Region 1: EPA New England

Greenbytes: June 10, 2005 Edition

Greetings from EPA New England. We hope you find this edition of Greenbytes useful and we encourage you to give us feedback. For information on subscribing or unsubscribing see the section at the end of this message.

Feature: Enforcement Report Highlights New England Protections

EPA New England recently published our Office of Environmental Stewardship 2004 Year in Review report. This annual publication highlights the significant achievements of our efforts to enforce environmental laws as well as innovation programs to bolster compliance assistance throughout our region.

Highlights from the report include:

• Inspections were up 13 percent in FY04. This increase in inspections follows a prior 33 percent increase in FY03. The number of inspections has now reached a six-year high.
• Violators paid $15.6 million to settle enforcement cases. This figure represents a 27 percent increase from FY03.
• The value of supplemental environmental projects reached a record-high $11.3 million. These projects are designed to benefit public health and the environment in communities where violations have occurred.
• More than one hundred facilities disclosed violations in accordance with EPA's self-audit policy. Under this policy, we encourage and provide incentives's in the form of decreased penalties for self-auditing and voluntarily disclosing and correcting violations.

We also provide in-depth discussion of three areas of our office has focused on during the past year. First, how and why we are working to reduce childhood lead poisoning in New England and striving to create an environment that is safe for our children. Second, examining storm water runoff and how it continues to negatively impact the quality of our rivers, lakes and beaches, and how we are providing much needed assistance to the regulated community. Lastly, the report explains that, through negotiated enforcement settlements, we are producing tangible environmental and public health results for the benefit of the impacted communities.

The report also looks at two multi-million dollar settlements that will yield significant environmental benefits to the region -- the settlement with Exelon Mystic LLC, owner of the Mystic Station power plant in Everett and EPA's settlement with the MBTA.

EPA New England continues to focus on enforcement of environmental statutes to protect New England's environment. The report is available at:
http://www.epa.gov/region01/enforcementandassistance/reports/index.html .

Brief Bytes

Certain Hartz Flea and Tick Drops for Cats and Kittens to be Relabeled or Cancelled

At EPA's insistence, Hartz Mountain Corp. will cancel uses of several flea and tick products that may be associated with a range of adverse reactions, including hair loss, salivation, tremors and numerous deaths in cats and kittens. The common pet product brand names which are involved in this action include:

• Hartz Advanced Care 4 in 1 Flea & Tick Drops Plus+ for Cats and Kittens
• Hartz Advanced Care Brand Flea and Tick Drops Plus+ for Cats and Kittens
• Hartz Advanced Care 3 in 1 Flea & Tick Drops for Cats and Kittens
• Hartz Advanced Care Once-A-Month Flea and Tick Drops for Cats and Kittens

In the short term, the agreement calls for immediate relabeling of the products. The new labeling will state that the products of concern are not to be used on the most vulnerable animals, including cats and kittens that weigh less than 6 pounds, cats older than 13 years, or kittens less than 5 months old. Production of the affected products will end by Sept. 30, and may not be distributed to retailers after Dec. 31, 2005. Retail sales of any remaining product will be prohibited after March 31, 2006.

EPA's action will help ensure that pets are protected, and that consumers have an opportunity to evaluate their pet's pest control needs, and allow time for both retailers and pet owners to transition to alternative products. Additional information is available at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/flea-tick-drops.htm .

Advanced Technology Will Test Real-World Truck and Bus Diesel Emissions

Testing highway diesel truck and bus emissions will be more accurate, less expensive and more effective under a new testing program using state-of-the-art technology. While vehicles from a selected sample of typical trucks and buses are in operation, portable measuring devices attached to the engine will assess exhaust emissions of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. The program begins this month with a pilot program that calls on manufacturers to recruit volunteer test vehicles from fleets or individual owners. The program will expand nationwide starting with 2007 model year diesel trucks (see: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/hd-hwy.htm#inuse ). Prior to this program, testing diesel engine emissions required removal of the engine from the truck and testing in laboratories - a process that is more cumbersome and expensive, and provides less accurate results.

EPA is also revising the test procedures to reflect current state-of-the-art portable emission measurement technology in a new rule that unifies testing requirements for all engines and streamlines laboratory efforts for EPA and industry (see: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/hd-hwy.htm#tech ).

Press Releases

Medford, Mass. - School awarded for environmental tobacco smoke education efforts

Children win environmental art awards

• ME
• MA

Southington, Conn. - Review of clean up at Old Southington Landfill

Norton, Mass. - Public meeting on Shpack Landfill (June 21)

New Hampshire grant for clean beaches

Mansfield, Mass. - Public meeting on Hatheway and Patterson Superfund site (June 16)

Poor air quality predicted June 9 & 10

Meetings & Conferences

Raymark Advisory Committee, Stratford CT
Tues. June 14

Mass. Military Range (MMR) Plume Cleanup Team
Wed. June 15

Fort Devens Restoration Advisory Board
Thurs. June 16

S. Weymouth Naval Airstation Restoration Advisory Board
Thurs. June 16

Hatheway and Patterson Superfund site
Thurs. June 16

Index of June meetings

What's New on the Web

Regional

Chelmsford Laboratory - Quality Systems info updated

Maine - State Implementation Plan page updated

Mass. NPDES permits

Pesticides - updated information

Assistance & Pollution Prevention - updated contacts

Technology Connection - updated info

GE Housatonic - Allendale School - new report

Johnson RI - Central Landfill - ROD posted

Southington CT - Solvent Recovery Service - updated info

In The News Daily Email Service

"In The News" is a free daily service that provides links to today's top newspaper stories about the New England environment and links to related EPA New England information.

In The News Email Service: As soon as today's edition of "In The News" has been posted we will inform you via email.