Table of Contents
Action Items
| Develop interim guidance on
Community Advisory Groups (CAGs) and establish CAGs
at ten pilot Superfund sites. |
The Office of Emergency and Remedial Response (OERR) and
Regional community relations staff completed and circulated
draft guidance on Community Advisory Groups (CAGs) to the
Regions for review and comment. OERR finalized and
distributed guidance in December 1995. The guidance provides
direction for establishing CAGs to promote early, direct, and
meaningful community involvement in the Superfund process
especially at sites with environmental justice concerns. OERR
also plans to develop a tool kit for all parties affiliated
with CAGs on how to set up and maintain a CAG by May 1997.
OERR also held preliminary discussions with Regional staff
resulting in the identification of 14 potential CAG sites in
communities with environmental justice concerns. In January
1995, OERR requested that Regions officially submit the
proposed pilot CAG sites early by February 1995. EPA will
closely monitor the development and implementation of CAGs.
EPA also plans to conduct case studies on a selected number
of CAGs beginning in July 1996. The experience gained through
the pilot may allow the initiative to be expanded to more
sites.
| 7/94 |
Attended the National Community
Relations/Technical Assistance Grant Conference in
Denver to discuss CAGs. |
| 1/95 |
Sent draft guidance on CAGs to
Regions for review and comment. |
| 1/95 |
Sent a memo to Regions requesting
the formal identification of ten pilot CAG sites. |
| 12/95 |
Headquarters finalized and
distributed "Guidance for Community Advisory
Groups at Superfund Sites"; December. 1995;
OSWER Directive 9230.0-28; EPA 540-R-94-063. |
| 4/96 |
Sent memo to Regions recognizing
sites for CAGs and proposed plan to conduct case
studies. |
| 7/96 |
Began case studies. |
| Leslie Leahy |
(703) 603-9929 |
Region I established and has been interacting extensively
with CAGs at two Superfund sites with environmental justice
concerns: New Bedford, Massachusetts, and Pine Street Canal,
Vermont. EPA meets bi-weekly with community members at both
sites to address community concerns and reach agreement on
issues concerning the scope of work and remedy selection. A
risk assessment, currently under way at the Pine Street Canal
site, is evaluating the risk to subsistence fishermen from a
Vietnamese community who use the Canal fish resources as a
food source. The Region is working with the New Bedford
Harbor CAG to reach consensus on alternative treatment
technologies (for ROD 1) and on a proposed remedy for ROD 2.
EPA continues to meet regularly with the Pine Street
Coordinating Council CAG. The Council, working by consensus,
has completed two phases of data collection at the site,
focusing on the effects of contamination on the wetland
community. Currently, an ecological risk assessment is being
completed and cleanup alternatives are being evaluated. The
Council is fast approaching its goal--to reach consensus on a
final remedy for the site. At New Bedford, the Region is also
very close to finalizing the proposed plan for the second,
and most significant, remedy. Region I initially faced
considerable opposition to elements of its original proposed
remedy, but through a year-long process of CAG (or community
Forum) meetings and negotiations, EPA has developed a remedy
that has received broad local support. One of the central
issues involved the siting locations of shoreline sediment
disposal facilities, and allegations that one of the
originally proposed facilities was environmentally unjust.
The new proposed remedy avoids this original area in favor of
nonresidential industrial settings.
| Sheila Eckman |
(617) 573-5784 |
| Dave Dickerson |
(617) 573-5735 |
[Note: This entry is also reported under the Outreach,
Communications, and Partnerships topic area.]
Region 2 chose the Diamond Alkali Superfund site, which
has potential environmental justice concerns, to pilot the
formation of a CAG. The community is predominately
African-American and Hispanic. Region 2 selected CAG members
and sponsored a CAG meeting for the site. At the CAG's
request, the Region obtained guest speakers on EPA's dioxin
reassessment work, State of New Jersey Department of Health
epidemiological work completed in the area, the Newark Bay
seafood consumption advisories, and Region 2's Harbor Estuary
Program. To update the community on site activities and
status, the Region generated and distributed two trilingual
fact sheets on the Diamond Alkali Superfund site. In
addition, the Region held a special site visit and roundtable
discussion for members of the Ironbound Committee Against
Toxic Wastes, a local advocacy group.
| 3/94 |
Distributed fact sheets. |
| 6/94 |
Selected pilot Superfund site. |
| 6/94 |
Selected CAG members. |
| 7/94 |
Held first CAG meeting. |
| 11/94 |
Held site visit and discussion with
Ironbound Committee Against Toxic Wastes. Spring and
Fall/95 - Held public meetings |
| 1/95 - 3/96 |
Held CAG meetings. |
| 1/95 - 3/96 |
Put out Trilingual Fact Sheets. |
| 3/96 |
Held site visit with members of CAG.
|
| Pat Seppi |
(212) 637-3679 |
| Lance Richman |
(212) 637-4409 |
Region 4 chose a Superfund site which has environmental
justice concerns and created a pilot Community Advisory Group
(CAG). The initiative was undertaken in the Charleston, South
Carolina, area in response to concerns of three neighborhood
associations near the Koppers - Charleston Superfund Site.
The CRC for the site met with residents, toured the area
accompanied by the president of one of the associations, and
documented the environmental concerns raised. Many of the
concerns were referred to the Emergency Response Branch, the
Title III Program, and ATSDR for further action. This area
has been recommended to HSRC/S & SW a possible TOSC pilot
site.
| 1/95 |
Pilot site selected. |
| 6/95 |
CAG members selected. |
| 10/95 |
First CAG meeting held. |
| Cynthia Perifoy |
(404) 237-7791 (Charleston) |
| Carlean Wakefield |
(404) 562-8915 (Escambia) |
Region 5 will work with the communities to establish two
Community Advisory Group (CAG) EJ pilot sites.
| 1/95 |
Developed criteria for community
working group pilots |
| 3/95 |
Identified two pilots for CAG |
| 6/95 |
Selected pilot sites (these two
sites were later candidates for delisting) |
| 4/96 |
Public Affairs, Community Relations
Section, and SFD are actively soliciting for CAG
nominations. |
| Cheryl Allen |
(312) 353-6195 |
| Establish site-specific Federal
coordination groups for issues outside Superfund
jurisdiction. |
In January 1995, OERR sent a memo to Regions requesting
that the Regions establish interagency working groups for
sites with problems beyond the scope of Superfund.
Interagency working groups will help meet the needs of local
communities in instances where these needs are beyond the
mandate of the Superfund program. These community needs and
concerns include interior lead contamination and
environmental education. The effectiveness of these working
groups will depend on the willingness of the agencies
involved to cooperate and work toward meeting community
needs. In September 1995, OERR sent a memo to the Regions
recognizing sites with established Interagency Working
Groups. EPA will closely monitor the development and
implementation of the Interagency Working Groups to promote
full participation and cooperation of other agencies in
responding to community problems. In particular, OERR plans
to work with other Federal, State, and local agencies on
relocation issues in the May 1997.
| 1/95 |
Sent a memo to Regions requesting
that the Regions establish interagency working groups
for sites with problems beyond the scope of
Superfund. |
| 9/96 |
Met with Federal Interagency Working
Group on Environmental Justice. |
| Yolanda Ting |
(703) 603-8835 |
As part of the Superfund Remedial Investigation at the RSR
Smelter Site in Dallas, Texas, Region 6 is working closely
with the Dallas Housing Authority (DHA) and indirectly with
HUD to address lead contamination in a Federally-funded
housing project (Operable Unit 2). An in-home sampling
project was completed in November, 1993, which included
testing soil, indoor and outdoor paint, tap water, and
interior dust for lead content. This information was used to
"calibrate" the lead Uptake Biokinetic model, and
the information will be incorporated into the remedy
selection process at all Operable Units, including the
DHA/HUD property.
After the in-home sampling project was completed, the
Uptake Biokinetic model was calibrated for lead paint, lead
in water, etc., with actual data (instead of default). This
resulted in a recommended soil lead cleanup level in excess
of 500 parts per million (ppm), thus verifying the 500 ppm
level employed in the RSR removal action. The residential
areas at this site (Operable Units 1 & 2) are complete,
and these Operable Units have been proposed for deletion from
the NPL (three Operable Units remain to be completed). This
process will most likely become a model for other Superfund
site cleanups with similar circumstances.
| 4/96 |
Completed soil removal and building
demolition. |
| Carl Edlund |
(214) 665-8126 |
Action
Item
| Conduct a pilot proactive site
assessment program. |
Three site assessment activities are under way to address
environmental justice concerns: 1) A Tribal Site Discovery CA
to identify previously undiscovered sites ($75,000
allocated). 2) A grant to a non-profit organization to
develop materials/program for community organizations to
become involved in site identification. 3) A Geographical
Pilot initiative will select two areas where concerns have
been raised by community groups to assess the impacts of
sites collectively and individually and develop strategies
for appropriate actions.
Site Discovery - Tribes
| 10/95 |
Awarded $53,000 under a cooperative
agreement to the Seneca Nation to identify and assess
hazardous waste site and industrial areas on
reservation lands. Tribal staff have been trained for
PA/SI work and will conduct several PAs. |
| 10/95 |
Awarded $40,000 to the Navajo Nation
for screening 50 - 100 "sheep dip" sites,
including limited field analysis. |
Geographical Pilots
| 9/94 |
Letter to Regions |
| 11/94 |
Discussion at Site Assessment
Section Chief's Meeting |
| 10/95 |
Awarded $200,000 each to Regions 2
and 9 to conduct geographic pilots in Holyoke, MA.
and at Verdese Carter Park in Oakland, CA. |
The site assessment program, in conjunction with States,
Tribes, and local communities, would identify undiscovered
sites in areas with minority and low income populations that
warrant EPA action.
| Dave Evans, State, Tribal, and Site
Identification Center |
(703) 603-8885 |
| Murray Newton, Regions 1/9
Accelerated Response Center |
(703) 603-8795 |
Coordinates are being corrected for Site Assessment sites
in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Information System (CERCLIS). The correction of
inaccurate site coordinates is approximately 90 percent
complete. In November 1995, EPA received a diskette from the
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection containing
location information for sites in Connecticut. Data were
collected from geographic positioning system (GPS) units,
contractor reports, and calculations using topographic maps.
Data will be formatted, checked for quality assurance, and
incorporated into EPA's CERCLIS database. In addition,
inaccurate removal site coordinates will be corrected.
| 11/95 |
Correction of coordinates for
CERCLIS Site Assessment sites 90 percent completed. |
| Sharon Hayes |
(617) 573-5709 |
EPA entered into a data management cooperative agreement
with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in
September 1994 (at a funding level of $190,000) for continued
development of an integrated facility data layer using GPS
and GIS. The system is to be used for multi-medial analysis
and integrated permitting and enforcement, including the
Multi-Media Aquifer Protection Project in Camden County, New
Jersey. The Region is engaging in a large scale program of
identifying possible pathways for transmission of
contamination and attempting to identify all possible sources
of groundwater and surface water contamination in the area. A
number of individual actions were undertaken during FY95 in
support of this project. The cooperative agreement continues
the progress made under prior grants towards acquiring
accurate locations for all New Jersey regulated facilities.
These data will provide critical information for multi-media
environmental analysis for EPA, the State and other agencies.
A similar effort in Barceloneta, PR, is being initiated in
FY96.
Due to budget cutbacks in FY95 the Region has been limited
in its ability to contribute further funding to these
efforts. Work continues on the previously funded efforts. The
only new work starting in FY96 was funded in part by $60,000
contributed by Superfund to the effort in Barceloneta, PR.
| Bob Messina, Chief, Information
Systems Branch |
(212) 637-3336 |
Region 9 conducted a pilot site assessment program in the
community near Verdese Carter Park, East Oakland, California,
a community with environmental justice concerns. The project
has evaluated other CERCLIS sites within a four mile radius,
completed an area database study of past and present
facilities that are being regulated, and conducted historical
aerial photography analysis to identify past industrial sites
that were replaced by residential areas.
| 1/96 |
Conducted expanded site inspection. |
| Mike Bellot |
(415) 744-2364 |
| Angeles Herrera |
(415) 744-2183 |
Action
Item
| Examine whether priority setting
methods adequately consider environmental justice
concerns. |
OERR held a conference call with the Regions to discuss
screening priority criteria. Under this initiative, OERR will
evaluate screening priority criteria contained in Site
Assessment guidance documents, and compare the criteria to
environmental justice health and environmental issues.
Criteria will allow consideration of appropriate factors in
those areas with high concentrations of minority and
low-income populations. Among these factors are demographics
(racial/cultural, income, education, age, non-English
language) considerations, multiple exposures, and other
pollution sources.
| 9/94 |
Preliminary view of prioritization
criteria. |
| 2/95 |
Held a conference call with Regions
to discuss screening priority criteria. |
| 9/95 |
Sent memorandum to Regions to
establish means of incorporating environmental
justice considerations in site screening. |
| Sharon Frey |
(703) 603-8817 |
| Develop supplemental risk
assessment guidance in coordination with Agency-wide
efforts to address environmental justice. |
OERR provided funding for a joint project between Region
9, Region 10, and Office of Research and
Development/Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office
(ORD/ECAO) (Cincinnati) to develop better estimates of fish
consumption in Asian/Pacific populations and will continue to
track the progress of this project to identify exposure/risk
factors unique to minority and low-income populations. During
Fiscal Year 1997, OERR plans to issue guidance on the use of
new exposure and population sensitivity information in
Superfund. The new guidance will provide risk assessment
tools adequate to address all biologically sensitive
individuals or populations that may be exposed to Superfund
site threats. The guidance may also address risks posed by
sources other than those at a Superfund site (e.g., permitted
industrial emissions, lead paint), which will allow for an
assessment of cumulative risk.
OERR also plans to collect data to find what EPA offices
and Regions and other agencies have developed for
exposure/risk factors for sensitive, minority, and low-income
populations, develop a matrix for the data that identifies
which offices are involved and the key work products to be
completed, and conduct planning meetings to determine what
guidance might need to be developed.
| 10/94 |
Provided funding for a joint project
between Regions 9 and 10 and ORD/ECAO (Cincinnati) to
develop better estimates of fish consumption in
Asian/Pacific populations. |
| 2/96 |
Formed OERR Risk Network for
purposes of addressing risk assessment and risk
management issues; incorporated environmental justice
issues into Network's workplan. |
| Lisa Askari |
(703) 603-8799 |
Risk measures are being developed for potential
applicability to environmental justice studies at hazardous
waste sites. The measures being explored are primarily for
air and water exposure routes. A review of existing measures
will be conducted encompassing comparative risk studies,
Region 3's manual of risk measures, the California
Comparative Risk study and other sources. Linkages to GIS
data are also being explored. It is anticipated that some
data in Region 2's GIS system will be used to generate risk
measures.
This pilot effort was to use data from the Camden MMAP. An
extension to that effort was granted to improve the accuracy
of data collected on drinking water intake and well
locations. Linkage to Headquarters work on air toxics and
environmental justice has been added to the effort.
| Rae Zimmerman, Ph.D. |
(212) 637-4309 |
| Coordinate indoor lead paint
removal with other agencies. |
Superfund will work with the Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD), and EPA Regional On-Scene
Coordinators (OSCs) and RPMs to develop a list of Superfund
sites having low-income or minority housing that may be
eligible for HUD Lead Abatement grants, and will provide
information to OSCs and RPMs on how to apply for these
grants. There are currently few regulatory options and
mechanisms for funding indoor lead paint cleanup. This
initiative may help address paint cleanup in housing near
some Superfund sites. In October 1994, OERR initiated a
survey of past Superfund and other Federal agency decisions
regarding how indoor lead paint threats have been addressed,
and the results were discussed with Superfund Branch Chiefs.
In May 1995, OERR coordinated with HUD to define a list of
Superfund sites where there is low-income or minority housing
that may be eligible for HUD Lead Abatement grants.
| 5/94 |
Examined HUD options for support of
Superfund work during rotational assignments at HUD. |
| 10/94 |
Initiated a survey of past Superfund
and other Federal agency decisions regarding how
indoor lead paint threats have been addressed. |
| 11/94 |
Discussed patterns, lead paint
survey results, draft options with Superfund Branch
Chiefs. |
| 5/96 |
Notice of Funding Availability
published in the Federal Register for Lead
Abatement grants. |
| 10/96 |
HUD awarded 17 lead abatement
grants, 3 of which are for controlling lead-based
paint hazards near Superfund sites. |
| Lisa Askari |
(703) 603-8799 |
Action
Item
| Assist Indian Tribes financially
and technically to build response capacity. |
OERR's Superfund Tribal Involvement Program continues to
work with Native Americans to involve Native Americans in the
Superfund cleanup process more effectively. OERR completed a
survey report on CERCLIS sites on or near Native American
lands, and the Region will develop a Tribal Outreach and
Implementation Plan based on the CERCLIS sites on Native
American lands by Fall 1996. The plan may include outreach
efforts such as a Superfund Tribal Conference, Funding
Application Kits, and training modules. Superfund will
continue to offer Tribal governments assistance with existing
programs while evaluating how to meet identified training and
information needs more effectively.
| Bruce Engelbert |
(703) 603-8711 |
In September 1995 Region 2 approved $115,128 in
site-specific management assistance funding for the St. Regis
Mohawk Tribe. This funding will be used to continue to enable
the Tribe to participate in and provide oversight of remedial
activities associated with the General Motors - Central
Foundry Division Site in Massena, New York. The management
assistance grant work plan and budget will expire in December
1996. The Region will work with the Tribe to minimize any
funding interruptions in the management assistance grant.
In February 1996, Region 2 approved $146,052 in CORE
program funding for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe. This funding
will be used to continue building Tribal Superfund program
capacity. The current CORE work plan and budget will expire
in December 1996. EPA will work with the Tribe to minimize
any funding interruptions in the CORE grant.
| 2/96 |
Approved CORE funding for St. Regis
Mohawk Tribe. |
| Lisa Jackson |
(212) 637-4274 |
Region 4 provides General Assistance Grants, administered
through the Region's Office of Policy and Management's
Federal Activities Branch, for the purpose of planning,
developing, and establishing the capacity to implement
programs administered by EPA. In the area of Superfund, the
Region provides technical assistance in the identification
and investigation of hazardous waste on Tribal lands. Where
capacity to implement a site discovery/site assessment
program exists or is built, the Region provides funding
through cooperative agreements so that the Tribal governments
may implement their own site discovery and site assessment
programs.
There are six Federally recognized Indian Tribes in Region
4. Two sites were identified on Tribal lands in Region 4
which required assessment. Technical assistance for those
sites was provided by a Region 4 SAM. A PA/SI was conducted
at the sites. The Superfund site assessment was performed by
the Regional office through contractor support. The Regional
staff worked with the State of Alabama at the second site to
remove a contaminated pile from the site. No site assessment
cooperative agreements currently exist with any Tribe in
Region 4, but the Region will provide cooperative agreements
with interested Tribes, once capacity to implement a site
assessment program is established through general technical
assistance provided by Regional staff, training, and the
General Assistance Grants.
| 11/94 |
Completed PAs at two identified
CERCLA sites. |
| 1/95 |
Informed Tribes of Superfund
process. |
| 8/95 |
Performed site inspection at one
site. |
| Dorothy Rayfield |
(404) 562-8954 |
Region 6 is directly responsible for creation and
implementation of the nation's first Tribal environmental
consortia, thus establishing EPA as the first Federal agency
to implement the President's Executive Order No. 13007
concerning Indian Policy. Region 6 boundaries encompass some
68 Federally-recognized sovereign Tribal governments,
comprising the nation's largest Native American population
and 40 percent of the nation's Tribal lands and
jurisdictional service areas. Region 6 developed and funded
Tribally led Superfund programs for several Indian nations,
including the four Navajo Nation reservations, the Cherokee
Nation of Oklahoma, the 19-member-Tribe All Indian Pueblo
Council (APIC) and the 32-member-Tribe Inter-Tribal
Environmental Council of Oklahoma (ITEC). In all, 55 Region 6
Tribal governments now interact directly with the Regional
Office in the Superfund decision-making process.
Through ITEC's Superfund Multi-site Cooperative Agreement,
the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma is being provided the
expertise and skills of ITEC's Office of Environmental
Services to investigate and resolve potential hazardous waste
sites on Seminole Nation Tribal lands. A separate Cherokee
Nation Multi-media Grant has been utilized in part for a
multi-Tribal site discovery program, which resulted in
identification of three potential sites on Seminole lands.
Preliminary Assessments (PAs) on these sites will be
performed upon completion of the ITEC Cooperative Agreement,
which is currently being finalized.
| 9/95 |
Funded all Indian Superfund Program
Cooperative Agreements for FY95. |
| Mark Satterwhite |
(214) 665-8505 |
Action
Item
| Establish a pilot program to
train minority and/or low-income workers in the
hazardous waste cleanup field. |
The opportunity to participate in the economic benefits of
a Superfund cleanup is often not available to low-income or
minority residents who live close to Superfund sites. This
pilot program, called STEP-UP, is designed as a partnership
between EPA, HUD, the Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS), other Federal agencies, and the local community to
provide training to minorities and low-income residents in
the hazardous waste cleanup field. In 1996, OERR conducted a
40-hour Health and Safety training course for selected
workers. By FY98, OERR hopes to complete worker training at
the pilot site(s). The goal of the initiative is to train
apprentices for future employment in the hazardous waste
cleanup field. Contractors will employ apprentices who will
work under the supervision of a union journeyman. Upon
completion of the training, an apprentice may be able to find
employment opportunities in the hazardous waste cleanup
field.
| 8/94 |
Held a preliminary meeting with HUD
and HHS to discuss initiating minority worker
training program. |
| 2/95 |
Met with HUD and HHS to determine
services they could provide; developed MOU. |
| 10/95 |
Signed MOU between EPA and HUD. |
| 12/95 |
Established STEP UP workgroup to
resolve contractual and programmatic issues. |
| Yolanda Ting |
(703) 603-8835 |
| David Ouderkirk |
(703) 603-9039 |
Action
Item
| Incorporate community involvement
during site assessments to reduce potential
environmental inequities. |
Prior to January 22, 1996, the regional Site Assessment
Managers included the GIS maps depicting minority and poverty
distribution in SACM/RDT meetings. Since August 30, 1995, the
SACM/RDT committee has sought to identify environmental
justice implications at 17 pre-remedial NPL caliber sites by
means of the GIS maps and the SACM criteria forms that add
specific data regarding significant minority and poverty
populations in efforts to identify environmental justice
populations. The SACM/RDT has identified 2 environmental
justice population sites surrounding the presently evaluated
NPL caliber sites.
Current changes in the SACM process include the RDT's two
streamlining and empowerment decisions. First, the RDT
decided to disband the SACM screening committee. Secondly,
the RDT decided that the Regional Site Assessment Managers
(instead of a SACM screening committee) should evaluate,
identify, and recommend the pre-remedial NPL caliber sites
with environmental justice implications that should be
reviewed by the RDT committee.
| James Hargett |
(215) 566-3305 |
Action
Item
| Establish a mechanism for
including environmental justice concerns in Superfund
relocation decisions. |
OERR participated in the Relocation Roundtable, which is a
co-sponsored meeting by EPA and the National Environmental
Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC). The purpose of the
Relocation Roundtable was to obtain input from community
members and other stakeholders on criteria EPA should
consider in determining whether or not to conduct a
relocation at a Superfund site. Based on recommendations made
during the Relocation Roundtable, EPA plans to incorporate
community concerns in any guidance developed on relocation.
The roundtable meeting was extremely informative and the
community's input will be helpful in developing guidance on
when and how to do relocations under the Superfund program.
In addition, EPA will continue to listen to community
concerns about relocation issues, including environmental
justice concerns. During 1996, the Roundtable developed a
final meeting report and a videotape providing a summary of
the meeting.
| 9/95 |
Formed Relocation Roundtable
Planning Committee involving EPA, NEJAC, and
relocation experts. This group met weekly to plan and
organize the Roundtable meeting. |
| 5/96 |
Held Relocation Roundtable in
Pensacola, FL on May 2 - 4, 1996. |
| Yolanda Ting |
(703) 603-8835 |
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