Global Climate Change: What Does
It Mean for the Mid-Atlantic States?

A report on the February 26, 1998 EPA Regional Conference sponsored by the
EPA Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Office of Economy and Environment

CONFERENCE
CO-SPONSORS

Academy of Natural
Sciences

BP America

City of Philadelphia

Crown Cork & Seal
Company

Delaware Department of
Natural Resources and
Environmental Control

The George Washington
University, School of Public
Health and Health Services

Institute for Business
and Home Safety

PECO

Pennsylvania State
University

Pennsylvania
Power and Light

Physicians for Social
Responsibility

Solar Ex Renewables

U.S. Department
of Energy

INSIDE

Rising Insurance Rates,,.2
Point and...

Counterpoint	3

Solar Becoming

Profitable		6

Clean, Efficient, and

Fun Cars	7

And more,..

Mid-Atlantic Challenged
by a Changing Climate

The mid-Atlantic region, home to vital natural
resources such as the Chesapeake Bay, is highly
susceptible to the potential impacts of climate
change."I'm concerned because the mid-Atlantic
region contains sensitive ecosystems that could be
devastated by the effects of global warming," said W.
Michael McCabe, regional administrator of the U.S.
Environmental ProtectionAgency's Region 3.

McCabe kicked off a public conference on climate
change convened by EPA in Philadelphia on
February 26,1998. The conference emphasized
solutions. For example, the 491 companies that have
joined the voluntary Green Lights program in the
mid-Atlantic region are saving 512 million kilowatt-
hours per year through efficient lighting and are
reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 818 million
pounds of carbon dioxide.

As concerns for environmental safety increase,
technological innovation has risen to the challenge.
"Who would have foreseen 10 to 15 years ago that
there would be widespread curbside recycling and
a market for yesterday's newspaper?'' McCabe
asked. "I sincerely hope that there will be soon a
second wave of pollution prevention directed
toward our use of energy, and we all need to be
riding that wave."

Representatives from six news organizations
attended the meeting. Articles appeared in The
Philadelphia Inquirer; Philadelphia Daily Neivs;
Richmond Times Dispatch of Richmond,Virginia;
The Courier-Post of Camden City, New Jersey; and
The Neivs Journal of Wilmington, Delaware. The
local NBC affiliate and Warner Brothers channel
also covered the conference.

The meeting was co-sponsored by 13 organizations
and attended by representatives from a wide range
of businesses; environmental and civic organizations;
federal, state, and municipal agencies; electric and
gas utilities; and academic institutions.

Sponsors and participants represented the five
states of EPA's mid-Atlantic region: Delaware,

EPA Regional Administrator
W. Michael McCabe responds to
questions posed by an NBC
reporter.

Conference participants
chat beside a display for
EPA's State and Local
Climate Change program.

Maryland, Pennsylvania,Virginia, West Virginia, and
the District of Columbia.

Following McCabe's welcoming remarks, EPA
Assistant Administrator David Gardiner compared
the treaty recently forged in Kyoto, Japan, to "buying
an insurance policy against the risk of future climate
change." Gardiner added that the Kyoto Protocol
provides for a "cushioning transition" that will allow
countries and industry to meet their obligations
through flexible mechanisms.

Joseph J. Romm, of the U.S. Department of Energy,
gave the keynote address in which he outlined U.S.
strategies for developing new technologies that will
hasten a cleaner and safer environment."There are
very large opportunities," he said, in technological
advances such as fuel cells and advanced turbine
systems.

Other speakers included representatives from the
insurance, steel, auto, and energy industries. Two
afternoon sessions focused on strategies that both
state and local governments and the private
sector could take to mitigate the effects of climate
change on public health, natural resources, and
other critical areas.

Immediately after the conference, three roundtables
were held for business leaders, state and local
government officials, and public health officials to
share ideas, concerns, and strategies. ~

-------
Global Climate Change

reports the results of a
conference sponsored by
the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
entitled, "Global Climate
Change; What Does It
Mean for the Mid-Atlantic
5fafes?"The conference
took place on February
26, 1998 in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania.

Global Climate Change
articles may be reprinted
without permission;
however, please include
an acknowledgment and
send a copy of the
published material to:
Norah Davis
Waste Policy Institute
2111 Wilson Boulevard,
Suite 600

Arlington, VA22201.

For more information
about the conference, visit
the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's
global warming
conference website at:
www. eis. wpi. org/
epaworkshops/.

In addition, EPA publishes
a number of fact sheets
about global warming
and energy efficiency.

Call EPA's Fax-On-
Demand Service
(202-260-2860)
or access EPA's global
warming website at:
www.epa.gov/
globalwarming.

No Time to Wait

"The Kyoto Protocol is an historic step
forward to address a global problem," said
EPA Assistant Administrator David Gardiner,
in his remarks to the conference. Gardiner
emphasized that if we do nothing and
continue business as usual, greenhouse gas
emissions are expected to rise to levels
higher than they've been at any time in
recorded history.

Greenhouse gases remain in the
atmosphere, in some cases, for up to 25,000 years.
"If we don't begin to do something today," Gardiner
said,"our children and grandchildren will be stuck
with the problem. We in the administration feel that
is unacceptable."

Gardiner maintained that the agreement gives the
United States 10 years to plan and 5 more years to
average out emissions. This flexibility, which was
one of the goals of the administration, allows public
and private sectors time to adjust.

Gardiner added that the agreement embodies
another objective of the administration: a market-
based emissions trading program that will enable
nations that achieve their targets for reducing
greenhouse gas emissions to sell emissions permits
to countries that fall short.

Stressing that the protocol is "a work in progress,"
Gardiner noted that another round of negotiations
and individual work with developing countries will

Utilities on the March

EPA Assistant
Administrator David
Gardiner compared the
Kyoto Protocol to
buying an insurance
policy against the risk of
future climate change

be needed to get those nations on board. Talks
already are underway in preparation for those
negotiations, which are scheduled to take place in
November when parties to the United Nations
climate convention meet in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The Clean Development Mechanism advanced by
Brazil will increase participation by developing
countries through joint implementation of new
energy technologies."There is a significant
opportunity to do things differently in developing
countries," Gardiner said. He added that all
developing countries are not the same so that a
one-size-fits-all approach is not good policy.

The Kyoto Protocol will help American businesses
compete more effectively in the global economy by
becoming more energy efficient."It is a cost-
effective, commonsense approach to solving a
serious problem," Gardiner concluded."The protocol
is a only a first step, but an important one." ~

J i

David Cesareo,
environmental affairs
director of PECO's legal
department, noted that
"we don't look like your
traditional electric utility

What impact will the Kyoto Protocol have on the utility industry, which is
responsible for one-third of U.S. emissions? This question was posed by David
Cesareo, director of environmental affairs at PECO, an energy utility that
provides electric service to an area that contains approximately 3.6 million
Pennsylvania residents. Cesareo said that the protocol will require his industry
to reduce emissions by 30 percent by 2010.

During a six-year period, PECO's Limerick and Peach Bottom nuclear plants in
York County avoided approximately 174 million tons of C02 emissions relative to
a coal-fired plant. Nuclear power plants produce electricity without generating
C02. Referring to PECO's efforts to seek and implement creative environmental
solutions, Cesareo said, "We don't look like your traditional electric utility." ~

Rising Insurance Rates

"The insurance industry is experiencing larger and larger losses," said Eugene
L. Lecomte, president emeritus of the Institute for Business and Home Safety.
Insured losses from Hurricane Andrew alone were $15 5 billion.

To remain solvent in the face of a problem of this size, insurance companies are
raising premiums, increasing deductibles, and, where permitted, withdrawing
from doing business in high-risk regions. 'These are all areas they have to pursue
if they're going to remain in business," said Lecomte,"if we continue to have
losses of the magnitude we've had during the past eight years."

Lecomte concluded by emphasizing that the scientific uncertainties related to
global warming pose a quandary for the insurance industry, which needs to be
able to forecast future risks in order to decide on premiums. ~

A President Emeritus of the
Institute for Business and
Home Safety Eugene Lecomte
talked about the effect of
increasingly severe weather on
insurance premiums.

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An Unmistakable Warming Trend

Page

Perm State Professor Brent
Yarnal told the audience that
the greatest potential impacts
to the mid-Atlantic region are
increased precipitation and
sea-level rise.

unmistakable. He pointed out that 50 percent
of the mass of mountain glaciers has wasted
away globally, and the permafrost in polar
regions is melting. These changes have
occurred over the past century under a
temperature gain of only 1 degree Fahrenheit.

Point and...

The ratification of the Kyoto treaty
will lead to an "extraordinary
economic cost/' predicted Mary
Novak, of the WEFA Group.

Charlie Baxter, regional
director at the U.S. Department of
Energy, moderated a session
on the economic impacts
of climate change.

...Counterpoint

Duncan Austin, an associate at the World Resources
Institute, reviewed 162 economic forecasts and
concluded that models such as the study done by Mary
Novak's organization are imprecise. Austin
emphasized that almost all of the differences in the
conclusions of different models are the result of
underlying assumptions. One model, for example,
assumes that economic responses are slow and that
it takes time for people to adapt to change. This type
of model leads to very different results from one that
assumes that the economy's responses are almost
instantaneous.

Similarly, the models make differing assumptions
about the availability of alternative fuels, air pollution
damages averted, incentives to shift to less energy-
intensive products, and the presence or absence of a
joint implementation approach.

If the United States signs the Kyoto treaty, we
will face extraordinary changes in the way we
use energy in this country, according to Mary
Novak, senior vice president of the WEFA
Group, an economic and industry consulting
firm. Novak represented the position of several
interest groups that are opposed to the Kyoto
agreement for economic reasons.

According to Novak, the gross domestic product
by 2010 will be 1.5 percent ($227 billion)
below where it would have been without the
cuts in energy use. Her economic studies
indicate that 1.8 million jobs will be lost,
especially in energy-exporting states.

"It will take every man, woman, and child using
half of the energy they use today," Novak
concluded. ~

Austin concluded by questioning the view that a
rise in energy prices will have a negative effect
on economic growth. He argued that the impact
will amount to no more than postponing the
attainment of the gross domestic product that
we would have reached in the first quarter of
2020 to the second or third quarter of 2021. ~

Economic models, for all
their sophistication and
complexity, are
dependent on a number
of assumptions, said
Duncan Austin, of the
World Resources
Institute.

"As an
environmentalist, I
don't often hear the
other part of the story-
businesses doing their
part. Even though we
have a different point
of view, we can't turn
each other into
the enemy."

Connie: Fenty
Environmental Educator
Rejuvenation Creation

"We would like to see
a program that
recognizes clean
energy contributions

introduced by
companies like PECO
Energy and provides a
level competitive and
environmental
playing field."

Thomas A. Sylvester
Environmental Consultant
PECO Energy Company

Citing the evidence
rising tempera-
¦	'	lures at the earth's

surface, Dr. Brent
Yarnal, associate professor at Pennsylvania State
University, said that an overall warming trend is

Another expected effect of climate change is
greater precipitation due to increased evaporation
as temperauires rise. In fact, the United States has
seen a significant increase in rainfall over the last
100 years. Case in point: 1996, one of the warmest
years on record globally, was the wettest year in
Pennsylvania's history. ~

UPCOMING Conference: The next regional conference sponsored by the U.S. EPA, ''Climate Change: What Does It Mean for the Southwest?"
will be held September 24, 1998, in Phoenix, AZ. For more information, contact Monica Duda, Waste Policy Institute, 703-247-2410.

&EPA

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Page

"By using the
appropriate approach
to the problem of
global warming
technology—we can
resolve the artificial
debate between the
economy and the
environment

Jim Florio
Former Governor
of New Jersey

Renewable Ingenuity

In a keynote address that affirmed the strength and
diversity of renewable technologies, Joseph Romni.
principal deputy assistant secretary of the U.S.
Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy, told the conference,"We
have an opportunity to make a transition to a clean
energy future." With the help of "technology
roadmaps" and effective policy, climate change can
be mitigated to ensure a safer future.

Romm outlined President Clinton's three-stage
approach for the United States to meet its Kyoto
targets without raising energy bills. During the
first phase, we can
"prime the pump"
through voluntary
actions and
research and
development of
new technologies
to reduce
emissions. During
the next phase, we
can review and
evaluate our progress. Then
from 2008 to 2012, we can
make adjustments to ensure
that we meet the target. In
other words, the Kyoto
Protocol allows for a 10-year
transition period, during which the United
States can make gradual reductions.

In addition to this flexibility in the timeframe,
the United States is not obligated to achieve all of
its reductions domestically. An emissions trading
program, clean development mechanism with
developing countries, and reforestation could
provide important emission offsets.

Recognizing the importance of technology, the
administration has ear marked a total of $6.3 billion
for the development of energy-efficient
technologies in the building, industry, transportation,
and utility sectors. Romm provided a number of
examples of technological innovations and common
sense solutions that reduce emissions.

Engineering Efficiency

First, he maintained that there is hardly a building
in the country that the U,S. Department of Energy
and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency can't
help to make more efficient. Romm added,"We
have demonstrated every single day that we can
walk into any lower-income building in the
country and reduce its energy use by about 30
percent with a very rapid payback. We can design
a house that uses half the energy of a traditional
home with no increase in first cost."

~

Representatives
from British
Petroleum
talk with a
conference
participant.

the equivalent of 10 to 12
large coal-fired power plants

efficiency. The City of Philadelphia saved more than
$500,000 by installing energy-efficient lights as part of
the ENERGY STAR® and Rebuild America programs.

Working with manufacturers to create energy-
efficient products also can reduce emissions
significantly. The ENERGY STAR® program
encouraged computer manufacturers to improve
their products and lowered computer energy usage
by 50 percent. Romm envisions a future in which
consumers can easily find energy-efficient products
by looking for special labels. This simple step could
yield substantial benefits. As Romm pointed out,
"Appliances such as
televisions and other

I "We have an	electronics in homes consume
opportunity to make a
transition to a clean
energy future/' said

Joseph J. Romm. of the	, . ,		 .	.»

US Department of	CVCH' day just producing the

Energy.	electricity that these products

use when they're in the
standby mode."

To reduce greenhouse gas

emissions further, the
Department of Energy
is working on fuel
cells that will provide
power in houses and
other buildings. A fuel
cell runs on hydrogen,
typically from natural
gas, and generates
electricity and hot
water while producing no air pollution. Fuel cells are
80 to 95 percent efficient, and they will appear on the
market within two or three years.

Such solutions will greatly improve U.S. electricity
generation. Currently, the average power plant
fueled by fossil fuels throws away two units of
energy as waste heat for every unit of electricity
generated. In addition, Romm's office has developed
an advanced turbine system that converts natural
gas to electricity and steam, and can reduce C02
emissions by a factor of three.

Technology Roadmaps

Romm's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy works with six industries that are responsible
for 80 percent of U.S. industrial energy use and C02
emissions. His office is developing "technology
roadmaps" and innovative advanced technologies
that ultimately will help these industries become
more productive, energy-efficient, and low-polluting.
Currently, DuPont has promised to reduce 18 million
metric tons of C02 equivalents by the year 2000.
Chrysler is working to improve its paint systems,
which will save 40 million BTU's of energy and
minimize CO, emissions.

&EPA

Something as straightforward as improved lighting
can drastically increase a building's energy

"This covintry has not really focused on energy
for the last 10 or 15 years," Romm concluded,

-------
Page

"and, frankly, there is a lot of fat in the system that
can be gotten rid of quite cost-effectively."

Turning to the transportation sector, Romm noted
that the average car is only about 15 to 20 percent
efficient at converting gasoline into usable driving
energy. To improve automobile efficiency, the
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
is working with the Department of Commerce and
automobile manufacturers to design improved

Former New jersey
Governor Jim Florio
makes a point during
a discussion with
a conference
participant.

engines. Ford, General Motors, and Daimler-Benz
plan to have fuel cell vehicles on the road by 2004.
The fuel cells in these cars will generate about half
the C02 of traditional engines and produce zero air
pollution. "The race to develop a green car is
probably going to be one of the great
technological races of the next decade," he said.

Not Your Father's Photovoltaics

Romm also forecast another technology that is primed
to take off in the next decade—renewable energy. The
cost of wind energy has come down from 40 cents
per kilowatt-hour in 1980 to 5 cents today. Wind
energy has been growing 20 to 25 percent in capacity
annually for more than a decade.

Photovoltaics also have changed profoundly.
Displaying a roof shingle that can generate electricity
from the sun, Romm remarked,"This is not your
father's photovoltaics. This is state-of-the-art."

Concluding on an upbeat note, Romm maintained
that a large international market for new

technologies could turn renewable energy into a
$300-billion-a-year industry. It would become one
of the largest industries in the world, producing 40
to 50 percent of the global energy supply in 40 or
50 years. That means it would generate a lot of jobs
in the United States. "America has traditionally been
the world's leader in technology, job creation, and
environmental performance, and we can continue
to do so," Romm said.

He added that his office has demonstrated that the
United States can achieve the Kyoto targets without
raising the nation's energy bill and, in some cases,
lowering it. In addition, we will achieve ancillary
benefits such as reducing oil imports by two
million barrels a day, while lowering criteria air
pollutant emissions by one-third.

During a question-and-answer session, Romm
allayed concerns that Kyoto will require a dramatic
response from the transportation sector. We need
to take small, modest actions such as gradually
stepping up efficiency so that one-tliird of the new
cars on the road in 2010 are two or three times
more efficient than today's cars. Another step is to
make a gradual transition to lower-carbon fuels. If
we were to substitute just 5 percent of gasoline
used with cellulosic ethanol, the United States
would save 15 million metric tons of carbon—
already 5 percent of the Kyoto goal.

"We are not looking for any one silver bullet, but
rather several dozen technologies," Romm
Concluded. ~

General Motor's
new electric
pickup truck runs
on a battery
charge.

Like Father, Like Son

The Philadelphia

conference may be the
first time that a father and
son attended a meeting on
global warming together.
Jay P. Clymer, Jr., takes an
active part in streambank
restoration as a member
of Trout Unlimited and
Delco Anglers.
He's interested in EPA's
study on the impacts of
climate change on trout
populations because he
raises trout for restocking
streams.

He came to the
conference with his son,
Jay P. Clymer III, an
associate professor of
environmental science at
Marywood University in
Scranton, Pennsylvania.
For five years, the
professor has taught
courses that deal in part
with the issue of global
warming. "Students in my
classes plant trees," he
says, "and try to be more
conscious of the fossil
fuels they burn." ~

Serious Energy Cuts in the Steel Industry

Bruce Stiner, of the American Iron
and Steel Institute, said that his
industry recognizes the need to
improve its use of energy.

Pointing out that 20
percent of the U.S. steel
industry is located in the
mid-Atlantic region, Bruce
Stiner, vice president of the
American Iron and Steel Institute, noted that the
steel industry has serious concerns about the Kyoto
Protocol. Nevertheless, said Stiner, the industry

recognizes the need to make progress on energy
efficiency.

Steel, an energy-intensive industry, has significant
accomplishments to date. Since 1975, the industry
has reduced energy use by 45 percent per ton of
steel produced.This was accomplished by
employing measures such as phasing out open
furnaces, using materials more effectively, and
increasing the recycling of scrap metal.

"However, the pace of progress is slowing," said
Stiner,"making further gains much more difficult.' ~

&EPA

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DuPont: Goal Is Zero Emissions

'7 haven't heard
anybody say what the
impact [of policies to
reduce greenhouse gas
emissions] would be on
West Virginia, which
derives a substantial
portion of its economy
from the extraction
of coal."

Edward !_, "Skipp" Kropp
Assistant Chief,
Enforcement
West Virginia Division of
Environmental Protection

"Our corporate goal is zero
injuries, zero waste, and zero
emissions," said Edwin L. Mongan
III, manager of pollution
prevention and environmental
auditing for DuPont. To date, the
company has reduced its
greenhouse gas emissions by 16
percent, or 22 million tons of
carbon equivalents. The
company, which has 100,000
employees and sales of $45
billion, became a partner in EPA
and the Department of Energy's
Climate Wise program in 1994.

Solar Becoming Profitable

Since 1973, the company has
made improvements in energy
use that have resulted in savings
of $2 billion. In 1996 alone,
DuPont realized a net savings of
$90 million from investments in
energy efficiency.

"This is the real payback to our
company," said Mongan. "We would
be a lot less successful if we had not
made those reductions." ~

Edwin Mongan talked ahout the sayings
that DuPont has realized from taking
measures to improve its use of energy.

"Solar technology is going
to be a major factor in our
nation's future energy
supply with or without
overt actions dealing with
climate change," according
to Gerald W. Braun, director
of strategic business
development at Solarex.
Headquartered in
Frederick, Maryland,
Solarex is a subsidiary of
Amoco/Enron Solar.

%

A Gerry Braun told the

conference that photovoltaics
are already competitive in
Japan where energy prices
are higher than they are in
the United States.

In recent years the solar
energy industry grew at a rate of 15 to 20
percent per year and is now hitting 30 percent
per year.

Hydro, geothermal, and biomass sources currently
supply about 10 percent of the world's total
energy, with smaller contributions from solar and
wind power. But by the year 2050, renewables are
expected to provide 25 to 50 percent of the
world's energy. Solar and wind need to grow by
more than 25 percent per year to achieve those
contributions—a rate that is currently quite
realistic, Braun said.

By 2002, with market growth and cost
reductions, photovoltaics will be competitive
in the United States. "The Million Solar Rooftops
initiative will probably be a success," Braun
remarked. He concluded with a play on the
words of a popular children's character,"Tt
isn't easy being green,' but it's starting to
be profitable." ~

Enlightened or Market Savvy?

BP, the third largest petroleum prodvicer in the
world with revenues exceeding $70 billion, began
assessing the issue of climate change more than
two years ago. Initially, the company had adopted a
more skeptical attitude toward global warming. But
things changed after BP completed its assessment.
"The company decided that it is unwise and
potentially dangerous to ignore the mounting
concern," said M.Todd Foley, director of regulatory
affairs for BP America Inc. "We decided that the
available evidence merits action."

Foley was asked whether the company is more
enlightened than other petroleum companies or
just has more market savvy. He replied,"Both."

Over the last decade, BP has increased its energy
efficiency by 20 percent. Currently, it is reducing
emissions from flares with a goal of eliminating
flaring entirely except in emergencies. In addition,
BP is measuring emissions from its operations and
will develop realistic and independently verified

targets. In partnership with the Environmental
Defense Fund, the company is developing a pilot
emissions trading program modeled after the U.S.
acid rain program.

"BP is committed to these actions regardless of
Kyoto," said Foley.' They make good business sense.
Cutting emissions is a matter of cutting energy
consumption, and energy is cost." ~

M. Todd Foley, of British
Petroleum, told the
conference that the evidence
on climate change merits our
taking action.

-------
Clean, Efficient, and Fun Cars

Page

"T

WE CH

CONI

^ Michael Paritee, of General
Motors, emphasized his
company's commitment to
electric vehicles.

General Motors
recently unveiled
prototypes of hybrid
cars powered by
electricity and
conventional fuels. Michael S. Paritee, regional
manager for marketing and infrastructure
development at the Advanced Technology Vehicles
division of General Motors, displayed an electric
pickup truck at the conference and showed a
video of the rest of GM's electric vehicle line.

Cool Initiatives

George Washington University, said that if we do
nothing to address climate change, heat mortality
could double, water shortages may occur, and
vector-borne diseases such as dengue may increase.

Balbus also discussed the effects of climate change
on the elderly and affirmed the importance of
disease surveillance."From a population vulnerability
standpoint," he said,"the extremes of age make
individuals more susceptible to heat mortality." It is
imperative that we monitor these populations.

Outlook for Flora and Fauna

"As things warm up, flora and fauna are taking a
hike," said Mark Koenings, superintendent of the
Assateague Island National Seashore. Koenings
discussed the National Park Service's concerns

One vehicle, which GM touts as the "next
generation sportscar," is a hybrid vehicle that runs
on a diesel engine coupled with electric batteries.
The sportscar gets 80 miles per gallon, has a 500
mile range, and goes from 0-60 miles per hour in
seven seconds. The hybrid vehicles, which will be
ready for mass production by 2001, generate one-
third to one-half the Carbon dioxide emissions of
conventional vehicles without sacrificing
performance, safety, or appearance.

Paritee also showed a prototype fuel cell vehicle that
burns hydrogen extracted from gasoline.The fuel cell
generates electricity with water vapor as the
byproduct. The vehicle generates near-zero emissions
and will be ready for mass production by 2004. ~

about species migration and longer fire seasons. He
also mentioned the effects of climate change on
coral ecosystems. When sea temperatures heat up,
coral reefs become more susceptible to disease. In

The possibility of increased
transmission of infectious
diseases is one potential effect
of global warming, according
to John Balbus, of George
Washington University

//Heat islands are a fact," A

said Sharon Ross, of
Allegheny Power. "When
you remove trees and
replace them with
concrete, it gets hotter/'

Mount Rainier Mayor Fred Sissine
spoke proudly about his city's
involvement in the Cities for Climate
Protection Campaign.

addition, an increase in storms has carried dust from
Africa's Sahara Desert to the U.S.Virgin Islands,
where it has negatively affected coral in the region.

Koenings concluded by describing the impact of
rising sea levels on a barrier island like Assateague.
The National Park Service is trying to restore
geological integrity to the island without
compromising its fragile ecosystem.To preserve our
precious national parks and seashores, Koenings told
the audience,"we need strong regional planning."

Making it Cool

Strategically planted trees can go a long way toward
reducing heat and energy use. Sharon Ross, a forester at
Allegheny Power, and Marilyn Reedy, president of Trees
for Frederick, are involved in planting trees to cool the
streets of Frederick, Maryland. Ross and Reedy have
planned and initiated projects to transform Frederick's
"heat islands "from uninterrupted swaths of asphalt and

Continued on page 8

"We came to the
conference to see what
we can do to help
solve the problem of
global warming locally
through education and
outreach at health fairs
and shows."

Ed Blevins
Supervisor of
Environmental
Field Services
Montgomery County
Health Department

&EPA

State and local governments are on the move with
ideas and strategies that will help ensure a safer
environment despite rising
temperatures. At a session
focused on strategies for state
and local governments to
meet the challenges of
climate change, John Balbus,
acting chairman of
environmental and
occupational health at The

National Park Service
Superintendent Mark Koenings
described Assateague Island's
struggle with rising sea levels.

~

Marilyn Reedy, president of The
Trees for Frederick Project,
discussed the challenges and
rewards of planting trees to cool
urban areas.

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Page

"Carbon sequestration
is one benefit of
planting trees to
mitigate global
warming, but there are
also ancillary benefits
such as cleaner water
and air, reducing
stormwater runoff,
and increasing
wildlife habitat

Rick Crouse
Vice President,
Development
American Forests

To learn more
about global
warming, check out
EPA's website at:
www.epa.gov/
globalwarming.

&EPA

Cool Initiatives Continued from page 7

concrete to cooler and greener areas. Despite lack of
funding, a core group of volunteers is continuing to
make the effort a success.

"We're planning on expanding beyond Frederick,"
said Reedy. "We truly believe that from our humble
beginnings come good ideas for our future."

A Tale of Two Cities

Fred Sissine, mayor of Mount Rainier, Maryland,
made a strong case for the Cities for Climate
Protection Campaign, which has done a great deal
to improve life in his city and nearby Takoma Park.
Calling his story "A Tale of Two Cities; Sissine
noted that Takoma Park has established a
compressed natural gas fueling station and is now
in the process of acquiring a natural gas-fueled
vehicle for the city's police department.

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Climate Change and Public Health (climate-
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Climate Change and State-Local Governments
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have on our states and cities, and offers innovative

W Michael McCabe, Regional Administrator,

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 3

David Gardiner, Assistant Administrator for Policy, Planning

and Evaluation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

BrentYarnal, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Geography,

Pennsylvania State University

Charlie Baxter, Regional Director, MidAtlantic States,

U.S. Department of Energy

Mary Novak, Senior Vice President, WEFA Group

Duncan Austin, Associate, Economics and Population

Program, World Resources Institute

David Cesareo, Director, Environmental Affairs,

Legal Department, PECO

Gene Lecomte, President Emeritus, Institute for Business
and Home Safety

Bruce Steiner,Vice President, Environment and Energy,
American Iron and Steel Institute

Robert Vatistas, with the
Crown Cork & Seal Company,
moderated an afternoon
session on how state and local
governments can meet the
challenge of climate change.

In Mo tin I Rainier, city officials decided to revitalize
their downtown. They created a new'green space"
in the town center—a verdant roundabout that has
increased pedestrian safety and made driving easier
for motorists. They also constructed a hiking and
bicycling trail that leads to a mass transit station. A
new city hall building has numerous energy
improvements over the former building. "We have
to lead by example," Sissine concluded. ~

ways to curb global warming while reducing
pollution and saving money.

Climate Change and Outdoor Recreation
(climate-outdoor-L) - For outdoor recreation
enthusiasts, provides hunters, anglers, campers,
hikers, and wildlife watchers with the latest
scientific developments on climate change and its
effects on the natural world.

Climate Change and Coastal Communities
(cUmate-coastal-L) - For coastal communities,
provides information on strategies for adapting to
or mitigating sea level rise; potential effects on
seyere storms; and coastal success stories.

Climate Change and Meteorologists (climate-
meteor-L) - For meteorologists, includes information
on current findings and effects on weather patterns,
including severe storms.

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Send an e-mail to: listserv@upi.org. In the body
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Kimberly Bell. ~

Joseph J.Romm, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy
Edwin Mongan, Manager, Pollution Prevention and Environmental
Auditing, DuPont

Gerry Braun, Director, Strategic Business Development, Solarex
M. Todd Foley, Director of Regulatory Affairs, BP America
Michael Paritee, Advanced Technology Vehicles, General Motors
Robert G. Vatistas, Vice President of Environmental Health and Safety,
Crown Cork & Seal Company

John M. Balbus, Acting Chairman, Environmental and Occupational
Health, M.D., MPH, The George Washington University
Marc A. Koenings, Superintendent, Assateague Island National Seashore,
National Park Service

Marilyn Reedy, President,Trees for Frederick
Sharon Ross, Forester,Allegheny Power
Fred Sissine, Mayor, City of Mt. Rainier, Maryland

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