EPA announces inaugural Artist-in-Residence Program in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts in New York and New Jersey
NEW YORK - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox announced on Tuesday EPA’s inaugural Artist-in-Residence Program in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts. Assistant Administrator Fox made the announcement at Healing, Bridging, Thriving: A Summit on Arts and Culture in our Communities, which was co-hosted by the White House and National Endowment for the Arts to recognize the profound impact that arts and culture play in shaping our lives, communities and nation.
By launching this program, EPA is investing in arts and culture to boost engagement, awareness and participation in critical water challenges ranging from aging infrastructure to climate impacts like flooding and storm surge to investment in safe drinking water. The Passaic River and Bronx/Harlem Rivers Urban Waters Federal Partnerships hosted within the New York-New Jersey Harbor and Estuary Program are jointly one of the six chosen locations to participate in this first-of-its-kind program.
“Across America, EPA is working hand-in-hand with local partners to ensure drinking water is safe, and to restore and maintain oceans, watersheds and their aquatic ecosystems. Incorporating arts and cultural strategies into our work can reveal new ideas, unlock opportunities, and help us find new and enduring solutions to pressing water challenges,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “Through this partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, local water leaders from the Puget Sound—to the San Juan Estuary—to the Delaware River watershed, will have new tools and resources to support water restoration and climate resilience.”
“EPA is proud to engage with our partners in developing innovative ways to link the arts and our precious waters,” said Lisa F. Garcia, Regional Administrator. “New Jersey and New York are centers for the arts of all kinds. This exciting new effort will fuse multiple creative disciplines in highlighting our community’s relationship to our shared waters.”
Water is essential, yet the water challenges faced today are pervasive and mounting. Many communities suffer from poor water quality, too much or too little water, and aging water infrastructure that is in urgent need of replacement. Overburdened water systems are further stressed by climate change—unpredictable weather, sea level rise and flooding. These challenges require engagement at every level.
Water leaders are increasingly turning to artists and culture bearers to help bring visibility to water issues, create more inclusive planning processes, and leverage infrastructure investments to provide additional benefits to the communities they serve. EPA is establishing an Artist-in-Residence program to continue and expand these efforts in the water sector. In 2024, EPA will support artists and culture bearers in six long-standing National Estuary Program (NEP) and Urban Waters Federal Partnership locations that are doing critical work on water restoration and climate resilience.
“I believe that the integration of arts and culture can help to strengthen many aspects of our lives and communities, which is why I’m excited by the Environmental Protection Agency’s artist in residence program,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “This is an opportunity for EPA to deepen its community engagement while also expanding an understanding of how artists can contribute to multiple sectors.”
EPA’s Artist-in-Residence Initiative was developed in response to President Biden’s Executive Order on Arts and Humanities, designed to spur investment and alignment of arts and culture across the federal government, make art more accessible to people from underserved communities, elevate new voices through the arts and humanities, and expand opportunities for artists and scholars.
EPA’s inaugural Artist-in-Residence program will focus on opportunities to advance the goals of the National Estuary Program and the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, long standing programs that have restored and protected treasured water bodies across America.
“The arts are an essential way for people to see and feel their waterways, and can help ensure that communities are engaged in decisions about their future” said Robert Pirani, Director of the New York – New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program. “We are thrilled to be working with EPA, NEA, and our local collaborators in the Bronx & Harlem and the Lower Passaic Urban Waters Federal Partnerships to make these pilot projects happen.”
Public and community engagement, outreach, and education are vital components of both the NEP and Urban Waters programs. Incorporating arts and cultural strategies into EPA’s place-based programs will support innovative approaches and create lasting impact.
Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.
24-05
By launching this program, EPA is investing in arts and culture to boost engagement, awareness and participation in critical water challenges ranging from aging infrastructure to climate impacts like flooding and storm surge to investment in safe drinking water. The Passaic River and Bronx/Harlem Rivers Urban Waters Federal Partnerships hosted within the New York-New Jersey Harbor and Estuary Program are jointly one of the six chosen locations to participate in this first-of-its-kind program.
“Across America, EPA is working hand-in-hand with local partners to ensure drinking water is safe, and to restore and maintain oceans, watersheds and their aquatic ecosystems. Incorporating arts and cultural strategies into our work can reveal new ideas, unlock opportunities, and help us find new and enduring solutions to pressing water challenges,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “Through this partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, local water leaders from the Puget Sound—to the San Juan Estuary—to the Delaware River watershed, will have new tools and resources to support water restoration and climate resilience.”
“EPA is proud to engage with our partners in developing innovative ways to link the arts and our precious waters,” said Lisa F. Garcia, Regional Administrator. “New Jersey and New York are centers for the arts of all kinds. This exciting new effort will fuse multiple creative disciplines in highlighting our community’s relationship to our shared waters.”
Water is essential, yet the water challenges faced today are pervasive and mounting. Many communities suffer from poor water quality, too much or too little water, and aging water infrastructure that is in urgent need of replacement. Overburdened water systems are further stressed by climate change—unpredictable weather, sea level rise and flooding. These challenges require engagement at every level.
Water leaders are increasingly turning to artists and culture bearers to help bring visibility to water issues, create more inclusive planning processes, and leverage infrastructure investments to provide additional benefits to the communities they serve. EPA is establishing an Artist-in-Residence program to continue and expand these efforts in the water sector. In 2024, EPA will support artists and culture bearers in six long-standing National Estuary Program (NEP) and Urban Waters Federal Partnership locations that are doing critical work on water restoration and climate resilience.
“I believe that the integration of arts and culture can help to strengthen many aspects of our lives and communities, which is why I’m excited by the Environmental Protection Agency’s artist in residence program,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “This is an opportunity for EPA to deepen its community engagement while also expanding an understanding of how artists can contribute to multiple sectors.”
EPA’s Artist-in-Residence Initiative was developed in response to President Biden’s Executive Order on Arts and Humanities, designed to spur investment and alignment of arts and culture across the federal government, make art more accessible to people from underserved communities, elevate new voices through the arts and humanities, and expand opportunities for artists and scholars.
EPA’s inaugural Artist-in-Residence program will focus on opportunities to advance the goals of the National Estuary Program and the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, long standing programs that have restored and protected treasured water bodies across America.
“The arts are an essential way for people to see and feel their waterways, and can help ensure that communities are engaged in decisions about their future” said Robert Pirani, Director of the New York – New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program. “We are thrilled to be working with EPA, NEA, and our local collaborators in the Bronx & Harlem and the Lower Passaic Urban Waters Federal Partnerships to make these pilot projects happen.”
Public and community engagement, outreach, and education are vital components of both the NEP and Urban Waters programs. Incorporating arts and cultural strategies into EPA’s place-based programs will support innovative approaches and create lasting impact.
Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.
24-05
EPA Region 7 Presents $458K Check to Cornerstones of Care for Brownfields Job Training Grant in KCMO
EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister (right) presents a $458,358 check to Cornerstones of Care President and CEO Merideth Rose and Build Trybe Director Theo Bunch during a ceremony in Kansas City, Missouri, on Feb. 1, 2024. (Photo by U.S. EPA)LENEXA, KAN. (FEB. 1, 2024) – Today, EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister presented a $458,358 ceremonial check to Cornerstones of Care for a Brownfields Job Training Grant.
McCollister joined Cornerstones of Care President and CEO Merideth Rose and Build Trybe Director Theo Bunch at the Kansas City, Missouri, ceremony.
Through its Build Trybe training program, Cornerstones of Care plans to train 50 students and place at least 25 in environmental jobs. Their training program includes 180 hours of instruction with 40 Hours of Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER), Eco-Community Build Action, Forestry Restoration, Landscape Restoration, Environmental Data Analysis, Eco-Community Build Engagement, Conservation Job Readiness, and General Industry. Students who complete the training will earn up to two federal certifications.
“The Brownfields Job Training Program is a life-changing experience for students, providing the skills, certifications, and experience necessary to gain meaningful employment,” McCollister said. “This program is a win-win for the Kansas City area, as graduates will not only gain employment, but go to work cleaning up their own neighborhoods where they live, work, and raise families.”
“Developing marketable skills is crucial as young people transition into adulthood,” Rose said. “Through this EPA grant, Build Trybe will provide those marketable skills while benefitting our environment.”
“As President Biden continues the important work of revitalizing communities nationwide through his Investing in America Agenda, he isn’t just creating good-paying green jobs, he’s training the next generation of environmental leaders to help fill them,” said U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver II (MO-5). “I’m proud to have supported President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which made this grant funding possible, and I’ll continue working with the Biden Administration to bring these investments back to Missouri’s Fifth District, clean up our communities, and create local jobs in the process!”
Cornerstones of Care partners with children, young adults, and families to improve safety and health through three key service areas: youth and family support, foster care and adoption, and education and training. Cornerstones of Care is dedicated to helping children and families wherever they are. Their team provides in-home and in-community services throughout the region.
The Build Trybe utilizes a mentorship community that builds health and independence and empowers youth with employable skills. It bridges youth who lack a stable support system to opportunity. Their team of trade experts and community partners introduce and connect youth to three skill-based career paths: culinary, construction, and horticulture (includes brownfields job training).
These grants will provide funding to organizations working to create a skilled workforce in communities where assessment, cleanup, and preparation of brownfield sites for reuse activities are taking place. Individuals completing a job training program funded by EPA often overcome various barriers to employment, and many are from historically underserved neighborhoods or reside in areas that are affected by environmental justice issues.
High-quality job training and workforce development are essential to the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to advancing economic opportunities and addressing environmental justice issues in underserved communities. All of the selected FY 2024 Brownfields Job Training Program applications have proposed to work in areas that include disadvantaged communities, as defined by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits of certain government investments to underserved and overburdened communities.
For more information on the selected Brownfields Job Training Grant recipients, including past recipients, check out EPA’s Brownfields Grant Fact Sheet Tool.
Learn more about this and other types of Brownfields Grants.
# # #
Learn more about EPA Region 7
View all Region 7 news releases
Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter: @EPARegion7
McCollister joined Cornerstones of Care President and CEO Merideth Rose and Build Trybe Director Theo Bunch at the Kansas City, Missouri, ceremony.
Through its Build Trybe training program, Cornerstones of Care plans to train 50 students and place at least 25 in environmental jobs. Their training program includes 180 hours of instruction with 40 Hours of Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER), Eco-Community Build Action, Forestry Restoration, Landscape Restoration, Environmental Data Analysis, Eco-Community Build Engagement, Conservation Job Readiness, and General Industry. Students who complete the training will earn up to two federal certifications.
“The Brownfields Job Training Program is a life-changing experience for students, providing the skills, certifications, and experience necessary to gain meaningful employment,” McCollister said. “This program is a win-win for the Kansas City area, as graduates will not only gain employment, but go to work cleaning up their own neighborhoods where they live, work, and raise families.”
“Developing marketable skills is crucial as young people transition into adulthood,” Rose said. “Through this EPA grant, Build Trybe will provide those marketable skills while benefitting our environment.”
“As President Biden continues the important work of revitalizing communities nationwide through his Investing in America Agenda, he isn’t just creating good-paying green jobs, he’s training the next generation of environmental leaders to help fill them,” said U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver II (MO-5). “I’m proud to have supported President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which made this grant funding possible, and I’ll continue working with the Biden Administration to bring these investments back to Missouri’s Fifth District, clean up our communities, and create local jobs in the process!”
Cornerstones of Care partners with children, young adults, and families to improve safety and health through three key service areas: youth and family support, foster care and adoption, and education and training. Cornerstones of Care is dedicated to helping children and families wherever they are. Their team provides in-home and in-community services throughout the region.
The Build Trybe utilizes a mentorship community that builds health and independence and empowers youth with employable skills. It bridges youth who lack a stable support system to opportunity. Their team of trade experts and community partners introduce and connect youth to three skill-based career paths: culinary, construction, and horticulture (includes brownfields job training).
These grants will provide funding to organizations working to create a skilled workforce in communities where assessment, cleanup, and preparation of brownfield sites for reuse activities are taking place. Individuals completing a job training program funded by EPA often overcome various barriers to employment, and many are from historically underserved neighborhoods or reside in areas that are affected by environmental justice issues.
High-quality job training and workforce development are essential to the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to advancing economic opportunities and addressing environmental justice issues in underserved communities. All of the selected FY 2024 Brownfields Job Training Program applications have proposed to work in areas that include disadvantaged communities, as defined by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits of certain government investments to underserved and overburdened communities.
For more information on the selected Brownfields Job Training Grant recipients, including past recipients, check out EPA’s Brownfields Grant Fact Sheet Tool.
Learn more about this and other types of Brownfields Grants.
# # #
Learn more about EPA Region 7
View all Region 7 news releases
Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter: @EPARegion7
EPA announces inaugural Artist-in-Residence Program in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts
BOSTON (Feb. 1, 2024) — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox announced on Tuesday EPA's inaugural Artist-in-Residence Program in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts. Assistant Administrator Fox made the announcement at Healing, Bridging, Thriving: A Summit on Arts and Culture in our Communities, which was co-hosted by the White House and National Endowment for the Arts to recognize the profound impact that arts and culture play in shaping our lives, communities and nation.
By launching this program, EPA is investing in arts and culture to boost engagement, awareness and participation in critical water challenges ranging from aging infrastructure to climate impacts like flooding and storm surge to investment in safe drinking water. The Mystic River Watershed Urban Waters Federal Partnership and Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Partnership is one of the six chosen locations to participate in this first-of-its-kind program.
"Across America, EPA is working hand-in-hand with local partners to ensure drinking water is safe, and to restore and maintain oceans, watersheds and their aquatic ecosystems. Incorporating arts and cultural strategies into our work can reveal new ideas, unlock opportunities, and help us find new and enduring solutions to pressing water challenges," said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. "Through this partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, local water leaders from the Puget Sound—to the San Juan Estuary—to the Delaware River watershed, will have new tools and resources to support water restoration and climate resilience."
"This new program spotlights the environmental connection to the arts and culture; it will bring greater awareness of unique challenges posed by climate impacts to our communities, especially those that are overburdened disproportionately." said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "We are thrilled that our region has been selected to have an Artist-in-Residence, via our partnerships with MassBays and MyRWA, and by doing so will empower our communities to use their voices and get active, and will reach and inspire future generations and leaders for environmental protection."
"This project will help connect communities to their rivers and estuaries – where the rivers meet the sea – in a whole new way. MassBays is thrilled to partner with the Mystic River Watershed Association and EPA to make it happen." said Pam DiBona, Director of the Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Partnership.
"As the most urban watershed in New England, it is so important to connect people with nature in their backyard," said Daria Clark, MyRWA Engagement Manager. "The opportunity to work with an Artist-in-Residence on community co-created projects is an exciting way to bring nature to the forefront of our cities and to spark conversation about the watershed ecosystem that we're a part of."
Water is essential, yet the water challenges faced today are pervasive and mounting. Many communities suffer from poor water quality, too much or too little water, and aging water infrastructure that is in urgent need of replacement. Overburdened water systems are further stressed by climate change—unpredictable weather, sea level rise and flooding. These challenges require engagement at every level. Water leaders are increasingly turning to artists and culture bearers to help bring visibility to water issues, create more inclusive planning processes, and leverage infrastructure investments to provide additional benefits to the communities they serve. EPA is establishing an Artist-in-Residence program to continue and expand these efforts in the water sector. In 2024, EPA will support artists and culture bearers in six long-standing National Estuary Program (NEP) and Urban Waters Federal Partnership locations that are doing critical work on water restoration and climate resilience.
"I believe that the integration of arts and culture can help to strengthen many aspects of our lives and communities, which is why I'm excited by the Environmental Protection Agency's artist in residence program," said Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. "This is an opportunity for EPA to deepen its community engagement while also expanding an understanding of how artists can contribute to multiple sectors."
EPA's Artist-in-Residence Initiative was developed in response to President Biden's Executive Order on Arts and Humanities, designed to spur investment and alignment of arts and culture across the federal government, make art more accessible to people from underserved communities, elevate new voices through the arts and humanities, and expand opportunities for artists and scholars.
EPA's inaugural Artist-in-Residence program will focus on opportunities to advance the goals of the National Estuary Program and the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, long standing programs that have restored and protected treasured water bodies across America.
The six locations that will participate in the program include:
The Passaic River and Bronx and Harlem River Urban Waters Federal Partnerships: New York-New Jersey Harbor and Estuary Program
The San Juan Estuary Partnership
The Greater Philadelphia Area/Delaware River Watershed Urban Waters Federal Partnership: Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
The Green-Duwamish Watershed Urban Waters Federal Partnership: Puget Sound Partnership
The Middle Rio Grande/Albuquerque Urban Waters Federal Partnership
The Mystic River Watershed Urban Waters Federal Partnership: Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Partnership
Public and community engagement, outreach, and education are vital components of both the NEP and Urban Waters programs. Incorporating arts and cultural strategies into EPA's place-based programs will support innovative approaches and create lasting impact.
By launching this program, EPA is investing in arts and culture to boost engagement, awareness and participation in critical water challenges ranging from aging infrastructure to climate impacts like flooding and storm surge to investment in safe drinking water. The Mystic River Watershed Urban Waters Federal Partnership and Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Partnership is one of the six chosen locations to participate in this first-of-its-kind program.
"Across America, EPA is working hand-in-hand with local partners to ensure drinking water is safe, and to restore and maintain oceans, watersheds and their aquatic ecosystems. Incorporating arts and cultural strategies into our work can reveal new ideas, unlock opportunities, and help us find new and enduring solutions to pressing water challenges," said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. "Through this partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, local water leaders from the Puget Sound—to the San Juan Estuary—to the Delaware River watershed, will have new tools and resources to support water restoration and climate resilience."
"This new program spotlights the environmental connection to the arts and culture; it will bring greater awareness of unique challenges posed by climate impacts to our communities, especially those that are overburdened disproportionately." said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "We are thrilled that our region has been selected to have an Artist-in-Residence, via our partnerships with MassBays and MyRWA, and by doing so will empower our communities to use their voices and get active, and will reach and inspire future generations and leaders for environmental protection."
"This project will help connect communities to their rivers and estuaries – where the rivers meet the sea – in a whole new way. MassBays is thrilled to partner with the Mystic River Watershed Association and EPA to make it happen." said Pam DiBona, Director of the Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Partnership.
"As the most urban watershed in New England, it is so important to connect people with nature in their backyard," said Daria Clark, MyRWA Engagement Manager. "The opportunity to work with an Artist-in-Residence on community co-created projects is an exciting way to bring nature to the forefront of our cities and to spark conversation about the watershed ecosystem that we're a part of."
Water is essential, yet the water challenges faced today are pervasive and mounting. Many communities suffer from poor water quality, too much or too little water, and aging water infrastructure that is in urgent need of replacement. Overburdened water systems are further stressed by climate change—unpredictable weather, sea level rise and flooding. These challenges require engagement at every level. Water leaders are increasingly turning to artists and culture bearers to help bring visibility to water issues, create more inclusive planning processes, and leverage infrastructure investments to provide additional benefits to the communities they serve. EPA is establishing an Artist-in-Residence program to continue and expand these efforts in the water sector. In 2024, EPA will support artists and culture bearers in six long-standing National Estuary Program (NEP) and Urban Waters Federal Partnership locations that are doing critical work on water restoration and climate resilience.
"I believe that the integration of arts and culture can help to strengthen many aspects of our lives and communities, which is why I'm excited by the Environmental Protection Agency's artist in residence program," said Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. "This is an opportunity for EPA to deepen its community engagement while also expanding an understanding of how artists can contribute to multiple sectors."
EPA's Artist-in-Residence Initiative was developed in response to President Biden's Executive Order on Arts and Humanities, designed to spur investment and alignment of arts and culture across the federal government, make art more accessible to people from underserved communities, elevate new voices through the arts and humanities, and expand opportunities for artists and scholars.
EPA's inaugural Artist-in-Residence program will focus on opportunities to advance the goals of the National Estuary Program and the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, long standing programs that have restored and protected treasured water bodies across America.
The six locations that will participate in the program include:
The Passaic River and Bronx and Harlem River Urban Waters Federal Partnerships: New York-New Jersey Harbor and Estuary Program
The San Juan Estuary Partnership
The Greater Philadelphia Area/Delaware River Watershed Urban Waters Federal Partnership: Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
The Green-Duwamish Watershed Urban Waters Federal Partnership: Puget Sound Partnership
The Middle Rio Grande/Albuquerque Urban Waters Federal Partnership
The Mystic River Watershed Urban Waters Federal Partnership: Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Partnership
Public and community engagement, outreach, and education are vital components of both the NEP and Urban Waters programs. Incorporating arts and cultural strategies into EPA's place-based programs will support innovative approaches and create lasting impact.
EPA announces first ENERGY STAR certified vehicle dealerships
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is recognizing eight vehicle dealerships for being the first to earn EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification for superior energy performance. Vehicle dealerships that earn the ENERGY STAR use significantly less energy — and contribute fewer greenhouse gas emissions — than their peers.
“Reducing energy use in commercial buildings is an essential part of the transition to a clean energy economy,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “I congratulate these businesses for demonstrating the power of energy efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a cost-effective way at auto dealerships across the country.”
The first vehicle dealerships to earn EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification are:
Acura of Sherman Oaks, Sherman Oaks, California
Brandfon Honda, Branford, Connecticut
Coggin Honda Orlando, Orlando, Florida
DCH Tustin Acura, Tustin, California
Island Honda, Kahului, Hawaii
Marin Acura, Corte Madera, California
Thayer Honda, Bowling Green, Ohio
Ventura Toyota, Ventura, California
To earn the ENERGY STAR, these vehicle dealerships demonstrated that they are more energy efficient than at least 75% of other dealerships across the country. Using EPA’s online ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool, they benchmarked their energy efficiency based on 12 months of utility bills. The resulting 1–100 ENERGY STAR score, adjusted for weather and business activity, gives insight into a dealership’s energy performance. A score of 50 indicates median energy performance. A score of 75 indicates performance better than 75% of similar dealerships nationwide, making that dealership eligible for ENERGY STAR certification. To develop the 1–100 ENERGY STAR score for vehicle dealerships, EPA relied on 2019 data from an industry survey conducted by the National Automobile Dealers Association.
Energy use in commercial and residential buildings accounts for one-third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. A recent EPA report estimates these same buildings have the potential to cut their emissions by up to 63% by 2030 through a combination of energy efficiency, electrification, and clean energy, enabled by the Inflation Reduction Act.
ENERGY STAR certified buildings use an average of 35% less energy and are responsible for 35% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than typical buildings. To date, nearly 43,000 buildings and plants have earned the ENERGY STAR.
About ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR® is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, providing simple, credible, and unbiased information that consumers and businesses rely on to make well-informed decisions. Thousands of industrial, commercial, utility, state, and local organizations rely on their partnership with EPA to deliver cost-saving energy efficiency solutions. Since 1992, ENERGY STAR and its partners helped American families and businesses avoid more than $500 billion in energy costs and achieve more than 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas reductions.
Learn more:
Impacts of EPA’s ENERGY STAR program.
Online registry of ENERGY STAR certified buildings and plants.
“Reducing energy use in commercial buildings is an essential part of the transition to a clean energy economy,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “I congratulate these businesses for demonstrating the power of energy efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a cost-effective way at auto dealerships across the country.”
The first vehicle dealerships to earn EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification are:
Acura of Sherman Oaks, Sherman Oaks, California
Brandfon Honda, Branford, Connecticut
Coggin Honda Orlando, Orlando, Florida
DCH Tustin Acura, Tustin, California
Island Honda, Kahului, Hawaii
Marin Acura, Corte Madera, California
Thayer Honda, Bowling Green, Ohio
Ventura Toyota, Ventura, California
To earn the ENERGY STAR, these vehicle dealerships demonstrated that they are more energy efficient than at least 75% of other dealerships across the country. Using EPA’s online ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool, they benchmarked their energy efficiency based on 12 months of utility bills. The resulting 1–100 ENERGY STAR score, adjusted for weather and business activity, gives insight into a dealership’s energy performance. A score of 50 indicates median energy performance. A score of 75 indicates performance better than 75% of similar dealerships nationwide, making that dealership eligible for ENERGY STAR certification. To develop the 1–100 ENERGY STAR score for vehicle dealerships, EPA relied on 2019 data from an industry survey conducted by the National Automobile Dealers Association.
Energy use in commercial and residential buildings accounts for one-third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. A recent EPA report estimates these same buildings have the potential to cut their emissions by up to 63% by 2030 through a combination of energy efficiency, electrification, and clean energy, enabled by the Inflation Reduction Act.
ENERGY STAR certified buildings use an average of 35% less energy and are responsible for 35% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than typical buildings. To date, nearly 43,000 buildings and plants have earned the ENERGY STAR.
About ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR® is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, providing simple, credible, and unbiased information that consumers and businesses rely on to make well-informed decisions. Thousands of industrial, commercial, utility, state, and local organizations rely on their partnership with EPA to deliver cost-saving energy efficiency solutions. Since 1992, ENERGY STAR and its partners helped American families and businesses avoid more than $500 billion in energy costs and achieve more than 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas reductions.
Learn more:
Impacts of EPA’s ENERGY STAR program.
Online registry of ENERGY STAR certified buildings and plants.
EPA to Review Cleanup at Woodstock, Connecticut Superfund Site this Year
BOSTON (Feb. 1, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will conduct a comprehensive review of completed cleanup work at the Linemaster Switch Corporation National Priorities List (NPL) Superfund site in Woodstock, Connecticut this year.
Each individual site will undergo a legally required Five-Year Review to ensure that previous remediation efforts at the sites continue to protect public health and the environment. Once the Five-Year Review is complete, its findings will be posted to EPA's website in a final report.
"Every step of the process at a Superfund site is critical and reflects a commitment we make with local communities to be as thorough as possible. Cleaning up hazardous waste sites takes extensive time and effort, and these Five-Year Reviews allow EPA to ensure our cleanup efforts continue to protect public health and the environment, while keeping everyone informed and accountable, especially in those communities that have been overburdened by industrial pollution." said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "EPA continues to evaluate these cleanups, with the overarching mission to protect public health and the environment and ensuring that Connecticut communities will continue to be protected."
In 2024 EPA will conduct Five-Year Reviews at the below listed sites. The included web links provide detailed information on site status as well as past assessment and cleanup activity.
Five-Year Reviews of Superfund site in Connecticut to be completed in 2024:
Linemaster Switch Corp., Woodstock
More information:
The Superfund program, a federal program established by Congress in 1980, investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled, or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country and EPA endeavors to facilitate activities to return them to productive use. In total, there are 123 Superfund sites across New England.
Superfund and other cleanup sites in New England (pdf)
(91.4 KB)
EPA's Superfund program
Each individual site will undergo a legally required Five-Year Review to ensure that previous remediation efforts at the sites continue to protect public health and the environment. Once the Five-Year Review is complete, its findings will be posted to EPA's website in a final report.
"Every step of the process at a Superfund site is critical and reflects a commitment we make with local communities to be as thorough as possible. Cleaning up hazardous waste sites takes extensive time and effort, and these Five-Year Reviews allow EPA to ensure our cleanup efforts continue to protect public health and the environment, while keeping everyone informed and accountable, especially in those communities that have been overburdened by industrial pollution." said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "EPA continues to evaluate these cleanups, with the overarching mission to protect public health and the environment and ensuring that Connecticut communities will continue to be protected."
In 2024 EPA will conduct Five-Year Reviews at the below listed sites. The included web links provide detailed information on site status as well as past assessment and cleanup activity.
Five-Year Reviews of Superfund site in Connecticut to be completed in 2024:
Linemaster Switch Corp., Woodstock
More information:
The Superfund program, a federal program established by Congress in 1980, investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled, or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country and EPA endeavors to facilitate activities to return them to productive use. In total, there are 123 Superfund sites across New England.
Superfund and other cleanup sites in New England (pdf)
(91.4 KB)
EPA's Superfund program
EPA to Review Cleanups at Five New Hampshire Superfund Sites this Year
BOSTON (Feb. 1, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will conduct comprehensive reviews of completed cleanup work at five National Priorities List (NPL) Superfund sites in New Hampshire this year.
Each individual site will undergo a legally required Five-Year Review to ensure that previous remediation efforts at the sites continue to protect public health and the environment. Once the Five-Year Review is complete, its findings will be posted to EPA's website in a final report.
"Every step of the process at a Superfund site is critical and reflects a commitment we make with local communities to be as thorough as possible. Cleaning up hazardous waste sites takes extensive time and effort, and these Five-Year Reviews allow EPA to ensure our cleanup efforts continue to protect public health and the environment, while keeping everyone informed and accountable, especially in those communities that have been overburdened by industrial pollution." said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "EPA continues to evaluate these cleanups, with the overarching mission to protect public health and the environment and ensuring that New Hampshire communities will continue to be protected."
In 2024 EPA will conduct Five-Year Reviews at the below listed sites. The included web links provide detailed information on site status as well as past assessment and cleanup activity.
Five-Year Reviews of Superfund sites in New Hampshire to be completed in 2024:
Sylvester, Nashua
Ottati & Goss/Kingston Steel Drum, Kingston
Tinkham Garage, Londonderry
Pease Air Force Base, Portsmouth & Newington
Five-Year Reviews of Superfund sites in New Hampshire to begin in 2024, to be completed in Fiscal Year 2025:New Hampshire Plating Co., Merrimack
More information:
The Superfund program, a federal program established by Congress in 1980, investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled, or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country and EPA endeavors to facilitate activities to return them to productive use. In total, there are 123 Superfund sites across New England.
Superfund and other cleanup sites in New England (pdf)
(91.4 KB)
EPA's Superfund program
Each individual site will undergo a legally required Five-Year Review to ensure that previous remediation efforts at the sites continue to protect public health and the environment. Once the Five-Year Review is complete, its findings will be posted to EPA's website in a final report.
"Every step of the process at a Superfund site is critical and reflects a commitment we make with local communities to be as thorough as possible. Cleaning up hazardous waste sites takes extensive time and effort, and these Five-Year Reviews allow EPA to ensure our cleanup efforts continue to protect public health and the environment, while keeping everyone informed and accountable, especially in those communities that have been overburdened by industrial pollution." said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "EPA continues to evaluate these cleanups, with the overarching mission to protect public health and the environment and ensuring that New Hampshire communities will continue to be protected."
In 2024 EPA will conduct Five-Year Reviews at the below listed sites. The included web links provide detailed information on site status as well as past assessment and cleanup activity.
Five-Year Reviews of Superfund sites in New Hampshire to be completed in 2024:
Sylvester, Nashua
Ottati & Goss/Kingston Steel Drum, Kingston
Tinkham Garage, Londonderry
Pease Air Force Base, Portsmouth & Newington
Five-Year Reviews of Superfund sites in New Hampshire to begin in 2024, to be completed in Fiscal Year 2025:New Hampshire Plating Co., Merrimack
More information:
The Superfund program, a federal program established by Congress in 1980, investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled, or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country and EPA endeavors to facilitate activities to return them to productive use. In total, there are 123 Superfund sites across New England.
Superfund and other cleanup sites in New England (pdf)
(91.4 KB)
EPA's Superfund program
EPA to Review Cleanups at 14 Massachusetts Superfund Sites this Year
BOSTON (Feb. 1, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will conduct comprehensive reviews of completed cleanup work at 14 National Priorities List (NPL) Superfund sites in Massachusetts this year.
Each individual site will undergo a legally required Five-Year Review to ensure that previous remediation efforts at the sites continue to protect public health and the environment. Once the Five-Year Review is complete, its findings will be posted to EPA's website in a final report.
"Every step of the process at a Superfund site is critical and reflects a commitment we make with local communities to be as thorough as possible. Cleaning up hazardous waste sites takes extensive time and effort, and these Five-Year Reviews allow EPA to ensure our cleanup efforts continue to protect public health and the environment, while keeping everyone informed and accountable, especially in those communities that have been overburdened by industrial pollution." said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "EPA continues to evaluate these cleanups, with the overarching mission to protect public health and the environment and ensuring that Massachusetts communities will continue to be protected."
In 2024 EPA will conduct Five-Year Reviews at the below listed sites. The included web links provide detailed information on site status as well as past assessment and cleanup activity.
Five-Year Reviews of Superfund sites in Massachusetts to be completed in 2024:
Nyanza Chemical Waste Dump, Ashland
Sutton Brook Disposal Area, Tewksbury
Industri-Plex, Woburn
Wells G&H, Woburn
W.R. Grace & Co., Inc. (Acton Plant), Acton
Baird & McGuire, Holbrook
Hatheway & Patterson, Mansfield & Foxboro
Rose Disposal Pit, Lanesborough
Hocomonco Pond, Westborough
Silresim Chemical Corp., Lowell
South Weymouth Naval Air Station, Weymouth
Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant, Bedford
Five-Year Reviews of Superfund sites in Massachusetts to begin in 2024, to be completed in Fiscal Year 2025:
Blackburn & Union Privileges, Walpole
Norwood PCBs, Norwood
More information:
The Superfund program, a federal program established by Congress in 1980, investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled, or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country and EPA endeavors to facilitate activities to return them to productive use. In total, there are 123 Superfund sites across New England.
Superfund and other cleanup sites in New England (pdf)
(91.4 KB)
EPA's Superfund program
Each individual site will undergo a legally required Five-Year Review to ensure that previous remediation efforts at the sites continue to protect public health and the environment. Once the Five-Year Review is complete, its findings will be posted to EPA's website in a final report.
"Every step of the process at a Superfund site is critical and reflects a commitment we make with local communities to be as thorough as possible. Cleaning up hazardous waste sites takes extensive time and effort, and these Five-Year Reviews allow EPA to ensure our cleanup efforts continue to protect public health and the environment, while keeping everyone informed and accountable, especially in those communities that have been overburdened by industrial pollution." said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "EPA continues to evaluate these cleanups, with the overarching mission to protect public health and the environment and ensuring that Massachusetts communities will continue to be protected."
In 2024 EPA will conduct Five-Year Reviews at the below listed sites. The included web links provide detailed information on site status as well as past assessment and cleanup activity.
Five-Year Reviews of Superfund sites in Massachusetts to be completed in 2024:
Nyanza Chemical Waste Dump, Ashland
Sutton Brook Disposal Area, Tewksbury
Industri-Plex, Woburn
Wells G&H, Woburn
W.R. Grace & Co., Inc. (Acton Plant), Acton
Baird & McGuire, Holbrook
Hatheway & Patterson, Mansfield & Foxboro
Rose Disposal Pit, Lanesborough
Hocomonco Pond, Westborough
Silresim Chemical Corp., Lowell
South Weymouth Naval Air Station, Weymouth
Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant, Bedford
Five-Year Reviews of Superfund sites in Massachusetts to begin in 2024, to be completed in Fiscal Year 2025:
Blackburn & Union Privileges, Walpole
Norwood PCBs, Norwood
More information:
The Superfund program, a federal program established by Congress in 1980, investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled, or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country and EPA endeavors to facilitate activities to return them to productive use. In total, there are 123 Superfund sites across New England.
Superfund and other cleanup sites in New England (pdf)
(91.4 KB)
EPA's Superfund program
EPA to Review Cleanup at Saco, Maine Superfund Site this Year
BOSTON (Feb. 1, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will conduct a comprehensive review of completed cleanup work at the Saco Tannery Waste Pits National Priorities List (NPL) Superfund site in Saco, Maine this year.
Each individual site will undergo a legally required Five-Year Review to ensure that previous remediation efforts at the sites continue to protect public health and the environment. Once the Five-Year Review is complete, its findings will be posted to EPA's website in a final report.
"Every step of the process at a Superfund site is critical and reflects a commitment we make with local communities to be as thorough as possible. Cleaning up hazardous waste sites takes extensive time and effort, and these Five-Year Reviews allow EPA to ensure our cleanup efforts continue to protect public health and the environment, while keeping everyone informed and accountable, especially in those communities that have been overburdened by industrial pollution." said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "EPA continues to evaluate these cleanups, with the overarching mission to protect public health and the environment and ensuring that Maine communities will continue to be protected."
In 2024 EPA will conduct Five-Year Reviews at the below listed sites. The included web links provide detailed information on site status as well as past assessment and cleanup activity.
Five-Year Reviews of Superfund site in Maine to be completed in 2024:
Saco Tannery Waste Pits, Saco
More information:
The Superfund program, a federal program established by Congress in 1980, investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled, or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country and EPA endeavors to facilitate activities to return them to productive use. In total, there are 123 Superfund sites across New England.
Superfund and other cleanup sites in New England (pdf)
(91.4 KB)
EPA's Superfund program
Each individual site will undergo a legally required Five-Year Review to ensure that previous remediation efforts at the sites continue to protect public health and the environment. Once the Five-Year Review is complete, its findings will be posted to EPA's website in a final report.
"Every step of the process at a Superfund site is critical and reflects a commitment we make with local communities to be as thorough as possible. Cleaning up hazardous waste sites takes extensive time and effort, and these Five-Year Reviews allow EPA to ensure our cleanup efforts continue to protect public health and the environment, while keeping everyone informed and accountable, especially in those communities that have been overburdened by industrial pollution." said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "EPA continues to evaluate these cleanups, with the overarching mission to protect public health and the environment and ensuring that Maine communities will continue to be protected."
In 2024 EPA will conduct Five-Year Reviews at the below listed sites. The included web links provide detailed information on site status as well as past assessment and cleanup activity.
Five-Year Reviews of Superfund site in Maine to be completed in 2024:
Saco Tannery Waste Pits, Saco
More information:
The Superfund program, a federal program established by Congress in 1980, investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled, or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country and EPA endeavors to facilitate activities to return them to productive use. In total, there are 123 Superfund sites across New England.
Superfund and other cleanup sites in New England (pdf)
(91.4 KB)
EPA's Superfund program