# Climate Change: From 

# Federal Policy to Local Action

Amy Zimpfer, P.E. Associate Director, Air Division U.S. EPA Region IX Berkeley Executive Seminar 2014 UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy Center for Environmental Public Policy 30 July 2014

## Climate Change: From 

## Federal Policy to Local Action

Climate Change Science, Federal Policy & EPA Actions 

### Supporting Local Action What EPA Region 9 is 

### Doing Internally

# Climate Change 

# Science, Federal Policy & EPA Actions4 

### National Climate Assessment—May 2014



### • Finding 1: Global climate is changing and this is apparent across the United States in a wide range of observations. The global warming of the past 50 

### years is primarily due to human activities, predominantly the burning of fossil fuels.

## Climate Change Impacts

National Climate Assessment 2014 —

12 Key Findings

• Increased mean Temperatures • More extreme storm & drought events • Less annual Precipitation • More wildfires • Higher smog levels http://nca2014.globalchange.gov

Finding 2: Some extreme weather and climate events have increased in recent decades, and new and stronger evidence confirms that some of these increases are related to human activities.

## Southwest Region Findings National Climate Assessment


### • Snowpack and 

### streamflow amounts are projected to decline 

### in parts of the Southwest, decreasing surface 

### water supply reliability for cities, agriculture, and 

### ecosystems. 6 http://nca2014.globalchange.gov

## Southwest Region Findings National Climate Assessment



### • Flooding and erosion in coastal areas are already occurring 

### even at existing sea levels and damaging some California 

### coastal areas during storms and extreme high tides.
7 King tides at the Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA

### President Obama’s June 2013

Climate Action Plan: EPA’s Role

8 

### • Reducing carbon emissions from power plants & industry 

### • Building a 21 st 

### century transportation sector • Cutting energy waste in homes, 

### businesses, and factories • Reducing methane and HFCs • Leading international efforts to 

### address global climate change • Preparing the US for a changing climate

## Why is EPA Proposing to

Address CO 2

## ?

9

### Reducing Carbon Pollution from

Power Plants President’s Directive to EPA: 

### Develop carbon pollution standards, regulations or guidelines, as appropriate, for : 1. New power plants » Proposed: January 8, 2014 

### 2. Modified and reconstructed power plants » Proposal: June 2014 » Final: June 2015 

### 3. Existing power plants » Proposed Guidelines: June 2014 » Final Guidelines: June 2015 » State Plans due: June 2016

# EPA Proposed Clean Power

Plan—June 2, 2014 • Proposed EPA guidelines to cut carbon pollution 

### from existing power plants • State Plans would be due June, 2016 • By 2030, carbon emissions will reduced by 30% 

### from 2005 levels • Will also by 2030, reduce by over 25% pollutants that contribute to the soot and smog 

### • Spur investment in cleaner and more efficient technologies, creating jobs and driving innovation • Lead to health and climate benefits worth an 

### estimated $55 billion to $93 billion in 2030 • Final EPA Guidelines June, 2015Building Block for Goal Strategy EPA Used to Calculate the State Goal Examples of State Compliance Measures 1. Make fossil fuel -fired power plants more efficient Efficiency Improvements • Efficiency improvements • Co -firing or switching to natural gas • Coal retirements • Retrofit CCS (e.g.,WA Parish in Texas) 2. Use lower-emitting power sources more Dispatch changes to existing natural gas combined cycle (CC) • Dispatch changes to existing natural gas CC 3. Build more zero or low-emitting energy sources Renewable Energy Certain Nuclear • New Natural gas -fired Combined Cycle Units • Renewables • Nuclear (new and up - rates) • New coal with CCS 4. Use electricity more efficiently Demand -side energy efficiency programs • Demand -side energy efficiency programs • Transmission efficiency improvements • Energy storage 12 * States are not limited to the Building Blocks and have flexibility to determine how to meet their goal Public Comment Period Ends Oct. 16, 2104 http://www.epa.gov/cleanpowerplan

## Building a 21st 

## Century

Transportation System

13

### Supporting Energy Efficiency and 

### Making Products Cleaner

14

## Supporting Renewable Energy

• Green Power Partnership

– Marin Energy Authority

• Help businesses, governments, colleges to buy “ green power ”

• Support the Development of Renewable Energy

## Preparing the US for the Impacts of Climate Change--President Obama’s Nov. 2013 Executive Order • Direction Federal Agencies to support and encourage climate resilient investments • Established Task Force of State, Local and Tribal Leaders on Climate Preparedness and 

## Resilience • Implementation of Agency Climate Change 

## Adaptation Plans

16

# Supporting Local Governments Action

## Light-Duty Plug-in Electric Vehicle Economic Analysis  Baseline Usage 

## = 15 , 000 mi/yr  BEV vs . Gasoline ICE ( 28 mpg)  Emissions > 3 CO 2 tons reduced/yr/vehicle (CA grid)  Petroleum > 500 gasoline gallons saved/yr/vehicle  Operational Costs > $ 2 , 300 (79 % ) saved/yr/vehicle 

##  PHEV vs . Gasoline ICE ( 28 mpg)  Emissions > 2 CO 2 tons reduced/yr/vehicle (CA grid)  Petroleum > 300 gasoline gallons saved/yr/vehicle  Operational Costs > $ 1 , 700 (58 % ) saved/yr/vehicle

## Medium-Duty Plug-in Electric Vehicle Economic Analysis  MD E-Truck vs . Diesel ICE (7. 4 mpg)  Baseline Usage = 19 , 800 mi/yr  Emissions > 22 CO 2 tons reduced/yr/vehicle (CA grid)  Petroleum > 2 , 600 diesel gallons saved/yr/vehicle  Operational Costs > $ 12 , 500 ( 85 % ) saved/yr/vehicle 

##  E-School Bus vs . Diesel ICE (5 . 6 mpg)  Baseline Usage = 13 , 000 mi/yr  Emissions > 21 CO 2 tons reduced/yr/vehicle (CA Grid)  Petroleum > 2 , 300 diesel gallons saved/yr/vehicle  OperationalCosts > $ 10 , 800 ( 89 % ) saved/yr/vehicle

## Bay Area Regional Renewable Energy Procurement Project

• Joint team : Joint Venture Silicon Valley, Contra Costa Economic Partnership, County of Alameda • Renewable energy: Solar PV, solar hot water, fuel cells, wind, advanced energy storage • Currently reviewing 200 sites from 25 different 

### local agencies for 50MW • Best practice guide from phase I available here: http://www.jointventure.org/images/stories/pdf/ purchasing.power_best.practices.guide.to. collaborative.solar.procurement.pdfMapping project of CA degraded sites with National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 12,000 sites screened for RE potential

Static Maps Google Earth Mapping Tool

Data SetsSolar & Wind Decision Trees

I. PreScreening • Solar or Wind Resource

• Available Area • Distance to Existing Infrastructure • Site Topology • Redevelopment Priorities & Land Use Exclusions
II. Site Screening • Owner interest

• System Type: Rooftop or Ground Mount • Electricity Costs • Energy Demand • Contaminated Site Considerations, Status, and Readiness III. Financial Screening • Policy Considerations

• Federal and State rebates and incentives • Installation costs Brownfields, Superfund or RCRA sites Landfills

Underutilized rooftops Parking lots

Abandoned parcels Screening Sites for Solar PV or Wind Energy Potential Emphasis on Redevelopment of Potentially Contaminated Sites, Underutilized Sites, or Rooftops

## Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) Goal 

### • Encourage the recovery of landfill gas for use as an alternative energy source by overcoming barriers to project development Services 

### • LMOP Online Toolkit: software 

### tools to estimate emissions and emissions rates • Support services to assist with the development of LFG projects www.epa.gov/lmop

## Biogas Mapping Tool

http://epamap21.epa.gov/biogas/index.html

## Climate Showcase Communities grants - Honolulu

• Installation of home energy monitors • Energy audits • To date, reduced 2,538 tons of CO2e, 

### $942,012 savings Other projects – Packaging 

### reductions, food waste digester http://www.epa.gov/statelocalclimate/local/showcase/

### EPA Region 9 Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Plan: Addressing Vulnerabilities – Water 

### Supply 

### • Improved System Efficiency 

### • Audits 

### • Leak Detection 

### • Pressure Optimization 

### • Demand Management 

### • Water Efficiency  WaterSense 

### • Metering & Revising Rates 

### • Stormwater Harvesting/Green Infrastructure 

### • Renewable Water 

### • Water recycling 

### • On- site reuse

### R9 CCA Plan Addressing Vulnerabilities – 

### Storms/Sea Level Rise

• Green Infrastructure 

### • “Horizontal Levees” • 404 Permitting, NEPA Reviews • Address Saltwater 

### Intrusion into Coastal Aquifers • Identify Vulnerable Areas for Emergency 

### Planning

### R9 CCA Plan – Support Local Adaptation Efforts Stormwater Capture to:

- Replenish Groundwater

- Improve Flood Protection

- Protect Water Quality

Water Reuse Promote Green Infrastructure

### R9 CCA Plan – Tools to improve resiliency Climate Ready Estuaries: Bay 

### Area Climate and Resilience Project http://www.abag.ca.gov/jointpolicy/projects.html 

### 2014 California Adaptation Forum: August 

### 19 - 20, 2014 in Sacramento http://www.californiaadaptationforum.org/program

## Funding Sources for Communities

• Brownfields Grants • Clean Water State Revolving Fund • Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) • Diesel Emission Reduction Grants • Environmental Education (EE) • Environmental Justice (EJ) Small Grants • Indoor Air Quality Tools for School Program- Asthma Management Training • National Environmental Information Exchange Network Grant • Non-Construction Market-based Approaches to Reducing GHG Emissions Through Energy Efficiency in Homes & Buildings • Nonpoint Source Water Pollution Control • Pollution Prevention Grants (PPG) for States/Tribes • Regional Agriculture Grants • Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Fund • Solid Waste Assistance Grants/Tribal Solid Waste Grants (Resource Conservation) • Source Reduction Assistance • Superfund Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) • Targeted Grants to Reduce Childhood Lead Poisoning • Wetland Program Development Grants 104(b)(3) 

### http://www.epa.gov/region9/funding/fundingsources/index.html 30

# What EPA Region 9 is 

# Doing Internally: Sustainable Region 9 Environmental Management System (ISO 14001) - tool to move Region 9 toward sustainability (SR9 Team & Advisory Committee)  Policies Adopted:  Zero Waste by 2012  Carbon Neutral by 2012  Green Meetings & Conferences  Green Transportation  Green Procurement  Specific Actions To Reduce Resource Consumption-- Numeric Targets, Shared Responsibility & External Audits  Uses Fewer Resources, Reduces Pollution, Saves $ 

## Sustainable Region 9 (SR9)Air Emissions

- fossil fuel use Air Pollution Depletion of natural resources (fossil fuel) Energy Use

- electricity use Depletion of natural resource (fossil fuel) Air pollution (during generation) Material Use

- paper use

- chemical use Use of natural resource (trees, fossil fuels, chemicals) Depletion of habitat Waste

- solid waste Contamination of land Water pollution (from leaching) Water Use Use of natural resource (water) 

### Reduce Resource Consumption Reduces Potential Impacts

## Some Exciting Results:

100% of monitors & computers “ sleep ” > 100 MT GHG (each year) Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) offset R9 energy purchases (100%)

100% EPEAT purchases Regional supply center - Replaced products containing chemicals of concern

Janitorial supplies - 90% replaced Zero Waste (97% diversion rate) 49% paper use reduction

# Questions?

http://www.epa.gov/cleanpowerplan http :// epa.gov/region9/climatechange 

### http:// epa.gov/region9/ems http://www.epa.gov/sustainability/ 

### More Information at: 

## Amy Zimpfer Associate Director, Air Division 

## US EPA Region 9 zimpfer.amy@epa.gov