AABE Energy News: October 2012 | Highlights from EPA Office of Public Engagement

October 4-11, 2012

Table of Contents:

1. EPA Awards $30 Million for Clean Diesel Projects
2. EPA Awards $1.2 Million to Improve Indoor Air Quality
3. EPA Awards Grant to Protect Women and Children from Mercury in Lake Superior Fish
4. WaterSense Partners of the Year Help Americans Save Water, Money on Utility Bills
5. SmartWay Honors Freight Industry Leaders for Supply Chain Efficiency

1. EPA Awards $30 Million for Clean Diesel Projects

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding $30 million for clean diesel projects as part of its ongoing campaign to reduce harmful diesel exhaust that can lead to asthma attacks and premature deaths.

The Diesel Emission Reduction Program, also known as DERA, is designed to replace, retrofit or repower older diesel-powered engines like marine vessels, locomotives, trucks and buses.

Diesel engines are durable, fuel-efficient workhorses in the American economy. However, older diesel engines that predate newer, cleaner standards emit large amounts of air pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM). These pollutants are linked to health problems, including asthma, lung and heart disease and premature death.

The clean diesel projects funded through these grants will work to address the more than 11 million older diesel engines that continue to emit higher levels of pollution.

For the full press release: http://go.usa.gov/YkPV

More on the grants and the National Clean Diesel Campaign: http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel

2. EPA Awards $1.2 Million to Improve Indoor Air Quality

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today it will provide a combined $1.2 million in funding to 32 state and local governments, tribes, and non-profit organizations for indoor air quality projects. The funding will support recipients’ efforts to improve indoor air quality, which will better protect the health of Americans in classrooms, communities and homes across the country.

Education projects, training and outreach efforts supported by the funding will help reduce the environmental health risks of indoor air contaminants such as radon and asthma triggers. From organizing and training speakers on how to educate parents of children with asthma, to providing technical assistance that will help school districts develop indoor air quality management plans, these projects will help protect children and families. EPA emphasized selecting projects that assist low income and minority families that are disproportionately impacted by poor indoor air quality.

“EPA is proud to be working with our awardees across the nation to improve the air we breathe at school, work and home,“ said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “American communities face serious health and environmental challenges from air pollution. This effort gives us an opportunity to improve indoor air quality by increasing awareness of environmental health risks.“

For the full press release: http://go.usa.gov/YkbA

More information about Indoor Air Assistance Agreements: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/regional_funding.html

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3. EPA Awards Grant to Protect Women and Children from Mercury in Lake Superior Fish

CHICAGO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced a $1.4 million Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grant to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to reduce mercury exposure risk for women and children who live along Lake Superior’s north shore. Excessive blood mercury levels have been documented in infants in this area. The funding will be used to improve health screening and to develop more effective fish consumption advisories.

“Many Great Lakes fish are unsafe to eat because of mercury contamination,“ said EPA Regional Administrator and Great Lakes National Program Manager Susan Hedman. “This project will help women make choices that minimize their exposure to mercury, but maximize the health benefits of eating fish.“

The Grand Portage Chippewa Tribe and the Sawtooth Mountain Clinics in Grand Portage and Grand Marais, Minnesota will participate in the MDH project. Physicians affiliated with the clinics will survey consenting female patients of childbearing age about fish consumption and test blood mercury levels. Patients will also be counseled to promote safe fish consumption choices.

For the full press release: http://go.usa.gov/YkDV

More information about the Initiative is available at http://www.glri.us.

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4. WaterSense Partners of the Year Help Americans Save Water, Money on Utility Bills

WASHINGTON — (October 4, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) honored five leading organizations as 2012 WaterSense Partners of the Year. WaterSense-labeled products manufactured by these organizations and more than 2,600 WaterSense partners nationwide have helped American businesses and households save 287 billion gallons of water and $4.7 billion in water and energy bills.

“WaterSense is proud to partner with these champions of water efficiency who share our mission to protect the future of our nation’s water supply,” said Nancy Stoner, EPA’s acting Assistant Administrator for Water. “The 2012 WaterSense Partners of the Year were exceptional in their efforts to support innovative approaches to help people and companies save water and money on utility bills nationwide.”

The WaterSense Partner of the Year awards program recognizes WaterSense partners who help advance the overall mission of WaterSense, increase awareness of the WaterSense brand in a measurable way, and demonstrate overall excellence in the water efficiency arena.

For the full press release: http://go.usa.gov/YBwH

More on the 2012 WaterSense Partners of the Year and Excellence Award winners: www.epa.gov/watersense

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5. SmartWay Honors Freight Industry Leaders for Supply Chain Efficiency

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) honored 40 companies in the freight industry with the 2012 SmartWay Excellence Awards for achievements in moving freight more efficiently while reducing carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions. Since 2004, SmartWay partners have benefited from $6.5 billion in fuel savings while strengthening United States energy independence by saving 55 million barrels of oil. The SmartWay Excellence Award winners are setting an example in the transportation industry that it is possible to move more goods, more miles with lower emissions, less energy and at a lower cost.

"Recipients of this year's SmartWay Excellence Awards are reaping the business benefits and environmental rewards of cutting petroleum use in their transportation operations," said Gina McCarthy, Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation. "By participating in EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership and working to reduce costs and emissions, these companies are moving our nation forward to a healthier and more secure future."

For the full press release: http://go.usa.gov/YBf4 List of Excellence Award recipients: http://www.epa.gov/smartway/partner-resources/awards.htm More information on SmartWay: http://www.epa.gov/smartway/

Office of Public Engagement
Office of External Affairs and Environmental Education
Office of the Administrator / U.S. Environmental Protection Agency / Tel 202-564-4355 / PublicEngagement@epa.gov

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