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Selected tag(s): emissions

New EPA Guidelines: An Opportunity to Reduce Smog, Protect Public Health

By EDF Blogs / Published: August 23, 2016

With families across the country starting back to school this week, the official summer season may be gone, but the ozone season is still in full swing.

Ozone, more commonly known as “smog” is a harmful air pollutant that results in respiratory ailments like asthma and can even lead to premature death. For too many Americans, ozone pollution makes the activities that we enjoy doing outdoors in the summer difficult or even impossible. And in recent years, ozone—once a summertime phenomenon impacting mostly larger cities—now affects rural parts of the country and can persist throughout the year. In fact, rural Wyoming and Utah have experienced elevated ozone levels in the winter on par with some of the larger cities in the country. Read More »

Posted in Air Quality, Natural Gas / Also tagged air pollution, EPA | Read 1 Response

Seeing Green: Emission Reducing Fuel Policies Help Lower Gas Prices

By Tim O'Connor / Published: September 5, 2013

This commentary originally appeared on EDF’s California Dream 2.0 blog.

By: Tim O’Connor and Shira Silver

Californians struggling with high gas prices should feel optimistic about the future. A new memo by economists from EDF and Chuck Mason, a prominent economist at the University of Wyoming, demonstrates that policies established to reduce emissions and help the state reach its climate change goals also help to arm consumers at the pump.

The Low Carbon Fuel Standard, cap and trade, and other complementary policies such as Governor Brown’s Zero Emission Vehicle program and national Renewable Portfolio Standards seek to integrate lower or zero-carbon fuels into the energy market in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas pollution.

As our memo explains, in California these efforts also help to increase the market share for alternative, lower-carbon fuels. Between now and 2020, alternatives may grow to occupy between 15 and 24 percent of the market, creating new jobs and addressing the large market share that oil companies have in California.

Currently six oil companies control 94 percent of the fuels market in California. Through a set of mergers and other factors they have developed a strong lock on fuel in the state, and more specifically on consumers’ pocketbooks at the pump.

Posted in California, Electric Vehicles / Also tagged California, EV | Comments are closed

AB 32’s Scoping Plan is a Tale of Two Energy Futures

By Tim O'Connor / Published: August 14, 2013

This commentary originally appeared on EDF’s California Dream 2.0 blog.

For a window into two vastly different visions of our state’s future, take a look at the comments filed last week as part of the AB 32 Scoping Plan update process. The 2008 Scoping Plan lays out the approach that California will take to achieve its goal of reducing emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, and this is the first 5 year update.

EDF’s comments reflect what most Californians have already asked for – a laser focus on expanding emission reductions and providing ample clean energy opportunities for businesses throughout the state.

This includes:

Increasing emission reductions from vehicles, goods movement and the agriculture sector;
Developing diversified low-carbon fuels that yield cost reductions;
Integrating clean energy and energy efficiency through programs like “time-of-use” pricing and On-Bill Repayment;
And, extending the cap-and-trade program and low carbon fuel standard beyond 2020;

All of the opportunities outlined by EDF aim to fulfill the Scoping Plan’s mission: achieving the maximum technologically feasible reductions in greenhouse gas pollution in a cost-effective way.

Posted in California, Energy Efficiency, On-bill repayment / Also tagged California, Clean Energy, OBR | Comments are closed