participating contractors. Participating contractors will be recognized on the DNREC website, where potential customers can search for contractors experienced with the EEIF process.

The new E2I program will focus on innovative energy efficiency updates for large-scale energy users. E2I is open to Delmarva Power customers who use at least 10,000 MWh and/or 95,000 MMBtu per year. Applications for E2I and for participating contractors will be accepted beginning Monday, November 6.

“We have seen time and time again that energy efficiency is one of the most cost-effective ways to lower energy use and lower operations costs, making commercial buildings more affordable and environmentally friendly,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Last year, Delaware’s EEIF grants supported 146 projects that, collectively, will result in lower electricity use amounting to 29 million kilowatt-hours per year. These grantees will save almost $3.5 million in electricity costs and over $2 million in heating costs. Also through these energy savings, EEIF projects will lower carbon emissions by saving the equivalent of emissions produced by more than 7,000 homes’ annual energy use, or the emissions produced in a year by more than 14,000 vehicles.”

For more information, visit de.gov/eeif, or contact DNREC’s Division of Energy & Climate at 302-735-3480.

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