EPA is amending the calculation and monitoring methodologies for electronics manufacturers covered by the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule. These changes, which were published in the November 13 Federal Register and become effective on January 1, 2014, include revising certain calculation methods and adding a new method, amending data reporting requirements, and clarifying terms and definitions. The EPA is also making confidentiality determinations for new and revised data elements pertaining to electronics manufacturing.
Charlotte RCRA and DOT Training
Burbank RCRA and DOT Training
Wilmington RCRA and DOT Training
How to Implement OSHA’s Globally Harmonized Hazard Communication Standard
OSHA has issued a final rule revising its Hazard Communication Standard, aligning it with the United Nations’ globally harmonized system (GHS) for the classification and labeling of hazardous chemicals. This means that virtually every product label, material safety data sheet (now called “safety data sheet” or SDS), and written hazard communication plan must be revised to meet the new standard. Worker training must be updated so that workers can recognize and understand the symbols and pictograms on the new labels as well as the new hazard statements and precautions on SDSs.
Supercomputer Used to Demystify Forces at Play in Biofuel Production
Researchers studying more effective ways to convert woody plant matter into biofuels at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have identified fundamental forces that change plant structures during pretreatment processes used in the production of bioenergy.
The research team, which published its results in Green Chemistry, set out to decipher the inner workings of plant cell walls during pretreatment, the most expensive stage of biofuel production. Pretreatment subjects plant material to extremely high temperature and pressure to break apart the protective gel of lignin and hemicellulose that surrounds sugary cellulose fibers.
“While pretreatments are used to make biomass more convertible, no pretreatment is perfect or complete,” said ORNL coauthor Brian Davison. “Whereas the pretreatment can improve biomass digestion, it can also make a portion of the biomass more difficult to convert. Our research provides insight into the mechanisms behind this ‘two steps forward, one step back’ process.”
The team’s integration of experimental techniques including neutron scattering and X-ray analysis with supercomputer simulations revealed unexpected findings about what happens to water molecules trapped between cellulose fibers.
“As the biomass heats up, the bundle of fibers actually dehydrates—the water that’s in between the fibers gets pushed out,” said ORNL’s Paul Langan. “This is very counterintuitive because you are boiling something in water but simultaneously dehydrating it. It’s a really simple result, but it’s something no one expected.”
This process of dehydration causes the cellulose fibers to move closer together and become more crystalline, which makes them harder to break down.
In a second part of the study, the researchers analyzed the two polymers called lignin and hemicellulose that bond to form a tangled mesh around the cellulose bundles. According to the team’s experimental observations and simulations, the two polymers separate into different phases when heated during pretreatment.
“Lignin is hydrophobic so it repels water, and hemicellulose is hydrophilic, meaning it likes water,” Langan said. “Whenever you have a mixture of two polymers in water, one of which is hydrophilic and one hydrophobic, and you heat it up, they separate out into different phases.”
Understanding the role of these underlying physical factors—dehydration and phase separation—could enable scientists to engineer improved plants and pretreatment processes and ultimately bring down the costs of biofuel production.
“Our insight is that we have to find a balance which avoids cellulose dehydration but allows phase separation,” Langan said. “We know now what we have to achieve—we don’t yet know how that could be done, but we’ve provided clear and specific information to help us get there.”
Shreveport Agrees to $342 Million Sewer System Upgrade to Comply with Clean Water Act
The city of Shreveport, Louisiana, has agreed to make significant upgrades to reduce overflows from its sanitary sewer system and pay a $650,000 civil penalty to resolve Clean Water Act (CWA) violations stemming from illegal discharges of raw sewage, the Department of Justice and EPA announced recently. The state of Louisiana, a co-plaintiff in this case, will receive half of the civil penalty.
When wastewater systems overflow, they can release raw sewage and other pollutants, threatening water quality and potentially contributing to disease outbreaks. To come into compliance with the CWA, the city estimates it will spend approximately $342 million over the next 12 years in order to improve the sewer system’s condition. While the city upgrades the system, it will also implement a program for capacity management, operation, and maintenance to help reduce sanitary sewer overflows.
These provisions are critical to protecting the public health of all citizens of Shreveport.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to assisting our federal partners and the state in protecting the environment and public health,” said US Attorney Stephanie Finley. “Sewer overflows are a public health hazard. The citizens of Shreveport are the beneficiaries of this settlement, which will eliminate these overflows.”
“Keeping these discharges out of our waterways is a priority for the EPA and the state of Louisiana,” said EPA Regional Administrator Ron Curry. “The residents of Shreveport deserve clean water and reliable infrastructure, and this agreement will help achieve that.”
The Justice Department, on behalf of the EPA, filed a complaint against the city alleging that, since 2005, the city has had untreated sewage overflows from its sanitary sewer system in violation of the CWA and state-issued discharge permits.
Shreveport’s wastewater collection and treatment system, including the Lucas and North Regional wastewater treatment plants, serves approximately 220,000 people in an environmental justice area.
These discharges can degrade water quality, spread bacteria and viruses, and cause diseases ranging from gastroenteritis to life-threatening conditions such as cholera and dysentery.
DTSC Wins Temporary Restraining Order to Stop Ongoing Hazardous Waste Violator
The order requires the Richmond metal plating company and its owners to immediately remove large quantities of hazardous waste from their property on Nevin Avenue.
Electro-Forming, Co., and its owners Marion Patigler, the Estate of Gerhard Patigler, and the Estate of Ingrid Patigler, have been ordered to immediately remove all hazardous waste from the Richmond facility within two weeks. In its petition, DTSC alleged that Electro-Forming was illegally storing, treating, and disposing of hazardous waste at its facility and that it was storing incompatible hazardous wastes next to each other.
The temporary restraining order includes strict compliance deadlines and requires Electro- Forming to immediately hire an authorized contractor to remove hazardous waste stored in various drums, containers, and a 6,900-gallon “Baker tank” that Electro-Forming was allegedly using to illegally store plating waste that contains hazardous waste levels of cyanide and metals.
If Electro-Forming fails to meet deadlines set for the removal work, the temporary restraining order also authorizes DTSC to complete the removal and recover its costs from Electro-Forming.
“This company has failed to comply with the rules that protect public health of the neighborhood around Electro-Forming,” said Reed Sato, Chief Counsel for DTSC. “The State had to stop this reckless behavior.”
DTSC has also requested that the Court grant a preliminary injunction, which would extend the provisions of the temporary restraining order prohibiting Electro-Forming from continuing its pattern of hazardous waste violations. A hearing on the preliminary injunction will be held on January 15, 2014.
In August, the California Attorney General’s Office filed a civil complaint against Electro-Forming on behalf of DTSC for numerous alleged violations of California hazardous waste laws. That complaint alleged that Electro-Forming illegally disposed of hazardous waste in the street and on adjacent property. It also alleged that the company was unlawfully boiling off liquid plating waste and combining different types of hazardous waste in a tank. Electro-Forming operates in a neighborhood that has a mix of industrial and residential buildings.
The recent temporary restraining order enjoins Electro-Forming from continuing to violate hazardous waste laws, which could pose a serious threat to the public and to the environment if not immediately rectified by the facility.
First California Carbon Offsets Approved under Forestry Protocol
The Willits Woods project developed by Coastal Ridges, LLC, was issued 1.2 million Air Resources Board-approved carbon offset credits. Coastal Ridges, LLC, is located in Willits, California, and the Willits Woods project covers approximately 19,000 acres in Mendocino County.
“This action recognizes the important role forests play in fighting climate change,” said ARB Chairman Mary D. Nichols. “Forests managed under the protocol not only furnish additional compliance options for covered businesses, they also provide habitat for wildlife and a wide range of improved watershed benefits for California.”
Carbon offsets accepted by the ARB come from sectors not covered by the cap-and-trade program, and must be additional—that is, above and beyond the carbon that would have been stored in the forest if it had been managed on a business-as-usual basis.
As with all carbon offsets projects, this forestry project had to first be verified by an ARB-accredited verifier. The project, the related number of carbon credits, and all the relevant documents and data were then rigorously reviewed by ARB staff before being given final approval.
Offset credits approved by the ARB can be used by companies to comply with California’s cap-and-trade program. Each offset credit generated under an ARB protocol is equivalent to one metric ton of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is the most prevalent greenhouse gas, and the largest driver of climate change.
The Forest Offset Protocol was one of four offset protocols approved by the ARB in 2011. Credits are issued based on the number of metric tons of carbon sequestered in trees in the forest that are specifically managed for each offset project. In order to qualify for the carbon credits, projects under the forestry protocol must be managed for the purpose of carbon storage for at least 100 years. In addition, the forest management plan will provide wildlife habitat and provide the fullest range of improved watershed benefits.
Carbon offsets act as a cost-containment mechanism under the program because offsets generally cost less than state auctioned carbon allowances. A covered business may use offsets to account for up to 8% of its Cap-and-Trade compliance obligation.
ARB also issued 242,000 compliance offset credits for the Farm Cove Community Forest Project located in Maine. This project also increases carbon stocks through improved management of the forest.
Louisiana Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Dumping of Pollutants
An Iberville Parish man was sentenced Wednesday, November 13, in the 18th Judicial District Court for violating Louisiana’s Water Control Law and the Environmental Quality Act for the second time in three years. Tommy M. Francise, 58, of Plaquemine, illegally dumped wastes and grease into a drainage canal behind his residence on Talbot Drive in Plaquemine.
Francise was arrested after the execution of a search warrant in September 2012, when investigators with DEQ’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office observed a large area of soil contaminated with grease at the rear of Francise’s residence. Investigators found locations where used cooking oil was being discharged into the canal from a biodiesel production operation at the residence. The drainage canal was contaminated with grease and vegetation near the production area and in the drainage canal was destroyed.
Francise had been previously arrested on separate yet identical charges by DEQ-CID investigators in April 2010. Francise pled guilty to those charges in March 2012. At that time, Judge Alvin Batiste ordered Francise to pay a $2,500 fine and reimburse the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality in the amount of $2,700 for the cost of investigation. Batiste sentenced Francise to three years of probation, ordered him to clean up the property in accordance with DEQ regulations, and ordered him to submit to random inspections. Francise was still on probation for his first guilty plea when he was arrested the second time for identical charges.
Francise pleaded guilty to his second offense on July 24, 2013, in 18th Judicial District Court and was sentenced recently. In accepting Francise’s plea on his second offense, Judge J. Robin Free, 18th Judicial District Judge, ordered Francise to reimburse the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality in the amount of $570 for the cost of investigation. Judge Free sentenced Francise to two additional years of probation. Francise was also ordered to clean up the property. In addition, Judge Free ordered Francise to cease storage and production of biodiesel at his residence throughout the term of his probation.
“Unfortunately, there are individuals who choose to pollute our environment instead of abiding by the law and disposing of waste materials properly,” said DEQ Secretary Peggy Hatch. “DEQ’s strong relationship with its local, state and federal partners has provided us with far-reaching investigative resources in order to prosecute violators. We ask that anyone having knowledge of any illegal dumping activity contact DEQ immediately in order that we may launch an investigation and bring violators to justice as soon as possible.”
New England Laborers Training Academy Assessed $7,250 Penalty for Failure to Report and Cleanup Diesel Fuel Spill
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) assessed a $7,250 penalty to the New England Laborers Training Academy (NELTA) to settle environmental violations resulting from a 1,000-gallon diesel fuel spill at its facility on East Street in Hopkinton.
On September 21, 2011, the Hopkinton Fire Department notified MassDEP of a diesel fuel release that surfaced in a basement sump pump, causing fuel odors inside an Academy building. NELTA personnel conducted inventory reconciliation of the building's fuel usage and estimated that 1,000 gallons of fuel was lost during an incident dating back to April 2011 that was never reported to MassDEP nor assessed and cleaned up. Failure to timely notify and immediately assess and abate the release of the heating oil resulted in contamination to soils, groundwater and odor impacts within the building five months later.
As part of a consent order, NELTA was assessed the $7,250 penalty and worked with MassDEP staff to revise its spill contingency and material management plans. As part of the agreement, NELTA was required to pay $3,750 of the assessed penalty to the Commonwealth. The organization also agreed to spend the remaining $3,500 penalty on a Supplemental Environmental Project that will help to purchase emergency equipment for the Hopkinton Fire Department.
"Immediate response actions and timely spill notification are critical to prevent greater environmental damage and cost," said Lee Dillard Adams, director of MassDEP's Central Regional Office in Worcester. "NELTA has improved its business practices to prevent a recurrence of this chain of events, which cost the Academy significantly more than it would have to address the spill appropriately in the first place."
Ohio Company Assessed $9,366 Penalty for Failure to Properly Manage Contaminated Soils
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has assessed a penalty of $9,366 to ADV Whitinsville Associates, LLC, of Ohio for environmental violations that occurred during and after the development of its property located at 277 Church Street in Northbridge.
The company took the property contaminated by a former gasoline service station and redeveloped it into an Advanced Auto Parts retail store. A release of petroleum had previously been identified on the property from former gasoline station operations. The company conducted soil and groundwater testing, but failed to prepare a remediation plan and submit it to MassDEP prior to constructing a building in the contaminated area.
A MassDEP audit of the final closure report from the company found that adequate health and safety procedures were not followed during site construction and cleanup. Also, the site deed restriction was filed improperly and did not identify all interest-holders of record on the property, as required.
“Submittal of and adherence to a proper remediation plan would have ensured that the appropriate safety measures were in place for workers involved in site redevelopment activities,” said Lee Dillard Adams, director of MassDEP’s Central Regional Office in Worcester. “The plan also would have ensured that any potentially contaminated soil and groundwater were handled properly.”
New Brunswick Water Department Operator Fined for Submitting False Reports
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has filed Administrative Orders alleging the New Brunswick Water Department and its now-suspended licensed operator, Edward O’Rourke, repeatedly filed false reports for various water quality tests, submitted incorrectly calculated test results, and failed to notify the public when standards were not met, Commissioner Bob Martin announced recently.
“New Jersey sets a high bar when it comes to monitoring the safety of drinking water,” Commissioner Martin said. “These are serious violations. It is critical that water providers maintain and provide accurate records of water system operations and water quality data. Any deviation from those standards is an unacceptable violation of the public trust. Maintaining the integrity of our potable water supply system is vital in New Jersey.’’
The DEP, assisted by the federal EPA, investigated water quality data kept by the New Brunswick Water Department and reported to the DEP. From early 2010 to spring 2013, New Brunswick Water Department repeatedly reported no problems with drinking water standards for key water criteria used to measure the potential for pathogens to be in the water supply. The DEP and EPA investigation, which looked closely at internal records kept by the water department, found that the system repeatedly violated these standards.
While the DEP has no direct evidence that public health was impacted, the violations are considered to be serious because they had the potential to expose the public to disease-causing microorganisms.
The utility serves some 50,000 people in New Brunswick, and also sells bulk water to the Milltown Water Department and Franklin Township, a community water system in Somerset County. The system draws water from two surface supplies, Weston’s Mill Pond and the Delaware and Raritan Canal. Water from these sources is treated at the Comstock Street Water Treatment Plant.
The investigation began in mid-June after the utility’s new director, Frank Marascia, reported a problem with water turbidity, a measure of the clarity of water as it enters the treatment process. While the issue was quickly resolved, the DEP and Marascia started looking more closely at internal records of water quality data, such as log books and chains of custody documents. These records are the basis of routine reports the utility is required to file with the DEP.
As part of its investigation, the DEP conducted numerous inspections of the treatment plant in June and July. The DEP and EPA also conducted a thorough review of New Brunswick’s monitoring data, analytical results, chain of custody forms, daily monitoring records and logbooks and forms the utility used to report results to the DEP.
As a result of its investigation, the DEP alleges that the New Brunswick Water Department:
- Submitted false results for turbidity, an important performance standard that measures water’s clarity and quality. The more turbid water is, the more likely it is to carry pathogens.
- Used outdated charts that resulted in incorrect calculations for results of tests designed to show how effective disinfection was at destroying pathogens, namely Giardia lamblia. Giardia is used as an indicator of other potentially dangerous pathogens in the water.
- Submitted false information on tests for total coliforms, an indicator of bacteria that is used to determine if further testing is required for more serious pathogens such as E. coli
In the related Administrative Order and Notice of Civil Penalty Assessment against O’Rourke, the DEP alleges that the licensed operator reported false results to the DEP on required forms and monthly reports, although he certified them as accurate. The DEP has suspended O’Rourke’s operating license and fined him $17,000.
Once the reporting failures were discovered, the New Brunswick Water Department immediately implemented a number of steps to ensure the safety of its water supply, including adjusting disinfection, correcting calculations and establishing protocols to ensure samples are tested properly.
“We are very confident that the new management at the water department has taken all necessary and appropriate steps to correct these problems and that the city’s water is safe for consumption,” said DEP Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Enforcement John Giordano. “The DEP, along with the EPA, will continue to work very closely with the city to ensure these problems never happen again.”
The utility has undergone a significant reorganization under Marascia and has brought on a new team or professionals to operate the plant. The city has also engaged a consulting firm to implement strategies to implement corrective strategies.
The DEP reserves the right to seek monetary penalties against the city. The city must also work with the DEP as it develops public notices for newspapers, radio and TV, as well as direct mailings to customers explaining the problem and corrective actions that have been taken. These notices are expected to be issued within several weeks.
Maine Companies Honored by Northeast Diesel Collaborative for Efforts to Reduce Air Pollution
The awards were presented as part of the group’s annual recognition program.
“Diesel emissions in the northeast continue to pose health risks to people across New England,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. “Diesel pollution is linked to asthma, other respiratory problems and heart attacks, and is especially dangerous for children, the elderly and people who suffer from respiratory ailments. Reducing air pollution from diesel engines has real health benefits and means fewer hospitalizations, fewer missed school or work days, and a healthier quality of life.”
Oakhurst Dairy and Maine Standard Biofuels were selected as a 2013 Breathe Easy Leadership recipient because of their seven-year partnership and commitment to reducing diesel emissions. Maine Standard Biofuels locally produces biodiesel from used restaurant kitchen oil and delivers it to Oakhurst to be used as a fuel for the company’s fleet. In fact, this year alone Maine Standard Biofuels supplied Oakhurst with more than 120,000 gallons of biodiesel produced less than 10 miles away from the dairy’s processing facility. The result of the partnership has allowed Oakhurst to decrease its diesel fuel emissions up to 70% annually.
“It is an honor to be recognized for our fuel emission reduction efforts alongside our partner Maine Standard Biofuels,” said David Green, Oakhurst Fleet and Facilities Manager. “Today it’s possible for trucking fleets to use biodiesel without having to make equipment modifications and the benefits are really significant. Not only are we able to reduce our overall fuel emissions—a positive for the environment and our community—but we are also able to decrease total fuel costs—a positive for our business bottom line.”
“Maine Standard Biofuels is honored to be recognized alongside Oakhurst by the NEDC for our combined efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Jarmin Kaltsas, President, Maine Standard Biofuels. “We believe that by working with customers like Oakhurst we can make a difference in the environment as well as the economy. We are proud to be working with a company that has the vision of making the world a better place to live in.”
The Northeast Diesel Collaborative works in the six New England states, New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, to reduce diesel emissions, improve public health and promote clean air solutions and technologies. It brings together the collective resources and expertise of EPA, state environmental agencies and private sector companies to address emissions from existing diesel-powered vehicles, marine vessels, locomotives and equipment.
The collaborative’s awards are given for outstanding service in reducing air pollution to protect human health and the environment. The winners achieve these goals by taking actions such as retrofitting and replacing older diesel engines, reducing idling from diesel engines, developing education and outreach campaigns to promote diesel emissions reduction, and promoting cleaner fuels.
Ohio EPA Director Celebrates Updated Recycling Efforts
Ohio EPA Director Scott Nally recently toured the newly rebuilt Rumpke Material Recovery facility in St. Bernard, Ohio, as part of a grand opening event of the facility.
The new building started operating again in October 2013, replacing a facility that caught fire in April 2012. The new facility was partially funded by a $250,000 grant from Ohio EPA, which assisted in the purchase and installation of a state-of-the art glass collection and sorting system.
The grant is a result of Ohio EPA’s effort to build an infrastructure to recover more glass in the State of Ohio. Ohio’s glass makers estimate that they could use an additional 165,000 to 185,000 tons of cullet or cleaned, post-consumer glass each year.
Responding to the need of Ohio’s glass manufacturers, Ohio EPA, in partnership with the Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District, identified the opportunity to help with the project, which will provide an estimated 100 jobs to the area. Historically, 90% of Ohio’s glass bottles and jars end up in landfills.
Salt Lake City Public Safety Building Receives Pollution Prevention Award
The Utah Pollution Prevention Association and Clean Utah recognized Salt Lake City recently for its new Public Safety Building, the first building of its kind in the nation to achieve a net zero energy rating.
Salt Lake City received the 2013 Outstanding Award in Pollution Prevention at a luncheon attended by business and community leaders at the forefront in reducing pollution in Utah. The award recognizes the innovative technologies and energy efficient strategies employed in the design of the new Public Safety Building, including the use of roof canopy solar panels, an off-site solar farm, strategic use of natural light and florescent or LED low energy lights, a solar hot water heating system, and energy monitoring systems.
“Salt Lake City has made an important investment in Utah’s community,” said Amanda Smith, executive director of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality. “Their demonstrated commitment to protecting the environment is motivating others to take big and small actions to help ensure that Utah remains a great place to live and work.”
A traditional building of comparable size produces approximately 2670 metric tons of greenhouse gases each year. Salt Lake City’s Public Safety Building has an Energy Star performance rating of 100 (the highest possible), with an 80% savings in energy use and emissions. The building itself will produce just 524 metric tons per year, which will be offset by solar power to reach the net zero goal. The energy savings from the building will pay back the initial investment within five years.
Meritorious Awards for Pollution Prevention were awarded to Momentum Recycling and Northrop Grumman. Momentum Recycling, a Salt Lake City-based company, expanded its recycling services for glass, and green and mixed waste; and upgraded two fleet vehicles to compressed natural gas. Northrop Grumman, one of the world's largest defense and commercial aerospace companies, replaced a circuit card inline cleaner resulting in water and electricity savings.
Pacific County Resident Honored with Top Ecology Award
Pacific County resident Russ Lewis is being honored with an Environmental Excellence Award for his exemplary efforts to keep Washington beaches clean and his tremendous support of Washington State Marine Debris Task Force efforts.
The Task Force formed to monitor and respond to marine debris from the tragic March 11, 2011, Japan tsunami along Washington coastal beaches. Before that time, Lewis already had been removing marine debris from beaches almost daily for years. In 2012 Lewis also assisted the Task Force by:
- Stepping up his efforts and collaborating with others to remove marine debris and ensure it was put into a secured commercial trash bin for proper disposal
- Supplying nearly daily reports on conditions along the coast, including information on both long- and short-range debris washing ashore, post-storm reports and weather patterns
- Providing early reporting to Ecology about potentially hazardous materials such as oil drums or fuel canisters washing up on beaches, and taking steps to secure any area with hazardous debris until responders could arrive
- Providing considerable assistance to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife in its surveillance efforts to monitor and respond to potential aquatic invasive species attached to incoming debris
- Working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service office near Leadbetter Point to help prevent debris from entering Snowy Plover nesting areas when these areas are closed to the public. Lewis also was the first one in to clean debris when the seasonal closure ended.
The Task Force—consisting of the state Military Department’s Emergency Management Division (EMD), Ecology and several other state agencies—was created by the Governor’s office to work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) to coordinate state, federal, tribal and local activities. Volunteer efforts along beaches always have been key to keeping shores clear of marine debris.
Terry Egan, the state’s Marine Debris Task Force lead, said: “Innovative partnerships with everyone, from citizens like Russ to local communities and volunteer groups to state and federal agencies and Tribal governments have been essential in addressing this issue. Russ’ efforts have saved the state thousands of dollars while providing extremely valuable information. It is unlikely state agencies would have been able to monitor conditions along the coast at the same level without his support.”
Sally Toteff, Ecology Southwest Region Director, said: “Russ is an excellent example of how individuals quietly contribute to the extraordinary quality of life of Washington’s coastal communities and elsewhere in our state. Even before the tragic Japan tsunami, Russ and his neighbors were often spending countless hours scouring the Long Beach Peninsula and picking up marine debris, using their own resources. While he’s had noteworthy assistance from various local folks, Russ’ efforts extend well beyond removing debris from beaches. That’s why we are recognizing him with this award of excellence.”
Marine debris has been an ongoing issue for decades, but concerns were elevated after the earthquake and tsunami claimed nearly 20,000 lives, destroyed countless homes and structures and swept 5 million tons of debris into the Pacific Ocean. While 70% of the debris likely sank near Japan’s shore, the remaining 1.5 million tons of debris dispersed in the ocean.
The Environmental Excellence Award is the Department of Ecology's highest award for recognizing environmental excellence in the state of Washington. The department issues the award to individuals, businesses, and organizations that have shown leadership, innovation or extraordinary service in protecting, improving, or cleaning up the environment.
New England Leaders Convene to Help Communities Prepare for Climate Change Challenges
While all New England communities will likely be impacted by increasing severe weather events, fewer than 10% have adaptation efforts underway. Regional leaders representing the private and non-profit sectors, interstate organizations, and government at the local, state, and federal levels are committing to identify and develop systemic solutions to move the help New England improve resiliency before the next big storm.
"As climate change continues to contribute to sea level rise and load the dice for more powerful storms, coastal New England homes and businesses will face increasing risk of damage," said US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a lead advocate in the Senate for addressing climate change and cofounder of the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change. "We must proactively work to bolster our coasts' natural defenses and make our communities more resilient to the harmful effects of climate change. I applaud EPA for convening this group of leaders from the region so we can work together to address this issue head on."
"Climate change is a reality, and we must face this challenge together," said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England regional office. "Like all environmental challenges, the impacts of climate change won’t stop at political or geographic boundaries. We are committed to working together to overcome existing barriers, and develop high-level, systemic solutions."
“With more severe and extreme weather on the horizon we must take action to reduce the toll that changes in climate could take on our region,” said Commissioner Daniel C. Esty of Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. “The storms of the past few years make clear the need to work closely with our communities on effective steps to protect property, infrastructure such as roads, rail lines, government facilities, and wastewater treatment plants—as well as valuable natural resources.”
“Maine’s economy is intertwined with our natural resources and they rely on the ‘built infrastructure’ functioning properly,” said Maine Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Patricia Aho. “Our economic reliance on our built and natural resource environment means that decision-makers must address vulnerabilities and prepare for severe weather events. By bringing together key people, we can take next steps to develop specific tools, coordinate and recommend appropriate strategies, and identify potential challenges for natural resource and infrastructure decision-makers.”
“When Governor Patrick announced that climate change adaptation is one of my office’s top three priorities for the remainder of his term, he stressed that forming partnerships across all levels of government will be essential in meeting the coming challenges,” said Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) Secretary Rick Sullivan. “I am pleased that EPA is bringing together leaders from throughout the region to make sure we’re all better prepared, and look forward to utilizing the tools developed at the Climate Summit to assist Massachusetts communities in creating a safer Commonwealth.”
“The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services is working with communities across the state to help them better prepare for the “new normal” conditions that we have been experiencing due to climate change. By using existing planning tools communities can identify vulnerable infrastructure in their hazard mitigation plans and use their capital improvement plans to phase in necessary upgrades. This proactive planning will help New Hampshire communities become more resilient and reduce the expense of recovering from extreme weather events in the future,” said Commissioner Tom Burack of NH Department of Environmental Services.
“Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face when it comes to ensuring the health and resilience of our natural resources, infrastructure and quality of life,” said Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Director Janet Coit. “Kudos to EPA for bringing together partners from across New England at today’s summit to develop an action plan that will address the impacts of climate change on our region.”
“In Vermont, we have learned from our experience responding to Tropical Storm Irene that collaboration by local, regional, state and federal governments is critical to our ability to respond effectively to the impacts of the global climate disruption we are currently experiencing,” said David Mears, Vermont’s Environmental Conservation Commissioner.
“The water programs in our member states have expressed deep concern about climate change and its impacts. As we have seen with recent storm events such as Tropical Storm Irene and Superstorm Sandy, our water resources and water infrastructure are particularly vulnerable to existing and projected climate threats. We look forward to collaborating with the diverse stakeholders brought together by EPA at this forum to advance resiliency in our region,” said Ron Poltak, Executive Director of the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC).
“Johnson & Wales University and the EPA have a vested interest in the topic of climate change. Not only is JWU determined to beautify our Harborside Campus, transforming what was once a shipyard and a dumpsite from a landfill to a landmark, but also, as one of the top educators for the world’s chefs, we are particularly concerned with how climate change will affect the food supply,” said John Bower, Chancellor of Johnson & Wales University.
EPA will issue a report following the Climate Summit, which will provide further details on the actions, participants, and outcomes of the day.
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Trivia Question of the Week
Which region of the world supports the largest collection of geothermal plants in operation?
a. El Tatio-La Torta, Chile
b. Nesjavellir, Iceland
c. Soultz-sous-For?ts, France
d. The Geysers, Northern California
