Region 1: EPA New England

Greenbytes: December 5, 2005 Edition

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Feature: Cleaner Air, Water & Land - EPA's 35 Year Legacy & Future Promise
By Robert W. Varney

The Environmental Protection Agency is 35 years old today, born by executive order issued by President Nixon on Dec. 2, 1970.

EPA's creation, and its mission to protect human health and the nation's environment, was hastened by the existence of rampant and highly visible pollution - rivers that literally burned and flowed with human and industrial waste, towns built upon toxic waste sites, and lethal air pollution.

Since that time, our nation has been engaged in a generational relay effort that has created a cleaner, healthier environment for all Americans. EPA's dedicated workforce has been instrumental in implementing historic protections to achieve clean air and water, to clean-up toxic wastes in communities, to protect the earth's ozone layer and ensure a safe and abundant food supply. The Clean Air Act alone has saved hundreds of thousands of lives and prevented millions more from suffering severe respiratory problems.

EPA's Superfund program, established by Congress to address the nation's worst hazardous waste sites, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month. Superfund has cleaned up nearly one thousand sites to date. One example in Londonderry, N.H. is at the former Tinkham's Garage site, where the completed cleanup of 375 acres addressed contaminated soils and surface- and ground water, making way for a revitalized parcel in the community that now is used for both a retail complex and housing for senior citizens.

After 35 years, EPA continues to make strides. Last month, the agency released an annual report highlighting progress made in 2005. These successes include the first national rules ever to reduce mercury from power plant emissions, a related interstate air pollution rule to dramatically reduce power plant emissions of other harmful air pollutants, and an aggressive campaign to reduce pollution from diesel engines. EPA also announced $76.7 million in Brownfields grant funding this year which will be used to assess, cleanup and revitalize blighted sites in 45 states.

Also in 2005, EPA and state partners attained water quality standards in an additional eight percent of the nation's previously impaired waters. Nationwide, Agency enforcement actions reduced, treated or eliminated more than 1.1 billion pounds of pollutants. While these are just examples, the numbers tell an impressive story.

Today, EPA's success depends more than ever on working with increasingly capable and environmentally conscious partners. Unlike 35 years ago, state and local governments now leverage considerable expertise and resources towards environmental protection. These governments often need more of EPA's help as a partner. This means providing them with new, flexible solutions and the scientific and technical support they need to meet environmental goals.

Working together with those we regulate is also important. Here in New England, EPA's ability to address issues collaboratively with local communities, state regulators and businesses is increasingly critical to our mission.

EPA is also responding to a growing need to address environmental problems globally. Last week, a team of EPA-supported Chinese researchers released a report outlining strategies to dramatically reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants in preparation for the 2008 Summer Olympics. The study found that clean energy technologies and policies in Beijing could reduce annual emissions of carbon dioxide by up to 22 percent by 2010 and health-impairing particulate matter by up to 40 percent each year. This project is part of EPA's larger effort to transfer results-oriented approaches that have been successful here in the United States to developing countries.

The mission to protect our environment has received bipartisan support for 35 years. We all rely on clean and healthy drinking water, food and air to breathe. Even as we recommit our efforts to continued environmental protection in the years to come, all Americans should reflect on 35 years of exceptional progress yielding tangible results for a cleaner environment that we all enjoy. In the cross-generational relay race that characterizes our work to protect the environment, our generation should be proud of our work to achieve cleaner air, purer water and healthier land that will yield further improvements as tangible as the ones we celebrate today.

For more information, see: http://epa.gov/35thanniversary

Robert W. Varney is regional administrator of EPA's New England Office in Boston.

Brief Bytes

Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup Grants
EPA is accepting proposals for brownfields assessment, revolving loan fund and cleanup grants. These grants are part of the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act to help states and communities around the country clean up and revitalize Brownfield sites. Proposals are due to EPA by Dec. 14, 2005.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/applicat.htm

Solid Waste Incinerator Standards to Reduce 1,900 Tons of Air Pollution Annually
EPA is requiring new performance standards to reduce emissions of air pollutants from the last remaining category of waste incinerators requiring Clean Air Act regulation. The category is called "other solid waste incinerators,” which consist of very small municipal waste combustion units and institutional waste incineration units. The final performance standards will provide important improvements in protecting human health and the environment by reducing approximately 1,900 tons per year of air pollution (including emissions of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, lead, cadmium, mercury, and dioxins/furans) from the estimated 248 incinerators estimated to be subject to the new standards. Very small municipal waste combustion units are incinerators that burn less than 35 tons per day of municipal solid waste collected from residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial sources. Institutional waste incineration units are incinerators located at institutions -- such as public or private schools, churches or civic organization -- that burn solid waste generated on site. EPA has already issued regulations to control emissions from large municipal waste combustors (greater than 250 tons per day capacity); small municipal waste combustors (250 - 35 tons per day capacity); medical waste incinerators; and commercial and industrial solid waste incinerators.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t3/fact_sheets/32435oswi_fs.html

Comment Period Extended - Clean Air Interstate Rule
EPA is granting the public additional time to comment on certain aspects of the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR). The rule requires 28 States and the District of Columbia to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) from power plants. Various states, environmental groups and power companies have requested that EPA reconsider, and provide the public opportunity to comment on, the following four issues: - analysis done by EPA to address claims regarding alleged inequities resulting from the method used to allocate SO2 emissions allowances to sources for those states that participate in EPA's trading program; - the method used to establish state NOx allocation budgets, specifically the use of fuel adjustment factors; - certain parts of the modeling EPA used to determine whether Minnesota's PM2.5 emissions require inclusion in the CAIR region; and - EPA's determination that Florida should be included in the CAIR region for ozone. EPA will accept public comments until Jan. 13, 2006, and will hold a public hearing on Dec. 14 in Washington, D.C. The comment period extension will not delay implementation of the rule, which will achieve the largest reduction in air pollution in more than a decade. EPA expects to take final action on these issues by March 15, 2006.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/cair/rule.html

Annual National Superfund Data Shows Continuing Cleanup Progress
The Superfund Program continues to make significant progress in cleaning up America's contaminated sites. The annual summary, for fiscal year ‘05 (which ended on Sept. 30), confirms that EPA completed work at 40 sites, for a cumulative total of 966 sites with work completed -- 62 percent of the top priority sites ranked on the National Priorities List. EPA conducted 665 ongoing cleanup projects at 422 sites (includes projects led by EPA, projects led by potentially responsible parties and federal facility sites). EPA funded new work at 17 projects across the country. Superfund also continued to prepare for future cleanup efforts by listing 18 new sites and proposing 12 sites to be added to the NPL. In related work, EPA conducted or oversaw more than 400 emergency response and removal actions to address immediate and substantial threats to communities, cleaning up spills and accidental releases of hazardous material. The Agency always gives top priority to cleaning up sites that pose the greatest risk to human health and to the environment.

As the Superfund program matures, so does the size, complexity and cost of sites under or ready to begin construction. In FY 05, 50 percent of the budget for long-term, ongoing cleanup work was committed to 11 sites. Even so, EPA was also able to provide $70 million to start cleanup work at 17 projects across the country. Underscoring EPA's commitment to the "polluter pays" principle, the agency secured private party commitments of more than $1.1 billion in FY 05. Of this amount, potentially responsible parties agreed to conduct more than $857 million in future response work, and to reimburse EPA for $248 million in past costs.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/action/process/numbers05.htm

Chinese - U.S. Study Outlines Steps to Cut Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas in Beijing
A team of U.S.-supported Chinese researchers have outlined strategies to dramatically reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and local air pollutants in preparation for the 2008 Summer Olympics and afterward. With clean energy technologies and policies in Beijing the city could reduce annual emissions of carbon dioxide by up to 22 percent in 2010, the study found. Output of health-impairing particulate matter could also be cut by up to 40 percent each year. The Beijing project is part of a larger effort by EPA to work with China and other developing countries to promote environmental sustainability. With support from EPA, a Chinese research team has completed an in-depth analysis of co-benefits in support of the Beijing Olympic Air Quality Action Plan. The study examined measures to improve air quality in Beijing before the 2008 Summer Olympics. These measures include expanded natural gas use, energy efficiency, and "green" transport, which include cleaner fuels for taxis and expanded public transport.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/ies
http://www.epa.gov/oia/airandclimate/byregion/chinaair.html

Comment Period Extended - Proposal to Help States Meet Fine Particle Standards
EPA is extending until Jan. 31, 2006 the public comment period on the agency's proposed rule outlining steps that state, local and tribal governments must take to reduce fine particle pollution (PM2.5) in areas that do not meet EPA's health-based air quality standards. The proposed rule describes the planning framework and requirements for state, local and tribal governments to consider when developing their plans to reduce air pollution to meet the PM2.5 standards. Areas meeting the standard must show how they will ensure that PM2.5 levels remain below the standards.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/pmdesignations

Asbestos Project Plan Available
EPA outlines current and planned actions to ensure a coordinated agency-wide approach to identify, evaluate and reduce the risks to people from asbestos exposure in the recently-released Asbestos Project Plan. This document represents EPA's comprehensive effort to address asbestos concerns and protect public health. The plan focuses on improving the state of the science for asbestos; identifying and addressing exposure and seeking risk reduction opportunities associated with asbestos in products, schools and buildings; and better understanding and minimizing asbestos exposures through assessment and cleanup. The agency is also working with other federal agencies and with state and tribal representatives to ensure that there is appropriate coordination among government agencies.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/asbestos

Comment Period Extended - Proposed Changes to Harmonize New Source Review with Existing Clean Air Act Programs
EPA is extending until Feb. 17, 2006, the public comment period on proposed changes to the New Source Review (NSR) permitting program to provide nationwide consistency in how states implement the program for electric generating units. The changes, proposed Oct. 13, 2005, would standardize the emissions tests used in NSR to determine if a physical or operational change at a power plant would cause emission increases that would require the plant to install additional pollution controls. The proposed rule would adopt the test used under the Clean Air Act's New Source Performance Standards. A uniform nation-wide emissions test for the NSR program provides regulatory clarity and certainty needed to aid the smooth and effective implementation of these programs.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/nsr

Revised Pesticide Worker Protection Manual Available
A revised manual describing how to comply with EPA requirements to protect agricultural workers from pesticides is available. This compliance assistance tool has been updated to reflect recent amendments to the Worker Protection Standard. The revised manual provides detailed information on who is covered by the standard, how to meet regulatory requirements, and will facilitate better protection of pesticide workers and handlers in agriculture from the potential risks of pesticides. The new 2005 manual supersedes the previous 1993 version. Changes to the WPS since 1993 have made the earlier version obsolete, and its continued use may lead an employer to be out of compliance.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/htc.html

Vehicle Diagnostic Systems Requirements, Evaporative Emissions Rules Updated
EPA recently finalized a pair of rules designed to clarify and update its existing vehicle On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) program and amend provisions of its evaporative emission regulations. The OBD clarifications will allow manufacturers of passenger vehicles, trucks and heavy-duty engines to choose one OBD system to satisfy federal and California state requirements. OBD systems detect excess emissions and potential vehicle repair needs and provide drivers with an early warning light when these situations arise.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/obd/regtech/light.htm

In a separate rulemaking, EPA finalized amendments to provisions of its evaporative emissions regulations. EPA's evaporative emissions regulations detail the testing process motor vehicle manufacturers must follow to obtain emissions certification as required in the Clean Air Act. An evaporative emissions test detects the amount of hydrocarbon pollution that results when liquid fuel molecules evaporate and escape into the atmosphere. The final amendments will streamline the evaporative emissions test procedures for cars, trucks, pickups, minivans, SUVs and larger trucks up to 14,000 pounds, and will harmonize EPA and California's evaporative emissions test procedures. In addition, the amendments will allow vehicle manufacturers and EPA to use more advanced testing equipment to test four-wheel and all-wheel drive vehicles. Finally, this action revises Vehicle Emission Control Information label requirements so that label information is up to date and more useful to all interested parties, such as EPA, manufacturers and repair technicians.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/regs/ld-hwy/evap/

Amendments Proposed - Oil Spill Rule
EPA is proposing modifications and compliance extensions for the Oil Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule. Specifically, the Agency is proposing to streamline requirements for qualified facilities, qualified oil-filled operational equipment, and airport mobile refuelers. The proposal also offers a separate extension of the compliance date for farms and the removal of certain SPCC requirements for animal fats and vegetable oils. In order to allow facilities that may be affected by the final rule the necessary time to apply the provisions, EPA is also proposing to extend the compliance deadline by which all facilities must prepare or amend and implement their SPCC Plan to Oct. 31, 2007. The SPCC rule applies to non-transportation-related facilities that meet an oil storage capacity threshold and that could reasonably be expected to discharge oil into navigable U.S. waters. SPCC regulations require each owner or operator of such a facility to have a SPCC plan, certified by a professional engineer. The plan must address the facility's design, operation and maintenance procedures for preventing discharges as well as countermeasures to mitigate effects in case of discharge.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/oilspill/index.htm

Reminder: Children’s Environmental Health Excellence Award Applications Due Dec. 15
EPA is accepting applications for the 2006 Children’s Environmental Health Excellence Awards through Dec. 15. The awards are designed to increase awareness, stimulate activity, and recognize efforts that protect children from environmental health risks at the local, regional, national, and international level. EPA will be looking for projects that significantly impact children’s environmental health issues through research; indicators; capacity building; regulatory and policy innovations; education and outreach; and interventions.

More information: http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/news2.htm#cehawards

 

Press Releases

Dec. 1:

• Acushnet, MA - Excavation underway at two sites
• New Bedford, MA - Dredging completed for season

Nov. 30:

• Mass. - Grants promote healthy communities & lead safe environment

Nov. 29:

• Williamstown, MA - Cleanup completed at Photech site
• Boston - EPA donates used computer equipment to local schools

Nov. 21:

• Five enforcement cases focus on chemical management & accident prevention

Automatically receive all EPA New England news releases: http://www.epa.gov/region1/pr/pr-ne-subscribe.html

 

Meetings & Conferences

None during week of Dec. 5

Index of December meetings

What's New on the Web

NPDES - Remediation NOIs

NPDES - MA Draft Permits

NPDES - NH Draft Permits

Greater Boston Breathes Better - Accomplishments

Salcor 3G Ultraviolet Wastewater Disinfection Unit - updated contact info

Innovative Technologies - Cheiron Resources - updated info

Innovative Technologies - MCRIP Manufacturing - updated info

Electronics Recycling resources - updated demanufacturers info

GE - Housatonic site - The Site, Oct. monthly report

GE - Housatonic site - Comments on IMPG

GE - Housatonic site - Oct. 26 CCC Meeting highlights

Brownfields - What’s New (includes grant proposal opportunity)

Beede Superfund Site - Water Quality Analysis Results

Natick Lab - Newsletters posted

RSS Now Available for EPA New England info:

• News Releases feed
  http://www.epa.gov/region1/rss/news-releases.rss
• Recent Additions feed
  http://www.epa.gov/region1/rss/recent-additions.rss

In The News Daily Email Service

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