EPA and USDA Join Together To Help Americans Reduce Wasted Food

EPA Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 4, 2013

EPA and USDA Join Together To Help Americans Reduce Wasted Food 

 WASHINGTON – Today EPA Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe joined U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to announce the launch of a challenge that asks farmers, processors, manufacturers, retailers, communities and government agencies to reduce wasted food. The U.S. Food Waste Challenge builds upon the success of EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge to help more Americans do their part to reduce food waste. 

“Food waste is the single largest type of waste entering our landfills -- Americans throw away up to 40 percent of their food. Addressing this issue helps to combat hunger and save money, while also combating climate change. Food waste in landfills decomposes to create potent greenhouse gases and by reducing this waste we can in turn reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said EPA Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe. “I’m proud that EPA is joining with USDA today to announce the U.S. Food Waste Challenge. With the help of partners across the country, we can ensure that our nation’s food goes to our families and those in need – not the landfill.”

“The United States enjoys the most productive and abundant food supply on earth, but too much of this food goes to waste,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Not only could this food be going to folks who need it – we also have an opportunity to reduce the amount of food that ends up in America’s landfills. By joining together with EPA and businesses from around the country, we have an opportunity to better educate folks about the problem of food waste and begin to address this problem across the nation.”

Americans send more food to landfills and incinerators than any other single municipal solid waste (MSW) – 35 million tons– even more than paper and plastic.  When wasted food is sent to landfills, it decomposes and becomes a source of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. In addition, the production and transportation of food has a number of environmental impacts; by reducing wasted food our society helps conserve energy and reduces environmental impacts.

In 2010, EPA began challenging organizations along the food lifecycle to adopt more sustainable practices through its National Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) program’s Food Recovery Challenge (FRC).  EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge provides direct technical assistance, a tracking system, and recognition to help support and motivate organizations to reduce their food waste.  Through the simple act of measuring food that is wasted, organizations can immediately identify simple changes that lead to big reductions More than 200 organizations are now participating in the Food Recovery Challenge.
More on the U.S. Food Waste Challenge: www.usda.gov/oce/foodwaste/index.htm

More on the EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management Program and Food Recovery Challenge:  http://www.epa.gov/smm/foodrecovery/

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SOUTHEAST DIESEL COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Press release:


For Immediate Release:
August 23, 2012
SOUTHEAST DIESEL COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED
Contact Information: Dawn Harris-Young, (404) 562-8421, harris-young.dawn@epa.gov
ATLANTA – During the recent Southeast Diesel Collaborative (SEDC) 7th Annual Partners Meeting in Atlanta, GA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 Air, Pesticides, and Toxics Management Division Director Beverly Banister, on behalf of the SEDC, presented the SEDC Leadership Awards to the 2011 winners.  The awardees are:
Staples Inc., Framingham, Massachusetts - SEDC Industry Leadership Award for
• Outfitting their fleet with 53 electric delivery trucks, with six of these in service in Atlanta,
• Implementing efficiency initiatives including hybrid vehicles, advanced idle reduction technology, engine horsepower reduction, transmission changes, and route planning to improve fuel economy by 18 percent since 2006,
• Achieving fuel savings of 724,000 gallons and reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 8000 tons annually in 2010.
The Alabama Department of Transportation - SEDC Community Leadership Award for
• Implementing a fleet replacement program to auction older diesel vehicles to acquire vehicles and equipment that meet the 2007 and 2010 diesel emission standards,
• Retrofitting 312 on road and off road vehicles and equipment with diesel oxidation catalysts, either stand-alone or in concert with a closed crankcase ventilation system,
• Maintaining a fleet of 1256 alternative fuel vehicles and supporting the development of biofuels infrastructure in Alabama,
• Deploying GPS units in two-thirds of their fleet to ensure accountability with their no idle policy.
 
The Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition - SEDC Visionary Champion Leadership Award for
• Partnering with the Kentucky Department of Education to purchase and create the largest hybrid bus fleet in the nation,
• Managing alternative fuel and advanced technology projects across the Commonwealth of Kentucky,
• Promoting sustainability partnerships with industry and other organizations.
The efforts by Staples, the Alabama DOT, and the Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition demonstrated exemplary leadership in the use of latest clean diesel technologies, and serve as a role model for others to follow in effective collaboration and partnership to reduce diesel emissions.

This is the fourth year the SEDC Leadership Council has presented the Leadership Awards to recognize exemplary projects in emissions reductions in EPA Region 4. Nominated parties are judged on their effectiveness in meeting the SEDC’s goal to reduce emissions from existing diesel engines and the work done in several sectors to reduce these emissions. Previous years’ winners include United Parcel Service, Coca Cola Enterprises, Ingram Barge Company, the North Carolina Solar Center, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Miami-Dade County, Florida Government.

Organized in early 2006 by EPA Region 4, the Southeast Diesel Collaborative has enjoyed unprecedented success in bringing together leaders from federal, state and local governments, organizations, industry and academia to reduce diesel engine emissions across the eight southeastern states. Focused on promoting energy independence, a cleaner environment and growing, sustainable economies, this partnership offers wide ranging health and economic benefits to the public fleet, freight and non-road sectors.

The Southeast Diesel Collaborative is part of EPA’s National Clean Diesel Campaign, a program combining regulatory measures with voluntary initiatives to reduce the pollution emitted from diesel engines across the country. Visit the Southeast Diesel Collaborative website at: www.southeastdiesel.org.

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EPA to Assist Camden, New Jersey Community Group to Reduce Water Pollution

Press release:

EPA to Assist Camden, New Jersey Community Group to

Reduce Water Pollution

Contact: John Martin (212) 637- 3662, martin.johnj@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – July 19, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that the Cooper’s Ferry Partnership in Camden, New Jersey has been selected to receive $70,000 worth of technical assistance to advance projects aimed at reducing water pollution in Camden. The EPA will provide the assistance to help estimate the benefits of the Camden SMART (Stormwater Management And Resource Training) Initiative. The SMART Initiative is a joint project by the city of Camden, the Cooper’s Ferry Partnership, the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority and other community partners to develop a network of green infrastructure programs and projects throughout the city. Green infrastructure captures and filters pollutants by passing stormwater through soils and retaining it on site. Camden is one of just 17 communities receiving such assistance from the EPA this year.

“Camden’s SMART Initiative is a smart way to fight water pollution and make the local economy stronger,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “By working together, we can make our urban communities cleaner and more livable. I commend the Cooper’s Ferry Partnership and this initiative’s other partners for leading the way to a sustainable and revitalized Camden.”

Controlling stormwater is one of the most widespread challenges faced by communities across the country. Large volumes of polluted stormwater degrade our nation’s rivers, lakes, and aquatic habitats and contribute to downstream flooding. Communities are increasingly using green infrastructure to supplement or substitute for single-purpose “gray” infrastructure investments such as pipes, filters, and ponds. Effective green infrastructure tools and techniques include green roofs, alternative designs for streets and buildings, trees, rain gardens, and rain harvesting systems.

The SMART Initiative is an effort to restore and revitalize Camden through efficient stormwater management. In less than one year, Camden has planted eleven rain gardens and has developed plans for 20-40 more. Camden SMART has organized and hosted a series of stormwater management education and information sessions with residents and produced literature on sound stormwater management practices. Additionally, the initiative has supported the removal of impervious surfaces such as blacktop to plant hundreds of street trees throughout Camden.

Under the partnership announced today, the EPA will help complete an assessment of the water quality, air quality, and brownfield remediation benefits, and the flooding mitigation potential of the SMART Initiative. The EPA will additionally help Camden SMART conduct an assessment of the barriers posed by local codes and permitting processes for various green infrastructure projects. The EPA will also help Camden identify appropriate green infrastructure practices for brownfield sites and other sites that pose potential challenges for the implementation of green infrastructure.

For more information on green infrastructure, visit: http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

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EPA Awards Over $300,000 to the State of New Mexico to Prevent Air Pollution

Press release:

EPA Awards Over $300,000 to the State of New Mexico to Prevent Air Pollution

(DALLAS – July 18, 2012) The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $300,204 to the New Mexico Environment Department. The funds will be used by NMED to administer the state’s Air Pollution Prevention and Abatement Program which aims to prevent, reduce and eliminate air pollution. The funds will also be used to administer the State’s air permitting, air planning, environmental compliance programs and ambient air monitoring activities.

The NMED will monitor for major pollutants, identifying major and minor sources of air pollution that may be impacting New Mexico. This will assist in helping New Mexico residents live healthier lives and breathe more easily.

Additional information on EPA grants is available at http://www.epa.gov/region6/gandf/index.htm

More about activities in EPA Region 6 is available at http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html

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CA Technologies Commits to Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 35 Percent by 2020

Press Releases

CA Technologies Commits to Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 35 Percent by 2020

Releases New Sustainability Report Profiling Company’s Commitment to People, Planet and Profit Goals

ISLANDIA, N.Y., July 11, 2012 – CA Technologies (NASDAQ: CA)  announced its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 35 percent by 2020, from a 2006 baseline, in its new Sustainability Report released today titled “Moving Together.” The report highlights the company’s advances in sustainability over the past year, and profiles its commitment to people (employees and community), the planet and profit goals. The full report and summary can be downloaded here.

“We’ve made sustainability one of the core principles of the company, highly visible and encouraged throughout the enterprise,” said Cynthia Curtis, chief sustainability officer, CA Technologies. “This is evidenced in our commitment to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which we intend to accomplish through a combination of increased use of renewable energy, efficiency gains in our facilities, and leveraging new and emerging technologies.”

“We’ve seen increasing numbers of CA Technologies employees help define and implement sustainability solutions. Additionally, our own operations demonstrate that sustainability is just good business. By actively pursuing strategies that reduce energy use and waste, we also are cutting costs at CA Technologies offices around the world,” said Phillip Harrington, executive vice president and chief administrative officer.

PEOPLE:  The company increased internal and external stakeholder engagement, and increased its focus on diversity and inclusion, including a new emphasis on addressing the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees.

PLANET: The company introduced Green Teams — employee-led volunteer groups that educate and encourage environmentally friendly behaviors — which saw broad adoption across the globe. It also improved operational efficiency by eliminating 28,000 square feet of real estate and the associated energy consumption needed for cooling, power and other facilities costs.  Additionally, by helping to lead the IT industry’s shift from physical to virtual to cloud, the Company will enable companies to reduce carbon emissions while increasing efficiency and lowering costs.

PROFIT: The company leveraged sustainability opportunities that benefited the top and bottom line. CA ecoDesktop was recently introduced as a solution for PC power management to reduce energy use by end-point devices. This complements other Energy and Sustainability products from CA Technologies which help customers improve energy and environmental reporting, supply chain and program management, as well as increase data center efficiency through data center infrastructure management.

Highlights of the CA Technologies Sustainability Report included:

• Improved operations which resulted in a carbon footprint reduction of 25 percent since 2006; 
• Utilized virtualization and cloud technologies in R&D Labs for improved use of energy and real estate, thereby eliminating 5,000 square feet of data center floor space, cutting greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 230 metric tons and saving 366 MWh;
• Distributed reusable mugs and cups to North American locations over the course of five months which prevented 517,420 styrofoam cups from going to landfills and lowered landfill waste by more than a ton;
• Leveraged its CA ecoSoftware solution to track, monitor and report on energy consumption, GHG emissions, waste and water;
• Eliminated nearly all product packaging and shipping. Now, the company reaches an 85 to 90 percent electronic distribution rate; 
• Introduced a travel policy that encourages the use of hybrid vehicles, ride sharing and video conferencing;
• Constructed a new  executive briefing center in Manhattan to LEED-CI requirements;
• Adopted a green lease policy with nearly 300,000 square feet of rented office space;
• Launched 16 Green Teams  at locations that represent more than 50 percent of the employee base worldwide; and
• Received external assurance by KPMG of its GHG emissions.

CA Technologies community involvement and philanthropic programs are also featured in the report. CA Together, the company’s global community affairs program, is driven by a core philanthropic focus of improving the lives of underserved children and communities around the world. The company’s sustainability efforts contribute to enhancing the communities in which employees live and work. CA Technologies supports programs in the areas of education and technology, health and community, diversity and the environment.

The CA Technologies Sustainability Report is measured against the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) indicators and United Nations Global Compact principals, receiving an A+ rating.

About CA Technologies

CA Technologies (NASDAQ: CA) is an IT management software and solutions company with expertise across all IT environments – from mainframe and distributed, to virtual and cloud. CA Technologies manages and secures IT environments and enables customers to deliver more flexible IT services. CA Technologies innovative products and services provide the insight and control essential for IT organizations to power business agility. The majority of the Global Fortune 500 relies on CA Technologies to manage evolving IT ecosystems. For additional information, visit CA Technologies at www.ca.com.

EPA seeks project proposals to reduce marine debris

For Immediate Release:  May 9, 2012
Contact:  Dean Higuchi, 808-541-2711, higuchi.dean@epa.gov   

MEDIA ADVISORY

EPA seeks project proposals to reduce marine debris
$280,000 available to reduce the source of land-based marine debris

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is seeking project proposals to reduce land-based trash at the source, thus preventing trash from entering coastal runoff and becoming marine debris.

The amount of funding available is approximately $280,000 and projects must occur in a coastal or estuarine watershed in U.S. EPA Region 9, which includes coastal areas of California, Hawaii, and the Pacific Territories of Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.  States, local governments, public and private nonprofit institutions/organizations, federally recognized Indian tribal governments, U.S. territories or possessions, and interstate agencies are eligible and encouraged to apply.

The aim of the grant is to reduce marine debris from coastal watersheds with true source reduction practices, not with the more commonly used capture and removal practices such as inserting catch basin screens and enhancing street sweeping. Methods that businesses can use to facilitate true source reduction include creating mechanisms for product/packaging take-back, minimizing procurement of difficult-to-recycle goods, and ‘incentivizing’ reuse.

Proposals should demonstrate and promote the economic benefits of source reduction to business and government, inspire innovative local policies promoting litter prevention, and foster creative collaborative partnerships between local government, non-profits, and business.  Proposals that principally support recycling, clean-up, treatment, trash capture/removal, plastic bag and/or polystyrene bans, or disposal activities will not be considered for funding.

Marine debris degrades estuarine, near shore, and open ocean habitats. It endangers marine and coastal wildlife, causes navigation hazards, results in economic losses to industry and governments, and threatens human health and safety. With up to 80 percent of marine debris coming from land-based sources, reducing what is generated upstream will result in less trash having to be captured and removed downstream.

Submission Date:  Proposals are due on Friday, June 8, 2012, 5 pm (PDT). EPA anticipates awarding one to three grants under this solicitation with project periods of up to three years. Applicants must demonstrate how they will provide the minimum non-federal match of 25 percent of the total cost of the proposal.

For more information and the full request for proposals, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region9/marine-debris/

This grant will support the Region 9 Strategic Plan goal of reducing the accumulation of trash that contributes to marine debris, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region9/strategicplan/islands.html and http://www.epa.gov/region9/strategicplan/comm.html

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EPA Orders Buffalo Sewer Authority to Reduce Water Pollution

EPA Orders Buffalo Sewer Authority to Reduce Water Pollution in Niagara River

Four Billion Gallons of Sewage and Wastewater Pollutes Niagara River and Tributaries Every Year

Contact: Mike Basile (716) 551-4410; basile.michael@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – March 15, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered the Buffalo Sewer Authority in Buffalo, New York to comply with federal Clean Water Act requirements for combined sewer systems to protect people’s health and water quality. Combined sewer systems carry domestic sewage, stormwater runoff and industrial wastewater in the same pipes. During periods of heavy rain, they can overflow and send untreated sewage and toxic materials into local waters. The Buffalo Sewer Authority violated its environmental permit issued by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which required it to submit a plan on how the city would reduce the amount of sewage and other pollutants that flow out of 52 combined sewer points into the Niagara River and its tributaries.

“Sewage Pollution in the Niagara River is degrading water quality and having a direct effect on the quality of people’s lives,” said Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. “Local fish are inedible and people can’t enjoy recreational water sports or local parks because of sewage odors. Buffalo has made improvements to its combined system in recent years, but much more must be done to protect people’s health and water quality.”

“This Order is an important step to improve the water quality of the Niagara River and to help with the economic revitalization of the City of Buffalo. We look forward to receiving the Authority’s Long-Term Control Plan to reduce CSO discharges. We expect this plan will include green infrastructure projects that will help restore the health of the river,” said DEC Commissioner Joseph Martens.

“This Order is an important step to improve the water quality of the Niagara River and to help with the economic revitalization of the City of Buffalo,” said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. “We look forward to receiving the Authority’s Long-Term Control Plan to reduce CSO discharges. We expect this plan will include green infrastructure projects that will help restore the health of the river.”

During periods of heavy rainfall or snowmelt, the volume of wastewater in a combined sewer system can exceed the capacity of the sewer system or wastewater treatment plant. When this happens, combined sewer systems overflow and discharge excess wastewater directly to nearby water bodies. These overflows contain not only stormwater, but also untreated human and industrial waste, toxic materials and debris. It is estimated that Buffalo’s combined system contributes almost four billion gallons of combined sewage overflow to the Niagara River and its tributaries each year.

Under its current state-issued permit, the Buffalo Sewer Authority discharges from its wastewater treatment plant outfalls and from combined sewer overflow points into the Niagara River, Black Rock Canal, Erie Basin, Buffalo River, Scajaquada Creek, Cazenovia Creek and Cornelius Creek. The Buffalo Sewer Authority's 1999 permit required it to develop a Long Term Control Plan, to manage its combined sewage. Long Term Control Plans generally call for system characterization, the development and evaluation of alternatives, and the selection and implementation of controls that reduce water pollution. The plans must consider the costs and effectiveness of reducing the number of overflows and the amounts discharged, as well as water quality improvements. The plans are part of a phased approach for the control of combined sewer overflows that will ultimately meet state water quality standards for the local water bodies.

The Buffalo Sewer Authority was required to submit its plan to reduce sewage discharges by July 1, 2001. The NYSDEC reissued and modified the discharge permit, giving the Buffalo Sewer Authority more time to submit its plan. The authority submitted a plan in July 2004, which was 3 years ate and inadequate.

The legal order issued by the EPA requires the Buffalo Sewage Authority to submit to DEC and EPA by April 30, 2012 an approvable Long Term Control Plan that proposes sewer system improvements to ensure that combined sewer overflows comply with technology and water quality-based requirements. The Buffalo Sewer Authority could face penalties if it does not comply with the order.

The EPA order also requires the Buffalo Sewer Authority to develop a financial plan that addresses project, capital and costs and to detail a strategy to meet water quality standards. The projected cost of the Buffalo Sewer Authority’s implementation of an approvable Long Term Control Plan could be as much as $500 million dollars over 15 years, depending on the alternatives chosen for implementation.

EPA and DEC are encouraging the Buffalo Sewer Authority to incorporate green infrastructure projects such as increased open space, rain barrels and rain gardens, permeable pavements and sidewalks, green roofs and urban trees into its plan. Using green infrastructure helps reduce the amount of combined sewer overflows by stopping runoff pollution at its source. Many of these methods have the added benefit of improving urban quality of life, lowering heating and cooling costs and improving air quality.

For more information about combined sewer overflows and to read a recent EPA report on the issue, visit

http://www.epa.gov/region2/water/sewer-report-3-2011.pdf

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/eparegion2 and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

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News Release from GE

14 March 2012

GE to Supply Water Recycling Technology for SAGD Project in Alberta Oil Sands

 

GE’s Evaporation System to Help Boost Production, Reduce Liquid Waste Requiring Disposal

TREVOSE, PA.—March 14, 2012—GE’s (NYSE: GE) wastewater evaporation technologies have been selected to improve wastewater recovery at an existing oil sands project near Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada. The facility utilizes once through steam generators (OTSGs) to produce steam, which drives the steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) process for the production of bitumen, which is a heavy crude oil produced from oil sands.

GE’s system will recycle a portion of the OTSG blowdown, thereby decreasing the volume of liquid waste from the facility and increasing the volume of boiler feed water available for generation of steam and production of bitumen. The use of GE’s evaporation technologies for the recovery of OTSG blowdown is gaining traction in the Alberta oil sands, where producers are seeking sustainable production processes that satisfy increasingly stringent environmental regulations. This project is the fifth to utilize GE’s evaporation technologies for OTSG blowdown treatment. To date, 14 SAGD projects have selected GE evaporation technologies, including six over the past 19 months, for their produced water and OTSG blowdown treatment applications.

“We are aligning our businesses to best meet the needs of Canada’s oil sands industry by offering more energy and water efficient products and services,“ said Jeff Connelly, vice president, engineered systems—water and process technologies for GE Power & Water.

For example, in December 2011, GE opened a new oil sands support center in Fort McMurray to provide greater local support to customers as they experience significant growth in this important sector. In 2012, GE also is scheduled to open a new Heavy Oil Centre of Excellence in Calgary, further building on a strong commitment and presence in the province of Alberta.

http://www.pollutionengineering.com/Articles/Feature_Article/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000001161827

http://www.pollutionengineering.com/Articles/Feature_Article/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000001161827

News Release from EPA Region 2 - Green Practices

EPA and Hackensack University Medical Center

Team Up to Increase Green Practices

Contact: John Martin (212) 637-3662 (office), (646) 256-6710 (cell), martin.johnj@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – February 23, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Hackensack University Medical Center have entered into an agreement to enhance environmental practices at the hospital. The medical center has pledged to reduce its use of plastics, reduce and recycle solid waste, complete the final phase of its green roof, use nontoxic cleaning products, conserve energy and water, and reduce air pollution from its vehicles. The Hackensack University Medical Center is the first hospital in Bergen County to sign such an agreement with the EPA.

"Hackensack University Medical Center continues to distinguish itself as an environmental leader in New Jersey and beyond,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “The commitments they are making today will help create a healthier environment for their patients, staff and community. I am hopeful that other hospitals in New Jersey will follow the example set by the medical center. I am also honored to stand with Deirdre Imus, a trailblazer in the work to protect children’s health. Her work to promote nontoxic cleaning products is incredibly important.”

“HackensackUMC is proud to partner with the Environmental Protection Agency to increase our already aggressive energy conservation and sustainability efforts,” said Robert C. Garrett, President and Chief Executive Officer, HackensackUMC. “As one of the nation’s top 50 hospitals providing the largest number of inpatient and outpatient services in the State of New Jersey, our mission is to improve the lives of our patients, their families and the communities we serve. Becoming an even more environmentally-friendly healthcare institution allows us to further that mission.”

“For more than a decade, HackensackUMC has been the healthcare leader in environmental sustainability, beginning with the Greening the Cleaning program in 2001, which promotes the use of nontoxic cleaning products and in 2005 with the design and construction of one of the first green hospitals in the country,” said Deirdre Imus, Founder and President of the Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center at HackensackUMC. “By recycling more, consuming less and embracing environmentally-friendly practices, HackensackUMC is creating a healthier environment for everyone.”

Under its Memorandum of Understanding with the EPA, Hackensack University Medical Center has agreed to:

• Achieve at least a 10% reduction in energy consumption and become an EPA Energy Star partner.
• Reduce plastic bottle use by 15% by 2013 by using bottle-less water coolers.
• Increase the hospital's recycling rate from 14% of solid waste to 35% and continue to donate, sell or properly recycle all electronic waste.
• Recycle or reprocess laser toner and inkjet cartridges and reduce the use of mercury and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate/polyvinylchloride (DEHP/PVC) throughout the hospital.
• Use construction materials with reycled content.
• Recycle or reprocess equipment.
• Install water conserving equipment, including the installation of low-flow toilets and faucets.
• Reduce air pollution from construction vehicles and equipment by requiring the use of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel by promoting the use of best available pollution control retrofit technologies on construction equipment and by implementing a no-idling policy.
• Complete the medical center's 7,000 square-foot green roof and garden, which will reduce stormwater runoff.

Hackensack University Medical Center will submit an annual status report to the EPA, which the agency will use to determine the environmental benefits associated with the hospital’s “green” activities and provide feedback on ways to improve its environmental performance.

In 2006, the EPA awarded The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology at Hackensack University Medical Center an Environmental Quality Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions by organizations and individuals to protect public health and the environment. The center is one of the first hospital-based programs with the specific mission of identifying and ultimately preventing exposure to environmental factors that may cause pediatric cancer and other health problems in children. Leading by example, its “Greening the Cleaning” program eliminates the use of cleaning agents containing hazardous ingredients whenever possible and replaces them with environmentally responsible products.

EPA has similar agreements in place with a number of major sports organizations, universities, and businesses in New York and New Jersey.

For more information on EPA green agreements, visit http://www.epa.gov/region02/greenteam.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/eparegion2 and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

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EPA Awards Over $380,000 to Improve Drinking Water Treatment

News release from EPA Region 6:

EPA Awards City of Andrews, Texas, Over $380,000

to Improve Drinking Water Treatment System

(DALLAS – February 10, 2012) A grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will help improve the drinking water treatment system in Andrews, Texas. The grant for $388,000 will be used by the city to install a filtration and reverse osmosis system to reduce arsenic and fluoride levels in drinking water provided to municipal customers. Exposure to high levels of arsenic can result in kidney disease, as well as lung and liver cancer and excessive levels of fluoride in drinking water can result in abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Once completed, the project will improve the health of Andrews residents.

Additional Information on EPA grants is available at http://www.epa.gov/region6/gandf/index.htm

More about activities in EPA Region 6 is available at http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html

EPA audio file is available at http://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/podcast/feb2012.html

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Smart Growth Technical Assistance to Three Pac. NW Communities

News release from EPA:

Three Pacific Northwest communities will get EPA Smart Growth assistance
Pocatello, Idaho; Kelso and Olympia, Washington will receive EPA support

Contact: Jeff Philip, EPA Public Affairs, (206) 553-1465, philip.jeff@epa.gov

(Seattle–Feb. 8, 2012) – Three Pacific Northwest communities will benefit from EPA technical assistance through the “Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities” program.  The communities, Pocatello, Idaho, and Kelso and Olympia, Washington were among 56 communities in 26 states that will receive technical assistance under this program.

Each community will receive the assistance from EPA-funded private-sector experts.  The technical experts will work with the communities on actions they can take to improve the economy, the environment, and quality of life.  Some examples may include improving pedestrian access and safety, making streets appealing to drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians, or conducting an economic and fiscal health assessment.

“This partnership with local communities will create practical and sustainable approaches that can lead to quality of life improvements for citizens, and which can help bolster our economy,” said Dennis McLerran, regional administrator of EPA’s Region 10 office.

Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities is a project of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities among EPA, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The interagency collaboration coordinates federal investments in infrastructure, facilities, and services to get better results for communities and use taxpayer money more efficiently.  The partnership is helping communities across the country create more housing choices, make transportation more efficient and reliable, reinforce existing investments, and support vibrant and healthy neighborhoods that attract businesses.

More information:

- Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities: http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/buildingblocks.htm

- Partnership for Sustainable Communities:  http://www.sustainablecommunities.gov

Smart Growth Technical Assistance to Six New England Communities

News Release
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
New England Regional Office
February 7, 2012

Contact: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017


Six New England Communities Will Get EPA Smart Growth Assistance
Simsbury, Conn.; Fall River, Holyoke, Northampton and Roxbury, Mass.; Burlington, Vt.

(Boston, Mass. – Feb. 7, 2012) – Six New England communities will benefit from EPA technical assistance through the “Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities” program.  The communities, Simsbury, Conn., Fall River, Holyoke, Northampton and Roxbury, Mass., and Burlington, Vt. were among 56 communities in 26 states that will receive technical assistance under this program.

Each community will receive the assistance from EPA-funded private-sector experts.  The technical experts will work with the communities on actions they can take to improve the economy, the environment, and quality of life.  Some examples may include improving pedestrian access and safety, incorporating green infrastructure, or conducting an economic and fiscal health assessment.

“EPA is very pleased to be part of a coordinated effort to help these six New England communities develop practical and sustainable approaches that can lead to quality of life improvements for citizens, and which can help bolster our economy,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office.

Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities is a project of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities among EPA, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The interagency collaboration coordinates federal investments in infrastructure, facilities, and services to get better results for communities and use taxpayer money more efficiently.  The partnership is helping communities across the country create more housing choices, make transportation more efficient and reliable, reinforce existing investments, and support vibrant and healthy neighborhoods that attract businesses.

In 2010 when this program was launched, EPA selected the Rhode Island-based KeepSpace program as one of eight recipients nationwide to receive targeted technical assistance on growth and development issues.

More information:

- Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities: http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/buildingblocks.htm

- Partnership for Sustainable Communities:  http://www.sustainablecommunities.gov

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Deadline Approaching

From EPA:

Deadline Fast Approaching for Schools to Enter

the Green Ribbon School Competition

PHILDELPHIA (February 7, 2012) -- EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin is encouraging all schools in the mid-Atlantic region to get recognized for their environmental achievements by entering the Green Ribbon School Competition.

The deadline for the new pilot award program, created by the U.S. Department of Education and supported by EPA, is March 22 but all applications must be sent to the individual state Department of Education by February 23, 2012. Each participating state may nominate up to four of their highest performing schools that meet the criteria for recognition: environmental impact and energy efficiency, healthy environment and environmental literacy. The U.S. Department of Education will select one winning school in each participating state.

"This is a great opportunity for schools to brag about their efforts to save energy, reduce costs, create healthy environments for their students and improve student and staff health," Garvin said today during a tour of the Thurgood Marshall School in Philadelphia. "By applying for Green Ribbon recognition, schools will be moving forward in adopting green concepts and becoming even greener."

EPA has long encouraged the creation of healthy school environments because green school buildings and education are vital to the development and learning of every student. Green schools benefit teachers and other staff as well because they, too, work better when the indoor air and other conditions are healthy.

In his State of the Union Address, President Obama emphasized the importance of education in building a strong future for America. Creating healthy schools is one way we can support our students and their learning.
For K-12 schools interested in applying, a webinar to assist in the application process will be held Feb. 7, 2012 at 4 p.m. (EST). Event address for attendees is: https://usgbc.webex.com/usgbc/onstage/g.php?d=753402875&t=a.

The event number is 753 402 875 and the event password is Gr33n1.

Call-in toll free number (US/Canada) is: 1-866-469-3239. Access code is 753 402 875

For more information about the Green Ribbon Schools competition, go to: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/green-ribbon-schools/index.html.