CORRECTION - EPA Releases Air Data from Hillcrest Industries Fire

Press release:

EPA Releases Air Data from Hillcrest Industries Fire

Agency Creates New Web Page to Post Information

Contact: Mike Basile (716) 551-4410 or (646) 369-0055; basile.michael@epa.gov

(Buffalo, N.Y. – Sept. 27, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finished its evaluation of data from samples taken at the Hillcrest Industries site and surrounding community to measure for volatile organic compounds in the air. At EPA’s request, the data was also evaluated by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, an agency that advises EPA on health issues. The data and a map of sampling locations are on EPA’s web page at http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/removal/hillcrest/index.html

At the request of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, EPA took samples on September 13, 2012 at ten locations on the site and in the community surrounding the site. The samples were analyzed for 68 individual volatile organic compounds. Thirty one of those compounds were detected. Most were well below health based screening values. As expected, levels of those contaminants that were detected were higher on the site than in the surrounding community.

The data show elevated levels of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and styrene on top of the pile. This confirms previous air sampling showing that the burning pile is emitting these chemicals. Levels of these pollutants off the Hillcrest site were nearly all below health-based screening values. Levels of benzene in one off-site sample was elevated above the health-based screening values and suggest that benzene is possibly migrating off-site into the community.

“While the numbers we use in determining health risk are conservative, there is no doubt that benzene is bad for people and this data underscores the need to put this fire out as quickly as possible, which is what the EPA is now working to do,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “We have consulted with health experts and we will be suppressing dust and smoke from the site to minimize the amount of pollution leaving the immediate site and we will be doing further air monitoring.”

The EPA is setting up air monitors to test the air as it begins its work to break up the pile and extinguish the fire. The monitors will test for volatile organic compounds, such as benzene, and semi-volatile organic compounds, as well as particulate matter. This monitoring will begin Friday evening or Saturday morning.

While the work to break up the pile is going on, there may be an increase in visible smoke, steam or odors from the facility. Residents are advised that they may want to keep their windows closed and children, the elderly and people with respiratory conditions should avoid being outdoors if they see smoke.

The EPA has developed a web page to provide people with information about its response. The data discussed above is posted and future data and informational updates will be posted to the web site.

For more information, members of the community can contact Mike Basile at 646-369-0055 or visit the web: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/removal/hillcrest/index.html.

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EM Press Release: Task Order Awarded for Audit and Review Services

EM Press Release: Task Order Awarded for Audit and Review Services

EM Press Release: Cooperative Agreement Awarded

EM Press Release: Cooperative Agreement Awarded

U.S. Settles Clean Water Act Case for Wetlands Violations in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Press release:

U.S. Settles Clean Water Act Case for Wetlands Violations in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

            PHILADELPHIA (Sept. 28, 2012) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that Frederick W. Hertrich, III and his project manager, Charles Ernesto, will jointly pay a $100,000 penalty for violating the Clean Water Act at a site in Federalsburg, Caroline County, Md.
             The alleged violations at the 183-acre site occurred during the development of forested wetlands into pastureland for a horse farm that specializes in breeding racehorses. In creating the pastureland, the defendants impacted 56 acres of forested wetlands. The forested wetlands on the site are adjacent to the Houston Branch, a tributary of Marshyhope Creek in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
             The defendants completed restoration of the impacted wetlands in 2011. Restoration included planting over 11,000 seedlings comprised of native species in order to revegetate the site. Restoration also included filling in and revegetating the main drainage ditch excavated by the defendants. The ditch was approximately 8 to 10 feet wide, 3 to 5 feet deep and 1,200 feet in length, and intersected a tributary of Marshyhope Creek. By plugging the ditch, the site will be able to maintain the hydrology needed to ensure the success of the restoration activities.
             The settlement also requires Mr. Hertrich to place a deed restriction on approximately 80 acres of the property, limiting future activities that might threaten protected wetlands.

 “Wetlands play a powerful role in our environment. This case sends a clear message that regulatory agencies will take the steps necessary to secure compliance with wetlands regulations and remedy the harm caused by illegal activity,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “The wetlands involved in this case provided sediment and nutrient controls, which is especially important in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.”

The Chesapeake Bay is one of the most productive ecosystems on earth and is the largest estuary in the United States. Many of the Chesapeake Bay’s living resources depend on wetlands for their survival. Natural wetlands are also vital to protecting the integrity of our rivers and estuaries by providing a natural filtration system for pollution before it gets into rivers, lakes and ponds, and by preventing flooding after storms. While progress has been made in recent years to reverse the trend, wetlands continue to be threatened.

 Section 404 of the Clean Water Act requires persons wishing to discharge pollutants into wetlands to obtain a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE). The defendants in this case failed to apply for or receive a Section 404 permit. EPA worked closely with the COE and state authorities on this case after receiving a referral from the COE concerning wide-scale unpermitted activity at the site.  

 The proposed consent decree was filed in federal court on September 28, 2012 by the U.S. Department of Justice and is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval.

             More information about the settlement: http://www.epa.gov/enforcement/water/cases/frederick.html.

            For more information about wetlands and permitting requirements: http://www.epa.gov/owow/.

EM Press Release: DOE Awards Small Business Contract for Los Alamos National Laboratory Waste Handling Services

EM Press Release: DOE Awards Small Business Contract for Los Alamos National Laboratory Waste Handling Services

Rules to Curb Use of Paper and Plastic Shopping Bags

The following is an excerpt from an article in:


The New York Times
Saturday, September 29, 2012

Rules to Curb Use of Paper and Plastic Shopping Bags

By MATT RICHTEL

Bill Hoffman, owner of Aptos Jewelers in Aptos, Calif., sells bracelets, rings and pendants for thousands of dollars each. He balks at the notion of charging customers an extra 10 cents for a shopping bag, but Mr. Hoffman has no choice. It is the law.

Not just in Santa Cruz County, where Aptos is, but similar rules apply in more than two dozen California cities. Grocery stores, pharmacies and sometimes other retailers are no longer allowed to use plastic shopping bags and must charge customers for paper ones. Fees typically are 5 or 10 cents, and are aimed at nudging people to carry reusable bags when they shop.

California legislators have pushed for a statewide fee of up to 10 cents, coupled with a ban on plastic bags. The concept is sweeping across the most populous state two years after the District of Columbia adopted a 5-cent charge for paper and plastic. Similar laws are popping up in communities across the country.

But for consumers, it is also developing into something more than an environmental movement — it has become a kind of referendum of shopping culture at the cash register.

That is not by accident. Advocates for the movement (who now have their sights set on Manhattan) say they are trying to create a pointed reminder of waste by introducing a potential irritant to longstanding checkout choreography.

It strikes some retailers like Mr. Hoffman as insulting.

“I won’t ask 10 cents for a bag when somebody spends $10,000. That’s petty,” said Mr. Hoffman, who asked the county to exempt him from the 10-cent rule, which went into effect in March. The rule does not allow retailers to give away bags and build the charge into prices.

“Someone could walk in here with a cloth bag and carrots in it and stick their ring in it,” Mr. Hoffman said about the prospect of a person’s putting jewelry in a reusable bag. “That looks really good,” he added sarcastically.

Tim Goncharoff, a Santa Cruz County official who wrote the rule, said Mr. Hoffman’s exemption request had been denied on the grounds that complying would not create a hardship and that many other businesses had found a way to meet the requirement. Retailers risk a warning and then a fine of up to $500.

Mr. Goncharoff said the rules were intended to make people think about the wastefulness of single-use products.

For more, visit www.nytimes.com.

GE’s Expertise in Solving Complex Water Challenges for Reuse and Wastewater Treatment on Display at WEFTEC in New Orleans

Press release:

28 September 2012

GE’s Expertise in Solving Complex Water Challenges for Reuse and Wastewater Treatment on Display at WEFTEC in New Orleans

 

GE to Showcase Its Broad Portfolio Addressing Water and Wastewater Challenges to Diverse Industries from Its Water, Oil and Gas, Intelligent Platforms and Gas Engines Businesses

TREVOSE, PA.—September 28, 2012—GE (NYSE: GE) will display its advanced technologies, products and services that solve tough-to-treat water challenges at the world-leading WEFTEC 2012 conference, October 1-3, 2012, in New Orleans, La. During the show, GE will showcase its broad portfolio leveraging equipment, chemistries and services to help commercial and industrial customers address their pressing water resource needs.

“GE has a wide variety of advanced equipment designed to meet the water and wastewater needs of industries and municipalities. At this year’s WEFTEC, we will be spotlighting our ZeeWeed*, LEAPmbr*, electrodialysis reversal, analytical instruments and TrueSense* technologies, as well discussing how the adoption of water reuse practices can help reverse the risk of clean water scarcity,” said Paul Schuler, regional executive—water and process technologies for GE Power & Water.

Highlights of GE’s portfolio that will be on display during WEFTEC at Booth #4059 in Hall F include:

• GE’s water and process technologies business is focused on the major water-related challenges that are being faced by municipal and industrial customers—availability, quality, productivity, energy and the environment. Technologies on display include:

o ZeeWeed hollow-fiber membrane technology for ultrafiltration.
o Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) for virtually all wastewater treatment applications, including our next-generation MBR,LEAPmbr.

o Electrodialysis Reversal (EDR)—Self-cleaning, durable membrane system ideal for turbid wastewater.

o Analytical instruments—Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analyzers and other water quality measurement instruments.

o Lifecycle Services—Aftermarket services for ultrafiltration, MBR, reverse osmosis and EDR.

o TrueSense* advanced cooling solutions.

• GE Oil & Gas aeration solutions offer technologies to lower wastewater treatment plant operating costs while delivering the performance demanded by its customers today. Solutions on display include:

o The New Roots* Turbo blower—cost-effective, low-maintenance compressor product.
o Roots aeration controls case history details energy savings in excess of $350,000.
o The Roots EASYAIR* X2 system provides performance engineering in a standard blower package

• GE Intelligent Platforms is an experienced high-performance technology company and a global provider of software, control platforms, services and expertise in automation and embedded computing. It offers a unique foundation of agile and reliable technology providing customers a sustainable competitive advantage in the industries they serve, including water and wastewater.

• GE Power & Water's Gas Engines division sets the industry standard for flexible fuel capability, low emissions and high efficiency. It specializes in developing local power and gas compression solutions that deliver cleaner, more efficient, more affordable energy to customers around the world.

About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

About GE Power & Water

GE Power & Water provides customers with a broad array of power generation, energy delivery and water process technologies to solve their challenges locally. Power & Water works in all areas of the energy industry including renewable resources such as wind and solar; biogas and alternative fuels; and coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy. The business also develops advanced technologies to help solve the world’s most complex challenges related to water availability and quality. Numerous products are qualified under ecomagination, GE’s commitment to providing innovative solutions that maximize resources, drive efficiencies and help make the world work better. Power & Water’s seven business units include Aeroderivative Gas Turbines; Gas Engines; Nuclear Energy; Power Generation Services; Renewable Energy; Thermal Products and Water & Process Technologies. Headquartered in Schenectady, N.Y., Power & Water is GE’s largest industrial business.

Follow GE Power & Water, ecomagination and GE’s water business on Twitter @GE_PowerWater, @ecomagination and @GE_Water.

*Trademark of General Electric Company; may be registered in one or more countries.

EPA Releases Air Data from Hillcrest Industries Fire

Press release:

EPA Releases Air Data from Hillcrest Industries Fire

Agency Creates New Web Page to Post Information

Contact: Mike Basile (716) 551-4410 or (646) 369-0055; basile.michael@epa.gov

(Buffalo, New York – Sept. 28, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finished its evaluation of data from samples taken at the Hillcrest Industries site and surrounding community to measure for volatile organic compounds in the air. At EPA’s request, the data was also evaluated by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, an agency that advises EPA on health issues. The data and a map of sampling locations are on EPA’s web page at http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/removal/hillcrest/index.html.

At the request of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, EPA took samples on September 13, 2012 at ten locations on the site and in the community surrounding the site. The samples were analyzed for 68 individual volatile organic compounds. Thirty one of those compounds were detected. Most were well below health based screening values. As expected, levels of those contaminants detected were higher on the site than in the surrounding community.

The data show elevated levels of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and styrene on top of the pile. This confirms previous air sampling showing that the burning pile is emitting these chemicals. Levels of these pollutants off the Hillcrest site were nearly all below health-based screening values. Levels of benzene in two off-site samples were elevated above the health-based screening values and suggest that benzene is possibly migrating off-site into the community.

“While the numbers we use in determining health risk are conservative, there is no doubt that benzene is bad for people and this data underscores the need to put this fire out as quickly as possible, which is what the EPA is now working to do,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “We have consulted with health experts and we will be suppressing dust and smoke from the site to minimize the amount of pollution leaving the immediate site and we will be doing further air monitoring.”

The EPA is setting up air monitors to test the air as it begins its work to break up the pile and extinguish the fire. The monitors will test for volatile organic compounds, such as benzene, and semi-volatile organic compounds, as well as particulate matter. This monitoring will begin Friday evening or Saturday morning.

While the work to break up the pile is going on, there may be an increase in visible smoke, steam or odors from the facility. Residents are advised that they may want to keep their windows closed and children, the elderly and people with respiratory conditions should avoid being outdoors if they see smoke.

The EPA has developed a web page to provide people with information about its response. The data discussed above is posted and future data and informational updates will be posted to the web site.

For more information, members of the community can contact Mike Basile at 646-369-0055 or visit the web: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/removal/hillcrest/index.html.

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MONDAY: EPA Chief in New Orleans to Keynote Top Water Quality Conference

Press release:

MONDAY: EPA Chief in New Orleans to Keynote Top Water Quality Conference

WASHINGTON – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson will travel to New Orleans Monday to deliver the keynote address at the Water Environment Federation’s Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC), the largest annual water quality conference and exhibition in the world.

Administrator Jackson will speak on the progress made in ensuring clean water and emerging opportunities for innovation in water infrastructure. The year 2012 marks the 40^th anniversary of the Clean Water Act.

Prior to the her keynote, Jackson will also join U.S. Department of Commerce Under Secretary for International Trade Francisco Sánchez to officially launch the U.S. Environmental Technologies Export Initiative. This new initiative is designed to foster greater interagency collaboration in U.S. government trade, technology exports, and international environmental activities. The initiative launch is scheduled for 9:45 a.m. in the WEFTEC Global Center, Hall G, New Orleans Morial Convention Center.

   What:   Administrator Jackson to deliver WEFTEC keynote address: “40 Years of Clean Water and Innovation for Tomorrow”

   When:  Monday, October 1, 2012: 10:30 a.m. 

 Where: New Orleans Theatre, Level 2, New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

Complimentary registration is available for credentialed media representatives. Please contact Lori Harrison at 703-216-8565 or lharrison@wef.org.

More information: http://www.weftec.org/

###

Navy Agrees to Fixes to Public Water Supply at DC Military Base

Press release:

Navy Agrees to Fixes to Public Water Supply at DC Military Base

PHILADELPHIA (September 28, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has signed a Safe Drinking Water Act administrative consent order with the U.S. Navy, and Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) to take corrective action protecting the public water supply at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, a combined Navy-Air Force facility in Washington, D.C.

The order requires the Navy and WSSC to submit and implement a plan to correct significant deficiencies identified in 2008 and 2011 surveys of the base’s public water supply by EPA and its contractors. These deficiencies include management issues and the flooding of three vaults containing meters due to possible leaking pipes or high ground water. The water system also expanded its capacity without notifying EPA as required by Safe Drinking Water Act regulations.

The Navy and WSSC, owners of the public water system serving the Bolling side of the base, are required to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act and its implementing regulations. WSSC also operates the system as a contract operator. Under the order, the Navy and WSSC must notify customers about the violations, and submit quarterly progress reports to EPA.

EPA’s drinking water regulations require public water suppliers to regularly monitor for drinking water contaminants and sufficiently maintain water infrastructure to minimize risk of contamination. As part of the effort to ensure safe and reliable drinking water for the Base’s personnel and visitors, EPA and its contractors conduct onsite reviews, called sanitary surveys, of the water system’s facilities, equipment, operation, maintenance, and compliance with federal requirements.

United States Air Force to Pay $12,823 Penalty for Underground Storage Tank Violations in Nebraska

Press release:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

901 N. Fifth St., Kansas City, KS 66101

Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations

United States Air Force to Pay $12,823 Penalty for Underground Storage Tank Violations in Nebraska

Contact Information: Ben Washburn, 913-551-7364, washburn.ben@epa.gov

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., Sept. 28, 2012) - The United States Air Force has agreed to pay a $12,823 penalty to the United States for Underground Storage Tank (UST) violations in three Nebraska counties. The violations occurred at Air Force facilities in western Nebraska.

In addition to paying the civil penalty, the Air Force is required to conduct a tank tightness test to determine if one of the USTs is leaking. The Air Force is unable to account for 1,490 gallons of diesel fuel in that tank.

According to an administrative consent agreement and final order filed by EPA Region 7 in Kansas City, Kan., routine inspections of the facilities discovered the violations, some of which were repeat violations.

The violations included failure to provide overfill protection for an existing tank, failure to conduct annual inspections of the corrosion protection system, and failure to report a suspected release to the implementing agency.

By agreeing to the settlement with EPA, the United States Air Force has certified that it is now in compliance with all requirements of the RCRA regulations.

# # #

Florida International University to Collaborate with EPA on Green Initiatives

Press release:


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2012

Florida International University to Collaborate with EPA on Green Initiatives

Contact: Davina Marraccini, 404-562-8293 (direct), 404-562-8400 (main), marraccini.davina@epa.gov

ATLANTA – During a ceremony today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) entered into an agreement with Florida International University (FIU) to support campus greening and sustainability. As part of the agreement, EPA commits to enhance the university’s environmental research and science curricula and offer opportunities for students interested in environmental careers.

“EPA recognizes the need to develop a diverse pool of well-qualified graduates interested in environmental careers,” said Gwen Keyes Fleming, Regional Administrator for EPA Region 4. “We are excited about the opportunities this MOU presents to work with FIU’s culturally diverse faculty and student body to advance environmental research, education and sustainable practices.”

Through the MOU, EPA expects to partner with FIU on research related to a variety of topics, from water quality and climate change to pesticides and toxins, ecosystems, sustainability and natural resource management. Two primary areas of research focus include integrated ecotoxicology and risk assessment, along with coastal wetlands and ocean ecosystems. Two geographic areas of focus include the Florida Keys and the Everglades.

“FIU has a long-standing history of environmental initiatives and sustainable practices. Our agreement with the EPA will help us to elevate those programs and create new opportunities for our students,” said FIU Provost Douglas Wartzok.

The MOU outlines several formal mentoring, internship, fellowship and workforce development programs designed to pair EPA staff with FIU students, faculty and staff. These programs will be designed to engage underrepresented minority students in applied research and work experiences in EPA technical areas of need.

Since 1970, the stated mission of the EPA has been to protect human health and the environment. EPA has a consistent demand for highly trained, diverse professionals with science, engineering, administrative, and other technological skills to fulfill its mission. Based on data from the United States Department of Education, the number of students pursuing science and other related technological careers is decreasing. This MOU is intended to help to address the dwindling participation of students in environmental fields of study, and to help EPA attract a workforce that is as diverse as the public served.

Connect with EPA Region 4 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion4

And on Twitter: @USEPASoutheast

EPA Announces Remediation Plan for a Part of American Cyanamid Superfund Site in Bridgewater Township, N.J.

Press release:

EPA Announces Remediation Plan for a Part of American Cyanamid Superfund Site in Bridgewater Township, N.J.

Contact: Elias Rodriguez, 212-637-3664, rodriguez.elias@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – Sept. 28, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized its plan to clean up contaminated soil, ground water and six waste disposal areas at the American Cyanamid Superfund Site in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey, located adjacent to the Raritan River. The soil, ground water and waste disposal areas, called impoundments, are contaminated with volatile organic compounds and other hazardous materials. The ground water underlying the site is highly contaminated with benzene. Many volatile organic compounds are known to cause cancer in animals and benzene can cause cancer in people. The extent and nature of potential health effects depend on many factors, including the level and how long people may be exposed to the contaminants. Residents within the area impacted by the contaminated ground water are serviced by a public water supply that provides a clean source of drinking water.

The final cleanup plan announced today addresses contaminated soil and impoundment material at the site in addition to contaminated ground water. The plan was first proposed to the public in February 2012. The EPA held a public meeting and took public comment for 90 days. The EPA reviewed the extensive public comments submitted and has prepared detailed responses to these comments, which can be found on the EPA’s web site at http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/american_cyanamid.

"The cleanup work at the American Cyanamid site will be accelerated by this final plan," said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. "The cleanup plan will protect the health of people living in the area and will move us closer to completing this important cleanup.”

The EPA cleanup plan focuses on contaminated soil, ground water, and six waste disposal areas (called impoundments 3, 4, 5, 13, 17 and 24). Two additional impoundments (called impoundments 1 and 2) will be addressed under a separate cleanup plan, which will be available for public review in 2013.

The highly toxic material in Impoundments 3, 4, and 5 will be treated in their current locations by introducing a mixing agent into the waste to make it more solid and prevent movement. This treatment method is a proven technology that immobilizes contaminants to prevent their migration. After it is treated, the waste disposal areas will be covered with a system that captures and treats air pollutants and prevents them from escaping into the air.

The soil at the site will be addressed using three different methods depending on the extent of the pollution in the soil. Soil that consists of highly hazardous materials similar to the waste within Impoundments 3, 4, and 5 will be excavated and placed into these three impoundments for treatment along with the existing waste. Soil containing volatile compounds that have the potential to spread into the air will be covered with a vapor control barrier and system to prevent the release of vapors into the air. Soil that has a lower level of pollution will be covered by a 24-inch thick engineered cap that will serve as a barrier that prevents direct contact. Additionally, the EPA will conduct an ecological study of the waste in Impoundments 13, 17 and 24 to confirm the appropriate management of these materials.

A currently operating ground water collection system, which has already treated billions of gallons of contaminated ground water at the site, will be improved by relocating the primary extraction wells to a more central location. Several new extraction wells will be added to enhance the efficiency of the ground water collection system. In addition, a recovery system for collecting and treating shallow contaminated ground water from portions of the site will be constructed at several locations. This system will prevent contaminated ground water from seeping into the Raritan River, Cuckel’s (or Cuckhold’s) Brook, and Middle Brook. The details of these improvements will be developed during the remedial design phase of the cleanup project. All ground water collected at the site will be treated.

The final plan selected also calls for the placement of controls such as legal restrictions on land use to minimize the potential of future exposure and to ensure that the cleanup measures are not disturbed. Throughout the cleanup, monitoring will be conducted to ensure the effectiveness of the remedy. The EPA will conduct periodic reviews to ensure that the cleanup remains protective of public health and the environment.

The American Cyanamid Superfund site has a history of industrial pollution dating back to 1915. For nearly 100 years, prior owners used the location for manufacturing chemicals. A number of impoundments were constructed and used for waste storage and disposal throughout this time period, which eventually resulted in impacts to soil and ground water. The site was placed on the federal Superfund list in 1983 after hazardous chemicals were found in the impoundments, soil, and ground water. In 1998, the EPA removed 140 acres of the site from the Superfund list. That land was made available for redevelopment and now includes the TD Bank Ballpark Stadium and the Bridgewater Promenade shopping center.

Superfund is the federal cleanup program established by Congress in 1980 to investigate and clean up the country’s most hazardous sites. The Superfund program operates on the principle that polluters should pay for the cleanups, rather than passing the costs to taxpayers. When sites are placed on the Superfund list, the EPA looks for parties responsible for the pollution and requires them to pay for the cleanups. In 2009, Pfizer Inc. assumed responsibility for the American Cyanamid site as part of its purchase of the Wyeth Holdings Corporation, a prior owner. The estimated cost of the cleanup is $205 million.

Visit EPA's webpage for additional information about the site or to view the Record of Decision: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/american_cyanamid.

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EPA Releases Plan to Remove Lead at Raritan Bay Superfund Site in Old Bridge and Sayreville, New Jersey

Press release:

EPA Releases Plan to Remove Lead at Raritan Bay Superfund Site in

Old Bridge and Sayreville, New Jersey

Public Hearing to Take Place Oct. 17 in Old Bridge

Contact: Elias Rodriguez, 212-637-3664, rodriguez.elias@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – Sept. 28, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing a plan to clean up lead contamination at the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund Site in Old Bridge and Sayreville, New Jersey. Lead is a toxic metal that is especially dangerous to children because their growing bodies can absorb more of it than adults. Even at low levels, lead in children can result in I.Q. deficiencies, reading and learning disabilities, reduced attention spans, hyperactivity and other behavioral problems.

The Raritan Bay Slag site consists of three sectors that contain lead slag, a byproduct of metal smelting. This lead slag was used to construct a seawall and a jetty along the southern shore of the Raritan Bay in Old Bridge and Sayreville. The first sector is the Laurence Harbor seawall, adjacent to the Old Bridge Waterfront Park in the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge Township. The second sector consists of the western jetty in Sayreville and extends from the Cheesequake Creek Inlet into Raritan Bay. The third sector is Margaret’s Creek and is approximately 50 acres and has elevated lead levels along with areas of slag and battery casings. The EPA proposed plan will address contamination in all three sectors.

The EPA will hold a public meeting on October 17, 2012 to explain the proposed plan and is encouraging public comments. The meeting will be held at 7:00 pm at the George Bush Senior Center, 1 Old Bridge Plaza, Old Bridge, NJ, 08857. Comments will be accepted until October 29, 2012.

“This goal of this is to clean up this site so that everyone, especially the children of this community, will be able to safely enjoy the beach,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “By reducing the high concentrations of lead present at the site, we will protect people’s health. The EPA encourages the public to attend the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund site meeting on October 17 and share their views on the proposed plan.”

In 2007, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) took soil samples along the southern shoreline of the Raritan Bay adjacent to the Old Bridge Waterfront Park and found high concentrations of lead. As a result of these findings, NJDEP worked closely with Old Bridge officials to notify the public about health concerns stemming from the lead waste material and restricted access through signs and some fencing. After more sampling, done by the EPA, the Raritan Bay Slag site was put on the federal Superfund list in November 2009. The EPA put up public warning notices in the areas of concern, warning of the threat posed by the elevated levels of lead. Additionally, security fencing has been installed to restrict access.

The EPA conducted an in-depth investigation of the contamination to determine how best to clean it up over the long term. In February 2012, the EPA issued the results from its extensive sampling and investigation confirming concentrations of lead and other heavy metals in the three sectors of concern and concluded that exposure to the contaminants poses a risk to people’s health and the environment.

For both the Laurence Harbor seawall and the western jetty areas, contaminated soil, sediment and waste including slag and battery casings will be dug up or dredged and the material will be disposed at facilities licensed to handle hazardous waste. Excavated areas will be restored with clean fill.

Within the Margaret’s Creek sector, the EPA is proposing to remove slag and battery casings, along with areas of contaminated soil associated with these materials. Clean fill will be placed as needed in the excavated areas. Throughout the cleanup, monitoring and testing will be conducted to ensure that public health and the environment are protected.

The Superfund program operates on the principle that polluters should pay for the cleanups, rather than passing the costs to taxpayers. After sites are placed on the Superfund list of the most contaminated waste sites, the EPA searches for parties responsible for the contamination and holds them accountable for the costs of investigations and cleanups. NL Industries has been identified as potentially liable for the cost of cleanup.

Written comments may be mailed or emailed to:

Tanya Mitchell, Remedial Project Manager

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 2

290 Broadway - 19^th Floor

New York, N.Y. 10007-1866

(212) 637-4362

mitchell.tanya@epa.gov

          

For more information on the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund Site, visit: http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/raritanbayslag.

For a Google Earth aerial view of the Raritan Bay Slag site: http://www.epa.gov/region2/kml/raritan_bay_slag_site.kmz. (Please note that you must have Google Earth installed on your computer to view the map. To download Google Earth, visit http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html. To find out more information on the site, go to: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/raritanbayslag/.

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EPA Orders Swamp Angel Energy to Pay Penalty for Unauthorized Disposal of Brine Waste

Press release:

EPA Orders Swamp Angel Energy to Pay Penalty for Unauthorized Disposal of Brine Waste  

PHILADELPHIA (September 28, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced a Consent Agreement and Final Order requiring Swamp Angel Energy, LLC, to pay a civil penalty of $54,324 and plug a well that was used illegally for dumping oil production brine waste. The well is located in Pennsylvania’s Allegheny National Forest where Swamp Angel operates oil production wells.

 EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) complaint alleged that in 2007 and 2008, a former part-owner of Swamp Angel and a former site supervisor dumped approximately 228,000 gallons of contaminated brine into two pre-existing wells in the Allegheny National Forest without a permit. Wastewater from Swamp Angel’s oil production wells in the ANF was supposed to be disposed of at an authorized treatment facility.

 Since then, Swamp Angel applied for and received a SDWA permit from EPA to use one of the wells for disposal of brine generated during oil production. As part of the settlement, Swamp Angel will plug the other well to prevent contamination of underground sources of drinking water.

 The SDWA’s Underground Injection Control Program seeks to protect underground sources of drinking water from unpermitted disposal of wastes underground. The use of these two wells for brine disposal raised particular concern because EPA was provided little information about the wells’ construction, condition or integrity, and had not granted a permit or authorization.

 Proper plugging of the remaining unpermitted well will prevent the potential for oil and gas wastes to flow between the oil formations up into an underground source of drinking water, or for surface contamination to flow into the well and migrate into underground formations.

In 2010, a criminal case involving the company's former part-owner and site supervisor was resolved when these individuals pled guilty to violating the SDWA through the illegal disposal of brine into these wells in 2007 and 2008. The owner received 10 months of home detention, three years probation, a $5,000 fine, and 100 hours of community service.

Swamp Angel’s former site supervisor was sentenced to eight months home detention, three years probation, a $4,000 fine, and 80 hours of community service.   

Swamp Angel is headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. As part of the administrative settlement, the company did not admit or deny the violations.

Maine to Receive Over $4 Million in EPA Brownfields Grants

Press release:

News Release
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
New England Regional Office
September 28, 2012

Contact: EPA Public Affairs, (617) 918-1010

Maine to Receive Over $4 Million in EPA Brownfields Grants

(Boston, Mass. – September 28, 2012) – Today EPA announced nine Maine organizations will receive  $4.3  million in EPA brownfields grants. The funds are a combination of assessment, cleanup and revolving loan fund (RLF) grants.

 “This is important federal funding that will help communities clean up contaminated sites so they can be redeveloped. Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said. Without this funding, many of these pieces of property would go unused and remain a burden to the community.   Cleaning up these sites means they can be put back into use and stimulate the local economy.”

The goal of EPA Brownfields grants is to lead to the clean up & sustainable redevelopment of Brownfields sites, thus improving the economy and quality of life in American communities. The funding is part of more than $17 million in EPA Brownfields investments across the six New England states announced by EPA in 2012.

“EPA Brownfields funding helps strengthen the economic foundation and is a catalyst for further growth in our communities,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA New England’s office. “Cleaning and revitalizing contaminated sites helps create jobs, and can help a community to create new businesses and neighborhood centers, while making our environment cleaner and the community healthier.”

Since the beginning of EPA’s Brownfields Program, in New England alone EPA has awarded 296 assessment grants totaling $72.7 million, 62 revolving loan fund grants and supplemental funding totaling $68.4 million and 213 cleanup grants totaling $47 million.  These grant funds have paved the way for more than $1.45 billion in public and private cleanup and redevelopment investment and for 9,756 jobs in assessment, cleanup, construction and redevelopment on over 2200 sites across New England.

Sanford Town Manager Steven R. Buck said “The Brownfields Program has allowed the creation of a three way partnership with EPA providing the funding and guidance; the Town of Sanford working as the facilitator and resource manager of the program and private enterprise investing in the long term future of Sanford’s economy.  Absent this partnership with EPA, Sanford would not likely have developed its current Plan to address environmentally sensitive properties that might otherwise not be redeveloped and put back into productive use.”
Nationally, the figures are impressive: As of August 2012, EPA’s Brownfields assistance has leveraged more than $18.3 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funding from a variety of public and private sources and helped create approximately 76,500 jobs. More than 18,500 properties have been assessed, and over 750 properties have been cleaned up. These investments and jobs target local, under-served and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods – places where environmental cleanups and new jobs are most needed.

Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society: a first time grantee, will be receiving $200,000 to remediate a property known as Central Hall.  The property is located within the downtown business district of Dover-Foxcroft.  It will be redeveloped into a new community center, adult day services and senior center. 

Northern Maine Development Commission (located in Caribou, ME):  the Commission will be receiving $400,000 in assessment funds to provide critical funding for Aroostook County as they move forward with the HUD Sustainable Community Planning grant.   This organization has had previous assessment grants and has a current revolving loan fund grant. 

Old Town:  Old Town, a first time grantee, will be receiving three cleanup grants valued at $600,000 to remediate three parcels associated with the Old Town Canoe Factory site.  It is the most visible site with the most redevelopment potential in the downtown area.   

Piscataquis County Economic Development Council (located in Dover-Foxcroft):  The Economic Development Council is being awarded $800,000 in funds to capitalize a revolving loan fund.  The EDC serves 17 towns in central Maine and is located in Dover-Foxcroft.  In the past, they have been awarded an assessment grant. 
Rockland: a first time grantee, is being awarded $400,000 in assessment funds to inventory and assess brownfields sites.  Their focus will be on the downtown waterfront area which has a long and varied history of marine industrial use. 

Sanford:  This year Sanford is being awarded a total of $800,000.  This total includes $400,000 in assessment funds to help the Town implement its EPA-funded areawide plan for brownfields in the Millyard District.  The other $400,000 will fund cleanups of two properties in Town. The Millyard Road property is located in the heart of the Millyard District, and its revitalization will promote open space access, transportation choice, and redevelopment of the Millyard.  Cleanup of the CGA site will address contaminated soils, hazardous building materials, and other hazards to allow the site to be redeveloped for commercial/industrial re-use.

Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission (located in Springvale, ME):  The Planning Commission is being awarded $500,000 to expand its highly successful Revolving Loan Fund program.  SMRPC has a proven track record of working with municipalities, non-profits, and private developers to clean up and revitalize brownfields throughout its service area in York and Oxford Counties.

Washington County Council of Governments (located in Calais, Maine):  The Council of Governments is receiving an assessment grant valued at $400,000.  They received a previous assessment grant in 2009 and the new award will allow them to continue to assess sites in Calais, Eastport and Machias as well as perform remediation planning. 

Wilton:  a first time grantee, will receive $200,000 in clean up funding to remediate the former Wilton Tanning Company property.  It is anticipated that the building will be used for commercial activities after the remediation. 
More Information on EPA’s Brownfields program in New England: http://epa.gov/region1/brownfields/index.html # # #

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Raising Frogs for Freedom, Prison Project Opens Doors

The following is an excerpt from an article in:


The New York Times
Friday, September 28, 2012

Raising Frogs for Freedom, Prison Project Opens Doors

By KIRK JOHNSON

LITTLEROCK, Wash. — The birdman of Alcatraz became famous. But the frogmen of Cedar Creek are still anonymous beyond the tiny cult world of amphibian science. For now, they say.

Mat Henson, 25, serving a four-and-a-half-year sentence for robbery and assault, and his research partner, Taylor Davis, 29, who landed in the Cedar Creek Corrections Center here in central Washington for stealing cars, raised about 250 Oregon spotted frogs in the prison yard this summer.

Working with biologists, Mr. Henson is now helping write a scientific curriculum for other frog-raisers, in prison or out. A previous inmate in the program, released some years ago, is finishing his Ph.D. in molecular biology.

When asked about his plans after he is released from prison in 2014, Mr. Henson paused only a moment. “Bioengineering,” he said.

The state program that connected the dots — or rather the felons and the frogs — is called Sustainability in Prisons. Nationally, it is unique in enlisting inmates to help rescue imperiled species like the Oregon spotted frog, which is threatened across much of its range. Who really gets saved, though, is an open question.

“A prison, when you stop to think about it, is a place that should be able to contribute beyond just locking people up,” said Dan Pacholke, the Washington State director of prisons, who helped found the project in 2004 when he was superintendent at Cedar Creek, a minimum-security 500-bed prison. He still jointly directs the project from his office in the capital, Olympia.

The program’s broader goal of bringing nature and sustainable practices to prisons is echoed across the nation as states seek ways to run prisons more cost-effectively.

Utilitarian practicality led Wisconsin in 2008 to begin having inmates grow much of their own food. And federal energy rules are pushing the goal of zero-net energy use in federal prisons by 2030.

Indiana and Massachusetts have become aggressive in reducing energy and water consumption and waste in their prisons, and tough renewable energy mandates in California are pushing alternative generation and conservation at prisons there, said Paul Sheldon, a senior adviser at Natural Capitalism Solutions, a Colorado-based nonprofit that works with government agencies and companies on sustainability issues.

Mr. Pacholke can rattle off statistics. The amount of waste generated per offender in Washington State has fallen from 2.9 pounds a day in 2004 to 1.5 last year through inmate-operated recycling and composting.

Because of practices like collecting rainwater, use of potable water has dropped by 100 million gallons a year even as inmate populations have increased.

But Washington State’s overlay of science — offenders in four state prisons work on projects involving the spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa), wild prairie grasses and butterflies — is also addressing a budget gap in habitat restoration and ecology.

For more, visit www.nytimes.com.

Agreement Secures $25 Million Cleanup for the Rio Tinto Mine in Nevada

Press release:

State of Nevada, U.S. EPA and Shoshone Paiute Tribes to oversee cleanup, creek improvement

SAN FRANCISCO – The Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection announced a $25 million agreement for the cleanup of the Rio Tinto Mine, an abandoned copper mine in Elko County, Nev. Four companies have agreed to pay for the environmental project.

The state of Nevada will oversee the cleanup with input from EPA and the Shoshone Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley. The four corporations financing the cleanup, Atlantic Richfield Company, DuPont and Company, The Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company and Teck American Inc. are corporate successors to companies that operated the mine from 1932 to 1976. A fifth entity, Mountain City Remediation, has been created by the four defendants to conduct the cleanup.

Under the terms of the agreement, the defendants agreed to remove mine tailings from Mill Creek, improve the creek to support the redband trout, and improve water quality in Mill Creek and the East Fork Owyhee River. The defendants will also pay for the Shoshone Paiute Tribes to monitor the cleanup. The companies are required to provide robust performance guarantees including payments to a trust account they will use to implement the cleanup.

“This agreement will result in the cleanup of mine contamination, protection of Nevada’s Owyhee River, and the restoration of a natural and cultural resource that is invaluable to the Shoshone Paiute people,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice. “This significant effort demonstrates a spirit of collaboration and commitment to environmental and natural resource protection that we share with our federal, state and tribal partners.”

“This project is a great example of federal, state and tribal agencies working side-by-side to reach a cleanup agreement with private parties,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “The companies will not only clean up mine tailings, but also enhance the habitat for redband trout.

“To the Shoshone Paiute people, the redband trout is not merely a species to be considered; it is a cultural resource. And the habitat for the trout must be protected as well,” said Terry Gibson, Tribal Chairman. “The cleanup effort at the Rio Tinto Mine is very encouraging, and is an essential step to restoring and protecting these cultural resources, not only for today, but for generations to come."

“The efforts of federal, state and tribal agencies over the past few years have culminated in a settlement designed to improve significant cultural and natural resources of Nevada,” said Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto. “In addition, we believe this project will bring an economic benefit to Elko County.”

“We are really pleased to see a final agreement between all of the parties and to have work begin at this site,” stated Nevada Department of Environmental Protection Administrator, Colleen Cripps.

The consent decree, a formal settlement under the federal Superfund law, will be posted in the Federal Register and will be available for public comment for a period of 30 days. The consent decree will be available to be viewed on the Justice Department website: www.justice.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html.

The Rio Tinto Mine site is located approximately 2.5 miles south of Mountain City on Mill Creek, a tributary of the East Fork Owyhee River.

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BP Products North America to Improve Spill Response Preparedness at Oil Terminals Nationwide

Press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2012

BP Products North America to Improve Spill Response Preparedness at Oil Terminals Nationwide
Company also agrees to pay $210,000 penalty for oil spill response violations at Maryland facility

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice announced that BP Products North America, Inc. will pay a $210,000 penalty and implement an enhanced oil spill response program at its oil terminals nationwide, as well as a comprehensive compliance audit to resolve alleged violations of oil spill response regulations at its Curtis Bay Terminal in Md. The enhanced oil spill response program will help ensure that BP’s oil terminals are better prepared to respond to oil spills that could affect people's health and the environment.

EPA alleged that BP Products violated federal regulations requiring oil storage facilities to conduct drills and exercises to respond to oil spills at its Curtis Bay Terminal. The civil penalty is EPA’s highest to date for violations of oil drills and exercises requirements where there was no discharge of oil.
"Being prepared to respond to an oil spill can be the difference between dealing with a small, contained event or a full-blown environmental disaster," said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “After twice failing to pass oil spill response exercises at its Curtis Bay facility, under the settlement, BP is required to put preventative measures into place at all of its terminals nationwide that will reduce the threat of oil spills and protect our nation’s valuable waterways. These measures also raise the bar for forward-looking companies seeking to ensure that their facilities are ready to respond quickly in the event of a spill.”

“This agreement will help BP Products strengthen its spill response capabilities across the nation at 33 onshore oil terminals, implementing enhanced oil spill response measures, and requiring an independent auditor to evaluate a dozen high-risk onshore facilities for their readiness to respond to oil spills,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, assistant attorney general for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice. “Taking these steps will help instill a culture of readiness and preparedness that will help protect many communities, and the natural resources upon which they rely, from future harm.”

Under the settlement filed today in federal court by the U.S. Department of Justice, BP Products will implement a first-of-its-kind program of spill prevention measures at its 33 non-refinery petroleum products terminals across the country.

As part of this program, the company will review and revise response plans for these facilities to ensure safeguards are tailored to the conditions at each facility. BP Products will also perform enhanced training, drills and exercises, exceeding regulatory requirements, and will repeat any failed drills and exercises within 90 days.

In addition, BP Products has agreed to an independent compliance audit of 12 of its marine and high-risk petroleum product terminal facilities. The audits will ensure that each audited facility is in compliance with spill response requirements, and to evaluate whether the facilities have resources to respond to major spills. The results of the compliance audits will also be incorporated into the enhanced spill prevention and response program being implemented at all of BP’s petroleum terminals.

EPA and the U.S. Coast Guard twice conducted unannounced government-initiated oil spill response exercises at the Curtis Bay Terminal. During these exercises, BP Products was required to demonstrate its response to a small scale discharge of fuel oil from the facility into Curtis Creek by being prepared to deploy 1,000 feet of oil containment boom within one hour and subsequently deploying the boom. On both occasions, the company did not complete the exercise in the allotted time and failed to adequately deploy the containment boom.

The Curtis Bay Terminal, which can store about 22 million gallons of oil, is located less than a quarter mile from Curtis Creek, a tributary of Curtis Bay, the Patapsco River, and the Chesapeake Bay.

High-risk onshore facilities that store oil, such as the Curtis Bay Terminal, must have a plan for responding to oil spills that includes employee training, spill response equipment, and a “worst case” contingency plan for containing and cleaning up spills.

Based on the failed drills, EPA cited the company for failing to adequately implement a response plan, failing to identify sufficient spill response resources at the facility, and deficiencies in the facility’s training, drills and exercises program.

The proposed consent decree is subject to a 30 day public comment period and final court approval.

More information about the settlement: http://www.epa.gov/enforcement/water/cases/curtisbay.html

More information about EPA’s Federal Response Plan requirements: http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/frps/index.htm

More about the Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure requirement: http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/spcc/index.htm

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