PRESS RELEASE
January 21, 1999
Leonardo Academy of Madison, Wisconsin
has Released a Report on Establishing a System for Reporting Reductions in Emissions of
Multiple Pollutants
CONTACT: Michael Arny
michaelarny@leonardoacademy.org
(608) 280-0255
MADISON, WI – (January 21, 1999) –
Leonardo Academy of Madison, Wisconsin has released a report on establishing a system for
reporting reductions in emissions of multiple pollutants. The report describes the
benefits of setting up a multiple pollutant emission reduction reporting system and how to
set up such a system.
A multiple pollutant emission reduction reporting system provides a convenient method
for reporting actions, such as increased energy efficiency, that reduce multiple
pollutants. This is a significant advance over current regulatory practice, which usually
creates a separate reporting system for each pollutant.
If state or federal environmental regulators implement this reporting system, it will
make it easier for regulators to reward energy efficiency and renewable energy. It will
also make it easier for anyone who implements energy efficiency and renewable energy
projects to report emission reductions and acquire the economic value of these reductions.
The multiple pollutant system will also lower the cost of reaching environmental
objectives by increasing the available pool of reported emission reductions.
Implementing a multiple pollutant emission reduction reporting system will promote a
robust trading market for emission reductions because many actions that reduce multiple
pollutants, like increased energy efficiency and renewable energy, can easily be included
in emission reduction programs.
"To create truly competitive emission reduction markets, environmental regulations
need to allow all sources of emission reductions to participate," stated Michael
Arny, executive director of Leonardo Academy. "In the past, only emission reduction
actions by emitters have been included in environmental regulations, while emission
reduction actions like energy efficiency have been left out."
There are many current and future applications for multiple pollutant reporting since
the U.S. and the rest of the world face a series of tightening restrictions on
environmental emissions. This tightening will continue into the future because it is
driven by the ongoing growth in knowledge about the negative impacts of various
pollutants.
Multiple pollutant emission reduction reporting can be implemented now. As emission
limits on each pollutant are created or tightened, the economic value of emission
reduction actions like energy efficiency will increase. For example, if multiple pollutant
emission reduction reporting is implemented as part of an emissions trading system by any
of the 22 states currently developing plans for reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions,
it will increase the market incentives for increased energy efficiency. These market
incentives will increase as future emission regulations are applied to other pollutants
like particulates, mercury, and greenhouse gases.
Implementation of a multiple pollutant approach will reduce the cost of achieving the
immediate emission reduction goal and the cost of achieving subsequent emission reduction
targets for other pollutants.
"Using a multiple pollutant approach to emission reduction reporting and crediting
has legs because it is hard to argue with achieving pollution reduction goals at a lower
cost," notes Arny.
The report was prepared by Leonardo Academy with input from an advisory committee that
included: Johnson Controls, Boeing, S.C. Johnson Wax, Johnson & Johnson, Vulcan
Chemicals, Quad Graphics, Wausau Mosinee Paper, 3M, and Lockheed-Martin. The committee
also included US EPA, US DOE, Wisconsin DNR, Wisconsin Energy Bureau, Wisconsin Electric
Power, Northern States Power, Alliant Energy, and Wisconsin Public Service. The advisory
panel was asked to review and provide feedback on the reporting system as it was
developed. The multiple pollutant report was developed under a contract with the Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources funded by the US EPA.
Leonardo Academy is a 501c(3) environmental organization. The Academy works on energy
and environmental issues, and is supported by contributions from individuals,
organizations, and grants. Copies of the report can be viewed or downloaded on the
Academy’s website at www.cleanerandgreener.org
END
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