Significant Developments and Activities Report

LAND AND CHEMICALS DIVISION
Weekly Significant Developments and Activities Report
September 19, 2008

Dow Chemical Achieves Their Goal in NPEP

Two Dow Chemical buildings at their Midland plant achieved their goals under the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities program. In 2006, Michigan Operations - Building 298 committed to reducing diethyl ether, toluene and ethyl chloride by replacing scrubbers and vent compressors. In 2006, Michigan Operations- Building 963 also made a commitment to reduce Methanol by installing new equipment to neutralize and steam strip a wastewater stream.
Contact: Janet Haff, 312-353-7923

MMB Co-Hosts 4th Midwest Urban Recycling Forum

On September 11th and 12th, Region 5 MMB co-hosted a group of municipal and county recycling coordinators for a two-day meeting of presentations and interactive discussions focused on improving urban recycling programs. Markets for recyclables, food waste collection strategies, recycling at venues, C&D recycling programs, switching from residential recycling bins to toters, and recycling in multi-unit residential buildings were discussed. The program also included a tour of the Chicago facility of Strategic Materials, the largest glass processor (recycler) in the U.S. The meeting was well-attended by 48 recycling officials representing all Region 5 states and Iowa. Region 5 co-hosted previous Midwest Urban Recycling Forums in 2003 and 2005, in Chicago, and in 2007, in Ann Arbor. This year’s Forum was hosted in partnership with the Illinois Recycling Association, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the City of Chicago, and the Chicago Recycling Coalition. Presentations and other Forum materials will be posted on EPA Region 5’s Solid Waste Program website.
Contact: Julie Gevrenov, 312-886-6832

Presentation on Disaster Debris Planning at International Public Works Congress

MMB staff gave a training presentation on disaster debris preparedness at a technical session of the International Public Works Congress in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event was sponsored by the American Public Works Association (APWA), which consists of state, county and municipal public works directors nationwide. A summary of disaster debris management information, resources, training, and estimation tools available was presented along with details of the Region 5 "Disaster Debris Recovery Network." Feedback was solicited from the audience, many of whom would be first responders in a disaster event in the context of debris management and infrastructure restoration.
Contact: Paul Ruesch, 312-886-7898

Meeting with Aluminum Association Salt Cake Workgroup Regarding Aluminum Dross Research Project

MMB and ORD-Cincinnati met with representatives from the primary and secondary aluminum processing industry regarding a research project on aluminum production wastes. Representatives from the Aluminum Association, Alcoa, Aleris International, Owl’s Head and Scepter attended. The waste management industry has concerns about the management of secondary aluminum wastes, which are reacting with liquids and causing subsurface heating leading to fires, odors, engineered component failure and leachate releases at municipal solid waste landfills, most notably the Countywide Landfill in Ohio. Objectives for the research include waste characterization, simulation of the reaction in landfills, application and evaluation of reagents to control fires and prevent the reaction, and field data collection. The project received preliminary FY08 RARE program funding and additional funds were added from ORD. In addition, it is anticipated that funding will be leveraged from both the waste and aluminum industries under the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement mechanism.
Contact: Paul Ruesch, 312-886-7898

Presentation at Lakeview YMCA Junior Adventurers Day

MMB staff gave a presentation on recycling at the Junior Adventurers Day Camp in Chicago, Illinois. An explanation of how recycling works after materials are collected from the curbside was presented along with a series of photos and video clips from actual recycling centers. In addition, a summary of what types of recycled products are available along with examples was provided for the adventurers to look at and ask questions. Approximately 100 participants in the Adventurers Day were reached in the presentation.
Contact: Michelle Heger, 312-886-4510

EPA Awards Funds to Board of Trustees University of Illinois-Waste Management & Research Center National P2 Network

On August 28, 2008, EPA awarded to Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) $77,000 to continue pollution prevention (P2) projects, strengthen P2 training programs, and enhance other environmental programs for the benefit of businesses, organizations and government agencies throughout the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. The Waste Management & Research Center (WMRC) is the host agency for GLRPPR.
Contact: Rita Garner, 312-886-2440

Michigan Stakeholder’s Meeting on Lead (Pb) Renovation Program

The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) convened a meeting of key stakeholders in Lansing on September 23rd to initiate dialogue about whether the State should seek program authorization under the U.S. EPA's new Pb Renovation, Repair & Painting (RRP) Program Rule (promulgated on April 22, 2008). The MDCH hopes to build a statewide consensus in support of this action, and expects that it will need to acquire new statutory and regulatory authority before formally applying. With approximately 75 persons in attendance, representing child health advocates, government agencies, property managers and the construction trades, MDCH staff provided an overview of the new federal requirements, and invited participation in the planning and development of a new state program. Phil King, of the Toxics Section, gave a presentation on the process for seeking federal program authorization and what such an effort typically entails. Attendees were then divided into facilitated breakout groups to brainstorm the design of what a Michigan RRP program might/should look like. This workshop was also attended by the U.S. EPA's National Lead Program Manager (NPM), Maria Doa, who observed the proceedings. MDCH plans a series of follow-up workshops to continue this process. The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for December 3, 2008.
Contact: Phil King, 312-353-9062

U.S. EPA Region 5 Awards for a CARE Program Grant to Complete a Project in the Martindale-Brightwood Neighborhood – Project Name “Improving Kids Environment, Inc.”

On October 11, 2008, U.S. EPA Region 5 awarded $97,840.00 to Improving Kids Environment, Inc (IKE) in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood of Indianapolis, Indiana. Martindale-Brightwood population is approximately 8,000 residents and a substantial and disproportionate percentage of the families live in poverty. This project will build a collaborative local partnership focused on compiling existing environmental and health data, providing opportunities for broad community input to prioritize the data and share residents concerns, and develop a community-based plan for improving the environment and public health in Indianapolis. The project will be conducted in partnership with the Marion County Health Department, Indianapolis University, Perdue University, Indianapolis Capstone Project Students, Scott United Methodist Church, City of Indianapolis, and Neighborhood Alliance for Child Safety, Making Connection, and Martindale-Brightwood Local Learning partnership, Greater Citizens Coalition of Martindale, NAACP, Indiana University School of Medicine and Community Resurrection Partnership.
Contact: Martha Robinson, 312-886-6141

Wisconsin Tribal Site Visits

MMB visited the Red Cliff and Bad River Bands of Lake Superior Chippewa on September 10, and the Sokaogon Chippewa Community and Stockbridge-Munsee Community on September 11, to review each tribe's progress on developing an integrated waste management plan and other solid waste issues. The Red Cliff tribe will be coordinating public input and revisiting with key tribal departmental and federal partners on their draft plan. The Bad River tribe hopes to present their draft plan to the Tribal Council some time early next fiscal year. The Sokaogon (Mole Lake) tribe has been delayed in drafting a plan due to staff medical reasons, so they will now establish key tribal and federal partners into a committee to obtain input. The Stockbridge-Munsee tribe will begin their project next fiscal year, and will emphasize pollution prevention and sustainability into their plan.
Contact: Dolly Tong, 312-886-1019

Wolverine Oil and Supply Co., Inc. Multimedia Settlement

By September 12, 2008, Region 5 and Wolverine Oil and Supply Co., Inc (Wolverine) reached agreement in principle and had prepared a nearly final combined complaint and consent agreement final order (CC/CAFO) pursuant to the Emergency Planning and Community Right- to-Know Act (EPCRA), the Oil Pollution Act/Clean Water Act Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures Act (SPCC), and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) used oil management standards. Wolverine, a small business, had been inspected at least twice by each program from 2002 through 2005. The settlement negotiations included tolling agreements, consideration of ability to pay, and environmentally beneficial projects.
Contact: Sue Brauer, 312-353-6134

EPA Presentation on Green Meetings to Meeting Professionals

Ethel Crisp, a certified meeting professional, spoke to members of the Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP) on September 17, 2008 at the Homewood Suites Hotel in Chicago on EPA’s Green Meeting Initiatives. SGMP is a nonprofit professional organization of persons involved in planning government meetings. The objectives of the organization are to improve the equality and promote the cost-effectiveness of government meetings by improving the knowledge and expertise of individuals in the planning and management of government meetings through education, training, and industry relationships. The presentation asked the attendees “How Green Is Your Meeting?” and “Why Plan Green Meetings?” Her remarks addressed how the hospitality industry can minimize the environmental impacts of holding meetings and how everyone should learn to be more environmentally responsible to reduce, reuse and recycle. Participants were educated on EPA’s 14-point checklist and how planners and hoteliers can incorporate “greening” practices in the planning and coordination of meetings and conferences. Ms. Crisp was invited to be a speaker to address this same topic at their 2009 National Education Conference to be held in Louisville, KY.
Contact: Ethel Crisp, 312-353-1442

EPA, Region 5, Pesticides and Toxics Compliance Section Personnel Performed a Pesticide Import Inspection

The Pesticides and Toxics Compliance Section performed an inspection, at Channel Distribution Corporation, Itasca, Illinois, of a pesticide being imported into the United States. The "for cause" inspection was conducted in order to ensure compliance with Sections 3 and 17 or FIFRA and the implementing regulations in 40 C.F.R. The violation suspected was misbranding; the Broker indicated that there was no pesticide label on the product. The pesticide product being imported was "Tolcide PS50A," EPA Reg. No. 4564-17. The importer was Rhodia, Inc., located in Cranbury, New Jersey. The inspection confirmed the lack of a proper pesticide label on the import product.
Contact: Joseph Lukascyk, 312-886-6233

Multi-Agency Federal MOU Workgroup Meeting

On September 9, MMB staff participated in the quarterly meeting of the Multi-Agency Federal MOU Workgroup, which coordinates environmental issues with tribes in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Staff from the Bureau of Indian Affairs discussed response efforts to severe Midwest storms in June 2008, which affected some tribes. BIA worked with tribes to secure funds under the Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads program, which can cover debris management costs. Also, MMB staff presented a revised draft of a Federal Resource Guide for Tribal Waste Management, which compiles various federal funding and technical resources to support (or which may impact) tribal waste management. Federal agency representatives were asked to review the guide before it is distributed to tribes.
Contact: Dolly Tong, 312-886-1019

U.S. EPA Region 5 Awards Funds to IDA and WDATCP for Pesticide Program Implementation and Enforcement

On August 11, 2008, U.S. EPA Region 5 awarded $175,000 and $258,367 to Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (WDATCP) and Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA), respectively, to continue pesticide regulatory administration and enforcement under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) in Wisconsin and Illinois. These partial award amounts of an anticipated $504,466 award for WDATCP and $770,429 award for IDA will assist the States in implementing FIFRA programs including training and certification of pesticide applicators and pesticide law enforcement. IDA’s funding includes an additional $41,600 for lab equipment. The Project Officer is Sharon Kiddon, the Technical Contacts are Heather Anhalt and Holly Mc Donald, respectively.
Contact: Sharon Kiddon, 312-886-6173

Construction Completed On Two Interim Measures at AK Steel, Middleton, Ohio

Construction was recently completed on two interim measures in the slag processing area at the AK Steel facility in Middletown, Ohio. Interim measures (IM) 4A and 5 involved the excavation and proper disposal of areas within AK Steel’s slag processing area which were contaminated with PCBs, and suspected to be source areas for off-site PCB contamination. The IM's were required by a Consent Decree entered in 2006.

The total area associated with IM's 4A and 5 had an excavation volume of about 1,300 cubic yards. About 70 cubic yards exceeded the TSCA threshold and were manifested to a TSCA landfill. The remaining material exceeded the clean-up level for total PCBs but was less than 50 ppm, and was disposed in a local solid waste landfill. Oversight for the clean-up was provided by Ohio EPA.
Contact: Michael Mikulka, 312-886-6760

EPA Awards Funds to the Center for a New American Dream for the Promotion of Green Electronic Products

EPA awarded the Center for a New American Dream funding for FY09 in the amount of $40,375 to address the national Resource Conservation Challenge priority of promoting green electronic products in the Region. The Center, established in 1997, has reached millions of Americans through targeted media campaigns and built a New Dream Community of 140,000 Americans who make healthier consumer choices and embrace less materialistic lifestyles. This project will focus on developing green purchasing tools for information technology equipment that will be purchased by large purchasers. Ethel Crisp of the Program Services Branch is the Project Officer for this grant, and Christopher Newman in the Materials Management Branch is the Technical Contact.
Contact: Ethel Crisp, 312-353-1442

EPA, Region 5 Enters Into a CAFO with Solon Veterinary Clinic, Inc.

EPA, Region 5 has entered into a Joint Complaint and Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) with Solon Veterinary Clinic, Inc., located in Solon, Ohio. The complaint alleged one count of the distribution/sale of the misbranded pesticide "Advantage 55 Topical Solution," EPA Reg. No. 11556-120. The case was developed from an inspection performed by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, based on a citizen complaint. The Respondent was assessed a civil penalty of $2,660.
Contact: Joseph Lukascyk, 312-886-6233, Robert Guenther, 312-886-0566

Groundwater Investigation Work Initiated at AK Steel, Middleton, Ohio

EPA has recently approved a groundwater model investigation work plan for RCRA facility investigation (RFI) work at the AK Steel facility located in Middletown, Ohio. An RFI was required under a Consent Decree entered in 2006. Under the approved work plan, AK Steel will be installing additional borings and wells to collect site data and resolve data gaps useful for the refinement of the groundwater flow model for the RFI conceptual site model. Although the site has a number of existing groundwater monitoring wells, this field work will build on the hydrogeologic and geologic knowledge of the site. AK Steel is located in southwestern Ohio and has postulated that the area in the vicinity of its facility has three distinct water bearing strata which are not connected. The approved work plan will test this hypothesis and result in updated groundwater flow maps, revised facility geologic cross-sections and an updated and refined groundwater flow model which should be useful in prioritizing later RFI activities. The field portion of the work is scheduled to begin the week of October 14, 2008 and be completed by about November 21, 2008. Oversight for the work will be provided jointly by Ohio EPA and EPA
Contact: Michael Mikulka, 312-886-6760

Indiana Harbor Confined Disposal Facility Field Test Observed

On September 12, 2008, Laura Lodisio (LCD), Steve Johnson (LCD) and Ed Barth (ORD) observed the seventh and last day of the implementation of an in-field test to determine the effectiveness of the sealant and design to be used for construction of the south cutoff wall of the East Chicago confined disposal facility (CDF). The CDF, currently under construction, will be used to dispose of contaminated sediments dredged from the Indiana Harbor by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including regulated TSCA material, beginning in 2010. The south cutoff wall is the final construction phase following the completion of the dikes and slurry wall around the perimeter of the site designed for a capacity of over three million cubic yards of sediment. USEPA staff was accompanied on site by USACE personnel and their contractor.
Contact Laura Lodisio, 312-886-7090

Pesticide Safety Outreach Participates in Congressional Town Hall Meeting

On September 5th and 6th, 2008, Steve Morgan of the Pesticide Section's outreach program participated in the 9th Annual Congressman Danny Davis Town Hall Meeting. This meeting was held at the Malcolm X College, located on Damen Avenue and Jackson Boulevard, Chicago’s Westside. This year’s town hall meeting theme was “Appreciating Our Veterans”. This annual town hall fair was hosted by a number of agencies, businesses, organizations, municipalities, to provide resources to the community such as job listings, and advertise products and/or services. The pesticide outreach display booth was able to pass out an abundance of public health EPA literature, and address some of the many concerns to the general public. More than 400 persons were in attendance during this two day event.
Contact: Steven Morgan, 312-353-1524

U.S. EPA Awards Grant to Purdue University for Pollution Prevention Technical Assistance

As part of U.S. EPA’s Resource Conservation Challenge Program to minimize priority chemicals, U.S. EPA awarded $102,600 to Purdue University for pollution prevention technical assistance to Indiana businesses. This grant will aid in the development of pollution prevention best management practices to reduce hazardous waste, air emissions and discharges to municipal wastewater treatment plants and waters of the State.
Contact: Rita Garner, 312-886-2440

U.S. EPA Region 5 Awards Funds to the University of Minnesota for Pollution Prevention and Energy Efficiency for Minnesota’s Metal Fabrication Industry

On August 11, 2008, U.S. EPA Region 5 awarded $33,137 to the University of Minnesota to identify and implement source reduction and energy efficiency opportunities in the metal fabrication industry to reduce waste at the source and reduce energy costs. This will be accomplished through industry stakeholder meetings, technology demonstrations, conducting pilot tests, and analyzing impacts on employee health and the environment. The Project Officer is Sharon Kiddon and the Technical Contact is Phil Kaplan
Contact: Sharon Kiddon, 312-886-6173

U.S. EPA Region 5 Awards Grant to the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee for CARE Project: Westlawn Partnership for a Healthier Environment

On August 27, 2008, U.S.EPA Region 5 awarded $94,813 to the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee to complete a CARE project in the Westlawn neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The goal of this project is to develop a community-based plan for improving the environment and public health in the area by building local partnerships, gathering and prioritizing data and identifying residents’ concerns. The Project Officer is Sharon Kiddon and the Technical Contact is Margaret Millard.
Contact: Sharon Kiddon, 312-886-6173

U.S. EPA Region 5 Awards $50,000 Grant to the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community for Childhood Blood-Lead Screening and Lead Awareness Education in Minnesota

On September 2, 2008, U.S. EPA Region 5 awarded $50,000 to the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community to conduct a lead-level baseline assessment of American Indian children. The Shakopee Tribal Community will deploy a mobile medical unit and provide on-site testing and distribute educational items to promote lead awareness. The goal of the project is to reduce/eliminate lead poisoning in American Indian Children in Minnesota. The Project Officer is Sharon Kiddon and the Technical Contact is Emma Avant.
Contact: Sharon Kiddon, 312-886-6173

WDNR FY’09 Kick-off and Health Care Meeting

On August 16 and 17, 2008, Walt Francis and Brenda Whitney participated in the WDNR's annual RCRA compliance monitoring and enforcement Kick-Off Meeting in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. WDNR RCRA inspectors gathered to discuss the up-coming series of inspections for FY 2009, and focus on new guidance documents, enforcement case scenarios, and new initiatives. As participants in the joint WDNR -EPA health care initiative, Mr. Francis and Ms. Whitney outlined EPA's commitment to conduct health care facility inspections in Wisconsin in FY 2009. Mr. Francis and Ms. Whitney handed out guidance documents related to the initiative and discussed web-based guidance that could be found on EPA websites.
Contact: Walter Francis, 312-353-4921

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