Hong Kong Golfers Tee Off With World’s First Hybrid Ferry Fleet

With air pollution clouding life in Hong Kong, the territory’s only public golf course is taking innovative steps to help alleviate the problem.

By World Health Organization standards, Hong Kong’s air is so polluted it is only safe to breathe 41 days a year. Cars and power stations, as well as factories in southern China, are blamed for the haze.

But scientists say ships also damage the air in this city, home to one of the world’s busiest ports. Marine transportation is now responsible for almost 10 percent of the pollution. C.M. Wong, a public health expert at the University of Hong Kong, has been studying local air quality for nearly 20 years.

“Hong Kong is an important port,” said C.M. Wong. “Marine traffic becomes a very major part of air pollution in Hong Kong. They burn things called residual oil or bunker fuel oil. This fuel has a very high sulfur content. The problem is growing.”

Sulfur dioxide, says Dr. Wong, is a significant cause of heart and lung disease. His team estimates that sulfur dioxide, along with ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, cost Hong Kong $2.2 billion a year in hospitalization costs and lost productivity. In 2010, they say, air pollution has already caused 480 premature deaths.

But one vessel might kick-start the effort to clean up Hong Kong’s sea air – the sleek blue and yellow catamaran, the Solar Golf.

The 100-seat boat recently began operating as the world’s first commercial hybrid ferry service, here in this island-dotted territory. It runs between Hong Kong Island and a public golf course on Kau Sai Chau Island.

It will soon be joined by three sister ships, one of which is equipped as a floating classroom to teach children more about renewable energy.

“The vessels have hybrid solar-power electrical and diesel engines, which can operate in parallel to save up to 50 percent in fuel consumption and about HK$2.5 million (US$320,000) a year in operating costs in comparison with the existing ferries,” said Gillian Leung, the golf course spokeswoman. “Lightweight materials in the hull help save energy and the solar panels will last at least 15 years.”

The captain, Leung Kam-yiu, gives a pre-departure briefing and he’s very excited because today is the first time he has taken sole command of the Solar Golf.

He also explained more about how the parallel engine system works: out at sea the ferry uses low-sulfur diesel fuel, and in coastal waters, the crew switches to the solar-charged electric “E” motor to minimize on-shore noise and air pollution.

The new ferries are by no means Kau Sai Chau’s only green initiative. All 205 golf carts on the course have also been converted to solar power.

Combined, Leung estimates the new ferries and golf carts will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1,280 tons a year – the equivalent annual absorption of 188,000 mature pine trees.

Prentice Koo of Hong Kong Greenpeace thinks that, although comparatively small, Kau Sai Chau’s efforts are important because the government response to the renewable energy debate has been weak.

“The government only has a policy recommendation to achieve one to two percent renewable energy by 2012,” said Koo. “It’s very low target compared with China.”

He says the government needs to do better. The investment, Koo says, is in the well-being of future generations.

Source: VOA

Smog From Spreading Russia Fires Chokes Moscow

Dense clouds of smoke choked Russia’s capital Friday, forcing planes to divert and residents to stay indoors, as raging wildfires continued to spread across the country.

The thick haze limited visibility, descending on Moscow just as the city was being battered by record heat.

Moscow city officials say airborne pollutants like carbon monoxide are at least four times higher than normal.  Health officials warned people to limit physical activity and wear surgical masks over their faces if they venture outside to avoid the noxious smog.

The poor visibility also affected activity at Moscow’s airports, where several flights were grounded or diverted.

Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry says it is working to prevent the fires from reaching the western Bryansk region, where officials fear they could release into the atmosphere radioactive particles buried in the soil from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

Authorities also have ordered explosives evacuated from military facilities, and are working to control blazes around the country’s main nuclear research center in the city of Sarov, about 400 kilometers east of Moscow.

The smoke and smog are the result of more than 500 wildfires burning across parts of central and western Russia, already plagued by drought and record-breaking heat.

Russian officials say the fires have killed at least 52 people and left thousands homeless.

Images from the U.S. space agency, NASA, show the smoke plume from those fires extending about 3,000 kilometers from east to west.

Health officials in Russia compare daily exposure to the air pollution to smoking several packs of cigarettes.

More than 150,000 firefighters, soldiers and others have been working to put out the fires, but there are reports that the dense smoke is seeping into homes in the Russian capital as well as the city’s subway system.

Moscow’s main meteorological service Friday said temperatures soared to 36 degrees Celsius, breaking the previous record high for the day set in 1920.  Officials say it is the fifth temperature record set in Moscow this month.

Source: VOA

Study Shows Air Pollution Poses Greater Link to Heart Attack, Stroke

Medical researchers are finding out more about the health risks of air pollution. They say the world’s dependence on fossil fuels is largely responsible for increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Doctors warn patients with lung and heart disease to stay indoors during hot weather. Dr. Kausalya Pendyal tells her patients in Richmond, Virginia before they go outside to check the Air Quality Index – a U.S. government assessment of pollutants in the air.

“Avoid outdoor activities if you can, especially in the late afternoons and the evenings,” she said.

Medical science, bolstered by research from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, shows a strong link between air pollution and heart disease and stroke.

“Because cardiovascular death is the number one cause of death in the world, not just in developed countries, but throughout the world, the role that air pollutants play on this has a tremendous effect on overall world mortality,” said Dr. Robert Brook, a specialist in cardiovascular medicine at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Brook says just one to two hours of breathing automobile exhaust in traffic can be deadly.

“And that short, few-hour exposure is able to trigger a heart attack where they might not have had it for days or months, or never,” he said.  

The long term effects of breathing polluted air are even more alarming.

“Over a few years of exposure, the increase for your risk of developing cardiovascular disease…heart attacks, strokes, heart failure…increases probably five to 10 times greater than it does over just a few hours of exposure,” said Dr. Brook, who chaired group that produced a scientific statement on air pollution and cardiovascular disease for the American Heart Association.

He also led a study that showed that airborne particles produced by automobile exhaust, industry and coal or oil fired power plants can cause blood pressure to rise to dangerous levels.

The study shows the risk is greater for the elderly, people with existing heart disease, and people, generally in poor neighborhoods, who live along major roads and highways.

The American Heart Association recommends reducing time spent in heavy traffic or jogging during rush hour, or near busy roadways and better treatment for cardiovascular risk factors.

Source: VOA

EPA Grant to Help Green the Port of Pittsburgh

 

Related video: Oakland Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports a Multipronged issue:

On July, 2008, thousands of port truck drivers, environmentalists, clergy, union members and community activists demonstrated with Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums and L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for good jobs and clean air at the Port of Oakland .

EPA and the Port were joined by the Allegheny County Health Department, the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), Clean Water Action Network, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and representatives from the three cooperating companies – - Campbell Transportation Company, Consol Energy and River Salvage, Inc. 

“This grant, and the actions of these companies, will take the greenest, least polluting mode of surface transportation, and make it even greener. Each tow of 15 barges moves the equivalent of over 1,000 trucks. This industry is very proud of the contribution we make to reducing congestion and air pollution.  Just by taking trucks off of the roads, we serve industries that could not be located here without the waterways.  Today we can be even prouder,” said James McCarville, Executive Director of the Port of Pittsburgh Commission. 

In addition to EPA’s grant, the Pittsburgh Port Commission and three participating private companies will spend $1.97 million for a total of more than $3 million to repower the four vessels with cleaner burning engines.  Each year, the engines will eliminate over 112 tons of nitrous oxide, 15 tons of carbon monoxide, five tons of particulate matter and two tons of hydrocarbons from the local air. 

Clean diesel projects help address health issues including asthma attacks and other respiratory ailments. 

The Port of Pittsburgh is the second busiest inland port in the U.S., moving 30 to 40 million tons of cargo a year worth $6.6 billion.  The Port provides an annual benefit to the region of $873 million and provides 45,000 jobs.  For more information on the Port see: 

Following this morning’s media event at the Port, a workshop will be held at Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection’s Southwest Regional office to encourage additional diesel emission reduction projects throughout the region. 

Visit EPA’s National Clean Diesel Campaign at http://www.epa.gov/diesel/.

EPA’s website at Clean Ports USA at http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/ports/index.htm.

EPA’s regional diesel website at http://www.epa.gov/reg3artd/diesel/index.htm. 

For additional local information visit: the Allegheny County Partnership to Reduce Diesel Pollution at http://pghdieselcleanup.wordpress.com/diesel-facts/.

Port of Pittsburg Commission: http://www.port.pittsburgh.pa.us.

EPA Proposal Cuts Pollution from Power Plants in 31 States and D.C.

Rule would reduce smog- and soot-forming emissions contributing to unhealthy air

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing regulations to cut air pollution that impairs air quality and harms the health of people living downwind. The regulation will target power plant pollution that drifts across the borders of 31 eastern states and the District of Columbia . Air pollution is linked to thousands of asthma cases and heart attacks, and almost 2 million lost school or work days. Along with local and state air pollution controls, the new proposal, called the transport rule, is designed to help areas in the eastern United States meet existing national air quality health standards. 

“This rule is designed to cut pollution that spreads hundreds of miles and has enormous negative impacts on millions of Americans,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “We’re working to limit pollution at its source, rather than waiting for it to move across the country.  The reductions we’re proposing will save billions in health costs, help increase American educational and economic productivity, and — most importantly — save lives.” 

The transport rule would reduce power plant emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NO_x) to meet state-by-state emission reductions. By 2014, the rule and other state and EPA actions would reduce SO₂ emissions by 71 percent over 2005 levels. NO_x emissions would drop by 52 percent. 

EPA is using the “good neighbor” provision of the Clean Air Act to reduce interstate transport, which is the upwind state emissions that contribute to air quality problems in downwind states.  The proposed rule sets in place a new approach that can and will be applied again as further pollution reductions are needed to help areas meet air quality health standards. 

SO₂ and NO_x react in the atmosphere to form fine particle pollution and ground-level ozone (smog), which are linked to widespread illnesses and premature deaths. These pollutants are carried on the wind to other states, contributing to health problems for their residents and interfering with states’ ability to meet air quality standards. 

Today’s action would yield more than $120 billion in annual health benefits in 2014, including avoiding an estimated 14,000 to 36,000 premature deaths, 23,000 nonfatal heart attacks, 21,000 cases of acute bronchitis, 240,000 cases of aggravated asthma, and 1.9 million days when people miss school or work due to ozone- and particle pollution-related symptoms. These benefits would far outweigh the annual cost of compliance with the proposed rule, which EPA estimates at $2.8 billion in 2014. 

EPA expects that the emission reductions will be accomplished by proven and readily available pollution control technologies already in place at many power plants across the country. 

The transport rule also would help improve visibility in state and national parks and would increase protection for ecosystems that are sensitive to pollution, including streams in the Appalachians, lakes in the Adirondacks , estuaries and coastal waters, and red maple forests. 

The proposal would replace and improve upon the 2005 Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR), which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ordered EPA to revise in 2008. The court allowed CAIR to remain in place temporarily while EPA works to finalize the replacement rule proposed today. 

EPA will take public comment on the proposal for 60 days after the rule is published in the Federal Register. The agency also will hold public hearings.  Dates and locations for the hearings will be announced shortly. 

More information: HTTP://www.epa.gov/airtransport

EPA Awards Half a Million Dollars to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Pollution

(Syracuse, N.Y. – June 14, 2010)  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has provided a half million dollar grant to the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board to fund a project designed to reduce greenhouse gas pollution in Central New York, including Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego Counties. During each of the next three years, the planning board will select three communities within Central New York to participate in its project, called the Central New York Climate Change Innovation program. The winning local communities will receive sub-grants from the Central New York Planning and Development Board to develop plans to retrofit vehicles, buildings and other equipment to make them energy efficient; introduce alternative-fuel vehicles and fueling systems; reduce the miles their fleets travel; and conduct feasibility studies for renewable energy projects. They will also consider how their city planning and land use policies can become more sustainable. Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board’s greenhouse gas reduction program is one of only twenty-five projects in the entire nation to receive funding as part of EPA’s $10 million competitive grant Climate Showcase Communities program.

 

“Climate change is one of the most serious economic and environmental problems facing our nation,” said Judith Enck, EPA Regional Administrator.  “Actions to reduce greenhouse gas pollution that shift us toward a more sustainable, clean energy future often begin in our local communities. The Central New York Climate Change Innovation program is part of a national initiative, designed to boost community actions to reduce GHG pollution. This kind of innovative program will reduce air pollution, save consumers money, create new jobs and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Central New York has been a leader in environmental innovation. This grant will build on the region’s commitment to environmental sustainability and bring it to a new level of accomplishment.”

 

“I am very pleased to have this opportunity to partner with the EPA on the implementation of this innovative program in Central New York,” said David Bottar, Executive Director of the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board.  “These federal funds will provide us with the resources needed  to expand the reach of services offered through our environmental and energy conservation programs at a time when communities across Central New York have expressed a strong desire to reduce their carbon footprint and help address the nation’s challenge of achieving a sustainable future,”

 

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are called greenhouse gases. In the U.S., energy-related activities account for three-quarters of our human-generated greenhouse gas emissions, mostly in the form of carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels. The Central New York Climate Change Innovation program will improve the quality of life of Central New York’s 782,000 residents by reducing GHG by 2,400 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, a metric for determining GHG emission rates for any combination of the principal greenhouse gases, and by achieving energy savings of 36,000 megawatt-hours.

 

The national EPA Climate Showcase Communities program helps local governments establish and manage initiatives that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to selecting the sub-grant winners, the regional planning and development board will provide technical assistance through education programs and outreach to local government staff. The program is specifically designed to help the underserved by giving priority to support at least one community that suffers a disproportionate environmental impact, and one small-sized community with a population under 10,000.

 

Communities that are selected will be required to develop a climate protection plan, apply for technical assistance through programs offered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and receive training on no-cost evaluation tools such as ENERGYSTAR’s Portfolio Manager. The program will encourage these governments to adopt community planning controls to reduce GHG pollution from local residents, businesses, and institutions. Another important component will be the creation of a Municipal Energy Planning Guide to highlight case studies of projects funded through the sub-grants.

 

The program’s model of coupling financial incentives and technical assistance with a focus on land-use planning and public education will provide opportunities for replication in other regions. Additionally, the project will leverage existing state sources of funding to achieve greenhouse gas reductions.  Over the course of the grant program, EPA will offer training and technical support to grant recipients, and share effective strategies with communities across the nation.

 

An additional $10 million in funding for this program nationwide is now available. Proposals are due by July 26, 2010. A list of current Climate Change Showcase Communities and profiles of each recipient is available at: http://www.epa.gov/statelocalclimate/local/showcase

 

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

Environmental Protection Agency issued Finding Friday That Greenhouse Gases Contribute to Air Pollution That Endanger Public Health

(Washington)- After a thorough scientific review ordered in 2007 by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a proposed finding Friday that greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare.

The proposed finding, which now moves to a public comment period, identified six greenhouse gases that pose a potential threat.

“This finding confirms that greenhouse gas pollution is a serious problem now and for future generations. Fortunately, it follows President Obama’s call for a low carbon economy and strong leadership in Congress on clean energy and climate legislation,” said Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “This pollution problem has a solution – one that will create millions of green jobs and end our country’s dependence on foreign oil.”

As the proposed endangerment finding states, “In both magnitude and probability, climate change is an enormous problem. The greenhouse gases that are responsible for it endanger public health and welfare within the meaning of the Clean Air Act.”

EPA’s proposed endangerment finding is based on rigorous, peer-reviewed scientific analysis of six gases – carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride – that have been the subject of intensive analysis by scientists around the world. The science clearly shows that concentrations of these gases are at unprecedented levels as a result of human emissions, and these high levels are very likely the cause of the increase in average temperatures and other changes in our climate.

The scientific analysis also confirms that climate change impacts human health in several ways. Findings from a recent EPA study titled “Assessment of the Impacts of Global Change on Regional U.S. Air Quality: A Synthesis of Climate Change Impacts on Ground-Level Ozone,” for example, suggest that climate change may lead to higher concentrations of ground-level ozone, a harmful pollutant. Additional impacts of climate change include, but are not limited to:

• increased drought;
• more heavy downpours and flooding;
• more frequent and intense heat waves and wildfires;
• greater sea level rise;
• more intense storms; and
• harm to water resources, agriculture, wildlife and ecosystems.

In proposing the finding, Administrator Jackson also took into account the disproportionate impact climate change has on the health of certain segments of the population, such as the poor, the very young, the elderly, those already in poor health, the disabled, those living alone and/or indigenous populations dependent on one or a few resources.

In addition to threatening human health, the analysis finds that climate change also has serious national security implications. Consistent with this proposed finding, in 2007, 11 retired U.S. generals and admirals signed a report from the Center for Naval Analyses stating that climate change “presents significant national security challenges for the United States.” Escalating violence in destabilized regions can be incited and fomented by an increasing scarcity of resources – including water. This lack of resources, driven by climate change patterns, then drives massive migration to more stabilized regions of the world.

The proposed endangerment finding now enters the public comment period, which is the next step in the deliberative process EPA must undertake before issuing final findings. Today’s proposed finding does not include any proposed regulations. Before taking any steps to reduce greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, EPA would conduct an appropriate process and consider stakeholder input. Notwithstanding this required regulatory process, both President Obama and Administrator Jackson have repeatedly indicated their preference for comprehensive legislation to address this issue and create the framework for a clean energy economy.

More information: http://epa.gov/climatechange/endangerment.html

Air Pollution Violations Result in $2 Million in Fines for DuPont and Lucite

( Washington , D.C. – April 20, 2009) DuPont and Lucite International Inc. have agreed to pay a $2 million civil penalty to settle Clean Air Act violations at a sulfuric acid plant in Belle, W. Va., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Justice Department, and the state of West Virginia announced today.   

The sulfuric acid plant is located on a 100-acre chemical manufacturing complex along the Kanawha River .  The plant is owned by Lucite and operated by DuPont.   The companies will pay $1 million to the United States and $1 million to the state of West Virginia .  Further, the companies chose on their own to shut down the sulfuric-acid manufacturing unit of a larger chemical facility at the site and the settlement confirms this agreement. Under the settlement, the sulfuric acid unit is scheduled to shut down by April 1, 2010.

“The actions taken as part of this settlement will reduce emissions of air pollutants by more than 1,000 tons each year,” said Catherine McCabe, acting assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.  “Sulfur dioxide emissions can be harmful to children, the elderly, and people with heart and lung conditions.”

“This settlement is part of the U.S. government’s dedicated effort to bring all sulfuric acid manufacturers into compliance with the Clean Air Act,” said John C. Cruden, Acting Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Justice Department’s Environmental and Natural Resources Division. 

In a joint complaint, filed concurrently with the consent decree, the United States and West Virginia allege that the companies made modifications to their plant in 1996 without first obtaining pre-construction permits and installing required pollution control equipment.  The Clean Air Act requires major sources of air pollution to obtain such permits before making changes that would result in a significant emissions increase of any pollutant.

The Belle sulfuric acid plant burns sulfuric acid sludge, which creates sulfur dioxide (SO2).  Most of the SO2 is converted to sulfuric acid and recovered, but a portion of the chemical is emitted to the atmosphere.  In addition to SO2, the plant also emits sulfuric acid mist, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide.

SO2 can have serious health effects on children, the elderly, and people with heart and lung conditions.  It also contributes to the formation of acid rain, which can affect ponds, lakes and streams.  Acid rain has resulted in the acidification of waters in ponds, lakes, and streams, leading to the disappearance of animal and plant life.  Acid rain is also believed to leach nutrients from sensitive soils and damage forests.

Sulfuric acid is widely used for ore processing, fertilizer manufacturing, oil refining, wastewater processing and chemical synthesis.

The settlement is part of an EPA initiative to improve compliance among industries that have the potential to cause significant amounts of air pollution, including the cement manufacturing, glass manufacturing, and acid production industries. 

The consent decree, lodged today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court. 

More information on the settlement:  http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/cases/civil/caa/dupontlucite.html

U.S. EPA Finds Greenhouse Gases Contribute to Air Pollution: may endanger public health or welfare

Proposed Finding Comes in Response to 2007 Supreme Court Ruling

( Washington , D.C. – April 17, 2009)  After a thorough scientific review ordered in 2007 by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a proposed finding Friday that greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare.

The proposed finding, which now moves to a public comment period, identified six greenhouse gases that pose a potential threat.

“This finding confirms that greenhouse gas pollution is a serious problem now and for future generations.  Fortunately, it follows President Obama’s call for a low carbon economy and strong leadership in Congress on clean energy and climate legislation,” said Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “This pollution problem has a solution – one that will create millions of green jobs and end our country’s dependence on foreign oil.”

As the proposed endangerment finding states, “In both magnitude and probability, climate change is an enormous problem.  The greenhouse gases that are responsible for it endanger public health and welfare within the meaning of the Clean Air Act.”

EPA’s proposed endangerment finding is based on rigorous, peer-reviewed scientific analysis of six gases – carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride – that have been the subject of intensive analysis by scientists around the world. The science clearly shows that concentrations of these gases are at unprecedented levels as a result of human emissions, and these high levels are very likely the cause of the increase in average temperatures and other changes in our climate.

The scientific analysis also confirms that climate change impacts human health in several ways. Findings from a recent EPA study titled “Assessment of the Impacts of Global Change on Regional U.S. Air Quality: A Synthesis of Climate Change Impacts on Ground-Level Ozone,” for example, suggest that climate change may lead to higher concentrations of ground-level ozone, a harmful pollutant. Additional impacts of climate change include, but are not limited to:

increased drought;

• more heavy downpours and flooding;
• more frequent and intense heat waves and wildfires;
• greater sea level rise;
• more intense storms; and
• harm to water resources, agriculture, wildlife and ecosystems.

In proposing the finding, Administrator Jackson also took into account the disproportionate impact climate change has on the health of certain segments of the population, such as the poor, the very young, the elderly, those already in poor health, the disabled, those living alone and/or indigenous populations dependent on one or a few resources.

In addition to threatening human health, the analysis finds that climate change also has serious national security implications. Consistent with this proposed finding, in 2007, 11 retired U.S. generals and admirals signed a report from the Center for a New American Security stating that climate change “presents significant national security challenges for the United States .” Escalating violence in destabilized regions can be incited and fomented by an increasing scarcity of resources – including water. This lack of resources, driven by climate change patterns, then drives massive migration to more stabilized regions of the world.

The proposed endangerment finding now enters the public comment period, which is the next step in the deliberative process EPA must undertake before issuing final findings. Today’s proposed finding does not include any proposed regulations. Before taking any steps to reduce greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, EPA would conduct an appropriate process and consider stakeholder input.  Notwithstanding this required regulatory process, both President Obama and Administrator Jackson have repeatedly indicated their preference for comprehensive legislation to address this issue and create the framework for a clean energy economy.

More information:  http://epa.gov/climatechange/endangerment.html

Contact:  Cathy Milbourn, 202-564-4355 / 7849 / milbourn.cathy@epa.gov

EPA Names Priority Schools for Monitoring Toxic Outdoor Air Pollution

(Washington , D.C. – March 31, 2009) In an unprecedented effort to help protect children from toxic air pollution around schools, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced a list of schools that will undergo outdoor air monitoring.

“As a mother, I understand that concerned parents deserve this information as quickly as we can gather and analyze it,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.  “EPA, state, and local officials are mobilizing to determine where elevated levels of toxics pose a threat, so that we can take swift action to protect our children at their schools.”

EPA, state and local agencies will work together to monitor air toxics around 62 schools in 22 states that are located near large industrial facilities or in urban areas. EPA identified these schools for monitoring based on information that raised questions about air quality. That information included the best data available to EPA scientists about air pollution in the vicinity of schools, results of a computer modeling analysis, results from a recent newspaper analysis, and information from state and local air agencies.

Depending on the availability of staff and equipment, monitoring at some schools on the list will begin almost immediately; other schools will begin monitoring over the next 60 to 90 days.  State and local air agencies will install and operate the monitors, while EPA will purchase the monitors and pay for laboratory analysis.  

State and local agencies will take periodic samples of the air around the schools for a 60-day period.  EPA will analyze the results of the monitoring and share the information with the schools and the public.  EPA will use the information gathered in this initiative to determine how best to move forward, which could require additional monitoring or enforcement action where appropriate.

EPA and states will work with school communities to ensure they understand the monitoring results. In addition to monitoring the outdoor air quality, EPA also will help interested schools improve the quality of their indoor air.

To learn more about this program and to view the list of schools that are part of the monitoring initiative: http://www.epa.gov/schoolair

Contact: Cathy Milbourn, 202-564-4355 / milbourn.cathy@epa.gov
Contacto en español: Lina Younes, 202-564-4355 / younes.lina@epa.gov

New Grants to Measure Progress of Environmental Programs in Protecting Human Health

( Washington , D.C. – March 16, 2009) EPA has awarded 10 grants totaling $5 million to universities, state departments of public health and one research institute to develop a new generation of markers or indicators that measure progress in environmental programs in protecting human health. The new projects were awarded through EPA’s Science To Achieve Results research program, and will help environmental managers evaluate the effectiveness of programs in protecting human health and the environment

“Answering questions about how changes to the environment might impact the American public are critical for protecting human health,” said Lek Kadeli, Office of Research and Development acting Assistant Administrator.  “These grants support the science needed to better answer those questions and give environmental managers improved tools to evaluate their programs.”

Traditionally, environmental decision makers have evaluated success by numbers such as annual air releases, pollutant concentrations in water, or being in attainment for air quality.  While these measures are useful, health outcomes data will provide a new way to determine whether a program is succeeding in reducing the incidence of environmentally-related diseases, such as asthma. The research results will inform the public and policy makers about the impact of current air quality regulations or programs and provide valuable feedback for improving regulatory or other actions.

Under one of the grants, Johns Hopkins researchers will develop state level indicators of environmental pollution, population exposure, and population health risks by applying EPA national indicators to New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection  population data.  The University of California at Los Angeles will use its grant to combine existing environmental monitoring and health survey data to develop health outcome indicators that focus on asthma-related emergency department visits, doctor’s visits, absences from school and work, medication use, and frequency of asthma symptoms.

More information on the grants: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/indicators  

Contact:  Suzanne Ackerman, 202-564-4355 / ackerman.suzanne@epa.gov

EPA Provides $1.35M to Improve Air Quality in Massachusetts with Clean Diesel Projects

 (Boston, Mass. – Feb. 26, 2009) – Significant funding is being delivered to several Massachusetts projects that will help improve air quality in the Commonwealth.

In a ceremony at the Massachusetts Port Authority’s (Massport) Boston Fish Pier, EPA announced more than $1.35 million in funding to help reduce pollution from diesel vehicles and equipment operating in New England. The grants are being issued to three Massachusetts-based organizations, and were made available by EPA through the 2008 Northeast Diesel Collaborative (NEDC) Emissions Reduction Grant Program.

The funding announced by EPA is going to: Massport ($400,000) to install dockside power stations at the Boston Fish Pier; Environmental Defense Fund ($400,000) to introduce hybrid trucks to New England fleets; and Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) ($535,250) to retrofit regional locomotives.

“Reducing diesel emissions is an effective way to improve air quality and help people who suffer from asthma and other respiratory problems,” said Ira Leighton, acting regional administrator of EPA’s New England Office. “These projects will help bring cleaner air to Massachusetts citizens.”

Diesel engines contribute significantly to air pollution, especially in urban areas. The fine particles in diesel exhaust pose serious health risks, including aggravating heart or lung disease. People with existing heart or lung disease, such as asthma, older adults, and children are most sensitive to the health effects of fine particles. The Northeast has some of the highest asthma rates in the nation, including a childhood asthma rate above 10 percent in all six New England states. Lifetime asthma rates in children in Massachusetts are estimated at 14.6 percent.

“The MassCleanDiesel program aims to reduce the adverse health effects of diesel pollution on our residents. Emissions from thousands of school and transit buses, and off-road construction vehicles are now being cleaned up,” said Laurie Burt, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). “The EPA grants will add to the Commonwealth’s efforts to retrofit locomotive diesel engines and support clean hybrid technologies for diesel trucks.”

The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) will receive $400,000 through the NEDC Emission Reduction Grant Program to install dock-side power at the Boston Fish Pier. “Shore power” allows vessels to “plug in” to an electrical power source instead of using diesel generators while at the berth. Currently, shore power is available to only four vessels when docked at the Fish Pier. More than a dozen vessels regularly dock there, and need to run their diesel generators many hours per day to supply power for off-loading, maintenance and essential on-board systems. The project is expected to reduce diesel generator “idling” by 95 percent. In addition, the fuel and cost-savings data yielded by this project will be important in helping other fishing ports in the Northeast decide whether and how to undertake similar improvements.

“We are pleased to partner with the EPA on this program that will reduce the impact of our port operations and help us be more environmentally friendly,” said Michael A. Leone, Massport’s Port Director. “The grant will significantly reduce diesel emissions, and allow fishermen to conduct their business in a more energy efficient and cost effective manner.”

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) will receive $400,000 and the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) will receive $535,250 for projects that reduce diesel emissions. EDF will use funds to establish the Northeast Hybrid Truck Consortium. Through the Consortium, EDF will work with communities and organizations in all six New England states to replace at least twelve pre-2007 heavy-duty diesel vehicles with hybrid versions. EPA funds will pay for up to 25 percent of the cost of the new vehicle.

“Together, Environmental Defense Fund, NESCAUM, EPA and MassDEP are jump-starting the hybrid truck market in New England,” said Gwen Ruta, vice president at Environmental Defense Fund. “In tough economic times, these clean, fuel-sipping trucks make sense for our lungs, for the climate, and for our wallets.”

The Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), in partnership with the Providence & Worcester (P&W) Railroad, will install auxiliary power units on 17 locomotives built between 1969 and 1988. Installation of these units will reduce unnecessary idling which will lessen the amount of particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) released into the air. Reducing fuel consumption will also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 1,700 tons per year. In addition, P&W Railroad will continue to fuel their locomotives with ultra low sulfur diesel fuel ahead of the 2012 mandate, further reducing harmful emissions.

“The Providence and Worcester Railroad is a significant regional freight rail line with operations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York. As such, a diesel emissions reduction project involving P&W has long been a top priority for the Northeast Diesel Collaborative,” said Paul Miller, Deputy Director of Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management. “We are very pleased that EPA has seen fit to fund this particular project.”

Today’s announcement is part of nearly $2 million in grant funds being awarded in New England by the EPA through the 2008 NEDC Emissions Reduction Grant program.

The recent passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) makes available an additional $300 million nationwide under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Program for grants and loans to help regional, state and local governments, tribal agencies, and non-profit organizations with projects that reduce diesel emissions and create jobs. A Request for Applications will be issued in the coming weeks. ARRA gives preference to projects that can be started and completed expeditiously. Prospective grant applicants can begin preparations now for the upcoming competitions.

NEDC is a partnership of public and private organizations working to improve air quality by taking action to reduce diesel pollution. The NEDC was established in 2005 by Regions 1 and 2 of the U.S. EPA, NESCAUM and the states and territories of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. Puerto Rico joined in 2007 and the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2008.

For more information:

Contact Information: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017;  Website:  Northeast Diesel Collaborative

Information: EPA region 1 diesel website

Information:  Epa Grant Fund website

Information:  EDF’s Hybrid Trucks Homepage