Day: June 15, 2006

Read the full announcement. Applications due by 7/28/06.

Under the authority of the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, approximately $700,000 will be available to support grants to States, Tribes, and Intertribal Consortia in FY 2006 for programs to promote the use of successful source reduction techniques by businesses.

These grants are intended to make available information about source reduction opportunities, often referred to as “pollution prevention”. The information on pollution prevention could include: providing technical assistance advice, assistance in developing plans for prevention activities or providing training in pollution prevention techniques.

Increasing the efficiency of pollution prevention information systems has become a focus for this grant program to ensure that P2 information is available to all facilities, businesses or technical assistance providers. EPA has established a network of regional P2 information centers to collaboratively develop and disseminate P2 information and provide training in P2 approaches. These Regional P2 centers are known as Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx) centers and utilize Internet resources to reach a broad audience. Further information about past successful grantees can be found at www.p2rx.org

Read the full story in Science.

More and more venture capitalists are backing clean technology in the United States, but will it take off? Virginia Gewin reports.

Read the full article in Science.

Could climate change run away with itself? Gabrielle Walker looks at the balance of evidence.

Read the full story in RenewableEnergyAccess.com.

Renewable energy financiers, developers and manufacturers from around the world will convene at the 3rd annual Renewable Energy Finance Forum (REFF) Wall Street 2006, to be held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel June 21 and 22. It will assemble key industry leaders to discuss the opportunities in this booming market.

Read the full story at RenewableEnergyAccess.com.

In Illinois, Carroll County Ethanol, LLC, announced the completion of engineering agreements for the first of three planned corn-to-ethanol production facilities in Northwestern Illinois. Contracts were signed with Lurgi PSI, a U.S. subsidiary of Lurgi AG. Carroll County Ethanol, LLC, of Savanna, Illinois, is building the project, which will be located on the Bio Energy Renewable Resource Complex (BERRC).

Read the full story at RenewableEnergyAccess.com.

The San Francisco City Government has long been a leader in its commitment to alternative transportation fuels to promote clean air, encourage renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Mayor Gavin Newsom recently issued an Executive Directive to increase the pace of municipal use of biodiesel.

Read the full story at RenewableEnergyAccess.com.

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has signed into law H.F. 3718, the nation’s first law promoting plug-in hybrid, flexible-fueled vehicles.

Read the full story at RenewableEnergyAccess.com.

Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack signed a legislative package on May 30th that is expected to significantly increase the use of ethanol and biodiesel throughout the state. The legislation creates a tax credit for selling E85 (a blend of 85 percent ethanol with 15 percent gasoline) that starts at 25 cents per gallon and phases out by 2021, and another tax credit of three cents per gallon for diesel blends containing at least 2 percent biodiesel.

Read the full story at RenewableEnergyAccess.com.

I am a senior at Whatcom Community College in Bellingham Washington. I have gotten together with one of my professors to investigate the possibility of incorporating solar (or alternative energies) into our public schools. I believe that for this new technology to catch on, we must teach it to the future generations and demonstrate these implications through the school system. I was wondering if you could help me understand what steps would have to be taken to get this technology in our schools. — Zoey C. Whatcom Community College in Bellingham Washington
Read Scott’s answer to this and other questions.

EPA is pleased to announce the publication of its Clean Energy-Environment Guide to Action: Policies, Best Practices, and Action Steps for States. The Clean Energy-Environment Guide to Action details states’ experiences with cost-effective clean energy policies and strategies that meet energy, environmental, and economic objectives. The guide covers energy efficiency, clean energy supply, and clean distributed generation.

EPA issued a prepublication draft of the guide at the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) Energy Outlook Conference in February. The new version available today includes editorial corrections to the earlier draft, as well as the addition of three appendices covering federal clean energy programs; energy efficiency program resources; and
technologies, markets, and programs for clean energy supply.

EPA estimates that if all states implemented cost-effective clean energy and environment policies, the expected growth in demand for electricity could be cut in half by 2025, and more demand could be met through cleaner energy supply. This translates into an annual savings of $70 billion in energy costs by 2025, while preventing the need for more than 300 power plants and eliminating greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 80
million vehicles.

The Clean Energy-Environment Guide to Action is available at http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/stateandlocal/guidetoaction.htm.

A limited number of print copies of the report will be available in July from the National Service Center for Environmental Publications. Ordering information will be provided at the Web site listed above.