WASHINGTON - This week, the E.P.A. (EPA) is honoring 7 plans for their work on clean air and climate initiatives, including investment in alternative fuel vehicle fleets, business partnerships to reduce pollutants, and air quality education and outreach. The 2015 Clean Air Excellence Award acknowledges innovative state, local, tribal, and private sector programs that protect health and the environment, educate the public, serve their communities and boost the economy.
"Communities across the country have cleaner air and better protected health thanks to these award-winning programs," said Janet McCabe, acting assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation. "We're celebrating Earth Day a little early by recognizing these cutting-edge efforts to educate their communities, cut harmful air pollution, enhance public health and make our environment healthier and more sustainable."
From an innovative public education plan in the Delaware Valley to comprehensive air quality and health services for Alaskan tribes, award winners demonstrate a commitment to protecting health, reducing air pollution and addressing climate change. This year's winners are:
Clean Air Technology
Penske Truck Leasing - Clean Air Technology Commitment - Penske Truck Leasing Co. LLP
· Penske has been assisting customers with alternative fuels for over 2 decades, and today has an alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) fleet of over 500 natural gas, hybrid, propane and electric vehicles ranging from tractor-trailers, straight trucks, buses and delivery vehicles. Additionally, Penske has demonstrated and encouraged partnership in the EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership for over 7 years, participating as an affiliate, truck carrier, and logistics partner. Penske is removing barriers to enhance driver and fleet acceptance of low-emission technologies to reduce pollutants and greenhouse gases.
Community Action
Clean Air Partners Plan - CLEAN AIR Force of Central Texas
Club Ride Commuter Services - Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
· The
CLEAN AIR Force of Central Texas developed the
Clean Air Partners Plan in 2001 after learning most pollutants that create harmful ground-level ozone come from on-road vehicles. Today there are 40 partners, including corporations, nonprofits and governments, representing 100,000 employees. By becoming a partner, employers volunteer to implement clean business practices and reduce emissions that contribute to unhealthy air. Many of the strategies used also save employers and employees time and money. The Clean Air Partners Plan assists employers in reducing emissions with a flexible menu of options, including employee education, alternative commutes, use of cleaner fleets, clean energy practices, green power sources, low-emission construction, water conservation, and other proactive measures that contribute to cleaner air. The Plan is currently reducing approximately 10,000 commuters from our roads today, leading to less traffic and less air pollution.
·
Club Ride is a free Plan of the
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada designed to enhance air quality and encourage commute alternatives such as riding transit, carpooling, vanpooling, walking, bicycling, working compressed work weeks, and telecommuting. Club Ride partners with nearly 300 employers and in excess of 24,000 registered commuters in Clark Co. to meet these goals. Club Ride's 2014 highlights include: 59 tons of carbon monoxide emissions reduced; 2,324 tons of greenhouse gases reduced; over one million clean commute trips reported; 5.9 million miles removed from the road; and $1,616,931 in commuter cost savings.
Air Quality Partnership of the Delaware Valley - Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
· The Air Quality Partnership of the Delaware Valley (AQP) has been actively educating the public in the Greater Philadelphia region about ways to reduce emissions that lead to ozone pollution and fine particle pollution (PM2.5) since its formation in 1997. The AQP is a Plan of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and consists of a coalition of agencies, businesses, and non-profits. The Partnership's network of members, employees, and stakeholders encourage voluntary actions to reduce emissions by taking alternative forms of transportation, conserving energy in the home, educating the public about wastefulness of idling vehicles, and sharing ways to reducing emissions while refueling, among other efforts. For example, the organization worked with their partners on an anti-idling campaign that resulted in the creation of an online idling reporting platform (www.idlefreephilly.org).
Regulatory and Policy Innovations
Oil and Gas Emission Reduction Initiative - Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
· In 2014, the State of Colorado adopted new rules to further minimize air quality impacts associated with oil and gas development. Colorado's rules expand upon existing state law and EPA's recent New Source Performance Standards. The rules were developed after an extensive stakeholder process lead by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, working closely with diverse partners. A broad coalition of industry, environmental and local government stakeholders supported the rules, which were adopted by Colorado's Air Quality Control Commission.
Transportation Efficiency Innovations
Fleet Hybrid Electric and All Electric Vehicle Plan - Co. of Sonoma Fleet Operations
· The Co. of Sonoma has been a leader in transportation related emission reductions in California for in excess of 24 years. Starting in 1990 the Co. tested a prototype all-electric van in a fleet environment. Fleet related GHG emissions have been reduced by over 1,815 tons even though overall vehicle miles traveled increased by ten million miles during the last eleven of 13 years. The County's investment in hybrid electric and all electric vehicle technology has resulted in one of the biggest BEV, HEV, NEV and PHEV government fleets in North America. The hybrid fleet has reduced gasoline and diesel fuel usage by over 166,500 gallons while traveling over ten million miles since 2002.
Gregg Cooke Visionary Plan Award
Environmental Health Consultation - Tribal Air Quality Plan - Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
· As part of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), the biggest tribal health organization in the United States, the Environmental Health Consultation Team (EHC) provides cutting-edge air quality services to enhance the lives of Alaska Native people and their communities. The EHC Statewide Tribal Air Plan delivers technical consultation, air monitoring assistance, training, assessment, funding, and overall support to tribal communities throughout Alaska to address air quality concerns. The Plan has engaged in over 20 locally-led air quality plans and completed over 50 community air quality assessments which have reduced criteria air pollutants, raised greater public awareness of air quality, and enhanced tribal capacity to address local air quality issues.
The awards program, established in 2000 at the recommendation of the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee, acknowledges and recognizes both individuals and organizations that have undertaken the risks of innovation, served as pioneers in their fields, advanced public understanding of air pollution and improved air quality. Entries are judged by E.P.A. and the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee, and winners will be acknowledged at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on April 21, 2015.
More information:
http://www.epa.gov/air/cleanairawards/index.html
