Complete list of press releases
Environmental Defense Fund Praises Port of Houston For Vote to Develop Clean Air Plan
August 26, 2008FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Elena Craft, Environmental Defense Fund, 713.942.5821-w or 512.632.4946-cMedia Contact: Chris Smith, Environmental Defense Fund, 512.691.3451-w or 512.659.9264-c or csmith@edf.org(Houston – August 26, 2008) The Port of Houston Authority voted today to award a contract to Starcrest Consulting Group, LLC, to aid the Port in developing a comprehensive clean air plan. This plan will address all major sources of emissions resulting from Port activities, and include measurable, performance-based goals and implementation timelines. The plan will be presented for public review and comment within six months, with consideration by the Commission within nine months.The following statement can be attributed to Elena Craft, Ph.D., clean air specialist with Environmental Defense Fund:“Today, we applaud the Port for embarking on a process that could translate into real air quality benefits for the Houston region, and for joining the ranks of other ports around the country that recognize the integral roles they can play in reducing air pollution. Certainly, all of us who breathe the air in Houston appreciate efforts to reduce emissions that impact our health and compromise our region’s economic viability.”President Bush to Consider New Ocean National Monuments, Could Create World's Largest Protected Area
August 25, 2008FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEPhotos and video available – See End of ReleaseContact:Katharine Burnham, 202/572-3335, kburnham@edf.org(Washington D.C. – August 25, 2008) President Bush today took a critical step towards establishing an unprecedented ocean conservation legacy. In a memo sent to cabinet secretaries, the president proposed designating two new marine national monuments in U.S. waters. One of the proposed monuments, the Central Pacific Islands, could be the world’s largest protected area covering an area more than four-and-a-half times all the National Parks and nearly the size of Alaska. The other proposed monument covers areas around the Northern Mariana Islands, including the deepest part of the ocean.The White House memo issued today includes consideration of energy development, mining, and fishing that, if allowed, could harm the seabirds, turtles, and other wildlife that lives in these areas. EDF nonetheless hopes and expects that this process will result in full protection for these vulnerable and unique places, excluding the harmful activities.“The president is on the cusp of conserving more ocean territory than any leader has ever done. That’s an amazing legacy to leave the nation,” said Fred Krupp president of Environmental Defense Fund. “The President’s focus on ocean protection, first with Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in Hawaii and now with these proposed monuments, is the kind of leadership we need now and from future presidents to ensure our world beneath the waves is protected, explored, studied and cherished.”Environmental Defense Fund in partnership with Marine Conservation Biology Institute has been actively engaged with the proposed monuments. The Central Pacific Islands has substantial scientific and political support. Governor TogiolaTulafono (D-AS) of American Samoa has written the president in support of a monument. Hundreds of prominent scientists have also written the president calling for protection of these fragile places.A monument in the Central Pacific Islands and their surrounding waters could be the largest protected area on Earth and cover the most pristine shallow-water coral reef ecosystems in the world, as well as habitat for millions of seabirds. The area contains eight remote island possessions and territories – Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, and Palmyra, Baker, Wake, Jarvis and Howland Islands.“I’ve been privileged to work in some of the most pristine and magnificent ocean areas in the world, and the Central Pacific Islands are unparalleled,” said Susan Middleton, award winning photojournalist who recently returned from an expedition to the Central Pacific Islands. “If there was a poster child for protection, this area is certainly it.”Seventy-five percent of the world’s corals are found in the Indo-Pacific region and corals there are disappearing twice as fast as tropical rain forests. Many areas in the proposed Central Pacific Islands monument remain in a nearly pristine state. A recent study of Kingman Reef, part of the proposed monument, found a picture-perfect healthy coral ecosystem that contained more fish than any other coral reef ecosystem in the world. The study also found that the area contains the world’s greatest proportion of top predators (including sharks), a key indicator of ecosystem health. Healthy reefs like those of the Central Pacific are also more resilient to changing climate.“There are very few places on earth like the Central Pacific Islands,” said David Festa, vice president, Oceans at EDF. “It is a place that time forgot: spectacular wildlife, stunning beauty and almost no people or even human activity. A monument designation will celebrate and protect this extraordinary place.”The president’s proposal now enters a period of vetting, where officials at federal agencies and departments will provide comments though, by law, the president may declare the monuments at any time.###To access the multimedia content associated with this release, please visit www.thenewsmarket.com/edf. Media can access standard definition and high definition broadcast quality video for editorial use, free of charge.As Katrina Anniversary Looms, South Louisianans Say Coastal Erosion is More Serious Concern than Crime, Economy
August 21, 2008FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact:Sharyn Stein, Environmental Defense Fund, 202-572-3396, sstein@edf.orgMaura Wood, National Wildlife Federation, 225-205-2804, woodm@nwf.orgBruce Reid, National Audubon Society, 601-661-6189, breid@audubon.org(Baton Rouge, LA – August 21, 2008) – A new poll released a week before the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina (August 29, 2005) shows that voters in south Louisiana are more concerned about coastal erosion than they are about crime or the economy. The poll also shows South Louisianans are almost as concerned about coastal erosion as they are about their highest-ranking worry — gas prices.The poll of 500 registered voters in 16 Louisiana parishes was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies/Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates for three leading national conservation groups: Environmental Defense Fund, National Wildlife Federation and National Audubon Society.“Katrina showed us that we can’t rely on levees alone for protection,” said Maura Wood, Senior Program Manager of Coastal Louisiana Restoration for the National Wildlife Federation. “This poll shows Louisianans overwhelmingly believe that we need to preserve our wetlands and coastal areas in order to protect our people, communities and jobs. The good news is that the vast majority of those polled believe we can rebuild the wetlands and coastal areas we’ve lost.”Southeastern Louisiana was traditionally sheltered from the full power of hurricanes by 80 miles of wetlands that lay between the Gulf of Mexico and the city of New Orleans, but those wetlands have been disappearing at an alarming rate. Every day, Louisiana loses an area of coastal wetlands the size of 32 football fields.The new poll shows Louisianans see wetlands as the first line of defense against storms and hurricanes. Those polled also believe that the continued loss of coastal areas and wetlands will result in worse damage from hurricanes, loss of communities, and threats to the economy of south Louisiana. Three-quarters of those polled said that restoring the wetlands is an issue that requires urgent attention.“Voters overwhelmingly said that the wetlands are Louisiana’s first line of defense against hurricanes,” said Paul Harrison, Louisiana Project Manager for Environmental Defense Fund. “They also said they are deeply worried that the disappearance of the wetlands will continue to compromise the safety of their families and communities. This poll shows that government efforts to fund and fast-track coastal restoration efforts will get broad popular support.”According to the poll, 84 percent of southern Louisiana voters said coastal erosion and the loss of barrier islands was an extremely serious or very serious problem, and 81 percent said the loss of wetlands and marshes was an extremely serious or very serious problem. The only issue that ranked higher was gas prices, at 87 percent. These issues ranked well ahead of concerns about the economy (68 percent), crime (65 percent), and rebuilding from Katrina taking too long (70 percent).Almost 80 percent of those polled said that Louisiana’s wetlands and coastal areas can be protected, and even more – 87 percent – believe that eroded areas can be rebuilt.An overwhelming 90 percent of those polled supported rebuilding barrier islands and wetlands using sediment dredged from rivers. Another 87 percent supported diverting water and sediment from the Mississippi River into undeveloped wetland areas in order to rebuild damaged wetlands and protect existing ones.“This poll bodes well for vital efforts to restore Louisiana’s wetlands,” said Paul Kemp, Vice President of the Gulf Coast Initiative for the National Audubon Society. “These projects won’t be easy, but Louisianans clearly recognize the importance of restoring and protecting our state’s first line of defense against hurricanes. The poll confirms that Louisianans support immediate action to protect and rebuild these natural hurricane barriers.”Local Groundwater Managers at Critical Planning Point for Trinity Aquifer
August 19, 2008FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact:Laura Marbury, Environmental Defense Fund, 512-691-3430-wMedia Contact:Laura Williamson, Environmental Defense Fund, 512.691.3447-w or 512.828.1690-c or lwilliamson@edf.org(AUSTIN, TX – Aug. 19, 2008) The Trinity Aquifer faces devastating depletion unless local groundwater managers plan conservatively for growing population and development demands. Groundwater management area 9 (GMA 9) will meet this month in Kerrville to discuss new groundwater data to develop “desired future conditions,” a goal local groundwater managers set for how they want the stressed aquifer to look in the future.“Frequent drought, combined with population growth, means that we must proceed with great caution in planning for the future of the Hill Country and its groundwater resources,” said Laura Marbury, Texas Water Projects Director for Environmental Defense Fund. “GMA 9’s decisions at this meeting, and moving forward, will impact not just the Trinity Aquifer’s future, but also the springs, creeks, and wells that depend on the aquifer.”The meeting is open to the public and begins at 9 a.m. Friday, Aug. 29, at the Upper Guadalupe River Authority Classroom, located at 125 Lehmann Drive, Kerrville, TX.“Now is the time for Hill Country residents to engage in this process and help ensure GMA 9 acts to preserve and protect aquifer levels,” said Marbury.GMA 9 sits atop the Trinity Aquifer and covers the heart of the Hill Country area, encompassing all or parts of Kerr, Blanco, Hays, Kendall, Bandera, Medina, Comal, Travis and Bexar counties. It also includes the Sabinal, the Medina, the Blanco, the Pedernales, and the Guadalupe Rivers, plus countless springs and creeks lined with fishing spots and swimming holes. These areas have seen a rapidly growing population that is projected to continue growing well into the foreseeable future.Find more information on GMA 9 and the local groundwater conservation districts it encompasses here.Gulf Council Decision Praised by Fishermen and Environmental Group
August 19, 2008FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:Vishwanie Maharaj, Environmental Defense Fund, 512.496.3646-cGlen Brooks, Gulf Fisherman’s Association, 941.920.7302-cMedia Contact:Laura Williamson, Environmental Defense Fund, 512.691.3447-w or512.828.1690-c or lwilliamson@edf.org(Austin, TX – August 19, 2008) The Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council (Council) recently approved a new management program for commercially caught grouper and tilefish by a vote of 13 to three. Pending further action by the federal government and a vote of approval by commercial fishermen this fall, the individual fishing quota (IFQ) program is expected to be in place for the 2010 commercial fishing season. The concept of managing fisheries through IFQs is gaining momentum in the Gulf as a means of ensuring a viable future for the commercial fishing industry and coastal communities. An IFQ program for red snapper was implemented in 2007 and has already shown positive results for the fishing industry, local economies and the ecosystem.The following statement can be attributed to Vishwanie Maharaj, Fisheries Economist for the Texas Office of Environmental Defense Fund, and a member of the Grouper IFQ Advisory Panel for the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council:“We are pleased with the Council’s approval of the Grouper IFQ program. If implemented, it will provide needed changes for the grouper fishing industry by ensuring sustainable fishing practices and a return to profitability. It’s a win-win solution for fishermen, regulators, and the environment.”The following statement can be attributed to Glen Brooks, grouper fisherman and President of the Gulf Fishermen’s Association, which represents over 200 members throughout the Gulf, including commercial fishermen, restaurants and the public:“After two years of hard work on this program by fishermen and many other interests, we feel that this program captures the needs of fishermen, while accomplishing the Council’s goals to protect the fishery. The Council made the right decision in moving this program forward so that fishermen can have their vote. We believe it will receive overwhelming support in commercial fishing communities throughout the Gulf of Mexico.”National fisheries expert joins Environmental Defense Fund
August 15, 2008FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Laura Williamson, Environmental Defense Fund, 512.691.3447-w or 512.828.1690-c or lwilliamson@edf.org(Austin, TX – Aug. 15, 2008) Dave McKinney has joined Environmental Defense Fund as the Senior Conservation Manager for the Gulf of Mexico region.He will help lead efforts to advance incentive-based fisheries management in the commercial and recreational fishing sectors in the Gulf of Mexico.McKinney has nearly 30 years of experience in the governance of state and federal fisheries. For the past decade he has worked for the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Office of Law Enforcement in the Southeast Region focusing exclusively on the management and monitoring of the Gulf of Mexico federal fisheries. His first exposure to catch share management came when he was tapped by the Office of Law Enforcement as a special agent in Alaska to design the enforcement component of the incentive-based halibut and sablefish fishery management plan.He was recently appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry to represent Texas on the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission. He also serves on several advisory panels for the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council.McKinney was awarded the 2007 U.S. Department of Commerce Silver Medal for Leadership in the development and implementation of the red snapper catch share program in the Gulf of Mexico and the 2007 U.S. Coast Guard 9-11 Ribbon for civilians assigned to counter-terrorist operations in response to the attacks.Louisiana Spending Plan Wins Praise from Environmental Leaders
August 13, 2008FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact:Maura Wood, National Wildlife Federation, 225-205-2804, woodm@nwf.orgPaul Kemp, National Audubon Society, 225-768-0820, pkemp@audubon.org(The plan was announced today by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana (CPRA). The conservation leaders say the plan has a healthy balance of funding, with more than $100 million of the available money set aside for efforts to restore“We have always said that, in order to keep Louisiana safe, we need both to strengthen the levees we have now and restore the wetlands and coastal areas that serve as our natural hurricane barriers,” said Paul Harrison, Coastal Louisiana Project Manager for Environmental Defense Fund. “This new plan fulfills both of those priorities. We congratulate Governor Jindal, and everyone who worked with him to develop the plan, for a job well done.”The CPRA plan directs the use of $300 million in surplus state funds, including $110 million for wetlands and coastal restoration projects. The plan also includes $100 million for the state’s matching funding to build modern, 100-year levees for“The state has done a great job with this proposal, but now the federal government needs to step up to the plate and provide its share of the funding that is already authorized for restoration projects,” added Harrison. “We will continue to work with the state and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to get large-scale restoration projects ready for funding and construction in upcoming federal and state budgets.”Environmental leaders were especially pleased to see money designated for several projects that they identified as priorities.“This plan shows a substantial commitment to projects that will allow us to restore wetlands by using sediment that would otherwise have gone to waste,” said Maura Wood, Senior Program Manager of the Coastal Louisiana Restoration for the National Wildlife Federation. “These projects will restore theEnvironmentalists praised the plan’s substantial commitment to building new and improved ways to get fresh water and sediment to the wetlands, so the areas can survive and grow. Those proposals include $7 million for designing and engineering a new sediment diversion at Myrtle Grove, $30 million for enhancing operation of the existing Canaervon and Davis Pond diversions, $20 million for constructing a diversion to send freshwater down Bayou Lafourche, and $35 million for using sediment pipelines and barges to build wetlands. Environmentalists also praised plans to restore barrier islands.“The barrier islands act as a ‘speed bump’ for storm surge and wave energy,” said Paul Kemp, Vice President of the Gulf Coast Initiative for the National Audubon Society. “###Hundreds of Species Endangered by Bush Administration Proposal
August 12, 2008FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact:Sean Crowley, (202) 572-3331-w, scrowley@edf.orgMichael Bean, (202) 572-3312-w, mbean@edf.org(Washington, DC – August 12, 2008) A proposal by the Bush Administration that would allow federal agencies to decide for themselves whether highways, dams, mines and other construction projects would harm endangered animals and plants would seriously weaken protection for rare wildlife, according to a leading conservation group. According to a draft of the proposed new regulations obtained by the Associated Press, the regulations would allow many federal projects to bypass the mandatory, independent reviews that independent scientists have been performing for 35 years. The proposed changes do not require approval by Congress.“This disastrous proposal makes about as much sense as eliminating homeland security at airports,” said Michael J. Bean, an attorney who is chairman of the wildlife program at Environmental Defense Fund and the lead author of “The Evolution of National Wildlife Law” (Praeger, 1997), a comprehensive analysis of federal wildlife conservation law. “Sure, it would make air travel more convenient, but it would put passengers at greater risk, just as this proposal would put wildlife at greater risk.”“The very agencies that have often resisted efforts to adjust their projects to accommodate the needs of rare wildlife would now be put in charge of deciding whether any adjustment is needed,” concluded Bean. “Although the Bush administration claims its proposal would make only narrow changes to existing regulations, these unprecedented changes would have broad consequences, imperiling hundreds of endangered species nationwide.”Environmental Groups Praise Decision to Give Louisiana a 30-Year "Mortgage" on Levee Improvements
August 11, 2008FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact:Sharyn Stein, 202-572-3396, sstein@edf.org(New Orleans – August 11, 2008) – The federal government’s decision to give Louisiana a 30-year “mortgage” to pay its share of the cost of levee improvements is only the first step toward keeping the state’s citizens safe from future hurricanes. That’s the conclusion of three of the country’s leading environmental groups, who say Louisiana must also put funding into restoring wetlands in order to provide reliable, long-term protection.Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), and the National Audubon Society all praised the federal government’s decision to extend Louisiana’s deadline to pay its share of levee improvement costs. Legislation that was passed after Hurricane Katrina provides $5.8 billion in federal funding for rebuilding infrastructure in the New Orleans area, but the state must provide $1.8 billion of its own funds to get the money. The original federal legislation gave Louisiana only three years to come up with the $1.8 billion. Late last week, Governor Bobby Jindal joined Bush administration officials to announce that the repayment period has been extended to 30 years.“This agreement alleviates a flood-like financial burden on the people of Louisiana, and the Governor Jindal has done a great job of holding the federal government to its promise of helping Louisiana rebuild,” said Paul Harrison, Coastal Louisiana Project Manager for Environmental Defense Fund. “A workable, 30-year payment timetable will allow funding to go to other critical priorities, especially restoring the coastal wetlands.”Governor Jindal has said the extension will give Louisiana the freedom to “aggressively pursue” efforts to rebuild healthy coastlines and wetlands.“Our coastal wetlands are Louisiana’s natural hurricane protection systems. We must protect these critical natural areas, along with strengthening levees,” said Maura Wood, Senior Program Manager, Coastal Louisiana Restoration for the National Wildlife Federation. “Now we need to make sure that all the available funding is focused on bold projects that build land and restore the wetlands that keep south Louisiana safe.”“Levees alone will never be enough to protect the people of Louisiana,” said Audubon’s Paul Kemp, Vice President, Gulf Coast Initiative for the National Audubon Society. “We need to work with Mother Nature, not against her. We need to make sure that the funding freed up by this decision goes towards Louisiana’s most urgent priority – restoring the wetlands that are the first line of defense.”Co-sponsor of Global Warming Solutions Act to Provide Testimony at San Jose Public Workshop on Draft Scoping Plan to Implement Law
August 7, 2008WHAT: A co-sponsor of California’s Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), will provide testimony at a public workshop scheduled by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to discuss its draft scoping plan to implement AB 32. EDF economist and policy scientist James “Jamie” Fine will comment on macroeconomic effects of AB 32, its cap-and-trade provisions, clean tech investment and job growth potential, savings opportunities for consumers, the cost of inaction, and the areas where the scoping plan must go further. Dr. Fine also will be available before and after his testimony to speak with reporters.WHY: The Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) is the first state-level, economy-wide cap on greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. It sets a firm cap that ensures California’s greenhouse gas emissions are reduced approximately 30% by 2020. Implementing AB 32 successfully will set a precedent for other states and the nation to follow.WHO: James (“Jamie”) Fine, economist/policy scientist, Environmental Defense Fund, AB 32 Co-sponsorWHEN: Friday, August 8, 9:30am - 4pm (NOTE: Meeting may conclude prior to 4 pm)For more information, visit: www.arb.ca.gov/cc/scopingplan/meetings/meetings.htmWHERE: County of Santa Clara, Berger Auditorium, 1555 Berger Drive, San Jose, 95112CONTACT: Jesus Mena, (415) 948-4220-c, jemena@edf.orgJames Fine, (916) 710-3371-c, jfine@edf.orgTexas Clean Air Cities Coalition and Environmental Defense Fund Reach Milestone Agreements with NRG Texas on Limestone Station Expansion
August 4, 2008HOUSTON, TX; August 4, 2008—NRG Texas LLC, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG) has reached agreements with the Texas Clean Air Cities Coalition (TCACC) and Environmental Defense Fund in which Environmental Defense Fund and TCACC have agreed to drop their opposition to the Limestone 3 permit application in response to a number of innovative commitments related to emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and mercury (Hg), and to other environmental issues including reductions in water usage.Both TCACC and Environmental Defense Fund initially announced their intention to intervene in and oppose NRG’s permit application to add a third unit to Limestone Station. However, after several months of working together and discussing ways to meet Texas’ demand for electricity in a manner that would minimize adverse environmental impacts, these agreements were reached.“This agreement presents an excellent opportunity for emission reductions, beyond that which the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) would have required,” said Linda Koop, Dallas City Council Member and Chair of the TCACC. “The greenhouse gas reductions—50%—are particularly significant because the TCEQ does not consider carbon dioxide a pollutant and does not regulate or restrict carbon emissions.”“We applaud NRG committing to offset a significant part of its CO2 emissions from the Limestone 3 plant. CO2 is the gas that scientists tell us is the principal cause of global warming,” said Jim Marston, Environmental Defense Fund state climate director. “Offsets, such as the projects that NRG has committed to invest in, are a low-cost way to get the large reductions in greenhouse gases that are necessary to prevent catastrophic impacts of global warming, and NRG has established a precedent for other electricity companies to follow.”“The Limestone expansion is part of our program to invest in Texas with a balanced portfolio of nuclear, gas, wind and coal,” said Thad Hill, president of NRG Texas. “We have appreciated working with Environmental Defense Fund and the TCACC to bring this additional power to Texas in an environmentally responsible manner and dramatically lower overall average emissions including CO2.”The agreements include the following emissions reduction measures:· Until a Federal climate change program is implemented, NRG will offset or sequester 50% of the carbon generated by the new unit in a manner that is verifiable, which makes the carbon profile of this coal-fueled plant roughly equivalent to that of a gas-fueled plant. These efforts could include agricultural and forestry sequestration, retiring older, less efficient generation assets; bringing new wind or solar generation online; and post-combustion carbon capture and sequestration technology at the WA Parish Plant;· Sitewide NOx, SO2 and mercury emissions for all three units will not increase with the addition of the new unit, and will decrease below the 2006 levels of the two existing units following startup;· NRG will build or support the development of a utility scale solar energy project in Texas, if economically feasible as determined by criteria in the agreement. If NRG does not build or participate in a utility scale solar plant, NRG will contribute to a trust that would fund significant Texas energy efficiency projects;· NRG will commit to reduce water usage at the new plant by almost 60% (about 5,000 acre-feet per year) through conservation and use of advanced air cooling technology, helping to preserve one of Texas’ most important natural resources;· NRG will commit resources for a terrestrial sequestration pilot project in West Texas that will remove carbon from the atmosphere and alleviate pressure on the Ogallala Aquifer and a project to demonstrate that geologic sequestration of CO2 is an effective technique, sequestering a significant amount of carbon in the process. Both projects will be managed by Environmental Defense Fund;· NRG will retrofit or replace a substantial portion of its non-road diesel equipment with Tier 2 or better, further reducing NOx emissions; and· NRG will not build another coal-fueled plant in Texas unless the plant uses Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle, or ultra-supercritical coal technology, and sequesters or offsets at least 50% of the CO2 emissions of that future plant.Houston Mayor Bill White said, “We commend NRG for their willingness to work with the citizens of Texas to produce a plant which adds power while reducing emissions from the site.”“With its commitment to undertake a utility-scale solar project in Texas, either on its own or with other electric generators, NRG can help lower the cost of this emerging and abundant clean energy resource and continue their efforts to advance technologies to reverse the threat of global warming,” Marston said.The Limestone Electric Generating Station expansion is part of the NRG Texas repowering program, which is designed to provide new, efficient and environmentally responsible power generation.“NRG’s new build portfolio is focused on helping to meet the growing energy needs of Texas with significantly less emissions per megawatt hour of power produced,” said NRG’s Hill. “These projects also include investments in wind and natural gas generation and ultimately, bridge to zero-carbon, zero emission nuclear power. Collectively, the carbon intensity of these new repowering projects will be 70% less than the current average in Texas. By working with TCACC and Environmental Defense Fund, and implementing the steps listed in these agreements, we will reduce our carbon intensity even further. It is an important step in our efforts to be a leader in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.”About Limestone Electric Generating Station and NRG Energy:Currently, the Limestone Electric Generating Station generates over 1,700 MW of baseload generating capacity – enough to supply power to over one million households. The facility, which went into operation between 1985 and 1986, operates throughout the year and employs 250 people full time. The Limestone Generating Station is 100 percent owned and operated by NRG Texas, a wholly owned subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc.NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG), a Fortune 500 company, owns and operates one of the country’s largest and most diverse power generation portfolios. NRG’s 48 plants provide approximately 23,000 megawatts of generation capacity—enough to power nearly 20 million homes. In November 2007, NRG won two of the industry’s highest honors—Platts Industry Leadership and Energy Company of the Year awards.Headquartered in Princeton, NJ, NRG is a member of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), a group of business and environmental organizations calling for mandatory legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and a founding member of “3C—Combat Climate Change,” a global initiative taking a leadership role in designing the road map to a low carbon society. For more information on NRG Energy, please visit www.nrgenergy.com.About Environmental Defense FundEnvironmental Defense Fund is a leading national nonprofit organization representing more than 500,000 members. In 2007, Environmental Defense Fund helped negotiate a landmark agreement with Texas electric provider TXU to withdraw plans for eight new coal plants and increase energy efficiency spending. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics and law to create innovative, equitable and cost-effective solutions to society’s most urgent environmental problems. Environmental Defense Fund is dedicated to protecting the environmental rights of all people, including future generations. Among these rights are access to clean air and water, healthy and nourishing food, and flourishing ecosystems. Guided by science, Environmental Defense Fund evaluates environmental problems and works to create and advocate solutions that win lasting political, economic and social support because they are nonpartisan, cost-efficient and fair. McElroy, Sullivan and Miller L.L.P., a widely respected Austin law firm specializing in energy and administrative matters, has donated time to represent Environmental Defense Fund in this and other coal air permit cases.About the Texas Clean Air Cities Coalition:The Texas Clean Air Cities Coalition consists of 37 local governmental entities from around the state representing over half the citizens of Texas. The Coalition was formed by Houston Mayor Bill White and then-Dallas Mayor Laura Miller in 2006 to contest the fast-track permitting of more than a dozen coal-fueled power plants across the state. The Coalition is represented on a pro bono basis by Susman Godfrey, a premier litigation firm. The Coalition’s efforts in protesting six permits filed by energy giant TXU were chronicled in the film “Fighting Goliath.”Safe Harbor DisclosureThis news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions and include NRG’s expectations regarding the Limestone Electric Generating Station expansion project and can be identified by the use of words such as “will,” “expect,” “believe,” and similar terms. Although NRG believes that its expectations are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct, and actual results may vary materially. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated above include, among others, general economic conditions, hazards customary in the power industry, weather conditions, competition in wholesale power markets, the volatility of energy and fuel prices, failure of customers to perform under contracts, changes in the wholesale power markets, changes in government regulation of markets and of environmental emissions, unanticipated outages at our generation facilities, the inability to implement value enhancing improvements to plant operations and companywide processes, and our ability to achieve the expected benefits and timing of our RepoweringNRG projects.NRG undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The foregoing review of factors that could cause NRG’s actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements included in this news release should be considered in connection with information regarding risks and uncertainties that may affect NRG’s future results included in NRG’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.# # #Environmental Defense Fund media contact:Chris Smith,512.691.3451TCACC media contacts:Frank J. Librio(Director, Public Information Office, City of Dallas)214.670.3322Frank Michel(Director of Communications, City of Houston)832.393.0800NRG media contacts:Meredith Moore609.524.4522David Knox (Texas)713.795.6106NRG Investor Relations contacts:Nahla Azmy609.524.4526David Klein609.524.4527USDA Praised for Not Releasing Millions of Acres From Conservation
July 30, 2008FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Sean Crowley, 202-572-3331, scrowley@edf.org
Sara Hopper, 202-572-3379, shopper@edf.org(Washington, DC - July 29, 2008) U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer’s decision today against allowing the penalty-free early release of millions of acres of the land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) will preserve the nation’s most successful conservation program, according to Environmental Defense Fund. Some members of Congress and producer groups had lobbied the administration to release up to 24 million acres from CRP so the land could be put back into crop production. Currently, there are almost 35 million acres of land enrolled in CRP, but contracts for more than nine million acres of CRP land are due to expire over the next three years.
“Secretary Schafer should be commended for resisting calls to gut the nation’s oldest and most successful farm conservation program,” said Sara Hopper, director of agricultural policy for Environmental Defense Fund and a former staff member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “Putting millions of CRP acres back into crop production would have resulted in the loss of billions of dollars in taxpayer investments in conservation and caused untold environmental damage, while providing little, if any, relief from high commodity prices.”
CRP is a federal program designed to reward farmers who take fragile land out of production for 10 to 15 years and instead plant grasses or trees or restore wetlands. Up until now, CRP enrollees who terminated their contracts prior to the end of their 10- to 15-year terms had to reimburse ? with interest ? the federal government for the rental and cost-share payments they had received, plus pay a 25 percent penalty. Some members of Congress and producer groups had proposed that the USDA waive all these costs for program participants.
Lands are enrolled in CRP precisely because they are environmentally sensitive, highly erodible, and marginally productive cropland. While these lands are generally less reliable for producing row crops, they deliver significant public benefits by retaining soil and preventing erosion, cleansing polluted runoff, providing important wildlife habitat and serving as natural flood barriers. Wetland restorations on CRP lands function as an important safety valve, reducing peak flows during storm events by holding water, filtering it, and slowly releasing it into streams and groundwater.
Release would have harmed water quality and worsened flooding, environmental group says
July 29, 2008FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Sean Crowley, 202-572-3331, scrowley@edf.org
Sara Hopper, 202-572-3379, shopper@edf.org(Washington, DC - July 29, 2008) U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer’s decision today against allowing the penalty-free early release of millions of acres of the land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) will preserve the nation’s most successful conservation program, according to Environmental Defense Fund. Some members of Congress and producer groups had lobbied the administration to release up to 24 million acres from CRP so the land could be put back into crop production. Currently, there are almost 35 million acres of land enrolled in CRP, but contracts for more than nine million acres of CRP land are due to expire over the next three years.
“Secretary Schafer should be commended for resisting calls to gut the nation’s oldest and most successful farm conservation program,” said Sara Hopper, director of agricultural policy for Environmental Defense Fund and a former staff member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “Putting millions of CRP acres back into crop production would have resulted in the loss of billions of dollars in taxpayer investments in conservation and caused untold environmental damage, while providing little, if any, relief from high commodity prices.”
CRP is a federal program designed to reward farmers who take fragile land out of production for 10 to 15 years and instead plant grasses or trees or restore wetlands. Up until now, CRP enrollees who terminated their contracts prior to the end of their 10- to 15-year terms had to reimburse ? with interest ? the federal government for the rental and cost-share payments they had received, plus pay a 25 percent penalty. Some members of Congress and producer groups had proposed that the USDA waive all these costs for program participants.
Lands are enrolled in CRP precisely because they are environmentally sensitive, highly erodible, and marginally productive cropland. While these lands are generally less reliable for producing row crops, they deliver significant public benefits by retaining soil and preventing erosion, cleansing polluted runoff, providing important wildlife habitat and serving as natural flood barriers. Wetland restorations on CRP lands function as an important safety valve, reducing peak flows during storm events by holding water, filtering it, and slowly releasing it into streams and groundwater.
EPA Nanotechnology Voluntary Program Risks Becoming a Black Hole
July 28, 2008FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sharyn Stein, 202-572-3396, sstein@edf.org
Richard Denison, 202-387-3500, rdenison@edf.org
(Washington, DC – July 28, 2008) Six months after launching its voluntary reporting program for nanomaterial producers, EPA has made virtually no information public about the limited number of submissions it has received. As a result, the public can have little confidence that the program is providing the information the Agency will need to protect citizens, consumers, workers and the environment from the potential risks of nanotechnology, according to Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)
The EPA intended its Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program (NMSP) to provide both EPA and the public with a better understanding of what nanomaterials are being produced, how they’re being used and what their producers know about them.
“EPA not only appears to have received limited information, but worse, EPA is saying almost nothing about it. The information being received appears to be entering a ‘black hole,’”said Richard A. Denison, Ph.D., EDF Senior Scientist. “Limited participation, some company submissions covering only a single nanomaterial, ignorance as to the extent of information being provided, and an almost total lack of public transparency are not a good recipe for a program that was supposed to help restore the public’s trust.”The only information EPA has provided on its website is a list of companies that have made submissions (nine companies as of today) or said they intend to (11 companies as of today). The nine submissions equal the number received under the United Kingdom’s nanomaterial voluntary reporting scheme.[1] All of these companies have or intend to volunteer under the “basic” program component, which calls on companies to report only information they already possess on the identity, properties, production and management of their nanomaterials. Two of these companies have also volunteered for the “in-depth” program component, which could entail new testing.To put these numbers into perspective: When it launched the NMSP, EPA said it expected to receive 240 submissions from 180 companies under the basic program, and to attract 15 participants in the in-depth program.[2] EPA based its projections on an estimate that, in 2005, more than 600 companies were manufacturing and applying nanotechnology, a number that has surely grown since then.“EPA was unwilling to include in the program meaningful ways to measure how complete or representative the information being submitted is,” said Denison. “For example, EPA didn’t ask companies to tell them how many nanomaterials they produce, or even require them to indicate whether the information they’re submitting on a given nanomaterial is complete or not.”Through inquiries to EPA, EDF has managed to discern that:- A number of the submissions received to date provide data only for a single nanomaterial, despite the strong likelihood that most or all submitting companies are engaged with multiple nanomaterials;
- EPA’s website notes that the submissions cover 68 nanoscale materials, but does not indicate how many were submitted by each company — a single company apparently accounts for the vast majority of these materials, all of them metal-based;
- An unknown number of the submissions have been claimed by the submitter to be confidential business information (CBI), including in one case the identity of the company itself;
- EPA has no immediate plans to make public even the non-CBI submissions it receives.
Equally important is what EPA has not made public and EDF has not been able to find out:- What nanomaterials the submissions cover;
- The extent of information provided for each nanomaterial;
- Whether each submitter provided all or only part of the requested information it possesses on its volunteered nanomaterial;
- Whether any health and safety studies were provided (which are ineligible to be claimed as CBI under the Toxic Substances Control Act);
- Whether those claiming their submissions as CBI did so for all or part of their submissions;
- Whether EPA has reviewed or plans to review CBI claims to verify their legitimacy.
“At the time EPA launched the NMSP, EDF warned that it would likely yield a selective and skewed picture of the state of nanomaterial production and use in the United States,” concluded Denison. “Because of flaws in the design of the NMSP, not even EPA – let alone the public – has any idea whether a given submission represents all or only a small portion of the information a company has on its nanomaterials.”
[2] See EPA’s “Supporting Statement for an Information Collection Request (ICR),” pp. 13-15 and 19, available at www.epa.gov/oppt/nano/nmsp-icr-supportingstatement.pdf.House Committee Told Sound Regulations for Technology to Help Cut Global Warming Pollution Within Sight
July 24, 200810 a.m. EDT, Thursday, July 24, 2008
Contact:
Scott Anderson, Environmental Defense Fund, 512.691.3410-w
Chris Smith, Environmental Defense Fund, 512.691.3451-w or 512.659.9264-c or csmith@edf.org(Washington, DC – July 24, 2008) The United States is making significant progress toward development of a comprehensive regulatory framework for technology that would help reduce global warming pollution significantly. That was the conclusion of testimony by a Texas-based energy policy specialist this morning during a hearing before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials.The technology, carbon capture and storage (CCS), is the process of capturing carbon dioxide from industrial processes, such as those used in coal-fired power plants, and then injecting it into deep geological formations, including deep saline reservoirs and existing oil and gas fields, where it can safely remain for thousands of years. The result would be a significant reduction of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.“Climate change is the single most important environmental issue of our generation and thus, energy efficiency, renewables, and the successful development and deployment of CCS will be critical components in an overall national strategy,” said Scott Anderson, senior policy advisor in the Austin, Texas office of Environmental Defense Fund. “Proposed federal rules last week by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, along with state rules already in place in Washington State and pending in Kansas, show promise of our government’s increasing commitment to ensure that wide-scale CCS is done right.“While we know today that geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide is feasible, as the technology deploys large scale, knowledge will increase correspondingly and therefore, regulations will need to be flexible, adaptive and performance-based,” Anderson added. “But that is not enough. It is essential that rules assure that risks be managed properly.”Addressing the question of whether there should be special liability relief for CCS projects, Anderson testified that Environmental Defense Fund is not convinced that any liability relief is needed for the carbon dioxide sequestration industry in the long term, though the organization is open to exploring the possibility of special rules and institutions for early projects.Full testimony by Scott Anderson is available in PDF format at: http://www.edf.org/documents/8124_CCS_Anderson_Testimony_July%202008.pdf###Environmental Defense, a leading national nonprofit organization, represents more than 500,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. www.environmentaldefense.org