EPA Highlights

February is American Heart Month EPA Administrator and Winter Sports Industry Raise Awareness on Climate Change Energy Star Certified Dryers Now Available Comment on the New E-Enterprise Portal February is American Heart Month EPA is raising awareness on the impact of air pollution on heart disease during American Heart Month. Heart attacks and strokes are on the decline thanks to the dedicated efforts of many health care professionals, scientists, and organizations on the front lines of cardiovascular research and health education. Most Americans know the major lifestyle factors that promote a healthy heart, but it is less known that exposure to air pollution is a risk factor for heart disease. EPA's Air Quality Index tells you how clean or polluted your outdoor air is to help you take action to protect your health. EPA's Healthy Heart Initiative was created to help inform citizens about the importance of clean air to cardiovascular health. Read a blog post by Dr. Wayne Cascio, Director of EPA’s Environmental Public Health Division, on how to protect your heart from air pollutionhere. http://go.usa.gov/3q8FW Watch EPA’s PSA on being smart to protect your heart here. http://youtu.be/yHXUPZCUuGs EPA Administrator and Winter Sports Industry Raise Awareness on Climate Change

2014 was the hottest year on record and the effects of climate change are already being felt in skiing communities as the winter season is becoming shorter. In communities that depend on skiing and winter tourism, climate risks become economic risks; winter tourism produces billions of dollars annually and that tourism is threatened by a changing climate.  Read an op-ed in Powder Magazine by EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and U.S. Winter Olympian and 5-time X-Games Medalist Gretchen Bleiler on how the winter recreation industry is taking action on climate here. http://bit.ly/1vuPX9r Energy Star Certified Dryers Now Available EPA recently announced that Energy Star certified clothes dryers are now available nationwide. Clothes dryers consume more energy than any other household appliance, and 80% of American homes have one. However, unlike washers, which have seen a 70% drop in energy use since 1990, the energy efficiency of most dryers has not improved. Now, most of the dryers that have earned the Energy Star label are at least 20% more efficientand available at prices comparable to standard dryers. Learn more about the new Energy Star certified dryers here. http://go.usa.gov/3qy6Y Comment on the New E-Enterprise Portal EPA, state, and tribal environmental agencies are working together to design a portal that functions as a point of access to information and tools. The portal will provide entry points for businesses and citizens to find environmental information about their community, interact with EPA, state and tribal environmental programs, and easily locate helpful web resources. Learn more about the E-Enterprise Portal and how to comment here.  http://go.usa.gov/3qG4R EPA is hosting separate webinars for co-regulators, regulated entities, and members of the public to learn more, ask questions, and voice opinions on how the portal works. The webinar for members of the public is on Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. EST. Register for the webinar here. http://go.usa.gov/3q8YY