DEP Secretary McGinty and Gov. Rendell talk with mechanic Dave Schade about care maintenance and gas mileage. (DEP Photo)

Gov. Rendell offered Pennsylvania’s help to areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina this week and took steps to ease potential fuel shortage concerns caused by damage to Gulf Coast refineries and petroleum product distribution systems.

In addition to Natural Guard troops, the Governor mobilized the PA Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue Unit that includes not only experts in search and rescue techniques, but also staff, including DEP employees, trained to deal with hazardous materials the unit might encounter.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has also dispatched three staff from its forest fire protection units to hurricane duty.

Gov. Rendell also asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to grant Pennsylvania a waiver to allow gasoline suppliers the flexibility to switch to winter time formulations of gasoline earlier than the normal September 15 deadline. In the meantime, he suspended DEP enforcement of the requirement.

Gov. Rendell also encouraged drivers to conserve gasoline to help avoid a shortage by --

· Avoiding quick stops and starts. This can save up to two miles a gallon.

· Don’t be an aggressive driver. It lowers gas mileage by as much as 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent on city streets.

· Avoid excessive idling. Sitting idle gets zero miles per gallon and consumes between one-half and one gallon of gasoline per hour.

· Check the vehicle’s gas cap. Loose, damaged and missing gas caps allow 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year.

· Check tire pressure. When tires are under inflated, it is like driving with the parking brake on and can cost a mile or two per gallon.

· Replace worn spark plugs. A vehicle can have up to eight spark plugs, which fire as many as 3 million times every 1,000 miles. A dirty spark plug causes misfiring, wasting fuel.

· Replace dirty air filters that waste gas and cause engines to lose power. Replacing these filters can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent, saving about 25 cents a gallon.

· Combine errands to reduce vehicle miles traveled.

· Take unnecessary weight out of trunks or back seats. By some estimates, hauling around an extra 100 pounds can cost 1 mile a gallon.

· Whenever possible, take public transportation or carpool.

To help the state itself conserve fuel, Gov. Rendell issued Executive Order 2005-7 Friday directing each state agency to develop and immediately implement a fuel conservation program over the next 30 days.

Fuel Conservation Plans could include curtailing unnecessary travel, increase use of video and teleconferencing and limiting the use of high fuel consumption vehicles.

In addition the Department of General Services was directed to review the heating, cooling and energy conservation measures of state owned buildings to insure energy is used efficiently.

DEP was directed to develop outreach programs for the public and local governments regarding their fuel consumption programs and monitor the fuel situation across the country and provide a daily status briefing for the Governor.

NewsClips: Governor Urges Fuel Conservation to Lesson Hurricane’s Impact

State Leaders Urge Drivers to Conserve

Three DEP Employees Helping Katrina’s Victims

Session Schedule

The Senate returns to session on September 19, the House on September 26.

Contents – On the Hill

· House Environmental Committee Hears Comments on Health of State’s Forests

· House Republican Policy Committee Announces Hearing on Rising Gas Prices

· Senate Agriculture Committee Holds Hearing on Funding Farmland Preservation

Other News

· $5.5 Million for Greenways, Open Space, Recreation in Grants Awarded

· New Game Commission Biologists Helping Landowners Do Something Wild

· Dzemyan, Land Management Supervisor, Recognized for Conservation Work

· Nine Mile Run Partners To Celebrate Completion of First Phase

· New Handbook on Community-Based Watershed Protection

· Grants Available for Codorus Creek Projects in York County

· Open Rivers Initiative Offers Grants to Remove Stream Barriers

· Drinking Water Plant Performance Shows Improvement, Areas Needing Work

· Draft Policy to Designate Critical Water Planning Areas Available for Review

· Applications Due October 1 for Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards

· Environmental Leadership Program Applications Due October 1

· EPA Honors Penn State Student as Rising Star in Environmental Science

· 16 PA Students Graduate from EPA Student Environmental Development Program

· DOE Announces $4 Million Solicitation for Solid-State Lighting Research

· 2005 Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Summit October 4 & 5

· Ned Smith Artwork Featured on 2006 Trout/Salmon Stamp

· Fall Touring Ideas Available at FallinPA.com

· Pymatuning, Middle Creek to Host Wildfowl Shows Set September 17-18

· President to Name PA’s Jarrett to DOE Assistant Secretary Post

Feature

· Remining Program Leads to Cleaning Up Abandoned Mines in Westmoreland

Environmental History

· Group Fosters Support to Preserve the Avondale Mine Disaster Site

Go To: PA Environment Digest Calendar Page

9/2/2005