The notice of the proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register soon.
“Our efforts to confront climate change must be guided by the best possible information,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Through this new reporting, we will have comprehensive and accurate data about the production of greenhouse gases. This is a critical step toward helping us better protect our health and environment—all without placing an onerous burden on our nation’s small businesses.”
Greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, are produced by the burning of fossil fuels and through industrial and biological processes. Approximately 13,000 facilities, accounting for about 85% to 90% of greenhouse gases emitted in the United States, would be covered under the proposal. The direct emission sources covered under the reporting requirement would include energy intensive sectors such as cement production, iron and steel production, and electricity generation, among others.
The new reporting requirements would apply to suppliers of fossil fuel and industrial chemicals, manufacturers of motor vehicles and engines, as well as large direct emitters of greenhouse gases with emissions equal to or greater than a threshold of 25,000 metric tons per year. This threshold is roughly equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from just over 4,500 passenger vehicles. The vast majority of small businesses would not be required to report their emissions because their emissions fall well below the threshold.
In developing the reporting requirements, EPA considered the substantial amount of work already completed and underway in many states, regions, and voluntary programs. The first annual report would be submitted to EPA in 2011 for the calendar year 2010, except for vehicle and engine manufacturers, which would begin reporting for model year 2011.
EPA estimates that the expected cost to comply with the reporting requirements to the private sector would be $160 million for the first year. In subsequent years, the annualized costs for the private sector would be $127 million.
EPA is developing this rule under the authority of the Clean Air Act. The proposed rule will be open for public comment for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. Two public hearings will be held during the comment period.
More information on the proposed rule is available:
Senate Overturns Rule on That Relaxed Reporting of Toxic Chemicals
When the Senate approved the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act, it included a provision authored by Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) to reinstate stronger requirements on the reporting of toxic chemical releases. . The legislation has already been passed by the House of Representatives and has been signed by President Obama into law.
“The public has a right to know about chemicals in their air and water. The Bush Administration watered down this law and let facilities hide critical data about their toxic chemical emissions. It is time to restore the public’s right to know about the release of toxic chemicals in their communities,” said Sen. Lautenberg, who authored the legislation that created the original 1986 Right-to-Know program.
. Health officials, federal, state and local governments, businesses, and the public all use TRI to understand and reduce threats to public health. The law creating TRI was authored by Sen. Lautenberg and signed into law in 1986 as part of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA or SARA Title III). The law came in the wake of the tragic disaster at a Union Carbide facility in Bhopal, India, which killed thousands of people. Congress passed the law to ensure that communities know how much of a variety of dangerous industrial chemicals are released into the air, water, and ground.
In December 2006, EPA announced final rules weakening reporting requirements for the TRI program. With the weakened rules, the prior administration effectively undermined this critical program by eliminating detailed reports from thousands of facilities nationwide that released up to 2,000 pounds of chemicals every year and eliminated detailed reporting requirements for facilities that manage up to 500 pounds of chemicals known to pose some of the worst threats to human health, including lead and mercury. The weakened rule allowed more than 3,500 facilities to no longer report detailed information about their toxic chemical releases and waste management practices.
The Lautenberg measure included in the FY 2009 Omnibus Act reinstates the stronger reporting requirements that were in place before being weakened in December 2006. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ-06) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
New Jersey and 12 other states have recently sued the EPA to restore the old reporting thresholds.
Brian Karnofsky Jailed for Muscular Dystrophy
Brian has been arrested and will be put in jail for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) lock-up. We need to collect $2,000 for the MDA to help bail him out. Your tax deductible donation will help MDA continue research into the causes and cures for 43 neuromuscular diseases.
If you enjoy reading the Environmental Tip of the Week, now is the time to help us give hope to kids and families that need our help.
Brian is the President of Environmental Resource Center. Many of you helped bail him out in 2007 and 2008, but he’s on his way back to jail this year. Don’t bother asking what crimes he’s committed—just know that we need your help bailing him out.
EPA Developing New Coal Combustion Residuals Regulations
The letters request information to assist EPA in evaluating the structural integrity of these management units. EPA, working closely with other federal agencies and the states, will review the information provided by the facilities to identify impoundments or similar units that need priority attention. As part of this assessment effort, EPA will also be visiting many of these facilities to see first hand that the management units are structurally sound. EPA will require appropriate remedial action at any facility that is found to pose a risk for potential failure.
Coal ash from the release flowed into the Emory and Clinch rivers, filling large areas of the rivers and resulting in fish kills.
EPA is also developing regulations to address the management of coal combustion residuals. EPA anticipates having a proposed rule ready for public comment by the end of 2009.
Assessment and analysis of surface impoundments or similar units resulting from this letter will be used in a report that will be made available to the public.
Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks
Annual U.S. emissions for the period of time from 1990 through 2007 are summarized and presented by source category and sector in the document. The inventory contains estimates of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), perfluorocarbons (PFC), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) emissions. The inventory also includes estimates of carbon fluxes in U.S. agricultural and forest lands.
The technical approach used in the report to estimate emissions and sinks for greenhouse gases is consistent with the methodologies recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and reported in a format consistent with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reporting guidelines. The “Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2007” is the latest in a series of annual U.S. submissions to the Secretariat of the UNFCCC.
Comments received within 30 days of the publication of this notice will be considered for the final version of the document. Comments received after that date are welcome but will be considered for the next edition of the report. See the Federal Register notice for information about how to submit comments.
EPA Releases Comprehensive Database on Environmental Chemicals
EPA has released a new online database that collects information on more than 500,000 man-made chemicals from over 200 public sources. The Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource () database allows access to hundreds of data sources in one place, providing a new level of transparency and easy access for environmental researchers, scientific journalists, and the public. Sources of information include EPA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. National Institutes of Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control, and other federal agencies; state databases, Health and Environment Canada, the European Union, the World Health Organization, and other international groups; and non-governmental organizations, private companies, and universities.
ACToR was developed to support the ToxCast program of the EPA National Center for Computational Toxicology (). ToxCast develops faster methods to evaluate the potential toxicity for thousands of chemicals using computer modeling and advanced molecular biology techniques. ACToR was used to analyze toxicity information on almost 10,000 chemicals regulated by EPA and to identify data gaps to be addressed by ToxCast, which will greatly help EPA prioritize future testing of chemicals. Key findings are that while acute toxicity data is available for 59% of the surveyed chemicals, detailed testing information is much more limited. Twenty-six percent of the 10,000 chemicals have carcinogenicity testing data, 29% have developmental toxicity testing data, and 11% have complete reproductive toxicity test results.
It’s “Fix a Leak Week”
Water is a renewable, yet precious resource and we all need to realize that “every drop counts” when it comes our wise consumption of this resource. Everyone is encouraged to improve the water efficiency of homes, businesses, and irrigation systems by checking for and fixing leaks.
WaterSense? is a partnership program sponsored by EPA. Its mission is to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by promoting and enhancing the market for water-efficient products and services. Currently, there are more than 250 WaterSense? labeled toilets, 700 labeled faucets and faucet accessories, and more than 600 certified irrigation partners. WaterSense? labeled products must achieve independent, third-party testing and certification to prove they meet EPA’s rigorous criteria for efficiency and performance.
Century Cabinetry Inc. Will Pay $1.3 Million for Air Quality Violations
Century Cabinetry Inc. will pay $1.3 million in civil penalties for air quality violations at its kitchen cabinet manufacturing plant in Uwchlan Township, Pennsylvania. Using unpermitted equipment, the company released an estimated 350 tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the environment over a seven-year period.
“Century operated an automated spray finishing unit for many years without the required air quality permit,” Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Southeast Regional Director Joseph A. Feola said. “Today’s penalty takes into account the economic benefit the company realized from not complying with environmental regulations.”
During a November 2004 inspection, DEP inspectors noted several potential air pollution sources, including the finishing equipment, and determined that an air permit was needed for the spray booth. DEP issued a notice of violation to the company on February 15, 2005 for the installation and operation of this equipment without first obtaining a plan approval or operating permit.
Century Cabinetry opted to install ultraviolet technology for a new automated spray finishing line that would not require an air permit, as it emits less than two tons per year of VOCs. The company dismantled its old spray finishing line on May 30, 2008.
Under the terms of the agreement, Century Cabinetry will pay the penalty in installments over an 18-month period to Pennsylvania’s Clean Air Fund. An additional $36,361 will be paid by Century for annual emission fees that would have been collected by DEP based on the estimated 50 tons per year of VOCs emitted by the facility.
BP Products to Pay Penalty of $785,662 to Settle EPCRA Violations
BP Products North America Inc. has agreed to pay $785,662 to resolve Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act () violations at its Texas City, Texas, refinery. EPA has announced. BP will pay a $420,662 civil penalty and will spend $365,000 on supplemental environmental projects (SEPs) in Texas City.
EPCRA and its corresponding EPA regulations require that certain facilities that manufacture, process, or use certain toxic chemicals report releases annually by July 1, for the preceding calendar year. This settlement addresses the company’s noncompliance with EPCRA reporting requirements by failing to complete and submit toxic chemical release inventory information to EPA and the State of Texas for the period 2002-2005, and failure to maintain reporting records for calendar year 2004. The toxic chemicals subject to reporting requirements included anthracene, cobalt compounds, dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, formaldehyde, lead compounds, methanol, nickel compounds, phenanthrene, and vanadium.
The $365,000 in SEPs are intended to improve Texas City’s ability to respond to emergency releases that threaten human health or the environment and include an ambulance, upgrade of the city’s computer system, communications equipment, and an Optigon system to assist with traffic control during emergencies. Also included in the projects are funds to improve the city’s Emergency Operations Center and upgrade the city’s mobile command post.
Logansport Municipal Utilities Agrees to Burn Low-Sulfur Coal to Cut Emissions and Will Pay $400,000 for Environmental Projects
EPA Region 5 has issued an administrative consent order under the Clean Air Act to Logansport Municipal Utilities in Logansport, Indiana. The company has agreed to reduce emissions from its two coal-fired boilers by burning low-sulfur coal. The facility has also committed to spending $400,000 on environmentally beneficial projects.
In September 2008, EPA sent Logansport a notice alleging that it had exceeded its emission limit for opacity, the amount of light obscured by particulate matter (e.g., smoke, dust, ash), from its boilers in violation of federal and state regulations. The allegations stem from visible emission readings conducted by an EPA inspector in July of 2008.
Chief Engineer from Ship Faces Imprisonment and $250,000 Fine for Concealing Vessel Pollution
The Justice Department has announced that Carmelo Oria, a Spanish citizen, who was the Chief Engineer on the Cyprus-flagged ship, the M/T Nautilus, has plead guilty to using falsified records that concealed improper discharges of oil-contaminated bilge water from the M/T Nautilus. The 26,794 gross ton chemical tanker is owned by Cyprus-based Iceport Shipping Company Ltd., and is operated by Spanish-based Consultores de Navegacion S.A.
The government’s investigation began in March 2008, when inspectors from the U.S. Coast Guard conducted an examination of the M/T Nautilus, following the ship’s arrival in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, and subsequently in the Port of Boston. The inspections uncovered evidence that crewmembers aboard the ship had improperly handled and disposed of the ship’s oil-contaminated bilge water and had falsified entries in the ship’s official oil record book to conceal these activities.
Engine room operations on board large oceangoing vessels such as the M/T Nautilus generate large amounts of waste oil and oil-contaminated bilge waste. International and U.S. law prohibit the discharge of waste containing more than 15 parts per million of oil and without treatment by an oily water separator—a required pollution prevention device. Law also requires that all overboard discharges be recorded in an oil record book, a required log which is regularly inspected by the Coast Guard.
Oria served as the Chief Engineer aboard the M/T Nautilus between January and March 2008 and was responsible for all engine room operations. During that time, Oria ordered engine room crew members to discharge oil-contaminated bilge fluids from the ship’s bilges directly into the ocean. When the M/T Nautilus entered the Port of Boston on March 22, 2008, the ship’s log, which Oria was responsible for maintaining, failed to disclose the overboard discharge of oil-contaminated bilge water.
“Our hope is that this case will send a strong message to those in the maritime community who might try to circumvent our nation’s anti-pollution laws. It is necessary to ensure that the companies realize that violating our environmental laws will be taken seriously, and will ultimately cost them more than legally disposing of the waste,” said Michael J. Sullivan, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.
Oria faces up to 6 years imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Investigative Service.
Anderson Development Co. to Pay $153,100 Penalty for Hazardous Waste Violations
EPA Region 5 has signed a consent agreement and final order with Anderson Development Co. for alleged hazardous waste violations at its facility in Adrian, Michigan. The specialty chemical manufacturer will pay a $153,100 penalty and complete two SEPs that will include purchasing emergency equipment for the Adrian Fire Department and sponsoring two household hazardous waste collections in the area.
Specifically, EPA found that the company failed to obtain a hazardous waste storage permit, get assessments/certifications, maintain records, and meet inspection requirements for its tank systems. Anderson also failed to label tanks and containers, and maintain proper aisle space and container requirements. The company has since modified its tank system to meet federal requirements.
Chinook Ventures Fined $150,000 for Numerous Air and Water Quality Violations
Chinook Ventures, a private port operating near Longview, Washington has been fined $150,000 by the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) for operating without necessary permits and failing to protect air quality and prevent polluted runoff from reaching the Columbia River. Ecology inspectors documented air and water quality violations during two unannounced inspections in 2007.
“Ecology has received numerous complaints about Chinook Ventures, and combined with what we’ve seen, we’re deeply concerned,” said Laurie Davies, Ecology’s manager for the program which oversees permitting for Chinook Ventures. “By ignoring state and local permitting requirements, this company is putting people and the environment at risk—as well as creating an unfair advantage over business competitors who follow the law and permit requirements.”
The company is located at the site of the former Reynolds and Longview Aluminum smelters. Chinook Ventures bought the buildings on the property in 2004. Since then, the company has been cleaning up historical contamination and establishing itself as a storage, shipping, and transport facility.
Ecology has permitting authority for Chinook Ventures’ water quality and for some air quality requirements. Chinook Ventures’ operations are inconsistent with the water quality permit for the facility, an issue Ecology has raised with the company since it took over the shut down Longview Aluminum smelter’s permit. The company has yet to apply for a new permit and submit required stormwater pollution prevention and spill control plans.
During the 2007 inspections, Ecology found Chinook Ventures violating water quality standards by:
- Storing waste materials outside without adequate pollution prevention controls
- Spilling product on the ground during loading and unloading operations
- Tracking materials throughout the site
- Using poor housekeeping practices on-site and at the pier
In 2006, Ecology issued a temporary air order allowing the company to crush materials from the old smelter in specific buildings with proper emission control systems. During the 2007 inspections, Ecology observed Chinook Ventures directly violating the air order by operating crushing equipment in different buildings without emission controls and beyond the permit’s time limit.
Along with the penalty, Ecology issued an enforcement order to compel the company to resolve the air and water quality violations. The company has 30 days to respond to the penalty.
Two Massachusetts Educational Institutions Face Penalties for Clean Water and Oil Spill Prevention Violations
As part of an ongoing effort to prevent illegal oil spills to New England waters, EPA has stepped up its enforcement against facilities with oil storage capacity that fail to adequately prepare and fully implement spill prevention plans as required by the federal Clean Water Act, and fail to file hazardous chemical inventory forms with proper authorities, as required the federal Emergency Planning and Right-to-Know Act ().
EPA is currently seeking penalties for such violations against two educational institutions: Atlantic Union College of Lancaster, Massachusetts, and Phillips Academy of Andover, Massachusetts. Atlantic Union College also had an illegal spill, resulting in a discharge of oil to a brook that may have been preventable if a Spill Prevention Control & Countermeasure () plan had been implemented at the facility. Both schools could face penalties up to the statutory maximums which, for Atlantic Union College, could be up to $177,500 for the CWA violations and up to $32,500 per day for the EPCRA violations. For Phillips Academy, the penalty could be up to $157,500 for CWA violations and up to 32,500 per day for the EPCRA violations.
Griffin Soil Fined $12,000 for Diesel Emissions Violations
California Air Resources Board (ARB) has fined Griffin Soil $12,000 for failing to inspect their diesel trucks for compliance with the state’s smoke emissions standards.
Under the penalty, Griffin Soil must take the following steps:
- Ensure that staff responsible for compliance with the diesel truck emission inspection program attend diesel education courses and provide certificates of completion within one year
- Instruct vehicle operators to comply with the state’s idling regulations
- Complete heavy-duty diesel engine software and control technology upgrades in compliance with regulations
- Supply all smoke inspection records to ARB for the next four years
- Properly label engines to ensure compliance with the engine emissions certification program regulations
Crop Harvesting Company Fined $10,000 for Diesel Emission Violations
The California ARB has fined Valley Harvesting & Packing Inc., a crop harvesting company, $10,000 for diesel truck emission violations. The company was cited for failure to maintain fleet management records in 2005 and 2006 as required by law.
ARB requires diesel and bus fleet owners to conduct annual smoke inspections and repair vehicles with excessive smoke emissions. ARB inspectors randomly audit fleets, maintenance and inspection records, and tests a representative sample of vehicles. Vehicles failing the emissions test must be repaired and retested. A fleet owner who does not perform the annual smoke inspection is subject to a penalty of $500 per vehicle, per year.
Pro Properties Fined for Not Disclosing Lead Hazards
The company failed to provide federally-required lead warning statements to rental apartment tenants and also failed to disclose whether it had information or reports on lead-based paint or lead hazards at these locations prior to tenants signing leasing agreements.
The Lead Disclosure Rule requires that landlords or sellers of housing constructed prior to 1978 provide each purchaser or tenant with a lead hazard information pamphlet, any information and/or reports concerning lead-based paint hazards at the property, and a Lead Warning Statement to be signed by the parties. Additionally, sellers are required to provide purchasers with an opportunity to conduct a lead-based paint evaluation.
Pennsylvania DEP Fines GKN Sinter Metals for Illegal Industrial Waste Discharge
Pennsylvania DEP has fined GKN Sinter Metals Inc. $5,200 for illegally discharging oily wastewater from its powdered metal products manufacturing plant in Emporium, Pennsylvania. The discharge was discovered in March 2008.
“This had been a continuing problem since it was first discovered by DEP inspectors late last March, but it wasn’t until November that GKN found the probable source of the discharge,” said DEP Northcentral Regional Director Robert Yowell.
DEP staff first noticed the oily sheen at a stormwater drain along GKN’s parking lot that discharges to the Driftwood Branch Sinnemahoning Creek.
In November 2008, GKN staff located the probable source of the problem as a leak of coolant and rust prevention chemicals from a machine in its plant. The sump and pit associated with the machine were cleaned and sealed by GKN maintenance staff in January.
The oily discharge was a violation of the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law. The law prohibits unauthorized industrial wastewater discharges to the commonwealth’s waters. The company must now begin a study to characterize the contamination on its property and clean it up properly so that it meets applicable standards.
Two Oklahoma Businesses Fined for SPCC Violations
EPA has penalized Lazy J Oil Company of Hallett, Oklahoma, $2,100, and Nub’s Well Service of Fox, Oklahoma, $600, for violations of the federal Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure () regulations outlined under the Clean Water Act.
A federal EPA inspection of a Lazy J Oil Company oil production facility in Kellyville, Oklahoma, on December 29, 2008, revealed the facility had no SPCC plan and personnel working at the site had no training on general facility operations, no training on the operation and maintenance of equipment to prevent discharges, no training on discharge procedure protocols, and no training on applicable pollution control laws, rules, and regulations. The inspection also found that containers, foundation, and supports were not periodically inspected for deterioration and maintenance needs, and that above ground valves and pipelines were not examined periodically for general condition. As part of an Expedited Settlement Agreement with EPA, the facility has provided certification that all identified deficiencies have been corrected.
A December 16, 2008, EPA inspection of Nub’s Well Service found that inspections and tests required by SPCC regulations were not performed in accordance with written procedures developed for the facility. The inspection also found the field drainage system, oil traps, sumps, and skimmers were not regularly inspected and that oil was not promptly removed as it should have been. Additionally, visual inspections that should have been conducted for containers, foundation, and supports were not being conducted periodically to assess deterioration and maintenance needs. As part of an Expedited Settlement Agreement with EPA, the facility has provided certification that all identified deficiencies have been corrected.
Interactive Map Facilitates Search for Cleanup Status of Corrective Action Facilities
EPA requires that RCRA corrective action facilities clean up contaminants that are being released or that were released in the past and provide this information to the public. The map enables users to perform geographical searches of the cleanup status of individual facilities and other information based on city, state, county, or street address.
EPA Awards TDA Research, Inc. $225,000 to Develop a Process to Produce Low-Cost Biodiesel
TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, has been awarded $225,000 by EPA to develop a process aimed at producing biodiesel from low-cost waste feedstocks. EPA awarded only eight of these Phase II contracts nationally to small businesses through the Small Business Innovation Research () program.
“Small Colorado businesses like TDA are the future of our state’s renewable energy economy,” said Larry Grandison, EPA’s Communications Director in Denver. “With EPA’s support, TDA is refining a promising technology that transforms food and animal wastes into a low-cost fuel that reduces greenhouse gas emissions.”
After completion of their EPA Phase I SBIR contract, TDA determined that it can produce biodiesel from waste grease at a cost that is competitive with conventional diesel. Under the Phase II contract, TDA has identified a new process to solve technical problems involving cost and supply. This new process will run on low-cost waste and recycled oils and fats. TDA is working with Rocky Mountain Sustainable Enterprises (RMSE) of Boulder, Colorado to identify and collect local waste oils and fats for use in the process. RMSE currently collects nearly one million gallons of recycled waste vegetable oil per year in the Front Range.
EPA is one of 11 federal agencies that participate in the SBIR Program established by the Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982. The purpose of this Act is to strengthen the role of small businesses in federally funded research and development and help develop a stronger national base for technical innovation. An SBIR small business is defined as a for-profit organization with no more than 500 employees.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides close to $200 million in funding for small businesses to grow, add workers, and expand into new markets. This unique opportunity can be accessed by small businesses through the SBIR programs at EPA and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Qualifying companies with fewer than 500 employees are eligible to apply at both EPA and NSF.
Maryland Department of the Environment Investigating Fly Ash Spill in West Virginia
On March 9, 2009, New Page Corporation, reported to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) that a coal ash slurry spill had occurred into the North Branch Potomac River. Company officials advised that a pipeline that carries liquid ash from the mill’s power plant to an ash storage lagoon in West Virginia had ruptured, allowing approximately 4,000 gallons of slurried ash to discharge directly into the river.
Officials estimated a “dime sized” hole developed in the pipeline around 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, 2009, and was discovered at 6:00 a.m. on March 9, 2009. The damaged pipeline was immediately taken out of service for repairs while cleanup efforts to remove spilled ash from the West Virginia shoreline are ongoing. Two unaffected parallel pipelines continue to carry ash slurry while repairs and cleanup operations are underway. MDE maintains regulatory authority over the North Branch Potomac River to the ordinary high water line along the West Virginia shoreline. In addition, MDE regulates the discharge of the coal ash lagoon in West Virginia through a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit since it normally discharges directly into the river after treatment.
MDE staff responded to the site and will monitor clean up and repair activities. MDE’s investigation of the spill continues.
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to Hold Fugitive Dust Management Workshop on March 26
Public health studies increasingly warn that exposure to fugitive dust has significant health implications, and fugitive dust from roads and surface lots contributes to air pollution and has the potential to be a significant contributor to stormwater and surface water pollution in Southeast Michigan. To help address these issues, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) is presenting the “Fugitive Dust Management for Roads and Surface Lots Workshop” on March 26, in Livonia.
This workshop and vendor exposition will provide information about how to control fugitive dust on paved and unpaved roads as well as how to control fugitive dust on surface lots at public and private facilities. To help comply with environmental requirements relating to fugitive dust, attendees will receive an overview of regulations and health issues, a profile of dust control methods, advice on efficient worksite management practices, success stories on dust management, and information about the costs involved in dust prevention and reduction. Vendors will showcase their products and services designed to help control fugitive dust.
This workshop is recommended for owners and managers of paved and/or unpaved surface lots and/or roads, including municipalities, businesses, and any organization with fugitive dust issues.
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Trivia Question of the Week
What city has the highest number of Energy Star Buildings?
a. Denver, CO
b. Phoenix, AZ
c. New York, NY
d. Los Angeles, CA