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Envirobytes - An Environmental Newsletter
EnviroBytes, a Summary of Issues and Events for Week Ending November 7, 2008
SETTLEMENT UPGRADES WILL PREVENT FUTURE SPILLS
EPA reported that the Plantation Pipe Line Company, of Alpharetta, Ga. has agreed to pay a $725,000 penalty for discharges of jet fuel and gasoline in Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina. The company also agreed to implement $1.3 million in new spill prevention safeguards. "Federal oil pollution prevention requirements, along with regular pipeline upgrades, are designed to prevent the kinds of oil spills that have occurred on Plantation's pipeline system," said Donald S. Welsh, EPA mid-Atlantic region administrator. "The pipeline upgrades required in this settlement will help protect the environment by preventing future spills." For more information on the effects and cleanups of oil spills, visit: http://www.epa.gov/oilspill . A copy of the proposed consent decree is available on the Justice Department Web site at www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html
EPA HOSTS ITS FIRST "BEYOND TRANSLATION" FORUM
The EPA mid-Atlantic region hosted a "Beyond Translation" forum at its headquarters in Philadelphia to "engage Hispanics and Asians as partners in environmental stewardship" and to work on key environmental issues affecting their communities. Through its name, the forum stressed the importance of translating documents to improve the availability of environmental and public health information for non-English speaking minorities within these groups. Beyond this, though, the forum provided to attendees important information on environmental health, environmental education, economic opportunities, networking opportunities and a presentation on the causes and effects of asthma.
INITIATIVE WILL CONTINUE TO ERADICATE ASTHMA IN THE REGION AND ABROAD
The Mid-Atlantic Regional Asthma Initiative (MARAI) held a meeting in Philadelphia, to discuss the program's success and its continuing asthma-eradication campaign in the region. Instead of an initiative, MARAI will henceforth be called the Mid-Atlantic Regional Asthma Network with EPA as the network clearing-house and overseer. The goal of the network is to bring together regional partners via the Community Friendly Asthma-Network, to provide information via emails, webinars, and list-servers on how to eradicate asthma, environmental tobacco smoke, and to promote children's environmental health, healthy homes, and integrated pest management. The website is located at http://www.epa.gov/reg3artd/asthma/marai.htm
GREEN HIGHWAYS PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM TO BE INITIATED IN W. VA.
The Rahall Appalachian Transportation Institute sponsored a W.Va., Green Highways Partnership workshop in West Virginia hosted by EPA, the Federal Highways Administration, the W. Va. Department of Environmental Protection and the W. Va. Department of Highways. The partnership is a voluntary, public/private initiative that seeks to promote environmentally sound principles in all aspects of the highway lifecycle. EPA presented an overview of the Green Highways Partnership, followed by presentations by others on the use and application of various industrial materials such as foundry sand, steel slag, scrap tires, and recycled asphalt pavement. A West Virginia workgroup was set up to develop a Green Highways program in W.Va. For more information on the Green Highways program, go to http://www.greenhighways.org/
WATERSMART CONFERENCE PROMOTES WATER CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY AT HOME AND ABROAD
EPA, in collaboration with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, held the first WaterSmart Innovation Conference and Expo in Las Vegas from Oct. 8-10 to promote the EPA WaterSense program. The WaterSense program is a voluntary public-private partnership promoting the use of water efficient products, services, and practices. The program underscores the importance of water conservation, as water becomes increasingly limited worldwide while demand grows. Attendees included representatives from 42 states and 17 countries who shared their different approaches to water conservation and efficiency. More information and links to presentations can be found at http://www.watersmartinnovations.com . 
For additional WaterSense information link to http://www.epa.gov/watersense.
FALL 2008 LAND REVITALIZATION UPDATE QUARTERLY E-NEWSLETTER NOW AVAILABLE
Highlights in this edition include: Johnstown Regional Technology Park Opens; EPA Sponsors Regional Analysis of Mine Scarred Lands in PA Coal Country; Biotechnology Hub Taking Over Roanoke's Historic Industrial Core; Sustainable Brownfields Redevelopment - New Guide for Industrial Waterfronts and EPA Pilot Projects; Lifestyle Center Growing in Southwestern Pa., and much more. Region 3's Land Revitalization Update is distributed via e-mail to more than 1,500 stakeholders interested in the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties in the mid-Atlantic region. To see the Fall 2008 newsletter and previous editions, please visit EPA Region 3's Land Revitalization website at: http://www.epa.gov/region03/revitalization/
NEW EPA VEHICLE AND ENGINE COMPLIANCE PROGRAM HELPS TRACK AIR QUALITY IN ALL MOBILE SOURCES
In its role to regulate mobile sources of air pollution and make sure they comply with fuel economy requirements, EPA has released its first annual report summarizing environmental compliance data from all mobile sources including cars, light duty trucks and non-road equipment. The 2007 model year report provides information about vehicle recalls, emissions certification testing, and emission defects. This report will help stakeholders better understand the compliance program's requirements, its process and results and the part it plays in improving the nation's air quality. Information on the 2007 Progress Report: Vehicle and Engine Compliance Activities is available at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/oms-def.htm
NEW EPA ASSESSMENT HIGHLIGHTS MERCURY-FREE ALTERNATIVES
The Environmental Protection Agency plans to use regulatory and voluntary action to encourage the use of mercury-free alternatives and reduce the use of mercury in products. According to its just-released preliminary assessment: the Chemical Assessment and Management Program, EPA has concluded that though some products pose a "high-priority, special concern," economical mercury-free alternatives are available. EPA's searchable database helps identify consumer and commercial products that contain mercury and their possible non-mercury alternatives. For information on the mercury assessment: http://www.epa.gov/chemrtk/hpvis/index.html The database is available at http://www.epa.gov/mercury/database.htm
ON-LINE VIDEO UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING URBAN WETLAND ECOSYSTEMS
EPA has produced a 12-minute video: "Wetlands and Wonder: Reconnecting Children with Nearby Nature," that makes a passionate case for protecting urban wetlands as valuable resources to be restored, protected and enjoyed. As more Americans dwell in cities and suburbs, society becomes more distanced from the natural world. Wetlands can offer a solution to this problem by reconnecting urban dwellers to nature and improving the health of children and communities. For copies of the DVD, contact the National Service Center for Environmental Publications at 800-490-9198 or go to www.epa.gov/nscep The video is available online at: http://epa.gov/wetlands/education/wetlandsvideo/
PBS DOCUMENTARY ON WATER SYSTEMS INFRASTRUCTURE BENEFITS FROM EPA EXPERTISE
"Liquid Assets," a 90-minute documentary produced by the Penn State University Public Broadcasting received EPA expert advice on issues facing the national water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. It will be aired on several public television stations including WYBE-Philadelphia on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 7:00 p.m. The documentary talks about the infrastructure of water systems (drinking water, wastewater and stormwater) and its important role in protecting public health, economic development and growth. Topics include: public health, watershed protection, the technical complexity of water systems infrastructure, innovative solutions being developed to address infrastructure needs, and challenges facing the implementation of those solutions. To know more about the documentary, please go to: http://www.liquidassets.psu.edu/index.html.
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