U.S.-MEXICO ENVIRONMENTAL BORDER ISSUES

Map Credit:  U.S. State Department
FROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCYAugust 8, 2012
US, Mexico Sign Agreement Addressing High Priority Border Environmental Issues
　
WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson joined Mexico’s Secretary for the Environment and Natural Resources Juan Elvira Quesada to sign the Border 2020 U.S.-Mexico Environmental program agreement. The signing was witnessed by a number of leaders including the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico E. Anthony Wayne, Vice Chairman of the Tohono O’odham Nation Wavalene Romero, California Secretary for Environmental Protection Matthew Rodriquez, Baja California Governor José Guadalupe Osuna Millán and Tijuana Mayor Carlos Bustamante Anchondo. The Border 2020 agreement, developed with significant stakeholder input, will work to address high priority environmental and public health problems in the 2,000 mile border region. It follows the Border 2012 environmental agreement which ends this year.


"Addressing the environmental issues along the border has long been a priority we share with our colleagues in Mexico, because we know that environmental degradation, pollution, and the diseases they trigger don’t stop at the national boundaries," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "Thanks to help from our partners in government, industry, academia and local communities, the Border 2020 agreement will build upon the significant progress already made, and families on both sides of the border will continue to benefit from cleaner, healthier communities for decades to come."


The Border 2020 program works to reduce pollution in water, air, and on land, reduce exposure to chemicals from accidental releases or terrorism, and improve environmental stewardship. It is the latest environmental program implemented under the 1983 U.S.-Mexico La Paz Agreement. It builds on the Border 2012 program and encourages meaningful participation from communities and local stakeholders through regional task forces.


Over the next eight years, the Border 2020 Environmental program will work towards significant improvements that will focus on five key areas:

- Reducing air pollution in bi-national air sheds by promoting vehicle inspection programs and road paving, and encouraging anti-idling technologies such as diesel truck electrification at ports-of-entry.


- Improving access to clean and safe water as well as improving water quality in the bi-national watersheds.


- Promoting materials and waste management, and addressing contaminated sites as well as management practices for addressing electronics, lead acid batteries, tires, and trash.


- Enhancing joint preparedness for environmental and emergency response.


- Enhancing compliance assurance and environmental stewardship.

The new Border 2020 program also strengthens its focus in regional areas where environmental improvements are needed most: establishing realistic and concrete goals, supporting the implementation of projects, considering new fundamental strategies, and encouraging the achievement of more ambitious environmental and public health goals.

Border 2012, which concludes this year, resulted in numerous achievements, including connecting households to drinking water and wastewater services benefitting more than 8.5 million border residents. In addition, the program helped remove more than 12 million scrap tires from dump sites border wide and more than 75.5 metric tons of obsolete pesticides from rural areas in California, Sonora, and Tamaulipas.


As the home to over 14 million people and one of the busiest cross-border trade regions in the world, protecting human health and the environment in the border region is essential to ensuring that the U.S. continues to be safe, healthy and economically productive. The Border 2020 U.S.-Mexico Environmental program will protect the environment and public health for 10 states on both sides of the 2,000-mile border, including 26 U.S. tribes and seven groups of Mexican indigenous people.


More information as well as a fact sheet on Border 2020: http://www.epa.gov/usmexicoborder/


A video on Border 2012 and 2020: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzUKe5NCEU0

FORMER SUPERVISOR OF ROYAL OAK, MICHIGAN SENTENCED FOR VIOLATING CLEAN AIR ACT

FROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Supervisor of Michigan Town Sentenced to Three Years in Prison
WASHINGTON (August 3, 2012) - William Morgan, the former supervisor of Royal Oak Township, a suburb of Detroit, was sentenced in federal court to three years in prison. Mr. Morgan had previously entered a guilty plea to charges that he conspired to defraud the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), violate the Clean Air Act’s asbestos requirements, and commit bribery. Asbestos is a mineral fiber that has been used commonly in a variety of building construction materials. When asbestos-containing materials are damaged or disturbed by repair, remodeling or demolition activities, microscopic fibers become airborne and can be inhaled into the lungs, where they can cause serious health problems.

"It is reprehensible that a public official made asbestos abatement decisions based on a bribe, not on what was needed to protect the health of the community," said Randall Ashe, special agent in charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Michigan. "The sentence shows that government officials who attempt to line their pockets rather than carry out their responsibilities honestly will be prosecuted to the full extent to the law."

"Any public official, in city or suburb, who works to enrich himself at the expense of the public will be detected and prosecuted," U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade said. "It is particularly disturbing when an official not only takes bribes but also endangers community health and the environment by allowing the bribes to influence abatement decisions."

Morgan’s criminal conduct involved the awarding of a contract and distribution of federal funds that were intended to be used by communities for the improvement of blighted areas by removing dilapidated buildings. The funding was received through HUD’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). Morgan, in addition to being Township supervisor, was also Royal Oak’s coordinator for NSP.

Prior to the awarding of the contract, Morgan had received a $10,000 bribe from Sureguard/PBM, one of the companies that submitted a bid for the demolition and asbestos removal of an abandoned theater on Eight Mile road. In return for the bribe, Morgan attempted to steer the contract to Sureguard/PBM. Despite Morgan’s efforts, Royal Oak’s Board of Supervisors awarded the contract to another company, which had submitted a lower bid.

During the demolition process, Morgan asked for and received cash payments of $500 and $1,000 from the owner of the company that had won the contract. Morgan received these payments under the belief that they were in return for his approval of a change order covering the asbestos abatement that fraudulently inflated the cost of the work.

One of Morgan’s co-conspirators, Terrance Parker, received a sentence of 21 months. Two other co-conspirators, Kendrick Covington and Marcus Brown have yet to be sentenced.

The case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), HUD’s Office of the Inspector General and EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division.

EPA & USDA ANNOUNCE MICROBIAL RISK ASSESSMENT GUIDANCE FOR FOOD/WATER PATHOGENS

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCYSpecialist 1st Class Loretta Marbrey, a preventive medicine technician assigned to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), tests water and vector samples that were collected from an internally displaced persons camp in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The Navy Environmental Preventive Medicine Unit ashore is providing disaster relief assistance in matters related to environmental health specifically, water and vector-born diseases. Mercy is serving as an enabling platform to assist humanitarian operations ashore in ways that host nations and international relief organization find useful. Mercy is currently off the waters of Indonesia in support of Operation Unified Assistance, the humanitarian relief effort to aid the victims of the tsunami that struck Southeast Asia. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Jeffery Russel

FROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

EPA and USDA Announce First-Ever Microbial Risk Assessment Guidance

Guideline will help better determine health risks from food and waterborne pathogens

WASHINGTON - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today announced the first-ever Microbial Risk Assessment (MRA) Guideline. This new MRA Guideline lays out an overarching approach to conducting meaningful assessments of the risks to Americans posed by pathogens in food and water. Pathogens ingested in food and water can result in acute gastrointestinal-related illnesses; some gastrointestinal-related illnesses can result in long-term and permanent health effects as well as premature death. This new guideline will improve the quality of the data collected by public health scientists charged with protecting Americans from pathogen-related risks in food and water.

"This guidance contributes significantly to improving the quality and consistency of microbial risk assessments, and provides greater transparency to stakeholders and other interested parties in how federal agencies approach and conduct their microbial risk assessments," said Dr. Glenn Paulson, EPA Science Advisor. "Based on the success of this project, we are seeking further opportunities to combine our technical expertise in our continuing efforts to protect the Americans’ health."

"The microbial risk assessment guideline developed by FSIS, the EPA and our other public health partners will help protect consumers by allowing us to uniformly assess and reduce health risks from pathogens," USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elisabeth Hagen said. "We’re proud to have worked with our partners on this guideline that will provide our risk assessors with a transparent and scientifically rigorous document to use in protecting public health."

Formal risk assessments for food, water, and environmentally-relevant chemicals have been undertaken for decades. However, an overarching microbial risk assessment guideline has not been available until now. The guideline announced today meets this need by providing comprehensive, yet specific and descriptive information for developing assessments of microbial risk in food and water.

EPA'S QUEST FOR SAFER FIRE RETARDANTS

Photo Credit:  U.S. Air Force.
FROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
July 30, 2012

WASHINGTON - In its quest to identify possible substitutes for a toxic flame retardant chemical known as decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a draft report on alternatives. This comprehensive assessment, developed with public participation under EPA’s Design for the Environment (DfE) program, profiles the environmental and human health hazards on 30 alternatives to decaBDE, which will be phased out of production by December 2013.

DecaBDE is a common flame retardant used in electronics, vehicles, and building materials. It can cause adverse developmental effects, can persist in the environment and can bioaccumulate in people and animals. This technical assessment can help manufacturers identify alternatives to decaBDE. In addition, EPA will continue to work with manufacturers to investigate both chemical and non-chemical alternatives for flame retardants.

"EPA is using all of its tools to reduce the use of hazardous flame retardant chemicals like decaBDE and identify safer, functional substitutes to protect people’s health and the environment," said Jim Jones, acting assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP). "Virtually everyone agrees that EPA needs updated authority under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to more effectively assess and regulate potentially harmful chemicals like flame retardants. As EPA continues to stress the need for comprehensive legislative reform to TSCA, we are also targeting actions on a broader group of flame retardants to reduce human and environmental risks."

Today’s draft report is the latest in a series of actions the agency is taking to address flame retardants made with bromine. Other actions include:

- On June 1, 2012, EPA released a TSCA work plan of 18 chemicals which the agency intends to review and use to develop risk assessments in 2013 and 2014, including three flame retardant chemicls. EPA is currently developing a strategy, scheduled for completion by the end of this year, that will address these three and a broader set of flame retardant chemicals. This effort will aid the agency in focusing risk assessments on those flame retardant chemicals that pose the greatest potential concerns. EPA anticipates initiating the risk assessments on this category of chemicals in 2013.

- On April 2, 2012, EPA proposed actions under TSCA that will require manufacturers, importers, and processors of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants to submit information to the agency for review before initiating any new uses of PBDEs after December 31, 2013. Those who continue to manufacture, import, or process after December 31, 2013, would be subject to a testing requirement under TSCA. EPA is accepting comments on this proposal until July 31, 2012.

- In 2009, EPA developed action plans on PBDEs (including pentaBDE, octaBDE, and decaBDE) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) that summarized available hazard, exposure and use information; outlined potential risks; and identifided the specifc steps the agency is pursuing under TSCA. The alternatives analysis for decaBDE was included in the action plan.

The alternatives to decaBDE characterized in the report are already on the market and will be used increasingly as decaBDE is phased out. The alternatives have differing hazard characteristics and are associated with trade-offs. For example, some alternatives that appear to have a relatively positive human health profile may be more persistent in the environment. Some alternatives appear to be less toxic than decaBDE. Preliminary data suggests that these flame retardants may have a lower potential for bioaccumulation in people and the environment. It is important to understand that these health and environmental profiles are largely based on computer-model generated estimates, and that the models are limited in their ability to predict concern. Laboratory testing and ongoing environmental monitoring is necessary to fully understand the potential for concern associated with these chemicals.

EPA’s Design for the Environment Alternatives Assessment Program helps industries choose safer chemicals and offers a basis for informed decision-making by providing a detailed comparison of the potential public health and environmental impacts of chemical alternatives. Throughout the partnership, stakeholders, including chemical suppliers, product manufacturers, and non-government organizations have provided valuable information to support the development of these draft reports. EPA is seeking stakeholder and public input on this draft report for 60 days.

MAN GETS 10 YEAR PRISON TERM FOR ILLEGAL REMOVAL OF ASBESTOS

FROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Illinois Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Clean Air Act Violations Involving Asbestos WASHINGTON – Duane "Butch" O’Malley, 59, of Bourbonnais, Ill., who was convicted by a federal jury on September 26, 2011, for the illegal removal, handling and disposal of asbestos from a Kankakee building in August 2009, was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Federal District Court Judge Michael McCuskey. O’Malley was also ordered to pay restitution of $47,086 to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) related to the clean-up of illegally disposed asbestos and ordered to pay a fine of $15,000. Asbestos is a mineral fiber that has been used commonly in a variety of building construction materials. When asbestos-containing materials are damaged or disturbed by repair, remodeling or demolition activities, microscopic fibers become airborne and can be inhaled into the lungs, where they can cause serious health problems, including lung cancer and mesothelioma.

"Asbestos must be removed in a safe and legal way in order to protect people's health and reduce the risk of exposure," said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "The defendant’s actions endangered the health of his workers and the surrounding community and the sentence shows that those who violate critical environmental safeguards will be prosecuted."

"To increase his profits, a jury found that O’Malley knowingly disregarded federal environmental laws that require asbestos-containing materials be safely removed and properly disposed," said U.S. Attorney Jim Lewis, Central District of Illinois. "This sentence is a consequence of the defendant’s flagrant disregard for his workers, the public, and the environment in exposing them to dangerous airborne asbestos fibers."

During O’Malley’s trial, the government presented evidence that O’Malley, owner and operator of Origin Fire Protection, was hired by Michael J. Pinski in August 2009 to remove asbestos-containing insulation from pipes in a five-story building in Kankakee, Ill. that was owned by Pinski through his company, Dearborn Management, Inc. Evidence was presented that neither O’Malley nor his company was trained to perform the asbestos removal work and that O’Malley agreed to remove the asbestos insulation for an amount that was substantially less than a trained asbestos abatement contractor would have charged to perform the work. Further, O’Malley arranged for James A. Mikrut to recruit and oversee workers to remove the asbestos.


The government’s evidence showed that various provisions of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA regulations were violated, including, failure to properly notify the EPA, failure to have trained on-site representatives present, failure to ensure the asbestos insulation was adequately wetted while it was being stripped and removed, failure to mark vehicles used to transport the asbestos containing waste material and failure to deposit the asbestos in a waste disposal site for asbestos. Instead, the asbestos insulation was stripped from the pipes while dry, and then placed in more than 100 large, unlabeled plastic garbage bags. The bags were then dumped in an open field in Hopkins Park, resulting in soil contamination and exposing the workers hired by O’Malley to dangerous asbestos-laden dust.

Under the CAA there are requirements to control the removal, handling and disposal of asbestos, a hazardous air pollutant. Any owner or operator of a renovation or demolition activity which involves removal of specified amounts of asbestos-containing material must comply with the EPA regulations.

O’Malley was charged in June 2010 with five felony violations of the CAA, along with Michael J. Pinski, 42, of Kankakee, Ill., and James A. Mikrut, 49, of Manteno, Ill. Pinski entered a plea of guilty on Aug. 19, 2011, to one count of violation of the Clean Air Act. Mikrut pleaded guilty on Aug. 24, 2011, to five counts of violation of the CAA. The sentencing hearings for Pinski and Mikrut will be scheduled at a future date.

The charges were investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, with assistance from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund Division. Assistant United States Attorney Eugene L. Miller and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Cha are prosecuting the case.

EPA FOCUSES ON LARGEST EMITTERS OF GREEN HOUSE GAS

Photo Credit:  Wikimedia.
FROM:  U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
EPA Greenhouse Gas Permitting Requirements Maintain Focus on Largest Emitters 

Steps to streamline process will ease burden on state and local permitting authorities
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that it will not revise greenhouse gas (GHG) permitting thresholds under the Clean Air Act. Today’s final rule is part of EPA’s common-sense, phased-in approach to GHG permitting under the Clean Air Act, announced in 2010 and recently upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The final rule maintains a focus on the nation’s largest emitters that account for nearly 70 percent of the total GHG pollution from stationary sources, while shielding smaller emitters from permitting requirements. EPA is also finalizing a provision that allows companies to set plant-wide emissions limits for GHGs, streamlining the permitting process, increasing flexibilities and reducing permitting burdens on state and local authorities and large industrial emitters.

After consulting with the states and evaluating the phase-in process, EPA believes that current conditions do not suggest that EPA should lower the permitting thresholds. Therefore, EPA will not include additional, smaller sources in the permitting program at this time.

Today’s final rule affirms that new facilities with GHG emissions of at least 100,000 tons per year (tpy) carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) will continue to be required to obtain Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permits. Existing facilities that emit 100,000 tpy of CO2e and make changes increasing the GHG emissions by at least 75,000 tpy of CO2e, must also obtain PSD permits. Facilities that must obtain a PSD permit, to include other regulated pollutants, must also address GHG emission increases of 75,000 tpy or more of CO2e. New and existing sources with GHG emissions above 100,000 tpy CO2e must also obtain operating permits.

EPA’s GHG permitting program follows the same Clean Air Act process that states and industry have followed for decades to help ensure that new or modified facilities are meeting requirements to protect air quality and public health from harmful pollutants. As of May 21, 2012, EPA and state permitting authorities have issued 44 PSD permits addressing GHG emissions. These permits have required new facilities, and existing facilities that make major modifications, to implement energy efficiency measures to reduce their GHG emissions.

The GHG Tailoring Rule will continue to address a group of six greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). The PSD permitting program protects air quality and allows economic growth by requiring facilities that trigger PSD to limit GHG emissions in a cost effective way. An operating permit lists all of a facility’s Clean Air Act emissions control requirements and ensures adequate monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting. The operating permit program allows an opportunity for public involvement and to improve compliance.

U.S. GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES AIR EMISSIONS SETTLEMENT WITH WISCONSIN UTILITY

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Friday, June 29, 2012
US Announces Clean Air Act Settlement with Wisconsin Utility – Dairyland Power Cooperative to Reduce Emissions by More Than 29,000 Tons Annually

WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice   and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a Clean Air Act settlement with Dairyland Power Cooperative (DPC) that will cover the utility’s three power plants in Alma and Genoa, Wis. DPC has agreed to invest approximately $150 million in pollution control technology that will protect public health and resolve violations of the Clean Air Act. The settlement will also require that DPC spend $5 million on environmental mitigation projects and pay a civil penalty of $950,000.

“This settlement will improve air quality in Wisconsin and downwind areas by significantly reducing releases of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and other harmful pollutants,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice. “This agreement also demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to enforcing the New Source Review provisions of the Clean Air Act, which help ensure cleaner air for those communities located near large sources of air pollution.”
         
“EPA is committed to protecting communities by reducing air pollution from the largest sources of emissions,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The pollution reductions and the significant investment in local environmental projects under this agreement will ensure that the people of Wisconsin and neighboring states have cleaner, healthier air.”  

Under the settlement, DPC must install pollution control technology on its three largest units and will be required to comply with stringent emission rates and annual tonnage limitations. The settlement also requires DPC to permanently retire three additional coal-fired units at the Alma plant, which have been out of operation since last year.   The permanent retirement of these units will ensure that they do not restart without first complying with the Clean Air Act. The actions taken by DPC to comply with this settlement will result in annual reductions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions by 23,000 tons and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions by 6,000 tons from 2008 levels, in addition to significant reductions of particulate matter emissions.  This settlement covers all seven coal-fired boilers at DPC’s three power plants.

The settlement also requires DPC to spend $5 million on projects that will benefit the environment and human health in communities located near the DPC facilities.   DPC must pay $250,000 each to the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service, to be used on projects to address the damage done from DPC’s alleged excess emissions.   At least $2 million will be spent on a major solar photovoltaic development project. The remaining mitigation funding will be spent on one or more of the following projects; 1) installation of solar photovoltaic panels, 2) home weatherization projects, and 3) the replacement of DPC’s standard vehicle fleet with cleaner burning vehicles.   The Sierra Club is a party to the settlement, which will also resolve violations alleged by Sierra Club in related litigation.

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 DPC 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.

This is the 22nd judicial settlement secured by the Justice Department and the EPA, and the 23rdsettlement overall, as part of a national enforcement initiative to control harmful emissions from power plants under the Clean Air Act’s New Source Review requirements. The total combined sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emission reductions secured from these settlements will exceed nearly 2 million tons each year once all the required pollution controls have been installed and implemented.

The settlement was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, and is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. The settlement can be viewed at www.justice.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html

2012 PRESIDENTIAL GREEN CHEMISTRY CHALLENGE AWARD

FROM:  U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
EPA Honors 2012 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award Winners
WASHINGTON – Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized innovative chemical technologies that have the potential to prevent pollution in the United States. These awards recognize leading researchers and industrial innovators who create safer and more sustainable chemical designs, processes, and products that reduce the need to use chemicals that pollute the environment and threaten Americans’ health. The awardees were honored during the 17th Annual Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C.  

“EPA congratulates the 2012 winners for designing, developing, and implementing these innovative green chemistry technologies that will help create more sustainable industries and greener, safer products to protect people’s health and the environment,” said Jim Jones, EPA’s acting assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “These are exciting technologies that have great potential to improve the safety of the detergents and personal care products we use in our homes; reduce energy consumption and hazardous waste in industrial metal production processes; improve the paper goods and plastics we use daily so that they are made with a smaller environmental footprint and can be recycled more effectively; and even a potential alternative to BPA-based can linings,”

The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards include five categories: Academic, Small Business, Greener Synthetic Pathways, Greener Reaction Conditions and Designing Greener Chemicals.

This year, EPA is recognizing two winning academic technologies:

    Robert M. Weymouth, PhD, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif., and James L. Hedrick, PhD, San Jose, Calif., for organic catalysis — an innovation that removes hazardous metals used in the production of plastics. The technique creates a safer end product that allows bottle-to-bottle recycling, thereby providing an opportunity to reduce the millions of pounds of plastics that end up in landfills.

    Geoffrey W. Coates, PhD, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., for synthesizing biodegradable polymers from carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide that can be used in a wide range of adhesives, foams, plastic and potentially lead to the development of a BPA-alternative for use in can linings.

In the small-business category, Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc., Woodridge, Ill., is being recognized for the production of high-performing, green specialty chemicals at advantageous costs. These green chemicals can be produced with less energy, significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions compared to petrochemical technologies, and used in a wide range of consumer and industrial products and processes.

Winners in the “Greener Reaction Conditions, Designing Greener Chemicals, and Greener Synthetic Pathways,” categories include:

    Cytec Industries Inc., Woodland Park, N.J. for MAX HT “Bayer Process” scale inhibitor products that result in a drastically more energy efficient and less hazardous process for the production of alumina, a raw material for making aluminum. Application of this technology can result in reducing hazardous acid waste by millions of pounds annually and preventing billions of pounds of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere.

    Buckman International, Inc., Memphis, Tenn., for enzymes to be used in papermaking that modify the cellulose in wood to increase the number of “fibrils” that bind the wood fibers to each other. The innovation produces paper with improved strength and quality without additional chemicals or energy. The process also allows papermaking with less wood fiber and higher percentages of recycled paper, enabling a single plant to save $1 million per year.

    Codexis, Inc., Redwood City, Calif., and Yi Tang, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles for a more efficient, safer green chemistry approach to manufacturing the drug Simvastatin, a leading statin drug used to treat cardiovascular diseases.

By recognizing groundbreaking scientific solutions to real-world environmental problems, EPA’s Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Program award winners have significantly reduced the hazards associated with designing, manufacturing, and using chemicals. The program promotes research and development of less-hazardous alternatives to existing technologies that reduce or eliminate waste, particularly hazardous waste, in industrial production. An independent panel of technical experts convened by the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute selected the 2012 winners from among scores of nominated technologies.

During the 17 years of the program, EPA has received 1,492 nominations and presented awards to 88 winners. Winning technologies alone are responsible for reducing the use or generation of more than 825 million pounds of hazardous chemicals, saving 21 billion gallons of water, and eliminating 7.8 billion pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent releases to air. These benefits are in addition to significant energy and cost savings by the winners and their customers.

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES SAY MUCH OF KALAMAZOO RIVER AND MORROW LAKE ARE NOW OPEN FOR RECREATION

FROM:  ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Kalamazoo River and Morrow Lake to Open 
MARSHALL, Mich. June 21 -- Local, state and federal agencies responding to the Enbridge oil spill announced today that an additional 34 miles of the Kalamazoo River and the entire 2 miles of Morrow Lake are now open for recreational use.

Part of the area referred to as the Morrow Lake Delta is still closed. The closed portion will be identified by buoys. Those using the river should follow buoy restrictions for their own safety and the safety of workers still conducting cleanup.

Boaters will have to portage between a canoe launch on the delta and the River Oaks boat launch.

The newly opened portion stretches from Saylor’s Landing near 15 Mile Road and the Kalamazoo River in Calhoun County to Morrow Lake. This follows the April 18 opening of a nearly three-mile portion from Perrin Dam in Marshall to Saylor’s Landing, a new river access site near 15 Mile Road and the Kalamazoo River.

"The long wait to open most of the oil-damaged Kalamazoo River is now over -- just in time for summer," said Susan Hedman, EPA Region 5 Administrator. "EPA will remain in the Marshall area until the cleanup is completed."

“I am pleased that we are finally able to open a larger stretch of the river for people to use,” said James Rutherford, Calhoun County Public Health Director. “We know that people have been eager to get back and start using the river again.”

Linda Vail, director of the Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Department, agreed.

“People want to use the river and riverside parks for recreation,” Vail said. “We want to make sure that they have a safe place to have fun.”

People could see sheen or flecks of oil in the river, even after this new portion is open. Sheen appears as a filmy or rainbow-like substance floating on the water surface.

Not all sheen is caused by oil. There are two general sources of sheen – petroleum-based and natural. On the Kalamazoo River, some sheen may come from the Enbridge oil spill, while some sheen may be caused by traditional sources such as motorboats and gasoline or motor oil that is washed away from parking lots and into the river system.

Natural sheen can occur by decomposition of vegetation. According to the U.S. Geologic Survey, oil-like films and rock coatings are often made by bacteria reacting to iron and manganese in the water. Both types of sheen appear similar floating on water.

According to recent Public Health Assessments, the Michigan Department of Community Health has concluded that contact with the submerged oil will not cause long-term health effects. At the same time, contact with the submerged oil may cause temporary effects, such as skin irritation.

Both county health departments and the Michigan Department of Community Health don’t expect any long-term health effects from people touching residual oil on the river or in the sediment, but there could be temporary effects such as skin irritation.

The health agencies recommend washing skin and clothes with plain soap and water as soon as possible after coming in contact with oil. Stations with cleaning wipes have been set up near kiosks at launch stations to clean skin and boating equipment.

Enbridge will continue to perform oil recovery, even after openings occur, under the direction of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

People may encounter ongoing work activities at some locations along the river. They should use caution when involved in recreation around these work zones. They should obey all buoys and signage, and use only marked, public areas for accessing the river, and stay off private property.

While the cleanup is in its final stages, EPA and MDEQ are committed to remaining on-site as long as necessary to protect human health and the environment.

The river was closed from Perrin Dam in Calhoun County to the Morrow Lake Dam in Kalamazoo
County in July 2010, after an Enbridge pipeline ruptured discharging oil into Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River. Enbridge has estimated that it discharged 843,444 gallons of oil during this pipeline spill.  The cause of the pipeline rupture is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

HOME CONSTRUCTION COMPANY RESOLVES CLEAN WATER ACT ALLEGED VIOLAIONS

FROM:  U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Home-builder Toll Brothers Inc. to Pay $741,000 Clean Water Act Penalty and Implement Company-Wide Stormwater Controls 
Settlement to prevent millions of pounds of sediment and polluted stormwater runoff from entering U.S. waterways each year
WASHINGTON –The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Toll Brothers Inc., one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, will pay a civil penalty of $741,000 to resolve alleged Clean Water Act violations at its construction sites, including sites located in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Toll Brothers will also invest in a company-wide stormwater compliance program to improve employee training and increase management oversight at all current and future residential construction sites across the nation. The company is required to inspect its current and future construction sites routinely to minimize stormwater runoff from sites. Polluted stormwater runoff and sediment from construction sites can flow directly into the nearest waterway, affecting drinking water quality and damaging valuable aquatic habitats.

“Keeping contaminated stormwater runoff out of the nation’s waterways, like the Chesapeake Bay, is one of EPA’s top priorities,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance and Assurance. “Today’s settlement will improve oversight of stormwater runoff at construction sites across the country and protect America’s waters.”

“This settlement will help protect the nation’s waters from the harmful pollutants contained in stormwater runoff from construction sites,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, assistant attorney general for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice. “The settlement requires Toll Brothers to implement system-wide management controls and training that will help prevent polluted stormwater runoff from contaminating rivers, lakes and sources of drinking water.”

EPA estimates the settlement will prevent millions of pounds of sediment from entering U.S. waterways every year, including sediment that would otherwise enter the Chesapeake Bay, North America’s largest and most biologically diverse estuary. The bay and its tidal tributaries are threatened by pollution from a variety of sources and are overburdened with nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment that can be carried by stormwater.

The complaint, filed simultaneously with the settlement agreement, alleges over 600 stormwater violations that were discovered through site inspections and by reviewing documentation submitted by Toll Brothers. The majority of the alleged violations involve Toll Brothers’ repeated failures to comply with permit requirements at its construction sites, including requirements to install and maintain adequate stormwater pollution controls.

The Clean Water Act requires permits for the discharge of stormwater runoff. In general, Toll Brothers’ permits require that construction sites have controls in place to prevent pollution from being discharged with stormwater into nearby waterways. These controls include common-sense safeguards such as silt fences, phased site grading and sediment basins to prevent construction contaminants from entering the nation’s waterways.

The settlement requires Toll Brothers to obtain all required permits, develop site-specific pollution prevention plans for each construction site, conduct additional site inspections beyond those required by stormwater regulations, and document and promptly correct any problems. The company must properly train construction managers and contractors on stormwater requirements and designate trained staff for each site. Toll Brothers must also submit national compliance summary reports to EPA based on management oversight inspections and reviews.

This settlement is the latest in a series of enforcement actions to address stormwater violations from residential construction sites around the country. Construction projects have a high potential for environmental harm because they disturb large areas of land and significantly increase the potential for erosion, and stormwater runoff from sites can pick up other pollutants, including concrete washout, paint, used oil, solvents and trash.

The state of Maryland and the commonwealth of Virginia have joined the settlement and will receive a portion of the $741,000 penalty. The settlement includes Toll Brothers sites in
Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

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

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

EPA ISSUES TIPS FOR STAYING COOL THIS SUMMER

FROM:  U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
EPA's Fifteen Hot Tips for a Cool Summer
Save money, water, energy while protecting health and encouraging environmental learning
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released today a list of 15 tips for the summer season, which kicks off June 20th. Whether relaxing at home or off exploring the great outdoors there are many ways people can save money, cut energy costs and continue to protect the health of their families while still enjoying the summer.

Tips for a safe and enjoyable summer:
1. Energy Star savings for your home: The average home spends almost 20 percent of its utility bill on cooling. These cooling bills can be lowered by simply changing out incandescent light bulbs with EPA's Energy Star qualified lighting, which use less energy and produce approximately 75 percent less heat. Raising your thermostat by only two degrees and using your ceiling fan can lower cooling costs by up to 14 percent too. http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.es_at_home

2. Increase your gas mileage: Obey the speed limit; go easy on the breaks and avoid hard accelerations; reduce your time idling; and unload unnecessary items in your trunk to reduce weight. If you're not using your removable roof rack take it off to improve your fuel economy. http://www.fueleconomy.gov

3. Prevent skin cancer and be SunWise: Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. and is the most common cancer among 20 to 30-year-olds. Remember to practice safe sun habits. http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/actionsteps.html

4. Heading to the beach? Check the water: Americans take almost two billion trips to the beach every year. Beaches are a place to play, watch wildlife, fish, and swim. Learn more on how to plan a safe trip to the beach and check out state specific beach advisory and closing notifications. http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/beaches/whereyoulive_state.cfm

5. Take EPA's apps with you on your smartphone: The AirNow app gives location-specific current air quality information to use to protect your health when planning daily activities and the Ultraviolet (UV) Index app provides daily and hourly forecast of the UV radiation levels from the sun so you can better prevent overexposure to the sun.http://m.epa.gov/apps/index.html

6. Enjoy the outdoors and capture the State of the Environment: Almost 40 years ago, EPA's Documerica project captured thousands of images across the nation as EPA’s work was just beginning. Now it’s your chance to mark the progress and submit environmental photos to EPA's State of the Environment photo project. http://blog.epa.gov/epplocations/about/

7. Protect yourself with insect repellents: Mosquitoes and ticks can carry diseases but you can protect yourself by choosing the right repellent and using it correctly. Read the product label before using; apply just enough to cover exposed skin and clothing; and look for the protection time that meets your needs. Children can use the same repellents as adults unless there is a restriction on the label. http://epa.gov/pesticides/insect/safe.htm

8. Water wisely: A large percentage of water we use at home is used outdoors. As much as 30 percent of that outdoor water use can be wasted due to evaporation by watering in the middle of the day. Water in the morning when winds are calm and temperatures are cool. Look for the new WaterSense labeled weather-based irrigation controller that uses local weather data to determine whether your sprinkler system should turn on. http://www.epa.gov/watersense

9. Clean greener: If you're going to wash the car, deck, boat, or RV– be sure to look for the Design for the Environment (DfE) label to quickly identify and choose cleaning products that are safer for families and also help protect the environment. Look for the DfE label on grill cleaners as well. http://www.epa.gov/dfe

10. Improve your indoor air: About 90 percent of people's time is spent indoors. While inside this summer, make sure to free your house of mold, test your home for radon, check your carbon monoxide detector and ask those who smoke to go outdoors. http://www.epa.gov/iaq

11. Check into an Energy Star hotel: On average, America’s 47,000 hotels spend more than $2,000 per available room each year on energy. Look for an Energy Star certified hotel--they perform in the top 25 percent of hotels nationwide, use an average of 35 percent less energy and emit an average of 35 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than peers.http://www.energystar.gov/buildinglist

12. Waste less and remember to recycle: Each year, Americans generate millions of tons of waste in homes and communities but it's easy to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Recycled items such as glass can be used in roadway asphalt (glassphalt) and recovered plastic can be used in carpeting and park benches. Learn what you can do to waste less.http://www.epa.gov/waste/wycd/summer.htm

13. Season firewood: Summer is a great time to season firewood in preparation for fall and winter. Remember to split firewood to the proper size for your wood stove or fireplace, but no larger than 6 inches in diameter; stack firewood to allow air to circulate around it; cover the top of the stack to protect it from the rain; and store your firewood for at least 6 months before using it. http://www.epa.gov/burnwise

14. Looking for a summer project and tired of the heat? Try composting: Composting can be a fun and educational summer project that saves landfill space, helps feed the soil and prevents methane, a potent greenhouse gas.http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/rrr/composting/basic.htm

15. Let summer inspire you and submit Six Words for the Planet: Keep the creativity flowing beyond the school year and into the summer by submitting a meaningful story or idea in just six words.

EPA PROPOSES STANDARDS FOR SOOT POLLUTION

FROM:  U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
EPA Proposes Clean Air Standards for Harmful Soot Pollution
99 percent of U.S. counties projected to meet proposed standards without any additional actions
WASHINGTON – In response to a court order, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed updates to its national air quality standards for harmful fine particle pollution, including soot (known as PM2.5). These microscopic particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and have been linked to a wide range of serious health effects, including premature death, heart attacks, and strokes, as well as acute bronchitis and aggravated asthma among children. A federal court ruling required EPA to update the standard based on best available science. Today’s proposal, which meets that requirement, builds on smart steps already taken by the EPA to slash dangerous pollution in communities across the country. Thanks to these steps, 99 percent of U.S. counties are projected to meet the proposed standard without any additional action.

EPA’s proposal would strengthen the annual health standard for harmful fine particle pollution (PM2.5) to a level within a range of 13 micrograms per cubic meter to 12 micrograms per cubic meter. The current annual standard is 15 micrograms per cubic meter. The proposed changes, which are consistent with the advice from the agency’s independent science advisors, are based on an extensive body of scientific evidence that includes thousands of studies – including many large studies which show negative health impacts at lower levels than previously understood. By proposing a range, the agency will collect input from the public as well as a number of stakeholders, including industry and public health groups, to help determine the most appropriate final standard to protect public health. It is important to note that the proposal has zero effect on the existing daily standard for fine particles or the existing daily standard for coarse particles (PM10), both of which would remain unchanged.

Thanks to recent Clean Air Act rules that have and will dramatically cut pollution, 99 percent of U.S. counties are projected to meet the proposed standards without undertaking any further actions to reduce emissions.

Meanwhile, because reductions in fine particle pollution have direct health benefits including decreased mortality rates, fewer incidents of heart attacks, strokes, and childhood asthma, these standards have major economic benefits with comparatively low costs. Depending on the final level of the standard, estimated benefits will range from $88 million a year, with estimated costs of implementation as low as $2.9 million, to $5.9 billion in annual benefits with a cost of $69 million – a return ranging from $30 to $86 for every dollar invested in pollution control. While EPA cannot consider costs in selecting a standard under the Clean Air Act, those costs are estimated as part of the careful analysis undertaken for all significant regulations, as required by Executive Order 13563 issued by President Obama in January 2011.

The Clean Air Act requires EPA to review its standards for particle pollution every five years to determine whether the standards should be revised. The law requires the agency to ensure the standards are “requisite to protect public health with an adequate margin of safety” and “requisite to protect the public welfare.” A federal court ordered EPA sign the proposed particle pollution standards by June 14, 2012, because the agency did not meet its five-year legal deadline for reviewing the standards.

EPA will accept public comment for 63 days after the proposed standards are published in the Federal Register. The agency will hold two public hearings; one in Sacramento, CA. and one in Philadelphia, PA. Details on the hearings will be announced shortly. EPA will issue the final standards by December 14, 2012.

CLEANING UP THE CALUMET RIVER WITH $52 MILLION PROJECT

Photo:  Water Runoff.  Credit:  Wikipedia.
FROM:  U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Great Lakes Initiative Cleanup Helps Restore Grand Calumet River
CHICAGO (June 11, 2012) - The recent completion of a $52 million project to rid Roxana Marsh of contaminated sediment will speed the recovery of Indiana’s Grand Calumet River, marking a step forward for one of the Great Lakes’ most complex Area of Concern cleanups. Representatives from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State of Indiana were joined by Congressman Pete Visclosky to discuss the project's impact at an event today in East Chicago, Indiana.

More than 575,000 cubic yards of sediment contaminated with PCBs and PAHs (polychlorinated biphenyls and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), heavy metals and pesticides were removed or isolated from the marsh and the river.  Fish consumption advisories, loss of habitat and other environmental problems in the Grand Calumet have largely been caused by contaminated sediment.  

"The work by federal, state, county, city and other partners over the years has helped deliver real results under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative," said Cameron Davis, Senior Advisor to the EPA Administrator.  “The work we’re talking about today will help give the Grand Cal a fighting chance to be grand again. But we can’t stop here. We’re looking for new partners to match funds to accelerate cleanups in other Areas of Concern around the Great Lakes."

The federal government contributed 65 percent or $33.8 million to this GLRI Legacy Act project.  Indiana used $18.2 million from its Natural Resources Damage Assessment Fund for the required 35 percent match.  In the 1980s, the U.S. and Canada identified 43 highly degraded shoreline areas along the Great Lakes. Today there are 30 AOCs wholly in the U.S. or shared with Canada.

"The Fish and Wildlife Service is dedicated to restoring fish, wildlife and habitat in places where contaminants have impacted those resources,” said Charlie Wooley, Deputy Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-Midwest Region.  “Here, the contaminants are gone and Roxana Marsh is alive again, making it a haven not only for birds, fish and plants, but for the people of this community."

The Grand Calumet River originates in the east end of Gary, Indiana, and flows through the heavily industrialized cities of Gary, East Chicago and Hammond. The majority of the river's flow drains into Lake Michigan via the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal, sending about one billion gallons of water into the lake per day. The Area of Concern begins 15 miles south of downtown Chicago and includes the east branch of the river, a small segment of the west branch and the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal.

“I am pleased by the progress that has been made to address the environmental degradation associated with the Grand Calumet River,” said Congressman Pete Visclosky. “Investments made in restoration projects along the river, such as the work completed at Roxana Marsh in East Chicago and in the City of Hammond, are investments in the health and safety of our local communities and a commitment to the betterment of Northwest Indiana.”

The Great Lakes provide more than 30 million Americans with drinking water and underpin a multi-billion dollar economy.  In February 2009, President Obama proposed the GLRI, the largest investment in the Great Lakes in two decades.

The GLRI Action Plan, which covers FY 2010 through 2014, was developed by a task force of 16 federal agencies to implement the president’s historic initiative.  It calls for aggressive efforts to address five urgent priority focus areas:

    Cleaning up toxics and toxic hot spot areas of concern.
    Combating invasive species.
    Promoting near-shore health by protecting watersheds from polluted runoff.
    Restoring wetlands and other habitats.
    Raising public awareness, tracking progress and working with partners.

The plan also ensures accountability by establishing measures of progress and benchmarks for success.

EPA COMES TO TOWN TO CLEANUP DULUTH WITH $850,000

Photo:  Ore Ship Lake Superior Duluth, Minnesota.  Credit:  U.S. EPA
FROM:  U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
EPA Announces $850,000 in Grants to Clean Up Contaminated Sites in Duluth; State to Receive a Total of $2,650,000 in Grants and Loans

(CHICAGO – June 7, 2012) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Susan Hedman today joined Mayor Don Ness at the Duluth Heritage Sports Center to announce $850,000 in grants to redevelop contaminated properties, create jobs and protect public health in Duluth.  The city and the Duluth Economic Development Authority will use these “brownfield grants” to assess and clean up abandoned industrial and commercial properties.

Previous EPA brownfield grants helped to assess the Clyde Iron Works site so it could be cleaned up and redeveloped. The former brownfield site is now the Duluth Heritage Sports Center.

"EPA's brownfield grants will be used to clean up contaminated sites along the St. Louis River and Lake Superior shoreline in Duluth," said EPA Region 5 Administrator Susan Hedman.  "These grants will help to expand recreational opportunities and create jobs.”
The Duluth Economic Development Authority will receive a $200,000 brownfield grant to clean up hazardous substances at Bayfront Lot D on the 900 to 1000 block of Railroad Street. The site, which once housed freight depots, warehouses and manufacturing businesses, has been abandoned and is contaminated with polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals and petroleum waste. The Duluth Economic Development Authority wants to redevelop the site as part of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Safe Harbor system for recreational boaters, which would help stimulate redevelopment and investment in the area.

“Our partnership with the EPA has been critical to DEDA’s ability to prepare sites for productive development. This grant will serve as a catalyst to significant private sector investment,” said Nancy Norr, Vice President of DEDA.

The city will also receive a $650,000 Revolving Loan Fund grant for the cleanup of hazardous substances.  This grant will be used to clean up brownfield sites throughout the city, with special emphasis on the St. Louis River/Lake Superior Shoreline Corridor Project Area. More than half of Duluth’s industrial brownfields are in the corridor, which extends from downtown to the western end of the city and northwest to Skyline Parkway. The St. Louis River flows into Lake Superior in the corridor, forming the world’s largest freshwater estuary. Ten of the streams that flow into the estuary within the Corridor are designated trout streams.

“Properties along the St. Louis River Corridor hold some of the greatest potential in the City for redevelopment that will result in the growth of jobs, tax base and population. There is also potential for increased recreational access to the St. Louis River.  But assessment and cleanup of brownfield properties is complex and costly; we constantly strive to have as many ‘tools’ in the toolbox to address these challenges, and the two grants announced today will be effective tools,” said Heidi Timm-Bijold, Duluth’s Acting Director for Business and Economic Development.

The Duluth grants are part of the EPA’s $69.3 million 2012 nationwide brownfield grants to clean up and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies, create jobs and protect public health. Since 2002, EPA has awarded more than $2 million in brownfield grants to Duluth.

EPA ANNOUNCES GRANTS TO CLEAN UP CONTAMINATED SITES IN ST. PAUL

FROM:  US. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

EPA Announces $1.8 million in Grants to Clean Up Contaminated Sites in St. Paul; State to Receive a total of $2,650,000 in Grants and Loans

(CHICAGO – June 6, 2012) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Susan Hedman today joined Mayor Chris Coleman and Port President Louis Jambois at the new River of Goods and Terrybear building to announce $1.8 million in grants to redevelop contaminated properties, create jobs and protect public health in St. Paul. These EPA “brownfield grants” will be used by St. Paul and the St. Paul Port Authority to assess and clean up abandoned industrial and commercial properties.

"EPA's brownfield grants will help clean up contaminated sites in St. Paul so that they can be used again," said EPA Region 5 Administrator Susan Hedman. “The grants will help to revitalize neighborhoods and help businesses create jobs.”

St. Paul will receive a $200,000 brownfield grant to clean up the Trillium Central site at 179 E. Maryland Ave. The site was part of a rail yard from the late 1800s through the 1970s and included several storage structures and storage areas. It is contaminated with petroleum compounds from years of petroleum storage, handling and transfer operations. The Trillium Central site represents 8.7 acres of the city’s proposed 45-acre Trillium Nature Sanctuary.

"In St. Paul, we've seen how investing in revitalizing brownfields has paid off. By taking underutilized sites and transforming them into useful, productive spaces, formerly polluted and abandoned land can again be a prosperous part of our city," Mayor Chris Coleman said.

The St. Paul Port Authority will receive $1.6 million in brownfield grants. The Port Authority will use $400,000 for environmental assessments in areas that are targeted for redevelopment around the city. Two cleanup grants of $200,000 each will focus efforts to clean up hazardous substance in soil and soil gas at two former 3M Corp. parcels at or near 900 Bush Ave. Both sites were used for industrial and commercial purposes from the late 1800s through 2009. Soil and ground water at both sites are contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, diesel range organics and volatile organic compounds. When 3M Corp relocated from its main campus to the neighboring suburb of Maplewood, the Port Authority took over redevelopment of the 46-acre site.

An $800,000 supplemental Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund grant will help the Port Authority continue to provide low-interest loans for the cleanup of brownfield sites. The Port Authority has been successfully preparing properties for redevelopment with Revolving Loan Fund grants since 2003, with an emphasis on creating and keeping jobs.

"Brownfield redevelopment is a partnership process. It requires participation of every level of government and the private sector to be successful," Jambois said. "We're very appreciative of the EPA's energy and commitment to redeveloping core cities.”

The St. Paul grants are part of the EPA’s $69.3 million 2012 nationwide brownfields grants. Since 2003, EPA has awarded $13 million to St. Paul.

THE FORMATION OF ADVISORY BOARD ON GREAT LAKES ISSUES

FROM:  U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
EPA Forms First Advisory Board On Great Lakes Issues
CHICAGO (May 31, 2012) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced the creation of an advisory board to support federal agencies with the implementation of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the updated Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.   

The new board, the federal government’s first advisory committee on Great Lakes issues, will provide advice and recommendations to EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson in her capacity as federal Interagency Task Force chair.  EPA will consider candidates from a broad range of interests including environmental groups, businesses, agricultural groups, funders/foundations, environmental justice groups, youth groups, academia and state, local and tribal representatives as needed. Nominees will be solicited through a second Federal Register notice in the coming weeks. EPA anticipates that board will be established this summer. 

"The health of the Great Lakes affects the health of millions of people. These waters also play a vital role in the historical, cultural, educational and economic progress of this region," said EPA Administrator and Task Force Chair Lisa P. Jackson. “As we work to set a new standard of care for these waters, it's important that we hear from experts and stakeholders who can strengthen our efforts. By providing insight from those who know these waters best, the Great Lakes Advisory Board will ensure the continued success of the work already underway, and help move us into the next phases of Great Lakes restoration and protection."

The Great Lakes provide more than 30 million Americans with drinking water and underpin a multi-billion dollar economy.  In February 2009, President Obama proposed and Congress funded the GLRI, the largest investment in the Great Lakes in two decades.

The Interagency Task Force is made up of 16 federal agencies and departments.  In 2010 they developed an action plan to implement the president’s historic initiative.  It calls for aggressive efforts in five areas:

•    Cleaning up toxics and toxic hot spot Areas of Concern.
•    Combating invasive species.
•    Promoting near-shore health by protecting watersheds from polluted runoff.
•    Restoring wetlands and other habitats.
•    Raising public awareness, tracking progress, and working with partners.

REDUCING ASTHMA RATES AND CONTROLLING PROBLEM AMONG RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES

Photo Credit:  Wikimedia 
FROM:  U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Obama Administration Working to Close Racial, Ethnic Gap on Asthma
Asthma disproportionately affects minority children, children living below poverty level
WASHINGTON – Today U.S. federal agencies unveiled the Coordinated Federal Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Asthma Disparities. White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chair Nancy Sutley, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Shaun Donovan discussed the new plan during an event at Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC), which houses The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington along with other community groups.

Nearly 26 million Americans are affected by this chronic respiratory disease, including 7 million children, especially minority children and children with family incomes below the poverty level. Asthma rates of African American children are currently at 16 percent, while 16.5 percent of Puerto Rican children suffer from the chronic respiratory disease, more than double the rate of Caucasian children in the United States. The annual economic cost of asthma, including direct medical costs from hospital stays and indirect costs such as lost school and work days, amounts to approximately $56 billion.

“Across America we see low-income and minority children and families at a disproportionately higher risk for asthma and respiratory illnesses. Air pollution and other challenges are having serious health effects, which compound economic challenges through medical bills and missed school and work days,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “As the mother of a child with asthma, I know what it means for our children to have clean and healthy air to breathe. This Action Plan enables federal agencies and our partners to work more collaboratively and comprehensively on tackling a major health threat, so that we can protect all Americans, no matter what community they call home.”

“Low-income and minority communities often face an unacceptable burden of pollution in this country, diminishing their economic potential and threatening the health of millions of American families,” said Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. “As we close National Asthma Awareness Month today, the President’s Administration is standing behind his commitment to integrating environmental justice into the missions of federal agencies, promoting clean air and healthy communities, and ensuring this really is a country of equal opportunity for all.”

“The report is a blueprint for how we can work together to reduce asthma disparities and help ensure children with asthma get the right care with the right support,” said Secretary Sebelius. “One key factor that is so critical to controlling a child’s asthma is access to health care. Uninsured people with asthma are less likely to take the preventive medicine they may need to keep their condition under control, making them more likely to suffer an attack. That’s why we are focused on expanding access to care.”

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said, “The numbers don’t lie: Asthma disproportionately impacts low-income minority families which is why we must do everything we can to ensure all children have a healthy place to call home. Today’s announcement will help the federal government support the development of innovative new approaches to improve and control asthma.”

The action plan will coordinate efforts to improve asthma management and prevention:
Reduce barriers to asthma care: Ensure that the populations most severely impacted by asthma receive evidence-based comprehensive care, which includes access to medical services, education and environmental interventions.

Build local capacity: Enhance capacity to deliver integrated, community-based asthma care systems.
Target services: Identify the children, families and communities most impacted by asthma disparities.
Accelerate prevention efforts: Increase understanding of the cause or causes of asthma and test interventions that may prevent the onset of asthma.

EPA WILL SPEND OVER $63 MILLION ON CONTAMINATED SITES AND REVITALIZING COMMUNITIES

Photo Credit:  Wikimedia
FROM:  U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
EPA Announces $69.3 Million to Clean Up Contaminated Sites and Revitalize Communities
Investment will protect people’s health and the environment, create jobs and promote economic redevelopment nationwide

WASHINGTON – Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $69.3 million in grants for new investments to provide communities with funding necessary to clean and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies and create jobs while protecting public health.

"Restored Brownfield properties can serve as cornerstones for rebuilding struggling communities. These grants will be the first step in getting pollution out and putting jobs back into neighborhoods across the country,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Clean, healthy communities are places where people want to live, work and start businesses. We're providing targeted resources to help local partners transform blighted, contaminated areas into centers of economic growth."

The 245 grantees include tribes and communities in 39 states across the country, funded by EPA’s Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (ARC) grants, and Revolving Loan Fund Supplemental grants. The grants awarded will assess and clean up abandoned industrial and commercial properties. Nearly half of the grantees this year are new awardees who demonstrate a high level of commitment for undertaking specific projects and leveraging the funding to move those projects forward.

Highlights of the projects planned by grant recipients:

 DeKalb County, Ga. plans to clean up and redevelop major industrial areas served by transit and infrastructure in community areas, in addition to expanding greenspace and community-based development. One important revitalization effort is targeted for the General Motors Assembly Plant (closed in 2008), which sits at the convergence of two major corridors and the Doraville MARTA Station. Upon redevelopment, the project will reduce blight and increase the local tax base.

 Toledo, Ohio (Coalition) will use the awarded assessment grant funding to revitalize under-served neighborhoods and create local jobs at two proposed projects. The Coalition will investigate properties in the Cherry Street Corridor/Summit Street Redevelopment area to allow for the expansion of St. Vincent's Hospital and Central Catholic High School. Secondly, the Fernwood Growing Center Area, located in an underserved, low income neighborhood, will be expanded by at least two additional sites for the use of urban agriculture.

 Paul Cuffee School, a maritime charter school for Providence public school children in Rhode Island, is receiving two EPA cleanup grants to clean and redevelop adjacent properties for a new parking lot and athletic field for students.

 Land-of-Sky, a local government planning and development organization located in N.C., will use grant funds awarded to rehabilitate the Chatham Site, a former manufacturing plant, a mill and a Western electric plant into approximately 150 multifamily rental units. The project may result in leveraging additional funding, including New Markets Tax Credits, construction permanent loans, Federal Historic Tax Credit equity, NC Mill Rehab Tax Credit equity and deferred development fees. Assessments have been completed and the project is ready to begin redevelopment.

 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will provide a loan from its Revolving Loan Fund to the city of Kenosha for the cleanup of the Kenosha Engine Plant Cleaning site, a former Chrysler/American Motors plant. The site, once the pride of southeastern Wisconsin, will provide the community the opportunity to market the site to private investors that could bring jobs and tax revenue to the community.

Approximately 29 percent of the grants are being awarded to non-urban areas with populations of 100,000 or less, 16 percent are being awarded to “micro” communities with populations of 10,000 or less, and the remaining grants are being awarded to urban areas with populations exceeding 100,000.

There are an estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites in America. In 2011, EPA’s brownfields program leveraged 6,447 jobs and $2.14 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funds. Since its inception EPA’s brownfields investments have leveraged more than $18.3 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funding from a variety of public and private sources and have resulted in approximately 75,500 jobs. More than 18,000 properties have been assessed, and over 700 properties have been cleaned up. Brownfields grants also target under-served and low income neighborhoods – places where environmental cleanups and new jobs are most needed.

BP TO ADD OVER $400 MILLION IN POLLUTION CONTROLS AND PAY $8 MILLION PENALTY

Photo Credit:  Wikimedia.
FROM:  U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
BP Agrees to Add More Than $400 Million in Pollution Controls at Indiana Refinery and Pay $8 Million Clean Air Act Penalty

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice announced that BP North America Inc. has agreed to pay an $8 million penalty and invest more than $400 million to install state-of-the-art pollution controls and cut emissions from BP’s petroleum refinery in Whiting, Ind. When fully implemented, the agreement is expected to reduce harmful air pollution that can cause respiratory problems such as asthma and are significant contributors to acid rain, smog and haze, by more than 4,000 tons per year.

“Today's settlement will protect the residents of northwestern Indiana from harmful air pollution by requiring state-of-the-art pollution controls,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance."BP's agreement to install fenceline monitoring will also ensure that residents have access to critical information about pollution that may be affecting their community.”

“In this case, BP North America has not lived up to all of its obligations under an earlier settlement agreement and has committed new violations of the Clean Air Act at its Whiting refinery in Indiana,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice. “This settlement secures a significant penalty, requires state-of-the-art controls, and is a fair and just resolution that will address BP’s violations. We will continue to hold BP accountable and ensure that it complies with the nation’s environmental laws.”

The complaint alleges violations of Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements at the Whiting refinery in connection with construction and expansion of the Whiting Refinery, as well as violations of a 2001 consent decree with the company that covered all of BP’s refineries and was entered into as part of EPA’s Petroleum Refinery Initiative.

Today’s settlement will lead to the installation of innovative pollution controls on the largest sources of emissions at the Whiting refinery, including extensive new controls on the refinery’s flaring devices. Flaring devices are used to burn-off waste gases. The more waste gases sent to a flare, and the less efficient the flare is when burning those gases, the more pollution that will occur. Under the settlement, BP will install new equipment that will limit the amount of waste gas sent to flaring devices in the first place, as well as implement innovative, cutting-edge controls to ensure proper combustion efficiency for any gases that are burned in a flaring device. The requirements, similar to those included in a recent settlement with Marathon Petroleum Corp., are part of EPA’s national effort to reduce emissions from flares at refineries, petrochemical and chemical plants.

In addition to the controls on the refinery’s flares, the settlement will also result in reduced emissions by imposing some of the lowest emission limits in refinery settlements to date, enhancing controls on wastewater containing benzene and providing for an enhanced leak detection and repair program. Today’s settlement also requires the Whiting refinery to spend $9.5 million on projects at the refinery to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases.

BP will perform a supplemental environmental project in which they will install, operate and maintain a $2 million fence line emission monitoring system at the Whiting refinery and will make the data collected available to the public by posting the information on a publicly-accessible website. Fenceline monitors will continuously monitor benzene, toluene, pentane, hexane, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and all compounds containing reduced sulfur.

BP Products North America Inc., headquartered in Warrenville Ill., engages in the exploration, development, production and marketing of oil and natural gas, and additionally operates petroleum refineries in California, Indiana, Ohio, Texas and Washington. BP North America Inc. is a subsidiary of BP p.l.c., headquartered in London, England. The Whiting Refinery has a refining capacity of approximately 405,000 barrels per day, and is the 6th largest refinery in the United States.

The state of Indiana, the Sierra Club, Save the Dunes, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Hoosier Environmental Council, the Environmental Law and Policy Center, the Environmental Integrity Project, Susan Eleuterio and Tom Tsourlisalso joined in this settlement.