Complete list of press releases

(NEW YORK, NY – September 21, 2016) Over 22 parties, including Environmental Defense Fund, the Department of Public Service Staff, Con Edison and other environmental advocacy groups, filed today a joint proposal with the New York Public Service Commission (PSC). The proposal recommends the settlement of a rate case in order to set new rates for gas and electric service for the next three years brought forward by Con Edison, New York’s largest utility, earlier this year.

 

With a view toward reducing electricity demand at peak times and generating savings for the utility and its customers, the proposal builds on Reforming the Energy Vision (REV), the state’s initiative to create a more robust and efficient energy system. It also helps New York get closer to its targets under the State Energy Plan, mainly to reduce carbon emissions by 40 percent and energy usage in buildings by 20 percent by 2030. To become effective, the proposal has to be approved by the PSC.

 

Under the agreement, Con Edison is expected to:

 

• Implement a customer engagement plan to educate consumers about its smart meter deployment and associated benefits. The plan paves the way for greater customer access to meaningful energy data, empowering families and businesses with the information needed to cut pollution and control their electricity use and utility bills.
• Offer a new standby tariff exemption to commercial customers who generate their own electricity from highly efficient and low-polluting combined heat and power systems, and to battery storage that will facilitate the adoption of renewable energy.
• Increase the number of energy efficiency programs throughout its service area. Con Edison will be rewarded for the programs’ success. In addition, Con Edison’s shareholders will have an opportunity to be rewarded for energy savings other than those connected to a particular utility program.
• Minimize harmful methane leaks across Con Edison’s gas pipeline system through improved, robust leak detection and repair programs, and efforts to consider enhancements to the prioritization of its leak repair and pipe replacement programs. 

 

“Giving customers greater control over their energy use and costs is key to making New York’s electric system cleaner, more efficient and more reliable. This proposal shows Con Edison’s commitment to energy efficiency and other REV goals, setting the stage for other utilities across the country to embrace market-based opportunities, engage in collaborative solutions, and play a significant role in helping states transition toward a clean energy economy.” 

 

 

• Rory Christian, Director, New York Clean Energy, Environmental Defense Fund 

 

“Gas leaks are a routine issue for natural gas utilities, where public safety must always be the priority. But leaky pipes also harm the climate. Methane, the main ingredient in natural gas, is a powerful pollutant over 80 times more damaging than carbon dioxide in the first 20 years. Con Edison has shown it understands the importance of reducing methane emissions with the changes it is planning, offering a model for others to follow.”

 

•  N. Jonathan Peress, Director, Energy Market Policy, Environmental Defense Fund

(COMMERCE CITY, CO – September 21, 2016) U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell today will host a roundtable discussion about ongoing efforts to conserve the greater sage-grouse and the sagebrush ecosystem. The gathering marks the one-year anniversary of the September 22, 2015 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decision that the greater sage-grouse was “not warranted” for listing under the Endangered Species Act.

Will McDow, director of habitat markets for Environmental Defense Fund, will attend the roundtable and has issued the following statement:

“The sustained momentum of conservation efforts for the greater sage-grouse is impressive. One year after the no-list decision, we continue to see new voluntary commitments from landowners who recognize the importance of continued investment in the future of sage-grouse.

“One innovative approach is the development of state-based habitat exchanges that create broad new opportunities to conserve key habitats. The united efforts of cattlemen, oil and gas companies, and conservation groups to develop the Colorado Habitat Exchange is the clearest illustration of cooperative conservation. 

“This approach complements other important on-the-ground conservation and mitigation efforts — from successful mitigation banks to the Nevada Conservation Credit System, which was the focus of a recent commitment by Newmont Mining Company to conserve 1.5 million acres of sagebrush habitat. These solutions demonstrate the positive outcomes that private investment, market innovation, strong science and political leadership can produce. The sooner this full spectrum of options is available to landowners, the sooner we can realize the full potential of sage-grouse conservation.

“Moving forward, I hope to see federal agencies continue their positive track record on wildlife management, setting clear and rigorous standards for mitigation and conservation programs at a landscape scale. The combination of strong federal policies, consistent state plans and engaged stakeholders will continue to make sage-grouse a shining model of conservation success.”

(NEW YORK, NY – September 16, 2016) Governor Andrew Cuomo introduced yesterday the Offshore Wind Blueprint, a plan to develop a large-scale offshore wind program for New York State. As part of its strategy, the state will gather feedback from stakeholders, identify areas where wind power will most benefit New York’s electricity system, and create a schedule for building wind farms in the form of an upcoming Offshore Wind Master Plan. The Offshore Wind Blueprint follows the state’s commitment to a Clean Energy Standard, which seeks to derive 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

 

 “The Offshore Wind Blueprint leverages the state’s natural resources to cut pollution, and demonstrates Governor Cuomo’s commitment to attracting more renewable energy investments, creating jobs, and spurring economic growth as New York moves toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.”

 

• Rory Christian, Director, New York Clean Energy, Environmental Defense Fund

“We’re disappointed by Judge James Boasberg’s decision to deny the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s motion for a preliminary injunction. EDF had not been working on the Dakota Access Pipeline issue, but like everyone else we’re keenly aware of it now. When you see attack dogs used on Native American protesters, that calls to mind some of the ugliest chapters in American history. And we continue to have concerns about whether the proper environmental and cultural review processes were followed.

“We support the Obama administration’s decision to halt construction of the pipeline on territory under the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers until such time as a more thorough assessment of the environmental and cultural impacts can be completed.  Unfortunately, our nation’s history is replete with examples of the interests of Native American tribes being dismissed or subordinated to other priorities, and we welcome this opportunity to begin a conversation about how to reverse that trend.”

 

-       Dan Grossman, National Director of State Programs, Oil and Gas, Environmental Defense Fund

(LOS ANGELES — September 8, 2016)  Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today hails California Governor Brown’s signing into law a package of climate bills (SB 32 and AB 197) that commits California to reducing greenhouse gas pollution to at least 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 while promoting equity and public health benefits. The signing comes within a week of President Obama and China’s President Xi announcing they had formally joined the Paris climate agreement, and less than two weeks after President Obama spoke in Lake Tahoe of the importance of acting on climate change.

“Governor Brown has been a relentless advocate for climate action, and today he has cemented his environmental legacy. Californians and people around the world will benefit from this new set of climate laws, which make California’s long-term climate targets as ambitious as Europe’s.

“As the world’s sixth-largest economy, California has already pulled off what some feared impossible. It’s demonstrated that a low-carbon economy can be a strong economy — that falling greenhouse gas emissions can go hand-in-hand with rising GDP. These new laws will ensure the state’s economy and the environment continue to thrive.

“Because of Governor Brown’s leadership and support from a broad coalition, including legislators on both sides of the aisle, the world sees proof of global momentum on climate action following the Paris climate talks.” 

• Timothy O’Connor, Director of California Climate Initiative and Senior Attorney

(Washington, D.C. – September 7, 2016) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today finalized an important update to its historic Cross-State Air Pollution Rule.

The Cross-State Air Pollution Rule is already providing healthier air for hundreds of millions of Americans across the Eastern U.S. The update to the rule, which was unveiled today, will build on that success and provide stronger clean air protections for communities and families in 22 states. 

“Today’s new and improved Cross-State Air Pollution Rule will help reduce harmful smog pollution from power plants,” said EDF Senior Attorney Graham McCahan. “The Cross-State Air Pollution Rule is already using common sense, achievable steps to protect 240 million Americans from pollution that’s linked to asthma attacks, heart and lung diseases, and even early death. With today’s improvements we can reduce that dangerous pollution even further, and give American families and communities cleaner, healthier air.”

The Cross-State Air Pollution Rule was created under the “good neighbor” provision of the Clean Air Act, and finalized in 2011. The rule reduces sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen pollution emitted from coal-fired power plants across the eastern states. Those emissions, and the resulting particulate pollution and ozone — more commonly known as soot and smog — drift across the borders of those states and contribute to dangerous, sometimes lethal, levels of pollution in downwind states. The Supreme Court upheld the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule in April of 2014. 

Today’s update to the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule identifies cuts in power plant emissions in 22 states that can be achieved by 2017 using existing, cost-effective technology. The original Cross-State Air Pollution Rule was designed to help states meet the 1997 and 2006 health-based standards for soot pollution and the 1997 health-based standards for smog pollution. Today’s updates will help states achieve the more-protective 2008 health-based smog standard.

EPA estimates the updated rule will:

• Contribute to an expected 20 percent reduction in smog-forming pollution from 2015 to 2017
• Prevent more than 67,000 asthma attacks each year
• Prevent almost 56,000 days of missed school and work each year
• Provide annual benefits of up to $880 million dollars
• Provide American families with $13 in health benefits for every dollar invested

You can read more about the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule on EDF’s website.

(WASHINGTON – September 1, 2016) The Obama Administration, building upon its environmental legacy, announced a number of conservation-focused actions at yesterday’s Lake Tahoe Summit.

Among these actions was the release of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s draft compensatory mitigation policy, which aims to address the impacts of development on the nation’s most at-risk species. The policy is the first comprehensive treatment of compensatory mitigation under authority of the Endangered Species Act to be issued by the Service, and it includes habitat exchanges – a program pioneered by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and partners – among the preferred mitigation solutions.

The following is a statement by Eric Holst, associate vice president of working lands at EDF:

“This has been a great week for America’s wildlife.

“On Tuesday, the State of Nevada and the U.S. Department of the Interior signed an agreement with Newmont Mining Company to protect 1.5 million acres of sagebrush habitat through the Nevada Conservation Credit System, a type of habitat exchange program. It’s a hugely significant commitment that will protect vital habitat for at-risk wildlife like the iconic western greater sage-grouse, mule deer and pronghorn. The Service’s draft mitigation policy announced yesterday will make more of these partnerships possible, with new tools available in the conservation toolbox.

“By adding habitat exchanges to the suite of preferred mitigation solutions, the Service is providing a foundational step to unleash the untapped potential of America’s working lands – its farms, ranches and forests – to reverse habitat loss and stop the extinction crisis.

“Habitat exchanges will help transform mitigation dollars into on-the-ground success, ultimately allowing both wildlife and the economy to flourish. These new tools and policies will ensure that this Administration’s vision for a sustainable future becomes a reality, leaving a lasting legacy that will allow people and nature to prosper.”

(WASHINGTON, August 30, 2016) The State of Nevada, U.S. Department of Interior and Newmont Mining Corporation today announced an agreement to partner on a wide-ranging, landscape-level conservation plan that promotes conservation of sagebrush habitat and species, including greater sage-grouse, on approximately 1.5 million acres of habitat in Nevada, both on private and public lands.

The agreement will allow the State of Nevada to work with federal agencies and Newmont Mining to apply advanced quantification and mitigation through the Nevada Conservation Credit System.

The following is a statement by Will McDow, director of habitat markets at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF):

“In order to keep species like the iconic greater sage-grouse off the endangered species list, there need to be strong programs in place to ensure meaningful conservation is happening on the ground quickly, in keeping with the promises made by the states.

“The state of Nevada has consistently shown strong leadership by investing in solutions for wildlife that also benefit Nevada’s agricultural, ranching and energy industries. The Nevada Conservation Credit System will create a robust market for conservation and mitigation projects that will bring greater certainty to Nevada’s mining industry, ultimately allowing both wildlife and the economy to flourish.”

The Nevada Conservation Credit System is a market- and science-based approach to improve species conservation. It is a type of habitat exchange – a program pioneered by EDF in collaboration with partners from industry, agriculture and the science community. Other habitat exchanges are currently under development in Colorado, Wyoming and other western states.

(WASHINGTON – Aug 29, 2016) In advance of a key meeting of the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), leading industry, policy, and legal experts are calling for a cap on carbon pollution from international aviation. The 2015 Paris climate agreement does not specify how this major source of climate pollution should be addressed. In a special issue of Carbon & Climate Law Review (CCLR), the experts write that a warming climate is a risk to the aviation industry’s safety and operations, and countries have a critical opportunity to agree this fall to a market-based measure to limit emissions from international flights.

Aviation would become the first global sector with a market-based cap on carbon emissions if, by the end of the two-week triennial meeting of ICAO’s General Assembly on October 7, countries agree to the market-based measure to limit pollution from international flights at 2020 levels. Without policy intervention, carbon pollution from airplanes is forecasted to triple by 2050.

“Aviation emissions must be capped and cut. We rightly celebrated after the Paris agreement, but this is major unfinished business. This fall’s ICAO Assembly is a critical moment for countries, and the aviation industry, to demonstrate leadership in providing international air travel while reducing risks to the climate. These articles illustrate the need for and feasibility of a strong market-based measure,” said Pamela Campos, senior attorney at Environmental Defense Fund and the special editor of CCLR’s special issue on aviation and climate change.

Aviation’s total global warming impacts are more than double those from its CO2 emissions, or equivalent to 5% of total radiative forcing from carbon dioxide. A scientific assessment published in this issue shows that nitrogen oxide emissions and aviation’s impacts on clouds add significantly to the warming effect of carbon dioxide.

Without new policies, aviation emissions could compromise the goal of the Paris agreement to limit the increase in global temperatures to 1.5 – 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. 

If countries don’t agree to the market-based measure in October, there may not be another chance for action on aviation pollution until ICAO’s next General Assembly in 2019. 

“Reaching agreement on the global market-based measure will be a huge achievement,” Judith Ritchie, First Secretary of Transport Policy at the British Embassy in Washington from 2009-2014, said in the preface of the CCLR issue. “We have much to gain but even more to lose. ICAO as an institution risks undermining its credibility if it cannot secure agreement from its member states to a market-based measure this year. Failure to reach agreement would represent a very real step backwards for an industry that has always been at the forefront of initiative and endeavor.”

(WASHINGTON – August 26, 2016) The Obama administration has deepened its investment in protecting the oceans’ most vulnerable creatures—especially in the face of climate change—with the creation of the world’s largest marine protected area. At 582,780 square miles, the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is now nearly four times the size of California, covering waters off the coast of the Hawaiian archipelago. Working with the Bush administration, the Environmental Defense Fund played a key role in advocating for the creation of Papahānaumokuākea (in 2006) and the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (in 2009), which President Obama expanded in 2014.

“The expansions of the Papahānaumokuākea and the Pacific Remote Islands marine national monuments by President Obama over the last two years represent an unprecedented commitment to the health of our oceans. These areas will help protect whales, sharks and other fish, corals and other increasingly vulnerable creatures. As the world works to combat overfishing, climate change and other threats to our oceans, this type of leadership by the United States is critical.”

       Amanda Leland, senior vice president, Oceans, Environmental Defense Fund

Louisiana recently experienced unprecedented flooding that killed 13 people and damaged more than 60,000 homes. This slow-moving storm overwhelmed communities far outside of the 100-year flood zone, including some communities previously impacted by Hurricanes Rita (2005) and Isaac (2012).

Next week also marks the 11th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which pummeled the Gulf Coast, killing nearly 2,000 people and devastating communities and the environment. Since the storm, Louisiana has come a long way in restoring and better protecting coastal areas against storm surge, but there is still work to do to achieve comprehensive restoration and community resilience in the face of future threats.

Local and national organizations working together on Mississippi River Delta restoration as Restore the Mississippi River Delta – Environmental Defense Fund, the National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation and Coalition to Restoration Coastal Louisiana – released the following statement:

“Eleven years ago, coastal Louisiana experienced firsthand the misfortune of hurricane storm surge and flooding. Earlier this month, tragedy struck again as unparalleled rainfall inundated communities farther north, damaging areas across south central Louisiana previously untouched by severe flooding.

“It is becoming overwhelmingly clear that there will be nowhere to hide from a changing climate as these ‘unusual’ weather events become more regular. To better protect our communities, wildlife and economies, we need comprehensive coastal restoration and resiliency planning. We need healthy wetlands to buffer from storm surge; sensible floodplain management to leverage the land-building power of the Mississippi River, while protecting communities from their flooding; and community resiliency programs to build homes and businesses stronger, safer and better. We need to make sure our entire state is equipped to deal with the risks that lie ahead.

“As Louisiana citizens respond to this latest challenge, and reflect upon past coastal devastation, we look forward to the tremendous opportunity that exists to restore our coast and protect our communities from storm surge: the 2017 Coastal Master Plan. In the years ahead, we can invest billions of dollars in the most powerful and innovative coastal restoration and community resiliency projects in the nation. Let’s get to work doing just that before the next disaster strikes.”

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Restore the Mississippi River Delta is working to protect people, wildlife and jobs by reconnecting the river with its wetlands. As our region faces the crisis of threatening land loss, we offer science-based solutions through a comprehensive approach to restoration. Composed of conservation, policy, science and outreach experts from Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, we are located in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Washington, D.C.; and around the United States. Learn more at www.mississippiriverdelta.org and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

(SAN FRANCISCO – August 24, 2016) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today salutes action by the California Legislature to pass a package of climate bills (SB 32 and AB 197) that commits California to reducing greenhouse gas pollution to at least 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 while promoting equity and public health benefits.

“California is a model for the world on climate and today the California Legislature has extended that leadership for another generation. As major economies work under the Paris Agreement to strengthen their plans to cut pollution and boost clean energy, California, once again, is setting a new standard for climate leadership worldwide.

“After ten years of groundbreaking climate action, California is ahead of schedule in meeting its ambitious 2020 reduction targets and has been rewarded with a robust economy that is not dependent on increasing pollution to grow or to add jobs. The deeper 2030 reduction targets that the Legislature passed today will ensure the state’s economy and the environment continue to thrive.

“In 2006, EDF was a co-sponsor of the Global Warming Solutions Act. Today we are honored to be among a vast and diverse coalition, including business leaders and environmental, equity, labor, faith, health and consumer groups, supporting this bold action to cut climate pollution. It is a move that will continue to allow human prosperity and environmental progress to go hand in hand.” 

• Diane Regas, Executive Director, Environmental Defense Fund

(AUSTIN – August 24, 2016) The Texas Army National Guard (Guard) today released an analysis that maps the potential for renewable energy and water stress at the majority of its Texas facilities, overlapping that data with energy use and costs. The study, funded by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and executed by CNA Analysis & Solutions, reveals there is significant potential for the Guard to save money and water by increasing renewable energy and energy efficiency.

In Texas and around the U.S., the Department of Defense is pursuing renewable energy to improve resilience to power outages and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Texas Army National Guard has implemented renewable energy initiatives at several of its facilities, and this assessment aimed to identify those with the best potential for developing additional capacity.

“This analysis will be instrumental in helping the Texas National Guard prioritize renewable energy and water conservation projects at our facilities throughout the state,” said Brian Stevens, Energy Manager, Construction and Facilities Management Office, Texas Military Department.

Out of 77 Guard facilities across the state, the study examined the 60 that have purchasing power over their energy choices, ranking them by greatest potential for solar, wind, and geothermal. It found 22 sites have high potential for solar, 23 have high potential for wind, and the use of geothermal energy for heating and cooling is essentially unlimited. The analysis also cites the low cost of energy efficiency and the potential to deploy efficiency measures at all locations.

Moreover, the study assessed future water stress for each facility, assuming continued growth in water demand in Texas, as well as a moderate climate change scenario. The study found Texas will face increased water supply stress and possibly more frequent problems with power supply as a result. Traditional power resources, including coal, natural gas, and nuclear, require huge amounts of water to produce electricity, while solar panels, wind turbines, and energy efficiency require little to none.

“With increasing water stress already here or looming on the horizon, now is the time for the Texas Army National Guard to invest in clean energy solutions that use little to no water,” said Kate Zerrenner, manager, energy-water initiatives for EDF. “The study shows many facilities are ripe for safeguarding water supplies through low-hanging fruit like solar panels and energy efficiency. The Texas Army National Guard now possesses a powerful weapon in its arsenal: the information it needs to pursue clean energy as a strategy for a reliable water future.”

The analysis also ranked each facility by electricity price, demonstrating that many experience costs above the state’s average. This finding presents a clear opportunity to seek new ways to lower power costs. By overlapping that data with renewable potential and water stress, the Guard can use the study to pinpoint the most cost-effective facilities for clean energy.

For example, the Fort Bliss Readiness Center in El Paso has the third-highest electricity use, highest solar potential, most extreme category of future water stress, and one of the highest electricity prices. All of these factors combined indicate the Fort Bliss Readiness Center would be well-suited for targeted energy efficiency and solar deployment to reduce water demand and electric bills.  

Lowering costs through clean energy investment will ensure the Guard can devote more financial resources to critical needs, like training and equipment, rather than high electricity bills. Moreover, although the study was specific to the Army branch, the results can help inform investment decisions for the entire Texas National Guard.

Today, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration (RESTORE) Council released a draft update to its Comprehensive Plan, guiding restoration of the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. In May 2013, the RESTORE Council released its first Comprehensive Plan, “The Path Forward to Restoring the Gulf Coast,” which was unanimously approved by the Council in August 2013. As a result of the BP settlement, the RESTORE Council will administer more than two billion dollars in recovery and restoration funds over the coming years.  

National organizations working on Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi River Delta restoration – Environmental Defense Fund, the National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society, Ocean Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy – released the following statement in response to today’s announcement:

“The RESTORE Council has an unprecedented opportunity to make crucial investments toward the long-term recovery and resilience of the Gulf, and the Comprehensive Plan is the foundation upon which these decisions and investments will be made.

“We are pleased to see the RESTORE Council make continuing progress toward a meaningful Comprehensive Plan update with the release of this draft, which addresses many important issues. We applaud USDA’s leadership and the dedication of all the RESTORE Council members in improving this important guiding document. As the draft Comprehensive Plan advances toward finalization, our groups look forward to providing the Council with feedback that can make this updated plan as strong as possible to guide the tremendous restoration opportunities ahead.”