Perspectives from the Regional Administrator

Healthy Communities

Business at the Mars Snackfood U.S. plant in Waco has never been sweeter.  Members of the company were joined by officials from EPA recently to flip the switch on its first landfill gas project, a venture that will cut the company’s energy costs and the release of greenhouse gases into the environment. 

The project will use methane gas that is piped in from the city landfill to power two furnaces that create steam for the plant’s candy-making operations.

"Turning waste into energy is a smart strategy for business and the environment," said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene.  "EPA is pleased to be working with partners like Mars Snackfood on innovative projects like this one that deliver clean, renewable sources of energy."

In addition to saving the company $600,000 a year in energy costs, the project will also reduce more than 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, which has the same environmental impact of avoiding the emissions of 1,900 cars. Methane, a primary component of landfill gas, is a greenhouse gas over 20 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.   

Mars Snackfood joins a growing list of companies to complete waste-to-energy projects as part of EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP). There are currently 21 operational projects in Texas and a total of 34 throughout the five-state area that makes up EPA Region 6. 

To foster more development of waste-to-energy resources, EPA Region 6 has developed a pilot Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Strategic Geographic Planning tool that is designed to link waste producers with end users by identifying optimum locations for such projects.  The region is currently working to expand the pilot to a national scale.

LMOP is a voluntary technical assistance and partnership program that helps businesses and communities reduce methane emissions from landfills by encouraging the recovery and use of landfill gas as a renewable energy source. Since 1994, LMOP has assisted in developing more than 330 landfill gas projects in the United States, reducing methane emissions by over 24 million metric tons of carbon equivalent.

More on the LMOP program

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Going Batty’ earns presidential award for Oklahoma girls

Jessica Mackiewicz, Alex Bryan, Teresa Ezersky and Cristina Navarro can tell you a thing or two about bats. Spending a year learning about bats and teaching others about the benefits the animals bring to the environment earned the four girls from Oklahoma presidential recognition.

The team of bat crusaders accepted their President’s Environmental Youth Award today during a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

“Today’s young people are tomorrow’s stewards of our environment," said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. "By recognizing and encouraging their efforts to make our world a cleaner and healthier place, we help ensure our environment will be in good hands."

Each year, the President’s Environmental Youth Awards are presented to recognize young people who become an environmental force, individually or collectively, within their community.

The Oklahoma foursome came together as part of Girl Scout Troop 222 and developed the ‘Going Batty’ project to educate children and adults on the importance of bats as pollinators. Mackiewicz and Bryan are from Edmond, Okla., while Ezersky and Navarro are from Guthrie, Okla.

The team conducted research, interviewed educators and met with wildlife conservation biologists to complete the project. They learned that pollinators — including bats — make a third of the world’s food possible and help 90 percent of the world’s flowering plants to reproduce. Selecting bats as pollinators for their project, the team focused on four main goals: develop an educator’s check-out crate; build, assemble and install bat houses at Deer Creek Prairie Vale Elementary; build a human bat house to help children understand how bats live; and participate in the 2005 Oklahoma Wildlife Expo to teach a wide range of visitors about bats.

The President’s Environmental Youth Awards have been presented annually since 1971 to honor students in kindergarten through 12th grade who develop projects that help protect local environments and promote local environmental awareness in their communities. The deadline for submitting applications for the regional award program is October 31 of each year. Additional information is available on the President’s Environmental Youth Awards Web page.

Environmental performance takes off at DFW International Airport 

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is the latest major DFW business to join the Environmental Protection Agency initiative that challenges public and private institutions to meet and exceed government environmental requirements.  D/FW is the first Texas airport to be admitted into EPA’s National Environmental Performance Track program. 

“Performance Track members are raising the bar when it comes to environmental stewardship,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene.  “Every day, new Dallas Fort Worth-area businesses are going green as part of their corporate strategies.  We are pleased to see D/FW International Airport lead the way.”

Performance Track is a partnership that recognizes superior environmental performance among participating U.S. facilities of all types, sizes, and complexity.  Program members are providing leadership in many areas, including some that are not currently regulated, such as energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and water consumption. 

As part of their participation in the program, D/FW Airport has committed to do the following over the next three years:

“We are very honored to become part of this prestigious EPA program and contribute nationally to the dialogue of protecting our environment,” said Jeff Fegan, CEO of D/FW International Airport. “An Airport with 18,000 acres and 60 million annual passengers offers a unique environment challenge, but preserving our air, water and land is a strategic priority for every employee.”

Since the Performance Track program's inception in 2000, membership has grown to more than 470 members in 46 states and Puerto Rico, and those members have made 1,500 commitments to benefit the environment.  To date, members have collectively reduced their water use by 3.5 billion gallons, cut the equivalent of 90,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, and conserved more than 14,000 acres of land. 

More information on Performance Track

Frito-Lay and Lackland AFB recognized by EPA as water efficiency leaders

Frito-Lay Inc. and Lackland Air Force Base were among six winners recently recognized by EPA with 2007 Water Efficiency Leader (WEL) awards for their efforts in reducing, reusing and recycling water.  

“Every drop counts when it comes to conserving water,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene.  Read more …>

Performance Track roundtable aims to accelerate industry environmental efforts 

Companies that are leading the way in “green performance” came together to share best practices and develop more ways to accelerate their environmental efforts during a meeting here October 30.

EPA Region 6 members of the National Environmental Performance Track participated in a program roundtable in Dallas.  Read more …>

Water issues highlighted during EPA leader’s visit to North Texas

Water that North Texans save through efficiency is water they do not have to buy. That was one of the themes highlighted by the Environmental Protection Agency’s second in command, Deputy Administrator Marcus C. Peacock, during a recent visit here. 

“Water is one of our most valuable resources – both across the nation and here in Texas,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “We are showcasing for our Deputy Administrator the work we are doing to preserve our water, air and land.”

Peacock got a firsthand view of efforts by North Texas communities to protect watersheds as he and Greene toured Arlington’s Upper Trinity River trail and visited the Living Science Center.

The leadership of citizens in North Texas to protect the Trinity River watershed is an impressive example of the environmental progress achieved through shared goals and local partnerships. A new initiative launched by EPA in June 2006 expands on these benefits. 

EPA’s WaterSense program promotes efficient use of the nation’s water supply by identifying products and practices that reduce water bills and maintain high environmental standards – all without compromising performance. Consumers can look for the WaterSense label to easily identify water-efficient products. The program will also recognize certifications for irrigation professionals that advance the principles and applications of water-efficient irrigation.

More details on the WaterSense program

Nation’s Second Largest Port Becomes First

Regional Administrator Richard Greene joined Executive Director Tom Kornegay to celebrate the Port of Houston Authority leadership in renewing its commitment to implement environmentally beneficial practices that go beyond state and federal regulatory requirements.  Houston is the first and only port in the nation to achieve recognition in EPA’s Performance Track program.

As part of the National Environmental Performance Track program, the port has committed to reduce total water use by 5 percent, non-hazardous waste by 15 percent, emissions of volatile organic compounds by 15 percent, and energy use by 10 percent.  It will also construct about 70 acres of valuable wetlands from recycled construction material.

 “The Port of Houston Authority charted a new path for others to follow when it became the first port in the nation to join Performance Track three years ago,” said Richard E. Greene, EPA Regional Administrator.  “They continue to encourage other top companies by showing that environmental stewardship and economic prosperity can go hand-in-hand.”

The Performance Track program recognizes facilities that work with their communities, set three-year goals for continuous improvements in environmental performance beyond regulatory compliance, and have internal systems in place to manage their environmental programs.  Performance Track facilities must meet all environmental regulatory requirements and make additional commitments to the environment.  The Performance Track program was named as one of 50 top government programs in the country by the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

“The Port of Houston Authority is committed to taking the lead on environmental initiatives that provide quality of life improvements in neighboring communities, and being a part of the Performance Track Program reinforces this commitment.  Our environmental stewardship is embraced by every level of our organization.  It is and will continue to be engrained in every thing we do,” said H. Thomas Kornegay, Executive Director for the Port of Houston Authority.

The Port of Houston Authority is also a member of EPA’s innovative clean air program known as the Blue Skyways Collaborative and Clean Ports USA.  The Blue Skyways Collaborative is implementing over $90 million in projects that use innovations in diesel engines, alternative fuels and renewable energy technologies to reduce air emissions along major transportation corridors.  Clean Ports USA is an incentive-based, voluntary program designed to reduce emissions from existing diesel engines and nonroad equipment at ports with comprehensive strategies and information for the diverse range of ports and their staff. 

New Mexico Environment Department gets EPA inspection credentials 

Formal credentials were recently issued to the New Mexico Environment Department to perform inspections on behalf of EPA.

“The State of New Mexico has worked side-by-side with EPA for years to achieve our shared goal of ensuring clean, safe water for all of its residents,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene.  Read more …>

High-efficiency, low-emission energy plant to power children’s hospital
EPA recognizes groundbreaking facility with ENERGY STAR certificate

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized Austin Energy for providing cleaner, more efficient power through its newly constructed Mueller Energy Center. 

The Mueller Energy Center is an on-site energy plant slated to provide electricity, heating and cooling to Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas.  The new plant has the highest energy efficiencies and lowest emissions when compared to other on-site energy systems.  Another unique feature is the facility’s ability to provide all of the hospital’s energy needs even when the local electric utility grid experiences an outage. 

“Dedicating a facility that will ensure a brighter environmental future for young hospital patients during Children’s Health Month couldn’t be more fitting,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene.  “Smarter, greener technologies like these will preserve the environment for all children for many years to come.”

EPA presented Austin Energy with the ENERGY STAR Combined Heat and Power Partnership certificate of recognition.  Combined heat and power (CHP), or cogeneration, involves recovering waste heat from power production and using it for local heating and cooling needs.  Because CHP is highly efficient – generating electricity and thermal energy from the same fuel source – it reduces the amount of fuel burned, which lowers air pollution.  CHP also saves dollars, improves the reliability of the electric grid, and reduces power transmission losses.

To become a CHP partner or get more information on the program, visit EPA’s Combined Heat and Power Partnership page.

Change a Light

Rising energy costs and increasing concerns about climate change top the news nearly every evening.  It’s time for you to consider the energy you use and take practical steps to cut back.  October 4 is ENERGY STAR Change a Light Day, an opportunity for you to take the first step, right now, to preserve energy resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

With every light switched to an energy-efficient bulb -- one bearing the government’s ENERGY STAR label – you will save more than $30 in energy costs over its lifetime compared to a traditional incandescent bulb.  Because 20 percent of the average home’s electric bill goes toward lighting costs, your home’s savings and environmental impact can be significant.

In fact, for every 100 Texans who take the pledge, we will save at least 28,200 kilowatt hours of energy, cut $2,820 in energy costs, and prevent 44,600 pounds of harmful emissions.  If every American household changed a single light bulb to a high efficiency bulb, it would prevent the equivalent in annual greenhouse gas emissions of nearly 800,000 cars.

I’ve taken a pledge to change at least one light in my own home, and I encourage you to do the same.  It’s easy -- Go to energystar.gov/changealight to make your pledge.  By working together, we will ensure a brighter, safer future for us all.  A future that shines.

Joint EPA / North Central Texas Council of Governments Letter in PDF format. 279 KB

Performance Track Gets Great Results ... Companies Volunteer to Improve Performance

You’ve heard it before: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  It’s especially true in the environment.   Pollution prevention is the most cost-effective, sensible way to protect our environment and public health. 

Our Performance Track program offers incentives for the regulated community to go beyond what is required by law and achieve measurable environmental results.

Through Performance Track, EPA recognizes facilities that work with their communities, set three-year goals for continuous improvements in environmental performance and have internal systems in place to manage their environmental impacts. 

Since June 2000, Performance Track membership has grown to more than 400 members.  Members reduced total water use by 1.9 billion gallons and waste generation by more than 550,000 tons. They increased their use of recycled materials by nearly 120,000 tons. In 2004 alone, they reduced water use by more than half a billion gallons, set aside more than 1,000 acres for land conservation, and reduced air-pollution emissions by more than 3,000 tons. Read more >

National Local Government Advisory Committee Meets in Dallas

Regional Administrator Richard Greene welcomes members of the national Local Government Advisory Committee at their Spring meeting in Dallas, Texas. The committee is discussing several key environmental topics including municipal water and waste water infrastructure needs, storm water requirements, environmental indicators, and clean air solutions.

The committee is comprised of elected and appointed local officials, State representatives, environmental interests groups and labor interests from around the country. Established in 1993 under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the committee provides advice to the EPA Administrator on environmental issues of concern to residents of communities. Mayor Jerry Johnston from Braman, Oklahoma represents our States on the Committee as well as the Small Communities Advisory Subcommitee.

To learn more visit EPA's Local Government Advisory Committee website.

Regional Administrator Greene briefs media on ASPECT

On July 28, 2005, EPA was notified of a large fire and smoke plume at the Valley Solvent and Chemical Company in Fort Worth, Texas. Several explosions and injuries were reported. Nearby businesses were evacuated. The company is reported to be a bulk re-packager of several hazardous substances, including flammable solvents.

EPA mobilized response managers and the ASPECT aircraft to the incident. Multiple units of the Fort Worth Fire Department and Hazmat Team responded to the incident, as well as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and the American Red Cross.

On Friday, July 29, Regional Administrator Greene traveled to Waxahachie, Texas, to tour the ASPECT plane with area reporters and update them on EPA response activities to the Valley Solvent incident. Read more >

EPA Employees "Plug-In To eCycling"

EPA employees joined other tenants in the Fountain Place building for a "Plug-In To eCycling" program on Thursday, March 23. They filled more than sixteen pallets--almost two truckloads--with electronic waste from their homes, helping EPA and its "eCycling" partners take a bite out of the more than two million pounds of electronic waste that are thrown into garbage dumps every year, where they can leak toxic substances like lead and mercury.

"Plug-In To eCycling" is one of many new efforts under the EPA Resource Conservation Challenge, which calls on all Americans to consider environmental impact in every aspect of consumption--from product design and manufacture to reuse and recovery.

ARC International, one of many advanced recycling centers supporting "eCycling" across the country, worked with Fountain Place building management to collect the electronic goods--such as computers, cell phones, video players and much more--that was turned in.

Cities across the region and the nation sponsor collection events, as do EPA's "Plug-In To eCycling" partners listed in the link below. EPA applauds all of its partners for their contribution to safe electronics recyling. Check with them or your city recycling coordinator for more information on "eCycling" opportunities in your area.

For more Information:

EPA's "Plug-In To eCycling" program
Product stewardship
EPA Region 6 eCycling

Regional Administrator Speaks at Environmental Conference

Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene addressed thousands of environmental professionals at the Spring Meeting of the Auditing Roundtable in Dallas April 19, 2005. The engineers, scientists and technical experts at the conference are responsible for ensuring that their companies comply with environmental laws.

Greene's keynote speech focused on EPA's priorities for the upcoming years, as well as the President's budget initiatives for the Agency. Speaking on one of his favorite themes, Greene highlighted the success of partnerships with business and industry. He pointed out EPA's work with private industry to foster innovation and market-based solutions has increased environmental and public health protection while boosting our nation's economic growth.

EPA and poultry industry work together

EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene joined James Grimm, executive vice president of the Texas Poultry Federation and other officials to learn more about the industry's initiatives to manage their environmental programs. The executive meeting provided a first-hand opportunity for Greene and other EPA senior managers to see the challenges facing the poultry industry in Texas -- as well as across the region.

"In better fulfilling our role as public stewards it is important that we listen to and learn from industry experts when developing collaborative strategies as we move forward in addressing our common environmental goals," Greene said. "This tour has given me a greater understanding of the environmental challenges in the poultry industry."

The Texas Poultry Federation is providing leadership in meeting a multimillion dollar consumer demand while achieving ever increasing federal, state and local regulations. Their efforts to create and share cost-effective management practices to address our shared environmental goals is essential to our success. EPA is collaborating with leaders in the industry to develop tools and best management practices to prevent water pollution from litter used as fertilizer.

More information may be found at EPA's Guide for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations.

Richard Greene takes Smoke-Free Home pledge

Regional Administrator Richard Greene led the way by signing the Smoke-Free Home pledge to emphasize the importance of protecting children, especially those under six, from the dangers of second-hand smoke.

The Pledge Challenge, part of Children's Health and Indoor Air Quality Awareness Month, is part of a cooperative partnership between the EPA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration. Both Greene and Health and Human Services Regional Administrator Leon McCowan are challenging their employees to take the pledge not to smoke in their homes or cars.

The two agencies also are working together to integrate environmental health into the overall Early Head Start/Head Start Health program. This is designed to help remove a barrier to children's overall education and development. More than 1600 Head Start staff and parents have already registered their pledges, along with more than 1500 Federal employees. The program is being extended to the entire Federal Sector, and is also available at scheduled Head Start events.

"Working together, we can make a significant difference in our children's health simply by keeping our homes and cars throughout Region 6 smoke-free," Greene said.

EPA and Agriculture leaders work together

Regional Administrator Richard Greene met recently with Texas Farm Bureau leaders as part of the Region 6 agricultural outreach initiative. "Agriculture is an important emerging group in regards to environmental issues," said Greene, "and it's vital that we work together to solve them."

Non-point sources of pollution, including fertilizers and pesticide use over wide areas, are fast becoming a major issue that will require collaborative efforts to solve as we work to make the air cleaner, the water purer and to better protect the land.

Farm Bureau representatives from districts most heavily involved in beef cattle, rice, poultry and cotton production and other agricultural commodities, presented information on those products to the EPA group, which also toured the Bureau's traveling Agricultural Planet display. Greene was accompanied by members of the Region 6 agricultural committee.

Farm Bureau leaders expressed appreciation for the EPA participation and for the interest Regional Administrator Greene showed in their activities.

EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene joined local officials at a news event announcing that construction can begin on the Dallas Floodway Extension Project

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene joined local officials at a news event announcing that construction can begin on the Dallas Floodway Extension Project. The project includes a chain of wetlands that will have an average width of 600 feet and will provide secondary flowage capacity for flood waters along the west side of the Trininty River from the Dallas Floodway to Loop 12. EPA has worked closely with U.S Army Corps of Engineers to complete the environmental review of the project under the National Environmental Policy Act.

"The dream of the community to revitalize the Trinity Forest andwatershed is becoming a reality," said Greene. "Visitors to Dallas 10 years from now will find a radicallydifferent face of Dallas -- one that emphasizes the natural beauty of the area."

Greene joined Dallas Mayor Laura Miller, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Congressman Martin Frost, Congressman Jeb Hensarling, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District Engineer Colonel John R. Minahan, Dallas City Councilmembers Ed Oakley and Dr. Maxine Thornton-Reese, and representatives from the Dallas County Buffalo Soldiers at the event.

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