WASHINGTON, DC, February 23, 2009 (ENS) – The National Governors Association 2009 Winter Meeting wrapped up today with a session on best practices from around the world for financing infrastructure repairs and upgrades. The governors charted what they called “an action-based roadmap” for the chairman’s initiative Strengthening Our Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future.

Each year, the chair alternates between a Democrat and a Republican, and each year, the chairman chooses an initiative to focus the governors’ efforts.

This year the NGA Chair is Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, a Democrat, who is highlighting the role states can play in managing existing infrastructure and developing new infrastructure in ways that enhance economic and environmental prosperity.

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell opens a infrastructure discussion at the National Governors Association Winter Meeting. Feburary 22, 2009 (Photo courtesy NGA)

“A growing pattern of underinvestment and uncoordinated planning has led to a range of concerns that are felt across the country, including widespread congestion, unsafe bridges, inadequate water supply and an electricity grid that is increasingly pressed beyond its ability,” said Governor Rendell today. “To ensure our nation’s ability to compete in an evolving global economy and respond to crucial energy and environmental challenges, we must not only maintain our infrastructure system but also enhance and improve it.”

In January, the American Society of Civil Engineers reported that $2.2 trillion in repairs and upgrades is needed over the next five years just to bring the nation’s infrastructure up to “adequate.” The ASCE’s 2009 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure assigned an overall grade of D to the nation as well as individual grades in 15 infrastructure categories, none higher than C+.

“From roads, rails and bridges to the electrical grid, water treatment plants, broadband networks, schools and hospitals, infrastructure makes modern life as we know it possible,” said NGA Vice Chair Vermont Governor Jim Douglas. “Governors recognize that it is critical to our economic growth, global competitiveness and quality of life that we work collectively to find ways of improving and modernizing our nation’s crumbling infrastructure.”

Governor Rendell’s focus on infrastructure took shape in January 2008 when he formed a new coalition called “Building America’s Future,” to rally support for a renewed federal commitment to funding America’s infrastructure needs with state partners.

Coalition co-founders California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg pledged to work with then presidential candidates and the platform committees of the national political parties “to ensure that the next president understands the enormity of the infrastructure crisis and is committed to increasing federal funding.”

They were successful in that President Barack Obama has made infrastructure funding a pillar of his newly enacted stimulus package, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Less than a week after it became law, the package is already generating infrastructure jobs.

New York Governor David Paterson today announced the first transportation projects eligible for federal funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be put to bid as early as March 5, creating thousands of jobs in Upstate New York, an area where unemployment is a constant problem.

These projects include the replacement and repair of bridges in Steuben, Onondaga, Oneida and Herkimer counties, and will be fully funded through the federal legislation.

“Clearly, there is a serious need in New York for federal infrastructure funding, and the projects announced today represent just a small number of the opportunities that will be funded with economic recovery dollars,” said Governor Paterson. “This will be an open process with significant local input, and will create jobs across the state at a time when New York is facing widespread unemployment.”

During their closing session today, the assembled governors heard Denmark’s Minister for Climate and Energy Connie Hedegaard’s insights into the Danish experience with integrating rail into its transportation system.

She provided advice on balancing urban and rural concerns, ways to utilize new pricing and financing mechanisms and strategies to integrate new technologies such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at the NGA meeting (Photo courtesy NGA)

On Saturday, Governor Schwarzenegger and Governor Paterson co-chaired a bi-partisan meeting with 10 other governors and President Barack Obama’s top energy and environment cabinet officials to discuss a state-federal partnership on clean energy and climate change issues.

“States have been leading the way on clean energy and climate change, and we are thrilled to now have a willing partner in the White House to promote these policies on a national stage,” Governor Schwarzenegger said after the meeting, which was held in response to a January 29 letter of request from the governors for a meeting with the Obama team.

“California has been focusing on green jobs, alternative fuels, renewable energy, and reducing the urgent threat of global warming while at the same time benefiting our economy, and we hope that our efforts will now act as a model for change at the federal level,” he said.

During the meeting, governors discussed a variety of initiatives their states are undertaking to accelerate renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They stressed the importance of coordinating their actions with the Obama administration to leverage each others’ efforts.

Several governors noted the unique complexity of clean energy and climate challenge issues will require action at the local, state and federal level.

Governor Jim Douglas, vice chair of the NGA (Photo courtesy NGA)

Governors Charlie Crist of Florida, Jon Corzine of New Jersey, Jim Douglas of Vermont, Jennifer Granholm of Michigan, Chris Gregoire of Washington, Ted Kulongoski of Oregon, Martin O’Malley of Maryland, Deval Patrick of Massachusetts, Bill Ritter of Colorado, and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas attended the meeting.

They conferred with Carol Browner, assistant to the President for energy and climate change; Ken Salazar, secretary of the interior; Dr. Steven Chu, secretary of energy; and Lisa Jackson, administrator of the U.S. Enironmental Protection Agency.

“Today’s meeting was the first step in creating a close and lasting partnership with President Obama and his administration on climate change, said Governor Schwarzenegger. “I look forward to working hand-in-hand with our federal partners to realize the ambitious clean energy and climate change goals I know we share, and that I know will provide a boost to our nation’s economy.”

On Sunday night, the President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted their first state dinner – a reception for the nation’s governors in the State Dining Room.

As their meeting closed today, the National Governors Association issued a bi-partisan statement expressing their belief that the country will emerge stronger than ever from the current economic downturn.

“We are unified in our unwavering belief that the United States’ economy is resilient and the true strength of our nation remains the ingenuity, perseverance and hard work of the American people,” the governors said.

“We have been through tough economic times in the past and have always emerged a stronger nation with a more vibrant economy. Our country’s ability to persevere is not in question – we know better days lie ahead. Working together we can speed recovery, provide new opportunities and ensure a prosperous future.”

Click here [www.nga.org] to read a new report on infrastructure from the NGA’s Best Practices Office, “An Infrastructure Vision for the 21st Century” by Darren Springer and Greg Dierkers.

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HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, September 17, 2008 (ENS) – Pennsylvania is making $1 million in grant funding available for manufacturers to buy equipment that increases use of recycled content in finished products. Grants of up to $500,000 are available to buy machinery or equipment that will increase consumption of recyclable materials recovered in Pennsylvania.

Another $950,000 will be available to help expand and develop markets for recovered materials, and stimulate demand for products with recycled content through the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center.

Announcing the new funding, Governor Ed Rendell said that strategic investments to increase the use of recyclable materials will help manufacturers manage energy costs, reduce pollution and bolster local recycling collection programs.

“Recycled materials is an important resource for Pennsylvania’s manufacturers. They can cut soaring energy costs by incorporating recyclable materials that require less energy to process than virgin raw materials,” said the governor.

“Diverting these valuable materials from landfills also protects our environment by preserving natural resources, reducing pollution from the processing of virgin materials and conserving landfill space,” he said.

“These initiatives to increase demand for recycled materials also benefit Pennsylvania’s municipal recycling programs, which collect bottles, cans, papers and other materials from homes and businesses,” said Acting Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger.

“Increasing demand for these commodities means local governments can benefit from higher prices for the materials they collect,” he said. “By diverting more materials from landfills, local governments and businesses also can save on their waste disposal costs.”

The Recycling Markets Center has been expanding its scope of services to increase the demand for recycled commodities. By supporting research into innovative uses for priority materials such as organic wastes, hard-to-recycle plastics, glass and tires, the center is developing new markets for recyclable materials.

The center is increasing its business assistance programs, shortening the time it takes to market new products or processes that use recycled commodities and developing markets for recovered construction materials in certified green buildings.

The Recycling Markets Center has launched new programs to help manufacturers that use recycled materials to document their reduced carbon emissions and earn tradable carbon credits through the Chicago Climate Exchange, CCX.

In August, the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center became the first recycled markets development organization to join CCX, the world’s first and North America’s only voluntary, legally binding integrated greenhouse gas emissions reduction market.

As a member, the center will annually inventory and report its indirect emissions to CCX to verify and audit. Reporting requirements include vehicle use, air travel, as well as business operations.

Once the verification process is complete and total emissions are confirmed, the center is required to purchase and retire CCX Carbon Financial Instrument contracts through the CCX trading platform to fully offset the indirect emissions it produces.

To scope recycled materials processes for carbon emission reduction opportunities, the center has partnered with Environmental Credit Corporation of, State College, Pennsylvania.

Environmental Credit Corporation President, Scott Subler, said, “RMC is taking a leadership role in introducing Pennsylvania recyclers to rapidly developing opportunities in the carbon market. We’re excited to be working with them on this important issue.”

Pennsylvania’s recycling and reuse industry leads northeastern states in employment, payroll and sales numbers, according to state figures.

More than 3,200 recycling and reuse businesses and organizations make more than $18.4 billion in gross annual sales and pay $305 million in taxes.

Recycling and reuse industries in Pennsylvania employ more than 81,000 people at an annual payroll of approximately $2.9 billion.

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HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 18, 2008 (ENS) – Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell signed two pieces of legislation last week that will help spur the development of homegrown biofuels in Pennsylvania and establish new requirements that every gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel contain a percentage of ethanol and biodiesel.

“Pennsylvanians are struggling with higher fuels costs,” said Governor Rendell. “Record-high fuel prices are straining family budgets and pinching the bottom lines of our businesses. We need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and keep our energy dollars in Pennsylvania, to invest in our economy and create jobs.”

The biofuel percentages established under the new law will go into effect once in-state production reaches certain levels.

The requirements include what the governor believes to be the nation’s first state-specific mandate for cellulosic ethanol, which is made from non-food plant materials.

“Pennsylvania can be to cellulosic ethanol what corn-based ethanol was to Iowa and the Midwest,” said Rendell. “Pennsylvania has an abundant supply of cellulosic ethanol feedstocks, including switchgrass, woodchips, municipal waste and agricultural waste. This alternative fuel law ensures that Pennsylvania farmers and businesses will fully realize the benefits of these resources.”

Tractors that run on biodiesel at the
Pennsylvania Farm Show, January
2008. (Photo credit unknown)

Environmentalists were pleased with the new measures. “We must begin to move away from our ‘addiction to oil,’ as President George W. Bush characterized our energy problem,” said Jan Jarrett, vice president of PennFuture. “With oil prices over $140 a barrel and diesel over $4.60 a gallon, these bills will start us on the road to recovery.”

“These policies will bring some relief to Pennsylvania’s hard-pressed families and businesses, bringing heating oil and gasoline and diesel costs down,” said Jarrett. “And it will also help Pennsylvania farmers who grow soybeans and other crops for biodiesel production, offering them a chance to compete both in and out of state.”

The use of renewable fuels results in a reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions compared to the petroleum fuel that is displaced.

Biodiesel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by about 50 percent, while cellulosic ethanol could reduce greenhouse gas emissions up to 86 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Biodiesel reduces many types of air pollutants, including carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, air toxics, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter, below levels emitted by petroleum diesel.

Pennsylvania’s biodiesel manufacturers will benefit from new investments, which will help spur production, the governor said.

Pennsylvania will invest $5.3 million in its in-state biodiesel producers annually through June 30, 2011. These companies will be able to take advantage of a 75 cents per gallon subsidy that will be capped at $1.9 million per year per producer.

Under the new measure, as much as one billion gallons of biofuels will be added to the state’s fuel supply. All diesel fuel sold at retail must contain:

* 2 percent biodiesel, once in-state production reaches 40 million gallons

* 5 percent biodiesel, once in-state production reaches 100 million gallons

* 10 percent biodiesel, once in-state production reaches 200 million gallons

* 20 percent biodiesel, once in-state production reaches 400 million gallons

All gasoline sold at retail must contain 10 percent ethanol, once in-state cellulosic ethanol production reaches 350 million gallons.

Pennsylvania already has an in-state biodiesel production capacity of about 60 million gallons per year, and the state’s first large-scale ethanol plant – a 100 million gallon per year operation – is under construction in Clearfield County.

The developers of the Clearfield County plant – BioEnergy International and Lukoil Americas – have also committed to developing a pilot scale cellulosic ethanol plant. Another cellulosic demonstration facility is planned for Madison, Westmoreland County.

These projects, and similar ones expected to follow, will inject hundreds of millions of dollars into Pennsylvania’s economy in the coming years and create thousands of jobs.

“Each year, America incurs nearly $400 billion in additional debt to finance our appetite for oil,” said the governor. “Here in Pennsylvania, we spend approximately $30 billion to purchase liquid fuels from beyond our border. It’s time we keep more of that money here at home and invest in our biofuel manufacturers, communities and transportation industry.”

In a recent study commissioned by PennFuture, the global expert services company LECG LLC examined the benefits of offsetting 900 million gallons of petroleum-based transportation fuel with renewable and coal-derived fuels by 2017, as originally called for in the governor’s plan.

The study concluded that the plan would add nearly $1.5 billion to Pennsylvania’s economy, create as many as 25,775 new jobs in all sectors of the Pennsylvania economy and put an additional $6.6 billion into the pockets of Pennsylvanians over the next decade.

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PHILADELPHIA, Pennesylvania, July 15, 2008 (ENS) – Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell Monday took the reins of the National Governors Association and announced that the organization’s annual Chair’s Initiative, chosen each year by the incoming leader, will focus on strengthening infrastructure investment.

“It is an honor to serve as NGA’s chair,” Governor Rendell said during the association’s Centennial meeting. “Out-going chair, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, deserves a tremendous amount of credit for moving America closer to clean energy. Just last week I signed legislation to invest more than $650 million in Pennsylvania’s alternative energy sector. Tim’s leadership has inspired every governor in the nation and once again states are taking the lead on this critical issue.”

Governor Ed Rendell receives the NGA
gavel from Governor Tim Pawlenty.
(Photo courtesy NGA)

“Over the past year, the nation’s attention has becoming increasingly focused on the growing energy challenges that face us,” said Governor Pawlenty. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished as part of the Securing a Clean Energy Future Initiative, but our work is just beginning. It will take continued effort and renewed dedication to ensure that our country has an energy future that is safe, secure and clean.”

At the opening plenary session, the NGA announced a new state-industry partnership between the Securing a Clean Energy Future Initiative and General Motors Corporation to help states increase availability of E-85 fueling stations. E-85 is an alternative fuel consisting of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

Under the partnership, states will develop a strategy for installing E-85 pumps in key locations. GM will provide technical assistance to states in developing these strategies and will leverage their relationships with the automobile and ethanol industries to help states implement their strategies.

“There is no silver bullet available to solve this nation’s energy challenges,” said Rendell. “This will be an all-hands-on-deck, all-technologies-available effort.”

“Another significant challenge facing our nation is the rebuilding of its infrastructure,” said Rendell, who made a pledge in January with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to form a non-partisan national coalition that will lobby for federal investment in America’s decaying infrastructure.

“America’s infrastructure urgently needs attention,” said Rendell. “From outmoded ports to crumbling bridges to underinvestment in public transit, we must begin a new era of investment in the systems that support our prosperity and our quality of life.”

“If America is to continue competing in the global economic marketplace, we need an efficient and sound infrastructure. For the past two decades, state and local governments have been picking up more of the tab for infrastructure repair, but we can’t keep it up,” said Rendell.

The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates national infrastructure needs of more than $1.6 trillion dollars over the next five years.

“Infrastructure funding – making sure our roads, bridges, schools, airports, trains, ports, and water systems are safe – is an issue about which I am very passionate,” said Governor Rendell. “It started when I was mayor of Philadelphia and continues today because I see that our nation’s aging infrastructure is hurting our economic stability and hampering future growth.”

“Businesses and communities can’t survive if they can’t get their products to market, educate their students and access safe water supplies,” he said.

“State and local governments now fund 75 percent of all infrastructure work. We will need the federal government to step up significantly if we are to fully meet this challenge. I will continue to work with my fellow governors to give these issues the attention they deserve,” said Rendell.

As NGA chairman, Governor Rendell will work with other states to design and implement strategies for smarter, more cost-effective infrastructure investment at the state level.

In addition, states will be challenged in the coming years to align their infrastructure investments with the new realities of climate change, and Governor Rendell will work with states to design strategies to accomplish this.

The National Governors Association is celebrating its 100th anniversary during 2008.

U.S. Route 6 through Iowa was broken up
by the June floods. (Photo by Dave
Darby, Iowa US Route 6 Tourist Assn.)

In May of 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt hosted the first meeting of the nation’s governors at the White House to discuss conserving America’s natural resources. The meeting was attended by the president, vice president, cabinet members, Supreme Court justices and 39 governors. Following this inaugural meeting, governors decided to form a bipartisan association through which they could come together to discuss mutual concerns and act collectively.

As part of the centennial celebration, NGA partnered with the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and the University of Pennsylvania Press to publish two books: “A Legacy of Leadership: Governors and American History” and “A Legacy of Innovation: Governors and Public Policy.” These books – authored by journalists, academics and historians – highlight gubernatorial achievements and specific public policy initiatives through the decades.

In addition, Governor Pawlenty released four publications to help ensure the work of the Securing a Clean Energy Future Initiative continues.

The first, “Opportunities for States in Clean Energy Research, Development & Demonstration,” outlines state roles in this area and is intended to guide states in the crucial decisions they must make about clean energy in the years ahead.

The second, “A Governor’s Guide to Clean Power Generation and Energy Efficiency ,” offers guidance for states to engage in enhanced electricity planning efforts and policies that can drive greater investment in and adoption of efficiency and cleaner power sources.

A third, “Clean and Secure State Energy Actions — 2008,” catalogs what all 55 states and territories are doing to advance a cleaner, more secure energy future, highlighting existing policy models other states can replicate.

Finally, a new Issue Brief, “Greening State Government: �Lead by Example’ Initiatives,” examines current efforts across a range of state government operations to increase energy efficiency and support the use of clean and renewable energy.

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HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 3, 2008 (ENS) – Global warming legislation will be enacted for the first time in Pennsylvania when Governor Ed Rendell signs the Pennsylvania Climate Change Act as he is expected to do. The measure was overwhelmingly approved today by both houses of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

A coal-rich state, Pennsylvania emits one percent of the world’s greenhouse gases responsible for global warming, more than the emissions of 105 developing countries combined.

While Pennsylvania is a big contributor to global warming, the legislation passed today creates opportunities for the state to be part of the solution.

The measure will require Pennsylvania to conduct an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions and set up a registry for business and industry where they can track their emissions and get credit for pollution reductions.

The bill provides for an stakeholder advisory group for the state Department of Environmental Protection and requires the DEP to develop a state plan to reduce emissions.

“This will be a good planning tool for Pennsylvania to help with coordination of the various measures the state has implemented and those it should implement to combat climate change in the future,” said state Representative Greg Vitali, a Democrat from Delaware County who introduced the measure in the House.

In the Senate, the bill was sponsored by state Senator Ted Erickson, a Republican whose district includes part of Delaware County, which is located just west of Philadelphia
Pennsylvania’s Montour coal-fired power plant (Photo courtesy Mark Morey)

Vitali said, “Climate change is the most important environmental problem we’re dealing with in Pennsylvania – we produce a full one percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emission. I applaud Senator Erickson, and thank everyone for the work they’ve done to keep this issue alive in both chambers over the years.”

Vitali said initial language for global warming legislation was drafted nearly a decade ago by Don Brown, currently an associate professor of environmental ethics and program director for ethical dimensions of climate change at Penn State University. He is the former senior counsel for sustainable development at DEP, and has worked for both the state and federal governments on environmental issues.

“Don Brown came up with the initial idea of this legislation, drafted the language for the original bill, and his knowledge and counsel have been invaluable to this process and the issue of global warming,” Vitali said.

“Senator Erickson’s bill is a good bill that incorporates those same principles. I think this is a historic moment in our state’s history – a time that will prove to be a turning point in our endeavors to curb global warming as a state.”

Environmentalists are pleased with the bill. Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future, known as PennFuture, praised the legislators on both sides of the aisle who moved the bill forward.

“This bipartisan outpouring of support shows the seriousness of our climate problem, and the determination of our elected officials to face it squarely,” said Jan Jarrett, PennFuture’s vice president.

“They understand that global warming poses a threat to our economy and our future if we don’t take action,” said Jarrett, “and they also understand that solving the problem will help grow the green economy and create new jobs.”

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council today praised passage of the Climate Change Act. “This legislation will help Pennsylvania address both the significant challenges and the potential opportunities associated with climate change,” said John Walliser, the Council’s vice president for legal and governmental affairs. “Climate change will affect our economy, environment, and our quality of life.”

“Both Senator Erickson and Representative Vitali took the lead on the need to fully evaluate what climate change will mean to Pennsylvania for the foreseeable future,” said Walliser. “Thanks to their cooperation on seeing this legislation through, Pennsylvania now stands ready to meet this challenge head-on and even find opportunities for further economic development.”

The General Assembly is considering legislation that would encourage the use of biofuels, promote the development of renewable energy sources, and set energy conservation standards for new buildings.

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HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, February 28, 2008 (ENS) – By executive order, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell has established a high-level task force that will evaluate what is needed to ensure Pennsylvania maintains a sustainable water and wastewater infrastructure in view of continued budget cuts from the federal government in recent years.

A federal Clean Water Needs Survey found that Pennsylvania is facing nearly $11 billion in unmet drinking water infrastructure needs and at least $7.2 billion in unmet wastewater infrastructure needs.

“Our water and wastewater infrastructure is aging,” said Governor Rendell. “Pennsylvania is facing nearly $20 billion in unmet water-related infrastructure needs, and that doesn’t even take into account ongoing capital costs and expenses associated with operations and maintenance responsibilities.”

“We need to begin developing a comprehensive plan now that supports a sustainable network of systems to protect public health, and ensure citizens and businesses don’t lose out on the quality and dependable services they have come to expect,” said the governor.

The infrastructure initiative follows on Governor Rendell’s pledge last month with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to lobby for the funding to upgrade the nation’s aging infrastructure.

The Sustainable Water Infrastructure Task Force is to consider new funding options and non-structural alternatives to capital upgrades, such as nutrient credit trading, water re-use and conservation.

It is responsible for developing a report by October 1 that provides recommendations and financing options to support water-related services in the governor’s fiscal year 2009-10 budget proposal.

Members of the task force are to include representatives of the administration, General Assembly, academia, and the state’s Office of Consumer Advocate, as well as local government and municipal associations.

“Shrinking support from the federal government means the financial burden associated with the needed work is increasingly falling on states and local municipalities,” said the governor. “The commonwealth alone has suffered a 50 percent cut in the federal funds we had received previously to support water infrastructure. Without that needed support, our economy, environment and quality of life will suffer.”

The governor pointed to continued cuts in the federal Clean Water State Revolving Fund, one of the state’s most important tools for funding water infrastructure improvements.

Pennsylvania’s share of the state revolving fund program has been cut by about half in the past three years, down $30 million to $27 million, while President George W. Bush’s upcoming fiscal year budget proposal calls for another $330 million in cuts to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, largely aimed at wastewater projects.

The president requested only $555 million for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund in FY 2009, which would be the lowest level of funding for the program in its history if enacted.

“While I’ve called on Congress to restore these valuable funds, we must take steps to ensure we have reliable systems in place that deliver dependable services,” said Governor Rendell.

“The high-level task force I’m establishing through this executive order will focus on finding solutions to Pennsylvania’s drinking water and wastewater system needs,” he said, “either through new funding sources or cost-effective, non-structural alternatives.

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LOS ANGELES, California, January 22, 2008 (ENS) – California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican; Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell, a Democrat; and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an Independent, stood beneath a Los Angeles highway interchange on Saturday to announce the formation of a non-partisan national coalition that will lobby for federal investment in America’s decaying infrastructure.

The need amounts to at least $1.6 trillion dollars over the next five years, they said, a need too great for any one level of government to handle alone.

“So we all got together and we decided that we should form a partnership, that we’d form a coalition,” Schwarzenegger said. “You have an Independent here, you have a Democrat here, a Republican. I mean, how much better can you get? And we are soul mates. We totally believe that we must rebuild America.”

In the short term, the coalition will work with presidential candidates and the platform committees of the national political parties to ensure that the next president understands the enormity of the infrastructure crisis and is committed to increasing federal funding, the three officials said.

From left: Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger, Governor
Ed Rendell, Mayor Michael
Bloomberg announce the
Building America’s Future
coalition. (Photo courtesy
Office of Governor
Schwarzenegger)

“This coalition is going to demand that the presidential nominees tell us what their position on infrastructure is, talk to us about what their goals and dreams are for building a better American infrastructure,” said Governor Rendell.

“In July of this year I take over as the chair of the National Governors Association,” said the Pennsylvania governor, “and with Governor Schwarzenegger’s help, we the governors are going to focus attention like a laser on infrastructure.”

The new coalition, called Building America’s Future, will be not-for-profit organization made up of elected and executive officials serving at the state and local levels of government.

“Our coalition is going to be made up of literally hundreds of local and state government officials and leaders,” Governor Rendell said. “It’s going to include private sector associations and individuals, and it is going to go everywhere to beat the drum for infrastructure for America’s future.”

“We have an infrastructure crisis,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Nonstop television showed us in New Orleans when the levees broke, and Minneapolis when the bridge collapsed. But the governors and the mayors of this country every day see at an operational level bridges that are rusting away, and tracks that can’t carry high speed trains, and power transmission lines that can’t keep up with demand, and airports that need new runways, and water lines that need backup systems, and sewage plants that leak into the rivers and the oceans.”

“If we continue to ignore these problems we are going to suffer more collapses, more human tragedies, and more economic pain, and that’s just in the short term,” Bloomberg said. “Over the long run we really are going to risk losing our place as the world’s leading super power.”

“China, Japan, India, Dubai, Malaysia, Europe, all of them are investing in modern infrastructure at higher rates that we are here in the United States,” the mayor said. “But Congress is setting back and resting on its accomplishments of past generations, our parents’ generation. And they can only go on this way for so long before the rest of the world starts to pass us by. And we are here to say we cannot let that happen. We cannot hand our children a country that is crumbling from neglect.”

“America needs $1.6 trillion worth of infrastructure over the next five years, yet federal investment has been cut in half as a percent of gross domestic product since 1987,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “This is disastrous because without adequate infrastructure to quickly and safely move goods and people our economy and our traffic will stop dead in its tracks.”

Cars and roadway litter the
river where the I-35 bridge
collapsed in Minneapolis.
August 5, 2007. (Photo by
Todd Swain courtesy FEMA)

The problem has two parts, Bloomberg said, “we under-invest in infrastructure, and we invest badly. And both problems spring from the same source; short-term political calculations.”

But in his view, the timing of the new coalition’s push for funding “couldn’t be better” because “there’s a lot of talk in Washington about putting together an economic stimulus package.”

“Democrats can say that investing in infrastructure is in the great tradition of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Republicans can say it’s in the great tradition of Dwight D. Eisenhower. I think it is in the great tradition of America, and if both parties want to take credit for it, I think that’s great. Let’s just get the job done,” said the mayor.

Governor Rendell said he and the other other two founding members are good people to lead the coalition “is not just, as Governor Schwarzenegger said, that we represent parts of the political spectrum, but each and every one of us has made a significant commitment in our own jurisdiction to rebuilding our infrastructure.”

“In the past 20 years, state and local governments have been forced to pay more and more of the cost for infrastructure repairs and expansion,” said the Pennyslvania governor. “Three-quarters of our nation’s infrastructure spending is by state and local governments. In the past five years Pennsylvania has increased state funding for bridge repairs by 300 percent, yet the number of structurally deficient bridges has increased. Our country can’t do it without federal leadership.”

One organization has already offered its support to the fledgling coalition. The Rockefeller Foundation has committed funding for staffing and resources.

“For almost a century, the Rockefeller Foundation has supported breakthrough solutions to society’s most pressing problems, and one of the most urgent challenges today is our aging and inadequate transportation infrastructure,” said Rockefeller Foundation President Judith Rodin, who joined the Mayor and the two governors under the L.A. highway interchange.

“A few years ago, the Rockefeller Foundation funded the hurricane recovery planning process in New Orleans, and so we saw deeply and personally what happens when infrastructure and transportation fail. Lives are lost, vast amounts of property are damaged, elected officials are held in account. All of this was after the fact,” Rodin said.

“We’ve seen now the need for robust advanced planning, and much more focused attention on investments and infrastructure and transportation,” she said. “We can no longer rely on FEMA and the federal government to solve our infrastructure disasters after the fact.

“First, it is very clear that our aging and insufficient infrastructure makes us frighteningly vulnerable to natural and to manmade disasters,” said Rodin. “We can do better; we must do better.”

“Second, as the governors and mayor articulated, continuing environmental degradation and climate change are inextricably linked with the choices we make, not just about the roads we build or the railways we need, but about land use and zoning and housing,” she said.

The bottom line, said Governor Schwarzenegger, is that we cannot wait for people to die in floods and bridge collapses before we get the message.

“I think we got the message,” he said, “that we must rebuild America, we must invest in America, and that is the bottom line.”

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HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, December 24, 2007 (ENS) – Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell says the state will spend $20 million to support new and expanded recycling programs benefiting 10 million people in 134 communities across the state.

Counties, cities and townships will purchase recycling containers, establish a drop-off recycling programs, yard waste collection and composting, and augment recyclable materials processing.

“Recycling is a dynamic and growing enterprise in Pennsylvania,” said the governor Friday, announcing $20 million in funding through the Recycling Development and Implementation Grant Program.

Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty said reusing materials is an important factor in Pennsylvania’s drive to energy independence.

“To put it in perspective,” she said, “the materials Pennsylvanians recycled in 2005 saved almost 98 trillion British thermal units of energy and cut more than 2.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from the air.

“That’s the equivalent of eliminating the output from three large coal-fired power plants and taking 1.7 million cars and light trucks off the road,” McGinty said.

The Recycling Development and Implementation Grant Program reimburses local governments, councils of government, consortiums and solid waste authorities for the cost of municipal recycling and composting programs.

Pennsylvania’s recycling program, created under Act 101 of 1988, mandates recycling in the state’s larger municipalities and requires counties to develop municipal waste management plans.

“The more we recycle, the more natural resources we preserve and the better our environment’s health,” said Governor Rendell. “And, it’s important to recognize that these investments by the commonwealth come back to us in more jobs and a stronger economy.”

Recycling truck makes the
rounds of a Pittsburgh
neighborhood. (Photo
courtesy City of Pittsburgh)

One of the largest grants will go to Pittsburgh, which will receive $499,695 to enhance downtown and small business recycling.

Blair County will receive $500, 000 to improve, enhance and expand recycling efforts in Altoona, Holidaysburg, Tyrone and Logan and to increase diversion of leaf and yard waste to the Blair County compost site.

Union County will get $492,044 to improve the county-wide recycling program and implement a commercial food waste composting program.

In 2005, Pennsylvanians recycled a record 4.86 million tons of municipal waste, saving consumers and industries nearly $263 million in disposal costs and providing businesses with materials valued at $577 million.

“Recycling is an important tool in growing Pennsylvania’s economy and for protecting our environment, but it also plays a role in reducing our dependence on foreign oil and other fossil fuels,” said McGinty. “Greater levels of recycling mean fewer natural resources have to be extracted from the earth and manufactured into finished products. The supply chain and production processes associated with that conversion consumes an incredible amount of energy, scars the planet, and creates a tremendous amount of air pollution.

The commonwealth’s recycling and reuse industry includes more than 3,200 establishments with total annual sales of $18.4 billion. The industry employs more than 81,000 people and has an annual payroll of $2.9 billion. Additionally, these businesses add more than $305 million in taxes to the state treasury.

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ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, December 11, 2007 (ENS) – The health of the Chesapeake Bay is deteriorating, according to a new report from the nonprofit Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Meanwhile, the governors of states bordering the Bay say they are doing their best to improve the health of the nation’s largest estuary and claim they are making progress.

With three years to go before the court-ordered deadline to remove the Chesapeake Bay from the federal list of impaired waters, the foundation’s annual State of the Bay report shows that a health index of 13 factors slipped one point from last year.

“Time is running out, and the Chesapeake Bay, a national treasure, remains in critical condition, said foundation President William C. Baker. “Restoring the Bay is not rocket science. What does it say about a society when we can put a man on the moon but not be able to save the Chesapeake Bay?”

The foundation says this year’s decline was the result of increased amounts of the nutrient phosphorus running off the surrounding lands into the Bay, decreased water clarity, and habitat and harvest pressures on the Bay’s blue crab population.

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley hosted the 2007 Chesapeake Executive Council annual meeting in Annapolis December 5.

Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, Washington, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen Johnson and Chesapeake Bay Commission Chair James Hubbard participated, along with representatives from Delaware, West Virginia and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In his status report on bay restoration efforts, Johnson told the Council members that at the current pace, the 2010 goals for nutrient reduction set in the Chesapeake 2000 agreement cannot be met.

In an effort to increase accountability of restoration programs, each member of the Executive Council agreed to champion specific actions on behalf of the partnership.

The Executive Council signed a new Forest Conservation Implementation Plan to permanently protect an additional 695,000 acres of forest in the Bay watershed and to increase the acreage of riparian buffers and urban tree canopies.

To discuss how developing new cellulosic ethanol production technologies can protect the Bay and its watershed, Pennsylvania will convene a summit of environmental and technical experts next year, Governor Rendell announced.

The group will focus on sustainability, forest and wildlife health, energy demands, water quality and how best to develop the technology within the Bay region.

Maryland will work on behalf of the Chesapeake Bay Partnership to hold a “local leadership summit” that focuses on developing a better model for delivering services and results at the local level – making local governments, communities and citizens true partners.

Maryland will work with Virginia, the Chesapeake Bay Commission, and other traditional stakeholders to develop actions to enhance stock abundance of the Bay’s blue crab.

Governor Edward Rendell outlined how Pennsylvania’s combination of mandatory requirements and environmental stewardship has led to sizeable reductions in nutrient and sediment pollution to the Chesapeake Bay since 2004.

The progress has been achieved through a combination of tough new measures designed to reduce point and nonpoint source pollution.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge crosses the bay in Maryland. (Photo courtesy USDA)

Municipal wastewater treatment plants are now operating under mandatory nutrient limits in order to meet federal Clean Water Act requirements, and any new residential and commercial developments projects in Pennsylvania must eliminate or offset all nutrient and phosphorous discharges.

Developers can apply wastewater effluent to crops, recycle or reuse the effluent, create on-lot systems, or purchase nutrient credits, among other techniques.

Nutrient trading programs in Pennsylvania and Virginia allow for the transfer of credits among existing facilities to meet their nutrient limits

Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine announced last week that his state’s largest wastewater treatment facilities and industries within the Chesapeake Bay watershed expect to meet their nutrient reduction goals by the end of 2010.

Facilities will reduce the amount of nutrients in wastewater by participating in Virginia’s nutrient trading program and installing pollution control technology.

“This will be a huge step forward for Virginians and the Chesapeake Bay,” Governor Kaine said. “We have made a significant investment to protect the Bay, we have spent the money wisely and we are accomplishing what we set out to do.”

Nutrient trading is anticipated to save Virginia and the participating localities up to $200 million. Trading will also reduce the costs of upgrading pollution control technology, which are estimated at about $1.4 billion to install by the end of 2010.

Wastewater treatment plant improvements installed before 2011 are expected to reduce the annual amount of nutrients discharged by about eight million pounds of nitrogen and 1 million pounds of phosphorus, as compared with 1998.

“The nutrient trading program is one of the most comprehensive efforts ever conducted in Virginia to reduce nutrient pollution,” Secretary of Natural Resources L. Preston Bryant Jr. said. “It also will strengthen an important partnership between wastewater facilities and agricultural producers that will lead to nutrient reductions from several sources.”

“We recognize that meeting the 2010 deadline is a significant challenge,” said Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Director David Paylor. “The municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities have answered the call to reduce nutrient pollution in Virginia’s watersheds, and the result certainly will be a healthier Bay.”

In addition to nutrient trading, facilities will reduce the amount of nutrients in wastewater by installing pollution control technology. The Virginia Water Quality Improvement Fund’s point source program has received a total of $380 million for grants since its inception in 1997.

Lawmakers and Governor Kaine authorized an additional $250 million in bonds to support technology upgrades after July 1, 2008. The Virginia Resources Authority complemented these initiatives by issuing more than $240 million in bonds this year for upgrades to 10 facilities in the Bay atershed.

“The Chesapeake Bay Foundation applauds Governor Kaine and the General Assembly for their commitment and leadership in funding pollution reductions from local sewage treatment plants to meet 2010 Bay cleanup goals,” said Ann Jennings, Virginia Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. “CBF looks forward to working with the Kaine administration and the legislature to continue this positive momentum to fully restore Virginia rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.”

“We are at a key crossroad in our Bay restoration efforts,” said Governor O’Malley. “With the alignment of political leadership, public will and good science, we now have the moral imperative to turn back the decline in the Bay’s health decades in the making and begin restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay.”

About 200 miles long from the Susquehanna River in the north to the Atlantic Ocean in the south, the Chesapeake Bay watershed covers 64,299 square miles in the District of Columbia and parts of six states – New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. More than 150 rivers and streams drain into the Bay.

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