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Envirobytes - Archive
EnviroBytes, a Summary of Issues and Events for weeks ending May 6, 2011 and May 13, 2011
EPA TO HOLD THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON NATIONAL AIR TOXICS STANDARDS FOR POWER PLANTS
EPA will hold three public hearings in May on the proposed mercury and air toxics standards requiring power plants to install pollution control technologies to cut emissions of mercury, arsenic, chromium, nickel and acid gases. There will be a hearing on May 24 in Philadelphia, Pa. at the Westin, 99 S. 17th St. at Liberty Place, Philadelphia, Pa. Other hearings will take place May 24, in Chicago, Ill., and May 26, in Atlanta, Ga. EPA will accept written comments on the proposed standards until July 5, 2011 and will finalize the rule by November 2011. For More information on the hearings and instructions for submitting written comments, go to https://www.epa.gov/airquality/powerplanttoxics/
EPA KICKS OFF 2011 ENERGY STAR NATIONAL BUILDING COMPETITION TO SAVE ENERGY AND REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
EPA’s Energy Star program launched the 2011 Battle of the Buildings National Building Competition in which teams from around the country will vie to see who best improves their monthly energy efficiency and energy use. Competing teams use EPA's online energy tracking tool called Portfolio Manager to track their progress. A small group of buildings will be selected as finalists in July and the building with the largest percentage reduction in energy use will be recognized as the winner in November. For more information, go to http://www.energystar.gov/BattleOfTheBuildings
STUDENTS RECOGNIZED FOR PROTECTING THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER IN CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL DRINKING WATER WEEK, MAY 1-7
EPA recognized three schools and an individual for their outstanding environmental education projects that protect drinking water and educate about source water protection. The Schuylkill Stories Video Contest Award went to the Philadelphia School District’s Miquon School. The Schuylkill Action Network Drinking Water Scholastic awards went to Upper Perkiomen School District’s Hereford Elementary School, Upper Perkiomen High School and to homeschooler Amy Goldfischer of Havertown, Pa. For more information, visit: http://www.schuylkillwaters.org/index.cfm
EPA SEEKS PARTICIPATION ON TWO UPCOMING NEW AIR RULES
EPA is inviting small businesses, governments, and not-for-profit organizations to participate in two Small Business Advocacy Review Panels to establish standards for vehicle emissions and update emission standards for refineries. The first panel will propose standards for vehicles and gasoline, and changes to fuel certification for all categories of gasoline-powered highway vehicles and nonroad engines and equipment. The second panel will develop emissions standards for petroleum refineries for multiple pollutants, including greenhouse gases. Self-nominations must be received by May 16. For more information, go to https://www.epa.gov/sbrefa/tier3.htm and https://www.epa.gov/sbrefa/refinery.htm
MAY IS ASTHMA AWARENESS MONTH; EPA SPONSORS ASTHMA FORUM IN DC JUNE 9-10
EPA is commemorating Asthma Awareness Month to publicize asthma as a growing national problem especially among children. To help alleviate the problem, EPA is updating air quality regulations and reducing air pollution such as mercury and fine particle pollution from power plants, industry and vehicles. For information to reduce asthma triggers such as dust mites, mold, cockroaches, pet dander, and secondhand smoke, go to https://www.epa.gov/asthma/index.html For more information about community-based asthma programs, go to http://www.AsthmaCommunityNetwork.org
From June 9-10, EPA will host the 2011 National Asthma Forum in Washington, D.C. to discuss the most effective community-based strategies that will improve asthma outcomes, build sustainable asthma care programs, and extend availability of these programs to everyone in need. For forum information, go to https://www.epa.gov/asthma/forum.html
REGISTER FOR THE GREENING HISTORIC COMMUNITIES SYMPOSIUM IN DELAWARE
Registration is now open for the Greening Historic Communities Symposium, June 15 - 16 at the Hotel DuPont in Wilmington, Del. Coordinated by EPA Regions 3, 2, and 5, this symposium will address historic communities and will explore issues relevant to the Northeast region as well as national successes. Attendees will engage in facilitated dialogue on key issues, incentives, challenges, and policy changes needed to successfully green historic communities. For additional information (including registration) go to http://www.greenhistoricpreservation.org/
GREENCHILL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM NOW ACTIVE IN ALL 50 STATES
EPA launched the GreenChill voluntary partnership program in 2007 which now boasts 7,000 partner stores located in all 50 states, and represents 20 percent of the supermarket industry. Under the program, food retailers learn to transition to more environmentally friendly refrigerants, reduce the amount of refrigerant used in stores, and eliminate harmful refrigerant leaks. For more information on EPA’s GreenChill Partnership, go to https://www.epa.gov/greenchill
HEALTHY WATERS BLOG CURRENT HIGHLIGHT
Do Some RECON With BEACON! EPA has two programs which provide the public with information about the quality of their beach water as well as a tool called BEACON (Beach Advisory and Closing On-Line Notification) which helps to find beaches and provides detailed information on beach closing notices, water quality data and even a map showing where the beach is! Share your input on this at http://blog.epa.gov/healthywaters/
