EPA to Require Recordkeeping, Reporting for Nanoscale Materials

 

Specifically, EPA is developing a significant new use rule (SNUR) under TSCA section 5(a)(2) that would require persons who intend to manufacture, import, or process this/these chemical substance(s) for an activity that is designated as a significant new use by the proposed rule to notify EPA at least 90 days before commencing that activity. The required notification would provide EPA with the opportunity to evaluate the intended use and, if necessary, to prohibit or limit that activity before it occurs to prevent unreasonable risk to human health or the environment. In addition, EPA is developing a proposal to require reporting and recordkeeping under TSCA section 8(a), which would require that persons who manufacture these nanoscale materials notify EPA of certain information including production volume, methods of manufacture and processing, exposure and release information, and available health and safety data. The proposed reporting of these activities will provide EPA with an opportunity to evaluate the information and consider appropriate action under TSCA to reduce any risk to human health or the environment. A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is expected to be published in the Federal Register this month.

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?
• Can the rule be applied to uniforms or spill absorbents?
• How is the new rule impacted by current state regulations?

 

Virginia Beach RCRA and DOT Training

 

HAZWOPER Refresher and IATA/IMO Training in Raleigh, NC Area

 

St. Louis 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.

 

Heavy-Duty Vehicles GHG Emissions Standards – Phase 2

During the President’s second term, EPA and the Department of Transportation, in close coordination with the California Air Resources Board, will develop a comprehensive National Program for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emission and Fuel Efficiency Standards for model years beyond 2018.

These second sets of standards would further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption from a wide range of on-road vehicles from semi-trucks and their trailers to the largest pickup trucks and vans, and all types and sizes of work trucks and buses. This action will be in continued response to the President’s directive to take coordinated steps to produce a new generation of clean vehicles. The program would benefit consumers and businesses by reducing the costs for transporting goods while spurring job growth and innovation in the clean energy technology sector. This action follows the first ever Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles (75 FR September 15, 2011). A notice of proposed rulemaking is expected to be published in the Federal Register in February 2015.

Revised NESHAP for Mineral Wool and Wool Fiberglass Industries

The Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standard for Mineral Wool Production was promulgated on June 1, 1999, and the MACT for Wool Fiberglass Production was promulgated on June 14, 1999. 

Along with risk, the EPA is also required to review new technology in the industry that can reduce hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions from regulated sources in the industry, and may consider costs under this technology review. EPA was petitioned to review the risk for these source categories, and also to determine MACT floors for pollutants and processes that were not regulated by the MACT standards. The Court entered into an agreement with EPA and the litigants; the resulting deadline for proposal was November 4, 2011, the supplemental proposal was published in the Federal Register on April 15, 2013 (78 FR 22370), and the promulgation of the two RTRs and a final rule for wool fiberglass area sources is scheduled for January 30, 2014. A final rulemaking is expected by the end of this month.

Ohio to Revise Air Permit Regulations

Ohio EPA has refilled amended language for rules in Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) chapter 3745-31, “Permits-to-Install New Sources and Permit-to-Install and Operate Program Rules” with the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR). Amendments are being made to various rules in this chapter to bring the rules in line with federal requirements, to correct minor typographical errors, to fulfill the formatting requirements of the Legislative Services commission (LSC), and to add and update citation information on materials referenced in these rules. The rules were pulled from the rulemaking process to address comments received during the proposal comment period which ended February 18, 2014, concerning the proposed rule changes. Please review the rule language, synopsis of changes, and response to comments document for details regarding changes made. The refiled rules are not effective at this time. They will become effective at a future date after completion of a review by JCARR.

These rules and information on the changes are available on DAPC’s Regulations Web page for electronic downloading.  Questions regarding accessing the web site can be directed to Paul Braun at 614-644-3734; other questions or comments about these rules can be directed to Jennifer Avellana at Ohio EPA, 614-644-362or mailed to Jennifer Avellana, Ohio EPA, Division Air Pollution Control, Lazarus Government Center, P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049.

ORNL Study Pegs Fuel Economy Costs of Common Practices

People who pack their cars and drive like Clark Griswold in National Lampoon’s Vacation pay a steep penalty when it comes to fuel economy, according to a report by the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

For the study, researchers tested a sport utility vehicle and a compact sedan with various configurations, including underinflated tires, open windows, and rooftop and hitch-mounted cargo. The SUV, a 2009 Ford Explorer with a 4-liter V6 engine, was also tested while towing an enclosed trailer. The researchers tested the vehicles at a variety of speeds with the different configurations. While the findings were not unexpected, they serve as a reminder of how drivers can save money by taking simple measures.

“There is fuel economy information and advice available for vehicle maintenance and carrying loads that is quite good, but very little published data to back it up,” said John Thomas, a co-author of the study and member of ORNL’s Energy and Transportation Science Division. “Certainly, suitcases strapped to your car’s roof and trying to keep up with a speeding Ferrari will adversely affect your gas mileage.”

Among the more notable findings was that using a rooftop cargo box with the SUV decreased fuel economy from 24.9 mpg at 60 mph to 22.9 mpg—a drop of 9%. The compact sedan, a 2009 Toyota Corolla with a 1.8 liter four-cylinder engine, also suffered as its fuel economy dipped from 42.5 mpg at 60 mph to 33 mpg, or 22%, when hauling the rooftop cargo box.

At the other end of the spectrum, equipped with the cargo tray, the Corolla’s mileage at 60 mph was unaffected while the Explorer’s fuel economy decreased only slightly, from 24.9 to 24.7 mpg. A cargo tray is attached to the rear of a vehicle using a cargo hitch, about even with the bumper.

Other findings:

• Low tire pressure (50 and 75% of the manufacturer recommendation) resulted in negligible to 10% fuel economy penalties;
• Driving with all four windows down decreased fuel economy by 4-8.5% for the Corolla and 1-4% for the Explorer;
• Towing a 3,500-pound enclosed cargo trailer resulted in fuel economy penalties ranging from 30% in city driving to 50% at at 80 mph for the SUV;
• The best fuel economies were achieved at a constant speed of 40 mph for the Corolla with 57.5 mpg and 50 mph for the Explorer with 29.5 mpg; and,
• At 80 mph, fuel economy for the Corolla dropped to 30.9 mpg while the Explorer dropped to 17.7 mpg.

Emissions from the vehicles were not significantly affected by the different configurations with the exception of the cargo trailer, which led to substantial increases in carbon monoxide due to protective enrichment, in which an engine under high load runs rich (higher fuel-to-air ratio) to protect the engine components and the exhaust system from the very high exhaust temperatures. This may happen, for example, when a vehicle is pulling a heavy boat up a hill.

Prior to conducting tests, the vehicles underwent the rigorous Society of Automotive Engineers J2263 coastdown procedures on a closed test track. These are necessary to determine the appropriate dynamometer settings so the effect of the changes on vehicles’ fuel economy and emissions can be measured in the laboratory. 

EPA Enforcement Settlement Addresses Pesticide Violations by Chemical Universe, Inc.

 Through an enforcement action with EPA Region 7, the company has agreed to pay a $34,740 civil penalty to settle the allegations related to the improperly reported production and distribution of misbranded and unregistered pesticides.

Under FIFRA, distributors of pesticides must ensure that the products are properly registered with EPA. The registration process includes a product label review to ensure its contents contain the necessary information to ensure safe use. When a pesticide is unregistered or its label contains information that has not been accepted by EPA, it is considered to be misbranded under FIFRA. The law also requires pesticide producers to submit a complete and accurate accounting of pesticide production to EPA on an annual basis.

The inspection of Chemical Universe’s North Kansas City, Missouri, facility in April 2013 revealed that on at least nine occasions in 2012 and 2013, the company sold quantities of an unregistered and misbranded pesticide. The investigation also revealed that pesticide reports submitted by the company for the years 2011, 2012, and 2013 contained false or incomplete information, in violation of FIFRA.

As a part of the settlement, Chemical Universe, Inc., has certified that it is now in compliance with FIFRA and its regulations.

MJ Environmental Fined $24,400 for Asbestos Violations

 The contractor was cited for improper removal of asbestos material at a property on Bartlett Street in Pittsfield.

In March 2012, MassDEP discovered the violations during an inspection of asbestos abatement work that had been conducted on a vacant building located on 149-153 Bartlett Street in Pittsfield. During the inspection, MassDEP found that MJ Environmental had removed asbestos transite siding from the building without instituting the proper asbestos-handling procedures.

In a consent order, MJ Environmental was required to pay $10,000 of the penalty; MassDEP has agreed to suspend the remaining $14,400 provided that the company complies with the terms of the order and remains in compliance with the state asbestos handling regulations for two years.

“Asbestos contractors must be held accountable for the protection of the public health and welfare of the general public,” said Michael Gorski, director of MassDEP’s Western Regional Office in Springfield. “MassDEP will take firm enforcement action against non-compliant contractors to protect public health and level the playing field with the vast majority of contractors who do comply with the regulations.”

Property owners or contractors with questions about asbestos-containing materials, notification requirements, proper removal, handling, packaging, storage, and disposal procedures, or the asbestos regulations are encouraged to contact the appropriate MassDEP regional office for assistance.

$5,000 Fine for Illegal Dumping

James Dias, from Milford, Ma was charged with illegally dumping solid waste in an open-space area in Bellingham has been sentenced in Worcester District Court to serve four years of probation and pay a $5,000 fine. Dias, who had advertised on Craigslist as providing “clean-out services” for a fee, then illegally dumped an estimated 50 tons of debris over several months in Bellingham, Ma.

As a result of the court case, Dias must also secure and maintain full-time employment and his truck, which was used to carry the waste materials, has been impounded and forfeited.

The case was a joint investigation by the Environmental Strike Force (ESF) in the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), the Bellingham Police Department and the Office of Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early.

In addition to the charge of illegal dumping of solid waste, Dias has agreed to sufficient facts on the charges of criminal trespassing, operating a motor-vehicle with a suspended license and vandalism to a property, which is a felony.

Initially, a Bellingham resident spotted a large debris area in April 2013, and notified the Bellingham Police Department. Bellingham Police Officer Stephen Daigle alerted MassDEP’s ESF, and the origin of the waste was traced back to certain residents who had hired a local clean-out service that was promoted on Craigslist. Hidden cameras were installed near the debris area and on May 10, 2013, Dias was observed dumping waste in the area and he was subsequently arrested, charged, and prosecuted.

“Officer Daigle did an outstanding job on investigating this case and is to be commended for his actions,” said Bellingham Police Chief Gerard L. Daigle.

“Illegal dumping can contain hazardous materials, or by sheer volume of the dumped material, create adverse environmental impacts and visual blight. Illegally dumped material can also become breeding grounds for vermin and other vectors of disease,” said MassDEP Strike Force Director Pamela Talbot. “Our Strike Force will continue to partner with municipal police forces across the Commonwealth to provide technical and investigative assistance in cases of illegal dumping, and help bring violators to justice.”

Maryland Green Registry Now Accepting Applications for Annual Leadership Awards

The Maryland Green Registry is a part of Smart, Green & Growing, an initiative introduced by Governor Martin O’Malley in October 2008 to foster a smarter, greener, more sustainable future for Maryland families. The Registry is a free program that assists businesses and other organizations by promoting and recognizing sustainable practices. Collectively, Registry members have saved more than $74 million annually through sustainable practices. The initiative brings together state agencies, local governments, businesses, and citizens to revitalize communities, improve transit, create green jobs, address climate change, conserve energy, preserve land, and restore the Chesapeake Bay.

The Maryland Green Registry is now accepting applications for the 5th annual Maryland Green Registry Leadership Awards. Interested organizations should submit an application highlighting their sustainable environmental practices and the measurable results achieved, as well as information about their organization’s commitment to continual improvement in sustainable operations.

The 2014 Maryland Green Registry Leadership Award winners will be announced at the annual awards and membership event June 11, 2014 at the Courtyard Marriott Chevy Chase.

Past Leadership Awards have gone to British American Auto Care, Inc., Coca Cola Refreshments, CSX, Goodwill Industries International, GM Baltimore Transmission Plant, JBS International, La Prima Food Group, Life Technologies, Lucy School, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, National Aquarium, Oakland Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Salisbury University, Sims Recycling Solutions, St. Mary’s County Public Schools, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Union Hospital of Cecil County, University of Maryland, College Park, and Staples.

Applications for annual Leadership Awards will be accepted through Wednesday, April 30, 2014.

Are High Penalties and Tougher Enforcement Keeping Pipeline Incidents Down?

The US Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) recently announced that in 2013, it proposed more than $9.7 million in civil penalties against pipeline operators who violate safety regulations. The figure is the highest yearly amount of proposed penalties in the agency’s history.

“The Department remains committed to ensuring America’s 2.6 million mile pipeline network is capable of safely delivering America’s vital energy needs,” said US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “The proposed fines send the powerful message that we are holding non-compliant pipeline operators accountable for their actions and will be using our higher civil penalty authority to the max whenever necessary.”

 The count has declined each year since 2009.

“The results are clear: we are using our enforcement tools to hold pipeline operators accountable and also resolve enforcement actions quicker than ever,” said PHMSA Administrator Cynthia Quarterman.

In 2013, PHMSA initiated 266 enforcement cases against pipeline operators for problems involving their integrity management programs, risk assessments, failure prevention and mitigation programs, and several other possible regulatory violations identified during failure investigations and routine inspections. In addition to proposing penalties for each federal violation, enforcement orders also include case-specific safety instructions to ensure all issues have been resolved.

Tougher enforcement is a result of PHMSA’s internal improvements to its pipeline inspection and tracking procedures. Recognizing that expediting its enforcement process is important to ensure prompt compliance, PHMSA has substantially improved its enforcement efficiency. From 2009 to 2013, for those enforcement cases involving civil penalties or proposed compliance actions, PHMSA reduced its average time to initiate and fully close an enforcement case by 65%.

PHMSA has consistently reached pipeline safety enforcement records in recent years. In 2012, PHMSA issued its highest ever civil penalty in response to a crude oil pipeline failure in Marshall, Michigan. PHMSA also posted its second highest number of enforcement orders in 2012. In 2011, PHMSA issued a record number of enforcement orders.

The Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011 doubled the maximum civil penalty amount PHMSA is able to impose against pipeline operators for violating pipeline safety regulations from $100,000 to $200,000 for each violation, and from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 for a related series of violations. PHMSA adopted the new maximums into official regulations in September 2013, completing half of the Act’s mandates by the year’s end. The tougher penalties apply to violations that happen after January 3, 2012, the date the Act was enacted.

 

7 Million Premature Deaths Annually Linked to Air Pollution

In new estimates released by the World Health Organization, in 2012 around 7 million people died—one in eight of total global deaths—as a result of air pollution exposure. This finding more than doubles previous estimates and confirms that air pollution is now the world’s largest single environmental health risk. Reducing air pollution could save millions of lives.

The new data reveal a stronger link between both indoor and outdoor air pollution exposure and cardiovascular diseases, such as strokes and ischaemic heart disease, as well as between air pollution and cancer. This is in addition to air pollution’s role in the development of respiratory diseases, including acute respiratory infections and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

The new estimates are not only based on more knowledge about the diseases caused by air pollution, but also upon better assessment of human exposure to air pollutants through the use of improved measurements and technology. This has enabled scientists to make a more detailed analysis of health risks from a wider demographic spread that now includes rural as well as urban areas.

Regionally, low- and middle-income countries in the WHO South-East Asia and Western Pacific Regions had the largest air pollution-related burden in 2012, with a total of 3.3 million deaths linked to indoor air pollution and 2.6 million deaths related to outdoor air pollution.

Included in the assessment is a breakdown of deaths attributed to specific diseases, underlining that the vast majority of air pollution deaths are due to cardiovascular diseases as follows:

Outdoor air pollution-caused deaths – breakdown by disease:

• 40% – ischaemic heart disease
• 40% – stroke
• 11% – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• 6% -– lung cancer
• 3% – acute lower respiratory infections in children.

Indoor air pollution-caused deaths – breakdown by disease:

• 34% – stroke
• 26% – ischaemic heart disease
• 22% – COPD
• 12% – acute lower respiratory infections in children
• 6% – lung cancer

The new estimates are based on the latest WHO mortality data from 2012 as well as evidence of health risks from air pollution exposures. Estimates of people’s exposure to outdoor air pollution in different parts of the world were formulated through a new global data mapping. This incorporated satellite data, ground-level monitoring measurements and data on pollution emissions from key sources, as well as modeling of how pollution drifts in the air.

“The risks from air pollution are now far greater than previously thought or understood, particularly for heart disease and strokes,” says Dr Maria Neira, Director of WHO’s Department for Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health. “Few risks have a greater impact on global health today than air pollution; the evidence signals the need for concerted action to clean up the air we all breathe.”

After analyzing the risk factors and taking into account revisions in methodology, WHO estimates indoor air pollution was linked to 4.3 million deaths in 2012 in households cooking over coal, wood, and biomass stoves. The new estimate is explained by better information about pollution exposures among the estimated 2.9 billion people living in homes using wood, coal or dung as their primary cooking fuel, as well as evidence about air pollution’s role in the development of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and cancers.

In the case of outdoor air pollution, WHO estimates there were 3.7 million deaths in 2012 from urban and rural sources worldwide. Many people are exposed to both indoor and outdoor air pollution. Due to this overlap, mortality attributed to the two sources cannot simply be added together, hence the total estimate of around 7 million deaths in 2012.

The release of the data is a significant step in advancing a WHO roadmap for preventing diseases related to air pollution. This involves the development of a WHO-hosted global platform on air quality and health to generate better data on air pollution-related diseases and strengthened support to countries and cities through guidance, information and evidence about health gains from key interventions.

Later this year, WHO will release indoor air quality guidelines on household fuel combustion, as well as country data on outdoor and indoor air pollution exposures and related mortality, plus an update of air quality measurements in 1600 cities from all regions of the world.

Man Arrested for Illegal Disposal of Septic Tank Wastes

Investigators with Louisiana DEQ’s Criminal Investigation Division, deputies from the Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office, and troopers from State Police Troop E arrested a Pollock man for the illegal disposal of septic tank wastes and sewage. The arrest took place in conjunction with a search warrant executed at the man’s residence.

Whirley Austin Walker, 61, of 214 Walker Road in Pollock, is alleged to have used his tank truck equipment to transport septic tank wastes and sewage and illegally dispose of these materials on vacant property he owns on Highway 8, across from 4-H Camp Grant Walker.

“Septic tank wastes may contain bacteria, viruses, and other blood borne pathogens that are potentially harmful,” said Jeff Nolan, manager of DEQ’s Criminal Investigation Division. “Protecting human health and the environment are our priorities at DEQ. We owe it to the legitimate waste haulers, who are operating within the law, to investigate and seek prosecution of those who cut corners.”

EPA Reaches Agreement with Two Companies Requiring the Cleanup of Asbestos

 The building was being demolished as part of the redevelopment of the former Puerto Rico Olefins facility in Penuelas, Puerto Rico. Under the agreement, the companies will remove asbestos fibers and materials from the Jorge Lucas P?rez Valdivieso School and the Tallaboa Encarnacion Head Start facility with EPA oversight of the work.

Asbestos was once used in insulation and other building materials. The inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to cancer and asbestosis, a serious respiratory disease. 

“Asbestos can cause serious health problems and must be handled properly to protect people’s health,” said Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. “The cleanup of asbestos at the school and Head Start will protect the health of children in this community and allow these educational facilities to reopen.”

In November 2013, EPA discovered that an ongoing demolition conducted at the facility was disturbing materials containing asbestos and that proper asbestos dust controls required were not in place. The demolition was conducted under contract with the Tallaboa Industrial Park, LLC, by Homeca Recycling, Inc. EPA took samples within the facility property and areas close by and discovered that asbestos fibers were spreading from the demolition site downwind into the community of Tallaboa Encarnacion including the El Pueblito Sector. On November 27, 2013, EPA ordered Tallaboa Industrial Park, LLC, and Homeca Recycling, Inc., to stop the demolition and to immediately take steps to control the spread of asbestos from the facility.

The EPA took additional samples to identify the presence of asbestos that might have migrated from the demolition site. Sampling results indicate that asbestos was released from the facility, is present in the dust in the school and Head Start facility and could become airborne if disturbed. Students and faculty have been relocated to other locations. The EPA will ensure that the school and Head Start facility are properly cleaned and the potential risk of exposure has been eliminated before students return to their school buildings.

Under EPA’s Superfund order associated with the Jorge Lucas P?rez Valdivieso School and the Tallaboa Encarnacion Head Start facility, the companies are required to:

• Submit cleanup work plans to EPA for review and approval
• Ensure that all contractors have the proper asbestos licenses
• Dispose of the contaminated waste at facilities licensed to receive the waste
• Continuously monitor the air during the work
• Perform sampling to ensure that indoor air within buildings meets the cleanup goals
• Supply EPA with monthly progress reports
• Reimburse the EPA for its costs in connection with the work

On February 5, 2014, EPA issued a separate order under the Clean Air Act to the two companies conducting asbestos work for violations of the Clean Air Act during removal of asbestos-containing material at the facility. The EPA order requires Homeca Recycling and Demolition Corp., and Tallaboa Industrial Park, LLC, to adequately wet all regulated asbestos-containing material that had been removed or stripped from the facility and ensure that all of these materials remained adequately wet until collected, labeled, and contained in preparation for proper disposal. The order also requires that the parties prepare a comprehensive site cleanup work plan, submit the plan to EPA for review and approval to ensure it conforms with asbestos requirements and ensure that future demolition and activities at the site comply with EPA’s order.

EPA has been working closely with the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board, Puerto Rico Department of Health, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and the municipality of Penuelas since its involvement. The EPA, in collaboration with other federal, state, and local agencies, has conducted several public meetings and has kept parents, students, and faculty at the two schools and the nearby communities informed.

California Air Resources Board Approves First Cap-and-Trade Forestry Compliance Offset Project

 

“This project will offer California companies additional opportunities to find cost-effective ways of complying with the cap-and-trade program,” said Air Resources Board Chairman Mary D. Nichols. “It offers additional carbon reductions from a sector not covered by the cap-and-trade regulation, while providing financial resources to help the Yurok tribe restore its native lands and protect its watershed and habitat.”

The Yurok Tribe/Forest Carbon Partners CKGG Improved Forest Management Project covers about 8,000 acres of tribal land in Humboldt County. It was issued 836,619 offset credits under the Air Resources Board’s Forestry Offset Protocol. Each credit represents 1 metric ton of carbon dioxide sequestered by the trees in the project. Only carbon offset credits issued by the Air Resources Board can be used for compliance under California’s cap-and-trade program. The issuance of the carbon offset credits by the Air Resources Board follows an extensive evaluation process including independent, third-party verifications that the ARB-approved offset protocol was strictly followed.

Covered facilities may use carbon offsets to cover up to 8%of their compliance obligation. Carbon offsets also act as a cost-control measure for covered facilities because offsets generally cost less than allowances, which are issued by the state.

In addition, carbon offsets come from projects that provide significant additional environmental benefits beyond the reduction of greenhouse gases. These include, for example, protection of the ozone layer, or supporting improved forest management, which upgrades water quality and habitat.

For carbon offset projects to be considered for Air Resources Board offset credits, they must first be registered with an Air Resources Board-approved carbon registry. Each project developer must then provide a complete history of the project. That documentation and the project site itself must be evaluated by Air Resources Board trained, independent, third-party verifiers. Air Resources Board staff then review each project as well. This process provides the most rigorous and stringent verification methodology in the world.

Air Resources Board compliance offset credits will be issued within the Compliance Instrument Tracking System Service (CITSS), the same system in which state-issued allowances reside. Once the determination to issue credits is made by ARB, it can take up to 15 days for the credits to be placed in the holder’s account in CITSS. Compliance offset credits for this project were issued April 8, 2014.

Wastewater Treatment System Operator Fined $3,000 for Water Pollution Control Violations

Waste Water Environmental Management, Inc., of Chelmsford, Massachusetts has been assessed a $3,000 penalty to resolve violations of the Water Pollution Control permitting requirements that occurred at the Woodlands Village at Hickory Hills Lake Condominium’s wastewater treatment facility in Lunenburg. Waste Water Environmental Management is the system operator for this facility.

MassDEP personnel inspected the condominium treatment facility and found that the plant was not being correctly operated and maintained by Waste Water Environmental Management. Poorly maintained equipment had allowed sewage to break out onto the ground. In addition, plans and an operation and maintenance (O&M) manual for the facility were not present on site as required by the permit.

Under the terms of a consent order, Waste Water Environmental Management has agreed to develop a checklist for all components of the plant’s operation and maintenance that will remain on-site. The company has also agreed to provide the compliance sampling schedule for all facilities under contract with the firm to allow MassDEP the opportunity to inspect sampling operations. Documentation that plans and O&M manuals are on site and adequate staffing exists at all facilities under contract with the company is also required by the consent order.

“Most wastewater treatment operations depend on contract operators like Waste Water Environmental Management to provide the oversight required to assure proper operation and maintenance of their facilities and compliance with permit requirements,” said Lee Dillard Adams, director of MassDEP’s Central Regional Office in Worcester. “Operators are responsible to comply with these regulations that ensure water quality in the Commonwealth.”

DEP Fines Range Resources-Appalachia LLC $75,000 for Brine Spill

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced that it has fined Range Resources-Appalachia, LLC, of Fort Worth, Texas, $75,000 for a July 2012 manufactured brine spill of 3,066 gallons at its Cornwall Mountain Hunting Club Unit A well pad in Lewis Township, Lycoming County.

“This was a significant spill that Range reported to the department but did not properly remediate until nearly a year later,” DEP Director of District Oil and Gas Operations John Ryder said.

The department’s investigation determined that a leak from the manhole cover on a manufactured brine storage tank caused the brine to flow off the well pad, over an access road, and into an unnamed tributary leading to Trout Run, a high quality stream. However, there is no evidence the brine reached Trout Run.

Range reported the leak occurred during a rainstorm, resulting in a mixture of brine solution and rainwater entering storm water swales, trenches and retention basins around the well pad. Due to the volume of the solution that leaked and mixed with heavy rainfall, the structures were overwhelmed, allowing the fluid to travel down to the unnamed tributary.

Range submitted a final closure report to DEP on June 21, 2013, which was approved by the department on July 9, 2013. The company removed 1,294 tons of contaminated soil from the impacted area, which was properly disposed at the Wayne Township Landfill in Clinton County.

DEP staff documented existing contamination and remediation issues at the site in eight inspections between July 24, 2012 and March 28, 2013. Three Notices of Violation were issued to Range. All violations noted during this time were included in the penalty agreement.

Universities to Help Predict the Impact of Nanomaterials

The EPA announced research grants to Arizona State University and the University of California, Santa Barbara to better understand the impacts of chemicals and nanomaterials throughout their life cycle—from design, manufacture, use, and disposal.

“EPA is committed to understanding how chemicals and materials can affect human health and the environment,” said Lek Kadeli, acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “This research will advance the science of chemical life cycle assessments and provide tools to design safer chemicals, while enabling a healthy economy and safer society.”

Arizona State University’s research will evaluate the trade-offs between using nanomaterials to improve the functionality of consumer products and the potential risks to humans and the environment. The University of California, Santa Barbara’s research will develop an online tool to evaluate life cycle impacts of chemicals which industry, academia, and other decision makers can use to make more informed decisions about chemical and product design.

As more is understood about the impacts of chemicals throughout their life cycle, this research will influence future scientists and decision makers to consider the associated benefits and consequences of chemicals, which will help create a healthier economy and a safer society.

In September 2012, EPA partnered with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to encourage collaboration in applying principles of sustainability to chemical management issues, including design, manufacture, use, and disposal.  These grant awards further EPA’s and NSF’s commitment to increase knowledge of chemical life cycles and sustainable chemistry.

Environmental News Links

 

Trivia Question of the Week

Which of the following are common locations to find PCBs?

a. Paint

b. Caulk

c. Hydraulic fluid

d. All of the above