The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has published a brochure that clarifies the upcoming phase-out of incandescent light bulbs. Beginning in 2012, and a year earlier in California, traditional 100-watt, 75-watt, 60-watt, and 40-watt bulbs will be phased out, with a completion date of 2014.

Based on the average number of sockets per household, NEMA estimates that American households will save an average of $143 on electric bills when the transition is complete. This figure assumes an electrical rate of $0.11/kWh.

Lighting Options for Your Home summarizes the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, which mandates reductions in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, and explains how the changeover from incandescent lamps will help accomplish the country’s sustainability goals.

Options for lighting homes and offices include halogen, compact fluorescent, and LED light sources, each of which is explained in detail.

To download a copy of the brochure, click here, or contact communications@nema.org to request a hard copy.

Incremental Cost of Efficient Construction Well Under $1,000 Per Home

Washington, D.C., November 18, 2010 – The average incremental cost of constructing a new home to meet the current energy efficiency building code – the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) – comes to a mere $818.72, according to a recent study by the Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP), a nonprofit advocacy organization that supports code adoption and implementation.

Moreover, a homeowner will recoup those extra dollars in less than three and a half years, thanks to the annual energy savings of $243.37 per home – or even more quickly if the additional $818.72 is amortized over the life of a 30-year mortgage.

That scenario considerably shortens the payback period. For instance, in the state of Kentucky, the payback period is only seven months. In that state, a home built to the new code increases a 20 percent down payment by a modest $154.78 and the monthly mortgage payment by a negligible $3.01, BCAP found. With a 10 percent down payment, the extra up-front investment is made up in only four months, due to lower home energy bills.

BCAP based these calculations on the national average new home price of $267,451 for a 2,400-square foot home and a 4.14 percent mortgage interest rate. State-specific labor and product costs were also used so the study would mirror actual construction pricing as closely as possible.

When a home is built to conform to the 2009 IECC – which BCAP describes as a minimum but meaningful baseline for energy efficiency – home buyers get energy-efficient lighting and windows, a higher grade of insulation and HVAC duct sealing and testing.

“Throughout our research, we made sure to use real-world construction cost data and always tried to be as conservative as possible with our methodology,” noted BCAP Executive Director Aleisha Khan. “For example, even though many states already require duct testing, we added in $350 to the up-front cost of the energy-efficient home, because we know that in some states it doesn’t actually happen.

Khan continued, “A home is usually an individual or family’s biggest lifetime investment, so it makes sense to protect and maximize the value of that investment by building in energy efficiency from the ground up – and reaping the benefits of lower energy bills from day one.

“And while homeowners can always improve their homes’ energy efficiency, it’s far more cost-effective to upgrade building components during construction, rather than make costly and inconvenient retrofits later on,” she concluded.

The complete incremental cost analysis can be found on BCAP’s best practice network – the O.C.E.A.N. website — at http://bcap-ocean.org/incremental-cost-analysis.

Office of Advocacy
U.S. Small Business Administration

NEWSRELEASE

WASHINGTON, DC— Today Winslow Sargeant, SBA’s Chief Counsel for Advocacy called for a repeal of the burdensome expanded Form 1099 reporting requirement for small business. Testifying before the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, Sargeant endorsed the recently introduced “Small Business Paperwork Relief Act” and commended Senators Baucus and Landrieu for its introduction. The hearing focused on reducing the regulatory and administrative burdens on America’s small businesses.

“The Form 1099 requirement will greatly increase the reporting and recordkeeping burdens on small businesses,” said Sargeant. “We’ve heard strong opposition from small business about the new 1099 requirement, and the message we heard was repeal. I endorse repeal and I commend Senator Baucus and Senator Landrieu on introducing legislation that will remove this burden on American small business.”

Unless the requirements is repealed beginning in 2012, all companies will have to issue Forms 1099 to any individual or corporation from which they buy more than $600 in goods or services in a tax year. The expanded reporting requirement would result in a greater paperwork burden as small businesses would see an increase in the number of Forms 1099 that they are required to file.

At the hearing, Sargeant referenced data from Advocacy’s recently released study The Impact of Regulatory Costs on Small Firms. He indicated that firms with fewer than 20 employees pay $10,585 per employee on average to comply with federal regulations. “The regulatory burden is 36% greater on small firms than on their large counterparts. In addition the cost to small businesses of tax compliance is over 300 percent greater per employee than the cost to large companies.”

Sargeant has been aggressively advocating for small business since being sworn in as Chief Counsel for Advocacy. In addition to Form 1099, he has been active on a number of issues involving the environment, transportation, labor, safety and health and tax.

Release date: 11/16/2010  Thanks to Curt @ CWA Consulting Services, LLC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified a list of 134 chemicals that will be screened for their potential to disrupt the endocrine system. Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interact with and possibly disrupt the hormones produced or secreted by the human or animal endocrine system, which regulates growth, metabolism and reproduction. Administrator Lisa P. Jackson has made it a top priority to ensure the safety of chemicals, and this is another step in this process.

“Endocrine disruptors represent a serious health concern for the American people, especially children. Americans today are exposed to more chemicals in our products, our environment and our bodies than ever before, and it is essential that EPA takes every step to gather information and prevent risks,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “We are using the best available science to examine a larger list of chemicals and ensure that they are not contaminating the water we drink and exposing adults and children to potential harm.”

The list includes chemicals that have been identified as priorities under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and may be found in sources of drinking water where a substantial number of people may be exposed. The list also includes pesticide active ingredients that are being evaluated under EPA’s registration review program to ensure they meet current scientific and regulatory standards. The data generated from the screens will provide robust and systematic scientific information to help EPA identify whether additional testing is necessary, or whether other steps are necessary to address potential endocrine disrupting chemicals.

The chemicals listed include those used in products such as solvents, gasoline, plastics, personal care products, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals, including benzene, perchlorate, urethane, ethylene glycol, and erythromycin.

Also being announced today are draft policies and procedures that EPA will follow to order testing, minimize duplicative testing, promote equitable cost-sharing, and to address issues that are unique to chemicals regulated under the SDWA.

After public comment and review, EPA will issue test orders to pesticide registrants and the manufacturers of these chemicals to compel them to generate data to determine whether their chemicals may disrupt the estrogen, androgen and thyroid pathways of the endocrine system.

EPA is already screening an initial group of 67 pesticide chemicals. In October 2009, the agency issued orders to companies requiring endocrine disruptor screening program data for these chemicals. EPA will begin issuing orders for this second group of 134 chemicals beginning in 2011.

EPA has the most comprehensive mandated testing program for hormone effects in the world. The program is the result of a multi-year effort that includes validation of the science through a transparent scientific review process.

Addendum for the Second List of Chemicals; Tier 1 Screening of Certain Chemicals Under the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP)
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 221 (Wednesday, November 17, 2010)] [Pages 70248-70254]

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a request an addendum to an existing approved Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This addendum simply covers the burden for a new list of chemicals to receive and respond to EDSP Orders. The activities articulated in the original ICR are not changing. This ICR addendum, entitled “Addendum for the Second List of Chemicals; Tier 1 Screening of Certain Chemicals Under the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP)” and identified by EPA ICR No. 2249.02 and OMB Control No. 2070-0106. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection. DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 18, 2011.

Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program; Draft Policies and Procedures for Screening Safe Drinking Water Act Chemicals, Second List of Chemicals for Tier 1 Screening, Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Addendum for the Second List of Chemicals; Tier 1 Screening of Certain Chemicals
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 221 (Wednesday, November 17, 2010)] [Pages 70558-70568]

This document describes EPA’s draft policies and procedures for requiring Tier 1 screening under the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) of substances for which EPA may issue testing orders pursuant to section 1457 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and section 408(p) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). FFDCA section 408(p) directed EPA to develop a chemical screening program using appropriate validated test systems and other scientifically relevant information to determine whether certain substances may have hormonal effects. These draft policies and procedures are intended to supplement the existing EDSP policies and procedures that were published in the Federal Register on April 15, 2009 (74 FR 17560); however, this document was drafted with the intent of explaining the policies and procedures relevant to EDSP Safe Drinking Water Act chemicals. DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 18, 2011.

Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful (KTMB) is dedicated to creating a cleaner, more beautiful region through education and active community involvement. KTMB’s current programs include: Adopt-A-Spot, Adopt-A-Park, Christmas Tree Recycling, Phone Book Recycling, neighborhood and open space cleanups, educational paper making workshops and the “Trash Lady^TM“, now known as “Waste Warriors.” For more information on how you can get involved e-mail deidre@ktmb.org

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