EPA Press Office:

EPA Lauds Recycling and Zero Waste Efforts by Pacific Islands Partners

EPA Lauds Recycling and Zero Waste Efforts by Pacific Islands Partners

 

Contact Information: John Senn, 415-972-3999, senn.john@epa.gov

SAN FRANCISCO (December 2, 2022) – As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) celebrated America Recycles Day and marked the anniversary of the agency’s national recycling strategy recently, EPA’s territorial partners in the Pacific Islands are making significant progress to improve waste reduction and recycling. 

“EPA is proud to recognize zero waste achievements in American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. These efforts are making real improvements in how island communities manage their waste and protect the environment,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “These local programs across the Pacific Islands protect communities from pollution by reducing waste going to landfills and reduce methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas warming the earth. 

American Samoa: Over the last year, 2,000 pounds of electronic waste from the local Department of Education was diverted from landfills and collected for recycling. A youth education program on waste reduction and management was featured in American Samoa EPA’s “Lumana’i Initiative,” a week-long environmental online classroom for high school students across the island.

“Sustainable waste management is a multifaceted approach in which recycling is a critical component that focuses on resource recovery and reuse -- an approach appropriate for our island home,” said William Sili, Acting Director, American Samoa environmental Protection Agency.

Guam: The territory established a $400,000 grant program for waste reduction and zero waste initiatives on Guam and is dedicating up to 10 percent of the territory’s recycling revolving fund for Guam EPA’s recycling and zero waste initiatives. Guam EPA’s abandoned derelict vessel removal group brought local and federal government agencies together to survey, remove and recycle off-island 11 abandoned vessels weighing over 60 tons.

“Our administration celebrates America Recycles Day every day by continuing to pay special attention to climate resiliency, sustainability and zero waste with the overarching goal of environmental protection in mind,” said Governor Lou Leon Guerrero. “Local programs such as Lieutenant Governor Josh Tenorio’s Island-wide Beautification Task Force, the Mayors Council of Guam Island-wide Environmental Clean-up Program, the Guam Green Growth Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub, and Guam EPA’s Abandoned Derelict Vessel Removal have shown us that diversification in recycling provides us with great opportunities highlight the natural beauty of Guam, showcasing it to those who cross our shores and to those who call Guam home.”

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: Tinian established a municipal recycling program, provided recycling bins to Tinian Jr. Sr. High School’s junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps and announced plans to end the use of single-use plastics on Tinian. The Sinapalo Elementary School hosted CNMI’s recycling coordinator to educate students about recycling and the benefits of waste reduction. 

Governor Ralph DLG Torres held a CNMI Recycles Week ceremony to encourage the CNMI community to “acknowledge and take part in the efforts to combat climate change, promote sustainable living, and protect our environment for our children and the future generations of our great Commonwealth.”

On America Recycles Day this year, EPA announced the availability of $100 million in grants for recycling infrastructure and recycling education and outreach projects across the country. EPA has published two requests for applications for new recycling infrastructure grants and education and outreach grants totaling $70 million. EPA also announced a new grant program for states and territories totaling $30 million.

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

 EPA Press Office:

Settlement with Republic Steel Requires Reduction of Lead Emissions at Canton, Ohio Facility

New controls will result in the reduction of over 1,000 pounds of lead emissions per year

WASHINGTON (December 2, 2022) – The Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a proposed Clear Air Act settlement with Republic Steel, a steel manufacturer in Canton, Ohio, which will require the company to reduce its facility’s lead emissions that have caused airborne lead levels in the surrounding area to exceed the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Lead. The settlement terms are included in a proposed consent decree filed today with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. In addition to securing air pollution reductions, the settlement requires Republic Steel to pay a $990,000 civil penalty.

The United States’ complaint, filed simultaneously with the consent decree, alleges that Republic Steel is operating in violation of its Clean Air Act permit for failing to conduct emissions tests and for exceeding lead emission limits. Under the consent decree, Republic Steel will install and operate new control technologies at its Flexcast Vacuum Tank Degasser and associated cooling tower to reduce lead emissions from the facility. EPA estimates that the new controls will result in the reduction of over 1,000 pounds of lead emissions per year. 

“Even relatively low levels of lead exposure can cause harm to a child’s cognitive development,” said Larry Starfield, EPA’s Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.  “This settlement will help protect local communities, and particularly children, by lowering airborne lead levels.”

“This is an important settlement and reflects our continuing commitment to enforce vigorously the Clean Air Act to protect public health, the environment, and the most vulnerable communities that are disproportionately impacted by air pollution,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.

Exposure to lead pollution can affect almost every organ and system in the human body. It is especially harmful to young children, as they are most susceptible to some adverse effects of lead.  This is of significance here, as there is a residential community with three schools within a one-mile radius of the Republic Steel facility. Additionally, this is an area with environmental justice concerns.  

The settlement is subject to a public comment period that will end on Jan. 13, 2023, and final court approval. The consent decree will be available for viewing at https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.

 EPA Press Release:

EPA Takes Next Steps in Renewable Fuel Standard Program for 2023-25

Proposal Seeks Public Input on Program’s Role in U.S. Energy Security, Economy and Environment

WASHINGTON — Today, EPA issued a multi-part proposal that will build on the strong foundation for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program started in the Biden-Harris Administration and seeks to advance the priorities of energy security, less pollution, and consumer protection. The RFS “Set” proposal requests public input on required volumes of biofuel for the next one to three years and on a series of important modifications to strengthen and expand the program. The agency is seeking public input on the proposal to help shape the RFS program in the years ahead.

“The Renewable Fuel Standard program is critical to helping incorporate more homegrown biofuels into the market,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “This proposal supports low-carbon renewable fuels and seeks public input on ways to strengthen the program. With this proposal, EPA seeks to provide consumers with more options while diversifying our nation’s energy mix. EPA is also focused on strengthening the economics of our critical energy infrastructure, needed to maintain and boost our energy security. We’re eager to continue the dialogue on how biofuels can bolster U.S. energy security, protect consumers from high fuel costs, strengthen the rural economy, and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

This proposal includes steady growth of biofuels for use in the nation’s fuel supply for 2023, 2024, and 2025. Because the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) does not include volumes after 2022, this is the first time that EPA is setting these proposed biofuel volume targets without using those outlined in statute. When setting biofuel volumes for years after 2022, EPA must consider a variety of factors specified in the statute, including costs, air quality, climate change, implementation of the program to date, energy security, infrastructure issues, commodity prices, and water quality and supply.

The agency is seeking comment on the proposed volumes and how to appropriately balance these factors so that the program works for renewable fuel growers and producers, refiners and the union workers who operate these facilities, and fuel consumers. . Because this rule is an opportunity to take a fresh look at many aspects of the program, EPA is also seeking comment on how this rule can intersect with continued viability of domestic oil refining assets, including merchant refineries, how best to support novel fuels like sustainable aviation fuels and clean hydrogen, and how to account for the new and updated incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act.

EPA is also proposing new regulations governing the generation of qualifying renewable electricity made from renewable biomass that is used for transportation fuel in electric vehicles. The agency is seeking comment on this new component of the RFS program that would tie electricity generation from renewable biomass into the program for the first time.

This proposed rule would increase U.S. energy security by reducing U.S. oil imports by roughly 160,000 to 180,000 barrels of oil per year over the time frame of the proposed rule, 2023 to 2025. The anticipated value of the energy security benefits over the time frame of the proposed rule ranges from $200-$223 million per year. 

An accompanying analysis shows the proposal would have minimal impacts on the price of refined products.

A summary of the proposed volume requirements for 2023-2025 is provided below:

Proposed Volume Targets (billion RINs)

 

	2023	2024	2025
Cellulosic biofuel	0.72	1.42	2.13
Biomass-based diesel*	2.82	2.89	2.95
Advanced biofuel	5.82	6.62	7.43
Renewable fuel	20.82	21.87	22.68
Supplemental standard	0.25	n/a	n/a

*Biomass-based diesel is in gallons

EPA will be soliciting public comment on the proposed rule and holding a public hearing in January. Learn more information on RFS volume requirements.

Learn more information on the RINs program.

 EPA Press Office:

United States and State of Wisconsin Reach Settlement with Container Life Cycle Management on Air Emissions and Waste Management Violations

Company will upgrade facilities, pay $1.6 million penalty

WASHINGTON (December 1, 2022) - The United States and State of Wisconsin announced a settlement with Container Life Cycle Management LLC (CLCM) that addresses Clean Air Act (CAA) and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) violations at the company’s container reconditioning facilities in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area. The company will pay a $1.6 million civil penalty to be split evenly between the United States and the State.

In a complaint filed with the proposed settlement, the United States alleged violations of the CAA, most notably at CLCM’s St. Francis facility, for failure to control emissions of volatile organic compounds as required by the EPA-approved Wisconsin state implementation plan. The complaint also alleges RCRA violations related to storage and handling of hazardous waste at the company’s facilities in St. Francis and Oak Creek, Wisconsin and its then-operating facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“Today’s settlement will help us protect nearby residents and improve the region’s air quality,” said Larry Starfield, EPA’s Acting Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This is a good example of EPA working cooperatively with our state partners to ensure environmental compliance and secure emissions reductions.”

“Today’s settlement benefits public health and the environment by ensuring proper handling of hazardous wastes at Container Life Cycle Management’s container reconditioning facilities and will significantly limit harmful emissions of volatile organic compounds,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.

Highlights of the settlement include:

• The company has installed and must continuously operate a regenerative thermal oxidizer to control air emissions of volatile organic compounds at the St. Francis facility. The company will also construct additional emissions capture systems within the facility and conduct performance testing.
• At the Oak Creek facility, the company must install and continuously operate a new digital data recorder to record the temperature of the drum reclamation furnace afterburner. The company must maintain the afterburner temperature at or above 1,650 degrees and conduct performance testing.
• The company must implement a container management plan, or CMP, for a two-year period established by the consent decree. The CMP provides for storage of heavy and non-empty containers in RCRA-compliant hazardous waste storage areas. Certain reporting requirements continue beyond the initial two-year period.

The proposed settlement is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. To view the consent decree or to submit a comment, visit the Justice Department’s website. 

 EPA Press Office:

EPA finds Denver Water’s Lead Reduction Program effective

Funding from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law expected to speed lead service line replacements

Media Contact: Rich Mylott, mylott.richard@epa.gov, (720) 237-8119

DENVER (December 1, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved Denver Water’s comprehensive approach for reducing lead in drinking water through the issuance of a final variance under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The variance allows Denver Water to continue to implement a set of actions, called the Lead Reduction Program Plan, which work together to reduce lead in Denver’s drinking water.  Denver Water is also receiving $76 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to accelerate the pace of the lead service line replacement actions specified in the plan.

“Denver Water’s approach to tackling lead in drinking water has been remarkable and an example for other communities across the country,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “Thanks to new funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law the utility’s customers an even faster lead service line replacement schedule delivering health protections for children and adults across the Denver area."

See the full news release.

 EPA News Releases:

EPA Announces Proposal to Protect Tribal Reserved Rights in Water Quality Standards and Best Practices for Tribal Treaty and Reserved Rights

Proposed regulatory revisions to recognize Tribal rights reflects Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to deliver clean, safe water for all

Today, during the 2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan announced a proposal to revise the federal water quality standards regulations to better protect Tribal rights under the Clean Water Act (CWA). With this action, EPA is working to ensure that state and federal water quality standards will protect tribal rights such as the right to fish or gather aquatic plants—that are reserved through treaties, statutes, executive orders, or other sources of federal law.

 

“We know that our shared goal of protecting water resources for Tribes is strongest – and most effective – when it’s informed by the lived experiences of those impacted by pollution,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “By explicitly recognizing Tribal reserved rights in water quality standards, this proposal will help EPA ensure Tribal aquatic resources are abundant and safe to consume and reaffirms the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to our Nation-to-Nation partnership.”

 

This proposal, once final, would create a regulatory framework that would be applied on a case-specific basis to help ensure that water quality standards protect resources reserved to tribes, such as fish and wild rice. Additionally, the proposed regulatory framework would provide transparency and predictability for tribes, states, regulated parties, and the public.

 

The proposal also carries out the commitments to honor the federal trust responsibility and protect tribal reserved rights related to water resources outlined in EPA’s 2021 action plan, Strengthening the Nation-to-Nation Relationship with Tribes to Secure a Sustainable Water Future. It also delivers on the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to uphold the United States’ treaty and trust responsibilities to the 574 federally recognized tribes.

 

“The National Tribal Water Council strongly supports EPA’s proposal to revise federal water quality standards regulations to protect tribal reserved rights in areas on and off reservations,” said National Tribal Water Council Chairman Ken Norton. “In this way, water quality standards will fulfill federal obligations by requiring a level of water quality that supports tribally significant waters and water-dependent resources consistent with tribal treaties and the federal trust responsibility. Allowing for increased tribal participation in water quality management will better protect precious tribal waters and bolster the resilience of indigenous communities and families.”

 

“As the first medicine, GLIFWC's member tribes understand that clean water is fundamental to life. In fact, the health of nibi (water) is directly tied to the quality of life. Because of the deep importance of nibi and its vital role in supporting resources located within our member tribes’ treaty ceded territories, GLIFWC supports this draft rule,” said Executive Administrator of the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission Michael J. Isham, Jr. “It appropriately recognizes the unique status of treaty-reserved resources and the special consideration they deserve.”

 

“The Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission supports EPA’s framework to incorporate the protection of treaty-reserved fishing rights into its implementation of the Clean Water Act, said Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) Executive Director Aja DeCoteau. “The health of all people, as well as the overall ecosystem, is directly related to the health of our nation’s waters. This is especially true for Pacific Northwest tribes whose cultures are centered on salmon and other First Foods, where we depend on clean water for our physical health, the exercise of our treaty-reserved rights to fish, and our overall cultural well-being. The EPA rule revisions will not only honor the United States obligation to protect tribal rights and resources, but it will also improve the quality of our nation’s water and the health of all Americans.”

 

“EPA’s proposal is a positive step towards protecting treaty rights because it expressly recognizes that state water quality standards are subject to the reserved rights of tribal nations. The proposal is also consistent with EPA’s fiduciary trust obligation to tribes: where a tribe has reserved rights, the federal government has a duty to protect those rights,” said Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC) Executive Director Justin Parker. “In this case, EPA is recognizing that water quality standards must be stringent enough to protect treaty-reserved resources and treaty rights. This action would have meaningful benefits to NWIFC’s member tribes and their treaty resources and rights.”

 

The agency will accept comment on this proposal for 90 days. EPA will also hold two online public hearings on this proposal. Learn more about the proposed rule and public hearings.

 

Additionally, today, at the 2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit, Administrator Regan together with 16 other federal agencies, announced new best practices for Tribal Treaty and Reserved Rights. This set of documents will further the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to engage in regular, meaningful, and robust consultation with Tribal governments and strengthen the protection of Tribal treaty rights.

 

The best practices include three documents: (1) Best Practices for Identifying and Protecting Tribal Treaty Rights, Reserved Rights, and other Similar Rights in Federal Regulatory Actions and Federal Decision-Making; (2) a shorter Best Practices Field Guide; and (3) a Decision Flow Chart. These best practices were developed in consultation with Tribal Nations and implements the agencies’ Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Interagency Coordination and Collaboration for the Protection of Tribal Treaty Rights and Reserved Rights.

 

For more information about the best practices documents visit the EPA’s Clean and Safe Water in Indian Country website.

 EPA Press Office:

EPA’s Design for the Environment Program Highlighted in Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly Program

The Climate Pledge Friendly program on Amazon now includes antimicrobial products like disinfectants and sanitizers certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Design for the Environment (DfE) program. DfE joins EPA’s Safer Choice and 46 other sustainability certifications in Climate Pledge Friendly, which helps customers shop for over 300,000 more sustainable  products in the company’s online store.

 

“We’re thrilled that Amazon is making it easier to identify antimicrobials that meet our program’s stringent criteria for people and the planet in this initiative,” said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention Jennie Romer. “Increasing awareness of EPA’s Design for the Environment program through Climate Pledge Friendly will help consumers make environmentally and health-conscious buying decisions. This also encourages companies to seek Design for the Environment certification for their products, reducing pollution at its source and benefiting workers, families and the environment.”

 

DfE products meet criteria that evaluate human health and environmental effects, product performance, packaging and ingredients. The requirements are intended to:

 

• Minimize possible risks to human health by excluding ingredients that might have the potential to negatively impact young children, cause cancer, or have other negative effects;
• Further protect fish and other aquatic life;
• Minimize pollution of air or waterways and prevent harmful chemicals from being added to the land; and
• Ensure products have no unresolved compliance, enforcement or efficacy issues.

 

The addition of DfE to the Climate Pledge Friendly program on Amazon follows EPA's recent modernization of the DfE logo. Products with the new label are expected to be available late next year. EPA redesigned the logo to make it more appealing and recognizable to retailers, consumers and purchasers following a request from a coalition that included the Environmental Defense Fund, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Clorox Company, the Procter and Gamble Company, and Reckitt. This coalition’s efforts were recognized in early November with a 2022 Safer Choice Partner of the Year award.

 

Products identified as Climate Pledge Friendly are distinguished on Amazon’s shopping results and featured in a dedicated section of Amazon’s online store. Amazon also provides its customers with detailed web pages that include information on how and why products are certified as sustainable.

 

Learn more about EPA’s DfE program.

Learn more about EPA’s Safer Choice program.

Learn more about Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly program