Celebrating 25 Years of Binational Cooperation on the Improvement of Air Quality in Paso del Norte Region Airshed

 U.S. EPA News Release:

Celebrating 25 Years of Binational Cooperation on the Improvement of Air Quality in Paso del Norte Region Airshed

 

Media contacts: Joe Hubbard or Jennah Durant at r6press@epa.gov or 214 665-2200

 

DALLAS – (May 7, 2021) Today at a meeting of the Joint Advisory Committee for the Improvement of Air Quality in the Paso del Norte Air Basin (JAC), members marked the 25^th anniversary of the binational group. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Mexico’s Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT, acronym in its Spanish form), established the JAC to support and protect air quality within the unique geographic area of El Paso Co., Texas;  Doña Ana County, N.M; and the metropolitan area of Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. The JAC’s work is based on a mission of “One Basin,” emphasizing collaboration and cooperation among three cities, three states, one federally recognized U.S. Tribe, and two countries.

 

“Since the Joint Advisory Committee was established 25 years ago, EPA and our local, state, Tribal, and international partners have collaborated to address air quality challenges facing the Paso del Norte Air Basin,” said Acting Regional Administrator David Gray. “EPA is proud to be part of this exceptional committee that has served as a model for binational cooperation and problem-solving.”

 

 “The air knows no borders, and what we have learned in all these years of collaboration is that it is necessary to address the problem of air quality in a binational way, so for me it is also an honor to serve as Co-Chair of the JAC,” said Abel Arguelles, SEMARNAT’s General Director for Air Quality Managment and Pollutant Release and Transfer Register.

 

The 20-member JAC, comprised of government, business leaders, air quality experts, academics, environmentalists and public health officials, work together to develop a comprehensive framework to manage the common international airshed and improve air quality. Over the past 25 years, the JAC has served as a model for binational collaboration, problem-solving, and policy development.  

 

During this time, the leadership of the JAC developed and implemented strategies to improve air quality in the region by reducing emissions of carbon monoxide, chemicals that contribute to the formation of ozone, and particulate matter. These strategies include: 1) reducing vehicle emissions by introducing oxygenated gasoline in Ciudad Juárez; 2) establishing dedicated commuter lanes at northbound international bridges to reduce vehicle idling; 3) introducing the use of cleaner-burning fuels for brick-making factories; 4) improving enforcement, surveillance and control of open burning; and 5) expediting privately owned and commercial trucks crossings at international ports of entry.

 

More recently, the JAC created a first-of-its-kind binational fund that will foster air quality projects throughout the region, first focusing on reestablishing air monitoring stations in Ciudad Juárez. The fund aims to bring a sustainable, long-term financial solution by giving not only public but private entities the opportunity to support the air quality network within the region. It will be managed by the North American Development Bank in coordination with two technical commissions who will serve to advise on the projects funded.

 

The JAC anniversary comes during Air Quality Awareness Week, when EPA and federal, state, tribal, and local partners celebrate progress and highlight the public health benefits of improved air quality. Learn more at https://www.airnow.gov/aqaw/

 

 

Background

The Joint Advisory Committee for the Improvement of Air Quality in the Paso del Norte Air Basin was established through an unprecedented agreement, signed by the United States and Mexico, that amended the 1983 La Paz Agreement with the addition of Annex V under Appendix I. On May 7, 1996, the United States and Mexico signed the agreement that defined the bi-national Paso del Norte Air Basin and created the committee. It is comprised of a mixture of federal, state, and local government officials along with private citizens, university officials, and non-governmental organizations from the United States and Mexico.

 

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EPA settles with Sutter County’s Bear River Supply Inc. for selling misbranded pesticide

 U.S. EPA News Release:

EPA settles with Sutter County’s Bear River Supply Inc. for selling misbranded pesticide

SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Bear River Supply Inc., based in Rio Oso, Calif., has agreed to pay a $50,578 penalty to resolve EPA’s findings  that the company produced pesticides in an unregistered establishment, distributed and sold misbranded pesticides and failed to maintain equipment properly. Ensuring agricultural pesticide products are properly produced, labeled and distributed protects workers, the public, and the environment. The company has since corrected the violations.

“Pesticide manufacturers must be registered to produce pesticides, properly label products and ensure pesticide loading areas have proper secondary containment to prevent chemical releases,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Director Amy Miller. “Pesticide manufactures that do not comply with federal law will face significant penalties.”

The violations were discovered during a series of inspections conducted by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) and EPA at two separate facilities in Rio Oso. Inspectors found that “Vistaspray 440 Spray Oil” and “Roundup PowerMax” were being repackaged and distributed with improper labeling. In addition, inspectors determined that Bear River Supply was producing pesticides in a facility that was not registered with EPA. While at the facilities, inspectors also found that a secondary containment unit and loading pad, both used to contain potential spills, were inadequate.

“Our staff inspect agricultural dealerships throughout California to ensure compliance with federal and state pesticide rules and regulations,” said California Department of Pesticide Regulation Director Val Dolcini. “This settlement underscores the importance of DPR’s partnership with our federal colleagues at EPA to enforce laws that protect public health and the environment.”

Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), each pesticide manufacturer must register its facility with EPA and annually report its pesticide production. Production records provide information on the quantities of pesticides produced and distributed. In addition, the number assigned to the establishment must appear on the label.

These reports and labeling requirements allow the tracking of pesticide products back to the companies that produce them and are necessary to ensure safe management and distribution of these pesticides. For more information on pesticides, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides

For more information on FIFRA and its enforcement, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-federal-insecticide-fungicide-and-rodenticide-act

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

EPA Evaluates Plan to Reduce Bay Pollutants No Longer Contained by Conowingo Reservoir

 U.S. EPA News Release:

EPA Evaluates Plan to Reduce Bay Pollutants No Longer Contained
by Conowingo Reservoir

PHILADELPHIA (May 6, 2021) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has completed its evaluation of a draft plan to compensate for more than 6 million pounds of Chesapeake Bay pollutants no longer being trapped in a reservoir behind the Conowingo Dam.

EPA’s evaluation of the draft Conowingo Watershed Implementation Plan (CWIP) is available on the Bay TMDL website, www.epa.gov/chesapeake-bay-tmdl.

The evaluation commends the drafters of the CWIP, while raising concerns over distinguishing CWIP restoration actions from others already pledged, as well as the need for dedicated funding mechanisms and public sector financial commitments for the additional work. The evaluation also recognizes that the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership has not yet decided on the target end date for implementation of the CWIP.

When the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (Bay TMDL) was established in 2010, it was estimated that the reservoir behind the Conowingo Dam would trap sediment and associated nutrients through 2025. However, studies conducted over the last several years demonstrated that the reservoir has reached dynamic equilibrium (i.e., the reservoir is near full capacity).

The Chesapeake Bay Program’s Principal Staff Committee agreed to develop a separate and collaborative Conowingo Watershed Implementation Plan (CWIP) that would outline the programmatic and numeric commitments that could be taken to reduce the adverse water quality impacts to the Chesapeake Bay resulting from Conowingo Dam infill, as well as a timeline at which those reductions could be achieved.

The draft WIP was developed by a steering committee consisting of representatives from the Chesapeake Bay Commission and each Chesapeake Bay watershed jurisdiction – Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia – and supported by the Center for Watershed Protection.

“We appreciate the extensive work and analysis reflected in this draft plan,” said EPA Acting Regional Administrator Diana Esher.  “We trust our review will help identify the next steps to putting this plan into necessary action.”

The draft CWIP outlines plans for an additional reduction of 6 million pounds of nitrogen and 0.26 million pounds of phosphorus needed to mitigate the water quality impacts of Conowingo Dam infill.

In its evaluation, EPA commends the Center for Watershed Protection and the steering committee for developing a Best Management Practices (BMPs) implementation scenario that meets the necessary nitrogen reductions and focuses restoration activity, primarily agricultural BMPs, in the most effective areas of the Susquehanna River Basin.

The evaluation states that the draft CWIP “proposes a comprehensive process for identifying, selecting, and implementing BMPs through a tiered system and technical review team.  Also, considerable effort has been expended to conduct local engagement and outreach with affected communities to educate stakeholders about the CWIP process and establish preliminary expectations for implementation efforts that go above and beyond” what is reflected in the jurisdictions’ existing Phase III Watershed Implementation Plans.

EPA states that it “recognizes that the CWIP will continue to evolve based on implementation successes and challenges,” but noted that “critical to the successful implementation of the CWIP is to ensure that the plan complements and does not compete with the jurisdictions’ Phase III WIPs in terms of opportunities for BMP implementation and resources, including technical assistance, staffing, and funding.”  The evaluation states that “it is currently unclear” how the two efforts will be distinguished and recommends that the final CWIP “provide more detail on where exactly implementation will be targeted and the affected stakeholders.”

The EPA evaluation also recognizes that the CWIP financing strategy is still under development, but notes “there is currently little confidence that the CWIP will be fully implemented to meet the necessary nitrogen reductions without dedicated funding mechanisms in place and the commitment from the public sector to provide an initial investment to initiate CWIP implementation.”

In September 2019, EPA awarded nearly $600,000 for three projects to further the Conowingo WIP, including support for overseeing its development and implementation to the Center for Watershed Protection.  Each watershed jurisdiction contributed a portion of their EPA Chesapeake Bay grant funding to the award.

While EPA does not approve or disapprove a WIP, EPA provides its evaluation for the benefit of the Chesapeake Bay Program jurisdictions and, as appropriate, may provide recommendations for strengthening a WIP.

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Two Health Programs, both in California, Announced as the Winners of U.S. EPA’s National Asthma Management Awards

 U.S. EPA News Release:

Two Health Programs, both in California, Announced as the Winners of U.S. EPA’s National Asthma Management Awards

Central California Asthma Collaborative, Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego Earn Awards Tied to Asthma Awareness Month

This May, during Asthma Awareness Month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is honoring two exceptional community-based asthma programs with the 2021 National Environmental Leadership in Asthma Management Award. EPA is recognizing the Central California Asthma Collaborative’s (CCAC) Asthma Impact Model (AIM) Program and Rady Children’s Hospital – San Diego (RCHSD) for their leadership in promoting environmental asthma management as part of comprehensive asthma care in the communities they serve.

“Growing up with respiratory challenges in North Carolina, I know the struggle that millions of Americans suffer on a daily basis,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “I’m also keenly aware of how asthma disproportionately affects children of families living in underserved communities overburdened by pollution. Innovative programs like CCAC and RCHSD play a crucial role in combating this serious, sometimes life-threatening disease by tackling it at a community level.”

Over 24 million Americans have asthma, including 5.5 million children. U.S. EPA is committed to reducing the national burden of asthma by implementing a multi-faceted program comprised of research, regulatory measures and non-regulatory community-based technical assistance, outreach, and education campaigns. U.S. EPA facilitates a network of more than 1,100 community-based programs to find local solutions, particularly in disadvantaged communities, for delivering and sustaining comprehensive asthma care.

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease, and although there is no cure for asthma yet, extensive evidence suggests that reducing exposure to indoor irritants such as secondhand smoke, indoor allergens such as house dust mites, pests, mold and animals, and outdoor air pollution can prevent asthma attacks or lessen their severity.

2021 National Environmental Leadership Award in Asthma Management Winners:

Central California Asthma Collaborative (Fresno, California)

Aimed at improving the lives of low income, predominantly Hispanic and African American Medi-Cal and uninsured patients suffering from asthma, Central California Asthma Collaborative’s (CCAC) AIM’s Program works to reduce in-home environmental triggers, ensure access to and proper use of asthma medications, and facilitates regular visits to healthcare providers.

Asthma prevalence across the eight counties of the San Joaquin Valley served by CCAC has reached as high as 20% in school age children. The Valley’s aging housing stock is a significant contributor to home environmental asthma triggers. That, combined with the poorest outdoor air quality in the nation, has created a perfect storm for high rates of poorly controlled asthma. CCAC was established in 2011 to develop an in-home asthma program for children residing in low-income housing and communities of color. Over time, CCAC has partnered with health plans to receive direct patient referrals for high-risk asthmatic patients with high health care utilization. In response to COVID-19, CCAC has adapted the AIM program to a virtual visit model to continue to provide participants with personalized asthma education and home remediation services. As a result of their work, asthma-related hospitalizations decreased by 70%, asthma-related emergency department usage decreased by 81%, and asthma-related outpatient visits decreased by 53%.

Rady Children’s Hospital -San Diego (San Diego, California)

Established in 1954, Rady Children’s Hospital – San Diego evolved from a 59-bed hospital for child polio victims to a 524-bed pediatric medical center servicing San Diego, Imperial, and southern Riverside counties. Rady Children’s Health Network is a Clinically Integrated Network that combines primary care, specialty care, and hospital-based services. Of the asthma population seen in the emergency department, the children are primarily Latinx (65%) and African American (12%). Many of the children live in neighborhoods commonly associated with inequities related to poverty, poor outdoor air quality and other socioeconomic and cultural factors.

“On behalf of Rady Children’s and Rady Children’s Health Network, we are honored to receive the 2021 National Environmental Leadership in Asthma Management Award,” said Dr. Keri Carstairs, chief population health officer at Rady Children’s Hospital. “As a health system and clinically integrated network, we are continually dedicated to improving the lives of children with asthma in our community by taking a whole child and family centered approach, establishing community partnerships, and addressing care across the continuum of care. This continuum includes improving the home environment as well as the medical care received by primary and specialty care teams both in the clinic and hospital environments.”

For the past five years, RCHSD has implemented a Community Approach to Severe Asthma Program, an innovative initiative utilizing a community health worker model with the goal of improving management and outcomes for children with severe asthma. C community health workers contact the families of these children and perform in-home visits to conduct environmental assessments, reinforce health care provider instructions, assess asthma control, and set behavioral/environmental change goals. Due to COVID -19, the team moved the home visit program to a completely virtual format with great success. Natural cleaning kits are distributed to all participants in the program, and home remediation supplies such as dust mite encasings for beds, high-efficiency particulate air filters, and closed lid garbage cans are distributed as needed.

For more information about U.S. EPA’s work to reduce exposure to indoor asthma triggers, visit https://www.epa.gov/asthma.

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

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 U.S. EPA News Release:

Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians receive EPA approval to administer Clean Water Act programs on reservation and trust lands

Seattle (May 3, 2021) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved the request by the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians to assume responsibilities of the Clean Water Act’s water quality standards and certification programs on reservation and trust lands.

With this approval, the CTCLUSI will assume authority over all surface waters within the Reservation and trust Lands. Trust lands include lands located outside of the reservation that are held in trust by the United States for the CTCLUSI. The CTCLUSI reservation and trust lands collectively cover almost 15,000 acres of southwest Oregon.

According to Dan Opalski, Director of EPA’s Water Division in Seattle:

“We are pleased to approve the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, & Siuslaw Indians’ request for Treatment in a Similar Manner as a State. We support their efforts to protect water quality and celebrate this enhancement of our partnership in implementing the Clean Water Act. We look forward to our continued work with the tribes to protect vital resources now and for future generations.”

According to the CTCLUSI tribal Council:

"This Treatment in a Similar Manner as State recognition is an important acknowledgment of tribal sovereignty by the EPA. We are very pleased with this determination. Water is Life!  Water is and always has been an important resource for the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, & Siuslaw Indians and we are excited that we can now manage the tribe's waters more directly."

The CTCLUSI applied to EPA for “Treatment in a Similar Manner to a State” (TAS) for the Clean Water Act section 303(c) water quality standards and the section 401 water quality certification programs on December 17, 2019, and supplemented the application on June 12, 2020.

Specifically, this approval will enable the CTCLUSI to set water quality goals and standards - the regulatory and scientific foundation for protecting water quality - for all water bodies within the CTCLUSI reservation and trust Lands. EPA’s approval does not alter or modify water quality standards outside of the CTCLUSI reservation and trust Lands.

Today’s approval authorizes the CTCLUSI to develop water quality standards for all surface waters within the CTCLUSI reservation and trust Lands and to ensure that CWA-permitted discharges will meet all applicable water quality standards for reservation waters after those standards are reviewed and approved by EPA. The CTCLUSI have previously been granted TAS status for other Clean Water Act sections:  section 106 - Water Pollution Protection and section 319 - Nonpoint Source programs, in 2002 and 2003, respectively.   

Background

Several federal environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act, authorize EPA to treat eligible federally recognized Indian tribes in a similar manner as a state for implementing and managing certain environmental programs. The basic requirements for applying for TAS are that the tribe must be federally recognized; have a governing body to carry out substantial governmental duties and powers; have the appropriate authority; and be capable of administering the functions of the program.

EPA’s approval of the CTCLUSI’s application does not constitute an approval (nor disapproval) of the tribes’ water quality standards. Any water quality standards adopted by a tribe and submitted to EPA for action must satisfy all Clean Water Act and other regulatory requirements, including public participation to ensure an appropriate opportunity for any interested entities to provide input on the proposed water quality standards.

 

 

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EPA Notifies Limetree Bay of Clean Air Act Violations

 U.S. EPA News Release:

EPA Notifies Limetree Bay of Clean Air Act Violations
 

NEW YORK (May 3, 2021) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a notice of violation to Limetree Bay Terminals, LLC (Limetree Bay) for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act for failing to operate five sulfur dioxide (SO2) monitors in the surrounding communities of Christiansted on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the associated weather tower on the facility grounds.

“EPA issued this notice of violation to protect the people who live near and work at this refinery, and we have also deployed a team of experts to St. Croix and are working to assess Limetree Bay’s compliance with environmental laws,” said EPA acting Regional Administrator Walter Mugdan. “Many residents are justifiably concerned about recent incidents at this refinery and have questioned if it is operating in accordance with requirements. In fact, the measurement of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere is key as it helps us assess air quality, and the data are used to oversee regulated facilities to ensure that appropriate control measures are in place to reduce people’s exposure to the gas.”

EPA’s notice to Limetree Bay found that the company has failed to operate five ambient S02 monitoring stations, two to the west of the refinery and three to the north of the refinery, as required by EPA’s Prevention of Significant Deterioration and other regulations. The company also failed to operate a meteorological tower. A major source of air pollution, such as Limetree Bay, is subject to controls under its air permits. Limetree Bay may be liable for civil penalties and required to take actions to correct the violations specified in the Notice of Violation (NOV) issued to it on April 30, 2021. Limetree Bay has been informed that it has the opportunity to request a video conference to discuss the NOV, and that 30 days following the issuance of the NOV, EPA is authorized to take further actions in response to the violations.

Short-term exposures to elevated levels of SO2 can harm the human respiratory system and make breathing difficult. People with asthma, particularly children, are sensitive to these effects of SO2. EPA’s national and regional rules to reduce emissions of SO2 and pollutants that form sulfur oxides help protect public health as well as aid state and local governments in meeting national air quality standards.

Limetree Bay is in a community predominantly made up of people of color and low-income populations who are already disproportionately affected by environmental burdens. These disproportionate burdens present environmental justice concerns, which are a priority for EPA.

Background:

The Limetree Bay facility has experienced a series of releases and incidents that have sickened residents, including residents in an Environmental Justice community adjacent to the facility. A team of EPA experts arrived on April 30 and was joined by members of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources to gather information about the recent incidents and conduct a preliminary assessment of the situation.

In two letters sent on April 1 and on April 30, EPA requested information from Limetree Bay regarding incidents that recently occurred at the refinery. EPA, in conjunction with the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources and U.S. Virgin Department of Health, is seeking to determine the level of the exceedances, the composition of the releases, the duration and cause of the incidents, the corrective actions taken or to be taken, the potential public health impacts, and how to best prevent future incidents.

Additionally, EPA has set in motion several additional sets of inspections at the facility over the course of the coming months to focus on compliance with various environmental statutes. To protect the integrity of the enforcement process, EPA cannot at this time share specifics about, or dates of, these inspections.

To read the notice of violation, visit: https://www.epa.gov/vi/limetree-bay-terminals-and-limetree-bay-refining-llc

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EPA approves rapid test to assess beach water quality in San Diego County

 U.S. EPA News Release:

EPA approves rapid test to assess beach water quality in San Diego County

New pilot bacteria rapid test provides same-day results for beachgoers

 

SAN DIEGO - Today, EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region announced approval of an innovative, quick turn-around DNA-based method to evaluate bacteria in San Diego County beach water. The San Diego County rapid test is the first demonstration of the use of this method for routine beach monitoring in the world.

This method was developed for beach use by the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project and implemented in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). By using this digital test to measure bacterial DNA in beach water, San Diego County beach managers will be able to provide same-day notices of beach water quality.

“We applaud San Diego County for further advancing the science in beach monitoring by piloting this innovative rapid test method,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Water Division Director Tomás Torres. “Same-day beach water quality results will facilitate more effective beach management decisions to ensure that beachgoers are protected moving forward.”

“The collaborative study between CDPH and the County of San Diego demonstrated ddPCR to be a reliable method for monitoring beach water quality conditions,” said Dr. Mark Starr, Deputy Director for Environmental Health, CDPH. “Combined with same-day results, ddPCR will be a great tool for expediting notifications of both poor water quality conditions and the return to safe conditions to recreational beach users.”

“San Diego County will be the first coastal community in the country to provide beach users with same-day water quality results when this new rapid test is implemented later this year,” stated San Diego County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Nora Vargas. “This was truly a great collaboration of private, local, state and federal agencies that will help protect the health of our residents and visitors to San Diego County beaches.”

Harmful levels of bacteria in beach water typically last less than one day in California, but current beach water bacterial sampling methods require 18-24 hours to produce results. The delay between sample collection and public notification of results may leave beachgoers unknowingly exposed to harmful bacteria and slows the removal of signage restrictions when risks have abated. The digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) method not only significantly shortens the turnaround time between sampling and results to less than four hours on average but is also able to detect lower levels of bacterial exceedances than current testing methods.

While developing the environmental application of the ddPCR beach water testing method, San Diego County environmental health officials, alongside the California Department of Public Health, the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, and the University of California, San Diego embarked on a two-year-long study comparing bacterial concentration measured with ddPCR to measurements gathered by existing methods. The study took samples across 70 miles of county coastline. The recently published results found good agreement between the methods.

Final approval of using ddPCR for regular beach monitoring will be determined by the success of this pilot program, with input from the California Department of Public Health and California’s Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program.

For more information on beach water quality, please visit https://www.epa.gov/beaches.

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