In this plan, EPA examines the ways its programs are vulnerable to a changing climate and how the Agency can adapt to continue meeting its mission of protecting human health and the environment. Every program and regional office within the EPA is currently developing an Implementation Plan outlining how each considers the impacts of climate change in its mission, operations, and programs, and carrying out the work called for in the agency-wide plan.
EPA Publishes Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data for Large Facilities
Greenhouse gases are the primary driver of climate change, which can lead to hotter, longer heat waves that threaten the health of the sick, poor, or elderly; increases in ground-level ozone pollution linked to asthma and other respiratory illnesses; as well as other threats to the health and welfare of Americans.
“Transparency ensures a better informed public, which leads to a better protected environment,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “With this second data release, communities, businesses, and others can track and compare facilities’ greenhouse gas emissions and identify opportunities to cut pollution, minimize wasted energy, and save money.”
The 2011 data, collected through the congressionally mandated GHG Reporting Program, includes information from facilities in 41 source categories that emit large quantities of GHGs. The 2011 data also contains new data collected from 12 additional source categories, including petroleum and natural gas systems and coal mines.
For facilities that are direct emitters of GHGs the data show that in 2011:
- Power plants remain the largest stationary source of GHG emissions, with 2,221 million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (mmtCO2e), roughly one-third of total US emissions. 2011 emissions from this source were approximately 4.6% below 2010 emissions, reflecting an ongoing increase in power generation from natural gas and renewable sources.
- Petroleum and natural gas systems were the second largest sector, with emissions of 225 mmtCO2e in 2011, the first year of reporting for this group.
- Refineries were the third-largest emitting source, with 182 mmtCO2e, a half of a% increase over 2010.
EPA now has two years of GHG data for 29 source categories. Some industrial sectors, such as metals production and chemicals production, reported overall increases in emissions, while others, such as power plants, reported decreases. Overall emissions reported from these 29 sources were 3% lower in 2011 than in 2010. In the future the data collected through the program will provide the public with the opportunity to compare emissions and developing trends for all 41 industry types¾by facility and sector.
This data is accessible through the Facility Level Information on Green House Gases Tool (FLIGHT)¾a web-based data publication tool. EPA has also expanded accessibility of this data through EPA’s online database EnviroFacts that allows a user to search for information by zip code.
The data collection program is required by Congress in the FY2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which requires facilities to report data from large emission sources across a range of industry sectors, as well as suppliers of certain GHGs, and products that would emit GHGs if released or combusted. EPA’s GHG Reporting Program includes information from more than 8,000 sources and represents 85-90% of total US GHG emissions. This data only includes large facilities and does not include small sources, agriculture, or land use, which can also be significant sources of GHG emissions.
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East Coast States Strengthen Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
As part of a scheduled review process, the nine states participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)—a four-year-old power plant pollution-cutting program in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic—recently announced changes to further strengthen the program and build on the success it has had to-date in reducing climate change pollution, creating jobs, and boosting the regional economy.
The new revisions to the program limit the amount of pollution power plants in the region can emit to no more than 91 million tons—cutting the previous limit nearly in half.
The following is a statement from Dale Bryk, Director of the Energy and Transportation Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council:
“This program has shown the nation unequivocally that environmental and economic progress can indeed go hand in hand.
“In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, RGGI is combating extreme weather at its source: climate change. At the same time, it has proved to be an economic engine for participating states: creating thousands of local jobs, generating millions for clean energy development, and lowering energy bills. Now that it will be nearly twice as strong, just imagine what it can do.
“As the EPA prepares to issue carbon pollution standards for existing power plants nationwide, other states would be wise to look to RGGI as a model. By following this lead, they too can reap similar economic benefits while helping to reduce the turbocharged weather that has been sweeping across the entire country.”
Since its creation, region-wide RGGI has helped:
- Reduce climate change pollution 30%
- Create 16,000 jobs
- Spur more than $1.6 billion in economic growth
- Lower energy bills by 10%
Asia Pacific Countries Chart Course to Put Brakes on Short-Lived Climate Pollutants
Government representatives from 19 Asian countries began meetings recently, hosted by senior environmental officials from Bangladesh and Japan, to look at ways to catalyze fast action to reduce the impacts of short-lived climate pollutants¾so-called SLCPs¾in the Asia Pacific region.
SLCPs, such as black carbon or soot, methane, tropospheric ozone, and some hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), are responsible for a substantial fraction of both the warming experienced to date and the current rate of global warming and can be dangerous air pollutants, with various detrimental impacts on human health, agriculture, and ecosystems.
Governments and officials discussed existing measures that can be quickly taken up and integrated into strategies for economic development and environment protection. This is the first time that the SLCP challenge collectively has been discussed at an Asia wide meeting.
A UNEP study in 2011 found that aggressive action to reduce SLCPs by 2030 could avoid over 2 million premature deaths and annual crop losses of over 30 million tons each year, as well as to halve the pace of global warming by 2050 and deliver significant regional climate benefits. Cost-effective technologies to deliver the necessary emission reductions are already available internationally.
The study shows that Asia is one of the regions that could most benefit from SLCP mitigation. About 1.9 million premature deaths from outdoor air pollution could be prevented each year by 2030 by implementing black carbon measures addressing the transport and residential sector and open agricultural biomass burning. Reducing methane emissions from coalmines could bring significant crop benefits. In addition, reducing levels of black carbon and other particles in the atmosphere could slow the melting of glaciers in the Himalayas and reduce disruption of the South Asian monsoon.
The SLCP meeting was hosted by Bangladesh, Japan and UNEP under the auspices of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), a voluntary global effort bringing together 28 partner countries and many intergovernmental organizations, representatives of the civil society and the private sector that is spearheading global efforts on SLCPs.
Bangladesh Minister of Environment and Forests, Hon. Dr. Hasan Mahmud and the Japanese Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs, Hon. Dr. Ryutaro Yatsu convened the meeting and were joined by Dr. Keshab Man Shakya, Minister for Science, Technology and Environment, Nepal and Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Mustafa, Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy, Republic of Maldives.
During the meeting Bangladesh’s Minister for the Environment and Forests, Hon. Dr. Hasan Mahmud said: “Bangladesh has been working for the last few years towards modernization of brick kilns, improvement of millions of cook-stoves, improvement of rice parboiling systems, setting up of air quality monitoring mechanisms, and adoption of relevant enabling environmental documents. Bangladesh, as a Founding Member of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), has taken the initiatives of the CCAC seriously and wants to work with partners in the reduction of SLCPs to complement action on global warming.”
The Japanese Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs, Hon. Dr. Ryutaro Yatsu added that: “Japan is engaged to support CCAC and will contribute to the actions focused on SLCPs, cooperating closely with partner countries and organizations, with our knowledge and experiences both in policy making and research. We are pleased to support the expansion of the Coalition to Asia and the Pacific because it is really meaningful in light of the promotion of sustainable development in the region.”
Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Environment Program declared: “We look forward to welcoming all countries in Asia and the Pacific into the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to scale up the work and join forces with the other Partners in this effort to address the challenge of short-lived climate pollutants and deliver rapid and multiple public health, food and energy security, as well as near term climate benefits.”
EPA Requires Nevada Gold Mines to Correct Reporting Violations, Pay $618,000
EPA reached a settlement with three gold mining companies, all subsidiaries of Barrick Gold Corporation, for their failures to correctly report toxic chemical releases and waste management activities. The companies, Barrick Cortez, Inc., Barrick Gold US, Inc., and Homestake Mining Company, agreed to pay a total of $278,000 in fines and spend an additional $340,000 to conduct an environmentally beneficial project.
The violations involved incorrect reporting under the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) at the Cortez Gold Mine near Crescent Valley, the Ruby Hill Gold Mine near Eureka, and the Bald Mountain Gold Mine near the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, all in Nevada.
“Cyanide, lead, and mercury used at these mines have the potential to pose a health threat,” said Jared Blumenfeld, the EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “We insist on accurate reporting of chemical releases so that citizens have a clear idea of the risk from the facilities near their communities.”
These chemicals include cyanide compounds used to extract gold from the ore mined at the facilities, and lead and mercury compounds produced during the extraction process. Under the settlement, the Barrick gold companies will audit and correct their TRI reports for 2005 through 2011 to comply with EPCRA. There is no evidence to suggest that the violations posed any immediate danger to workers at the facilities or local communities.
The agreement requires a $340,000 supplemental environmental project at the Cortez mine to identify the metal compounds formed in its oxide mill process. The gold companies will also perform audits at the other Barrick facilities in the US (in Nevada and Montana), correct reporting violations, if any, and pay a $10,000 penalty per violation, not to exceed $250,000.
The EPA requires reporting of toxic chemical releases under EPCRA, and facilities that manufacture, process, or use toxic chemicals over certain quantities must file annual reports estimating the amounts released to the environment, treated or recycled on-site, or transferred off-site for waste management. These reports are submitted to EPA and the State or Tribe with jurisdiction over the facility. The EPA compiles this information into a national TRI database and makes it available to the public.
Metal ore mining accounts for 98% of total TRI releases reported to EPA in Nevada. This investigation and enforcement are part of an ongoing national effort that began in 2008 to ensure that gold mining facilities are in compliance, and that the public has accurate and complete information about the facilities in their community. Barrick gold mining facilities in the US produced approximately 3.38 million ounces (105.6 tons) of gold in 2011, and the Cortez Gold Mine is one of the largest gold mines in the world.
EPA Releases State Enforcement Performance Information and Comparative Maps
“Transparency and access to information at all levels helps to drive improvements in environmental performance,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s release of state enforcement information highlights the important work going on at the state level to address serious pollution problems and also underscores areas where states and EPA may need to strengthen enforcement and compliance efforts.”
Most states and tribes in the United States have the authority to implement and enforce many of the nation’s air, water, and waste laws. The dashboards and maps include state level data from the last five years and provide information including the number of completed inspections, types of violations found, enforcement actions taken, and penalties assessed by state. To ensure data quality, EPA made the maps and dashboards available to the states in advance of this public release, in order to provide an opportunity to make any necessary data corrections.
Users can customize the dashboards to view state activity, EPA activity, or combined activity. Where available, the site also allows users to view national averages and display state enforcement trends over time.
The interactive state performance dashboards are located on EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) website. ECHO is an EPA transparency tool that allows the user to map federal and state inspection, violation, and enforcement information for more than 800,000 regulated facilities. The state dashboards and comparative maps that are available in ECHO are part of EPA’s commitment to increasing transparency and providing data to the public in a format that is easy to understand and use.
The demonstration will highlight the new features added to the tool, important information about the data, and how to compare data by state.
New Chemicals Listed as Carcinogens in California
Effective February 8, 2013, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is adding C.I. Disperse Yellow 3 (CAS No. 2832-40-8) and 2,6-dimethyl-N-nitrosomorpholine (DMNM) (CAS No. 1456-28-6) to the list of chemicals known to the State to cause cancer for purposes of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 651).
C.I. Disperse Yellow 3 and 2,6-dimethyl-N-nitrosomorpholine (DMNM) were considered by the Carcinogen Identification Committee (CIC) in its official capacity as the “state’s qualified experts” at a public meeting held on January 25, 2013. The CIC determined that the two chemicals were clearly shown, through scientifically valid testing according to generally accepted principles, to cause cancer. Regulations governing the criteria for listing of chemicals by the CIC are set out in Title 27, California Code of Regulations, section 25305(a)(1).
California Communities Rely On Contaminated Groundwater Sources for their Drinking Water Supply
The report was prepared with data, input, and support from other state agencies, including the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), which is charged with ensuring safe drinking water is available to state residents. The report identifies communities that rely on contaminated groundwater sources for their drinking water. It also identifies contaminants and chemical constituents in the groundwater, and potential solutions and funding sources to clean up or treat groundwater, or to provide alternative water.
More than 95% of California’s 38 million residents get their drinking water from a public water supply and, of that number, 98% are served safe drinking water, according to CDPH. Although many water suppliers draw from contaminated groundwater sources, most suppliers are able to treat the water or blend it with cleaner supplies before serving it to the public.
“Groundwater contamination remains a challenge, requiring effort by community water systems to ensure their customers are delivered water that is safe to drink,” said State Water Board Executive Director Tom Howard. “This report offers substantive data on the types of contaminants and the extent of groundwater contamination, while offering several options to improve water quality to those residents who need it most.”
From 2002-2010, 680 (out of 3,037) community water systems serving nearly 21 million residents, relied on a contaminated groundwater source affected by one or more principal contaminants. A principal contaminant is a chemical detected above a public drinking water standard on two or more occasions during that cycle.
Thirty-one principal contaminants were identified: arsenic was the most detected naturally-occurring principal contaminant (287 community water systems), and nitrate was the most detected human- caused principal contaminant (205 community water systems).
Of the 680 community water systems, 507 (75%) rely entirely on groundwater. Community water systems that are entirely reliant on groundwater may be highly vulnerable to groundwater contamination, since these systems may not have alternative, uncontaminated sources of water. Some community water systems cannot afford treatment or they lack alternative water sources and have served water that exceeds a public drinking water standard.
Most of the 680 community water systems are located in the Southern California Inland Empire, the east side of the San Joaquin Valley, the Salinas Valley, and the Santa Maria Valley. The three counties with the most community water systems of this type are Kern, Tulare, and Madera.
The report outlines three broad solutions to address this public health concern, including pollution prevention or source protection, cleanup of contaminated groundwater, or providing safe drinking water through treatment or alternative supplies. The report also notes that public funding sources to address groundwater supply and contamination issues are limited.
US EPA estimates California will need $40 billion during the next 20 years for infrastructure development and improvements to ensure the delivery of safe drinking water. These funds may come from a number of sources, including self-financing, contributions from ratepayers and customers, local government fees, federal and state funding sources, and local loans and grants.
The findings in the report do not reflect private domestic wells or other unregulated water systems since the state does not require sampling of those wells, and, consequently, a comprehensive database for these groundwater sources does not exist.
California Adopts Storm Water Permit Intended to Reduce Pollution and Increase Reuse of Storm Water Runoff
The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) renewed a statewide storm water permit intended to decrease the amount of pollution entering waterways during storm water events.
The permit, required by state and federal laws to be renewed every five years, is called a Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit. The permit is issued consistent with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) regulations issued by the federal EPA. During a permit renewal cycle, best management practices to control storm water pollution are specified to better stop pollutants from entering area waterways during storm events.
The MS4 permit regulates storm water discharges from municipalities that serve populations of less than 100,000 persons by requiring additional efforts to keep contaminants, refuse, and trash from entering storm water drains, canals, and other conveyances that discharge in lakes, streams, and the ocean.
“A permit of this magnitude affects so many people in different geographic areas and addresses such important issues,” said State Water Board Chair Charles Hoppin. “The high degree of collaboration that was necessary to get us to this point was very evident in today’s proceeding. The board looks forward to working with the permittees on effective implementation of this permit.”
The MS4 permit requirements focus on implementing post-construction standards and low-impact development principles to new or redevelopments in California and focus implementation efforts on areas in California identified as a priority to protect such as, Areas of Biological Significance (ASBS), water bodies listed as impaired (303(d) list). The MS4 permit will provide coverage to approximately 200 traditional (municipal governments) and non-traditional (state, federal facilities such as military bases and state colleges) MS4s.
For nearly two decades, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) has regulated runoff and treatment of storm water from industrial and municipal sources in California. Both the US EPA and the Water Boards have determined that storm water and urban runoff are significant sources of water pollution that can threaten aquatic life and public health.
Massachusetts Announces Agreement to Significantly Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Power Plants
This reduction is about 30 times the amount of emissions released from the state’s largest power plant.
Massachusetts and the eight other states¾Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont¾are all part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the nation’s first mandatory cap-and-trade program for carbon dioxide emissions. Each state has agreed to seek the necessary changes to its laws or regulations to implement the agreement by early 2014.
The agreement calls for the nine states to lower an existing cap on power plant emissions from the current level of 165 million tons per year to 91 million tons per year. This will generate an estimated $350 million in additional revenue for Massachusetts during the period 2012-2020. These revenues will be invested primarily in helping Massachusetts businesses and residences become more energy efficient.
“This agreement means lower GHG emissions for the region and increased growth and opportunity in our clean energy economy, a major driver of job creation here in Massachusetts,” said Governor Deval Patrick. “It is also a strong statement that this region, which comprises nearly 20% of the national economy, is serious about being stewards of our environment and addressing climate change.”
RGGI is a collaborative effort to limit carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the power sector by requiring that certain power generators purchase allowances for the emissions of carbon dioxide. RGGI has worked successfully to lower power plant emissions, providing the nine member states with allowance proceeds that they have invested in the clean energy economy.
An independent analysis concluded that the first three years of the RGGI program (from 2009 through 2011) are resulting in:
- $1.6 billion in net present economic value added to the region, and $400 million to Massachusetts alone,
- Electricity consumers overall¾households, businesses, government users, and others¾enjoying a net lifetime gain of nearly $1.1 billion, as their overall electric bills drop over time,
- A lowering by more than $765 million in the total dollars that Massachusetts and the RGGI states send outside the region in the form of payments for fuel, and
- 16,000 new “job years” being created.
The proposed revisions followed a comprehensive two-year program review. The RGGI states determined that the current supply of allowances in the nine-state region (165 million) is far in excess of the demand (91 million in 2012). This is due to a number of factors, including a decline in the price of natural gas, which has reduced power plants’ burning of coal, reductions in electric demand due to energy efficiency measures, a slowdown in the economy, and atypical weather patterns. As a result, allowance prices have dropped to the floor price of $1.93 per ton and, without a change, the current cap will not help further to reduce CO2 emissions.
The RGGI Agency Heads agreed that emissions should be reduced, and selected 91 million tons in 2014. At this level, the supply of allowances is aligned with projected demand (emissions). The RGGI Agency Heads further determined that the cap should be reduced by 2.5% per year after 2014, so that by 2020, emissions from the nine RGGI states will be substantially lower than they are today.
“This is one of the largest greenhouse gas reduction measures that we have seen, and the best part is that it is not just Massachusetts doing the reduction¾eight other states are joining us,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan. “I applaud the Governor’s leadership on this issue and am proud that Massachusetts is a driving force behind this second historic agreement.”
“The 2008 Global Warming Solutions Act put Massachusetts on a path to make steep reductions to its greenhouse gas emissions. This agreement will help the Commonwealth reach our ambitious goals,” said Kenneth Kimmell, Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection and one of the state’s two representatives who negotiated the agreement. “I am also pleased that a bi-partisan group of energy and environmental commissioners from nine states recognized that this is not only good environmental policy, but good economic policy for each of the states.”
“We have shown time and time again that investing in energy efficiency means savings for Massachusetts’ businesses, cities and towns, and residents,” said Mark Sylvia, Commissioner of the Department of Energy Resources and one of the state’s two representatives who negotiated the agreement. “I am excited that this agreement and the auction proceeds that follow continue to support our nation-leading energy efficiency investments, which in the next three years will yield more than three dollars of benefits for each dollar invested.”
While the price for allowances are expected to rise, the agreement also calls for the establishment of a cost containment reserve that would stabilize prices for allowances in the event of unforeseen circumstances, such as a shortage of natural gas. The cost containment reserve will inject additional allowances into the marketplace if allowance prices reach certain price triggers ($4 per ton in 2014, $6 in 2015, $8 in 2016, and $10 in 2017, rising by 2.5%, to account for inflation, each year thereafter).
The RGGI Board of Directors conducted extensive modeling on the impacts of these changes on consumers. The modeling shows that the impacts of the new cap will be extremely modest, less than 1% in consumer bills. The average Massachusetts residential customer’s monthly electricity bill of $72 will rise by 39 cents; the average commercial customer’s monthly bill of $455 will rise by $3.89, and the average industrial consumer’s monthly bill of $6,659 will rise by $83. One reason the bill impact is modest is because Massachusetts invests more than 80% of the RGGI proceeds into energy efficiency, and for each dollar invested, a consumer saves approximately $3 from reduced energy usage.
MPCA UST Program Reports on 25 Years of Success
For 25 years, Minnesota’s petroleum remediation programs have provided assistance and partial funding for businesses, schools, farmers, and homeowners who are responsible for cleaning up property contaminated by petroleum tank leaks.
These leaks are a liability for property owners because they can contaminate drinking water, and under certain conditions, the vapors can enter sewer pipes or buildings, where they can pose a health threat or even cause a deadly explosion.
More than 17,000 sites have been cleaned up since the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Petroleum Remediation Program was established in 1987. Almost 40% of the sites being cleaned up today are at small businesses, such as gas stations.
“These days, we get about 400 calls per year reporting contaminated sites, and we finish about 500 cleanups per year,” Michael Kanner, the program’s manager, said. “We’re beating the problem.”
State and local officials became concerned in February 2007 after routine well testing in the city of Foley revealed high levels of petroleum contamination. The well was near two properties that once had contained fuel tanks. Over the course of many years, the tanks had leaked into the surrounding soil, and changes in water use patterns caused contaminants to be drawn into the well.
Responding promptly, city managers began working with the MPCA to investigate the contamination and determine how best to protect the town’s water. The MPCA awarded funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help the city install a new well and supply line. Today, Foley’s drinking water is drawn from a well located safely outside of the contaminated area, and experts have determined that the leak no longer presents a hazard to the community.
As another example, beginning in 1864, Milwaukee Railroad passenger and freight trains traveling from Chicago to the Northern Plains states passed through a station in downtown Minneapolis. Over the course of more than a century, the rail depot became badly contaminated by leaks from petroleum storage tanks. When a development corporation took an interest in redeveloping the property in the late 1990s, it was discovered that the soil at the old rail site had become polluted with some 60,000 gallons of petroleum.
The property owners were able to receive technical and financial assistance in investigating the contamination at the site from the MPCA’s Petroleum Remediation and Brownfield Programs. Today, the former railroad station has been refurbished into a gleaming complex known as The Depot Minneapolis, featuring hotels, restaurants and a picturesque ice skating rink in the depot’s old waiting room.
Despite the program’s success, Kanner says there are still more sites to be cleaned up. About 10% of these sites are on residential properties, and according to the MPCA, there may still be as many as 100,000 residential tanks in Minnesota.
Since the early 1990s, sellers have been required to inform buyers if they are aware of a petroleum tank on a property. Fuel oil has a strong odor, so indoor leaks are usually evident. It can be more difficult to identify leaking outdoor tanks that are underground.
“If there is or was a heating oil tank on your property, it may have leaked or been overfilled at some point,” Kanner said. “The good news is that Minnesota has one of the better programs in the country to help people clean up these problems. In most cases, Minnesota’s Petrofund can offer substantial reimbursement of cleanup costs.”
Reimbursement from the Petrofund, which is administered by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, is based on the level of remediation necessary to protect human health and the environment for the property’s current use.
If a property owner suspects a tank leak on their property, their first step should be to contact the Minnesota Duty Officer immediately at 800-422-0798.
Once the site has been identified, consultants can be hired to determine the risks present (such as drinking water contamination) and decide which remediation processes are most appropriate. Remediation tactics can include excavating contaminated soil, pumping petroleum out of the ground, or installing additional drinking water protection measures, such as a deeper well or carbon filtration system. The MPCA oversees these efforts and the Petrofund at the Minnesota Department of Commerce reimburses up to 90% of eligible investigation and cleanup costs.
Kanner emphasizes that property owners should not be intimidated by the prospect of cleaning up a petroleum-contaminated site: “We’ve dealt with a lot of these. We have a lot of experience, and we can help.”
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Trivia Question of the Week
Which state gets nearly 20% of its electricity supply from wind power, a higher percentage than any other state?
a. Indiana
b. California
c. Maryland
d. Iowa