It will require significant new policies to cut GHG emissions from transportation. This chart compares the major sources of emissions from transportation. Source: U.S. Energy Information Agency.

• A new, national fuel efficiency standard was announced for passenger vehicles in May 2009
• California adopted a “low carbon fuel standard” (LCFS) in April 2009 that is now being considered by other states
• California adopted a new “smart growth” policy (SB 375 – Steinberg) in August 2008 with the goal of reducing suburban sprawl and vehicle miles traveled (VMT)

	Mexico City "Bus Rapid Transit" is an example project where reducing commute times was a stronger motivation than reducing CO2.

	VMT in billions of miles and gasoline prices for the month of June in 2005 - 2008. Source Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers

• It is more fair because all vehicles pay the tax based on how much they use the roadways – regardless of fuel type.
• A VMT tax could factor in the weight of the vehicle to account for the physical impact the vehicle has on the road itself.
• A VMT tax can be tiered based on mileage – for example, the first 5,000 miles could be at a lower rate than the second 5,000 – to reward reduced miles traveled.
• A VMT tax could be structured to provide a discount for low-income people who need to drive to work due to the lack of good public transit.

	Tradeoff between time of delivery and CO2 reduction. Source: James Winebrake.

GHG emissions from road transport in MMT CO2E. Source: Asia Development Bank.

Mark Liffmann, Brooke Coleman and their daughter

We are seeking co-founders to re-invigorate the efforts to begin an E2 chapter in the Pacific Northwest. Longtime E2 members Mark Liffmann and Brooke Coleman have recently relocated to Seattle, WA, where Brooke has joined the faculty of the Seattle University School of Law and Mark is continuing his work for SunPower Corporation. With this move, Mark will be revitalizing efforts to begin an E2 chapter in the Pacific Northwest. Because of the strong existing network of local environmental groups in the Pacific Northwest, the E2 Pacific Northwest chapter will co-produce most events with other local groups and will look to expand the circle of environmental entrepreneurs in the region. Following the model Berl Hartman pioneered for the New England chapter, Mark is looking to recruit a diverse group of co-founders and co-chapter leaders. Mark is looking to recruit leaders, primarily in Portland and Seattle, who are prominent in the venture, legal, medical or entrepreneurial communities, or executives or former executives at the region’s most successful companies. E2 Pacific Northwest co-founders will be called on to produce one E2 event annually and to lead recruiting efforts from their network. If you are interested in this opportunity or know of people that would make good E2 Pacific Northwest co-founders, please contact Mark Liffmann at liffmann@yahoo.com or (415) 867-2864.

On September 1, E2 Rocky Mountains co-hosted the Clean Energy Business Forum, “Building on Success: Impacts of Federal Legislation for Colorado’s Clean Energy Economy,” at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins. Over 85 people attended, including E2 Rox members, and staff members from the office of Representative Betsy Markey (D-4) and from the offices of Senators Mark Udall (D-CO) and Michael Bennet (D-CO). Press coverage of the event included The Coloradoan and the Northern Colorado Business Report.

The panel of speakers included representatives from Vestas American Wind Technology, Abound Solar, Horizon Wind Energy, Bella Energy, Renewable Energy Systems Americas and E●On Climate and Renewables. The panel discussed the impacts of the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) and a federal renewable energy standard on Colorado’s clean tech sector and the state’s overall economy. The panel also thanked Representative Markey for her vote on ACES, and it emphasized the importance of passing climate/energy legislation in Congress. E2 Rox co-hosted the event with InterWest Energy Alliance, American Solar Energy Society, CO Cleantech Industry Association, Solar Nation, Namaste Solar, Horizon Wind Energy, Bella Energy, E●On Climate and Renewables, Mile Hi Solar, Abound Solar, CO Solar Energy Industries Association and Vestas American Wind Technology. Read the article from The Coloradoan’s coverage.

E2 Rox Chapter Leader Andrew Currie and a small team of E2 CO members, including Channing Arndt and Brian Propp, met with Representative Betsy Markey earlier this month to discuss the congresswoman’s work on pending climate/energy legislation. Our chapter continues to schedule meetings with CO public officials. If you are an E2 member and are interested in attending these meetings to represent E2 and the independent business voice for the environment – or for any other questions or comments about this chapter – please contact E2 Rox at E2RockyMountains@gmail.com or (303) 448-1951.

	From left: Shai Agassi, Better Place; Chris Arndt, E2 New York; and Ralph Cavanagh, NRDC

On September 21, about 100 E2 members and guests attended E2 New York’s fall premiere event, “Spotlight on Policy and Innovation: How Will Climate Policy Drive the Next Generation of Sustainable Transport?” The event featured Shai Agassi, Founder & CEO of Better Place and one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People, and Ralph Cavanagh, Co-director of NRDC’s energy program.

Shai Agassi shared his bold vision as to how intelligent networks may enable the broad adoption of electric vehicles by making them cheaper and more convenient than traditional combustion engine vehicles. He provided a perspective on the global economy, the auto industry and also discussed his specific efforts working with Renault-Nissan and various foreign governments to bring his vision to market.

Ralph Cavanagh placed the efforts of entrepreneurs like Shai into a policy context. He discussed the history of policy successes and failures in the U.S. and how well-crafted policy can unleash innovation through companies such as Better Place and others. Current key policy initiatives include a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS), a market-friendly, performance-based standard that aims to reduce carbon intensity and stimulate clean alternative fuel technologies. The low carbon fuel standard is being considered as a key part of the current climate legislation working its way through the Senate. The second key policy initiative is the next transportation bill, which may for the first time prioritize projects that reduce miles driven and lead to greater transportation efficiency and reduced carbon intensity. The bill will determine how $300-$400 billion of transportation infrastructure monies are spent over the next 4-5 years.

Opening remarks were followed by a lively session of Q&A from Shai and Ralph. One attendee described the evening as “scintillating.” Suffice it to say, says E2 New York Chapter Co-leader Chris Arndt, it was a “live theatre” on energy policy the likes of which Broadway has not seen. E2 would like to thank the Westin New York at Times Square for providing the venue for this event.

	From left: E2 New England Chapter Co-leader Berl Hartman, E2 Co-founder Nicole Lederer, Mindy Lubber of CERES and E2 member Heather Henriksen

On September 10, Mindy Lubber, President of CERES, and Nicole Lederer, Co-founder of E2, spoke at an E2 lunch briefing in Boston on the growing support for progressive climate change policies from new sectors and the economic arguments that are resonating with these non-traditional allies. As E2’s federal advocacy leader, Nicole described E2’s various advocacy activities in Washington, DC, and in key states to help pass the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) through Congress, which got through the House this summer. She believes that support from businesses and key sectors, such as farming and manufacturing, were crucial and will continue to be important as the Senate climate bill debate moves forward. Farmers and manufacturers support ACES because they see a great deal to gain from carbon policy, including creating new jobs and transforming their traditional businesses to succeed in a clean energy economy.

Mindy Lubber shared her experience working with corporations and investors moving toward sustainability. She emphasized that businesses are starting to realize that energy conservation throughout the supply chain is good for the bottom line. However, she believes the move to sustainable business practices would be dramatically accelerated if a regulatory framework provided certainty and a level playing field. Federal climate policy that sets a price on carbon will provide businesses with the right market signals to act, and we should seize the opportunity today. Both speakers agreed that comprehensive energy and climate legislation is vitally important this year to help deliver economic, energy and climate security, and put us in the right track for the UN climate treaty negotiations in Copenhagen this December.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), passed by the House of Representatives this summer, is a win-win for our economy and our environment, according to data released September 17 by NRDC. The report, “A Clean Energy Bargain,” demonstrates that there will be more jobs, less global warming pollution and greater security under ACES and – importantly – at an affordable cost of less than a postage stamp per day for the average American household. The analysis projects clean energy investments to reach more than $300 billion by 2030, which implies tremendous job growth. Simultaneously, the implementation of ACES will decrease our oil imports through lower demand and increased domestic production using carbon dioxide for enhanced oil recovery. The average cost of 25 cents per day for American households is consistent with analysis completed by the Congressional Budget Office and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), points out Dan Lashof, Director of NRDC’s Climate Center.

NRDC has announced its support of the Energy Development Program Implementation Act of 2009, introduced by Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI), that would help developing countries meet their energy needs with sustainable energy alternatives to both proliferation-prone nuclear energy and costly and dirty imported fossil fuels. The bill also calls for the development of an Alternative Energy Corps, similar to the model of the Peace Corps, which would employ large numbers of technically trained volunteers to support the identification and use of indigenous renewable energy resources in developing countries. Christopher Paine, director of the Nuclear Program at NRDC, praised the bill’s comprehensive approach that tackles the global threats of failing economies, climate change and nuclear weapons proliferation.

The U.S. EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have announced a joint proposal for national greenhouse gas pollution standards for cars and trucks. The proposal will cut global warming pollution from vehicles by an aggressive 30 percent, improve fuel economy to an average of 35.5 mpg and save drivers thousands of dollars at the pump over the life of their vehicles. The new rules, which adopt the “size-based” standard favored by domestic automakers, will begin with 2012 models and mandate the fleet-wide efficiency improvements be fully in effect by 2016. The national limits on greenhouse gas emissions follow in the footsteps of California’s ground-breaking standards, on which E2 and NRDC worked for years. This proposal was preceded by President Obama’s historic clean car agreement announcement in May that was supported by car makers, states and environmental organizations.

In a landmark decision, a Federal Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of eight states (CT, NY, CA, IA, NJ, RI, VT and WI), one city (New York) and two private land trusts that sued America's largest global warming polluters to curb their emissions. The court found in State of Connecticut v. American Electric Power Co. that five large electric power companies can be sued in federal court because the 650 million tons of carbon dioxide they emit each year are contributing to rising temperatures and a host of damaging impacts in other states, including heat waves, smog episodes, droughts and forest fires. Current NRDC Executive Director Peter Lehner, formerly with the New York Attorney General’s Office, took a leadership role as the assistant attorney general for the state and David Doniger, Policy Director of the NRDC Climate Center, was also a very important figure in the litigation strategy.

An endorsement for judicial powers to protect citizens from harm, this decision affirms that large polluters are not above the law and that the threats from a warming globe are real and must be tackled with haste. The ruling held that federal courts can curb damaging greenhouse gas pollution as long as the legislative and executive branches aren’t already regulating that pollution, either under the existing Clean Air Act or the comprehensive new energy and climate legislation pending in Congress. The case will now go back to the federal district court in New York City.

NRDC’s Latino Outreach Program, La Onda Verde, has launched a new Spanish-language blog – Pulso Verde. The blog will highlight diverse environmental voices and perspectives with contributors ranging from NRDC scientists and experts to celebrated Latin American musicians and Spanish-language television personalities. The blog will cover a wide range of environmental topics of importance to Latinos including global warming, green jobs, protecting the last wild places in the Americas, oceans protection and public health. The launch of Pulso Verde coincides with the redesign of the La Onda Verde website where people can take action on various environmental issues. Any suggestions on topics and/or contributors to Pulso Verde can be directed to Adrianna Quintero, Director of NRDC’s La Onda Verde, at aquintero@nrdc.org.

	From left : Alan Horn, Dan Tishman, Frances Beinecke, Matt Damon, Sonnet McKinnon, Abby Bowers and Peter Lehner. (Click on image for a larger version.)

The Informant! movie premiere benefiting NRDC took place on September 15 at the Ziegfeld Theatre and the after party was held at Gotham Hall. The event was great fun and a tremendous success, raising more than $349,000 for NRDC. Stars of the movie Matt Damon, Joel McHale, Scott Bakula, the film’s director Stephen Soderbergh, and NRDC trustee Alan Horn made the event especially exciting. Co-Chairs and trustee Shelly Malkin, Abby Bowers and Sonnet McKinnon were instrumental in making the event so successful and we cannot thank them enough. The movie tells the story of Mark Whitacre, an Ivy League-educated Ph.D. and rising star at Decatur, Ill.-based agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) in the early 1990's, who wound up blowing the whistle on the company's price-fixing tactics.

Thanks for your support. Comments, questions and introductions to possible new members are always welcome! We invite you to learn how to join E2 or read more about the leaders of E2. 

Bob Epstein and Nicole Lederer, Editors
bob@e2.org nicole@nicolelederer.com