Air Matters, April 2009

Volume 4, Issue 2
Bureau of Air Management
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
PO Box 7921
Madison WI 53707

DNR Receive Grants to Study Climate Change and Air Quality
By Dreux J. Watermolen

The Bureau of Science Services recently acquired more than $371,000 from the Wisconsin Focus on Energy’s Environmental and Economic Research and Development Program [exit DNR] for research projects that will contribute to the future management of Wisconsin’s natural resources. The Bureau of Air Management also received nearly $149,000 from the same program for ongoing air quality monitoring work. These funds are among the $885,658 in Focus on Energy grants recently awarded to scientists to investigate various energy and climate change questions.

Focus on Energy [exit DNR] works with Wisconsin residents and businesses to install cost-effective energy efficient and renewable energy projects. Its Environment and Economic Research and Development program supports research efforts that fill gaps in existing knowledge about the interconnections between energy use, environmental quality and economic stability.

In addition to the Science Services and Air Management researchers, nine other research groups at various University of Wisconsin campuses, the U.S. Forest Service and other institutions received funding to address energy and climate change topics. Much of the funded research will directly benefit the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI) [exit DNR], a collaborative DNR and University of Wisconsin effort that provides science-based information and recommendations to natural resources managers.

For additional information, contact David Webb in the Bureau of Science Services or call him at 608.266.0245.

Dreux Watermolen is chief of the Science Information Services Section in the Bureau of Science Services and is located in Madison.

Wisconsin DOT receives $750,000 Clean Diesel Grant

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded $750,000 in February 2009 to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to reduce diesel emissions as part of the Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative.

Portable crusher at a gravel pit
Portable crushers, like this one at a gravel pit, use large-horsepower diesel engines.
Photo courtesy Arthur Hendrickson, Mad River Neighborhood Association, Moretown, VT.

The Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative is a collaboration of federal, state and local agencies, along with communities, non-profit organizations and private companies working together to reduce emissions from diesel engines in the Midwest. It was founded by EPA Region 5 in 2004 to reduce pollution from older diesel engines by making them run cleaner and eliminating unnecessary idling. Since then, the partnership has affected more than 600,000 engines.

Nationwide, diesel engines emit 7.3 million tons of smog-forming nitrogen oxides and 333,000 tons of soot annually. This pollution is linked to thousands of premature deaths, hundreds of thousands of asthma attacks and millions of lost work days. EPA's new diesel engine standards will significantly reduce emissions from newly manufactured engines.

WDOT plans to use the grant money to provide funding for repowering of construction equipment that is based in Wisconsin. WDOT expects to be able to fund 17 small-horsepower engines (general construction, grading), eight medium-horsepower engines (general construction and landfill) and eight large-horsepower engines (quarry and aggregate). Using this breakdown of expected repowers, WDOT estimates that over 112 tons of diesel emissions will be reduced over a five-year period once the project is fully implemented.

More information on EPA Region 5's Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative is avalable at http://www.epa.gov/midwestcleandiesel/.

Wisconsin Partners for Clean Air Solicits Nominations for Recognition Award
By Peter McMullen

Now is the time to nominate and recognize organizations and businesses that took voluntary actions to improve air quality in 2008. The nomination process is simple and the award provides an excellent opportunity to receive public recognition and media attention.

Last year’s recognition award winners include:

This year the awards will be presented in mid-July at an annual Clean Air Extravaganza. Winners will not be announced until the awards event. The intent to apply deadline is April 17th, 2009 and the nomination deadline is April 30th, 2009.

Please visit the Wisconsin Partners for Clean Air Web Site [exit DNR] for:

For questions, please contact Jessica Lawent at 414.263.8653 or jessica.lawent@wisconsin.gov.

McMullen is a transportation planner in DNR'S Southeast Region office in Milwaukee.

Greener Rentals and Retail
By Autumn E. Sabo

Like many businesses, rental and retail companies are re-examining their operations and finding new strategies that benefit their customers, are good for profits, and help the environment. For example, Enterprise Rent-a-Car and Roundy's Supermarkets have both made significant changes to “green” their operating procedures.

Enterprise Rent-a-Car

Enterprise Rent-a-Car [exit DNR] is an international company with over 500 employees in Wisconsin. Environmental stewardship is “woven into the fabric of [Enterprise’s] corporate culture,” according to Craig Anderson, Vice President of Enterprise’s Wisconsin Group, based out of Waukesha.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car customers refuel a hybrid vehicle.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car customers refuel a hybrid vehicle.

Enterprise is making it easy for clients to save fuel by stocking almost half of their national fleet with vehicles that get at least 28 mpg, including 5000 hybrid vehicles. “Never has what is good for business been more closely aligned with what’s good for the globe,” said Anderson. He reports that their environmental practices, like being the first rental car company in the United States to offer carbon offsets, are helping them draw more customers. By buying carbon offsets, clients (matched dollar for dollar by Enterprise) are funding projects like reforestation and renewable energy that help to reduce greenhouse gases and mitigate climate change.

Enterprise is booking more than 1,000 offset reservations per day, which amounts to 200 million pounds of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas that contributes to global climate change. That’s the same as taking 15,000 cars off the road. Enterprise also started a car sharing program called WeCar, which is coming soon to Madison. Car sharing programs are great for people who generally rely on public transportation but need a personal vehicle for occasional trips. By not owning, maintaining, and insuring their own car, individuals save money and keep the air clean by driving very little.

To help offset vehicle emissions, Enterprise made a commitment to give $50 million to plant 50 million trees over the next 50 years. Last year, their gift paid for one seventh of all trees planted in U.S. national forests. “Creating a culture of sustainability” is only possible with “true commitment from the top down,” Anderson advised. At Enterprise, it is continually discussed with employees and included in messages to the staff. It helps them to recruit new employees who share the company’s commitment to the environment.

Roundy’s Supermarkets

Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc [exit DNR] is focusing environmental efforts on reducing air pollution and waste at their distribution center in Oconomowoc. Roundy’s has a new no-idle policy for their trucking fleet that they enforce with unannounced yard walks. Twenty-five percent of their fleet has been retrofitted with diesel oxidation catalysts. This equipment reduces carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons by 70 percent and particulate matter by 25 percent. To get their employees involved with emission reductions, Roundy’s gives out permits for preferred parking spots to staff who carpool. All of their employees attended training on how to recycle materials, and from 2006 to 2007, 13 percent more plastic and 55 percent more cardboard were recycled. The employees make a difference, and according to Roundy’s, its most beneficial internal communication practice is its Employee Environmental Continual Improvement suggestion program, which funnels staff ideas to management.

If you are interested in exploring ways that your company might also reduce air emissions, please contact Ed Jepsen at edward.jepsen@wisconsin.gov or 608.266.3538.

Sabo is a writer with the Bureau of Education and Information and is located in Madison.

Teaching Climate Change

To help educate local citizens about climate change, DNR Air Enginer James Crawford volunteered to run a DNR booth at the 2009 Einstein Project Science Fair, held at Shopko Hall in Green Bay. The fair, which was held February 14, included many other booths by local companies, universities, and agencies like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

More than 100 kids and their parents visited the DNR booth to plot March temperatures for Green Bay. Data from 1897 to 2008 allowed each visitor to plot mean, minimum and maximum temperatures for a specific year. Each received a handful of M&Ms (pretend molecules of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere).

After plotting data, the kids and their parents reviewed two National Geographic magazine posters on global warming and could view the National Geographic video, Six Degrees Could Change the World [exit DNR]. Finally, there was a pile of coal to touch (a source of carbon dioxide emissions), some posters, and the July 2008 report from the Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming.

Throughout the day, free DNR Climate Change Activity Guides disappeared into the hands of science teachers. Kids made off with most of the brochures on nuclear power. Most of our visitors agreed we need more energy conservation and need to move to renewable energy, as soon as possible.

National Air Quality Week is April 27-May 1, 2009

The National Weather Service and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are urging Americans to "Be Air Aware" through air quality awareness days during the week of April 27 through May 1, 2009. For more information please visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website [exit DNR].

Air Matters || Air Management

Last Review: April 2009
Next Review: June 2009
Last Revised: Friday September 18 2009