Complete list of press releases

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:
Tony Kreindler, 202-445-8108, tkreindler@edf.org

(Washington, D.C. – May 24, 2011) The Environmental Protection Agency will hold public hearings in Chicago, Philadelphia and Atlanta this week on the agency’s proposed Mercury and Air Toxics rule. This long overdue health and environmental protection will reduce air toxics from power plants, including mercury – a potent neurotoxin – arsenic, dioxin and acid gases.

Environmental Defense Fund will be testifying at all three hearings on behalf of its members. More than 400,000 newborns are affected by mercury pollution each year. Coal-fired power plants emit 72% of all toxic mercury air pollution in the United States and 386,000 tons of other hazardous air pollution, endangering families across the country.

EPA’s new Mercury and Air Toxics (MACT) Rule will prevent up to 17,000 premature deaths per year when it is in effect.

Support for the new MACT rule is more important than ever. While a number of utilities, like Exelon and Constellation have invested in technology and jobs to clean up toxic air pollutants like the ones this rule addresses, other utilities like American Electric Power (AEP) are lobbying Congress to delay these long overdue clean air standards. 

That is why EDF along with Natural Resources Defense Council and Sierra Club have started the “What’s Your Number Campaign.” The campaign challenges AEP to publicly state the number of lives it wants Congress to sacrifice to give AEP and other polluters delays and rollbacks of national limits on toxic air pollution.

“17,000 lives a year cannot afford to wait for utilities like AEP to finally clean up,” said Mark MacLeod of Environmental Defense Fund. “These new protections mean lives saved, cleaner air and a stronger economy.”

You can download the EDF’s testimony from the hearings below:

• Chicago Public Testimony
• Philadelphia Public Testimony
• Atlanta Public Testimony

Expert Contact:
Matt Davis, 212-616-1373, mdavis@edf.org

Media Contacts:
Mica Odom, 512-619-8453, modom@edf.org
Brian Merrill, 617-986-5005, brian@famapr.com
 
(Fort Collins, CO – May 23, 2011) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today announced the findings of a major study analyzing the impact of information-based energy efficiency programs at eleven utilities across the country. The report identifies energy reductions that could generate billions in savings for Americans and reduce carbon (CO₂) emissions by more than 8.9 million metric tons per year if extended nationwide.

The findings were announced by Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper as part of a bill signing ceremony today at Colorado State University’s Engines and Energy Conservation Lab. Fort Collins Utilities participated in the EDF study and implemented an information-based energy efficiency program in November of 2009.

EDF Report – Behavior and Energy Savings

The EDF analysis released today relies on data gathered from 11 different gas and electric utilities in six states (including Fort Collins Utilities), encompassing more than 750,000 households across the country. The utilities partnered with Opower, an energy management software company, to roll out its Home Energy Reporting program. The data analyzed includes more than 22 million meter reads gathered over periods of a minimum of twelve months from each of the deployments. The report analyzes the effectiveness of these programs and estimates the impact of taking these savings to the national scale – findings include:

• On a national basis, informational-based energy efficiency programs have driven individual household savings ranging from an average of 1-3 percent per year. This amounts to millions of dollars in aggregate savings for home electricity customers – simply through small behavior changes;
• EDF concludes that if every home in America reduces their energy use by the average in this program, projected energy usage would drop by more than 26,000 GWh per year;
  
  o Energy Savings: These savings could power every home in Colorado, and still have enough left over to cover everyone in Utah as well
  o Economic Savings: A reduction of energy use this size would reduce electricity bills by $3 billion each year across the U.S.
  o Environmental Savings: Eliminating electricity waste on this scale would reduce CO₂ emissions by more than 8.9 million metric tons per year – equal to the emissions from three 500-MW coal-fired power plants

• Fort Collins Utilities: Fort Collins rolled out its information-based energy efficiency program to 25,000 customers in November 2009, and the EDF analysis shows the average household savings is 2.1%. A separate OPOWER analysis identified more than $600,000 in aggregate savings. This is equivalent to taking 662 homes off the grid, or 854 cars off of the road.

Resources

You may download a copy of the study, Behavior and Energy Savings, here.
 
Quotes

“Energy efficiency is widely considered one of the greatest untapped energy resources. This study confirms that simple behavioral changes generate consistent savings across a wide range of utilities and demographics. The study researched programs that serve both urban and rural areas in states across the country, and found that savings are not limited to one demographic. The message is clear: customers empowered with information on energy usage are more likely to save energy and money, all while reducing their carbon footprint.”

               - Kate Robertson, Energy Efficiency Specialist at Environmental Defense Fund

“The EDF report shows that Opower programs like the one in Ft. Collins are giving consumers the information they need to reduce their energy usage and save money. If every household in America made the same reduction, we’d see utility bills fall by over $3 billion every year – and by $31 million in Colorado alone. This study and the results here in Ft. Collins demonstrate that behavioral change energy efficiency is among the lowest cost approach to saving bill payers money, hitting utility efficiency goals and reducing emissions. The cheapest, and cleanest, kilowatt-hour is the kilowatt-hour not used, and I encourage all of Colorado’s utilities to continue accelerating their efforts and implementing energy efficiency programs.”

               - Tanuj (“TJ”) Deora, Director of Colorado Governor Hickenlooper’s Energy Office

“We believe that the majority of Americans are interested in energy efficiency – they just need the right tools and information to improve and reduce excess energy usage. The EDF study demonstrates the transformative power of information. By providing customers with more information about how energy is being used in their homes, utilities across the country can empower their customer base to save money through smart energy choices.”

               - Alex Laskey, Co-Founder and President of Opower

(Austin, Texas – May 17, 2011) The Texas Senate concurred with the House amendments to Senate Bill 1125 by Sen. John Carona today.

The bill updates state energy efficiency programs by increasing and updating the goal for energy efficiency to 30 percent of load growth by 2013 for investor-owned utilities. It was sponsored by Rep. Rafael Anchia in the House and has enjoyed the support of environmental groups, consumers groups and utilities. 

“This is great step toward engaging more Texans with energy efficiency programs, which will lower energy bills, decrease air emissions and create jobs in Texas,” said Kate Robertson, Energy Efficiency Specialist with Environmental Defense Fund.

The bill also opens up Texas utilities to engage with their customers in Demand Response programs whether they are municipal utilities, cooperatives or retail electric providers. Demand response is a customer driven market participation program where customers can receive payments from the marketplace for reducing their demand.

“Demand response means money for customers and savings for utilities all while reducing energy consumption and emissions,” said Colin Meehan, Clean Energy Analyst with Environmental Defense Fund.

(Boston, Mass.)  Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) kicks off another season of EDF Climate Corps, placing 57 specially-trained MBA students in 49 leading companies to develop practical, actionable energy efficiency plans that cut costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Since the program began in 2008, EDF Climate Corps fellows have uncovered efficiencies in lighting, computer equipment, and heating and cooling systems that can:

• Save $439 million in net operational costs over the project lifetimes
• Cut the equivalent of 958 million kilowatt hours of energy use annually – enough to power 85,000 homes for a year
• Avoid over 557,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually – equivalent to taking more than 86,000 SUVs off the road for a year

To date, companies report that projects representing 86 percent of the energy savings identified by EDF Climate Corps fellows are complete or underway. The full range of energy efficiency projects recommended by EDF Climate Corps fellows is available online. Examples of projects being implemented by 2010 host companies include:

• AT&T will install occupancy sensors in its 250 largest central offices over the next two years. Jen Snook, an MBA student at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, made the case that installing occupancy sensors—shutting off the lights in an empty room—could yield an 80 percent savings in lighting system energy use over 100 million square feet of space.

• Diversey is implementing a set of tools to measure energy use recommended by Adam Ostaszewski, an MBA student from the Olin School of Business at Babson College. Adam contributed to the development of a tool that analyzes costs and energy opportunities across the company’s global building portfolio. He also created a tool to track savings from avoided travel. Diversey estimates $6 million in annual savings from avoided travel that can be invested in other energy projects.  


• Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) is developing a lighting retrofit program across the organization based in part on contributions from Nick Fassler, a University of Michigan MBA student. During his fellowship Nick calculated that by upgrading the lighting in most of HCA’s more than 160 hospitals, the company could save 82 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year, avoiding 52,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually and $14.7 million in net operating costs over the project’s lifetime. The program is expected to begin rolling out in late 2011.

• SunGard found quick savings by changing the lighting timers in its New York City office. The no-cost project, which yielded savings of $20,000 annually, is one of five initiatives the company is implementing thanks to the work of Rich Tesler, an MBA who completed his fellowship while pursuing a second master’s degree at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development.

“A compelling business case can make a real difference in getting energy efficiency projects implemented, but company managers seldom have the time to build it,” said Victoria Mills, managing director at EDF. “EDF Climate Corps fellows provide highly skilled human capital to mobilize cost-effective investments in energy efficiency.”

EDF Climate Corps has grown eightfold since the program began in 2008 with seven fellows. Half of this summer’s host companies are repeat participants, including Diversey, eBay, Eaton and REI. New participants in 2011 include Citigroup, Mack Trucks, Nestle Waters North America, Quality Technology Services, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Union Pacific.

EDF Climate Corps also has a public-sector arm that will place 39 specially-trained graduate students in 28 colleges, universities, local governments and places of worship this summer. Launched in 2009, EDF Climate Corps public sector works with minority-serving institutions and diverse communities to cut costs and carbon pollution by improving energy efficiency.

For more information on EDF Climate Corps and details on how to host a fellow in 2012, visit edfclimatecorps.org. “Like” us on Facebook at Facebook.com/EDFClimateCorps.

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Contact:
EDF: Jasper Jung (202) 572-3395 jjung@edf.org

Full list of companies participating in EDF Climate Corps for 2011:

adidas, AT&T, Avon, Belk, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Booz Allen Hamilton, CA Technologies, Carnival, Citigroup, Coinstar (Redbox), Cricket Communications, CSX, Cummins, Dave & Buster’s, Dunkin’ Brands, Eaton, eBay, Ernst & Young, Facebook, Firmenich, Gaylord Entertainment, Genzyme, Hospital Corporation of America, Humana, Ingersoll Rand, JohnsonDiversey, Joie de Vivre Hospitality, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Kettle Cuisine, Mack Trucks (Volvo North America), McDonald’s, Microsoft, Nestlé Waters North America, News Corporation (Dow Jones), PNC, Procter & Gamble, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Publicis Groupe (VivaKi), Quality Technology Services, Royal Bank of Scotland Group (Citizens Bank), REI, SAP, ServiceMaster, Shorenstein Realty Services, SunGard, Target, Union Pacific, ViaWest, Washington Gas

(Charlotte, NC – May 16, 2011) A program launched in North Carolina in 2009 to help universities increase energy efficiency and save money is expanding into a national effort to curb greenhouse gas pollution in five states, including Texas, Georgia, New York, Washington D.C. and New Jersey. Climate Corps Public Sector, an innovative summer fellowship program developed by Environmental Defense Fund, specially trains graduate students to sleuth out energy efficiency savings in local governments, higher education and other organizations.

In the summers of 2009 and 2010, fellows identified projects that could reduce energy use by 46 percent. Cost savings are directly linked to improvements in lighting, computer equipment, and heating and cooling systems. Fellows document how to use savings to pay for energy upgrades. The program is credited with helping North Carolina Central University identify ways the campus could cut energy costs by more than $2.6 million annually – a dramatic 64 percent reduction.

“Saving energy means saving money, and that’s the cornerstone of a sustainable business plan for a company or a public organization,” said Jill Logeman, EDF program coordinator. “Government buildings, campuses and other public places use a tremendous amount of energy, and they can take advantage of smart energy investments just like major corporations.”

This summer EDF Climate Corps Public Sector will place fellows in several institutions in North Carolina, New Jersey towns, the New York Public Housing Authority and at minority serving institutions in Texas, Washington, D.C. and Georgia.

EDF Climate Corps Public Sector is an offshoot of EDF Climate Corps, started in 2008 to place top-tier MBA students in the nation’s leading companies to identify and analyze energy-saving opportunities and develop practical, actionable plans for companies to implement them. The program’s rapid success in the corporate world led EDF to expand its work into the public sector.

CONTACT
Georgette Foster, gfoster@edf.org, 919-881-2927
Jill Logeman, jlogeman@edf.org, 919-881-2937

(Raleigh, NC – May 16, 2011) A program launched in North Carolina in 2009 to help universities increase energy efficiency and save money is expanding into a national effort to curb greenhouse gas pollution in five states. EDF Climate Corps Public Sector, an innovative summer fellowship program developed by Environmental Defense Fund, specially trains graduate students to sleuth out energy efficiency savings in higher education, local governments and other organizations.

North Carolina campuses participating this summer include Bennett College, Catawba College, Fayetteville State University, NC A&T State University, Shaw University, University of North Carolina-Pembroke and Winston-Salem State University.

Fellows also will focus on energy savings in local governments, including Cary, Elizabeth City, Mecklenburg County, Nash County, New Hanover County, Rocky Mount and Wilmington.

In addition, fellows will develop custom energy efficiency plans for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Asheville-Buncombe Community Christian Ministry.

EDF Climate Corps Public Sector focuses on minority serving institutions and diverse communities. In the summers of 2009 and 2010, fellows identified projects that could reduce energy use by 46 percent. Cost savings are directly linked to improvements in lighting, computer equipment, and heating and cooling systems. Fellows document how to use savings to pay for energy upgrades.

“Saving energy means saving money, and that’s the cornerstone of a sustainable business plan for a company or a public organization,” said Jill Logeman, EDF program coordinator. “Campuses, government buildings and other public places use a tremendous amount of energy, and they can take advantage of smart energy investments just like major corporations.”

The program is credited with helping North Carolina Central University in Durham identify ways the campus could cut energy costs by more than $2.6 million annually – a dramatic 64 percent reduction.

In all, 26 fellows are participating in the 10-week program in North Carolina. The fellows are students at host universities and other schools, including Duke, Wake Forest and NC State.

Outside of North Carolina, EDF Climate Corps Public Sector will place fellows in New Jersey towns, the New York Public Housing Authority and at minority serving institutions in Georgia, Texas and Washington, DC.

EDF Climate Corps Public Sector is an offshoot of EDF Climate Corps, started in 2008 to place top-tier MBA students in the nation’s leading companies to identify and analyze energy-saving opportunities and develop practical, actionable plans for companies to implement them. The program’s rapid success in the corporate world led EDF to expand its work into the public sector. Belk and Ingersoll Rand will host fellows in the Charlotte area this year.

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:
Tony Kreindler, 202-445-8108, tkreindler@edf.org
Jennifer Andreassen, 202-572-3387, jandreassen@edf.org

(Washington – May 11, 2011) Major environmental groups sharply criticized American Airlines (NYSE:AMR), United (NYSE:UAL) and Continental Airlines (NYSE:UAL) today for the airlines’ efforts to gut anti-pollution programs while simultaneously bragging about their environmental performance.

Six major environmental groups sent letters today to the CEOs of American Airlines and United (which has recently merged with Continental Airlines), denouncing the airlines for bringing suit in a European court to block a law that holds all airlines accountable for their global warming pollution from flights to, from and within Europe. The law takes effect Jan. 1, 2012. American and United have also been lobbying the U.S. Congress to declare the EU law invalid.

Both American Airlines and United promoted their environmental initiatives around Earth Day last month, with American publishing an article, “AA Reduces Environmental Footprint”, in its in-flight magazine American Way, and United promoting itself as an “environmentally friendly company” in its new, widely publicized “eco-skies” campaign.

The letter notes that if American and United are committed to reducing their environmental impact and protecting the earth, “it makes no sense to spend [their] customers’ money on lawyers and lobbyists in an effort to thwart a crucial anti-pollution program.” The environmental groups urged the airlines to drop the lawsuit, saying “Innovation, not obstruction, is what’s needed now… [J]oin the future of low-carbon aviation by making your actions consistent with your words.”

The letters were signed by the CEOs of Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), Earthjustice, Environment America, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Sierra Club. EDF, CBD and Earthjustice have intervened in the litigation, in which oral argument is expected in Fall 2011.

EDF also today submitted advertisements to American Airlines’ American Way and United/ Continental’s Hemispheres in-flight magazines, calling on the airlines to “start flying cleaner” and to stop “dragging their wings”. EDF requested that the airlines respond within a week indicating whether the ads will be accepted for publication.

Global warming pollution from aviation is projected to nearly triple in the next few decades.

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:
Sean Crowley, 202-572-3331-w, 202-550-6524-c, scrowley@edf.org

(Washington, DC—May 10, 2011) Environmental Defense Fund praised a federal work plan unveiled today by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) that will allow the agency to focus its resources on the species most in need of protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

FWS has begun a review of its ESA implementation designed to:

1. Identify ways to eliminate unnecessary procedural requirements;
2. Improve the clarity and consistency of regulations;
3. Engage the states, tribes, conservation organizations, and private landowners as more effective conservation partners; 4. Encourage greater creativity in ESA implementation; and
5. Reduce the frequency and intensity of conflicts as much as possible.

“We think this work plan is an excellent idea, especially improving clarity and consistency of regulations, encouraging greater creativity in ESA implementation, and working in partnership with landowners to provide wildlife recovery,” said David Wolfe, who oversees all aspects of Environmental Defense Fund’s Landowner Conservation Assistance and Safe Harbor programs in Texas. “At the same time, Congress needs to do its part to provide the Fish and Wildlife Service with the resources it needs to save America’s endangered wildlife and habitat from extinction.”

FWS is filing the work plan today in a consolidated case in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia as part of a proposed agreement with one of the agency’s most frequent plaintiffs. If approved by the Court, the work plan will enable the agency to systematically, over a period of six years, review and address the needs of more than 250 species now on the list of candidates for protection under the ESA to determine if they should be added to the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants.

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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 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund and Twitter: http://twitter.com/EveryDayFactoid.

(Washington, D.C. – May 10, 2011) National environmental groups Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Sierra Club are launching a new campaign today that challenges American Electric Power (AEP) to publicly name the number of lives it wants Congress to sacrifice to give AEP and other polluters delays and rollbacks of national limits on toxic air pollution.

While other utilities are investing in technology and jobs to clean up toxic air pollution from coal-fired power plants and meet new national pollution standards on time, AEP is promoting on Capitol Hill a sweeping, 56-page bill it drafted to weaken and delay federal clean air standards. AEP lobbyists wrote the bill, dubbed it the Electric Power Regulatory Coordination Act of 2011, and then went looking for lawmakers to sponsor it.

Columbus, Ohio-based AEP is one of the largest emitters of toxic air pollution in the country. In 2008, AEP emitted more mercury, nitrogen oxide, and carbon dioxide pollution than any other American utility.

If the AEP bill were to become law, in the first two years alone it would permit the release of mercury, acid gases, and arsenic that would contribute to as many as 34,000 deaths, 220,000 asthma attacks, and 1.5 million missed work days – severe health impacts that would be avoided by implementation of EPA’s recently proposed clean air standards for the nation’s most toxic pollutants.

Statements of Environmental Leaders:

“Today we are asking AEP a simple question: What’s your number? What’s the acceptable number of American lives to surrender?” said Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp. “After twenty years of delay, AEP wants America to wait another six years before we limit toxic mercury from some power plants – and they want to delay limits on a host of other dangerous pollutants.”

“AEP made $1.2 billion in profits last year — while America’s children suffered asthma hospitalizations and mercury-related developmental delays,” said Krupp. “This draft bill represents Washington at its worst: corporate lobbyists writing legislation to block limits on toxic pollution and then shopping around for Members of Congress to sponsor it. We’ll see who is willing to put their name on it and put their constituents’ health at risk.”

“Instead of promoting a big polluters’ bill of rights to delay scientists from issuing updates that protect our health, AEP should be cleaning up its deadly pollution and looking for clean energy alternatives,” said Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Investing in clean energy would not only protect countless American lives but help create jobs and boost the economy.”

“Corporate polluters like AEP have stooped to a new low in their efforts to keep their profits flowing at the expense of millions of Americans’ health. AEP wants a license to kill and they need to be stopped, said Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club.

“AEP says that ‘strong environmental performance is essential to fulfilling our corporate social responsibilities,’” added Krupp. “If that’s true, the company should stop trying to sell this dirty air bill, and get back to work.”

Background on Draft AEP Legislation

A HEALTH WRECK FOR AMERICA’S CHILDREN

A 56-page discussion draft circulated on April 29, 2011 (dubbed the “Electric Power Regulatory Coordination Act of 2011”) would halt implementation of the nation’s clean air laws for the nation’s single largest source of air pollution: fossil fueled power plants. The abstruse legal language set out in the 56 page document would rip apart the fabric of our nation’s clean air laws. If it became law, the discussion draft would allow harmful air pollution would persist for years longer, imposing a heavy health burden on America’s children:
• In the first two years alone, the pollution allowed under the discussion draft is associated with as many as 34,000 deaths, 220,000 asthma attacks, and 1.5 million missed work and sick days,* health-harming impacts that would be prevented by timely implementation of EPA’s proposed clean air standards for the nation’s most toxic pollutants.
• For over a decade, the discussion draft categorically bars EPA from taking action to (1) limit power plant emissions of arsenic, chromium, and acid gases, (2) protect human health imperiled by interstate air pollution transport discharged by coal-fired power plants, (3) reduce the haze pollution in America’s premier national parks, and (4) finalize proposed emission standards to reduce power sector sulfur dioxide pollution, which transforms into lethal particulates.
• The discussion draft would halt the application of clean air protections under two landmark Supreme Court cases, Massachusetts v. EPA and Environmental Defense v. Duke Energy, to power plant pollution by, for example, prohibiting significant reductions in climate-disrupting pollution from the nation’s existing coal plants for over a decade; these facilities are the nation’s single largest source of climate pollution, discharging 1.8 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually and 4.9 million tons daily.
While AEP and some other power companies are seeking to erode bedrock clean air protections, other major utilities are supporting healthier air for America:
• Dick Kelly, Chairman of the Edison Electric Institute, Xcel CEO and Chairman: “Pursuing emission reductions for several years positions us to meet future environmental goals, and we have a variety of tools which we can do that with”; “we do have the foundations for a very, very successful future.” [Dec. 1, 2010 Investor Meeting]
• William Johnson, President and CEO, Progress Energy on the proposed merger of Duke Power and Progress: “As a result of these combined actions, we believe the new company will be well positioned to meet the new EPA MACT regulations expected later this year and in to 2012. We still have much work to do to comply with these rules, which could require significant additional capital investment and additional announced plant closures. However, we are further down the road on compliance than many other companies with large coal fleets. We should also benefit by combining best practices in our fleet modernization efforts.” [Jan. 10, 2011 Investor Meeting]
• Peter Darbee, Chairman, President and CEO, PG&E Corp.; Jack Fusco, President and CEO, Calpine Corp.; Lewis Hay, Chairman and CEO, NextEra Energy, Inc.; Ralph Izzo, Chairman, President and CEO, Public Service Enterprise Group, Inc.; Thomas King, President, National Grid USA; John Rowe, Chairman and CEO, Exelon Corp.; Mayo Shattuck, Chairman, President and CEO, Constellation Energy Group: “The electric sector has known that these rules were coming. Many companies, including ours, have already invested in modern air-pollution control technologies and cleaner and more efficient power plants. For over a decade, companies have recognized that the industry would need to install controls to comply with the act’s air toxicity requirements, and the technology exists to cost effectively control such emissions, including mercury and acid gases.” [Dec. 8, 2010 Wall Street Journal letter to the editor]
The nation’s largest power companies are financially well positioned to comply with these important health protections. In 2010, the top ten power companies by generating capacity [MWh] had a combined $28.4 billion in profits and $7.5 billion in cash balances.

*The proposed AEP legislation would delay and weaken new EPA standards to address the most toxic contaminants at power generation facilities nationwide. EPA has estimated that in 2016 the annual particulate matter-related benefits of the proposed rule for adults will “include approximately 6600 to 17,000 fewer premature mortalities, 4,300 fewer cases of chronic bronchitis, 10,000 fewer non-fatal heart attacks, 12,000 fewer hospitalizations (for respiratory and cardiovascular disease combined), 4.9 million fewer days of restricted activity due to respiratory illness and approximately 830,000 fewer lost work days. We also estimate substantial health improvements for children in the form of 110,000 fewer asthma attacks, 6,700 fewer hospital admissions due to asthma, 10,000 fewer cases of acute bronchitis, and approximately 210,000 fewer cases of upper and lower respiratory illness.” 76 Fed. Reg. 24,976, 26,090 (May 3, 2011) If AEP has its way and the rules are blocked, all of those projected annual benefits would be lost for at least two years, with ongoing harm in subsequent years as well.

Section-by-Section Analysis of AEP Legislation Table
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(Washington, D.C. – April 29, 2011) Today’s federal court decision rejecting a legal attack on new clean car standards will help protect American air as well as Americans’ wallets, according to Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Washington, D.C. ruled this morning in favor of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) green light for clean car standards adopted by California and, later, thirteen more states and the District of Columbia.

Environmental Defense Fund intervened in defense of EPA’s action, supporting California’s pioneering leadership.

“This is a major victory not just for California, but also for the millions of Americans who are working together to unleash smart policies that will save families money at the gas pump, reduce dangerous pollution and break our dependence on imported oil,” said EDF president Fred Krupp.

California first adopted the new standards in 2004. They were later adopted by Arizona, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

The federal government, the involved states, the U.S. auto industry and the United Auto Workers Union reached an agreement on the standards last year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized a national clean car program on April 1, 2010. The national program builds from the foundation forged by the state clean car standards, creating integrated national standards that provide benefits across the country.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) sued to to block EPA’s green light for the California clean car standards, but today the court ruled that neither the Chamber of Commerce nor NADA have legal standing to challenge EPA’s action.

According to the Court’s decision, “[b]ecause the Chamber has not identified a single member who was or would be injured by EPA’s waiver decision, it lacks standing to raise this challenge.”

The Court also relied on the overarching national standards, writing, “[e]ven if EPA’s decision to grant California a waiver for its emission standards once posed an imminent threat of injury to the petitioners — which is far from clear — the agency’s subsequent adoption of federal standards has eliminated any independent threat that may have existed.”

“It is time for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to stop obstructing made in America clean air solutions that are a trifecta for saving money, energy security, and a safer environment,” Krupp added.

“This is a major victory for Americans who are tired of pouring out their hard-earned money at the gas pump,” said Vickie Patton, EDF’s General Counsel. “Cleaner cars will save their owners money – as much as $3000 over the life of their vehicles. Cleaner cars also reduce dangerous air pollution, and help break our nation’s dependence on imported oil.”

CONTACT

Jane Preyer, 919-740-6727, jpreyer@edf.org

(April 27, 2011 – Raleigh, NC) A strong majority of North Carolina voters says deep cuts in environmental protections proposed in a legislative budget would handicap the economy and harm the state’s quality of life, according to a new poll from Public Policy Polling.

An overwhelming 83 percent of voters agreed that “protecting North Carolina’s air and water is important to attracting good jobs to the state. A majority of voters, 54 percent, supported keeping the existing sales tax as a way to avoid the deepest cuts in parks and open space funding. About half the respondents, 48 percent, said they would support raising permit fees on polluters to help balance the state budget.

The poll shows that even those voters who identify themselves as “conservative” disagree with proposals for sharp cuts in the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources. About three-quarters of conservative voters, and 84 percent of all responses, said the state should maintain its current level of drinking water protection, or do more.

The House is considering sweeping reforms in DENR, including cutbacks in regional staff. Environmental groups consider regional DENR staff critical for monitoring air and water pollution, issuing permits and enforcing rules that protect public health. Legislators also propose to cut land conservation by more than 95 percent and prevent the protection of threatened green spaces.

“Lawmakers are discussing proposals that are outside the state’s mainstream values. Citizens have a great respect for clean air and water and natural resources, and they understand the direct connection to a healthy economy,” said Jane Preyer, state director of Environmental Defense Fund.

“Voters don’t perceive a choice between a strong economy and a clean environment,” said Elizabeth Ouzts, state director of Environment North Carolina. “In fact, voters across the political and demographic spectrum believe the two go hand in hand.”

“North Carolinians – and especially the young – place a high value on a clean, safe environment,” said Molly Diggins, state director of the Sierra Club. “The House’s proposed budget doesn’t reflect the public’s expectations.”

Stephen Turley, a Mooresville resident, says the stakes are high when funding decisions affect protection for clean air and water.

“It will affect the entire economy of the state if you let your environment suffer,” said Turley, who owns U.S. Home Designs. “North Carolina is a naturally beautiful state and it’s something that takes years to undo, when damage has been done.”

The poll of 753 registered voters was commissioned by seven environmental advocacy groups: Conservation Trust for North Carolina, Environment North Carolina, Environmental Defense Fund, North Carolina Conservation Network, North Carolina League of Conservation Voters, the North Carolina Chapter of the Sierra Club and Southern Environmental Law Center. The poll was conducted April 19-20 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.6%.

Read more at http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/NCEnvironmentPoll411.pdf.

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(Washington, D.C.—April 25, 2011) A new radio ad campaign this week on conservative news/talk radio stations in the Gulf states will educate residents to make them aware that under current law BP fines for the oil spill will go to the federal treasury, unless Congress takes action to dedicate the money to restoration in the Gulf.

The campaign is sponsored by the Gulf Renewal Project and follows its release of new polling last week showing that 83 percent of voters nationwide support—and 69 percent strongly support—dedicating the BP oil spill penalties to restoring the Mississippi River Delta and Gulf Coast. The poll showed that an overwhelming majority of conservative voters favor this proposal, including 76 percent (60 percent strongly) of Republicans, and 78 percent (62 percent strongly) of voters who agree with the Tea Party movement.

Several Democratic and Republican members of Congress from the Gulf region have introduced legislation to dedicate these penalties to Gulf restoration.

“Voters across all party lines all over the nation agree that BP’s fines for the oil spill belong in the Gulf. We need Gulf leaders to get together and get restoration done for the region’s environment and economy this spring,” said a statement from the Gulf Renewal Project.

The radio ad recording is here and the ad copy is below:

One year ago, the BP oil well blowout dumped millions of barrels of oil into our Gulf Coast waters.

The ads started airing today thru Friday during morning and afternoon drive time on 22 conservative news/talk radio stations in 18 markets in the five Gulf states:

STATE MARKET STATION

ALABAMA Mobile WAVH-106.5 FM
Pensacola WCOA 1370 AM
Pensacola WNRP 1620 AM

FLORIDA Ft. Myers WFSX 1240AM
Ft. Myers WGUF-98.9FM
Gainesville WSKY-97.3FM
Miami WIOD-610AM
Panama City WFLF-94.5FM
Punta Gorda WCCF-1580AM
Tallahassee WFLA-100.7FM
Tampa WFLA-970AM

LOUISIANA Baton Rouge WJBO-1150AM
Lafayette KPEL-96.5FM
Lake Charles KAOK-1400AM
New Orleans WRNO-99.5FM
New Orleans WWL-870AM/105.3FM

MISSISSIPPI Biloxi WBUV-104.9FM

TEXAS Beaumont KLVI-560AM
Corpus Christi KEYS-1440AM
Corpus Christi KKTX-1360AM
Harlingen KURV-710AM
Houston KPRC-950AM

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News Release

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  
Sandra Rodriguez, The Nature Conservancy, 703.841.4227, srodriguez@tnc.org
David Willett, Ocean Conservancy, 202.351.0465, dwillett@oceanconservancy.org
Laura Rusu, Oxfam America, 202.459.3739, lrusu@oxfamamerica.org

(Washington, DC — April 21, 2011) News broke today that BP has agreed to provide $1 billion toward early restoration projects in the Gulf of Mexico under an unprecedented agreement announced today by the Natural Resource Trustees for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) down payment is a significant first step toward restoration in the Gulf. The Gulf Renewal Project, a coalition of environmental, economic and community groups, released the following statement:

“This is a good day for the Gulf and a welcome first step on the long road to recovery and restoration for the region’s environment and economy,” said the joint statement by the Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, Ocean Conservancy, Oxfam America and The Nature Conservancy. “The BP oil disaster was unprecedented and BP’s down payment toward Gulf restoration today is also unprecedented. Restoration of these threatened resources simply cannot wait. Combined with other potential sources of funding, the NRDA funds announced today provide the opportunity to build a strong foundation for lasting, meaningful restoration of the Gulf Coast.”

The Trustees involved are: Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Department of Justice provided assistance in reaching the agreement.

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NEWS RELEASE

Contact:

Andy Darrell, 917-912-3605,adarrell@edf.org
Isabelle Silverman, 917-445-6385,isilverman@edf.org

(New York City — April 21, 2011) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) praised an announcement by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg today that the city will phase out the use of unrefined oil sludge and the most-polluting grades of heating oil.

“Today’s announcement means we’ll soon see the end of black smoke belching into Big Apple air,” said EDF President Fred Krupp. “This is the single biggest step that New York City can take to make the air we breathe cleaner and healthier.”

EDF worked with city officials and other environmental and health groups to help create the changes to the city’s boiler permitting regulations. The new rules will phase out local consumption of Nos. 4 and 6 heating oils – the two most polluting grades. Soot from buildings burning those two types of oil are responsible for more than 85% of the heating oil soot emissions in the city – more than all New York City cars and trucks combined.

Buildings can instead use a range of cleaner-burning fuels, including No. 2 heating oil or natural gas. Buildings will have to stop using No. 6 heating oil, which is basically unrefined sludge, by the year 2015. They will also have to gradually phase out No. 4 heating oil by the year 2030. In all, ten thousand city buildings willtransition to cleaner fuel, and will stop burning about 300 million gallons of dirty heating oil each year.

New York City’s most innovative leaders are already moving away from dirty heating oil, and are touting the benefits of the upgrade. One example is the iconic Central Park West co-op The Beresford, at the corner of 81st Street.

After an elderly building resident challenged The Beresford’s board to develop a green initiative, board members began the process of changing from dirty heating oil to natural gas – without waiting for regulation. To reduce the costs of having the high-pressure natural gas main brought to the building, they persuaded a neighboring pre-war coop — 15 West 81st Street – to convert to natural gas as well. Both buildings approached Con Ed together, identified city incentive programs, and engaged an engineer and a green energy consultant to help them chart a course to cleaner air.

“The health and business advantages for switching to clean heating fuel are compelling,” said John Phufas, the Beresford’s vice-president. “Getting neighboring buildings involved not only lowers the cost of converting to natural gas, but also expedites the entire conversion process. We’re thrilled that The Beresford and 15 West 81st Street are doing their part for the environment of New York City.

Other local leaders have similar success stories.

“When I learned that our building was on EDF’s dirty building list, our Board decided that it made good business sense to convert to natural gas and stop polluting the air we all breathe,” said Jerry Cohen, a coop board member at 910 Park Avenue. “This has truly been a win/win.”

“Cooper Square Realty is committed to working with our clients to upgrade to cleaner heating fuel as fast as possible,” said David Kuperberg, CEO of Cooper Square Realty. “Recently, we converted a 214-unit building in Brooklyn, which resulted in immediate operating cost savings and pollution reduction.”

“We are committed to converting two of our No. 6 oil-burning commercial buildings in Manhattan to natural gas by the end of the year,” said Jonathan Rosen of United Realty Management Company, Inc. “If necessary, we will first switch to No. 2 heating oil while waiting for Con Edison to bring the gas line. We are planning on converting our entire portfolio of No. 6 oil buildings to No. 2 heating oil or natural gas within the next three years.”

Mayor Bloomberg announced the final rule today as part of the updated PlaNYC, a comprehensive citywide plan for a healthier environment.

“Today’s PlaNYC update is a blueprint for clean energy in America’s biggest city,” said Andy Darrell, EDF’s New York Regional Director. “It shows how policy reform, individual action and private sector innovation can work together to deliver results for healthy air and climate. It’s filled with practical steps we can take at the neighborhood and city scale – and the new heating oil rules are the best example.”

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The parties quoted above are all available for interviews with the media. Please contact Isabelle Silverman at 917-445-6385 or isilverman@edf.org to reach them.

The updated PlaNYC can be found at http://www.nyc.gov/html/planyc2030/

News Release

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  
Sandra Rodriguez, The Nature Conservancy, 703.841.4227, srodriguez@tnc.org
David Willett, Ocean Conservancy, 202.351.0465, dwillett@oceanconservancy.org
Laura Rusu, Oxfam America, 202.496.1180, lrusu@oxfamamerica.org  

(Washington, D.C.—April 20, 2011) On the first anniversary of the start of the BP Gulf oil disaster, new polling released today shows that voters nationwide overwhelmingly support efforts to ensure that any fines paid by BP and others responsible for the spill are dedicated to restoring the region. Under the Clean Water Act (CWA), BP’s fines will be deposited into the Federal Treasury unless Congress takes specific action to direct the penalties to Gulf restoration.

The bipartisan polling, conducted by Democratic polling firm Lake Research Partners and GOP polling firm Bellwether Research and Consulting, showed that 83 percent of voters support efforts to dedicate the BP oil spill penalties toward restoration of the Mississippi River Delta and Gulf Coast, and 69 percent strongly support it.

The poll also showed that support for restoration is strong across party lines with 90 percent (76 percent strongly) of Democrats, 84 percent (69 percent strongly) of independents, 76 percent (60 percent strongly) of Republicans, and 78 percent (62 percent strongly) of those who say they agree with the Tea Party movement in favor of such a proposal.

“This issue is strong and intense for voters of all partisan stripes,” said Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners. “Not only do they strongly believe in restoring the Mississippi River Delta and Gulf Coast and holding BP and others responsible for the oil spill accountable for their actions, but they also understand the key economic role that this region plays across the country.”

“The data is very clear that Republicans stand with Democrats and independents in wanting the BP fines to go back to Gulf restoration, even when presented with the option to direct these funds toward reducing the deficit or other pressing issues,” added Christine Matthews, president of Bellwether Research and Consulting.

Also today, a coalition of 261 businesses, elected officials, faith groups and other organizations from the Gulf region and around the country signed a letter to leaders in Congress calling for BP penalties under the CWA to go to restoration in the Gulf.

“This is a make or break moment for the Gulf, and we need your leadership,” reads an excerpt from the letter. “The nation needs a healthy Gulf. The region is the backbone of our economy – and the financial strength of the region is intrinsically tied to its environmental well-being.”

The letter also highlights statistics that underscore the connection between the Gulf region’s environmental and economic health:

• The Gulf currently supports a $34 billion per year tourism industry, and its fisheries support an estimated $22.6 billion dollars in seafood and commercial and recreational fishing-related activity. (Oxfam America/Center for American Progress)

• The Gulf produces roughly 40 percent of all the seafood in the lower 48 states. (National Marine Fisheries Service)

The polling—sponsored by the Gulf Renewal Project—was designed and administered by telephone using professional interviewers. The survey reached a total of 1,006 likely general election voters nationwide. The survey was conducted April 12-17, 2011. The margin of error for this poll is +/- 3.1%.

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