Complete list of press releases

(New York, NY – October 10, 2012) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) applauds Governor Christie’s allocation of $25 million in federal funds to local governments to develop alternative energy projects designed to make New Jersey’s critical facilities resilient and reliable in the face of power outages.  The partnership between the State of New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which has identified and is funding energy resilient projects for critical facilities, is a model that EDF believes can be applied more broadly – not only in New Jersey and the Superstorm Sandy-effected region, but nationally where extreme weather events are increasingly leaving communities in the dark.

“Extreme weather and vulnerable energy infrastructure came together with a vengeance during Superstorm Sandy,” said Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense Fund. “A smarter, more flexible power grid is central to resilience, safety and storm recovery. Governor Christie’s actions will help make New Jersey’s energy infrastructure cleaner, smarter and stronger than ever.”

“Heather Zichal’s work at the White House has helped America take important strides towards reducing climate pollution and creating a strong clean energy economy for our nation.

“Zichal helped President Obama create his historic Climate Action Plan, including the proposal for America’s first-ever limits on carbon pollution from new fossil fuel power plants. During her five-year tenure as a top White House advisor on environmental and climate issues, the U.S. also adopted rigorous limits on the toxic mercury emissions from power plants to protect our communities and families, and established historic cleaner car standards that will strengthen our national security, save Americans’ money at the gas pump and cut climate pollution. 

 “We have appreciated Heather’s expertise and know she’ll continue to accomplish great things in the future.”

• Fred Krupp, Environmental Defense Fund president

(MONTREAL/ WASHINGTON – Oct. 3, 2013)  U.S.-based Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today commended the Executive Committee of the General Assembly of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for agreeing by 2016 to a roadmap to place a global limit on carbon pollution from aviation, but criticized ICAO’s attempts to restrict individual countries’ ability to put in place their own measures to limit aviation emissions in the interim.

“On one hand, ICAO has opened a door to the possibility of a future global cap on these emissions and an array of programs – including a market-based measure sought by both the industry and the environmental community – to ensure that the cap is met,” said EDF International Counsel Annie Petsonk. “But a bedrock principle of international law is that nations have the sovereign right to limit pollution emitted in their borders. So ICAO took half a step backward with its attempt to narrow the ambit for countries to implement their own market-based measures to cap and cut the burgeoning global warming pollution from international aviation.” 

“The U.S. will need to step up its leadership in ICAO to ensure real results for the climate,” said Petsonk. “A firm cap on aviation emissions is urgently needed if the world is to avert the kind of catastrophic climate shifts that will prove so damaging to communities, companies and air travel in the coming years.”

“President Obama has laid out a compelling vision for America to take a leading international role on climate change. What happens in ICAO will be a key test of that vision.”

(New York, NY — October 2, 2013) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)’s Climate Corps advanced energy management at 106 organizations across the nation this summer using cutting-edge energy strategies.

In its sixth year, EDF Climate Corps has found nearly $1.3 billion in energy savings for participating organizations. This year’s list includes Apple, Facebook, General Motors and Verizon from the private sector, and the U.S. Army, Chicago Public Schools and the cities of Boston and Austin from the public sector.

Each summer, EDF Climate Corps trains and matches top-tier graduate students with leading organizations to deliver energy savings and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

As energy management practices continue to evolve, EDF Climate Corps sees an increasing number of organizations looking to stay ahead of the pack by pursuing strategies for long-term financial and environmental sustainability.

“When we started this program six years ago, no one could have predicted the magnitude of its impact.” said Victoria Mills, managing director for EDF Climate Corps. “Today, we’re catalyzing an industry transformation where smart energy management is a strategic business imperative.”

Data management is a growth area for EDF Climate Corps, as organizations struggle to make sense of the massive amounts of data collected by new technologies. More than 60 percent of this year’s participants report to have tasked EDF Climate Corps fellows with complex data analysis to identify energy-saving solutions.

“Our EDF Climate Corps fellow’s data analysis will provide value for years to come,” said Tom Blue, energy manager at Fort Bragg Army base. “The fellow’s work on this complex task will significantly contribute to future energy management decisions at Fort Bragg.”

Innovative efficiency financing solutions are also increasingly popular for both public and private organizations. EDF Climate Corps fellows focused on crafting financing solutions — like green revolving loan funds — to enable increasing investment in energy projects over time.

“The resources needed to implement energy efficiency projects are especially scarce in the public sector,” said Joe LaRusso, energy finance manager for the City of Boston. “Our EDF Climate Corps fellow’s work helped the City evaluate new ways to fund energy efficiency — ways in which it can build higher levels of efficiency into its capital construction projects.”

The EDF Climate Corps fellow at Darden Restaurants worked on prioritizing investments to help the company meet its energy reduction goal.

“With a goal to reduce our energy usage by 15 percent by 2015, we needed our EDF Climate Corps fellow to identify the most strategic investments Darden should consider for over 2,100 restaurant locations,” said Brandon Tidwell, sustainability manager for Darden Restaurants. “Our fellow was able to identify the two most effective and valuable technologies that could reduce our energy use and save almost $20 million.”

EDF Climate Corps is now accepting applications for companies, cities and universities to host a fellow in 2014. Learn more about EDF Climate Corps at edfclimatecorps.org or e-mail info@edfclimatecorps.org. See a full list of this year’s participants here.

(New Orleans, LA—Sept. 27, 2013) On Monday, Sept. 30, phase II of the Deepwater Horizon civil trial will begin to determine how much BP will be required to pay in fines for the biggest oil spill in U.S. history. Today, leading national and local conservation organizations Environmental Defense Fund, National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation released the following statement:

“Nearly three and a half years since the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion killed 11 men and caused the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history, the Gulf still waits for restoration. BP’s misleading advertising campaigns omit truths and facts: Gulf Coast communities, wildlife and ecosystems are still harmed and need to be restored. Tar mats continue to surface, miles of Louisiana shoreline remain oiled and the full effects of the oil spill may not be known for years to come.

“It is time for BP to accept full responsibility for the Gulf oil disaster. The natural resources of the Gulf, which sustain and bolster regional and national economies, need restoration now. We cannot wait any longer for our ruined wetlands and barrier islands to be restored.

“Restoration cannot begin in earnest until BP is brought to justice. The company has not paid a penny in Clean Water Act civil fines, which it owes for the millions of barrels of oil it spilled into the Gulf. These fines will be the primary funding for Gulf restoration projects under the RESTORE Act.

“A portion of the RESTORE Act funding, overseen by the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, will be spent on large-scale ecosystem restoration projects. The Mississippi River Delta region was among the hardest hit by the oil disaster and is essential to regional and national economies, including navigation, energy and seafood. The delta is invaluable to our communities and our environment; it provides vital habitat for hundreds of species of wildlife and birds along the Mississippi and Central Flyways, world-class fresh- and saltwater fishing opportunities and a home to millions of Americans. The Mississippi River Delta is truly a national treasure and one of the most important areas in North America.

“BP must be held responsible for its actions so that Gulf Coast ecosystems and economies can recover and rebuild. It’s been nearly three and a half years. We have waited long enough.”

“The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report that was released today confirms everything we’ve known and feared about climate change, and then raises the stakes significantly. Hundreds of the best scientists from around the world helped compile the report. They are more confident than ever that climate change is caused by human activity, that ocean levels may rise three feet by the end of this century, and that some of the carbon pollution we’re putting into the air now will still be there in one thousand years. The scariest part is that those scientists describe the report and its findings as conservative – meaning it may actually be even worse.

“Today we’ve gotten the strongest evidence yet that we must act to slow climate change. America is starting to take some good steps in the right direction, including EPA’s proposal for our first-ever limits on carbon pollution from new power plants. We need to keep working on good ideas like that, so we can protect our families and our country from the extreme weather, health risks, and other dangers of climate change.”

-       Steve Hamburg, EDF Chief Scientist

(New York– September 26, 2013) In an email blast to Capitol Hill staffers this week, American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Jack Gerard made false claims about a much- discussed new University of Texas methane emissions study. Gerard said the study “proves” that “hydraulic fracturing is safe for the environment.” To support that inaccurate claim, the email cherry picks findings from the recently published UT study, which was coordinated by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and focuses on natural gas production, the first phase in the supply chain. Gerard used study results that measured emissions below previous estimates, ignored others that found higher than estimated methane emissions, and implied that the study gave a complete picture of system emissions when it only deals with the production phase.

“API is deliberately twisting the science to support its agenda. That’s irresponsible and misleading to the public,” said Mark Brownstein, Associate Vice President and Chief Counsel of EDF’s US Climate & Energy Program.

“Above all, Jack Gerard ignores the fact that the reason some study measurements came in below previous estimates is because the Environmental Protection Agency imposed new rules on natural gas production – rules that API lobbied to significantly weaken. EPA got the rules right for controlling emissions from well completions, and that’s why production emissions are coming down. But that’s not the whole story. We know a significant amount of methane is lost into the atmosphere as new U.S. natural gas supplies are developed. There is still a lot of work to do before we can draw conclusions about system-wide emissions. The UT study is a major step toward improving our understanding of how much methane is actually being emitted, but it is only one step,” Brownstein said.  

The peer-reviewed study is the first of 16 scientific evaluations of methane emissions associated with today’s natural gas system: production, gathering and processing, transmission and storage, local distribution, along with commercial trucks and refueling stations. This initial study focused on production, or the extraction of natural gas, from shale gas wells using hydraulic fracturing. Nine natural gas companies volunteered to participate in the study and provided UT researchers with access to their facilities and equipment for testing.

API’s email campaign, sent to House and Senate offices on September 24, bases its interpretation of the UT study on the finding on “well completions” – the process of getting the well ready to produce gas after it is drilled and fractured. UT estimated production sector methane emissions to be roughly in line with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s latest estimates, while emissions from well completions were significantly lower. A majority of wells tested used “green completions,” a method of capturing emissions that will be required by EPA for new natural gas wells beginning in January 2015. The study indicates that green completions are highly effective in reducing methane emissions, but no data exists on how many producers nationwide currently use such practices.

These findings taken in isolation present an inaccurate summary of the UT study. Other key findings include: methane emissions associated with equipment used to control routine operations at well sites were 63 percent higher than current EPA estimates. Fugitive methane — unintentional leaks from piping, valves, separators and compressors — were 38 to 69 percent higher. Finally, emissions measured from chemical injection pumps (used at the wellhead to keep pipelines flowing) were 100 percent higher than EPA estimates.

“The UT study in its entirety is not all good news,” said Brownstein. “The data points to additional opportunities for producers to further reduce methane emissions. This includes using green completions to capture emissions from shale oil and co-producing oil and gas wells, and addressing activities where emissions were well above estimates. The policy implications are clear: We need to extend these effective new EPA rules to all wells not covered by the regulations now, and write new rules to measure and reduce emissions resulting from valves, leaks, pumps and other equipment of the like. We know enough to get started plugging leaks.”

Full details on the UT study findings, access to the dataset and an overview of the second phase of data collection, already underway, is provided on UT’s methane website.

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:
Mica Odom, (512) 691-3451, modom@edf.org

(New York, NY – Sept. 26, 2012) – From the Upper East and West Sides, to Harlem and the South Bronx, citizens of New York City are breathing dramatically cleaner air thanks to innovative environmental initiatives led by Mayor Bloomberg and a unique public-private partnership led by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).

According to a new report from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), the efforts made by the city and its partners has slashed concentrations of sulfur pollution by a whopping 69 percent, nickel by 35 percent and fine particulate matter, or soot, by 23 percent. NYC Clean Heat, a public-private partnership that is converting building heating systems from high-polluting oil to cleaner-burning fuels, has been a significant driver in achieving these reductions. The city’s combined efforts have cut roughly 250 tons of soot since fall 2011, the equivalent of taking more than 800,000 vehicles off the road for an entire year.

The public health benefits are substantial – nearly 800 lives are saved each year, and an estimated 2,000 emergency room visits and hospitalizations are prevented annually, according to the NYC DOHMH. This amounts to a 25 percent reduction in all health incidents attributed to air pollution in New York City.

“This is an enormous win for the health of all who live and work in New York City,” said Andy Darrell, EDF’s New York regional director. “NYC Clean Heat is a practical, high-impact solution that serves as a model for cities around the world, proving that big environmental gains are possible when government, finance, real estate and advocates join forces to achieve a common goal.”

NYC Clean Heat, which is part of the mayor’s sustainability program known as PlaNYC, seeks out and brings together resources to help buildings convert from highly polluting No. 6 and No. 4 oil to cleaner fuels. Working together, EDF and the Bloomberg administration brought together community and union leaders and innovators in policy, utilities, real estate and finance to address the problem. Approximately 2,700 buildings have been converted to the cleanest available fuels.

EDF helped develop NYC Clean Heat after releasing a study in 2008 called The Bottom of the Barrel, which showed that heating oil causes more soot in New York City than all of the city’s cars and trucks combined. Around the same time, the NYC Department of Health released first-time measurements of actual air quality at the neighborhood scale, showing that heating oil was the major reason that some communities — like the Upper East and West Sides, Harlem and the South Bronx – had higher concentrations of soot and nickel than others. Buildings in every affected neighborhood have become part of the solution, from iconic residential coops like the Beresford to institutions like St. Barnabas Hospital in the South Bronx. The New York City Council and New York State both enacted key policies essential to the success of the program. EDF manages NYC Clean Heat in partnership with the city.

69% Reduction in Sulphur; Source: NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

The EDF Smart Power initiative is dedicated to scaling up successes like these around the country and world.

(New Orleans, LA – September 20, 2013) Today, leading national and local conservation and restoration organizations – Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation – released the following joint statement:

“The Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign commends the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) for adopting an ambitious timeline for the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion. Announced at the Authority’s monthly meeting in New Orleans on September 18, the state plans to complete environmental review, engineering and design documents, and permit applications and submit them to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by Spring 2015. Construction could begin later that year.

“The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion is the first major controlled sediment diversion reconnecting the Mississippi River with its delta. It is a cornerstone of the state’s master plan for sustaining our coast. CPRA’s timeline matches the urgency of our coastal land loss crisis. Funding from BP oil spill settlements makes this schedule altogether feasible.

“We know that the Army Corps of Engineers and the other federal resource agencies consider this project to be a national ecosystem restoration priority and will do everything possible to work with the State to make this schedule a reality. We look forward to collaborating with the State and its federal partners to achieve this exciting and crucial 2015 construction goal. Our coast can’t wait. It’s time to get together and get it done.”

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:
Keith Gaby, 202-572-3336, kgaby@edf.org
Megan Ceronsky, 202-650-2277, mceronsky@edf.org 

(Washington, DC – September 20, 2013) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is applauding today’s announcement of federal carbon pollution standards for new fossil fuel fired power plants.  Fossil fuel-burning power plants are the single largest of source of climate destabilizing emissions in the nation.

“Right now there are no limits at all on the largest source of carbon pollution, so this is a necessary and commonsense step. As communities across our country struggle with terrible floods, droughts, and wildfires, these standards will finally put a limit on the carbon pollution that new power plants emit into our skies,” said EDF President Fred Krupp. “Cleaner power generation will protect our children from dangerous smog, extreme weather, and other serious climate impacts, and ensure that America leads the world in the race to develop cleaner, safer power technologies.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed standards would establish the first nationwide limits on climate-destabilizing pollution from new coal-fired power plants.  EPA proposed similar standards in March of 2012 and has revised them today in response to public comment.  EPA has also proposed national limits on the carbon pollution for new gas plants.  EPA’s new emissions performance standards are similar to clean air standards adopted by states across the country.

The National Climate Data Center reports that the U.S. experienced twelve climate disasters each causing more than a billion dollars of damage in 2012, including a yearlong drought and widespread crop failure in 22 states, western wildfires that burned over 9.2 million acres, and Hurricane Sandy, which devastated major population centers in the Northeast. Climate change is of course not the sole cause of such events, but it is a contributing factor. Scientists say these impacts will affect American communities with increasing frequency and severity as climate-destabilizing emissions continue to accumulate in the atmosphere. 

As climate change accelerates, we simply cannot afford to build any more high emitting plants.  U.S. power plants emit approximately 2.3 billion tons of heat-trapping carbon dioxide pollution each year, 40% of the carbon pollution emitted in the United States.  The average coal fired power plant emits 3.5 million tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere every year—and the average retirement age of these plants is 50 years. 

A wide variety of solutions are available today to meet our nation’s energy needs under the proposed standards, including more efficient use of energy, renewable energy, highly efficient natural gas plants, and coal plants that permanently capture and store carbon pollution.  Indeed, in 2012, wind energy topped all other resources in new capacity additions deployed in the U.S.  Today’s proposal will provide power companies with the certainty they need to invest now-sidelined resources in cleaner, safer and more efficient solutions to meet U.S. electricity needs – creating jobs in the process.

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:
Tim, O’Connor, 415-293-6132, toconnor@edf.org
Joaquin McPeek, 916-492-7173, jmcpeek@edf.org

(San Francisco, CA – September 18, 2013) Today the ninth circuit court of appeals upheld California’s innovative Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). This decision will help lead California to a low-carbon future through diversification of transportation fuels.

LCFS is a carefully designed policy under AB 32 that reduces global warming pollution, protects and improves public health and drives innovation in business and technology that delivers economic benefits.

Tim O’Connor, Director of EDF”s California Climate Initiatives said of the decision: “This is a great day for public health and the economy of California. The court clearly upheld a groundbreaking policy that will protect consumers and the environment by diversifying our fuel mix and providing more choices for a clean energy future.”

In part, the Court stated: “California should be encouraged to continue and to expand its efforts to find a workable solution to lower carbon emissions, or to slow their rise. If no such solution is found, California residents and people worldwide will suffer great harm. We will not at the outset block California from developing this innovative, nondiscriminatory regulation to impede global warming. If the Fuel Standard works, encouraging the development of alternative fuels by those who would like to reach the California market, it will help ease California’s climate risks and inform other states as they attempt to confront similar challenges.”

LCFS reduces the amount of carbon released during the production, shipping and use, known as the “lifecycle” approach, of transportation fuels sold in California by 10% between now and 2020. LCFS efficiently reduces and protects California consumers by cutting air pollution, improving air quality and saving tens of billions of dollars a year in health care costs from respiratory diseases. This policy will also help to stabilize fuel prices and protect Californians against future oil price shocks, while creating jobs and saving up to $5 billion in fuel costs.

(Austin, Texas – September 17, 2013)  The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program – the most well-known sustainable seafood program in the United States –announced this week that it has removed the Gulf of Mexico commercial red snapper fishery from its “Avoid” list and now classifies it as a “Good Alternative”. 

“The removal of red snapper from the “Avoid” list is an important step for red snapper fishermen in the Gulf,” said Tim Fitzgerald, Sustainable Seafood Director for Environmental Defense Fund’s Oceans Program.  “In addition to drawing new consumers to try Gulf red snapper, this recognition will open the fishery to new markets and major buyers that have made a commitment to sustainable seafood.” 

The announcement by Seafood Watch comes as a result of major management changes to the commercial red snapper fishery over the past seven years.  Facing a dwindling stock after years of overfishing, a community of the Gulf’s small, family-owned commercial red snapper fishing operations, fishery managers, and conservationists worked together to design a new program for the fishery.   

Since 2007, these small fishing businesses have operated under a management plan called an individual fishing quota (IFQ) program with a science-based catch limit that has kept fishermen within sustainable catch levels.  Fishermen are given individual allotments that they can harvest when consumer demand is high and other conditions are favorable.  This program has resulted in a 50 percent reduction in the waste of red snapper caused by the old regulations, contributing to a rebuilding population and an official end to commercial “overfishing”.   

Fishermen are benefiting directly from these conservation gains.  Since 2008, both commercial and recreational fishermen have seen the amount of fish they can catch increase by 70 percent and fishermen are earning more thanks to stable market prices and lower operating costs. 

“The program implemented in 2007 is helping the family-owned fishing businesses across the Gulf of Mexico earn more while contributing to the long-term conservation of the fishery,” said Pamela Baker, Gulf of Mexico Director for Environmental Defense Fund’s Oceans Program.  “This announcement will be great news to the many commercial fishermen that have sacrificed years trying to improve the management of the red snapper fishery and it is a testament that environmental solutions can work both for businesses and conservation.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                           

Contact:
Joaquin McPeek, 916-492-7173, jmcpeek@edf.org

(SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Sept 17, 2013) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) issued the following statement today in response to the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) proposed decision for an On-Bill Repayment (OBR) program for public and commercial buildings. OBR is intended to allow property owners access to cleaner, cheaper energy by helping them finance energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades to their buildings. Through OBR, building owners can repay the obligation for the clean energy upgrade over an extended period of time through a charge on their utility bill.

Unfortunately, the proposed decision does not ensure that the OBR repayment charge remain attached to the utility meter, and automatically transfer to the subsequent owners/occupants without requiring written consent. While this is not a major obstacle for public buildings, like community centers or schools, which rarely change ownership, the absence of automatic “transferability” makes OBR very difficult to implement for private commercial buildings.  EDF has been pushing hard for transferability and strongly recommends that the proposed decision allows OBR to automatically transfer to subsequent owners/occupants. The CPUC is set to vote on the proposed decision on Sept 19. 

“While the revised decision contains many of the elements necessary for a successful OBR program, we believe Californians deserve better,” said Brad Copithorne, EDF’s Financial Policy Director. “EDF remains optimistic that this program will help accelerate cost-effective, clean energy upgrades in the publically owned buildings. Unfortunately, if adopted in its current form, the program would miss a golden opportunity for California’s commercial buildings to invest in clean energy, create jobs, save money and continue the state’s leadership in the clean energy economy.”

“We urge the PUC to reconsider and create an OBR program that will spur investment in both commercial and public buildings. It would be a step in the right direction for energy efficiency financing in California.”

What others are saying about the need for a robust OBR program:

Citi, Director, Steve Vierengel:

At the Citi and EDF “Innovations in Energy Efficiency and Distributed Generation Finance II” conference on February 28, 2013, Steve Vierengel, Director at Citi, stated that “automatic transferability without subordination will be critical to the success of an OBR program.”

SolarCity Comments to CPUC filed August 5^th, 2013:

“[We] are concerned about a key feature of the PD’s OBR pilot that may frustrate or completely nullify the benefits of OBR or limit the applicability of any lessons learned from the pilot. Specifically, the requirement that subsequent property owners, landlords and tenants (to the maximum extent feasible) will have to provide written consent to the OBR obligation is problematic, particularly following a foreclosure.”

Metrus Energy, CEO/President Bob Hinkle:

“A properly structured OBR program will likely allow Metrus (and other energy services companies) to finance projects that do not qualify today. Survivability of the OBR obligation through a foreclosure, is what separates OBR from a second lien, unsecured loan or other traditional financing products.”
-Letter to Brad Copithorne dated July 2^nd, 2013

SCIenergy, CEO Steve Gossett Jr: 

“If implemented with survivability through foreclosure that is not contingent upon future occupants’ consent, and is not-subordinated to energy charges, OBR may catalyze significant growth in the energy efficiency market.”
-Letter to Brad Copithorne dated July 15^th 2013

Renewable Funding Comments to CPUC filed August 5^th, 2013:

“Without a tariff-based obligation that applies to the property until the OBR obligation is satisfied, this pilot will not create a new lending opportunity from the perspective of financial institutions.”

Carbon Lighthouse, CEO Brenden Millstein:

“Carbon Lighthouse has dozens of projects lined up and ready to be executed through the OBR program, but these projects may have difficulty moving forward if the OBR attachment mechanism is not done well.”
-Letter to Brad Copithorne dated June 25^th, 2013

Matadors Community Credit Union (MCCU), Chief Lending Officer Mark Tsimanis:

“MCCU believes that an OBR program that survives foreclosure, is not contingent upon consent of future owners or occupants, provides adequate disclosure, and is treated equal to the energy charge on the utility bill may significantly grow the energy efficiency market.”
-Letter to Brad Copithorne on July 12^th, 2013

PineBridge Investments, Vice President Gunter Seeger:

“If the obligation is considered subordinate to the energy charge or does not run-with-the meter through changes in occupancy, then OBR offers no credit enhancement relative to existing opportunities and PineBridge would be unlikely to participate in OBR.”
-Letter to Commissioner Ferron dated August 2^nd, 2013

Alternative Power Capital Comments to CPUC filed August 5^th, 2013:

“Attachment of the OBR obligation to the meter via a tariffed charge that applies to subsequent customers on a property transfer, with service termination right for default, has the potential to open up a new market opportunity.”

To read Brad’s blog on the proposed decision: http://blogs.edf.org/californiadream/2013/09/17/the-fate-of-on-bill-repayment-in-california-one-step-forward-two-steps-back/

For more information about On-Bill Repayment: http://www.edf.org/energy/obr

(Austin, TX - September 16, 2013) The first of sixteen methane emissions studies in a comprehensive research initiative organized by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and involving more than 90 partners — universities, scientists, research facilities, and oil and gas companies — is now available. The paper, “Measurements of methane emissions at natural gas production sites in the United States,” was published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Led by Dr. David Allen at The University of Texas at Austin (UT), the study took direct measurements of methane emissions associated with unconventional natural gas production — specifically, shale gas wells that use hydraulic fracturing.

The UT study, which only deals with the extraction phase of the natural gas supply chain, is the opening chapter in this broader scientific effort designed to advance the current understanding of the climate implications of methane emissions resulting from the U.S. natural gas boom. Methane, the primary component of natural gas, is a powerful greenhouse gas — 72 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year time frame. The nation’s largest single source of methane emissions is the vast network of infrastructure, including wells, pipelines and storage facilities, that supplies U.S. natural gas. Experts agree that methane leaked or vented from natural gas operations is a real concern, yet estimated emission rates vary greatly — from 1 to 8 percent of total production.

“We know that immediate methane reductions are critical to slow climate change,” said Fred Krupp, president of EDF. “But we don’t yet have a handle on how much is being emitted. We need better data, and that’s what this series of studies will deliver. As we understand the scope of what’s happening across the natural gas system, we will be able to address it. We already know enough to get started reducing emissions, and thanks to the first study, we know that new EPA regulations to reduce wellhead emissions are effective. EPA got it right.”

Launched last year, the overall research effort is designed to collect methane emissions data associated with natural gas production, gathering lines and processing facilities, long-distance pipelines and storage, local distribution, and commercial trucks and refueling stations. A variety of scientific methods are being used across the various studies, including approaches that measure emissions directly at the source and those that use airplanes or towers equipped with sensors to measure total emissions in a given area. In some cases, these methods are paired to provide greater insight and certainty. EDF anticipates all of the projects will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

“The scientific talent leading these studies, the partnership with industry and access to their facilities, and the diverse research methods used, gives us the confidence that when the project concludes in late 2014, we’ll be able to greatly increase our understanding of the climate impacts of switching to natural gas from other fossil fuels, through this unprecedented collective research effort,” said EDF Chief Scientist Steve Hamburg.

UT’s peer-reviewed study, the first work published in this overall series, reports data from emission sources from natural gas production — the first part of the supply chain. Study results show that total emissions are in line with EPA estimates from the production of natural gas, yet the distribution of those emissions among activities differ. Methane emissions are lower than estimated by EPA for well completions and higher for valves and equipment used to control routine operations at the well site. All of the data generated in this study are available for public scrutiny.

According to Hamburg, UT’s low well emissions finding indicates an early phase-in of EPA’s New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), which requires all new fractured natural gas wells to either burn-off or use “green completions” (an emissions control method that routes excess gas to sales), is working. Results also suggest that these new regulations, which will be fully implemented in 2015, are having the desired effects. No national survey of how many operators currently use green completions is available, but the data suggest that once this practice is required, emissions from this phase of the production process will decline.

Hamburg also noted that the higher-than-estimated emissions from valve controllers (also known as pneumatics) and equipment leaks show important opportunities for reducing methane emissions in the future. Considerable opportunities exist under the Clean Air Act to strengthen NSPS, including requiring emissions controls for equipment routinely found at oil and natural gas production sites, such as valves or connectors at the well pad or pressure relief valves on storage tanks, and controls for nearly half a million existing pneumatics at natural gas wells and for the thousands of existing compressors that move gas from the well through the system to the end user. Similarly the NSPS do not contain requirements to reduce well completion emissions from hybrid wells that produce both oil and natural gas, which are becoming much more common as the price of oil remains high. Robust leak detection and repair requirements are also necessary to assure the equipment in the field is operated and maintained properly at all times. Many of the same cost-effective clean air measures that the NSPS deploys can be used to reduce emissions from these potentially significant sources. Additional emissions reduction opportunities should be considered as further data unfolds around liquids unloading.

Full details on the UT study findings, access to the dataset and an overview of the second phase of data collection, already underway, is provided on UT’s methane website.

A key element of UT’s study, and the other EDF-industry collaborative studies, is the focus on ensuring their scientific integrity. Built into the research process of each of these studies is a Scientific Advisory Panel, experts from academic and other institutions serve as external advisors and review the procedures, results and conclusions. An additional independent review is conducted by the scientific journal to which the study is submitted for publication — in this case, PNAS — a key step in all studies within this methane research series.

Findings from this effort will help inform policymakers, researchers and industry, providing new insights and data about the sources of methane emissions and illuminating ways to reduce those emissions. The full set of studies is expected to be published by the end of 2014.

Funding Disclosure:

The University of Texas at Austin is committed to transparency and disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest of its researchers. Lead researcher David Allen serves as chair of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Science Advisory Board, and in this role is a paid Special Governmental Employee. He is also a journal editor for the American Chemical Society and has served as a consultant for multiple companies, including Eastern Research Group and ExxonMobil. He has worked on other research projects funded by a variety of governmental, nonprofit and private sector sources including the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the American Petroleum Institute and an air monitoring and surveillance project that was ordered by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

Financial support for this work was provided by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF); Anadarko Petroleum Corporation; BG Group plc; Chevron; Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc.; Pioneer Natural Resources Company; SWEPI LP (Shell); Southwestern Energy; Talisman Energy USA; and XTO Energy, an ExxonMobil subsidiary.

Major funding for EDF’s 30-month methane research series is provided for by the following individuals and foundations: Fiona and Stan Druckenmiller, Heising-Simons Foundation, Bill and Susan Oberndorf, Betsy and Sam Reeves, Robertson Foundation, TomKat Charitable Trust, and Walton Family Foundation.

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:
Jennifer Andreassen, +1-202-572-3387, jandreassen@edf.org

(SAN FRANCISCO – Sept. 13, 2013) California Governor Jerry Brown and China’s National Development and Reform Commission Vice Chairman Xie Zhenhua today signed a groundbreaking climate change agreement that pledges cooperation on a range of low-carbon economic strategies ranging from electric vehicles to carbon trading.

“This partnership between China, the world’s fastest-growing economy, and California, the U.S. state leading the way to a low-carbon economy, is potentially revolutionary,” said Fred Krupp, President of Environmental Defense Fund. “With a string of powerful bilateral actions this year, we may be seeing the birth of the global low-carbon economy here on the Pacific Rim.”

With its deep, long-term experience with energy efficiency, California has grown its economy into the world’s eighth largest while holding per capita electricity consumption nearly flat for over thirty years. China is the world’s second-largest economy.

“This is a remarkable outcome, one that has lessons for China as it tries to limit the emissions of its growing economy, and for California, which can learn from China’s innovative policies to support electric vehicles,” said Diane Regas, Senior Vice President for Programs at EDF, who attended the signing ceremony. “It’s great to see two climate champions coming together.”

The agreement, first discussed in April during the governor’s trade mission to China, is further evidence of the emerging climate cooperation between the U.S. and China. Among the milestones: President Obama and President Xi Jinping forged a historic commitment to reduce greenhouse gases at an early June summit at Sunnylands, in Palm Springs; California Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols traveled in late June to Shenzhen, site of China’s first carbon trading program, to pledge cooperation on emissions trading; and President Obama and President Xi met again earlier this month in St. Petersburg at the G20 meeting.

“EDF has been working in China for more than 20 years and in California for much longer, so we know that each government has a great deal to share and learn from the other,” said Krupp. “No single actor can solve climate change, but China and California are forging a powerful alliance — one that will serve as a model for others to follow.”