___ United States Environmental Protection Agency New England 7h€ Joe JJ ex 4 i o6 xpe . . . . . S • S S S S S • S S S SIIS•S•S•S S S • S S S S S Paper Recycling is Big Business in Massachusetts MassRecycles Paper is a public campaign striving to raise awareness of how easy and beneficial it is to recycle paper products. The campaign is striving to get Massachusetts residents and businesses alike to recycle an additional million toils of paper each year—paper that is otherwise thrown in the trash. MassRecycle. Inc. runs this project in partnership with MassDEP. US EPA New England. municipalities and private industry sponsors. Rec\cling is profitable and big business in \las achusetls and all of New England. This particular campaign is striving to help community leaders and the public understand just how \TUCFI paper can be recycled and why it is so important to our economy and our environment. States and municipalities can learn from MassRecycle Inc., how to implement similar programs in their own slate and towns. If you are curious about how it might work in your neighborhood, EPA New England has provided a list of contacts by state. Call today and learn how you can make a push to recycle more paper in your community. CT: Judy Belaval 860-424-3237 ME: George MacDonald 207-2 7-5 759 NI-I: FuatAri 603-736-44(0 RI: \larcell Lussier 401-942-1430 VT: Carolyn Grodinsky 802-241 -34 For more information online, please visit: www.niassrecyclespaper.org www.epa.gov/ne :COlflfll unities recycling.htrnl Grant Opportunity! State Environmental Justice Initiative In recent years. states have played a leadership role in advancing efforts to address environmental justice (EJ) issues. In a more direct role than federal government attention, states have tile ability to understand and address EJ issues at the ground level. They are often the most appropriate governmental entity to identify opportunities for improving community health, leveraging local resources and providing broad-based activity across a wide geographic area. Coming in 2009. EP.\ is offering a new state environmental justice funding initiative that will in est in and support state activities that are more likely to yield robust results and collaborative partnerships. EPA will award five of these grants, which will be formally referred to as Cooperative Agreements. at continued on page 2 Environmental News in New England for Municipal Leaders Winter 2009 INSIDE • Grant Opportunity • Fighting for Cleaner Air • Lead Updates • Recycling Awareness Change with ENERGYSTAR® • Local Gov’t • Lead Disclosure Rules H otline ------- Grant (cont.) S 160.000 each. Grants awarded are not to exceed one per state and region. EPA anticipates the official release of the Request for Applications in the winter of 2008 and they will be available after release for a 4 -da period. For more information on environmental justice initiatives at EPA New England. please isit: vww.epa.gov region l’cj index.html For specific information on the grants, please contact: Amy Braz (Tuherson) EJ Coordinator. EP:\ Region I (617) 9I8-134( Fighting for Cleaner Air, Idling Limits Find Common Ground in New England This past summer, Maine joined four other New England states in enacting limits for motor vehicle idling. Motor vehicle exhaust contributes to ground-level ozone (smog) which can cause numerous environmental and health issues. Although Maine is the only New England state not yet exceeding EPA’s ozone standard. Maine officials share other states’ and EPA’s concerns about the local and widespread impacts of smog. These include respiratory impairment. climate change and wasted resources. Nationly. 18 states have anti- idling laws, three more have pending legislation and 2() counties and cities have created their own laws. In New England, idling limitations in Connecticut. Massachusetts and Rhode Island are enforceable by EPA because these states included these rules in their f derally-required plans for achieving air quality standards. EPA and state environmental officials often recei e many complaints from citizens about chronic truck, bus and passenger vehicle idling near their homes. workplaces and schools. In response. EPA inspects and enforces. but also tries to instill the cost-saving benefits of doing so. Tuming off the engine doesn’t only benefit those breathing the air around them it saves money as well How can you help encourage good idling stewardship in your community? Local governments can help by preventing municipal employees from idling. urging local businesses to comply. encouraging local police to help enforce (where state law confers local authority). supporting cititen-led anti-idling outreach campaigns and considering enacting ordinances or bylaws to increase local leverage. Take a moment to explore the following web-based resources: EPA NE What lou Can DO” vw\v.epa.gov region I ecu diesel whatucando.htm l EPA Bu and Drive Smart for consumers: vww.epa.go\ smart\vav vehieles’buy—and-drive— smart.htm US Department of Energy Idle Reduction: v vw.afdc.enet-g .gov afdc 1 ‘ chides idle reduction.html For further questions, contact: Abhv S aine swaine.ahhv a cpa.gov 617-9U -lK41 or Halida Hatic hatic.halidaaepa.gu 6l7-9l8-l6t 0 — —- ------- Change Your Community, Change the World Perhaps your community is already working to change the world for the better Your town or city may already be among the New England communities striving to decrease municipal energy consumption by 10% under EPA New England’s Community Energy Challenge If not, there are some smaller steps that a community leader can emphasize in your neighborhoods that can still make up some of the difference the country and world needs Change the World, Start with ENERGYS TAR is a national campaign driven by EPA and the U S Department of Energy encouraging all Americans to take the small steps that exercise energy efficiency and ultimately help the growing battle against global warming A small effort by all of us is the only way humanity can hope to tackle the global environmental threats looming ahead The best way to start is even easier than the list mentioned above take nothing for granted Think about what it took to get electricity to the living room light switch, the distance traveled by the water coming to the kitchen faucet or the power it took to refine the gasoline for the family car Realizing that all these services and benefits of living in a developed society do not grow on trees, much the same way that money doesn’t, is the best, first step anyone can take Take the Pledge at www.epa.gov/ne and join with millions of others who practice energy efficiency Together, we can all make the difference Your Town Too! New Lead Diclosure Rules Right now, the Real Estate Notification and Disclosure Rule (“Disclosure Rule”), requires landlords, property management companies, real estate agencies and sellers to inform potential lessees and purchasers of the presence of lead- based paint and associated hazards in houses built before 1978 This is enforceable by EPA It is imperative that potential tenants and home buyers receive the information necessary to protect themselves and their families from lead-based paint hazards before purchasing or renting pre-1978 housing EPA New England on Lead Update To further protect against lead risks, earlier this year EPA issued new measures for contractors and renovators to follow “lead-safe” practices to prevent lead poisoning Under the rule beginning in April 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination For more information and resources concerning lead, please visit www epa gov/ne/topics/pollutants/lead html Want to protect our environment, but don’t know where to start 9 • The average house can cause twice the greenhouse gas emissions as the average car Make a difference by saving energy at home and work— start by changing a light and then carry energy savings to the rest of your home or workplaces • Most power plants burn fossil fuels to make electricity By using less energy overall, you reduce the fossil fuel demands on the power plants. • If the time is right, choosing ENERGYSTAR certified products is a step in the right direction to living simply, saving money, energy and time, while helping to keep our planet a healthy place to live • From changing a light, enabling computers to power down, using a programmable thermostat, these simple everyday actions can really add up and change the world p. ’ p. p. r.’ p.’ P.’ P.’ P.’P . ’ LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL . 2010 C ‘e 4ead-54e e eij.€ / —3— ------- Environmental Hotlines for Local Governments 1-617- 918-1111 1-800-368-5888 1-800-426-4791 1-800-424-9346 1-888-782-7937 1-202-564-4994 1-800-962-6215 1-800-424-9346 1-800-858-7378 1-800-624-8301 1-800-832-7828 EPA Region 1 Main Number Asbestos (Abatement/Management) Drinking Water (Safe Drinking Water Hotline) Emergency Planning (Regulation, Programs and Referrals Energy Star (Energy Efficient Products) Financing (Information Network) Justice (Information and Resolution Assistance) Municipal and Industrial Waste (Conservation and Recovery; Superfund, & Community Right to Know) Pesticides (National Information Center) Waste Water Treatment (Small Flows Clearinghouse) Wetlands (Information Hotline) Ca printed on 1 00% recycled paper, with a minimum of 50% post-consumer waste, using vegetable based inks United States EPA Environmental Protection Agency New England I Congress Street Suite 1100 Boston, MA 02114 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 An Equal Opportunity Employer In Your Backyard: For answers to many environmental questions regarding your New England community yisit I - 7 -I / EPA New England Local Government Office EPA New England 1 Congress Street Suite 1100 Boston, MA 021 14-2023 Doug Gutro phone (61 7) 918-1021 fax (61 7) 91 8-0021 Editor Jeanethe Falvey falvey eanethe@epa gov EPA Contributors Amy Braz, Linda Darveau, Halida Hatic, Kate Renahan, Abby Swaine www epa gov/ne/municipalities Winter 2009 [ www.epa gov/region 1/communities 3 ------- |