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PROMOTING AIR QUALITY THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION
Citation:
Brna*, T G. AND J. R. Farmer. PROMOTING AIR QUALITY THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION. Presented at AWMA Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, 6/23-27/02.
Description:
The paper discusses the promotion of improved air quality through environmental technology verifications (ETVs). In 1995, the U.S. EPA's Office of Research and Development began the ETV Program in response to President Clinton's "Bridge to a Sustainable Future" and Vice President Gore's "National Performance Review" to work with the private sector to establish a market-based verification process available to all environmental technologies. In its 1995-2000 pilot period, up to 12 pilot programs operated under the ETV Program to accelerate the commercialization of innovative or improved technologies through independent third-party verification and reporting of their performance. Normally, nonprofit organizations were selected competitively by EPA to manage these programs whose verification activities followed EPA guidelines. These guidelines include: a technology whose performance is to be verified must be commercially ready and voluntarily offered by its vendor, who agrees to cost-share testing by an independent organization that complies with the stakeholder-developed protocol approved by EPA. Operational features of the ETV Program and accomplishments during its pilot period are discussed, while lessons learned are summarized. Restructuring of the ETV Program into six centers was begun in late 2000, and the new structure is noted briefly. The Air Pollution Control Technology Verification Center and its operation by the Research Triangle Institute is discussed in detail. This includes its organization, operational features, and technology areas of interest.