EPA is adding ortho-nitrotoluene (o-nitrotoluene) to the list of toxic chemicals subject to reporting under section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) of 1986 and section 6607 of the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) of 1990. O-Nitrotoluene has been classified by the National Toxicology Program in its 12th Report on Carcinogens as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” EPA has determined that o-nitrotoluene meets the EPCRA section 313(d)(2)(B) criteria because it can reasonably be anticipated to cause cancer in humans.
Orlando RCRA and DOT Training
Charlotte RCRA and DOT Training
Wilmington RCRA and DOT Training
How to Implement OSHA’s Globally Harmonized Hazard Communication Standard
OSHA has issued a final rule revising its Hazard Communication Standard, aligning it with the United Nations’ globally harmonized system (GHS) for the classification and labeling of hazardous chemicals. This means that virtually every product label, material safety data sheet (now called “safety data sheet” or SDS), and written hazard communication plan must be revised to meet the new standard. Worker training must be updated so that workers can recognize and understand the symbols and pictograms on the new labels as well as the new hazard statements and precautions on SDSs.
Environmental Resource Center is offering live online training for you to learn how the new rule differs from current requirements, how to implement the changes, and when the changes must be implemented.
Top Ten Toxic Hotspots
The report presents a new list of the top ten polluted places and provides updates on sites previously published by Blacksmith and Green Cross. A range of pollution sources and contaminants are cited, including hexavalent chromium from tanneries and heavy metals released from smelting operations. The report estimates that sites like those listed in the top ten pose a health risk to more than 200 million people in low- and medium-income countries.
The Top Ten Toxic Threats is the latest in a series of annual reports documenting global pollution issues. Many of the previous reports have listed pollution problems, rather than sites, based on their estimated impact on human health. The 2012 report for instance found that the disease burden of pollution is comparable in scope to that of more well-known public health threats, such as tuberculosis or malaria.
This is the first list of polluted sites released by the two groups since 2007. In the intervening years, the report explains, much has been learned about pollution issues in low- and medium-income countries. Efforts made by country governments in particular have greatly expanded the existing knowledge of pollution issues. In addition, Blacksmith Institute has conducted more than 2,000 risk assessments at contaminated sites in 49 countries.
"In this year's report, we cite some of the most polluted places we've encountered. But it is important to point out that the problem is really much larger than these ten sites," says Richard Fuller, president of Blacksmith Institute. "We estimate that the health of more than 200 million people is at risk from pollution in the developing world."
The authors of the report explain that significant progress has been made at many of the original top ten sites. As a result, several of these have been removed from the list. New sites mentioned include Agbogbloshie, an e-waste processing site in Accra, Ghana, and Kalimantan, Indonesia, which has become contaminated with mercury resulting from small scale gold mining.
The World's Worst Polluted Places in 2013 (unranked)
*Included in the original 2006 or 2007 lists
World's First International Standard for Organizational Waste Reduction
Following the successful completion of a pilot stage, five leading businesses have become the first to achieve the award: Whitbread, PwC, AkzoNobel Decorative Paints UK, Renishaw and the Football Association.
This makes Whitbread, PwC and AkzoNobel Decorative Paints UK the first organizations to achieve the triple crown of Carbon Trust certifications, for continually reducing their environmental impacts in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, water, and waste.
A recent Carbon Trust survey of executives in large companies in the UK, USA, China, South Korea, and Brazil found that only a third (33%) saw waste as a priority environmental area to focus on in order to compete effectively, and only a fifth (21%) had targets in place.
Calling on businesses to take urgent action to become more sustainable, Tom Delay, Chief Executive of the Carbon Trust, said, "We are living beyond our means, drawing on natural resources at a rate that cannot continue without leading to an ecological and economic crunch. Organizations that fail to bring sustainability inside their operations will face the consequences of increasingly scarce or expensive commodities, water, and energy.
"Reducing waste and resource use, along with carbon emissions and water, is a crucial part of the transformation that all businesses will need to make in the next decade. By taking early action and opening themselves up to independent certification showing real reductions, the businesses that hold our Standards are showing themselves to be genuine leaders and are putting themselves in a much stronger competitive position."
The Carbon Trust Waste Standard requires organizations to measure, manage, and reduce their solid and hazardous waste. To achieve the standard organizations need to demonstrate that waste streams are being reduced every year, or used more effectively, for example through increased reuse, recycling, or recovery.
The standard also includes a qualitative assessment to show that waste is being managed responsibly. This will include considerations outside of an organization’s direct control, such as having a diligent procurement policy for goods and waste management services, and looking at downstream impacts through products and packaging.
EPA Releases Report on Importance of Water to Economy
This report is intended to help raise the awareness of water's importance to our national economic welfare, and to summarize information that public and private decision-makers can use to better manage the nation's water resources. It highlights EPA's review of the literature and practice on the importance of water to the US economy, identifies key data gaps, and describes the implication of the study's findings for future research. EPA hopes this report will be a catalyst for a broader discussion about water's critical role in the US economy. The main findings are:
- Water is absolutely fundamental to the US economy
- Water value and competition will rise
- Decision-makers in the private and public sectors need more information
President Issues Executive Order on Preparing for Climate Change
The Executive Order addresses modernizing federal programs to support climate-resilient investments; managing lands and waters for climate preparedness and resilience; providing information, data, and tools; and planning for climate change related risk. Also established is a Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, comprised of state, local, and tribal leaders.
Hazardous Waste Export-Import Revisions Rule
EPA is considering the development of proposed revisions to the hazardous waste export-import related requirements in 40 CFR Parts 262-265 for the purpose of making existing export and import related requirements more consistent with the current import-export requirements required for shipments between members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD); enabling electronic submittal of all export and import-related documents (e.g., export notices, export annual reports); and enabling electronic validation of export shipment data prior to exit. A notice of proposed rulemaking is expected to be published in the Federal Register in October 2014.
Rural and Small Systems Guidebook to Sustainable Utility Management
The Rural and Small Systems Guidebook to Sustainable Utility Management (Guidebook) is an important part of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed by the EPA and the USDA in 2011 to jointly support a series of activities to help rural and small water and wastewater systems address various issues and more effectively provide sustainable services to the communities they support. As part of this MOA, EPA and USDA hosted a series of four, day-long pilot workshops, which included participants from over 60 rural and small water providers, in cooperation with local sponsors dedicated to small water and wastewater system management. The first workshop was held in Acme, Michigan, in cooperation with the Michigan Rural Water Association, the second in Santa Cruz, California, in cooperation with the Rural Community Assistance Corporation, the third in Helena, Georgia, with the Georgia Rural Water Association, and the fourth in Nashville, Tennessee, with the United South & Eastern Tribes.
EPA Proposes to Revise NESHAP for Polyurethane Foam Production
In light of the review, amendments are being proposed that would prohibit the use of hazardous air pollutant-based auxiliary blowing agents for slabstock foam production facilities. In addition, the EPA is proposing amendments to correct and clarify regulatory provisions related to emissions during periods of startup, shutdown, and malfunction; to add provisions for affirmative defense; to add requirements for reporting of performance testing through the Electronic Reporting Tool; to revise compliance dates for applicable proposed actions; to clarify the leak detection methods allowed for diisocyanate storage vessels at slabstock foam production facilities; and to revise the rule to add a schedule for delay of leak repairs for valves and connectors.
Amendments to Part 63 Subpart YYYYY Electric Arc Furnace Area Source Standard
EPA is planning the Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standard for mercury in the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) area source rule to develop an emission limit for mercury. This limit will replace the mercury switch program as MACT.
The states and environmental groups asked the EPA to reconsider the MACT work practice standard for mercury from the 2007 promulgated rule because they believe the switch program has had a much lower success rate than expected, and is unenforceable since only self-certification is required to comply with the MACT. In addition, the basis for the work practice promulgated as MACT in 2007 is no longer valid since mercury emissions can be collected, measured, and controlled at EAF as evidenced by over 30 facilities out of the 91 area EAFs that have measured mercury emissions and one facility that is collecting and controlling mercury under a state (NJ) mercury limit.
A notice of proposed rulemaking is expected to be published in the Federal Register by the end of next year.
EPA's Enforcement Database Gets Updated
EPA launched the Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) in 2003, providing one-stop access to compliance data years ahead of other federal agencies. The web-based tool, which is updated monthly, has allowed the public to see how well facilities are complying with environmental laws, such as the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Resource Recovery and Conservation Act. It allows users to search for enforcement and compliance information on facilities in a particular community or review the performance of the all the facilities in a state. However, the new version is more user-friendly, has better tools for site visitors, and makes it easier for a user to find his or her way around the database.
Recycling Grants Available to Delaware Businesses
To help Delaware’s businesses and institutions comply with their January 1, 2014, deadline for the Universal Recycling Law, DNREC is once again offering the Universal Recycling Grant and Low Interest Loan Program, with $1.5 million available for disbursing to help the commercial sector succeed in recycling. DNREC is encouraging not just businesses, but also non-profit organizations and schools to apply for recycling grant funding.
The state’s Universal Recycling Law means just that—ensuring recycling services are available for all in Delaware—and includes the requirement that “all commercial businesses actively participate in a comprehensive recycling program no later than January 1, 2014.” The commercial sector includes any for profit or not-for profit retail or wholesale stores, offices, food service establishments, warehouses, and other manufacturing, industrial or processing activities, and institutions such as social, charitable, educational, health care, professional, and government services.
The Universal Recycling Law also includes DNREC’s recycling grants program as a funding mechanism to assist Delaware entities with implementation costs. Grant applications will be accepted now until Wednesday, December 18, 2013 at 4:30 p.m.
“Recycling can help businesses save money and reduce their environmental footprint,” said DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara. “To achieve the statewide goals of the Universal Recycling Law, we need to work with businesses to double the recycling rate across the commercial sector. Our grants program is a great opportunity to assist the business community with recycling start-up costs. Once universal access to recycling is in place, businesses will quickly realize both the environmental and economic benefits. We want every Delawarean to have access to recycling at home, at work, and everywhere in between.”
Business owners and Institution managers are encouraged to learn about the growing recycling opportunities in Delaware. Materials commonly recycled in the commercial sector may include corrugated cardboard, food scraps, scrap lumber and scrap metals, office paper, and various plastics.
For the grants program, priority will be given to those entities responsible for compliance with the commercial component of the Universal Recycling legislation. However, other projects are eligible and creativity is welcome. The application deadline is Wednesday, December 18, 2013 at 4:30p.m.
Newfield Production Company to Pay $600K Penalty to Resolve Safe Drinking Water Act Violations
Under the terms of a consent decree lodged with the United States District Court on October 23, Newfield has agreed to pay $600,000 for failing to demonstrate financial responsibility associated with the safe operation of 442 injection wells on the Reservation from March 2009 through September 2010.
“Companies like Newfield have an obligation to demonstrate they have sufficient resources to operate responsibly in Indian country,” said Mike Gaydosh, EPA enforcement director in Denver. “In this case, Newfield did not provide adequate documentation of financial reserves to ensure the protection of water resources and the safe operation of wells used to dispose production wastes.”
Under the consent decree, Newfield has agreed to secure a bond to provide proof of adequate financial assurance through the remainder of this year. The company must also comply with specific restrictions and reporting requirements to ensure that future demonstrations of financial assurance are adequate.
The program requires that owners and operators of injection wells prove they have the financial means to properly plug and abandon any well should the well fail or need to be shut down. Improperly managed or abandoned wells can contaminate drinking and groundwater. Making sure that companies have the financial resources to operate these wells protects drinking water sources and prevents defaults that would shift cleanup and response costs from responsible parties to taxpayers.
The proposed consent decree was published in the Federal Register on October 31 and is subject to a 30-day public comment period.
Public Comment Period for New Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements Extended
The public comment period deadline for the proposed rule published on 11 September 2013 (78 FR 55994), has been extended from 12 November 2013 to 26 November 2013. POC is Carole Cook, Climate Change Division, Office of Atmospheric Programs (MC-6207J), EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460; phone: 202-343-9263; fax: 202-343-2342;
UL Works with Power Assure to Offer Data Center Energy Efficiency Certification
UL (Underwriters Laboratories) has announced the launch of its new data center energy efficiency certification partnered with Power Assure. As global energy consumption continues to increase, the race to build more energy-efficient products intensifies. The customers are looking to cut costs and save energy, and the manufacturers are feeling the pressure. Data centers managers are expected to verify the energy efficiency of products and validate performance claims to prove compliance with industry requirements.
UL, the leader in compliance testing solutions, now provides server manufacturers with energy performance testing and certification from Power Assure. This performance testing and certification gives important test data and a valuable PAR4 certification that the manufacturers can use to distinguish the products for energy conscious data center operators. This testing measures actual power consumption that can then be related to total cost of ownership (power and performance).
“UL has teamed up with energy management leader Power Assure to offer PAR4 testing and performance certification that the manufacturers can use to demonstrate the true energy performance of the products. This combination of testing expertise and energy performance will help you bring next-generation products to market that keep you ahead of the competition.” said Stephen Jeong, UL Global Energy Efficiency Program Manager.
The UL PAR4 program will help create added value and advantages for the data center manufacturers as below:
- Manufacturer can use the PAR4 badge on marketing materials, packaging, and on the product to demonstrate their energy efficiency performance, once the product is certified. The Energy Verified badge creates added value and differentiation between your product and your competitors’ products.
- Testing figures can help in planning new builds, and they allow uncovering “hidden” capacity in the data center
- UL provides a one stop solution for Product Safety and Energy Efficiency certification to reduce time to market
The UL energy efficiency program builds on UL's 119 years of engineering integrity, innovation, and unparalleled trust.
Rising Temperatures Challenge Salt Lake City’s Water Supply
In an example of the challenges water-strapped Western cities will face in a warming world, new research shows that every degree Fahrenheit of warming in the Salt Lake City region could mean a 1.8 to 6.5% drop in the annual flow of streams that provide water to the city.
By midcentury, warming Western temperatures may mean that some of the creeks and streams that help slake Salt Lake City’s thirst will dry up several weeks earlier in the summer and fall, according to the new paper, published recently in the journal Earth Interactions. The findings may help regional planners make choices about long-term investments, including water storage and even land-protection policies. Earth Interactions is jointly published by the American Geophysical Union, the American Meteorological Society, and the Association of American Geographers.
“Many Western water suppliers are aware that climate change will have impacts, but they don’t have detailed information that can help them plan for the future,” said lead author Tim Bardsley, with NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado Boulder. “Because our research team included hydrologists, climate scientists and water utility experts, we could dig into the issues that mattered most to the operators responsible for making sure clean water flows through taps and sprinklers without interruption.”
Bardsley works for the CIRES Western Water Assessment, from the NOAA Colorado Basin River Forecast Center in Salt Lake City. For the new paper, he worked closely with colleagues from the city’s water utility, the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory and the University of Utah.
The team relied on climate model projections of temperature and precipitation in the area, historical data analysis, and a detailed understanding of the region from which the city utility obtains water. The study also used NOAA streamflow forecasting models that provide information for Salt Lake City’s current water operations and management.
The picture that emerged was similar, in some ways, to previous research on the water in the Interior West: Warmer temperatures alone will cause more of the region’s precipitation to fall as rain than snow, leading to earlier runoff and less water in creeks and streams in the late summer and fall.
“Many snow-dependent regions follow a consistent pattern in responding to warming, but it’s important to drill down further to understand the sensitivity of watersheds that matter for individual water supply systems,” said NCAR’s Andy Wood, a co-author.
The specifics in the new analysis—which creeks are likely to be impacted most and soonest, how water sources on the nearby western flank of the Wasatch Mountains and the more distant eastern flank will fare—are critical to water managers with Salt Lake City.
“We are using the findings of this sensitivity analysis to better understand the range of impacts we might experience under climate change scenarios,” said co-author Laura Briefer, water resources manager at the Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities. “This is the kind of tool we need to help us adapt to a changing climate, anticipate future changes and make sound water-resource decisions.”
“Water emanating from our local Wasatch Mountains is the lifeblood of the Salt Lake Valley, and is vulnerable to the projected changes in climate,” said Salt Lake City mayor Ralph Becker. “This study, along with other climate adaptation work Salt Lake City is doing, helps us plan to be a more resilient community in a time of climate change.”
EPA Reaches Settlement on Unlicensed Junkyard
EPA has reached a settlement with the Estate of Amilio Zompa and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), an agency of the Department of Defense, for reimbursement of EPA’s past costs for the cleanup of contamination at the Birch Swamp Road Superfund Site, in Warren, Rhode Island. The settlement, lodged in US District Court, requires the Estate to pay the United States $92,000 and 82% of the net proceeds from the sale of two properties owned by the Estate. The settlement also requires the United States, on behalf of DLA, to pay $475,000.
From the late-1960s to the early-1990s, Amilio Zompa used the one-acre Site for the operation of an unlicensed junkyard. During that time, Mr. Zompa brought large quantities of materials to the Site, including junked automobiles, scrap metal, electrical transformers, and other industrial equipment, some of which contained hazardous substances. In or about that time, DLA sold approximately 4.2 million lbs of surplus military equipment to Mr. Zompa. Between August and December 2008, EPA conducted a removal action at the Site, including the excavation and disposal off-site of over 3.4 million lbs of soil contaminated with hazardous substances, including PCBs, lead, and other heavy metals.
The Site consists of fields, woods, and wetlands. An intermittent stream flows from the Site to the adjacent Kickemuit River, which flows into the Kickemuit Reservoir, an important source of drinking water for the residents of Warren, Bristol, and Barrington, Rhode Island.
After Mr. Zompa’s death in 2008, the ownership of a 15-acre property containing the majority of the Site, and a residential property in Barrington, Rhode Island, transferred from Mr. Zompa to his Estate. The settlement requires the Estate to sell these properties and transfer 82% of the net proceeds to the United States. All of the settlement payments will be made to EPA’s Hazardous Substance Superfund, in reimbursement of the costs associated with cleaning up the Site.
In order for the settlement to be finalized, it first must be approved by the US District Court.
Louisiana Plant Manager Sentenced for Environmental Crimes
A former Ascension parish resident was sentenced for illegally discharging wastes from the Armant Environmental Services (AES) plant, a now-closed wastewater treatment facility in Vacherie, Louisiana.
Jeffrey Dabadie, 44, formerly of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, is the former plant manager of AES. Dabadie pled guilty to three felony counts of knowingly violating the facility’s Louisiana Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit.
Dabadie was arrested by DEQ’s Criminal Investigation Division in June 2009. After a lengthy investigation by DEQ’s Criminal Investigation Division, the Louisiana Environmental Crimes Task Force and DEQ inspectors found that he was routinely dumping loads of untreated wastewater on the ground, thereby bypassing the treatment facility at AES. Environmental scientists from DEQ took soil samples on the property and determined there were chemicals related to oil and petroleum products around broken pipes on the ground.
Judge Alvin Turner, Jr., of the 23rd Judicial District Court of Louisiana, sentenced Dabadie to one year of home incarceration. Dabadie’s home incarceration will be electronically monitored.
In June 2011, AES and its owner, Charles Toth, Jr., pled guilty and were sentenced for similar violations. At that time, AES was ordered to pay $150,000 in fines. As a special condition of probation, AES was ordered to pay $15,000 to DEQ for costs of its investigation; $10,000 to Keep Ascension Beautiful; $10,000 to Keep St. James Beautiful; and $10,000 to Keep Assumption Beautiful. AES was placed on supervised probation for five years and ordered to remediate the site to the satisfaction of DEQ. Toth was sentenced to pay a $5,000 fine and two years of unsupervised probation. The former AES site has since been cleaned up.
“DEQ, along with its state and local partners, will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute anyone who allows or engages in illegal dumping, disposal or discharge within the state,” said DEQ Secretary Peggy Hatch. “These violations are conducted by individuals who show a blatant disregard for our public health and natural environment, so we encourage anyone with information on illegal activity to contact DEQ and local law enforcement so that we may initiate an investigation as soon as possible.”
The case was prosecuted by District Attorney Ricky Babin of the 23rd Judicial District’s District Attorney’s Office and DEQ Criminal Investigation Division Attorney Mike Daniels, in his capacity as a Special Assistant District Attorney.
MassDEP Fines Pembroke Demolition Contractor $10,000 for Asbestos Violations
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has assessed a $10,000 penalty against Francesco Demolition, Inc. of Pembroke for violating the state asbestos regulations. The violations occurred at 149-153 Bartlett Ave. in Pittsfield.
MassDEP discovered the violations during a March 28, 2012, inspection of asbestos abatement work that had been conducted at the vacant building on Bartlett Avenue. MassDEP found that Francesco's subcontractor had removed asbestos transite siding from the building without instituting the proper asbestos handling procedures.
As part of a consent order, MassDEP issued a $10,000 penalty and Francesco Demolition must pay $2,500 of the penalty. MassDEP has agreed to suspend $7,500 of the penalty provided the company complies with the terms of the order and remains in compliance with the state asbestos-handling regulations for two years.
"MassDEP's asbestos regulations protect public health and the environment by establishing safe handling practices to prevent the release of asbestos fibers," said Michael Gorski, director of MassDEP's Western Regional Office in Springfield. "Asbestos, a known carcinogen, must be properly handled to ensure that the general public is adequately protected from exposure to asbestos fibers."
MassDEP Orders Northampton Property Owner to Pay $15,000 Penalty for Soil Contamination
MassDEP assessed a $15,000 penalty to Don Lia for violations of waste site cleanup regulations concerning a property in Northampton.
Mr. Lia was penalized for his failure to maintain site conditions necessary to prevent exposure to contaminated soil and evaluate the risk of exposure to contaminated soil by all potential parties. The vacant site, located at 171-187 King Street in Northampton, requires maintenance of pavement to prevent exposure to the underlying contaminated soil.
An audit of the site work conducted by MassDEP determined that Mr. Lia failed to demonstrate and maintain conditions considered protective of human health. Also, the potential risk of exposure to contaminated soil by utility workers was not evaluated. MassDEP staff inspected the site and also observed that the existing pavement necessary to prevent exposure to underlying contaminated soil was not being maintained.
MassDEP issued a Notice of Noncompliance (NON) to Mr. Lia that outlined the violations and provided a schedule that would return the site to compliance. However, Mr. Lia failed to respond to the NON, so MassDEP issued a consent order. Following negotiations with Mr. Lia, MassDEP assessed the $15,000 penalty, but has agreed to suspend $5,000 of the penalty and required Mr. Lia to evaluate potential risks to utility workers and to repair the pavement.
"MassDEP is pleased that this agreement with Mr. Lia will ensure implementation of and compliance with environmental obligations for this important Brownfields property in Northampton," said Michael Gorski, director of MassDEP's Western Regional Office in Springfield. "It is imperative that site conditions are maintained to ensure protection of public health and the environment pending future redevelopment of this parcel."
MPCA Completes 63 Enforcement Cases in Third Quarter of 2013
In its ongoing efforts to promote environmental compliance, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) concluded 63 enforcement cases in 39 counties throughout Minnesota during the third quarter of 2013.
Penalties from all 63 cases totaled just over $577,000. About 45% of that total will be spent toward the completion of two supplemental environmental projects. Vonco V of Duluth will spend $240,000 to remove hazardous materials, demolish buildings, dispose of building materials, and conduct site-restoration activities at what could amount to about 20 blighted properties in Duluth. The Hibbing Public Utilities Commission will spend $17,250 on improvements to its facilities to reduce dust emissions.
Imposing monetary penalties is only part of the MPCA’s enforcement process. Agency staff continue to provide assistance, support, and information on the steps and tools necessary to achieve compliance for any company or local government that requests it.
Pennsylvania DEP Fines Welded Construction $12,000 for Illegal Open Burning
The Department of Environmental Protection recently announced that it has fined Welded Construction LP of Perrysburg, Ohio, $12,000 for illegally burning wood mats on two occasions in August at its facility in Wolf Township, Lycoming County.
“We told company officials that the open burning of wood waste is a violation of Pennsylvania’s Solid Waste Management Act during our first complaint investigation,” DEP North-central Regional Director Marcus Kohl said. “Yet just eight days later, DEP inspectors caught the company doing the exact same thing.”
Kohl added that it is the responsibility of out-of-state companies to become familiar with Pennsylvania’s environmental laws and regulations to avoid enforcement action, including fines, which may be taken by the department when violations are documented.
“These mats should have been beneficially reused, or taken to a permitted landfill for proper disposal,” Kohl said.
A follow-up inspection conducted by the department in early September confirmed that all violations had been corrected.
The mats—made from hardwood timbers bound together by metal bolts and pins—are used to prevent destruction of land during the movement of heavy equipment in areas of soft ground, wetlands or streams.
Colorado Harnesses the Power of Recycling
It eliminated enough carbon dioxide to equal the emissions from 348,370 cars. It saved 2.2 million barrels of oil.
“Recycling and composting reduces the waste sent to landfills, prolonging the life of our landfills and salvaging materials for beneficial reuse,” said Patrick Hamel, sustainability program manager at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. “Coloradans are recycling 10% more today than they were five years ago.”
Recycling and composting kept approximately 2.1 million tons of municipal solid waste from reaching landfills in the state in 2012. That’s more than 166,000 garbage truckloads, enough to fill two lanes of I-70 border-to-border and bumper-to-bumper and still have about 200 trucks left over.
November 15 is America Recycles Day, and Governor John Hickenlooper has proclaimed it as a day to focus attention on the importance of recycling in Colorado. This year’s theme, “I Want to Be Recycled,” is designed to educate people about the economic importance of recycling and motivate occasional recyclers to become everyday recyclers.
This has led to 171 new jobs in the industry since the program’s inception in 2008.”
Today, 34.7% of the nation’s waste is recycled. Increasing that percentage to 75 would create nearly 1.5 million jobs by 2030, according to a report by the Tellus Institute with Sound Resource Management.
Homeowners Reminded to Check Home Heating Oil Tanks to Prevent Spills
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection is reminding homeowners to reduce the likelihood of a home heating oil tank spill by taking measures to protect the environment and their fuel investment.
There are three leading causes of costly and inconvenient home heating fuel spills: internal corrosion; physical tank damage, usually from snow and ice; and overfills. And all are preventable.
“Internal corrosion—a result of water and sludge build-up—is the leading cause of releases of residential oil,” says David McCaskill, a senior environmental engineer in the department’s Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management. “Because corrosion destroys a tank from the inside out, the deterioration isn’t visible to homeowners until a catastrophic tank failure occurs.”
Many Maine oil dealers have licensed technicians on their staff who can perform ultrasonic thickness tests on tanks to determine if they are deteriorating and if so, recommend a replacement, such as a double-walled or fiberglass tank, before the tank fails. Other leading causes of residential home heating oil spills are external tank damage, usually from falling ice and snow snapping off filters and leading to leaks, and overfills. Both can be prevented by a licensed oil technician installing a filter protector and a vent whistle, which sounds until a tank is full.
Roughly 400,000 of Maine’s households—the highest share in the nation—rely on fuel oil for home heating. On average, the department responds to one home heating oil spill a day. Home heating oil spills can threaten groundwater, lead to poor indoor air quality, contaminate drinking water, lower property values and harm the environment.
“For so many of us, the only time we give our oil tanks any real thought is when we’re paying to fill them,” McCaskill said. “But by taking care of your tank, you’re protecting our environment, your family’s health and your checkbook.”
Releases from home heating oil tanks can often be costly, with annual cleanup costs adding up to as much $2 million from the state’s Groundwater Oil Clean-Up Fund.
The hundreds of residential fuel releases are part of the nearly 3,000 oil and hazardous materials spills the department’s Division of Response Services are called to each year. If you spill any fuel, witness a spill or think there is a threat of one, please report it immediately to the Maine DEP’s 24-hour oil spill emergency spill response hotline at 1-800-482-0777.
Legacy Amendment Positions Minnesota as Leader in Clean Water Initiatives
Five years ago this week, Minnesota voters passed a constitutional amendment that increased the state’s sales tax by three-eighths of one percent to fund projects related to clean water, natural resources, and arts and culture.
According to a 2008 poll by Minnesota Environmental Partnership, clean water was the leading issue that motivated voters to support the amendment: 42% of those who voted for the amendment indicated that cleaning up and protecting Minnesota’s lakes, rivers, and streams was the primary reason for their vote.
Accordingly, one-third of the funds generated through this amendment are dedicated to clean water in Minnesota’s lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater. This stable source of funding, set in the state’s constitution for twenty-five years, has enabled policymakers to tackle ambitious projects that are expected to profoundly improve water quality in the state.
“Knowing that that these funds will be available for the next 20 years has changed so much about our ability to restore and protect water,” says Commissioner John Linc Stine of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. “Minnesota’s water pollution problems developed over the course of many decades. We want to solve them the right way—sustainably—and the Legacy Amendment is making that possible. We’ve set an ambitious course, and thanks to this steady source of funding, we know that those goals are reachable.”
So far, more than 300 individual amendment-funded projects have been sponsored by the MPCA across the state. Though many of these efforts are still underway, the amendment is beginning to bear fruit in the form of major initiatives that will position Minnesota as a leader in water resources protection.
Utah Air Quality Conditions Come with a New, Free App
The Utah Division of Air Quality (DAQ) has teamed up with Weber State University to launch a new, free smartphone app that delivers real-time air quality information.
“Utah Air” app, developed by students at Weber State University as part of the National Center for Automotive Science and Technology (NCAST) in partnership with the DAQ, displays both ozone and small particulate matter (PM 2.5) data collected by DAQ monitors throughout the state. The app is available for both iOS and Android users.
“By making air quality data more accessible, we are helping residents actively participate in keeping Utah’s air clean,” said Joe Thomas, director of NCAST. “This app empowers individuals to make the small changes that make the biggest difference to help reduce pollution all year.”
Utah residents can check into the app daily to know when not to use wood and coal burning stoves or fireplaces, the best times to exercise outdoors, or make one consolidated trip for errands based on current conditions and trends. The three-day forecast can help individuals plan ahead to adjust their travel plans or work schedule to avoid adding harmful emissions during winter inversions.
The app employs DAQ’s new air quality alert system that consists of action alerts, represented by three basic symbols that signify the voluntary or mandatory actions (e.g., carpooling, wood burning) the public needs to adhere to for the current pollution levels, and health guidance, based on the EPA’s Air Quality Index (AQI) that helps determine how the highest pollution level of the day will affect people with various health conditions.
The Utah Air app is available for free download in both the Apple and Android apps stores.
EPA Seeks Public Input on Newly Designed Graphic for Bug Repellent Labels
The graphic, which may be applied voluntarily by manufacturers, will provide consumers with important health information including the estimated number of hours a product will repel potentially harmful insects, like mosquitoes and ticks, when used as directed.
“EPA is working to create a system that does for bug repellents what SPF labeling did for sunscreens,” said Jim Jones, assistant administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “By providing vital health information to consumers, this new graphic will help parents, hikers and the general public better protect themselves from serious health problems caused by mosquito and tick bites.”
Current labeling of skin-applied insect repellent products does not allow consumers to easily identify the insects repelled by a product and the amount of time the product remains effective. Over the past four years, EPA has held focus groups and worked with manufacturers and others to create the new graphic, which will display consumer information in a more prominent and standardized format. The graphic will only be placed on insect repellent products that are applied directly to the skin.
Effective insect repellents can protect against serious mosquito and tick-borne diseases. Ticks can transmit serious diseases like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Ehrlichiosis.
Companies will be able to request approval to use this graphic through the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA) registration process.
Governor Malloy Applauds Recognition of Connecticut as Fifth Most Energy Efficient State in the Nation
Governor Dannel P. Malloy recently celebrated Connecticut’s moving into the top five in a ranking among the 50 states for its commitment to energy efficiency and said we are poised to move up to an even higher rating next year as a result of steps now being put in place. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released a report that cited Connecticut’s recently adopted energy strategy, which Governor Malloy signed into law this summer.
“Our state’s ranking this year recognizes our focus on capturing the benefits of energy efficiency to lower monthly electric and natural gas bills for families and businesses,” said Governor Malloy. “Energy efficiency is at the heart of my Comprehensive Energy Strategy because the cheapest energy is the energy that we don’t use through efficiency measures we all can undertake—with every dollar spent on efficiency returning nearly $2.40 in savings on energy bills.”
In the new ACEEE scorecard, Connecticut is joined by Massachusetts, California, New York, and Oregon at the top of the list. ACEE Executive Director, Steven Nadel, said, “Energy efficiency is the cleanest, cheapest, most reliable energy resource available. Over the past year, Connecticut has made major strides in creating a sustainable framework that will help its citizens reap all of the benefits of energy efficiency."
The ACEEE scorecard noted that Connecticut and the four other top states “…comprise the group of truly leading states that have made broad, long-term commitments to developing energy efficiency as a state resource.” Ranked 5th, this is the first time Connecticut has been in the top five states since 2009. Last year, Connecticut tied with two other states for sixth place.
ACEEE also said Connecticut is a state “on the move” as a result of Public Act 13-298 that authorized a virtual doubling of energy efficiency program opportunities for residents and businesses to reduce their monthly energy bills.
Governor Malloy said Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has now given final approval to a new plan that provides a stepped up investment in efficiency programs that will allow for greater efficiency gains in the future.
“The expansion of our popular efficiency programs is the perfect complement to a new array of innovative and affordable options we have put in place for financing additional energy efficiency investments, such as Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) and performance contracting,” Governor Malloy said. “With all of the resources now available to us—including the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority, Connecticut’s “green bank” —we will move quickly to capture more of the economic and environmental benefits associated with energy efficiency and become the national leader in this area.”
The Governor said the strengthened focus on efficiency will further reduce energy costs in Connecticut by building on other initiatives that already contributed to a 12% decline in the cost of electricity since 2010.
Background on New Efficiency Investment
The expanded energy efficiency plan, known as the "2013-2015 Conservation and Load Management Plan," was developed by the public electric and gas utility companies in Connecticut and the board that manages the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund.
The expanded plan will increase investments in efficiency programs from $122 million a year to more than $220 million through 2015.
DEEP issued its Final Decision to approve the plan October 31 and it is now before the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), which will take action to establish the mechanism to fund it.
The plan includes programs for residents and businesses that will bring down the cost of efficient lighting products, expand resources to provide for more low-income residents to receive energy efficiency assessments of their homes, help small businesses with financing, provide increased flexibility for installing energy efficiency equipment for large industrial energy customers, and more.
Energy efficient measures such as insulation, efficient lighting, and Energy Star equipment and appliances reduce the amount of energy needed to heat, cool, and light a home or business.
"The Comprehensive Energy Strategy called for helping residential and business customers go beyond replacing lighting and putting in weather stripping to pursue ‘deeper’ energy efficiency savings,” said DEEP Commissioner Daniel C. Esty. “We are meeting that objective—with dramatic increases, for instance, in the number of people installing insulation after a home energy audit—and we’ll build on that progress with our new efficiency plan.”
Eric Brown, the Director of Energy and Environmental Policy for the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA), said that “CBIA has been supportive of the state’s efforts to help businesses and residents reduce their energy bills through greater energy conservation and efficiency…CBIA is pleased that state energy policy leaders, including Governor Malloy, DEEP Commissioner Esty and legislative leaders all recognize that our economic and environmental future are tied to providing Connecticut businesses and citizens with cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable energy.”
William Dornbos, Connecticut Director for Environment Northeast said, “Connecticut is emerging as a national leader on energy efficiency because of its commitment to capturing all cost effective benefits from these measures. Without this type of commitment, residential and business energy consumers simply waste money—to the tune of an estimated $400 million a year in our state right now. With the help of the expanded efficiency plan we’ll help people take steps to reduce their energy bills by eliminating wasted heat and electricity.”
Benefits of Energy Efficiency Investments
In 2012, energy efficiency investments provided state businesses and families with more than $53 million in energy savings annually and nearly $600 million over the life of the efficiency measures.
The state’s Energy Efficiency Fund served 4,579 commercial and industrial businesses in 2012, saving those business $25.9 million annually and more than $320.4 million over the lifetime of those investments.
In 2012, residential energy efficiency programs helped 28,715 households and an additional 12,877 low-income households, afford investments in air sealing, insulation, replacement furnaces, water heaters, and other measures, saving those residents more than $27.9 million annually and $276.4 million over the lifetime of those investments on their energy bills.
Federal Facilities Reduce Carbon Pollution, Earn Energy Star Award
The awards, which demonstrate how federal agencies are reducing carbon pollution in support of the President’s Climate Action Plan, were announced at the GreenGov Dialogue on Energy Management sponsored by the White House Council on Environmental Quality in Washington, D.C.
“Combined heat and power is a highly efficient way to produce energy,” said Janet McCabe, Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation. “These federal facilities are leading by example and using this technology to help reduce their carbon emissions and make federal dollars go further.”
CHP, also known as cogeneration, simultaneously produces electricity and useful steam or hot water from a single heat source, using fuels such as natural gas or renewable landfill gas. By recovering and using heat typically wasted by the conventional production of electricity, CHP helps federal facilities achieve goals to reduce carbon pollution and energy use.
- Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Albany, Albany, Georgia
- National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.
The National Archives and Records Administration CHP system achieved an operating efficiency of 72%—much higher than the efficiency of conventional production of electricity and thermal energy, which can be less than 50%. The MCLB Albany CHP system uses renewable landfill gas to produce energy that supports essential base operations, saving approximately $1.3 million annually in energy costs and reducing carbon pollution equal to that from the generation of electricity used by more than 1,200 homes.
CHP is ideally suited for many federal facilities as it provides reliable electricity, heat, and cooling for offices and other facilities, as well as protecting resources (like data servers) that are vulnerable to power outages. A Department of Energy assessment of the potential for CHP at federal facilities indicated that CHP could be used at hundreds of facilities, increase power reliability, reduce transmission congestion, save taxpayers more than $150 million annually, and prevent carbon pollution equal to that from the generation of electricity used by more than 370,000 homes.
Established in 2001, EPA's CHP Partnership program seeks to reduce the environmental impact of power generation by promoting the cost-effective use of CHP. The partnership works closely with energy users, the CHP industry, state and local governments, and other clean energy stakeholders to facilitate the development of new CHP projects and to promote their environmental and economic benefits.
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