Transcript EPA Region 9

EPA Region 9
Jeff Scott
Waste Management Division
Administrator Jackson’s Priorities
• Reducing GHG emissions
• Improving air quality
• Managing chemical risks
– Risks of chemicals in consumer products, workplaces
environment
• Cleaning up hazardous waste sites
• Accelerate the pace of cleanup
• Return properties to productive use
• Reduce threats to health/environment
• Protecting America’s water
Needed GHG Reductions
• 83% by 2050?
• 14% - 25% by 2020?
• By any measure....……..A Long Road
Broad Array of GHG
reduction options needed
Conventional Accounting: Sector Based
U.S. GHG Emissions (2006)
End-of-pipe focus
Leads to technologyoriented strategies
Source: U.S. Inventory of GHG Emissions and Sinks : 1990-2006 (US EPA, 2008)
Systems Based View:
U.S. GHG Emissions (2006)
Same GHG
emissions, a
new lens.
Leads to
prevention –
oriented
strategies
Source: Draft values from Opportunities to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
through Materials and Land Management Practices. U.S. EPA. (forthcoming).
Opportunity Knocks:
• In 2006, the U.S. recycled over 80 million tons of
municipal solid waste (32.5% recycling rate)
– Equivalent to conserving 182 million metric tons of
carbon dioxide equivalent (MMCO2E).
• Recycling achieves short term, high impact,
lower cost GHG reductions
– Increase to 50% recycling nationally
• 70-80 MMTCO2E per year potential GHG reductions
– Increase to 100% recycling nationally
• up to 300 MMTCO2E per year potential GHG reductions
Grabbing “the low hanging fruit”
Advancing Waste Climate Connection
West Coast Climate Forum
 Region 9/10 Partnership
 Connecting Waste/Materials
Management to Climate Change
 8 States
 Engaging West Coast Leading Cities
 Focus on Tools, Policy and Innovation
9
6 Principles for
TSCA Legislative Reform
 Chemicals - reviewed against safety standards based on sound science
and reflect risk-based criteria protective of human health and the
environment.
 Manufacturers provide necessary information to conclude that new and
existing chemicals are safe
 Risk management decisions should take into account sensitive
subpopulations, cost, availability of substitutes and other relevant
considerations
 EPA should have clear authority to act - should assess and act on priority
chemicals, both existing and new, in a timely manner
 Green Chemistry – encouraged, transparency and public access to
information strengthened
 EPA should be given a sustained source of funding for implementation
Enhanced Chemical Management
Program
• New Regulatory Risk Management Actions
– Lead
– Mercury
– Formaldehyde
– PCBs
– Glymes
– Nano Materials – Carbon Nano tubes
Resources
• Essential TSCA Reform Principles
– http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/princip
les.html
• Enhanced Chemical Management Program
– http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/enhan
chems.html
• National Partnership for Environmental Priorities
(NPEP)
– http://www.epa.gov/waste/partnerships/npep/index.htm
Evolution of the
R9 RCRA Program
• Emphasis on successful state implementation of
waste program
• Expand EPA presence on tribal lands and
underserved communities
• Moving beyond waste to achieve greater overall
results
• Multiple years of substantial resource cuts
R9 EPA HW Enforcement Priorities
• EJ Community Initiatives
• Tribal Lands
• High Noncompliance –High Risk
Sectors/Facilities
• National Enforcement Initiatives
– Mining/Mineral Processing
– Financial Assurance reviews
– Surface Impoundments
• Ensuring a Level Playing Field
Suisun Bay, CA
Capacitors
PCBs
Door jams
Electrical insulation
PCBs in
Caulk
Metropolitan Water District, CA
LUST Cleanup Challenge
• Continued challenge to
close 14,000+ LUSTs
• American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act of 2009
Greening Cleanups
• Cleanup paradigm evolution:
– Protect HH&E
– Reuse contaminated land
– Minimize climate/energy footprint of
remedy
• Better informed remedial decisions
through Lifecycle Analysis of carbon,
energy, and multi-media impacts
LCA Greening Remedies
Greening Products:
Electronic Product Environmental
Assessment Tool
Green Standards for Electronics
• Reductions AchievedEPEAT for
Consumers?
4.4 MMTCO2E
4,290 metric tons toxics
• Greening Existing Buildings
– GHG opportunities
– ARRA  Weatherizing homes
– Residential – Energy Star Homes
– Indoor Air Issues
• Healthy Schools
– Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)High Performance Building Products Database
• Region 9 actions to support Home Energy
Retrofits:
–Formed CA HERCC – CA Home Energy
Retrofit Coordinating Committee
–Developing consistent standards and program
elements for statewide utility-and
local government-sponsored programs
Contact: Leif Magnuson
[email protected]
For CA HERCC Recommendations, see: http://www.builditgreen.org/homeenergy-retrofit-programs-local-government
Questions?