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Envirobytes - An Environmental Newsletter
EnviroBytes, a Summary of Issues and Events for Week Ending August 29, 2008
VIRGINIA WATER SYSTEM OPERATOR RECEIVES REGIONAL AWARD
Michael Whitley, utility superintendent for the Hanover County (Va.) Department of Public Utilities was awarded the EPA mid-Atlantic region's award for excellence in operating a large public drinking water system. “Public drinking water plant operators like Michael Whitley are our first line of defense against waterborne diseases and contamination that can cause serious, even fatal, illnesses,” said Donald S. Welsh, EPA regional administrator. "This award honors the excellence of highly qualified, trained professionals who have the expertise to operate water treatment plants and improve drinking water quality." Whitley was nominated for the award by the Virginia Department of Health's Office of Drinking Water. For more information on the Professional Operator Regional Excellence Award, go to: http://www.epa.gov/reg3wapd/drinking/awards.htm#operator
MESSAGES IN A BOTTLE FEATURED ON EPA AUDIO PODCAST
The class at the Hillside School in Bridgewater, N.J. won an EPA contest challenging elementary school students to reduce their carbon footprint. The winning project called "Messages In a Bottle" set out to reduce the amount of single-use water bottles being consumed at the school. The podcast gives us a good idea how these young students tackled their recycling project in such an innovative and determined way and were able to surmount problems and challenges collaboratively, innovatively and systematically at such a young age. To subscribe to EPA Region 3’s podcast, go to http://www.epa.gov/region3/multimedia/
MANUFACTURERS AND RETAILERS BALANCE TIRES AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Tire companies, big box stores, and the government are putting the brakes on the use of lead wheel weights through EPA's National Lead-Free Wheel Weight Initiative. Partners have agreed to phase-in the use of lead-free alternative wheel weights and reduce the amount of lead released into the environment by 2011 as a significant step toward reducing the overall amount of lead released into the environment. EPA estimates that 50 million pounds of lead per year are used for wheel weights in cars and light trucks. Lead from wheel weights can enter the environment as they move into the waste stream at the end of their product life, or after they come off accidentally. For more information, go to: epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/minimize/nlfwwi.htm
EPA TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON AREAS TO BE DESIGNATED FOR FINE PARTICLE POLLUTION STANDARDS
EPA is opening a 30-day public comment period on its recommendations for areas to be designated as out of compliance with the agency's 24-hour fine particle standards. On Aug. 19 and 20, EPA notified states and tribes of its recommendations for areas to be designated as "attainment" or "nonattainment" for fine particle pollution (PM2.5). Exposure to fine particle pollution is linked to a variety of serious health problems, including aggravated asthma, chronic bronchitis, nonfatal heart attacks, and premature death. States and tribes have an opportunity to respond to EPA's recommendations, and provide new information or analyses if appropriate. EPA will consider those responses, along with the public comment, before making its final decisions. EPA must issue final designations by Dec. 18, 2008. EPA will accept public comment for 30 days after a notice is published in the Federal Register. Instructions for submitting comments are available at www.epa.gov/pmdesignations.
EPA-FUNDED WORKSHOP TRAINS MUNICIPALITIES TO MARKET BROWNFIELD PROPERTIES FOR REDEVELOPMENT
On Aug. 27, the National Brownfields Association (a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to the responsible redevelopment of Brownfields) held a workshop to train Maryland municipalities how to attract investment capital to finance municipal brownfield projects. EPA funded the course through a Brownfields training grant developed to help municipalities become more familiar with real estate development language, techniques and processes so they can become adept at marketing properties for redevelopment. Workshop participants learned how to appraise and value contaminated land, determine the best use for a Brownfield property, and how to effectively market it to developers. A similar workshop is being planned for the Philadelphia area on Sept. 24 and will be hosted by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.
EPA TRAINING PROVIDES BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF AGRICULTURE’S IMPACT ON POTOMAC REGION WATER QUALITY
On Aug. 21, EPA Region 3 Water Program staff and members of the Potomac River Basin Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership attended a training session at the USDA's Beltsville (Md.) Agricultural Research Center to understand how agriculture affects the Potomac region's drinking water quality. The training session brought a better understanding of the economic, regulatory and political framework underlying agricultural livestock production systems, the beef cattle and dairy industries, and how the Cryptosporidium parasite moves from cattle to surface water. An EPA speaker spoke on federal permitting and regulations for Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs).
CLIMATE READY ESTUARIES PROGRAM ANNOUNCES NEW WEBSITE
EPA's Climate Ready Estuaries (CRE) Program announced its new website designed to provide users with information on how climate change can impact the regional coastal regions and the strategies that can be used to adapt to the impact. The online coastal toolkit provides coastal managers with resources they can use to develop and implement adaptation measures including Coastal vulnerability and adaptation tools, Monitoring Climate Change, Adaptation Planning, Smart Growth in the Context of Climate Change, data, and monitoring, and sustainable financing. The Climate Ready Estuaries program is a partnership between EPA and the National Estuary Programs to address climate change in vulnerable coastal areas. The new Web site is available at www.epa.gov/cre .
REGIONAL STAFF PARTICIPATES IN COAL COMBUSTION PRODUCTS TECHNICAL SYMPOSIUM
Region 3 staff attended the Anthracite Region Independent Power Producers Association's (ARIPPA) 18th Annual Technical Symposium held in Harrisburg., Pa., Aug. 26-27. ARIPPA consists of 13 Pennsylvania waste coal facilities that use circulating fluidized bed combustion to generate electricity and generate residual alkaline ash used to fill strip mine pits to remediate acid mine drainage. In 2007, more than 4.8 million tons of coal ash were used for mine reclamation. EPA staff used the occasion to promote the beneficial use of Coal Combustion Products (CCPs), the environmental benefits that result from their use, and the pollution preventing public/private partnership programs, namely the Coal Combustion Products Partnership (C2P2) and the Green Highways Partnership. For more information on C2P2, go to http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/c2p2/index.htm
REGIONAL STAFF EXPLAIN AIR QUALITY SYSTEM AT THE 18TH NATIONAL AIR QUALITY SYSTEM CONFERENCE IN MILWAUKEE, WI
Regional Air Protection Division staff participated in the 18th National Air Quality System (AQS) Conference in Milwaukee, Wis., organized by EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards. The conference was designed to help state/local and tribal agencies familiarize themselves with the process of collecting and reporting air quality data into the Air Quality System (AQS). The Air Quality System (AQS) is EPA's repository of ambient air pollution data gathered from the nation's air pollution monitors and submitted on a periodic basis. Regional participants included Allegheny County, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and West Virginia. For more information on AQS, go to http://www.epa.gov/ttn/airs/airsaqs/basic_info.htm
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