Complete list of press releases

Contact: Elena Craft, Environmental Defense Fund, (512) 691-3452-c
Media Contact: Chris Smith, Environmental Defense, 512.691.3451-w or 512.659.9264-c or csmith@environmentaldefense.org 

(Austin, TX – September 16, 2009) Environmental Defense Fund applauded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) decision to review the adequacy of the controversial ozone national air quality standard issued under the Bush administration in 2008. Today, EPA committed to issue a new proposal by December 21, 2009 and to complete its review by August 2010.

In March 2008, the Bush EPA established an ozone health standard of 75 parts per billion (ppb), at a level substantially less protective than unanimously recommended by EPA’s panel of expert science advisors on the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC). CASAC recommended the standard be set between 60-70 ppb. Further, in an unprecedented move, the Bush Administration’s regulatory czar ordered EPA scientists to scrap a separate science-based ozone standard to protect crops, forests, and other plants hard hit by ground-level ozone.

“EPA’s commitment to protect human health from dangerous smog is a breath of fresh air,” said Elena Craft, a PhD scientist with Environmental Defense Fund. “For kids in large Texas cities, smog can make it difficult to attend school, to play outside and to breathe on polluted days.”

The Clean Air Act requires that the EPA protect public health “with an adequate margin of safety” in establishing the nation’s air quality standards. In 2001, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that EPA was required to establish these standards based exclusively on the protection of public health.

“With the health of our communities and our kids at stake, Texans should be calling for EPA to restore scientific integrity,” concluded Craft. “The science is clear that stronger standards will save lives and prevent illness, especially for children and the elderly.”

EPA estimates that the suite of innovative technologies, processes and products that have been developed to meet the nation’s air quality standards and other Clean Air Act programs have not only delivered extraordinary results, but that the nation’s pollution control industry has thrived, generating over $200 billion in revenues and supporting more than 3 million jobs. The monetary benefits to society have outweighed the costs by a factor of more than 40 to 1.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Cal Baier-Anderson, (202) 572-3306-w, canderson@edf.org
Media Contact: Dan Cronin, (202) 572-3354-w, dcronin@edf.org 

(Washington, DC – September 16, 2009) Environmental Defense Fund applauded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) decision to review the adequacy of the controversial ozone national air quality standard issued under the Bush administration in 2008. Today, EPA committed to issue a new proposal by December 21, 2009 and to complete its review by August 2010.

In March 2008, the Bush EPA established an ozone health standard of 75 parts per billion (ppb), at a level substantially less protective than unanimously recommended by EPA’s panel of expert science advisors on the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC). CASAC recommended the standard be set between 60-70 ppb. Further, in an unprecedented move, the Bush Administration’s regulatory czar ordered EPA scientists to scrap a separate science-based ozone standard to protect crops, forests, and other plants hard hit by ground-level ozone. 

“EPA’s commitment to protect human health from dangerous smog is a breath of fresh air,” said Cal Baier-Anderson, Ph.D., a toxicologist with Environmental Defense Fund. “For millions of kids, smog can make it difficult to attend school, to play outside and to breathe on polluted day.”

The Clean Air Act requires that the EPA protect public health “with an adequate margin of safety” in establishing the nation’s air quality standards. In 2001, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that EPA was required to establish these standards based exclusively on the protection of public health.

EPA estimates that the suite of innovative technologies, processes and products that have been developed to meet the nation’s air quality standards and other Clean Air Act programs have not only delivered extraordinary results, but that the nation’s pollution control industry has thrived, generating over $200 billion in revenues and supporting more than 3 million jobs. The monetary benefits to society have outweighed the costs by a factor of more than 40 to 1.

The EPA’s notice to reconsider can be viewed at http://www.edf.org/documents/10412_EPA_Report_To_Court.pdf

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:

Tony Kreindler, National Media Director, Climate, 202-445-8108, tkreindler@edf.org
Vickie Patton, Deputy General Counsel, 720-837-6239, vpatton@edf.org

(Washington – September 15, 2009) The Obama administration today proposed new fuel economy benchmarks and the first national standards for greenhouse gas emissions in U.S. history, putting the nation on a path to more efficient fuel use and significant pollution reductions from cars and light trucks over the next two decades. These passenger vehicles account for about 40 percent of all U.S. oil consumption and nearly 20 percent of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions.

“This is a critical step to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and curb pollution that threatens our health,” said Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp. “It will deliver immediate benefits for the country as Congress crafts comprehensive climate legislation.”

Under the proposed new standards from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation, vehicles would meet an estimated combined average emissions level of 250 grams of carbon dioxide (CO₂) per mile in model year 2016, comparable to 35.5 miles per gallon. The proposed new standards would apply to model year 2012 to 2016 vehicles.

EPA estimates the proposal will reduce U.S. CO₂ emissions by 950 million metric tons and save 1.8 billion barrels of oil. In total, the combined EPA and DOT standards would reduce CO₂ emissions from the U.S. light-duty fleet by approximately 21 percent by 2030.

Today’s action responds to a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court mandate and will carry out President Obama’s landmark May 19th accord with major automakers, the Governor of California, the United Auto Workers Union, and environmentalists. Passenger cars and light-trucks emit nearly 20 percent of the nation’s greenhouse gases in the form of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and hydrofluorocarbons. In April, EPA provisionally found that these four contaminants and two other greenhouse gases endanger human health and welfare.

The standards will strengthen national security by curbing America’s reliance on foreign oil and by beginning to address climate-disrupting emissions that will exacerbate geopolitical instability.

Military experts have pointedly recognized these dual policy imperatives:
“Our dependence on foreign oil reduces our international leverage, places our troops in dangerous global regions, funds nations and individuals who wish us harm, and weakens our economy; our dependency and inefficient use of oil also puts our troops at risk.” CNA Military Advisory Board Report—Powering America’s Defense: Energy and the Risks to National Security. Source: General Charles F. “Chuck” Wald et al., CNA Military Advisory Board, Powering America’s Defense: Energy and the Risks to National Security, at i (2009), available at http://www.cna.org/documents/PoweringAmericasDefense.pdf.

“It is quite plausible that within a decade the evidence of an imminent abrupt climate shift may become clear and reliable. * * * Disruption and conflict will be endemic features of life.” Pentagon Commissioned Report— An Abrupt Climate Change Scenario and Its Implications for United States National Security. Source: Peter Schwartz and Doug Randall, An Abrupt Climate Change Scenario and Its Implications for United States National Security (Oct. 2003) (Commissioned by the Department of Defense).

In a 2008 Bush-era report, EPA staff experts analyzed technologies to reduce greenhouse gases from passenger cars and light trucks. See EPA Staff Technical Report: Cost and Effectiveness Estimates of Technologies Used to Reduce Light-duty Vehicle Carbon Dioxide Emissions, EPA420-R-08-008, March 2008. Produced for the National Research Council, the report identified over two dozen technologies in production or impending that can be deployed to cut greenhouse gases and improve fuel economy. The report also documents that extensive greenhouse gas reductions can be achieved through readily accessible engine and transmission enhancements to today’s vehicles. The bottom line: “EPA technical staff concludes there are a large number of technologies which can be applied to cars and trucks that are capable of achieving significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and improve vehicle fuel economy, at reasonable costs.” ES -1.

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Environmental Defense Fund, a leading national nonprofit organization, represents more than 500,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. For more information, visit www.edf.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Cynthia Koehler, (415) 515-0511 (m), ckoehler@edf.org or ckoehler@sbcglobal.net
Spreck Rosekrans, (510) 393-4593 (m), srosekrans@edf.org
Jennifer Witherspoon, (415) 293-6067 (o), jwitherspoon@edf.org

EDF Expresses Deep Disappointment at Legislature’s Inability to
Pass Water Policy Reforms

But Group Cites Proposed Policy Reforms as Bar for Future Legislation


(San Francisco – September 12, 2009)—Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) was disappointed that the California legislature was unable to reach agreement on the proposed water policy legislation. While there was room for improvement, this package of policy bills represented a very important step forward toward resolution of the deep crisis affecting the Bay-Delta system.

“There are hard decisions to be made, but there are solutions that can get us on the right track and we owe it to future generations and hard-hit farming communities to make those decisions as soon as possible,” said Cynthia Koehler, senior consulting attorney to EDF.

“The Bay-Delta is one of the most important estuaries along the west coast of North America and the hub of our state’s water supply system and the future of our cities, farms and our environment. In fact, the future of much of our great state of California depends on getting to consensus on modernizing our water policy framework and moving forward,” said Laura Harnish, Regional Director of EDF’s California office.

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About Environmental Defense Fund
A leading national nonprofit organization, Environmental Defense Fund represents more than 700,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. For more information, visit www.edf.org.
 

(Troy, NY – September 3, 2009) Environmental Defense Fund today unveiled a groundbreaking interactive map of 200 companies in New York that are poised to expand their business and create new jobs under a cap on carbon pollution.

The New York map is the latest addition to www.LessCarbonMoreJobs.org, which identifies and profiles more than 2,300 companies in 21 states that are poised to grow when Congress passes a cap on the pollution that causes global warming. Marcia Aronoff, Vice President of Environmental Defense Fund, unveiled the map today at a news conference hosted by Rep. Scott Murphy (D-NY-20) and Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY-21) at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy.

“LessCarbonMoreJobs.org is a map showing New York businesses that are already working on renewable energy and energy efficiency products,” said Aronoff. “Many of these businesses are thriving, even in today’s difficult economy. In fact, some are now hiring. A clean energy bill that puts a cap on carbon pollution will help launch more businesses like these, and will help create even more jobs here in New York. It will also help make America more energy independent by reducing our reliance on imported oil and developing the renewable energy resources we have here at home.”

A carbon cap rewards companies that invent efficient and low-carbon ways of creating and using energy, thus reducing America’s dependence on imported oil, creating much-needed jobs and protecting the climate. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the cap under consideration by Congress can be achieved for about a dime-a-day per person.

www.LessCarbonMoreJobs.org maps businesses in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia – as well as New York, as of today — that are poised to create jobs when Congress enacts a cap on carbon. The companies are involved in a wide range of renewable energy and energy efficiency industries, including manufacturing wind turbine components, shipping solar panel equipment and installing energy efficient building materials. The interactive web site also has case studies and worker profiles. Visitors can search companies by state, Congressional district and media market.

“These maps show a manufacturing boom that’s ready to happen,” said Jackie Roberts, Director of Sustainable Technologies for EDF, who spearheaded the research behind the website. “A carbon cap will create huge demand for the nuts and bolts of clean energy, and these are the U.S. manufacturers that will make them.”

The House of Representatives passed a clean energy bill, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, earlier this year. The Senate is expected to begin debate on its clean energy bill in September.
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About Environmental Defense Fund
A leading national nonprofit organization, Environmental Defense Fund represents more than 700,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. For more information, visit www.edf.org
 

(Washington — September 3, 2009) “Environmental Defense Fund is disappointed that Verizon is sponsoring opposition to the American Clean Energy Security Act, landmark legislation that would cap carbon pollution, create new jobs, and reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil.

“In our 2009 Innovations Review, EDF recognized a number of companies for specific environmental innovations that are good for the planet. Verizon was recognized for its power management software and its use of energy-efficient “thin client” computers.

“Verizon is currently listed as a sponsor of an upcoming rally against the American Clean Energy  and Security Act. By joining with oil companies and other special interests to undermine support for clean energy legislation, Verizon is undermining its own reputation for environmental innovation.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Stacy Small, PhD, Conservation Scientist, Center for Conservation Incentives, Environmental Defense Fund, (202) 572-3263, ssmall@edf.org

Climate Change Makes River Restoration More Important than Ever, Paper Concludes

(Washington, DC – September 1, 2009) Restoring river ecosystems and riparian corridors can play an important role in combating climate change impacts to ecosystems by connecting one area to another, enabling plants and animals to move as the climate shifts. It also will create places that shelter fish and wildlife from hotter temperatures, which ecologists call “thermal refugia.”

Those are among the conclusions of a new peer-reviewed paper by seven organizations that evaluated how protecting and restoring river ecosystems and riparian areas can enhance the ability of these ecosystems to cope with climate change. This work appears in the September issue of Ecological Restoration (http://er.uwpress.org/cgi/reprint/27/3/330) with a collection of articles dedicated to the theme of restoration and climate change. In the paper, the scientists discuss the importance of replanting riparian vegetation and ensuring that rivers have sufficient water to maintain flows that benefit birds, fish and other wildlife, and human communities. Based on these and other benefits of riparian restoration, the authors recommend that river restoration activities continue and expand as the climate changes.

“I often hear people ask: ‘if climate change is going to disrupt natural systems, why should we bother to restore them?’” explains Nat Seavy, terrestrial research director at PRBO Conservation Science. “Restoration, especially of riparian areas, is a critical step toward protecting the integrity of ecosystems and the benefits they provide – including clean water, pollination, and flood protection – to wildlife and humans in a time of rapid climate change.”

The authors also discuss the need to modify restoration strategies to prepare for the uncertain conditions predicted to accompany climate change, and for ongoing research and monitoring to evaluate and improve restoration practices. Recommendations include planting a mix of riparian plants that are both drought and flood tolerant, ensuring that rivers have sufficient water to provide for periodic flooding of natural areas, and increasing habitat restoration on private lands.

“Protecting genetic diversity and native biodiversity with restoration projects will boost the resilience of society and nature to potentially catastrophic climate change impacts,” says paper co-author Stacy Small, conservation scientist with Environmental Defense Fund’s Center for Conservation Incentives. “Working with landowners to restore private lands will also enhance restoration efforts on adjacent public lands.”

For decades, conservationists have been aware that increasing human populations, development, and changing land use threaten biodiversity and ecosystem services. Ecological restoration was originally developed to help speed the recovery of landscapes disrupted by human activities. Today, there is a growing awareness that ecological restoration also must look ahead to consider the potential consequences of a changing climate.

“Because dams and water diversions have disrupted natural water regimes, simply protecting the river isn’t enough,” explains Thomas Griggs, senior restoration ecologist with River Partners, an organization that has led restoration efforts along the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. “Over the last 20 years, we’ve learned how to speed the return of birds and other wildlife to these important habitats by planting the vegetation that would have come back as a result of natural flooding. In the next 20 years, we will need to look ahead to understand how climate change will impact these systems, and ensure that our efforts are successful into the future.”

Working collaboratively with partners across disciplines is increasingly important for effective restoration. The authors that collaborated on this project work for government agencies (the United States Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management), academic institutions (University at California Davis), and non-profit organizations (PRBO Conservation Science, The Nature Conservancy, Audubon California, Environmental Defense Fund, and River Partners).

“This paper exemplifies the importance of partnering to prepare for climate change,” explains Ellie Cohen, executive director of PRBO Conservation Science. “By building diverse teams with unique knowledge and on-the-ground experience we can develop practical solutions supported by sound science.”

Authors were Nathaniel Seavy, Thomas Gardali, and Christine Howell (PRBO Conservation Science), Gregory Golet (The Nature Conservancy), Thomas Griggs (River Partners), Rodd Kelsey (Audubon California), Stacy Small (Environmental Defense Fund), Joshua Viers (UC Davis), and James Weigand (Bureau of Land Management).

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PRBO Conservation Science is a non-profit conservation and education organization dedicated to advancing conservation through birds and ecosystem research. Founded in 1965 as Point Reyes Bird Observatory, PRBO Conservation Science partners with hundreds of governmental and non-governmental agencies as well as private interests to ensure that every dollar invested in conservation yields the most for biodiversity — benefiting our environment, our economy, and our communities. Visit PRBO on the web at www.prbo.org.

Environmental Defense Fund is a national nonprofit organization that links science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. EDF’s Center for Conservation Incentives (CCI) is an initiative to develop and expand landowner incentives for the conservation of natural resources and rare plants and animals. For more information visit: www.edf.org. Contact: Stacy Small, PhD, Conservation Scientist, (202)572-3263, ssmall@edf.org

Audubon California is building a better future for California by bringing people together to appreciate, enjoy and protect our spectacular outdoor treasures. Audubon California is a field program of Audubon, which has more than 50,000 members in California and an affiliated 48 local chapters dedicated to protecting birds, wildlife and the habitats that support them. Visit Audubon California on the web at www.ca.audubon.org.

Over the last 11 years, River Partners has restored more than 6,000 acres of river banks and floodplains, providing critical habitat for wildlife and sustainable solutions for California’s rivers. Its habitat restoration work supports efforts to sequester greenhouse gases, improve water and air quality, recover endangered species, improve public safety, and protect open space. A nonprofit organization, River Partners’ mission is to create wildlife habitat for the benefit of people and the environment.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 18 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 117 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages more land - 256 million acres - than any other Federal agency. About 15 million acres are in California and comprise some of the most biologically diverse areas in the State. These public lands, officially known as the National System of Public Lands, stretch from the Sierra to the Pacific and from northern ancient forests to southern desert expanses. BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

This work was funded in part by the CALFED Science Fellows Program. Beginning with the class of 2003, the CALFED Science Fellows Program has paired graduate students and postdoctoral researchers with CALFED Program agency scientists and senior research mentors. Fellows work on collaborative data analysis and research projects applicable to the California Bay-Delta system.

Citation
Seavy, N. E., T. Gardali, G. H. Golet, F. T. Griggs, C. A. Howell, R. Kelsey, S. Small, J. H. Viers, J. F. Weigand. 2009. Why climate change makes riparian restoration more important than ever: Recommendations for Practice and Research. Ecological Restoration 27:330-338. (open access available at: http://er.uwpress.org/cgi/reprint/27/3/330)

(AUSTIN, TEXAS) Businesses across the country are gaining insights and sharing ideas on innovative environmental strategies through regional meetings this year, culminating in one planned for Austin Sept. 16 at the 3M Austin Innovation Center.

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Ashoka are hosting a series of “unconferences” bringing together professionals committed to making their companies and industries more efficient and sustainable and on the cutting-edge of innovation. Unlike traditional conferences, these meetings do not include formal panels or speeches.

Also known as “learning labs,” unconferences are organized in a participatory format in which all participants have an opportunity to share, problem-solve, network, collaborate and learn, focused on the topics of greatest interest to them—from packaging and product innovation to supply chain sustainability to advances in operational efficiency and beyond.

“Wal-Mart’s sustainability index announced this past summer is just one example of how one innovative idea can change the entire retail industry,” said David Witzel, director of the EDF Innovation Exchange. “Innovation comes in all shapes and sizes, from employees at all levels within companies. These unconferences aim to capture the powerful energy and innovation that we’re seeing at the intersection of business and the environment, helping to drive industry-wide change.”

Participants will share new ideas for saving and making money while helping the environment; learn practical lessons about what does and doesn’t work in trying to make a company more sustainable; and develop new relationships with partners and colleagues in other businesses as well as non-profits, academics and government.

Sign up for the Austin Green Innovation in Business Unconference is available at: http://greeninnovators-aus.eventbrite.com. Cost for the all-day conference is $75. Included in registration is a complimentary post-conference reception at Austin’s The Oasis.
 

Media Contact:
Laura Williamson, Environmental Defense Fund, lwilliamson@edf.org, 512.828.1690-c

Contacts:
Tj Tate, Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance, tjtate@shareholdersalliance.org, 904-669-8894-c
Glen Brooks, Gulf Fishermen’s Association, brooks2glen@yahoo.com, 941.920.7302-c
Dave McKinney, Environmental Defense Fund, dmckinney@edf.org, 512.691.3409-o, 512.789.8052-c

Fishermen trade organizations and the Environmental Defense Fund praise the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) action today to move forward with the Gulf of Mexico grouper/tilefish multi-species individual fishing quota (IFQ) program, ensuring that it will be implemented in January 2010. There are more than 1200 grouper and tilefish fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico, making this one of the largest multi-species IFQ programs in federal waters of the continental U.S.

The following statement can be attributed to Tj Tate, Executive Director of the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance, which supports commercial IFQ fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico with the goal of protecting the interests of the fishing industry:

“This is one of the most significant decisions by NOAA to save Gulf of Mexico fisheries, fishermen, and coastal fishing communities which depend on them.”

“The grouper tilefish IFQ will build on the successful record of the red snapper IFQ, which has already significantly contributed to the recovery of the stressed red snapper species.”

“Programs like IFQs should be implemented in the Gulf of Mexico’s remaining commercial reef fish as soon as possible.”

The following statement can be attributed to Glen Brooks, a grouper fisherman and President of the Gulf Fishermen’s Association, which represents 200+ members throughout the Gulf, including fishermen, restaurants and the public:

“This IFQ program can’t come quick enough. Full time grouper fishermen have been watching the red snapper IFQ program do so much good for fishing businesses and the stocks, and are itching to get off the sidelines and fish for grouper the same way.”

“Tighter regulations are coming for gag grouper, which will reduce the amount we can catch, but the IFQ will help stabilize fishing businesses during this hard time.”

The following statement can be attributed to Dave McKinney, Senior Conservation Manager for Environmental Defense Fund, who was also chair of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council’s advisory panel for the grouper/tilefish multispecies IFQ:

“Catch share programs, such as IFQs, have a 35 year history of managing and recovering depleted fish populations around the world in countries such as New Zealand, Australia and Canada, as well as right here in the U.S. in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico.

“NOAA is implementing a conservation-focused program that is welcomed by fishermen, managers and environmentalists alike. Grouper fishermen voted in favor of this IFQ program by more than 80%; the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council voted in favor by more than 75%; and Environmental Defense Fund has supported this program from day one.”
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contacts

Sean Crowley, Environmental Defense Fund, 202-572-3331-w, 202-550-6524-c, scrowley@edf.org
Maura Wood, National Wildlife Federation, 225-205-2804, woodm@nwf.org

(Washington, DC – August 28, 2009) – On the eve of the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana and national environmental groups today praised the Obama administration for announcing a new interagency working group to restore the coasts of Louisiana and Mississippi.

The severity of Katrina’s damage – nearly $90 billion in property damage alone — was caused, in part, by the fact that Louisiana has lost 1/3 of its original wetlands – about 2,000 square miles — an area larger than Delaware. Yet, four years after Katrina, Congress has been unable to fund major coastal restoration projects it authorized in the 2007 Water Resources Development Act because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has not completed the projects’ design and engineering.

“The pace of restoration has not matched the urgency of the situation,” said Steven Peyronnin, executive director of the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. “We are hopeful that the Administration will breathe new life into restoration efforts that are crucial to protecting the people of Coastal Louisiana.”

According to the Administration: “The group will enable federal agencies, working with state and local governments and other regional stakeholders, to come together and develop a strategy to increase both the economic and environmental resiliency of the region. This working group will serve as a pilot for addressing the effects of climate change in other coastal regions.”

“Just as it requires a team of doctors with different expertise to perform major surgery, it will require a team of experts with different skills from multiple agencies to restore the coastal wetlands of Louisiana and Mississippi,” said Mary Kelly, senior counsel of the Center for Rivers and Deltas at Environmental Defense Fund. “We applaud the administration for renewing President Obama’s commitment ‘to restore nature’s barriers - the wetlands, marshes and barrier islands that can take the first blows and protect the people of the Gulf Coast.’”

“As things stand, coastal Louisiana is disappearing and faces increasing threats from climate change,” said Susan Kaderka, director of the National Wildlife Federation’s South Central Regional office. “The Obama Administration has signaled that it is keeping its promises to the people of the Gulf Coast.”

Coastal Louisiana is home to critical energy production infrastructure, the busiest port in North America by volume, and huge commercial and recreational fisheries. Disruption of these industries because of storm damage could severely disrupt the national economy. Katrina destroyed infrastructure and damaged critical refineries so severely that some of them were out of service for a year, leading to a spike in the price of gasoline.

“The situation in coastal Louisiana is one of national and international concern,” said Brian Moore, director of Budget and Appropriations for the National Audubon Society. “This new announcement from the Obama administration recognizes the urgency under which we are operating and replaces what has been largely rhetoric with action. We are all very excited to get to work to restore this world class ecosystem.”

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 About Environmental Defense Fund
A leading national nonprofit organization, Environmental Defense Fund represents more than 700,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. For more information, visit www.edf.org
 

WHAT:
A wide range of environmental, public health, business and labor experts are available to speak in person about the proven benefits and positive impacts of California’s environmental policies, showing how they have improved public health and the state’s quality of life.

WHY:
Citizens from across the state are gathering in Sacramento today to participate in a “Sacramento Tea Party.” Event organizers and speakers, backed by special interests, have been misinforming the public and using junk science to argue that state policies are hurting California’s economy.

The facts about past, present and future economic opportunities plus public health and well- being benefits to California will be presented by business and labor leaders, as well as leading experts on air quality, water, clean energy and climate change.

WHO:
Confirmed on-site experts include:

AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA
Bonnie Holmes-Gen, Senior Policy Director
Stephen Maxwell, M.D., Thoracic surgeon and Volunteer Spokesperson
Work Phone: (916) 554-5864 ext. 222
Cell Phone: (916) 396-9997
Email: bhgen@alac.org

COALITION FOR CLEAN AIR
Nidia Bautista, Policy Director
Work Phone: (916) 498-1560 ext. 3
Cell Phone: (562) 237-1433
Email: nidia@coalitionforcleanair.org

CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL OF SACRAMENTO
Bill Camp, Executive Secretary
Phone: (916) 927-9772
Email: bill.camp@sacramentolabor.org

CLEAN WATER ACTION
Jennifer Clary, Water Policy Analyst
Work Phone: (415) 369-9160 x311
Cell Phone: (707) 483-6352
Email: jclary@cleanwater.org

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND
Kathryn Phillips, Director, California Transportation and Air Initiative
Work Phone: (916) 927-9772
Cell Phone: (916) 893-8494
Email: kphillips@edf.org

LUTHERAN OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY – CALIFORNIA
St. John’s Lutheran Church
Mark Carlson, Director
Work Phone: (916) 447-6666
Cell Phone: (916) 548-3056
Email: LutheranAdvocate@earthlink.net

NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL
Peter Miller, Senior Scientist
Work Phone: (415) 875-6100
Email: pmiller@nrdc.org

WHEN:
Friday, August 28, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. PDT
Lunch refreshments will be provided

WHERE:
Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT)
1100 11th Street, Suite 311, Conference Room
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 442-7785

CONTACTS:
Jason Barbose, Better World Group, 415-624-9411 (c); 415-981-5927 (o); Jason@betterworldgroup.com
Lori Sinsley, Environmental Defense Fund, 415-308-6970 (c), 415-293-6097 (o); lsinsley@edf.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contacts:

Sean Crowley, Environmental Defense Fund, 202-550-6524, scrowley@edf.org
Amanda Moore, National Wildlife Federation, 225-229-1944, moorea@nwf.org

(New Orleans, LA – August 26, 2009) Three days before the 4th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina (August 29), a coalition of 17 advocacy groups today urged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to honor President Obama’s priority in his budget and campaign “to restore nature’s barriers - the wetlands, marshes and barrier islands that can take the first blows and protect the people of the Gulf Coast.”

Members of the MRGO Must Go Coalition delivered this message during a news conference and media tour to show the slow progress in restoring wetlands east of New Orleans along the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) to protect the Lower 9th Ward and St. Bernard Parish. Those are two coastal communities where Katrina did the most damage.

“The more vulnerable coastal communities are to hurricane damage, the more it costs the federal government—and taxpayers—to help those communities recover after a storm,” said Pam Dashiell, co-director of the Lower 9th Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development. “Katrina devastated both the Gulf Coast and the U.S. economy, causing nearly $90 billion in property damage alone.”

Coastal Louisiana is home to critical energy production infrastructure, the busiest port in North America by volume, and huge commercial and recreational fisheries. Disruption of these industries because of storm damage could severely disrupt the national economy. Katrina destroyed infrastructure and damaged critical refineries so severely that some of them were out of service for a year, leading to a spike in the price of gasoline.

“Given the fragility of our nation’s economy, restoring the wetlands to protect the Gulf Coast must remain at the forefront of the many congressionally-approved Corps projects nationwide,” said Craig Taffaro, president of St. Bernard Parish. “It must be priority number one. The Corps should do everything it possibly can to expedite design and construction of critical restoration projects. We have a responsibility to keep coastal restoration projects as a top priority. The importance of keeping the Corps engaged in our protection cannot be underestimated.”

The severity of Katrina’s damage in Louisiana was caused, in part, by the fact that the state has lost 1/3 of its original wetlands – about 2,000 square miles — an area larger than Delaware.

“Scientists agree that these lost wetlands could have helped reduce Katrina’s storm surge,” said Charles Allen, assistant director of the Center for Bioenvironmental Research at Tulane and Xavier Universities and co-director of the Lower 9th Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development. “Wetlands are ‘horizontal levees’ that in many cases are more economical and effective at damage prevention than man-made vertical levees because they absorb storm energy, slow incoming waves, wind, and surge waters. It is widely recognized that we urgently need to restore these wetlands and coastal forests to prevent similar or worse storm damage in the future.”

Despite these facts, four years after Katrina, Congress has been unable to fund major coastal restoration projects it authorized in the 2007 Water Resources Development Act because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has not completed the projects’ design and engineering.

While the Corps now has closed the MRGO, its MRGO Ecosystem Restoration Plan — which must be completed before it seeks funding from Congress to rebuild the wetlands and cypress forests that will help protect New Orleans — won’t be completed until March 2011. This timeline is nearly three years after the congressionally-mandated deadline of May 2008.

“The ongoing Corps projects are significant, but there must be a continued sense of urgency to rebuild the natural deltaic ecosystem, infrastructure and the Mississippi River navigation system,” said Colonel David Dysart, chief administrative officer for St. Bernard Parish. “There are good people at the Corps and at other relevant federal agencies who are trying to get their job done and quickly move these projects forward, but we need an unequivocal commitment from the Corps, Congress and other responsible agencies that they won’t let outdated bureaucratic procedures stand in the way of necessary action. It’s going to take creativity and breaking away from some long-standing ways of doing business, but the stakes call for nothing less.”

“There is new hope in New Orleans thanks to a new president,” said John Koeferl, a member of the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association, a subdivision of the Lower 9th Ward. “President Obama has pledged his dedication to urgently restore the Louisiana coast, noting that every four miles of wetlands can absorb about a foot of a hurricane’s storm surge. The Army Corps of Engineers should honor the president’s priority.”

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The MRGO Must Go Coalition is a group of 17 environmental, community, and social justice organizations working together to restore and protect Coastal Louisiana and the people who reside there.

The coalition members include: American Rivers, CAWIC, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Environmental Defense Fund, Global Green, Gulf Restoration Network, Holy Cross Neighborhood Association, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, Levees.org, Louisiana Environmental Action Network, Louisiana Wildlife Federation, Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper, Lower Ninth Center for Sustainable Economic Development, MQVN Community Development Corporation, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club - Delta Chapter. For more information, visit www.mrgomustgo.org.

Contact: Chris Smith, Environmental Defense Fund, 512.691.3451-w or 512.659.9264-c or csmith@edf.org
Elena Craft, Environmental Defense Fund, 512.691.3452-w or ecraft@edf.org

(HOUSTON – Aug. 26, 2009) – Those living in and around the Port of Houston would welcome today’s announcement from Port of Houston Authority Chairman Jim Edmonds of a Clean Air Strategy Plan, according to a poll conducted in March by Opinion Analysts, Inc.

The results of a random sample survey (accurate to within +/- 4.9 percent at the 95 percent confidence level) showed that Harris County registered voters overwhelmingly support the port taking action to help improve regional air quality. Ninety-one percent of respondents agreed that spending money to improve air quality is a good investment and that the port should be a leader in reducing air pollution, or at least match the efforts of the top-performing U.S. ports.

“Public opinion confirmed that Houstonians support clean air initiatives, even in times of economic hardship,” said Environmental Defense Fund Toxicologist Elena Craft, Ph.D. “It’s our hope the nation’s second largest port adopts this plan quickly and that action is taken to follow through on implementation in a timely manner.”

The port’s proposed Clean Air Strategy Plan lays the groundwork for reducing air pollution in and around the port. From now until final adoption, the port will seek input on the plan from local citizens, port tenants and contractors, rail, shipping, tug and trucking companies, NGOs and federal, state and local governments.

“The port’s clean air plan is a critical component for improving the overall air quality in the Houston region,” Craft said. “We especially look forward to real, tangible air quality improvements and to the resulting health benefits.”

In January the port released its first comprehensive emissions inventory, which outlined the various sources of air pollution generated from port operations. “The actions taken by the port today sends a strong signal that the port is committed to addressing serious air quality issues,” Craft said.

Pollutants in the ship channel due to port-related activities include 6,716 tons per year NOX, 346 tons per year VOCs, 1,392 tons per year CO, 3,340 tons per year SO2, 386 tons per year PM2.5 and 627,574 tons per year CO2.

For more information about the poll, please visit: www.edf.org/documents/10363_Final%20Summary%20Report.pdf.

(HOUSTON) – In a major move to help improve regional air quality, Environmental Protection Agency Assistant Administrator Gina McCarthy today announced a $9 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act SmartWaySM Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) award to the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC). 

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), with the Port of Houston Authority (PHA) and H-GAC, in conjunction with air quality consultants Emisstar LLC, partnered on the grant application for SmartWaySM program funds to tackle one of the largest and most difficult-to-address sources of pollution at any port: drayage trucks.

“This collaborative effort represents exactly the type of partnerships needed to address the serious air quality issues in our region,” said Dr. Elena Craft, an air quality specialist with EDF, which pioneered the effort. “When business, civic, and environmental communities come together to address seemingly insurmountable issues, great progress can be made,” she said.

Drayage trucks are diesel-fueled, heavy-duty trucks that transport shipping containers. The DERA award will fund a bridge loan program that provides resources for retrofits or for newer, less-polluting trucks. The program targets owners of the more than 3,000 trucks operating at the Port of Houston, where most truckers are self-employed, owner-operators, or employees of one of the more than 150 private companies that are Port of Houston terminal operators. DERA funding will be combined with local funding sources leveraged from the state and the port to support cleaner vehicles.

Over the life of the program, the following emission reductions are anticipated: 1,638 tons of nitrogen oxide; 26.7 tons of particulate matter; 27.4 tons of volatile organic compounds; 239 tons of carbon monoxide; and 3,636 tons carbon dioxide.

Representing a unique partnership across a diversity of sectors, the bridge loan program represents a breakthrough in reducing truck emissions one of our most challenging areas.

“The commitment and broad-based support of local leaders illustrates that the quality of the air we breathe is everyone’s responsibility,” said Alan Clark, H-GAC Director of Transportation Planning.

“The Port of Houston Authority is pleased to continue its support of programs that help in the reduction of air emissions,” said PHA Chairman James T. Edmonds. “The Clean Truck program is just one part of an important series of strategies in the Port of Houston Authority’s Clean Air Strategy Plan, an environmental stewardship program designed to help improve air quality in our region.”

CONTACT: 
Chris Smith, Environmental Defense Fund, (512) 659-9264 or csmith@edf.orgShelley Whitworth, Houston-Galveston Area Council (713) 499-6695 or shelley.whitworth@h-gac.com
Lisa Ashley-Whitlock, Port of Houston Authority (713) 670-2644 or lwhitlock@poha.com
 

Contact: Pam Baker, Environmental Defense Fund, 512.691.3439-o or 361.510.5743-c; or David Krebs, Ariel Seafoods, Inc., 850.259.5358-c
Media Contact: Laura Williamson, Environmental Defense Fund, 512.691.3447-w or 512.828.1690-c or lwilliamson@edf.org

(August 20, 2009) The National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) new 2008 annual report on the “individual fishing quota” (IFQ) program for Gulf of Mexico commercially-caught red snapper shows continued success for the fishery two years into the program, and provides additional support for implementing IFQs to rebuild other troubled fisheries.

“The old system made no sense – vessels depended on racing to fill our catch limit, no matter the effect on fish we accidentally caught and wasted, or the empty plates of fish-lovers during the long closed seasons,” said David Krebs, commercial fisherman and owner of Ariel Seafoods, Inc. in Destin, Florida.

“Finally, fishermen have a chance to be real stewards of the resource and much better opportunities to run a productive business and provide a high-quality product to consumers year-round,” Krebs said.

IFQs, one type of catch share management, work by allotting a portion of the catch limit to each fisherman as a secure and transferable fishing privilege. IFQs provide fishermen with a long-term stake in the health of the fishery and powerful incentives for conservation. In turn, fishermen comply with strict monitoring and enforcement rules and help pay for management. The long season closures and other destructive rules of the past are eliminated. This means that fishermen can chose when to fish, avoiding bad weather and timing their trips with market demand. IFQs also reduce the wasteful practice of throwing dead fish overboard to comply with regulations.

“With the conservation gains seen in the commercial red snapper fishery in just a few years, we are optimistic that rebuilding is getting underway and the payoff might be a rising catch limit in the near future,” said Pam Baker, Senior Policy Advisor for Environmental Defense Fund in Austin, Texas. “The Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council is on the right track by considering IFQs and other catch share plans for many of its other commercial and sport fisheries that are in dire need of better management.”

The report’s conservation highlights include:

• Overfishing is being reversed in the commercial fishery.
• Fishermen have caught less than their allotment by 2.5-4.0 percent in the past two years.
• Fishermen cut their ratio of wasted fish to fish taken to the docks by almost 70 percent. (Before the IFQ, for every fish a fisherman kept, he threw one back dead. Now, fishermen only throw one back for every three to four that they keep.)

The report’s economic highlights include:

• Long season closures and extreme market swings have been eliminated.
• With year-round fishing, fishermen bring high quality fish to the dock when consumer demand is high, making their businesses more profitable.
• The price fishermen pay for quota, the long-term privilege to catch red snapper, rose by 37 percent, reflecting optimism for a healthy fishery and a commitment to conservation.

“From a conservationist’s view, the commercial red snapper IFQ program is an excellent model for improving management of fisheries suffering from overfishing and economic hardship,” Baker said.

The NMFS report concludes that the commercial red snapper fishery is on the right track, and it identifies a few ways that it can be improved. For example, the mislabeling of fish needs to be stopped, and better ways are needed to count dead fish that some vessels continue to throw overboard, especially off of the Florida peninsula coast.

The report can be accessed online: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/pdfs/2008RedSnapperIFQAnnualReport1.pdf