An early look at air quality and emissions data for 2006 shows continued improvement in the nation’s air quality over the long term, EPA reported on April 30. Emissions of six key pollutants have dropped by more than half since 1970, and the national average concentration for each criteria pollutant is below the level of its air quality standard.

“The data is in and the trends are good — our nation’s air continues to improve because of the Bush administration’s innovative clean air policies,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. “By tackling tailpipes and smokestacks, EPA is clearing the air, and all Americans are breathing easier.”

Total emissions of the six key pollutants dropped 54 percent between 1970 and 2006, the agency stated. During the same time period, the U.S. gross domestic product increased 203 percent, vehicle miles traveled increased 177 percent, energy consumption increased 49 percent, and U.S. population grew by 46 percent. In addition, emissions of air toxics in 2002 were 35 percent lower than 1990 levels, the agency stated.

Under the Clean Air Act, EPA sets national air quality standards for six key pollutants: nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO) and lead (Pb). Each year, EPA examines the levels of these pollutants in the air and the emissions from various sources to see how both have changed over time and to summarize the current status of air quality. While national average concentrations of the six key pollutants are below national standards, results vary by site. Annual pollution levels at some monitoring sites do remain above one or more of the national air quality standards, with ozone and particulate matter remaining as the most persistent problems.

The day after EPA’s announcement, the American Lung Association (ALA) issued its annual air quality report card, finding that Americans in the eastern United States are breathing more soot, while stricter local and state controls have dropped air pollution in West.

“The increased (particulate matter) pollution in the East is a particularly troubling trend, because exposure to particle pollution can not only take years off your life, it can threaten your life immediately,” said Terri E. Weaver, PhD, RN, ALA chairperson. “Even in many areas EPA currently considers safe, the science clearly shows that the air is too often dangerous to breathe, particularly for those with lung disease. Protecting Americans from potentially deadly air pollution means we need more protective federal standards, so that every community in the United States can have truly clean air.”

Higher soot levels in the East are linked to an increase in electricity generated by heavy polluting power plants, according to ALA. In the West, by contrast, soot levels continue to drop even in areas that rank historically high in particle pollution. California showed the most improvement with 32 counties dropping their year-round particulate matter pollution levels.

To review EPA’s national air quality and emissions trends, go to http://www.epa.gov/airtrends/econ-emissions.html. To view the “American Lung Association State of the Air: 2007″ report, visit http://lungaction.org/reports/stateoftheair2007.html.

Scientists from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Earth System Research Laboratory unveiled a new tool to monitor changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by region and source. The tool, called CarbonTracker (http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/carbontracker), will enable its users to evaluate the effectiveness of their efforts to reduce or store carbon emissions, officials said on March 21.

The online data framework distinguishes between changes in the natural carbon cycle and those occurring in human-produced fossil fuel emissions. It also provides verification for scientists using computer models to project future climate change. Potential users include corporations, cities, states and nations assessing their efforts to reduce or store fossil fuel emissions around the world.

“NOAA encourages science that adds benefit to society and the environment. CarbonTracker does both,” said Conrad Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “Increasingly, observations of the Earth are demonstrating a remarkable impact on our understanding of human and natural systems. We are transitioning this understanding gained from intensive research into operations that benefit the environment and the economy.” (more…)

The electricity industry is changing. At least 50 percent of customers have the option to purchase renewable electricity directly from their power supplier. Such power is sometimes referred to as “green power” or “clean power.”

In most states, you can buy clean power through one or more of the following programs:

Green pricing — Some power companies are now providing an optional service, called green pricing, that allows customers to pay a small premium in exchange for electricity generated from clean, renewable (“green”) energy sources. The premium covers the increased costs incurred by the power provider (i.e. electric utility) when adding renewable energy to its power generation mix.

Competitive electricity markets — In some parts of the country, consumers can choose not only how their electricity is generated, but also who generates it. Just as the long-distance telephone industry was restructured, certain states have restructured their electricity industry in order to allow competition among electricity generators. In some of these states, clean power generators, who specialize in producing electricity using renewable sources, are taking advantage of the restructured market to sell clean power products to residential, commercial, and wholesale customers.

Some default suppliers are also teaming with these competitive marketers to offer more green power options. Efforts to sell clean power are aimed at consumers who will choose to pay slightly more for renewable energy products and services that reflect their environmental values. The small premium you pay offsets the additional costs power companies incur in purchasing and/or generating electricity from renewable sources.

Green certificates — Buying green certificates allows you to contribute to the generation of clean, renewable power even if you can’t buy clean power from your power provider (i.e. electric utility) or from a clean power generator on the competitive market.

An increasing number of clean power generators are now separating the power that they sell to power providers from the environmental attributes associated with that power. These environmental attributes, called green certificates (also known as “green tags,” “renewable energy certificates,” or “tradable renewable certificates”), are then sold to companies and individuals who want to help increase the amount of clean power entering the nation’s electricity supply.

By separating the environmental attributes from the power, clean power generators are able to sell the electricity they produce to power providers at a competitive market value. The additional revenue generated by the sale of the green certificates covers the above-market costs associated with producing power made from renewable energy sources. This extra revenue also encourages the development of additional renewable energy projects.

Several organizations offer green energy or renewable energy certificates that can be purchased separate from your current electricity service.

For more information on buying green power, go to http://www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/buying/index.shtml (a Web page of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy). To find out which organizations offer green power in your state, go to http://www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/buying/buying_power.shtml.

The tips are from the U.S. Department of Energy.

 What’s wrong with this picture from both a safety and EPA concern?  Find out about the EPA concerns.

EPA Sets Limits for Hazardous Air Pollutants from Gasoline, Vehicles and Portable Fuel Containers

On Feb. 9, EPA announced the finalization of new standards that would establish stringent new controls on gasoline, passenger vehicles and gas cans to further reduce emissions of benzene and other mobile source air toxics.

By 2030, EPA’s new Mobile Source Air Toxic (MSAT) regulations, as well as fuel and vehicle standards already in place, will reduce toxic emissions from cars to 80 percent below 1999 emissions, officials said. (more…)

Back in Oct. scubaology.com published an article on Great Lakes Conservation.  Recently, The International Joint Commission (IJC) called on the governments of Canada and the United States to create and apply an uncommonly strong Accountability Framework for Great Lakes restoration and protection under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

In its Thirteenth Biennial Report on Great Lakes Water Quality, released on Feb. 7, IJC urges the governments to present a preliminary framework by June 2008.

“We chose to focus this biennial report on a single theme — accountability — because accountability is absolutely indispensable if the governments are serious about their commitments to improve water quality under this agreement,” said Commissioner Allen Olson.

The report sets out the following elements for such a framework:

• Developing a rigorous, coordinated plan that identifies and prioritizes the actions needed to realize the goals of the agreement, includes measurable targets and sets timelines for completion — such targets and timelines are generally not in the current agreement.
• Whether it be an existing or a new organization, some binational entity needs to be fully and clearly charged with the responsibility to gather information that can be used to assess progress toward the agreement’s purpose and goals.
• Providing substantive and meaningful progress reports on a triennial basis.
• Using the reports to review and adjust action plans.

“Experts and concerned citizens across the Great Lakes basin have told us that accountability needs to be the cornerstone for Great Lakes’ restoration and protection programs,” said Commissioner Jack Blaney.

The governments of the United States and Canada are currently leading a comprehensive review of the agreement for the first time since 1987. The commission also recommended that the governments accelerate their review so that the results coincide with the release of the draft Accountability Framework.

For its part, the commission committed to forming a task force to assist it in consulting with the governments on a practical and effective Accountability Framework as well as convening, in collaboration with governments and others, a Great Lakes Accountability Summit in summer 2008.

For additional information or a copy of the report visit the commission’s Web site: http://www.ijc.org/.

This is a great move to help keep the Great Lakes a important ecological part of North America.  The more we work to improve our environment the more when are helping our future.  Tell me what you think about this topic.

EPA Reaches $21.8 Million Superfund Agreement

On Jan. 25, EPA announced that a $21.8 million settlement had been reached with 95 parties to clean up the Spectron Inc. Superfund site in Elkton, Md. The settling defendants are alleged to have generated or arranged for the disposal or treatment of hazardous substances contaminating the eight-acre Superfund site.

Under this consent decree, the settling defendants have agreed to perform and fund an estimated $19.5 million cleanup at the site and reimburse about $1.8 million to EPA in past cleanup costs. The settlement also includes a payment of $507,300 to the natural resource trustees to restore aquatic habitat and resources, including migratory fish such as blueback herring that were harmed by contaminant releases from the site.

The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) filed the proposed consent decree in a federal district court on behalf of EPA and four other agencies that are natural resource trustees — the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. (more…)

Businesses, Environmental Groups Offer U.S. Climate Change Policy Recommendations

Ten major U.S. corporations are joining environmental groups to call on the federal government to quickly enact strong national legislation to achieve significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.

The alliance, called the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), released a report on Jan. 22 that recommends a 10 percent to 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions within 15 years with a goal of a 60 percent to 80 percent reduction by 2050. The US CAP report, A Call for Action, calls for a comprehensive package of policies that are market based, including a greenhouse gas trading system and support for new, clean technologies and efficiency.

“The time has come for constructive action that draws strength equally from business, government, and non-governmental stakeholders,” said Jeff Immelt, chairman and CEO of General Electric. “These recommendations should catalyze legislative action that encourages innovation and fosters economic growth while enhancing energy security and balance of trade, ensuring U.S. leadership on an issue of significance to our country and the world.”

The U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP) consists of Alcoa, BP America, Caterpillar, Duke Energy, DuPont, FPL Group, General Electric, Lehman Brothers, PG&E, and PNM Resources, along with four non-governmental organizations — Environmental Defense, Natural Resources Defense Council, Pew Center on Global Climate Change and World Resources Institute.

USCAP’s recommendations are based on the following six principles:

• Account for the global dimensions of climate change.
• Recognize the importance of technology.
• Be environmentally effective.
• Create economic opportunity and advantage.
• Be fair to sectors disproportionately impacted.
• Recognize and encourage early action.

The principles and the recommendations outlined in the report are the result of a year-long collaboration motivated by the shared goal of slowing, stopping and reversing the growth of greenhouse gas emissions over the shortest period of time reasonably achievable.

This unique cooperation of business and environmental leaders is a clear signal to lawmakers that legislative action is urgently needed, the groups stated. This non-partisan effort was driven by the top executives from member organizations — companies with a combined market capitalization of more than $750 billion and environmental groups with more than one million members worldwide and global policy influence.

USCAP urges policy makers to enact a policy framework for mandatory reductions of greenhouse gas emissions from major emitting sectors, including large stationary sources and transportation, and energy use in commercial and residential buildings. The cornerstone of this approach would be a cap-and-trade program. The environmental goal is to reduce global atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations to a level that minimizes large-scale adverse impacts to humans and the natural environment. The group recommends Congress provide leadership and establish short- and mid-term emission reduction targets; a national program to accelerate technology research, development and deployment; and approaches to encourage action by other countries, including those in the developing world, as ultimately the solution must be global.

“The Climate Action Partnership recognizes that the undertaking to address climate change is an enormous one, and should not be underestimated,” said Jonathan Lash, president of the World Resources Institute. “But enacting environmentally effective, economically sustainable and fair climate change law must be a national priority.”

USCAP believes that programs to encourage efficiency and to promote cleaner technologies in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 enacted by the last Congress and supported by the president were a good step. However, they alone cannot get the nation to where it needs to be on the climate change issue. The members of USCAP pledge to work with the president, the Congress and other stakeholders to confront this vital global challenge.

The report can be accessed in PDF format at http://www.us-cap.org/ClimateReport.pdf.

When was the last time you changed your motor oil, painted your house, or filled your snowblower?  All of these tasks involve using household hazardous materials, motor oil, paint, and gas.  Recently the City of Chicago opened a new recycle center for household hazardous materials.  The center is located in the Goose Island area of Chicago and will accept most common hazardous materials including the following materials for recycling or safe disposal: antifreeze, used motor oil, old gasoline, oil-based paints, paint thinners, aerosol paints, herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, lawn chemicals, solvents, drain cleaners, cleaning products, pool chemicals, hobby chemicals, mercury, fluorescent lamps and bulbs, computers and cell phones. 

The center will also recycle old computers and works with Computers for Schools a non-profit organization making computers available to schools.

Mayor Daley explained that the new center is one of the City’s most environmentally friendly buildings.  “In addition to a green roof, the building features the first solar wall in the State of Illinois. This wall will absorb heat and reduce energy consumption,” said Daley.  The building was constructed from existing materials, recycles heat and retains storm water

The center was funded by a partnership of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Illinois Clean Energy Fund, and the City of Chicago. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency provided financial assistance for the ongoing disposal of the chemicals collected at the facility.

Recently I have been asked by a number of people about what The Compliance Resouce (CR)Center does.  We do a lot and we do it well.  Our mission is to give you the best training and/or consulting, and make it relevant to your business.  Below is a list of some of the services The Compliance Resource Center can provide.

What do we DO?

• ON-SITE Training and Consulting
• Write Policies and Procedures
• Answer YOUR Questions
• Set up a Web Page
• Train YOU in Training Skills

Training and Consulting in the following areas:

• US DOT – Hazmat (49 CFR part 100-185)
• Federal Motor Carrier Safety (13 modules to choose from)
• OSHA – General Industry (1910), Construction (1926),
• HazWoper- 40-Hour, 24-Hour, 8-Hour (OSHA 1910.120)
• US EPA – Hazardous Waste, Asbestos, Mold, Air Quality
• First Aid/CPR/AED
• On-Site Emergency Response Planning
• Assessment and Audits
• Policies and Procedures
   

Coordinate Safety and/or Compliance Training

• Customized Training
• Open Enrollment (on campus class)
• On-Site at Business Partner

Complete Training Package, including:

• Trainers
• Materials
• Student Completion Certificate
• Database Recordkeeping of Activity
   
  The Compliance Resource Center will be happy to answer your safety or compliance questions, as a free service.
  Become a member of our free mailing list, which has no advertising, only safety and compliance information, by sending your contact information to info@thecrcenter.com
  For additional information, please contact us at the web address or phone numbers provided below.
  Allan Kaufman, Director, 847-298-3063, cell; 847-372-3063
  www.theCRcenter.com allan@thecrcenter.com

JANUARY 2007        
January 1 – 31 National Radon Action Month National Safety Council Kristin Marstiller
202-293-2270 ext. 469  Radon Fact Sheet
FEBRUARY 2007        
February 1 – 28 American Heart Month American Heart Association   www.americanheart.org 
February 1 – 28 Save Your Vision Month American Academy of Ophthalmology  John Paine
415-561-8525  www.aao.org 
February 11-17 National Child Passenger Safety Week National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Tina Foley
202-366-9550 www.nhtsa.gov 
MARCH 2007        
March 18-24 National Poison Prevention Week U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission  Kim Dulic
301-504-7908  
APRIL 2007        
April 1 – 30 Sports Eye Safety Month American Academy of Ophthalmology  John Paine
415-561-8525  www.aao.org
April 1- 7 National Workzone Awareness Week Federal Highway Administration   www.fhwa.dot.gov
April 2 – 8 National Public Health Week American Public Health Association Lakitia Mayo
202-777-2515  www.apha.org
April 8 World Health Day WHO Regional Office for the Americas 202-974-3156  World-Health-Day
April 22 – 28 National Window Safety Week Window Safety Task Force  Janice Charletta
847-303-5859 x230  Window Safety
April 22 – 28 National Playground Safety Week   Donna Mokricky
800-554-7529  www.uni.edu/playground 
April 28 Workers’ Memorial Day American Federation of Labor – Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)    www.afl-cio.org 
April 30 – May 6 National SAFE Kids Week National SAFE Kids Campaign  Suzanne Morton
202-662-4476 www.safekids.org 
MAY 2007        
May 1 – 31 National Electrical Safety Month National Electrical Safety Foundation  Michael Clendenin
703-841-3296 www.electrical-safety.org 
May 6 – 12  North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH) American Society of Safety Engineers Diane Hurns
847-768-3413 www.asse.org 
May 6 Occupational Safety and Health Professionals Day American Society of Safety Engineers Diane Hurns
847-768-3413 www.asse.org 
May 19 – 25 National Safe Boating Week National Safe Boating Council  Virgil Chambers
703-361-4294  www.safeboatingcouncil.org 
May 20 – 26 National Emergency Medical Services Week American College of Emergency Physicians  Denise Fechner
800-798-1822 x326  www.acep.org 
May 21 – 28 Buckle Up America National Highway Traffic Safety Administration   www.nhtsa.dot.gov 
May 21 – June 3 Click It or Ticket Mobilization Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign & National Highway Traffic Safety Administration   www.nhtsa.dot.gov 
JUNE 2007        
June 1 – 30 National Safety Month National Safety Council 630-775-2160  National Safety Month 
AUGUST 2007        
August 1 – 31 Cataract Awareness Month 
 
SEPTEMBER 2007        
September 1 – 30 National Preparedness Month U.S. Department of Homeland Security   
September 16 – 27  National Farm Safety and Health Week  National Safety Council   National Farm Safety and Health Week
OCTOBER 2007        
October 1 – 31 Eye Injury Prevention Month American Academy of Ophthalmology John Paine
415-561-8525 www.aao.org 
October 14 – 20 National Radon Action Week National Safety Council Kristin Marstiller
202-293-2270 ext. 469  Radon Fact Sheet