EPA is adding 19 final hazardous waste sites to the National Priorities List (NPL) and proposing seven new sites for public comment. The primary purpose of the NPL is to guide the EPA in determining which sites warrant further investigation. Generally, a site is proposed for the NPL if preliminary investigations indicate that it warrants further action. Proposed sites must go through a public comment period before they can be finalized on the NPL. Including this week's action, the NPL now contains 1,238 final sites. Including this week's action to add seven proposed sites to the NPL, there are now 62 sites proposed and awaiting final Agency action, 56 in the General Superfund Section and six in the Federal Facilities Section. Final and proposed sites now total 1,300.
The 19 final sites are: Callahan Mine, Brooksville, Maine; Hatheway & Patterson Co., Mansfield, Mass.; Atlantic Resources Corp., Sayreville, N.J.; Diamond Head Refinery, Kearny, N.J.; Quanta Resources Corp., Edgewater, N.J.; Cayuga County Groundwater Contamination, Cayuga County, N.Y.; Crown Cleaners of Watertown, Carthage, N.Y.; Ellenville Scrap Iron & Metal, Ellenville, N.Y.; Franklin Slag Pile, Philadelphia, Pa.; Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard, Anne Arundel County, Md.; Reasor Chemical Co., Castle Hayne, N.C.; Ashland/Northern States Power, Ashland, Wis.; Patrick Bayou, Deer Park, Texas; Brine Service Co., Corpus Christi, Texas; McGaffey & Maine Groundwater Plume, Roswell, N.M.; Railroad Ave. Groundwater Contamination, Des Moines, Iowa; Oak Grove Village Well, Oak Grove Village, Mo.; Eureka Mills, Eureka, Utah; and Del Amo, Los Angeles, Calif.
The seven proposed sites are: Pesticide Warehouse III, Manati, Puerto Rico;
United Metals, Marianne, Fla.; Ward Transformer, Raleigh, N.C.; Lammers
Barrel Factory, Beavercreek, Ohio; Falcon Refinery, Ingelside, Texas; Gulfco
Marine Maintenance, Freeport, Texas; and Harbor Oil, Portland, Ore. More
information about these sites and the Superfund program is available at
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/index.htm#.
2ND ANNUAL STATEWIDE POLLUTION PREVENTION ROUNDTABLE FOR PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
This year's 2nd Annual Statewide Pollution Prevention Conference provides an opportunity for Pennsylvania industry to interact with industry peers, government officials and resource providers to seek solutions to and understanding of the environmental issues and related concerns facing Pennsylvania industry.
Keynote speakers include:
- David Hess, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
- Earl Freilino, Director, Office of Pennsylvania Homeland Security
- Barbara DÆAngelo, Director, Office of Environmental Innovation, EPA Region III
Presentations and breakout sessions will be offered on:
- Industrial Energy Issues in the State of Pennsylvania
- Energy Policy in the State of Pennsylvania
- Beneficial Use & Recycling in Pennsylvania
- Industrial Water Usage
- Storm Water Issues
The conference includes a vendor showcase on both days of the conference and
a policy panel discussion on energy and environmental policy affecting
Pennsylvania industry. See the conference web site at
http://www.shermer-assoc.com/p2statewideconf or contact Jane Savko at
412-325-1565 extension 34 or via email at jane@winnets.com for conference
details.
EPA RELEASES DIESEL EXHAUST HEALTH ASSESSMENT
EPA has released the final "Health Assessment Document for Diesel Engine Exhaust." The assessment evaluates the health effects literature to identify the most important exposure hazards to humans. Secondly, the assessment evaluates the exposure-response characteristics of the key health effects so that information is available for understanding the possible impact on an exposed population. The information provided by this assessment was useful in developing EPA's understanding of the public health implications of current exposure to diesel engine exhaust and the public health benefits of taking regulatory action to control diesel emissions. EPA has taken strong action to control diesel emissions. In fact, a draft of this assessment was part of the scientific basis that supported recently established EPA exhaust emission standards for heavy-duty highway engines that become effective with the 2007 model year, which will reduce emissions by as much as 95 percent. EPA's Voluntary Diesel Retrofit Program helps state and local agencies to retrofit older engines to make them run cleaner and to develop model programs to reduce emissions from idling engines. The Agency is also developing a proposal to address pollution from diesel-powered non-road vehicles and equipment. The assessment is available on EPA's web site at http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/.DOT TO TEST EFFECTIVENESS OF HIGH TECH SYSTEMS FOR PROTECTING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON TRUCKS
As part of DOT¦s effort to protect the nation against terrorists, U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta has announced the start of an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) operational test to measure the effectiveness of safety and security technologies and procedures for safeguarding hazardous materials being transported by trucks. Private and public sector participants have committed significant cost sharing for the project, in effect doubling the buying power of the $2.5 million being provided by the federal government.
The purpose of the test is to assess the effectiveness of different technologies and procedures and determine the costs and benefits of each to the safety and security of hazardous materials being transported by trucks. The test will independently assess which combination of technology and procedures is the safest and most cost-effective for protecting different types of hazardous cargo from being hijacked by terrorists.
The two-year effort will include 100 trucks equipped with a variety of existing technologies. The project will test capabilities such as biometric driver verification, off-route vehicle alerts, stolen vehicle alerts, cargo tampering alerts and remote vehicle disabling.
There are nearly 800,000 daily shipments of hazardous materials on U.S. highways.
This project is a joint effort involving several USDOT agencies. Led by the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the test is largely funded by
the USDOT¦s Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (JPO).
The team includes technical experts from JPO as well as from the Research
and Special Programs Administration, the Federal Highway Administration, and
the USDOT Office of Intermodalism.
UPCOMING DEADLINES
Clean Air Act (CAA)
- September 12, 2002 - Owners or operators of flexible operation units not designed as thermoplastic product processing units in accordance with national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants for Group IV polymers and resins, 40 CFR 63 Subpart JJJ, must perform annual applicability determination.
Clean Water Act (CWA)
- September 30, 2002 - Owners or operators of industrial facilities located in EPA Region 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, or 10 subject to terms and conditions of EPA's NPDES storm water multi-sector general permit must calculate average concentrations for the pollutant parameter that it monitors.
AIR QUALITY REPORT CONFIRMS CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT AND REMAINING CHALLENGES
According to EPA's 2001 annual summary report of National Air Quality Trends, air quality in the United States continues to improve steadily. Continuing trends seen since 1970, U.S. air quality has steadily improved, while gross domestic product has grown by 161 percent. Also during the same time frame, miles traveled by cars and trucks have increased by nearly 150 percent and energy consumption has risen by 42 percent.
Despite the strides made to improve air quality, more than 130 million people today live in areas where air is unhealthy at times because of high levels of air pollutants -- primarily ozone and fine particles. EPA has taken several steps in recent years to improve air quality by implementing more stringent National Ambient Air Quality Standards, as well as new requirements to reduce emissions from industrial and on-road transportation sources. EPA has also submitted to Congress Clear Skies legislation that, if enacted, would mandate reductions of ozone- and particle-forming compounds from power generators by 70 percent from current levels through a nationwide cap and trade program. The Agency also expects to propose regulations that would reduce emissions that form ozone and fine particles from off-road vehicles, such as bulldozers and other large construction equipment.
The report, "Latest Findings on National Air Quality - 2001 Status and Trends," is available at http://www.epa.gov/airtrends.
