BLOGNYA INYONG | BERITA HARIAN | TIPS KEREN | GADGET REVIEWS: September 2019

EPA Requests Applications for Grants to Help Reduce Diesel Emissions from School Buses

EPA Requests Applications for Grants to Help Reduce Diesel Emissions from School Buses

WASHINGTON (September 30, 2019) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the availability of approximately $10 million in rebates to public school bus fleet owners to help them replace older school buses. Upgrading buses with older engines reduces diesel emissions and improves air quality. Tomorrow marks the start of Children's Health Month, and today's announcement is an important part of the agency's commitment to protecting children's health and their future.

"Children's health is a top priority for EPA, and these grants will help provide cleaner air and a safer, more reliable ride to and from school for America's children," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "This DERA funding reflects our broader children's health agenda and commitment to ensure all children can live, learn, and play in healthy and clean environments."

EPA standards for new diesel engines can make them more than 90% cleaner than older ones, but many older diesel engines still in operation predate these standards. Older diesel engines emit large quantities of pollutants such as particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), which have been linked to serious health problems such as aggravated asthma and lung damage.

EPA will accept applications from Monday, Sept. 30, 2019, to Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019.

This is the seventh rebate program to fund cleaner school buses offered under Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) appropriations. Nearly 30,000 buses across the country have already been made cleaner as a result of DERA funding.

To learn more about the rebate program, applicant eligibility, selection process and informational webinar dates, visit: www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/clean-diesel-rebates.

Questions about applying may be directed to: CleanDiesel@epa.gov.

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EPA Announces $15 Million in Grant Funding to Benefit Rural and Small Water Systems

EPA Announces $15 Million in Grant Funding to Benefit Rural and Small Water Systems

WASHINGTON (September 30, 2019) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $15 million in funding for technical assistance and training providers to improve the water quality of small and private water systems that are often located in rural communities across the United States. Ensuring everyone has access to clean and safe water, no matter the size of the water system, is a top priority for EPA.

"Small water systems, especially those in rural communities, face unique challenges, and the Trump Administration is helping them address these challenges and provide clean, safe drinking water for their residents," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "These grants will help ensure that smaller water systems have the knowledge, training and technical assistance needed so they can continue to provide clean drinking water and safeguard public health.

Funding will be used by nonprofit organizations to provide small public drinking water and wastewater systems with training and technical assistance to achieve and maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act, improve operational performance and help inform private drinking water well owners about protecting their drinking water supply. Small water systems often face unique financial and operational challenges including aging infrastructure, workforce shortages, increasing costs and declining rate bases. EPA is committed to helping these systems protect public health and provide reliable drinking water and wastewater services that meet federal and state regulations.

Eligible applicants for this competitive agreement are nonprofit organizations and intertribal consortia that are incorporated as nonprofits. The application period for these competitive grants is now open. Questions about applying for EPA funding for training and technical assistance must be received by November 4, 2019, and applications must be received by November 14, 2019. EPA expects to award these cooperative agreements by Spring 2020 and encourages all eligible organizations who have an interest in these projects to apply.

For more information visit: https://www.epa.gov/dwcapacity

Join a National Public Lands Day Event Near You!

Join a National Public Lands Day Event Near You!

National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is happening this Saturday, September 28! Get outside this weekend and build the connection to your public lands through service.

Hosted by the National Environmental Education Foundation, NPLD is the largest single-day volunteer effort for America's public lands. Each year, hundreds of thousands of volunteers come together to assist with various projects designed to restore and enhance public parks, forests, waterways and more. From trail maintenance to tree planting—volunteers of all ages and abilities roll up their sleeves and work side-by-side to care for public lands. The day also features a variety of hikes, bike rides, community festivals, paddling excursions, and other fun outdoor activities—all set on the backdrop of the country's public lands and waterways.

In celebration of the annual NPLD celebration, September 28, 2019, has been designed as a Free Entrance Day for most National Parks, Monuments, Recreation Areas and other participating federal sites.

Check out the official NPLD event map that makes it easy to find the perfect NPLD event near you!

Through volunteer service on National Public Lands Day as well as grant support to local organizations, NEEF helps ensure people of all ages and abilities connect with public lands for recreation, hands-on learning, and community-building. Toyota Motor North America is the national corporate sponsor of National Public Lands Day. Federal partners on NPLD include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Bureau of Land Management, Department of Defense, National Park Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service. Other participants include more than 250 state, county, city, university, and school partners, as well as many parks and recreation departments, and non-profit organizations.

EPA News: EPA awards grants to support pollutant reduction plan tied to Conowingo reservoir infill

Contact: R3press@epa.gov

EPA awards grants to support pollutant reduction plan tied to Conowingo reservoir infill

PHILADELPHIA – (September 26, 2019) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced awards totaling nearly $600,000 for three projects to further a joint Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) to compensate for the loss of pollutant trapping capacity in the Conowingo Dam reservoir.

The reservoir has become filled with sediment and is almost at capacity. During large storms and severe floods, the fast-moving flows of the Susquehanna River move sediment and attached nutrients over the dam and downstream into the Chesapeake Bay.

The Chesapeake Bay Program's six watershed states (Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia), the District of Columbia and the Chesapeake Bay Commission agreed to develop a collaborative WIP that will include actions and commitments jurisdictions will take to best account for the additional pollutant loads.

EPA is funding three activities to fulfill the Chesapeake Bay Program's commitment to address the Conowingo Dam infill:

An award to the Center for Watershed Protection to facilitate development and implementation of the Conowingo WIP and associated two-year milestones of progress.

An award to the Chesapeake Bay Trust to develop a comprehensive that will involve public, nonprofit and private funds to achieve the greatest level of pollutant reduction per dollar while maximizing economic development.

An award to the Chesapeake Conservancy to track, verify and report implementation of the Conowingo WIP and two-year milestones.

"These awards are part of EPA's continuing financial and technical assistance to the states and the District of Columbia to help restore and protect the health of the Chesapeake Bay and local waters," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "The award recipients have the background and experience to help us meet the challenge posed by the additional pollutant loads stemming from the Conowingo Dam infill."

"We appreciate EPA's support of multi-state progress on the Conowingo watershed plan and congratulate the impressive awardees and their partners," said Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. "We all benefit from innovative partnerships to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay."

EPA Regional Administrator Cosmo Servidio said the financing strategy is expected to identify a variety of funding sources, which will help farmers and local governments in Pennsylvania and across the watershed implement clean water practices.

The watershed states and the District of Columbia each have developed their own WIPs to meet the pollutant reduction goals of the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (Bay TMDL). The final Phase III WIPs were submitted to EPA on August 23 and are currently under review.

The Conowingo WIP is independent of these plans and is focused specifically on offsetting the additional load due to the Conowingo reservoir infill. A Chesapeake Bay Program steering committee was formed to oversee development and implementation of the Conowingo WIP along with EPA. A total of $200,000 of the awards funding comes from EPA's Chesapeake Bay grants to the watershed states and the District.

The Chesapeake Bay Program estimates that an additional reduction of 6 million pounds of nitrogen and 0.26 million pounds of phosphorus is needed to mitigate the infill-related water quality impacts.

Quotes from the Grantees:

Center for Watershed Protection, Bryan Seipp, Project Manager:
"Addressing the increasing nutrient and sediment loads to the Chesapeake Bay as a result of Conowingo Dam reaching dynamic equilibrium is a complex and challenging task. Like all watershed planning efforts success in reducing pollutant loading to streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay will require innovative solutions, dedicated stakeholders, and consistent, open communication."

Chesapeake Bay Trust, Jana Davis, Executive Director:
"The Chesapeake Bay Trust is excited to work with the University of Maryland and a large number of other partners on the incredibly challenging but rewarding financing component of this project. We hope the ideas and financing mechanisms developed here will have wide application across the watershed."

Chesapeake Conservancy, Jeffrey Allenby, Director of Conservation Technology:
"We are excited to partner with some of the leading organizations in the watershed. We have a large challenge ahead, but more importantly a large opportunity to usher in the future of data driven restoration."

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EPA Administrator Wheeler calls out California’s Environmental Protection Failure

EPA Administrator Wheeler calls out California's Environmental Protection Failure

State's homelessness crisis threatens human health and the environment

WASHINGTON (Sept. 26, 2019) — Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler sent a letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom raising several issues with the state's failure to protect Californians from degraded water, outlining deficiencies that have led to significant public health concerns in California and the steps the state must take to address them.

"California needs to fulfill its obligation to protect its water bodies and, more importantly, public health, and it should take this letter as notice that EPA is going to insist that it meets its environmental obligations," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "If California does not step up to its delegated responsibilities, then EPA will be forced to take action."

For years, California has pushed policies that have resulted in a homelessness crisis that now threatens human health and the environment, with potential water quality impacts from pathogens and other contaminants from untreated human waste entering nearby waters. California has been responsible for implementing the water discharge permitting program under the Clean Water Act since 1973; however, the state's recent lack of urgency addressing serious issues in San Francisco resulting from lack of proper oversight and enforcement is concerning. This, among other issues identified in the administrator's letter, is a failure to properly implement federal programs and has resulted in the subsequent need for more direct EPA oversight to ensure human health and environmental protection.

Administrator Wheeler also raised concerns about the state's years long approval of the discharges of over 1 billion gallons per year of combined sewage and stormwater into San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Despite California having abundant financial resources – which includes a significant tax base and EPA providing over $1 billion in federal grants and a $699 million loan through the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act – San Francisco has not come into compliance with federal clean water standards and must still invest billions of additional dollars to modernize its sewer system.

California has 30 days to provide a written response to EPA outlining in detail how it intends to address the concerns and deficiencies identified in the letter.

To read the full letter, click here.

For more information about EPA's clean water programs, click here.

EPA Takes Two Important Steps Under PFAS Action Plan

EPA Takes Two Important Steps Under PFAS Action Plan

WASHINGTON (Sept. 25, 2019) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent two actions that address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the Office of Management and Budget for interagency review. The agency's first action is an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking that would allow the public to provide input on adding PFAS to the Toxics Release Inventory toxic chemical list. The second action is a supplemental proposal to ensure that certain persistent long-chain PFAS chemicals cannot be imported into the United States without notification and review by EPA under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act in 2016. EPA has the authority to deny such "significant new use requests" under TSCA.

"Today's announcement is just one of the many ways we are delivering on the PFAS Action Plan – the most comprehensive, multi-media research and risk communication plan ever issued by the agency to address an emerging chemical of concern," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "These actions are intended to provide the public with more information on PFAS in the environment and to ensure that EPA receives notice of any plan to import certain persistent long-chain PFAS into the country, further protecting all Americans."

Both actions are critical steps in EPA's efforts to help provide communities with additional information about PFAS chemicals. EPA looks forward to working with its federal partners throughout the interagency review process and will issue the proposals after that process is complete.

For more information: www.epa.gov/pfa s

EPA Announces 2019 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award Winners

EPA Announces 2019 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award Winners

WASHINGTON (September 25, 2019) — At a ceremony in Washington D.C., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recognizing 14 Safer Choice Partner of the Year award winners across 12 states and the District of Columbia for outstanding achievement in 2018 for the design, manufacture, selection, and use of products with safer chemicals for use in households and facilities nationwide. The Safer Choice program helps consumers, businesses, and purchasers find products that perform and are safer for human health and the environment.

"The 2019 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Awards recognize the leadership contributions of Safer Choice partners and stakeholders who, over the past year, have shown outstanding achievement in the design, manufacture, selection, and use of products with safer chemicals," said EPA Assistant Administrator Alexandra Dapolito Dunn. "We are pleased today to be recognizing the leadership shown, and accomplishments of, a diverse array of organizations over the past year."

The 2019 Partner of the Year award winners represent businesses—including woman-owned, and small- and medium-sized - local government, and associations. The following organizations from seven EPA regions are being awarded this year:

Albertsons Companies- Boise, Idaho

BASF Home Care and I & I Cleaning Solutions - Florham Park, N.J.

Berkley Green - Uniontown, Pa.

Earth Friendly Products - Garden Grove, Calif.

Hazardous Waste Management Program- King County, Wyo.

Holloway House, Inc.- Fortville, Ind.

Household & Commercial Products Association - Washington, D.C.

Jelmar, LLC- Skokie, Ill.

Lemi Shine- Austin, Texas

The Procter & Gamble Company- Cincinatti, Ohio

RB- Parsippany, N.J.

Seventh Generation- Burlington, Vt.

Solutex, Inc.- Sterling, Va.

Wegmans Food Markets- Rochester, N.Y.

More information on the 2019 Safer Choice Partner of the Year award winners and summaries of the their accomplishments are available at: http://www.epa.gov/saferchoice/safer-choice-partner-year-awards

EPA Launches ‘See a Bloom, Give It Room’ High School Video Challenge

EPA Launches 'See a Bloom, Give It Room' High School Video Challenge

Students invited to submit videos that raise awareness about harmful algal blooms

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regions 7 and 8 have launched the "See a Bloom, Give It Room" High School Video Challenge. The competition, supported by EPA's Office of Research and Development, is calling for videos from high school students (grades 9-12) that promote public awareness of harmful algal blooms through creative filmmaking.

The contest is open to high school students or teams in EPA Regions 7 and 8: Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. This includes students in public, private and tribal high schools, and home school programs.

Students are asked to create public safety videos (under 2 minutes in length) that explain how to spot harmful algal blooms and how people and their pets should be safe around them.

"Harmful algae have emerged as a persistent and challenging human health concern in recreational waters across our region," said EPA Region 8 Administrator Gregory Sopkin. "We're asking young and aspiring videographers to help us find creative ways to make people aware of the risks and prevent exposure."

"Through this challenge, we're asking high schoolers across our region to be creative, have fun, and be part of the solution," said EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Gulliford. "Harmful algal blooms can be dangerous to people and pets participating in recreational activities in the water. Winning video entries from this challenge will help EPA and our state, local and tribal partners inform communities about the risks of harmful algal blooms and how to spot and steer clear of them."

A winner from each state, along with two regional tribal winners, will be selected by judging panels to each receive a $2,000 cash prize. Two grand prize winners will also be selected to receive $4,000 each.

Winning videos will also be highlighted at the EPA Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Conference in February; featured on EPA web and social media channels; and used by the Agency and its state environmental partners in HAB safety outreach efforts.

Information about the challenge, helpful HAB video resources, and instructions on how to submit videos can be found at: www.epa.gov/innovation/harmful-algal-bloom-video-challenge.

Submissions are due by 11:00 pm (ET) on January 3, 2020.

Background:

Certain environmental conditions in water bodies can intensify algae growth, causing algal blooms. Blooms with the potential to harm human health or aquatic ecosystems are referred to as harmful algal blooms or HABs. In freshwater systems, cyanobacteria (also called blue-green algae) are microorganisms that can produce HABs. Some cyanobacterial HABs, or cyanoHABs, can produce toxins. CyanoHABs and their toxins can harm people, animals, aquatic ecosystems, the economy, drinking water supplies, property values, and recreational activities, including swimming and commercial and recreational fishing.

Learn more about HABs at: www.epa.gov/cyanohabs

Connect with EPA Region 7 and Region 8 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion7 and www.facebook.com/eparegion8

Follow EPA Region 7 or 8 on Twitter: @EPARegion7 and @EPARegion8

EPA’s Campus RainWorks Challenge Registration

EPA's Campus RainWorks Challenge Invites Students to Design Innovative Infrastructure for Stormwater Management

Challenge seeks to attract student interest from across the country

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched its eighth annual Campus RainWorks Challenge, a design competition that is open to colleges and universities across the country. EPA seeks to engage with students to design innovative green infrastructure solutions for stormwater management, showcasing the environmental, economic, and social benefits of these practices.

"The Campus RainWorks Challenge gets students excited about innovative infrastructure that provides clean water for campus communities," said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water David Ross. "The program engages the next generation of potential clean water professionals and fosters the interdisciplinary collaboration necessary to solve the problems of the future."

The 2019 Campus RainWorks Challenge will foster a dialogue about the need for innovative stormwater management, asking interdisciplinary student teams to design creative green infrastructure solutions that address stormwater pollution and benefit the campus community. Teams may submit entries in two categories—demonstration projects or master planning.

Each first-place team will earn a student prize of $5,000 to be divided evenly among student team members and a faculty prize of $5,000 to support green infrastructure research or training. Second-place teams will win a $2,500 student prize and a $2,500 faculty prize.

Registration for the 2019 Challenge opened Sept. 1, 2019 and closes Oct. 15, 2019. Registrants must submit their entries by Dec. 17, 2019 and winners will be announced in the Spring 2020.

BACKGROUND

Since 2012, nearly 700 teams and over 4,000 students have participated in the Campus RainWorks Challenge. Water pollution associated with stormwater runoff requires infrastructure solutions that are innovative, resilient and affordable. Green infrastructure refers to a variety of stormwater management practices that restore or mimic natural hydrological processes. While traditional stormwater infrastructure is largely designed to convey stormwater away from the built environment, green infrastructure uses soils, vegetation, and other media to manage stormwater where it falls.

More information about the Campus RainWorks Challenge is available at: www.epa.gov/campusrainworks.

EPA Announces Competitive Grant Opportunity to Support Tribal Pesticide Program Council

EPA Announces Competitive Grant Opportunity to Support Tribal Pesticide Program Council

WASHINGTON (September 24, 2019) — At a meeting today with tribal leaders in Washington D.C., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials announced that the agency is soliciting applications to provide technical support for the Tribal Pesticide Program Council (TPPC) as it works to protect public health and strengthen tribal pesticide programs. The total funding for the five-year period of the cooperative agreement is $975,000.

"Tribal governments are valued partners in our joint mission of protecting public health and the environment," said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Assistant Administrator Alexandra Dapolito Dunn. "We are committed to providing tribal communities with both financial and technical assistance as we work together to develop pesticide programs that will lead to substantial environmental and economic benefits for their communities."

"Supporting groups like the Tribal Pesticide Program Council benefits everyone involved," said EPA Office of International and Tribal Affairs Assistant Administrator Chad McIntosh. "Not only does it benefit the tribes seeking to strengthen their own environmental programs, but it also leads to a stronger national tribal program at EPA, as they provide invaluable, on-the-ground expertise to our leadership."

The TPPC informs tribes of pesticide issues and promotes pesticide education and awareness. It also assists in the establishment, development and implementation of comprehensive tribal pesticide programs.

The TPPC also provides a forum for tribal pesticide and environmental officials to share information, raise tribal pesticide program implementation issues to EPA, and offer input on national pesticide policy that affects tribes.

The recipient of the cooperative agreement will:

Provide administrative support to the TPPC;
Help to identify high-priority, pesticide-related areas of tribal interest;
Assist the TPPC with comments to new rulemaking or issue papers addressing EPA policy decisions that impact Indian country;
Develop an effective communication, public relations and outreach program to interact with both tribal and non-tribal pesticide organizations;
In cooperation with the TPPC and EPA project officer, obtain, develop, deliver and/or facilitate pesticide-related training for the TPPC; and
Work with EPA to develop a tribally driven agenda for tribal pesticide program needs and concerns.

Proposals are due by November 20, 2019. Additional information is available on: www.grants.gov, under Funding Opportunity Announcement EPA-HQ-OPP-2019-003.

EPA Takes Action to Ensure California Meets Nation's Air Quality Standards

EPA Takes Action to Ensure California Meets Nation's Air Quality Standards

WASHINGTON (Sept. 24, 2019) — Yesterday, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler sent a letter to California Air Resource Board (CARB) Chairman Mary Nichols notifying her of the Trump Administration's forthcoming action to eliminate its backlog of California State Implementation Plans (SIPs). This action is a necessary step toward ensuring compliance with EPA's National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) designed to ensure that all Americans have clean air.

"California has failed to carry out its most basic responsibilities under the Clean Air Act, and as a result, millions of Californians live in areas that do not meet our nation's air quality standards," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "EPA stands ready to work with California to meet the Trump Administration's goal of clean, healthy air for all Americans, and we hope the state will work with us in good faith."

The state of California represents a disproportionate share of the national list of backlogged SIPs, including roughly one-third of EPA's overall SIP backlog. As most of these California SIPs are inactive and do not meet the minimum threshold of public health protection necessary for approval, they must either be redone or withdrawn. As a first step, EPA is calling on California to immediately withdraw inactive SIPs that would most likely be denied. If California does not withdraw the inactive SIPs in a timely manner, EPA will begin the process of evaluating these SIPs for disapproval and developing Federal Implementation Plans that are approvable and will protect public health.

Disapproval of a SIP triggers statutory clocks for:

Highway funding sanctions, which could result in a prohibition on federal transportation projects and grants in certain parts of California.
New Source Review permitting sanctions.
A deadline for the issuance of a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP).

"We certainly want to avoid these statutory triggers, but our foremost concern must be ensuring clean air for all Americans. That is our goal," added Wheeler.

EPA has made reviewing and approving or disapproving of SIPs a priority to meet its goal of providing regulatory certainty with regard to Clean Air Act implementation. This is particularly relevant for SIPs, which provide important air quality benefits to impacted communities. California's extensive backlog is due to approvability issues, state-requested holds, missing information, or resources. California has the worst air quality in the United States, with 82 nonattainment areas and 34 million people living in areas that do not meet NAAQS—more than twice as many people as any other state in the country.

Background

A SIP is a collection of regulations and documents used by a state, territory or local air district to reduce air pollution in areas that do not meet NAAQS. EPA has established the NAAQS for six criteria air pollutants known to be harmful to human health: carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxide, ozone, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide. SIPs provide a plan for implementation, maintenance and enforcement of the NAAQS in each state. To learn more, visit: https://www.epa.gov/sips/basic-information-air-quality-sips#what-is-a-sip.

In Case You Missed It: In the Fight Against Food Waste, Leaders Focus on the Business Case

In Case You Missed It: In the Fight Against Food Waste, Leaders Focus on the Business Case

09/23/2019

Contact Information:

EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

In the fight against food waste, leaders focus on the business case

Supply Chain Dive
By Emma Cosgrove
September 23, 2019

On Sunday morning at the Bronx, New York, headquarters of online grocer Fresh Direct, Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler met with food waste non-profits and food-waste conscious firms, along with other EPA officials to receive an update on the food waste mitigation work in progress in the New York area.

"Food waste is a top domestic and international priority for the Trump administration," Wheeler said. In April, the administration committed to reducing food waste by 50% by 2030, launching six strategies to meet this goal including a two-year partnership with nonprofit ReFed. The U.S. wastes 75 billion pounds of food annually — the equivalent of 4.4 billion tons of carbon dioxide, the administrator said.

The Trump administration has taken a more carrot-based path — creating a "2030 champions program," eschewing the regulatory routes several states have taken to mandate responsible re-purposing and/or disposal of surplus food.

Twenty-five corporations, including Ahold Delhaize, Yum! Brands, Campbell's, Walmart, Blue Apron and Pepsico, have signed onto the program. The companies have committed to reducing food waste caused by their operations by 50% by 2030. The committed companies are required to post their progress publicly on their websites, but so far no formal benchmarks beyond the 2030 deadline have been made public, according to the EPA.

Recognition from the White House can be a powerful inducement to action, but Chris Cochran, executive director of ReFed, told the group the financial case against food waste can be just as compelling.

"I think it's important not to frame it first environmentally, but to frame it first in the business case because there is one," Cochran said.

The cost of food waste not only includes the cost of the product, but also disposal cost, Wheeler said, who added he would try to talk more about the economic benefit of lowering food waste.

"One of the challenges in introducing this to people who are thinking about it for the first time — maybe executives — is when they hear food waste and then they hear the environmental stats first, I think their mind goes, 'ok I need to pass this off to my corporate affairs team versus my CFO,'" Cochran said.

Measuring food waste in volume and value is the crucial first step to moving mitigation work out of the philanthropic realm and into a financial or operational portfolio, Cochran told Supply Chain Dive.

"Right now it sits in a lot of different silos and different departments in companies, but putting that together into a single view of how much food waste is happening and how much that's costing them is a first step," Cochran said.

Andrea Kelly, senior analyst for global partnership solutions at PepsiCo, echoed that sentiment.

"Everything that we're doing, we're constantly trying to build the business case internally," Kelly said of the food waste mitigation work at PepsiCo, one of the Trump administration's corporate champions. "I think that's really important not only to get executive-level buy-in but also for long term sustainability of the program because it's not dependent on grant funding — we view it as an opportunity for business growth."

Good data can also help to allay the concerns Cochran often sees from executives surrounding the unintended consequences of fine-tuning supply chains to minimize food waste — for example, stockouts.

"It's fear of unintended consequences that can be a barrier," he said. Cochran emphasized in the meeting that in order to meet the 2030 goal, stakeholders need to move out of the research phase and toward action and implementation. The United Nations, which shares the 2030 goal, said last year understanding progress toward the goal of a 50% cut is nearly impossible due to a lack of data and standardized measurement.

Beyond the private sector, the Trump administration is also working with the FDA to encourage consistent food date labeling practices to keep consumers from discarding edible food.

To read full article, click here.

EPA Administrator Wheeler Meets with New York City’s Leading Food Waste Reduction Organizations

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler Meets with New York City's Leading Food Waste Reduction Organizations in the Bronx

EPA Administrator Wheeler meets with local NGOs at FreshDirect and later serves meals to the hungry

with food redirected from Yankee Stadium

BRONX, N.Y. (September 22, 2019) — Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler participated in several events in the South Bronx that focused on food waste.

"Addressing the problem of food waste will take cooperation across the public and private sectors, so it was a pleasure to meet with some of the leading organizations and companies committed to eliminating wasted food in New York City and across the country," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "The Trump Administration is working closely with our state and local partners to transform wasted food into solutions that feed communities, fuel our economy, and maximize our resources."

Administrator Wheeler toured the FreshDirect facility, the nation's largest online grocery store, and later participated in a U.S.-New York City Food Waste Reduction Roundtable discussion with CEOs and other leaders from EPA Region 2, City Harvest, ReFED and PepsiCo – a U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champion. Administrator Wheeler took this opportunity to update these organizations on EPA's various work to combat the issue of food waste.

"As New York City's largest food rescue organization, City Harvest appreciates the EPA's commitment to reducing food waste nationwide," said City Harvest CEO Jilly Stephens. "More than 40 million people in the United States—including nearly 1.2 million New Yorkers—experience food insecurity, while at the same time over one-third of the food produced in the country is wasted. City Harvest is dedicated to working with producers and businesses who have excess food to redirect it to those who don't have enough. This year, we will rescue 64 million pounds of food that would otherwise go to waste, and deliver it, free of charge, to hundreds of soup kitchens, food pantries, and community partners across New York City that help feed New Yorkers in need."

"Every year, forty percent of the food produced in our country goes uneaten, costing $218 billion dollars," said ReFED Executive Director Chris Cochran. "Meanwhile, millions of Americans remain food insecure. We know that reducing food waste is not just critical for our economy and people, but it's also one of the most impactful ways to address climate change. The time to act is now. That's why we're proud to be working alongside the EPA, FDA and USDA to take significant steps towards achieving 50% food waste reduction by 2030."

Administrator Wheeler later joined Syd Mandelbaum with the Rock and Wrap It Up! organization to serve lunch to local residents at Woodycrest United Methodist Church with food diverted from nearby Yankee Stadium. Rock and Wrap It Up! is an EPA 2018 Food Recovery Challenge regional award winner and has received this award for several years running.

"Rock and Wrap it Up! is excited to work with Administrator Wheeler and his staff to serve food recovered through our Sports Wrap! Program," said Rock and Wrap It Up! CEO and Founder Syd Mandelbaum. "The New York Yankees have been part of our Sports Wrap! food recovery program for the past 15 seasons, donating over 150,000 meals and diverting over 81,000 pounds of greenhouse gases and saving 525,000 gallons of water. Over 75 sports teams and arenas and stadiums across America participate in the Rock and Wrap It Up! Sports Wrap program. Rock and Wrap It Up! is now in its twenty-ninth year and has fed over 1 billion people."

BACKGROUND

Facts about food waste:

EPA estimates that more food (over 75 billion pounds) reaches landfills and combustion facilities than any other material in everyday trash, constituting 22% of discarded municipal solid waste.

Landfills are the third largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States.

Food waste not only impacts landfill space and emissions; it hurts the economy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates the value of food loss for retailers and consumers each year to be over $161 billion.

Food waste consumes 21% of all fresh water globally.

Wasted food also results in unnecessary, excess expenditures of U.S. domestic energy resources.

EPA's Efforts:

EPA has taken significant measures to highlight the need to reduce food waste nationally, including working with President Trump and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to successfully designate April 2019 as "Winning on Reducing Food Waste Month" in order to place more national attention on the need to address this important issue.

During the month of April 2019, Administrator Wheeler and leadership from USDA and FDA convened a summit at EPA bringing state and local stakeholders together to form partnerships with leading food waste reduction non-governmental organizations. At this event, over 30 governmental organizations signed onto a new pledge in which state, local, tribal and territorial government organizations solidify interest in working with the federal government to continue to build upon existing efforts back home to reduce food waste and loss. Also at the summit, EPA announced $110,000 in funding for food waste management and infrastructure projects (to expand anaerobic digestion capacity) in Wisconsin, Vermont, and Washington. EPA also opened a Small Business Innovation Research Grants program solicitation in 2019, which included "preventing food waste" as a topic.

In October 2018, EPA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the USDA signed a formal agreement to align efforts across the federal government to educate consumers, engage stakeholders, and develop and evaluate solutions to food loss and waste.

For more information on all of EPA's ongoing food loss and waste reduction efforts, visit: www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food.

BLOGNYA INYONG | BERITA HARIAN | TIPS KEREN | GADGET REVIEWS

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