Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Arkansas Poultry Farmer Cuts Costs & Reduces Carbon Footprint
USDA Blog Post:
Stanley Lee has put more efficient light bulbs in his chicken houses and made other updates that lower his carbon footprint.
It can take a lot of energy to raise chickens as farmers have to control the temperature and lighting in houses, meaning high costs and high energy use.
But with help from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, poultry producers can cut their costs while conserving energy.
One Benton County, Ark. producer is cutting his gas and electric bills while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. Stanley Lee did this by installing radiant heaters, light-emitting diode light bulbs, or LEDs, and attic insulation in his six chicken houses that shelter 890,000 chickens each year.
Lee’s work will reduce an estimated 95 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year by decreasing the amount of fossil fuels used for power. That is equal to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from 18 passenger vehicles. This not only helps the producer save money but benefits the environment.
“I’m already seeing a return on my investment on the amount of propane required to keep the houses at the proper temperature,” Lee said. “So far for this flock, I’ve used about half the propane that is normally required by this time – the insulation and radiant heaters keep the houses warmer longer.”
Lee also expects to see savings with the new light bulbs. He is replacing 75-watt incandescent bulbs with 10-watt LED bulbs.
“Although the bulbs cost more, they last longer and use less electricity, which will cut my electric bill,” he said. “The LED bulbs are brighter and allow me to dim them more.”
NRCS worked with Lee on an Agricultural Energy Management Plan, which prescribed the conservation practices needed to lower his carbon footprint.
“The energy savings is going to be great,” Lee said. “Without the financial assistance provided by NRCS, I wouldn’t have been able to make these improvements.”
Conservation efforts, like those on Lee’s farm, are some of many USDA efforts to help America’s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners adapt to new challenges caused by a changing climate.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Friday, October 25, 2013
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Rewilding Movement Seeks to Return Areas of Europe to Wilderness - SPIEGEL ONLINE
Conservationists want to turn parts of Europe back into wilderness, teeming with wild horses, lynxes and native bison. But there are varying interpretations of what "wilderness" means and conflict over how much it should be managed.
Rewilding Movement Seeks to Return Areas of Europe to Wilderness - SPIEGEL ONLINE
Rewilding Movement Seeks to Return Areas of Europe to Wilderness - SPIEGEL ONLINE
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Monday, October 21, 2013
EPA Issues Amendment to Record of Decision for the Peoples Natural Gas Superfund Site in Dubuque, Iowa
EPA Press Release:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7
11201 Renner Boulevard, Lenexa, KS 66219
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations
EPA Issues Amendment to Record of Decision for the Peoples Natural Gas Superfund Site in Dubuque, Iowa
Contact Information: Ben Washburn, 913-551-7364, washburn.ben@epa.gov
Environmental News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Lenexa, Kan., Oct. 21, 2013) - EPA Region 7 has issued an amendment to the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Peoples Natural Gas Superfund Site in Dubuque, Iowa. EPA signed the original ROD for the site in January 1991 to address soil and ground water contamination. The selected remedy for the 1991 ROD was excavation and incineration of contaminated soils as well as ground water extraction, monitoring, and treatment of soils on-site.
The ROD was modified in 2001 and 2004 to exclude the installation of the ground water extraction system for an area where ground water contamination was found to be very limited, and to change the cleanup level for benzene, respectively.
The selected remedy for the amended ROD includes institutional controls along with extraction wells to prevent movement of the contaminants in the ground water and monitoring natural degradation of the contaminants.
A Technical Impracticability (TI) waiver will be implemented for ground water within the TI zone; ground water cleanup levels must be met outside of the TI zone, however institutional controls will prevent exposure to contaminated ground water in the TI zone, as well as exposure to contamination in subsurface soils and vapor intrusion.
The contaminants of concern at the Peoples Natural Gas Superfund Site are volatile organic compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Accidental ingestion of, or direct contact with, contaminated soil or ground water may pose health threats to individuals. The site was added to the National Priorities List in August 1990.
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One Seed at a Time: Plant Materials Center in Los Lunas, New Mexico Helps Restore the Grand Canyon's South Rim
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USDA Blog Post:
Grasses grown from the NRCS Plant Materials Center in Los Lunas line the edge of Mather Point in the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
For more than 20 years, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has been growing seeds for the Grand Canyon National Park and other national parks.
When the National Park Service renovated the Grand Canyon’s South Rim visitor center in 2008, they looked to the NRCS Plants Materials Center in Los Lunas, N.M. to produce the seed needed to restore native grasses in the area.
Now, driving along eight miles of twists and turns of the South Rim, you can see the bright green grasses surrounding the parking lots, roads, and popular viewpoints including Prima Point, Hermit’s Rest and the Bright Angel Trailhead.
“Where you don’t have native grasses put in, you would have invasive weeds coming through,” said Janice Bosco, park horticulturalist with the National Park Service. “The native grasses grown by NRCS also give elk and deer some nice food.”
In national parks across the West including Zion, Arches, Canyonlands and the Grand Canyon, the Park Service uses seed from the Plant Materials Center in Los Lunas to restore disturbed areas where roads, trails, walkways and parking lots have been added or removed.
But finding and growing the seeds isn’t easy.
Because each species of plant has developed an advanced genetic makeup specific to the cliffs, valleys and ridges of the parks, the Park Service uses seed native to that specific park area. In the long run, native plants are better able to resist damage from freezing, drought, common diseases and grazing animals like elk and deer.
The Park Service collects a small amount of those specific seeds and provides them to NRCS for planting. The Plant Materials Center starts the seed, such as blue grama, spike muhly, muttongrass and needle-and-thread and Indian ricegrass, in a greenhouse before transplanting it in a nearby field to mature.
Each planted seed will end up producing hundreds of seeds for many years. With each harvest, the seeds are processed, bagged and delivered in quantities of tens to hundreds of pounds ready to be planted by the Park Service.
In addition to supplying seeds to the national parks, the Plant Materials Center also develops new varieties of plants that are drought tolerant and combat erosion to be used for conservation projects and on public and private lands across the southwest.
“These grasses not only reduce erosion and provide food and cover for wildlife, but they also beautify the area,” said Greg Fenchel, the center’s manager.
The next task for NRCS is to replant Orphan Mine, an old mining site of the Grand Canyon used as a source of uranium from 1953 until 1972.
The Park Service is looking to reclaim Orphan Mine and the surrounding area and will be using seed from the Los Lunas Plant Materials Center.
“It is an honor for us to be a part of these replanting efforts for our national parks – some of the most beautiful places in the world,” Fenchel said.
David Dreesen, NRCS agronomist at the Plant Materials Center, shows the first signs of life of the native grass seed collected and shipped from the Grand Canyon and other national parks.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Dyno Nobel Inc. to Pay $257,167 for Clean Air Act and Risk Management Program Violations at Two Facilities in Missouri
EPA Press Release:
Environmental News
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7
11201 Renner Boulevard, Lenexa, KS 66219
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations
Dyno Nobel Inc. to Pay $257,167 for Clean Air Act and Risk Management Program Violations at Two Facilities in Missouri
Contact Information: Ben Washburn, 913-551-7364, washburn.ben@epa.gov
Environmental News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Lenexa, Kan., Oct. 18, 2013) - Dyno Nobel Inc., has agreed to pay a $257,167 civil penalty to settle alleged violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA), Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) at its facilities in the cities of Louisiana and Carthage, Mo.
Inspections at the two facilities in 2010 revealed the CAA violations and resulted in EPA Region 7 issuing an Administrative Compliance Order in January 2011. Neither of Dyno Nobel’s Risk Management Programs (RMPs) fully complied with all regulatory requirements. Federal RMP regulations require facilities to have processes in place to safely store and handle hazardous chemicals.
In addition to the Risk Management Program violations, Dyno Nobel failed to immediately notify the National Response Center, the State Emergency Response Commission, and the Local Emergency Response Committee of an accidental release of sulfuric acid that occurred at the Carthage facility on May 9, 2012, violating CERCLA and EPCRA regulations, respectively.
The Louisiana, Mo., facility stored approximately 1.6 million pounds of anhydrous ammonia, or 160 times the threshold quantity. The facility also stored approximately 1.5 million pounds of nitric acid, or 100 times the threshold quantity.
The Carthage, Mo., facility stored approximately 419,000 pounds of nitric acid, or 27 times the threshold quantity; 80,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia, or eight times the threshold quantity; and 225,000 pounds of oleum, or 22 times the threshold quantity.
Anhydrous ammonia is a toxic chemical and short-term exposure to high concentrations can cause death. Nitric acid is highly corrosive and can cause severe burns; it can be fatal on short exposure. Oleum reacts as a strong acid; as a liquid, it causes severe burns of the skin and eyes.
“This Agency works hard to make sure firms that store and handle these potentially dangerous chemicals follow the laws designed to keep employees and neighboring communities safe. Recent events remind us all how important it is to take the required safety precautions,” EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks said. “This second substantial administrative penalty for Dyno Nobel operations in the Great Plains signals the EPA intends to remain vigilant in enforcing laws intended to protect public health and safety.”
Dyno Nobel settled a similar Chemical Accident Prevention Provisions case with EPA Region 8 in 2011 for $110,900.
By agreeing to the settlement with EPA, Dyno Nobel Inc., has certified that it is now in compliance with all requirements of the CAA, EPCRA, and CERCLA regulations.
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Thursday, October 17, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Governor Quinn Highlights Innovative School Green Infrastructure Improvements
News Release:
Ravenswood Elementary Receiving $750,000 in Illinois EPA Support for “Green Not Gray Schoolyard”
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Friday, October 11, 2013
150 Liter Wasser für eine Tasse Kaffee
Vom Kaffestrauch bis zum morgendlichen Capuccino ist es ein langer Weg - und der kostet vor allem eins: viel Wasser. Nach Berechnungen von Naturschützern werden durchschnittlich 150 Liter Wasser verbaucht, um eine Tasse Kaffee herzustellen.
Video.
http://mediacenter.dw.de/german/video/item/1162897/150_Liter_Wasser_f%C3%BCr_eine_Tasse_Kaffee/
Video.
http://mediacenter.dw.de/german/video/item/1162897/150_Liter_Wasser_f%C3%BCr_eine_Tasse_Kaffee/
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Monday, October 7, 2013
Governor Quinn Opens Largest Annual Water Quality Exhibition in North America
Illinois EPA Press Release:
Proclaims October as “Water’s Worth It” Month in Illinois
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 RAW TAPE: Governor Pat Quinns opens the 86th annual Water Environment Federal Technical Exhibition and Conference in Chicago; proclaims October as "Water's Worth It" Month in Illinois. | ||||||||
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Sunday, October 6, 2013
Friday, October 4, 2013
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Greenpeace Activists Protest with Banner at Champions League Game - SPIEGEL ONLINE
The ongoing conflict over 30 Greenpeace activists jailed in Russia for an action in the Arctic has taken a new twist. A high-profile football game in Switzerland was marred by a protest targeting Russian state-run energy giant and major soccer sponsor Gazprom.
Greenpeace Activists Protest with Banner at Champions League Game - SPIEGEL ONLINE
Greenpeace Activists Protest with Banner at Champions League Game - SPIEGEL ONLINE
EPA Honors Nye County Graduates of Brownfields Job Training Program
EPA Press Release:
EPA Honors Nye County Graduates of Brownfields Job Training Program
SAN FRANCISCO – The Environmental Protection Agency joins Nye County in congratulating 22 graduates who completed environmental career training programs. These programs, funded by EPA’s Brownfields Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training program, are designed to provide unemployed or under-employed students the broad array of skills and professional certifications necessary to enter the environmental remediation market.
Nye County partnered with Nye Community Coalition to offer their students certificates in environmental remediation, as well as other professional skills to support the long-term success of their students. The diverse group of graduates, ranging in age from 18 to 60, participated in a six week course that offered over 150 hours of training in which they individually received eight federal and/or state recognized certifications.
“Through EPA’s job training program, today’s graduates are ready to launch a career with local employers,” said Enrique Manzanilla, EPA’s Superfund Division Director for the Pacific Southwest. “A wide range of industries, from mining and solar power to solid waste and recycling, all need employees with the environmental management skills these graduates have earned. Their accomplishment will have broad benefits for their community and the environment.”
Nye County is coordinating with local companies to place graduates in jobs in solid waste management, recycling, and renewable energy, as well as environmental management for a regional mine. Additionally, Nye County has an EPA Brownfields Assessment grant and this year received a Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund grant. Nye County’s land revitalization efforts are uniquely focused on supporting renewable energy industries, as well as community reinvestment.
“It is an honor to announce the first graduating class for Nye County’s Brownfields Workforce Development and Job Training Program,” said Andrew “Butch” Borasky, Chair of the Nye County Board of County Commissioners. “Congratulations to each and every one of these students for their hard work and commitment to the program. Nye County deeply appreciates our partnership with EPA and with the Nye Communities Coalition. Their support for professional job training helps the community by putting people to work in jobs with a solid career path.”
In 2013, $3.2 million in funds were awarded nationally under the Workforce Development and Job Training program. As of May 2013, more than 11,000 Americans have completed training through the support of this Program, of which, more than 8,000 have obtained employment in the environmental field.
For more information on EPA’s Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training program, visit: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/job.htm
For more information on EPA’s Brownfields program, visit: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/index.htm
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EPA Takes Public Comments on Proposal to Delete an Oneida County Site from the Superfund List after Cleanup
EPA Press Release:
EPA Takes Public Comments on Proposal to Delete an Oneida County Site from the Superfund List after Cleanup
(New York, N.Y. – September 30, 2013) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed to delete the Ludlow Sand & Gravel site in Paris, New York from the Superfund National Priorities List of the most hazardous waste sites because the site no longer poses a threat to human health or the environment after a successful cleanup of soil and ground water. The site was placed on the Superfund List in September 1983 and cleanup work was completed in 2007. Subsequent monitoring and assessment of the site confirms that the cleanup was effective and the site can be deleted from the Superfund list. The public is encouraged to submit comments on the proposal and the EPA will consider all comments before making a final decision to delete the site. The public comment period begins on October 2, 2013 and will extend to November 1. 2013.
The 18-acre site contains a landfill and a gravel pit. For more than 20 years, beginning in the early 1960’s, household and septic tank wastes were disposed of in the landfill. The landfill also received a variety of industrial waste including dyes, waste oil, metallurgical cooling oil and animal parts from a meat processing plant. The gravel pit was periodically used for the disposal of waste oil. The landfill continued to accept waste until it was shut down by court order in 1988. Portions of the property continue to be used for sand and gravel mining operations.
Site investigations conducted by the New York State Department of Conservation in 1982 found trace quantities of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the liquid seeping from the landfill. After the site was added to the Superfund list, additional contamination was found throughout the site. PCBs were detected in soil and wetland sediments. PCBs, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), heavy metals, and phenol were found in the underlying ground water. The ground water contamination is contained within the site boundaries. Residential wells and a nearby public drinking water supply well have been monitored for many years and have not been impacted.
In 1988, the EPA and NYSDEC finalized a cleanup plan that called for removing over 40,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and approximately 15,000 cubic yards of sediment from the gravel pit and nearby wetlands. Once removed, the PCB-contaminated soil was placed in the landfill, a drainage system was installed to remove water and a cap was placed over the landfill to prevent rain water from coming into contact with the buried materials. The water collected from the landfill is being treated using a system built on the site.
A decision on the cleanup of the gravel pit, ground water and wetlands was finalized in 2003. The deeper PCB-contaminated soil in the gravel pit were treated using a technology that solidifies the soil, locking the PCBs in place to prevent the contamination from moving into the surrounding soil and ground water. After solidification of the contaminated soil, the gravel pit was filled with clean soil to restore it to its original elevation and a cover was planted with vegetation. Two deep wells were also installed to monitor the ground water. The cleanup work was completed in September 2007.
The cleanup of the site was conducted through a combination of actions performed by responsible parties, the state of New York and the EPA. The EPA has monitored all the cleanup work to ensure that the actions are protective of human health and the environment. The EPA has concluded that the cleanup work has been successful and that the site can now be taken off the Superfund list.
The EPA will prepare a document responding to any significant comments received during the comment period. If the EPA does not receive significant dissenting comments and/or no significant new data are submitted during the public comment period, this deletion will be effective on December 2, 2013.
Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID no. EPA-HQ-SFUND-1983-0002, by one of the following methods:
Fax: To the attention of Isabel Rodrigues at (212) 637-3966
Mail: Isabel Rodrigues, Remedial Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2, Emergency & Remedial Response Division, 290 Broadway, 20th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10007.
Follow the EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.
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City of Tacoma settles with EPA for violating federal rules on PCBs in used oil
EPA Press Release:
City of Tacoma settles with EPA for violating federal rules on PCBs in used oil
Contact: Suzanne Skadowski, EPA Region 10 Public Affairs, 206-295-4829, skadowski.suzanne@epa.gov
(Seattle – September 30, 2013) The City of Tacoma has settled with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for violating federal rules on used oil contaminated with toxic polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs.
“Today’s settlement should serve as a reminder that handling used oil requires attention to the requirements designed to prevent the distribution of PCBs,” said Edward Kowalski, Director of EPA’s enforcement program in Seattle. “Simple testing for PCBs before shipping used oil off-site helps protect people and the environment and prevents contamination of oil that can otherwise be recycled and reused.”
According to EPA, the City of Tacoma shipped 750 gallons of used oil contaminated with PCBs from the City’s landfill to Emerald Services, an oil recycling and reuse company. The City did not know that the used oil was contaminated with PCBs before they shipped the oil. Emerald Services found the problem during their routine oil testing and was able to trace the PCB-contaminated oil to the City’s shipment.
EPA discovered the violations when Emerald Services provided a waste report to EPA, as required by federal regulations, describing the PCB waste. The City’s oil shipment resulted in the PCB contamination of approximately 8,250 gallons of used oil at Emerald Services. Under federal rules, Emerald Services could not recycle the PCB-contaminated oil, and instead was required to dispose of the used oil as hazardous waste.
To settle the violations, the City of Tacoma has agreed to pay a $40,000 federal penalty.
PCBs are chemicals used in paints, industrial equipment, and cooling oil for electrical transformers. More than 1.5 billion pounds of PCBs were manufactured in the U.S. before EPA banned their production in 1978, and many PCB-containing materials are still in use today.
When released into the environment, PCBs remain for decades. Tests have shown that PCBs cause cancer in animals and are suspected carcinogens in humans. Concerns about human health and the persistence of PCBs in the environment led Congress to enact the Toxic Substances Control Act in 1976.
More about safely recycling oil: http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/usedoil/index.htm
Follow @EPAnorthwest on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EPAnorthwest
EPA Proposes Plan to Address Pollution in Three Areas of Ringwood Mines Superfund Site in Ringwood, New Jersey
EPA Press Release:
Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.
EPA Proposes Plan to Address Pollution in Three Areas of
Ringwood Mines Superfund Site in Ringwood, New Jersey
Results of Long-term Ground Water Monitoring to be Made Available to the Public
Public Encouraged to Comment on Proposed $46.7 million Cleanup Plan
Contact: Elias Rodriguez, (212) 637-3664, rodriguez.elias@epa.gov
(New York, N.Y. – Sept. 30, 2013) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today proposed a plan to address contamination in three areas of the Ringwood Mines/Landfill Superfund site in Ringwood, New Jersey. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, these areas were used to dispose of waste materials, including paint sludge and waste in drums, from the Ford Motor Company’s automobile assembly plant in Mahwah, New Jersey. Sampling of the paint sludge found that it contained lead, arsenic, chromium and other contaminants. Exposure to these contaminants can have serious health effects and, in some cases, increase the risk of cancer. Lead is a toxic metal that can cause damage to a child’s ability to learn and a range of health problems in adults.
The proposal contains plans to address contamination in three areas of the site:
- · Peter’s Mine Pit – the removal of some potentially contaminated soil from around the opening of the mine pit, followed by capping
- · Cannon Mine Pit – capping of the mine pit
- · O’Connor Disposal Area – excavation of the landfill, with a contingency if the Borough of Ringwood moves forward with its plan to build on this area of the site
The EPA will take public comments on its proposed cleanup plan during a 60-day public comment period beginning on October 2, 2013 and continuing through December 2, 2013. The EPA will also hold a public meeting to explain the proposed plan and take public comments on November 7, 2013 at 7:00pm at the Martin Ryerson Middle School, 130 Valley Road in Ringwood, NJ.
The 500-acre Ringwood Mines/Landfill site is in a historic iron mining district in the Borough of Ringwood, New Jersey. The site, which is in a forested area with about 50 private homes, includes abandoned mine shafts and pits, inactive landfills and open waste dumps. The site was originally added to the Superfund list of hazardous waste sites in 1983. It was removed from the Superfund list in 1994 based on a finding that all appropriate cleanup actions had been taken. In 1995, 1998 and 2004, additional areas of paint sludge were discovered at the site, prompting further cleanup actions. The EPA restored the site to the Superfund list in 2006 due to the discovery of additional contaminated materials.
The actions in the proposed plan build on cleanup work performed at the Ringwood Mines Superfund site over many years. Between 1984 and 1988, Ford, with EPA oversight, conducted an investigation of the nature and extent of contamination at the site. Based on the results, the EPA ordered Ford to excavate and dispose of the paint sludge found and required the company to monitor ground water and surface water on a long-term basis. In 1987-1988, 7,700 cubic yards of paint sludge and soil were removed from the site and approximately 600 cubic yards of paint sludge and 54 intact and crushed drums were removed in 1990. Since December 2004, approximately 53,500 tons of additional paint sludge, drum remnants and associated soil from the Peter’s Mine Pit Area, the O’Connor Disposal Area and 15 additional disposal areas within the site were removed and disposed of properly.
In 2011, the EPA began testing for lead on residential properties and dioxin in people’s homes. Wherever lead or dioxin has been found to exceed protective levels, the EPA has cleaned it up. More than 2,400 tons of soil has been removed from people’s yards.
The following are key elements of the proposed cleanup plan:
Peter’s Mine Pit
The EPA proposed plan would require the excavation, removal and disposal at a facility outside of the area of about 22,000 tons of fill material, soil and debris from around the opening of the mine pit. The plan includes the option of separating out the non-hazardous fill and placing it back in the pit. The area surrounding the pit will be excavated down to native soil or the water table, whichever is encountered first. If drums or paint sludge are encountered, they will be removed. A permeable cap will be placed on the pit to raise its level above that of the surrounding ground to restore it for use as part of Ringwood State Park. Due to the depth and nature of the contamination at Peter’s Mine, people are not exposed to any waste that might be present in the mine and full excavation would not provide any further protection of people’s health.
Cannon Mine Pit
Under the proposed plan, all of the waste in the Cannon Mine Pit will be capped in place. A clean layer of soil will be placed over the cap and the area will be re-planted. The area would then be fenced off and the plan requires a deed notice to prevent activities that could disturb it.
O’Connor Disposal Area
The cleanup plan calls for the O’Connor Disposal Area to be completely excavated and the waste to be disposed of at a facility outside the area. An estimated 166,000 tons of contaminated soil would be removed from the O’Connor Disposal Area and the excavated areas would be covered with topsoil and re-planted.
The proposal includes a second option for this area of the site because the Borough of Ringwood recently informed the EPA that it is planning to move its recycling center from its current location in Upper Ringwood to the O’Connor Disposal Area. If the borough moves forward with its plan to construct a municipal facility at the O’Connor Disposal Area, the proposed plan would allow for this change under this “contingency remedy.” Under the contingency, the EPA would allow the capping of waste within the portion of the O’Connor Disposal Area that would be used for the proposed facility. The borough has indicated that capping portions of the O’Connor Disposal Area would create a level area near the center and southern part of the area upon which it would construct the proposed facility. If the area was used for a municipal facility, much of it would likely be capped. Excavation of the contaminated soil would still be required for the portion of the O’Connor Disposal Area that would not be used for a facility. The EPA is taking public comment on both options.
Ground Water Monitoring
The EPA is currently investigating ground water contamination in all areas of the Ringwood Mines site and will issue a separate proposed plan to address the ground water when the investigation has concluded. Under that future plan, the EPA intends to require ground water monitoring into the indefinite future for all areas of the site. The plan proposed today also requires ground water monitoring. The results of all the ground water monitoring will be posted on the EPA website at: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/ringwood/index.html.
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. The cleanup of the Ringwood site is being conducted and paid for by Ford and the Borough of Ringwood with oversight by the EPA. The cost of the cleanup plan is currently estimated to be $46.7 million.
Written comments may be mailed or emailed to:
Joseph A. Gowers, Remedial Project Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 2
290 Broadway, 19th fl.
New York, N.Y. 10007-1866
(212) 637-4413
To read EPA’s proposed cleanup plan, go to: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/ringwood/index.html.
Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.
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EPA to Hold Public Listening Sessions on Reducing Carbon Pollution from Existing Power Plants
EPA Press Release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2013
EPA to Hold Public Listening Sessions on Reducing Carbon Pollution from Existing Power Plants
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold 11 public listening sessions across the country to solicit ideas and input from the public and stakeholders about the best Clean Air Act approaches to reducing carbon pollution from existing power plants. Power plants are the nation’s largest stationary source of carbon pollution, responsible for about one third of all greenhouse gas pollution in the United States.
The Clean Air Act gives both EPA and states a role in reducing air pollution from power plants that are already in operation. The law directs EPA to establish guidelines, which states use to design their own programs to reduce emissions. Before proposing guidelines, EPA must consider how power plants with a variety of different configurations would be able to reduce carbon pollution in a cost-effective way.
The feedback from these 11 public listening sessions will play an important role in helping EPA develop smart, cost-effective guidelines that reflect the latest and best information available. The agency will seek additional public input during the notice and comment period once it issues a proposal, by June 2014.
For more information on these sessions and to register online, go to: http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/public-listening-sessions. For those who cannot attend these sessions, input can be e-mailed to carbonpollutioninput@epa.gov by November 8, 2013.
More information about EPA’s carbon pollution standards for the power sector: http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards
Public Sessions on Reducing Carbon Pollution from Existing Power Plants (all times are local):
DATE: Tuesday, October 15, 2013
TIME: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm EDT
EPA REGION & LOCATION:
US EPA New England
Memorial Hall
5 Post Office Square
Boston
DATE: Friday, October 18, 2013
TIME: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm EDT
EPA REGION & LOCATION:
US EPA Region 3
William J. Green, Jr. Federal Building
600 Arch Street
Philadelphia
DATE: Wednesday, October 23, 2013
TIME: 9:00 am - 12 Noon; and 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm EDT
EPA REGION & LOCATION: US EPA Region 2
290 Broadway, Room 27A
New York
DATE: October 23, 2013
TIMES: 2:00 – 5:00 pm; and 6:00 – 9:00 pm EDT
EPA REGION & LOCATION: US EPA Region 4
Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center
Bridge Conference Rooms
61 Forsyth Street, S.W.
Atlanta
DATE: Wednesday, October 30, 2013
TIME: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm MDT (last 2 hours for call ins)
EPA REGION & LOCATION: US EPA Region 8
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver
DATE: Monday, November 4, 2013
TIME: 4:00 – 8:00 pm CST
EPA REGION & LOCATION:
US EPA Region 7
11201 Renner Blvd.
Lenexa
DATE: Tuesday, November 5, 2013
TIME: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
EPA REGION & LOCATION:
US EPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne St.
San Francisco
DATE: Thursday, November 7, 2013
TIME: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm EST
LOCATION:
US EPA Headquarters
William Jefferson Clinton East
1201 Constitution Ave.
Washington, DC
DATE: Thursday, November 7, 2013
TIME: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm CST
EPA REGION & LOCATION:
US EPA Region 6
Auditorium- 1st floor
J. Erik Jonsson Central Library
1515 Young St.
Dallas
DATE: Thursday, November 7, 2013
TIME: 3:00 – 6:00 pm PST
EPA REGION & LOCATION:
US EPA Region 10
Jackson Federal Bldg.
915 Second Ave.
Seattle
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2013
EPA to Hold Public Listening Sessions on Reducing Carbon Pollution from Existing Power Plants
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold 11 public listening sessions across the country to solicit ideas and input from the public and stakeholders about the best Clean Air Act approaches to reducing carbon pollution from existing power plants. Power plants are the nation’s largest stationary source of carbon pollution, responsible for about one third of all greenhouse gas pollution in the United States.
The Clean Air Act gives both EPA and states a role in reducing air pollution from power plants that are already in operation. The law directs EPA to establish guidelines, which states use to design their own programs to reduce emissions. Before proposing guidelines, EPA must consider how power plants with a variety of different configurations would be able to reduce carbon pollution in a cost-effective way.
The feedback from these 11 public listening sessions will play an important role in helping EPA develop smart, cost-effective guidelines that reflect the latest and best information available. The agency will seek additional public input during the notice and comment period once it issues a proposal, by June 2014.
For more information on these sessions and to register online, go to: http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/public-listening-sessions. For those who cannot attend these sessions, input can be e-mailed to carbonpollutioninput@epa.gov by November 8, 2013.
More information about EPA’s carbon pollution standards for the power sector: http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards
Public Sessions on Reducing Carbon Pollution from Existing Power Plants (all times are local):
DATE: Tuesday, October 15, 2013
TIME: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm EDT
EPA REGION & LOCATION:
US EPA New England
Memorial Hall
5 Post Office Square
Boston
DATE: Friday, October 18, 2013
TIME: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm EDT
EPA REGION & LOCATION:
US EPA Region 3
William J. Green, Jr. Federal Building
600 Arch Street
Philadelphia
DATE: Wednesday, October 23, 2013
TIME: 9:00 am - 12 Noon; and 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm EDT
EPA REGION & LOCATION: US EPA Region 2
290 Broadway, Room 27A
New York
DATE: October 23, 2013
TIMES: 2:00 – 5:00 pm; and 6:00 – 9:00 pm EDT
EPA REGION & LOCATION: US EPA Region 4
Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center
Bridge Conference Rooms
61 Forsyth Street, S.W.
Atlanta
DATE: Wednesday, October 30, 2013
TIME: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm MDT (last 2 hours for call ins)
EPA REGION & LOCATION: US EPA Region 8
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver
DATE: Monday, November 4, 2013
TIME: 4:00 – 8:00 pm CST
EPA REGION & LOCATION:
US EPA Region 7
11201 Renner Blvd.
Lenexa
DATE: Tuesday, November 5, 2013
TIME: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
EPA REGION & LOCATION:
US EPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne St.
San Francisco
DATE: Thursday, November 7, 2013
TIME: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm EST
LOCATION:
US EPA Headquarters
William Jefferson Clinton East
1201 Constitution Ave.
Washington, DC
DATE: Thursday, November 7, 2013
TIME: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm CST
EPA REGION & LOCATION:
US EPA Region 6
Auditorium- 1st floor
J. Erik Jonsson Central Library
1515 Young St.
Dallas
DATE: Thursday, November 7, 2013
TIME: 3:00 – 6:00 pm PST
EPA REGION & LOCATION:
US EPA Region 10
Jackson Federal Bldg.
915 Second Ave.
Seattle
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EPA Takes Steps to Allow Restriction of Imports of Harmful Category of Chemicals used in Carpets
EPA Press Release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2013
September 30, 2013
EPA Takes Steps to Allow Restriction of Imports of Harmful Category of Chemicals used in Carpets
WASHINGTON--The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing a rule that will allow the agency to restrict imports of potentially harmful perfluorinated chemicals that could be used in carpets. The regulation will require companies to report to EPA all new uses, including in domestic and imported products, of these chemicals once used for soil and stain resistance in carpets. These chemicals have been shown to persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in humans and animals – they represent a potential threat to American’s health. This action follows the U.S. chemical industry’s voluntary phase out of these chemicals and a range of actions by EPA to address concerns with these chemicals.
“While this category of chemicals has largely been voluntarily phased out by the U.S. chemical industry and not in use in this country, they can still be imported in carpets. Today’s action will ensure that EPA has the opportunity to take action to restrict or limit the intended use, if warranted, for any new domestic uses or imports,” said Jim Jones, EPA’s Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “This action will also provide a level playing field for those companies who stepped up to cease the use of these chemicals in this country, while at the same time protecting the American public from exposure to these chemicals in imported carpet products.”
The final rule issued today, known as a Significant New Use Rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act, requires that anyone who intends to manufacture (including import) or process any long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic (LCPFAC) chemicals for use in carpets or carpet products submit a notification to EPA at least 90 days before beginning the activity, providing the agency with an opportunity to review and, if necessary, place limits on manufacturers or processors who intend to reintroduce or import products with these chemicals.
“While this category of chemicals has largely been voluntarily phased out by the U.S. chemical industry and not in use in this country, they can still be imported in carpets. Today’s action will ensure that EPA has the opportunity to take action to restrict or limit the intended use, if warranted, for any new domestic uses or imports,” said Jim Jones, EPA’s Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “This action will also provide a level playing field for those companies who stepped up to cease the use of these chemicals in this country, while at the same time protecting the American public from exposure to these chemicals in imported carpet products.”
The final rule issued today, known as a Significant New Use Rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act, requires that anyone who intends to manufacture (including import) or process any long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic (LCPFAC) chemicals for use in carpets or carpet products submit a notification to EPA at least 90 days before beginning the activity, providing the agency with an opportunity to review and, if necessary, place limits on manufacturers or processors who intend to reintroduce or import products with these chemicals.
Today’s action is one of several EPA has taken to protect the public from perfluorinated chemicals. In 2006, the eight major U.S. companies producing LCPFAC chemicals committed to the EPA’s voluntary PFOA Stewardship Program, pledging to reduce global emissions and product content of LCPFAC chemicals by the end of 2015. As part of this phaseout program, the industry stopped using LCPFAC chemicals on carpets and aftercare treatment products. EPA has also issued other Significant New Use Rules to require EPA review and prior to the reintroduction of other perfluorinated chemicals included in the voluntary industry phaseout. EPA anticipates another Significant New Rule on additional perfluorinated chemicals in early 2014 as well as Significant New Use Rules on other chemicals that will include imported products.
Information on today’s final rule and other actions EPA has taken on perfluorinated chemicals can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pfoa/index.html
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EPA Obtains Warrant to Address Over 1000 Drums and Containers at New Jersey Facility
EPA Press Release:
13-092 # # #
EPA Obtains Warrant to Address Over 1000 Drums and Containers at
New Jersey Facility
Ongoing Investigation Reveals Presence of Hazardous Materials
(Photos Available via Web Link)
Contact: John Martin (212) 637-3662; martin.johnj@epa.gov
(New York, N.Y. – September 30, 2013) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has obtained a federal warrant to do the necessary cleanup work at the Superior Barrel & Drum company facility in Elk Township, New Jersey, where more than a thousand unlabeled or improperly labeled drums and other containers have been left in a state of disrepair. Many of the drums are leaking their contents onto the ground and are exposed to wind and rain. The EPA and the NJDEP are currently investigating the drums and containers at the site under a warrant that was previously issued by a federal judge when the facility owner refused to give the EPA access to the facility. The EPA is working with Elk Township, the local fire and police departments and the NJDEP on the investigation and cleanup of the facility.
“This facility contains a large number of barrels that need to be addressed. The EPA intends to do everything necessary to ensure that hazardous materials at the facility do not harm the public,” said Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. "The EPA’s top priority is preventing a release, fire or explosion that could endanger the community or pollute the environment.”
On August 29, 2013, the EPA was asked by the NJDEP to evaluate the facility and take appropriate actions to remove any threat posed by substances in the drums and other containers. The EPA is currently evaluating what substances are present in the drums and containers and assessing whether they could cause a chemical release or fire. The site is partially in a federally protected wetland.
“Conditions at this facility are inexcusable,” New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin said. “The DEP will continue to work with the Environmental Protection Agency on the categorization and safe removal of these materials, as well as soil testing and monitoring to ensure the environment and public health are protected. We will also support any legal or enforcement actions deemed necessary to restore this site and protect the public.”
The EPA began its investigation on August 30, 2013. Field tests indicate that some drums contain hazardous materials, including corrosive and flammable chemicals. The preliminary results of samples sent to the laboratory show the presence of volatile organic compounds such as benzene and other hazardous substances such as lead. Exposure to these pollutants can have serious health effects. Benzene is known to cause cancer and lead is a toxic metal that is especially dangerous to children because their growing bodies can absorb more of it than adults. Lead in children can result in I.Q. deficiencies, reading and learning disabilities, reduced attention spans, hyperactivity and other behavioral problems.
The EPA is continuing to sample the contents of containers and drums at the site. The first set of final laboratory data is expected in the next few weeks. The EPA has secured the facility by installing fencing, warning signs and round the clock surveillance.
Once it completes its investigation, the EPA will work with state and local agencies to take appropriate steps to remove the hazardous waste and protect the public. The EPA is monitoring the air near the work areas. The EPA will secure the materials and make arrangements for their transport and proper disposal out of the area. Prior to removal of any of the hazardous materials, the EPA will develop a contingency plan to ensure that the removal of the chemicals is done safely. Fire department and hazardous materials response teams will be consulted and prepared to respond to the site if necessary. Throughout the cleanup, the municipal government and local community will be kept informed.
For photos and information about the EPA’s work at the Superior Barrel & Drum site, visit: http://epa.gov/region02/superfund/removal/superiorbarrel.
Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://facebook.com/eparegion2.
13-092 # # #
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