Chicago Receives Two U.S. EPA Grants to Improve Lake Michigan Water Quality

EPA Press Release:

MEDIA CONTACT: Peter Cassell, 312-886-6234, 312-859-9614 (cell), cassell.peter@epa.gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              No. 14-OPA085 Chicago Receives Two U.S. EPA Grants to Improve Lake Michigan Water Quality CHICAGO (April 26, 2014) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced the award of two Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grants totaling $1 million to fund green infrastructure projects in Chicago. The projects will improve water quality in Lake Michigan. EPA Region 5 Administrator / Great Lakes National Program Manager Susan Hedman was joined today by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Sen. Dick Durbin, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky to announce the grants. “The city of Chicago will use these EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Shoreline Cities grants for green infrastructure projects to prevent stormwater from carrying contamination into Lake Michigan,” Hedman said. “Green infrastructure also helps to prevent flooding, which is occurring more often as a result of the increasingly frequent extreme precipitation events that have hit the Midwest in recent years – a pattern that may intensify as the result of climate change.” “We are pleased to receive funding from the EPA under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for green infrastructure improvements that directly benefit residents, businesses and the environment,” Emanuel said. “These two grants will help us to enhance Chicago’s overall Green Stormwater Infrastructure Strategy, which we launched last year to improve our water and sewer infrastructure, reduce flooding and enhance our city’s overall sustainability.” “Lake Michigan is one of Chicago’s greatest assets, but it faces many challenges – from contaminated sediment to industrial pollutants to invasive species,” Durbin said. “The Environmental Protection Agency has invested more than $70 million to ensure the lake stays beautiful and clean for years to come, and today’s announcement is the latest example of the federal government’s commitment to the lake.  These grants will help stop almost 5 million gallons of untreated stormwater from running into the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, great news for the millions of Chicagoans who rely on the lake for drinking water or fishing.  I’m proud to be a part of the efforts to preserve and restore Chicago’s shoreline.” The city will use one Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant ($812,000) to install bioswales and permeable pavement in a parking area at Montrose Beach. This project will filter over 4 million gallons of stormwater each year, greatly reducing the amount of contamination that would otherwise end up in Lake Michigan. The city will use the other Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant ($188,000) to install green infrastructure along Leland Avenue, a street that runs through Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood toward the lakefront. This project will prevent almost 900,000 gallons of untreated stormwater from entering the City’s combined sewer system each year and will help prevent basement flooding in nearby homes.  “These innovative green infrastructure projects at Montrose Beach and along Leland Avenue will greatly reduce the amount of contamination that would otherwise end up in Lake Michigan,” Schakowsky said. "Sustainable infrastructure solutions are key to our long-term environmental health,” Quigley said. “The projects supported by the EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Shoreline Cities grants will help reduce the risk of flooding and improve the ability to treat stormwater and urban runoff at its source, ensuring millions of Chicagoans and the broader Great Lakes community can continue to rely on the Great Lakes as a vital source of fresh water." Chicago is among 16 cities to receive funding in the initial round of EPA’s new GLRI Shoreline Cities grant program. These grants can be used to fund up to 50 percent of the cost of green infrastructure projects on public property. Green infrastructure uses vegetation, soil and natural processes to hold and filter stormwater and melting snow. This prevents flooding and keeps contamination from reaching surface water and groundwater resources. The first round of Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Shoreline Cities projects includes rain gardens, bioswales, green roofs, porous pavement, greenways, constructed wetlands, stormwater tree trenches and other measures to improve water quality in the Great Lakes basin. For more information about the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative or Shoreline Cities Green Infrastructure grants, visitwww.epa.gov/grtlakes/fund/shoreline/index.html.

Nine More Colleges or Universities in Iowa, Kansas and Missouri Become New Members of EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge

EPA Press Release:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

11201 Renner Boulevard, Lenexa, KS 66219

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

Nine More Colleges or Universities in Iowa, Kansas and Missouri Become New Members of EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge

Contact Information: Kris Lancaster, (913) 551-7557, lancaster.kris@epa.gov

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Lenexa, Kan., April 25, 2014) - EPA Region 7 is announcing nine new collegiate members of EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge (FRC), a national initiative aimed at encouraging businesses, organizations and institutions to actively participate in food waste prevention, surplus food donation and food waste recycling activities.

The nine new members from Region 7 include Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Luther College, Decorah, Iowa; Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Mo.; Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, Mo.; Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kan.; St. Louis University, St. Louis, Mo.; Truman State University, Kirksville, Mo.; University of Iowa-Iowa City; and Washington University, St. Louis, Mo.

“EPA applauds this year’s new members for demonstrating how higher education institutions, large and small, can lead the way to reducing wasted food, saving energy and cutting greenhouse gas emissions,” said Karl Brooks, EPA regional administrator. “Food today makes up 21 percent of Americans’ trash, so by participating in the FRC these colleges and universities gain access to tools and assistance they will use to cut food waste, save money, help communities and protect the environment.”

The Food Recovery Challenge encourages organizations to find better alternatives to throwing food away. It helps organizations learn to practice leaner purchasing and divert surplus food away from landfills to hunger-relief organizations and onto the tables of those in need in the community. It also diverts food scraps, suitable for composting or animal consumption, to composting or animal feed.

The nine new collegiate members will join 10 other member organizations already participating in the FRC in Region 7: the Kansas City Chiefs; St. Louis Cardinals; Kansas State University; St. Louis Blues Hockey; University of Kansas; University of Missouri-Columbia; University of Missouri-Kansas City; University of Northern Iowa; Society of St. Andrew; and Harvest Café and Wine Bar.

FRC members will help recycle food waste and keep it out of landfills. Landfills are one of the largest contributors of methane gas, which affects climate change, including warmer temperatures, stronger storms and more droughts.

# # #

It's Personal...Scenic Pennsylvania Lake Community Celebrates Protecting the Environment for Earth Day with USDA Funding

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Jacki Ponti-Lazaruk, Assistant Administrator, Water and Environmental Programs, USDA Rural Development, on April 25, 2014 at 5:00 PM

Tom Williams, PA RD State Director, Jacki Ponti-Lazaruk, RD WEP Program Assistant Administrator, and Jack Lennox, Roamingwood Water & Sewer Association General Manager, ceremoniously sign a portion of the new pipe that will replace old lines in the current system, making the system more energy, cost and water efficient.

As part of USDA’s weeklong celebration of the 44th anniversary of Earth Day, I had the pleasure of visiting Wayne County, Pennsylvania to announce funding that will bring improved water and wastewater services to residents and businesses of The Hideout, one of the state’s lake communities in the Pocono Mountains.

Thanks to congressional passage of the 2014 Farm Bill, USDA Rural Development received an additional $150 million to help rural communities build or upgrade water and wastewater systems in 40 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. We are pairing that grant money with an additional $232 million in regular funding to support 116 projects nationwide.

During my visit, I had the opportunity to talk with several long-time residents about the infrastructure projects.  The residents’ personal commitment and leadership was on display as they talked passionately about the importance of the funding. Betty Sullivan, the charismatic Board President of the Roamingwood Water & Sewer Association, an agent of the South Wayne County Water & Sewer Authority, has been involved in the infrastructure improvement project for twenty years. She has a keen understanding of the environmental importance of the project for both the existing residents and for future generations that will live, work and play here.

Bob Taggart, the father of a 12-year-old son, has owned a home in the community for over 20 years. Impressed by the quality of the school system and the community’s amenities, Bob made the decision to move here permanently from the New York City suburbs just five years ago. As a former environmental specialist for private industry, he also understands the environmental importance of the project. He is interested in the potential for connecting adjoining communities to the new system to help further protect the waters surrounding the community.  With the strong sense of community coupled with federal, state and local support, the future is promising for the growth of the community. The residents are all very appreciative of the Farm Bill funding that will help keep their water and sewer rates reasonable.

The work will be overseen by the South Wayne County Water and Sewer Authority, which is receiving a grant for more than $5 million and a loan of $8.4 million to replace a portion of a gravity sewer collection system.  The second Earth Day project involves replacing leaking water lines in a section of the 30 year-old water distribution system. Rural Development is providing a $2.3 million grant and a loan of almost $4.6 million to help with that effort. By replacing the old water and sewer lines, the project will significantly improve services, making them more energy, cost and water efficient and preventing the Authority from a costly expansion project for more than 3,200 homeowners of the Hideout Community.

As Assistant Administrator for Water and Environmental Programs, it is not hard to see why Earth Day ranks high on my list of favorite anniversaries and holidays!  I am especially grateful that the 2014 Farm Bill expanded our capacity to improve aging infrastructure in rural communities here in Pennsylvania and across the nation.

Cover Crops and Soil Health Awareness Gaining Popularity in South Carolina

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Amy Overstreet, Natural Resources Conservation Service, South Carolina, on April 25, 2014 at 1:00 PM

Jason Carter is one of the five South Carolina farmers participating in a field study funded through a Conservation Innovation Grant. His tillage radishes are part of his multispecies cover crop mix. NRCS photo.

Nearly 100 farmers recently gathered in Dillon County, S.C. to see why some farmers are raving about the benefits of cover crops. A few groups hosted a field day to illustrate first-year findings resulting from demonstrations made possible through a USDA Conservation Innovation Grant.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service awarded the three-year grant to the soil and water conservation districts in Richland, Dillon and Marlboro counties and the Earth Sciences and Resources Institute at the University of South Carolina (USC).

The project involves five farmers in three counties across South Carolina who agreed to plant multispecies cover crops each fall, vary the amount of nitrogen they apply each spring and record their cash crop yields.

The nutrient benefit that the cover crops provide can be measured by looking at soil respiration, or 24-hour carbon dioxide production, using a special test called the Haney-Brinton test.

Science shows that soil respiration is closely related to the amount of nitrogen that will be released for plant growth. In the study, the participating farmers will apply the traditional recommended rate of commercial nitrogen to one half of the test field, and based on the Haney-Brinton quantification, a lesser amount to the other half.

“We expect to see little to no difference in yield between the regular nitrogen and lower nitrogen applications,” said Buz Kloot, a USC professor.

Kloot says as the costs of inputs rise, farmers are becoming more interested in the idea that increased soil health can provide real benefits that include increased soil moisture, better crop yields, lower weed pressure, reduced inputs and lower costs.

“It was really gratifying to see a room full of growers seriously interested in soil health and in the outcomes of our field demonstrations,” said Chanda Cooper, the education coordinator for the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District.

Cooper said the next step of the project is conducting spring soil respiration tests, which will be used to make recommendations for commercial nitrogen reduction.

“The five farmers participating in this project are innovators and spokesmen for soil health and conservation,” she said. “Their enthusiasm and commitment to the work, and their testimony to their peers, is more meaningful than any set of results that a test can generate.”

The grant is enabling conservation partners in South Carolina to seize the opportunity to be leaders in the soil health movement, and judging from the enthusiasm at the demonstration, farmers are realizing the critical link between soil organic matter, soil health and financial savings.

Conservation Innovation Grants are awarded to entities across the nation to develop and demonstrate cutting-edge ideas to accelerate private lands conservation. Learn more about these grant opportunities.

The grant is studying the impacts of different types of cover crops. NRCS photo.

IBM News room - 2014-04-24 Georgia’s Flint River Partnership Taps IBM for Data-Driven Agriculture Solutions - United States

IBM’s weather forecasting technology to enable smarter irrigation, water conservation



IBM News room - 2014-04-24 Georgia’s Flint River Partnership Taps IBM for Data-Driven Agriculture Solutions - United States

EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy to Participate at the National Organization of Black County Officials Development Conference

EPA Press Release:

MEDIA ADVISORY
April 24, 2014
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy to Participate at the National Organization of Black County Officials Development Conference
Contact Information: Dawn Harris Young, (404) 562-8421 (Direct), (404) 562-8400 (Main), harris-young.dawn@epa.gov

ATLANTA – Friday, April 25, 2014, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy will join U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Anthony Foxx at the National Organization of Black County Officials (NOBCO) Development Conference in Memphis, Tenn.  Administrator McCarthy will highlight the President’s climate Action plan. This event serves as an opportunity to engage these leaders on EPA/Administration priorities surrounding the Agency’s clean air initiatives.

The conference is hosted by Shelby County Commissioner Justin Ford and NOBCO Chairman Roy Brooks.

WHO:   Gina McCarthy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Secretary Foxx, U.S. Department of Transportation 
Loretta Smith, Multnoma County, Northeast Portland, Oregon Commissioner
Derek Albert, Vice President of Economic Development, NOBCO
WHAT:   National Organization of Black County Officials Development Conference
WHEN:  Friday, April 25, 2014 at 9:00 A.M.

WHERE:  Shelby County Administration Building
Commission Chamber
160 North Main Street
  Memphis, TN 38109

The National Organization of Black County Officials (NOBCO) represents a coalition of black elected and appointed officials within county government for all 50 states.  NOBCO provides services as an information clearinghouse for organizational concerns and provides a program and project structure to educate, train, and assist government officials and community leaders. NOBCO hosts their economic development conference annually, the conference focuses on issues that impact county governments and communities around the country.

NOTE: This event is open to the press. Media should arrive no later than 9:00 A.M.  For more information, please contact Derek Albert at derek@derekalbert.com.
Connect with EPA Region 4 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion4

And on Twitter: @EPASoutheast

###

U.S. EPA Requires AllenCo to Comply with Federal Laws, Improve Safety Measures

EPA Press Release:

For Immediate Release: April 24, 2014Media Contact: Nahal Mogharabi, 213-244-1815, mogharabi.nahal@epa.gov

U.S. EPA Requires AllenCo to Comply with Federal Laws, Improve Safety MeasuresCompany Ordered to Make Significant Improvements to Operations

LOS ANGELES—Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized an agreement with AllenCo Energy Inc. requiring the company to make significant improvements to operations at its oil production facility located in a residential neighborhood of South Los Angeles. Today’s action is a result of a November 6, 2013 inspection that uncovered violations at the facility. AllenCo estimates that it will spend approximately $700,000 to implement improvements at the facility, including the actions required by EPA’s order.

“When a company is operating in extremely close proximity to a neighboring community, it is essential that steps are taken to ensure the safety of the residents,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “Today’s order requires AllenCo make the investments necessary to comply with the federal Clean Air and Clean Water Acts.”

During the investigation, EPA found that AllenCo was in violation of the “General Duty Clause” of the Clean Air Act because it didn’t meet recognized industry standards and practices. Specifically, the facility did not take sufficient measures to prevent accidental air releases of hazardous substances which include the inspection, testing and preventive maintenance of flammable gas and flame detectors, firefighting equipment, and oil storage tanks as well as pressure vessels and associated piping systems. During the inspection EPA also found that AllenCo was in violation of the Clean Water Act, which requires onshore oil production facilities that may discharge oils into waterways to prepare and implement a Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan.

The facility voluntarily shut down operations in late November 2013. Under the terms of the agreement, the facility must complete the following actions at least 15 days prior to re-opening the facility:

--Certify that all of the facility’s flame and combustible gas detectors, fire suppression systems, atmospheric tanks, pressure vessels and piping at the facility have been recently inspected and are up to code;

--Implement inspection, testing, and preventive maintenance procedures for all of its equipment;

--Re-engineer the open trench located at the production pit in order to prevent produced fluids from being exposed to the atmosphere;

--Implement a leak detection and repair program on all process equipment including piping, pumps, and compressors; and

--Revise SPCC plan to include a proper facility diagram, a complete contact list for response and discharge reporting and train personnel on the proper operation and maintenance of equipment.

AllenCo is a small oil production facility located approximately two miles from the University of Southern California. The facility has been operating in this location since the 1960s. The property is owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles and has been operated by AllenCo since 2009. Since 2010, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) has received hundreds of complaints from residents near the facility of noxious odors and health effects such as headaches and nosebleeds. EPA’s investigation was prompted by community complaints regarding emissions coming from the facility. The agency continues to coordinate closely with the SCAQMD, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office, the Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources, as well as other state and local agencies that have also completed investigations of their own at the site.

For more information on the Clean Water Act SPCC, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/oem/content/spcc/      

For more information on the Clean Air Act General Duty Clause, please visit:http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/docs/chem/gdc-fact.pdf    

###

ADVISORY: EPA’s People, Prosperity and the Planet Competition at the USA Science and Engineering Festival

EPA Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 24, 2014

ADVISORY: EPA’s People, Prosperity and the Planet Competition at the USA Science and Engineering Festival

WASHINGTON – Tomorrow, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe will open the USA Science and Engineering Festival, which hosts student teams from colleges and universities across the country who exhibit sustainable projects and compete for EPA’s People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Award. Awardees will be recommended for a grant of up to $90,000 to further develop their projects and take them to the marketplace.

This year’s P3 Competition and National Sustainable Design Expo is co-located with the USA Science and Engineering Festival at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. The USA Science and Engineering Festival is the largest science festival in the United States and will feature a Sustainability Pavilion where EPA’s P3 student teams will display their innovative projects alongside exhibitors from other organizations and businesses showcasing their work in sustainability.

WHO: Bob Perciasepe, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Lek Kadeli, Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development
Bob Kavlock, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science for EPA’s Office of Research and Development

Jim Johnson, Director of the National Center for Environmental Research, EPA Office of Research and Development

WHAT: EPA’s P3 Award Competition and the National Sustainable Design Expo at the USA Science and Engineering Festival

WHEN:

Friday April 25

12:30 PM EDT: Opening remarks by Bob Perciasepe

3:00 PM-6:00 PM EDT: VIP media availability

Sunday, April 27

4:00-5:30 PM EDT: Lek Kadeli’s presentation of the P3 Awards Ceremony, with remarks by Bob Perciasepe

The event is open to the public 9 AM to 6 PM Saturday, April 26- Sunday April 27, 2014.

WHERE: Sustainability Pavilion, located in Hall E of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place (between 9th and 7th Streets NW on L Street NW), Washington, DC 20001

R105

DOE Issues WIPP Radiological Release Investigation Report

DOE Issues WIPP Radiological Release Investigation Report

FedEx News Release:

FedEx and the Arbor Day Foundation Announce Disaster Recovery Program

Community Tree Recovery Program Roots Sustainable Recovery and Community Healing in Urban Reforestation

April 24 2014

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb., April 24, 2014 — FedEx Corp. and the Arbor Day Foundation announced today the launch of the Community Tree Recovery program, which will connect disaster-stricken communities with the resources needed for sustainable recovery and community healing.

Designed to be the national resource for communities to turn to as they seek to restore their trees in the aftermath of natural disaster, the Community Tree Recovery program provides the structure and capacity to address multiple disasters annually, distributing seedling trees to afflicted communities nationwide.  During the last few months, the program has already provided trees for towns in New Jersey still reeling from the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy and neighborhoods in Colorado rebuilding from the devastating 2012 wildfires.  Through this Arbor Day Foundation program, FedEx – as national sponsor -- will enhance sustainable recovery efforts for these communities in the months and years to come.

“Much of a disaster-stricken community’s ability to fully recover – emotionally, socially, physically and environmentally – depends on restoring lost trees,” said Dan Lambe, vice president of programs at the Arbor Day Foundation.  “While immediate relief efforts following a natural disaster should and do begin with human health and wellbeing, this program collaboration with FedEx addresses an essential step in the recovery phase – restoring lost trees.”

FedEx support for the Arbor Day Foundation, which includes a million-dollar, multi-year sponsorship, follows along tradition of FedEx connecting communities with the resources needed to address disaster in all phases: readiness, relief and recovery.  Through the collaboration with the Arbor Day Foundation, FedEx will provide leadership and resources to help disaster-stricken communities build a critical foundation to long-term, sustainable recovery.

“At FedEx, we believe strengthening community access and global connectivity as part of long-term recovery helps bring about greater prosperity and opportunity for generations to come,” said Mitch Jackson, vice president of Environmental Affairs and Sustainability for FedEx.  This program ensures that we address the long-termecological health of the community, which is a critical component to sustainable recovery and access.”

Sustainable Recovery Stems from Tree Restoration

Much like a family’s local roots, trees are also part of the vibrant, living foundation of communities - playing a critical role in community health, social and economic vitality, local ecology and environmental sustainability.  Not only can their loss be emotionally devastating for communities who have already lost so much in a disaster, failure to properly restore community trees can impede a community’s full recovery with numerous consequences down the line.

By providing trees to communities early in the recovery process, the Community Tree Recovery program will address long-term concerns while restoring the benefits that a healthy, sustainable urban forest provides:

·         Air Supply: Communities need to restore trees to provide the very air they breathe. Trees combat the greenhouse effect and provide oxygen by absorbing CO2 in the atmosphere. One acre of forest is enough to meet the needs of 18 people annually.

·         Healthier Lives: By restoring trees, communities will ensure their residents live healthier, cleaner lives.  By filtering out harmful pollutants, studies show that urban trees and forests are saving an average of one life every year per city.

·         Wildlife Recovery: Communities will only see local wildlife recover when they restore their trees, as trees provide homes for birds, bees, squirrels and other urban wildlife.

·         Risk Mitigation: Communities that restore trees will mitigate future risks like soil erosion and water pollution, as trees provide natural protection from the elements and help reduce the possibility of flooding.

·         Financial Value: By investing in tree replanting, homeowners can reduce financial costs from utility bills and improve real estate values.  A well-planted property and surrounding neighborhood can increase property value by as much as 15%.

“Communities will be unable to enjoy the long-term benefits of trees unless we begin to aggressively restore the trees lost in disasters,” said Lambe. “Replanting trees is an essential step in rebuilding neighborhoods and making communities whole again.”

FedEx and Arbor Day Foundation Plant Seed for Recovery Program

The Community Tree Recovery program leverages community partners and on-the-ground specialists to directly help communities recover and restore their urban forests. The bulk of this aide focuses on providing high-quality seedlings to homeowners to plant on private property – where the majority of community trees reside, providing the greatest overall impact. In this manner, the program directly reaches homeowners overwhelmed with numerous obstacles in the recovery phase, providing the resources and education to recover the community’s lost trees.

Following a natural disaster, the Arbor Day Foundation will assess its response plans against a formalized set of environmental and social filters used to determine when and how the program is activated. During the early stages of relief and recovery, the Arbor Day Foundation will work with FedEx and numerous local partners – including state foresters and city officials – to assess damage and needs, and determine a plan for storm clean-up, tree restoration and tree recovery. The program will formalize a campaign to address the needs of identified communities, including asking local business to join FedEx in donating trees and volunteers. In addition to local campaigns, the program also has a general seedling reserve fund – supported in part by FedEx – which can be leveraged to respond to pressing recovery needs.

Additional details about the program and the local campaigns underway can be found atwww.arborday.org/takeaction/community-tree-recovery.

About FedEx Corp.

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $45 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 300,000 team members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities.  For more information, visit news.fedex.com.

About the Arbor Day Foundation

The Arbor Day Foundation is a million member nonprofit conservation and education organization with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. More information is available at arborday.org.
 

# # #

Planting the Seeds of a Successful Future for our Children on Earth Day

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Patrice Kunesh, Deputy Under Secretary, USDA Rural Development, on April 23, 2014 at 1:00 PM

Deputy Under Secretary Patrice Kunesh (left) and California RD State Director Glenda Humiston join children and families to plant a community vegetable garden at Mountain View Estates.

Earth Day is an every-day celebration! It’s also about the future — creating a safe and healthy environment for our children and grandchildren. That’s just what I celebrated with the families at Mountain View Estates in Oasis, California, alongside Congressman Raul Ruiz and California State Director Glenda Humiston. Thanks to a terrific partnership between Rural Development and the local community, as well as with public and private support, these families now have homes hooked up to a new water system that provides them clean drinking water and wastewater disposal.

I am very proud of Rural Development’s work in the Mountain View Estates mobile home park.  Upon learning that 181 families were being displaced from their dilapidated trailer park because of hazardous conditions, mainly sewage backups and water contamination, Rural Development looked for opportunities to help re-build that community.  Today at Mountain View Estates, every family has access to basic amenities like clean drinking water, and reliable waste removal. Even electricity is no longer is a luxury.  This project not only improved the environment, it has also improved the overall quality of life for these families.

My visit to Mountain View Estates was part of a tour of the colonias in California’s Coachella Valley, a large agriculture region in eastern Riverside County. Colonias are communities within 150 miles of the Mexican Border that experience seriously inadequate water and sewage systems and insufficient housing.  As I visited these communities,I was startled to see the immense need for community infrastructure, like decent housing and reliable wastewater systems.

These challenges really are terrific opportunities for Rural Development and our many dedicated partners, like Congressman Ruiz, to invest in rural communities and create a healthy, thriving rural America.

Happy Earth Day!

U.S. EPA Administrator McCarthy, HUD Secretary Donovan, and DOT Secretary Foxx To Tour Joint Federal Investments and Sustainability Sites in Memphis

EPA Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2014
 

U.S. EPA Administrator McCarthy, HUD Secretary Donovan, and DOT Secretary Foxx To Tour Joint Federal Investments and Sustainability Sites in Memphis

WASHINGTON – On Friday, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy will join U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Anthony Foxx to conduct a tour highlighting joint agency investments in Memphis through the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

The tour will include an overview of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities’ investments at the Harahan Bridge, a visit to the Aerotropolis FedEx facility, the Broad Avenue business corridor, and the Legends Park West affordable housing development.  

The Partnership for Sustainable Communities was created in 2009 by President Obama as a collaboration between HUD, DOT and EPA to work together to help communities improve their housing and transportation options, protect the environment, and build stronger regional economies. The three partner agencies have coordinated on more than $130 million in investments in the Memphis metropolitan region, and $4 billion throughout the nation. 

WHO:            U.S. Department of Housing and Urban  Development Secretary Shaun Donovan

                     U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx

                        U.S. Environmental Protection Agency  Administrator Gina McCarthy

                        City of Memphis Mayor A.C. Wharton

                        U.S. Representative Steve Cohen

                        Delta Regional Authority Co-chair Chris Masingill

                                               

WHAT:          Tour with Secretary Donovan, Secretary Foxx and Administrator McCarthy highlighting Partnership for Sustainable Communities investments in Memphis. 

WHEN:          Friday, April 25, 2014

                      10 a.m. tour to begin at Memphis City Hall, 125 N. Main St., Memphis, Tenn. 38103

1:30 p.m. press availability at Legends Park West (following conclusion of tour), 198 N. Pauline St., Memphis, Tenn. 38105

DETAILS:     Transportation will be provided to members of the media. There will be a one-hour lunch break at 12 p.m. before concluding the tour and hosting a press availability.

RSVP:          Please RSVP a space on the tour bus. Contact George Gonzalez atGeorge.I.Gonzalez@hud.gov or call 703-638-4624 by Thursday, April 24 at 3 p.m. Space on the bus will be limited, and reporters are encouraged to arrive to City Hall at 9:45 a.m.

R104

St. Croix Fossil Fuel Power Plant to Comply with Clean Air Act

EPA Press Release:

St. Croix Fossil Fuel Power Plant to Comply with Clean Air Act

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

(New York, N.Y. – April 23, 2014) Under a legal agreement announced today by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice, the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (VIWAPA) will come into compliance with air pollution control requirements in the federal Clean Air Act at its Estate Richmond Generating Facility on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. These air pollution controls will reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter that can cause serious respiratory health effects. These pollutants are linked to serious health problems, including asthma, lung and heart disease.

EPA and the Dept. of Justice found that the facility violated limits on nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. This agreement is expected to reduce nitrogen oxides emissions by approximately 115 tons per year. The agreement is expected to reduce particulate matter emissions by approximately 3 tons per year.

“This legal agreement will go a long way toward reducing air pollution in St. Croix and beyond,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “EPA is committed to protecting communities on St. Croix that are threatened by air pollution.”

“Residents will breath cleaner air as a result of this agreement to reduce air pollution emissions and bring VIWAPA into compliance with the nation’s Clean Air Act,” said Robert G. Dreher, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Justice Department and our partners at EPA are committed to addressing large sources of pollution to ensure the maximum positive impact on public health and the environment.”

Under the EPA’s air permit requirements, large industrial facilities that make modifications that increase air pollution emissions must install best available control technology. VIWAPA operates with a permit that requires it to use the best available control technology to control emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. EPA found that VIWAPA had not properly operated nor maintained its water to fuel injection pollution control system from October 2005 through December 2012.

The facility also failed to meet the particulate matter emission limit during testing of emissions from its stacks and failed to conduct continuous monitoring to ensure compliance with its limits. The EPA found that the facility violated its limits for nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. VIWAPA also did not keep proper records.

  

Under the agreement, VIWAPA will:

properly operate and maintain the water to fuel injection pollution control system

develop and maintain an inventory of spare parts for the facility’s water to fuel injection system and emission monitoring equipment

test and properly operate a “real-time” emission monitoring system to ensure compliance withair pollution limits

conduct quality assurance testing of air monitoring systems

conduct stack tests to demonstrate compliance with the Clean Air Act

employ an independent third party to develop protocols, enable proper operation of the air pollution monitoring systems, train staff and audit its compliance for three years

The EPA has worked with VIWAPA over the past several years to address its violations and operations at the St. Croix facility. As a result of that work, VIWAPA has already repaired and replaced pollution controls and monitoring equipment at the facility. It replaced its data system, significantly repaired at least one unit and began purchasing better quality fuel. To date, VIWAPA has spent approximately $4 million to come into compliance with pollution control requirements and will spend at least $2 million a year to maintain compliance. VIWAPA will also pay a $700,000 penalty.

The consent decree was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of the Virgin Islands. Notice of the lodging of the consent decree will appear in the Federal Register allowing for a 30-day public comment period before the consent decree can be entered by the court as final judgment. The consent decree will available for viewing at www.justice.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html

To learn more about air issues in EPA Region 2, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region02/air/

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

14-029