EPA Press Office:

Camden, New Jersey Project Slated to Get $1 Million from EPA for Cleanup of Brownfield Site

Grant selection is part of largest investment ever in brownfields communities made by President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda

Contact: Carlos Vega, (646)-988-2996, vega.carlos@epa.gov

Camden, NJ (June 12, 2023) – EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia was joined today by U.S. Representative Donald Norcross and Camden Mayor Vic Carstarphen to announce that Camden has been selected to get $1 million from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to expedite the cleanup of Judge Robert B. Johnson Park. In all, EPA recently selected 262 communities to receive 267 grants totaling more than $215 million in competitive EPA Brownfields funding through the Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (MARC) grant programs. Thanks to the historic boost from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this is the most funding ever awarded in the history of this EPA Brownfields grant program. EPA anticipates making all the awards to the selectees once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.

Camden, New Jersey will use the $1 million to clean up the Judge Robert B. Johnson Park at 723 Carl Miller Boulevard. The 14.7-acre cleanup site was a former wetland where historic fill material was used to develop the site in the 1940s and 1950s. The site formerly contained residences and a former junkyard and was also used by a youth football league and neighborhood schools. The now-vacant site is contaminated with semi-volatile organic hydrocarbons, PCBs, metals, and pesticides. Grant funds also will be used to conduct community outreach activities including hosting three public meetings.

“We’re working across the country to revitalize what were once dangerous and polluted sites in overburdened communities into more sustainable and environmentally just places that serve as community assets. Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we’re moving further and faster than ever before to clean up contaminated sites, spur economic redevelopment, and deliver relief that so many communities have been waiting for,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “This critical wave of investments is the largest in Brownfields history and will accelerate our work to protect the people and the planet by transforming what was once blight into might.”

“Camden has such an impressive track record of success with its Brownfields program, which has helped address neglected local areas by providing a means to revitalize abandoned properties and promote environmental health, economic growth, and job creation,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “The Brownfields program transforms communities, and the new funding through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law gives communities like Camden an opportunity to continue to make a real and lasting on-the-ground difference.”

“Today’s announcement will transform a once contaminated site into a new vibrant community space in Camden and I am proud to have helped secure this $1 million in federal funding from the bipartisan infrastructure bill,” said Senator Bob Menendez. “The historic investments we are making to reclaim and restore brownfields is vital to ensuring environmental justice for underserved communities and communities of color that too often shoulder the burden of legacy pollution. I am equally proud that an institution like New Jersey Institute of Technology will be receiving $5 million to provide training and technical assistance to communities conducting brownfields work across the state.” 

“In communities across New Jersey, especially those that are Black, Brown, and low-income, residents live next to harmful contaminants, breathe in dirty air, and lack access to clean water and soil,” said Senator Cory Booker.  “Thanks to the efforts of the Biden Administration, these communities are finally receiving the federal resources needed to remediate these environmental injustices. The grant funding announced today, made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which I was proud to vote for, will continue this vital work by empowering the City of Camden to revitalize a former park that was polluted with toxic metals and pesticides.” 

“The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act continues to deliver for South Jersey through this Brownfield Grant that will create jobs, advance environmental justice, and spur economic revitalization,” Rep. Donald Norcross said. “Protecting our communities from harmful waste and pollution and repurposing these sites has been one of my top priorities since coming to Congress. I’m proud to have helped secure this funding, and I will continue to fight to improve our quality of life, protect our environment and ensure a healthy and safe environment for South Jersey families.” 

“New Jersey thanks the Biden Administration and our congressional delegation for prioritizing investment in environmental justice communities both within the Garden State and across the nation,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “For far too long, communities under economic stress have lacked the resources necessary to launch large-scale environmental remediation projects. This significant Brownfields grant program funding will enable the City of Camden to promote environmental and public health while prioritizing community engagement.”

“Today we can all take pride in continuing with the transformation of Camden’s industrial history to ensure we have spectacular and tangible parks that offer diverse recreational opportunities for residents, visitors and businesses,” said Elizabeth Dragon, Assistant Commissioner for Economic Development and Community Revitalization in the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. “The DEP is committed to working with our many partners in Camden and other overburdened communities across the state to provide equitable opportunities to access and enjoy our open and green spaces. We thank the EPA for providing this brownfields grant to Camden, which is allowing the city to continue its transformation, improve the quality of life for its residents, and promote sustainable growth. Congratulations to Camden on this remarkable achievement.” 

“This park is incredibly important to the city of Camden, especially the residents of the Liberty Park and Centerville neighborhoods, which is why we are investing more than $2 million to rebuild it once the environmental remediation is completed,” said Commissioner Jeff Nash, liaison to the Camden County Parks Department. “This has long been a place for the community to gather and enjoy so ensuring that it’s safe and in the best condition possible, is a top priority for us.”

“I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for their continued support and recognition of our efforts. This grant reinforces our commitment to creating a sustainable and vibrant future for Camden. This funding will directly contribute to the remediation of Robert B. Johnson Park, an important community space in the Liberty Park neighborhood. By reclaiming this park and making it safe and accessible for our community members, particularly our youth and families,” said Mayor Vic Carstarphen. “I would also like to acknowledge the collaborative efforts of our dedicated partners, including Congressman Donald Norcross, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Camden County Board of Commissioners, and the Camden Redevelopment Agency. Together, we are driving positive change and creating a stronger and more resilient Camden. As we move forward with this project, we remain committed to promoting environmental justice and sustainable development. Camden is a city with a rich history and strong sense of community, and this grant allows us to continue our journey towards a cleaner, healthier, and more prosperous city for all.”

“It is the Camden Redevelopment Agency’s pleasure to partner in the revitalization of Judge Robert Johnson Park. This is an iconic open space asset for the City and Liberty Park neighborhood. At a time when environmental equity is a priority throughout the nation, we are proud to be an agent for change collaborating with such a strong team,” said Olivette Simpson, Interim Executive Director and Board Secretary for Camden Redevelopment Agency. “This $1 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is critical to leveraging other resources that will fully fund the estimated $3 million clean-up effort, leading to the Park’s state-of-the-art re-design and construction improvements. The commissioners, staff, and I are looking forward to doing our part to transform Judge Robert B. Johnson Park in into a safe, green, recreational space.”

These investments are part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to grow the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to driving over $470 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, to creating a manufacturing and innovation boom powered by good paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree, to building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.

Many communities that are under economic stress, particularly those located in areas that have experienced long periods of disinvestment, lack the resources needed to initiate brownfield cleanup and redevelopment projects. As brownfield sites are transformed into community assets, they attract jobs, promote economic revitalization and transform communities into sustainable and environmentally just places.

Thanks to the historic $1.5 billion boost from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA’s Brownfields Program is helping more communities than ever before begin to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by brownfields and stimulate economic opportunity, and environmental revitalization in historically overburdened communities.

EPA’s Brownfields Program also advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative to direct 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments to disadvantaged communities. The Brownfields Program strives to meet this commitment and advance environmental justice and equity considerations into all aspects of its work. Approximately 84 percent of the MARC program applications selected to receive funding proposed to work in areas that include historically underserved communities.

You can read more about the most recent selectees, here.

Brownfields Technical Assistance Providers and Research Grants

EPA also previously announced funding selection for two Brownfields technical assistance opportunities. The Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) selectees provide specialized technical knowledge, research, and training to help stakeholders understand brownfields-related subject matter, and guide them through the brownfield assessment, clean-up, and revitalization process. This assistance is a key part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advance economic opportunities and address environmental justice issues in underserved communities. This technical assistance is available to all stakeholders and comes at no cost to communities. The two funding opportunities announced today include the following:

EPA selected New Jersey Institute of Technology to receive $5 million to provide training and technical assistance to communities across the state under the Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) Communities Program. This funding comes entirely from the historic $1.5 billion investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

EPA is also expanding the scope of its technical assistance offerings under the Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program to include three new subject-specific grants totaling $2 million in three areas, including providing technical assistance to nonprofits seeking to reuse brownfields; provide research, outreach, and guidance on minimizing displacement resulting from brownfields redevelopment; and providing outreach and guidance on land banking tactics for brownfields revitalization.

More information about Brownfields Technical Assistance and Research.

Success of the Brownfields Program and National Conference

EPA has selected these organizations to receive funding to address and support the reuse of brownfield sites. EPA anticipates making all the awards announced today once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.

EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.37 billion in Brownfield Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. EPA’s investments in addressing brownfield sites have leveraged more than $36 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding has leveraged, from both public and private sources, nearly 260,000 jobs. Communities that previously received Brownfields Grants used these resources to fund assessments and cleanups of brownfields, and successfully leverage an average of 10.6 jobs per $100,000 of EPA Brownfield Grant funds spent and $19.78 for every dollar.

The next National Brownfields Training Conference will be held on August 8-11, 2023, in Detroit, Michigan. Offered every two years, this conference is the largest gathering of stakeholders focused on cleaning up and reusing former commercial and industrial properties. EPA co-sponsors this event with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

For more on Brownfields Grants. 

More on EPA’s Brownfields Program.

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

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 From USEPA:

2023 Air Sensors Quality Assurance (QA) Workshop - July 25-27, 2023

The need for more accurate air sensor data is crucial as air agencies and other organizations rapidly install air sensor networks across the United States and world.

The 2023 Air Sensors Quality Assurance (QA) Workshop will help the air sensor community better understand established and emerging QA methods for collecting accurate air sensor data and any associated limitations.

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Registration

The formal registration for the workshop is now open through the end of June! Register Now!

Note: All attendees must register through Whova even if they previously filled out the pre-registration questionnaire.

Important Hotel Deadline

The $115/night room rate is only available through June 23, 2023. Reserve Your Room Today!

Event Overview

The need for more accurate air sensor data is crucial as air agencies and other organizations rapidly install air sensor networks across the United States and the world. The 2023 Air Sensors Quality Assurance Workshop will help the air sensor community better understand established and emerging QA methods for collecting accurate air sensor data and any associated limitations. The workshop will be a 3-day hybrid event for both in-person and virtual attendees and presenters. Sessions will include presentations and panel discussions with various air sensor experts.

The preliminary agenda is now available and describes the general times, topics, and sessions for the workshop. View the Preliminary Agenda

Tesla partnership 'a really pragmatic move by Ford and GM', says former ...

 EPA Press Office:

EPA awards $500,000 to Brighton, Colorado, to clean up and revitalize downtown properties 

Funding will be used to address contamination at former warehouse, grain elevator, canning factory, petroleum sites and other abandoned properties  

 

Contact: David Piantanida, piantanida.david@epa.gov,720-661-7482 

Brighton, Colo. (June 9, 2023) – Today, at an event in downtown Brighton, Colorado, representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined city officials and local leaders to announce a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment grant for the city. 

The purpose of the EPA funding is to conduct environmental site assessments, develop cleanup plans, and conduct community outreach activities at contaminated properties in the Brighton’s downtown core. Brighton will use the EPA grant to address priority sites with redevelopment potential, including a warehouse and former grain elevator destroyed by fires and an abandoned cannery and warehouse.   

“The City of Brighton has put together a comprehensive plan to strategically assess, clean up and redevelop downtown properties to contribute to the future health and vitality of the community,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “We look forward to seeing these projects address contamination concerns at sites and pave the way for their productive reuse.”  

“I’m looking forward to the impact this funding will have on Brighton,” said Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo. “Not only will it jumpstart existing local businesses, it will help keep our community safe and healthy. Better yet, by investing in this revitalization now, we can continue to attract businesses who will serve Brighton and boost our local economy for years to come.” 

Sites prioritized for assessment and cleanup include the former Tortilleria Cuauhtemoc, the Brighton Grain Elevator, the Midland Cereal Building, the Wilmore Canning Factory (The Cannery), Petroleum Wholesale Inc., and other properties in the downtown area. Most targeted properties are adjacent to the railroad, resulting in persistent concerns about arsenic and other potential contaminants, including heavy metals, asbestos, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins and furans, polychlorinated biphenyls, polyfluorinated compounds and petroleum compounds.   

"The City is excited to be awarded this grant as it will be used to assist property owners in formulating plans to repurpose underutilized sites in Brighton," said Mayor Gregory Mills. "We feel this grant will help us attract more employment, tourism, retail options and investment in core areas of the City. We are grateful to the EPA for investing in Brighton's bright future."  

Revitalization plans for these properties include new housing, mixed-use development, industrial space, marketplaces, restaurants, breweries, community gathering and event spaces, and artisan locations.  

EPA’s award to the City of Brighton is among seven Brownfields grants totaling more than $5 million for cleanup and revitalization projects in communities across Colorado. Other grantees are receiving funds for projects in Buena Vista, Pueblo, Silverton, San Luis, San Miguel County and Trinidad.  

Background 

Thanks to the historic $1.5 billion boost from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA’s Brownfields Program is helping more communities than ever begin to address the economic, social and environmental challenges caused by brownfields and stimulate economic opportunity and environmental revitalization in historically overburdened communities.  

EPA’s Brownfields Program also advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative to direct 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities. Approximately 84% of the MARC program applications selected to receive funding proposed to work in areas that include historically underserved communities. 

EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.37 billion in Brownfield Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. EPA’s investments in addressing brownfield sites have leveraged more than $36 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Communities that previously received Brownfields Grants used these resources to fund assessments and cleanups of brownfields, and successfully leverage an average of 10.6 jobs per $100,000 of grant funds spent and $19.78 for every dollar. 

More on Brownfields Grants.  

More on EPA’s Brownfields Program. 

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Announces Winners of the ‘Pollution Prevention Works: A Storytelling Challenge for Students

WASHINGTON (June 9, 2023) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the winners of the “Pollution Prevention Works: A Storytelling Challenge for Students.” The winning stories include essays, infographics, videos and a mock newspaper article and highlight how pollution prevention (P2) practices that were implemented at businesses benefitted communities, the environment and the businesses themselves. More than 50 high school and college students from across the nation submitted stories for consideration.

“It is exciting to celebrate these students that will help shape our future.  With their stories, we are increasing awareness of the benefits and practice of pollution prevention,” said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator Jennie Romer. “I congratulate these talented students for their creativity in highlighting innovative pollution prevention solutions that can help protect human health and the environment.”

To increase awareness and showcase P2 activities, the Challenge invited high school and college students to use EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) P2 Search Tool to identify an industrial facility or set of facilities in the U.S. that have reported implementing P2 practices that reduced, eliminated or prevented pollution at its source. The students then were challenged to tell a compelling story about how those P2 practices resulted in positive benefits for the business and the surrounding community and environment. By sharing these stories of real life examples on YouTube and EPA’s website, students as well as the public, can learn about pollution prevention activities in their community. These stories also provide businesses insight into how others are continually improving their business practices to help protect our environment.

The 2023 winners of the Pollution Prevention Works: A Storytelling Challenge for Students are:

First Place ($5,000)

• Shreya Daggolu, Stuyvesant High School, New York, created a video that focuses on the Ravenswood Generating Station in Long Island City, New York. The video details efforts to reduce toxic chemical emissions at the facility and improve the health of the 1.2 million people who live within three miles of the plant - including many low-income and minority residents.

• Annaliese Persaud, Francisco Suriel, Jasmin Tiong-Smith, Samaya Lindo-Smellie, and Jordyn Faria, Baldwin School, New York, created a mock newscast that highlights P2 practices implemented at the Ravenswood Generating Station in Long Island City, New York. In the video, a mock news reporter interviews students playing a host of characters including local residents and a scientist about how the P2 improvements positively impacted the public and environmental health in nearby neighborhoods.
   
• Noah Arbuckle, Lincoln Academy, Maine, created a video that features the semiconductor manufacturing company GlobalFoundries and the P2 activities implemented at its facility in Essex Junction, Vermont. The video describes activities to reduce releases of chemicals on the TRI list including ethylene glycol, fluorine, hydrochloric acid and ammonia, resulting in reduced impacts on the environment, especially on local waterways.
   
• Athitiya Singhapan, Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions, Texas, created a video that illustrates P2 practices implemented at the Danone Milk Manufacturing Facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The video explains how Danone reduced its nitric acid releases, benefiting local communities. 

 

Second Place ($2,500)

• Angela Zhan, Logan High School, Utah
• Kelvin Zhang, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, North Carolina
• Tahmina Emu, Fairfield University, Connecticut

 

Third Place ($1,500)

• Nirja Trivedi, Westview High School, California

• Calla Shosh, Natrona County High School, Wyoming
• Aditi Adapala, Lynbrook High School, California
• Joseph Bartash, Samueli Academy, California
• Miranda Moreno, Jesus Moreno, Stefany Duran Rios, Vanessa Martinez, and Carolina Naranjo, Garey High School California
• Arin Harkawat, Watchung Hills Regional High School, New Jersey
• Charlotte Walton, Lloyd C. Bird High School, Virginia
• Arun Sood, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
• Diane Frola, Christopher Newport University, Virginia
• Fatou Mbaye, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, North Carolina

 

See the winning entries and read more about the winners.

Read more about EPA’s Pollution Prevention program.

Read more about EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory program.

Details on the Pollution Prevention Works: A Storytelling Challenge for Students

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

NRC Environmental Services and Oakland Power Company to Pay $230K Fine and Improve Hazardous Waste Training in CA

 USEPA News Release:

NRC Environmental Services and Oakland Power Company to Pay $230K Fine and Improve Hazardous Waste Training in CA

The settlement includes training for California-based employees

June 8, 2023

Contact Information

John Senn (senn.john@epa.gov)

415-972-3999

SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement with NRC Environmental Services Inc. and the Oakland Power Company LLC, and NRC and Oakland Power will pay $230,000 in civil penalties and personnel at California facilities will complete training to ensure familiarity with state and federal hazardous waste regulations.

During 2019-2020, Oakland Power hired NRC to remove tank bottom water from a two-million-gallon jet fuel tank at the Oakland plant and dispose of it. In April 2020, NRC transported over 8,000 gallons of what the companies believed was tank bottom water in three tanker trucks to the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) for disposal as non-hazardous waste. The EBMUD staff sampled the third truck when they suspected it contained petroleum products. The sample showed that the truck’s contents possessed characteristics of hazardous waste, including elevated concentrations of benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene and xylenes. As a result, EPA investigated and determined that the companies’ management and delivery of hazardous waste violated the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

“The unlawful transportation of hazardous waste is a clear risk to human health and the environment,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “EPA is committed to enforcing laws that protect our communities."

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act is designed to protect public health and the environment and avoid lengthy and extensive cleanups by requiring the safe, environmentally sound storage and disposal of hazardous waste. With proper training, employees may know how to handle hazardous waste safely and how to respond in an emergency, thereby decreasing the likelihood of a release and worker exposure.

For more information on EPA enforcement of hazardous waste requirements, visit EPA’s Waste Enforcement webpage.

For more information on RCRA, visit EPA’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Laws and Regulations webpage.

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

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Proposes Ban on All Consumer and Many Commercial Uses of Perchloroethylene to Protect Public Health

Strict workplace safety requirements would allow for numerous key uses to continue

WASHINGTON (June 8, 2023) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced another action to protect public health under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), proposing a ban on most uses of perchloroethylene (PCE), a chemical known to cause serious health risks such as neurotoxicity and cancer. Today’s proposal would protect people from these risks by banning all consumer uses while allowing for many industrial/commercial uses to continue only where strict workplace controls could be implemented, including uses related to national security, aviation and other critical infrastructure, and the Agency’s efforts to combat the climate crisis.

“We know that exposure to PCE is dangerous for people’s health, and today’s rule is an important first step to keeping communities and workers safe,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “We’ve proposed to ban the uses we know can’t continue safely, and we’ve made sure that stringent controls are in place to protect workers for the uses that remain.”

PCE is a solvent that is widely used for consumer uses such as brake cleaners and adhesives, commercial applications such as dry cleaning, and in many industrial settings. For example, PCE is used as a chemical intermediate in the production of two chemical substances regulated under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act. This rule proposes to allow for continued processing of PCE to manufacture hydrofluorocarbons (HFC)-125 and HFC-134a in tandem with strict workplace controls, as the two can be mixed with other substances to make more climate-friendly refrigerants. Additionally, the rule proposes to continue to allow the industrial and commercial use of PCE in petrochemical manufacturing, the manufacture of coatings for aircraft skins, and vapor degreasing with PCE to make aerospace parts and engines, as examples of other uses not proposed for prohibition.

EPA determined that PCE presents unreasonable risk to health, driven by risks associated with exposure to the chemical by workers, occupational non-users (workers nearby but not in direct contact with this chemical), consumers, and those in close proximity to a consumer use. EPA identified risks for adverse human health effects, including neurotoxicity from inhalation and dermal exposures as well as cancer effects from chronic inhalation exposure. While EPA identified potential risks to fenceline communities in a small number of instances, the prohibitions and other requirements in EPA’s proposed rule are expected to mitigate to a great extent the potential risks to the neighboring communities.

EPA’s proposed risk management rule would rapidly phase down manufacturing, processing and distribution of PCE for all consumer uses and many industrial and commercial uses, most of which would be fully phased out in 24 months. The uses subject to the proposed prohibitions represent less than 20% of the annual production volume of PCE. For most of the uses of PCE that EPA is proposing to prohibit, EPA’s analysis also found that alternative products with similar costs and efficacy to PCE are reasonably available.

EPA is proposing a 10-year phaseout for the use of PCE in dry cleaning, with compliance dates depending on the type of machine in which PCE is used. The proposed phaseout of PCE in dry cleaning would eliminate unreasonable risk for people who work at or spend considerable time at dry cleaning facilities. This phaseout period would provide dry cleaners, many of which are small businesses, time to transition to an alternative process, and stakeholders have already noted an overall year-to-year decline in the use of PCE in dry cleaning. In addition, President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget request proposed funding for new pollution prevention grants that would support small businesses with transitioning to TSCA compliant practices and mitigate economic impacts. If implemented, these grants could be used to support small businesses like dry cleaners in their transition away from PCE.

For the industrial manufacturing, industrial processing and other uses of PCE that EPA is not proposing to prohibit, EPA is proposing a workplace chemical protection program with a strict inhalation exposure limit and requirements to prevent skin exposure to ensure protection for workers. EPA has received data from industry that indicate many workplaces already have controls in place that may reduce exposures sufficient to meet the inhalation exposure limit in the proposed rule or to prevent direct skin contact with PCE.

EPA encourages members of the public to read and comment on the proposed rule. EPA is especially interested in hearing perspectives on the feasibility and efficacy of the proposed requirements for worker protections from entities that would be required to implement the proposed program and the timeline for the phaseout of PCE use in dry cleaning. In the coming weeks, EPA will host a public webinar targeted to employers and workers, but useful for anyone looking for an overview of the proposed regulatory action to discuss the proposed program. The date, time and registration information will be announced soon. EPA will accept public comments on the proposed rule for PCE for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register via docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2020-0720 at www.regulations.gov.

Learn more about today’s proposal.