EPA Press Office:

EPA Announces Selection of Members to the Science Advisory Board and the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee

WASHINGTON – Today, Sept. 27, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced selections for membership of the Science Advisory Board (SAB) and the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC). The well-qualified experts bring a cross-selection of scientific disciplines and the experience needed to provide sound scientific advice to EPA leadership to help advance the agency’s mission.  

“Everything we do at EPA is grounded in the latest and best available science and adheres to the highest standard of scientific integrity,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The Science Advisory Board and the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee will help ensure that EPA continues to receive sound, independent science-based advice. I want to thank those members leaving their positions for their outstanding service and welcome the newest members that will apply their widely-respected and trusted expertise to our work to protect public health and our environment.”

The membership solicitation process resulted in 80 nominations for the SAB and 64 nominations for the CASAC. All candidates were evaluated by the Science Advisory Board Staff Office (SABSO) and recommendations were given by SABSO to the Administrator for him to consider for his selections. 

EPA also announced today that Dr. Jeremy A. Sarnat, Associate Professor, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, has been named chair of the CASAC.

“EPA had a diverse group of nominees this year, resulting in the selection of an outstanding group of scientists and technical experts to join both the SAB and the CASAC,” said Thomas Brennan, Director of the SABSO.

New SAB Members

Dr. Jeremy Sarnat - Associate Professor, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University.

SAB Member with Dual Appointment to the Agricultural Sciences Committee

Dr. Hui Li - Professor of Environmental Soil Chemistry, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University.

SAB Members with Dual Appointments to the Chemical Assessment Advisory Committee

Dr. John Groopman - Edyth H. Schoenrich Professor of Preventive Medicine, Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Associate Director for Population Sciences, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Wendy Heiger-Bernays - Emeritus Clinical Professor, School of Public Health, Boston University.

Dr. Jade Mitchell - Professor and Associate Chair, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Michigan State University.

Dr. Carla Ng - Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh.

SAB Member with Dual Appointment to the Climate Science Committee

Dr. Lea Hildebrandt-Ruiz - Associate Professor, McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin.

SAB Member with Dual Appointment to the Drinking Water Committee

Dr. Elizabeth Boyer - Professor of Environmental Science, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Penn State University.

SAB Member with Dual Appointment to the Economic Analysis Committee

Dr. Joshua Graff Zivin - Pacific Economic Cooperation Chair in International Economic Relations, Department of Economics, School of Global Policy and Strategy, University of California, San Diego.

Chair of the CASAC

Dr. Jeremy A. Sarnat - Associate Professor, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University.

New CASAC Members

Dr. Jennifer Peel - Professor of Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University.

Dr. Mary B. Rice - Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Dr. Barbara Turpin – Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Additional information on the SAB.

Additional information on the CASAC.

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

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Extends Public Comment Period on Proposed Cleanup Action for East Branch Portion of Newtown Creek Superfund Site

Contact: Stephen McBay, (212)-637-3672, mcbay.stephen@epa.gov

NEW YORK (Sept. 27, 2024) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is extending the public comment period for the proposed early cleanup action for the Newtown Creek Superfund Site, located in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City. Originally set to end on September 27, the new deadline for public comments is now October 28. The EPA held a public meeting on September 18 to explain the proposed plan.

The proposed cleanup plan, estimated to cost nearly a quarter of a billion dollars, is an interim action. This means that the cleanup begins now, but once it is completed, EPA could decide that additional work is needed to address any remaining contamination in this portion of the creek.

The proposed plan calls for:

• Dredging Contaminated Sediment: Removing contaminated sediment to a depth that allows for protective caps to be placed over the areas dredged without reducing water depths.
• Deeper Dredging and In-Situ Stabilization (ISS): Conducting deeper dredging in specific areas as well as stabilizing sediment where needed using a process called In-situ Stabilization or ISS. ISS involves mixing materials like cement into the contaminated sediment to lock in harmful substances, helping to contain and stabilize them in place.
• Installing Sealed Bulkheads: Temporarily installing sealed bulkheads where needed to act as barriers to prevent contaminated water from seeping from the shoreline to the creek.
• Off-site Removal: Transporting all dredged materials to appropriate locations or facilities.
• Activity Restrictions and Fish Consumption Advisories: Restricting activities in the creek to protect the cap and continuing New York State’s fish consumption advisories.
• Monitoring Program: Implementing a robust monitoring program to ensure the long-term protectiveness of the cleanup.

This early cleanup action is part of a broader strategy to address the extensive contamination at Newtown Creek, which EPA named a Superfund site in 2010. The site spans 3.8 miles and includes several tributaries, with contaminants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and heavy metals in the creek sediment. The comprehensive cleanup of Newtown Creek is expected to take several more years, with the overall plan still under development.

Written comments on the proposed interim cleanup plan may be submitted to Caroline Kwan, Remedial Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway – 18th Floor, New York, NY 10007 or via email: kwan.caroline@epa.gov.

For additional background and to see the proposed cleanup plan, visit the Newtown Creek Superfund site profile page.

Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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 EPA Press Office:

US EPA Recognizes Freight Industry Leaders for Environmental Performance

WASHINGTON — Today, Sept. 25, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is honoring 47 truck carriers and freight shippers as industry leaders in supply chain, environmental, and energy efficiency with its annual SmartWay Excellence Awards. This year’s SmartWay Partner awards were announced today at a virtual award ceremony hosted by EPA with its SmartWay Partners, affiliates, key stakeholders, and media in attendance. 

The awardees represent the top performing, environmentally responsible SmartWay Partners who move more goods, more miles, with lower emissions and less energy. Today’s awardees demonstrate how businesses in this crucial economic sector continue to lead through challenging times, demonstrating superior freight performance by saving fuel, shrinking their greenhouse gas footprints, and contributing to cleaner air in the communities they serve.

“As we mark our 20th anniversary this year, we celebrate decades of our partners advancing freight efficiency, and delivering goods with less fuel and lower emissions, thus strengthening this essential economic sector while supporting air quality goals,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “SmartWay is proud to recognize 47 top performing truck carrier and shipper Partners — with the 2024 SmartWay Excellence Award for outstanding environmental performance and business leadership in goods movement.”

Since 2004, SmartWay Partners have avoided emitting 162 million tons of CO₂, 2.8 million tons of nitrogen oxides and 114,000 tons of particulate matter. Partners have also saved 379 million barrels of oil and over $52 billion in fuel costs – equivalent to eliminating annual energy use in over 24 million homes. These efforts are particularly important for disadvantaged communities near ports, borders and industrial areas, subjected to higher levels of pollution that contributes to smog.

The 2024 SmartWay Freight Partner Excellence Award recipients are:

Arrow Transportation

Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations

Canadian Reefers Ltd.

Cargo Transporters

Covenant Transport

Crete Carrier Corporation

CRST The Transportation Solution Inc

D&D Transportation Services Inc

Danny Herman Trucking Inc

Discount Tire

Divine Enterprises, Inc.

Dollar Tree Stores, Inc 

Edgewell Personal Care

Elevate Textiles, Inc.

Forza Transportation Services, Inc

Gap Inc. Canada

Gap Inc. USA

Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP

GP Transportation Co

Hirschbach Motor Lines

Hogan Transports, Inc.

Keane Thummel Trucking Inc.

Kellanova

Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Knight Transportation, Inc.

Kohl's

Lowe's Companies, Inc.

May Trucking Company

McDonald's USA, LLC

Meijer

Mesilla Valley Transportation

Mike Frost Trucking, Inc.

Nussbaum Transportation Services, Inc.

Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc

Paper Transport, LLC

Prime, Inc.

Royal Trucking Company

Ryder Dedicated Transportation Solutions (DTS)

Saia Motor Freight Line, LLC

Schneider

Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC

The Home Depot U.S.A., Inc

The TJX Companies, Inc.

Tractor Supply Company

Trans-West Logistics Inc / Logistiques Trans-West Inc.

Werner Enterprises

Western Express, Inc.

More information about SmartWay Excellence Awards.

More information about SmartWay.

Background

EPA's SmartWay Partnership helps companies benchmark freight performance and make informed decisions that drive sustainable supply chains. In order to achieve this, SmartWay establishes a common yardstick for comparing emissions performance; drives effective freight operational, mode and technology choices; provides a platform for Partners and Affiliates to share real-world experiences, innovations, and best practices; and helps companies make freight decisions that have a positive impact on efficiency and the environment.

For further information: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

The Ocean Cleanup Reveals Plan to Clear the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Launches New Website to Support the Development of Climate-Resilient Projects

WASHINGTON – Today, September 11, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing the launch of a new website, the Climate Resilience and Adaptation Funding Toolbox. CRAFT is a user-friendly resource for technical assistance providers working with federal funding applicants and recipients to develop, apply for and implement climate-resilient investments. The website provides simple, easy-to-understand resources that can help users consider climate adaptation and resilience before, during and after applying for EPA funding opportunities.

“This summer, communities across the nation have experienced more frequent and intense wildfires, heat waves, floods, droughts and other extreme weather events,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “These events often lead to billion-dollar disasters and can threaten public health and the social, environmental and economic fabric of our communities. This new toolbox will support EPA’s collaboration with technical assistance providers, who have the expertise and reach to help states, Tribes, communities, and others proactively invest in climate resilience.”

“Communities across the nation face increasing impacts of climate change. Investing in climate-smart projects and proactively managing climate change risks can help build local resilience while achieving other community goals,” said Vicki Arroyo, Associate Administrator for EPA’s Office of Policy. “CRAFT can help technical assistance providers facilitate conversations with federal funding applicants and recipients about the resilience of their projects, before and after funding is secured.”

EPA is taking important steps to help its programs and funding applicants invest in projects that can withstand the impacts of climate change. CRAFT is a resource for technical assistance providers helping to guide investments of federal funding – including the historic funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act – to local solutions, while also supporting investments that deliver results in the face of climate change.

The materials provided in CRAFT include:

• Program overviews of EPA’s financial assistance programs where climate-safe investment opportunities are available.
• Climate risk tools and decision support resources that can inform the development, design and implementation of projects. 
• Communications materials to facilitate discussions about adaptation, resilience and environmental justice.
• Meaningful engagement resources on how to perform targeted community engagement efforts effectively and intentionally when implementing climate-smart projects. 
• Definitions of common terms to use during technical assistance consultations, engagement efforts and the development of project proposals.

The information in CRAFT can help federal funding applicants and recipients consider climate-related challenges to their projects at the outset, so taxpayer dollars can be invested wisely. CRAFT also supports the development of projects that advance multiple policy goals, such as achieving local flood resilience, adopting nature-based infrastructure solutions, and protecting the people and places most vulnerable to climate change.

With CRAFT, interested parties can more easily navigate EPA’s funding opportunities, consider climate resilience and adaptation as part of their investments, and meaningfully engage community members and other partners over the life of their projects. 

Background

In support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s vision for a climate resilient nation, as laid out in the National Climate Resilience Framework (pdf), federal agencies are leveraging their programs and policies to encourage climate-resilient investments and manage climate-related financial risks. In Memorandum M-24-03, Advancing Climate Resilience through Climate-Smart Infrastructure Investments and Implementation Guidance for the Disaster Resiliency Planning Act (pdf), the Office of Management and Budget directed all federal agencies to consider the effects of climate change in federal infrastructure investment decisions and provide technical assistance resources to prospective applicants. 

Since 2021, EPA’s Climate Adaptation Plans have committed the agency to encouraging climate-resilient investments through its programs and investments. To help advance these federal and agency-wide priorities, EPA’s Resilient Infrastructure Subgroup on Climate has been working internally to support the agency’s financial assistance programs while also externally assisting applicants and recipients as they invest in climate-resilient projects. The release of CRAFT is an important step in helping communities more effectively secure and leverage federal resources and finance efforts that help build local resilience, ensuring that federal dollars are wisely invested, and encourage additional resources to come into communities.

For further information: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Releases Proposed Updates to Recommendations to Help Buyers Find Sustainable Products

WASHINGTON – Today, Sept. 10, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a proposed update to the agency’s Recommendations of Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing (Recommendations), which help federal government purchasers and other buyers utilize private sector standards and ecolabels to buy products that are more sustainable and climate-friendly and contain safer chemical ingredients. This is the first time in nearly 10 years that EPA has comprehensively evaluated standards and ecolabels to determine whether to add them to the Recommendations.

The Recommendations help to identify thousands of products and services across 35 categories that conserve energy or water, include more recycled content, or reduce the use of PFAS and single-use plastics. By helping federal purchasers identify and procure environmentally preferable products and services, the Recommendations can save taxpayers money, reduce climate impacts, and prevent pollution.

The Biden-Harris Administration’s Executive Order on Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability direct federal agencies to maximize the procurement of sustainable products and services and to prioritize products and services that meet EPA’s Recommendations.

The update proposes adding 14 standards and ecolabels to the Recommendations across three new product categories, covering healthcare, laboratories, and clothing and uniforms, and expanding the existing food service ware sub-category.

“With hundreds of ecolabels in the marketplace, EPA’s Recommendations cut through the clutter and give federal purchasers and other sustainability-conscious consumers confidence when making purchasing decisions. The ecolabels and standards that EPA includes in the Recommendations have demonstrated that they can truly help us achieve sustainability at scale,” said Jennie Romer, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention in EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “Updating the Recommendations ensures the power of federal procurement, which accounted for more than $700 billion in annual spending last year alone, continues to advance the federal government’s effort to purchase products and services that are sustainable and climate friendly.”

If finalized, the updates to the Recommendations would give federal purchasers and other buyers new guidance and options for purchasing sustainable products and services in four categories, which EPA proposes to divide into nine sub-categories, including by expanding the existing sub-category for food service ware. The Recommendations currently include only one recommended ecolabel in the food service ware sub-category, which covers compostable products. If finalized, the updated Recommendations would include three additional standards and ecolabels for food service ware, covering products that are reusable, certified compostable, and certified recyclable. EPA is also providing a new resource that outlines current best practices for the procurement of food service ware sub-categories, which is available on EPA’s website.

EPA assessed the environmental sustainability of the third-party standards and ecolabels under the Framework for the Assessment of Environmental Performance Standards and Ecolabels, and also assessed for a third-party certification program to verify product conformance.

In April 2022, EPA announced stronger eligibility criteria for including standards and ecolabels in the Recommendations, which require each standard and ecolabel to have a competent third-party verification program and a current directory of qualifying products and services. EPA is proposing to remove seven standards or ecolabels because they do not meet these new requirements, are discontinued, or are no longer required by regulation.

EPA will accept public comments on the proposed updates to the Recommendations for 30 days after publication via docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2022-0835 at Regulations.gov. EPA will use feedback it receives from public comments to inform the final updates to the Recommendations.

Learn more about the Recommendations.

For further information: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

Great Garden Questions - Dogs in the RV, Seeding, Wood Chips, Canada Wil...

 EPA Press Office:

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $232 Million in Grants to Clean Up Brownfield Sites, Address Legacy Pollution, Advance Environmental Justice, and Spur Economic Revitalization

WASHINGTON – Today, Sept. 6, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the availability of $232 million in grant funding through EPA’s Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (ARC) program. This is the fourth wave of funding supported by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda to assess and clean up polluted brownfield sites across the country. The new grants will advance environmental justice and help transform once-polluted, vacant, and abandoned properties into community assets while spurring economic revitalization in underserved communities.

The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) provides $1.5 billion to EPA’s Brownfields Program. This funding has supercharged the Brownfields Program to support economic development in more communities across the country. EPA anticipates awarding approximately 200 grants nationwide this cycle at amounts ranging from $500,000 to $4 million per award. 

“The grants awarded through this Brownfields program help communities turn polluted and often abandoned properties into community assets,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Thanks to funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are able to provide grants to more communities than ever before, helping make them cleaner, healthier and economically stronger.” 

The Notices of Funding Opportunities and application information are posted on www.grants.gov/. Applications are due by November 14, 2024 via grants.gov.

EPA’s Brownfields Program advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative to direct 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. The Brownfields Program is contributing to this commitment to advance environmental justice and EPA is working to advance equity considerations in all aspects of its work.

EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.7 billion in Brownfield Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. Prior to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this program made approximately $60 million in grant funding available each year. Thanks to the President’s historic investments in America through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA increased that yearly investment nearly four times over.

Copies of the FY25 Brownfields Grants Guidelines and other application resources are available on the Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (MARC) Grant Application Resources webpage.

The Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization will host outreach webinars on September 19, 2024, and September 24, 2024, to explain the Narrative/Ranking criteria for interested applicants and to address commonly asked questions. Prior registration is not required. 

Link to join the Assessment Grants webinar on September 19 at 12:00 pm ET

Link to join the Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup Grants webinar on September 24 at 12:00 pm ET

Read more on EPA’s Brownfields Program.

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

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Issues Enforcement Alert to Address Illegal Import of Hydrofluorocarbons into the United States

EPA increasing civil and criminal enforcement efforts due to the global phasedown of HFCs, a climate super pollutant

WASHINGTON – Today, Sept. 6, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued an Enforcement Alert regarding its work under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM Act) to phase down production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The agency’s new alert provides information on common compliance issues observed with the importation of bulk HFCs and highlights recent civil and criminal enforcement actions. The alert is intended to help address the climate crisis and ensure that companies comply with the law and take the necessary steps to avoid potential EPA enforcement actions.

HFCs are potent, super polluting greenhouse gases with a global warming potential that can be hundreds to thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide that are commonly used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and other sectors. EPA’s efforts under the AIM Act are part of a global HFC phasedown that when fully implemented, is expected to reduce global warming by up to 0.5 degrees Celsius.

“After another summer of record-breaking heat, the urgency of the climate crisis continues to accelerate. The Biden-Harris administration is committed to meeting our goals to phasedown HFCs, which contribute dramatically to near-term climate change, so that our children and grandchildren can have a sustainable future,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann, of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA and its law enforcement partners will police our borders and ports to halt HFC smuggling to protect our nation from the harmful effects of climate super pollutants.”

The AIM Act of 2020 mandates an 85 percent phasedown of HFCs from historic baseline levels by the year 2036 and authorizes the EPA to place limits on production and consumption (including imports), facilitate the transition to next-generation technologies, and minimize releases from equipment using HFCs while maximizing the re-use of existing HFCs. EPA’s enforcement office ensures the HFC phasedown rules are being followed and works to maintain a level playing field for regulated companies. The alert highlights EPA’s recent pursuit of entities that sought to unlawfully import HFCs without the required allowances, submitted false or misleading information, or failed to report required information under the AIM Act.

The United States is committed to its obligations under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The AIM Act was passed by Congress to implement the U.S. commitments to the Kigali Amendment that the U.S. officially ratified in October 2022.

So far in fiscal year 2024, EPA has completed nine civil settlements to resolve claims of unlawful imports of HFCs. The most recent settlements were against five companies – Clean Venture, Inc., HVAC Services, Liferafts Incorporated of Puerto Rico, Little Leaf Farms, LLC, and Parker Engineering and Mechanical, Inc. Each of these companies imported HFCs without allowances in violation of the AIM Act. If released into the atmosphere, the combined HFCs prevented from these cases are equivalent to over 24 thousand metric tons of CO₂, or about the same amount of CO₂ produced from powering over 14 thousand homes with electricity for a year. The companies will pay a combined total of $115,551 in civil penalties to resolve the alleged violations. In addition, criminal enforcement actions have also been taken in fiscal year 2024.

The “EPA Targeting Illegal Imports of Hydrofluorocarbon Super-Pollutants to Combat Climate Change” enforcement alert is available on the EPA website.

More information related to HFCs, the AIM Act, and the Mitigating Climate Change National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative are available on EPA’s website: 

• National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative: Mitigating Climate Change.
• Enforcement of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020.  
• Protecting Our Climate by Reducing Use of HFCs.

If you suspect someone is illegally importing HFCs, tell EPA at its Report Environmental Violations webpage. Information you submit will be forwarded to EPA environmental enforcement personnel or to the appropriate regulatory authority.

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

 EPA Press Office:

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $7.5 billion in Available Financing for Water Infrastructure Projects

WASHINGTON — Today, September 6, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the availability of $7.5 billion of Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) funding. The WIFIA program offers long-term loans to help communities implement critical water infrastructure projects, which protect public health, deliver environmental benefits, create over 60,000 good-paying jobs, protect waterways including drinking water sources, and support local economies, at a lower cost.

“Good infrastructure is the foundation for delivering clean, safe water to people across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The Biden-Harris administration has prioritized water infrastructure investment with this $7.5 billion infrastructure funding through WIFIA, on top of the unprecedented $50 billion in funding the Biden-Harris Administration secured under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With these resources, communities will keep building on progress to replace lead pipes, cut PFAS pollution, and protect people from climate change.”

The WIFIA program provides its borrowers with creative, affordable financing options. It can fund the planning, design, and construction of a wide range of water infrastructure projects and offers the ability to combine multiple projects into a single loan. By streamlining the funding process, communities can accelerate their infrastructure projects. The WIFIA program offers interest rate resets, debt structuring, and fast disbursements, benefits not traditionally offered with other financing sources. For example, borrowers may defer repayment for up to five years following construction completion, and then customize their repayment schedule through the 35-year loan term. This flexibility provides borrowers with immediate funding to implement projects while helping to keep rates more affordable.

This is the eighth round of funding available, and it includes $6.5 billion available through WIFIA and $1 billion available through the State Water Infrastructure Financing Authority, known as SWIFIA. EPA is accepting letters of interest for WIFIA and SWIFIA loans. To date, EPA’s WIFIA program has closed loans totaling more than $20 billion to help finance $44 billion in projects across the country. More than 100 borrowers nationwide are utilizing WIFIA loan to finance projects that benefit over 64 million Americans. Completed WIFIA-financed projects show positive health and environmental outcomes, as well as the advantages of financing with WIFIA loans. For example:

• Orange County Water District (California) customers have a more drought-proof drinking water supply and are less reliant on imported water due to the completion of the Groundwater Replenishment System Expansion project. When interest rates lowered in 2020, the district was able to lower its interest rate, saving it an additional $75 million in financing costs.
• City of Wichita (Kansas) residents benefit from more reliable drinking water because of its new Northwest Water Treatment Facility. Due to WIFIA financing, the project was initiated seven years sooner than originally planned and now delivers clean drinking water to the community.
• City of Tacoma Sewer Utility (Washington) customers have a more reliable, resilient wastewater treatment system because of the completion of the Electrical Distribution System Replacement Project, which modernized the treatment plant’s electrical system. By deferring WIFIA loan repayment for four years after construction completion, the city can pay off existing state-revolving fund (SRF) loans prior to repaying their WIFIA loan. 

 

The funding announcement demonstrates EPA’s continued commitment to water infrastructure improvements that ensure all communities have access to clean and safe drinking water. For this round of funding, EPA has identified the following priority areas:

• Increasing investment in disadvantaged communities and improving health and livability.
• Making rapid progress on lead service line replacement.
• Addressing PFAS – known as “forever chemicals” – and emerging contaminants.
• Strengthening climate resilience in the water sector.
• Supporting water innovation and resilience.

 

Learn more about the WIFIA program and this funding announcement. 

Background

Established by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, the WIFIA program is a federal loan program administered by the EPA. The WIFIA program aims 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. EPA accepts requests for WIFIA financing on an ongoing basis. Learn more about submitting a letter of interest for a WIFIA loan.

The WIFIA program also advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments in climate, clean energy, the development of critical clean water and wastewater infrastructure, and other areas flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Learn more about submitting a letter of interest for a WIFIA loan.

In addition to WIFIA loans, President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made a once-in-a-generation investment in the nation’s water infrastructure and made many types of federal funding resources available for communities and utilities to improve vital water and wastewater resources.

For further information: Contact Information: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

 EPA Press Release:

EPA and Forest Service Release Updated AirNow Fire and Smoke Map

Updated map loads more quickly, includes additional information to help protect people from wildfire smoke

WASHINGTON – Today, Sept. 5, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service released an updated version of the popular AirNow Fire and Smoke Map to provide millions of people in the U.S. with more information they can use to protect themselves from wildfire smoke.

“As millions of Americans have experienced, wildfire smoke can travel for hundreds of miles, including from Canada, affecting people anywhere in the U.S.,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Joseph Goffman. “The updated AirNow Fire and Smoke Map makes even more information available about wildfire smoke and air quality – information anyone across the country can use to reduce their exposure and protect their health.”

“As we continue the important work to confront the wildfire crisis, we are committed to working with federal, state, tribal and local health departments and air quality agencies to protect public health,” said Forest Service Chief Randy Moore. “This updated map is a valuable resource for people taking action to protect themselves and their families from smoke impacts.”

The updated Fire and Smoke Map has a new look and feel, is designed to load more quickly, and includes information not available in the previous versions, such as:

• Air quality monitoring information on coarse particle pollution and ozone, both of which can increase because of wildfire smoke.
• More information on individual wildland fires, including the type of fire and level of fire activity, when available.
• Information from low-cost fine particle sensors in Canada, in cooperation with Environment and Climate Change Canada.

The new version of the map allows users to see activity recommendations at a glance – or to expand the information to see more, including more information on actions to take to protect your health, charts showing how air quality has changed over the past week, and whether there are other fires within 30 miles of their locations. The map makes Smoke Outlook alerts more prominent and links to these forecasts, where available, to help the public better understand the possible impacts of smoke over the next several days. The Forest Service-led Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program issues Smoke Outlooks for certain large fires.

EPA and the Forest Service made a beta version of the map available for public review in July; the new version reflects changes the agencies have made to date in response to public feedback.

EPA and the Forest Service developed the Fire and Smoke Map to provide the public information on fire locations, smoke plumes, near real-time air quality, Smoke Outlooks for large U.S. wildfires, and protective actions to take -- all in one place. To give users the most localized air quality information possible, the map pulls data from monitors that regularly report to AirNow, temporary monitors such as those the Forest Service and air agencies have deployed near fires, and crowd-sourced data from nearly 15,000 low-cost sensors that measure fine particle pollution, the major harmful pollutant in smoke. The map shows this data in the familiar color-coding of the U.S. Air Quality Index.

You can view the Fire and Smoke Map on the AirNow website or select the smoke icon on the bottom right of the AirNow smartphone app. To view the map in Spanish or to select a modified AQI color scale for users with certain color vision deficiencies, click the settings icon at the top right corner of the map.

Download the AirNow app:

• Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/epa-airnow/id467653238 
• Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.saic.airnow

Learn more about the AQI.

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

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Finalizes Policy for Meaningful Engagement and Public Participation in Agency Decision-Making Processes

Updated policy helps ensure that EPA staff are meaningfully engaging with the American public on environmental and public health issues

WASHINGTON — Today, September 5, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the release of the final Achieving Health and Environmental Protection Through EPA’s Meaningful Engagement Policy. The new policy outlines updates on how the agency intends to engage with the public and provide meaningful public participation opportunities in all of its programs and regions. This policy is grounded in the acknowledgment that EPA's actions to protect public health and the environment are stronger when they are informed by and reflect the lived experiences of the communities and individuals the agency serves.

“EPA’s ability to deliver critical public health and environmental protections to all communities depends on the meaningful input that our stakeholders share with us,” said Theresa Segovia, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights. “The Biden-Harris Administration has made it a priority to engage with and hear from the American people, and our updated policy brings EPA one step closer to meeting our mission and solving some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our lifetimes.”

EPA’s Meaningful Engagement Policy highlights three steps to help EPA staff design appropriate and effective processes for meaningful engagement and public participation for a particular action or situation, recognizing that engagement processes will need to be tailored to meet different program or decision contexts, and the people we serve. The three steps include: 

1. Understanding EPA actions and key issues the public can inform. 
2. Identifying the expected level of participation using EPA’s public participation spectrum.
3. Identifying the appropriate engagement tools and practices using EPA’s public participation model.

Although this document does not create new legal requirements or mandatory obligations for EPA, the recommendations finalized in the policy provide the public with meaningful engagement opportunities for program and regional needs. This final policy updates and supersedes EPA’s 2003 “Public Involvement Policy.” It builds on EPA’s foundational commitment to ensuring that the public has timely, accessible, and accurate information about EPA programs, and that EPA teams provide opportunities for participation that foster a spirit of mutual trust, confidence, and openness between the agency and the public. The final policy also advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to meaningful engagement and President Biden’s Executive Orders 13985, 14094 (supported by the guidance Broadening Public Participation and Community Engagement in the Regulatory Process (pdf)), and 13990, 14008 and 14096 to revitalize our nation’s commitment to environmental justice.

To learn more about the final policy, please visit EPA’s website. 

Background

In 1981, recognizing the requirements for meaningful public engagement in authorizing statutes and executive orders, EPA issued its Public Participation Policy (pdf), addressing public participation in decision-making, rulemaking, and program implementation by the Agency and entities carrying out EPA programs. In 2003, the agency published its updated Public Involvement Policy (pdf), resulting from the multi-year effort of the cross-agency “Review of EPA Public Participation Policies” Workgroup established in 1999. EPA had success with hosting regular meetings of a cross-agency community of practice, building a web portal, developing training, publishing a newsletter, documenting case studies, and collecting information on customer satisfaction.

Read the Federal Register Notice containing the updated policy. EPA’s Response to Comments document addresses comments received during the 60-day public and Tribal consultation period from November 16, 2023, to January 16, 2024, and is also available in the Federal Register and on EPA’s website.  

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