Climate change and effects on municipalities and POTWs

1. Climate Change &
Water/Wastewater
Operations
Marc Karell, P.E.
Climate Change & Environmental Services, LLC
NYWEA
2009 Spring Technical Conference & Exhibition
West Point, NY
June 2, 2009

2. Goals: Background and Why is This
Important
• Understand the basics of climate
change and greenhouse gases (GHGs).
• Learn how POTWs and water plants can
take advantage of the new realities and
develop an economically and socially
beneficial carbon management program.

3. Is Climate Change for Real?
Part 1: Global Warming Is Happening
• Avg. global temp.  1.10F in past century.
Real, and larger than that seen in any century.
– Another 40F rise in next 35 years?
• If continued, there will be long-term effects on:
– our climate,
– water supply,
– diseases,
– agricultural, tourist, insurance & oil markets.
• Our economy and way of life
• Together these effects are called:
“Climate Change”

4. The Arctic is Melting

5. Potential Climate Change Effect
Impacts

6. Is Climate Change for Real?
Part 2: Causes of Climate Change
• Certain compounds in our atmosphere trap
heat, called “greenhouse gases” or GHGs.
• From natural & man-made sources.
– CO2 levels have risen by nearly 40% since
industrial revolution
– Global temp. rise correlates with activities
• Large majority of scientists in field believe that
man-made emissions contributes significantly to
climate change.

7. From the Pew Center on Global
Climate Change

8. Common GHGs
GHG GWP Common POTW Sources
CO2 1 Digester gas, combustion
CH4 25 Influent, anaerobic digesters
N2O 298 Nitrification
HFCs wide range Refrigeration gases
PFCs wide range
SF6 22,800

9. Climate Change: Public Perception
• 94% of respondents said
the U.S. should take
actions to limit its GHG
emissions, at least as much
as other developed
countries do on average.
• 73% said the U.S. should
participate in Kyoto, up
from 64% in 2002.
Source: 2005 U.S. Ford Foundation-funded poll

10. Global Attempt to Address Issue:
Reduce GHG Emissions
• Because effect is global, action must be global.
• To reverse effects: achieve global GHG reductions
• Many nations under the auspices of the United
Nations met in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan
• Agreed to reduce global GHG emissions in 2008-12
by 5.2% relative to 1990
“Kyoto Protocol”

11. Kyoto Protocol Philosophy
• Affected industries are those highest in fuel use:
power, cement, glass, steel, paper
• Different limits for different nations
– “Developed” vs. “Developing” nations
• Progress wherever reductions occur, even far away
• Market-based. Cap and trade. Affected facilities
have a limit, but may exceed it if they obtain
“credits” from another. $ invested in GHG
reductions can be made back by sale of credits.
– GHG credits as money making currency

12. Where Things Stand in the U.S.
• The Kyoto Protocol was not approved in the US.
• Obama Administration and new Congress promised
aggressive federal GHG emission reduction rules
• Some states currently developing their own rules
• There are additional economic drivers that make a
GHG reduction program beneficial

13. U.S. GHG Programs
• Current/future regulations
– Northeast “RGGI” trading program
– California AB-32 and Western Climate
Initiative
• Voluntary programs
– USEPA “Climate Leaders”
– USDOE “1605b”
– Chicago Climate Exchange
– The Climate Registry

14. RGGI Regulation - Here in NY
• Market-based CO2 trading program involving
power plants with units ≥25 MW: 10 NE states.
• Affected states must meet total CO2 emissions
equal to an early 2000’s baseline emissions
this year and a 10% reduction by 2019.
• Virtually all allowances will be auctioned.
Thus, power plants must pay to emit CO2.

15. New Proposed Federal GHG
Reporting Rule!
• Applicable to any facility that emits >25,000
metric tons of CO2e/yr or facility in any of 20
source categories, which includes industrial
wastewater treatment plants!
• Must report 2010 emissions of GHGs by
March 31, 2011 using accepted methods
• Will be 40 CFR Part 98
• April 10, 2009 Fed. Register
– Can still comment up until June 9

16. What an Industrial WWTP Must Report
• Annual CH4 emissions from anaerobic
wastewater treatment processes
• Annual CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions
from stationary combustion devices and
flares.

17. Why Develop a Climate Change (CC) Program?
Many Business (Non-regulatory) Reasons
1. $$$. The growing cost of energy
– Actions that reduce energy usage reduce GHGs
– Given the price of energy these days, much $$$
will be saved!
– Example. DuPont claims they invested $120
million in CC (energy efficiency) programs in the
1990’s and as a result has saved over $3 billion in
avoided energy costs

18. Why Develop a Climate Change (CC) Program?
Many Business (Non-regulatory) Reasons
2. $$$. GHG emission reductions achieved and
verified can become sellable credits, even in the
US (the voluntary market).
– Example. Blue Heron Paper Co. (OR) improved
energy efficiency by 25% (191,000 metric tons
GHGs/yr). Financial incentives, tax credits for project
and a pledge to buy all verified GHG emission
reduction credits.

19. Why Develop a Climate Change (CC) Program?
Many Business (Non-regulatory) Reasons
3. Pressure from financial market, insurance,
accounting, governmental bodies
– Example. The Equator Principles gives
financial institutions social and environmental
benchmarks (including CC) to finance a project
– Insurance companies are terrified about their
costs of rising sea levels

20. Why Develop a Climate Change (CC) Program?
Many Business (Non-regulatory) Reasons
4. CC risk – Usually, we are concerned with how a
plant impacts the environment. For the first time,
we are worried about how the environment will
impact plant operations!
– These may directly affect WWTP operations:
• Flooding
• Hot weather
• Illness, lost productivity
– More extreme rainfalls, changes in snowmelt patterns
would result in greater short-term flows and challenge
capacity design.
• POTW operators are beginning to study this
– “Climate Change Adaptation”

21. Physical Effects – Now!

22. Why Develop a Climate Change (CC) Program?
Many Business (Non-regulatory) Reasons
5. Public relations
– Just say “Climate Change” to Toyota and GE!
– Further the climate change/sustainability goals of a
municipality (NYC 2030)
6. Pleasing customers. Firms ask about the “carbon
footprint” of products. Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)
– Major retailers Wal-Mart, Tesco now request suppliers
provide GHG information throughout product life cycle.
– Example. CA entrepreneur performed LCA to compare
proposed sludge treatment to form alternative fuel with
conventional sludge treatment and endpoint (land
application, on-site combustion, etc.)

23. GHG Emissions Along Product Life
Cycle
New Sales and
Supply Production/ Recycling/
Investment/ Distribution Consumer
Chain Operation End of Life
Design End Use
• Green Building
• Emissions related • Emissions related
• raw / input materials
Emissions related to to energy demand to energy demand
• raw / input materials
Emissions related to of processes at end user
filling facility
processing related /to
Emissions of raw • Emissions due to
•
input materialsraw /
processing of storage, cooling
usage
• input materials
Transport emissions
•
Transport emissions • Transport • Transport emissions
emissions • Emissions related to
energy demand for
waste disposal
recycling

24. Climate Change Opportunities for
POTWs
• Actions to reduce GHG emissions will
lead to direct cost savings
• Show progress to stakeholders and the
public; positive social profile
• Understand the physical, operational
risks that Climate Change represent
• Can Climate Change be an opportunity?
(Hint, ask Toyota or GE)

25. Summary: Why Should a Municipality
Invest in Carbon Management?
• Reduce exposure to future rules, carbon trading
• Direct economic benefits of GHG reductions
• Carbon management should be part of overall
planning – effects of future changes
• Integrate GHG metrics into EH&S reporting
• Respond to stakeholders, do the “right” thing
• Carbon management as VALUE, not LIABILITY,
as pollution is normally considered.

26. Climate Change & Environmental Services, LLC
• Nearly 25 years of experience in diverse
climate change and air quality services:
– GHG emission inventories
– Strategies to achieve cost saving, beneficial
reductions
– Energy and green building assessments
– LCAs
– Emission inventories (criteria and toxics)
– Air compliance audits
– Permitting for maximum operational

27. “With regard to excellence,
it is not enough to know,
but we must try to have
and use it.”
- Aristotle 384-322 BC

28. Thank you. Questions?
Marc Karell, P.E.
Climate Change & Environmental
Services, LLC
www.ccesworld.com
914-584-6720
climatechangeenv@gmail.com