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Agency seeking public comment

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today is releasing its draft Scientific Integrity Policy for public comment.  The draft policy reflects the Obama Administration’s commitment to the ethical standards and transparency necessary for ensuring the highest quality science.

The draft Scientific Integrity Policy was developed in response to a December 2010 memorandum from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.  The memorandum charged federal agencies to develop policies in four areas: foundations of scientific integrity in government, public communications, use of federal advisory committees, and professional development of government scientists and engineers.

EPA’s draft Scientific Integrity Policy was developed by an ad hoc workgroup consisting of senior staff and scientists from the agency’s programs and regions.  The draft policy addresses the promotion of scientific ethical standards, including quality standards; communications with the public; the use of advisory committees and peer review; and professional development, as well as the roles and responsibilities of a new Scientific Integrity Committee.

Public comments will be taken through September 6.

EPA’s draft Scientific Integrity Policy is available at: http://www.epa.gov/osa

Historically, federal, state and local government have managed environmental issues through regulation, assessing potential harm to human health and instituting policies that minimize risks.  The result has been both environmental and human health protection governed by a myriad of requirements, reports and restrictions.  The aspiration of product stewardship – seeking “producers” of products to influence consumer behavior, finance the end of life disposal of products and improve the design of their products – has also been translated into law and regulation in many states and provinces. While the goal of product stewardship – zero waste – is almost always beyond reproach, using the regulatory process is arguably not.

Consumer behavior change is not typically achievable through comprehensive regulation unless there is an immediate danger to human health (think cigarettes).  Government needs to take a lighter hand with regulation and a more prominent role as an enabler.

Consumers don’t believe product manufacturers’ green claims and don’t consider them to be credible sources for environmental information on issues like recycling.  Exposés on “green-washing” (see the Sins of Green-Washing –<a href=”http://www.sinsofgreenwashing.org” target=”_blank”) routinely illustrate this concern.  In fact, government information has shown to have the greatest credibility regarding environmental information among consumers.  It’s a task that government cannot abdicate as part of broader efforts to make manufacturers more responsible for the products they put into the marketplace.  Governments must partner with product stewardship programs to change behaviors.

Read the complete article at Environmental Leader

Consumers will save $1.7 trillion at the pump, $8K per vehicle by 2025

WASHINGTON, DC – President Obama today announced a historic agreement with thirteen major automakers to pursue the next phase in the Administration’s national vehicle program, increasing fuel economy to 54.5 miles per gallon for cars and light-duty trucks by Model Year 2025. The President was joined by Ford, GM, Chrysler, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar/Land Rover, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota and Volvo – which together account for over 90% of all vehicles sold in the United States – as well as the United Auto Workers (UAW), and the State of California, who were integral to developing this agreement.

“This agreement on fuel standards represents the single most important step we’ve ever taken as a nation to reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” said President Obama. ”Most of the companies here today were part of an agreement we reached two years ago to raise the fuel efficiency of their cars over the next five years. We’ve set an aggressive target and the companies are stepping up to the plate.  By 2025, the average fuel economy of their vehicles will nearly double to almost 55 miles per gallon.”

Building on the Obama administration’s agreement for Model Years 2012-2016 vehicles, which will raise fuel efficiency to 35.5 mpg and begin saving families money at the pump this year, the next round of standards will require performance equivalent to 54.5 mpg or 163 grams/ mile of CO2 for cars and light-duty trucks by Model Year 2025. Achieving the goals of this historic agreement will rely on innovative technologies and manufacturing that will spur economic growth and create high-quality domestic jobs in cutting edge industries across America.

These programs, combined with the model year 2011 light truck standard, represent the first meaningful update to fuel efficiency standards in three decades and span Model Years 2011 to 2025.  Together, they will save American families $1.7 trillion dollars in fuel costs, and by 2025 result in an average fuel savings of over $8,000 per vehicle. Additionally, these programs will dramatically cut the oil we consume, saving a total of 12 billion barrels of oil, and by 2025 reduce oil consumption by 2.2 million barrels a day – as much as half of the oil we import from OPEC every day.

The standards also curb carbon pollution, cutting more than 6 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas over the life of the program – more than the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the United States last year. The oil savings, consumer, and environmental benefits of this comprehensive program are detailed in a new report entitled Driving Efficiency:  Cutting Costs for Families at the Pump and Slashing Dependence on Oil, which the Administration released today.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) have worked closely with auto manufacturers, the state of California, environmental groups, and other stakeholders for several months to ensure these standards are achievable, cost-effective and preserve consumer choice.   The program would increase the stringency of standards for passenger cars by an average of five percent each year. The stringency of standards for pick-ups and other light-duty trucks would increase an average of 3.5 percent annually for the first five model years and an average of five percent annually for the last four model years of the program, to account for the unique challenges associated with this class of vehicles.

“These standards will help spur economic growth, protect the environment, and strengthen our national security by reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Working together, we are setting the stage for a new generation of clean vehicles.”

“This is another important step toward saving money for drivers, breaking our dependence on imported oil and cleaning up the air we breathe,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “American consumers are calling for cleaner cars that won’t pollute their air or break their budgets at the gas pump, and our innovative American automakers are responding with plans for some of the most fuel efficient vehicles in our history.”

A national policy on fuel economy standards and greenhouse gas emissions provides regulatory certainty and flexibility that reduces the cost of compliance for auto manufacturers while addressing oil consumption and harmful air pollution. Consumers will continue to have access to a diverse fleet and can purchase the vehicle that best suits their needs.

EPA and NHTSA are developing a joint proposed rulemaking, which will include full details on the proposed program and supporting analyses, including the costs and benefits of the proposal and its effects on the economy, auto manufacturers, and consumers.  After the proposed rules are published in the Federal Register, there will be an opportunity for public comment and public hearings.  The agencies plan to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by the end of September 2011. California plans on adopting its proposed rule in the same time frame as the federal proposal.

Given the long time frame at issue in setting standards for MY2022-2025 light-duty vehicles, EPA and NHTSA intend to propose a comprehensive mid-term evaluation.  Consistent with the agencies’ commitment to maintaining a single national framework for vehicle GHG and fuel economy regulation, the agencies will conduct the mid-term evaluation in close coordination with California.

In achieving the level of standards described above for the 2017-2025 program, the agencies expect automakers’ use of advanced technologies to be an important element of transforming the vehicle fleet.  The agencies are considering a number of incentive programs to encourage early adoption and introduction into the marketplace of advanced technologies that represent “game changing” performance improvements, including:

Incentives for electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel cells vehicles;
Incentives for advanced technology packages for large pickups, such as hybridization and other performance-based strategies;
Credits for technologies with potential to achieve real-world CO₂ reductions and fuel economy improvements that are not captured by the standards test procedures.

In addition, EPA plans to propose provisions for:
Credits for improvements in air conditioning (A/C) systems, both for efficiency improvements and for use of alternative, lower global warming potential refrigerant;
Treatment of compressed natural gas (CNG);
Continued credit banking and trading, including a one-time carry-forward of unused MY 2010-2016 credits through MY 2021.

PACE has a pulse. Today a group of Congressional leaders introduced legislation that would restore local governments’ ability to run property-assessed clean energy (PACE) programs. The bipartisan PACE Protection Act from Reps. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) and Nan Hayworth (R-N.Y.) would again allow cities and counties to help property owners finance energy efficiency and renewable energy modifications for their homes and commercial buildings – without any government subsidies or taxes.

ICLEI USA enthusiastically supports the PACE Protection Act.

PACE programs have been proven to create local jobs and stimulate local economies, help property owners save money and energy, and help communities reach their energy and greenhouse gas reduction goals. A common-sense win-win-win idea that was nevertheless stymied by the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s overreaching and myopic decision to block the programs last year.

Read the complete article at ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability

Starting in February 1, 2012, furnaces will be able to display Energy Star seals appropriate to their particular climate zones. Furnaces that meet new requirements for the southern half of the U.S. will be labeled with a specific U.S. South Energy Star mark. These units will be up to 12 percent more energy efficient than baseline units, the EPA says.

Qualified furnaces in the northern half of the U.S. and in Canada will bear the standard Energy Star logo and will be up to 16 percent more energy efficient than baseline models, the agency says. These changes will make home furnaces as a whole up to five percent more efficient than is currently required by the Energy Star program, the EPA adds.

In addition, effective January 20, 2012, both standard-sized and compact residential dishwashers will need to be between ten and 30 percent more energy efficient than conventional models, to earn the Energy Star label. That will make future Energy Star models about eight percent more efficient than Energy Star dishwashers today, the agency said.

The EPA says that if every dishwasher in the U.S. met the new requirements, consumer energy and water bill savings would grow to approximately $235 million per year. It says that if every gas furnace sold in the U.S. were to meet the new Energy Star requirements for those products, the savings would grow to more than $170 million per year.

For more information, visit the Energy Star website