Clean Air Issues
Activity Report
August 2002
- Monitor and participate in several ListServs as follows:
- Selected items are forwarded to SC-NJ Cons-Com and Loantaka Ex-Com to
keep members advised of developments, related legislation, actions
recommended, etc.
- New Source Review (NSR)
- Air-mail (many different air quality and energy related issues
- RefineryReform (mainly re: NSR)
- Hg-WG (Mercury Work Group)
- Compliance_alliance (re: Title V Operating Permits)
After consulting with Jeff re whether or not to accept an invitation to
join, I am currently representing SC-NJ in a 23 member Regional Air Quality
Citizens Advisory Panel (CAP), a forum for fact-finding, discussion,
understanding and, where possible, consensus building and informed
decision-making by companies, community leaders, public officials and
other stakeholders regarding regional air quality, public health and
quality of life issues" in Northampton County, PA and Warren County, NJ.
Meetings are held monthly at different sites within the region.
I also volunteered to work with two other members (rep's of EPA Region
II and PPL) on an "Issues Subcommittee" to refine and prioritize various
issues and topics suggested by members of the panel in the July meeting so
the CAP can address them in a logical, systematic way.
As agreed in our Chapter Tel' Conference Call of Thursday, Aug 8
summaries of this Air Quality CAP monthly meetings will be posted to keep
Cons-Com members advised re the...
...Clean Car Campaign - working to have NJ adopt the [more stringent] CA
LEV II emission standards as now exist in NY, MA and VT. I attended one
Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee hearing on this issue last
November and presented information on this issue at the April 2002 NJDEP
Clean Air Council Annual Public Hearing in Trenton. I emphasized the even
greater importance of passing the bills (S.121 & A.409) calling for
this change in emissions for all cars sold in NJ beginning in 2006 as a
result of the U.S. Senate's failure to approve any increase in the federal
CAFE standards. Will be working/coordinating with Dena Mattola, Project
Mgr for NJPIRG on this issue.
Participated in July interviews of candidates running for Congress in
District 7 (Tim Carden and Rep. Mike Ferguson) and District 11 (Vij Pawar
and Rep. Rodney Ferguson). I am now working to gather and organize info to
be offered to the candidates to promote their support for two major federal
energy bills; S.556, the Clean Power Act of 2001 introduced in the Senate
by Jim Jeffords (I-VT) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT), otherwise known as the 4
Pollutant Bill, and its companion bill in the House, HR 1256, the Clean
Smokestacks Act of 2001 introduced by Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Sherwood
Boehlert (R-NY). Both bills are different and far superior than the Clear
Skies Initiative proposed by Pres. Bush in that they call for establishing
limits on the emissions of CO2 (the major greenhouse gas contributing to
Global Warming) from electric power plants as well as on SO2, NOx and
Mercury and for compliance by 2007. The Presidents proposal does nothing
regarding the emissions of CO2 from power plants and does not require full
compliance until 2020!
I am still seeking to recruit volunteers from each NJ Group to review
Title V Operating Permit Applications received by NJDEP from companies that
are major sources of emissions in each County, especially those not yet
approved by NJDEP and EPA Region II. Detailed lists of companies by county
have been provided to several groups earlier this year. I hope to be able
to resume this effort and devote more time to it beginning in Sept.
In the interest of reducing mobile emissions, I have worked with other
members to promote a 10 cent increase in the state's tax on motor fuels and
to dedicate the proceeds to the funding of improved mass transit and
repairing bridges and highways.
I have continued to monitor and report on developments re the new USEPA
Diesel Rules calling for a 97% reduction of Sulfur in the fuel and for
manufacturers of diesel engines used in heavy trucks and buses (GVW = 8,500
lbs and over) to provide engines and emission control systems designed to
accommodate this change in the fuel by 2004.
I have continued to monitor and follow-up on the Chapter's opposition
to EPA's proposed approval of NJ's Open Market Emissions Trading Program
and to have NJDEP stop all activity related to the OMET program.
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