New England Energy Team priorities

1. 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

2. Wind 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

3. 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

4. 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

6. Diesel 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

7. Northeast 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

8. 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

9. Sustainable Infrastructure Initiative • Better Management • Full Cost Pricing • Water Efficiency • Watershed Approach to Protection

10. What is Region 1 doing with SI? • 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

11. Office of Environmental Measurement and Evaluation or “The Lab” Protecting Our Environment through Sound Science

12. Leading 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

13. 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 samples critical 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. For more information on EPA New England’s Regional Laboratory, go to:www.epa.gov/ne/lab

18. Thank You