Emissions

New standard to protect millions of the nation’s most vulnerable citizens

11/17/2009 -- WASHINGTON – For the first time in nearly 40 years, EPA is proposing to strengthen the nation’s sulfur dioxide (SO2) air quality standard to protect public health. Power plants and other industrial facilities emit SO2 directly into the air. Exposure to SO2 can aggravate asthma, cause respiratory difficulties, and result in emergency room visits and hospitalization. People with asthma, children, and the elderly are especially vulnerable to SO2’s effects.    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed tighter controls for dangerous sulfur dioxide emissions, winning the support of Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), chairman of the Senate Clean Air and Nuclear Safety subcommittee.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a dangerous air pollutant that can travel long distances and results when sulfur-containing fuels such as coal, oil or diesel are burned. Each year, manmade sources emit more than 14 million tons of sulfur dioxide nationwide

“Current federal standards simply fail to protect public health,” said Sen. Carper. “I have long supported tighter SO2 controls that protect Americans with lung diseases like asthma, and especially children and older adults.”    » read more »

New EPA Web Site Provides Tools to Cut Energy Costs and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Homes

11/16/2009 -- WASHINGTON – Home owners, buyers and renters have a new resource for going green indoors and outdoors. EPA’s new Green Homes Web site will help people make their homes greener with tips on reducing energy consumption, carbon footprints, waste generation and water usage, as well as improving indoor air quality.

The latest federal survey of American housing (2007) reported 128 million housing units across the U.S., accounting for nearly 54 percent of national energy use and nearly 31 percent of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, the most common greenhouse gas contributing to climate change.    » read more »

U.S. EPA Recognizes ExxonMobil for Reducing Methane Emissions Through Technology Advances and Operational Excellence

Nov. 16, 2009 -- HOUSTON -- ExxonMobil Production Company received a 2009 Continuing Excellence award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under its Natural Gas STAR Program.

The Natural Gas Star Program recognizes companies that apply cost-effective technologies and management practices to improve operational efficiency and reduce methane emissions. The Continuing Excellence Award is presented to companies that annually self report to the EPA and continually demonstrate a high level of performance in reducing emissions, implementing a variety of technologies and practices, and supporting the program's activities, initiatives, and outreach.    » read more »

Letter Authored by Sen. Harkin (D-Iowa) Pushes for Emission Allowances That Don't Punish Mid-Western Enegy Consumers

Washington, D.C. -- Nov 12, 2009 – U.S. Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) today joined a group of 14 colleagues in asking Senate leaders to make sure that any climate and energy legislation does not unfairly or disproportionately raise electricity costs in certain regions of the country.    » read more »

November 2, 2009 -- Broomfield, Colo. – NOAA scientists took off Saturday on the second phase of a mission that, when complete, will provide a detailed view of how carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are distributed globally. Monitoring the increasing levels of greenhouse gases and black carbon aerosols in the atmosphere is crucial to understanding human-caused climate change.

“Missions such as this one are critical to understanding the impacts of greenhouse gases and particulates,” said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “The data collected are also essential to help verify if policies to reduce these heat trapping pollutants are having their intended effect.”    » read more »

Carper Amendment in Interior Appropriations Bill Directs the EPA to Study Black Carbon Emissions to Improve Public Health & Reduce Global Warming

October 29, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – A plan to help reduce black carbon emissions, authored by Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), was included in the final Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 2996), which passed the Senate this evening by a vote of 60-40.

The Carper provision directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to study the environmental impact of dangerous black carbon, and to determine the most cost-effective ways to reduce its emissions to improve public health and reduce global warming.    » read more »

DNREC Secretary approves plan for largest improvement in air quality in Delaware history by reducing emissions from Indian River power plant

October 14, 2009 -- DOVER – Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Collin O’Mara has issued a Secretary’s Order approving construction permits for air pollution control equipment at NRG’s Indian River power plant near Millsboro that will transform the facility from among the 50 dirtiest coal plants in the nation to the one of the cleanest while also providing substantial public health and environmental benefits to Delawareans.    » read more »

October 1, 2009 -- “The Environmental Protection Agency has determined that greenhouse gas emissions pose a real threat to public health and safety, and has proposed a carefully targeted plan to regulate large industrial and commercial facilities under the Clean Air Act.

I fully support EPA’s actions to require that the nation’s largest stationary emitters, responsible for roughly 70 percent of America’s carbon footprint, take appropriate steps to contain these harmful emissions and improve energy efficiency.

Those who recognize that the Earth is in jeopardy, that global warming is real and that the climate is warming more quickly than anticipated, understand the urgent need to take action. We cannot lose time.    » read more »

September 24, 2009 -- Washington, DC – As part of its renewed efforts to ensure compliance with national energy efficiency appliance standards, the U.S. Department of Energy today issued a test notice requiring AeroSys, Inc. to provide sample air conditioners and heat pumps for laboratory testing by DOE. The test notice, issued under 10 CFR 430.70, requires AeroSys to make test samples of certain AeroSys-manufactured air conditioners and heat pumps available to DOE at its own expense.

The Department will then determine whether these products comply with applicable DOE energy standards, which are designed to strengthen efficiency levels for various appliances, save money for consumers, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.    » read more »

Investment of more than $62 million from Recovery Act reflects Administration’s aggressive approach for carbon capture

September 16, 2009 -- Washington, DC - U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced more than $62 million in funding that will boost carbon capture and storage research and development in the years to come. Today’s investment from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act reflects the Obama Administration’s commitment to creating new jobs, having the U.S. be a leader on climate change, and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.    » read more »

Clean Car Standards Would Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Cut Oil Dependence and Save Americans Money at the Pump

SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON (September 15, 2009) – The U.S. EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today announced a joint proposal for national standards for greenhouse gas pollution from cars and trucks, along with strengthened fuel economy standards.

According to EPA and NHTSA, the new proposed standards will cut global warming pollution from vehicles by 30 percent, improve fuel economy to an average of about 35.5 miles per gallon, and save drivers thousand of dollars over the life of the vehicles – all while adopting a “size-based” standard favored by domestic automakers.    » read more »

Rules will reduce oil usage and global warming pollution

September 15, 2009 -- Washington, DC -- The Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today announced new fuel economy and greenhouse gas rules for vehicles, calling for a fleet average fuel economy of 35.5 miles per gallon and emissions of 250 grams per mile of CO2-equivalent-emissions by the 2016 model year.

Statement of Ann Mesnikoff, Sierra Club Green Transportation Campaign    » read more »

Statement of Lena Pons, Policy Analyst, Public Citizen’s Congress Watch Division

Sept. 15, 2009 -- The Obama administration proposed a historic step forward today that would reduce our nation’s oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The proposed standards it announced for fuel economy and emissions would save 1.3 million barrels of oil per day in 2020 and save drivers about $26 billion per year in 2020, based on the current price of gas.

Under the proposal, automakers would have to raise the average gas mileage across their fleets to 35.5 miles per gallon and reduce carbon dioxide to 250 grams per mile by 2016.    » read more »

Call for Reduction in Hydrofluorocarbons Signals U.S. Commitment to Global Climate Agreement

September 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, today applauded the Obama Administration’s proposal to eliminate dangerous emissions known as Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as part of an international treaty to protect the ozone layer.

The treaty, known as the Montreal Protocol, currently excludes regulations for HFCs which Kerry has called “significantly more powerful greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide,” warning that the emissions’ damage “is only going to grow if we don't act in the short term.”    » read more »