For the first time, EPA is proposing to set emission limits for formaldehyde, benzene, acrolein, and other air toxics from certain stationary diesel and gas-fired engines. In 2008, over one million of these engines generated electricity, powered equipment, and operated during emergencies at industrial, agricultural, and other facilities. The proposed limits would apply to engines located at smaller sources of air toxics with the official notice of this proposal expected to be published in the Federal Register soon. A period for public comment period will open for 60 days upon publication in the Federal Register.
For major sources of air toxics, this rule would only apply to engines that are:
- Smaller than or equal to 500 horsepower that were constructed or reconstructed before June 12, 2006, or
- Larger than or equal to 500 horsepower that were constructed or reconstructed before December 19, 2002
To meet the proposed emissions requirements, owners and operators of these engines would need to install “after treatment” controls, such as filters or catalysts, to engine exhaust systems.
Join the Great American Cleanup—March 1 Through May 31
Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup, the nation’s largest community improvement program, takes place annually from March 1 through May 31, involving an estimated three million volunteers and attendees. The hardworking volunteers donated more than 6.7 million hours in 2008 to clean, beautify and improve more than 17,000 communities during more than 30,000 events in all 50 states and beyond.
Past activities have included beautifying parks and recreation areas, cleaning seashores and waterways, handling recycling collections, picking up litter, planting trees and flowers, and conducting educational programs and litter-free events.
In 2008, Great American Cleanup volunteers collected 86 million pounds of litter and debris; planted 107,000 trees and 48,000 gardens and green spaces; cleaned 144,000 miles or roads, streets, and highways; and diverted more than 189 million plastic (PET) bottles and more than 1.4 million scrap tires from the waste stream.
You and your organization are invited to help in the 2009 Great American Cleanup. Please consider volunteering in a participating community near you!
Brian Karnofsky Jailed for Muscular Dystrophy
Brian has been arrested and will be put in jail for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) lock-up. We need to collect $2,000 for the MDA to help bail him out. Your tax deductible donation will help MDA continue research into the causes and cures for 43 neuromuscular diseases.
If you enjoy reading the Environmental Tip of the Week, now is the time to help us give hope to kids and families that need our help.
Brian is the President of Environmental Resource Center. Many of you helped bail him out in 2007 and 2008, but he’s on his way back to jail this year. Don’t bother asking what crimes he’s committed—just know that we need your help bailing him out.
EPA Issues Final Stormwater Multi Sector General Permit
EPA previously announced the issuance of the NPDES general permit for stormwater discharges from industrial activity, also referred to as the Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP), in the Federal Register of September 29, 2008 . The MSGP provides coverage for 29 sectors of industrial point source discharges that occur in areas not covered by an approved State NPDES program.
EPA Region 10 did not issue the final MSGP for the States of Alaska and Idaho; for Federal facilities in Washington; and for Indian Country in the States of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington at the time of the September 29 notice because it had not yet received the Clean Water Act 401 certifications. Since September 2008, EPA has received final certifications under the Clean Water Act Section 401 from the States of Alaska and Idaho; the Lummi Tribe, the Confederated Tribe of the Umatilla Indians; and the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. Accordingly, permit coverage under the MSGP is now available to dischargers in the following areas:
- Alaska, except Indian Country lands
- Idaho, except Indian Country lands
- Indian Country lands within the State of Idaho, except Duck Valley Reservation lands
- Indian Country lands within the State of Oregon, except Fort McDermitt Reservation lands
- Indian Country lands within the State of Washington
- Federal facilities in the State of Washington, except those located on Indian Country lands
The effective date for this MSGP is February 26, 2009. This effective date is necessary to provide dischargers with the immediate opportunity to comply with Clean Water Act requirements in light of the expiration of the previous version of the MSGP which was October 30, 2005.
Operators of facilities discharging within the areas listed above must submit their Notice of Intent to EPA no later than May 27, 2009. The permit and the authorization to discharge will expire at midnight on September 29, 2013.
EPA Withdraws December 2008 Direct Final Rule Regarding NESHAP for Electric Arc Furnace Steelmaking Facilities
On December 1, 2008, EPA issued direct final amendments to the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for Electric Arc Furnace Steelmaking Facilities. These amendments were issued as a direct final rule, along with a parallel proposal to be used as the basis for final action in the event EPA received any adverse comments on the direct final amendments. EPA has received an adverse comment and has therefore withdrawn the direct final rule.
Proposed EPA Budget Provides Strengthened Environmental Protection
The Obama administration has announced a proposed a budget of $10.5 billion for the EPA, the largest in the agency’s 39-year history. This proposed budget is an increase of $3 billion from EPA’s 2008 funding levels.
“The president’s budget proposes critical resources to protect the American people and the places where they live, work and play,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “We are no longer faced with the false choice of a strong economy or a clean environment. The president’s budget shows that making critical and responsible investments in protecting the health and environment of all Americans will also lead to a more vibrant and stable economy. With these proposed resources, and the president’s strong environmental agenda, it should be overwhelmingly clear that EPA is back on the job.”
Last week, President Obama announced the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), which includes $7.22 billion for EPA-administered projects and programs to protect human health and the environment.
- $3.9 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund grants to support approximately 1,000 clean water projects and 700 drinking water projects—this year’s largest single investment. In addition to the funds recently invested through the ARRA, this funding is a critical step in addressing the water infrastructure needs in thousands of communities across the country. EPA will work with state and local partners to develop a sustainability policy, including management and pricing, conservation, security and a plan for adequate long-term state and municipal funding for future capital needs.
- A new $475 million, multi-agency Great Lakes Initiative to protect the world’s largest fresh water resource. EPA will coordinate with federal partners, states, tribes, localities, and other entities to protect, maintain, and restore the chemical, biological, and physical integrity of the lakes. EPA and its partners will address invasive species, non-point source pollution, habitat restoration, contaminated sediment, and other critical issues.
- A $19 million increase for the greenhouse gas emissions inventory and related activities that will provide data critical for implementing a comprehensive climate change bill. EPA’s funding for climate change investments is the foundation for working with key stakeholders and Congress to develop an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions approximately 83 percent below 2005 levels by 2050.
- Strengthening EPA’s core research, enforcement and regulatory capabilities. The budget request also proposes reinstating the Superfund excise taxes that expired. Reinstating the Superfund taxes would collect over $1 billion annually to fund the cleanup of the nation’s most contaminated sites.
The Climate Registry Releases Draft Electric Power Sector and Local Government Operations Protocols for Public Comment
. Registry staff, along with industry experts, Registry Members, and contractors have worked together to complete draft reporting protocols for use in The Climate Registry’s voluntary program for the following sectors:
The Climate Registry’s public comment period begins on February 23, 2009 and ends on March 20, 2009.
During the public comment period, The Registry will host two public webinars for each draft protocol topic to help stakeholders understand the new draft protocols and to provide opportunities to ask questions. People considering submitting comments are encouraged to attend the webinars to receive an overview of the protocols and provide initial feedback. The dates, times, and registration links for these public webinars are included below.
The first EPS Protocol webinar will be Thursday, March 5, 2009 from 11:00AM-2:00PM PST
Call In: 773-945-1011
Access Code: 557-994-799
The second EPS Protocol webinar will be Thursday, March 12, 2009 from 11:00AM-2:00PM PST
Call In: 773-945-1010
Access Code: 370-566-509
The first LGO Protocol webinar will be Tuesday, March 10, 2009 from 12:00 PM-2:00 PM PST
Call in: 213-286-1201
Access Code: 125-509-209
The second LGO Protocol webinar will be Friday, March 13, 2009 from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM PST
Call in: 773-945-1010
Access Code 334-289-017
The Climate Registry is a nonprofit collaboration among North American states, provinces, territories, and Native Sovereign Nations that sets consistent and transparent standards to calculate, verify, and publicly report greenhouse gas emissions into a single registry. The Climate Registry supports both voluntary and mandatory reporting programs and provides comprehensive, accurate data to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Climate Registry strongly encourages interested parties to submit comments on the two draft protocols. Following the public comment period, Registry staff will review and incorporate relevant comments, refine the protocols, and present them for adoption at The Registry’s Board meeting June 2-3, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. For questions about the draft protocols, contact Peggy Foran, Policy Associate with The Climate Registry, at (213) 542-0291
Tips on Recycling Electronic Waste from EPA’s eCycling Program
Don’t put your old electronics out with the trash! Instead of making products from scratch, recycling electronics—also known as e-cycling—keeps harmful toxins out of the waste stream, recovers valuable materials that can be reused, conserves virgin resources, and results in lower emissions (including greenhouse gases).
Many people want to know how they can personally help protect the environment. Recycling electronics makes a significant contribution—recycling just one computer CPU and one monitor is equivalent to preventing 1.35 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from being released. Recycling one television prevents four to eight pounds of lead from the CRT glass from being added to the waste stream.
By banding together, we can accomplish truly impressive results such as:
- Recycling one million desktop computers prevents the release of greenhouse gases equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 17,000 passenger cars.
- Recycling one million cell phones saves enough energy to power more than 19,000 U.S. households with electricity for an entire year.
Here’s how you can become an e-cycler:
- Visit your new product manufacturer’s website to see if they have a recycling program. Some will recycle your old electronic equipment for free or a small fee.
- Contact your local city, municipality, or solid waste district to see when they will be sponsoring collection events for electronics.
- You can also find recyclers and collection sites near you by checking the following websites:
Jon Cannon Nominated for Deputy Administrator of the EPA
Cannon is currently a professor of environmental law as well as the director of the Environmental and Land Use Law Program at the University of Virginia. Cannon has served as senior counsel at Beveridge & Diamond law firm. Prior to joining the University of Virginia, Cannon served in numerous positions within the EPA during the Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Clinton administrations, eventually rising to general counsel.
Prior to serving as general counsel, Cannon was deputy general counsel for Litigation and Regional Operations, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Civil Enforcement, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Office of Solid Waste Emergency Response (OSWER), Acting Assistant Administrator for OSWER, Assistant Administrator for Administration and Resource Management, and Chief Financial Officer. Cannon graduated with a BA from Williams College in 1967 and a J.D. from University of Pennsylvania in 1974.
Newmont Mining Companies Agree to Pay $3 Million for Partial Costs of Lava Cap Mine Superfund Site
A $3 million settlement has been finalized for defendants, Newmont Capital Limited and Newmont Mining Corporation of Canada Limited, to resolve liability at the Lava Cap Mine Superfund Site in Nevada County, California.
The EPA and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) will split the settlement proceeds based on their proportionate share of total past and future costs to cleanup the site—estimated at just under $50 million, with $1.86 million to be paid to the EPA and $1.14 million to be paid to DTSC.
To date, EPA has spent more than $21 million at the site to clean up mine tailings and waste rock, collect and treat contaminated water from the mine, and divert the flow of clean surface water around contaminated tailings.
“Taxpayers are still paying for the legacy of the California gold rush—the contaminated land and water that remain and continue to pose a health risk,” said Keith Takata, the EPA’s Superfund Division director for the Pacific Southwest region. “The EPA stepped in to clean up the mine waste, and we’re pleased that Newmont is taking responsibility for its portion of the costs to repay the taxpayer’s money.”
Newmont Capital Limited and Newmont Mining Corporation of Canada Limited—two associated corporations—owned and controlled the mine from 1983-1986, in a failed attempt to reopen the mine. Based on the Newmont entities’ limited three-year association with the site and lack of active mining or exploration projects, the United States and DTSC believe that the $3 million settlement is fair and reasonable and consistent with the goals of CERCLA. Additional efforts to recover cleanup costs at this site are being pursued by the United States and DTSC.
Japanese Corporate Operator of Cargo Vessel Sentenced to Pay $1.75 Million for Conspiracy and Falsifying Records
The Japanese corporation Hiong Guan Navegacion Japan Co. Ltd., that operates the commercial cargo ship M/V Balsa-62, has been sentenced by a U. S. District Judge to three years probation and $1.75 million in penalties for conspiring to falsify and falsifying environmental compliance records.
Four hundred thousand dollars of the $1.75 million that Hiong Guan must pay will go to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which partners locally with the Pinellas County, Florida, Environmental Fund (PCEF). PCEF has funded numerous wide-ranging projects related to the protection, restoration, and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat in the Tampa Bay area. The court also ordered Hiong Guan to implement a detailed environmental compliance plan, including monitoring of its fleet-wide operations for the next three years, training for crew members, and engineering alterations to protect gulf and ocean waters.
Agreement Between EPA and the Municipality of San Juan Prompts Effort to Improve Waste Handling Island-Wide
The general public, municipal employees, and others will get the opportunity to learn to properly handle used oil, oil filters, and mercury-containing bulbs and lamps, thanks to a settlement between the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico and the EPA. The agreement settles a complaint issued to the municipality under RCRA for failure to determine if solid waste generated at the facility was hazardous waste, resulting in the improper handling and disposal of hazardous waste and used oil at one of its facilities.
San Juan will comply with federal hazardous waste and used oil laws, will pay a $25,000 penalty for past violations, and will spend in excess of $100,000 to educate the general public and other municipalities throughout the island of Puerto Rico about the environmental and health risks associated with the improper handling and disposal of used oil waste, fluorescent bulbs, other used bulbs, and lamps containing mercury.
The municipality of San Juan owns and operates a facility that its Department of Public Works and Environment uses to house and maintain municipal vehicles. EPA inspected the facility and discovered a number of waste storage violations. The violations included failure to determine if solid waste generated at its facility constituted hazardous waste; failure to stop, contain, clean up, and manage the release of used oil properly; and failing to use proper storage containers.
The municipality will educate the general public about the proper handling and disposal of used oil and the risks associated with its disposal. It will develop a training session to educate municipal employees and community groups about the environmental risks associated with the improper disposal of used oil and used oil filters, and will also conduct training sessions related to the handling and disposal of spent fluorescent bulbs and lamps and other mercury-containing used bulbs and lamps. The training sessions will be designed to improve handling practices and reduce the potential exposure that could result from the improper disposal of hazardous waste.
EPA Fines Venquest Trading $61,000 for Selling Illegal Mothballs
EPA has fined Venquest Trading, an Oakland, California, importer, $61,000 for allegedly selling and distributing illegal mothballs, a violation of federal pesticide laws. The company imported unregistered naphthalene mothballs from Taiwan and distributed them to retailers in California and the Pacific Northwest on 241 separate occasions.
EPA’s Pacific Northwest region first discovered the company’s violations during a marketplace initiative to uncover illegal pesticide products. The agency’s Pacific Southwest office later conducted an inspection and uncovered violations at Venquest’s Oakland warehouse.
“Importing unregistered pesticides is a serious violation, as the registration process ensures we know what the pesticide contains, and that it is properly labeled with precautionary statements and directions for use,” said Katherine Taylor, associate director of the EPA’s Communities and Ecosystems Division for the Pacific Southwest region.
EPA recommends that consumers pay careful attention to pesticides they use in and around their homes. EPA will not register a pesticide until it has been tested to show that it will not pose an unreasonable risk when used according to directions. EPA also makes sure that pesticide labels provide consumers with necessary information to use the products safely. Pesticides that have been registered with the agency will have an EPA registration number on the label.
EPA Proposes $45,000 CERCLA Settlement for the Camargo Club in Cincinnati, Ohio
The settling party, the Camargo Club of Cincinnati, Ohio, will pay $45,000 to the Hazardous Substance Superfund. The settlement includes language that the Camargo Club will not be sued following this settlement.
EPA will receive written comments related to the settlement through March 27, 2009. See the Federal Register notice for details on how comments may be submitted.
$12,430 Penalty for Failure to Notify State of Status Change from Small to Large Quantity Hazardous Waste Generator
MassDEP has issued a $12,430 penalty against Ophir Optics, Inc. for hazardous waste management violations at their North Andover, Massachusetts site.
Based on the findings from an inspection and a review of data, MassDEP determined the company was shipping more hazardous waste than its small quantity generator status allows. The company was acting as a large quantity generator. The company also had several additional hazardous waste management violations involving storage and labeling.
New Hampshire’s DES Fines Watermark Marine Construction for Violations of State Wetlands Laws
A settlement between the State of New Hampshire and Watermark Navigation Systems, Inc. of Gilford, New Hampshire regarding alleged violations of the State’s wetlands laws has been announced. In the lawsuit brought against Watermark, the company was accused of unlawfully disposing of boulders and other materials in Lake Sunapee on July 29, 2008 in violation of conditions contained in wetland permits issued by DES. Watermark denies that it committed any violations of the State’s wetlands laws, but has agreed to the settlement. The court-approved agreement imposes a $12,500 civil penalty, with $5000 suspended, as long as Watermark remains in compliance with the wetland laws and regulations for one year.
Burton Oil Properties Penalized for Violating the Clean Water Act
EPA has penalized Burton Oil Properties of Ratliff City, Oklahoma, $600 for violating federal Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure () regulations outlined under the Clean Water Act. A federal inspection of an oil production facility located Carter County, Oklahoma, on December 16, 2008, found visual inspection of containers, foundation, and supports were not conducted periodically for deterioration and maintenance needs, and above ground valves and pipelines were not examined periodically for their general condition. As part of an Expedited Settlement Agreement with EPA, the facility has provided certification that all identified deficiencies have been corrected.
EPA Orders 43 Parties to Clean Up Soil and Groundwater at Cooper Drum Company Superfund Site in California
In an effort to protect public health and drinking water sources in South Gate, California, EPA has ordered 43 parties to clean up contaminated soil and groundwater at the Cooper Drum Company Superfund site.
The site was placed on the Superfund list in June 2001 and it consists of 3.8 acres located in a mixed residential, commercial, and industrial area. EPA completed their investigation in May of 2002 and concluded that the soil and groundwater beneath the Cooper Drum Company site have been contaminated primarily by volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including solvents such as trichloroethene (TCE). Other soil contaminants including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hyrdocarbons (PAHs), and lead have also been identified
“We’re requiring these parties to take action to ensure that contamination from the soil and groundwater at the site does not continue to migrate and to protect drinking water sources in the community,” said Keith Takata, Superfund Director of the EPA’s Pacific Southwest region. “Today’s order puts the responsibility for cleaning up this site on those companies that contributed to the contamination.”
The Superfund site was used by the Cooper Drum Company until 1992 to recondition steel drums that previously contained the residue of industrial chemicals. The order requires the parties—the two current owners of the site and 41 companies that sent steel drums to the site for reconditioning—to implement the remedial action at the site.
EPA’s order requires that the remedial action use several extraction and in situ technologies to remove and treat VOC contamination from the site soil and groundwater as well as the groundwater plume which has migrated off-site.
Michael Rodriguez and Christian Brothers Construction Company Ordered to Restore Damaged Wetland and Stream
EPA has ordered Michael Rodriguez and his company, Christian Brothers Construction, of Meridian, Idaho to restore the wetland and stream that his company illegally filled and channelized without a Clean Water Act permit.
According to EPA, in October 2008, Mr. Rodriguez illegally filled 1.7 acres of wetlands and filled and channelized 1,680 feet of Tenmile Creek, located in Meridian, Idaho. Mr. Rodriguez failed to obtain the required Clean Water Act Section 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Walla Walla District. Before this violation, Mr. Rodriguez was told by the Corps that a permit was required for his proposed work, but he failed to apply for one.
According to Jim Werntz, EPA’s Idaho office director, most construction in wetlands and streams can only be undertaken after obtaining a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit from the Corps. These permits help assure that damage to the environment during construction is minimized.
Since the fall of 2008, EPA has been working with the Corps Walla Walla District and the Idaho Department of Water Resources to address the illegal wetland and stream damages. The Corps and the Idaho Department of Water Resources both previously issued notices of violation to Mr. Rodriguez in connection with his unauthorized work in Tenmile Creek.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Fines 72 Entities Total of $448,022
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has approved penalties totaling $448,022 against 72 regulated entities for violations of state environmental regulations.
Agreed orders were issued for the following enforcement categories: one agricultural, 28 air quality, three industrial waste discharge, three multi-media, one municipal solid waste, five municipal waste discharge, seven petroleum storage tank, seven public water system, and five water quality. There were three field citations. In addition, default orders were issued for the following categories: one dry cleaner, one licensed irrigator, one municipal solid waste, three petroleum storage tank, one public water system, and one water quality. There was also one petroleum storage tank enforcement default and shutdown order. Penalties were also assessed in a municipal solid waste action following a hearing at the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
TCEQ’s next agenda meeting is scheduled for March 11.
EPA Report Shows Residential Development Shifting Toward Urban Centers
The report shows that while a large share of new residential construction still takes place on previously undeveloped land at the urban fringe, more than half of the county’s larger metro regions have seen a sharp increase in residential building in urban core areas.
EPA believes this trend reflects growing appreciation in many communities for smart growth development that reuses already developed property and infrastructure, protects air and water quality, and preserves natural lands and critical environmental areas.
EPA Invests $2 Million to Help Secure Philadelphia’s Drinking Water Supply
EPA has presented a $2 million grant to Philadelphia to help the city address the risk of intentional contamination of its drinking water. The grant will fund the Philadelphia Water Department to pilot monitoring and surveillance components of an early warning system. The total funding available to Philadelphia for this project could be as high as $9.5 million, contingent upon EPA’s budget over the next three years.
“Philadelphia was selected for this pilot because of its existing water quality protection programs and its commitment to put in place the complex systems needed to increase water security,” said William T. Wisniewski, the U.S. EPA’s acting administrator for the mid-Atlantic region.
Similar water security pilot grants were awarded by EPA to New York City, San Francisco, and Dallas.
The contamination warning system to be developed and evaluated by Philadelphia involves real-time drinking water monitoring, public health surveillance, laboratory analysis capabilities, enhanced security monitoring, and consumer complaint surveillance. The warning system will be designed for long-term operation.
Coordination is critical to effectively detect or respond to contamination incidents. To ensure effective communication and response, Philadelphia’s Water Department will collaborate with many city and governmental agencies in this pilot including the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, the Office of Emergency Management, and Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection.
EPA to Study Coral Reefs in U.S. Virgin Islands
EPA recently began a three week project to study coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea around the U.S. Virgin Islands. A similar study took place last year near St. Croix.
EPA scientists and divers will observe and analyze coral reefs at some 60 locations near St. Thomas and St. John to create a robust and quantified record of existing coral conditions. Data from the studies will be used to develop water quality standards under the Clean Water Act and to enhance the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Natural Resources’ (DPNR) coral reef monitoring. The study contributes to EPA’s ongoing effort to understand and quantify the benefits ecosystems provide.
EPA scientists will be joined by researchers from DPNR, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and The Nature Conservancy throughout the 19-day voyage. On March 5, the OSV BOLD will be open to the public and the press from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Crown Bay Marina in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.
Los Angeles is Lighting the Way to Energy Savings
Los Angeles has launched a citywide program to distribute free, money-saving, energy-efficient, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) to every household in Los Angeles as part of ongoing efforts to reduce the City’s carbon footprint.
The free light bulb program is projected to save up to 240 gigawatt-hours of energy and 131,000 metric tons of CO2 each year—the equivalent of taking 24,000 cars off the road or enough energy to power 40,000 homes for a year.
“Los Angeles is leading again, bringing simple and effective energy-saving tools directly to the door of every Angeleno,” Mayor Villaraigosa said. “Saving energy and saving money is as easy as changing a light bulb.”
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) teams will deliver bags containing two free CFLs and energy-saving tips to the door of each of the 1.2 million households in Los Angeles. Distribution of the majority of the 2.4 million CFLs will take place within the next 12 weeks, with a follow-up phase targeting multi-family units and hard-to-access single-family units.
The CFL replacement program is projected to save $61.3 million in fuel costs for generating electricity and will save participants approximately $100 per household in energy bills over the lifetime of the bulbs.
“Using compact fluorescent light bulbs is a simple way for residents to conserve energy, help reduce fossil fuel emissions and save money on their energy bills. In addition, after we consider the cost of the bulbs and their delivery, the program is estimated to save the LADWP and its ratepayers $61.3 million in generation fuel costs,” said LADWP CEO and General Manager David Nahai.
The CFL distribution program furthers Mayor Villaraigosa’s goal of turning Los Angeles into the greenest big city in the country. On May 15, 2007, Mayor Villaraigosa unveiled GREEN LA—An Action Plan to Lead the Nation in Fighting Global Warming. GREEN LA sets Los Angeles on a course to reduce the City’s greenhouse gas emissions 35 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, going beyond the targets of the Kyoto Protocol and representing the most ambitious goal of any large US city. The cornerstone of GREEN LA is increasing the City’s use of renewable energy to 35 percent by 2020.
LASWP Program coordinators are very mindful of the proper handling of CFL bulbs and are setting up CFL disposal recycling bins in all of the LASWP Customer Service Centers.
Hartsfield International Airport Receives Award for Keeping the Skies Clear
EPA Southeast Diesel Collaborative has recognized Hartsfield International Airport with the Leadership Council Award, during a reception event yesterday evening at the Southeastern Lifecycle Construction Conference. This is the first year the Southeastern Diesel Collaborative (SEDC) Leadership Council has presented the Leadership Award to recognize an exemplary project in emissions reductions in the southeast.
During the building of the 5th runway, Hartsfield used state of the art conveyer technology, which prevented the need for nearly 5 million dump trucks and almost 30 months of extra work. This also eliminated nearly 2,600 tons of harmful emissions, while using clean construction equipment. A dump truck typically emits as much particulate matter as 500 new cars. By eliminating the need for dump trucks to move dirt, Hartsfield saved fuel and money, reducing pollution and providing a healthier environment for their employees and the neighboring community.
“Hartsfield-Jackson and the city of Atlanta are committed to seeking innovative and cost-effective solutions to environmental management issues. The dirt conveyor system for the Airport’s fifth runway is a great example of this commitment, eliminating nearly 2.5 million dump truck trips and associated emissions,” Ben DeCosta, Hartsfield-Jackson aviation general manager.
The Southeast Diesel Collaborative is a partnership composed of leaders from federal, state and local government, the private sector and other stakeholders in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The goal of the collaborative is to improve air quality by encouraging the use of clean, renewable energy and by reducing diesel emissions from existing engines and equipment from the agriculture, heavy construction, and on-road sectors.
The Southeast Diesel Collaborative is part of EPA’s National Clean Diesel Campaign, a program combining regulatory measures with voluntary initiatives to reduce pollution emitted from diesel engines across the country.
Dell Powers Oklahoma City Campus with 100% Green Energy
Dell now powers its 240,000 square-foot Oklahoma City campus with 100-percent wind energy, the latest action in its commitment to become the ‘greenest’ technology company on the planet.
Dell has also announced a deliberate plan to further reduce its worldwide facilities’ greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2015. The reduction will be achieved through aggressive energy efficiency, on-site renewable-energy, and partnerships with utility providers.
Dell currently obtains approximately 35 percent of its U.S. energy use from green power and approximately 20 percent globally. The company is continuing to purchase enough green power, verified emission reductions, and renewable energy certificates globally to cover its total electricity use.
Dell has been recognized by EPA for its leadership in green power.
Since 2004, the company’s U.S. investment in green power and renewable energy certificates, including solar, wind, and gas-energy conversion has grown from 12 million kWh to more than 553 million kWh.
In June 2007, the company announced that it would require primary suppliers to report CO2 emissions data during quarterly business reviews.
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Trivia Question of the Week
According to the DOE’s Weatherization Assistance Program, $1 spent on weatherization returns how much in energy and other benefits?
a. $2.72
b. $37.20
c. $2,702
d. $0.30