Complete list of press releases

(Washington, D.C.– February 18, 2011)

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to use a budget bill to block clean air protections.

The vote was on an amendment to the Continuing Resolution (HR 1). The amendment, which passed Thursday night, would block all funding for enforcement of limits on mercury and other toxic pollution from cement plants. Mercury pollution causes brain damage in children.

Voting for higher levels of mercury in our air and water were Indiana Representatives Joe Donnelly (D-IN-2), Marlin Stutzman (R-IN-3), Todd Rokita (R-IN-4), Dan Burton (R-IN-5), Mike Pence (R-IN-6), Larry Buschon (R-IN-8), and Todd Young (R- IN-9).

“These congressmen are voting for more toxic mercury in our air and water – and that puts our kids at risk,” said Steve Cochran of Environmental Defense Fund. “This will mean more mercury pollution from dirty plants around America will end up our air, water and food. Experts, not politicians, should be making decisions about air pollution.”

Mercury Contamination and the Dangers to Indiana Residents

The mercury we put into our air falls back to earth, contaminates our waters, and gets into our food supply; it’s dangerous enough that pregnant women are warned against eating tuna because of the high levels of mercury in tuna and other fish that could cause brain damage in their unborn babies.

Cement plants are the third largest source of manmade mercury emissions in the U.S.
• Indiana has 4 major cement plants, including two of the top 25 highest mercury emitting plants in the nation.
• One-seventieth of one teaspoon of mercury is enough to contaminate a 20-acre lake and make the fish in it unsuitable for consumption.
• Each year, cement plants emit an estimated 16,000 lbs of mercury into the environment.
• Each year, an estimated 400,000 American newborn babies are exposed to unsafe levels of mercury.
• Enforcing the limits on toxic pollution from cement kilns would lower the amount of mercury they spew into the air by 92 percent, and save up to 2,500 lives each year.

While 7 Representatives from Indiana voted against reducing mercury emissions, the other two members of the Indiana delegation voted for cleaner air and safer, healthier kids: Representatives Pete Visclosky (D-IN-1) and Andre Carson (D-IN-7).

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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. See twitter.com/EnvDefenseFund; facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund

(Washington, D.C.– February 18, 2011)

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to use a budget bill to block clean air protections.

The vote was on an amendment to the Continuing Resolution (HR 1). The amendment, which passed Thursday night, would block all funding for enforcement of limits on mercury and other toxic pollution from cement plants. Mercury pollution causes brain damage in children.

Voting for higher levels of mercury in our air, and in the Great Lakes, were Illinois Representatives Dan Lipinski (D-IL-3), Peter Roskam (R-IL-6), Joe Walsh (R-IL-8), Robert Dold (R-IL-10), Adam Kinzinger (R-IL-11), Jerry Costello (D-IL-12), Judy Biggert (R- IL-13), Randy Hultgren (R-IL-14), Donald Manzullo (R-IL-16), Bobby Schilling (R-IL-17), Aaron Schock (R-IL-18), and John Shimkus (R-IL-19).

“These congressmen are voting for more toxic mercury in our air and water – and that puts our kids at risk,” said Steve Cochran of Environmental Defense Fund. “This will mean more mercury pollution from dirty plants around America will end up in fish in Lake Michigan. Experts, not politicians, should be making decisions about air pollution.”

Mercury Contamination and the Dangers to Illinois Residents

The mercury we put into our air falls back to earth, contaminates our waters, and gets into our food supply; it’s dangerous enough that pregnant women are warned against eating tuna and other fish because of high mercury levels that could cause brain damage in their unborn babies.

Mercury contamination is a particularly bad problem in Illinois.
• The Illinois Department of Public Health warns people to limit their consumption of largemouth bass, flathead catfish, walleye and other types of Illinois fish.
• In an EPA study, 59 percent of the Illinois fish sampled exceeded the safe mercury limit for children under age three.

Cement plants are the third largest source of manmade mercury emissions in the U.S.
• Illinoishas 4 cement plants, and is immediately downwind of 5 additional plants.
• One-seventieth of one teaspoon of mercury is enough to contaminate a 20-acre lake and make the fish in it unsuitable for consumption.
• Each year, cement plants emit an estimated 16,000 lbs of mercury into the environment.
• Each year, an estimated 400,000 American newborn babies are exposed to unsafe levels of mercury.
• Enforcing the limits on toxic pollution from cement kilns would lower the amount of mercury they spew into the air by 92 percent, and save up to 2,500 lives each year.

While 12 Representatives from the Illinois delegation voted against reducing mercury emissions, the other seven members of the Illinois delegation voted for cleaner air and safer, healthier kids: Representatives Bobby Rush (D –IL-1), Jesse Jackson (D-IL-2), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL-4), Michael Quigley (D-IL-5), Danny Davis (D-IL-7), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9), and Tim Johnson (R-IL-15).

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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. See twitter.com/EnvDefenseFund; facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund

(Washington, D.C. – February 18, 2011)

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to use a budget bill to block clean air protections.

The vote was on an amendment to the Continuing Resolution (HR 1). The amendment, which passed Thursday night, would block all funding for enforcement of limits on mercury and other toxic pollution from cement plants. Mercury pollution causes brain damage in children.

New Hampshire’s delegation split on the amendment. Rep. Frank Guinta (R-NH-1) voted for higher levels of mercury in our air and water. Rep. Charles Bass (R-NH-2) voted for cleaner air and safer, healthier kids.

“Some congressmen are voting for more toxic mercury in our air and water – and that puts our kids at risk,” said Steve Cochran of Environmental Defense Fund. “This will mean more mercury pollution from dirty plants around America will end up our air, water and food. Experts, not politicians, should be making decisions about air pollution.”

Mercury Contamination and the Dangers to New Hampshire Residents

The mercury we put into our air falls back to earth, contaminates our waters, and gets into our food supply; it’s dangerous enough that pregnant women are warned against eating tuna and other fish because of high mercury levels that could cause brain damage in their unborn babies.

Cement plants are the third largest source of manmade mercury emissions in the U.S. New Hampshire has no cement plants, but mercury pollution from the Midwest drifts up north to New Hampshire.

• One-seventieth of one teaspoon of mercury is enough to contaminate a 20-acre lake and make the fish in it unsuitable for consumption.
• Each year, cement plants emit an estimated 16,000 lbs of mercury into the environment.
• Each year, an estimated 400,000 American newborn babies are exposed to unsafe levels of mercury.
• Enforcing the limits on toxic pollution from cement kilns would lower the amount of mercury they spew into the air by 92 percent, and save up to 2,500 lives each year.

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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. See twitter.com/EnvDefenseFund; facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund

(Washington, D.C. – February 18, 2011)

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to use a budget bill to block clean air protections. 

The vote was on an amendment to the Continuing Resolution (HR 1). The amendment, which passed Thursday night, would block all funding for enforcement of limits on mercury and other toxic pollution from cement plants. Mercury pollution causes brain damage in children.

Voting for higher levels of mercury in our air and water were Minnesota Representatives John Kline (R-MN-2), Erik Paulsen (R-MN-3), Michele Bachmann (R-MN-6), Collin Peterson (D-MN-7), and Chip Cravaack (R-MN-8).

“These congressmen are voting for more toxic mercury in our air and water – and that puts our kids at risk,” said Steve Cochran of Environmental Defense Fund. “This will mean more mercury pollution from dirty plants around America will end up our air, water and food. Experts, not politicians, should be making decisions about air pollution.”

Mercury Contamination and the Dangers to Minnesota Residents

The mercury we put into our air falls back to earth, contaminates our waters, and gets into our food supply; it’s dangerous enough that pregnant women are warned against eating tuna because of the high levels of mercury in tuna and other fish that could cause brain damage in their unborn babies.

Cement plants are the third largest source of manmade mercury emissions in the U.S.
• Minnesota already has a state mercury standard, but receives 90% of its mercury pollution from other states and countries.
• One-seventieth of one teaspoon of mercury is enough to contaminate a 20-acre lake and make the fish in it unsuitable for consumption.
• Each year, cement plants emit an estimated 16,000 lbs of mercury into the environment.
• Each year, an estimated 400,000 American newborn babies are exposed to unsafe levels of mercury.
• Enforcing the limits on toxic pollution from cement kilns would lower the amount of mercury they spew into the air by 92 percent, and save up to 2,500 lives each year.

While five Representatives from Minnesota voted against reducing mercury emissions, the other three members of the Minnesota delegation voted for cleaner air and safer, healthier kids: Representatives Tim Walz (D-MN-1), Betty McCollum (D-MN-4), and Keith Ellison (D-MN-5).

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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. See twitter.com/EnvDefenseFund; facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund

(Washington, D.C. – February 18, 2011) The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to use a budget bill to block clean air protections.

The vote was on an amendment to the Continuing Resolution (HR 1). The amendment, which passed Thursday night, would block all funding for enforcement of limits on mercury and other toxic pollution from cement plants. Mercury pollution causes brain damage in children.

Voting for higher levels of mercury in our air and water were Michigan Representatives Dan Benishek (R-MI-1), Bill Huizenga (R-MI-2), Justin Amash (R-MI-3), David Camp (R-MI-4), Fred Upton (R-MI-6), Tim Walberg (R-MI-7), Mike Rogers (R- MI-8), Candace Miller (R-MI-10), and Thad McCotter (R-MI-11).

“These congressmen are voting for more toxic mercury in our air and water – and that puts our kids at risk,” said Steve Cochran of Environmental Defense Fund. “This will mean more mercury pollution from dirty plants around America will end up our air, water and food. Experts, not politicians, should be making decisions about air pollution.”

Mercury Contamination and the Dangers to Michigan Residents

The mercury we put into our air falls back to earth, contaminates our waters, and gets into our food supply; it’s dangerous enough that pregnant women are warned against eating tuna and other fish because of high mercury levels that could cause brain damage in their unborn babies.

Cement plants are the third largest source of manmade mercury emissions in the U.S.
• Michigan has 3 major cement plants, including one of the top 5 highest mercury emitting plants in the nation.
• One-seventieth of one teaspoon of mercury is enough to contaminate a 20-acre lake and make the fish in it unsuitable for consumption.
• Each year, cement plants emit an estimated 16,000 lbs of mercury into the environment.
• Each year, an estimated 400,000 American newborn babies are exposed to unsafe levels of mercury.
• Enforcing the limits on toxic pollution from cement kilns would lower the amount of mercury they spew into the air by 92 percent, and save up to 2,500 lives each year.

While nine Representatives from Michigan voted against reducing mercury emissions, the other six members of the Michigan delegation voted for cleaner air and safer, healthier kids: Representatives Dale Kildee (D-MI-5), Gary Peters (D-MI-9), Sander Levin (D-MI-12), Hansen Clarke (D-MI-13), John Conyers (D-MI-14), John Dingell (D-MI-15).

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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. See twitter.com/EnvDefenseFund; facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund

(Washington, D.C. – February 18, 2011) The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to use a budget bill to block clean air protections.

The vote was on an amendment to the Continuing Resolution (HR 1). The amendment, which passed Thursday night, would block all funding for enforcement of limits on mercury and other toxic pollution from cement plants. Mercury pollution causes brain damage in children.
Voting for higher levels of mercury in our air and water were Virginia Representatives Rob Wittman (R-VA-1), Scott Rigell (R-VA-2), Randy Forbes (R-VA-4) Robert Hurt (R-VA-5), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA-6), Eric Cantor (R-VA-7), and Morgan Griffith (R-VA-9).

“These congressmen are voting for more toxic mercury in our air and water – and that puts our kids at risk,” said Steve Cochran of Environmental Defense Fund. “This will mean more mercury pollution from dirty plants around America will end up our air, water and food. Experts, not politicians, should be making decisions about air pollution.”

Mercury Contamination and the Dangers to Virginia Residents

The mercury we put into our air falls back to earth, contaminates our waters, and gets into our food supply; it’s dangerous enough that pregnant women are warned against eating tuna and other fish because of high mercury levels that could cause brain damage in their unborn babies. 1 in 4 women tested in Virginia had high enough levels of mercury to put a child at risk for neurological development problems, like delayed onset of walking and talking and mental retardation

Cement plants are the third largest source of manmade mercury emissions in the U.S. Virginia has one major cement plant.
• One-seventieth of one teaspoon of mercury is enough to contaminate a 20-acre lake and make the fish in it unsuitable for consumption.
• Each year, cement plants emit an estimated 16,000 lbs of mercury into the environment.
• Each year, an estimated 400,000 American newborn babies are exposed to unsafe levels of mercury.
• Enforcing the limits on toxic pollution from cement kilns would lower the amount of mercury they spew into the air by 92 percent, and save up to 2,500 lives each year.

While 7 Representatives from Virginia voted against reducing mercury emissions, the other four members of the Virginia delegation voted for cleaner air and safer, healthier kids: Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA-3), Jim Moran (D-VA-8), Frank Wolf (R-VA-10) and Gerry Connelly (D-VA-11).

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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. See twitter.com/EnvDefenseFund; facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund

(Raleigh, NC – February 15, 2011) Understanding the long-term impacts of using wood biomass to produce renewable energy is the critical first step in developing a biomass energy strategy that protects water quality, air quality, public health and wildlife in the Southeast United States. That’s the conclusion of a new report that will help foresters and landowners design harvesting standards that recognize the key role of dead wood and decaying trees in forest ecosystems. The report released by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and The Forest Guild says reducing the dead wood in a forest may affect its ability to support wildlife, provide clean water, sequester carbon and regenerate diverse plants.

“Historically, dead wood was considered to have a low economic value,” said Will McDow, manager of the EDF Southeast Center for Conservation Incentives. “There is increased interest today in dead wood for energy and fuel, and more intensive harvesting of biomass could have long-term consequences for Southern forests. Stripping the forest floor to create energy is imprudent.”

“Southern forests have less dead wood than other regions of the United States, yet it plays a crucial role,” said Zander Evans, research director of The Forest Guild. “More than 55 mammal species, more than 20 bird species, as well as numerous reptiles, amphibians, arthropods and gastropods rely on dead wood in the Southeast. Landowners and foresters should incorporate ecological science into discussions about harvests that could affect this often neglected part of our forests.”

The report was reviewed by a team of 12 scientists and experts from across the Southeast. It includes southern Appalachian hardwoods, upland hardwood and mixed pine-hardwood forests, bottomland hardwoods, and piedmont and coastal plain pinelands. See www.forestguild.org/SEdeadwood.html.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

Contacts:
Sean Crowley, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.550.6524, scrowley@edf.org  
Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, guidrye@nwf.org  
David J. Ringer, National Audubon Society, 601.642.7058, dringer@audubon.org  
Steven Peyronnin, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, 225.413.6924, stevenp@crcl.org
John Lopez, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, 504.421.7348, johnlopez@pobox.com  

(Washington, DC—February 14, 2011) Five conservation groups praised President Obama today for maintaining his commitment to Gulf Coast restoration by recommending the first-ever funding to construct wetlands projects to reverse wetlands losses in the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) of the Mississippi River Delta.

“The BP oil disaster shined a spotlight on the national economic importance of restoring the disappearing Louisiana Coastal Area ecosystem, and President Obama’s budget request recognizes this fact,” said a joint statement from the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Environmental Defense Fund, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, National Audubon Society, and National Wildlife Federation. “We are rapidly losing this ecosystem, which supports wildlife, recreation, waterfowl hunting, critical energy production infrastructure, the busiest port in North America, and the most valuable fishery in the Gulf of Mexico. In the face of tough budget choices, the President’s budget recognizes that we cannot wait any longer to restore this critical natural and economic resource, and we urge Congress to meet this challenge.”

The President’s Fiscal Year 2012 budget request for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to fund LCA restoration is $27 million, including $10.845 million for wetlands feasibility studies, $5.4 million for wetlands pre-construction engineering and design studies, $10.62 million for wetlands construction projects and $100,000 for the LCA comprehensive plan (see page 23 at: http://www.usace.army.mil/CECW/PID/Documents/budget/budget2012.pdf). Congress has not acted yet on the President’s FY 2011 budget request, which included $35.6 million for the Corps to fund LCA ecosystem restoration, split between $19 million for wetlands construction projects and $16.6 million for wetlands pre-construction engineering and design studies.

The President’s proposed investments are part of a larger effort that focuses the expertise and resources of a broad spectrum of federal agencies—including the Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Geological Survey—on the critical restoration needs on the Gulf Coast.

Considering the rate at which Louisiana’s coastal wetlands are vanishing, the funding requested in the President’s budget is a critical first step toward coastal restoration. Louisiana loses a football field of land every 48 minutes, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Since The Great Depression, Louisiana has lost 2,300 square miles of land, an area equivalent in size to the state of Delaware.

“Our coastal wetlands serve as a buffer that protects two million people in New Orleans and the surrounding communities,” the groups concluded. “They also provide protection for pipelines, navigation channels and refineries that service one-third of our nation’s oil and gas production. We look forward to working with the Obama administration and Congress to ensure that the funding is used on the best projects for restoration.”

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NEWS RELEASE

Contacts:
Ramon Alvarez, 512-691-3408, ralvarez@edf.org
Sharyn Stein, 202-572-3396, sstein@edf.org

(Washington, D.C. – February 1, 2011) Lawsuits filed by the oil and gas industry would undermine the American public’s right to know about harmful pollution in our air, according to Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).

Industry members have filed three legal challenges to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s greenhouse gas pollution inventorying and disclosure requirements for the oil and gas sector. The oil and gas industry is one of the nation’s largest sources of methane, a potent global warming pollutant.

The American Gas Association (Case No. 11-1020), Gas Processors Association (Case No. 11-1022), and Chesapeake Energy Corporation and American Exploration and Production Council (Case No. 11-1025) have each filed legal challenges in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C.

“Americans have a right to know about the pollution that is leaked, vented, and flared into our air from the oil and gas industry,” said Dr. Ramon Alvarez, an atmospheric scientist with EDF. “EPA’s action to require disclosure of this harmful pollution means concerned citizens and policy makers across our nation will have essential information about pollution discharges. They’ll also have critical information about which companies are leaders in managing their air pollution — and which companies are lagging behind as big emitters. It is disappointing that some companies in the American oil and gas industry are litigating over the basic public right to know how much pollution is being poured into their air.”

Under EPA’s final rules, pollution data collection began last month, and reporting of annual emissions to EPA will begin in March 2012. EPA estimates that its standards will cover 85 percent of the greenhouse gas discharges from the oil and gas sector and will require reporting by about 2,800 facilities.

EPA’s action for the oil and gas sector requires annual reporting of methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions from flaring, equipment leaks, offshore petroleum and natural gas production, onshore production facilities, liquefied natural gas imports and exports, and onshore transmission and distribution.

Methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas with a warming potential 25 times that of carbon dioxide. The oil and gas industry is the second largest contributor to U.S. methane emissions, accounting for 23% of methane emissions in the United States in 2007.

Background Information

A 2010 report from the Government Accountability Office estimated that 4.2% of the natural gas produced at onshore federal leases was vented or flared before the gas even left the lease. This does not include the gas lost during processing and transmission. Government Accountability Office, “Federal Oil and Gas Leases: Opportunities exist to Capture Vented and Flared Natural Gas, Which Would Increase Royalty Payments and Reduce Greenhouse Gases,” GAO-11-34 (October 2010)

Emissions of greenhouse gases (CH4 and CO2) from the natural gas industry in 2006 are estimated by EPA to be 244 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalents (MMTCO2e). This estimate includes an adjustment of 45 MMTCO2e to reflect reductions reported to the Natural Gas STAR program. Another 28 million metric tons CO2e come from the petroleum industry. (Technical Support Document, EPA’s reporting rule for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industry, Nov. 2010) These emissions are larger than the emissions from petroleum refining, estimated by EPA to be 214 MMTCO2e in 2005. (Available and Emerging Technologies for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the Petroleum Refining Industry, U.S. EPA, Oct. 2010)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT
Michael Regan, 919-881-2917, mregan@edf.org
Georgette Foster, 919-881-2927, gfoster@edf.org

(Raleigh, NC – January 28, 2011) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) applauded the executive order issued today by North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue that acknowledges the authority of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from large industrial sources. The following statement may be attributed to Michael Regan, EDF director of Southeast energy and air policy:

“EPA’s mandate from the U.S. Supreme Court to regulate greenhouse gas pollution is the law of the land. The executive order smoothes the way for North Carolina to focus on the largest greenhouse gas sources in the state. This is a reasonable and practical approach that will alleviate potential burdens for the business community, while effectively protecting public health and the economy.”

Contacts:
Isabelle Silverman, 917-445-6385, isilverman@edf.org 
Andy Darrell, 212-616-1206, adarrell@edf.org 

(New York, NY–January 27, 2011) Today, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued a long awaited rule that will, over time, phase out permits for the most polluting grades of heating oils (No. 4 and No. 6). No. 4 and No. 6 oils emit up to 15 times more soot pollution than regular No. 2 heating oil or natural gas. Permits for No. 6 oil, the most polluting heating oil, will be phased out between 2012 and 2015 and No. 4 oil permits will be denied whenever a building replaces its boiler or burner. 

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) praises the issuance of the DEP rule and, for public health reasons, urges buildings to switch to cleaner heating fuels even before they are required to do so under the new rule. “This is a huge step to rid the city skyline of the plumes of black smoke that choke our children’s lungs,” said Andrew H. Darrell, New York Regional Director and Deputy Director of Environmental Defense Fund’s national energy program, and a member of New York Mayor Bloomberg’s Sustainability Advisory Board. “By switching to cleaner fuels, New York City will prove that a mega-city can grow and clean the air at the same time.”

Close to 10,000 New York City buildings burn the dirtiest grades of heating oil (No. 4 and No. 6), releasing more soot pollution than all cars and trucks on the City’s streets combined, according to the EDF report “The Bottom of the Barrel: How the Dirtiest Heating Oil Pollutes Our Air and Harms Our Health.” No. 6 oil is the dirtiest grade of heating oil—unrefined sludge—whereas No. 4 oil is a mixture of No. 6 oil and regular No. 2 heating oil. “It is an outrage that so much dirty fuel is burned in the heart of our most crowded neighborhoods – we simply cannot move fast enough to get rid of it,” said Darrell.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), natural gas prices are predicted to stay lower than oil prices for the next 25 years. EDF is calling for quick approval of the phase out. “Because upgrading to cleaner heat makes financial sense, EDF is urging buildings to make the change even faster than the rule requires,” said Isabelle Silverman, Attorney with Environmental Defense Fund. “Why keep wasting money and fouling the air?”

“The new DEP rule as well as new state and city heating oil legislation are predicted to reduce heating oil soot pollution by 40 percent by 2015 and by at least 65 percent by 2030,” said Silverman.

The following environmental and health organizations are supporting a rapid phase-out of No. 4 and No. 6 heating oil.

“This rule is a win for our lungs, our wallets and our economy,” said Marcia Bystryn, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters, who is also a member of the Sustainability Advisory Board. “Buildings can save money by upgrading to cleaner, cheaper fuels and less wasteful heating systems.” For example, buildings can take advantage of low natural gas prices and improved energy efficiency to cut their operating costs far into the future. Our thanks go out to the Department of Environmental Protection, Commissioner Holloway and Mayor Bloomberg for their leadership on this important environmental issue.”

“New York City’s Community Air Survey found that heating oil is one of the largest contributors to elevated levels of soot which endangers human health,” said Scott T. Santarella, President and CEO of the American Lung Association in New York. “For the sake of all New Yorkers who depend on clean air to breathe, this rule must be approved and adopted quickly.”

“The new rule will help millions of people citywide, especially the most vulnerable among us, breathe easier, said Peggy Shepard, Executive Director of WE ACT for Environmental Justice.

“The lives of eighty New Yorkers will be saved each year as soon as boilers are switched to burning No. 4. As the fuels gradually become cleaner, we will work our way up to saving 150, and eventually approaching 300 lives per year,” said Jason Schwartz, legal fellow at the Institute for Policy Integrity and author of “Residual Risk.” “For those at risk of acute asthma and heart disease, this new rule is a new lease on life.” The DEP rule and state and city legislation are also vitally important to help New York City meet federal health-based air quality standards and reduce the asthma hospitalization rate of children, which currently is twice the national average.

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
John Lopez, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, 504.421.7348, johnlopez@pobox.com
I Ling Matthews, The Nature Conservancy, 512.623.7245, imatthews@tnc.org
Brentin Mock, Ocean Conservancy, 504.616.9150, bmock@oceanconservancy.org
Laura Rusu, 202.496.1169, lrusu@oxfamamerica.org

(Washington, DC–January 27) Seven nonprofit advocacy groups praised an amendment in an updated oil spill response bill introduced last night by U.S. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Ma.) and other House Democrats that would implement a key recommendation by the bipartisan oil spill commission. The recommendation is for Congress to dedicate 80 percent of Clean Water Act penalties to be assessed for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to Gulf Coast restoration.

The groups – Environmental Defense Fund, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, Ocean Conservancy, Oxfam America, and The Nature Conservancy– also lauded GOP Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise for introducing bipartisan legislation earlier this month to require at least 80 percent of the civil and criminal penalties charged to BP under the Clean Water Act be returned to the Gulf Coast for long-term economic and environmental recovery. That bill, the Gulf Restoration Act (H.R. 56), is cosponsored by four Louisiana GOP Congressmen – Reps. Rodney Alexander, Charles Boustany, Bill Cassidy and Jeffrey Landry – and one Louisiana Democratic Congressman, Rep. Cedric Richmond.

“We thank the Louisiana delegation and House Democrats for their leadership on an issue that is vital to restoring both the Gulf ecosystem and the Gulf economy, which depends upon that ecosystem’s health,” said a joint statement by the eight groups. “We look forward to working with House and Senate leaders of both parties on securing legislation to send the oil spill penalties back to the Gulf region where they belong.”

The fines for violations of the Clean Water Act (CWA) alone will range from a maximum of between $1,100 and $4,300 for each of the 4.9 million barrels spilled, depending upon whether the responsible parties are found to have been grossly negligent for the Macondo Well blowout. Current estimates of the CWA fines range from a maximum of between $5 billion and $21 billion.

“Without Congressional action, the fines for violating the Oil Spill Pollution Act and Clean Water Act for the Gulf oil disaster automatically will be deposited in the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund and Federal Treasury, respectively, creating an unacceptable windfall for the federal government,” the groups added. “We urge Congress to fulfill President Obama’s promise to make the Gulf ecosystem better than it was before the disaster by heeding a key recommendation from the bipartisan oil spill commission to dedicate 80 percent of the Clean Water Act penalties to long-term restoration of the Gulf.”

The oil spill commission’s recommendation echoed a recent government report by Navy Secretary and former Mississippi Governor Ray Mabus. The Mabus report detailed the need for a long-term environmental restoration plan for the Gulf Coast to fulfill President Obama’s “commitment to the Gulf Coast that goes beyond responding to the crisis of the moment [including] multiple economic disasters and decades of environmental degradation that has led to disappearing wetlands and habitats.”

The Mabus report recommended that the President urge Congress to “allow a significant amount of any civil penalties recovered under the Clean Water Act from the Deepwater Horizon spill to be deposited into a Gulf Coast Recovery Fund managed by a Gulf Coast Recovery Council.”

Nearly eight out of 10 voters (78%) in the five Gulf states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas favor creation of a separate fund for the Gulf region and the Mississippi River Delta that includes fines for violating both the Clean Water Act and the Oil Pollution Act, according to a recent bipartisan poll. The poll also showed that nearly nine out of 10 Gulf state voters (87%) agree that the environmental health of the Gulf Coast region affects their state’s economy very much or somewhat.

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Today Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) welcomed the first round of companies committed to cutting carbon emissions through the EDF Climate Corps program. New program participants this year include Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Dunkin’ Brands, Facebook, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Microsoft. They will join returning companies such as adidas, Carnival, McDonald’s and P&G.

Heading into its fourth year, EDF Climate Corps places top MBA students in companies to develop practical, actionable energy efficiency plans that cut costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Over thirty companies have already enrolled in EDF Climate Corps for the summer of 2011. The final deadline for companies to apply is March 18, 2011.

“With their specialized training and laser focus on energy efficiency, EDF Climate Corps fellows deliver real results for the climate and the bottom line,” said Victoria Mills, managing director for corporate partnerships at EDF. “The companies already enrolled in EDF Climate Corps recognize that big savings are at stake. We encourage others to get on board in the coming weeks.”

Since its inception in 2008, EDF Climate Corps has uncovered opportunities for 66 Fortune 1,000 companies to save a total of $439 million in net operational costs and avoid 557,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per year—equivalent to taking 86,000 SUVs off the road. Participating companies are making these energy efficiency opportunities a reality: to date, projects accounting for 84 percent of the energy savings identified by 2008 and 2009 fellows are either complete or already underway.

“One of the keys to environmental responsibility is to live and work as efficiently as possible, which is why Facebook is focusing heavily on efficiency technologies for our operations,” said Jonathan Heiliger, vice president of technical operations for Facebook. “We are excited to have the opportunity to work with the experts at EDF Climate Corps to find new ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency.”

Many companies that have hosted EDF Climate Corps fellows in the past are back again in 2011. Reasons for energy-wise companies to engage a fellow for a second or third year include:

• EDF Climate Corps fellows provide a fresh perspective and an extra set of skilled hands that complement the work of an in-house team. John Schinter, executive director of energy at AT&T, hired an EDF Climate Corps fellow to work on an existing lighting project. In her lighting project, Jen Snook, Duke MBA, identified steps that if implemented could result in an 80 percent savings in energy use across more than 100 million square feet of space.
• EDF Climate Corps fellows have the time and expertise to look beyond the typical “low-hanging fruit” of energy efficiency. While Hospital Corporation of America (HCA, Inc.) had already initiated energy efficiency projects before Nick Fassler, Michigan MBA, got there, he was able to identify further upgrades that could reduce lighting costs by 30 percent. When rolled out to most of HCA, Inc.’s more than 160 hospitals, the company could save $7.8 million in electricity costs and avoid 52,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually.
• The return on investment for an EDF Climate Corps fellow is enormous – every fellow to date has identified energy savings that pay back his or her salary many times over. Jonathan Stone, NYU MBA, spent 10 weeks spearheading a lighting retrofit at the Dow Jones printing plant for News Corporation. Stone identified projects that could reduce annual energy costs by nearly $180,000 and avoid over 900 metric tons of GHG emissions.

This year’s applicants to EDF Climate Corps include students enrolled in top-tier MBA programs at Columbia University, Duke University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, Stanford University, University of California at Berkeley, The University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, University of Michigan, University of Virginia and Yale University.

The list of 2011 Climate Corps host companies to date includes: adidas, AT&T, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, CA Technologies, Carnival, CSX, Cummins, Diversey, Dow Jones (News Corporation), Dunkin’ Brands, Eaton, Facebook, Firmenich, Gaylord Entertainment, Genzyme, Hospital Corporation of America, Humana, Ingersoll Rand, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Kettle Cuisine, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, RBS/Citizens Bank, REI, Shorenstein, SunGard, VivaKi (Publicis Groupe), Washington Gas, Quality Technology Services (QTS)

For more information on EDF Climate Corps and details on how to host a fellow in 2011, visit edfclimatecorps.org.

Social media release: http://pitch.pe/119957 

NEW YORK— The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Ernst & Young LLP will pilot a program to develop a new value creation approach for the private equity industry. The pilot program – Green Ops for PE – is designed to create a customized assessment process to help PE firms harness the power of environmental innovation to improve financial and environmental performance across their portfolios. Building on the growing focus on environment, social and governance (ESG) issues in the PE industry, this initiative aims to make the measurement and management of environmental performance a core element of PE investment practices.

“The private equity industry is uniquely positioned to take advantage of untapped value creation through environmental management,” said Tom Murray, Managing Director for Corporate Partnerships at EDF. “Industry leaders have begun to embrace this opportunity and we are looking to Ernst & Young LLP to help make this a standard practice across the industry.”

Green Ops for PE will offer participants a tailored assessment of the environmental opportunities across their PE portfolios and suggest strategies to capture environmental and financial value. This process will leverage best practices from EDF’s proven Green Returns approach for the PE sector, as well as the organization’s history of working with leading companies across a number of industries to improve business and environmental performance.

Since 2008, EDF has worked with leading private equity firms to develop environmental value creation strategies across diverse and growing global portfolios of companies. As part of the Green Returns program, EDF has partnered with private equity leaders Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. (KKR) and The Carlyle Group (Carlyle) to develop and implement industry-leading environmental initiatives. KKR’s Green Portfolio Program, developed in 2008, now includes 16 portfolio companies and has helped avoid over $160 million in operating costs, 345,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions, 8,500 tons of paper, and 1.2 million tons of waste. In March 2010, EDF worked with Carlyle to launch EcoValuScreen, an innovative due diligence tool designed to identify value creation opportunities through improved environmental management practices at target investments. Carlyle deal professionals are currently applying the process to new transactions in the U.S. – including the recent acquisition of NBTY, Inc. – to more effectively evaluate the operations of a target company, identify the most promising environmental management opportunities, and incorporate them into the post-investment management, governance and reporting plans for new investments. Green Ops for PE will incorporate and build on the best practices developed through EDF’s work with KKR and Carlyle.

By marshalling the firm’s core audit, tax, transaction and advisory services, Ernst & Young LLP’s Private Equity and Climate Change and Sustainability teams will look to help PE firms and their portfolio companies operate more efficiently by analyzing and taking advantage of environmental innovation. Quantis, a boutique consulting firm that specializes in environmental quantification and life cycle assessments, will assist Ernst & Young in its effort.

“We have seen many companies recognize significant ROI from assessing and investing in environmentally sustainable business initiatives,” said Steve Starbuck, Ernst & Young LLP, Americas Leader Climate Change and Sustainability Services. “Green Ops for PE could make these business opportunities more accessible across the PE sector. We see tremendous potential for this approach to help PE firms generate cost savings and create value.”

Ernst & Young has a long history of serving private equity funds, addressing market, industry, transactions, supply chain operations and regulatory issues affecting all aspects of their business, including fund, investment, and portfolio companies’ performance. The firm’s experience in the PE sector will be combined with the deep subject matter knowledge of Climate Change and Sustainability Services professionals across the global Ernst & Young network.

“There is a growing interest and recognition among PE leaders that environmental sustainability initiatives present opportunities not only to benefit the environment, but also to improve operational and financial performance. This initiative will help PE firms determine how to drive environmental sustainability improvements in their individual portfolios,” said Philip Bass, Ernst & Young LLP, Global Private Equity Markets Leader.

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:
Tony Kreindler, 202-445-8108, akreindler@edf.org
Sharyn Stein, 202-572-3396, sstein@edf.org

(Washington, D.C. - January 14, 2011) The Environmental Protection Agency held a public hearing today to provide an opportunity for public comment on a rulemaking proposal to adopt the gap-filling greenhouse gas permit protections EPA adopted on December 30th, 2010. On Wednesday, the U.S Court Of Appeals in Washington, D.C. unanimously rejected Texas’ attempt to block EPA’s emergency measures. The emergency measures will expire and be supplanted by the results of the full public notice and comment rulemaking process that is the subject of Friday’s public hearing.

Environmental Defense Fund was represented by Staff Attorney Peter Zalzal at the hearing.

An excerpt from Zalzal’s testimony:

“The proposed rule fills a gap that would otherwise exist in Texas, smoothing the transition to a legally compliant permit program. EPA’s actions provide Texas businesses with vital regulatory certainty to unleash capital investments and provide Texas citizens with critical health and environmental protections.”

Download the full testimony.