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The document proposes the creation of an Environment Outlook for Canada (EOC), an integrated environmental assessment designed to move beyond traditional state-of-the-environment reporting by focusing on future-oriented scenarios. It details the potential scope of the EOC, including key topical issues like climate change and water quality, and suggests a time horizon of 20 to 30 years. The paper emphasizes the need for a participatory process involving policy-makers, shapers, and takers to ensure the assessment is salient, credible, and legitimate. It recommends a feasibility analysis and the development of a formal proposal by fall 2007, suggesting that the EOC could be hosted by an independent secretariat to maintain credibility.

The document outlines a proposal for the Canadian Environmental Outlook (CEO), an integrated environmental assessment designed to provide a prospective view of Canada's environment. It defines the CEO as a process and a series of reports that move beyond traditional state-of-the-environment reporting by focusing on future trends and strategic choices. The paper suggests a 20-to-30-year time horizon and a multi-scalar geographic approach (national, sub-national, and local). It identifies key potential topics such as climate change, water quality, and biodiversity, and recommends a governance structure involving shared ownership between federal, provincial, and territorial governments. The document concludes by recommending a full feasibility analysis and a structured project proposal to be completed by autumn 2007, with a target for a flagship report in 2010.

The testimony argues that avoiding severe climate damage requires long-term global emissions reductions of 60-80% across all sectors. It emphasizes that because the 15 largest emitters account for 80% of global emissions, international solutions must align with national self-interests rather than uniform requirements. Proposed solutions include pricing greenhouse gas emissions, leveraging co-benefits for air quality and energy security, and investing in new technologies to maintain US competitiveness. The author also highlights the need for adaptation strategies to protect the poorest populations and calls for the US to take a more constructive role in the UN Climate Convention.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) conducted monitoring in Austin, Boston, New York City, and Columbus to assess diesel exhaust exposure during commutes. The study found that commuters in cars, buses, and trains are exposed to diesel particle levels significantly higher than ambient outdoor air, with the highest concentrations occurring in the presence of heavy truck traffic or when trains are pulled by locomotives. The report highlights that while commuting accounts for only about 6% of a person's day, it may contribute over half of their daily exposure to ultrafine particles. To mitigate these risks, the report recommends retrofitting existing diesel engines with diesel particulate filters (DPFs), which can reduce particle emissions by up to 90%.

The report warns that California faces significant risks from global warming, with projected temperature increases between 3°F and 10.5°F by the end of the century. These changes threaten to severely reduce Sierra Nevada snowpack, increase the frequency of large wildfires, degrade air quality, and disrupt the state's $30 billion agriculture industry. The document emphasizes that while some changes are unavoidable, the most severe consequences can be avoided by reducing heat-trapping emissions to levels that keep warming within the lower range of 3 to 5.5°F.

The report analyzes how varying levels of greenhouse gas emissions will lead to temperature increases in California, ranging from 3 to 10.5 °F by the end of the century. It details severe risks including a 70-90% reduction in Sierra Nevada snowpack, increased frequency of extreme heat and wildfires, and rising sea levels that threaten coastal infrastructure. The document emphasizes that while some changes are inevitable, the most severe outcomes can be avoided through aggressive emission reductions, aligned with California's executive goals to return to 1990 emission levels by 2020.

The document outlines various financial mechanisms to transition the U.S. bus fleet away from diesel. It details federal programs managed by the DOT, DOE, and EPA, as well as state-specific initiatives in Texas, California, and New York, emphasizing that combining different grants can significantly reduce the incremental cost of advanced technologies like hybrid-electric buses.

The document introduces Environmental Improvement Zones (EIZs) as a community-based framework for implementing environmental strategies in Winnipeg. It outlines baseline data and recommended activities across seven key areas: climate change/air quality, urban energy, land use, transportation, waste management, water management, and pesticide use. The guide details pilot results from three diverse neighbourhoods—Whyte Ridge, Riverview, and West Broadway—demonstrating that environmental priorities vary significantly by socio-economic profile and urban layout. It argues that a neighbourhood-scale approach using community-based social marketing (CBSM) is more effective for long-term behaviour change than city-wide, 'one size fits all' programming.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advocates for the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2005 (DERA), a proposed $1 billion federal grant and loan program to reduce diesel fine particle (PM2.5) emissions. CATF highlights that diesel exhaust causes 21,000 premature deaths annually and that existing engines will remain in service for decades, necessitating funding for retrofits, rebuilds, and repowerings to meet air quality standards and provide immediate climate benefits by reducing black carbon.

Dr. James Zahn, a former USDA research microbiologist, reported being prohibited on at least 11 occasions from publicizing findings on antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the air near hog operations in Iowa and Missouri. Despite the USDA's stated mission to address human health in swine production, Zahn was barred from presenting his research at 2002 scientific conferences, with supervisors citing the need for discretion on "politically sensitive and controversial issues." This suppression is linked to a February 2002 USDA directive requiring prior approval for research on "sensitive issues," including agricultural practices with negative health and environmental consequences such as global climate change and animal feeding operations.

The study identifies two primary sources of in-cabin pollution in conventional school buses: the tailpipe and the engine crankcase. It finds that while diesel particulate filters (DPF) combined with ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) eliminate ultrafine particles, black carbon, and PAH, they do not reduce fine particulate matter (PM2.5) because that pollutant originates from the crankcase. The most effective solution for comprehensive elimination of all measured particles is the combination of a DPF, ULSD, and a Donaldson Spiracle closed-crankcase filtration device.

The report argues that while fuel cells have high initial capital costs, they can be cost-effective by capturing 'distributed benefits' such as deferring utility distribution investments, providing premium reliability for the digital economy, and meeting strict urban emission standards. It proposes a commercialization path starting with grid-connected systems in commercial buildings and semiconductor fabs, eventually integrating with fuel-cell vehicles through vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems.

The report identifies a warming and potentially drier trend for the Great Lakes region, predicting significant temperature increases and shifts in precipitation patterns by the end of the 21st century. These changes are expected to disrupt aquatic ecosystems, reduce forest diversity, and create economic risks for agriculture and shipping. The document advocates for a three-pronged approach: reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing local environmental pressures, and planning for climate adaptation.

The San Joaquin Valley shares the distinction of having the worst air quality in the United States, driven by a combination of geographic trapping, rapid population growth, and a history of regulatory neglect. The region struggles with chronic ozone and particulate matter (PM) pollution, which disproportionately affects vulnerable populations and damages the agricultural economy. While recent legislation has begun to regulate previously exempt agricultural sources and diesel emissions, the report argues that coordinated action across jurisdictional levels is required to address emissions from sources outside local control, such as heavy-duty trucks and locomotives.

The report analyzes the potential health impacts of three policy alternatives to the proposed Clear Skies Act—the Clean Air Planning Act (Carper), the Clean Power Act (Jeffords), and the EPA August 2001 Straw Proposal—focusing on avoidable health effects from fine particulate matter (PM2.5) for the years 2010 and 2020. To ensure direct comparability with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates, the study employs the same analytical methods, emissions estimates, air quality forecasting, and health assessment models used by the EPA in its 2003 analysis of the Clear Skies Act.

The report finds that diesel pollution caused an estimated 3,000 premature deaths and $21.5 billion in health costs in California in 2004. While new engine standards will reduce emissions over time, the longevity of existing engines means significant health risks persist. The authors argue that full implementation of California's Diesel Risk Reduction Plan and increased funding for the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Standards Attainment Program could prevent 11,000 premature deaths and save between $48 billion and $70 billion by 2020.

In April 2004, air quality modelers from nine EPA regional offices protested a policy change allowing states to select their own baseline years for measuring pollution in 'Class I' areas. This policy emerged from a compromise with North Dakota, which had been out of compliance with the Clean Air Act regarding Theodore Roosevelt National Park, hindering plans for new coal-fired power plants. EPA scientists argued the change 'artificially inflate[s]' baselines to mask policy changes and feared it would set a national precedent, as other states like Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming sought to follow suit.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) reports a systemic pattern of scientific interference by the Bush administration across multiple federal agencies. The investigation details the suppression of climate change data at the EPA, the manipulation of mercury emission standards, and the censorship of research on airborne bacteria at the USDA. It further documents the appointment of underqualified or industry-linked individuals to scientific advisory panels and the use of political litmus tests for nominees. The report argues that these actions undermine public health, safety, and national security, and calls for executive and congressional action to restore scientific integrity in policymaking.

The document analyzes the intersection of trade, agriculture, and sustainable development in Central America. It highlights a growing trade deficit driven by commercial openness and a reliance on low-value generic exports. Environmentally, the region faces significant water and air pollution due to the intensification of agrochemicals and livestock production. The report argues that while Central American countries have significant room under WTO rules to implement 'Green Box' support measures for sustainable agriculture, they currently lack the fiscal resources and institutional coordination to do so effectively.

The report argues that the health benefits of enforcing New Source Review (NSR) on 51 violating power plants significantly outweigh the costs of installing Best Available Control Technology (BACT). Using EPA-approved methodologies, the analysis estimates that cleaning up these plants would avoid thousands of premature deaths and tens of thousands of asthma attacks annually, with benefits valued at $24-38 billion against an annual cost of approximately $3.6 billion.