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Significant Developments and Activities Report
LAND AND CHEMICALS DIVISION
Weekly Significant Developments and Activities Report
May 22, 2009
Region 5 Hosts Pre-SFIREG Meeting
On May 12-13, 2009 Region 5 hosted a meeting of State agricultural managers in a State FIFRA Issues Research and Evaluation Group (SFIREG) held biannually. The Region 5 State Group will send a State representative to Washington to attend a national SFIREG meeting in June. During the meeting State and Regional pesticides program and enforce ment staff and managers discussed a wide range of topics of joint interest. Some of the important State issues include the severe budget shortfalls in most States, non-traditional areas of pesticides distribution (e.g internet sales) in which States feel there are compliance challenges, pesticides that should be given a restricted use designation, problems with labels, in particular "green" labeling, and updates in the pesticide program areas of endangered species and container containment. The meeting was followed on by a grants training session for State agricultural agencies led by LCD's State and Tribal Services Section and RMD's Assistance Section. The States were provided with information to assist them in preparing grants and what to expect in terms of federal monitoring of grant programs and projects.
Contact: Dan Hopkins, (312) 886-5994, Chemicals Management Branch
Essentials for Healthy Homes Practitioners Course
On May 12-13, 2009, Tammy Moore, Toxics Section in the Chemicals Management Branch, and Tonesia Rouse from CMB, attended the Essentials for Healthy Homes Practitioners Course presented by the National Center for Healthy Housing. The training was intended to provide environmental health practitioners understand the connection between health and housing, and how to take a holistic approach to identify and resolve problems, which threaten the health and well-being of residents. The training complements hazard-specific training in lead-based paint, radon, mold, pests, and asbestos. It identifies root causes of health problems in a home and links them to seven principles of healthy housing: keep it dry; keep it clean; keep it pest-free; keep it ventilated; keep it safe, Keep It Contaminant-Free; and maintain the house. The basis of the training is to assists participants in having a better understanding of how to collaborate, and make healthy homes a reality in their community. The training will also be helpful in Ms. Moore's participation in the internal training on Healthy Homes.
Contact: Tammy Moore, (312) 886-6181, Chemicals Management Branch
Request for Proposals for 2009 Targeted Lead (Pb) Grants
On May 14, 2009, the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances (OPPTS) posted the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the 2009 Targeted Grants to Reduce Childhood Lead Poisoning. The grants will fund projects in areas with high incidences of children with elevated blood-lead levels in vulnerable populations. The Agency expects to award $1 million in grant dollars in 2009. These targeted grants will address immediate needs of the communities in which they are awarded, and also highlight lead poisoning prevention strategies that can be used in similar communities across the country. The Closing date for the RFP is August 13, 2009.
Contact: Tammy Moore, (312) 886-6181, Chemicals Management Branch
Founding Meeting of Region 5 Federal Interdepartmental Consortium on the Well-Being of Women and Girls
Maryann Suero, Children's Health Program Manager, participated in the Founding Meeting of the Region 5 Federal Interdepartmental Consortium on the Well-Being of Women and Girls, convened by Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health. The purpose of the Consortium is to facilitate communication and increase collaboration among Federal departments and agencies in Region 5, particularly as it relates to the health and well-being of women and girls. The Consortium mirrors the White House Council on Women and Girls which was created by Executive Order in March 2009 in order to provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all agencies consider how their policies, regulations and programs impact women and girls.
Twenty Federal agencies and departments participated in the Founding Meeting of the Region 5 Consortium, including Office of the Regional Health Administrator, Department of Education, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Labor, Department of Veterans Affairs, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Federal Occupational Health, Federal Executive Board, and Environmental Protection Agency.
Contact: Maryann Suero, (312) 886-9077, Chemicals Management Branch
RCC Grant Results: Chicago Multi-Unit Recycling Study Competed
A Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC) grant was issued to the City of Chicago to evaluate approaches for increasing recycling in multi-unit buildings. A recycling toolkit was developed for building owners, managers, and residents. It is available at www.chicagorecycles.org. Four multi-unit buildings agreed to participate in a pilot program to help develop and test the toolkit. The overall recycling rate at those buildings increased from 4% to 30% diverting 133 tons of waste. Region 5 will be sharing the results of this effort with other urban recycling coordinators in the Region and with RCC contacts in other EPA Regions.
Contact: Julie Gevrenov, (312) 886-6832, Materials Management Branch
EPA Coordinates Re-use and Recycling at Renovated and Closed Chicago Public Schools
MMB staff is working on a special project with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to salvage re-usable and recyclable materials from schools that are about to be renovated or closed this summer. MMB staff is working very closely with an outside Asset Disposition Consultant hired by CPS, who is coordinating the time-critical moving and management of various materials from the affected CPS schools. Materials include furniture, interior furnishings, computer equipment, textbooks, classroom supplies, demolition debris, etc. We will be establishing a future CPS protocol for overall asset disposition that ensures maximum re-use and recycling of appropriate materials.
Contact: Dolly Tong, (312) 886-1019, Materials Management Branch
Ohio Brownfields Conference PCB Remediation Presentation
On May 13, 2009, Peter Ramanauskas attended the Ohio Brownfields conference in Wilmington, Ohio to give a presentation on PCB remediation regulations and remedial options available. This was a 2 1/2 day conference which covered a variety of issues, trends and challenges facing brownfield redevelopment. The audience included site owners, remedial contractors and Ohio EPA staff. The presentation gave background on the PCB Regulations, discussed the different types of PCB impacted materials that may be encountered at Brownfields sites such as soils impacted from releases or materials that were once manufactured with PCBs like paints and caulks, and discussed cleanup levels and disposal options available. The presentation was attended by about 60 people.
Contact: Peter Ramanauskas, (312) 886-7890, Remediation and Reuse Branch
Meeting with Michigan DEQ on RCRA Corrective Action Program
On May 12, 2009, Hak Cho met with Michigan DEQ staff and managers in Lansing, Michigan regarding the MDEQ's FY09 workplan and the 2011 GPRA goals of the RCRA corrective action program. A presentation was provided by MDEQ on the current 2009 corrective action activities status with the specific commitments for the GPRA measures and also projections for 2010 and 2011 goals. The meeting covered the National Corrective Action goals for 2014, as well as the draft Region 5 - 2020 Strategy. The Region was very pleased to learn that MDEQ has made significant efforts in meeting FY09 commitments. Also, several specific issues associated with the potential referral of projects to the Region as well as general CA implementation concerns were discussed. Overall, the meeting was very productive, and both agencies agreed to track the progress being made towards achieving the 2011 goals.
Hak Cho is planning to meet with IDEM staff and managers during June 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana, regarding IDEM's 2011 and 2014 GPRA goals of the RCRA corrective action program.
Contact: Hak Cho, (312) 886-0988, Remediation and Reuse Branch
NIPSCO Finds Endangered Species
In accordance with a 2005 RCRA corrective action order, NIPSCO is currently conducting an investigation of the contamination that has migrated from the NIPSCO facility to the adjacent Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (IDNL) property in Chesterton, IN. This includes an ecological investigation. In collaboration with the National Park Service (NPS), EPA met with NIPSCO to develop multi-year studies to better characterize potential site-related risk to the park, including an amphibian and vegetation survey. EPA, NPS and Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) were recently informed that an endangered species of salamander was observed and documented during NIPSCO's most recent amphibian survey.
Contact: Michelle Majack, (312) 886-4253, Remediation and Reuse Branch
Field Work for Design Completed by Gary Sanitary District
During the week of May 18, 2009, contractors for Gary Sanitary District completed field work related to design investigations at the Gary Ralston Street Lagoon site in support of EPA's selected alternative for the site. The next step by Gary Sanitary District is to complete the design evaluations needed to prepare and submit a pilot test work plan for the selected remedy to EPA for approval.
Contact: Michael Mikulka, (312) 886-6760, Remediation and Reuse Branch
Proportionate Share Liability Fix Stalls
Illinois House Bill 3736, titled EPA Site Remediation Program, would have provided a fix for Illinois' RCRA program and removed the last block on authorization. The bill was referred back to the rules committee on March 13, 2009. Maria Gonzalez (ORC) was told at a conference this week that the bill was dead and would not be acted on. This means it is back to the drawing board for another attempt in the 2020 session.
Contact: Gary Westefer, (312) 886-7450, RCRA Branch