Envirobytes - Archive

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EnviroBytes, a Summary of Issues and Events for weeks ending August 27, 2010 and September 3, 2010

EPA MEETING TO STUDY THE EFFECTS OF HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CHANGED TO SEPT. 13 AND 15

A public meeting originally scheduled for August 12 to discuss the effects of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water has been changed. Two sessions will now be held on Sept. 13th and 15th at the Broome County Forum Theater in Binghamton, N.Y. Registered speakers will have the opportunity to directly provide verbal or written comments on their views to EPA.

EPA ANNOUNCES GREEN STREETS-GREEN JOBS INITIATIVE TO HELP REDUCE STORMWATER RUNOFF IN THE ANACOSTIA RIVER

Stormwater runoff is the fastest growing pollution problem confronting the Anacostia River Watershed, the Chesapeake Bay, and adjacent towns and communities. To help reverse this trend, EPA is providing $250,000 to finance a Chesapeake Bay Green Street-Green Jobs Initiative watershed assistance pilot grant in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Trust, and the State of Maryland. The initiative helps urban small to mid-sized watershed communities reduce their stormwater runoff, improve their energy conservation, create green streets, and green jobs. The deadline to apply for the grants is Sept. 24. For more information, go to www.cbtrust.org.

COMMIT TO THE P2 CHALLENGE TO MARK THE 20th ANNIVERSARY OF THE POLLUTION PREVENTION (P2) ACT

The Pollution Prevention (P2) Act established the policy that the best way to prevent pollution is to avoid making it in the first place. Pollution prevention methods save energy and natural resources and leave our homes, schools and workplaces cleaner and safer. Take the Pollution Prevention Challenge and experience how simple changes in our daily routines can help reduce our environmental footprint in the long term. To take the Pollution Prevention Challenge, and learn more about P2, go to www.epa.gov/region03 or www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/p2/

EMORY & HENRY COLLEGE ANNOUNCED AS VIRGINIA'S TOP COLLEGE RECYCLER

EPA Region 3 recognized Emory & Henry College as the winner in the 2010 RecycleMania's state-level competition at a ceremony in Emory, Va. on Sept. 1. Students and staff were commended for recycling more than 26.5 pounds of material per person. The national 2010 Recyclemania competition involved 600 schools (more than 100 from Region 3) and resulted in the collection and recycling of more than 84 million pounds of materials over ten weeks. RecycleMania raises awareness of the importance of recycling and ranks colleges nationally as well as by state.

EPA, DOT SEEK COMMENT ON PROPOSED NEW FUEL ECONOMY LABELS FOR NEW VEHICLES

EPA and the Department of Transportation are proposing changes to the fuel economy labels that appear on new vehicles beginning with the 2012 models and including electric, plug-in hybrid, conventional gasoline and diesel, and other advanced technologies. The agencies are seeking public comment/input to determine the fuel economy, fuel costs, and environmental impacts of different vehicles and are providing a 60-day public comment period after the proposal's publication in the Federal Register. For more information on the proposed fuel economy label redesign, please see the Proposed Rule, the proposed labels, and related documents.

READY FOR BACK-TO-SCHOOL? EPA'S ENERGY STAR CAN HELP YOU SAVE ENERGY AND MONEY; SHOPPING TIPS FOR PREVENTING POLLUTION

Shopping for back-to-school needs at retail stores can be a rewarding ‘green' experience. There are Energy Star labeled stores that use energy efficient lighting, registers that go to sleep when not in use, and equipment that shuts off automatically after hours. Energy Star qualified products can be purchased such as computers that use up to 65 percent less energy than conventional models and desk lamps that use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) that use 75 percent less energy than regular incandescent light bulbs. To find stores that are Energy Star qualified and use less energy, go to http://www.energystar.gov/LabeledStores To find stores that sell Energy Star qualified products at: http://www.energystar.gov/StoreLocator

EPA has some practical suggestions to save money and reduce waste for back-to-school. Buy a double-sided printer to reduce paper use. E-cycle your old electronics, or donate old computers to a local school, library or charity for a tax deduction. Choose products from recycled materials. Share used books, and seek a secondary market for college textbooks. Use reusable food containers instead of disposable ones. Try carpooling, public transportation, walking or biking when going to school. For more information on Pollution Prevention go to: www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/p2/index.htm For more information on E-cycling go to: www.epa.gov/e-Cycling/links.htm

HEALTHY WATERS BLOG CURRENT HIGHLIGHTS

Not Quite Trading Cards This blog introduces water quality trading which is being implemented as a cost-effective way to reduce pollution without compromising environmental protection. It is considered a faster way to achieve pollutant reductions, and to enable a watershed to achieve its water quality goals. What do you think are the potential benefits of such a program?

Extreme Makeover Land Edition You'd never know that this now revitalized property on the banks of the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County had been a century-old abandoned site used for illegal dumping. But EPA's brownfields program was able to launch and cleanup this 25-acre riverside land. Do you know of other properties that could use similar makeovers? Let us know.

Visit the Healthy Waters Web site at http://blog.epa.gov/healthywaters/

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