Cherry Hill part of localized EPA program

At the national level, the federal government has plenty of greenhouse-gas statistics.

Experts can estimate how much methane or carbon dioxide is being released into the atmosphere by looking at the amount of oil being imported and the amount of coal being mined, among other factors.

But locally, data often is lacking to assess the size of a town's carbon footprint.

That could soon change.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has launched a pilot program in which communities will work on estimating how much they're polluting and then find a way to cut emissions.

"There's a lot that can be done at the local level," Judith Enck, the regional administrator for the EPA, said yesterday at a news conference in Cherry Hill. "Building codes and land-use decisions all have an impact. The goal is to create models that we can use all over the country."

Grant money totaling $10 million will be distributed to 25 projects, one of which is based in New Jersey and includes Cherry Hill, Montclair, and Highland Park.

Cherry Hill has instituted a number of environmental initiatives in recent years, including a recycling program that gives residents credit at local stores and restaurants, and the installation of energy-efficient streetlights. With the money from the EPA, that environmental campaign will be expanded, said Mayor Bernie Platt.

"We will be on the front lines to combat climate change," he said. "We will engage residents, businesses, and schools to reduce the air pollution we are responsible for every day."

Possible initiatives include encouraging residents to have their homes' energy use audited and to buy energy-efficient appliances, Enck said.

The grants come as the EPA looks to strengthen emissions-reporting rules for so-called "large emitters," a group that includes power plants and manufacturers.

At the local level, there is often a lack of knowledge about how much can be done to reduce emissions, said Randy Solomon, a senior adviser at the Municipal Land Use Center at the College of New Jersey.

"The capacity that exists in the municipalities varies greatly," he said. "In New York City, there's an office of sustainability with multiple Ph.D.s. In Highland Park, they don't have a professional planner or even two pennies to rub together."

Over the next year, the towns selected will be required to collect data on the effect their initiatives have had, which will be turned over to EPA for review.

"We can look at trends. We can figure out how many people in Cherry Hill got an energy audit," Enck said. "These energy-savings programs are underutilized. We're encouraging people to sign up."