The Department of Justice released a new tool to help companies that make or use chemical products assess potential security threats and vulnerabilities. The tool will help these companies take further steps to enhance security at facilities and in neighborhoods across America.
The "Chemical Facility Vulnerability Assessment Methodology" tool (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/pubs-sum/195171.htm) is designed for the nation's 15,000 facilities that already are required to conduct safety assessments and develop Risk Management Plans, or RMPs, to help prevent accidental releases. The new tool will allow RMP facilities to identify and to assess potential vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks so they can take additional steps to help make their facilities as safe and secure as possible. The vulnerability assessment methodology is similar to other types of tools developed for dams, power plants and drinking water facilities.
The new security assessment tool was developed by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP) National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the Justice Department's research and development agency, in collaboration with the Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories.
The assessment tool provides a practical method to assess the security of chemical facilities across the United States. NIJ and Sandia focused primarily on terrorist or criminal activities that could have significant national impact or cause releases of hazardous chemicals that could cause injuries or fatalities among facility employees and neighboring communities. The methodology provides a way for facilities to identify risks and reduce the likelihood of attacks.
In developing the methodology, NIJ and Sandia collected and
reviewed extensive information relevant to threats, risks and
vulnerabilities associated with facilities that make and use
chemicals, conducted outreach with the field, including meetings
and discussions with a range of industry, government, citizen
representatives and private individuals, created a website to
describe the development effort and solicited comments and
inspected a number of facilities across the country.
NEW WEB SITE PROVIDES RESOURCE TOOLS TO SUPPORT STATE AND LOCAL AIR QUALITY ACTIVITIES
EPA and the Department Of Transportation (DOT) have launched a
new web site where state, local and other organizations can
access tools and guidance for developing outreach programs that
address transportation and air quality issues. The new site and
materials are part of "It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air," a
collaboration between EPA and DOT that provides information to
show local citizens how to improve air quality and reduce traffic
congestion. The web site highlights regular car maintenance and
emphasizes combining errands into one trip and transit
alternatives that can help the air, save time and money, and
reduce traffic congestion. Several areas, including New York
City, Madison, Wis., Sacramento, Calif., have already
successfully adopted and integrated messages from the It All Adds
Up to Cleaner Air initiative into their transportation and air
quality outreach campaigns. In addition to providing effective
outreach tools and resources, the program offers opportunities
for networking and guidance on building local and regional
coalitions. For more information on It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air
visit the web site at http://www.italladdsup.gov
EPA TO RECOGNIZE SMART GROWTH ACHIEVEMENT
EPA is accepting applications for the first annual National Award
for Smart Growth Achievement. This competition is open to local
or state governments and other public sector entities that have
successfully created smart growth. Smart growth development
approaches have clear environmental benefits, including improved
air and water quality, greater preservation of critical habitat
and open space and more cleanup and re-use of brownfield sites.
Smart growth creates healthy communities and neighborhoods and a
strong economy by moving the development debate away from the
question of whether new growth should occur to how and where it
should be accommodated. Interested parties from urban, suburban
and rural areas are encouraged to submit applications for smart
growth activities undertaken within the last three years.
Applications will be accepted in four categories: Built Projects,
Policies and Regulations, Community Outreach and Education, and
Overall Excellence in Smart Growth. Successful applicants will
incorporate smart growth principles to create places that respect
community culture and the environment, foster economic
development and promote a better quality of life for this and
future generations. Applications are due on Aug. 30. Five winners
will be recognized at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., in
November. For more details about the National Award for Smart
Growth Achievement, including an application packet, visit:
http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/awards.htm
DAIMLERCHRYSLER HONORED AS 'ENVIRONMENTALIST OF THE YEAR'
DaimlerChrysler was named "Environmentalist of the Year" on Wednesday, June 26 by the Environmental Research and Education Foundation (EREF) at a black tie gala in Washington D.C. EREF recognizes an individual or organizational achievement in developing environmental solutions for the future.
DaimlerChrysler received the award for developing a new recycling technology that could significantly reduce the amount of old car parts going to landfills. The CARE (Concepts for Advanced Recycling and Environmental) Car II demonstrated that waste could be turned into a valuable product.
The CARE Car II demonstration program has the goals of increasing the recyclability and recovery of automobiles from 75 percent to 95 percent by weight, and increasing the use of recycled materials in production vehicles.
The project used an automated process developed by Recovery Plastics International (RPI) to sort and separate different types of plastic from the residue. The recovered plastic was recycled and ready for reuse.
Two Jeep(R) Grand Cherokees were retrofitted with 54 parts made with recycled plastic. Twenty-six of DaimlerChrysler's production supply partners helped manufacture a wide variety of plastic components from the recycled plastic including carpet padding, the glove box bin, interior door trim molding, exterior body molding and fender liners.
The recycled parts met the current production material
specifications, and were molded using production molds and
processes. In addition, the recycled plastic offered a cost
savings of about 30 percent versus the use of virgin plastic in
manufacturing the components. This savings could translate into
an industry-wide savings of up to $320 million dollars per year.
UPCOMING DEADLINES
Clean Air Act (CAA)
- July 21, 2002 - Existing sources subject to organic hazardous air
pollutant emission controls under 40 CFR 63, subpart H, for
equipment leaks from Group V chemical process units must submit
semiannual report to EPA
- July 22, 2002 - Existing sources subject to organic hazardous air
pollutant emission controls under 40 CFR 63, subpart H, for
equipment leaks from Group I chemical process units must submit
semiannual report to EPA
- July 23, 2002 - Existing sources subject to organic hazardous air
pollutant emission controls under 40 CFR 63, subpart H, for
equipment leaks from Group III chemical process units must submit
semiannual report to EPA
Department of Transportation (DOT)
- June 30, 2002 - HAZMAT registration due
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
- July 15, 2002 - Annual PCB report due