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Envirobytes - An Environmental Newsletter
EnviroBytes, a Summary of Issues and Events for Week Ending September 26, 2008
EPA RELEASES ITS 2008 REPORT ON THE ENVIRONMENT
EPA released its "2008 Report on the Environment: Highlights of National Trends," a new and important resource to better understand trends in the nation's health and environment. The new report is intended for a general audience and summarizes highlights of the "EPA's 2008 Report on the Environment" which was released in May, and provided more scientific and technical information. Together the two reports inform about EPA's strategic planning process with the best available scientific information. EPA also launched a new Web site that allows the user to search the full technical report for specific trends in air, water, and land at http://www.epa.gov/roe
PODCAST OFFERS INSIGHT ON EPA ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS
The latest "Environment Matters" podcast features some of the 10 winners of EPA Region 3's first Mid-Atlantic Environmental Achievement Awards. The awards were presented at a ceremony on September 25 at the National Constitution Center, where Administrator Stephen L. Johnson was the featured speaker. You can access the podcast and news releases about the winners on the region's Web site, www.epa.gov/region03
SMALL PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS HONORED BY EPA FOR ENERGY SAVINGS
Pine Forest Camps of Greely, Pa. was one of the recipients of the EPA 2008 Energy Star Award for Small Businesses for cutting utility costs and making significant energy efficiency improvements in its operations. Pine Forest operates three summer camps in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains which saved nearly $13,000 in energy costs in its first year under the Energy Star program. The camps' reductions of electricity and propane represent a reduction in annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the CO2 emissions from electricity use of six homes. The EPA Energy Star program is designed to save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. To learn more about the other 2008 Energy Star Small Business Award winners, visit: www.energystar.gov/SmallBizAwards
EPA SEEKS GRANT PROPOSALS UNDER ITS AGING INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE OLDER ADULTS' ENVIRONMENT AND LEADERSHIP
EPA is seeking grant proposals under its Aging Initiative to train older adults to be environmental leaders, and demonstrate how greenways and sustainable streets can improve the environmental quality of life of the active older adults. The solicitation opened Sept. 24 and closes Nov. 21. States or state agencies, the District of Columbia, territories, federally recognized Indian Tribes and U.S. possessions are eligible to apply. It is also open to public and private universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, other public or private nonprofit institutions and 501 (c)(3) organizations. EPA will award two grants totaling $200,000 in the winter of 2009. For more information, go to: http://epa.gov/aging/grants/grant-list/2008_11_21_rfp-epa-ao-ochp-08-01-fnl-rev-9-24.htm)
FEDERAL AGENCIES TO ADDRESS MARINE DEBRIS
EPA, NOAA and nine other federal agencies announced the completion of an interagency report to guide the strategies of individual federal agencies and of the IMDCC to prevent and reduce marine debris. Marine debris, which includes improperly discarded plastic grocery bags, bottles, ropes, tires, soda rings and lost fishing gear, is found in the ocean and along coasts around the world threatening public safety, tourism, the economy, necessitating costly cleanups, and harming marine life such as seals, sea turtles, sea birds and coral reefs. The IMDCC report is available at http://ocean.ceq.gov/ For information on marine debris, go to http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/debris/index.html For information on the NOAA marine debris program, go to http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/debris/index.html
NEW INDUSTRIAL STORMWATER DISCHARGE PERMIT OFFERS IMPROVED FEATURES
EPA is issuing a new Stormwater Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP) for an estimated 4,100 industrial facilities in 29 different sectors to implement site-specific stormwater pollution prevention plans to protect water quality. The new improved permit replaces the expired 2000 permit with easier to understand discharge requirements; faster and easier filing of electronic Notices of Intent and monitoring reports; better web-based tools to locate waterbodies and determine impairment status; and updated monitoring, inspection and corrective action schedules. The new MSGP applies to facilities in states and territories not authorized to implement EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program (NPDES). For more information, go to epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/msgp
EPA TO TURN CONTAMINATED SITES INTO RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCING SITES
Using a novel approach (the renewable energy interactive mapping tool), EPA has identified thousands of properties that could potentially host solar, wind or biomass energy production facilities and has listed each property's attributes for energy redevelopment. These properties have varying levels of historic contamination, some already addressed, while others are still to be fully investigated. The appropriate steps to address the contamination at these properties will vary from site to site, depending on the nature of the contamination and intended reuse. For more information about this renewable energy development potential for contaminated lands, go to http://www.epa.gov/renewableenergyland
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