Month: June 2011

EPA National Library Network Strategic Plan FY 2012-FY 2014

The EPA National Library Network Strategic Plan outlines a three-year strategy (Fiscal Years 2012-2014) for building on the Library Network’s successes and accomplishments to provide EPA employees and the public with convenient and timely access to environmental information. It lays out goals in four key areas:

  • Network governance
  • Library services
  • Electronic and physical collections
  • Communications, outreach and training

The strategic plan reflects significant contributions and input from the EPA National Library Network community, including library staff and Federal Library Managers, as well as many internal stakeholders. EPA’s advisory board from the Federal Library and Information Center Committee (FLICC) and Federal Library Information Network (FEDLINK) reviewed the plan and supported its publication (3 pp, 906K, About PDF). An Executive Summary provides a broad overview of the full-length plan.

If Climate Change Were a Video Game, This is How You’d Beat It

Read the full post at Treehugger.

Confronting the world’s climate crisis is going to be hard. Getting developed nations to agree with still-industrializing ones on the amount of pollution they can emit, convincing the rich world to cut down on energy use and consumption, and forging any kind of agreement between 190 nations with very different ambitions are among the most Herculean feats humanity has ever faced.

But what if solving the climate crisis were as simple as playing a video game? If you could make all the strategic decisions yourself? How would you beat it then?

Of course, even if all the choices were made by just one smart, well-informed individual — say, a really good strategy gamer — it’d still be hard as hell. That’s what makes playing Fate of the World, the video game in which you single-handedly attempt to prevent catastrophic climate change, so challenging. I played the game at this year’s Games for Change festival, and it is indeed tough. As it should be.

Modern Fish Communities Live Fast & Die Young

Read the news release.

Fish communities in the 21st Century live fast and die young. That’s the main finding of a recent study by researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society who compared fish recently caught in coastal Kenya with the bones of fish contained in ancient Swahili refuse heaps in order to understand how to rebuild the current fisheries.

Engaging Students’ Interest, Not Just Offering Advanced Classes, Best Promotes Interest in STEM Careers

Read the news release.

A new study published in the journal Science Education finds that sparking students’ interest in science at an early age is more effective at steering them toward eventual careers in the “STEM” fields – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – than pushing high school students into more advanced courses.

“Red Fields to Green Fields” Plans Revealed for Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Hilton Head Island

With thousands of commercial buildings in foreclosure and many others in disrepair, cities around the country are looking for ways to rescue the properties and eliminate community blight. A program called Red Fields to Green Fields proposes acquiring abandoned and underutilized properties, demolishing or repositioning them, and replacing them with conservation land, parks, infrastructure improvements or other green space, which will attract economic development when the economy recovers.

“Red field properties have negative value civically, environmentally and economically. Converting this underused commercial real estate to green space now and land that could be built on again when the economy improves would be transformational,” said Kevin Caravati, a senior research scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). “The conversion would create demolition and landscaping jobs and stabilize housing and property values around the distressed properties.”

With support from the Speedwell Foundation, the Georgia Institute of Technology has helped 11 U.S. cities assess the supply of distressed commercial real estate in their communities and determine the best approaches for turning some of that property into green space. Last week, representatives from Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Hilton Head Island revealed their cities’ Red Fields to Green Fields study results in Washington, D.C. at the U.S. Capitol. Altogether, the five cities’ plans would create as many as 20,000 acres of new parkland and an estimated 300,000 new jobs.

Representatives from the National Park Service, the Trust for Public Land, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center and U.S. Rep. Robert A. Brady’s office also attended the meeting. The Pennsylvania congressman is introducing legislation on red fields to green fields issues.

In his remarks at the meeting, Mickey Fearn, deputy director of communications and community assistance for the National Park Service, stated that Red Fields to Green Fields could be America’s best idea. Since the financial crisis began in 2008, real estate values have declined approximately $10 trillion. Today, city residents are surrounded by vacant strip malls, blighted commercial corridors, abandoned housing developments and an oversupply of retail and industrial space.

For the Red Fields to Green Fields project, each city asked the same question: What if we invest a few billion dollars in our city to convert red fields to green fields?

To answer the question, Georgia Tech researchers helped each city utilize financial models used by the U.S. Department of the Interior and data reported by the Federal Reserve to quantify the economic, health, social, policy and engineering impacts of turning red fields into green fields. They also incorporated data from city master plans, green space plans, transportation reports, urban infrastructure redevelopment programs and geographic information system databases. The reports were written in collaboration with the City Parks Alliance and 14 universities, local government agencies and stakeholders.

While each city had a different story, the answer was always the same. Thousands of acres of underutilized residential and commercial real estate assets could be rescued and restored through public park planning to enhance the city’s economic, environmental and physical health. Cities could replace concrete and glass with trees, green space and cleaner air; remove abandoned buildings that attract crime and vagrancy; and create space for recreation, play and exercise to combat obesity and poor health.

“This type of conversion would spur business activity, create jobs and address the real estate problem at its source — oversupply,” said Michael Messner of the Speedwell Foundation. “And its economic effect would be multiplied with increased infrastructure spending, leverage from unlocking banks’ reserves, and real estate owners would spend again knowing their real estate values have stabilized.”

The City of Los Angeles report proposed more than 200 projects to revitalize areas surrounding 32 miles of the Los Angeles River. These projects would create walkable and bikeable connections to the river and link users to small businesses and job sites.

Nearly 3,000 acres of non-performing real estate could be removed from the Phoenix market through red fields to green fields investments, according to that city’s report, creating almost 50,000 jobs and an economic impact of $5.9 billion.

“Red fields to green fields projects can restore liquidity to the real estate markets and put Arizona back to work,” added Joseph Goodman, a graduate student in the Georgia Tech College of Architecture.

In Detroit, an industrial land inventory indicated that more than 11,000 acres of distressed real estate could be used to create corridors linking job site locations with housing and transportation.

Acquiring land adjacent to 10 major bayous in Houston and establishing an interconnected system of parks, trails and economic development corridors could create 55,000 jobs over the next 10 years. Hilton Head Island served as a case study to evaluate the economic and job impacts to coastal communities.

“Often thought of as resort areas, coastal towns serve as hubs for commercial real estate development, recreation and jobs. We found that red fields to green fields projects in Hilton Head Island and other coastal communities can revitalize these communities and establish conservation lands,” said GTRI research scientist Matthew Wren.

The five new city reports add to reports published last year for six other cities — Atlanta, Denver, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Miami and Wilmington.

Since publishing its report, the city of Denver, in collaboration with the Trust for Public Land and private donors, started acquiring red field sites along the South Platte River Corridor. It’s estimated that these investments and implementation of a robust red fields to green fields program in Denver could add more than 30,000 new jobs to the region and remove more than 6,000 acres of distressed real estate from the market, creating an almost $4 billion impact.

During the past year, Miami also began to execute its Red Fields to Green Fields proposal, which tied into its city master plan, and is working to acquire land through public-private partnerships. Miami’s report stated that the tax base could be increased by an estimated $59 million per year by converting 312 acres of non-performing real estate to transit-oriented development and more than 14,000 jobs per year for five years could be created. In addition, linking Everglades National Park and Biscayne Bay National Park could create 1,625 acres of additional parkland.

Other U.S. cities have already embraced the concept of converting distressed real estate to improve a region’s infrastructure and encourage economic development. Boston’s “Big Dig” was a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure project that transformed the city. Local, smaller scale examples in Atlanta include Atlantic Station, the Piedmont Park expansion and the Beltline Old Fourth Ward project.

During the next year, the Georgia Tech research team will focus its efforts on helping the 11 cities implement the plans in their Red Fields to Green Fields reports.

Other researchers involved in the Red Fields to Green Fields program include Joseph Hughes, chair of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech; Carolyn Knabel, a graduate student in the Georgia Tech College of Architecture; Cade Strippelhoff, a graduate student in the Georgia Tech School of Public Policy; and Erin Keller, an undergraduate student in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.

Managing the Push and Pull of Energy Modeling Demand

Read the full story at GreenBiz.

“How many LEED points can I get? Do I quality for a specific incentive?”

To energy modelers, questions like these sound like a broken record.

Yet properly used, energy modeling can provide information that optimizes a building’s energy consumption, reduces life cycle costs and even reduces first cost.

Partnership Aims to Make Emissions Tracking Easy as (Scopes) 1, 2, 3

Read the full story at ClimateBiz.

A new partnership between Climate Earth and Summit Energy has as its aim nothing less than offering the ability to measure and manage a company’s emissions, no matter where they are generated.

The partnership marries the companies’ strengths: Summit specializes in energy management services aimed at a firm’s direct carbon emissions — also known as Scope 1 and 2 emissions — while Climate Earth’s expertise lies in the supply chain, covering Scope 3 emissions.

5 Tips for Protecting the Last Frontier of Building Systems

Read the full story at GreenerBuildings.

For those most familiar with HVAC controls, lighting controls, security systems, IT networks, specialty systems, etc., the monitoring of steel, concrete and other inert materials as opposed to active equipment may sound a bit ridiculous or unnecessary.

However, once you start to think about the effects of the building envelope on occupants and the internal building systems and the effects of the outside environment on the integrity of the envelope and structure, you will wonder why we’re not also monitoring the envelope.

More resources on lead toxicity

As a follow-up to yesterday’s press release from U.S. EPA warning about lead hazards in debris from the Joplin tornado, here are some more resources on the health hazards of lead:

EPA Identifies Case Studies for Hydraulic Fracturing Study

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today, in keeping with the administration’s focus to ensure that the agency leverages domestic resources safely and responsibly, announced the next steps in its congressionally mandated hydraulic fracturing study. EPA has identified seven case studies to help inform the assessment of potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. The sites identified were selected following extensive input from stakeholders, including the public, local and state officials, industry, and environmental organizations. To ensure the agency maintains the current timeline for the study, the EPA will begin field work in some of the selected regions this summer.

Natural gas plays a key role in the nation’s energy future. EPA is working closely with other federal partners to ensure that this important resource can be developed safely.

“This is an important part of a process that will use the best science to help us better understand the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water,” said Paul Anastas, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “We’ve met with community members, state experts and industry and environmental leaders to choose these case studies. This is about using the best possible science to do what the American people expect the EPA to do — ensure that the health of their communities and families are protected.”

The studies, which will take place in regions across the country, will be broken into two study groups. Two of the seven sites were selected as prospective case studies where EPA will monitor key aspects of the hydraulic fracturing process throughout the lifecycle of a well.

These areas are located in:
Haynesville Shale – DeSoto Parish, La.
Marcellus Shale – Washington County, Pa.

Five retrospective case studies were selected and will examine areas where hydraulic fracturing has occurred for any impact on drinking water resources. These are located in:

Bakken Shale – Kildeer, and Dunn Counties, N.D.
Barnett Shale – Wise and Denton Counties, Texas
Marcellus Shale – Bradford and Susquehanna Counties, Pa.
Marcellus Shale – Washington County, Pa.
Raton Basin – Las Animas County, Colo.

The information gathered from these case studies will be part of an approach which includes literature review, collection of data and information from states, industry and communities, laboratory work and computer modeling. The combination of these materials will allow us to do a more comprehensive assessment of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. The study will continue to use the best available science, independent sources of information, and will be conducted using a transparent, peer-reviewed process, to better understand any impacts associated with hydraulic fracturing.

EPA invited stakeholders from across the country to participate in the identification of potential case studies through informational public meetings and the submission of electronic or written comments. Following thousands of comments, over 40 case studies were nominated for inclusion in the study. The case studies were identified, prioritized and selected based on a rigorous set of criteria. These criteria included proximity of population and drinking water supplies to activities, concerns about impaired water quality (retrospective only) and health and environmental impacts (retrospective only), and knowledge gaps that could be filled by the case study. Sites were prioritized based on geographic and geologic diversity, population at risk, site status (planned, active or completed), unique geological or hydrology features, characteristics of water resources, and land use.

The draft study plan and additional information: http://www.epa.gov/hydraulicfracturing

WNBA Encourages Fans to Go Green

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), in partnership with Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), will tip off WNBA Green Week on Tuesday, June 21. In collaboration with the NRDC the WNBA purchased Renewable Energy Credits to off-set energy used at all WNBA arenas hosting games throughout WNBA Green Week.

During Green Week, which runs through June 28, the entire WNBA family will team up to raise awareness about the environment, as players wear special oncourt apparel and participate in hands-on community service projects. The WNBA.com microsite, www.wnba.com/green, will feature everything from greening tips for fans to interviews with WNBA players exploring why environmental awareness is important to them. Special programming for the league’s green initiative and awareness efforts will also run on two nationally televised WNBA games on ESPN2: the June 21 between the Phoenix Mercury and the San Antonio Silver Stars (8 p.m. ET); and the June 28 contest when the Sparks take on the Connecticut Sun (8 p.m. ET).

“The WNBA and its teams have a special responsibility to do our part to combat climate change, and we are excited to team up with the NRDC to highlight the importance of environmental protection while encouraging all fans to do their part by incorporating green habits into their lives,” said NBA Executive Vice President of Social Responsibility and Player Programs Kathy Behrens. “By offsetting the carbon emissions from energy use at all arenas during WNBA Green Week, we are showcasing the league’s commitment to supporting cleaner energy sources and a healthier environment for players, fans, and their communities.”

In correlation with Green Week, adidas will outfit all players organic cotton shooting shirts featuring the WNBA Green logo. Players will also wear WNBA Green headbands and wristbands made from organic cotton during nationally broadcast games throughout the week to raise additional environmental awareness. Additionally Spalding WNBA Green recycled basketballs will be utilized throughout the week for in-game ball exchanges, local auctions and other events.

Each of the league’s 12 teams will also encourage fans to participate in greening efforts by hosting community service events, including tree plantings, recycling drives, and park clean-up days. Additional information on team activations and dates can be found on WNBA.com and team websites.

“The WNBA’s use of Green Week to educate millions of sports fans about environmental stewardship underscores the League’s unflagging commitment to corporate social responsibility,” said NRDC Senior Scientist Allen Hershkowitz. “This year, by offsetting the carbon emissions of all arenas used for WNBA games during Green Week, the WNBA has taken its environmental work to a new level of influence. All pro-Leagues, indeed all businesses, would do well to follow the WNBA’s valuable example.”

EPA Urges Caution on Tornado Renovation Activities Involving Lead Paint

As the Joplin, Mo., area continues to recover from the May 22 tornado, EPA Region 7 recommends children and pregnant women keep away from work that could disturb lead-based paint. The Agency also urges persons working on construction surfaces that may contain lead-based paint to take precautions to prevent the spread of lead-contaminated dust, which is the most significant source of lead exposure for children.

Lead dust may pose hazards to children and pregnant women during cleanup and repair work that typically follows natural disasters such as tornadoes and floods. Common renovation activities like sanding, cutting and demolition can create hazardous lead dust and chips, which can be harmful to adults and children. Lead-based paint was used in more than 38 million homes until it was banned for residential use in 1978. In young children, lead exposure can cause reduced IQ, learning disabilities, developmental delays, and behavioral problems.

The federal Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule requires that contractors, property managers and others working for compensation, in homes and child-occupied facilities built before 1978, to be trained and use lead-safe work practices. They also must provide a copy of the brochure, “Renovate Right; Important Lead Hazard Information for Families, Child Care Providers and Schools,” to owners and occupants before starting renovation work. The brochure is available online.

EPA emphasizes that because of the nature of the recovery work going on in Joplin, certain emergency provisions of the RRP Rule may apply. Work covered under the rule’s provision for storm-damaged housing does not require advance notice or trained renovators to remove materials, including debris, from damaged homes. Also, emergency renovation activities are exempt from the rule’s warning sign, containment, waste-handling, training, and certification requirements – but only to the extent necessary to respond to the emergency. Cleaning, cleaning verification and recordkeeping requirements still apply to emergency renovations. Other non-emergency renovation activities remain subject to the rule’s requirements.

Volunteers who do not receive compensation for work are not required to be trained and certified, under the rule. However, volunteers are strongly advised to educate themselves about lead-safe work practices to avoid causing health or safety hazards for themselves or others.

Homeowners doing their own renovations should take steps to protect themselves and their families from exposure to lead dust. Those steps include:

  • Containing the work area so that dust does not escape from the area. Cover floors and furniture that cannot be moved with heavy duty plastic and tape, and seal off doors and heating and cooling system vents;
  • Keeping children, pregnant women, and pets out of the work area at all times;
  • Minimizing dust during the project by using techniques that generate less dust, such as wet sanding or scraping, or using sanders or grinders that have HEPA vacuum attachments which capture the dust that is generated; and
  • Cleaning up thoroughly by using a HEPA vacuum and wet wiping to clean up dust and debris on surfaces. Mop floors with plenty of rinse water before removing plastic from doors, windows, and vents.

EPA Region 7 has prepared a fact sheet to help answer questions about the RRP Rule and the emergency exemptions. The fact sheet is available online.

Additional information on EPA’s lead program, and ways to protect against hazards associated with lead-based paint, is available online at www.epa.gov/lead, or by contacting the National Lead Information Center, 1-800-424-5323.

Alcoa Foundation Launches $4 Million Environmental Research Initiative in Partnership with 15 Universities and NGOs

Alcoa Foundation today launched a two-year, $4 million initiative that funds 10 global sustainability research projects. The initiative, “Advancing Sustainability Research: Innovative Partnerships for Actionable Solutions,” will find answers to environmental issues that impact the quality of life and well-being of communities globally.

Researchers from 15 leading universities and nongovernmental organizations will investigate issues in natural resource management, materials science and engineering, sustainable design, energy and environmental economics in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Europe, Russia and the United States.

“Alcoa strives to address environmental issues within our operations, across our industry and within our communities,” said Paula Davis, president, Alcoa Foundation. “This research will be used as a tool to rally communities and thought leaders into action. Alcoa sustainability experts and volunteers will also work with our partners and communities to ensure that the research is used to inform public on corporate policy, new technologies, and methodologies that can be adapted and replicated by others. ”

The research will be completed in 2012 and 2013. Milestones and results will be published online, shared with the sustainability community and discussed and used among researchers, communities and stakeholders throughout the two years.

“Our vision is that the results of the Advancing Sustainability Research initiative will lead to widespread adoption of best practices in areas such as water management, energy production and carbon emissions that are critical to conservation,” said Davis.

The Alcoa Foundation Advancing Sustainability Research initiative will be managed by Alcoa Foundation and administered by the Institute of International Education.

Partners in the Advancing Sustainability Research: Innovative Partnerships for Actionable Solutions are:

Australia
Sustainable Land Use

  • Greening Australia, Canberra
  • University of Western Australia, Perth
  • University of Adelaide, Adelaide
  • CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, Adelaide

Brazil
Mangrove Conservation

  • University of São Paulo, São Paulo

Canada
Life Cycle Assessment

  • Interuniversity Research Centre for the Life Cycle of Products, Processes and Services (CIRAIG), Montréal

China
Emissions Reduction

  • China Center for International Economic Exchanges, Beijing
  • Tsinghua University, Tsinghua

Europe
Environmental Economics

  •  University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain
  •  Economics for Energy, Vigo, Spain

Russia
Industrial Water Management

  • Fund for Sustainable Development, Moscow
  • Institute of Water Issues, Moscow
  • Educational Center for Ecology and Safety, Samara

United States
Lightweight Vehicle Structures

  • The Ohio State University – Institute for Materials Research, Columbus, Ohio

Global
New Mobility Solutions

  • University of Michigan – Transportation Research Institute, Ann Arbor, Michigan
  • Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Ann Arbor, Michigan
  • SMART (Sustainable Mobility & Accessibility Research & Transformation), Ann Arbor, Michigan

What’s The Most Energy Efficient Form Of Transportation?

Read the full story at Care2. There’s a great infographic too.

It’s Bike to Work Week in the Colorado town where I live. In the U.S., a national Bike to Work Day celebration happens each year in May, but because of weather concerns (sometimes we have blizzards in May) the city of Fort Collins holds off until June.

Green living advocates talk about the benefits of alternatives transportation all the time: biking, walking, taking the bus or cruising on your skateboard reduces carbon emissions and provides some extra exercise as an added bonus.

Fossil fuel-powered vehicles are usually responsible for the largest portion of any individuals carbon footprint, but all non human-powered modes of transportation increase personal pollution.

The infographic below provides a handy breakdown of all the different ways you can ‘get up and go’ along with their respective level of efficiency. Take a look at the miles per gallon that you get from your typical mode of transportation, and then compare it to some of the more efficient vehicles on the list. You might be surprised it can be to reduce your carbon emissions.

EPA to Chair North America Commission for Environmental Cooperation

Today at the end of the annual council session in Montreal, Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson assumed leadership of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), a partnership with Canada and Mexico that fosters conservation, protection and enhancement of the North American environment. The partnership works to increase economic, trade and social links among the three countries to build healthy communities and ecosystems, a low carbon economy, and initiatives and projects that will help protect people’s health across North America.

Today’s meeting with the Mexican and Canadian ministers of the environment, as well as representatives from across the three governments, focused on the goals of empowering communities to address environmental concerns, especially in states, tribes, and under-served communities, a priority of Administrator Jackson. To that end, today, the CEC directed $1.4 million to fund the North American Partnership for Environmental Community Action (NAPECA) to support communities in their efforts to locally address environmental problems across North America.

The three areas of priorities for the CEC for the next five years are:

  • Healthy communities and Ecosystems
  • Climate Change – Low-Carbon Economy
  • Greening the Economy in North America

Administrator Jackson will host next year’s meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana.

“We’re proud to be working with our partners in the Commission and view our time in the leadership role as an opportunity to facilitate even stronger collaboration. We are eager to join Canada and Mexico in making sure that the work of the CEC is being seen in robust interactions and real results at the community level and benefits for the people who are most vulnerable to health and environmental threats,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “This is an important time to ensure that our economic and environmental priorities are fully aligned and complementary, so that we are moving towards a prosperous and sustainable future. The work of the CEC is instrumental in shaping that future.”

Since 1994, Canada, Mexico and the United States have collaborated in protecting North America’s environment through the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC), which came into force at the same time as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), marking a commitment from each country that trade and economic growth would be accompanied by environmental protection. Accordingly, the NAAEC established the commission to address regional environmental concerns, help prevent potential conflicts between trade and environmental protection and promote the effective enforcement of environmental law.