“This report gives everyone fighting for clean air a lot to be proud of because for more than 40 years we have been protecting Americans—preventing illness and improving our quality of life by cutting air pollution—all while the economy has more than tripled,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “But we know our work is not done yet. At the core of EPA’s mission is the pursuit of environmental justice - striving for clean air, water and healthy land for every American; and we are committed to reducing remaining pollution, especially in low-income neighborhoods.”
Using national emissions and air quality data, the Urban Air Toxics Report shows the substantial progress that has been made to reduce air toxics across the country since the CAA Amendments of 1990, including:
- 66% reduction in benzene
- Nearly 60% reduction in mercury from man-made sources like coal-fired power plants
- 84% decrease of lead in outdoor air
- Removal of estimated 1.5 million tons per year of air toxics like arsenic, benzene, lead, and nickel from stationary sources and another 1.5 million tons per year (about 50%) of air toxics from mobile sources. This is significant because air toxics (referred to as hazardous air pollutants or HAPs) are known or suspected of causing cancer and can damage the immune, respiratory, neurological, reproductive, and developmental systems
- Approximately 3 million tons per year of criteria pollutants, like particulate matter and sulfur dioxide, have been reduced as co-benefits of air toxics reductions
Reducing toxics is a top priority for EPA, and even with the progress noted in the report, the agency continues to improve the understanding of the air toxics in order to effectively reduce remaining risks, particularly in overburdened communities.EPA is working closely with state, local, and tribal agencies to promote area-wide and regional strategies to address air toxics and support a number of community-based programs that help communities understand, prioritize, and reduce exposures to toxic pollutants in their local environment. For example, in Indianapolis, the agency is working with partners through an EPA grant for the Building Lead Safe Communities project in the Martindale-Brightwood and Nearwest neighborhoods. These types of projects address the risk of toxic lead exposure in children through outreach efforts and compiling block level soil lead data, identifying hotspots utilizing air sampling, and developing synergistic local solutions.
Additionally, recent EPA actions will further address toxic pollution in communities. Since 2005, EPA has taken steps to address air emissions from stationary sources that include major reductions from boilers, power plants, and Portland cement facilities.The agency expects reductions in air toxics from cars and trucks to grow to 80% by the year 2030 as we get newer, cleaner vehicles on the road.. It would also reduce emissions of chemicals such as benzene, toluene, and xylene by 5,600 tons per year. These efforts, along with the implementation and adoption of new and existing national rules for stationary and mobile sources of pollution will improve public health for all Americans by providing further reductions in air toxics.
Training on New Rules for Lithium Battery Shipments
These changes are designed to ensure that lithium cells and batteries are able to withstand normal transportation conditions and are packaged to reduce the possibility of damage that could lead to an unsafe situation.
- Enhance packaging and hazard communication requirements for lithium batteries transported by air
- Replace equivalent lithium content with Watt-hours for lithium ion cells and batteries
- Adopt separate shipping descriptions for lithium metal batteries and lithium ion batteries
- Revise provisions for the transport of small and medium lithium cells and batteries including cells and batteries packed with, or contained in, equipment
- Revise the exceptions for small cells and batteries in air transportation
- Revise the requirements for the transport of lithium batteries for disposal or recycling
- Harmonize the provisions for the transport of low production and prototype lithium cells and batteries with the ICAO Technical Instructions and the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code
- Adopt new provisions for the transport of damaged, defective, and recalled lithium batteries
If you ship batteries by ground or air, you must comply with the latest DOT and IATA/ICAO regulations that specify how the batteries must be packaged, marked, labeled, and transported. The rules apply not only to batteries, but also to equipment or vehicles that contain batteries as well as batteries packed along with equipment. Virtually all types of batteries are regulated, including lithium, lead-acid, nickel cadmium, and metal hydride alkaline. According to 49 CFR 172.704, all personnel involved in the classification, packaging, marking, labeling, or shipment of batteries must receive initial and recurrent transportation training.
Pittsburgh RCRA and DOT Training
Columbus RCRA and DOT Training
San Antonio RCRA and DOT Training
EPA’s New Solvent Wipe, Shop Towel Rule Demystified
- Does the rule apply to both cloth and paper wipes and rags?
- What solvents can be on the towels, and which are prohibited?
- Does the rule also apply to towels that contain characteristic hazardous waste?
- Can P or U-listed wastes be on the towels?
- How must the towels be stored on-site?
- Do they need to be tested for anything?
- How long can they be stored?
- How must the containers be marked or labeled?
- How must they be prepared for transportation?
Where can you ship them and what are the disposal and recycling options?
What are the documentation requirements?
How is the new rule impacted by current state regulations?
Coalition Asks EPA to Limit Secrecy for Critical Public Health Information
People are exposed to chemicals in their communities, homes, and workplaces every day, but often lack access to critical information about the safety of these chemicals. Under TSCA, industry is given wide latitude to claim such information confidential, making it unavailable to state and local governments, medical professionals, health organizations, research institutions, and the general public. EPA currently sets no end date for the protection from disclosure of this information, essentially allowing it to be shrouded in secrecy indefinitely.
The coalition submitting the petition issued this general statement:
“Access to safety information about the chemicals you encounter everyday is critical to people, to families and to mothers and fathers making decisions about where they live and work and the products they buy. Setting a time limit on secrecy is a no-nonsense solution that guards true trade secrets, but begins protecting those that need this information the most—the families, workers and communities at risk from these chemicals.”
Plating Shop Operators Plead No-Contest to Release and Abandonment of Hazardous Waste Charges
On June 17, Bonnie Rita Cardenas pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor violation for failure to immediately report the release of muriatic acid (also known as hydrochloric acid). The terms of Cardenas’s plea include 50 hours of community service, three years of informal probation, reserved restitution, fines, and fees. On July 29, Ramon Alonzo Montes pleaded no contest to a felony violation for unlawfully dumping hazardous waste. The terms of Montes’s plea include 120 days in jail, five years informal probation, and reserved restitution, fines, and fees.
Montes formerly operated a plating facility in Hilmar, California. He ceased paying rent for the facility and abandoned hazardous materials there. Montes subsequently sold his remaining plating chemicals to Cardenas. In moving those chemicals from Montes’s Hilmar facility to a facility in Merced, a 55-gallon drum of muriatic acid spilled onto the ground and ultimately entered a storm drain. Cardenas failed to report the release.
OCI coordinated with the California Highway Patrol and Merced County Environmental Health Department in the investigation. OCI referred the matter to the Merced County District Attorney, which then filed a criminal complaint against Cardenas and Montes for violations of the California Penal Code and the California Hazardous Waste Control Law.
“Illegal disposal of hazardous wastes threaten the safety of the community,” said Enrique Baeza, a supervising criminal investigator for DTSC. “Criminal charges were warranted for this reckless misconduct and we are grateful for the convictions obtained by the District Attorney’s Office.”
OCI is a special investigation unit within DTSC consisting of peace officers, scientists, and a computer forensic specialist who investigate criminal misconduct and other serious violations of hazardous waste laws in California. It is the only criminal investigation unit within the California EPA.
Minnesota Agency Penalizes St. Paul Park Refining for Benzene Release to the Mississippi River
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has fined St. Paul Park Refining Co., for failing to properly treat, store, and dispose of benzene-containing wastewater at its refinery in St. Paul Park. This, the MPCA said, could have resulted in the release of benzene—a cancer-causing component of crude oil—to the Mississippi River.
When St. Paul Park Refining took possession of the refinery on December 1, 2010, the refinery’s wastewater treatment plant was failing to remove benzene from the refinery’s wastewater. St. Paul Park Refining discharged hazardous waste benzene process wastewater to an unlined lagoon next to the Mississippi River as Marathon Petroleum, the previous owner of the refinery, had done. Liquids in the unlined lagoon could migrate to shallow groundwater and then to the river. (In 2013, Marathon Petroleum paid a civil penalty of $700,000 for improperly disposing of benzene-containing wastewater and for other violations of environmental laws.)
The MPCA has said that between January 4, 2011, and September 10, 2012, St. Paul Park Refining discharged more than 4 million gallons of wastewater, which the company estimated contained 2.7 gallons of benzene, to the unlined lagoon.
In addition to failing to properly treat, store, and dispose of the hazardous waste benzene process wastewater it generated, the MPCA also said that St. Paul Park Refining had:
- Operated without a hazardous waste facility permit issued by the MPCA
- Failed to manage its facility in a way that minimizes the unplanned release of hazardous waste or hazardous waste constituents that could threaten human health or the environment
- Failed to send 117 signed manifests to the MPCA
- Sent two signed manifests late to the MPCA
- Failed to properly store a 55-gallon container of hazardous waste mercury
- Failed to report and clean up a spill of untreated wastewater containing hazardous waste
St. Paul Park Refining has replaced the old wastewater treatment plant with a new one, which it said cost $42 million. The new plant, which went online this June, does not discharge wastewater to on-site lagoons.
Under the terms of a stipulation agreement, St. Paul Park Refining paid a civil penalty of $40,000 to the MPCA. When calculating penalties, the MPCA takes into account the severity of the violation, the impact or potential impact to the environment, whether it was a first-time or repeat violation, and the intent or carelessness of the regulated party.
In addition to paying the penalty, St. Paul Park Refining has taken corrective actions that ensure it will properly handle and store hazardous wastes. It has also told the MPCA how it will comply with the agency’s requirements for submitting manifests on time, and how any hazardous waste that is leaked or spilled will be recovered and stored in accordance with state and federal rules.
Washington Makes Improving Dangerous Waste Handling a State Goal
A public hearing will be held via webinar on September 24 at 2 p.m.
The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) updates the dangerous-waste regulations every two to four years to improve waste management. These regulations establish requirements for generators, transporters, and facilities that manage dangerous waste in Washington state.
If approved, the updates integrate changes to federal hazardous waste regulations. These include:
- A rule simplifying waste management at university and college laboratories
- Changes to import and export rules
- Adopting technical corrections and a few other minor rules
- Some state requirements will also be updated, including a number of technical and editorial corrections and clarifications. Other state-initiated changes include:
- Clarifying rules for special waste, including a time limit for storing it at transfer stations
- Updating financial-assurance rules, including new rules at corrective action sites
- Adopting a federal rule that allows use of enforceable documents in place of a post-closure permit
- Clarifying rules regarding professional engineers who certify facility construction projects
- Updating the Chemical Test Methods guidance (Ecology publication #97-407)
New Connecticut Law Begins Process to Ensure Fracking Waste Does Not Create a Hazard
Connecticut’s Governor Dannel P. Malloy recently joined state officials, lawmakers, and environmental advocates for a ceremony at Farm River State Park in East Haven to commemorate the passage of a new state law that enacts a three-year moratorium on the handling of waste from hydraulic fracturing in Connecticut while its environmental impact is further researched.
The legislation, which has been called one of the strongest in the nation, was approved by the General Assembly with strong bipartisan support and supported by grassroots advocacy across the state.
“This law makes Connecticut a national leader in dealing with a material that can have a serious impact on our public health and our environment,” Governor Malloy said. “We must take bold, proactive steps to defend the well-being of our state, remove any loopholes that may exist in environmental protection laws, and protect our citizens from toxic fracking waste. These efforts will assure that Connecticut remains a great place to live, work, and play.”
During the three-year moratorium, the new law requires the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to establish an appropriate regulatory approach necessary to ensure that fracking waste does not create a hazard for Connecticut’s air, land, water, and public health.
The law also allows for immediate research permits on fracking waste to a maximum of three entities for up to 330 gallons of waste each. One of these entities may apply one time for an additional 500 gallons. All waste brought into the state for research must be treated as hazardous.
Fracking, which is also known as “hydraulic fracturing,” is a drilling technique where an “L” shaped bore is made in the ground, which is then injected with water mixed with sand and chemicals under high pressure. This creates underground fissures that allow otherwise hard-to-reach deposits of natural gas to flow back to the surface. A single gas well made by fracking may create two to four million gallons of wastewater.
EPA Agreement with School District Ensures Compliance with Safeguards for Asbestos in Schools
In a recent consent agreement with EPA, the Prince George’s County School District in Maryland has resolved alleged violations of federal regulations on the management of asbestos materials in school buildings. The school district has cooperated fully with EPA to come into compliance and ensure ongoing compliance with asbestos safeguards in all of their schools. The district—which has 126,000 students and 8,870 teachers in 195 schools—has documented $4,720,000 in expenditures on district-wide asbestos compliance activities since 2009.
The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) requires owners of school buildings to develop a management plan for asbestos-containing materials, detailing procedures to prevent asbestos releases. The management plan must be available at the school, with annual notification to parent, teacher, and employee organizations of the plan and any asbestos abatement activities. Schools must train personnel on AHERA compliance, and conduct inspections and periodic surveillance of asbestos-containing materials.
According to EPA, the school district was subject to a substantial penalty for alleged AHERA violations. However, as provided by the law, EPA has taken into account the district’s diligence in coming into compliance, including the $4.72 million spent on compliance costs and commitment to on-going compliance, and has not assessed a monetary penalty.
Alleged violations, found during inspections conducted by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), involve precautionary inspections, recordkeeping, and notification requirements of AHERA safeguards including failure to:
- Conduct initial inspections (or obtaining an exclusion) for all school buildings
- Conduct re-inspections every three years
- Collect asbestos samples during inspections
- Conduct asbestos training for custodial and maintenance staff
- Prepare a complete asbestos management plan
- Notify parent, teacher, and employee organizations of the availability of the asbestos management plan
- Place warning labels on asbestos-containing materials in routine maintenance locations
As part of the settlement, the school district neither admitted nor denied the alleged violations, but has certified that it is now in compliance with applicable AHERA requirements at all schools in the district.
This settlement is part of EPA’s ongoing efforts to work with schools to reduce asbestos hazards. EPA offers compliance assistance to public, private, charter, and parochial schools, and has conducted outreach at educational conferences.
EPA Serving as On-Scene Coordinator in Emergency Response to Ohio River Oil Spill
. Twenty-four hour operations are underway to contain and clean up oil along a 12-mile stretch of the Ohio River immediately upstream from Cincinnati.
“US EPA, the US Coast Guard and Ohio EPA quickly mobilized and are taking a series of steps to minimize the damage this spill does to the Ohio River and surrounding communities,” said US EPA Incident Commander Steven Renninger. “US EPA is on the scene to ensure the leaked oil is contained and cleaned up as quickly and effectively as possible.”
EPA has established a unified command with the US Coast Guard, the Ohio EPA and Pierce Township. EPA is directing response efforts carried out by Duke Energy. Under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, EPA has the responsibility for inland oil spills.
Booms were deployed in the Ohio River to contain the spill with the sheen extending approximately 12 miles from Duke’s plant down the Ohio River toward Cincinnati. The US Coast Guard closed 15 miles of the river to vessel traffic. As a precaution, the Greater Cincinnati Waterworks and the Northern Kentucky Water District each closed drinking water intakes on the Ohio River. The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission is conducting water sampling on the river.
Settlement Ensures that New Bedford Company Adheres to Measures to Control Air Pollutants
The company will apply for a state permit amendment establishing limits on its VOC emissions.
EPA and DOJ alleged that Coyne’s excess emissions of VOCs have contributed to the formation of ground-level ozone in Massachusetts, and required strict emission limits from 1994 to the present. Coyne will also pay a penalty of $50,000.
Anderson Man Sentenced for Knowing Endangerment by Release of Asbestos
US Attorney Bill Nettles announced that Scott William Farmer of Anderson, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Spartanburg, South Carolina, for Knowing Endangerment by Release of Asbestos, a violation of 42 U.S.C. §7413(c)(5). United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis of Spartanburg sentenced Farmer to 41 months imprisonment and 3 years supervised release.
Evidence presented established that between November 2012 and April 2013, Farmer and others working for Farmer demolished portions of Haynsworth Mill, located in Anderson, South Carolina, in order to sell scrap metal from the building. The materials in the building contained hazardous levels of asbestos. Farmer was repeatedly warned by South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) to stop his demolition efforts because of the danger. Farmer continued tearing down the building and failed to take required precautions to safeguard his workers, individuals to whom he sold the metal from the mill, and the public. On March 14, 2013, an Emergency Order was issued against Farmer to cease all activities on the site due to the hazardous levels of asbestos. In April of 2013, DHEC inspectors again located Farmer and another conducting demolition work on the contaminated site.
“Exposure to asbestos can cause serious health problems and in some cases may prove fatal,” said Maureen O’Mara, Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in South Carolina. “The defendant’s actions threatened not only the environment but the safety of his workers and the surrounding community. EPA and its law enforcement counterparts take seriously our obligation to investigate these violations and prosecute to protect the public’s well-being.”
Bill Nettles stated, “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the citizens of South Carolina and our natural resources from hazardous pollutants such as asbestos. Our office will continue to prioritize the environmental work we do with both federal and state agencies, to ensure that our state is protected and others are deterred from breaking the law.
The case was investigated by agents of the EPA and SC DHEC. Assistant US Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen of the Greenville office prosecuted the case.
TCEQ Approves Fines Totaling $817,787
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality recently approved penalties totaling $752,512 against 49 regulated entities for violations of state environmental regulations.
Agreed orders were issued for the following enforcement categories: eight air quality, one dry cleaner, two Edwards Aquifer, one industrial waste discharge, one irrigation licensing, one multimedia, two municipal solid waste, four municipal waste discharge, five petroleum storage tank, and 10 public water system.
Default orders were issued for the following enforcement categories: two air quality, two municipal solid waste, one on-site sewage facility authorization, five petroleum storage tank, two public water system, and one water quality.
There was one petroleum storage tank enforcement default and shutdown order.
In addition, on August 18, the executive director approved 35 agreed orders, each $7,500 or less, totaling $65,275.
Included in the total are penalties of $180,360 against Exxon Mobil Corporation in Kleberg County, for air violations noted in an investigation conducted July 3, 2013. Of that amount, $90,180 will be used by the Texas Railroad Commission, for its Alternative Fuels Clean School Bus Replacement Program. Also included in the total are penalties of $103,703 against Camden Resources, Liberty County, for air quality violations noted in an investigation conducted July 11, 2013.
In other agenda news, the commissioners announced the appointment of Vic McWherter as the agency’s Public Interest Counsel.
California Water Board Approves School Stormwater Program
In response to Governor Jerry Brown’s Emergency Drought Proclamation, the California State Water Resources Control Board approved guidelines for the Drought Response Outreach Program for Schools (DROPS).
“Every drop of water is precious at any time, but especially during a drought,” said State Water Board Chair Felicia Marcus. “Schools are an important part of every community and the DROPS program gives them the opportunity to be great environmental stewards. The program instructs and guides young people on the importance of water, and empowers them to make a difference in their own communities.”
DROPS will focus on projects that provide multiple benefits, including water quality improvement, water conservation, water supply augmentation, greenhouse gas reduction, energy savings and an increased awareness of water resource sustainability.
Examples of projects that would qualify for DROPS include rain gardens, vegetated swales, tree stormwater capture boxes, permeable pavement, and rainwater catchment systems. In addition, the replacement of irrigated turf with drought-tolerant landscaping; updating irrigation systems with smart timers; and replacing showerheads, toilets, and faucets with more efficient products will be eligible components of DROPS projects.
The funding for DROPS comes from unallocated grant funds from previously approved water bond issues, including Proposition 13, the Safe Drinking Water, Clean Water, Watershed Protection, and Flood Protection Act of 2000; and Proposition 40, the California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhood Parks, and Coastal Protection Act of 2002.
The program will be administered by the State Water Board, Division of Financial Assistance.
Governor Brown has called on all Californians to reduce their water use by 20% and prevent water waste.
MassDEP Assesses $37,625 Penalty to Jamaica Plain-Based Company for Asbestos Violations at Worcester Residence
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has assessed Crestline Weatherization and Construction, LLC, of Jamaica Plain a $37,625 penalty for violations of asbestos regulations that occurred at a Worcester residence.
During a November 2012 site visit, MassDEP inspectors observed asbestos-containing insulation had been improperly removed from a boiler and heating pipes at the residence. MassDEP personnel inspected the basement of the residence after receiving a complaint from Worcester Code Enforcement, and found numerous pieces of dry, friable asbestos-containing insulation uncontained on the basement floor. Additionally, the company did not notify MassDEP prior to commencing the asbestos removal work as required by the regulations.
MassDEP regulations require asbestos-containing materials to be removed wet, and to seal the asbestos waste while wet into leak-tight containers that have appropriate asbestos warning labels affixed to them and disposed of at a landfill permitted to accept asbestos-containing waste material. These requirements are designed to prevent a release of asbestos fibers to the environment, to protect building occupants and the general public from exposure to asbestos fibers and to preclude other parts of the building from becoming contaminated. Notification is required to MassDEP 10 working days prior to commencing any asbestos removal work so that MassDEP is aware of the removal work and has the opportunity to conduct inspections to ensure compliance with the regulations.
“Home improvement contractors are well aware that there are specific work practices that must be followed when removing and handling asbestos-containing materials and that this work must be done only by licensed companies and trained personnel. Asbestos is a known carcinogen, and following required work practices is imperative to protect workers as well as the general public,” said Lee Dillard Adams, director of MassDEP’s Central Regional Office in Worcester. “Failure to do so will result in penalties, as well as escalated cleanup, decontamination and monitoring costs.”
Pennsylvania DEP Fines Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. Over $76,000 for Susquehanna County Well Control Incident
Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently announced it has fined Cabot Oil & Gas Corp., of Pittsburgh $76,546 for a January well control incident at the company’s Huston well pad in Brooklyn Township.
“Cabot lost control of the Huston J1 gas well for 27 hours, to which the department responded to promptly to ensure there were no significant environmental impacts,” DEP Director of District Oil and Gas Operations John Ryder said. “In this incident, mostly gas was released, which dissipated quickly to background levels within 100 feet from the well.”
The incident began the morning of January 5 when a Cabot subcontractor was replacing equipment on the wellhead. The subcontractor did not follow standard operating procedures for the process by failing to first warm the wellhead prior to conducting any work in the freezing temperature. This resulted in damage to a wing valve.
A subsequent analysis of the damaged wing valve indicated that it was in the open position, allowing gas to escape. The analysis also indicated that frozen sand in the valve bore may have obstructed movement of the gate, causing a function test to indicate the valve was closed when it was open.
Cabot contacted Wild Well Control of Houston, Texas, for assistance, which installed two hydraulic valves to diminish the gas flow in the damaged valve to allow full replacement. The well was brought under control shortly before 1 p.m. on January 6.
During the incident, Cabot contacted five property owners within a quarter mile of the well pad to notify them of the situation. However, it was determined that no evacuation was needed based on the results of DEP air monitoring. DEP staff used meters to detect combustible gas on and in the vicinity of the well pad, and to determine if there was an explosive atmosphere.
DEP Oil and Gas and Emergency Response program staff were on scene providing oversight throughout the incident.
The department issued a notice of violation (NOV) to Cabot on January 16 for violations of the Solid Waste Management Act, Clean Streams Law and the Chapter 78 oil and gas regulations. The NOV requested a written response within 10 days, which Cabot provided.
In its response, the company said it could not determine the exact amount of natural gas or fluid released because it was not possible to safely measure the flows, but said the majority of the release consisted of natural gas.
Pennsylvania DEP Takes Action to Extinguish Coal Pile Fire Threating Airport Radar Facility
Pennsylvania DEP recently announced it has awarded a $1,454,000 contract to Earthmovers Unlimited of Kylertown for an abandoned mine reclamation project on the Pittsburgh International Airport property in Findlay Township. Work on the site is expected to begin in September and take one year to complete.
The project will extinguish an underground fire of a large coal waste pile that has been burning for several years. The site of the fire is located close to airport runways and is bound on three sides by US Route 30, PA Route 576, and I-376. Smoke from the fire has the potential to threaten visibility for air traffic. The fire also poses a risk to a nearby airport radar facility and to a major underground gas pipeline.
The coal waste pile is the result of mining that occurred on the property between 1906 and 1939 when the mine was abandoned. Two years ago, in an effort to keep the fire from spreading to another large coal waste pile, DEP authorized an Accelerated Response Contract to dig an isolation trench that provided a temporary barrier. To finally extinguish the pile, workers will dig out the fire and use several million gallons of water and 200 gallons of firefighting foam.
The project will include for the excavation of 429,000 cubic yards of coal waste. Excavated material will be used to backfill a steep drop-off, often called a highwall, which was left from the mining operation and temporary isolation trench. The 10-acre site will be graded and planted to prevent erosion, and a gravel roadway will be built for access across the area.
Subsidized by fees paid by the coal industry on each ton of coal mined in the state, The Abandoned Mine Reclamation Trust Fund will fund the project.
Agreement Aims to Reduce Air Pollution from Transportation
SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers, LLC, will invest $125,000 for an electric vehicle charging station near Moses Lake, Washington, to help reduce air pollution from motor vehicles.
This environmental project, which will benefit air quality, is part of an agreement between SGL and Ecology that settles past air quality violations.
“We are looking toward the future,” said Maia Bellon, the director of Ecology. “We support the direct investment SGL is making for the environment with this fast charging station. Encouraging and improving fuel efficient travel will benefit air quality for years to come.”
An electric vehicle fast charging station in Moses Lake will provide a critical link in the state’s development of an east-west charging network.
“As a corporate citizen of Moses Lake we are happy to support the fast charging network along Interstate 90 with a charging station in our city,” said SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers Vice President of Operations Steve Swanson.
Ecology allows these types of projects that provide direct benefit to the environment as a settlement alternative for violations that include monetary penalties. If SGL is unable to secure a contractor or location for the project, the $125,000 becomes payable to the state Air Pollution Control Account.
In 2012 and 2013, SGL violated permit requirements when equipment failed on two manufacturing lines, and an unpermitted bypass vent was used to release uncontrolled emissions into the air.
Ecology issued a new permit to add two production lines and address the bypass vent. The permit also required SGL to make a significant investment in additional air pollution control equipment to ensure the facility meets state and federal clean air requirements.
EPA Proposes to Include Southern Maine in the Federal Reformulated Gasoline Program
“The use of RFG in many areas of New England has contributed to cleaner air in the Region,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. “We are pleased that Maine also wants to implement this measure in its southern counties.”
The purpose of the federal RFG program is to improve air quality in certain areas through the use of gasoline that is reformulated to reduce motor vehicle emissions that lead to the formation of ground-level ozone. Ground-level ozone can cause breathing problems, aggravate asthma and other pre-existing lung diseases, and make people more susceptible to respiratory infection.
States, which are designated by EPA as part of the Ozone Transport Region, such as Maine, can “opt-in” to the program. RFG is currently used in 17 states, including Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and southern New Hampshire, and the District of Columbia.
In 2013, Maine enacted a law establishing the use of RFG in the southern Maine counties beginning May 1, 2014. The Maine legislature subsequently postponed the requirement for sale of RFG until June 1, 2015. EPA is proposing that sale of RFG be required for refiners, importers, and distributors by May 1, 2015, and for retailers and wholesale purchasers-consumers by June 1, 2015.
Maine’s request to opt-in to the RFG program was in response to an industry group’s interest in having a common fuel throughout many areas in New England. Maine DEP’s Air Bureau Director, Marc Cone expects that this initiative will continue to enhance protection of Maine citizens by minimizing ozone precursors and maintain attainment of the ozone federal air quality standard.
EPA is requesting comments regarding whether there will be sufficient capacity to supply RFG to the seven Maine counties by the prescribed deadlines. Comments on EPA’s proposal and sufficiency of RFG capacity will be accepted for 30 days beginning when the proposal is published in the Federal Register.
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Trivia Question of the Week
How much more efficient in decreasing runoff and evaporation is drip irrigation—which applies water slowly at the roots of plants—compared to other irrigation methods?
a) 20%
b) 40%
c) 60%
d) 90%
