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EPA Issues Emergency Orders to Three Mobile Home Parks in Thermal, Calif., to Ensure Drinking Water is Safe for Residents

 U.S. EPA News Release:

For Immediate Release: December 27, 2021

EPA Issues Emergency Orders to Three Mobile Home Parks in Thermal, Calif., to Ensure Drinking Water is Safe for Residents

Agency also fines Indian Village Mobile Home Park for failing to comply with previous order

THERMAL, Calif. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued three emergency orders under the Safe Drinking Water Act to different mobile home park public water systems located on the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian Tribe’s Reservation in California. The orders require the owners of Mora Mobile Home Park, Valladares Mobile Home Park, and Toledo Mobile Home Park to comply with federal drinking water requirements and to identify and correct problems with their drinking water systems that present a danger to residents. In addition, the agency issued a $3,021 penalty to Indian Village Mobile Home Park for failing to comply with a 2020 order.

"We have recently completed inspections and sampling of a number of smaller drinking water systems in Indian country that exceed arsenic drinking water standards,” said Martha Guzman, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “These orders require measures to achieve compliance and access to safe drinking water at these mobile home communities.”

The systems' current source of drinking water is groundwater that has naturally occurring arsenic. The regulatory Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for arsenic is 10 parts per billion (ppb) for drinking water. Arsenic is a known carcinogen and drinking high levels over many years can increase the chance of lung, bladder, and skin cancers, as well as heart disease, diabetes, and neurological damage. 

Today’s announcement applies to four separate water systems:

Mora Mobile Home Park: The system serves approximately 28 residents through eight service connections. EPA inspected the water system in November 2021 and found that the system was serving water that exceeded the MCL, based on sampling results ranging from 52 ppb to 63 ppb. At the time of the inspection, the water system was not registered with the EPA.

Valladares Mobile Home Park: The system serves approximately 24 residents through 6 known service connections. EPA inspected the water system in July 2021 and found that the system was serving water that exceeded the MCL, based on sampling results ranging from 77 ppb to 82 ppb. In addition, Valladares Mobile Home Park utilizes a wastewater disposal system consisting of three large capacity cesspools, which EPA banned in 2005 due to their high potential for contaminating drinking-water sources.

Toledo Mobile Home Park: The system serves approximately 68 residents through 16 service connections. EPA inspected the water system in November 2021 and found that the system was serving water that exceeded the MCL, based on sampling results ranging from 63 ppb to 65 ppb. At the time of the inspection, the water system was not registered with the EPA.

Indian Village Mobile Home Park: The water system serves approximately 35 residents through 13 service connections. EPA found the system was not complying with a 2020 drinking water order by not employing a certified drinking water operator. The owner of the water system agreed to pay a $3,021 penalty.

Under the terms of the agency’s emergency orders, the owners of the Mora Mobile Home Park, Valladares Mobile Home Park, and Toledo Mobile Home Park water systems are required to:

• Inform all residents of EPA’s sampling that identified high levels of aresenic in the systems’ drinking water and instruct all residents to immediately stop consuming the drinking water.
• Provide at least one gallon of drinking water per person per day at no cost for every individual served by the system.
• Submit a long-term compliance plan for EPA approval.
• Properly monitor the systems’ water and report findings to the EPA.

EPA will continue to oversee the systems’ efforts to follow Safe Drinking Water Act requirements and may levy civil penalties if the park owners fail to meet the compliance provisions in the emergency orders.

The Torres Martinez Tribe has no direct control or ownership of the water systems. EPA works closely with the Torres Martinez Tribe and has consulted their leadership about the violations.

For more information on EPA's drinking water program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter.

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EPA Awards over $11 Million to Pacific Southwest States and Territories for Diesel Emissions Reduction Projects

 U.S. EPA News Release:

EPA Awards over $11 Million to Pacific Southwest States and Territories for Diesel Emissions Reduction Projects

SAN FRANCISCO (December 27, 2021) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced over $14 million in Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) grants awarded to projects that reduce diesel emissions from the nation’s existing fleet of older, dirtier engines and vehicles. Of this, over $11 million was awarded to projects throughout the Southwestern U.S. and Pacific Island territories.

“The DERA grant program helps states and U.S. territories target funds towards projects that align with local priorities,” said Martha Guzman, Regional Administrator for EPA’s Pacific Southwest. “The projects will reduce diesel pollution and benefit communities. Reducing diesel use is a central strategy to environmental justice.”

In selecting projects for award, priority was given to projects that:

• are in areas designated as having poor air quality;
• reduce emissions from ports and other goods movement facilities;
• benefit local communities;
• incorporate local communities in project planning; and
• demonstrate an ability to continue efforts to reduce emissions after the project has ended. 

This year’s grants to the Southwestern U.S. and Pacific Island territories will fund the following projects:

• The American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA) received over $126,000 to replace an old 2002 Diesel Vacuum Truck with a new 2021 model. The funds will be combined with $40,731 in voluntary cost-share from ASPA.
   
• Columbia-Willamette Clean Cities Coalition (CWCCC) received $1,380,770 to replace one diesel yard truck and seven diesel insulated refrigerated trailers and truck transport refrigeration units (TRU) with all electric equipment, and install 108 electrified parking spaces to allow TRUs to be plugged in when parked. These projects will be implemented throughout Maricopa County via a partnership between CWCCC, McLane Company, KeHE Distribution, and Papa John’s. The funds will be combined with $1,960,128 in leveraged funds from CWCCC and participating partners. 
   
• Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD) received $525,392 to replace six old diesel school buses with model year 2021 alternative fuel buses, one old diesel school bus with a model year 2021 battery-electric bus, and nine old diesel trucks with model year 2021 diesel trucks. These projects will be implemented through a partnership between MCAQD, Yuma Union High School District, Madison School District, Sysco Foods, and White Water II, LLC. The funds will be combined with $350,261 in matching funds from MCAQD, and $1,745,550 in leveraged funds from public and private partners. 
   
• San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD) received $2,789,518 to replace 73 older diesel-powered agricultural tractors with new, cleaner equipment. The funds will be combined with $7,845,519 in leveraged funds from participating partners. SJVAPCD will also replace 33 trucks made prior to 2016 with new vehicles that emit less nitrogen oxide, or “NOx,” pollution. The funds will be combined with $4,886,226 in leveraged funds from participating partners. These projects will be implemented through a partnership between SJVAPCD and participating fleets. 
   
• South Coast Air Quality Management District received $2,349,995 to replace 14 diesel yard hostlers with all-electric hostlers at four distribution centers and replace 5 diesel Intermodal Box Connector carts with all-electric carts at the Long Beach Container Terminal. These projects will be implemented through a partnership between SCAQMD, Albertsons, McLane, and Port of Long Beach. The funds will be combined with $2,719,900 in leveraged funds from participating partners.
   
• Cajon Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) received $304,500 to replace five old diesel trucks, with three battery electric trucks. These projects will be implemented through a partnership between CVUSD, a California school district serving El Cajon and Rancho San Diego, First Priority Group, San Diego Gas & Electric, and Nuvve. The funds will be combined with $542,659 in cost-share funds from CVUSD including $119,211 in voluntary cost-share funds.
   
• City of Los Angeles, Harbor Department received $2,025,000 to replace an old switcher locomotive with a battery electric locomotive that will operate at railyards in the South Coast Air Basin. These projects will be implemented through a partnership between Los Angeles Harbor Department and Union Pacific. The funds will be combined with $2,475,000 in leveraged funds from participating partners.
   
• California Air Resources Board (CARB) received $627,035 to replace 10 school buses with all-electric and internal combustion engine alternatives throughout California. These projects will be implemented through a partnership between CARB, the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District, and participating fleets. The funds will be combined with $442,008 in matching funds from CARB, and $1,633,500 in leveraged funds from public and private partners. 
   
• The Guam Environmental Protection Agency received $126,609 to replace two older and higher polluting nonroad yard tractors with new, cleaner emission tractors. This project will be implemented through a partnership between the Guam Environmental Protection Agency and the Port Authority of Guam. The funds will be combined with $113,391 in voluntary cost-share from the Port.
   
• The Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) received $508,820 to replace three old, high-polluting diesel transit buses with all-electric vehicles. This project will be implemented through a partnership between HDOH and the Hawaii State Energy Office. The funds will be combined with $339,213 in Volkswagen mitigation matching funds, and $912,107 in leveraged funds from participating fleets.
   
• The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) received $513,234 to replace four older diesel school buses with battery-electric buses. These projects will be implemented through a partnership between NDEP, Carson City School District and participating fleets. The funds will be combined with $342,156 in matching funds from NDEP’S Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust allocation, and $981,932 in leveraged funds from participating partners.

In addition to DERA funding, following the passage of the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA will be making significant investments in the health, equity, and resilience of American communities. EPA will offer a total of $5 billion between fiscal years 2022 and 2026 to fund the replacement of dirtier school buses with low- or no-carbon school buses. Each year, $500 million will be available exclusively for electric school buses and $500 million will be available for electric buses and multiple types of cleaner alternative fuel school buses. In line with the President’s commitment to Justice40, EPA is actively working to ensure DERA funding, including Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, maximizes the benefits that are directed to underserved communities. 

The DERA Program funds grants and rebates that protect human health and improve air quality by reducing harmful emissions from diesel engines. Since the start of the DERA program in 2008, EPA has awarded over $1 billion in grants and rebates to modernize the nation’s diesel fleet and speed the turnover to cleaner on- and off-road heavy-duty trucks and equipment. 

For details on additional nation-wide recipients, funding amounts, and projects, please visit, https://www.epa.gov/dera.

More information on DERA state grants:  https://www.epa.gov/dera/state-allocations.

For more information on the EPA West Coast Collaborative and DERA grant projects please visit, https://westcoastcollaborative.org.

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region.

 U.S. EPA News Release:

EPA Settlement with Avantor Performance Materials Resolves Public Right to Know and Mercury Export Violations

December 20, 2021

Contact Information

EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

WASHINGTON (Dec. 20, 2021) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Avantor Performance Materials, LLC (Avantor) to resolve alleged violations of Emergency Planning Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reporting requirements at Avantor’s Phillipsburg, New Jersey facility; Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) violations at both its Phillipsburg, New Jersey and Paris, Kentucky facilities; and TSCA Mercury Export Ban Act (MEBA) (Mercury Export Prohibition) violations at its Paris, Kentucky facility. Under this settlement agreement, negotiated by EPA Region 2, Avantor has certified it is now in compliance with TSCA and EPCRA. It has submitted its required CDR and TRI reports for a variety of chemicals including acids, bases, salts, solvents and metals, and has ceased exporting elemental mercury.  Avantor will also pay a $600,000 civil penalty. The Consent Agreement and Final Order was approved by the EPA Environmental Appeals Board on December 15, 2021 and is effective immediately.

“Complying with these reporting requirements and the mercury export ban is an essential part of protecting public health, the environment, and emergency preparedness,” said Larry Starfield, Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “By reducing the global supply of elemental mercury in commerce, the mercury export ban seeks to reduce human exposure to this potent neurotoxin.”

Under EPCRA, facilities that manufacture, process, or otherwise use certain toxic chemicals above threshold amounts must file annual reports of their chemical releases and transfers with EPA and the appropriate state agency or tribe. In this case, EPA found that Avantor processed many chemical substances at its Phillipsburg, New Jersey facility. Of those chemicals, it failed to report 17 chemicals to the TRI for calendar year 2015 by the required due date of July 1, 2016.

Under TSCA, chemical manufacturers and importers must comply with EPA’s CDR requirement every four years. Facilities must report chemical production amounts for sites that manufacture (including import) 25,000 pounds or more of an existing chemical substance on the TSCA inventory that was manufactured for commercial purpose in the U.S. during any one calendar year between submission periods.  In this case, EPA found that Avantor failed to report 13 chemical substances that it imported for commercial purposes at its Phillipsburg facility and that it failed to report 16 chemical substances that it imported for commercial purposes at its Paris facility. These CDR reports were due between June 1, 2016 and October 31, 2016.

The Mercury Export Ban Act (MEBA) amended TSCA. TSCA prohibits the export of elemental mercury from the United States effective January 1, 2013, unless permitted under an exemption granted by EPA.  Avantor exported elemental mercury from the United States, through its Paris facility, in quantities between one and two pounds between October 1, 2014 and May 29, 2018. These exports were sent to Canada, Taiwan, and India without Avantor having obtained an exemption from EPA, a violation of TSCA.

For more information on Toxics Release Inventory reporting, Chemical Data Reporting and the Mercury Export Ban Act, please visit these websites:

• https://www.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-program
• https://www.epa.gov/chemical-data-reporting
• https://www.epa.gov/mercury/environmental-laws-apply-mercury#ExportBan

EPA fines Arizona auto parts companies for selling ‘defeat’ devices in violation of Clean Air Act

 U.S. EPA News Release:

EPA fines Arizona auto parts companies for selling ‘defeat’ devices in violation of Clean Air Act

Over $54,000 in penalties paid

December 21, 2021

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced settlements today with two Arizona automotive parts distributors to resolve violations of the Clean Air Act. The companies illegally sold aftermarket auto parts that bypass or disable required emissions control systems, otherwise known as defeat devices. The distributors paid $54,814 in penalties.

“These settlements are a very significant step toward stopping the sale of illegal aftermarket defeat devices. These unlawful products cause harmful pollution on our roads and in our communities,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Director of the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division, Amy Miller. “We will continue to investigate and penalize anyone who manufactures, sells, or installs these types of illegal products.”

Tampered diesel and gasoline powered vehicles emit large amounts of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, both of which contribute to serious public health problems in the United States. These problems include premature mortality, aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, aggravation of existing asthma, acute respiratory symptoms, chronic bronchitis, and decreased lung function. Numerous studies also link diesel exhaust to increased incidence of lung cancer.

The increase in emissions that would have resulted from the use of the illegal parts and tuning software addressed in these settlements is estimated to equal the emissions coming from an additional 1,830 vehicles on the road. 

Today’s announcement highlights separate settlement agreements: 

Dykstra Inc. dba Dykstra Machinery sold or installed aftermarket parts and tuning software designed to defeat emission control systems of heavy-duty diesel trucks and nonroad diesel tractors. Dykstra also tampered with such trucks and tractors. The company, located in Gilbert and Casa Grande, Arizona, paid a civil penalty of $29,814 to resolve the violations. This agreement was reached under EPA’s expedited settlement policy, which is only used in certain circumstances to address minor, easily correctable violations. 

Dudu Oja Ije, LLC, dba RPM Outlet sold aftermarket parts and tuners designed to defeat the emission control systems of highway motor vehicles. The company, located in Phoenix, Arizona, agreed to pay a civil penalty of $25,000, which was reduced due to financial hardship, to resolve the violations.

If you suspect someone is manufacturing, selling, or installing illegal defeat devices, or is tampering with emissions controls, tell the EPA by writing to tampering@epa.gov.

For more information on EPA’s National Compliance Initiative: “Stopping Aftermarket Defeat Devices for Vehicles and Engines,” please visit: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/national-compliance-initiative-stopping-aftermarket-defeat-devices-vehicles-and-engines

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter. Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter.

EPA Announces $81 Million WIFIA Loan to Upgrade Water Infrastructure in Sacramento, California

 U.S. EPA News Release:

EPA Announces $81 Million WIFIA Loan to Upgrade Water Infrastructure in Sacramento, California

Nationally, 66 WIFIA loans are financing nearly $27 billion in water infrastructure upgrades, creating 76,000 jobs

Contact: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

SAN FRANCISCO (Dec. 21, 2021) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an $81 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the Sacramento County Water Agency in northern California. The financed project will modernize water infrastructure to support a more reliable and climate-resilient water supply. 

“By upgrading this aging distribution system and installing water meters that are fundamental to conservation, EPA is showing how the agency partners with local water providers to meet community needs,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “This project also creates jobs while EPA’s WIFIA loan will keep costs down. Many more communities will benefit from the win-win of water infrastructure investment, thanks to the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”

“The Sacramento County Water Agency’s project is critical to fighting drought and reducing climate change impacts,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “The EPA is committed to helping communities pursue smarter water management strategies, and we are proud to help finance this project to benefit local residents for generations to come. This represents the future of water in the West.”

Sacramento County Water Agency’s Arden Service Area Distribution System Pipe Realignment and Meter Installation Project will reduce water loss and the frequency of waterline breaks by modernizing the aging water distribution infrastructure. Additionally, the project helps Sacramento County comply with current fire protection standards and water metering requirements by installing 30 miles of new distribution pipeline, 260 fire hydrants, and 3,000 new water meters. Improved leak detection and water conservation methods will reduce water use by an estimated 17 percent annually, increasing the community’s resiliency to the effects of climate change. 

“The Sacramento County Water Agency (Agency) is appreciative of the opportunity to participate in EPA’s WIFIA program. The funding from this program will allow the Agency to address critical water supply infrastructure needs,” said Michael Peterson, Sacramento County Water Agency Director.  “The funded project will upgrade the Arden Service Area water distribution system by installing larger pipes to increase system capacity, improve fire flow, and bolster system reliability while making more efficient the operation and maintenance of the system. The project also includes the installation of water meters for all service area connections, which will ensure the Agency meets compliance with California metering mandates. The WIFIA loan proceeds allow the Agency to implement the project in the most cost-effective manner possible while reducing the overall cost impact of the project to Agency customers.  This funding allows the Agency to continue to implement our capital improvement plan and provide a high quality, reliable and flexible water supply.”

EPA’s $81 million WIFIA loan will finance nearly half of the $165 million project costs. Sacramento County Water Agency will save approximately $22 million through its WIFIA financing. Project construction and operation are expected to create an estimated 530 jobs and construction is expected to be completed in 2025.

Background

Established by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, the WIFIA program is a federal loan and guarantee program administered by EPA. WIFIA’s aim is to accelerate investment in the nation’s water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance for regionally and nationally significant projects. 

The WIFIA program has an active pipeline of pending applications for projects that will result in billions of dollars in water infrastructure investment and thousands of jobs. With this WIFIA loan closing, EPA has announced 66 WIFIA loans that are providing $12.5 billion in credit assistance to help finance nearly $27 billion for water infrastructure while creating approximately 76,000 jobs and saving ratepayers over $4.7 billion.

For more information about the WIFIA program, visit: https://www.epa.gov/wifia

EPA Awards Research Funding to UC Berkeley to Help Reduce Community Exposure to Wildfire Smoke

 EPA News Release:

EPA Awards Research Funding to UC Berkeley to Help Reduce Community Exposure to Wildfire Smoke

SAN FRANCISCO (December 20, 2021) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $549,940 in research funding to the University of California-Berkeley to create an action plan for effective communication of wildland fire smoke exposure threats to at-risk San Francisco Bay Area communities.

“Smoke from wildfires is a serious health risk to millions of Americans,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Laboratory Services and Applied Sciences Division Director Duane James. “The results of this research will help us more effectively communicate these threats to some of the most at-risk communities and empower them to better protect their own health during wildfire smoke events.”

“As wildfires become more frequent and severe, we are working to effectively communicate the risks of smoke exposure to impacted communities,” said Wayne Cascio, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator in EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “The research we are funding will help develop strategies to prevent and reduce the health impacts of smoke from wildfires.”

Wildland fire (wildfire and prescribed fires) smoke is made up of a complex mixture of gases and fine particles produced when wood and other organic materials burn. The biggest health threat from smoke is from fine particles. Outside or indoors, exposure to these microscopic particles can cause burning eyes, runny nose, and illnesses such as bronchitis. Additionally, fine particles can aggravate chronic heart and lung diseases, and they are linked to premature deaths in people with these conditions. Smoke also contains air toxics that can cause cancer or other serious health effects.

Researchers at the University of California-Berkeley will use EPA’s funding to engage members of underserved and marginalized groups in California’s San Francisco Bay Area to identify the most effective data sources and dissemination strategies for communicating wildfire smoke exposure risks. The goal of the research is to improve public health through developing a community-aligned action plan for wildfire smoke exposure prevention to serve the residents of the community.

"The project was designed with the public in mind. I'd like to better understand how scientists can improve our participation in smoke exposure risk communication by prioritizing concerns of the Bay Area's most vulnerable population,” said Dr. Cesunica Ivey, Assistant Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of California, Berkeley, and Principal Investigator of the Air Quality Modeling and Exposure Lab. “I look forward to learning more from communities about their concerns around messaging and interventions surrounding smoke exposure mitigation."

Photo courtesy of UC Berkeley

This grant is one of the eleven research projects receiving EPA STAR funding to address interventions and communication strategies to reduce exposure and the associated health risks from wildland fire smoke.

For more information about these grants, visit: https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/interventions-and-communication-strategies-reduce-health-risks-wildland-fire-0

Background on EPA’s STAR Program

The goal of EPA’s Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program is to stimulate and support scientific and engineering research that advances EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment. It is a competitive, peer reviewed, extramural research program that provides access to the nation’s best scientists and engineers in academic and other nonprofit research institutions. STAR funds research on the environmental and public health effects of air quality, climate change, environmental justice, water quality and quantity, hazardous waste, toxic substances, and pesticides.

For more information about EPA research grants, visit: https://www.epa.gov/research-grants

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter.

 EPA Press Release:

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will boost cleanup at the Formosa Mine Superfund site near Riddle, Oregon

Toxic heavy metals cleanup among first $1B in investments to clear Superfund backlog

Photos(2)

Contact: Suzanne Skadowski, 206-553-2160, skadowski.suzanne@epa.gov

SEATTLE (Dec. 17, 2021) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that the Formosa Mine Superfund site near Riddle, Oregon, will receive Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to complete critical cleanup actions and protect human health and the environment.  The Douglas County, Oregon, site is among 49 sites across the nation that will benefit from a $1 billion investment from the BIL to initiate cleanup and clear the backlog of previously unfunded Superfund sites and accelerate cleanup at other sites across the country. Until this historic investment, many of these were part of a backlog of hazardous waste sites awaiting funding. Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites include manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining sites.

“This work is just the beginning; with more than 1 in 4 Black and Hispanic Americans living within 3 miles of a Superfund site, EPA is working to serve people that have been left behind,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Approximately 60 percent of the sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects are in historically underserved communities. Communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination will finally get the protections they deserve.” 

At the Formosa Mine site on Silver Butte, between Riddle and Canyonville, Oregon, discharges of acid rock drainage and toxic metals from the abandoned mine into the Middle Creek watershed, have contaminated surface water, groundwater, soils, and sediment with heavy metals, threatening fish and other aquatic species. EPA is now designing the first phase of cleanup to address all mine impacted material on the surface of the mine. Work will include excavating or capping areas contaminated with high metal concentrations and low pH (acidic) to stop contaminants from leaching through and flowing downstream during rain and snowmelt events. The second phase of cleanup will address risks to surface and groundwater at the site.

“Oregonians deserve clean water and a safe environment free of toxic chemicals,” Chair of the Senate Finance Committee Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said. “I am proud that the Infrastructure Package includes $21 billion to address legacy pollution, including cleaning up superfund sites like Formosa Mine near Riddle. It is long past time to get to work with cleanup efforts to reduce environmental and public health risks that contaminate our communities.”

“The bipartisan infrastructure law is already delivering in big ways, with dozens of new cleanup projects set to receive funding, including Formosa Mine in Riddle, Oregon,” said Congressman Peter DeFazio, D-Ore.-04. “Formosa has been leaching toxins for decades, discharging heavy metals that kill everything within 18 miles of the South Fork of Middle Creek, poisoning salmon habitat and drinking water. The funding announced today will better our environment, protect critical fish habitat, and undo the mess that has caused the most environmental damage due to mining in Oregon’s history.”

“This is great news from the EPA and will make a huge impact on the cleanup project at the Formosa Mine,” said Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. “This abandoned zinc and copper mine has been poisoning the waters surrounding the site for years, and I’m glad it’s getting the crucial funding needed to address the pollution impacting the Middle Creek and South Fork Middle Creek watersheds. This funding will help make a difference in keeping our environment and communities safe and healthy.”

The $1 billion investment is the first wave of funding from the $3.5 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help cleanup polluted Superfund sites in communities. The backlog of previously unfunded sites that will now be receiving funding are in 24 states and territories and all 10 EPA regions, including some communities who have been waiting for cleanup for more than four years. 

Along with new construction projects, infrastructure funds will be used to accelerate ongoing work and begin cleanup at additional Superfund sites in various stages of pre-construction and planning throughout the country. These cleanup projects will make a visible and lasting difference in communities.

The funds will supercharge the Superfund program to address the toll contaminated sites have on communities. EPA is finalizing cleanup plans and preparing funding mechanisms to get construction work started as soon as possible. More information about funding for backlogged sites and accelerated cleanup sites will be available in the coming weeks.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed. 

In 1980, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund, was passed. The novel law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, funds appropriated by Congress are used. A tax on chemical and petroleum industries provided funds to the Superfund Trust fund for Superfund cleanups up until 1995. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law reinstates the chemical excise taxes and invests an additional $3.5 billion in environmental remediation at Superfund sites, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address the legacy pollution that harms the public health of communities and neighborhoods. Find more information about EPA’s Superfund program at: https://www.epa.gov/superfund. 

Photos show acidic water and runoff at the closed Formosa Mine between Riddle, Ore. and Canyonville, Ore. AP Photos/The News-Review, Andy Bronson (AP Photos. The News-Review, Andy Bronson)

EPA’s Region 10 serves communities in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and 271 Tribal Nations. Learn more about EPA’s work in the Pacific Northwest at: epa.gov/epa-region-10-pacific-northwest. Connect with us on Twitter: @EPAnorthwest and Facebook: @eparegion10. 

EPA Announces Plans to Use Funds from Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill to Expedite Cleanup at Arrowhead Plating Superfund Site

 U.S. EPA Press Release:

EPA Announces Plans to Use Funds from Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
to Expedite Cleanup at Arrowhead Plating Superfund Site

PHILADELPHIA (Dec. 17, 2021) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $1 billion investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law today to initiate cleanup and clear the backlog of 49 previously unfunded Superfund sites and accelerate cleanup at dozens of other sites across the country. Until this historic investment, many of these were part of a backlog of hazardous waste sites awaiting funding.

“No community deserves to have contamination near where they live, work, pray and go to school,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “The historic funding boost from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $3.5 billion in the Superfund Remedial Program, making a dramatic impact in EPA’s ability to address the legacy pollution that harms the public health of communities and neighborhoods across the country.”

Approximately $8.3 million in initial infrastructure funding will be used at the Arrowhead Plating site in Montross, Virginia, for electrical resistivity heating to treat potential Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) and high concentrations of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in groundwater beneath the former manufacturing building located on the Site. 

“I am thrilled to see the dispersal of this first wave of funding to clean up superfund sites across the country,” said U.S. Congressman Donald McEachin (VA-04). “Too often, tribal and indigenous communities, low-income communities, and minority communities are disproportionately impacted by environmental injustices and sources of legacy pollution like superfund sites. I was proud to support the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal because it will take concrete steps to address these issues. The release of these funds is a monumental first step in combatting environmental injustice and ensuring a healthier future for all Americans, regardless of their zip code or socioeconomic status.”

The Arrowhead Associates/Scovill Corp. Site is located approximately two miles southeast of Montross, Virginia, in Virginia’s Northern Neck region. The Site, previously used for cosmetic case manufacturing from 1966 to 1979, occupies approximately 30 acres on the east side of State Route 3. It includes a manufacturing building, parking lot and five former sludge settling ponds and a treated wastewater pond on the eastern portion. Site soils and groundwater were contaminated via on-site residual process wastes, contaminated containers, and manufacturing equipment. EPA added the Site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List in 1990.

The $1 billion investment is the first wave of funding from the $3.5 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help cleanup polluted Superfund sites in communities. The backlog of previously unfunded sites that will now be receiving funding are in 24 states and territories and all 10 EPA regions, including some communities who have been waiting for cleanup for more than four years.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed.

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan visited the Lower Darby Creek Area site in Pennsylvania, one of the many sites with ongoing work that will receive a boost from the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding. Along with new construction projects, infrastructure funds will be used to accelerate ongoing work and begin cleanup at additional Superfund sites in various stages of pre-construction and planning throughout the country.

The funds will supercharge the Superfund program to address the toll contaminated sites have on communities. EPA is finalizing cleanup plans and preparing funding mechanisms to get construction work started as soon as possible. More information about funding for backlogged sites and accelerated cleanup sites will be available in the coming weeks.

In 1980, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund, was passed. The novel law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, funds appropriated by Congress are used. A tax on chemical and petroleum industries provided funds to the Superfund Trust fund for Superfund cleanups up until 1995. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law reinstates the chemical excise taxes and invests an additional $3.5 billion in environmental remediation at Superfund sites, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address the legacy pollution that harms the public health of communities and neighborhoods.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once-in-a-generation investment that will create millions of jobs modernizing our infrastructure, turn the climate crisis into an opportunity, and put us on a path to win the economic competition for the 21^st century. 

For more information and to see a list of the 49 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-sites-new-construction-projects-receive-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

EPA Announces Plans to Use Funds from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Address Hot Spot at Crossley Farm Superfund Site

 EPA Press Release:

EPA Announces Plans to Use Funds from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
to Address Hot Spot at Crossley Farm Superfund Site

PHILADELPHIA (Dec. 17, 2021) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $1 billion investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law today to initiate cleanup and clear the backlog of 49 previously unfunded Superfund sites and accelerate cleanup at dozens of other sites across the country. Until this historic investment, many of these were part of a backlog of hazardous waste sites awaiting funding.

“No community deserves to have contamination near where they live, work, pray and go to school,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “The historic funding boost from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $3.5 billion in the Superfund Remedial Program, making a dramatic impact in EPA’s ability to address the legacy pollution that harms the public health of communities and neighborhoods across the country.”

$5.5 Million of the funds will go to construction work to address the contamination “hot spot” at the Crossley Farm Site in Huffs Church, Berks County, Pennsylvania. This work will include installing extraction wells, pretreating the contaminated groundwater, piping it to the existing treatment plant, and expanding the existing treatment plant to be able to treat the additional contaminated groundwater.

The Crossley Farm Superfund Site is approximately 200 acres of farmland. A portion of the land was used for dumping wastes, resulting in primarily TCE contamination of the groundwater.

The groundwater is currently being extracted and treated at the treatment plant that is successfully removing TCE contamination. The treatment plant is also stopping the groundwater plume from spreading. Where necessary, residential drinking water is being treated with carbon filtration and monitored by the state. Also, where necessary, residential mitigation systems are addressing potential vapor intrusion caused by groundwater contamination.

“Far too many people, particularly in underserved communities, live near Superfund sites that have lacked funding for cleanup efforts. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is about to change that,” said U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). “I have long advocated for Crossley Farm and North Penn Area 6 to receive funding needed to give nearby residents the ability to raise their families free from pollution and contamination. This is a win for the people of Hereford Township and Lansdale, who will be able to enjoy the right to clean air and water guaranteed to them by our Commonwealth’s constitution.”

The $1 billion investment is the first wave of funding from the $3.5 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help cleanup polluted Superfund sites in communities. The backlog of previously unfunded sites that will now be receiving funding are in 24 states and territories and all 10 EPA regions, including some communities who have been waiting for cleanup for more than four years.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed.

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan visited the Lower Darby Creek Area site in Pennsylvania, one of the many sites with ongoing work that will receive a boost from the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding. Along with new construction projects, infrastructure funds will be used to accelerate ongoing work and begin cleanup at additional Superfund sites in various stages of pre-construction and planning throughout the country.

The funds will supercharge the Superfund program to address the toll contaminated sites have on communities. EPA is finalizing cleanup plans and preparing funding mechanisms to get construction work started as soon as possible. More information about funding for backlogged sites and accelerated cleanup sites will be available in the coming weeks.

In 1980, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund, was passed. The novel law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, funds appropriated by Congress are used. A tax on chemical and petroleum industries provided funds to the Superfund Trust fund for Superfund cleanups up until 1995. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law reinstates the chemical excise taxes and invests an additional $3.5 billion in environmental remediation at Superfund sites, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address the legacy pollution that harms the public health of communities and neighborhoods.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once-in-a-generation investment that will create millions of jobs modernizing our infrastructure, turn the climate crisis into an opportunity, and put us on a path to win the economic competition for the 21^st century. 

For more information and to see a list of the 49 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-sites-new-construction-projects-receive-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

EPA Announces Plans to Use Funds from Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill to Expedite Cleanup at North Penn 6 Superfund Site

 EPA Press Release:

EPA Announces Plans to Use Funds from Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
to Expedite Cleanup at North Penn 6 Superfund Site

PHILADELPHIA (Dec. 17, 2021) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $1 billion investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law today to initiate cleanup and clear the backlog of 49 previously unfunded Superfund sites and accelerate cleanup at dozens of other sites across the country. Until this historic investment, many of these were part of a backlog of hazardous waste sites awaiting funding.

“No community deserves to have contamination near where they live, work, pray and go to school,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “The historic funding boost from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $3.5 billion in the Superfund Remedial Program, making a dramatic impact in EPA’s ability to address the legacy pollution that harms the public health of communities and neighborhoods across the country.”

Approximately $3.6 million of infrastructure funds will be used to excavate and dispose off-site contaminated soils at the J.W. Rex Source location which will contribute significantly to the cleanup efforts at the North Penn Area 6 Site in Lansdale, Pennsylvania.

“With the passage of the landmark bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we have delivered the largest investment in addressing legacy pollution in American history,” said U.S. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01). “The EPA Region 3’s announcement of the first wave of IIJA-funded Superfund clean-up projects is a significant milestone in our efforts to remediate the more than 1,000 hazardous waste sites across the country. I am thrilled to hear that the EPA is beginning work to clear out the serious backlog of unremedied toxic Superfund sites, including the North Penn Area 6 Superfund site located in Lansdale, which has posed considerable environmental and health risks to residents in my district for decades.”

The North Penn Area 6 Site is located in the Borough of Lansdale and small portions of Hatfield, Towamencin, and Upper Gwynedd townships.  The Site includes multiple sources of contamination situated over a large area with commercial, industrial, and residential uses.

“Far too many people, particularly in underserved communities, live near Superfund sites that have lacked funding for cleanup efforts. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is about to change that,” said U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). “I have long advocated for Crossley Farm and North Penn Area 6 to receive funding needed to give nearby residents the ability to raise their families free from pollution and contamination. This is a win for the people of Hereford Township and Lansdale, who will be able to enjoy the right to clean air and water guaranteed to them by our Commonwealth’s constitution.”

The $1 billion investment is the first wave of funding from the $3.5 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help cleanup polluted Superfund sites in communities. The backlog of previously unfunded sites that will now be receiving funding are in 24 states and territories and all 10 EPA regions, including some communities who have been waiting for cleanup for more than four years.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed.

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan visited the Lower Darby Creek Area site in Pennsylvania, one of the many sites with ongoing work that will receive a boost from the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding. Along with new construction projects, infrastructure funds will be used to accelerate ongoing work and begin cleanup at additional Superfund sites in various stages of pre-construction and planning throughout the country.

The funds will supercharge the Superfund program to address the toll contaminated sites have on communities. EPA is finalizing cleanup plans and preparing funding mechanisms to get construction work started as soon as possible. More information about funding for backlogged sites and accelerated cleanup sites will be available in the coming weeks.

In 1980, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund, was passed. The novel law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, funds appropriated by Congress are used. A tax on chemical and petroleum industries provided funds to the Superfund Trust fund for Superfund cleanups up until 1995. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law reinstates the chemical excise taxes and invests an additional $3.5 billion in environmental remediation at Superfund sites, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address the legacy pollution that harms the public health of communities and neighborhoods.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once-in-a-generation investment that will create millions of jobs modernizing our infrastructure, turn the climate crisis into an opportunity, and put us on a path to win the economic competition for the 21^st century. 

For more information and to see a list of the 49 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, please visit:https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-sites-new-construction-projects-receive-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding