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Envirobytes - Archive
EnviroBytes, a Summary of Issues and Events for Week Ending April 10, 2009
REGION 3 STATES AND D.C. RECEIVE STIMULUS FUNDING TO REDUCE DIESEL EMISSIONS, CREATE JOBS
EPA has allocated $88.2 million in stimulus funds for its State Clean Diesel grant program to improve the nation's air quality to be divided equally among each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia at $1.73 million each. This allocation will support loan programs, clean diesel projects (such as engine idle reduction and retrofit technologies), engine replacement, vehicle replacement, and emerging clean diesel technologies to improve emissions from the nation's million diesel engines. The projects will help create green jobs, and reduce the health impacts associated with premature deaths, asthma attacks and other air quality related conditions. For more information, visit https://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/prgstate.htm
FORMER ADMINISTRATOR JACKSON RELEASES AN EARTH DAY VIDEO MESSAGE
Former EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson released an Earth Month video message challenging all Americans to continue the process of building a green economy and to imagine how future generations will envision the past as they reap the rewards of past efforts. She stated that although the nation has come a long way in removing pollution and toxic chemicals from the nation's air, water, and land since the first Earth Day many years ago, the growing complexity of the problems still challenge our efforts. By taking steps to protect the water we drink, the air we breathe and the land we live, work and play in, we can help create a society and economy that produces new jobs, protects human health and the environment and frees us from dependence on foreign oil. To view the video, go to https://www.epa.gov/earthday.
EPA ANNOUNCES NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATORS AND FREEZERS TO EARN ENERGY STAR CERTIFICATION
EPA announced that effective Jan. 1, 2010, Energy Star requirements for commercial refrigerators and freezers will be almost 35 percent more energy efficient than standard models and will annually save consumers $170 per refrigerator and $120 per freezer. Food service operators/consumers will be provided with more energy efficient products, which save significantly more money and energy on electric, gas, water and sewer bills. Energy Star glass door refrigerators and freezers (used in convenience stores, supermarkets and restaurants) began to qualify for the Energy Star label as of April 1 with savings up to $800 per refrigerator and $2,500 per freezer over the expected 10-year life of the product. For more information on Energy Star qualified commercial kitchen products, go to http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=CKP .
EPA ADDS TWO REGIONAL HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES TO SUPERFUND'S NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST; PROPOSES TWO ADDITIONAL NEW SITES
EPA's Superfund program investigates and cleans up the most difficult hazardous waste sites in the nation to protect human health and the environment by adding them to its National Priorities list (NPL). EPA is adding two Region 3 sites to the NPL, namely the Fort Detrick Area B Ground Water site (Frederick, Md.), and the BoRit Asbestos site (Ambler, Pa.). Two additional Region 3 sites have been proposed to the NPL: the Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation/Church Road TCE (Mountain Top, Pa.), and the Peck Iron and Metal (Portsmouth, Va.). Nationwide, nine new hazardous waste sites are being added to the NPL of Superfund sites and 13 other sites are being proposed to the list. For Federal Register notices and supporting documents for all final and proposed sites, go to https://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/current.htm
EPA DISTRIBUTES $18 MILLION IN RECOVERY ACT FUNDS TO CLEAN UP REGIONAL UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK PETROLEUM LEAKS
EPA announced the distribution of $197 million in stimulus funding to assess, cleanup and prevent the nation's underground storage tanks from contaminating the country's land and water. Leaking underground storage tanks pose a potential hazard from petroleum or other hazardous substances seeping into the soil and contaminating groundwater and drinking water. EPA's Region 3 programs will receive a subtotal of $18 million in stimulus funding. The Region 3 states' allotments as part of the $197 million in stimulus funding are: District of Columbia ($607,000); Delaware ($1.2 million); Maryland ($3.7 million); Pennsylvania ($6.2 million); Virginia ($4.6 million); and West Virginia ($1.6 million). For more detailed information, go to www.epa.gov/oust/eparecovery
EPA LAUNCHES INTERACTIVE WEB TOOLS IN CELEBRATION OF EARTH MONTH
The first Earth Day started 39 years ago on April 22 when 20 million Americans decided there was a need to improve our environment. For Earth Month, EPA has launched several on-line communication tools on its Earth Day Web site to inform Americans how to protect their health and their environment in celebration of Earth Day.
Daily Email Environmental Tips: https://www.epa.gov/earthday/tips.htm
Put The Environmental Tips Widget On Your Own Web Page, Blog, Or Social Networking Profile: https://www.epa.gov/widgets/
Listen To The Daily Audio Tip Podcast From EPA Employees Around The Country:https://www.epa.gov/earthday/podcasts/
Join Us Around The Country Or Get Our Take Home Kit: https://www.epa.gov/earthday/events.htm
Share Your Photo And Video Creativity In Several Categories: https://www.epa.gov/earthday/photoproject/ And https://www.epa.gov/earthday/videoproject/
Share Your Thoughts With Our Writers In Greenversations: http://blog.epa.gov/blog/.
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