Complete list of press releases

Contacts:
Sean Crowley, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.572.3331, scrowley@edf.org
David J. Ringer, National Audubon Society, 601.642.7058, dringer@audubon.org
Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, guidrye@nwf.org
Heather Layman, The Nature Conservancy, 703.475.1733, hlayman@tnc.org
David Willett, Ocean Conservancy, 202.351.0465, dwillett@oceanconservancy.org
Andrew Blejwas, Oxfam America, 617.785-7047, Ablejwas@oxfamamerica.org

(Washington, D.C.—March 14, 2012) A coalition of six Gulf Coast restoration advocacy groups praised the Senate today for passing the Surface Transportation bill with an amendment that would dedicate 80 percent of the Clean Water Act fines from BP and the other parties responsible for the Gulf oil spill to restoring the Gulf Coast. The current transportation bill expires on March 31.

The amendment, called the RESTORE the Gulf Coast States Act, is historic legislation that the full Senate passed last week with support from 76 senators, including every Senate Democrat and half of the Senate’s Republicans. The Senate’s approval of the RESTORE Act, whose lead sponsors include Senators Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), follows the House’s recent approval of a similar RESTORE Act amendment sponsored by Congressman Steve Scalise (R-La.) that was attached to the House transportation bill.

“Faith leaders, conservationists and sportsmen, and strong majorities of voters from both ends of the political spectrum in Gulf states and across the nation agree that it just makes sense for the fines from the Gulf spill to come back to help repair the economic and environmental damage done to the Gulf,” said a joint statement issued by Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, Ocean Conservancy and Oxfam America. “We thank the Senate leaders who have made this victory possible for the Gulf. Now we look forward to Congress passing, and the President signing into law, the final transportation bill with the RESTORE Act.”

The RESTORE Act will ensure that penalties paid by BP and others responsible for the 2010 Gulf oil disaster are used to rebuild the economies of Gulf Coast communities that were impacted by the spill and to restore the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, barrier islands, dunes, and coastal wetlands, that are the foundation of the Gulf Coast economy. 

A nationwide poll of 1,006 likely general election voters conducted by the Democratic firm, Lake Research Partners, and the GOP firm, Bellwether Research and Consulting, showed that the vast majority of U.S. voters (84 percent) believe the Gulf Coast—including the Mississippi River Delta—impacts the nation’s economy. Nearly two-thirds of those voters (63 percent) believe this region impacts the economy in their part of the country.  

# # #

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:
Pamela Campos, 720-205-2366, pcampos@edf.org
Jennifer Andreassen, 202-288-4867, jandreassen@edf.org

(Washington – March 14, 2012)  The Obama Administration should take quick and robust action to limit emissions from airplanes, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) said today, as the Federal District Court of the District of Columbia hears a challenge from environmental, health and technology groups to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) failure to respond to the groups’ petition to determine whether pollution from aircraft and other non-road sources endangers public health and welfare and to set greenhouse gas emissions standards for these sources.

The Administration has made significant progress in improving the efficiency of cars and trucks, spurring reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and trillions of dollars in consumer savings. The aviation sector has yet to follow suit in cooperating with the administration in such standards.

“A central environmental achievement of the Obama Administration has been increasing the efficiency and greenhouse gas performance of the nation’s automobile fleet,” EDF Attorney Pamela Campos said. “Today’s hearing is an opportunity for the United States to bring its leadership to the next frontier of transportation – the skies.

“The Obama Administration should take quick and robust action to set efficiency standards for airplanes. Passengers, airports, airlines, aircraft manufacturers, and local communities will all benefit from standards that keep our air clean and boost the competitiveness of our airlines,” Campos said.

Today’s hearing is the result of  a petition filed in 2007 by the groups – Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Food Safety, Friends of the Earth, International Center for Technology Assessment, and Oceana, all represented by Earthjustice – requesting the development of aircraft emissions standards for greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. The Court has already concluded EPA has the duty to determine the public health and welfare risks posed by global warming pollution from airplanes; today’s hearing is about the timeline to do so.

Global warming pollution from airplanes is expected to quadruple by 2050 if left unregulated. Aircraft engines produce pollution similar to those from cars and trucks, but because it’s released in the upper parts of the atmosphere as opposed to at ground level, the pollution’s impact on the climate may be much greater.

A report from the International Civil Aviation Organization estimates the aviation sector could achieve fuel burn reductions of up to 30 percent by 2020 and 35 percent by 2030 from technology advances alone. Technologies like those that improve engine performance, increase aerodynamics and reduce weight, are already being employed today in new aircraft to reduce fuel and emissions from the aviation sector. Limiting greenhouse gas emissions from airplanes would further incentivize the transition to such technologies. Airline operational improvements and new traffic control systems such as NextGen, which will be funded through a recently passed bill, can also provide meaningful additional reductions.

The Obama Administration has successfully established standards limiting global warming pollution from cars and trucks.  These standards, finalized jointly in 2010 by U.S. EPA and U.S. Department of Transportation, are already in place and save consumers up to $3,000 over the life of a vehicle. A second phase of standards, for model year 2017-2025 passenger vehicles, will be finalized this year, doubling the fuel economy of today’s vehicles. In 2011, EPA and DOT also established the world’s first greenhouse gas standards for highway trucks and buses, reducing oil consumption by more than 530 million barrels, saving more than $49 billion in net benefits, and cutting carbon dioxide pollution by 270 million metric tons.

“This Administration has forged the path of partnership for establishing fuel efficiency standards in the transportation sector,” Campos said. “Aviation is an important piece in completing that effort.”

# # #

Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org), a leading national nonprofit organization, creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. EDF links science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships. See twitter.com/EnvDefenseFund; facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund; edf.org/ClimateTalks.

Contacts
Sharyn Stein, 202.572.3396, sstein@edf.org

(DENVER — Friday, March 9, 2012) Gov. John Hickenlooper announced today that Colorado’s State Implementation Plan for Regional Haze, a comprehensive package of pollutant emissions reduction strategies designed to provide sweeping public health and environmental protections, has received preliminary approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“The EPA’s proposal to approve the Regional Haze Plan is a ringing endorsement of a comprehensive and collaborative effort to address this issue,” Hickenlooper said. “This plan is a major step in the state’s efforts to comply with the federal Regional Haze rule, a congressionally-established air quality goal that seeks to improve visibility in national parks and wilderness areas across the country, while also providing public health benefits.”

A key component of the overall plan is the 2010 Clean Air-Clean Jobs Act passed by the Colorado General Assembly that will reduce harmful pollution through emissions controls; retire old, inefficient coal-fired power plants; and convert certain electric generating units from coal to cleaner-burning natural gas.

By 2018, the plan will result in more than 70,000 tons of pollutant reductions annually, including 35,000 tons of nitrogen oxides, which leads to ground-level ozone formation. In total, the plan covers 30 units at 16 facilities throughout Colorado, including coal-fired power plants and cement kilns.

“Our plan will lead to less haze and improved visibility in some of Colorado’s most treasured and scenic areas, including Rocky Mountain National Park, Mesa Verde, Maroon Bells and the Great Sand Dunes,” said Dr. Christopher E. Urbina, Executive Director and Chief Medical Officer of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. “Colorado has long recognized the importance of protecting air quality in national parks and wilderness areas, and has taken a leadership role in developing a plan that reduces emissions of pollutants that adversely impact visibility. The tremendous pollution reductions will also have significant public health benefits.”

“EPA’s proposal to approve Colorado’s plan works for both the environment and our customers,” said David Eves, president and CEO of Public Service Co. of Colorado, an Xcel Energy company. “EPA has now joined the Public Utilities Commission, the Department of Public Health and Environment, the Colorado legislature and other stakeholders in endorsing our plan under the Clean Air-Clean Jobs Act. EPA’s action helps assure we can significantly reduce emissions while keeping electricity affordable.”

“This approval is an important endorsement of Colorado’s state-led collaboration,” said Tisha Conoly Schuller, President & CEO of the Colorado Oil & Gas Association. “The Clean Air-Clean Jobs Act will support job creation in Colorado’s natural gas sector while measurably reducing air pollutant emissions,”

“Colorado’s bipartisan clean air plan will provide healthier air for our children and help clear the brown cloud over Denver while strengthening our economy,” said Pamela Campos, an attorney in the Environmental Defense Fund’s Colorado office. “EPA has shown strong leadership by proposing approval, clearing the way for historic pollution reductions from the single largest emitters in Colorado so that we can all breathe easier.”

“In the eyes of the American Lung Association, policies such as this that clean up our air will help prevent disease, save lives, reduce hospitalizations and improve our overall health, which also has measurable benefits in terms of health-care costs,” said Curt Huber, Executive Director for the American Lung Association in Colorado. “Each year, the total benefits of EPA’s air pollution regulations outweigh the costs by as much as 40 to 1.”

EPA will take public comment on its proposed approval and intends to finalize its decision no later than Sept. 10, 2012. The plan, as approved by the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission and submitted to the EPA, can be viewed at http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/ap/regionalhaze.html.

###

Contacts
Sean Crowley, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.572.3331, scrowley@edf.org
David J. Ringer, National Audubon Society, 601.642.7058, dringer@audubon.org
Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, guidrye@nwf.org
Heather Layman, The Nature Conservancy, 703.475.1733, hlayman@tnc.org
David Willett, Ocean Conservancy, 202.351.0465, dwillett@oceanconservancy.org
Andrew Blejwas, Oxfam America, 617.785-7047, Ablejwas@oxfamamerica.org

(Washington, D.C.—March 8, 2012) A coalition of six Gulf Coast restoration advocacy groups praised the Senate today for its strong bipartisan approval of legislation that would dedicate 80 percent of the Clean Water Act (CWA) fines for the gulf oil disaster to restoring the gulf ecosystem and economy. The RESTORE the Gulf Coast States Act [PDF] was originally introduced by nine of the 10 gulf state senators, including Senators Mary Landrieu (D-La), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), and was also supported by Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Boxer. The RESTORE Act passed as an amendment to the Senate transportation bill by a vote of 76 to 22.

“The Senate’s overwhelming vote in favor of the RESTORE Act reflects the broad nationwide support for revitalizing the Gulf Coast region by ensuring the bulk of the money collected in spill fines is spent in the area that suffered so much harm,” said a joint statement issued by Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, Ocean Conservancy and Oxfam America.

“Faith leaders, conservationists and sportsmen, and strong majorities of voters from all sides of the political spectrum in Gulf states and across the nation agree that it just makes sense for the fines from the Gulf spill to come back to help repair the damage that has been done to the economy and the environment,” the groups added.

The legislation will ensure that penalties paid by BP and others responsible for the 2010 Gulf oil disaster are used to rebuild the economies of Gulf Coast communities that were impacted by the spill and to restore the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, barrier islands, dunes, coastal wetlands, that are the foundation of the Gulf Coast economy.

The Senate’s approval of the RESTORE Act follows the House’s recent approval of an amendment by the same name introduced by Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.). Both the House and Senate bills affirm the principle that the penalties for the Gulf oil spill belong in the Gulf for restoration.

“The next step is for the House and Senate to resolve the differences between these two amendments in conference and enact RESTORE into law to bring this victory home for the Gulf region,” concluded the groups. “We look forward to working with House, Senate and Gulf Coast leaders to make RESTORE reality to support the restoration needs of this critical ecosystem and its vulnerable communities.”

A nationwide poll [PDF] of 1,006 likely general election voters conducted by the Democratic firm, Lake Research Partners, and the GOP firm, Bellwether Research and Consulting, showed that the vast majority of U.S. voters (84 percent) believe the Gulf Coast—including the Mississippi River Delta—impacts the nation’s economy. Nearly two-thirds of those voters (63 percent) believe this region impacts the economy in their part of the country.

NEWS RELEASE                                                                                                      

 Contacts: Jennifer Witherspoon, (415) 293-6067, jwitherspoon@edf.org

 (Washington, DC – March 2, 2012) Environmental Defense Fund, along with other environmental and fishing organizations in California, won a victory in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that affirmed the directive of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) to double the population of California salmon and other anadronomous fish that spawn in fresh water.   

“This ruling is a victory for California salmon and the economic health of our state’s salmon industry, and the hundreds of communities and thousands of jobs that depend upon it,” said Cynthia Koehler, lead counsel for the environmental plaintiffs and EDF’s California water legislative director.  

The 1992 CVPIA, sponsored by George Miller (D-Calif.), directed the Bureau of Reclamation to ensure that natural production of anadromous fish in Central Valley rivers and streams will be sustainable on a long-term basis at levels at least twice the average levels attained between 1967 and 1991 by 2002. 

“The court firmly rejected Westlands Water District’s argument that water released from the Central Valley Project for any environmental purpose must reduce the amount of water Congress set aside for salmon,” said Koehler.  “It also underscores the fallacy of Congressman Nunes’ bill, H.R. 1837, that the all environmental rules for the Delta should be based on those applied in the 1994 Bay Delta Accord. The Bay Delta Accord only called for interim measures and did not intend to establish permanent  environmental rules, as the bill claims.”  

The House passed HR. 1837 on Wednesday, despite the fact that a majority of California members of Congress, and both Senators, oppose it.  It would: 

1. Preempt state law and interferes with state water rights;
2. Overturn the court approved settlement, reached through negotiations among the parties, to restore the San Joaquin River; and
3. Undermine environmental protections for the Bay Delta estuary, salmon and other wildlife. 

###

 Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org), a leading national nonprofit organization, creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. EDF links science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships. Visit us on Twitter @EnvDefenseFund and @EDF_CA, on our California blog On the Water Front and California Dream 2.0, and on Facebook facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund.

Contact: Sean Crowley, 202-550-6524-c

(Washington, DC — March 2, 2012) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) praised Agriculture Secretary Vilsack’s announcement today to offer producers the option to preserve grasslands, wetlands and wildlife habitat by enrolling a total of 1 million acres of land in a new Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) initiative. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), which administers CRP, will set aside the million acres within the 32-million acre program for specific enrollments that benefit duck nesting habitat, upland birds, wetlands, pollinators and wildlife.

“Secretary Vilsack’s conservation reserve program initiative is a win-win for farmers, sportsmen, the environment and the economy,” said Sara Hopper, EDF’s agricultural policy director and a former staff member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “This announcement comes at a critical time because more than 6 million acres currently protected under CRP contracts are set to expire this year. Much of this land is concentrated in important places, like the Great Plains Prairie Pothole Region (Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, northwest Iowa and northeast Montana) that serves as America’s waterfowl factory.”

Hunters and anglers spend more than $85 billion pursuing their passions every year and wildlife watchers spend roughly $50 billion each year, according to Ducks Unlimited. CRP contributed to a net increase of about 2 million additional ducks per year (30 percent increase in duck production) since 1992 in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Northeastern Montana, according to researchers from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

“More than 1 million acres of CRP are expiring this year in North Dakota and South Dakota alone, which could have devastating impacts on waterfowl populations, as well as potentially worsening water quality and increasing the severity of flooding,” said Terry Noto, an environmental lawyer and CRP expert who consults for EDF.  “With this initiative, producers can continue to protect these vital wetland and grassland complexes in the Dakotas, as well as expand high priority wetland and wildlife enrollments in other states.”

###

Contacts:                                                                                                                                    
Jeff Eisenberg, Rockspring Resource Solutions, Coalition Staff, 571-355-3073
Trout Unlimited, Russ Schnitzer, 307-438-1365
Family Farm Alliance, Dan Keppen, 541-892-6244
The Nature Conservancy, Sean McMahon, 515-244-5044
Arizona Public Lands Council, Dave Cook, 928-701-3021
Environmental Defense Fund, Dan Grossman, 303-447-7213
Wyoming Stock Growers, Jim Magagna, 307-638-3942
California Farm Bureau, Elisa Noble, 916-561-5618
Public Lands Council, Dustin Van Liew, 202-879-9126
Irrigation Association, John Farner, 703-536-7080

(Boulder, CO – February 28, 2012) Representatives of the California Farm Bureau Federation, Trout Unlimited, Wyoming Stock Growers Association, The Nature Conservancy, Arizona Public Lands Council, Environmental Defense Fund, Family Farm Alliance, Public Lands Council and the Irrigation Association agreed on Saturday, February 25, subject to the approval of their Boards, to form the Western Agriculture and Conservation Coalition to advocate for balanced management of resources in the rural west. 

The goals of the Coalition would be to support the common interests of agriculture and conservation through targeted education, advocacy, and outreach and to engage decision makers and resource managers in the spirit of collaboration to further a shared vision for a rural west that is economically and environmentally sustainable. 

“Livestock producers look forward to the opportunity to show the inextricable connection between their ability to stay in business, and the health of the economies and natural resources of the West,” said PLC president and rancher from Nevada, John Falen. “Through wise resource use over generations, and through clear private property rights, ranchers have proven themselves diligent stewards of the land.”

Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited, said: “successful conservation depends on collaboration. In the West, many of our conservation projects wouldn’t happen without two things: agricultural producer partners and Farm Bill support. We urge Congress to act quickly to ensure a Farm Bill that continues to provide vital tools for private land stewardship.”

As a first step, the groups agreed to call on Congress to pass the Farm Bill this year in order to ensure the greatest possible amount of funding for the conservation title.  The Senate Agriculture Committee is holding a conservation hearing today, an action which the groups agreed was an important step in the right direction.  The groups will submit detailed policy proposals to the Committee in the next few days.

While the current farm bill debate is the priority of the coalition, members of the Western Agriculture and Conservation Coalition look forward to potentially expanding the coalition’s focus to include other areas of importance to western agriculture production and conservation efforts.

###

Contacts: 
Jennifer Witherspoon, (415) 293-6067, jwitherspoon@edf.org 
Sean Crowley, (202) 550-6524-c, scrowley@edf.org

 (Washington, DC – Feb. 29, 2012) The House of Representatives’ scheduled vote today on California Congressman Devin Nunes’ “San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act” (H.R. 1837) would set a bad legal precedent of Congress preempting state water laws, according to Environmental Defense Fund. The White House issued a statement yesterday warning that if the Congress passed H.R. 1837, “the President’s senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.”  

“It is long standing federal policy to defer to states on water rights,” said David Festa, EDF’s vice president of West Coast operations and Land, Water, Wildlife program, who is a former Director of Policy and Strategic Planning for the U.S. Department of Commerce.  “Making an exception in this case wouldn’t help forge a long term solution, but it would create a bad precedent for all Western states.  

“The best decisions are made locally,” said Cynthia Koehler, an attorney who is EDF’s California water legislative director. “The Administration is right when it says that a congressional end run would ultimately create more delays and lawsuits as parties sift through the many decisions that would have to be made in order to implement the proposed law. This bill threatens the quality of the water pumped out of the Bay Delta estuary, thousands of West Coast jobs, and our economy.”  

The flaws in H.R. 1837 include that it: 

1. Preempts state law and interferes with state water rights;
2. Overturns the court approved settlement, reached through negotiations among the parties, to restore the San Joaquin River; and
3. Undermines environmental protections for the Bay Delta estuary, salmon and other wildlife. 

“This bill threatens senior water rights holders throughout the state,” added Koehler.  “It also would disrupt collaborative, comprehensive programs, like the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, designed to protect endangered species, restore the delta ecosystem, and improve the reliability of California’s water supply for farms and cities.”  

### 

Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org), a leading national nonprofit organization, creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. EDF links science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships. Visit us on Twitter @EnvDefenseFund and @EDF_CA, on our California blog  California Dream 2.0, and on Facebook facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund.

Contact:
Vickie Patton, 720-837-6239, vpatton@edf.org
Sharyn Stein, 202-572-3396, sstein@edf.org

(Washington, DC – February 28, 2012) Today and tomorrow, the United States Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. will hear oral arguments in a group of lawsuits over the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) landmark clean air measures to protect American’s health and well-being from climate-disrupting pollution.

“EPA’s leadership in addressing the clear and present danger of climate pollution is compelled by science, anchored in law and will help secure a healthier America,” said Sean Donahue counsel for EDF and presenting arguments for environmental intervenors.

EDF has intervened in defense of these vital protections and has compiled detailed information about the cases. You can read more about the cases and the parties involved, find the court briefs, and get more information on our website.

The EPA protections facing legal challenge include:

• The Climate Pollution Endangerment Finding, in which EPA – following the Supreme Court’s order in Massachusetts v. EPA – determined that climate pollution endangers human health and welfare on the basis of a rigorous review of the extensive body of climate science.
• The Clean Car Standards, which establish cost-saving fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks. The standards are supported by U.S. auto makers and the United Auto Workers, among others.
• Carbon Pollution Limits for Big New Power Plants and Industrial Sources, in which EPA is phasing in requirements for the best available cost-effective pollution controls – starting with new, large industrial emitters (like power plants) while shielding smaller emitters.

The U.S. auto makers and a dozen states (California, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington) have intervened in defense of EPA’s clean car standards (the second case listed above). The clean car standards will reduce heat-trapping greenhouse gases. The measures are being challenged by the State of Texas and large industrial emitters.

“The historic clean car standards pending before the court show how our nation can work together to reduce dangerous climate pollution while saving families money at the gas pump and reducing our dependence on foreign oil,” said Vickie Patton, General Counsel for EDF. “While some companies are hiring lawyers and lobbyists to obstruct clean air solutions for America, leading businesses are innovating and charting the path to a healthier and more prosperous clean energy future.”

The clean car standards are a compelling example of smart regulation for a stronger America. At a time when Americans are increasingly concerned about rising gas prices, the clean car standards will save Americans thousands of dollars at the gas pump by enabling families to get more mileage out of each gallon of gas, will help break our nation’s addiction to foreign oil, and cut dangerous pollution.

Read more about the challenge to the clean car standards, and the other cases, here.

###

Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org), a leading national nonprofit organization, creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. EDF links science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships. See twitter.com/EnvDefenseFund; facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund

Waltham, Mass. – The Consumer Electronics Association ® (CEA), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and InnoCentive, the pioneer in crowdsourcing and open innovation, today announced the winners of an Eco-Challenge to develop compelling economic and environmentally preferable solutions for recycling old cathode ray tube (CRT) televisions and monitors.

The award-winning ideas are the first step in determining how to responsibly and cost-effectively recycle billions of pounds of lead-heavy CRT glass as consumers switch from CRT electronics to liquid crystal, light emitting diode (LED) and plasma displays.

The Challenge is part of EDF and InnoCentive’s Eco-Challenge Series, which works with leading companies to tap the power of open innovation to address real-world environmental issues faster and more efficiently, while generating business value.

“The glass in tens of millions of old TVs and monitors now being replaced by flat-screens is filled with lead, which is a major concern for public health and our planet,” said Beth Trask, who leads the Eco-Challenge Series for EDF. “Crowdsourcing is an exciting new way to uncover fresh ideas for solving pressing environmental problems in the electronics and e-waste industries.”

More than 350 “Solvers” participated in the Eco-Challenge, which offered prizes from $1,000 to $5,000. Ultimately, three were named winners:

• Mario Rosato, an environmental engineer from Spain who has won four previous InnoCentive Challenges, all related to environmental issues. Rosato proposed a closed-loop process for separating the lead from the glass in a form with high market value for a variety of industries;
• Nulife Glass Processing Ltd., based in Manchester, U.K., proposed a solution that utilizes an extremely energy efficient electrically heated furnace, uniquely designed to produce minimal emissions; and
• Robert Kirby, a mechanical engineer from New Mexico, submitted an idea for combining CRT glass with cement to create tile and bricks that are tested, labeled and sold specifically for applications where lead shielding is required, such as X-ray and fluoroscopy rooms.

“These winning solutions are a vital new step to finding safe, responsible and cost-effective ways to handle old CRTs in the coming years,” said Walter Alcorn, CEA vice president for environmental affairs and industry sustainability. “CEA will continue to work with manufacturers, retailers and recyclers to explore these and other emerging solutions within the industry.”

CEA plans to make these solutions available to the public at CE.org/green with the dual goals of raising awareness and helping to create market demand for used CRT glass. CEA holds no rights to the winning solutions and encourages recyclers to adopt these practices.

“Finding good uses for CRT glass is a challenge we face every day,” said Craig Lorch, co-owner of Seattle-based electronics recycler, Total Reclaim. “We are excited to see innovative approaches identified to recover usable resources contained in these legacy electronics,” he added.

CEA embarked on this challenge to help find an economically feasible and eco-friendly solution to this important recycling issue. In other areas, the prize approach to solving environmental problems has been gaining popularity among corporations faced with increased environmental regulations and societal pressures, as well as non-profit organizations with limited budgets.

“Working with CEA and EDF to identify a critical need in protecting our environment speaks directly to the mission of the Eco-Challenge series,” said Dwayne Spradlin, CEO of InnoCentive. “The response from our Solvers and the engagement of the recycling community is evidence that the partnership is having a meaningful impact. We are excited about the potential presented by these solutions.”

About CEA
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $195 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,000 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also owns and produces the International CES — The Global Stage for Innovation. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA’s industry services. Find CEA online at www.CE.org , www.DeclareInnovation.com and through social media https://www.facebook.com/CEAfeed, http://twitter.com/ceafeed, http://blog.ce.org/ .

WASHINGTON, DC (February 27, 2012) – Today, 643 organizations, representing tens of millions Americans, expressed strong support for the Conservation Title of the U.S. Farm Bill in a letter sent to Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee Frank Lucas (R-OK), as well as the ranking members of those committees.

The letter urges the committees to provide the greatest possible priority for conservation programs in the funding and structuring of Farm Bill reauthorization.

The letter states that, “In our vast collective experience as landowners, farmers, ranchers, forest managers, agricultural and forest businesses, hunters and anglers, local and state government officials, and non-profit organizations representing a wide range of interests, we can say, without any doubt, that the programs within the Conservation Title work cost-effectively to serve the short and long term interests of the American people.”

On behalf of the signers, 10 agricultural, forestry, and conservation organizations who coordinated distribution of the letter said that, “Farm Bill conservation programs provide a multitude of benefits for every region of America, not the least of which is helping landowners stay on the land as stewards of America’s legacy of natural resources. We, and all the signers of this letter, urge the Agriculture Committees to reauthorize the Farm Bill in a manner that sustains conservation funding to meet our national needs. The conservation efforts in the Farm Bill are critical to a strong economy, healthy and productive rural lands and vibrant communities. We appreciate the leadership of the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees on this issue.”

Additional statements of support include:

• Roger Wolf of the Iowa Soybean Association: “The Iowa Soybean Association supports a Conservation Title resulting in stronger soils and safer waters from our most productive working-land areas. Working in partnerships on priority resources concerns, keeping working-land productive and securing performance is key to our farmers.”
• Becky Humphries of Ducks Unlimited: “While we understand these are difficult times, we believe every possible effort should be made to provide sufficient funding for the Conservation Title programs over the next five years so that they can continue to benefit the American people.”
• Sara Hopper, agricultural policy director for Environmental Defense Fund and a former staff member of the Senate Agriculture Committee: “Farm Bill conservation programs are a smart government investment in the long-term health of both American agriculture and our environment because they leverage additional resources from agricultural producers, who share the cost of implementing conservation practices on the land. Because increasing global demand for food is intensifying pressure on America’s land and water resources, it is more critical now than ever to maintain and strengthen conservation programs.”
• Ferd Hoefner of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: “Our long-term food security depends on balancing production needs with protection and enhancement of natural resources. No farm bill investment is more important or more cost effective than helping farmers protect natural resources and prevent pollution.”

The full text of the letter to the leaders of the Agriculture Committees can be found online, including the complete list of signers, at www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/farm-bill-letter-2012.pdf.

###

Media Contacts:

American Farmland Trust: Jennifer Morrill, jmorrill@farmland.org, 301-792-6238 (cell)

American Forest Foundation: Jennifer Jones, jjones@forestfoundation.org, 202-463-5188

Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies: Jen Mock Schaeffer or Gary Taylor, GTaylor@fishwildlife.org, 202-624-7890

Ducks Unlimited: Dan Wrinn, dwrinn@ducks.org, 202-347-1530

Environmental Defense Fund: Sara Hopper, shopper@edf.org, 202-422-1823 (cell)

Land Trust Alliance: Russ Shay, rshay@lta.org, 202-800-2230

National Association of Conservation Districts: Laura Wood or Bethany Shively, laura-wood@nacdnet.org, 202-547-6223

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: Ferd Hoefner, fhoefner@sustainableagriculture.net, 202-547-5754

The Nature Conservancy: Heather Layman, hlayman@tnc.org, 703-841-3929

Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership: Steven Kline, skline@trcp.org, 202-639-8727, ext. 11

EMBARGOED UNTIL February 28, 2012, 12:01 a.m. Eastern

Contact:
Dan Whittle, 919-881-2914, dwhittle@edf.org,
Georgette Foster, 919-881-2927, gfoster@edf.org,

(Washington, DC) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) announced that it will serve as the grant host for the first Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation to be awarded to a scientist conducting research in Cuba. EDF has worked in Cuba on marine conservation for 11 years.

Dr. Fabian Pina Amargos, a scientist with the Centro de Investigaciones de Ecosistemas Costeros (Center for Coastal Ecosystems Research) in Cayo Coco, Cuba, will receive a $150,000, three-year grant to study goliath grouper, a fish that can weigh more than 400 pounds at maturity and be the size of a compact car. It is illegal to fish for goliath grouper in the United States, but still legal outside many marine parks in the Caribbean.

“This is a sterling example of how scientific exchange can benefit Cuba and the United States, from the Gulf of Mexico and Florida all the way up the east coast,” said Dan Whittle, director of the EDF Cuba Program. “There is world class research being conducted in Cuba, and that work can help the U.S. do a better job of protecting the fish and waters off our coasts. The fellowship comes as the U.S. and Cuba begin to engage each other on environmental issues. It’s an important building block for future scientific collaboration.”

Dr. Pina Amargos was nominated for the prestigious fellowship by EDF chief oceans scientist Dr. Doug Rader, who has advocated for scientific collaboration with Cuba for more than a decade.

“Countries that share ocean waters should share information about what swims in them,” said Dr. Rader. “This is a prestigious award that shows the U.S. and Cuba can build bridges to support scientific collaboration.”

Larvae of many groupers, snappers and other reef organisms drift with ocean currents, linking the health of populations in the U.S. to spawning areas far upcurrent, including Cuba and the Caribbean. Goliath grouper populations are endangered throughout their range.

###

About Environmental Defense Fund

Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org), a leading national nonprofit organization, creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. EDF links science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships. Follow us: twitter.com/EDFOceans; facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund; and blogs.edf.org/EDFish.

Contact:
Annie Petsonk, 202-365-3237, apetsonk@edf.org
Jennifer Andreassen, 202-288-4867, jandreassen@edf.org

(Washington — Feb. 22, 2012) Airlines, represented by their trade association, and aviation officials from more than two dozen countries widely dubbed the “Coalition of the Unwilling,” closed their two-day meeting in Moscow today with a lot of angry words, but no agreement on any coordinated measures to try to block a European law that limits the global warming pollution of flights using EU airports, according to press reports. 

“The airlines ginned up a laundry list of actions they wanted governments to take so that airlines don’t have to comply with a reasonable law to cut global warming pollution,” said Annie Petsonk, International Counsel at Environmental Defense Fund. “Today’s failure to reach agreement on a coordinated attack indicates cooler heads may have prevailed, and if so, they are to be commended.”

In the weeks prior to the Moscow meeting,Raymond Benjamin, Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) had warned that a decision by any nation to launch, under Article 84 of the Chicago Convention on Civil Aviation, a formal protest against the EU law would distract ICAO from designing and obtaining global agreement on effective, market-based measures to address aviation greenhouse gas emissions.

“Had an Article 84 case been launched, that surely would have called into question the seriousness of the claims of industry and some nations that they truly want a solution in ICAO,” said Petsonk.

EDF is unaware of any “civil society” groups being invited to the Moscow meeting, but press reports indicate the industry trade association International Air Transport Association (IATA) was present.

“With such a limited invite list, the meeting didn’t present an opportunity for a balanced discussion,” Petsonk said. “Civil society must be afforded equal opportunity to participate in ICAO’s work going forward. Such participation can help ICAO achieve an effective and durable outcome.”

# # # 

Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org), a leading national nonprofit organization, creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. EDF links science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships. See twitter.com/EnvDefenseFund; facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund; edf.org/ClimateTalks.

(New York, NY - February 22, 2012) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) announced today that it is working with HonestBuildings.com (Honest Buildings) to accelerate the number of energy upgrades, renovations and sustainable building projects throughout the U.S.

As part of its “Energy Innovation Series,” every week EDF will select one project from Honest Buildings to feature on edf.org/energyinnovation and promote through the series’ social media channels. By showcasing the most innovative and effective energy efficiency projects, EDF and Honest Buildings are working together to raise awareness and accelerate market adoption of smarter and more energy efficient buildings

“Collectively, we need to do more to tell the story behind what’s driving improvements in the built environment, which consumes 70% of electricity in the U.S. and emits more than a third of greenhouse gases,” said Jim Marston, vice president of EDF’s Energy Program. “By providing transparent information about buildings and their performance, we believe Honest Buildings is a powerful platform to do just that.”

With over 52,000 buildings (10 billion square feet), including every ENERGYSTAR® and LEED certified building in the U.S., the rapidly growing website helps people find and share information about buildings, their owners, their occupants and the people who service them. For energy efficiency vendors and service providers, Honest Buildings is an ideal platform to showcase their work, connect with clients and generate new business.

“By connecting occupants, service providers and owners, we are catalyzing the conversations that lead to innovation,” said Riggs Kubiak, CEO of Honest Buildings. “We’re thrilled to be working with EDF to showcase these innovative projects and to help them scale all over the world.”

###

Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org), a leading national nonprofit organization, creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. EDF links science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships. See twitter.com/EDFEnergyEX; facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund; and http://blogs.edf.org/energyexchange/.

Honest Buildings is the first online platform and marketplace connecting building service providers, managers, owners, and occupants. Anyone can use Honest Buildings to instantly find information about the buildings where they live, work, go to school, shop or just visit. Building profiles provide users with critical, building specific information—Honesty Ratings™ and occupant reviews, news, projects, renovations, and services—and the tools to communicate with everyone related to that building. For building service providers, it’s a great resource for showing off their work, connecting with clients, and generating new customers. Founded in June of 2011, Honest Buildings has offices in New York City and Seattle.

BOSTON, Mass.– New technology and thinking are unlocking a raft of previously unattainable economic and environmental efficiencies in the vast commercial shipping industry, according to the “Smart Moves” report released this week by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to kick off a new collaborative with logistics providers, shippers and other experts. The initiative is designed to accelerate the adoption of industry-leading best practices.

“Transport and logistics providers and the companies they work for are looking beyond traditional measures, across multiple modes and competitive boundaries for creative ways to save fuel, cut costs, and improve environmental performance,” said Jason Mathers, who leads the EDF initiative. “Our role is bringing together leading innovators from different sectors to catalog and quantify the results, and spread the best solutions as far and fast as possible.”

Building on transportation success stories that include partnerships with Walmart, FedEx and others, EDF experts will be working closely with a select group of shippers, transportation companies and academic researchers to develop, demonstrate and disseminate better, cheaper, less emissions-intensive ways to transport commercial cargo of all kinds.

“At any given moment there are more than 50 million tons of freight moving on Americas roads, rails, rivers and airways, and nearly all of it could be moving on less fuel and fewer emissions,” Mathers said. “Streamlining is a continuous opportunity, not a one-time deal. The key is breaking down old walls and embracing new ways of getting all that stuff from A to B.”

Company solutions discussed in the report include:

• A retailer utilizing rail instead of trucks to move goods from warehouse to stores, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars per year and cutting carbon emissions by over 40 percent;

• Competing candy companies using a collaborative distribution model with the potential to slash costs by more than 30 percent and increase carbon efficiency by 25 percent;

• Smarter load management strategies that helped a major dairy company save $7.5 million a year, and helped a national food company eliminate 6.2 million miles worth of truck trips.

Transportation accounts for 89 percent of the environmental footprint of supply chain logistics. Studies show that collaborative strategies like these can reduce costs by more than 30 percent and increase carbon efficiency by 25 percent. All told, global freight transportation and distribution account for nearly three billion metric tons of carbon emissions each year.

The report, “Smart Moves: Creative Supply Chain Strategies Are Cutting Transport Costs and Emissions,” can be found online at edf.org.