Industrial stormwater has been regulated since the promulgation of EPA’s 1990 stormwater regulations, which established NPDES permit requirements for stormwater discharges associated with industrial activity. EPA’s first MSGP for stormwater discharges associated with industrial activity was issued on September 29, 1995, and has since been reissued in 2000 and 2008. EPA’s MSGP applies in areas of the country where EPA remains the NPDES permitting authority and has made the permit available for coverage, which includes four states (Idaho, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New Mexico), the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, all other US territories with the exception of the Virgin Islands, facilities operated by federal operators in four states (Colorado, Delaware, Vermont, and Washington), most Indian Country lands, and a couple of other specifically designated activities in specific states (e.g., oil and gas activities in Texas and Oklahoma)
This draft permit, once finalized, will replace the existing permit covering stormwater discharges from industrial facilities in EPA's Regions 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, and 10 that will expire September 29, 2013, and will provide coverage for industrial facilities in areas where EPA is the NPDES permitting authority in EPA's Regions 7 and 8.
This draft permit is similar to the existing permit and will authorize the discharge of stormwater in accordance with the terms of the permit. EPA is proposing to issue this permit for five years.
Los Angeles RCRA and DOT Training
Knoxville RCRA and DOT Training
Mobile 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.
DOT Proposes to Ban Companies that Fail to Pay Penalties from Shipping or Carrying Hazardous Materials
Anyone that fails to pay a hazardous material civil penalty in full within 90 days after the date specified for payment by an order of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, or Federal Aviation Administration would be prohibited from conducting hazardous materials operations and would be required immediately cease all hazardous materials operations beginning on the next day (i.e., the 91st). The prohibition would continue until payment of the penalty has been made in full or at the discretion of the agency issuing the order an acceptable payment plan has been arranged.
EPA Proposes Safer Flame Retardants
The findings in the report can help manufacturers identify safer alternatives to the use of HBCD in polystyrene building insulation.
“The conclusions in this report are enabling companies who choose to move away from HBCD to do so with
confidence that the potential for unintended consequences is minimized.”
The Design for the Environment (DfE) Alternatives Assessment draft report, developed with stakeholder and public participation, describes the uses of HBCD with an overview of life cycle and exposure information. The report identifies two viable chemical alternatives for use in polystyrene building insulation, in addition to a list of substances that are not currently expected to be viable. One of the alternatives, a butadiene styrene brominated copolymer, is anticipated to be safer than HBCD and is currently in commercial production in the US. Alternative materials are also identified in the report.
This includes developing full risk assessments on four of these chemicals, including HBCD. EPA will use the information from these full assessments to better understand chemicals with similar structures and characteristics. If EPA identifies potential risks, the agency will evaluate and pursue appropriate risk reduction actions. EPA will begin development of these risk assessments later this year and anticipates making the draft risk assessments available for public comment and peer review in 2014.
EPA to Explain Revised Water Quality Standards
The public meeting will be held in Washington, DC on October 23, 2013 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern. The two public webinars will be held on September 24, 2013 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern and November 14, 2013 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern. The comment period for the proposed rulemaking will end on December 3, 2013.
You will receive an email confirmation after your registration has been submitted. The public meeting will be held at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in the Visitor Center Auditorium. The Zoo address is 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW. in Washington, DC. The Visitor Center Auditorium is located at the Connecticut Avenue entrance to the zoo.
FAA to Hold Public Meeting on Changes in IACO Dangerous Goods Regulations
In preparation for the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Dangerous Goods Panel's (DGP's) meeting to be held October 28-November 8, 2013, in Montreal, Canada, the FAA's Office of Hazardous Materials Safety and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's (PHMSA) Office of Hazardous Materials Safety announce a public meeting. The public meeting will be held on October 18, 2013, from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. at FAA Headquarters (FOB 10A), Bessie Coleman Conference Center, 2nd Floor, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591.
Information and viewpoints provided by stakeholders are requested as the United States delegation prepares for the International Civil Aviation Organization's Dangerous Goods Panel's (ICAO DGP's) 24th Panel Meeting. The agenda for the Working Group is as follows:
Agenda Item 1: Development of proposals, if necessary, for amendments to Annex 18—The Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air
Agenda Item 2: Development of recommendations for amendments to the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (Doc 9284) for incorporation in the 2015-2016 Edition
Agenda Item 3: Development of recommendations for amendments to the Supplement to the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (Doc 9284SU) for incorporation in the 2015-2016 Edition
Agenda Item 4: Development of recommendations for amendments to the Emergency Response Guidance for Aircraft Incidents involving Dangerous Goods (Doc 9481) for incorporation in the 2015-2016 Edition
Agenda Item 5: Resolution, where possible, of the non-recurrent work items identified by the Air Navigation Commission or the panel:
- 5.1: Review of provisions for the transport of lithium batteries
- 5.2: Dangerous goods incident and accident data collection
- 5.3: Dangerous goods requirements in Annex 6—Operation of Aircraft
- 5.4: Development of guidance material on countering the potential use of dangerous goods in an act of unlawful interference
- 5.5: Development of performance standards for air operators and designated postal operators Agenda Item 6: Other business
Conference call connection information will be provided to those who register and indicate that they will participate via conference call.
Deep Sea Ecosystem May Take Decades to Recover from Deepwater Horizon Spill
The deepsea soft-sediment ecosystem in the immediate area of the 2010’s Deepwater Horizon well head blowout and subsequent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico will likely take decades to recover from the spill’s impacts, according to a scientific paper reported in the online scientific journal PLoS One.
The paper is the first to give comprehensive results of the spill’s effect on deepwater communities at the base of the Gulf’s food chain, in its softbottom muddy habitats, specifically looking at biological composition and chemicals at the same time at the same location.
“This is not yet a complete picture,” said Cynthia Cooksey, NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science lead scientist for the spring 2011 cruise to collect additional data from the sites sampled in fall 2010. “We are now in the process of analyzing data collected from a subsequent cruise in the spring of 2011. Those data will not be available for another year, but will also inform how we look at conditions over time.”
“As the principal investigators, we were tasked with determining what impacts might have occurred to the sea floor from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill,” said Paul Montagna, Ph.D., Endowed Chair for Ecosystems and Modeling at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi. “We developed an innovative approach to combine tried and true classical statistical techniques with state of the art mapping technologies to create a map of the footprint of the oil spill.”
“Normally, when we investigate offshore drilling sites, we find pollution within 300 to 600 yards
from the site,” said Montagna. “This time it was nearly two miles from the wellhead, with identifiable impacts more than ten miles away. The effect on bottom of the vast underwater plume is something, which until now, no one was able to map. This study shows the devastating effect the spill had on the sea floor itself, and demonstrates the damage to important natural resources.”
“The tremendous biodiversity of meiofauna in the deepsea area of the Gulf of Mexico we studied has been reduced dramatically,” said Jeff Baguley, Ph.D., University of Nevada, Reno expert on meiofauna, small invertebrates that range in size from 0.042 to 0.300 millimeters in size that live in both marine and fresh water. “Nematode worms have become the dominant group at sites we sampled that were impacted by the oil. So though the overall number of meiofauna may not have changed much, it’s that we’ve lost the incredible biodiversity.”
The oil spill and plume covered almost 360 square miles with the most severe reduction of
biological abundance and biodiversity impacting an area about 9 square miles around the wellhead, and moderate effects seen 57 square miles around the wellhead.
The research team, which included members from University of Nevada, Reno, Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi, NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, and representatives from BP, is conducting the research for the Technical Working Group of the NOAAdirected Natural Resource Damage Assessment.
Processing Core Sample Cylinder from Gulf - Rick Kalke Harte Research Institute processing multicorer sediment sample aboard the RV Gyre.
WaterSense Brings Water Savings to Commercial Kitchens with New Specifications
Pre-rinse spray valves-used in commercial food service establishments to remove food waste from dishes prior to dishwashing-can account for nearly one-third of the water used in the typical commercial kitchen. If every commercial kitchen in the United States installed and used a WaterSense labeled pre-rinse spray valve, savings could exceed 10 billion gallons of water and $225 million annually in water and energy costs.
EPA Fines BIA $136,000 for Keams Canyon Drinking Water Violations on the Hopi Reservation
“Access to clean, potable drinking water is still a critical issue for many tribal communities.” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “Our citizens must have confidence that their water supply is monitored and safe, and their providers, whether a private company, local government, or federal entity, are complying with drinking water standards.”
The Keams Canyon public water supply system, located on the Hopi Reservation, is owned and operated by the BIA and serves a population of approximately 2,000 people. EPA found the BIA exceeded drinking water standards for arsenic and failed to monitor for arsenic and disinfection compounds. The system is now fully compliant with these requirements.
The recent action follows a previous EPA order in 2011, which resulted in the BIA spending nearly $1 million dollars to install and operate an arsenic treatment system. The action is part of a larger national effort to ensure environmental compliance in Indian Country. As part of EPA’s commitment to Indian Country, the agency continues to focus attention on drinking water and on solid waste issues on tribal lands.
Griffin Bros. Inc. Settles with EPA for Violating Federal Pesticide Rules
Griffin Bros., Inc., of Salem, Oregon, has settled with the EPA for violating federal pesticide rules.
"When companies sell mislabeled pesticides they put people’s health and the environment at risk," said Kelly McFadden, manager of EPA’s pesticides and toxics enforcement program in Seattle. "Without proper labeling and safety instructions, consumers risk misapplying these pesticides."
Griffin Bros., Inc., sold two misbranded pesticide products, Bowl San and Lobacten Sanitizer, at least 92 times in 2011 and 2012. The products did not have up-to-date labels with current approved directions for use, and storage and disposal statements. To settle the violations, Griffin Bros., Inc., has agreed to pay a $36,160 penalty. As part of the settlement, Griffin Bros., Inc., promptly corrected the improper labels and changed their practices to prevent this type of violation from happening again.
Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, pesticides must be registered with the EPA. Before a pesticide is registered, the producer must provide data from tests conducted according to EPA guidelines to ensure that the product will not harm people’s health. EPA examines the ingredients, how the product will be used, and its potential human health and environmental effects. The products must be distributed and sold with proper labeling and instructions, with the approved warning and caution statements, and detailed use directions.
Norwell Waste Transport Company Ordered to Pay $112,500 for Transporting Waste Oil From Unregistered Facilities
A Norwell waste transportation company and its affiliate have agreed to pay $112,500 for allegedly transporting waste oil from unregistered facilities and submitting inaccurate reports to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), Attorney General Martha Coakley announced recently. The companies will also be required to take additional steps to ensure future compliance with environmental laws regulating the transportation of hazardous waste.
According to the complaint filed in Suffolk Superior Court, Clean Harbors Environmental Services, Inc. (Clean Harbors) of Norwell and its affiliate, Murphy’s Waste Oil Service (Murphy’s) of Woburn, transported hazardous waste, particularly waste oil, from facilities that did not first receive valid identification numbers, as required under environmental law. The complaint also alleges that Clean Harbor and Murphy’s submitted to MassDEP inaccurate electronic monthly operating reports regarding their transportation of hazardous waste.
“We allege that these companies violated environmental laws by accepting and transporting hazardous waste from unregistered facilities,” AG Coakley said. “This resolution imposes a civil penalty for those actions and also requires that these companies be more proactive in ensuring that facilities they accept waste from are registered.”
“Hazardous wastes are handled in Massachusetts under a cradle-to-grave system that is only as good as those companies that accurately report the wastes under their control,” said MassDEP Commissioner Kenneth Kimmell. “From generation to disposal, companies must do the right thing or our health and the environment are threatened. When they fail in their responsibilities, companies will face significant penalties.”
Clean Harbors is a licensed hazardous waste transporter that picks up hazardous waste from customers who generate it and transports it to facilities licensed to accept such waste. In Massachusetts, facilities that generate hazardous waste must first receive an EPA identification number or a valid Massachusetts identification number. Transporters of hazardous waste may only accept such waste from facilities that have a valid identification number and must submit monthly operating reports that include detailed information for each shipment of hazardous waste.
According to the complaint, between April 2009 and December 2011, MassDEP identified nearly 500 alleged instances where Clean Harbors and Murphy’s accepted hazardous waste from facilities that did not have valid identification numbers. The complaint also alleges that on numerous occasions the companies submitted inaccurate monthly reports that listed invalid identification numbers or identification numbers that did not correspond with those listed in manifests filed with the MassDEP.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the companies will pay a civil penalty in the amount of $112,500 to the Commonwealth. They will pay $75,000 within 15 days of the final settlement, and the remaining amount, $37,500, will be suspended pending their compliance with environmental laws as outlined in the settlement.
Under the settlement, the companies must take steps to ensure that they are only accepting waste from registered facilities. Those steps include providing their drivers with a list from MassDEP of registered facilities so they can verify the identification numbers. Further, the drivers of the companies are now required to supply any facility that does not have an identification number with registration information and a form. Clean Harbors and Murphy’s are then required to submit the completed forms to MassDEP within five days of receiving them.
According to the settlement, the companies are also required to provide training to all current and future employees. The companies must institute penalties for drivers who unlawfully accept hazardous waste from unregistered facilities, including penalties up to $200, and report those violations to MassDEP. Additionally, Clean Harbors and Murphy’s are also required to take steps to ensure that all monthly reports are accurate and complete.
Register for Webcast on the National Stormwater Calculator on October 2
This new calculator is designed for anyone interested in reducing runoff from a property including: site developers, landscape architects, urban planners, homeowners, and others. It can help users decide which stormwater management practices to install such as a rain garden or a green roof. This calculator is a desktop application that estimates the annual amount of rainwater and frequency of runoff from a specific site anywhere in the United States (including Puerto Rico). Estimates are based on local soil conditions, land cover, and historic rainfall records.
Vonco V Duluth’s Waste Violations will Lead to Beautification Projects
A number of blighted properties across Duluth may be getting a makeover, thanks to demolition and site-restoration services required by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) as part of a related enforcement action.
Vonco V Duluth, LLC, owns and operates the 74.5-acre Vonco V Duluth Industrial Landfill and Transfer Station in Gary-New Duluth, Minnesota. Approximately 10 acres of the facility are permitted to accept construction and demolition debris.
In March 2012, Vonco’s consultants notified the MPCA that unpermitted wastes had been discovered in boring samples taken at the landfill. Subsequent agency inspections discovered additional permit violations, including exposed asbestos, accepting unacceptable waste, and a failure to conduct and report accurate facility inspections. The transfer station and landfill were temporarily closed in May and re-opened after corrective actions were taken.
In August 2012, the agency learned that 6.25 tons of Vonco’s mixed municipal solid waste (household garbage) had been dumped at a private residence in Wrenshall, Minnesota. Vonco immediately retrieved the waste and transported it to an appropriately permitted facility.
Vonco has agreed to pay a $60,000 civil penalty to resolve the violations and conduct the following compliance activities: submit an application to modify its permit, install additional groundwater monitoring and landfill cover systems, communicate with its customers about wastes it is permitted to accept, and make necessary permit amendments to reflect current property and facility ownership. Three of the required actions have already been completed.
In addition, Vonco will complete a $240,000 Supplemental Environmental Project 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.
When calculating penalties, the MPCA takes into account how seriously the violations affected the environment, whether they were first-time or repeat violations, and how promptly the violations were reported to authorities. The agency also attempts to recover the calculated economic benefit gained by failure to comply with environmental laws in a timely manner.
New York DEC Proposes Safer Liquefied Natural Gas Regulations
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recently proposed regulations to allow the construction and operation of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities under DEC permits, Commissioner Joe Martens announced. These facilities include truck fueling stations and LNG storage areas. The public comment period on the proposed regulation runs through November 4, 2013.
"Allowing the construction and operation of new LNG facilities will provide environmental and economic benefits for New York while ensuring public safety," said Commissioner Martens. "Lower emissions resulting from burning natural gas as a fuel will provide significant benefits to the environment and public health. The regulations are designed to have minimal impacts on local governments and will result in job creation. Construction of new fueling facilities across the state will build on Governor Cuomo's agenda to augment the economy and create good-paying jobs for New Yorkers."
DEC expects most of the early permits will be issued for smaller facilities that will supply fuel to long-haul and fleet trucks that use LNG as a substitute for diesel fuel. As the price of natural gas has fallen over the last several years compared to the cost of diesel fuel, the demand for LNG as a truck motor fuel has significantly increased.
DEC's proposed regulations require compliance with standards established by the National Fire Protection Association. This is the approach taken by many other states to ensure safe operation of these facilities. The regulations also set requirements for site inspections, training of local fire department personnel, closure of out-of-service LNG storage tanks, spill reporting, financial assurance and permit fees. The proposed regulations will not affect the existing statutory moratorium which prohibits new LNG facilities in New York City.
The comment period runs through November 4. A public meeting will be held in Syracuse on October 16, 2013, and a public meeting and public hearing will be held in Albany on October 30, 2013. Please refer to the website for more details.
Pennsylvania DEP Fines Environmental Laboratory $60,000 for Various Violations
The Department of Environmental Protection announced recently it has signed a consent order and agreement with Microbac Laboratories of Pittsburgh, which requires the lab to pay a civil penalty of $60,000 and to conduct an independent review of its laboratory in Baltimore, Maryland.
Microbac provides testing and analytical support for a variety of clients who seek DEP permits and authorizations. DEP uses such reports from independent laboratories to make regulatory decisions.
“Accredited, independent laboratories are the centerpiece upon which all environmental protection programs depend,” DEP Bureau of Laboratories Director Martina McGarvey said. “Ensuring that labs are of the highest quality is important to the decisions we make.”
Microbac Baltimore was accredited under DEP’s National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program to test and analyze drinking water, non-potable water, and a variety of soils, chemicals, and liquids.
During a DEP inspection in April 2013, DEP found a number of violations, such as failure to properly calculate holding times for samples; overall failure of management to provide proper quality control oversight; and not having sufficient corrective action protocols in place to address the violations.
As a result of DEP’s determination that these and other violations had not been addressed, Microbac agreed to voluntarily relinquish its accreditations and thus immediately ceased analyzing samples for environmental compliance purposes.
Microbac has agreed to replace its laboratory supervisor for its organics section and has already begun an independent third-party audit of the lab’s abilities to meet the conditions of its accreditation. Any issues the independent auditor’s report uncovers must be corrected.
“DEP’s intent in this enforcement action is to have Microbac correct its violations, ensure no future violations occur, and through the audit, become a much better environmental laboratory,” McGarvey said.
Pennsylvania’s Oil and Gas Program, Regulations Commended in Peer Review
The PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced that an independent peer review of its Office of Oil and Gas Management found it to be proficient and ready to address the increase in oil and gas operations in Pennsylvania.
“This review demonstrates that the oil and gas industry in Pennsylvania is matched by world-class oil and gas management and regulations,” DEP Acting Secretary Chris Abruzzo said. “Pennsylvanians can be assured that DEP is protecting their health and environment while oil and gas operations continue to grow.”
The peer review was conducted by a non-profit, multi-stakeholder organization called State Review of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Regulations, Inc. ().
STRONGER is comprised of experts from government, industry and environmental organizations that conduct a state review process to evaluate program strengths and provide recommendations for program improvements of state oil and gas programs throughout the nation.
DEP’s participation in the STRONGER review fulfills a recommendation put forth by Governor Corbett’s Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission.
In March 2013, DEP volunteered to have its program reviewed by STRONGER. Upon completion of the review, the team highlighted the strengths of the Office of Oil and Gas Management, particularly for:
- Increasing its staff levels to address additional permitting, inspection, and enforcement activities related to increased unconventional gas well development
- Expanding the program’s public participation activities associated with the abandoned well sites program
- Initiating a comprehensive evaluation of radiation levels specifically associated with unconventional gas development, the first of its kind in the nation
- Mandating that operators performing earth disturbance activities associated with oil and gas activities must develop and implement Erosion and Sedimentation Control Best Management Practices to minimize the potential for erosion and sedimentation
- Advancing its hydraulic fracturing program and requiring that well operators conducting well casing and cementing maintain control at all times, and prevent migration of gas or other fluids into sources of fresh groundwater
Along with identifying strengths, the review team also made recommendations for the office to consider.
The recommendations included improvements, such as encouraging DEP to maintain consistent, standardized data for tracking violations and enforcement actions for the public; completing the TENORM study to ensure DEP is appropriately assessing production waste; considering developing a process to determine surface casing setting depths to protect fresh groundwater; and consider developing additional guidance for pre-drill sampling of water wells near potential well sites.
Abruzzo noted that the significant environmental enhancements included in Act 13 of 2012, which represented the first comprehensive update to the state’s Oil and Gas Act in nearly 30 years, has contributed significantly to Pennsylvania’s increased protections of public health and the environment.
“This STRONGER review is a very positive reflection on the shared commitment of Governor Corbett and the members of the General Assembly who have worked hard to adopt environmental standards that are now national standards.
“DEP’s Office of Oil and Gas Management will be working to implement STRONGER’s recommendations to further protect Pennsylvania’s natural resources,” Abruzzo said.
First LEED Platinum Certification at Massachusetts Facility
Massachusetts officials recently celebrated the Commonwealth's first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification for a state facility at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection's (MassDEP) recently renovated and expanded Senator William X. Wall Experiment Station.
"Massachusetts continues to lead the nation in cutting-edge environmental innovations, and the LEED Platinum designation for our Wall Experiment Station shows that we walk-the-walk when it comes to sustainable development," said MassDEP Commissioner Kenneth Kimmell. "With its solar panels, rain-water recycling and electric vehicle charging stations, this laboratory is a model for other facilities to come."
"The Patrick Administration has established some of the most ambitious renewable energy and energy efficiency goals in the nation, and the commitment is paying off," said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Mark Sylvia. "Massachusetts is ranked number one in energy efficiency and our clean energy sector is booming, with 11.8% growth in just the last year. We will continue to lead by example, making state facilities more sustainable, reducing our energy costs and leaving a cleaner Commonwealth for generations to come."
In 2011, a $30 million upgrade transformed the environmental laboratory into a state-of-the art green building that is able to handle the complex testing protocols required by today's environmental laboratory sciences.
The LEED Platinum upgrades include: a 52.5 kilowatt solar photo-voltaic system for on-site renewable energy production; use of the existing site as a Brownfield redevelopment; use of rain gardens and detention basins for better management of storm water; water-efficient landscaping; a rain-water reclamation system; optimized energy performance, designed to reduce energy use by 21% over the LEED building baseline and estimated savings of more than $50,000; windows that allow daylight into 75% of the space; and two electric vehicle charging stations.
The Wall Experiment Station is Massachusetts' principal drinking water laboratory. At the facility, 15,000 lab analyses of contaminants in water, wastewater, air, soil, hazardous waste, fish and other samples are performed annually.
The Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) joined MassDEP in leading the laboratory upgrade project, turning the historic facility into a modern, 35,000-square-foot green lab.
"DCAMM is pleased to have been able to partner with MassDEP, our design and construction teams and many architects who worked hard to ensure a LEED Platinum designation for the new Senator William X. Wall Experiment Station," said DCAMM Commissioner Carole Cornelison. "The energy efficiency and water management upgrades used in the construction of this new laboratory are in keeping with the Patrick Administration's efforts to build cutting-edge, energy-efficient buildings to provide significant cost savings to the Commonwealth."
"EPA commends Massachusetts on this significant accomplishment," said Art Johnson, acting director of EPA's New England Regional Laboratory. "EPA achieved LEED Gold status in 2003 for our Regional Laboratory in Chelmsford, but that was a new construction project on a site with few constraints. What Massachusetts has done to achieve LEED Platinum status at a renovated National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark brings sustainable development to a new level."
Constructing green buildings is an integral part of Governor Patrick's Leading by Example (LBE) Program. LBE was established in 2007 by Governor Patrick's Executive Order No. 484, which set aggressive energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals and renewable energy goals for state government operations:
- Reduce GHG emissions 25% by 2012 and 40% by 2020;
- Reduce energy consumption 20% by 2012 and 35% by 2020; and,
- Obtain 15% of total electricity from renewable sources by 2012 and 30% by 2020.
Executive Order No. 484 also established the Mass. LEED Plus building standard for new buildings and major renovations. Mass. LEED Plus requires any new project over 20,000 square feet to obtain LEED certification and go beyond LEED requirements in several categories, including energy and water conservation. Through Mass. LEED Plus and other efforts, the LBE Program works with all state agencies to reduce energy use and costs, lower GHG emissions, and minimize the overall environmental impacts associated with the operation of state facilities.
There are currently 29 LEED-certified buildings in the state portfolio of buildings, 28 of which were certified since Governor Patrick took office. In January, the Patrick Administration announced the state's Accelerated Energy Program (AEP), which aims to reduce energy consumption by 20-25% over 700 state sites, creating about 4,000 clean energy jobs and saving the Commonwealth an estimated $43 million annually. AEP will significantly reduce the current annual consumption of more than 800 million kilowatt hours of electricity, 12 million gallons of heating oil, 55 million therms of natural gas, and emissions of more than 800,000 tons of GHGs, which represent more than 4,000 buildings and 58 million square feet. The program will save an estimated 135,000 metric tons of GHGs annually, the equivalent of removing 26,000 vehicles from the road per year.
"I am proud to see the state leading the way in energy efficiency," said state Senator Barry Finegold. "This project is a great example of the savings that can be made when we are thoughtful about how our buildings are designed."
"I am delighted to see the Commonwealth's first LEED Platinum certification of a state building happen right here in Lawrence," said state Representative Diana DiZoglio. "I look forward to seeing first-hand the fantastic renovations that have been conducted on this facility."
"It is very exciting that the most environmentally and energy-efficient building in the state of Massachusetts is in Lawrence," said state Representative Frank Moran. "This initiative that has transformed the old state environmental laboratory into a state-of-the-art 'green' building is the kind of revitalization that should serve as a model for future projects in this city."
LEED is a US Green Building Council program that provides third-party verification of green buildings. Building projects satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different levels of certification in various categories that address issues around siting, materials, indoor air quality, energy, waste and water, among others.
"The LEED Platinum Wall Experiment Station is an energizing example of how project teams and funders can come together to express exemplary green design and green building achievement," said Grey Lee, executive director of the Massachusetts Chapter of the US Green Building Council. "The US Green Building Council is thrilled to see Massachusetts move forward and demonstrate leadership with validated performance in their building portfolio. Congratulations to all involved and let's continue to make more green buildings come to life for the people of the Commonwealth."
The Lawrence Experiment Station was founded in 1887 by the Massachusetts State Board of Health as one of the first laboratories in the world dedicated to environmental research. The work conducted there laid the foundation for modern methods of wastewater treatment and drinking water purification used throughout the world. In 1975, the American Society of Civil Engineers designated the facility as a "National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark."
In 1993, the laboratory was named in honor of former state Senator William X. Wall, who represented Lawrence in the Legislature for 40 years. He had filed the bill that resulted in the construction of the original Station, which was occupied in 1954.
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Trivia Question of the Week
Which President originally vetoed the Clean Water Act?
a) Johnson
b) Carter
c) Nixon
d) Kennedy
