EPA Grants to Help Two Puerto Rico Communities Boost Recycling and Composting and Reduce Water Pollution

EPA Press Release:

EPA Grants to Help Two Puerto Rico Communities

Boost Recycling and Composting and Reduce Water Pollution

Grants Will Fund Education Initiatives in San Juan and Loiza

Contact: John Martin, (212) 637-3662, martin.johnj@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – December 28, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded nearly $50,000 to two Puerto Rico organizations, Leaders of the World and the Scuba Dogs Society, to educate low-income communities about effective waste management, recycling and the negative effects of improper waste disposal on people’s health and water quality. The grant was awarded under the EPA’s Environmental Justice Small Grants Program, which supports and empowers communities working on solutions to local environmental and public health issues.

“EPA environmental justice grants provide much needed funds to tackle local pollution problems in low income communities," said Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. "Puerto Rico is facing a solid waste crisis. These grants will encourage community members to become active participants in efforts to reduce waste through waste reduction, recycling and composting.”

Using a $25,000 EPA environmental justice grant, Leaders for the World Inc. will educate young adults in San Juan’s Cantera Peninsula about the harmful effects that improper waste disposal has on the ecosystem of Cantera’s lagoon system and the local community. Leaders of the World will work with the community to monitor water quality, conserve and restore local wetlands and other areas of the ecosystem and prevent water pollution.

The Scuba Dogs Society, Inc. will use a $24,286 EPA environmental justice grant to educate residents of Loiza about the serious impacts of illegal dumping on nearby water bodies and the deficiencies of local waste management services. Through a hands-on educational program, workshops and direct assistance, the Scuba Dogs Society will work with Loiza residents, many of whom are subsistence fishers, to properly manage waste and to recycle. The program will also educate residents about the effect marine debris has on local waterways.

Since 1994, the EPA’s environmental justice small grants program has supported projects to address environmental justice issues in more than 1,300 communities. The grants represent EPA’s continued commitment to expand the conversation on environmentalism and advance environmental justice in communities across the nation.

2012 EJ Small Grant recipients and project descriptions: http://www.epa.govenvironmentaljustice/resources/publications/grants/ej-smgrants-recipients-2012.pdf.

More information about EPA’s Environmental Justice Small Grants program: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/grants/ej-smgrants.html.

Request for Proposals (RFP) for the FY 2013 Environmental Justice Small Grants and schedule of pre-application teleconference calls: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/resources/publications/grants/ej-smgrants-rfp-2013.pdf.

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EPA Environmental Justice Grant Will Help Train Syracuse Area Residents About How to Reduce Asthma Attacks and Protect Against Lead Poisoning

EPA Press Release:

EPA Environmental Justice Grant Will Help Train Syracuse Area Residents About How to Reduce Asthma Attacks and Protect Against Lead Poisoning

Contact: John Martin 212 637-3662; martin.johnj@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – December 28, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded nearly $25,000 to the Onondaga Environmental Institute to train and certify central New York area residents to perform environmental jobs. Under the grant, the institute will also hold four community meetings to educate people about environmental hazards in the home, with an emphasis on lead and pollutants that trigger asthma attacks. Childhood lead poisoning is particularly a problem in low income neighborhoods in Syracuse.

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 of exposure, lead can result in I.Q. deficiencies, reading and learning disabilities, reduced attention spans, hyperactivity and other behavioral problems.

“EPA environmental justice grants provide much needed funds to tackle local pollution problems in low income communities," said Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. "Lead poisoning remains one of the most prevalent threats to children's health but it is also one of the most preventable. Increasing public awareness about lead paint and asthma triggers will protect health, particularly children’s health.”

It is estimated that three-quarters of U.S. residential dwellings built before 1978 contain some lead-based paint and 93 percent of housing in Syracuse is pre-1978. Using the EPA grant, the Onondaga Environmental Institute will work to reduce local lead poisoning levels and asthma hospitalization incidents by raising awareness and training residents on lead and asthma prevention practices.

The Onondaga Environmental Institute will also work with the L&M Training Center and State University of New York Education Opportunity Center to train and certify local residents in the skills needed for environmental jobs. The classes will instruct participants on occupational safety and health in construction work, EPA requirements on renovations, repairs and painting activities that disturb lead paint and the New York State Department of Health’s asbestos work safety requirements. After the free four-week training, certified workers will be connected with a local network that employs qualified workers.

Since 1994, EPA’s environmental justice small grants program has supported projects to address environmental justice issues in more than 1,300 communities. The grants represent EPA’s continued commitment to expand the conversation on environmentalism and advance environmental justice in communities across the nation.

2012 EJ Small Grant recipients and project descriptions: http://www.epa.govenvironmentaljustice/resources/publications/grants/ej-smgrants-recipients-2012.pdf.

More information about EPA’s Environmental Justice Small Grants program: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/grants/ej-smgrants.html.

Request for Proposals (RFP) for the FY 2013 Environmental Justice Small Grants and schedule of pre-application teleconference calls: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/resources/publications/grants/ej-smgrants-rfp-2013.pdf.

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EPA Environmental Justice Grant will Tackle Water Pollution in Peekskill, NY

EPA Press Release:

EPA Environmental Justice Grant will

Tackle Water Pollution in Peekskill, NY

Contact: John Martin 212 637 3662; martin.johnj@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – December 28, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded nearly $25,000 to the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater to improve water quality in Peekskill, New York. The grant was awarded under the EPA’s Environmental Justice Small Grants Program, which supports and empowers communities working on solutions to local environmental and public health issues.

“EPA is happy to provide this grant to the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater to work with the Peekskill community to prevent water pollution,” said Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. “Everyone has a role to play in keeping our water clean and this federal grant will boost the public’s role in Peekskill.”

Using the EPA grant, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc. will lead a collaborative, community-based watershed planning and protection initiative focused on the urban watershed of the city of Peekskill. The waterways are used by people for fishing, swimming and boating. Through training, technical assistance and hands-on activities, the project will give members of the community the knowledge needed to better understand how to prevent water pollution. Residents will also learn about environmental hazards and health risks associated with polluted local waterways. The project will also include an Urban Watershed Steward program, which will be geared toward young people and will promote peer-to-peer learning and encourage neighborhood cleanup projects.

Since 1994, EPA’s environmental justice small grants program has supported projects to address environmental justice issues in more than 1,300 communities. The grants represent EPA’s continued commitment to expand the conversation on environmentalism and advance environmental justice in communities across the nation.

2012 EJ Small Grant recipients and project descriptions: http://www.epa.govenvironmentaljustice/resources/publications/grants/ej-smgrants-recipients-2012.pdf.

More information about EPA’s Environmental Justice Small Grants program: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/grants/ej-smgrants.html.

Request for Proposals (RFP) for the FY 2013 Environmental Justice Small Grants and schedule of pre-application teleconference calls: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/resources/publications/grants/ej-smgrants-rfp-2013.pdf.

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EPA Environmental Justice Grant Will Help Educate Buffalo Area Residents about Air Pollution

EPA Press Release:

EPA Environmental Justice Grant Will Help Educate

Buffalo Area Residents about Air Pollution

Contact: John Martin 212-637-3662; martin.johnj@epa.gov  

(New York, N.Y. – December 28, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded nearly $25,000 to the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York to work with people in Buffalo, New York to reduce air pollution and to support local air sampling. People living on Buffalo’s west side, which is the focus of the project, are negatively impacted by air pollution from heavy commercial traffic. The grant was awarded under the EPA’s Environmental Justice Small Grants Program, which supports and empowers communities working on solutions to local environmental and public health issues.

“EPA environmental justice grants provide much needed funds to tackle local pollution problems in low income communities," said Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. "By training people to take their own air pollution samples, the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York is providing this community with an important tool that ultimately should improve air quality in Buffalo.”

Using the EPA grant funding, the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York will educate residents about the affect of transportation on air quality and on people’s health in a low income community on the west side of Buffalo. A key part of the project involves training residents to collect air samples in their neighborhood and communicate the results to the broader community. The Clean Air Coalition of Western New York will use a curriculum called “Gearing Up For Action,” which is designed to train the public to take samples. The project’s goal is to increase the residents’ capacity to advocate for improved pollution controls and promote policies that reduce their community’s exposure to diesel pollution.

Since 1994, EPA’s environmental justice small grants program has supported projects to address environmental justice issues in more than 1,300 communities. The grants represent EPA’s continued commitment to expand the conversation on environmentalism and advance environmental justice in communities across the nation.

2012 EJ Small Grant recipients and project descriptions: http://www.epa.govenvironmentaljustice/resources/publications/grants/ej-smgrants-recipients-2012.pdf.

More information about EPA’s Environmental Justice Small Grants program: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/grants/ej-smgrants.html.

Request for Proposals (RFP) for the FY 2013 Environmental Justice Small Grants and schedule of pre-application teleconference calls: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/resources/publications/grants/ej-smgrants-rfp-2013.pdf.

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EPA Takes Action against Companies that Sell and Import Illegal Pesticides

EPA Press Release:

EPA Takes Action against Companies that

Sell and Import Illegal Pesticides

Contact: John Martin, (212) 637-3662, martin.johnj@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – December 28, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued legal complaints against two companies, the Daifuku Trading Corp. of Englewood, New Jersey and the Everyday Group of Brooklyn, New York, for selling unregistered pesticides. Both companies face penalties for violating federal pesticides law. Daifuku faces additional fines for making false and misleading statements on one of its pesticide products, for not properly labeling six products and for the improper importation of pesticide products. Under federal law, products used to kill pests must be registered with the EPA and contain labels written in English with instructions on their proper use.

"When stores sell illegal pesticides, the health and safety of people are put at risk," said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. "Unless pesticide products are registered with the EPA and have the required EPA labels, they should not be sold. Store owners should protect the health of their customers and remove any unregistered pesticides from their shelves immediately."

EPA inspections of the Daifuku Trading Corp.’s stores in Flushing, New York and Englewood, New Jersey revealed that the company was selling unregistered and misbranded pesticide products, including insect repellents, laundry detergents and disinfectants. In addition, Daifuku failed to notify the EPA it was importing pesticide products into the U.S., also a violation of federal pesticide law.

EPA inspections of the Everyday Group’s Brooklyn offices and a Kearny, New Jersey warehouse revealed the company was selling pesticide products that had not been registered with the EPA to stores throughout the New York City area. Among the products were mothballs imported from China that could be easily mistaken for candy. This product, called Fuji Lavender Moth Tablets, contained an active ingredient called para-dichlorobenzene, which is a toxic chemical.

Pesticides have been linked to various forms of illnesses in people, ranging from skin and eye irritation to cancer. Some pesticides may also affect the hormone or endocrine systems. In many situations, there are non-chemical methods that will effectively control pests. The EPA recommends the use of alternative methods as part of an overall pest management strategy.

Before a pesticide product is registered, the producer of the product must provide data from tests conducted according to EPA guidelines to ensure that the product will not be harmful to people’s health. The EPA examines the ingredients and the way in which the product will be used, and assesses a wide variety of potential human health and environmental effects associated with its use. Distributors and retailers are responsible for ensuring that all pesticides distributed and sold fully comply with the law.

Federal pesticides law additionally requires the filing of a "Notice of Arrival" prior to the arrival of all imported pesticides into the United States. Companies must submit detailed information on the Notice of Arrival form to allow the EPA to determine if the pesticide is approved for use in the United States or meets one of the few allowable exemptions. Products not registered with the EPA for use in the United States are denied entry and destroyed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or immediately exported back to their country of origin under Customs supervision.

In separate actions, the EPA recently reached penalty agreements with three companies for previous violations of pesticide regulations. In September 2011, Man Li Trading was found to have violations at its store in Brooklyn and Hong Kong Supermarket had violations at its stores in Brooklyn and Manhattan. In March 2012, NJ Cash and Carry was found to have violations at its store in Clifton, New Jersey.

During 2011 and 2012, EPA Region 2 conducted over 250 inspections of retail outlets, and pesticide distributors and importers in New Jersey and New York, removing over 20,000 units of illegal pesticides in the process.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

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Lisa P. Jackson of E.P.A. to Step Down

The following is an excerpt from an article in:


The New York Times
Friday, December 28, 2012

Lisa P. Jackson of E.P.A. to Step Down

By JOHN M. BRODER

Lisa P. Jackson is stepping down as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency after a four-year tenure that began with high hopes of sweeping action to address climate change and other environmental ills but ended with a series of rear-guard actions to defend the agency against challenges from industry, Republicans in Congress and, at times, the Obama White House.

Ms. Jackson, 50, told President Obama shortly after his re-election in November that she wanted to leave the administration early next year. She informed the E.P.A. staff of her decision on Thursday morning and issued a brief statement saying that she was confident “the ship is sailing in the right direction.”

She has not said what she intends to do after leaving government, and no successor was immediately named, although it is expected that Robert Perciasepe, the E.P.A. deputy administrator, will take over at least temporarily.

Ms. Jackson’s departure comes as many in the environmental movement are questioning Mr. Obama’s commitment to dealing with climate change and other environmental problems. After his re-election, and a campaign in which global warming was barely mentioned by either candidate, Mr. Obama said that his first priority would be jobs and the economy and that he intended only to foster a “conversation” on climate change in the coming months.

That ambivalence is a far cry from the hopes that accompanied his early months in office, when he identified climate change as one of humanity’s defining challenges. Mr. Obama put the White House’s full lobbying power behind a House cap-and-trade bill that would have limited climate-altering emissions and brought profound changes in how the nation produces and consumes energy.

But after the effort stalled in the Senate, the administration abandoned broad-scale climate change efforts, instead focusing on smaller regulatory actions largely though the Clean Air Act.

White House and E.P.A. officials said that Ms. Jackson’s decision to leave government was her own and that the timing had been negotiated with the White House.

Mr. Obama praised her in a statement, calling her “an important part of my team.”

For more, visit www.nytimes.com.

Indian City Overwhelmed by Air Pollution – New Delhi Journal

The following is an excerpt from an article in:


The New York Times
Thursday, December 27, 2012

Indian City Overwhelmed by Air Pollution – New Delhi Journal

By NIHARIKA MANDHANA

NEW DELHI — When an acrid blanket of gray smog settled over India’s capital last month, environmentalists warned of health hazards, India’s Supreme Court promised action and state officials struggled to understand why the air had suddenly gone so bad.

The heavy smog has dissipated for the moment, but it has left behind a troubling reality for one of India’s most important cities: Despite measures to improve air quality, pollution is steadily worsening here, without any simple solutions in sight.

“This is like a ding-dong battle,” said Sheila Dikshit, the chief minister of the State of Delhi, moving her fingers like the flippers of a pinball machine. “We catch up with something; the pressures catch up more than that.”

Delhi, a growing metropolis of nearly 20 million people, has struggled to reconcile its rapid economic growth with environmental safeguards. Over a decade ago, the city introduced a host of policies that raised emission standards, closed polluting industries and expanded green spaces. It made a costly investment to convert the city’s buses and auto rickshaws to compressed natural gas. For a time, air quality visibly improved.

But those gains have been overwhelmed in recent years. “We have already plucked the low-hanging fruits, so to speak,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, the executive director of the Center for Science and Environment here. “Now it’s time for aggressive, second-generation reforms.”

Ms. Roychowdhury and other environmentalists say the government must now concentrate on slowing the rising number of vehicles on New Delhi’s roads. Each day, about 1,400 new vehicles hit the roads of the city, already home to over seven million registered vehicles, a 65 percent jump from 2003. As a result, fine-particle pollution has risen by 47 percent in the last decade. Nitrogen dioxide levels have increased by 57 percent.

Environmentalists recommend a hefty tax on diesel vehicles, a steep increase in parking charges and a rapid upgrade of the public transportation system to ensure more timely bus service and a better integration of buses and the metro rail system.

For more, visit www.nytimes.com.

General Biodiesel settles with EPA for hazardous chemical and emergency planning violations

EPA Press Release:

(Seattle - December 26, 2012) General Biodiesel, in south Seattle, will pay a penalty for failing to report their hazardous chemicals in violation of federal emergency planning laws, according to a consent agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

General Biodiesel converts used cooking oils, fish oil, vegetable oil, and animal fats into biodiesel fuel and glycerol in a process that uses hazardous chemicals including methanol, sodium methoxide, and sulfuric acid. In 2009 and 2010, General Biodiesel failed to submit Emergency and Hazardous Chemical Inventory forms to the Seattle fire department, King County emergency management, and Washington's Emergency Response Commission.

"When a company fails to report their hazardous chemicals to emergency planners and responders, they put their employees and the community at risk," said Kelly McFadden, EPA's Pesticides and Toxics Unit Manager in Seattle. "This information is critical to alert federal, state, and local officials to prevent injuries or deaths to emergency responders, workers, and the local community."

Failure to report large amounts of hazardous chemicals to appropriate agencies is a violation of the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.

General Biodiesel agreed to pay a $62,985 penalty and fully comply with federal emergency planning rules to protect their workers, emergency responders, and the local community.

For information on the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act, visit: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/epcra/epcraenfstatreq.html

More information on the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act in Washington is available at: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/epcra/index.html

EPA Awards $65,000 to the Comanche Tribe of Oklahoma to Improve and Protect Its Water Quality

EPA Press Release:

EPA Awards $65,000 to the Comanche Tribe of Oklahoma

to Improve and Protect Its Water Quality

(DALLAS – December 21, 2012) The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the Comanche Tribe of Oklahoma $65,000 to provide continued support for the tribe’s water pollution control program. The funds will be used to take samples to assess surface water quality on tribal lands, compile data which may show changes over time and determine if a more thorough watershed management program is needed. Sampling data will determine whether water quality standards are being met, note any changes in the quality or condition of the tribe’s water, and provide planning tools to improve the function and health of stream ecosystems.

The mission of the EPA is to protect public health and the environment. The EPA supports efforts to improve the quality of tribal land watersheds. This cooperative spirit supports work to protect water quality that ensures the health of watersheds that cross state and tribal boundaries.

Additional Information on EPA grants is available at http://www.epa.gov/region6/gandf/index.htm

More about activities in EPA Region 6 is available at http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html

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Preliminary results from investigation of injection wells at Lahaina wastewater facility

EPA Press Release:

For Immediate Release:  December 21, 2012

Contact:  David Yogi, yogi.david@epa.gov, (415) 972-3350

Preliminary results from investigation of injection wells at Lahaina wastewater facility

Tracer dye detected in offshore seeps

HONOLULU – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released preliminary results from an ongoing investigation by federal and state agencies to evaluate the fate of effluent from the Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility near the Kaanapali coast of Maui.

According to the interim report one of two tracer dyes introduced in the wells was detected at the coastal seeps, located roughly one-half mile southwest of the Lahaina facility and between 3 and 25 meters from shore.  The dye detection establishes a hydrologic connection between the Lahaina facility’s treated wastewater injection wells and the monitored submarine seeps.  The studies are inconclusive for detection of the second tracer dye, although data collection at the seeps continues.  

While the report confirms a hydrologic connection between the injection wells and the near-shore seeps, monthly sampling of the seeps by Hawaii Department of Health has detected no bacterial indicators. In addition, DOH monitoring near the seeps indicates bacterial levels that are low or non-existent, and well within the range considered safe for swimming. In 2011, EPA required the County of Maui to increase their level of wastewater disinfection prior to injection. In addition, the County is on schedule to meet EPA requirements to achieve full ultraviolet disinfection of all wastewater at the Lahaina facility by December 2013.

“We now have a much better understanding of the movement of the wastewater injected in Lahaina,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “Although we continue to collect and analyze data, the findings underscore the need for EPA and the Hawaii Department Health to consider any and all regulatory tools to ensure protection of public health and the marine habitat, including nearby coral reefs, in West Maui.” 

It took just under three months for the tracer dye to first appear at the seeps, however, the results suggest an average travel time from the injection wells to the submarine seeps in excess of seven months. Additional key results include the temperature, salinity, pH, nutrient concentrations, and discharge rate of the monitored submarine discharges.  

Funded by the U. S. EPA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Hawaii Department of Health, the University of Hawaii has been studying the effluent flow from Lahaina’s injection wells to the near-shore ocean water since July 2011. The researchers will continue to collect data from water samples from the identified discharge points through the end of 2012. They will also continue their data analysis and modeling to clarify the processes that affect the transport of the treated wastewater effluent and its eventual discharge into the marine environment. A final report on the results of the tracer dye study is expected in June 2013.

To see the Interim Report, please visit:  www.epa.gov/region9/water/groundwater/uic-permits.html#lahaina

###

EM Press Release: DOE Awards Hanford Site Law Enforcement Contract to Benton County

EM Press Release: DOE Awards Hanford Site Law Enforcement Contract to Benton County

EPA Releases Update on Ongoing Hydraulic Fracturing Study

EPA Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 21, 2012
EPA Releases Update on Ongoing Hydraulic Fracturing Study

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today provided an update on its ongoing national study currently underway to better understand any potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. Results of the study, which Congress requested EPA to complete, are expected to be released in a draft for public and peer review in 2014. The update provided today outlines work currently underway, including the status of research projects that will inform the final study. It is important to note that while this progress report outlines the framework for the final study, it does not draw conclusions about the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources, which will be made in the final study.

As the administration and EPA has made clear, natural gas has a central role to play in our energy future, and this important domestic fuel source has extensive economic, energy security, and environmental benefits. The study EPA is currently undertaking is part of EPA’s focus to ensure that as the Administration continues to work to expand production of this important domestic resource safely and responsibly.

Among the information released today are updates on 18 research projects and details on the agency’s research approach as well as next steps for these ongoing projects and analyses. Today’s update follows the public release, in November 2011, of the agency’s final study plan, which underwent scientific peer review and public comment.

EPA has engaged stakeholders, including industry, to ensure that the study reflects current practices in hydraulic fracturing. EPA continues to request data and information from the public and stakeholders and has put out a formal request for information which can be accessed through the federal register at: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/11/09/2012-27452/request-for-information-to-inform-hydraulic-fracturing-research-related-to-drinking-water-resources
EPA also expects to release a draft report of results from the study in late 2014. The study has been designated a Highly Influential Scientific Assessment, meaning it will receive the highest level of peer review in accordance with EPA’s peer review handbook before it is finalized. The 2014 draft report will synthesize the results from the ongoing projects together with the scientific literature to answer the study’s main research questions.

EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) is forming a panel of independent experts which will review and provide their individual input on the ongoing study to EPA. The SAB will provide an opportunity for the public to offer comments for consideration by the individual panel members. For more information on the SAB process, please visit: http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabpeople.nsf/WebCommittees/BOARD

More information: www.epa.gov/hfstudy
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EPA Finalizes Clean Air Standards for Industrial Boilers, Incinerators and Cement Kilns

EPA Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 21, 2012

EPA Finalizes Clean Air Standards for Industrial Boilers, Incinerators and Cement Kilns 

Updated rules provide extensive public health protections, cut costs of compliance

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized changes to Clean Air Act standards for boilers and certain incinerators that will achieve extensive public health protections by slashing toxic air pollution, including mercury and particle pollution, while at the same addressing feedback provided by industry and labor groups, increasing the rule’s flexibility and dramatically reducing costs.  As a result, 99 percent of the approximately 1.5 million boilers in the U.S. are not covered or can meet the new standards by conducting periodic maintenance or regular tune-ups. 

The final adjustments to the standards are based on an extensive analysis of data and input from states, environmental groups, industry, lawmakers and the public.  As a result of information gathered through this review, including significant dialogue and meetings with public health groups, industry, and the public, the final rule dramatically cuts the cost of implementation by individual boilers that EPA proposed in 2010. At the same time, these rules will continue to deliver significant public health benefits.  EPA estimates that for every dollar spent to reduce these pollutants, the public will see $13 to $29 in health benefits, including fewer instances of asthma, heart attacks, as well as premature deaths.

Today’s rules set numerical emission limits for less than one percent of boilers - those that emit the majority of pollution from this sector.  For these high emitting boilers and incinerators, typically operating at refineries, chemical plants and other industrial facilities, EPA is establishing more targeted emissions limits that protect public health and provide industry with practical, cost-effective options to meet the standards.

EPA has also finalized revisions to the Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials Rule to provide clarity on what types of secondary materials are considered non-waste fuels and provide greater flexibility in rule implementation. This final rule classifies a number of secondary materials as categorical non-wastes when used as a fuel and allows for operators to request that EPA identify specific materials through rulemaking as a categorical non-waste fuel.

Particle pollution and other harmful pollutants released by boilers and incinerators can lead to adverse health effects including cancer, heart disease, aggravated asthma and premature death.  In addition, toxic pollutants such as mercury and lead that will be reduced by this rule are linked to developmental disabilities in children. These standards will avoid up to 8,100 premature deaths, prevent 5,100 heart attacks and avert 52,000 asthma attacks per year in 2015.

In a separate EPA action today, to meet a court deadline, the agency issued final amendments to the 2010 clean air standards for the cement manufacturing industry.  The final amendments maintain the significant emission reductions from the 2010 standards, while providing industry additional time to implement the revised rules.  More information: http://www.epa.gov/airquality/cement

More detailed information on the final standards for boilers and incinerators: www.epa.gov/airquality/combustion

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Two Companies to Pay $970,000 in Settlement for Clean Air Violations in Springfield, Mass.

EPA Press Release:

News Release
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
New England Regional Office
December 20, 2012

Contact: Paula Haschig, EPA Public Affairs, (617) 918-1027

Two Companies to Pay $970,000 in Settlement for Clean Air Violations in Springfield, Mass.

(Boston, Mass. – Dec. 20, 2012) – Two companies operating a chemical plant in Springfield, Mass. will pay a penalty of $970,000 and take other actions, under a settlement announced today between Solutia Inc. and INEOS Melamines LLC, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice.

The settlement is contained in a consent decree filed today in federal court, and settles EPA claims for alleged Clean Air Act violations that occurred between 2003 and 2010 at the “Indian Orchard” chemical plant in Springfield, Mass. The violations involve leak detection and repair requirements (LDAR) contained in the plant’s federal and state operating permits for air pollution controls.

The specific violations alleged by EPA included the facility’s failure to: use suitable and/or properly calibrated leak detection instruments, identify unsafe and difficult to monitor equipment, implement a plant-wide leak detection and repair program, and properly report compliance in semi-annual certifications. The violations are covered under “MACT” standards under the federal Clean Air Act and state-issued permits, including a Title V Operating Permit. MACT standards are intended to control hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) through “maximum achievable control technology” for maximum emission reductions at major sources of HAPs like the Indian Orchard plant.

The Consent Decree requires the companies to pay a civil penalty of $970,000 and implement an enhanced leak detection and repair program at the Indian Orchard facility, in which they will perform monitoring of more equipment at greater frequencies than would otherwise be required under existing regulations. The enhanced program will help ensure future compliance and prevent further problems at the facility.

Solutia is a global manufacturer of various chemical and engineered materials used in a broad range of industrial and consumer applications. First established in 1997 by Pharmacia Corp. (then known as Monsanto Corp.), Solutia and INEOS owned and/or operated the primary Indian Orchard process line of concern in this case where the HAPs methanol and formaldehyde are used to produce melamine-formaldehyde resins for automobile paint coatings.

The Indian Orchard plant is situated on about 280 acres along the Chicopee River in Springfield, Mass.

“This settlement underscores the importance we place on pollution prevention as the best way to protect human health and our environment,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. “It is critical that companies who work with hazardous air pollutants carefully adhere to all of the requirements of their operating permits, which help protect the public from unnecessary exposure to potentially harmful air emissions.”

U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz said, “The Department of Justice and the EPA are committed to enforcing our nation’s laws promoting environmental wellness and citizen safety. Today’s settlement enforcing the Clean Air Act will benefit not just the environment but also Indian Orchard Plant employees and anyone else at risk of coming into contact with hazardous air pollutants from the plant.”

More information:

- The Consent Decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on December 20, 2012, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court. Once it is published in the Federal Register, a copy of the consent decree will be available on the Justice Department Web site at http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html .

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EPA Seeks Nominations for Annual Environmental Quality Awards

EPA Press Release:

EPA Seeks Nominations for Annual Environmental Quality Awards

Contact: Elizabeth Myer, (212) 637-3860, myer.elizabeth@epa.gov

(New York, NY – December 20, 2012) Each year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency honors businesses, individuals, governments and organizations that have contributed significantly to improving the environment and protecting public health in New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and eight federally recognized Indian Nations over the past year. EPA is now seeking nominations for this annual award. Winners will be honored at an awards event in April 2013. Each winner will receive a plaque recognizing her or his environmental achievement at a ceremony during Earth Week. The Agency is accepting nominations for its Environmental Quality Awards until February 19, 2013.

"Businesses, individuals, organizations and government agencies often blaze the trail on a range of environmental protection and public health issues,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “There are wonderful models of environmental protection that EPA wants to recognize. Everyone is encouraged to submit nominations that illustrate outstanding environmental accomplishments that we can all learn from and be inspired by.”

The awards recognize achievement in six categories:

• ·         Business and Industry
• ·         Individual Citizen
• ·         Non-Profit Organization, Environmental or Community Group
• ·         Environmental Education
• ·         Federal, State, Local or Tribal Government or Agency
• ·         Print and Broadcast Media

For award criteria, prior winners and nomination instructions, visit EPA's Environmental Quality Award webpage at http://www.epa.gov/region2/eqa.

For additional information, please contact Elizabeth Myer, Public Affairs Division, at (212) 637-3860 or myer.elizabeth@epa.gov.

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Holly Refining to pay $115K penalty and improve risk management at Woods Cross, Utah refinery

EPA Press Release:

Holly Refining to pay $115K penalty and improve risk management at Woods Cross, Utah refinery

Clean Air Act requirements designed to improve preparedness and prevent accidents

Contacts: David Cobb, 303-312-6592; Matthew Allen, 303-312-6085

(Denver, CO., Dec 20, 2012) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a settlement with Dallas-based Holly Refining and Marketing Company (Holly), resolving alleged Clean Air Act violations at the company’s refinery in Woods Cross, Utah. The company has agreed to pay civil penalties of $115,000 for violations of risk management program requirements associated with the storage and use of flammable substances and hazardous chemicals.

An EPA inspection of the Woods Cross refinery in 2011 revealed issues with the facility’s  management of flammable substances and the maintenance program associated with a  propane storage unit. Holly has agreed to move forward with the planned closure of the frozen-earth storage unit and correct other risk management program violations.

“Companies using chemicals and substances which pose a potential danger to their employees and the public are responsible for having a robust risk management program in place,” said Mike Gaydosh, director of EPA’s enforcement program in Denver. “Failure to do so places the environment, employees, and the nearby community at risk.”

The penalty was assessed under Section 112(r) of the federal Clean Air Act, which requires the development of Risk Management Plans for all public and private facilities that manufacture, process, use, store, or otherwise handle flammable substances and toxic chemicals.

EPA enforces risk management requirements of the Clean Air Act with a goal of preventing accidental chemical releases and minimizing the impact of releases or other accidents that may occur. Facilities are subject to these regulations because they store the flammable or highly toxic chemicals above regulatory thresholds.

Risk Management Plans help companies, industries, and municipalities operate responsibly, assist emergency responders by providing vital information necessary to address accidents and other incidents, protect the environment by preventing and minimizing damage from accidental releases, and keep communities safer.

EPA & National Science Foundation Support Research for Safer Chemical Design

EPA Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 December 20, 2012

EPA & National Science Foundation Support Research for Safer Chemical Design 

WASHINGTON - Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the National Science Foundation (NSF), announced two funding opportunities for up to ten grants totaling up to $32 million for research on the design of safer chemicals.  These two Requests for Applications (RFAs), which focus on sustainable chemical design and assessment of the life cycle impacts of chemicals from production to disposal, will support research to create chemicals that are safer for people and the environment. 

"Changes in our economy, society, technology and the environment itself are presenting the EPA with new challenges and opportunities," said Lek Kadeli, principal deputy assistant administrator of EPA's Office of Research and Development. "This joint effort with the National Science Foundation is an important step forward in realizing that vision and creating a more sustainable future."

The research resulting from these two solicitations, “Networks for Sustainable Molecular Design and Synthesis" and "Networks for Characterizing Chemical Life Cycle” will enhance cooperation among the chemical sciences, materials research, geosciences, engineering, and biomedical and public health communities. The two RFAs are now open for submissions.

The sustainable chemical design solicitation requests applications from trans-disciplinary research teams who want to replace toxic and expensive chemicals with greener, safer alternatives.  These safer chemical design processes could, for example, consume less water, generate less waste, or use less energy than current practices.  

The chemical life cycle solicitation seeks research to further the understanding of chemicals (including nanomaterials, materials produced at the nano-scale) throughout the life cycle at the systems and molecular levels.  As chemicals are manufactured and used, they may be altered through their interactions with people and the environment, potentially resulting in unforeseen health and environmental impacts.  This research has the potential to provide tools to characterize and predict these health and environmental effects. 

More information on the RFAs:  http://epa.gov/ncer/rfa/    

More information on EPA’s chemical safety research: http://www.epa.gov/research/chemicalscience/ 

More about the National Science Foundation:  http://www.nsf.gov/ 

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11 Tips for Using Pharmaceutical Waste Containers and Avoiding Fines

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EBV Explosives Environmental Company to Pay $580,135 Penalty for Air, Hazardous Waste Violations at Carthage, Mo.

EPA Press Release:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

11201 Renner Boulevard, Lenexa, KS 66219

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

EBV Explosives Environmental Company to Pay $580,135 Penalty for Air, Hazardous Waste Violations at Carthage, Mo.

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

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Lenexa, Kan., Dec. 19, 2012) - EBV Explosives Environmental Company, doing business as General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems - Munitions Services, has agreed to pay a $580,135 civil penalty to settle alleged violations of the Clean Air Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) at its facility in Carthage, Mo.

In February 2011, EBV sent a letter to EPA that informed the Agency that stack tests conducted in October 2010 indicated that the hydrogen chloride emission rate at the facility was above permitted levels.

Alleged violations at the facility include operation of a thermal treatment unit without obtaining a valid permit, in violation of the Missouri State Implementation Plan and the Clean Air Act; operating in noncompliance with its Hazardous Waste Management Facility permit from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources on several occasions by exceeding its permitted emission limits for dioxins and furans, hydrogen chloride and chlorine gas, and particulate matter and its permitted operating parameters for stack flow rate; and failure to operate monitors that record the operating parameters and conditions used to verify compliance with the permit.

EPA and EBV entered into an Administrative Order on Consent under the Clean Air Act in January 2012, which required EBV to install equipment to reduce the facility’s hydrogen chloride emissions below permitted levels. Since the order was issued, EBV installed a scrubber, made associated changes to the Propellant Thermal Treatment Unit, and completed stack testing to demonstrate that the facility’s emissions are below permitted levels.

“EPA's enforcement of these important environmental laws has caused EBV to cut particulate emissions by approximately 1,240 pounds per year and hydrogen chloride and chlorine gas emissions by 200,000 pounds per year,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks. “EBV's commendable step to install and operate new technology to prevent excess emissions of these chemicals will mean cleaner air and better health for Carthage area residents.”

As a result of the settlement, EBV has agreed to provide EPA with documentation on a monthly basis that demonstrates it is in full compliance with its RCRA permit.

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