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Audio File Index October 2008

Blue Skyways bringing cleaner air to Alamo City and America’s heartland

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The Environmental Protection Agency is touting the San Antonio area’s clean air efforts as a model for other cities throughout the heartland. Business leaders and environmental officials from 10 states are meeting in San Antonio October 29-31 to discuss clean air projects and progress as part of the Blue Skyways Collaborative.

"San Antonio has been an exemplary city when it comes to smart, clean air initiatives," said EPA Region 6 Administrator Richard E. Greene. “Now, by joining Blue Skyways, they are taking those efforts even further and inspiring other cities to do the same."

As one of the collaborative’s newest members, San Antonio plans to aggressively implement transportation emission reduction measures, rideshare and telecommuting initiatives, gas-powered lawn mower replacements, and a truck stop anti-idling program. These efforts are meant to help reduce ozone-causing pollutants. Since its start in 2006, Blue Skyways and it partners have cut pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by 51,626 tons per year; reduced greenhouse gases by 1.6 million tons per year; and saved 76 million gallons of fuel per year. VOCs react with nitrogen oxides and sunlight to form ground-level ozone, or smog. EPA strengthened the ozone standard from 0.80 parts per million (ppm) to 0.075 ppm in March of this year. Many cities, including San Antonio, are working to remain in attainment of the federal clean-air standard for ozone. The city successfully developed an Early Action Compact air quality plan in 2002, which kept it within the previous ozone standard.

"Voluntary programs like the Blue Skyways Collaborative are making a big difference in improving air quality in communities throughout the nation’s heartland," said EPA Region 7 Administrator John Askew. "As our list of partners continues to grow, we are conserving more fuel, saving more money, and keeping more pollution out of the environment."

The collaborative consists of 183 partners who work with EPA to complete projects that use innovations in diesel engines, alternative fuels, and renewable energy technologies to reduce air emissions along major transportation corridors. To date, the partnership has implemented about $1.1 billion in projects spanning 10 states - Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas - and the areas along the borders with Mexico and Canada. Collaborative members include a mix of private businesses, non-profits, environmental groups and government agencies. San Antonio-based retailer H-E-B joined Blue Skyways in 2006. During the meeting, the collaborative will recognize the City of San Antonio and introduce its other new members, including the Alamo Area Council of Governments.

As North Texas grows, air becomes cleaner

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As the Dallas-Fort Worth area’s economy has grown to one of the nation’s most vibrant, its citizens have also enjoyed improvements in air quality. This summer saw the lowest levels of ozone in three decades, thanks to a campaign to reduce air pollution led by the Environmental Protection Agency, the State of Texas, and local governments and businesses. High readings of ozone, a compound that contributes to the formation of smog, fell to 85 parts per billion (ppb) this year, down from over 100 ppb a few years ago. Additionally, ozone levels exceeded the health-based standard of 84 ppb only nine days this summer, compared to over 40 days in the late 1990s.

"This improvement in air quality is a direct result of the collaboration of businesses, governments, and communities from across the area, and exceeds levels that Federal or State regulations could have achieved alone,” EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene said. “This shows that the State clean-air plan we proposed to approve last July is benefitting DFW.”

EPA worked with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the North Central Texas Council of Governments, and local governments and business groups to drastically reduce harmful emissions from smokestacks and exhaust from cars, trucks, planes, trains, and construction equipment. Efforts such as TCEQ’s Texas Emissions Reduction Plan have helped by providing over $80 million in funding for new, cleaner-burning engines for businesses, schools, and governments. Over the next year, additional pollution reductions will be made at factories, power plants, and cement kilns, which will help DFW achieve ozone levels consistently below 85 ppb by 2010, as required by the Clean Air Act.

DFW has earned its cleaner air through hard work, and can do even more in the future to achieve newer, more stringent air quality standards and further protect the health of all the area’s citizens.

NMED among winners of first EPA environmental justice awards

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The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) is one of 12 winners of the first annual Environmental Justice (EJ) Achievement Awards announced today by the Environmental Protection Agency. The awards recognize organizations for their distinguished accomplishments in addressing environmental justice issues, ranging from reducing children’s pesticide exposure in childcare facilities to helping hurricane-displaced communities address environmental contamination so they could return home.

“EPA commends NMED and its fellow award recipients for their leadership in the field of environmental justice,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “These organizations are making a positive impact in their communities by promoting a clean and healthy environment for all people.”

Award recipients include representatives from community-based organizations; academic institutions; state and local governments; tribal governments and indigenous organizations; and non-governmental organizations and environmental groups. NMED began its environmental justice program by seeking public input about the nature and extent of environmental justice in New Mexico. The agency later convened an Environmental Justice Planning Committee comprised of representatives of local government, American Indian tribes, industry, and grassroots and community organizations. As a result of NMED’s environmental justice outreach, collaboration and planning, the State implemented permitting reforms, new training programs, and improved public notification, comment, and participation. Major milestones of NMED’s efforts included the creation of the Environmental Justice Policy Committee, the Environmental Justice Task Force, and the New Mexico Environmental Justice Executive Order signed by the governor on November 18, 2005.

Dillard University among winners of first environmental justice awards

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Dillard University and the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice is one of 12 winners of the first annual Environmental Justice (EJ) Achievement Awards announced today by the Environmental Protection Agency. The awards recognize organizations for their distinguished accomplishments in addressing environmental justice issues, ranging from reducing children’s pesticide exposure in childcare facilities to helping hurricane-displaced communities address environmental contamination so they could return home.

“EPA commends the Deep South Center and its fellow award recipients for their leadership in the field of environmental justice,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “These organizations are making a positive impact in their communities by promoting a clean and healthy environment for all people.”

Award recipients include representatives from community-based organizations; academic institutions; state and local governments; tribal governments and indigenous organizations; and non-governmental organizations and environmental groups. Since Hurricane Katrina, the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice at Dillard University has focused much of its work on the research, policy, and community outreach needs of the displaced minority population of New Orleans. The center has been engaged in job training and placement related to environmental cleanups, with a focus on training displaced New Orleans residents. As a result, the center has mobilized minority residents and minority contractors to participate in the cleanup and rebuilding of New Orleans.

EPA Awards $110,000 to the Shawnee Tribe for General Assistance

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The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma $110,000 to strengthen the tribe’s capacity to protect and improve the environment and public health of the tribe. The project will involve specific program activities such as obtaining environmentally related training, recycling education, and performing community outreach.

EPA Awards $130,000 to the Kaw Nation for Environmental Protection

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The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the Kaw Nation in Oklahoma a $130,000 grant to continue developing the capacity to manage its core program for environmental protection. Activities under this grant include updating environmental codes, performing community outreach and cleaning up three illegal dump sites.

EPA Awards $100,000 to the Inter-Tribal Environmental Council

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The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $100,000 to the Inter-Tribal Environmental Council for continued development of tribal underground storage tank (UST) programs. The funds will provide compliance and remediation assistance for UST activities at all Inter-Tribal Environmental Council member tribes and tribes in Oklahoma, including outreach and training.

EPA Awards Nearly $2 Million to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission

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The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded two grants to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) totaling $1,838,819 for leaking underground storage tank compliance and corrective action. OCC will get $589,037 for use towards the state’s continued implementation of the underground storage tank program as required by the 1984 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. For corrective action, $1,249,782 will be allocated towards investigations, emergency response, remediation and risk assessment.

Rio Grande Electric Cooperative partners with EPA

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Power provider to offer drop-off locations for recycling of compact fluorescent bulbs

The Environmental Protection Agency is partnering with the Rio Grande Electric Cooperative (RGEC) to reduce pollution from compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).

As a member of the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP), the cooperative will provide drop-off locations at its headquarters and regional offices for recycling CFLs, which contain a small amount of mercury that if improperly disposed of can present a hazard to the environment.

"Protecting public health and the environment is a team effort,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “EPA is honored to have the Rio Grande Electric Cooperative join us and our other partners in preventing pollution and creating healthier communities.”

The NPEP program works with 175 partners across the country to promote the voluntary reduction of 31 priority chemicals. NPEP members include both public and private organizations that identify activities that will reduce the use of these chemicals, preventing their ability to accumulate in the environment and cause harm to humans and the ecosystem. In addition, the Mercury Challenge is a specially focused program within NPEP that promotes the voluntary, systematic elimination of mercury-containing equipment.

RGEC is a customer-owned electric cooperative headquartered in Brackettville, Texas, that provides electric energy to residents of South and West Texas and southern New Mexico. With service to 20 counties, RGEC provides power over a larger service area than any other cooperative in the contiguous United States. However, much of their service area is rural, where access to CFL recycling centers can be difficult for many residents. With their partnership with EPA, RGEC hopes to further promote the power-saving benefits of CFLs while also providing environmentally responsible disposal locations to their customers.

“Rio Grande Electric Co-op strives to promote sustainable rural development, and, especially in these tenuous economic times, responsible energy usage,” said RGEC’s General Manager/CEO Dan Laws. “To this end, the Co-op recommends the use of compact fluorescent bulbs, or CFLs. We would be remiss, however, if we were to succeed in saving energy and carbon emissions through the use of CFLs, without providing responsible disposal outlets. The territory we serve is diverse, rugged, and, for the most part, uniquely pristine. We are pleased to join with EPA in promoting this partnership, and encourage others to do likewise to preserve our natural resources.”

San Benito completes model solar project

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System to show potential of renewable energy along US-Mexico border.

The City of San Benito, Texas, marked the completion of a $325,000 solar-powered array for its new water treatment plant with a ribbon-cutting ceremony today at the facility. Funding for the photovoltaic system came from the Environmental Protection Agency through a grant to the Texas General Land Office and its Renewable Energy Program.

“Solar power pays off,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “These types of projects cut energy costs, save demand on the electricity grid, and reduce the amount of greenhouse gases going into the environment.”

The San Benito plant will filter up to six million gallons of water a day, with the photovoltaic system providing about 10 percent of the power used to filter water at the plant. The 45 kilowatt project is the largest of its kind on the Texas-Mexico border, and officials hope it will inspire more solar-powered projects throughout the border region.

EPA works with the Border Environment Cooperation Commission and the North American Development Bank to fund sustainable infrastructure projects along the U.S.-Mexico border. Interest in renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and geothermal power, continues to grow as more communities attempt to balance the need to cut pollution and greenhouse gases with increased demands and costs for energy. Both the economic and environmental benefits of solar energy make it attractive and practical for areas with sunny climates. Officials hope to use the San Benito facility to showcase the potential of solar power as a viable energy source.

Additional information on EPA’s renewable energy programs is available at http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy