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EPA INNOVATION LISTSERVER April 27, 2004
http://www.epa.gov/innovation/listserver
1) New Report Showcases Innovation in Environmental Programs
2) States To Explore Innovative Approaches to Permitting
3) EPA To Explore Benefits of Environmental Management
Systems in Regulatory Programs
4) More Americans Look for ENERGY STAR, Survey Says
5) Performance Track Announces Awards, First Set of Regulatory
Benefits for Members
6) EPA and DOE To Link Supercomputing Capabilities
7) Grants to Increase Use of Truck Stop Electrification Technology
8) EPA Displays First Advanced Hybrid Hydraulic Vehicle
9) EPA Releases First Annual Report on the Resource
Conservation Challenge
10) Results for Annual SO2 Allowance Auction Announced
1) New Report Showcases Innovation in Environmental Programs
Two years after releasing a comprehensive innovation strategy, EPA has issued a report on progress. "Innovating for Better Environmental Results: A Report on EPA Progress from the Innovation Action Council," highlights numerous innovations shaping the next generation of environmental policy. The report presents innovations designed to improve water quality, address the funding gap for water infrastructure, and reduce smog and greenhouse gas emissions. It also describes how Environmental Management Systems, market-based incentives, sector strategies and other tools are creating more options for environmental problem-solving. Many of the examples highlight collaboration with States, business groups, and communities, and offer models that can be used to improve results on a larger scale.
Copies can be obtained by calling the National Service Center for Environmental Publications at 1-800-490-9198 and requesting publication 100-R-04-001.
More information is online about the 2004 innovation report or the 2002 innovation strategy, at: http://www.epa.gov/innovation
2) States To Explore Innovative Approaches to Permitting
EPA is awarding grants of up to $200,000 each to ten States to explore innovative approaches to environmental permitting. The selected States are Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Wyoming and Oregon. The grants, which total $1.6 million, will be awarded under EPA's State Innovation Grant program. The latest solicitation encouraged projects that explore the relationship between Environmental Management Systems and permitting, and applications of the Environmental Results Program, which has been used by Massachusetts and other States to improve environmental performance by small business sectors. Several of the selected projects will focus on improving permitting for specific business sectors, including automotive body and automotive repair, dry cleaning, printing, and retail gasoline sales.
More information is online at http://www.epa.gov/innovation/stategrants
3) EPA to Explore Benefits of Environmental Management Systems in Regulatory Programs
On April 12, 2004, Acting Deputy Administrator Steve Johnson signed a strategy that gives regulatory agencies, regulated entities and non-governmental organizations insight into how EPA might incorporate EMSs into the regulatory structure. The strategy will help EPA determine whether giving organizations that adopt EMSs regulatory options or benefits via rules and permits can lead to more efficient and effective regulations. The "Strategy for Determining the Role of Environmental Management Systems in Regulatory Programs" can be found at http://www.epa.gov/ems/position/agency.htm
4) More Americans Look for ENERGY STAR, Survey Says
Public awareness of ENERGY STAR has jumped to 56 percent of U.S. households, according to a recent nationwide survey. This finding represents a 15 percentage point increase over prior years. In many major markets where local utilities and other organizations use ENERGY STAR to promote energy efficiency to their customers, public awareness of ENERGY STAR is even higher, averaging 67 percent. Other results from the survey include: one in five households selected an ENERGY STAR qualifying product in the past year, more than 50 percent of these households reported being favorably influenced by the ENERGY STAR label, and more than 60 percent of these households reported they are likely to recommend ENERGY STAR products to their friends. ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce air pollution through energy efficiency. Now with assistance from the Department of Energy, the ENERGY STAR label is found on products in more than 40 categories for homes and offices.
More information is online at http://www.energystar.gov
5) Performance Track Announces Awards, First Set of Regulatory Benefits for Members
During the annual meeting of the Performance Track Participants Association, EPA rewarded nine members for outstanding achievements in environmental performance, outreach, and mentoring. EPA also welcomed sixty-six new facilities. A new rule gives the program's 344 members their first regulatory benefits. On April 14, 2004, EPA Administrator Leavitt signed the Performance Track rule, which offers members flexibility in complying with certain air emission and hazardous waste storage requirements. Meanwhile, members may soon reap additional benefits. Three investment advisory firms - the Calvert Group, Innovest Strategic Value Advisors, and KLD Research and Analytics - have announced they are using Performance Track as a criterion in developing their investment ratings. These ratings are used by investors to make strategic investment decisions. Positive results can increase investor confidence, improve brand recognition, and boost stock indexes and competitiveness.
For more information on Performance Track, go to: http://www.epa.gov/performancetrack
6) EPA and DOE To Link Supercomputing Capabilities
Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in February, EPA and DOE will join together to advance research and apply supercomputing capabilities. High performance computing allows better and faster runs of environmental models. The agreement will accelerate work in computational toxicology, an application that combines computer-based statistical techniques and molecular genetics to allow chemical testing based on a chemical's molecular structure and genetic effects. Computational toxicology can reduce animal testing and provide better toxicity information for chemicals in a faster manner. EPA will also benefit from access to DOE's Joint Genome Institute. Genomics is a new area of biology, which is derived from the large-scale DNA sequencing efforts of the human genome. It holds the potential to reveal molecular pieces of the toxicity pathway and improve chemical risk assessments and the evaluation of the health of ecosystems.
To read the MOU, download the file from http://www.epa.gov/ord/WebPubs/DOEMOU.pdf (pdf, 70 kb, 8 pp)
7) Grants to Increase Use of Truck Stop Electrification Technology
EPA is awarding grants to help states and non-profit organizations install truck stop electrification technology. This technology reduces emissions from trucks while idling at truck stops and other waiting areas. Annually, long duration truck idling consumes one billion gallons of diesel fuel, and contributes over 11 million tons of carbon dioxide, 180,000 tons of nitrogen oxides and 5,000 tons of particulate matter. Much of this fuel consumption and the associated emissions can be reduced with the use of idle reduction technologies. The grants, which are being awarded under the Smart Way Transport partnership and total approximately $800,000, will focus on reducing emissions along major transportation interstate corridors.
For more information, go to: http://www.epa.gov/smartway
8) First Advanced Hybrid Hydraulic Vehicle Goes on Display
The first advanced hydraulic hybrid sport utility vehicle (SUV) was publicly displayed by EPA, along with its partners, at the 2004 Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress in Detroit, Michigan. This vehicle demonstrates that hydraulic hybrid technology has the potential to dramatically and cost-effectively improve the fuel economy of SUVs while at the same time improving performance. The vehicle on display is reported to achieve a 55 percent improvement in fuel economy. The new technology is projected to increase the cost of a large SUV by about $600, which could be recouped quickly by consumers' lower fuel and maintenance costs. Hydraulic hybrids are just one of several new clean diesel automotive technologies being developed by automakers, other companies and the Federal Government. Other technologies include electric hybrids, clean diesel engines, fuel cells and ongoing improvements to conventional gasoline engines.
For more information, visit: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/hwy.htm
9) EPA Releases First Annual Report on the Resource Conservation Challenge
The first annual report on the Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC) details how companies, governments, and other organizations are working with EPA to significantly reduce waste. Under the RCC, diverse stakeholders collaborate to prevent pollution, promote recycling, reuse materials, reduce the use of toxic chemicals, and conserve energy. The RCC comprises veteran voluntary programs such as WasteWise and new ones such as the National Waste Minimization Program, the Coal Combustion Products Partnership, Plug-In to eCycling, and the GreenScapes Alliance. The annual report quantifies the achievements of these programs. In 2003, for example, consumers safely recycled 26.4 million pounds of computers and other electronic equipment at Plug-In to eCycling events.
For more information, visit: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve
10) Results for Annual SO2 Allowance Auction Announced
Private citizens, brokers and power plants bought and sold 250,011 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2) at the 12th annual acid rain allowance auction on March 22 at the Chicago Board of Trade. Each "allowance" is the equivalent of one ton of acid rain-causing SO2, which is emitted from power plants. EPA's Acid Rain Program uses a market-driven cap-and-trade system to cut SO2 emissions from power plants. SO2 emissions from electric power generation continue to decline, down by more than 7 million tons since 1980, improving human and environmental health, earlier, and at less cost, than would have occurred with more conventional approaches.
For more information, go to: http://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/arp
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http://www.epa.gov/innovation/listserver
This listserver is provided by EPA's National Center for Environmental Innovation to share information about activities and events related to environmental innovation. Many of the featured news items are taken from EPA's press releases, and most include a web link for obtaining more complete information. This listserver is part of EPA's continuing effort to improve public access to critical information.
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