EPA'S Wisconsin Green Power Partners cut greenhouse gas emissions

CHICAGO (Feb. 2, 2009) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 announced today that its Green Power Partners in Wisconsin reduced their greenhouse gas emissions in 2008 by buying more than 386 million kilowatt-hours of electricity from renewable resources such as solar and wind power.
The partners are Kohl's Department Stores, Menomonee Falls, 259 million kWh; the state of Wisconsin, 92 million kWh; River Falls Wisconsin Community, 18 million kWh; GE Healthcare Headquarters, Waukesha, 16 million kWh; and Monsanto/Agracetus Campus, Middleton, 916 thousand kWh.
The green power bought by these organizations is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide emissions of some 50,420 passenger cars per year, or is the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power some 35,286 average homes annually.
"These organizations are protecting our environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions," said Cheryl Newton, director of EPA Region 5's Air and Radiation Division. "We hope others will follow their lead by voluntarily shifting to renewable energy."
Kohl's was 14th among the top 50 purchasers with 22 percent of its purchased electricity coming from the city of Dover, Racine County, Wis.; Neuwing Energy Ventures, New York, N.Y.; Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Sacramento, Calif.; Sterling Planet, Norcross, Ga.; and WM Renewable Energy, Houston, Texas.
Kohl's ranked second on EPA's top 20 retail list and qualified for EPA's Green Power Leadership Club by significantly exceeding EPA's minimum purchase requirements. The company ranked eighth on EPA's Fortune 500 list.
The state of Wisconsin ranked 36th among the top 50 purchasers with 8 percent of its purchased electricity coming from Madison Gas and Electric, Madison, Wis.; We Energies, Milwaukee, Wis.; and WPPI Energy, Sun Prairie, Wis.
The River Falls Wisconsin Community, a new partner, ranked 10th in EPA's Green Power Community category, buying 15 percent of its purchased electricity from WPPI Energy. Green Power Communities are cities or towns where the municipal government is a Green Power Partner that works with local businesses and residents to purchase green power.
GE Healthcare Headquarters ranked 30th on EPA Fortune 500 list, buying enough green power to meet 10 percent of its purchased electricity use from We Energies.
Monsanto's Agracetus Campus ranked 53rd on EPA's Fortune 500 list, buying 16 percent of its green power from Madison Gas and Electric.
EPA's Green Power Partnership works with more than 1,000 partners to help them buy green power voluntarily as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with conventional electricity use. These green power purchases support the development of new, renewable generation resources nationwide. Overall, EPA Green Power Partners are buying nearly 16 billion kWh of green power annually, equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions from electricity use in nearly 1.5 million average American homes.
Green power is generated from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and biogas, as well as low-impact hydropower. Green power resources produce electricity with an environmental profile superior to conventional power technologies and produce no net increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
More information on EPA's Green Power Partnership is at http://www.epa.gov/greenpower.

EPA reaches agreement with Barron County waste-to-energy facility

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 09-OPA004
EPA reaches agreement with Barron County, Wis., waste-to-energy facility
CHICAGO (Jan. 14, 2009) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has reached an agreement with the Barron County Waste-to-Energy Facility, 575 10 1/2 Ave., Almena, Wis., for alleged Clean Air Act violations.
The agreement, which includes a $17,500 penalty, resolves EPA allegations that the Barron County facility failed to comply with the mercury emission limit specified in its state operating permit and federal requirements for small municipal waste combustors.
Exposure to mercury can permanently damage the brain and kidneys. Adults exposed to metallic mercury vapor may develop tremors, memory loss and kidney disease.
Information about EPA Region 5's air enforcement program is at http://www.epa.gov/region5/air/enforce/. Potential environmental violations may be reported at http://www.epa.gov/compliance/complaints/.

Air compressor recall

Recall Alert

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 31, 2008
Release #08-181
Firm’s Recall Hotline: (800) 241-0448
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Campbell Hausfeld Recalls Air Compressors Following Fires

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Campbell Hausfeld and Husky Air Compressors

Units: About 233,000

Importer: Campbell Hausfeld, of Harrison, Ohio

Hazard: Protective covers on the compressor’s motor are not made from proper flame retardant material and can ignite, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received 11 reports of fires. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall involves the following Campbell Hausfeld and Husky brand air compressors:

Capacity	Model Numbers	Serial Numbers
8-15 gallon	HL410100, HL421000, HL421500, HL431500	The first four digits of the serial number indicate a date codefrom July 2005 (0705) through March 2007 (0307)
4 gallon	HL5402	Have a prefix of HY, KB, or HU followed by a date code from November 2006 (1106) through November 2007 (1107)

The model and serial number are located on the back of the tank. Sold at: Home improvement and hardware stores nationwide from September 2005 through November 2007 for between $170 and $200. Manufactured in: China Remedy: Consumers should stop using the air compressor immediately and contact Campbell Hausfeld for a free repair kit. Consumer Contact: For further information, contact Campbell Hausfeld at (800) 241-0448 between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.chpower.com --- Send the link for this page to a friend! The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $800 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.