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DOE Announces Additional Steps in Developing Sustainable Biofuels Industry
Source: U.S. Department of Energy

U.S. consumers already use E10, gasoline blended with 10 percent ethanol, in conventional vehicles and other engines. In order to meet the goals set forth in the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007, however, the U.S. will likely need to use higher blends of ethanol in conventional vehicles. To assess the potential impacts of higher blends of ethanol such as E15 and E20, gasoline blended with 15 and 20 percent ethanol, on conventional vehicles and other gasoline engines, DOE initiated a testing program in August 2007.

A preliminary report released today by DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, provides results available to date from testing E15 and E20 on 13 vehicles and 28 small non-road engines, including lawn equipment and generators. The information reported today, along with data that will be collected over the course of this broad test program, will help determine whether higher blends of ethanol can be effectively used in conventional vehicles. The report showed that most of the regulated emissions with E15 and E20 were within the normal test variation, and no statistically-significant change was detected. While the data collected to date is encouraging, particularly with regard to regulated emissions, additional studies are needed on a wider range of vehicles and engines.

+ Intermediate Blend Report (PDF; 1.5 MB)

The State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference will be available as a “live” video webcast October 22 and October 23.  Join us for two full days of programming on-line at http://epa.gov/greatlakes/live

Highlights for Wednesday, October 22 “State of the Great Lakes”
(starting at 9 AM Eastern time)

• Contaminants, Biotic Communities and Invasive Species
• Coastal Zones and Aquatic Habitats
• Human Health, Land Use, Resource Utilization, and Climate Change
• Keynote Speaker – Thomas Homer-Dixon
• Impacts of Changing Land Use
• Nearshore Terrestrial Ecosystems
• Coastal Wetlands
• Nearshore Waters – biological, physical, chemical features

Highlights for Thursday, October 23 “Ecosystem Status Reports: Lakes and
Connecting Channels”
(starting at 7:30 AM Eastern time)

• Lake Superior – Non-native species
• Lake Michigan – Botulism
• Lake Huron – Beaches and Recreational Water Quality
• St. Clair-Detroit River Connecting Channel – Nutrients and algal blooms
• Lake Erie – Nutrients and Harmful Algal Blooms
• Niagara River – Contaminants
• Lake Ontario – Impacts of Water Levels
• Keynote Speaker Peter Annin – “Great Lakes Water Wars”

A detailed video webcast agenda is available at http://epa.gov/greatlakes/live.

EPA is amending the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants rule for new and existing hazardous waste combustors. These standards implement the Clean Air Act by requiring hazardous waste combustors to meet emission standards reflecting the application of the maximum achievable control technology. The rule is the final action regarding the eight issues for which EPA granted reconsideration in September 2006. The revisions also address comments received in response to a September 2007 notice.

As a result of this reconsideration process, EPA is:

• Revising the new source particulate matter standards for cement kilns and incinerators that burn hazardous waste to better reflect the performance of the best controlled source over time. The change in the standards resulted from consideration of additional performance data;
• Amending the particulate matter detection system provisions and revisions to the health-based compliance alternative provisions for total chlorine;
• Identifying the emissions standards EPA intends to defend in pending litigation and is responding to public comments on a related Sept. 27, 2007 notice; and
• Making several corrections and clarifications to the rule.

The revised provisions are effective immediately and do not change the Oct. 14, 2008, compliance date established by the October 2005 final rule. The final rule should be published in the Federal Register in about two weeks.

With just a few clicks of the mouse, you can find information on air emissions from power plants. EPA has issued a new edition of its Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGRID) and updated Power Profiler to help you better understand the environmental impacts of electricity use. With today’s updates, eGRID and Power Profiler now contain 2005 emissions data.

eGRID is a comprehensive air emissions database of electric power plants in the United States, including emissions data on nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and mercury. The new edition of eGRID now also provides emissions data on two greenhouse gases, methane and nitrous oxide.
Power Profiler is a user friendly online tool that helps consumers see how their individual energy use is impacting air emissions. Using data from eGRID, Power Profiler calculates how much nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide are emitted from electricity use.

Through eGRID, you can:

• Use emission rates for calculations based on electricity use (carbon footprinting, greenhouse gas inventories);
• Find out which plants emit the most and least pollution in the country;
• Examine the emissions and fuel mix of different electric generating companies; and
• Use the information for academic papers and research projects.

Power Profiler allows you to:

• See the air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions impact of electricity used in your home or business;
• See the fuel mix of electric generation in your region of the country;
• Compare these figures to national averages; and
• Learn how to reduce emissions through greater energy efficiency and use of renewable energy.

More about eGRID: epa.gov/egrid
More about Power Profiler: epa.gov/powerprofiler

Read the full story from WKOW.

The latest “damming” evidence suggests that manmade reservoirs are facilitating the spread of invasive species in Wisconsin lakes.