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Sector Strategies Connector
Archives
Fifth Edition, April 2006
Headlines
- Introduction
- EMS Graduation Day for Public Seaports
- Cement Industry Environment and Energy Awards 2005
- Agency Nears National Agreement on Mercury Switch Recovery Program
- EPA Hosts Multi-Stakeholder Meeting on Foundry Sand
- Best Practices in Preparing Port Emission Inventories
- Forest Products Energy from Biomass
- Energy Trend Analysis
- Connect With Us
Introduction
Accelerating the pace of environmental protection while maintaining our nation's economic competitiveness...EPA Administrator Steve Johnson highlighted that charge from the President as the defining theme of his Action Plan for the Agency. In the Sector Strategies Program, we look for the best ways to help our sectors reduce their environmental footprint and manage their resources in today's fast-paced, highly competitive world markets. We address barriers that slow down innovative environmental management and product development. The activities highlighted in this issue of the Connector are examples of how we contribute to the Administrator's goal in very tangible ways.
A faster paced system of environmental protection places a premium on demonstrating results that are achieved more quickly and efficiently than ever before. We and our sector partners take this responsibility seriously. Next month, we will publish the 2006 edition of the Sector Strategies Performance Report, which tracks the progress of our participating sectors. The new report highlights many successes, but also sheds light on areas where improvement has lagged. The report will be widely distributed and will be available online. I invite you to consider its value as a tool for tracking the pace of environmental progress.
Bob Benson
Director, Sector Strategies Program
EPA Office of Policy, Economics and Innovation
Ports Sector-
EMS Graduation Day for Public Seaports
On March 20th, nine public seaports and two federal maritime facilities were recognized for successfully completing the first Port Environmental Management System (EMS) Assistance Project, a two-year initiative in which they received EMS training, mentoring and technical assistance, and group support during implementation. As part of this project, the Port of Houston, which previously achieved ISO 14001 certification for its EMS, applied the management systems approach to security requirements and developed a Security Management System (SMS).
The project was initiated by the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) in partnership with the Global Environment & Technology Foundation (GETF) and Sector Strategies. In addition to the Port of Houston, participants in this groundbreaking initiative included the Port of Los Angeles, the Virginia Port Authority, the Port of New Orleans, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, Port Everglades, the Port of Portland (OR), the Portland District Corps of Engineers, the Port of Vancouver, the Port of Corpus Christi Authority, and a Maritime Administration facility.
Each 'graduating' port facility achieved the benefits of improved employee awareness and ownership of environmental and security issues. Early environmental results were significant: a 640,000 gallon per day reduction in water leakage at one port; reduced zinc in waste water; minimized hazardous waste generated; a recycling program that saved over $25,000; improved energy efficiency; a shift to wind-power energy; a Construction Environmental Check List for bid documents; and the integration of environmental policies into port strategic plans.
Based on the success of the first round, a second project was launched in February 2006. Three of the first-round ports (New York/New Jersey, Portland, and Corpus Christi) are participating again, this time to develop Security Management Systems. In addition, ports in Cleveland, Everett (WA), Baltimore, and Long Beach (CA), as well as a Corps of Engineers facility, have signed up to develop Environmental Management Systems. The Port of Long Beach will develop both an EMS and an SMS.
For more information, contact Kathleen Bailey (bailey.kathleen@epa.gov) at 202-566-2953.
Cement Sector -
The 2005 Cement Industry Environment and Energy Awards
To recognize and promote the efforts of cement producers' innovative practices, programs, and projects throughout North America, the Portland Cement Association (PCA), the Cement Association of Canada (CAC), and Cement Americas magazine have created the Cement Industry Environment and Energy Awards to honor individual facilities that have demonstrated continuous environmental improvement. The award winners for 2005 will be announced later this month.
Earlier this year, judges selected first place winner and runners-up in each of the contest's six categories: Environmental Performance; Land Stewardship; Outreach; Innovation; Energy Efficiency; and Overall Environmental Excellence. Plants were allowed to submit more than one project, and all North American facilities were eligible. An esteemed panel of judges included representatives from PCA, CAC, Cement Americas, the National Ready-Mixed Concrete Association, the National Stone Sand and Gravel Association, EPA, and the State Department.
These awards are part of PCA's Sustainability Program - Concrete Thinking for A Sustainable World. They help to communicate innovative ideas within the cement industry, and also raise the profile and priority of environmental and energy-efficient programs in all industries. For more information, contact Carl Koch (koch.carl@epa.gov) at 202-566-2972.
Iron & Steel Sector -
Agency Seeks National Agreement on Mercury Switch Recovery Program
EPA recently hosted a two-day negotiation session as part of an ongoing effort to establish a national program to remove mercury switches from scrap vehicles prior to their use as feedstock for Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF) and other steel mills. Recovering these switches is a practical way to reduce mercury air emissions from steel mills. EAFs alone emit an estimated ten tons of mercury each year.
Meeting participants included representatives of automakers, steelmakers, scrap processors, vehicle dismantlers, environmental groups, and state representatives. The parties tentatively agreed to the elements of a national program that could include:
- A program sponsored by the auto industry to collect, transport, and recycle switches (the End of Life Vehicle Solutions Program - ELVS).
- Steelmaker efforts to use reduced-mercury scrap throughout their supply chain, and to work with their suppliers to convey that message.
- Actions by other parties to promote and participate in the program and help assess its progress.
- EPA consideration of the program when developing a new area source air rule to regulate mercury emissions from steel mills.
Important issues remain to be worked out, but good faith negotiations are ongoing among all participating organizations. For more information, contact Tom Tyler (tyler.tom@epa.gov) at 202-566-2969.
Metal Casting Sector -
EPA Hosts Multi-Stakeholder Meeting on Foundry Sand
In conjunction with the 2005 Byproducts Beneficial Use Summit at the end of November, EPA hosted a one-day forum on the beneficial reuse of foundry sand. About 10 million tons of foundry sand are generated per year, and only about 1 million tons are currently reused. The meeting was well attended by industry representatives, states, EPA, regions, university researchers, the Federal Highway Administration, and several transportation consultants.
The day started with a review of how excess foundry sand is generated and a review of current data and research on the risks of beneficially using foundry sand. The meeting quickly shifted focus to identifying and surmounting market and regulatory barriers to further reuse. Sessions were designed to address different challenges, such as the construction market, the soils market, and other markets. There was also a state regulatory barrier session that was productive and well attended by 17 different states.
The overwhelming consensus was that the meeting was highly successful. Participants felt that it was helpful to come to a common understanding of the issues and continue dialogue on how to overcome the barriers. EPA looks forward to following up on action items and continuing to communicate with major stakeholders.
For more information, contact Jeffrey Kohn (kohn.jeffrey@epa.gov) at 202-566-1407.
Ports Sector -
Best Practices in Preparing Port Emission Inventories
The Sector Strategies Program has just completed a report on "Current Methodologies and Best Practices in Preparing Port Emission Inventories." This document describes what has been learned about development of port-related emissions inventories to date and is a tool that can be used to inform the future development of such inventories.
An emission inventory is necessary for port authorities, those doing business at ports (such as tenants and shipping companies), state/local entities, or other interested parties to understand and quantify the air quality impacts of current operations, and to access the impacts of port expansion projects or growth in port activity. An inventory provides the baseline from which to create and implement emission mitigation strategies, and track performance over time.
The American Association of Port Authorities has distributed the report to 86 major port facilities nationwide. For more information, contact Kathleen Bailey (bailey.kathleen@epa.gov) at 202-566-2953.
Forest Products Sector -
Energy from Biomass
The combination of rising energy costs, decreasing margins on pulp, and a greater focus on renewable fuels has finally spurred the commercialization of the "biorefinery" - a concept that has been the subject of Department of Energy and industry research for many years. Biorefineries that are co-located with pulp and paper mills take advantage of the biomass used to produce paper to produce additional bio-fuels and chemicals. These bio-products have the potential to create new income streams for the industry which has faced economic challenges over the past several years. In addition, industry is piloting biomass gasification technologies, which if implemented will allow a mill to self-generate all of its energy needs and possibly export renewable energy to the grid.
Recently, Sector Strategies sponsored a meeting with officials from Potlatch Corporation to share information on their plans to construct a "biorefinery" at their mill in Cypress Bend, Arkansas. Potlatch is working on this project with several partners, including Winrock International, the University of Arkansas at Monticello, the Arkansas Department of Economic Development, and the Department of Energy's Agenda 2020 program. Potlatch has developed a feasibility study that analyzes the conversion of forest and agricultural residuals to create higher value chemicals and fuel, through the removal of hemicellulose and lignin in the pulping process.
Phase 1, to be completed by 2009, would incorporate a thermo-chemical pathway that would convert agricultural and forest biomass to biofuel. Phase 2 would employ black liquor (lignin) gasification, and Phase 3 would use hemicellulose extraction prior to pulping to produce ethanol. In addition to the production of new products such as bio-fuels and ethanol, the Cypress Bend mill could potentially reduce its natural gas usage by 1,600,000 MMBTU per year and purchased electricity by up to 80,000 MWH per year. While more study is needed, gasification technologies have the potential to significantly reduce air emissions from this industry.
Multi-Sector -
Energy Trend Analysis
As illustrated by the Forest Products Sector, energy consumption greatly impacts a sector's economic performance and resulting environmental footprint. The Sector Strategies Program has undertaken an analysis of energy trends among our sector partners and several additional energy-intensive sectors, including aluminum manufacturing, airports, and petroleum refining. This sector-based analysis is focused on current energy use, energy intensity, and fuel types, as well as future economic and technology trends and their impact on energy use.
By understanding the unique energy use characteristics and trends of each sector, we then can focus on factors that are barriers to improved energy efficiency and technology development. Ultimately, these insights can inform and help shape strategic policy decisions to meet environmental and energy conservation goals. For more information, contact Rhea Hale at 202-566-2965.
Connect With Us
You can get more information on the activities of the Sector Strategies Program at our Web page. Or you can contact staff liaisons for each sector directly - they serve as a resource on environmental issues for their sectors. Here's a list of our sector liaisons:
Program Director -- Bob Benson (benson.robert@epa.gov), 202-566-2954
Team Lead (strategic planning, program office relations) -- Shannon Kenny (kenny.shannon@epa.gov), 202-566-2964
Sector liaisons:
Agribusiness -- new liaison TBA, contact Bob Benson (benson.robert@epa.gov) in the interim
Cement -- Carl Koch (koch.carl@epa.gov), 202-566-2972
Colleges & Universities -- Peggy Bagnoli (bagnoli.peggy@epa.gov), 202-566-2957
Construction -- Peter Truitt (truitt.peter@epa.gov), 202-566-2970
Forest Products -- Rhea Hale (hale.rhea@epa.gov), 202-566-2965
Iron & Steel -- Tom Tyler (tyler.tom@epa.gov), 202-566-2969
Metal Casting -- Jeff Kohn (kohn.jeffrey@epa.gov), 202-566-1407
Metal Finishing - Bob Benson Paint & Coatings -- Barry Elman (elman.barry@epa.gov), 202-566-2958
Ports -- Kathleen Bailey (bailey.kathleen@epa.gov), 202-566-2953
Shipbuilding & Ship Repair -- Shana Harbour (harbour.shana@epa.gov), 202-566-2959
Specialty-Batch Chemicals -- Bob Benson (benson.robert@epa.gov) (general inquiries) and Jeff Kohn (RCRA issues)
Please share your suggestions on ways to improve this newsletter. To subscribe/unsubscribe, or if there are others who you feel should receive the Connector, contact Peggy Bagnoli (bagnoli.peggy@epa.gov) or 202-566-2957. Thanks to our many stakeholders for their interest and participation in our collaborative sector partnerships!