SystemThinkers: May 2011

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Air News Release (Region 4): Chattanooga, TN Now Meets Smog Standards

Chattanooga, TN Now Meets Smog Standards

Contact Information: Dawn Harris-Young, (404) 562-8421, harris-young.dawn@epa.gov

(ATLANTA – May 31, 2011) – Today, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a final determination that the Chattanooga area meets the 1997 federal fine particulate matter standard. The Chattanooga area includes Hamilton County, Tennessee, in its entirety; Catoosa and Walker Counties in Georgia, in their entireties; and a portion of Jackson County in Alabama.

"We commend local and state officials, as well as the residents of the Chattanooga area, who have been working collaboratively with us to reach this milestone," said EPA Regional Administrator Gwen Keyes Fleming. “This accomplishment signifies that the citizens of Chattanooga are breathing cleaner air and leading healthier lives.

"The private and corporate citizens of Hamilton County again have shown that they can meet any challenge," said Bob Colby, Director of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Bureau. "We are pleased to be a small part of their success in improving air quality for the benefit of all,"

“I look forward to our continuing to work together on a regional and local basis to keep the air clean.” James A. Capp, Chief of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s (EPD) Air Protection Branch, noted that "This determination is confirmation that the clean air programs we have in place in Georgia are working. This success is the result of the effective partnerships that Georgia EPD has with the public, regulated community, nonprofit organizations and other governmental organizations."

EPA's decision to finalize the determination that the Chattanooga area is attaining the standard is based on the most recent air quality monitoring data for fine particulate matter. The Chattanooga area has made significant progress in improving air quality and has reached an important clean air milestone. Air in the Chattanooga area is meeting the health based standard set in 1997, and all three states are currently developing plans to put measures in place to ensure the area continues to meet this standard. This progress is a result of hard work and great cooperation among local, state and federal agencies, private partners and the approximately 520,000 citizens who live and work in the Chattanooga area.

Particulate matter pollution – especially fine particles – contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems. Particles can cause premature death and a wide range of lung and heart disease, including heart attacks and asthma.

For more information on the Chattanooga area fine particulate matter attainment determination, visit docket number EPA‑R04‑OAR‑2011-0084 at www.regulations.gov.

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Superfund and Brownfields News Release (Region 1): EPA Reaches Cleanup Decision for J1 Range and Groundwater Plumes at Camp Edwards

News Release
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
New England Regional Office
May 31, 2011

Contact: Jeanethe Falvey, (617) 918-1020

EPA Reaches Cleanup Decision for J1 Range and Groundwater Plumes at Camp Edwards

(Boston, Mass. – May 31, 2011) – As efforts to clean up and protect Cape Cod's drinking water continue, the EPA and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have reached another cleanup decision regarding a former military training and contractor testing area at Camp Edwards on the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR). This decision marks a final cleanup strategy for MMR’s J1 Range and its two affiliated “northern and southern” groundwater plumes. Three plumes and multiple soil areas on Camp Edwards await final cleanup decisions.

MMR is a 22,000-acre property that has been used for military training activities since 1911. The base is also located over a sole source aquifer that provides drinking water for residents of Cape Cod. Two environmental cleanup programs (one implemented by the Army, the other by the Air Force), are addressing the areas of soil and groundwater contamination that have resulted from fuel spills and other past activities on site. The U.S. Air Force is addressing contamination from activity at the Otis Air Force Base in the southern portion of MMR under the Federal Superfund Program. The U.S. Army is addressing contamination at Camp Edwards in the northern portion of MMR under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Both cleanup programs are progressing with oversight from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).

Military training, munitions testing, and munitions disposal all occurred in the J1 Range located in the southeastern corner of Camp Edwards. Anti-tank and small arms training occurred from 1935 through the mid-1950s. From 1957 through the late 1980s, the area was used for weapons testing. The associated explosives, propellants, and unexploded ordnance (UXO) or munitions and explosives of concern (MEC)) left in the soil became the source area for the RDX and perchlorate in the northern groundwater plume, and RDX in the southern groundwater plume. The northern plume is located entirely on-base, and the southern plume extends off-base into Forestdale.

After completing outreach to all area homes, EPA and the Army verified that there are no current public exposure risks from either of the two plumes. All homes in the off-base area of the southern plume are connected to the public drinking water supply. While there are no current impacts to human health or exposure risks at this time, the cleanup will ensure that any potential future risks are addressed. The EPA is working with the MassDEP and the Army to ensure that this groundwater contamination, as well as the other areas of groundwater contamination originating from Camp Edwards, can once again be considered a safe future source of drinking water for Cape Cod.

Based on sampling results, EPA determined that while the groundwater plumes required cleanup, the soil contamination and UXO/MEC had been adequately removed and no further action is necessary at the source areas contributing to groundwater contamination.

The final cleanup decision for both J1 groundwater plumes includes extraction and treatment, long term monitoring to track actual versus predicted contaminant reduction, and land use controls to prevent use of the groundwater and maintain the integrity of current and future monitoring wells and treatment systems. EPA issued the cleanup decision under its Safe Drinking Water Act authority, and the cleanup itself will be performed by the U.S. Army’s Impact Area Groundwater Study Program (IAGWSP).

The J-1 northern plume will be addressed by a pump and treat system with two extraction wells and granular activated carbon and ion-exchange resin treatment. Modeling shows that contaminants would be reduced to risk-based acceptable levels within about 37 years and reach background (pre-existing) conditions after 50 years. The cost for the northern plume cleanup will be about $14,600,000.

The cleanup of the J-1 southern plume will include a pump and treat system with two extraction wells, one pre-existing well on the base property and a new off-base extraction well with granular activated carbon treatment. Contaminants are anticipated to reach risk-based acceptable levels within about 14 years, and background conditions within 20, costing an estimated $4,900,000.

More information:

Monthly public meetings (http://states.ng.mil/sites/ma/resources/erc/calendar.htm) are held on or near the MMR with representatives from the EPA, Massachusetts DEP, and the Army and Air Force cleanup programs. The public comment period for this cleanup decision was held from July 19 through August 17, 2010 and several public comments were received and included in the final Decision Document.

EPA cleanup work at MMR (http://www.epa.gov/region1/mmr/index.html)

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EPA News Release (HQ): EPA Establishes National Tribal Toxics Committee to Address Risks from Toxic Chemicals

CONTACTS:
Dale Kemery (News Media Only)
kemery.dale@epa.gov
202-564-7839
202-564-4355

Mollie Lemon (News Media Only)
lemon.mollie@epa.gov
202-564-2039
202-564-4355

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 31, 2011

EPA Establishes National Tribal Toxics Committee to Address Risks from Toxic Chemicals

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established a National Tribal Toxics Committee (NTTC) to give Indian tribes greater input on issues related to chemical safety, toxic chemicals and pollution prevention. This effort will further empower tribal communities to protect their health and environment from the risks of toxic chemicals. Creation of the NTTC is part of EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson’s emphasis on improving chemical safety, building strong tribal partnerships and expanding the conversation on environmental justice. The NTTC will hold its first meeting in Washington, D.C. on June 1-2.

“As we focus on chemical safety and identify ways to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals and prevent pollution in Indian Country, it is absolutely critical that we listen to our tribal partners,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “We want to ensure that we address the ways that tribal members are affected by toxic substances and promote pollution prevention efforts that reflect their interests and needs.”

EPA believes that expanding tribal partnerships is important given the uniqueness of tribal cultures, communities, and environmental problems, and the need to respect tribal sovereignty, culture and heritage. The NTTC will help EPA better tailor and more efficiently address a variety of issues, including preventing poisoning from lead-based paint, expanding pollution prevention and safer chemical initiatives in Indian country, and better evaluating chemical exposures that may be unique to tribes and their members.

More information on the NTTC and for a list of tribes: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/tribal/

More information on EPA’s partnership with tribes: http://www.epa.gov/indian/

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Sent by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW · Washington DC 20460 · 202-564-4355

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