New England Energy Team priorities

New England Energy Team priorities

• Improve energy performance of buildings• Promote clean energy technologies• Expedite federal review of energy projects• Educate the public about climate change

Wind Power in Rhode IslandWind Power in Rhode Island

• Portsmouth Abbey School• 660-kilowatt • 164-foot-tall tower• supplies 40 percent of the school’s electricity

• Funded through state’s Renewable Energy Fund

Photo courtesy of Portsmouth Abbey School

Energy Efficiency in Rhode Island

Energy Efficiency in Rhode Island

• Shaw’s Supermarket • 2001 EnergyStar Partner of the Year • Cut costs by up to 8% just through submetering

equipment • EnergyStar labeled stores in Barrington, Johnston, &

Warwick• Has purchased renewable power for several stores

• Through the Partnership for Home Energy Efficiency, HUD, EPA and the Department of Energy are encouraging all homebuilders to incorporate energy efficiency measures in new home construction

• EPA and HUD are teaming together to ensure that new public housing built with HUD money in New Engalnd is built to the Energy Star Homes Standard

Change a Light, Change The World

Change a Light, Change The World

• National Campaign asking all Americans to change at least one light in their household to one with an ENERGY STAR label

• Changing 1 light in each New England household would save over $58 million while cutting greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 60,000 cars off the road

Diesel StrategiesDiesel Strategies

• New standards for new sources• Heavy duty trucks and buses in 2007

• Nonroad diesel engines in 2008

• Ultra-low diesel fuel beginning October 2006

• Strategies for existing diesel sources• Voluntary pollution controls and cleaner fuels

• Northeast Diesel Collaborative

Northeast Diesel CollaborativeNortheast Diesel Collaborative

• EPA Regions 1 and 2, NESCAUM and the eight Northeast states established the Northeast Diesel Collaborative (NEDC) in 2005 to expand regional partnerships to reduce diesel emissions and protect public health

• Targets five sectors• Municipal• Transit• Ports/Authorities• Construction• Freight

• Uses existing partnerships to:• Enhance regional and state initiatives• Expand local partnerships • Engage new stakeholders and new

communities

Reducing Diesel Exhaust in Rhode Island

Reducing Diesel Exhaust in Rhode Island

• Anti-idling • In July 2006, the state passed a law to restrict the unnecessary operation of diesel

motor vehicle engines• RI DEM has until July 1, 2007 to develop regulations to limit idling

• Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management teamed up with the Asthma Regional Council to promote “Breathe Better Rhode Island” no-idling campaign among school bus drivers statewide

• 17 School Districts have established voluntary No-Idling policies• Trained more than 400 school bus drivers in idle reduction strategies

• Bus Retrofits• Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) is adding diesel particulate

matter filters to 50 of its diesel buses, reducing per-bus emissions by 90%• With a grant from EPA’s Clean School Bus USA program, the City of

Warwick has equipped 62 buses with diesel oxidation catalysts and crankcase controls to reduce in-cabin emissions

• Warwick has worked with Cranston to retrofit 38 school buses

• Better Management

• Full Cost Pricing

• Water Efficiency

• Watershed Approach to Protection

Sustainable Sustainable Infrastructure Infrastructure

InitiativeInitiative

• Asset Management Training Sept. 26 – 27th

• Performance Track• Energy Star Focus on Water

and Wastewater Utilities• Infrastructure Web Page• Environmental Management

System training and pilots• Integration into state SRF and Capacity programs

What is Region 1 doing with What is Region 1 doing with SI?SI?

Office of Environmental Measurement and Evaluation

or “The Lab”

Office of Environmental Measurement and Evaluation

or “The Lab”Protecting Our Environment through Sound Science

Leading by Example with Green BuildingLeading by Example with Green Building

• EPA’s New England Regional Laboratory has won a LEED Gold Award in recognition of its state-of-the-art green design • Energy efficient heating, cooling and lighting• Active and passive solar power • Wind-powered electricity• Recycled materials, environmentally friendly landscaping

Role of the Lab:Support EPA’s Programs

Role of the Lab:Support EPA’s Programs

• Monitors the health of New England’s air, water and ecosystems, identifying trends

and informing the public

• Collects and analyzes samplescritical to regulatory decisions(e.g., clean-ups and permit)

• Assures compliance with environmental laws through inspections,air stack tests, and sample collection and analysis

• Assists in EPA’s responses to disasters and terrorist incidents

• Ensures that all data relied upon by EPA is high quality

Improve Understanding of Health of Region’s Waters

Improve Understanding of Health of Region’s Waters

• Multi-year assessment of New England’s waters and aquatic life, allowing us to• Measure the biological health of

lakes, rivers and streams• Establish baselines by which we can

measure our progress• Improve federal-state coordination

on monitoring• Status:

• New England Wadeable Streams: Will be published shortly

• New England Lakes and Ponds: Sampling ongoing

Expand Volunteer Monitoring Capabilities

Expand Volunteer Monitoring Capabilities

• Volunteer groups play invaluable role in supplementing available monitoring data in NE

• EPA NE has initiated a first-in-nation loan program of monitoring equipment to volunteer groups• Round 1: 23 groups are receiving

equipment

• Round 2: Targeted to groups working on urban rivers

Prepare to Provide Lab Support in Emergencies

Prepare to Provide Lab Support in Emergencies

• Expanded Capability: Enhancing lab’s ability to analyze samples and provide critical information to responders to disasters or terrorist incidents

• Network of Labs: Working with network of regional health and env’l laboratories to provide mutual support

• Screening Samples: In response to state labs’ request, piloting All Hazards Receipt Facility to screen unknown samples and protect lab workers

For more information on EPA New England’s Regional Laboratory, go

to:

www.epa.gov/ne/lab

For more information on EPA New England’s Regional Laboratory, go

to:

www.epa.gov/ne/lab

Thank YouThank You