News Release | Environment Florida Research & Policy Center

Energy Efficient Buildings Would Reduce Global Warming Pollution, Save Florida Families $590 Annually

Florida families could save $590 every year on their electricity bills by 2030 if the government invests in the energy efficiency of our buildings today, according to a new report by Environment Florida. Saving energy in our buildings would also help Florida’s fight against global warming, reducing global warming pollution from buildings by 35 percent—the equivalent of taking 12.6 million cars off the road or shutting down 15 coal-fired power plants.

News Release

Obama Administration to Protect Americans' Health by Setting Carbon Pollution Standardsfor New Power Plants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed historic new limits on carbon pollution from new power plants.  Carbon pollution fuels global warming, which leads to poor air quality that triggers asthma attacks and other respiratory problems.  Scientists also predict that global warming will lead to more devastating floods, more deadly heat waves and the spread of infectious diseases. Coal-fired power plants are the largest single source of carbon pollution in the U.S., yet there are currently no federal limits on this pollution from power plants.  The standard proposed today will correct that for new power plants by limiting their emissions of carbon pollution.

News Release | Environment Florida Research & Policy Center

Fossil Fuel Stranglehold on Climate in Congress Need Not Thwart U.S. Progress

Despite the political dominance of fossil fuel interests and their effective veto of any progress on energy and climate policy in Congress, the U.S. can dramatically reduce global warming emissions, according to a study released today by Environment Florida Research and Policy Center.

Environment Florida Research and Policy Center was joined today by Representative Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda and students Cornerstone Learning Community to release an analysis showing that local governments and states, with an assist from federal agencies, can cut carbon pollution dramatically by 2030.  Moncrief provided the following statement: Despite the political dominance of fossil fuel interests and their effective veto of any progress on energy and climate policy in the U.S. Congress, the U.S. can and must dramatically reduce global warming emissions. We’re here today to show why Florida has a very important role to play in this critical moment.

News Release | Environment Florida Research & Policy Center

New Data Shows Florida Power Plants Emit 15th Most Mercury Pollution Nationally

Florida’s power plants emit more mercury pollution than power plants in 35 other states, according to brand new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data outlined in Environment Florida’s latest report, America’s Biggest Mercury Polluters. The report found that in total, power plants in Florida emitted 1,522 pounds of mercury pollution in 2010. Environment Florida’s report comes as EPA is set to finalize a standard to limit mercury and other toxic air pollution from power plants next month.

News Release | Environment Florida

New Solar Jobs Census 2011 Shows Solar Jobs in Florida on the Rise

The Solar Foundation has released its second annual review of the solar workforce, in a report titled “National Solar Jobs Census 2011:  A Review of the U.S. Solar Workforce.”  The report finds that more than 100,000 Americans are now working in the U.S. Solar Industry, and that number is on the rise throughout the U.S. and in Florida.  The solar industry has added jobs over the last year at a faster rate than the general economy, and that trend is projected to continue.

News Release | Environment Florida Research & Policy Center

New Report: Pensacola, Orlando and Tampa/St. Petersburg Named Smoggiest Metropolitan Areas in the State

Today Environment Florida released a new report showing that Pensacola, Orlando, and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater rank as the top three smoggiest metropolitan area in the State.  Smog is a harmful air pollutant that leads to asthma attacks and exacerbates respiratory illnesses, especially among children and the elderly. The new report, Danger in the Air: Unhealthy Air Days in 2010 and 2011 ranks cities in Florida and across the country for the number of days when the air was unhealthy to breathe due to smog pollution last year and this summer.