EPA Press Office:

EPA Announces Winners of Let’s Talk About Heat Challenge

Winners share strategies to help communities stay safe during extreme heat

WASHINGTON (August 31, 2022) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the 10 winners of the Let’s Talk About Heat Challenge. Winners will receive prizes of $12,000 each for their innovative strategies and messages to raise awareness of extreme heat risks and protect public health, especially in underserved communities. The Let’s Talk About Heat Challenge was developed in support of the National Climate Task Force's Extreme Heat Interagency Working Group, which is being led by EPA, NOAA, and HHS with support from the White House.

 

“This summer, unprecedented heat is having devastating impacts on people across this country and around the world. As we work to make our communities more resilient and combat climate change, we must also make sure people have the information they need to stay safe during intense heat waves. I congratulate our challenge winners for helping to protect their neighbors and our most vulnerable community members by raising awareness of heat risks,” said Vicki Arroyo, EPA Associate Administrator for Policy and senior representative on the National Climate Task Force's Extreme Heat Interagency Working Group.

 

Extreme heat can affect everyone, but it can be much worse for those with chronic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Heat also has a bigger impact on children and older people – as well as people who spend more time outdoors or lack air conditioning. Additionally, extreme heat can disproportionately impact people of color and people with lower incomes who often live in neighborhoods with fewer trees and less greenery, which makes these areas hotter than wealthier areas of the same city. 

 

The Let’s Talk About Heat Challenge winners are raising awareness of extreme heat risks for more vulnerable groups and individuals and offering tips on how people can protect themselves from extreme heat. EPA and challenge co-sponsors will work with challenge winners over the coming months to share the winning heat safety messages with communities across the country and help build capacity for communities to communicate the risks of extreme heat.

 

Let’s Talk About Heat Challenge Winners:

 

• Achieving Resilient Communities (ARC) Ventura Project Partners, Ventura County, Calif., for their communications strategy to work with community organizers to expand access to information in indigenous languages and audiovisual formats on how Ventura County farmworkers can protect their health during heat waves and forest fires.

• City of Phoenix, Ariz., for their We’re Cool outreach and communication campaign throughout the city to distribute heat relief supplies, share information about community cooling resources, and help connect residents to other critical social services including shelter, housing, identification, food, hygiene facilities, and transportation.

• Crook County Health Department, Ore., for their proposed summer-long outreach and education campaign for children, students, and public school staff at various locations across the county to provide them with information and resources on heat safety to have a safe and healthy summer.

• The Farmworker Association of Florida, for their development of a widely used curriculum called PISCA (Pesticide and Heat Stress Education for Latino Farmworkers that is Culturally Appropriate) to help outdoor workers in Florida protect themselves on hot days.

• Miami-Dade County, Fla., for their multilingual Heat Season Campaign with a simple, empowering message – drink water, find shade, rest. The campaign prioritized reaching those most at risk for heat-related illnesses including low-income communities, outdoor workers, and families with children. 

• Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health (PNASH) Center, for their Heat Education & Awareness Tools (HEAT), developed in collaboration with agricultural workers, educators, promotores, and others, which features a facilitator’s guide, heat awareness system (with partner, WSU Ag Weather Net), worksite posters, interactive educational materials for workers, and radio programing in English and Spanish.

• Public Health - Seattle & King County, Wash., for their Stay Safe in the Heat campaign using comics to reach people at high risk for heat illnesses, especially those disproportionately impacted due to existing health disparities.

• Trust for Public Land, Philadelphia, Penn., for their “Heat Response: Creative Action for Philly’s Rising Temperatures (HR)” initiative focused on community engagement through public art with local artists, residents, and city agencies to combat environmental racism and historic inequity.

• WeCount!, Miami-Dade County, Fla., for their proposed ¡Que Calor! initiative that will broadcast heat prevention public service announcements in native Mayan dialects and heat-related programs via radio to reach outdoor workers, who are particularly at risk from extreme heat. The programs will help outdoor workers better understand the health risks of extreme heat, identify symptoms of heat illness or stroke, and take life-saving actions to protect themselves and their co-workers.

• West Harlem Environmental Action, Inc., New York, N.Y., for their proposed interactive brochure, the Climate Ready Uptown Plan, to inform northern Manhattan residents on the dangers of extreme heat and encourage them to participate in life-saving emergency preparedness planning. 

 

EPA and partners will host a webinar featuring representatives from these 10 winning organizations on Thursday, October 6 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Register here for the webinar to learn more about the winning messages and how partners worked together to reach target audiences.  

 

In addition to EPA, challenge co-sponsors include NOAA, HHS, FEMA, and external partner organizations, including the Atlantic Council, Georgetown Climate Center, Groundwork USA, and National Association of County and City Health Officials.

 

Visit the Let’s Talk About Heat Challenge webpage to learn more about the challenge winners and view honorable mentions that target important audiences for heat risk messaging including families in public housing, older adults, pregnant people and athletes. 

Ventura Coastal Agrees to $270,000 Penalty for Clean Air Act Violations at Visalia Facility

 EPA News Release:

Ventura Coastal Agrees to $270,000 Penalty for Clean Air Act Violations at Visalia Facility

Contact Information: Joshua Alexander (alexander.joshua@epa.gov)

415-214-5940

SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Ventura Coastal, LLC, to resolve Clean Air Act chemical risk management violations at its citrus processing facility located in Visalia, California. The facility improperly managed refrigeration equipment containing more than 10,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia and will pay $270,000 in civil penalties.

On May 21, 2019, EPA inspected the Visalia facility and determined that Ventura Coastal violated provisions of Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act, which governs extremely hazardous substances such as anhydrous ammonia. EPA found that the company failed to keep up-to-date information on equipment, failed to label piping and equipment, did not adequately describe maintenance and inspection frequencies for equipment and instrumentation, failed to inspect equipment and correct deficiencies, and did not address internal audit and incident investigation findings in a timely manner.

“It is so critical that facilities like the Ventura Coastal citrus processing plant in Visalia prevent dangerous incidents by handling extremely hazardous substances properly. If they violate the law, they will face Clean Air Act penalties,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “This settlement will protect the nearby Visalia community from future chemical accidents and minimize the danger if incidents do occur again.”

This settlement advances EPA’s efforts to enforce environmental regulations that protect citizens from harmful releases of extremely hazardous substances, especially in communities that may already experience disproportionate environmental risks. Ventura Coastal’s Visalia facility is in a community that is disproportionally affected by environmental burdens, and incidents like this raise significant environmental justice concerns.

About Anhydrous Ammonia

Thousands of facilities nationwide make, use, and store extremely hazardous substances, including anhydrous ammonia. Anhydrous ammonia can cause serious, often irreversible health effects when released. In addition to potential impacts from inhalation of or skin contact with this substance, it is highly flammable.

Catastrophic accidents at ammonia refrigeration facilities—historically about 150 each year—result in fatalities and serious injuries, evacuations, and other harm to human health and the environment. EPA inspected Ventura Coastal’s Visalia facility as part of the Agency’s National Compliance Initiative, which seeks to reduce risk to human health and the environment by decreasing the likelihood of accidental releases and mitigating the consequences of chemical accidents.

For more information on Clean Air Act Section 112(r) visit EPA’s Fact Sheet: Clean Air Act Section 112(r): Accidental Release Prevention / Risk Management Plan Rule website.

For more information on the National Compliance Initiative visit EPA’s Reducing Accidental Releases at Industrial and Chemical Facilities website.

For more information on reporting possible violations of environmental laws and regulations visit EPA’s enforcement reporting website.

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

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 EPA Press Office:

EPA Issues Air Quality Advisory for the Nisqually Reservation

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

(Seattle – Thursday, August 25, 2022) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10, in coordination with the Nisqually Indian Tribe, has issued an air quality advisory on the Nisqually Reservation due to the elevated pollution levels caused by a brush fire south of the reservation near the town of Rainier. Weather forecasts indicate poor air quality will continue through Friday with a return to good air quality on Saturday.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) may reach the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) level. Sensitive groups should avoid outdoor exercise and minimize exposure to outdoor pollution as much as possible. As pollution levels increase, the EPA recommends that residents restrict activity and use N95 masks.

Air pollution can harm health and may have lasting effects. To protect vulnerable people, EPA requests that reservation residents reduce all sources of air pollution, such as automobile exhaust, as much as possible. People who are at greater risk from the effects of smoke include those with heart or lung disease, older adults, children, and pregnant people.

To keep levels of smoke as low as possible indoors, create a clean room. A clean room may be most helpful for sensitive people.

Air quality conditions are influenced by factors such as wind, temperature, and time of day, as well as the location, size, and control strategy for regional wildfires. EPA scientists use weather forecasts, satellite pictures, fire incident reports, and air quality models to forecast air quality for tribal communities and predict when burn bans should be declared.    

To check conditions in your area, go to https://fire.airnow.gov/.  For current burn ban status on tribal lands, please call the EPA FARR Hotline at 1-800-424-4372, or visit  

https://www.epa.gov/farr/burn-bans-indian-reservations-id-or-and-wa#current-bans. For burning restrictions in areas outside reservation boundaries, please contact your local clean air agency or fire department. For smoke and fire information in Washington visit https://enviwa.ecology.wa.gov/home/text/426#BurnBans.

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 EPA Press Office:

EPA Removes Portion of Tybouts Corner Landfill From List of Nation’s Most Contaminated Sites (DE)

PHILADELPHIA (Aug. 23, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it has deleted a portion of the Tybouts Corner Landfill site in New Castle, Delaware, from the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL is a list of the nation’s most contaminated hazardous waste sites. “While EPA encourages site reuse throughout the cleanup process, even partial deletions from the NPL can revitalize communities, raise property values, and promote economic growth by signaling to potential developers and financial institutions that cleanup of a portion of a site is complete,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz.  “Achieving this milestone can be especially impactful for communities.” EPA deletes sites or parts of sites from the NPL when no further cleanup is required to protect human health or the environment. Years, and sometimes decades, of complex investigation and cleanup work have gone into getting these sites to the point where they can be deleted from the NPL. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will accelerate EPA’s work to help communities clean up these contaminated sites with a $3.5 billion investment in the Superfund Remedial Program and reinstates the Superfund chemical excise taxes, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address legacy pollution. This historic investment strengthens EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment, and EPA has already set action in motion to clear the backlog of the 49 contaminated sites which had been awaiting funding to start remedial action. The Tybouts Corner Landfill Site is approximately 10 miles south of Wilmington and four miles west of the Delaware River. The site was used by the New Castle County Department of Public Works as a municipal sanitary landfill which accepted industrial wastes from December 1968 until July 1971. The landfill consisted of two non-adjoined sections – West Landfill, about four acres in size, and the Main Landfill, with about 47 acres, containing waste ranging from five to 40 feet thick. Contamination was found in two nearby wells in 1976 and again in 1983.  EPA’s clean-up on two parcels of Tybouts Corner on the West Landfill is now considered complete, which included removal of all waste, as well as soil and groundwater remediation. While significant progress has been made in the clean-up of the Main Landfill portion of the Tybouts Corner site, all performance standards have not yet been achieved and it will remain on the NPL.  To keep the public informed of these actions, EPA published a Federal Register Notice on March 22, proposing to delete part the Tybouts Corner Landfill site and opening a 60-day comment period, of which no adverse comments were received.

 

For more information visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/tyboutscorner

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Removes Chem-Solv Site From List of Nation’s Most Contaminated Sites

PHILADELPHIA (Aug. 23, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it is deleting the Chem-Solv, Inc. site in Cheswold, Delaware, from the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL is a list of the nation’s most contaminated hazardous waste sites. “While EPA encourages site reuse throughout the cleanup process, deletions from the NPL can revitalize communities, raise property values, and promote economic growth by signaling to potential developers and financial institutions that cleanup is complete,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz.  “Achieving this milestone can be especially impactful for communities.” EPA deletes sites or parts of sites from the NPL when no further cleanup is required to protect human health or the environment. Years, and sometimes decades, of complex investigation and cleanup work have gone into getting these sites to the point where they can be deleted from the NPL. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will accelerate EPA’s work to help communities clean up these contaminated sites with a $3.5 billion investment in the Superfund Remedial Program and reinstates the Superfund chemical excise taxes, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address legacy pollution. This historic investment strengthens EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment, and EPA has already set action in motion to clear the backlog of the 49 contaminated sites which had been awaiting funding to start remedial action. The Chem-Solv, Inc. site is located on a 1.5-acre property in Cheswold, Delaware. Chem-Solv was a small solvent distillation facility beginning in 1982.  The facility recycled waste solvents, but in 1984, an explosion and fire at the site destroyed the facility. After the fire, authorities evaluated the Columbia Aquifer beneath the site and found high concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), primarily trichloroethene (TCE).  TCE is a heavy, colorless, highly toxic liquid used as a solvent to clean electronic components and for dry cleaning. Groundwater recovery, such as a “pump and treat” method to remove groundwater and purify, was conducted from 1997-2017. In 2017, groundwater sampling showed concentrations had dropped below EPA thresholds and groundwater extraction and treatment was conditionally discontinued. Since then, quarterly groundwater sampling shows that all contaminants remain below EPA’s federal groundwater quality standards. Based on this monitoring data, EPA determined that the response at the Chem-Solv Site is complete and as a result, the site has been deleted from the NPL. To keep the public informed of these actions, EPA published a Federal Register Notice on March 22, proposing to delete the Chem-Solve Site from the NPL and opening a 60-day comment period. No adverse comments were received. For more information visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/chemsolv

 EPA Press Office:

New Jersey and New York Communities to Benefit from EPA Grant to Support Anaerobic Digestion Technology

New Jersey and New York Communities to Benefit from EPA Grant to Support Anaerobic Digestion Technology

 

Contact Information: John Senn, senn.john@epa.gov, 212-637-3662

NEW YORK (August 23, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a $200,000 grant to the Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA) to support anaerobic digestion technology in 11 states in the Northeast, New England the Mid-Atlantic, including New Jersey and New York. NEWMOA has partnered with the Northeast Recycling Council and Clean and Healthy NY to develop guidance and training designed to enhance engagement and regulatory compliance for anaerobic digestion projects in local communities in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

“This innovative project will help communities in 11 states reduce food waste that could end up in landfills while capturing methane for use, instead of having it go into the atmosphere,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Anaerobic digestion is one way to ensure essential nutrients are recirculated into our ecosystems.”

Anaerobic digestion is a process by which microorganisms break down organic materials, such as food scraps, manure, and sewage sludge, in the absence of oxygen. The process produces biogas, which can be captured and used for energy production, and digestate, a nutrient-rich product used for fertilizer. The project funded by the EPA grant will develop solutions to regulatory and other barriers to anaerobic digestion projects while incorporating principles of environmental justice and community engagement.

Anaerobic digestion facilities that process food waste can have environmental and community impacts, including air emissions, odors, truck traffic, and others, which can contribute to disproportionate, cumulative, and adverse impacts on residents. Understanding community interests and concerns from the outset of any project can be critical to successful completion and implementation.

By decreasing the amount of wasted food going to landfills, anaerobic digestion reduces landfill methane emissions, in turn reducing impacts of climate change. Methane traps 28 to 36 times more heat in the atmosphere over a 100-year period than carbon dioxide. Additionally, anaerobic digestion is a strategy included in EPA’s food recovery hierarchy that is preferable to landfilling and incineration because it reclaims valuable resources, contributing to a circular economy. Keeping food waste out of landfills by transforming it into fuel or fertilizer can save money and reduce environmental impacts.

The grant to NEWMOA is one of 11 EPA is awarding this year to divert food waste from landfills by expanding anaerobic digester capacity nationwide. EPA is prioritizing environmental justice by ensuring nearly half of the funds from these 11 grants will be awarded to projects or recipients located in communities with environmental justice concerns.

For more information on anaerobic digestion, visit: https://www.epa.gov/anaerobic-digestion.

To learn about other EPA resources and possible funding opportunities related to the food system, visit: https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/resources-and-possible-funding-opportunities-related-food-system.

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 EPA Press Office:

EPA Removes C&R Battery from List of Nation’s Most Contaminated Sites

PHILADELPHIA (Aug. 23, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it is deleting C&R Battery Company, Inc. Superfund Site in Chesterfield County, Virginia, from the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL is a list of the nation’s most contaminated hazardous waste sites. “While EPA encourages site reuse throughout the cleanup process, deletions from the NPL can revitalize communities, raise property values, and promote economic growth by signaling to potential developers and financial institutions that cleanup is complete,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz.  “Achieving this milestone can be especially impactful for communities.” EPA deletes sites or parts of sites from the NPL when no further cleanup is required to protect human health or the environment. Years, and sometimes decades, of complex investigation and cleanup work have gone into getting these sites to the point where they can be deleted from the NPL. Between the early 1970s and 1985, C&R Battery Co., Inc. used the 11-acre site located near the James River to dismantle batteries from cars, trucks and commercial applications in order to recover lead and lead oxide. The process involved cutting open batteries and draining acid into on-site ponds. These practices contaminated the soil, sediment and surface water with lead and other hazardous chemicals. EPA oversaw clean-up actions, including excavating and disposing of contaminated surface soils and sediments.  Following a final inspection and detailed review of site data, EPA’s clean-up goals have been deemed complete for all groundwater, surface water, sediment and soil, which includes the establishment of institutional controls to prevent future contamination. The James River wetlands, an area approximately three miles downstream typically used for recreational purposes, were determined to be free of site contaminants as well. To keep the public informed of these actions, EPA Published a Federal Register Notice on March 22, proposing to delete the C&R Battery Site from the NPL and opened a 60-day comment period. No adverse comments were received. For more information visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/crbattery

EPA fines Autosales, Inc., which has location in Reno, for selling defeat devices, harming air quality

 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:

EPA fines Autosales, Inc., which has location in Reno, for selling defeat devices, harming air quality

SAN FRANCISCO (August 22, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that Ohio-based Autosales, Inc. will pay a $600,000 penalty under the Clean Air Act for illegally selling aftermarket products that alter vehicles’ emissions-control systems – known popularly as defeat devices – across the United States. Motor vehicles are a significant contributor to air pollution, and aftermarket defeat devices that disable emissions controls lead to even higher levels of pollution. The company has locations across the country, including in Reno, Nevada, and this settlement affects its business nationwide.

“A key tenet of EPA’s work to protect human health and the environment is to enforce environmental laws that prevent harmful air pollution,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “Defeat devices violate the Clean Air Act, and businesses that sell this illegal technology must be held accountable.”

Autosales, Inc. offered or sold at least 2,390 exhaust emissions control delete hardware parts, also known as “straight” or “delete” pipes, for diesel-fueled motor vehicles between January 1, 2018 and October 2, 2019. These parts are designed to bypass, defeat, or render inoperative emission control technology in motor vehicles, thus violating the Clean Air Act. Autosales, Inc. is a major mail order and internet supplier of performance automotive and truck equipment.

The practice of tampering with vehicles by installing defeat devices can enable large emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter, both of which contribute to serious health problems in the United States. These include premature mortality, aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, aggravation of existing asthma, acute respiratory symptoms, chronic bronchitis, and decreased lung function. Respiratory issues like these disproportionately affect families, especially children, living in underserved communities overburdened by pollution. Emissions of NOx and particulate matter may also have harmful effects on sensitive vegetation and ecosystems.

Learn more about the National Compliance Initiative: Stopping Aftermarket Defeat Devices for Vehicles and Engines.

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

Members of the public can help protect our environment by identifying and reporting environmental violations.

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

 EPA Press Office:

Smith Frozen Foods to pay $100,000 penalty for Clean Air Act violations

Contact: Meshach A. Padilla, 206-553-2762, padilla.meshach@epa.gov

(Seattle – August 22, 2022) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that Smith Frozen Foods, Inc. of Weston, Oregon has agreed to pay a $100,000 penalty for Clean Air Act violations.

During inspections conducted in 2016, EPA found that the company failed to maintain and implement its required Risk Management Plan when using and storing anhydrous ammonia. This chemical can lead to serious lung damage and even death when not handled safely. Risk Management Plans can save lives by helping prevent, prepare for, and respond to an accidental release of this chemical.

“Facilities that use hazardous materials like anhydrous ammonia have an obligation to follow regulations designed to protect our communities and environment from potentially catastrophic consequences of accidents,” said Ed Kowalski, director of EPA Region Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division. “Failure to comply with the law puts first responders and members of the surrounding community in harm’s way.”

The company violated the following provisions of the Clean Air Act which establishes requirements for facilities that store threshold amounts of dangerous chemicals:

• Safety Information Requirements
• Hazard Analysis Requirements
• Operating Procedure Requirements
• Training Requirements
• Mechanical Integrity Requirements
• Employee Participation Requirements
• Contractor Requirements

Details of the violations EPA documented at Smith Frozen Foods, Inc and steps the company will take to come into compliance can be found in the Administrative Compliance Order on Consent and Consent Agreement and Final Order.

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 EPA Press Office:

Biden-Harris Administration to help Butte, Montana and Monte Vista, Colorado communities grow outdoor recreation economy

Contact Information 

U.S. EPA: Barbara Khan, khan.barbara@epa.gov, 720-595-8698 

City and County of Butte-Silver Bow: Dori Skrukrud, dskrubrud@bsb.mt.gov, 406-497-6469

San Luis Valley Great Outdoors: Mick Daniel, slvgreatoudoors@gmail.com, 7195223910

DENVER (Aug. 17, 2022) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), and the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) to announce assistance for 25 small and rural communities from across the country identify strategies to grow their outdoor recreation economies and revitalize Main Streets through the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC) program. The agencies selected Butte, Montana and Monte Vista, Colorado to receive the specialized planning assistance.

“EPA is proud to provide planning assistance to Butte and Monte Vista to grow our local recreation economy and the businesses that support it,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “This planning assistance will make it easier for people to get outside, boost their appreciation for the outdoors, improve their health and quality of life, create jobs, and strengthen our rural communities.”

“The economic impact of outdoor recreation near our national forests and grasslands is vital to support health and prosperity in rural America,” said Forest Service Chief Randy Moore. “Efforts to reinvigorate main streets through the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities program is an important step to help communities realize all the benefits that adjacent national forests and grasslands make possible.”

RERC is a planning assistance program jointly administered by the EPA, the USDA Forest Service, NBRC, and ARC that helps rural communities leverage outdoor recreation to revitalize their Main Streets, leading to improved environmental protection and public health outcomes. Communities are encouraged to pursue activities that foster environmentally friendly community development and revitalization through the conservation and sustainable use of public or private forests or other natural resources.

The City-County of Butte-Silver Bow, Montana and partners would like to build on the area’s vibrant and growing trail network and better connect it to the Main Street district to support land conservation and improve public health, as well as complement local Superfund cleanup activities that are currently winding down after a decades-long effort to address historic mine contamination in and around one of the nation’s largest historic landmark districts. San Luis Valley Great Outdoors (SLV GO!), the City of Monte Vista, Colorado and partners would like to boost equitable access to outdoor recreation for residents, increase tourism opportunities that tie into local assets like the annual Sandhill Crane Festival, and strengthen main street revitalization and small business development efforts in downtown Monte Vista.

A federal planning team will work with each community over the course of four to six months, with a two-day facilitated community workshop as the focal point. Participants will work together to develop strategies and an action plan to grow their local outdoor recreation economies. Some workshops are currently underway. Communities were chosen following a comprehensive interagency review process from a pool of more than 100 applicants.

Background

Over 160 million Americans over the age of six participated in outdoor recreation in 2020, according to the 2021 Outdoor Participation Trends Report, and sales figures across the industry broke records as Americans flocked to the outdoors in search of safe, family-friendly opportunities during the pandemic. These activities -- which include camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, RVing, boating, running, swimming, baseball, winter sports, and many others – can bring new investment and jobs to local economies, benefit health and wellness, raise awareness in conservation of forests and other natural resources, and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors.  

In 2020, outdoor recreation activities generated 4.3 million quality, high paying jobs across a wide variety of industries, accounting for 3% of all employment in the United States. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis calculated the economic output of outdoor recreation in 2020 to be $689 billion, surpassing industries such as mining, utilities, farming and ranching, and chemical products manufacturing.

The EPA Office of Community Revitalization supports locally led, community-driven efforts to expand economic opportunity, protect human health and the environment, and create and enhance the places that people love through technical assistance, publications, research, tools, and grants.

The USDA Forest Service develops and implements place-based recreation planning using collaborative processes with communities and outdoor recreation and tourism providers within regional destination areas. Forest Service recreation programs support over 205,000 jobs, the majority of which are in rural gateway communities near national forests. The agency partners with states, tribes, local communities, and landowners to promote shared stewardship of public and privately-owned forests and grasslands.

View the list of the selected communities and projects.

Learn about EPA Community Revitalization.  

Learn more about USDA Forest Service.

Learn more about the Northern Border Regional Commission.

Learn more about the Appalachian Regional Commission.

EPA Awards $350,000 to Advance Environmental Justice in Hawai‘i

 EPA News Release:

EPA Awards $350,000 to Advance Environmental Justice in Hawai‘i

HONOLULU – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing $350,000 in new grants to advance environmental justice in Hawai‘i. The grants will support three new projects on the Islands of O’ahu, Maui, and Kaua’i.

“Through these grants, EPA is funding innovative projects across Hawai‘i based on community priorities,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “Our goal is to achieve positive impacts through the meaningful involvement and fair treatment of the communities we serve, providing them the resources to advance environmental justice.”

The grants, awarded through EPA’s national Environmental Justice Small Grants and Collaborative Problem-Solving programs, support underserved communities across Hawai‘i in their efforts to address local environmental and public health issues.

These EJ Small Grant awards are funded through the American Rescue Plan and Congressional appropriations. The projects cover a wide variety of environmental justice issues including community, environmental, and public health education; sustainable farming, climate change mitigation and resiliency.

Organizations in Hawai‘i receiving grants include:

• Trees for Honolulu’s Future, a non-profit, received an EJ Small Grant to partner with the Hawai‘i Department of Education, local colleges, and the organization Smart Trees Pacific to conduct outreach on urban heat island effects in central Oahu.

The organization will have five cohorts at four sites, intending to reach at least 250 students. They will train middle and high school students on collecting weather and soil data, and host discussions for students to identify solutions for heat mitigation and develop resiliency to disaster events exacerbated by climate change.

"We're excited to train student scientists in grades 3 to 12 to investigate the impact of heat on their homes or schools," said Daniel Dinell, President of Trees for Honolulu's Future. “The project area suffers disproportionately as a heat island compared to other parts of Honolulu. Critically as part of the initiative, the children will come up with solutions to mitigate what is rapidly becoming a grave risk to human health and livability. We thank the EPA EJ program for this opportunity to make a difference in this underserved community."

• Na Moku Aupuni O Ko‘olau Hui is based out of Maui. It received an EJ Small Grant to implement the Ke‘anae-Wailuanui “Community Watershed Monitoring and Conservation Project” to enhance water stewardship by training the underserved community on the use of water quantity and quality tools alongside their regional and cultural knowledge.

This training will educate participants to monitor 27 streams, tributaries, and estuaries within the Ko‘olau District in Maui and foster a healthier watershed while supporting traditional and customary practices. These practices include subsistence gathering, fishing and taro farming. 

• Kaunalewa, a non-profit, was selected for an EJ Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement to improve health and well-being of the small, isolated community of Kekaha Town on the island of Kaua’i. Kekaha is identified as a food desert, and Kaunalewa will work to address this through environmental and health education. Under this project, it will look to expand produce access by 20% and decrease cost by 20%. They seek to build community capacity on gardening as well as support local small-scale farming programs that include youth.

They will also conduct research and sampling to educate the community on legacy pesticide and asbestos health impacts in order to understand community exposure and reduce the rates of health concerns associated with pesticide and asbestos exposure. Lastly, they will look to decrease rates of diabetes through healthy eating education.

The American Rescue Plan (ARP), signed into law in March 2021, provided over 60 percent of the funding for these projects being funded across the U.S. Awards made with the ARP focus on the unequal impacts the COVID-19 pandemic has had on communities of color, low-income communities, and other vulnerable populations.

Learn more about EJ Grants by visiting EPA’s Small Grant Program and Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program websites.

Learn more about ARP funding at EPA’s American Rescue Plan website.

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

Central Valley’s Saputo Cheese Agrees to $170,000 Penalty for Clean Air Act Violations

 EPA News Release:

Central Valley’s Saputo Cheese Agrees to $170,000 Penalty for Clean Air Act Violations

Under settlement, facility owner will pay fine, make necessary chemical safety improvements

Contact Information

Joshua Alexander (alexander.joshua@epa.gov)

415-214-5940

SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Saputo Cheese USA Inc., the owner and operator of a mozzarella cheese and whey protein concentrate production facility in Tulare, California. Saputo Cheese violated provisions of the Clean Air Act intended to safeguard the public from accidental releases of hazardous chemicals. As a result, the company will pay $170,000 in civil penalties, ensure compliance with its Risk Management Plan, and make safety improvements to its facility with the goal of protecting the public and first responders from dangerous chemicals.

“It is paramount that food manufacturing facilities – including those, like Saputo Cheese, located in communities that face environmental justice challenges – properly handle extremely hazardous substances,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “When companies do not properly manage a dangerous substance, endangering the local community and workers, EPA won’t hesitate to levy significant Clean Air Act penalties.”

An accident at the facility on June 22, 2018, led to the release of 5,690 pounds of anhydrous ammonia. The facility is in a community that is disproportionally affected by environmental burdens, and incidents like these raise significant environmental justice concerns, which are a priority for EPA.

EPA performed an inspection of the Saputo Cheese facility in 2019 and found that the company failed to correct corrosion on piping and structural supports and failed to demonstrate that safety vents met industry standards. EPA also found that Saputo Cheese did not accurately report the total amount of ammonia it manages and failed to comply with requirements related to planning for accidental releases. EPA found that safety improvements were necessary at the facility to help prevent future accidents.

Since the time of inspection, the facility has addressed all of the issues with the exception of ongoing work to correct safety vent issues.

About Anhydrous Ammonia

Thousands of facilities nationwide make, use, and store extremely hazardous substances, including anhydrous ammonia. Anhydrous ammonia can cause serious, often irreversible health effects when released. In addition to potential impacts from inhalation of or skin contact with this substance, it is highly flammable.

Catastrophic accidents at facilities that make, use, or store extremely hazardous substances such as ammonia refrigeration facilities—historically about 150 each year—result in fatalities and serious injuries, evacuations, and other harm to human health and the environment. EPA inspects these facilities as part of the Agency’s National Compliance Initiative, which seeks to reduce risk to human health and the environment by decreasing the likelihood of accidental releases and mitigating the consequences of chemical accidents.

About Clean Air Act Section 112(r):

Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act requires companies of all sizes that use certain listed regulated flammable and toxic substances to develop and implement a Risk Management Program. Some of the elements of a properly developed Risk Management Program include:

• A prevention program that includes safety precautions, regular maintenance, and employee training; and
• An emergency response program that spells out procedures for informing the public and response agencies (e.g., the fire department) should an accident occur.

 EPA Press Release:

EPA announces cleanup activities are complete at another portion of Libby, Montana Superfund site

Operable Unit 6 deletion from National Priorities List reflects continued cleanup progress at site

Contact information

Beth Archer (archer.elizabeth@epa.gov)

720-512-1917

Libby, Mont. (Aug. 17, 2022) -- Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced another portion of the Libby Asbestos Superfund site in Libby, Mt. is protective of human health and the environment and being partially deleted from EPA’s National Priorities List (NPL).  EPA and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality have determined that no additional cleanup activities are needed at Operable Unit 6 (OU6) of the site, meaning it can be removed from the list. OU6 is comprised of BNSF-owned and operated railyards in the towns of Libby and Troy and approximately 41 miles of railroad right-of-way.

“This is the fourth time in four years we have removed a section of the site from the National Priorities List, since no additional EPA cleanup is needed,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “This milestone marks half of the Operable Units being deleted from the National Priorities List and demonstrates the progress EPA and our partners have made in the cleanup and restoration of properties in Libby.”

The Libby Asbestos Superfund site was placed on EPA’s NPL in 2002 due to high levels of Libby Amphibole asbestos in and around the communities of Libby and Troy. The site is divided into eight Operable Units. The following Operable Units have already been partially deleted and include OU1 (the Former Export Plant, 2022), OU2 (the Former Screening Plant, 2019), and OU8 (30 miles of roads and right-of-way, 2021).

“The deletion of OU6 from the National Priorities List is another accomplishment for the Libby Asbestos Superfund site and for Lincoln County. It’s always a celebratory day when DEQ and the EPA can announce that a portion of a Superfund site is cleaned up and protective of human health,” said DEQ Federal Superfund and Construction Bureau Chief Matt Dorrington.

EPA is deleting OU6 from the Superfund National Priorities List based on a determination that no further remediation action is needed to protect human health and the environment in this section. The area will continue to be subject to operation and maintenance activities, including regular reviews for protectiveness. EPA, along with support from DEQ, will continue to address contamination concerns at remaining Operable Units of the Libby Asbestos site, which includes the former mine site.   

For more information about the Libby Superfund site.