ETAC Programs Focus on Emission Reductions

This proposal addresses a statewide need to provide support for reducing GHG and other emissions from the manufacturing sector. Goals for the Commonwealth have been established in order to affect a 25% reduction from the Year 2000 levels in carbon dioxide by the Year 2025. In order to help meet these goals, manufacturers can benefit from ETAC's technical support to proactively reduce their emissions. ETAC's role, as outlined in this proposal, will be to identify opportunities to quantify and reduce GHG, VOC and HAP emissions by marketing grant services, presenting workshops/seminars to raise awareness, and conducting the necessary training programs to implement solutions. In addition, ETAC staff will perform site visits to evaluate the business's processes, equipment and facilities in order to provide an unbiased assessment of the emissions reduction opportunities. The proposal asks for $1.2 million over three years.

ETAC possesses the resources and experienced, committed staff professionals to implement this program, building upon the highly successful DEP-ETAC Grant Program already in action throughout Pennsylvania.

A Proud Record

Historically, ETAC has provided significant services to expand DEP's capacity.

-In 1998, DEP provided a volatile organic compound (VOC) emission reduction grant to ETAC to assist in the implementation of the “Small Business Compliance Assistance Program.” This two-year $799,000 grant allowed ETAC to provide confidential compliance assistance to small and mid-size manufacturing companies.

-In July 2000, DEP awarded ETAC a five-year, $3 million grant to develop and conduct—in cooperation with local communities—demonstration programs relating to the control, prevention, abatement and reduction of air pollutants including VOCs.

-In July 2003, DEP awarded a 3-year grant in the amount of $1,100,000 for ETAC to continue its work in emission reduction and abatement. New developments in an existing technology would allow affordable electron beam radiation technology for small businesses to reduce VOC emissions. This grant supports research, development and implementation of this affordable technology in many different industry sectors.

Impressive Results

With the assistance provided by these grant funds and others, ETAC has helped over 800 companies, across all industries, in virtually all the Commonwealth's counties, reduce an estimated 55,000 tons of VOC and 200,000 tons of CO2 emissions and realize over $8 million in cost savings. Eighty percent of these companies are small businesses. This work has resulted in several recognition awards, including the Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence; EPA Clean Air Award; Chesapeake Bay Watershed Businesses for the Bay (B4B) Partner of the Year; Western Pennsylvania Environmental Award; and EPA's 2006 Most Valuable Pollution Prevention Award.

In the past, the main focus of ETAC's work related to air quality has targeted mainly VOC emissions. However, the broad-based industrial experience and knowledge the Center has acquired over the past thirteen years has prepared it for effective, comprehensive work in the critical area of carbon and GHG emissions related to climate change. This focus is not only a great concern to the Commonwealth, but the nation, and the global community as well.

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