EPA Press Office:

Issued: Dec 19, 2024 (1:27pm EST)

EPA Fines Two Companies for Violating Clean Water Act at Residential Construction Project in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico (Spanish translation included)

EPA Fines Two Companies for Violating Clean Water Act at Residential Construction Project in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico

San Juan, P.R. (December 19, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined The Cliff Corp. and Grupo Caribe, LLC a total of $50,000 for violations of the Clean Water Act relating to their ongoing construction project for an 86-villa development in the Borinquen Ward of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The companies failed to comply with a water permit, called the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Construction General Permit, for stormwater discharges. This permit requires that steps be taken to reduce pollution going into local waterways.

“Uncontrolled stormwater runoff can have serious consequences for both the environment and public health, jeopardizing safe fishing and swimming,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia " It's crucial to manage stormwater from construction sites consistent with the Clean Water Act to protect Puerto Rico’s waterways and communities."

The EPA found that The Cliff Corp. and Grupo Caribe, LLC started construction on a site at the Cliff Villas Hotel and Country Club in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, without obtaining the necessary permits or taking steps to control erosion from their construction site. That allowed stormwater to carry sediment and pollutants from the site and run into local water bodies, potentially impacting water quality.

In response to these violations, the EPA is requiring the companies to take actions, including:

• Submit a Notice of Intent permit application.
• Implement erosion and sediment controls.
• Conduct regular site inspections to ensure compliance with the Clean Water Act.

The EPA’s inspection of the project site revealed that the developers began work and discharged pollutants into waters of the United States without the required stormwater permit authorization. EPA also found inadequate erosion and sediment controls. EPA required the companies to develop a plan to control stormwater runoff and provide compliance reports to the agency describing the status and progress of the actions taken to comply.

For information about the EPA construction general permit, visit NPDES stormwater program website.

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La EPA multa a dos empresas por infringir la Ley Federal de Agua Limpia en un proyecto de construcción residencial en Aguadilla, Puerto Rico

Contacto: Carlos Vega, 646 988-2996, vega.carlos@epa.gov

San Juan, P.R. (19 de diciembre de 2024) – La Agencia Federal de Protección Ambiental de EE. UU. (EPA) multó a The Cliff Corp. y a Grupo Caribe, LLC por $50,000 en infracciones contra la Ley Federal de Agua Limpia, relacionadas con su proyecto de construcción, en curso, para una urbanización de 86 villas en el barrio Borinquén de Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Las empresas no cumplieron con el Permiso General de Construcción del Sistema Nacional de Eliminación de Descargas Contaminantes (NPDES), para descargas de aguas de lluvia. Este permiso requiere que se tomen medidas para reducir la contaminación que llega a las vías fluviales locales.

“Las escorrentías descontroladas pueden tener graves consecuencias tanto para el medioambiente como para la salud pública, poniendo en peligro la pesca y la natación seguras”, señaló la administradora regional de la EPA, Lisa F. García. “Es crucial manejar las aguas de lluvia en los lugares bajo construcción de acuerdo con la Ley Federal de Agua Limpia para proteger las vías fluviales y las comunidades de Puerto Rico”.

La EPA encontró que The Cliff Corp. y Grupo Caribe, LLC comenzaron la construcción en un área en el Cliff Villas Hotel and Country Club en Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, sin obtener los permisos necesarios, ni tomar medidas para controlar la erosión en lugar de construcción. Eso permitió que las aguas de lluvia transportaran sedimentos y contaminantes a los cuerpos de agua locales, lo que podría afectar la calidad del agua.

En respuesta a estas infracciones, la EPA exige a las empresas que tomen medidas, entre ellas:

• Presentar una solicitud de permiso de Aviso de Intención.
• Implementar controles de erosión y sedimentos.
• Realizar inspecciones periódicas del lugar para garantizar el cumplimiento de la Ley Federal de Agua Limpia.

La inspección de la EPA en el lugar del proyecto reveló que las constructoras comenzaron a trabajar y descargaron contaminantes en aguas de los Estados Unidos sin la autorización requerida del permiso de aguas de lluvia. La EPA también encontró controles inadecuados de erosión y sedimentos. La EPA exigió a las empresas que desarrollen un plan para controlar la escorrentía de aguas pluviales y que proporcionen informes de cumplimiento a la Agencia que describan el estado y el progreso de las acciones tomadas para cumplir.

Para obtener información sobre el permiso general de construcción de la EPA, visite el sitio web del programa de aguas pluviales NPDES.

Siga a la Región 2 de la EPA en X y visite nuestra página en Facebook. Para obtener más información sobre la Región 2 de la EPA, visite nuestro sitio web.

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For further information: Contact: Carlos Vega, 646 988-2996, vega.carlos@epa.gov

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Grants Waiver for California’s Advanced Clean Cars II Regulations

Agency additionally grants waiver for low-NOx regulations for heavy-duty and off-road vehicles and engines

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is granting two requests from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for waivers to implement and enforce its Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulations for light-duty vehicles, and its “Omnibus” low-NOx regulation for heavy-duty highway and off-road vehicles and engines. Under the Clean Air Act, California is afforded the ability to adopt emissions requirements independent from EPA’s regulations to meet its significant air quality challenges. The state must seek a waiver from EPA for new motor vehicle emission standards.

After reviewing the information provided by California, reviewing comments submitted by the public, and applying the limited criteria for waiver review under the Clean Air Act, EPA determined in each case that it would be appropriate to grant both waiver requests. The records, included in the waiver decisions, contain public comments on the programs’ feasibility, including costs to manufacturers and the lead time provided. EPA’s review found that opponents of the waivers did not meet their burden to show how either program is inconsistent with the Clean Air Act.

“California has longstanding authority to request waivers from EPA to protect its residents from dangerous air pollution coming from mobile sources like cars and trucks,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Today’s actions follow through on EPA’s commitment to partner with states to reduce emissions and act on the threat of climate change.”

The ACC II program is a single coordinated package of requirements for model year 2026 through 2035 and beyond for on-road light- and medium-duty engines and vehicles. The ACC II regulations include revisions to both California’s Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) and Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) regulations.

CARB projects that the ACC II program will reduce smog and soot-causing pollutants – including fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) as well as oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) and hydrocarbons (HC), which are precursors of ground-level ozone – as well as reduce greenhouse gases and toxic air pollutants.

CARB projects that its Low-NOx standards will protect communities from dangerous NOx pollution that mixes in the atmosphere to form ground-level ozone, commonly called “smog,” which can lead to costly and harmful health impacts such as increased illnesses, asthma attacks, lost days of work or school, and hospitalizations.

EPA has taken public comment on both the ACC II and Low-NOx regulation  waiver requests from state and local governments, health and environmental organizations, industry, and other stakeholders. These final decisions are based on those comments, as well as EPA’s evaluation of CARB’s requests according to Clean Air Act requirements and other information in the record, including that submitted by California. EPA maintains a webpage for information on California waivers and authorizations that sets out EPA’s administrative process for California waivers and authorization.

EPA continues reviewing additional waiver requests from California and is working to ensure its decisions are durable and grounded by law.

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

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Announces $1M in Brownfields Job Training Grants to New Jersey under Investing in America Agenda

NEW YORK (December 17, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Groundwork Elizabeth and Montclair State University have each been selected to receive a grant to help recruit, train, and place workers in community revitalization and cleanup projects at brownfield sites in New Jersey. The Brownfields Job Training Program grants is funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will advance economic opportunity and environmental justice. 

"Investing in brownfields job training grants in New Jersey not only revitalizes our communities but also empowers individuals with the skills they need for a sustainable future,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Together, we are transforming neglected spaces into opportunities for growth and economic resilience."    

“These grants are a great example of how we can create economic opportunities and address the very real environmental concerns that hazardous materials pose to our communities,” said U.S. Senator Andy Kim. “Every person trained because of this funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - whether through Groundwork Elizabeth or Montclair State University - will play a part in cleaning our state up and making it more livable for everyone. It’s an important start, but I’ll continue to advocate for greater resources so that we can put more New Jerseyans to work and create a future where our kids won’t have to live with hazardous and toxic materials in their backyards.”

“Job training programs are essential to our mission of protecting the environment and building a green economy,” said U.S. Representative Rob Menendez (NJ-08). “Groundwork Elizabeth is leading the way to meet those goals by supporting the next generation of workers who come from the communities they will be serving. With the support of our partners at the EPA, more students in Elizabeth will benefit from this great program, and our environmental cleanup efforts - as well as our communities - will grow even stronger.”

“Brownfields remediation is critical to expanding opportunities for housing, small businesses, open space, and other community resources in the Garden State. That’s why I am so excited that Montclair State University is going to use federal funding to not only help communities remediate brownfields, but train New Jersey’s workforce in the skills needed to assess and cleanup brownfield sites for better use, all while providing access to good-paying jobs and protecting New Jersey’s environmental resources,” said U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11).  

“The EPA Brownfields Job Training Program funding provides a huge boost to the state’s ongoing efforts to build the next generation of environmental professionals equipped with the skills needed to clean up contaminated sites and revitalize communities,” said New Jersey Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette. “Also supporting the Murphy Administration’s commitment to environmental justice, my DEP colleagues and I thank the Biden-Harris Administration for this important investment in the future of students from historically underserved communities, providing valuable job training and empowering young leaders to drive transformational change in their neighborhoods.”  

“Groundwork Elizabeth is incredibly proud to have been awarded the EPA Brownfields Training Grant, a testament to our commitment to creating sustainable and healthy communities. This grant represents a significant step forward in empowering our youth and beyond with the skills and knowledge needed to transform underutilized spaces into thriving assets,” said John Evangelista, Executive Director for Groundwork Elizabeth. “We look forward to providing impactful job training that not only strengthens our workforce but also drives environmental restoration and economic revitalization in our community. This milestone reinforces our dedication to building a brighter, greener future for all while changing places and changing lives.”

"We are extremely pleased to receive this award which initiates the Job Training Program at the university that will enable disadvantaged, unemployed, and underemployed residents of Essex and Passaic County in New Jersey to find Brownfields-related jobs and prepare these underserved communities for continued economic growth. As a public-spirited university the program helps us continue our efforts to provide educational, workforce development, and community support services to the youth and families in the neighboring communities,” said Dr. Pankaj Lal, Director of Clean Energy and Sustainability Analytics Center (CESAC) with Montclaire State University. “Through an innovative partnership between the Clean Energy and Sustainability Analytics Center and University Facilities, our project will provide young people the comprehensive training and supporting resources they need to secure meaningful jobs that help our environment." 

Groundwork Elizabeth in New Jersey has been awarded nearly $500,000 Brownfields Job Training Grant to train 75 students and help place 40 of them in environmental jobs.

The program participants will receive 168 hours of instruction covering various topics, including HAZWOPER certification, construction safety, environmental data analytics, and more. This initiative specifically targets unemployed or underemployed youth aged 16-24 from public housing or the Youth Corp program. Groundwork Elizabeth is collaborating with multiple organizations, including the American Red Cross and Kean University, to support this effort.

Montclair State University has been awarded a $500,000 Brownfields Job Training Grant to support environmental job training in Essex and Passaic Counties, New Jersey.

The university plans to train 100 students and assist in placing 68 of them in environmental jobs. The training program will offer 125 hours of instruction on essential skills, including HAZWOPER certification, OSHA safety courses, and specialized training in areas like Geographic Information Systems and confined space safety. This initiative focuses on veterans, women, minorities, and economically underserved residents. Montclair State University is partnering with several organizations, including the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Veolia North America, to enhance the program's impact.

EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Program provides funding to organizations that are working to create a skilled workforce in communities where assessment, cleanup, and preparation of brownfield sites for reuse activities are taking place. Individuals completing a job training program funded by EPA often overcome a variety of barriers to employment. Many are from historically underserved neighborhoods or reside in the areas that are affected by environmental justice issues. All of the FY25 Brownfields Job Training Program applications selected have proposed to work in areas that include disadvantaged communities as defined by the Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool, delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

 

Individuals typically graduate from the program with a variety of certifications that improve their marketability and help ensure that employment opportunities are not just temporary contractual work, but long-term environmental careers. This includes certifications in: 

• Lead and asbestos abatement;
• Hazardous waste operations and emergency response;
• Mold remediation;
• Environmental sampling and analysis; and
• Other environmental health and safety training. 

For more information on the selected Brownfields Job Training Grant recipients, including past grant recipients, please visit EPA’s Grant Factsheet Tool.

Background

President Biden’s leadership and bipartisan congressional action delivered the single-largest investment in U.S. brownfields infrastructure ever. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) invests more than $1.5 billion through EPA’s highly successful Brownfields Program and the funding from this grant cycle comes from this historic investment. This budget boost gives EPA the ability to fund more communities, states, and Tribal Nations. In addition, these entities have the opportunity to apply for larger grants to build and enhance their environmental job training curriculums to support job creation and community revitalization around brownfield sites. Ultimately, this investment will help trained individuals gain access to jobs created through brownfields revitalization activities within their communities. 

Since 1998, EPA has awarded 430 grants totaling more than $113 million through Brownfield Job Training Programs. With these grants, more than 23,400 individuals have completed training and over 17,400 individuals have been placed in careers related to land remediation and environmental health and safety. Over the last 5 years, the average starting wage for these individuals is approximately $23 per hour. If your organization is considering applying for or has a question related to Brownfields Job Training Grants, submit a technical assistance request to EPA at https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/forms/brownfields-job-training-program-technical-assistance-inquiry-form.

For more information on this and other types of Brownfields Grants, please visit https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/types-funding.

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Garden and Landscape Q and A - Winter Pruning, No Judgement, Holly Updat...

 EPA Press Release:

EPA Proposes Rule to Revoke Most Food Uses of the Insecticide Chlorpyrifos

WASHINGTON – Today, Dec. 2, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposed rule to revoke tolerances for chlorpyrifos, which establish the amount of a pesticide that is allowed on food. This rule revokes all tolerances for chlorpyrifos, except for those tolerances associated with the 11 food and feed crops that remain registered.  EPA is taking this action in response to a decision by the U.S Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.  This action will support EPA efforts to cancel most uses of chlorpyrifos on food to reduce exposure and protect public health.

 

“EPA continues to prioritize the health of children,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff.  “This proposed rule is a critical step forward as we work to reduce chlorpyrifos in or on food and to better protect people, including infants and children, from exposure to chemicals that are harmful to human health.”

 

Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate (OP) insecticide that was used for a large variety of agricultural uses, including soybeans, fruit and nut trees, vegetables, and other row crops, as well as non-food uses. At high levels, OP exposures can result in neurological effects such as tremors, fatigue and nausea. There is also concern for exposures to pregnant women and children since chlorpyrifos has been associated with neurodevelopmental effects indicating it could impact the normal development of the nervous system during pregnancy or childhood.

 

In a final rule issued in August 2021, EPA revoked all tolerances for chlorpyrifos, which establish an amount of chlorpyrifos that is allowed on food, effectively stopping the use of chlorpyrifos on all food and animal feed. EPA took this action in response to an April 2021 order from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for the agency to issue—within 60 days—a final rule addressing the use of chlorpyrifos in food or feed crops, without taking public comment or engaging in “further fact-finding.” 

 

On Nov. 2, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit vacated EPA’s August 2021 rule and reinstated the chlorpyrifos tolerances. On Feb. 5, 2024, EPA issued a Federal Register notice to amend the Code of Federal Regulations to reflect the court’s reinstatement of those tolerances. At this time, and as a result of the court decision, all the chlorpyrifos tolerances have been reinstated and are currently in effect. 

 

Since the Eighth Circuit issued its ruling, EPA has worked with the chlorpyrifos registrants to further reduce pesticide exposures by limiting the registered uses of chlorpyrifos on food to be consistent with the 11 uses referenced by the Eighth Circuit and identified in the 2020 Proposed Interim Registration Review Decision (PID). These 11 food uses are alfalfa, apple, asparagus, cherry (tart), citrus, cotton, peach, soybean, strawberry, sugar beets and wheat (spring and winter) and are limited to specific states that were assessed in the 2020 PID. Based on the available data, retaining only the 11 food uses could decrease average annual pounds of chlorpyrifos applied in the U.S. by 70% as compared to historical usage. 

 

The registration review process for chlorpyrifos is ongoing. EPA plans to issue an amended PID for chlorpyrifos for public comment followed by an Interim Decision (ID) in 2026. 

 

Upon publication in the Federal Register, the proposed rule will be available at docket ID EPA-HQ-OPP-2024-0431 at Regulations.gov for public comment for 60 days. EPA will continue to keep the public updated as it evaluates and takes any actions related to chlorpyrifos pesticide use. For more information, view a prepublication version the Federal Register notice.

 

Learn more about this pesticide at EPA’s chlorpyrifos webpage. 

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

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Fines Puerto Rico Construction Company $80,000 for Polluting Cañas River

San Juan, P.R. (Nov 26, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined Transporte Rodríguez Asfalto, Inc. (TRA) in $80,000 for violations of the Clean Water Act after discharging stormwater pollutants into the Cañas River during construction activities in Aguada, Puerto Rico.

“We are holding TRA accountable under the Clean Water Act which is designed to protect waterways like the Cañas River and prevent pollution that threatens public health and the environment,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Construction activities, if not properly managed, can cause long-term damage to local rivers and ecosystems. In the future, TRA will have to get a construction permit, use better practices, and avoid future discharges in the river.”

The EPA found that TRA began construction on a 13-acre site near PR-2 and PR-48 roads in September 2023. TRA did not secure the necessary permits or install required erosion and sediment controls. As a result, stormwater runoff from the site entered the Cañas River, carrying harmful pollutants and affecting water quality.

In response to the violations, the EPA issued an administrative order requiring TRA to pay the $80,000 penalty and take corrective actions, including:

• Stabilizing soil and controlling erosion.
• Developing a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).
• Securing coverage under the EPA’s Construction General Permit (CGP) to prevent future discharges.

TRA will be required to submit bimonthly reports to the EPA to demonstrate ongoing compliance with the order.

The Clean Water Act prohibits discharging pollutants into U.S. waters without a valid permit.

Visit the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program website for more information.

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

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For further information: Contact: Brenda Reyes, 787-295-0087, reyes.brenda@epa.gov

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Region 7 to Host Open House for Cherokee County Superfund Site in Historic Tri-State Mining District

EPA officials will present site updates and information about the new residential soil lead guidance to the community on Oct. 28

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7 - 11201 Renner Blvd., Lenexa, KS 66219

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

Contact Information: Kellen Ashford, ashford.kellen@epa.gov, 816-610-2132

LENEXA, KAN. (OCT. 22, 2024) – Representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 will host an open house in Baxter Springs, Kansas, to provide Cherokee County community members with site cleanup updates regarding the Cherokee County Superfund Site and information about EPA’s residential soil lead guidance.

The updated residential soil lead guidance, released in January 2024, lowered the screening level at residential properties from 400 parts per million (ppm) to 200 ppm. Screening levels are not cleanup levels, rather they are used when initially investigating a release to determine if the level of contamination warrants further investigation. Updating the screening levels ensures that EPA uses the latest and best available science to protect children living and playing near sites contaminated by lead in soil.

EPA’s open house in Cherokee County, Kansas, takes place during EPA’s observance of Children’s Health Month. During the last month, EPA Region 7 has held several open houses focused on the new residential soil lead guidance and lead health education in Missouri’s Old Lead Belt and Jasper County, Missouri, which is also a part of the Tri-State Mining District.

The Cherokee County Health Department will be available to provide free blood lead testing for eligible children and adults at the event.

EPA’s community meeting will be held:

Monday, Oct. 28, 2024

Open House: 6 to 8 p.m.

• Presentation begins at 6:30 p.m.

New Community Building

1101 East Avenue

Baxter Springs, Kansas

Background

The Cherokee County Superfund Site is a former mining area in southeast Kansas, part of the larger regional mining area known as the Tri-State Mining District. It covers about 115 square miles. Over 100 years of widespread lead and zinc mining from the mid-1800s to 1970 created piles of mine tailings covering more than 4,000 acres. The primary contaminants of concern at the site are lead, zinc, and cadmium.

Site-wide, nearly 3 million cubic yards of mining wastes have been remediated on over 2,800 acres; over 800 residential yards have been remediated; and over 500 homes have been supplied with a clean, permanent source of drinking water.

• Visit the Site Profile page for the Cherokee County Superfund Site.

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