Envirobytes

EnviroBytes, a Summary of Issues and Events for the Week Ending August 13, 2004

EPA REGION 3 EVALUATES HEALTH IMPACTS DUE TO DIESEL EMISSIONS IN PHILADELPHIA AREA

As part of the Philadelphia Air Toxics Project, EPA Region 3 and EPA headquarters evaluated the economic impact of diesel particulate matter (PM) in the five county Philadelphia metropolitan area. The evaluation estimates that in 1999 diesel PM caused 260 deaths at a cost of $1.4 billion; 450 non-fatal heart attacks at a cost of $37 million; 32,000 missed days of work at a cost of $11 million in wages; and 3,700 asthma attacks at a cost of $160,000

EPA developed an economic analysis software for fine particulate matter called BenMAP.   Philadelphia is the first test case of the local-scale version of the software. It works by matching changes in particulate matter with known health impacts and the cost of those impacts. This study investigated the diesel on-road and non-road contribution to PM. The costs of diesel PM were calculated by subtracting the diesel PM from the overall PM concentration - the diesel difference. Health impacts were based on peer-reviewed epidemiological studies. Costs were calculated using willingness to pay, cost of illness, and lost wages in year 2000.

WHEELING (WV) BIOLOGISTS AUDIT THE NATIONAL WADEABLE STREAM ASSESSMENT

The National Wadeable Stream Assessment (NWSA) is a national sampling effort by the EPA, states, and tribes, of wadeable streams in the United States. The NWSA will estimate the current status, trends, and changes in ecological indicators of the condition of the nation's streams and tributaries on a regional basis with known statistical confidence through recently scheduled audits.   Crews are now sampling in all the region 3 states using methods developed by EMAP. NWSA will seek associations between indicators of natural and anthropogenic stresses and indicators of condition of ecological resources.

DELAWARE WATER QUALITY PROTOCOL FOR WETLANDS ADOPTED BY EPA

EPA Region 3, in cooperation with EPA headquarters, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, has submitted a protocol for assessing water quality in emergent, shrub, and forested wetlands for the state of Delaware, as required by a 1997 settlement agreement.   It is anticipated that these monitoring plans will ultimately lead to increased restoration of wetlands. DNREC plans to demonstrate the efficiency, reliability, and practicality of the three-tiered wetland condition and assessment approach by applying it in additional watersheds in the state.

NEW PERFORMANCE PARTNERSHIP GRANT FOR PENNSYLVANIA

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) recently submitted a request that its grants be consolidated into a performance partnership grant (PPG) for FY2005. The programs that would be included are: air pollution control, state indoor radon, water pollution control, non-point source, public water system supervision, hazardous waste management, and underground storage tanks. PADEP's primary reason for entering into an agreement is to simplify fiscal administration of EPA grants.

REGION 3 CONDUCTS ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT REVIEW

Region 3 conducted its second environmental management review July 19, focusing on the results of efforts to reduce use of gasoline, electricity and paper. In 2003, Region 3 established a baseline for the 58-vehicle fleet that logged more than 900,000 miles, consumed more than 44,500 gallons of fuel, for an aggregate fleet miles per gallon of just over 20. A 47 percent reduction in the electricity used by computer monitors was realized since the implementation of the "sleep" mode. EPA region 3 will now save enough electricity every year to power a four bedroom home for eight years. Region 3 achieved a 30 percent reduction in paper use, representing a savings of more than $20,000/year.

EPA REGION 3 PARTICIPATES IN SAMPLING OF AIRLINES FOR E-COLI

The EPA Region 3 Office of Water and the Office of Enforcement are coordinating a drinking water sampling effort on airlines with the Philadelphia Department of Health. EPA will take drinking water samples at the Philadelphia Airport the week of August 25, 2004.   A previous sampling at Dulles Airport in Washington/Virginia had yielded two E.Coli positive samples in the eight flights sampled. Independence Air, headquartered out of Virginia has tested negative on all follow-up samples and no further public notification is necessary. The other flight for Jet Blue, headquartered out of New York, and flying out of Sacramento, Ca., has had confirmation samples come up positive.

UPDATE ON: REGIONAL SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION INITIATIVE

Over 800 community members have been trained by some of the 50 trained volunteers from the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) since the program started in May. This pilot program is a partnership between EPA and the Corporation for Community and National Service to train and assist RSVP professionals in the five-county Philadelphia area in speaking to and training community, school, and church groups about lead, radon, children's asthma, water quality and other environmental issues. This week, 250 students at the Delaware County YMCA were trained on the hazards of lead. Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and Delaware County RSVP Chapters have scheduled 45 speaking engagements though the end of the calendar year and will add more when school opens in September.

RETIRED SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM RECEIVE RADON AND ASTHMA TRAINING

Several members of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) attended the third and fourth in a series of train-the-trainer sessions Aug. 12 on radon prevention and Sept. 15 on asthma prevention. After this training, the volunteers will conduct presentations in their own communities.

PHILADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL TO BENEFIT FROM URBAN INITIATIVE GRANT

In July, an EPA Region 3 urban initiative grant of $60,000 was awarded to Pennsylvania State University for the Education for Prevention of Pesticide Misuse: Philadelphia School and Community Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Project. The Shaw Middle School in West Philadelphia was chosen as the location of this initial community project. Shaw students will create projects that will serve as a model for implementation of IPM in schools and communities throughout the School District of Philadelphia and other urban areas across the region. IPM is a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health and environmental risks.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND VIRGINIA RECEIVE FY04 AIR FUNDING

Funding in the amount of $ 322,678.00 was recently awarded to the District of Columbia -Department of Health to monitor fine particulate matter. Monitoring Network Grant for Fiscal Year 2004. Funding in the amount of $750,891.00 was recently awarded to the State of Virginia - Department of Environmental Quality for its monitoring. These awards will enable the Commonwealth and the District to provide ambient air data that support the nation's air quality programs.

EPA REGION 3 PROJECT STAFF PRAISED FOR ROLE IN BETHLEHEM STEEL REDEVELOPMENT EFFORT

An official groundbreaking ceremony took place Aug. 11 for a state-of-the-art cold storage and distribution center on the former Bethlehem Steel property located on the south side of Bethlehem, Pa. At the ceremony, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) Secretary Kathleen McGinty praised both PADEP and EPA Region 3 project staff, who have been working on the project since 1998. The facility is expected to be operating in March 2005.

EPA LOWERS D.C.'S MAJOR SOURCE THRESHOLD FOR NITROGEN OXIDES

The Metropolitan Washington, D.C. ozone nonattainment area, which includes the Northern Virginia area, was reclassified from serious to severe for one-hour ozone on January 24. As a result, EPA published on August 9, a direct final rulemaking approving revisions to Virginia's State Implementation Plan. The revisions specify that the Northern Virginia area is now subject to the severe major source permitting requirements and lowers the major stationary source threshold for nitrogen oxides from 50 to 25 tons per year. The rulemaking will become effective Oct. 8, if no comments are received by September 8.

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