Region 7

Serving Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and 9 Tribal Nations

EPA and K-State Host Sustainable Redevelopment Workshop

(Kansas City, Kan., August 29, 2008) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7, and Kansas State University will host a Sustainable Redevelopment Workshop September 9-11 at the Kansas State University Student Union in Manhattan, Kan. News Release

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EPA Awards $182,000 in Environmental Education Grants

(Kansas City, Kan., August 26, 2008) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Region 7 office has awarded nine grants totaling $182,000 to develop new environmental education projects. The proposals came from the four Region 7 states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. News Release

EPA Region 7 Completes Water Testing Preparedness Exercise With Labs in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska

(Kansas City, Kan., August 25, 2008) - Labs that test drinking water throughout the four states of EPA's Region 7 should be better suited to respond to natural disasters, acts of terrorism and other emergencies, as a result of a weeklong regional preparedness exercise completed today. News Release

EPA Staff Provides Outreach at Job Fair in Kansas City, Kan.

EPA participated in a recent Job Fair in Kansas City, Kansas, sponsored by the Univision TV Network. Region 7 staff interacted with many attendees, showing them how to access job information and providing educational outreach materials about Healthy Homes. This was a joint EPA effort by the Environmental Justice staff and Hispanic Employment Program members to provide the Hispanic community with information about EPA and its programs to assist the minority community. EPA participants included Wilfredo Rosado-Chaparro (at left in photo), Debbie Bishop, Monica Espinosa, Kristina Kasper, Michael Minor, Althea Moses, Berta Navarro, and Isabel Velasquez.

EPA Region 7 Responders Conduct Boom Training in Nebraska

(Kansas City, Kan., August 21, 2008) - Federal on-scene coordinators from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will conduct boom deployment training for federal, state, and local agencies at the Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust facility near Wood River, Neb., on August 26-27. The training will focus on shallow water response and recovery techniques along the Platte River. News Release

St. Louis Metro Area Identified as Pollution Nonattainment Area

(Kansas City, Kan., August 19, 2008) - EPA has notified the Missouri Department of Natural Resources that the Agency intends to modify the state's recommendation for designating areas as nonattainment for short-term fine-particle pollution. Missouri DNR had proposed that the entire state be designated in attainment. News Release

Iowa Counties Identified as Possible Pollution Nonattainment Area

(Kansas City, Kan., August 19, 2008) - EPA has sent a letter to Gov. Chet Culver proposing Scott and Muscatine counties in Iowa as potential nonattainment areas for exceeding the short-term fine-particle pollution standard of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard. Nonattainment areas are areas that violate or contribute to nearby areas that violate air quality standards. Areas designated as "nonattainment" are required to develop plans to reduce emissions under the Clean Air Act. News Release

EPA Region 7 Is Collecting Soil and Water Samples in Moniteau and Miller Counties

(Kansas City, Kan., August 18, 2008) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently sampling soil and water from private wells at residences in Moniteau and Miller counties. The samples collected by EPA are being screened for the presence of lead and other metals. There is no cost to the property owner or resident for the sampling. News Release

EPA Approves Kansas Water Quality Standards

(Kansas City, Kan., August 14, 2008) - EPA has approved the revised Kansas water quality standards adopted by the state May 9, 2008. This action designates more than 2,097 miles of Kansas waters for recreational and aquatic life uses. News Release

EPA Awards Nearly $1.5 Million Grant for Water Infrastructure and Green Innovations

(Kansas City, Kan., August 13, 2008) - EPA has awarded $1,474,500 to the Kansas City Mo., Water Services Department to replace or relocate drinking water mains, sanitary sewers and stormwater sewers as part of the Beacon Hill Redevelopment Project, located west of Bruce R. Watkins Drive from 22nd Street to 27th Street in Kansas City, Mo. The project will include green stormwater infrastructure, such as an underground detention basin, bio-retention cells and rain gardens. News Release

Region 7 Chief, Staff Tours Treece, Kan., site with Rep. Boyda

EPA Region 7 Administrator John Askew and Congresswoman Nancy Boyda (Kansas, 2nd District) toured the Cherokee County Superfund Site recently. Boyda was interested in the residential cleanup in Treece, Kan., and saw firsthand the properties that have been remediated and chat piles and wastes that will be remediated. Pictured (left to right): Gene Gunn, chief, Special Emphasis and Remedial Branch, EPA Region 7; Dave Drake, project manager, Cherokee County Superfund Site, EPA Region 7; Askew; Boyda; John Meyer, project manager, Tar Creek Superfund Site, EPA Region 6; and Judy Jewsome, Rep. Boyda's constituent services director.

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