(Kansas City, Kan., Nov. 1, 2011) - Anyone along the Mississippi River will see the steady-moving push boats moving along America's inland waterways, carrying commodities from as far north as St. Paul, Minn. to ports as far south as New Orleans, La.  Push boats run 24 hours a day, seven days a week moving goods to markets at inland ports along the river.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a $494,978 grant to Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission (SEMO RPC) to replace engines on a push boat operated by SCF Marine.  The boat's old engines are from 1953 and 1960, decades before emission standards went into effect.  The new engines will meet EPA Tier II standards, resulting in reduced health impacts for port workers and communities along the Mississippi River.  The EPA grant is part of a $1 million project.

The Tier 2 vehicle and gasoline sulfur program is part of a series of major initiatives that reduce emissions from passenger vehicles, highway trucks and buses, and nonroad diesel equipment. The result will be reduced emissions, cleaner air, and improved human health.

SEMO RPC is also working with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to reduce emissions on trash haulers and switch locomotives in southeast Missouri.

EPA has awarded $50 million for clean diesel projects as part of its ongoing campaign to reduce harmful emissions in the air and better protect people's health. These efforts will replace, retrofit or repower more than 8,000 older school buses, trucks, locomotives, vessels, and other diesel powered machines. Reducing emissions from existing diesels provides cost-effective public health and environmental benefits while supporting green jobs at manufacturers, dealerships and businesses across the country.

Diesel engines emit 7.3 million tons of smog-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx) and 333,000 tons of soot annually. Diesel pollution is linked to thousands of premature deaths, hundreds of thousands of asthma attacks and millions of lost work days. While EPA's standards significantly reduce emissions from newly manufactured engines, clean diesel projects funded through these grants will work to address the more than 11 million older diesel engines that continue to emit higher levels of harmful pollution.

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Local foods key to growing economy

CHAMPAIGN - October 27, 2011. At an award ceremony celebrating 25 of the greenest public, private and non-profit organizations and businesses in Illinois, Lt. Governor Sheila Simon said good environmental practices strengthen the state's economy.

"These awards recognize leaders in sustainability, and they also recognize smart economic policy for businesses and governments," Simon said at the 25th Annual Governor's Sustainability Awards Ceremony hosted by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center at the University of Illinois.

Among those recognized was Uncommon Ground in Chicago, which runs two restaurants serving locally grown food from its 2,500 square foot rooftop farm. The group received a Continuous Improvement Award, given to organizations that have won awards at previous Sustainability Award Ceremonies.

Simon noted that Uncommon Ground helps keep local food dollars in the state. Simon, who chairs the Governor's Rural Affairs Council has targeted building opportunity in Illinois by promoting local foods.  Illinoisans spend roughly $46 billion annually on food, but only $2 billion of that amount on food grown in Illinois.

The awards have been presented since 1987 by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) at the University of Illinois. Awards are given to organizations for their efforts in implementing green practices such as technology and energy conservation.

"The efforts of these businesses and organizations demonstrate that it is possible to meet social and economic needs while minimizing impacts on the environment," ISTC Director Manohar Kulkarni said. "Present and future generations will appreciate their foresight."

A Sustainability Award, which recognizes first-time winners, was given to the University of Illinois Retro-commissioning Group, which is comprised of engineers, field technicians and tradesmen. The group has spent $6 million making 27 campus buildings more energy efficient. The team's efforts have resulted in an average energy savings per building of 26 percent and a total $9.7 million reduction in utility costs since 2007.

Four community colleges - John A. Logan College, Lewis and Clark Community College, Rock Valley College and Southwestern Illinois College - all received sustainability awards for implementing energy efficiencies on campus.

"More efficient energy use in community colleges means more opportunity for students to get the education they need to be ready for the workforce," Simon said.

The winners are:

·         ActOnEnergy Business Program, Peoria

·         Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne

·         Cabot Corporation, Tuscola

·         City of Evanston, Evanston

·         City of Naperville, Naperville

·         DuPage County, Wheaton

·         Earth Friendly Products, Addison

·         Elmhurst Park District, Elmhurst

·         Gabriel Environmental Services, Chicago

·         GE Healthcare IT, Barrington

·         Harris Corporation, Quincy

·         J.L. Clark, Rockford

·         John A. Logan College, Carterville

·         Lewis and Clark Community College, Godfrey

·         Lincoln Park Zoological Society, Chicago

·         NOW Foods, Inc., Bloomingdale

·         PortionPac Chemical Corporation, Chicago

·         Rock Valley College, Rockford

·         Solberg MFG., Itasca

·         Southwestern Illinois College, Belleville

·         The Sherwin-Williams Company, Effingham

·         Uncommon Ground, Chicago

·         University of Illinois at Chicago, c/o Office of Sustainability, Chicago

·         University of Illinois Retro-commissioning Group, Champaign

·         Village of Hoffman Estates, Hoffman Estates

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Join the celebration at the Eastern Avenue Branch Library on Tuesday, October 18 at 1:00 p.m. as the library celebrates receiving the LEED Silver designation by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

Bruce Hamous from the Eastern Iowa Branch of the Iowa Chapter of the United States Green Building Council will present the award to the library.  Representatives involved with designing and constructing the beautiful, environmentally friendly library will be present, as well as the mayor and members of the city council.

Finding The Best Fall Colors

The USDA Forest Service can help you find the best Fall colors

A new TV feature is available on the USDA FTP site

Filename: Fall Color feature

Download instructions:

The host: ftp://ocbmtcmedia.download.akamai.com

User name: usdanews

Password:  Newscontent1

The new file is in QuickTime Movie (H.264 ), MPEG 4, MPEG2 and HDV.

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twNOResyOWU&feature=channel_video_title

video podcast: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/usda-down-to-earth-video-podcast/id461819504?uo=4

RSS feed: http://downtoearth.usda.libsynpro.com/rss

Please email bob.ellison@usda.gov if you have problems or suggestions.

Also, use this free ftp client if you have problems.

http://filezilla-project.org/download.php?type+client

FEATURE - FINDING THE BEST FALL COLORS

INTRO: Leaf viewing season is upon us and the U-S-D-A's Forest Service has information on the best colors. The U-S-D-A's Bob Ellison has more. (1:25)

FALL IS HERE AND PEOPLE WANT TO SEE THE CHANGING LEAVES. BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW WHERE AND WHEN TO SEE THE BEST FALL COLORS? THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE'S FOREST SERVICE CAN HELP WITH ITS FALL COLORS WEB PAGE AND HOTLINE.

Tom Tidwell, Chief, USDA Forest Service: So you don't have to spend any time trying to wonder if this is the right weekend to get out. Call our hotline. We do have a website that you can go to that you can get the best up to date information. We keep it up to date and we're going to tell you when the Fall colors are peaking in the area where you want to visit.

MANY FACTORS INFLUENCE FALL COLORS SO THE FOREST SERVICE RELIES HEAVILY ON EYEWITNESS REPORTS.

Tidwell: And each year depending on how the weather develops in the Fall that helps dictate the color changes. So not only do have the science but we also have folks out there observing when these colors are changing so we can give you the best up to date information that's available.

AND WHILE FALL COLORS CAN BE ENJOYED IN MANY PLACES, TIDWELL SAYS SOME OF THE BEST VIEWING OPPORTUNITIES ARE IN THE NATIONAL FORESTS.

Tidwell: Where you have the variety of both the hardwoods and also of our conifers. So you get that combination of the brilliant, magnificent Fall colors also with that solid green color from our conifer trees.

FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO F-S DOT FED DOT U-S FORWARD SLASH FALL COLORS OR CALL ONE EIGHT HUNDRED THREE FIVE FOUR FOUR FIVE NINE FIVE. FOR THE U-S DEPARMENT OF AGRICULTURE, I'M BOB ELLISON.