News
from the Nicholas Institute
Subject
line: News from the Nicholas Institute
NI Update, Dec. 18, 2006
A brief roundup of news and information about the Nicholas Institute for Environmental
Policy Solutions at Duke University
1. A MODEL FOR CLEANER BUS FLEETS. The Nicholas Institute, working with MJ Bradley and Associates and with support from the Robertson Foundation, has developed a new decision-support model that lets fleet managers and transit specialists determine best-cost alternatives for reducing bus emissions. The model, called “Best Bus,” calculates the life cycle costs and life cycle emissions for a full fleet or a smaller subset, and enables the user to compare costs and benefits for different bus fuels and bus types on the market today, such as hybrids and clean natural gas. Flexible and dynamic, it allows the user to alter any input he enters, including number of buses, average speed and current fuel prices, to yield case-specific results. For more information or to download “Best Bus” from the Institute’s site, go here >.
2. WATER CONFERENCE ON TAP FOR 2007. Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt will be a keynote speaker at the Nicholas Institute conference, “The Future of Water in North Carolina: Strategies for Sustaining Abundant and Clean Water,” March 1, 2007, in Raleigh. The conference will bring together national and local experts to discuss what North Carolina’s leaders can do to protect the state’s water quality and make sure there will be enough clean water to meet the future needs of its rapidly growing population. Expert panels will focus on three key strategic areas: prioritization and conservation of natural infrastructure; incorporating realistic pricing and new ecosystem service valuation into water management; and making the most of regulatory leverage points. To learn more, go here >.
3. VIDEOS FROM D.C. LAUNCH NOW ONLINE. More than 400 people attended the launch of the Nicholas Institute’s D.C. office on Nov. 16 to hear what Sen. John McCain and our other featured speakers, electric utility executive Jeff Sterba, U.S. Rep. Tom Udall and former EPA head William Reilly, had to say about post-election prospects for enacting a limit on U.S. carbon emissions and passing new energy and climate legislation. We’ve loaded videos of their thought-provoking discussions online here >. Photos from the launch also are online >.
