Studying Water Quality for Better Watershed Management

From the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS):

In more than half of Chesapeake Bay’s non-tidal rivers and creeks, levels of polluting nitrogen and phosphorus are falling, but the Bay’s recovery will take more work and time. To better inform watershed management, the USGS studied four small areas where intensive pollution-fighting steps have been taken: Smith Creek and Difficult Run, VA; the Upper Chester River, MD; and Conewago Creek, PA. 

The sites range from mountainous to coastal, from pasture and crop land to suburban. In the first phase of a planned long term study, the USGS described patterns in nitrogen sources and nutrient concentrations, existing conservation practices, and the relationships between land use, geology, water flows, and water quality. The researchers plan to continue examining links between conservation practices and changes in water quality in these watersheds. Because of factors ranging from slow groundwater flows to changing land use, it will likely take years or decades before the Bay reaps the full pollution-cutting benefits of the conservation work. Find the report at http://chesapeake.usgs.gov/sciencesummary-smallwatershedreport.html Photo: Smith Creek, VA, USGS


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Holiday Wish: Less Polluted Storm Water Runoff

From NOAA Digital Coast:

We wish for reduced polluted runoff. Our Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program is working w/ states #HolidayWish
http://go.usa.gov/x8nwV




dec0516

EPA Provides $149,000 for Environmental Improvements in San Juan Community

From EPA:

EPA Provides $149,000 for Environmental Improvements

in San Juan Community

            Contact: Brenda Reyes, reyes.brenda@epa.gov, 787-977-5869

(San Juan, P.R.  – November 29, 2016) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional Administrator Judith Enck was joined today by a representative of San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz, representatives of the Resident Commissioner Elect Jennifer Gonzalez, and ENLACE Executive Director Lyvia Rodriguez to announce new funding for the Caño Martín Peña community. EPA will provide a total of $149,000 for green infrastructure projects. $80,000 will be used to work on green infrastructure design plans within the Caño Martín Peña community and $69,000 will be used to build a rain garden within the Caño Martín Peña community and study its effectiveness. Both projects seek to reduce stormwater runoff and improve water quality in the San Juan Bay Estuary’s urban community.

Green infrastructure mimics natural processes to address flooding issues and to manage rainwater and use it as a resource. Green infrastructure replaces paved areas with permeable surfaces, allowing the rain to soak through the surface rather than running off it. Innovative green infrastructure designs benefit the environment and the community by naturally filtering water, by keeping pollutants from entering waterbodies, and by preventing wastewater systems from being overloaded.

“EPA is pleased to provide much needed funding to this community in San Juan,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck. “This vibrant, densely populated community of 35,000 residents who live along the polluted canal will be able to use these resources to improve the economic and environmental conditions of where they live.”

The Smart Growth funding was awarded to the design firm Spackman Mossop Michaels to work on green infrastructure designs within the Caño Martín Peña community. Over the next year, green infrastructure design options will be developed for five types of locations: residential water plazas; community parks or open green spaces; walking trails; a water plaza for existing vacant lands; and entryway water plazas. The project’s final report will identify how the design options can be implemented throughout Puerto Rico.

Cedarville Engineering Group, LLC will work with Marvel & Marchand Architects LLP of San Juan to design, build, and evaluate a green infrastructure project within the Caño Martín Peña community. This project will begin construction in December 2016 at Albert Einstein High School, Calle Haydee Rexach, Esquina Borinquen, in San Juan and run through 2017. The study will monitor effectiveness of the green infrastructure designs, determine maintenance needs, and provide general assistance for the development and installation of green infrastructure practices for treating polluted runoff.

EPA developed the Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Program to help communities develop green building and green infrastructure systems and to provide equitable development and housing options for residents. EPA’s Regional Applied Research Effort Program provides research on high-priority environmental science issues.

For more information on EPA’s Smart Growth strategies, visit: https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth.  For more information on EPA’s Regional Applied Research Effort Program, visit: https://www.cfda.gov/programs/66.517.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://facebook.com/eparegion2.

            16-118

EPA Opens Registration for Campus RainWorks Design Challenge Competition

Press release:

EPA Opens Registration for Campus RainWorks Design Challenge Competition

Contact Information: Davina Marraccini (News Media Only), (404) 562-8293, marraccini.davina@epa.gov

(ATLANTA – Sept. 6, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has opened registration for student teams from colleges and universities across the country to participate in its new design competition, the Campus RainWorks Challenge, through which teams will compete to develop innovative approaches to stormwater management. This first annual competition, will help raise awareness of green design and planning approaches at colleges and universities, and train the next generation of landscape architects, planners, and engineers in green infrastructure principles and design. Stormwater is a major cause of harmful water pollution in urban areas in the U.S., impacting tens of thousands of miles of rivers, streams, and coastal shorelines, as well as hundreds of thousands of acres of lakes, reservoirs, and ponds.

Student teams, working with a faculty advisor, will submit design plans for a proposed green infrastructure project for their campus. Registration for the Campus RainWorks Challenge is open from September 4 through October 5, and entries must be submitted by December 14, 2012 for consideration. Winning entries will be selected by EPA and announced in April 2013. Winning teams will earn a cash prize of $1,500 - $2,500, as well as $8,000 - $11,000 in funds for their faculty advisor to conduct research on green infrastructure. In 2013, EPA plans to expand Campus RainWorks by inviting students to design and complete a demonstration project assessing innovative green infrastructure approaches on their campus.

EPA is encouraging the use of green infrastructure as a solution to help manage stormwater runoff. Green Infrastructure uses vegetation, soils, and natural processes to manage stormwater runoff at its source and provide other community benefits. Green infrastructure is increasingly being used to supplement or substitute for single-purpose “gray” infrastructure investments such as pipes, and ponds. The Campus RainWorks Challenge will help encourage the use of green infrastructure projects on college and university campuses to manage stormwater discharges.

More information on the Campus RainWorks Challenge:

http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/crw_challenge.cfm

International Builder and DC-based Subsidiary Agree to Pay $270,000 to Settle Stormwater Violations at Construction Sites

Press release:

International Builder and DC-based Subsidiary Agree to Pay $270,000

to Settle Stormwater Violations at Construction Sites

 

(PHILADELPHIA, August 29, 2012) Turner Construction Co., an international builder based in New York City, and its subsidiary Tompkins Builders, Inc. of Washington, D.C., have agreed to pay $270,000 in civil penalties for alleged violations of federal stormwater regulations at construction sites throughout the mid-Atlantic region, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today.    

On August 27, 2012 EPA filed two Consent Agreements and Final Orders alleging that Turner and Tompkins violated their Clean Water Act permits allowing for the discharge of stormwater from construction sites, and in other instances discharged construction stormwater without permits. The alleged violations occurred at 17 construction sites the companies operated in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. Fifteen of these sites are located in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and two are in the Delaware River watershed (see attached list of construction sites).

Turner and Tompkins operated these sites for clients including federal and local governments, the Department of Defense, universities and other organizations. A construction project at Prince George’s Community College Center for Health Studies is among them, in which case unfiltered basin water flowed, absent a permit, to the storm sewer system that discharges to the Western Branch of the Patuxent River.

In the mid-Atlantic region, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania are authorized to issue CWA stormwater permits with oversight from EPA; stormwater permits in the District of Columbia are issued by EPA.

In general, the permits in this case required the companies to install controls to prevent pollutants, such as sediment, debris, and chemicals, from being discharged in stormwater into nearby waterways. These controls may include common-sense safeguards such as silt fences, phased site grading and sediment basins to prevent construction contaminants from polluting waterways.

EPA’s complaint includes allegations that at various sites the companies failed to:

•     Perform or properly document required site inspections;
•     Maintain structures and controls designed to prevent polluted stormwater from reaching streams; and,
•     Obtain CWA Permits prior to beginning construction.  

EPA worked closely with state and local environmental agencies to detect and resolve these violations. State and local personnel conducted numerous field inspections, and the agencies shared technical and legal expertise. EPA required Turner and Tompkins to provide extensive documentation concerning their construction activities at numerous locations.
In addition to paying civil penalties, Turner and Tompkins entered into an earlier settlement requiring the companies to implement a program to assure future compliance with federal construction stormwater requirements.
As part of the settlement, the companies did not admit liability for the alleged violations. To view a copy of the consent agreement http://www.epa.gov/reg3wapd/npdes/enforcement.html.

To learn more about EPA’s stormwater management program, http://www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater.

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Turner/Tompkins Construction Sites where stormwater violations occurred:

Facilities Covered	Facility Address
Sustainment Center for Excellence	Corner of Lee Avenue and A Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801
Langley Air Force Base Hospital Addition	63 Pine Road, Langley Air Force Base, VA 23665
Warrenton Training Center, Station C Firing Range	Summerduck Road, Remmington, VA
Building B-70 Warrenton Training Center	Bearwallow Road, Warrenton VA
D.C. Youth Center, Laurel, MD	8100 Main Ave, Laurel, Md 20724
Hershey Expansion Project	Hershey, PA
Martin Luther King Memorial	Ind Avenue, and West Basin Drive, SW, Washington, DC 20001
Fort Belvoir Community Hospital	Building R1450, 9025 Richmond Hwy, Fort Belvoir 22314
Prince George’s Community College Center for Health Studies	301 Hay Road, Largo, MD 20774
TRADOC Headquarters	Murphy Field, Fort Eustis, VA 23604
Franklin & Marshall University Race Street Parking Lot	415 Harrisburg Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17603
Army National Guard Readiness Center	111 S George Mason Dr., Arlington, VA 22204
Drexel University Integrated Sciences Building	33rd and Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
FDA Consolidation at White Oak – Buildings 31 & 32	10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20993
Penn Park Complex	299 South 30th St. Philadelphia, PA 19104
Salamander Resort and Spa	23325 Foxcroft Rd, Middleburg, VA 20117
C4ISR Center for Excellence	2201 Averdeen Blvd. Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010

EPA and Baltimore's CNX Marine Terminals, Inc. Settle Water and Waste Violations

Press release:

EPA and Baltimore's CNX Marine Terminals, Inc. Settle Water and Waste Violations

PHILADELPHIA (August 23, 2012) -- CNX Marine Terminals, Inc. has agreed to pay a $34,600 penalty to settle alleged violations of federal environmental laws involving the discharge of pollutants in stormwater runoff, the operation and maintenance of underground storage tank systems and waste storage, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today. The alleged violations were at the CNX terminal at 3800 New Gate Ave., Baltimore, Md.

According to the consent agreement and final order, the specific alleged violations include unauthorized stormwater discharges from a pipe into the Janney Run Creek, failure to properly operate and maintain the release detection system on a 2,000-gallon underground storage tank, failure to conduct a line tightness test on the underground storage tank every three years, and failure to properly store used fluorescent lamps.

The $34,600 settlement penalty reflects the cooperation of CNX Marine Terminals with EPA's investigation.

Uncontrolled stormwater runoff often contains sediment, suspended solids, oxygen-demanding compounds and other pollutants that can harm our nation's waterways. Under the Clean Water Act, facilities must obtain permits issued by EPA or the state environmental agency before discharging stormwater runoff into waterways. These permits include requirements for erosion and sediment controls and precautionary best management practices such as spill prevention safeguards, material storage, and employee training.

Underground storage tanks (UST) must be tested to prevent leaks because the greatest potential threat from a leaking UST is contamination of groundwater, the source of drinking water for nearly half of all Americans. These leaks can threaten public safety and health as well as the environment because UST systems contain hazardous and toxic chemicals. Cleaning up petroleum leaks is difficult and usually expensive. Federal regulations ensure that USTs are structurally sound because it is easier and less costly to prevent leaks before they happen.

SETTLEMENT REQUIRES BOSTON WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION TO REMEDY SEWER AND STORMWATER DISCHARGES

News Release

U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2012      

DOJ (202) 514-2007                    
EPA (617) 918-1017

SETTLEMENT REQUIRES BOSTON WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION TO REMEDY SEWER AND STORMWATER DISCHARGES

WASHINGTON -- Under the terms of a consent decree lodged in federal court today, the Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC) will implement extensive remedial measures to minimize the discharge of sewage and other pollutants into the water bodies in and around Boston, the Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today.  The BWSC will also pay a civil penalty of $235,000 for violations of the Clean Water Act and will perform a supplemental environmental project worth at least $160,000.

The work required under this consent decree will significantly reduce remaining pollution sources discharging into and degrading water quality in Boston Harbor. The consent decree is the result of a federal enforcement action brought by the Department of Justice on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and by the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), which filed the original complaint in the case and was an active plaintiff in the case.

“This settlement will require BWSC to take specific steps to significantly reduce discharges from its storm drain and sanitary sewer systems that have contributed pollutants to Boston Harbor and its tributaries,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice.  “This settlement will produce lasting benefits for the people of Boston, incorporating green infrastructure, low impact development, and other controls that will help reduce harmful discharges and protect the environment.” 

  “Together with our co-plaintiff CLF, we were able to progress from litigation to a settlement that is both comprehensive in its scope and stringent in its requirements and deadlines,” said Carmen Ortiz, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.  “I am pleased that the BWSC is prepared to be proactive by taking a broad range of actions to minimize the pollutants in its stormwater discharges to Boston’s rivers, streams and harbor.”

  “This settlement represents a critical next-step in the ongoing cleanup of Boston Harbor and its associated urban rivers,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England region. “Over the past decades there’s been a remarkable transformation as Boston Harbor and local waterways have been cleaned up, thanks to work by government at all levels and environmental advocates. Under this settlement, the City of Boston will use green infrastructure and low-impact techniques to control pollutants being discharged in its stormwater to local beaches, rivers and streams, benefiting all residents of Boston who enjoy outdoor recreation in the Hub.”

Water sampling conducted by EPA indicated untreated sanitary sewage discharging from numerous BWSC stormwater outfalls.  In response, the consent decree establishes an aggressive schedule for BWSC to investigate the sources of sewage being discharged from BWSC’s storm drains.  The BWSC will first complete its investigations of drainage areas discharging to Constitution, Tenean and Malibu beaches.  BWSC will prioritize the rest of the investigations according to the sensitivity of receiving waters and evidence of sewage.  The agreement also requires BWSC to remove all identified sources of sewage as expeditiously as possible.  In addition, the settlement requires BWSC to conduct frequent and enhanced monitoring (in both dry and wet weather) of its stormwater outfalls.

The consent decree also requires BWSC to control pollutants other than sewage, such as phosphorus and metals, being discharged from its storm drain system.  To accomplish this goal, BWSC will conduct stormwater modeling and implement appropriate Best Management Practices (BMPs) to control stormwater discharges.  In evaluating BMPs, the consent decree requires BWSC to implement Green Infrastructure and Low Impact Development (GI/LID) techniques wherever possible.  These types of techniques involve the use of natural or engineered systems to direct stormwater to areas where it can be stored, infiltrated, evapotranspirated or reused.

While some of the studies and planning required by the settlement will take several years to complete, the agreement also requires BWSC to initiate GI/LID demonstration projects in East Boston’s Central Square, Audubon Circle in the Kenmore/Fenway area of the city, and at City Hall Plaza on an expedited schedule.

Finally, the settlement requires the establishment of construction and industrial inspection programs necessary to meet the requirements of BWSC’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit.
To settle the case, BWSC has also committed to implement a supplemental environmental project to address leakage from private sewer laterals.   BWSC has determined that a number of sewer lines connecting buildings to the BWSC sewage system (laterals) are leaking sewage from cracks in the laterals into the BWSC’s storm drains.  BWSC will line a minimum of 25 private sewer laterals that have been identified as sources of sewage to its storm drains.

The complaints filed by CLF and the United States alleged violations of the Clean Water Act involving the discharge of raw sewage and other pollutants to surface waters near heavily used recreation areas, such as Constitution Beach and Tenean Beach in Boston Harbor, as well as to the Charles, Mystic and Neponset Rivers.  According to the allegations, these discharges have occurred through both illegal sewer connections to the BWSC storm drain system and sanitary sewer overflows that discharge to the BWSC storm drain system or directly to local surface waters.

The complaints also alleged that BWSC violated conditions of its MS4 permit regarding the implementation of its Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Program, discharged pollutants in stormwater that violated water quality standards, and failed to develop and implement a number of programs required by the permit, including a program to inspect stormwater controls at construction sites throughout the city of Boston.

The consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court.  Once it is published in the Federal Register, a copy of the consent decree will be available on the Justice Department Web site at www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html.

#  #  #

$70,000 in Green Infrastructure Technical Assistance to Omaha, Neb.

Press release:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

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

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

$70,000 in Green Infrastructure Technical Assistance to Omaha, Neb.

Contact Information: Kris Lancaster, (913) 551-7557, lancaster.kris@epa.gov (news media only)

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., July 19, 2012) – EPA is providing $70,000 in technical assistance to the City of Omaha, Neb., for development of tools that will encourage incorporation of green infrastructure into community improvement projects.

“Green infrastructure provides many community benefits including the reduction of stormwater runoff, neighborhood revitalization and reduction of pollutants in local streams,” said Karl Brooks, regional administrator. “The technical assistance will support work such as a review of city codes and ordinances to identify barriers to green infrastructure and recommend appropriate revisions as needed.”

Stormwater is one of the most widespread challenges to water quality. Large volumes of polluted stormwater degrade our nation’s rivers, lakes and aquatic habitats and contribute to downstream flooding. Green infrastructure decreases pollution to local waters by treating rain where it falls and helps to keep polluted stormwater from entering sewer systems.

Nationally, EPA is providing $950,000 in technical assistance to help 17 cities expand the use of green infrastructure to improve water quality and benefit communities. Effective green infrastructure tools and techniques include rain gardens, vegetated swales, wetlands, green roofs, and permeable pavement. Communities are increasingly using green infrastructure to supplement or substitute for traditional infrastructure investments such as pipes, filters, and ponds.

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EPA Provides $950,000 to Improve Water Quality Using Green Infrastructure in 17 Communities

Press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 19, 2012

EPA Provides $950,000 to Improve Water Quality Using Green Infrastructure in 17 Communities

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that it is providing $950,000 to help 17 communities expand green infrastructure use to improve water quality and protect people’s health and benefit communities. . Green infrastructure uses vegetation and soil to manage rainwater where it falls, keeping polluted stormwater from entering sewer systems and waterways in local communities. The EPA funding is intended to increase incorporation of green infrastructure into stormwater management programs, protect water quality, and provide community benefits including job creation and neighborhood revitalization.

“Effective stormwater management is one of the most widespread challenges to water quality in the nation,” said Nancy Stoner, EPA’s Acting Assistant Administrator for Water. She announced the funds today at a stormwater symposium in Baltimore held by the Water Environment Federation. “Polluted stormwater can be harmful to the health of our nation’s waterbodies. These funds will help expand the use of green infrastructure, revitalize local neighborhoods and help safeguard people’s health and the environment.”

EPA is awarding the funds to diverse communities across 16 states. Some communities – like Beaufort, South Carolina and Neosho, Missouri – are small towns in urban growth areas interested in preserving and protecting their healthy waterways. Others – such as Camden, New Jersey and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – are large cities interested in adding green infrastructure into their redevelopment projects to restore degraded urban waters and help revitalize their communities. The selected communities also provide an opportunity to demonstrate the potential of green infrastructure across a range of climate zones.

Green infrastructure captures and filters pollutants by passing stormwater through soils and retaining it on site. Effective green infrastructure tools and techniques include green roofs, permeable materials, alternative designs for streets and buildings, trees, rain gardens and rain harvesting systems. Communities are increasingly using green infrastructure to supplement or substitute for single-purpose “gray” infrastructure investments such as pipes, filters, and ponds.

In April 2011, EPA renewed its commitment to green infrastructure with the release of the “Strategic Agenda to Protect Waters and Build More Livable Communities through Green Infrastructure.” The agenda identifies community partnerships as one of five key activities that EPA will pursue to accelerate the implementation of green infrastructure and EPA announced partnerships with 10 “model communities”.

In February 2012, EPA announced the availability of $950,000 in technical assistance to a second set of partner communities to help overcome some of the most common barriers to green infrastructure. EPA received letters of interest from over 150 communities across the country.

 More information: http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/gi_support.cfm.

EPA to Assist Camden, New Jersey Community Group to Reduce Water Pollution

Press release:

EPA to Assist Camden, New Jersey Community Group to

Reduce Water Pollution

Contact: John Martin (212) 637- 3662, martin.johnj@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – July 19, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that the Cooper’s Ferry Partnership in Camden, New Jersey has been selected to receive $70,000 worth of technical assistance to advance projects aimed at reducing water pollution in Camden. The EPA will provide the assistance to help estimate the benefits of the Camden SMART (Stormwater Management And Resource Training) Initiative. The SMART Initiative is a joint project by the city of Camden, the Cooper’s Ferry Partnership, the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority and other community partners to develop a network of green infrastructure programs and projects throughout the city. Green infrastructure captures and filters pollutants by passing stormwater through soils and retaining it on site. Camden is one of just 17 communities receiving such assistance from the EPA this year.

“Camden’s SMART Initiative is a smart way to fight water pollution and make the local economy stronger,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “By working together, we can make our urban communities cleaner and more livable. I commend the Cooper’s Ferry Partnership and this initiative’s other partners for leading the way to a sustainable and revitalized Camden.”

Controlling stormwater is one of the most widespread challenges faced by communities across the country. Large volumes of polluted stormwater degrade our nation’s rivers, lakes, and aquatic habitats and contribute to downstream flooding. Communities are increasingly using green infrastructure to supplement or substitute for single-purpose “gray” infrastructure investments such as pipes, filters, and ponds. Effective green infrastructure tools and techniques include green roofs, alternative designs for streets and buildings, trees, rain gardens, and rain harvesting systems.

The SMART Initiative is an effort to restore and revitalize Camden through efficient stormwater management. In less than one year, Camden has planted eleven rain gardens and has developed plans for 20-40 more. Camden SMART has organized and hosted a series of stormwater management education and information sessions with residents and produced literature on sound stormwater management practices. Additionally, the initiative has supported the removal of impervious surfaces such as blacktop to plant hundreds of street trees throughout Camden.

Under the partnership announced today, the EPA will help complete an assessment of the water quality, air quality, and brownfield remediation benefits, and the flooding mitigation potential of the SMART Initiative. The EPA will additionally help Camden SMART conduct an assessment of the barriers posed by local codes and permitting processes for various green infrastructure projects. The EPA will also help Camden identify appropriate green infrastructure practices for brownfield sites and other sites that pose potential challenges for the implementation of green infrastructure.

For more information on green infrastructure, visit: http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

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US and Tennessee Announce Clean Water Act Agreement With the City Of Chattanooga

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJuly 17, 2012


US and Tennessee Announce Clean Water Act Agreement With the City Of Chattanooga
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Justice, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General announced today a comprehensive Clean Water Act settlement with the city of Chattanooga, Tenn. Chattanooga has agreed to pay a $476,400 civil penalty and make improvements to its sewer systems, estimated by the city at $250 million, to eliminate unauthorized overflows of untreated raw sewage. Chattanooga also has agreed to implement a green infrastructure plan and perform an $800,000 stream restoration project.  
“The EPA is working with communities across the country to address sewage overflows that impact the health of residents and impair local water quality,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s agreement with the city of Chattanooga will rehabilitate their aging sewer system and promote innovative green infrastructure efforts to reduce stormwater runoff, while increasing green space in communities.” 

“Chattanooga residents will enjoy public health and environmental benefits for years to come as a result of the improvements required by this settlement agreement. The agreement prioritizes neighborhood sewer rehabilitation projects and utilizes innovative stormwater controls in the urban core, reducing sewer overflows and overall reducing threats to public health posed by untreated sewage,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This is another example of how we are working toward the goal of clean water for all communities through the vigorous enforcement of the Clean Water Act throughout the United States.”
A consent decree, filed today in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in Chattanooga, represents the combined efforts of the United States and the state of Tennessee, co-plaintiffs in this settlement, and of the Tennessee Clean Water Network, a citizens’ plaintiff in this action.  The consent decree resolves claims for injunctive relief and civil penalties for Chattanooga’s alleged violations of the Clean Water Act and the Tennessee Water Quality Control Act.
The proposed consent decree will require Chattanooga to comprehensively assess and rehabilitate its entire sewer collection system to eliminate overflows of untreated raw sewage. Specifically, Chattanooga will perform rehabilitation projects to address known problems within the collection system; implement programs to ensure proper management, operation and maintenance of its sewer systems; and install additional controls on the Chattanooga Creek combined sewer outfalls to ensure compliance with water quality standards.
Prior to finalizing the proposed consent decree, the city, along with EPA and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, held two public meetings to provide information regarding the sewer system and to seek community input regarding the impact that sewer overflows were having in the community. 
Chattanooga has also agreed to perform a stream restoration supplemental environmental project at a cost of $800,000 in the 3800 Block of Agawela Drive, to restore the stream and stabilize the banks of a tributary of the South Chickamauga Creek and eliminate a significant source of sediment and solids to the creek. Half of the civil penalty will be paid to the United States.  At the direction of the state, the other half of the civil penalty will be paid by Chattanooga through the performance of green infrastructure demonstration projects in the historic downtown Highland Park neighborhood to, among other things, improve water quality in the Dobbs Branch stream, which flows into Chattanooga Creek. Green infrastructure involves the use of soils, vegetation and natural processes to store, infiltrate and evaporate storm water to prevent it from getting into the sewer system.

Keeping raw sewage and contaminated stormwater out of the waters of the United States is one of the EPA’s national enforcement initiatives for 2011 to 2013. The initiative focuses on reducing sewer overflows, which can present a significant threat to human health and the environment. These reductions are accomplished by obtaining commitments from municipalities to implement timely, affordable solutions to these problems, including the increased use of green infrastructure and other innovative approaches.

The United States has reached similar agreements with municipalities across the country, including the following in the Southeast: Mobile and Jefferson County (Birmingham), Ala.; Atlanta and Dekalb County, Ga.; Knoxville and Nashville, Tenn.; Miami-Dade County, Fla.; and Northern Kentucky Sanitation District #1 and Louisville, Ky.
The proposed consent decree with Chattanooga is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval before becoming effective. 

More information about the settlement:
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/cases/civil/cwa/cityofchattanooga.html


R123

$59,876 Grant to University of Nebraska-Lincoln

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

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

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

$59,876 Grant to University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Contact Information: Kris Lancaster, (913) 551-7557, lancaster.kris@epa.gov

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., July 10, 2012) - EPA is providing a $59,876 urban waters grant to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) to evaluate the effectiveness of the Saddle Hills neighborhood’s green infrastructure in metropolitan Omaha, Neb.

UNL and partners, including the City of Omaha and the Nebraska Forest Service, will assess green infrastructure practices by creating a water quality assessment database and developing a stormwater mobile application for smartphones and mobile devices. The application will allow users, such as local residents, youth, master gardeners and city staff, to learn about ways to reduce stormwater runoff.

“Green infrastructure and stormwater management strategies play a critical role in water quality improvement by reducing runoff that carries multiple contaminants into streams and rivers,” said Karl Brooks, regional administrator. “The project will empower community residents and land owners to look at stormwater as an asset rather than a waste product, and will increase public awareness and grassroots participation through workshops about urban water quality.”

The funding is part of EPA’s Urban Waters Program, which supports communities in their efforts to access, improve and benefit from urban waters and surrounding land.

Many urban waterways have been polluted for years by runoff from city streets and contamination from abandoned industrial facilities. Healthy and accessible urban waters can help grow local businesses and enhance educational, economic, recreational, employment and social opportunities in nearby communities. By promoting public access to urban waterways, EPA will help communities become active participants in restoring urban waters while improving and protecting their neighborhoods.

EPA’s Urban Waters Program supports the goals and principles of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, a partnership of 12 federal agencies working to reconnect urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led revitalization efforts.

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EPA protects Sheyenne River from unauthorized construction site discharges

Press release:

EPA protects Sheyenne River from unauthorized construction site discharges

Gowan Construction to pay $40,000 for Clean Water Act violations near Harwood; NDDOT to improve stormwater management and oversight

Contacts: Seth Draper, 303-312-6763; Matthew Allen, 303-312-6085

(Denver, Colorado – June 28, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reached an agreement with Gowan Construction, Inc. (Gowan) and the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) resolving alleged violations of the Clean Water Act at an interstate highway construction project affecting the Sheyenne River near Harwood in Cass County, North Dakota. Gowan is based in Oslo, Minn. and maintains a branch office in Grand Forks, N.D.

Under a consent agreement signed on June 12, 2012, Gowan will pay a penalty of $40,000. As part of the agreement, NDDOT has agreed to inspect active construction sites, review stormwater pollution prevention plans created for the department’s projects, and conduct reviews to ensure their contractors are complying with the Clean Water Act. NDDOT agreed to develop a website devoted to stormwater management that offers resources for contractors, and plans to continue to provide stormwater training opportunities for its contractors.

"EPA will vigorously enforce the laws to protect our nation’s water resources,” said Mike Gaydosh, EPA’s Enforcement Director in Denver. “EPA is encouraged that Gowan and the State of North Dakota are taking steps to ensure compliance with requirements that limit runoff of pollutants into surface waters.”

The alleged violations were discovered during an EPA inspection of Gowan’s construction site on Interstate 29, northwest of Fargo, in August, 2010. The project created a land disturbance of 220 acres (the size of 198 football fields), which intersected and overlaid the Sheyenne River. The Sheyenne River is a major tributary to the Red River of the North.

EPA observed unauthorized stormwater discharges at the site and alleged that Gowan and NDDOT had failed to maintain stormwater controls (such as silt fences, straw wattles, and silt curtains), failed to comply with inspection requirements, and failed to develop an adequate stormwater pollution prevention plan, all in violation of the Clean Water Act and their permit. The inspection was conducted when the project was 50% complete. During construction activities, 1100 tons of sediment was estimated to have been discharged in violation of the Clean Water Act. After EPA’s inspection an estimated 950 tons of sediment was reduced from entering surface water.

Stormwater runoff is generated when precipitation from rain and snowmelt events flows over disturbed and unprotected land surfaces. This runoff accumulates debris, chemicals, sediment or other pollutants that could adversely affect water quality if unchecked and untreated. Sediment can kill fish directly, destroy spawning beds, suffocate fish eggs and bottom dwelling organisms, and block sunlight resulting in reduced growth of beneficial aquatic grasses. In addition, sediment can impact the treatment of drinking water resulting in higher treatment costs, and can result in the loss of drinking water reservoir storage capacity and decrease the navigational capacity of waterways.

Information from NDDOT on stormwater requirements can be found online at www.dot.nd.gov or by calling 701-328-2563.

Developers, contractors, and other landowners who plan to conduct construction activities disturbing one acre of land or greater should obtain stormwater permit coverage with the North Dakota Department of Health at: http://www.ndhealth.gov/wq/storm/StormWaterHome.htm.

For more information on EPA’s stormwater permitting program: www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater.

Homebuilder Toll Brothers Inc. to Pay $741,000 Clean Water Act Penalty and Implement Company-Wide Stormwater Controls

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJune 20, 2012

Homebuilder Toll Brothers Inc. to Pay $741,000 Clean Water Act Penalty and Implement Company-Wide Stormwater Controls
Settlement to prevent millions of pounds of sediment and polluted stormwater runoff from entering U.S. waterways each year

WASHINGTON –The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Toll Brothers Inc., one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, will pay a civil penalty of $741,000 to resolve alleged Clean Water Act violations at its construction sites, including sites located in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Toll Brothers will also invest in a company-wide stormwater compliance program to improve employee training and increase management oversight at all current and future residential construction sites across the nation. The company is required to inspect its current and future construction sites routinely to minimize stormwater runoff from sites. Polluted stormwater runoff and sediment from construction sites can flow directly into the nearest waterway, affecting drinking water quality and damaging valuable aquatic habitats.
“Keeping contaminated stormwater runoff out of the nation’s waterways, like the Chesapeake Bay, is one of EPA’s top priorities,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance and Assurance. “Today’s settlement will improve oversight of stormwater runoff at construction sites across the country and protect America’s waters.”
“This settlement will help protect the nation’s waters from the harmful pollutants contained in stormwater runoff from construction sites,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, assistant attorney general for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice. “The settlement requires Toll Brothers to implement system-wide management controls and training that will help prevent polluted stormwater runoff from contaminating rivers, lakes and sources of drinking water.”
EPA estimates the settlement will prevent millions of pounds of sediment from entering U.S. waterways every year, including sediment that would otherwise enter the Chesapeake Bay, North America’s largest and most biologically diverse estuary. The bay and its tidal tributaries are threatened by pollution from a variety of sources and are overburdened with nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment that can be carried by stormwater.
The complaint, filed simultaneously with the settlement agreement, alleges over 600 stormwater violations that were discovered through site inspections and by reviewing documentation submitted by Toll Brothers. The majority of the alleged violations involve Toll Brothers’ repeated failures to comply with permit requirements at its construction sites, including requirements to install and maintain adequate stormwater pollution controls.
The Clean Water Act requires permits for the discharge of stormwater runoff. In general, Toll Brothers’ permits require that construction sites have controls in place to prevent pollution from being discharged with stormwater into nearby waterways. These controls include common-sense safeguards such as silt fences, phased site grading and sediment basins to prevent construction contaminants from entering the nation’s waterways.
The settlement requires Toll Brothers to obtain all required permits, develop site-specific pollution prevention plans for each construction site, conduct additional site inspections beyond those required by stormwater regulations, and document and promptly correct any problems. The company must properly train construction managers and contractors on stormwater requirements and designate trained staff for each site. Toll Brothers must also submit national compliance summary reports to EPA based on management oversight inspections and reviews.
This settlement is the latest in a series of enforcement actions to address stormwater violations from residential construction sites around the country. Construction projects have a high potential for environmental harm because they disturb large areas of land and significantly increase the potential for erosion, and stormwater runoff from sites can pick up other pollutants, including concrete washout, paint, used oil, solvents and trash.
The state of Maryland and the commonwealth of Virginia have joined the settlement and will receive a portion of the $741,000 penalty. The settlement includes Toll Brothers sites in

Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

The consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court.

More information about this settlement: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/cases/civil/cwa/tollbrothers.html

More information about EPA’s stormwater enforcement: http://www.epa.gov/oecaerth/data/planning/priorities/cwastorm.html


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EPA Launches Competition for College Students to Develop Innovative Approaches to Stormwater Management

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 16, 2012

EPA Launches Competition for College Students to Develop Innovative Approaches to Stormwater Management

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching a new design competition called the Campus RainWorks Challenge to encourage student teams on college and university campuses across the country to develop innovative approaches to stormwater management. Stormwater is a major cause of water pollution in urban areas in the U.S., impacting the health of people across the country as well as tens of thousands of miles of rivers, streams, and coastal shorelines, and hundreds of thousands of acres of lakes, reservoirs, and ponds. The competition will help raise awareness of green design and planning approaches at colleges and universities, and train the next generation of landscape architects, planners, and engineers in green infrastructure principles and design.

Student teams, working with a faculty advisor, will submit design plans for a proposed green infrastructure project for their campus. Registration for the Campus RainWorks Challenge opens September 4, and entries must be submitted by December 14, 2012 for consideration. Winning entries will be selected by EPA and announced in April 2013. Winning teams will earn a cash prize of $1,500 - $2,500, as well as $8,000 - $11,000 in funds for their faculty advisor to conduct research on green infrastructure. In 2013, EPA plans to expand Campus RainWorks by inviting students to design and complete a demonstration project assessing innovative green infrastructure approaches on their campus.

“Reducing stormwater pollution requires innovative approaches and America’s college students are incredibly creative and talented,” said Nancy Stoner, acting assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Water. “The Campus RainWorks Challenge will engage students across the country in tackling one of the toughest challenges to clean water and show them the opportunities in environmental careers.”

EPA is encouraging the use of green infrastructure as a solution to help manage stormwater runoff. Green Infrastructure uses vegetation, soils, and natural processes to manage stormwater runoff at its source and provide other community benefits, including economic development.. Green infrastructure is increasingly being used to supplement or substitute for single-purpose “gray” infrastructure investments such as pipes, and ponds. The Campus RainWorks Challenge will help encourage the use of green infrastructure projects on college and university campuses to manage stormwater discharges.

More information on the Campus RainWorks Challenge:

http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/crw_challenge.cfm

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