San Francisco Accelerates Clean Energy Goal to 50% by 2020

By Lizzie Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle

Mayor Ed Lee on Thursday set a new goal for San Francisco — that at least 50 percent of the city’s electricity come from renewable sources by 2020. That’s 10 years ahead of the target the state has set for itself. 

“At a time when the federal government is rolling back environmental regulations, we are pushing forward in San Francisco, setting one of the most ambitious clean energy targets of any major city in the U.S.,” Lee said. 

San Francisco now funnels electricity through four services: Pacific Gas and Electric Co., CleanPowerSF, Hetch Hetchy Power and direct access providers, where large buildings buy energy from third parties. A total of 44 percent comes from renewable sources, so the city needs an increase of six percentage points to meet its goal.

The city will receive the bulk of that energy through CleanPowerSF, the city-run green energy program that began in May after years of political gridlock and resistance from PG&E. About 40 percent of the electricity provided by the program already comes from renewable sources and will continue to increase. The current mix is 5 percent higher than the original goal of 35 percent, and 10 percent more renewable than energy provided by PG&E. By 2019, CleanPowerSF is projected to provide 400 megawatts of power — enough electricity to power 320,000 homes and businesses.

The program works much like a buyers club for energy. The city purchases electricity for residents, while PG&E delivers that energy on its electrical grid. CleanPowerSF is operating at 60 megawatts and provides electricity to 75,000 residents and businesses. More San Francisco neighborhoods will be auto-enrolled over the next three years.

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DC Circuit Court of Appeals Hears Arguments on 2014-2016 RVO Challenge

By Brian Dabbs, Bloomberg BNA.

The scaling back of advanced biofuel blending requirements between 2013 and 2014 may be an abuse of the EPA’s authority, a federal appeals court judge said April 24 during oral arguments in a lawsuit challenging an aspect of the agency’s renewable fuels regulation. 

A Justice Department attorney representing the Environmental Protection Agency argued the agency action would ensure the most biofuel possible actually reached consumers, but Judge Brett Kavanaugh of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, dismissed that stance as agency overreach. 

“I don’t see this statute as necessarily that kind of grand authority for EPA,” Kavanaugh said. “If things are totally screwed up, then Congress should fix it.”

The oral arguments before the D.C. Circuit are part of a biofuel industry challenge to the EPA’s renewable fuel standard (RFS) volume requirements for 2014-2016 ( Ams. for Clean Energy v. EPA, et al, D.C. Cir., No. 16-1005, argued 4/24/17 ). 

The RFS program, which includes annually increasing biofuel blending mandates set by Congress in 2007, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and give the U.S. more energy independence.

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Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue confirmed as US ag secretary

By Anna Simet, Biomass Magazine.

In an 87-11 vote, on April 24, the U.S. Senate confirmed Sonny Perdue as the 31stU.S. secretary of agriculture.

Perdue brings to the USDA a farming background and lengthy career of public service, ranging from Captain in the U.S. Airforce, to 11 years as a Georgia state Senator, to a two-term governor. As governor of Georgia, according to his USDA biography, Perdue was credited with transforming a budget deficit into a surplus, dramatically increasing student performance in public schools, and fostering an economic environment that allowed employers to flourish and manufacturers and agricultural producers to achieve record levels of exports.

Perdue followed these accomplishments with a successful career in agribusiness, where he focused on commodities and transportation in enterprises that have spanned the southeastern U.S, according to the USDA.

After taking his oath of office on April 25, Perdue addressed USDA employees with a speech highlighting his planned policies as USDA secretary, and accompanying principles that will guide them, which include maximizing the ability of the agriculture and agribusiness sectors to create jobs;  prioritizing customer service for American taxpayers and consumers by conducting business efficiently and effectively; continuing to serve in the critical role of ensuring the food meets strict safety standards; and  practicing sound land stewardship. 

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NYC zero waste progress report gives updates on local AD

By Cole Rosengren, Waste Dive. 

Dive Brief:

• Two years after setting a goal of "zero waste" by 2030, New York is reporting incremental progress and a new effort to "rethink garbage in groundbreaking ways that treat it as a resource for creating products, energy, and a greener city." According to its annual OneNYC update, the city achieved a 10.9% reduction (from a 2005 baseline) in residential refuse generation last year with a 16.9% diversion rate. The goal is to reach 90% reduction by 2030.
• Switching to single-stream recycling by 2020 is seen as one way to reach that goal. The city reports that while progress is slightly behind schedule, a consultant's study is slated for completion this summer and they aim to begin capital improvements at the Sims Municipal Recycling facility by the end of the year.
• Diverting organic waste collected from both commercial and residential sources is another key priority, though progress has been slower than expected on local processing infrastructure. Some vendors that were selected for long-term processing contracts are still making the necessary facility upgrades and the city's co-digestion project at the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant is not yet fully operational. The city aims to be handling at least 100 tons of material per day at the digester - eventually scaling up to 250 tons - and start construction on a gas-to-grid project by the end of the year.

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Supermarkets and Distribution Centers Gear Up to Divert Organic Waste

By Arlene Karidis, Waste360. 

Large commercial generators of wasted food are facing some of the tallest tasks to move forward. These two businesses are partnering with waste companies and food donation organizations and looking for economically and environmentally sound food waste prevention and reduction strategies.

Commercial waste generators face barriers like limited storage space for organics awaiting recycling and little infrastructure to move food fast and see that it is put to beneficial uses.

Meanwhile, large supermarkets will likely have an easier time than the smaller businesses. They will have lower costs to comply with the program. They can leverage their distribution centers and freight to backhaul organics to a central depot and then realize lower pickup and tip fees, says Steve Sutta CEO of environmental consulting company Green Planet 21.

Sutta will speak at a WasteExpo session called: Food Waste Reduction, Recovery, and Organics Recycling for Supermarkets, and Distribution Centers Tuesday May 9 at 5:00 PM in New Orleans.

“Single stores and small market chains will struggle with higher costs and spottier service [for collections and processing],” Sutta says. “There will be squawking from them. But they will have limited options.” He adds that they lack the economic power to get lawmakers to hear them out and to affect a call to action.

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DOE Bioenergy Technologies Office launches small business innovation projects map

By U.S. DOE BETO Office. 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announces the launch of its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Projects Map, an interactive map depicting all of BETO’s recent projects throughout the United States that are competitively awarded through the SBIR program. SBIR grants are awarded for the development of new ideas and innovative research, focusing on areas where small businesses can have an impact, including the biomass industry. The SBIR program is part of a larger effort overseen by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).

BETO is focused on forming partnerships with key stakeholders to develop technologies for advanced biofuels production from lignocellulosic and algal biomass. The topics of the annual SBIR solicitation vary from year to year; however, previous topics have included feedstock logistics, bio-oil conversion technology, waste to energy, and process intensification. More information about topics and the schedule of the solicitation are available on EERE’s SBIR website. Applicants to the SBIR program are encouraged to be consistent with and have performance metrics linked to BETO’s Multi-Year Program Plan. 

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NY Cuts Food Diversion Program From Final FY18 State Budget

Governor Andrew Cuomo's proposed Food Recovery and Recycling Act was removed during final negotiations and left out of New York's FY18 state budget agreement. The program would have required commercial establishments generating over two tons of food waste per week to divert it for recycling.

Despite advocacy from wide range of public, private, and NGO groups that included meetings, calls, and letters - and despite evidence to the contrary - many NY Senate conservatives saw it as an "unfunded mandate" that would drive up costs for waste generators. 

Although the Governor's office and state Department of Environmental Conservation were rumored to be willing to compromise by offering exemptions to generators that fell outside a 30 mile radius from operating organics recycling facilities, it was not enough to win over opposition. 

NGV Coalition to Host Workshop on Natural Gas Port Trucks

By Lauren Tyler, NGTNews. 

The California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition and the California Natural Gas Vehicle Partnership are hosting a workshop on Tuesday, April 25 to discuss today’s natural gas trucks operating at California ports.

As reported, the event will take place at Banning’s Landing at 100 E. Water St., in Wilmington, Calif., from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

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Clean Fleet Profile: Utah Waste Management Company Touts CNG Trucks

By Lauren Tyler, NGT News.

Aiming to reduce vehicle emissions and promote sustainability in the Salt Lake Valley, the Wasatch Front Waste & Recycling District (WFWRD) in Utah has fully transitioned its residential collection truck fleet away from diesel fuel to be powered, instead, by compressed natural gas (CNG).

Serving the unincorporated areas of Salt Lake County and the cities of Taylorsville, Cottonwood Heights, Holladay, Herriman, and portions of Murray and Sandy, the WFWRD currently operates 46 residential side-load collection trucks and two front loaders that, as of August 2016, all run on natural gas fuel.

As noted, the trucks are all built on the Peterbilt 320 chassis, with the majority featuring 11.9-liter ISX-G Cummins motors and either Agility or NextGen CNG systems.

According to Pam Roberts, executive director of the WFWRD, the company chose to shift to CNG despite the vehicles’ higher price tag in order to dramatically reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and to save on fuel costs over the long term.

“We started the transition to CNG in [December] 2011 because we wanted to do the right thing for our environment and save money for the residents we serve,” she says. “It was quite a commitment, since CNG garbage trucks cost $30,000 more than diesel trucks. We definitely took into account that garbage trucks generally get 2 miles per gallon, no matter what type of fuel we use.”

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EPA Seeks Public Comment on Existing Regulations for Repeal, Replacement or Modification

By The National Law Review.

On April 13, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it is seeking comments from the public on existing regulations that the Agency should consider repealing, replacing, or modifying.  82 Fed. Reg. 17793 (Apr. 13, 2017).   EPA issued the Request for Comment in response to the February 2017 Executive Order issued by President Trump, “Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda,” that seeks “to alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens on the American people.”  

As required by the EO, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt formed an EPA Regulatory Reform Task Force to carry out the Administration’s regulatory reform agenda at EPA.  The Task Force is led by a Regulatory Reform Officer, EPA Senior Counsel and Associate Administrator for Policy Samantha Dravis, and it includes the Agency’s Chief of Staff, Ryan Jackson, among others. 

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