Wednesday, April 3, 2013
EPA Voids Certificates Approving Import of Over 70,000 Small Recreational Vehicles
EPA Press Release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2013
EPA Voids Certificates Approving Import of Over 70,000 Small Recreational Vehicles
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that it is withdrawing approval of the import and sale of up to 74,000 gas-powered on- and off-road motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles from China. The agency believes that it received either incomplete or falsified certification information.
EPA issued the vehicle certificates from 2006 to 2012 to two companies which operate as Snyder Technology, Inc. and Snyder Computer Systems, Inc. (doing business as Wildfire Motors Corporation). As a result of a lengthy investigation, the agency believes that the applications for the certificates contained misleading information and must be voided.
All vehicles imported into or manufactured in the United States are required to have certificates of conformity. Manufacturers or importers must submit an application to EPA that describes the vehicle and its emission control system. It must also provide emissions data demonstrating that the vehicle will meet federal emission standards for certain pollutants, including oxides of nitrogen (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and total hydrocarbons (HC)--all of which can harm public health and the environment. These pollutants can contribute to soot (fine particles) and smog (ground-level ozone), which are associated with asthma and heart attacks, increased emergency room visits and premature death.
In the cases of Snyder and Wildfire, EPA believes the manufacturers failed to accurately test the emissions from their own products, all of which were imported from China. Without proper emission controls, these vehicles can emit substantially more pollution than allowable under Clean Air Act standards.
Today’s action impacts the companies that manufactured and imported these vehicles. A consumer who owns a model that was covered by these voided certificates is not responsible for these companies’ wrongdoing and can continue to use the vehicle.
More information on the recreational vehicles: http://epa.gov/otaq/recveh.htm
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Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
Seven New England Colleges and Universities Honored for Food Waste Recycling Efforts
EPA News Release:
(Boston, Mass. – April 1, 2013) – Seven College and Universities were recently honored by EPA with Food Recovery Challenge Achievement Awards.
News Release
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
New England Regional Office
April 1, 2013
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
New England Regional Office
April 1, 2013
Contact: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017
Seven New England Colleges and Universities Honored for Food Waste Recycling Efforts
(Boston, Mass. – April 1, 2013) – Seven College and Universities were recently honored by EPA with Food Recovery Challenge Achievement Awards.
EPA recognized the following educational institutions for significantly cutting food waste below previous years’ levels:
- Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass.
- Clark University in Worcester, Mass.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass.
- Suffolk University in Boston, Mass.
- Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vt.
- Keene State College in Keene, N.H.
- University of NH, Durham Campus in Durham, N.H.
- Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass.
- Clark University in Worcester, Mass.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass.
- Suffolk University in Boston, Mass.
- Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vt.
- Keene State College in Keene, N.H.
- University of NH, Durham Campus in Durham, N.H.
"These New England colleges and universities are setting a great example by preventing more than 2528 tons of food scraps from disposal by using them for higher and better uses, including food donation and composting," said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. "Food Recovery Challenge Achievement Award winners are using food to feed people, not disposal facilities."
EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge invites organizations nationwide to save money through reducing, purchasing and lowering disposal fees for unconsumed food; supporting their community by diverting wholesome surplus food to feed people, not landfills or incinerators; and reducing their environmental footprint and greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable food management. This program complements food waste recovery efforts by partnering with New England state environmental agencies.
After paper, discarded food comprises the greatest volume of waste being generated in the United States. In fact, “waste food” is really a misnomer. In many cases, surplus food comes off of shelves while it is still good, nutritious and safe, and is sent to landfills. This food could potentially feed millions of Americans, according to both the U.S. Dept, of Agriculture and EPA. In 2010, more than 14 percent of households in the U.S. did not have regular access to enough food for an active, healthy life.
Food and food scraps that are not fit for consumption and donation can be used to feed the soil by composting or added to anaerobic digestion facilities, which produce biogas that can be used for energy. In 2010, 34 million tons of food waste was generated with only 3 percent being diverted to composting. When excess food, leftover food and food scraps are disposed of in a landfill, they decompose rapidly and become a significant source of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Instead, anaerobic digestion facilities capture the gas and use it for electricity or for combined heat and power.
The Food Recovery Challenge is part of EPA's Sustainable Materials Management Program, which seeks to reduce the environmental impact of materials throughout its entire lifecycle.
The awards were presented at both the March 28th “Vermont Organics Recycling Summit” and the April 1st “MassRecycle R3 Conference,” where over 550 recycling experts, enthusiasts and private/public sector decision makers attended the annual conference and tradeshows, sharing information and learning about recycling, including information focused on Increasing food waste recovery.
More information on EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge: (http://www.epa.gov/smm/foodrecovery/index.htm)
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Settlement with Dominion Energy Reduces Harmful Pollution in Three States and Downwind Communities
EPA News Release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2013
Settlement with Dominion Energy Reduces Harmful Pollution in Three States and Downwind Communities
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that Dominion Energy has agreed to pay a $3.4 million civil penalty and spend approximately $9.8 million on environmental mitigation projects to resolve Clean Air Act (CAA) violations.
The settlement will result in reductions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter by more than 70,000 tons per year, across three of the utility’s coal-fired power plants, located in Kincaid, Ill., State Line, Ind., and Somerset, Mass.
“Today’s settlement substantially reduces harmful pollution from coal-fired power plants in and around communities with significant air pollution concerns,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Along with the pollution reductions at the three power plants covered by the agreement, the settlement also requires Dominion to invest over $9 million in pollution reducing projects in neighboring communities."
“This settlement will improve air quality in states in the Midwest and Northeast by eliminating tens of thousands of tons of harmful air pollution each year,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “These reductions mark the latest step in our continuing efforts, along with EPA, to protect public health and the environment through rigorous enforcement of the Clean Air Act.”
Under the settlement, Dominion must install or upgrade pollution control technology on two plants, and permanently retire a third plant. Dominion will be required to continuously operate the new and existing pollution controls, and will be required to comply with stringent emission rates and annual tonnage limitations. The actions taken by Dominion to comply with this settlement will result in annual reductions at the Brayon Point and Kincaid plants of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions by 52,000 tons from 2010 levels. The retirement of the State Line plant will result in an additional reduction of 18,000 tons of SO2 and NOx.
The settlement also requires Dominion to spend $9.75 million on projects that will benefit the environment and human health in communities located near the Dominion facilities. A total of $9 million will be spent on such projects as ; 1) wood stove changeouts, including $2 million for changeouts in southeastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and eastern Connecticut; 2) switcher locomotive idle reduction for Chicago rail yards, 3) land acquisition and restoration adjacent to, or near, the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, 4) energy efficiency and geothermal/solar projects for local schools and food banks, and 5) clean diesel engine retrofits for municipalities and school districts. Dominion must also pay a total of $750,000 to the United States Forest Service and the National Park Service, to be used on projects to address the damage done from Dominion’s alleged excess emissions.
Reducing air pollution from the largest sources of emissions, including coal-fired power plants, is one of EPA’s National Enforcement Initiatives for 2011-2013. SO2 and NOx, two key pollutants emitted from power plants, have numerous adverse effects on human health and are significant contributors to acid rain, smog, and haze. These pollutants are converted in the air to fine particles of particulate matter that can cause severe respiratory and cardiovascular impacts, and premature death. Reducing these harmful air pollutants will benefit the communities located near Dominion facilities, particularly communities disproportionately impacted by environmental risks and vulnerable populations, including children. Because air pollution from power plants can travel significant distances downwind, this settlement will also reduce air pollution outside the immediate region. The total combined sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emission reductions secured from all power plant settlements to date will exceed nearly 2 million tons each year once all the required pollution controls have been installed and implemented.
The settlement was lodged today in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, and is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval.
More information about the settlement: www.epa.gov/enforcement/air/cases/dominionenergy.html
More information about EPA’s national enforcement initiative:www.epa.gov/compliance/data/planning/initiatives/2011airpollution.html
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