Table Of ContentEnvironmental Fun Facts Regulatory Update
In the United States, more than 25 million acres of Diesel Sulfur Content Slashed
turfgrass provide environmental benefits, such as:
• Under a 2004 EPA clean-air regulation, refineries
(cid:142) 625 square feet of turf provides enough oxygen
must reduce current sulfur content in diesel used
for one person for one day
in locomotives, marine vessels and land-based
(cid:142) On an average block of eight houses, front lawns nonroad engines from 3,000 ppm to 500 ppm.
have the cooling effect of 70 tons of air
• As of June 2006, 80 percent of highway diesel
conditioning
must be ultra low sulfur, which is 15 or fewer
(cid:142) Turf absorbs gaseous pollutants such as carbon ppm. Nonroad engine diesel will be required to
dioxide, converting them to oxygen meet the same ultra low sulfur standard by 2010.
Locomotive and marine fuel must meet these
(cid:142) Turf traps an estimated 12 million tons of dust and
levels by 2012.
dirt released annually into the atmosphere
Go to http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel for more
(cid:142) Turf prevents soil erosion, filters contaminants
information
from rainwater and reduces runoff
Permitting Process Improved
Massachusetts Governor Duval Patrick announced
initiatives to streamline the environmental permitting
process. The goal of the new approach is to speed up
decision making in the regulatory process so the
Massachusetts Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) can concentrate on more pressing
environmental concerns.
The three proposed initiatives are:
1) Reduction of Permit Timelines: Proposed
http://www.carbonfootprint.com
regulations will reduce timelines for the majority of its
permit categories by 20 percent. The DEP has also
EnviroQuestion committed to issuing 90 percent of all permits in 180-
days or less.
Question: What is your carbon footprint?
2) Specific Permit Categories Targeted for
Answer in the next issue. Streamlining: The categories have historically had
delays in decisions that exceeded the 180-day goal.
Quarter I Question: Daylight Savings Time began 3
These include: air quality permits; Chapter 91
weeks earlier this year as required by the Energy
licenses for land-based development; and groundwater
Policy Act of 2005. How much energy will this
discharge permits for wastewater.
save each day?
3) Streamlining the Adjudicatory Appeals Process:
Answer: 1 percent
Reform of wetlands appeals will allow for more
timely action on vital projects.
1
Did You Know?
FOR YOUR
Current national recycling efforts reduce greenhouse gas
INFORMATION
emissions by 49.9 million metric tons of carbon
equivalent. This is the same as the annual greenhouse
What Can You Do
gas emissions from 39.6 million passenger cars.
About Climate Change?
The burning of fossil fuels
IN THE NEWS releases carbon dioxide (CO2)
into the atmosphere and
Pepsi Fined contributes to climate change.
Reductions in these emissions
The Massachusetts Department
can be made by improving your
of Environmental Protection
car’s fuel efficiency.
(MADEP) has entered into a
Consent Order and fined the
Buy smart – before buying a car,
Pepsi Bottling Group in Taunton
NEWS continued check the Environmental
for Hazardous Waste violations.
Protection Agency’s (EPA)
During an inspection by the The penalties arose from an Green Vehicle Guide and the
MADEP it was determined that
incident in November 2005, jointly-run EPA/DOE Fuel
the facility was registered as a
when employees of MIT Economy Guide.
Very Small Quantity Generator
discovered a disconnected
of waste oil but should have been transformer on MIT property Drive smart – many factors
registered as a Small Quantity affect the fuel economy of our
and transported the transformer
Generator and no emergency car. To improve fuel economy,
over public roads, the second
numbers were posted near the go easy on the brakes and the gas
time to the Prospect Iron and
storage area. pedal. Reduce idling time and
Steel/Anestis Metal site.
unload unnecessary items from
MIT, Somerville Metals
While unloading the your car to reduce weight.
Processor Face Penalties
transformer at the Somerville
Tune your ride – a well-
facility, the transformer was
The Massachusetts Institute of maintained car is more fuel-
damaged and began leaking oil.
Technology (MIT) in efficient, produces less
The driver then took the
Cambridge and a metals greenhouse gas emissions and is
transformer to a nearby
processing facility in more reliable. Keep you car well
shopping mall.
Somerville have been penalized tuned and use the recommended
a total of $73,423 by the grade of motor oil.
After notifying MADEP of the
MADEP for violations
release, MIT's environmental
Check your tires – check your
connected to the handling,
staff and a cleanup contractor tire pressure regularly. Under-
transport and attempted disposal
remediated the estimated 20- inflation increases tire wear,
of an old transformer that
gallon release and ultimately reduces fuel economy by up to 3
contained oil.
determined that the oil did not percent and leads to higher
Continued next column
contain PCBs. greenhouse gas emissions.
For more on what you can do on
the road, at home or in the office
Published by Environmental Management Unit
go to http://www.epa.gov/wycd
Logan Office Center
One Harborside Drive
East Boston, MA 02128
(617) 568-3525
Issue 29, Quarter II - 2007
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