Also See: What's New for EPA,
What's New for State Programs and/or What's New for National Programs

1. EPA Awards $2 Million to Small Businesses to Develop Ground-Breaking Technologies
EPA has awarded $2.38 million to 34 small businesses to develop innovative, sustainable technologies to protect human health and the environment. These efforts will help improve air quality, protect our water, work to decrease the effects of climate change, and support green jobs.

These awards to businesses in 16 states focus on ten key environmental research areas: increasing the efficiency of green building materials and systems; manufacturing innovation; prevention, monitoring, and control using nanotechnology; reducing greenhouse gases; new treatment technologies for drinking water; improving water infrastructure; reducing emissions from small air pollution sources and vehicles and biofuels production facilities; new approaches for cleaning up and monitoring hazardous waste sites; and new tools for homeland security systems.

EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program was established to ensure that new technologies are developed to solve priority environmental problems. EPA is one of 11 federal agencies that participate in the SBIR program, enacted in 1982 to strengthen the role of small businesses in federal research and development, create jobs, and promote technical innovation in the United States.

EPA is also requesting applications for the development of new environmental technologies. The application deadline is May 11.

More information on SBIR and applying for funds: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/sbir

2. EPA Grant to Help Newark Community Target Environmental Problems
EPA announced it has awarded $100,000 under its Community Action for a Renewed Environment or CARE program to the Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC). The not-for-profit organization will use the funding to identify and address pollution problems in the Ironbound community, with a focus on exploring the cumulative impacts of the multiple sources of pollution and finding ways to reduce the risks that they pose.

The wide variety of pollutants in the Ironbound -- from both existing and former chemical plants, from waste industries, and mobile sources like trucks, airplanes, and ships, -- require a comprehensive and innovative approach to decrease risks of exposure. For the CARE Project, ICC will bring together local residents, business and community group representatives, members of the academic and governmental sectors to help gather information about current and potential environmental problems. Community workshops will be held. Ultimately, ICC and involved project partners will work with the public to identify strategies for reducing or mitigating impacts and secure commitments for action.

For more information, visit EPA's Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/CARE

3. New York State Environmental Excellence Award
New York State announced its seventh annual Environmental Excellence Awards program. The awards program honors businesses, not-for-profit organizations, governments (local, state and federal), educational institutions and individuals making great strides in improving and protecting New York's environment.

Through this awards program, the Department of Environmental Conservation recognizes innovative projects that result in measurable environmental and economic benfits.

New York State is looking for applicants who have achieved environmental excellence through innovative and environmentally sustainable practices or creative partnerships.

Project applications will be subject to a thorough screening process that involves a review of technical merit by staff in our Central Office and Regional Offices; an evaluation of environmental benefits and sustainable use of NYS's natural
resources; and a review of an applicant's compliance record (if applicable). Eligible applications are reviewed and evaluated by a panel of peer experts representing business, academia, government, citizen organizations and environmental and conservation groups.

All applications must be submitted to the department postmarked no later than Friday, May 21, 2010 and the Environmental Excellence Awards ceremony is expected to be held in the fall. For more info. see http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/62482.html

4. Indiana Agency Recognizes Auto Recycler with Award
The award, received March 16, follows on the heels of the auto recycler receiving the agency's "Clean Yard" designation in February. According to an IDEM announcement, the company implemented additional measures to ensure environmental protections after receiving the first designation in February.
 
The Clean Yard program was established in 2009 as a collaborative effort of IDEM and the Automotive Recyclers of Indiana Inc. (ARI) to decrease environmental threats posed by vehicles in salvage yards. IDEM works with automotive recyclers to help them manage fluids and other car parts in a safe manner and has devised a way to reward those that exceed minimum state and federal requirements."
 
5. IDEM seeks nominations for Governor's environmental excellence awards
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is accepting applications for the 2010 Indiana's Governor's Awards for Environmental Excellence until April 23.

All Indiana businesses, governments, individuals, technical assistance organizations, educational groups and nonprofit organizations who can demonstrate exemplary environmental projects with measurable results may apply.

Awards will be given for the following categories: Energy/Renewable Resources, Five Years' Continuous Improvement, Greening the Government, Land Use, Outreach or Education, Pollution Prevention, and Recycling/Reuse.
Winners will be invited to a special presentation to celebrate their accomplishments.

IDEM is working to notify businesses, communities and other organizations in Indiana about the opportunity to submit nominations. For additional information on how to apply, contact Anthony Sullivan at (800) 988-7901 or by e-mail at asulliva@idem.IN.gov. For a nomination form, visit IDEM's Web site at www.idem.IN.gov/5147.htm#how.

6. Automotive X Prize to Hold Its Competitive Events in Michigan
The Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize has chosen Michigan to host a multi-stage competition that will determine the winners of its $10 million prize purse for super fuel-efficient vehicles. This a departure from previous plans, which called for a rigorous long-distance stage competition. Instead, the 51 competing cars from 41 teams will start on-track performance events at the Michigan International Speedway, beginning on April 26 and continuing through July. During these closed-door competition stages, the competition organizers will evaluate the efficiency, safety, and performance of each competition vehicle under real-world conditions. The competition will feature a public open house at the Michigan State Capitol on April 29, and the racetrack will be open to the public at some time in July, but not during competitive events. In August, the vehicles will undergo dynamometer testing (similar to vehicle emissions tests) at a laboratory run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with technical support from DOE's Argonne National Laboratory. The on-track performance results and the lab test results will lead up to an award ceremony in Washington, D.C., in September. Specific dates for the final events will be announced later.

The goal of the Automotive X Prize is to inspire a new generation of viable, super fuel-efficient vehicles. Prizes totaling $10 million dollars will be awarded to the teams that win the competition to create clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed the energy equivalent of 100 miles per gallon of gasoline. DOE is supporting the competition through a $3.5 million grant for an associated education program and through technical support, which is funded with $5.5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Automotive X Prize is administered by the X Prize Foundation, an educational nonprofit prize institute whose mission is to create radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. See the Automotive X Prize press release and Web site.

Updated 4/20/10