EPA to Host April 5 Session in Byrnes Mill, Mo., to Discuss Residential Lead Sampling in Big River Floodplain of Southwest Jefferson County

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

901 N. Fifth St., Kansas City, KS 66101

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

EPA to Host April 5 Session in Byrnes Mill, Mo., to Discuss Residential Lead Sampling in Big River Floodplain of Southwest Jefferson County

Contact Information: Ben Washburn, 913-551-7364, washburn.ben@epa.gov

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., March 27, 2012) - EPA Region 7 will host a public availability session from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 5, at the Byrnes Mill, Mo., City Hall, to share information about lead sampling of residential property soils in the Big River Floodplain, as part of EPA’s ongoing activities at the Southwest Jefferson County Mining Superfund Site.

Residential properties located in portions of the 100-year floodplain of Big River inside the Superfund site boundaries will be screened for possible lead contamination. Multiple studies and samplings have indicated widespread lead contamination in the floodplain, extending from Leadwood to the Meramec River Confluence.

Qualifying properties will be screened and prioritized for future sampling. The remedial program has funding to sample 256 properties this fiscal year. Additional funds are being sought to sample an undetermined number of remaining properties in fiscal year 2013. To date, EPA has conducted soil sampling at 2,004 residential properties, as well as water samplings at 654 private wells.

EPA will be sending letters to property owners of the 256 residences seeking access to do necessary sampling.

EPA representatives will attend the April 5 public availability session to discuss past and future site sampling activities.

EPA’s current sampling effort is focused on screening properties along the Big River Floodplain throughout Jefferson County. However, residents outside the floodplain who believe their property may have contaminated soils should contact Debbie Kring, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator, 913-551-7725 or 1-800-223-0425, to discuss having EPA screen the property.

EPA Region 7 is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities who may want to attend this event. To request reasonable accommodations, please contact Jonathan Cooper at 1-800-223-0425 or cooper.jonathan@epa.gov at least a week in advance of the meeting. Speech or hearing-impaired individuals should email or call using the local relay service.

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Titan Environmental Services to Pay $10,878 Penalty

News release from EPA Region 7:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

901 N. Fifth St., Kansas City, KS 66101

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

Titan Environmental Services to Pay $10,878 for Violations of Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act

Contact Information: Chris Whitley, 913-551-7394, whitley.christopher@epa.gov

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., Feb. 6, 2012) - Titan Environmental Services, Inc., of Kansas City, Mo., has agreed to pay a $10,878 civil penalty to the United States to settle a series of violations of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act, including failures to provide required hands-on training to contractors and other renovation professionals who enrolled in some of its training courses.

As part of its settlement with EPA Region 7, and in addition to paying the $10,878 civil penalty, Titan Environmental Services has agreed to offer the federally-required hands-on training at no cost to trainees who were enrolled in the company’s classes where EPA found violations.

The company has also agreed to perform a supplemental environmental project, through which it will spend at least $97,902 to fund lead abatement activities at five residential properties in St. Joseph, Mo. The project will cover window replacement and lead-based paint abatement, to be performed by entities licensed and/or certified by the State of Missouri. Titan Environmental Services must submit detailed work plans to EPA for approval before the abatement activities begin, and follow-up reports to the Agency when those activities are completed, under terms of the settlement.

According to an administrative consent agreement and final order filed by EPA Region 7 in Kansas City, Kan., Titan Environmental Services’ violations of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act were based on findings from three EPA inspections: a May 2010 recordkeeping inspection at the company’s Kansas City business office, an October 2010 inspection at a lead-based paint training course given by the company at a hotel in Osage Beach, Mo.; and an October 2010 follow-up recordkeeping inspection at the company’s business office.

The Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992, which amended the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), was designed to address the need to control exposure to lead-based paint hazards. The law directs EPA to regulate the accreditation of training programs offered to renovation professionals, including minimum requirements for training providers, training curriculum, training hours, hands-on training, trainee competency and proficiency, and requirements for training program quality control.

Common renovation activities like sanding, cutting and demolition can produce hazardous lead dust that can be harmful to adults and children.

EPA’s inspections found that, despite being accredited in August 2009 to offer training in the Renovator Initial Course – English, Titan Environmental Services: 

• Failed to properly notify EPA at least seven days in advance of offering training on at least six occasions during 2010.
• Failed to properly notify EPA within 10 days after completions of training on at least 35 occasions during 2010.
• Failed to maintain and make available to EPA necessary documents showing the education, work experience, training requirements or demonstrated experience for the principal instructor of a course offered in April 2010.
• Failed to cover all required portions of hands-on training activities during training courses provided on at least four occasions in April 2010 and October 2010.
• Failed to maintain and make available to EPA the necessary student assessment forms for training courses provided on at least two occasions in April 2010. 

By agreeing to the settlement with EPA, Titan Environmental Services has certified that it is presently in compliance with the applicable federal regulations.

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