White House.gov Blog Feed: Council on Environmental Quality

Happy National Bike to Work Day

Jon Powers — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:50:50 +0000

As the spring weather is upon us, more and more people are taking to their bicycles to get to work. Bike commuting reduces pollution and promotes health and well-being by incorporating active outdoor time into the workday. In the Obama Administration, that’s something we encourage.

Last year, some innovative Federal employees in Portland and Seattle decided to challenge each other during the month of May to increase the number of riders in their community. As part of the White House’s GreenGov Spotlight Community Initiative, we worked with those innovative leaders and challenged the rest of the Federal government to the Federal Bike to Work Challenge for May 2013. All across the nation, Federal employees are straddling their bikes and achieving some exceedingly impressive results.

There are currently 148 Federal teams and 1,097 riders, of which 260 are new bike commuters. We’re only halfway through May and already these riders have logged 66,000 miles, and more than 5,000 rides commuting to and from work. The Executive Office of the President, with 9 teams made up of 72 riders, has already commuted over 2,644 miles by bike.

As the Federal Environmental Executive, I am proud of these teams that are reducing pollution and becoming healthier in the process as we burn not gasoline but calories instead. We hope to continue the growing momentum. Happy National Bike to Work Day!

Learn More about the GreenGov Spotlight Communities: http://www.epa.gov/fgc/spotlight/index.html

Jon Powers is the Federal Environmental Executive.

Building Infrastructure and Healthy Communities

Nancy Sutley — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:54:29 +0000

When President Obama signed an Executive Order last year to improve Federal review and permitting of infrastructure projects, he did so based on the belief that the Federal Government can work smarter and faster on projects that grow middle class jobs and maintain strong environmental protections for our communities. We can already see the results of this initiative. A progress report released today shows how Federal agencies have cut red tape to speed the review and permitting of dozens of major bridge, transit, railway, waterway, road and renewable energy projects, promoting jobs and strengthening our competiveness – and without compromising the important health and environmental protections Americans expect and deserve.

Today, the President signed a Presidential Memorandum that takes the next step by institutionalizing the time- and cost-saving tactics the agencies have identified over the past year. These best practices range from expanding use of information technology to cut paperwork and provide agencies with better information faster, to making time-saving collaboration the norm. For example, by having multiple agencies review a project at the same time, instead of one after the other. The Administration is also working to expand innovative tools to improve environmental outcomes; develop more targeted and relevant environmental reviews; provide more opportunities for public input; and improve collaboration with State, local, and Tribal governments.

This modernization effort reaches across the Federal Government and will shave months or even years off of project review and permitting decisions, allowing States, local governments and private developers to get started sooner on projects that grow jobs, fix our Nation’s infrastructure, and are good for communities. It will also protect the health of our communities and give Americans a greater voice in Federal decisions on projects that impact them. Moving forward, you can track the results of specific projects on the Administration’s Infrastructure Permitting Dashboard, which provides an unprecedented level of transparency into the Federal permitting and review process.

This work is all part of the Administration’s effort to make America a magnet for jobs by building a 21st Century infrastructure. At a time when we must do more with less, we must operate more nimbly to continue to deliver on jobs and resilient infrastructure for our communities. Ultimately, we can meet the President’s goal of cutting the timeline in half for major infrastructure projects and create better outcomes for communities and the environment.

Nancy Sutley is Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality

Protecting Our Interests in the Arctic

Nancy Sutley — Fri, 10 May 2013 18:21:07 +0000

Today, the Obama Administration released the National Strategy for the Arctic Region that outlines our Nation’s priorities in the rapidly changing area over the next 10 years. The Strategy unifies Federal efforts across these broad goals: advancing U.S. security interests, pursuing responsible Arctic region stewardship, and strengthening international cooperation. The United States is an Arctic nation. As new challenges and opportunities emerge in the region as the result of a changing climate, this strategy builds on the significant work that has already been done by Federal agencies, the State of Alaska, and area Tribes over the past years and decades.

One of the many building blocks of the Arctic Strategy is the Administration’s recently released National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan. The Implementation Plan translates the Administration’s National Ocean Policy into on-the-ground actions to better leverage Federal resources, streamline decision-making, and encourage collaboration among Federal agencies, states and marine stakeholders on ocean issues. A key focus of the Implementation Plan is the Arctic. Federal agencies are targeting their work in the Arctic on monitoring the impacts of changing conditions, developing better mapping and charting to aid in safe navigation, improving Arctic sea-ice forecasting, and coordinating readiness for environmental incident response – all actions that support the priorities of the National Strategy for the Arctic Region.

The United States has broad interests in the Arctic, from national security to energy development, commerce, environmental protection, scientific research, and preservation of a rich cultural heritage. All of these interests must be addressed in the context of dramatic changes to the environment and accessibility of the region. Through better Federal coordination, improved access to science and information, and more efficient decision-making, the National Ocean Policy will help achieve the priorities laid out in the Arctic Strategy. I look forward to the National Ocean Council’s continued contribution to this effort, for the benefit of all Americans.

To read the National Strategy for the Arctic Region, click here.

Nancy Sutley is Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality

Open Data for Climate and Health Insights

Tom Armstrong — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:23:48 +0000

Ed. note: This is cross-posted from the Office of Science and Technology Policy blog

Today, in conjunction with a series of landmark steps announced by the Obama Administration to unleash troves of useful data from the vaults of government, the interagency US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) launched a new online tool that promises to accelerate research relating to climate change and human health—the Metadata Access Tool for Climate and Health, or “MATCH.”

The Administration announcements made today include an Executive Order signed by the President declaring that information is a valuable national resource and strategic asset, and a new government-wide Open Data Policy requiring that, going forward, data generated by the government shall be made available in open, machine-readable formats. The move will make troves of previously inaccessible or unmanageable data more readily available to entrepreneurs, researchers, and others who can use open data as fuel for innovation, businesses and new services and tools.

MATCH is one such tool, driven by open data, which could open the door for new scientific insights in the public health and climate science communities. It is a publicly accessible digital platform for searching and integrating metadata—standardized contextual information—extracted from more than 9,000 health, environment, and climate-science datasets held by six Federal agencies.

Screenshot of the Metadata Access Tool for Climate and Health (MATCH), the US Global Change Research Program's online tool for researchers that offers centralized access to metadata ‐ standardized contextual information ‐ about thousands of government-held datasets related to health, the environment, and climate-science.

The public health community has long recognized that environmental factors, including climate change, can have both direct and indirect impacts on human health. Increasingly severe heat waves, for example, have already wrought serious negative impacts on the elderly and other sensitive populations in parts of the United States and other regions of the world.

As climate change continues to boost the frequency and intensity of hurricanes, floods, and droughts—and as temperature shifts and related phenomena alter the endemic ranges of disease-carrying mosquitoes and other vectors—it has become more important to understand how these phenomena could affect—and in some cases already are affecting—the occurrence and severity of respiratory illness, allergies, infectious diseases, heat stroke, and other conditions that affect millions of people across the United States and in other nations.

MATCH will help researchers and public health officials integrate the latest information from across environmental and health disciplines in order to inform more effective responses to climate and health threats. For instance, using MATCH, a scientist can search metadata records to pinpoint environmental datasets about flooding frequency in a certain region of the United States and health datasets about outbreaks of waterborne diseases in the same location in order to investigate correlations between the two—a synthesis that could produce actionable insights for public health professionals, regional planners, and policy-makers.

MATCH is a product of interagency collaboration coordinated by USGCRP, involving the CDC, EPA, NASA, NIH, NOAA, and USGS, and based on input from members of the academic community, and professional groups such as the American Public Health Association and American Meteorological Society. Many of the metadata records now retrievable through MATCH—and their corresponding datasets—were previously in difficult-to-access agency archives or stored in non-interoperable formats.

MATCH is an important addition to the growing stores of datasets and data-processing tools being made available in open and machine-readable formats by the Obama Administration and whose expansion will accelerate under the Executive Order and Open Data Policy released today.

That policy—which is dedicated to making the government more transparent digital data more widely available to the public, entrepreneurs, and innovators while protecting confidentiality and security—promises to help scientists and researchers generate insights and products that protect health and improve lives.

You can access MATCH here.
You can learn more about climate and health here.
You can learn more about the Administration's open data efforts here.

Tom Armstrong is Executive Director of the US Global Change Research Program

Green Button: Enabling Energy Innovation

Monisha Shah and Nick Sinai — Thu, 02 May 2013 15:12:15 +0000

Ed. note: This is cross-posted from the Office of Science and Technology Policy blog

Last year, in response to the Obama Administration’s call to action, 35 utilities and energy providers committed to provide 36 million homes and businesses with their own energy usage information in the consensus, industry-standard Green Button format.

Not only are utilities implementing Green Button Download My Data across the country for homes and businesses to securely download their information, but utilities in California and the Mid-Atlantic are beginning to implement Green Button Connect My Data functionality— making it easier for their customers to securely transfer their own energy usage data to authorized third parties, based on affirmative (opt-in) customer consent and control. These efforts will provide more than 11 million customers with an easy and secure way to automatically and routinely participate in energy saving opportunities.

Adopting the Green Button standard will enable households and businesses to more easily use web and smartphone apps to pick the best rate plan for them; take advantage of customized energy efficiency tips; utilize easy-to-use tools to size and finance rooftop solar panels; and download virtual energy audit software that can cut costs for building owners and help get retrofits started sooner.

Today, we’re excited to see Green Button enable energy innovation through new announcements for the industry-led Green Button Initiative:

Ecova will take advantage of the Connect My Data platform to save commercial building owners money by offering more targeted energy saving opportunities.
Solar City is integrating Connect My Data into its sales consultations to help customers assess solar's potential to reduce home energy consumption and monthly electricity bills
MyEnergy is now able to convert your utility bill into electronic Green Button data for you – almost anywhere in the country.
WeatherBug-Earth Networks is integrating Connect My Data with its real-time hyper-local weather data to improve load management and save consumers money
EnerNOC is using Green Button data to quality check their real-time sensor data, and separately, has published a open data set of anonymized energy consumption data from 100 buildings in the Green Button format
Bidgely is using Connect My Data to offer appliance-level energy consumption insights to consumers
ChargePoint will use Green Button to report energy consumption data to utilities from electric vehicle charging stations
Wegowise is now using Green Button data to drive multi-family and commercial building energy efficiency
With support from the Department of Energy, the Pike Powers Laboratory and Center for Commercialization has launched a Green Button app testing center and the Pecan Street Research Institute will also make the largest open set of disaggregated and anonymized consumer energy use data available in the Green Button format.

Green Button is also adding value in the public sector. In Washington, DC, for example, the local government is working with the utility company Pepco to acquire details on energy usage in local government buildings, in order to identify opportunities to conserve energy, save money, and meet local sustainability goals. The Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program also just launched a new version of the Home Energy Yardstick tool that incorporates a Green Button feature. The Yardstick helps people compare their home’s actual energy performance to other homes.

As energy innovation continues to show promise for growing our economy, protecting privacy remains a priority for the Administration. To that end, DOE is helping to facilitate a multi-stakeholder process with utilities, privacy advocates, and others to develop a code of conduct that will help clarify for consumers and providers how energy usage data should be protected and when it can be shared.

Green Button is part of a comprehensive grid-modernization strategy, and recent estimates indicate that the Administration’s early smart grid investments have generated significant economic benefits for the American public. Investing in a modern grid – and continuing smart partnerships through the Green Button initiative - are important components of our strategy to cut energy waste in half by 2020 - and build a stronger, more resilient, and more competitive economy.

Monisha Shah is Deputy Associate Director for Energy and Climate Change at the White House Council on Environmental Quality

Nick Sinai is Deputy US Chief Technology Officer at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

Protecting Our Environment and Our Health: Earth Day + National Take-Back Day

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:57:40 +0000

Ed. note: This is cross-posted from the Office of National Drug Control Policy blog

Is your medicine cabinet filled with old bottles of half-used prescriptions? They might seem harmless, but that medicine can spell disaster if misused, and disposing of prescription drugs the wrong way can harm our Nation’s water supply and our environment. That’s why today on Earth Day, we want to encourage you to participate in Take Back Day on April 27^th to get rid of old medications and keep your family, and the planet, safe.

Clean out your medicine cabinet

A medicine cabinet full of unneeded or expired medicine poses a risk to your loved ones, especially young people. In 2010, prescription drugs were involved in over 22,000 deaths. Of those, over 16,000 involved opioid painkillers like Vicodin® and OxyContin®.[1]

In the United States, more people die from prescription drug overdoses than from heroin or cocaine overdoses —combined.[2]

According to a recent Monitoring the Future study – the Nation's largest survey of drug use among young people – prescription drugs are the third-most abused category of drugs after marijuana. In addition, the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that over 70 percent of people who abused prescription pain relievers in the past year got them from friends or relatives the last time they used them.[3] Over 50 percent of teens in a 2008 survey said it was easy to get prescription medications from their parent’s medicine cabinet.[4] Getting rid of those old medicines is an easy step you can take to remove a temptation—and maybe save a life.

Be careful about the medicines you flush

You might think flushing all your old pills down the toilet is the best way to dispose of them, but that’s not necessarily true. Medicines that go down the drain end up in our water supply, where they can damage the environment and harm animals.[5] We don’t know if these drugs in the water supply might also harm people, but experts believe antibiotics in the water might make it harder to treat certain pathogens in the future.[6] To make sure, visit the FDA’s page on safe drug disposal guidelines to find out which medicines they recommend flushing.

President Obama and the White House Council on Environmental Quality are committed to clean water, and want to reduce contaminants in drinking water, including contamination from improperly disposed medications. So we’re encouraging everyone to participate in the Sixth National Drug Take-Back Day on April 27. On Take Back Day, local law enforcement and community groups team up with the Drug Enforcement Administration to collect unused medications so they can be disposed of safely. Visit the Take Back Day website to find a collection site near you.

Safe medication disposal tips

Can’t make it to Take Back Day? Here is how to dispose of prescription drugs safely:

If there are no specific disposal instructions on the medication, take it out of its original container and mix it with an undesirable substance like coffee grounds or cat litter to discourage people and animals.
Place the mixture in a sealable bag and put it in the trash.
To protect your privacy, before throwing out a medicine container, scratch out all identifying information on the prescription label to make it unreadable.

[1] CDC/WONDER, extracted February 11, 2013

[2] http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/ondcp/issues-content/presc...

[3] http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/prescription-drug-abuse

[4] http://www.drugfree.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Full-Report-FINAL-PAT...

[5] http://epa.gov/nerlesd1/chemistry/pharma/images/drawing.pdf

[6] http://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/deq-ess-p2tas-facilitydrugdisposal_228964_7.pdf

Real Progress on Environmental Justice

Nancy Sutley and Bob Perciasepe — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:49:10 +0000

All Americans deserve to have clean air to breathe, safe water to drink, and healthy communities in which to raise their families. These things are an essential part of what it means to live in America.

But too often, America’s low-income and minority communities bear the brunt of the nation’s pollution. That also means that these communities are disproportionately affected by the many serious – and costly – illnesses that are linked to pollution, and that they are less attractive to the businesses and investments that help create thriving neighborhoods. And unfortunately, these groups often have little say in the decision-making process that can fix these inequities.

The Obama Administration is working to address these disparities. As part of an initiative led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), Americans across the country are benefiting from new approaches by Federal agencies to ensure healthy, thriving communities.

In new annual reports, agencies show the steps they have taken to ensure they are meeting environmental justice goals, including engaging overburdened communities early and often in decision-making, integrating environmental justice into grant application processes and agency programs, and improving the tools and methods used to identify and address concerns. This work impacts areas ranging from education and labor to health services, housing, and more. For example:

The Department of Veterans Affairs is helping to provide green jobs and workforce development opportunities for veterans in low-income communities.
The Department of Labor is now translating educational materials and hazard alerts into Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese for non-English speaking workers.
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is using Health Impact Assessments to proactively address the potential impacts a policy or project may have on overburdened populations’ health.
The Department of Education awarded $35 million in Promise Neighborhoods grants to create safe and healthy spaces for children and improve the educational and developmental outcomes of youth in distressed neighborhoods.
The Department of the Interior, building on the America’s Great Outdoors Presidential Initiative, is studying the Federal Government’s urban assets and developing ways to promote work opportunities on public lands in urban areas.
The Department of Agriculture worked with American Indian, Native Alaskan, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities and intertribal organizations to meet information needs for protecting their communities from the impacts of climate change, including working with individual tribes on place-based responses to climate change that serve as models for future efforts.

Moreover, inter-agency collaboration is setting the foundation for even more progress. The Administration has reinvigorated the Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice, and hosted the first-ever White House Forum on Environmental Justice to engage stakeholders from across the country. In addition, Federal agencies, working together, have released an Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Asthma Disparities and helped communities nationwide improve access to affordable housing, provide more transportation options, lower transportation costs, and reduce pollution through the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

We are making great progress, but there is still much work to do. Across the Federal Government, we are committed to better serving communities burdened by harmful pollution, engaging these communities as we work to address environmental issues, and ensuring environmental justice is part of Federal decision-making for the benefit of all Americans.

Nancy Sutley is Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality
Bob Perciasepe is the Acting Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Why We Can’t Afford Arbitrary Budget Cuts for the Public Lands and Waters that Fuel Our Economy

Sue Rechner — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 18:27:42 +0000

As CEO of Confluence Watersports, one of the largest manufacturers of kayaks, canoes, and watersports accessories, I naturally value the accessibility of our country’s public lands and waterways – not just for the quality of life they provide or our environmental legacy, but also for the 425 people we employ in South Carolina, about 75 percent of whom work in manufacturing.

Over the last 5 years, our business has experienced consistent growth, enabling us to expand our workforce and invest in our future. We recently moved into a new 300,000-square-foot facility, and have committed to investing up to $12 million in capital expenditures over the next few years. But to thrive as a U. S. manufacturer in this industry, our customers need access to quality on-water experiences. My business, employees, and community depend on it. In fact, the entire U.S. economy depends on quality outdoor recreation experiences.

Outdoor recreation is a huge driver of the U.S. economy. According to a report published by the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) last year, the outdoor recreation industry supports 6.1 million jobs across the United States, and generates $646 billion in direct spending and $79 billion in tax revenue annually. The OIA recently released figures tallying the state-by-state impacts of outdoor recreation, including direct spending, jobs, salaries, and tax revenue.

This week, I joined several outdoor industry colleagues at the White House for a Roundtable on the Outdoor Recreation Economy with officials from the Council on Environmental Quality, National Economic Council, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and Interior. Our focus was the economic benefit of getting more Americans outside. It was a great dialogue among diverse agencies that realize the importance of outdoor recreation for our economy and for our citizens.

The Administration has demonstrated that it understands the significant connection between outdoor recreation, a healthy economy, and a healthy country. President Obama’s signature recreation and conservation initiative, America’s Great Outdoors (AGO), has led to unprecedented interagency collaboration. Thanks to AGO, agencies are effectively working with one another and with local communities to reconnect Americans with the outdoors by creating, expanding, and enhancing access to our country’s amazing network of public lands and waters.

Our country’s remote wilderness, national and local parks, wild rivers and scenic waterways, hiking trails, and bicycle paths span the country and provide places where Americans can seek nature and recreate outdoors. These places will continue to create jobs and drive the economy if our elected leaders choose to manage and invest in this national outdoor recreation system.

The national outdoor recreation system intersects with several agencies that will face automatic budget cuts if Friday’s sequester is not averted. It is important that lawmakers do all they can to ensure that the agencies that manage our recreational assets are not subject to these arbitrary cuts.

We know the folks we met with this week understand the economic benefits of the national outdoor recreation system. We look forward to helping them support the recreation economy, and we hope that Congress begins to recognize fully what it means for this country to get outside. After all, I think most Americans can agree that it is important to promote healthy, happy citizens and a legacy of public lands that future generations have the right to enjoy. And, I think that all Americans agree that preserving and creating U.S. jobs is a national priority.

Sue Rechner is the CEO of Confluence Watersports

Leading the Effort to Cut Energy Waste

Sonal Kemkar — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 17:55:03 +0000

Today at the White House, CEQ hosted a GreenGov Dialogue on Demand Response that brought together leaders from government, the private sector, non-profits and academia to identify opportunities to reduce our peak energy demand, promote a more stable electric grid, and help the Federal Government save energy and money in its operations. This important initiative is in line with the goal laid out by the President in his State of the Union Address: to cut in half the energy wasted by our homes and businesses over the next 20 years. The event showcased how the Federal Government is leading by example by setting aggressive energy targets, reducing its carbon pollution, and leveraging Federal purchasing power to curb waste and deliver the best value for the American taxpayer.

The event also highlighted other innovations and actions needed to cost-effectively reduce the nation’s peak demand for energy—a strategy that reduces the need to construct new sources of electricity generation. In particular, leaders discussed the important role that state and local governments play in enabling the nation’s tremendous demand response potential, a role recognized in the National Action Plan on Demand Response.

The event kicked off with remarks from White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, who stressed the themes laid out by President Obama in his State of the Union Address, followed by Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy John Holdren, who announced that the cabinet-level National Science and Technology Council released a progress report outlining the Administration’s most recent achievements in electric grid modernization. The event featured additional keynote speakers including Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Jon Wellinghoff, Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service at the U.S. General Services Administration Dorothy Robyn, Assistant Secretary for the Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Patricia Hoffman, and Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment John Conger.

GreenGov Dialogues – such as this one encouraging a conversation on broader use of demand response technology – build on progress made at Federal sustainability events such as the annual GreenGov Symposium, and continue the momentum of Federal agencies' efforts under the Executive Order on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance.

Here is what others are saying about why taking advantage of demand response technology makes sense for Federal agencies and for the private sector:

Jon Wellinghoff, Chair, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
"Demand response is a substantial and reliable resource in wholesale electric markets throughout this country. Demand response lowers greenhouse gas emissions, improves the resilience of our nation's power grid and provides cost-savings to consumers. As the largest electricity consumer in the United States, the Federal Government has both a budgetary and environmental responsibility to maximize its participation by federal facilities in the delivery of demand response products to electric energy markets.”

Terry Boston, CEO, PJM Interconnection
“Increasingly, PJM is seeing demand response and energy efficiency becoming more competitive with traditional power supply resources. Our capacity auction last year procured a record 14,800 megawatts of demand response, a seven-fold increase over the past five years and more than 900 megawatts of energy efficiency.”

Thurman Thomas, Founder and President, Legends Energy Group
“The Demand Response industry is an example of entrepreneurial activity in the Green Economy. In an industry that did not exist ten years ago, demand response has now provided 200 well-paying jobs and continues to grow in a rust belt town like Buffalo.”

Sonal Kemkar is Senior Program Manager in the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive at the White House Council on Environmental Quality

Taking Action for a Stronger, Smarter, Cleaner Electric Grid

Nick Sinai and Rick Duke — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 17:33:49 +0000

Ed. note: This is cross-posted from the Office of Science and Technology Policy blog

Today, the Obama Administration’s National Science and Technology Council released A Policy Framework for the 21^st Century Grid: A Progress Report—an update highlighting the Administration’s most recent achievements to make the Nation’s electric grid stronger, smarter, and cleaner than ever before.

In his State of the Union address this month, President Obama recognized that “no area holds more promise than our investments in American energy.” As part of his plan to grow the economy and create middle class jobs, the President called for continued investment in infrastructure, including “self-healing power grids.” In the same address, he also warned against ignoring the “overwhelming judgment of science” that the threat of climate change is real and demands attention. These two calls to action—each independently important to our country’s future—intersect at the Nation’s electric system.

To date, the Obama Administration has taken a number of important steps to help the Nation prevent and recover quickly from power outages, including by working closely with industry partners to upgrade the electric system with “smart grid” technologies that can detect and prevent outages, improve system efficiency, and better integrate clean energy sources. While we’ve come a long way, recent extreme weather events have reinforced the reality that our work is not done. Many Americans suffered power loss during the spate of strong storms, droughts, and record high temperatures of the past year—all of which, to varying degrees, threatened the operation of the Nation’s electric grid. We can do better.

Investing to modernize the grid is a common sense approach to enhance energy reliability for consumers, improve security of critical infrastructure, and speed the Nation’s transition to a clean-energy economy. That’s why, in the past year-and-a-half, the Administration has ramped up efforts to build a smart 21^st century grid. Since June 2011—in partnership with utilities, communities, and local governments across the country—the Obama Administration has taken concrete steps to:

Incorporate New Technology into the Grid. Nearly 13 million smart meters, 5,000 automated distribution circuits, and several hundred advanced grid sensors have been integrated into the Nation’s electric system under the Recovery Act to improve system efficiency and reliability by diagnosing, pinpointing, and solving problems before they disrupt business operations or household activities.
Support Grid Modernization in Rural America. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utility Service met its goal of delivering more than $250 million in loans for smart grid technology deployment to rural areas—a step that will help catalyze economic development in those regions.
Train an Advanced Workforce for an Advanced Grid. Under the Recovery Act, smart grid workforce training awards comprising nearly $100 million across 50 projects are creating training opportunities to produce the skilled professionals needed to operate a modernized grid. These grants have benefited military veterans by helping them connect to well-paying civilian opportunities. To date, $46.2 million has been distributed.
Improve Opportunities for Customers to Save Money. The Green Button initiative, launched in January 2012, has already provided new and improved energy-use monitoring tools to more than 16 million homes and businesses. In the coming year or so, the program is on track to reach another 20 million homes and businesses, with the aim of helping consumers make better-informed energy decisions and save on their bills.
Keep the Grid Secure from Cyber and Physical Disruption. The President recently signed an Executive Order to strengthen the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure industries, including the electric power sector. New tools such as the Electric Sector Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Model are being developed for utilities to enhance the protection of critical infrastructure from cybersecurity threats. Other efforts such as the Recovery Transformer program aim to drastically reduce the time needed to recover from downed extra-high-voltage transformers and other physical assets.

Going forward, the Administration will continue to look for new ways to work with the electric sector and state governments to modernize grid infrastructure, facilitate development of new tools to support a clean and efficient energy economy, empower customers to make smart energy decisions, foster new areas for innovation, and protect our critical infrastructure from threats.

Continuing our work toward a stronger, smarter, cleaner electric system will benefit American families and communities, and ensure our Nation remains competitive and innovative in a 21^st century economy.

Read the full Progress Report here.

Nick Sinai is US Deputy CTO at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

Rick Duke is Associate Director for Energy and Climate Change at the White House Council on Environmental Quality and Domestic Policy Council

GreenGov Spotlight Communities: Leading by Example

Jon Powers — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:55:22 +0000

As I meet with my Federal colleagues in places like Lakewood, Colorado and San Antonio, Texas, I am often inspired by how individuals have taken to heart President Obama’s challenge for us to lead by example in energy and sustainability within Federal operations. Over the course of the President’s first term, Federal employees across the country have found creative ways to help us cut costs, reduce our carbon emissions, increase the use of renewable energy, manage our fleet of Federal vehicles, conserve water, and achieve other ambitious goals set by the Administration.

In many regions, Federal employees are finding innovative ways to overcome bureaucratic barriers and promote cooperation between Federal agencies and local communities to achieve shared goals. Their efforts are making the Federal Government more efficient, a better member of the local community, and saving taxpayer dollars.

To connect these local efforts with the broad goals in the President’s Executive Order on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance, we have selected six teams to follow throughout the year to see what they can accomplish when they work together. These teams include multiple Federal agencies as well as non-profits, local utilities, and private companies. We are calling them the GreenGov Spotlight Communities. Some of the teams have been working together for years and have a few energy and sustainability projects under their belts. Other teams are just getting started on new projects that have great potential.

Located all over the country, these Spotlight Communities can help other Federal communities by sharing their lessons learned and breaking down barriers to sharing resources among different Federal agencies.

Here is a short overview of our GreenGov Spotlight Communities. We look forward to learning from them, and from the many Federal communities that are finding innovative ways to work smarter and better for Americans.

Car Sharing - Chicago, IL: Peace Corps, General Service Administration (GSA), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will create a roadmap to vehicle sharing with other agencies. There are many opportunities to analyze changes to fleet management through a strategic interagency motor pool, commercial car sharing, and alternative transit benefit options. In the next year, this pilot project will produce quantifiable results that will provide best practices for other small-to-medium sized agencies looking for flexible fleet solutions. The pilot aims to show how interagency partnerships can reduce an organization’s carbon emissions, save money, and positively impact employee satisfaction.

Federal Aggregated Solar Procurement Pilot - Greater Northern CA: EPA, GSA, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Energy - Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are working on a joint procurement of renewable energy. The project in Northern California will bring together multiple Federal agencies and one private company to demonstrate that combined procurement offers economies of scale, resulting in lower electricity bills for individual sites and promoting use of renewable energy in the Federal Government.

Federal Bike to Work Month Challenges - Portland, Seattle, Boise, Anchorage, and East Coast Cities: The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, EPA, and non-Federal stakeholders, including Cascade Bicycle Club in Seattle, Washington and Bicycle Transportation in Portland, Oregon, are seeking to spread the success of their 2012 Northwest Federal Challenge as part of National Bike to Work Month. During last year’s inaugural challenge, 522 Federal riders from more than 20 agencies, two government branches, and four states logged 65,274 miles commuting to work and back, saving almost 64,000 lbs. of carbon emissions and burning three million calories. In 2013, this program will work with other Federal employees in other cities across the country interested in helping to expand the challenge and share their toolkits.

Comparing Non-Traditional Water Treatment Cooling Towers – Lakewood, CO: GSA, DOE, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory will analyze and implement several non-chemical cooling tower water treatment systems that have the potential to reduce GSA building operation costs and building energy bills through improved chiller efficiency. Cooling towers exist in many government buildings, consume large amounts of potable water, and contribute greatly to annual operation costs related to utilities and maintenance. GSA will use the results of these initial studies to determine how they can help Federal buildings nationwide conserve energy and water, and save money.

National Capital Region Climate Risks Preparation and Adaptation Pilot – Washington, DC: GSA, EPA, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), National Capital Planning Commission, U.S. Global Change Research Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the District of Columbia Government will evaluate the risks posed by the impacts of climate change – for example, increased or more severe extreme weather events – to the IRS's Washington D.C. building. The team will help establish priorities for creating a preparation and adaptation plan for the IRS building and surrounding areas to protect programs and infrastructure. The plan could be adaptable to many Federal buildings in the National Capital Region.

Seattle Federal Executive Board’s Business Case for Sustainability - Seattle, WA: The Seattle Federal Executive Board (SFEB) officers who represent the participating Seattle Area Federal Community and their respective agencies (Social Security Administration, GSA, and Department of Commerce as well as the SFEB Executive Leadership Council that represents an additional 18 Federal agencies) will work to build the business case for shared sustainability efforts across the Federal Government. In 2013, the Board and supporting agencies will: develop a story submittal form to make it easier for agencies to contribute business cases; aggregate regional financial impact based on stories submitted, agency participation, consolidated savings, and other data; determine best methods to publicize successes; and encourage non-participating Federal communities in the region to contribute. This effort will demonstrate how FEBs can play an integral role in coordinating regionally located Federal entities that are working towards shared Executive Order goals.

Jon Powers is the Federal Environmental Executive at the White House Council on Environmental Quality

Building the Future: Innovative Water Infrastructure

Nancy Sutley and David Agnew — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 15:17:51 +0000

Today, more than 80 percent of Americans live, work, and raise their families in urban areas. At the same time, much of our infrastructure, including our water infrastructure, is decades old and in need of costly repairs. As former city officials, we appreciate how important it is for the Federal government to be a good partner, and that means making it easier for cities and towns to pursue the policies that make sense for their communities.

This Administration has made smart infrastructure investment a priority, both to create jobs and to build a strong future for our cities. A lot of important work is also done at the local level, where decisions are made about building codes, local transportation options, and whether to invest in sustainable infrastructure. Communities value clean water, and a safe, healthy environment. So today, many cities are looking for more innovative, cost-effective approaches to managing their polluted storm water. Replacing concrete with porous pavement, employing green roofs and rain barrels, restoring creeks and wetlands, and increasing tree cover can help cities absorb rain water rather than funnel it to sewer systems. This kind of green infrastructure can also help beautify communities, make them more attractive to businesses and investors, and help them better withstand extreme weather. These projects are often much less expensive and less disruptive than building bigger or newer concrete storm water systems – something everyone can appreciate in a time of constrained resources.

Cities of all sizes offer living proof. Green infrastructure is helping to manage polluted stormwater and sewer overflows and providing a range of benefits in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Syracuse, Seattle and Lancaster, PA. We’ve gathered input from city managers, mayors, and policy experts about how the Administration can be helpful in this effort, including at a White House Conference on Green Stormwater Infrastructure in September. Now, we’re bringing federal agencies together to align their resources to make it easier for municipalities to build and invest in green infrastructure.

Federal agencies have a range of programs that are providing support to projects across the country. We’re going to start by encouraging and facilitating greater use of existing programs at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Service, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. We’re also going to support efforts to leverage federal funding programs, green infrastructure set-asides, and other resources to mobilize private financing. At the same time, EPA is making updates that will allow cities greater flexibility to take advantage of creative financing options for storm water infrastructure, including private funding.

Private organizations also are seeing the potential of green infrastructure. For example, today the Rockefeller Foundation announced it will provide seed money for a new RE.invest initiative, a public-private partnership that will help selected cities to leverage private financing for sustainable storm water and sewer systems. This program will provide local governments an innovative model for working with the private sector to broaden green infrastructure options. These kinds of partnerships are an encouraging step to support clean and healthy cities, and save taxpayer dollars.

We understand the challenges cities face in meeting the needs of their residents day in and day out. The Administration is committed to working across federal agencies, with states, cities, counties, towns and private sector and non-profit partners, to promote healthy and prosperous communities and help make sustainable, resilient green infrastructure options more accessible across the Nation.

Nancy Sutley is Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality
David Agnew is Director of Intergovernmental Affairs

From Sea to Shining Sea, and Everything in Between

Will Manzer — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:38:37 +0000

If you ask someone to describe their favorite outdoor activity, you will get dozens of answers. And the best part is that no matter the answer, you are able to find a place to do it right here in America.

America is blessed with an amazing network of public and private lands and waters—from remote wilderness areas and local parks, to wild rivers and reservoirs, to hiking trails, bicycle paths, forests, and coastlines. Together, these places are the fabric of our nation’s outdoor recreation system that supports a $646 billion recreation economy, a quality of life that sustains local communities, and an industry that supports more than 6.1 million American jobs.

Gallatin National Forest, a popular recreation area in Montana's Northern Rockies (Photo Credit: Colin McWilliam, U.S. Forest Service)

It is as a businessman in the outdoor recreation industry and an outdoor enthusiast that I applaud the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative (AGO). In April 2010, the President charged his cabinet “with developing a 21^st century conservation agenda.” Just this week, the Administration released the America’s Great Outdoors 2012 Progress Report, highlighting five core components:

Connecting Americans to the Great Outdoors
Expanding Access to the Great Outdoors
Establishing Great Urban Parks and Community Green Spaces
Conserving and Restoring Large Landscapes and Working Lands
Enhancing Rivers and Other Waters

Why does AGO matter? Well, AGO directly addresses how Americans connect and access our nation’s public lands. As it exists today, the management and funding of our nation’s public lands and waters fall under a myriad of different local, state, and federal jurisdictions and agencies. The complexity of our current system demands better communications across agencies and a holistic approach to the challenges and needs facing our public lands. Achieving this is at the heart of AGO.

America’s Great Outdoors is about both the outdoor recreation economy and the legacy that we will leave for future generations. Our choices today honor the foresight of our nation’s earliest leaders to protect and preserve our country’s lands and waters. But more importantly, when people go outside, they directly experience this legacy in every park, trail, river, and coastline found in our great country.

The outdoor industry already taps into this legacy to create a healthier, happier, and economically vibrant America. I am glad to know that President Obama is working to do the same.

Will Manzer is CEO of Eastern Mountain Sports and Chair of the Outdoor Industry Association Board of Directors

Energy Datapalooza: Unleashing the Power of Open Data to Advance our Energy Future

Secretary Steven Chu, Todd Park, and Nancy Sutley — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:26:24 +0000

Ed. note: This is cross-posted from the Office of Science and Technology Policy blog

Imagine it is a scorching hot summer day, and your smart phone beeps, asking if you’d like it to raise your home thermostat a degree or two to save money. Or, envision an easy-to-use software package that lets a building owner perform virtual energy audits at a fraction of the cost of in-person audits, so real savings are calculated instantly, building upgrades launched sooner, and construction jobs created faster.

These are the kinds of advances that are on display today at the White House as more than 150 of America’s entrepreneurs, software developers, energy experts, and policy makers come together for an Energy Datapalooza. The gathering is a chance to celebrate new products, services, and apps that are advancing a secure, clean energy future—all built with freely available data from the government and other sources.

The event includes demonstrations of mobile apps and web-based services that are available to families and businesses today, as well as previews of future inventions. In addition, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu will honor the winners of the Department of Energy’s inaugural “Apps for Energy” challenge, whose inventions include innovative applications such as: Leafully, which uses creative comparisons to help consumers understand how their actions impact the world and their wallet; Melon Power, which helps building owners easily calculate their Energy Star score; and VELOBill, which makes it easy to visualize energy usage data, compare it to peers, and make a plan to save energy.

The day includes several exciting announcements. The Energy Department is launching a new “Vehicles Data Challenge” aimed at spurring technologies that can increase fuel efficiency and protect against distracted driving. And utilities and software companies are announcing the launch of “Green Button Connect My Data” in California and the Mid-Atlantic. Green Button Connect My Data enables energy customers to securely and automatically transfer their own energy data to authorized third parties, if they choose to do so. It builds on previous commitments under the Green Button Initiative to help consumers download their own energy data to their desktops.

The Energy Datapalooza will demonstrate how private-sector entrepreneurs are creating jobs and helping Americans save money, using open data as their fuel. To keep the momentum going, the Energy Department is announcing the release of 20 new datasets, three new application programing interfaces to make data easily accessible by software developers, and hundreds of qualified data links in the Energy.Data.Gov community.

For a full list of announcements from the Energy Datapalooza, please see this fact sheet.

Steven Chu is U.S. Secretary of Energy, Todd Park is U.S. Chief Technology Officer, and Nancy Sutley is Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality.

GreenGov 2012: Leading by Example

Jon Powers — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 19:22:02 +0000

On September 24-26, 2012, the third annual GreenGov Symposium will convene leaders in the public and private sectors here in Washington, DC for a focused dialogue on energy and environmental sustainability in the Federal Government. The Symposium, co-hosted by the Council on Environmental Quality and the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO), is two days of nearly 60 informative sessions, including panel discussions with leading experts, best practice case studies, and 101-education sessions. We will be wrapping up the third day with a series of workshops, roundtable discussions, and training opportunities.

One of the exciting features of this year’s Symposium is the option to watch a live web stream of some of our most innovative sessions. This means that our keynote sessions, as well as at least one session from each of the tracks will be available online in real time for anyone who cannot attend GreenGov. Another great feature of this year’s Symposium is a new session track – Public-Private Partnerships and Third Party Financing. Financing might not be the first thing that comes to mind when talking about energy and sustainability, but it is an incredibly important part of our progress and our future capacity when it comes to saving energy and money in the Federal Government. Innovative financing ideas and partnerships can help us reap the benefits of capital-intensive projects, such as energy retrofits, without the need to provide the upfront capital required for construction.

Alternative financing is just one area where the Federal government is leading by example when it comes to finding innovative solutions to our energy and sustainability challenges. We are looking forward to having more than 1,000 attendees at the Symposium this year as we continue to grow the community that is leading by example on energy and environmental sustainability. I hope that if you can’t make it to DC for GreenGov, you’ll be sure to tune in online.

Jon Powers is the Federal Environmental Executive at the White House Council on Environmental Quality

Chimney Rock Becomes Our Newest National Monument

Nancy Sutley — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:54:54 +0000

Today, President Obama designated spectacular Chimney Rock in southwest Colorado as our nation’s newest national monument, an historic step honoring a place rich in beauty, history and Native American culture.

With the strong support of the people of Colorado, from the congressional delegation to Governor Hickenlooper to the Native American community and local residents, President Obama has ensured this extraordinary national treasure will be protected for generations to come.

Chimney Rock, designated a national monument on Sept. 21, 2012, was home to the Ancestral Pueblo People about 1,000 years ago and is culturally significant for Native American tribes. The dramatic Great House Pueblo was likely was used as an observatory for the annual summer solstice. (Photo credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture)

A thousand years ago, Chimney Rock was home to Ancestral Pueblo People who built more than 200 homes and ceremonial buildings high above the valley floor. Many of the structures remain today, and are designed to perfectly align with lunar events such as seasonal solstices and equinoxes, drawing visitors from across the world.

Beyond protecting this special place, this designation also ensures Chimney Rock will be a source of economic opportunity in Colorado, attracting new business and tourism. According to a study commissioned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the national monument designation is expected to double economic activity from tourism in the area over the next five years. Outdoor places like Chimney Rock provide us with opportunities for rest and respite, with a link to our Nation’s proud outdoor traditions and culture, and with jobs and economic opportunities across the country. In fact, outdoor recreation alone contributes an estimated $650 billion a year to our economy, according to the Outdoor Industry Association.

Chimney Rock builds on the President’s strong record of supporting local conservation priorities through the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative. Under President Obama, we’ve marked the most extensive expansion of land and water conservation in a generation through the National Public Lands Act; enrolled hundreds of millions of acres of private land in voluntary conservation programs; helped open up more than 2 million acres for hunting, fishing and other recreation on private lands; and made critical progress restoring iconic ecosystems across the country.

The Great House Pueblo is on the closest patch of ground to the twin pillars, on the highest level area above the valley floor 1,000 feet below. (Photo credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Yesterday, I had a chance to meet with a group of Colorado Latino youth who traveled to Washington D.C. to speak with Administration officials about the importance of conservation. Their stories of experiencing America’s great outdoors, and the economic and environmental opportunities the great outdoors provide, were an inspiration to me and my colleagues. These young people -- our nation’s future engineers, business leaders, ranchers and public servants – understood the power of protecting our national treasures for future generations, and were thrilled to learn the President has declared America’s newest national monument in their home state.

When President Obama made Chimney Rock our nation’s 103^rd national monument this morning, he followed a tradition begun by President Teddy Roosevelt nearly a century ago of protecting our greatest natural assets. Today, we can celebrate that a century from now, the unique landscape of Chimney Rock will continue to be cherished and enjoyed by generations of Americans.

Delivering Energy Savings to Taxpayers

Kateri Callahan — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 16:52:16 +0000

It is no secret Americans everywhere are looking for more ways to save. From electricity bills to gas pumps, families and businesses are turning over more stones to save on their energy use.

The Federal Government is no different. As the nation’s top energy consumer, there is great potential to deliver energy savings to taxpayers. Thankfully, there is a giant opportunity right in front of us: Commissioning.

As with ships, commissioning for new buildings is meant to assure that systems are properly installed and operate within specifications. Commissioning identifies and corrects such errors as fans installed backwards or wired to stay “always-on,” faulty equipment, and improperly programmed building energy systems. Properly done, commissioning includes training so building staff can provide high performance operation.

However, over time, building performance tends to drift. Building use can change, equipment can be altered, and new staff are not always fully trained. Equipment may no longer operate within specifications; leaks may go unrepaired. The result is that energy performance suffers, along with occupant comfort. This can drive up energy costs and our bills. Without a quality-assurance process, problems may go unfixed for years and even decades.

Recommissioning (or retrocommissioning for a building not previously commissioned) can be thought of as a “tune-up” to restore and enhance building performance. Commissioning agents work with building operators to do this. Good recommissioning includes training so operators can keep buildings operating optimally long after the process.

And the savings offered are impressive. A Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study of 643 buildings across 26 states found that commissioning led to median energy savings of 16 percent in existing buildings and 13 percent in new construction.

Most of this vast potential remains untapped – but change is coming. California and New York City both recently began including commissioning as part of their strategies to advance building efficiency, and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 established commissioning as part of its Federal energy management goals and requirements.

As the operator of more than 500,000 buildings covering 3.1 billion square feet, the Federal Government is leading by example here. But they cannot do it alone. Add in 5 million commercial buildings totaling 72 billion square feet and commissioning becomes a prime opportunity for business and government to come together to help Americans save money and power the economy forward.

Commissioning and other innovative ideas will be discussed at the upcoming 2012 GreenGov Symposium, which will focus on sharing ways to create jobs and save taxpayers money by making the Federal Government more sustainable and energy efficient.

Kateri Callahan is President of the Alliance to Save Energy

Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Montreal Protocol

Gary Guzy — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 21:03:56 +0000

September 16th marked the 25th anniversary of the ratification of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, one of the world's greatest environmental protection success stories. The United States played a leading role during its negotiation in 1987 and, today, Americans continue to benefit from its impacts. By phasing out the production of chemicals that threatened the ozone layer, the Montreal Protocol today protects the health of billions of people across the world.

In the 1970s, evidence began to surface that certain products we use every day, from aerosol spray cans to refrigerators, contained chemicals known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that were depleting the Earth’s protective ozone layer and increasing the level of ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth’s surface. Overexposure to ultraviolet radiation can cause serious health problems, including higher incidence of skin cancer, and negatively impact our environment by damaging crops and food sources.

The United States was instrumental in crafting a solution to this risk. On September 16, 1987, twenty four nations, including the United States, signed the Montreal Protocol. Today, all 197 member nations of the United Nations have followed our lead, making it the most widely ratified international environmental agreement in history.

The Montreal Protocol has been and continues to be a clear and resounding success. The United Nations estimates that global production of ozone-depleting substances has fallen 98% since ratification. As a result, the ozone layer is recovering, and experts project that it will return to its pre-1980 levels as early as 2060.

When the world first grappled with the challenge of a diminishing ozone layer, few substitutes existed for ozone-depleting chemicals and many observers warned that tackling the problem would impose tremendous economic burdens. But global innovation, led by a number of American companies, proved them wrong. An unprecedented research and development effort has led to the rapid, widespread adoption of low-cost alternatives to harmful CFCs. Today, everyday products that once contained CFCs, from spray cans and computers to furniture and packing peanuts, are produced with ozone-friendly materials.

These accomplishments have produced real benefits for Americans, preventing sicknesses and deaths, and saving us money on health care costs. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that every dollar invested in ozone protection provides $20 in health benefits here at home.

The Montreal Protocol has also played a significant role in helping to address climate change. Many ozone-depleting substances are potent greenhouse gases. By dramatically reducing the production of these substances, the Montreal Protocol has so far averted the equivalent of 135 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide worldwide, according to United Nations estimates.

In the 1970s and 1980s, there was widespread concern that the depletion of our ozone layer would have a long-lasting negative impact on our health and communities. Today, thanks to the United States’ leadership on important environmental issues, we are well on our way toward restoring the ozone layer, and its benefits. On the 25th anniversary of this agreement, it is important to recognize that the success of the Montreal Protocol is not only a cause of celebration, but also a model of how we can work together to build healthier, cleaner communities and spur innovation and economic growth.

Gary Guzy is Deputy Director and General Counsel for the White House Council on Environmental Quality

USDA Drought Code Sprint: Giving Americans One-Click Access to Federal Drought Relief

Amanda Eamich and Brian Forde — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 16:53:58 +0000

Ed. note: This is cross-posted from the United States Department of Agriculture Blog. Please note the deadline for submission has been extended to October 24.

Americans across the country are feeling the impact of the most severe and extensive drought in the last 25 years. We’ve heard from people throughout the United States, asking how they can help. That’s why today we’re launching USDA’s first-ever Drought Code Sprint, a call to developers across the country to use publicly available government information to help farmers, ranchers, and others gain quick and reliable “one-click” access to information on drought conditions and Federal drought relief. Developers can submit their apps using this form by October 24. Some of the most innovative ones will be featured on USDA.gov.

Crops are withering as a result of this historic drought and feed for livestock is growing ever more scarce and expensive. None of us is immune—these conditions are affecting over 50% of the country and almost 80% of our agricultural land. But our rural communities and family farmers and ranchers are on the front lines, and have been the first to feel the drought’s full effects. They are working hard to overcome these hardships, and the Federal Government has stepped up to help.

Of course, apps can’t influence the weather or refill our reservoirs. But they can help farmers and ranchers become more easily aware of the kinds of assistance available to them, and they can simplify the process of taking advantage of these options so relief gets to the people who need it as efficiently as possible.

Some tools we’d love to see include apps that provide “one-click” access to the nearest USDA service centers and available drought programs; county-level drought disaster designations and program eligibility; information on Federal assistance available based on location and sector; types of loans or refinance options available with a handy repayment calculator and eligibility requirements; drought maps; and localized weather outlooks. These are just a few of our ideas but we’re confident that you have even better ones—so get coding!

To get started, check out these publicly available data sets in the Natural Hazards Data Community on Safety.Data.gov and on the USDA drought website:

National Water and Climate Center data including SNOwpack TELemetry Network (SNOTEL) and Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN)

We encourage developers to use other freely available resources on safety.data.gov or the USDA website as well—including Agriculture Weather and Drought Outlook blog posts and Drought Assistance Programs and Information sites—and any other data resources that would be helpful to those affected by the drought.

Here is a great opportunity to apply American ingenuity and technology to the cause of helping America’s farms. We look forward to seeing your ideas.

Amanda Eamich is Director of Web Communications at the United States Department of Agriculture

Brian Forde is Senior Advisor to the U.S. Chief Technology Officer at the Office of Science and Technology Policy

Federal Buildings Leading By Example

Jason Hartke — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:46:08 +0000

I’m thinking of a Federal building. It is the third oldest federal building in our Nation’s capital. It houses the Federal department in charge of promoting economic growth. And, thanks to a green retrofit, it saves American taxpayers $3.5 million every year.

It is the Treasury Building. This LEED Gold project – the oldest building in the world to earn this designation – is a shining example of how green building is conserving energy, protecting the environment, and saving taxpayers money. There are now more than 800 LEED certified Federal Government projects, representing almost 100 million square feet of space.

Over the last 18 years, our organization, the U.S. Green Building Council, has worked closely with stakeholders from the public and private sectors to help them deliver the economic and environmental benefits of green building. We have seen wonderful examples of pioneering government activity as well as the pursuit of new opportunities to scale and accelerate innovation for the benefit of the broader building industry.

The Federal Government (including the military services) oversees approximately half a million buildings, and spends $7 billion a year in energy costs for those buildings. Clearly, improving energy and resource efficiency represents an enormous opportunity to save taxpayers money and promote the uptake of cost-effective clean energy technologies and practices.

We have seen tremendous progress to date. Governments at all levels have chosen to lead by example when it comes to the construction, design and operation of their buildings.

The Obama Administration is moving forward on innovative efforts to advance energy efficient Federal buildings. The General Services Administration has its groundbreaking effort to promote a Zero Environmental Footprint. The Council on Environmental Quality launched its GreenGov Challenge and convenes the annual (and upcoming) GreenGov Symposium. And President Obama created the Better Buildings Initiative, which is working with partner organizations (including more than 100 organizations and more than 300 manufacturing plants) that represent 2 billion square feet of building space and have committed almost $2 billion to support energy efficiency improvements in buildings nationwide.

Together, these efforts are helping build a lasting legacy, one that saves us energy, saves hard-working people money, and drives investment and jobs.

Join us later this month at the 2012 GreenGov Symposium in Washington, D.C. to learn more about how this community of leaders is working together to forge ahead into new areas of green building investment, innovation, and action.

Jason Hartke, Ph.D., is Vice President of National Policy for the U.S. Green Building Council

Young Americans Building a Sustainable Future

Gary Guzy — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 19:52:54 +0000

Today, I had the pleasure of meeting with the extraordinary winners of the Youth Sustainability Challenge. We launched this challenge this spring to encourage young people from across the United States to tell the world what they’re doing in their communities to foster sustainability – and these winners rose to the occasion.

Our winners represent the innovation and talent of young Americans making a difference in communities across the Nation every day. From college student organizations that create “Solar Streets” in their communities, to youth-directed community micro-grant programs that provide assistance to young people for conservation projects, the winners of the Challenge have all applied their skill, creativity, and energy to make their communities stronger and healthier.

Council on Environmental Quality Deputy Director Gary Guzy speaks during a panel discussion at the White House with representatives from the winning teams of the Youth Sustainability Challenge (White House Council on Environmental Quality)

You can learn more about the innovative projects of our five winners by watching their short videos, which we featured at the“Rio+20” U.N. Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in June. At the conference, we also sponsored a Forum on Youth Action to highlight the commitment and creativity of these young people and the millions like them across the United States and the globe.

To complement these events, today, the Challenge winners came to Washington, D.C. to meet with senior environmental policy-makers from the Administration, like EPA’s Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe. They discussed how young people can lead their campuses, schools, and hometowns in environmental initiatives. They also met with youth engagement leaders from the White House and EPA, and learned more about programs like EPA’s EcoAmbassadors.

These remarkable young people have reminded me of the importance of harnessing the creativity and passion of America’s youth in facing the critical issues of our day. Young people today have remarkable new tools and connective technologies at their fingertips to understand the world and others’ experiences, to generate and share solutions to sustainability challenges, and to inspire action. Here in Washington, we will continue to factor their insight and enthusiasm into our work. As they return to their schools and communities, it is our hope that the dialogue we had here during their visit will serve as a foundation for fresh initiatives and innovative solutions to our shared global challenges.

Gary Guzy is Deputy Director and General Counsel for the White House Council on Environmental Quality

What the New Fuel Economy Standards Mean for You

Drew McConville — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 15:52:00 +0000

When President Obama came into office, fuel efficiency standards for cars had not budged for two decades, and American consumers were losing out as a result. Thanks to the newest fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas standards finalized this week, the Administration has now guaranteed steady improvements for our cars and light trucks from model year 2011 through 2025.

The Administration’s standards represent the single biggest step the U.S. has ever taken to reduce dependence on foreign oil and cut harmful carbon pollution, and they will save consumers more than $1.7 trillion at the gas pump. They were supported by a diverse crowd of stakeholders – including 13 major auto companies that together represent more than 90 percent of U.S. sales, as well as the United Auto Workers, consumer groups, and environmental organizations.

This action is clearly historic, but what will it mean for individual car buyers? Because numbers like $1.7 trillion can be hard to grasp, here are answers to a few commonly asked questions about what the new fuel efficiency standards mean for Americans.

1. What will the effect of the 54.5 mpg target be on drivers?

An easy way to think about the effect of these standards is that average fuel efficiency of a car or light truck purchased in 2025 will be roughly double what these vehicles were required to achieve before 2011, when the Administration’s first round of new standards took effect. So if you currently fill up at a gas station every week, you’ll only need to stop every two weeks.

2. Will more efficient vehicles still be affordable?

Yes.The incremental costs of technologies that improve vehicle efficiency are recouped several times over by savings at the gas pump. In fact, consumers purchasing a vehicle with a standard 5-year loan can expect to benefit from day one as fuel savings offset higher payments in the very first month of ownership.

Another way to think about it: net savings (after accounting for any vehicle cost increase) for the owner of an average 2025 vehicle will be equivalent to a drop in fuel prices of $1 per gallon.

3. Will I still have the option to choose a large car with these standards?

Absolutely. The standards are designed to preserve consumer choice and allow you to choose the vehicle size that best meets your needs. Although we often talk about a 54.5 mpg-equivalent average for the industry, individual fuel economy and emissions requirements actually vary based on the size of a vehicle. A manufacturer’s fleet comprised of smaller cars must meet a higher mpg target than a fleet made up of larger vehicles, reflecting the different fuel economy capabilities of smaller and larger vehicles.

The standards also do not require specific technologies, but instead allow automakers to meet their fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas targets however they choose. In fact, manufacturers are expecting to deliver the required savings with a wide range of vehicle technologies. While these include advanced vehicles – like natural gas, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, electric, and fuel cell vehicles – they also include very substantial improvements in gasoline and diesel vehicles, from advanced transmissions to highly efficient engines to improved aerodynamics. As a result, consumers will have many options to save on fuel.

4. Do I have to wait until 2025 to save?

There’s good news on that front too. The standards deliver steady year-after-year improvements (see chart above), and purchasers of new vehicles today are already saving at the pump as a result of the Obama Administration’s first round of car and truck standards. As we’re seeing in showrooms today, automakers are stepping up and selling some of the most fuel efficient and cleanest vehicles ever available.

Drew McConville is Senior Advisor to the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality

Helping Communities Diversify Their Energy Sources

Arthur Blazer — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 13:40:57 +0000

Across rural America, biomass like wood pellets and wood chips is helping communities diversify their energy sources, create jobs, and save money on utility bills. At the Forest Service, we are working to support biomass projects that help us manage wildfire threats, and also serve as economic engines for rural communities. Last week, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced grants of $4 million for renewable wood energy projects that will provide 20 small businesses, tribes and community groups with the technical engineering and design services they need to explore installing wood heat and electricity projects.

A truck is filled with wood chips as part of the process of turning wood into energy (Photo Credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture)

As a native of New Mexico, and a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, I was raised to appreciate the importance of natural resources and the responsibility we all have to care for our lands. This sense of stewardship has been further enhanced by my 27 years in the Bureau of Indian Affairs, as well as my prior experience as New Mexico State Forester, chair of the Council of Western State Foresters, and co-chair of the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition. I understand that improving the condition of our forests will improve economic opportunities for our tribal and rural communities.

The Forest Service is facing challenges associated with drought, wildfire, invasive species and unprecedented outbreaks of insects and disease. In 2012, the Forest Service estimated that between 65 and 82 million acres of national forests and grasslands are in urgent need of restoration -- more than four out of every 10 acres.

Building relationships and longstanding partnerships with tribes, states, private landowners and other stakeholders will help us address the issues facing the landscapes shared by us all – what we call an “all-lands, all-hands” approach. Working collaboratively with our partners, the Forest Service has announced a schedule to boost restoration and thinning programs by 20 percent each year in areas that face the greatest danger of a catastrophic fire. If we can use some of the woody biomass byproducts of these treatments for heat and electricity, we can leverage this restoration even further.

One of the grants we recently announced will go to Nulato, Alaska, to help the community design a wood-heating system to serve the local school and water plant. This will reduce dependence on costly fuel oil and create local jobs in delivering the wood through local businesses. In Tahola, Washington, the Quinault Indian Nation will design a thermal woody-biomass-fired energy system to serve their community facilities. In Superior, Montana, a wood pellet boiler has the potential to lower energy costs at the Mineral County Hospital’s new critical care center.

The grants build on President Obama’s strong record of supporting rural economies through the White House Rural Council. Established one year ago, the Rural Council has focused on maximizing the impact of federal investment to promote economic prosperity and improve the quality of life in rural communities. You can learn more about the Forest Service’s grant program and work to advance woody-biomass-to-energy projects here.

Arthur “Butch” Blazer is Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment at the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Growing Our Economy Through the Great Outdoors

Ben Bulis — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 12:55:47 +0000

It comes as no surprise that all living things require clean land, air and water. Does the U.S. economy require the same? A new report from the Outdoor Industry Association says, yes! According to the report, recreation in the United States supports 6.1 million jobs and drives $646 billion a year in direct consumer spending on recreational gear and travel. Even during these challenging economic times, the outdoor industry has been growing at a steady rate of 5 percent annually.

President Obama has proposed a $450 million investment in the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for fiscal year 2013. The LWCF is a critical tool for protecting our forests, parks, rivers, open space and local sports fields. By using revenues from oil and gas drilling to invest in Federal, state and local conservation efforts, the LWCF has been used over the last 50 years to provide recreational opportunities in nearly every county in the Nation. Congress should follow the President’s lead by funding the LWCF, which will protect and enhance the local and state parks enjoyed by fly fishing enthusiasts around the country.

At the American Fly Fishing Trade Association, we understand the importance of protecting our public lands and fostering the economic contributions of outdoor enthusiasts. Manufacturers and retailers of fly-fishing products are not looking for a handout. What we envision is our Nation’s leaders working together to protect the public lands where citizens can use our products and ensure future generations have the same opportunities to recreate as we do today. We should all be able to agree that protecting the public’s access to the outdoors now and for future generations is not only common sense, but also the ideal job creator.

Ben Bulis is the President of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association

Advancing National Security Through Energy Security

Ray Mabus — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:56:29 +0000

Recently, I had the great privilege to watch our highly skilled sailors doing what they do best, and to witness the U.S. Navy's most sophisticated air and sea platforms perform complex operations using advanced biofuel and energy efficient technologies.

Last week during RIMPAC, the largest maritime exercise in the world, the U.S. Navy successfully demonstrated the Great Green Fleet, a Carrier Strike Group's aircraft and surface ships, on advanced biofuel to test the fuel's performance while conducting operations, including: fueling helicopters and jets from the deck of a nuclear-powered carrier; completing arrested landings of aircraft onto a carrier, the first ever using biofuels; refueling a destroyer while underway; and air-to-air refueling.

The demonstrations confirmed that advanced biofuels can be integrated seamlessly for the user and perform the same as traditional fossil fuel. The demonstration also showcased energy efficiency technology that increases combat capability.

The guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton is participating in the Great Gleen Fleet demonstration at the RIMPAC 2012 exercise (Photo from United States Navy, Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Eva-Marie Ramsaran)

The Navy is pursuing alternatives because the nation’s reliance on foreign oil is a significant and well-recognized military vulnerability. The ability to use fuels other than petroleum is critical to our energy security because it will increase our flexibility and reduce the services' vulnerability to rapid and unforeseen changes in the price of oil. A $1 change in the price of a barrel of oil, for example, results in an approximately $30 million change in the Navy budget. This is why the Navy will only purchase operational quantities of biofuel blends when they are competitive with petroleum, period. We simply cannot afford to do it otherwise and will not do it.

Joining me at the demonstration was Chief of Naval Operations Jonathan Greenert, and the commanders of U.S. Pacific Fleet and U.S. 3rd Fleet. Their participation signaled to the Navy and the nation the Navy’s commitment to pursuing alternatives to imported fossil fuels because we believe it is critical to our national security.

A viable advanced biofuels market can inject competition into the liquid fuel market, which could drive down the cost of liquid fuels and dampen price volatility. We recently pushed more competition into the shipbuilding industry, which allowed the Navy to bring down the cost of our ships. We can do the same for the fuel we purchase to power those ships and other platforms.

The Navy has always led in energy transformations, moving from wind to coal, coal to oil, and then pioneering the use of nuclear power. The Great Green Fleet was named in honor of the Great White Fleet that circled the globe beginning in 1907 and introduced America as a global power. It comprised the most advanced ships of its time; battleships made from steel and powered by steam, and represented America’s greatness and ingenuity. The Great Green Fleet demonstration continues our long tradition of energy transformation by powering the Fleet with alternative fuels.

Ray Mabus is the United States Secretary of the Navy

Promoting Sustainable Health Care

Gary Cohen — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 19:26:08 +0000

Health Care Without Harm President and Founder Gary Cohen speaks during a panel discussion at the White House event on Sustainability and the Health Care Industry (White House Council on Environmental Quality)

Imagine energy efficient hospitals that save money on energy bills to use for critical patient care, and that promote renewable energy as a community health and resilience strategy. Imagine hospitals that create healthy food environments to help address the epidemic of obesity and diabetes in our country. Imagine hospitals that lead society in reducing toxic chemical exposures , and that are reducing their waste, saving money and improving patient care at the same time. Imagine a health care system that redefines “community benefit” to include improving the living conditions of communities that hospitals serve, and focusing on the prevention of disease through environmental health in addition to treatment. Imagine a health care system that makes up over 20 percent of the U.S. economy and becomes the driving force for safer products, cleaner energy, and healthier communities.

This vision is what the Healthier Hospital Initiative is bringing to reality today and is proud to share with the Obama Administration at the White House event on Health Care and Sustainability. We have created a roadmap for hospitals to embed sustainability into their core business model and are providing technical assistance to offer every hospital in America the chance to participate for free. Health Care Without Harm has joined with our sister organization Practice Greenhealth, The Center for Health Design and 11 of the largest hospital systems in America to create the Healthier Hospital Initiative and drive this movement in health care for healthier hospitals. We already have the participation of more than 600 hospitals and we aim to recruit 2,000 overall and track the progress of the sector in achieving our goals.

This initiative is about accelerating the adoption of sustainable practices across the spectrum of American health care, and building a global learning community so hospitals around the world can learn from each other as they travel on the path toward healthier people, healthier communities and a healthier planet. Health Care Without Harm is proud to be a sponsor of the Healthier Hospital Initiative and eager to embed environmental health and sustainability into the way that health care does business.

Gary Cohen is President and Founder of Health Care Without Harm

Making Plans for GreenGov 2012: Leading by Example

Jon Powers — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 14:45:24 +0000

The third annual GreenGov Symposium is taking place in Washington, D.C. September 24 - 26, 2012. Co-hosted by the Council on Environmental Quality and the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO), the Symposium will bring sustainability leaders and newcomers in the federal, state, and local government, academic, non-profit and private sectors together to learn from each other, share ideas, and help develop innovative solutions to our energy and sustainability challenges. By design, the Symposium helps the Federal Community save energy, save money, and address our sustainability goals and targets under Executive Order 13514: Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance.

Now, you can take a look at the preliminary agenda for the Symposium on http://www.greengov2012.com/program-agenda.html. With ten tracks over two days, the Symposium will have more than 50 informative sessions, including panel discussions with leading experts, best practice case studies, and new concept, 101-education sessions. And, we are ensuring that some sessions will be webcast to allow those who cannot attend to share in the GreenGov experience. This year we are also hosting post-conference workshops and meetings on September 26, 2012, to allow for additional discussion and training related to sustainability.

The Symposium is unlike any other annual gathering, designed specifically for the benefit of government employees who are dedicated to helping their agencies and the Federal government lead by example in meeting sustainability targets laid forth by the President. The work accomplished during the Symposium is beneficial to all levels of government, with initiatives targeting better management and fewer taxpayer dollars spent on government operations.

During this year’s symposium, agencies will have an opportunity to reflect on progress towards the President’s call for Federal agencies to make at least $2 billion worth of energy efficiency upgrades in two years through Energy Saving Performance Contracts (ESPCs). The upgrades are done with performance-based contracts that allow for long-term energy savings to pay for the up-front costs, meaning that taxpayer money is not spent on these projects. ESPCs save taxpayer money in the long-term, as well, with reduced energy bills at federal facilities. The GreenGov Symposium creates a forum for agencies to come together and share with other agencies how they are utilizing this innovative funding mechanism.

ESPCs are just one example of the innovative work that will be included in discussions at the 2012 GreenGov Symposium. To view the current agenda online and to register, visit www.greengov2012.org.

Jon Powers is the Federal Environmental Executive at the White House Council on Environmental Quality

Promoting Sustainability Through Sports

Ovie Mughelli — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 16:46:02 +0000

NFL fullback and environmental activist Ovie Mughelli gives the closing remarks at the White House's event on Sports and Sustainability (Photo Credit: White House Council on Environmental Quality)

I am honored to speak today as part of a White House Event on Sports and Sustainability. As a professional athlete and an advocate for clean, healthy communities, it is a privilege to speak on behalf of athletes and sports arenas across the country who are working to promote a sustainable future.

In 2008, I established the Ovie Mughelli Foundation to help educate children about how their environment affects them. Through the foundation, I have had the opportunity to work with leaders across sectors who share the goal of educating millions of Americans about promoting sustainability in today's world. We also share the Obama Administration’s commitment to encouraging measures that save energy, reduce pollution, and foster healthy and successful living environments.

A major part of my efforts has been to leverage the opportunities I’ve gained as a professional football player to encourage not only adults but also young people to take action at home. With the promotion of practical lifestyle changes within our everyday communities, we have encouraged people to champion actions that keep their communities healthy, including through fun activities that combine sports with environmental education. Most importantly, the Mughelli team strives to foster leadership in the next generation to build a green movement that addresses their needs and concerns.

It’s an honor to participate in this White House event – I plan to continue to work with others in the sports community and outside of it to raise awareness about the steps we can all take to provide for a healthy and sustainable future.

Ovie Mughelli is a National Football League Pro Bowl fullback and founder of the Ovie Mughelli Foundation, a nonprofit organization that educates children about the environment

Reducing Asthma Disparities

Tyra Bryant-Stephens, MD — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 20:39:20 +0000

As a primary care pediatrician and leader of the Community Asthma Prevention Program of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, I am very excited about the Coordinated Federal Action Plan the Obama Administration recently announced to reduce asthma disparities. For years there have been a number of disparate efforts from various federal agencies to address asthma disparities; yet the gap in asthma-related emergency room visits, hospitalizations and deaths still exist. Asthma is a disease that is impacted by a host of environmental, health and social factors. Therefore it’s no surprise that efforts made in a singular fashion have not worked in the past. This Coordinated Federal Action Plan represents the coming together of 16 federal agencies to use their collective strengths to collaboratively and systematically reduce, and someday eliminate, asthma disparities.

This plan recognizes the importance of the community’s involvement in efforts to reach disparate populations and the importance of collaboration among healthcare providers, community agencies, and social support systems. The following two strategies resonate with my experience in taking care of children with asthma:

The standardization of training and certification of Community Health Workers (CHW) and utilization of CHW’s in care of at-risk asthmatics

The Community Health Worker is often the unsung hero in the frontline effort to intervene in the disproportionate burden of asthma on disadvantaged communities. These highly trained lay health educators are effective in working together with families to increase self-management skills and to remove asthma triggers as well as provide care coordination services. CHW’s are often the glue that connects caregivers to the healthcare system, community resources and social support systems and a key driver in community efforts to reduce asthma disparities. Given their important role in working with the most vulnerable populations suffering from the burden asthma places on their lives, standardization of curriculum and certification of CHW’s is a necessary step in providing wrap around asthma care to reduce asthma disparities and asthma costs.

Promoting collaboration across all systems that serve children with asthma including health care, housing, schools and childcare settings

While disseminating best practices in implementing asthma guidelines is a step in improving overall asthma health outcomes, it is essential that the asthma care plan accompanies the child where they live, learn and play. Strategies toward this goal include: creating communication channels via federal interagency and private partnerships to provide comprehensive services to the people most affected by asthma; sharing data (including asthma care plans) between health care and school/childcare systems; and equipping federally qualified health centers and hospitals who serve disadvantaged populations to implement best practices.

The Coordinated Federal Action Plan provides guidance for approaching asthma disparities in a holistic fashion recognizing that patients live in the “real” world where their housing, health and education are all interconnected. Using all resources available and intervening in an integrated, collaborative manner will give us the greatest chance for finally closing the gap on asthma disparities.

Tyra Bryant-Stephens is Director and Founder of the Community Asthma Prevention Program at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Advanced Vehicles: Advancing Our Communities

Jules Toraya — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 21:58:31 +0000

Editor's Note: This blog introduces readers to Jules Toraya, Project Manager at the City of Atlanta's Mayor's Office of Sustainability.

Today at an event held at the White House, the Obama Administration recognized innovators in the auto sector, and the positive impacts the resurgence of the auto industry is having in communities across the country. As the leader of the City of Atlanta's plug-in electric vehicle readiness strategy -- and an officer currently assigned to the Inactive Reserves -- I was honored to be recognized and to engage in a conversation on this topic.

My interest in advanced vehicles and clean energy is tied to my history as a Captain in the U.S. Army. After two tours in Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, I became motivated to find ways to reduce petroleum consumption and minimize the need for the Department of Defense to secure America's oil supply chain.

In my last year of active duty, I volunteered for Clean Cities Atlanta and the City of Atlanta's Mayor's Office of Sustainability to help make Atlanta Electric-Vehicle (EV) ready -- and ended up working as a full time administrator on a Department of Energy EV Community Readiness Project with the Center for Transportation and the Environment. Now, I am also coordinating a local public-private partnership, Plug-in Georgia, which is taking a regional approach and working with communities throughout Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina to ease the deployment of EVs. As more plug-in vehicles become available, they are likely to become popular since the Southeast is home to some of the lowest electric utility rates in the country. Atlanta EV infrastructure is building as more plug-in electric vehicles become available. This past Memorial Day in Atlanta, City Council opened Atlanta's first Neighborhood Electric Vehicle Charging Station to the public in honor of those who have been killed in Operations Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn and Enduring Freedom.

Today's event with diverse industry, labor and government leaders reiterated how far we have come in developing advanced vehicles that reduce our country's dependence on foreign oil, and grow jobs in our communities. The Obama Administration's new fuel economy standards, developed in partnership with stakeholders, will encourage even more innovation, and save consumers trillions of dollars at the pump. Mayor Kasim Reed has pledged that the City of Atlanta will become one of the top 10 most sustainable cities in the United States. Supporting advanced vehicles will help us achieve this goal, and keep our communities healthy and strong.

Jules Toraya is Project Manager at the City of Atlanta's Mayor's Office of Sustainability