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Friday, September 30, 2011
Compliance and Enforcement News Release (HQ): Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Transportation Join CBP Import Safety Center
News Release: Government and Community Partners Launch Tonawanda Sustainability Initiative; Goals are to Reduce Pollution and Promote Business Innovation
| Government and Community Partners Launch Tonawanda Sustainability Initiative
Goals are to Reduce Pollution and Promote Business Innovation
CONTACTS: USEPA - Michael Basile, 716-551-4410, basile.michael@epa.gov NYSDEC - Michael Bopp, 518-402-8000, mbopp@gw.dec.state.ny.us Town of Tonawanda - Robert Dimmig, 716-871-8072, rdimmig@tonawanda.ny.us
(New York, N.Y. – Sept. 30, 2011) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the town of Tonawanda, New York, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York and the Empire State Development Corporation signed an agreement to help Tonawanda businesses become more sustainable. The initiative, known nationally as E3 for Economy, Energy and Environment, will provide manufacturers with customized assessments of production processes to enable them to reduce energy use and waste, minimize air pollution, increase productivity and drive innovation. The goal is for companies to create and preserve jobs while protecting the environment and public health.
“EPA supports sustainable business practices that, in turn, create jobs and provide healthier places to live and work,” said, Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. “The E3 initiative looks for ways to increase environmental benefits while reducing business costs. Every dollar saved on energy, materials and cleaning up pollution means more money to improve the quality of life for workers and surrounding communities.”
“Minimizing pollution through smart, cost-effective changes in the way products are designed and manufactured protects public health while making companies more competitive,” said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens said. “It can also reduce the cost of regulation for both businesses and taxpayers. DEC is proud to participate in the Tonawanda E3 Sustainability Initiative and support the work of the NYS Pollution Prevention Institute as it works with companies to achieve cleaner air and improve their bottom line.”
Town of Tonawanda Supervisor Anthony F. Caruana said, "The town of Tonawanda is excited to be at the forefront of these efforts to encourage sustainability. The E3 initiative is an opportunity to address the needs of our residents and workforce by providing opportunities for businesses to grow through sustainability efforts and the use of green technology; it helps our environment and our economy. We look forward to working with our partners and remain available to assist businesses with their sustainability needs."
“The improvements that will be made through the E3 program will reduce pollution and improve the quality of life for our members and for workers. Greening our manufacturing base is the kind of economic development we need in Western New York,” said Erin Heaney, Executive Director of the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York.
The organizations participating in the Tonawanda E3 Sustainability Initiative will assist businesses in Tonawanda, NY to reduce pollution at all levels by fostering community involvement and changes in industrial technologies. The organizations will work with businesses to make manufacturing plants more energy efficient and cost effective by offering technical assessments, advice and support. They will work to reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing plants through green manufacturing practices and improvements. The local economy will benefit from jobs that will be created in emerging green industries.
To read the complete details of the agreement and the full text of the E3 charter signed by the partners, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region02/p2.
For more E3 information, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/greensuppliers/e3.html.
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News Release: Owner of ‘Davy Crockett’ Barge Indicted for Oil Spill on Columbia River
| Owner of ‘Davy Crockett’ Barge Indicted for Oil Spill on Columbia River Mark MacIntyre, EPA Public Affairs – Seattle, 206-553-7302 macintyre.mark@epa.gov WASHINGTON — Bret A. Simpson, the owner of Principle Metals, LLC, was indicted by a federal grand jury with two violations of the Clean Water Act. The grand jury charges that Simpson unlawfully discharged oil into the Columbia River near Camas, Wash., between Dec. 3, 2010 and Jan. 28, 2011. The second count charges Simpson with failing to notify authorities of the oil discharge between Dec. 1, 2010 and Jan. 19, 2011. Simpson will be summoned to appear for arraignment on the charges in U.S. District Court in Tacoma on Oct. 14, 2011. According to the indictment, Simpson knew when he purchased the M/V Davy Crockett, to sell the metal for scrap, that there were tanks onboard the vessel containing thousands of gallons of fuel oil and diesel fuel. Simpson assembled a crew to begin dismantling the M/V Davy Crockett in the Columbia River in October 2010, but made no arrangements to remove the fuel oil and diesel fuel from the vessel. On Dec. 1, 2010, a member of the scrapping crew cut into a structural beam of the barge, and the ship began breaking apart and leaking oil. Neither Simpson nor anyone else with Principle Metals LLC notified authorities about the leak. The scrapping operation was halted. Simpson initially addressed the oil release by ceasing all scrapping operations, procuring a boom to limit the release of oil into the Columbia River, and directing an employee to monitor vessel conditions. The employee monitored vessel conditions for approximately one week following the initial release before being relieved of his employment. Simpson took no further steps to monitor the barge, or the boom, and took no steps to protect the barge from additional structural damage. On Jan. 19, 2011, the barge was moved and additional oil was released. The U.S. Coast Guard responded, issuing an administrative order for Simpson to remove any remaining visible oil from machinery spaces and deck tubes together with other salvage debris from the vessel. Simpson complied and authorities believed the barge no longer posed an environmental danger. However on Jan. 27, 2011, additional oil was released from the vessel and state and federal authorities immediately responded in an effort to limit environmental damage. If convicted of the charge of failing to report the release, Simpson could face up to five years of imprisonment and a criminal fine of no more than $250,000. If convicted of the charge of unlawfully discharging oil to the river, Simpson could face up to three years of imprisonment and a criminal fine between $5,000 - $50,000 per day of violation. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is being investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Washington State Department of Ecology, and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James Oesterle and Special Assistant United States Attorney Lieutenant Commander Marianne Gelakoska of the U.S. Coast Guard. More information on EPA’s criminal enforcement program: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/criminal/index.html Detailed information on the clean-up is available here: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/incidents/DavyCrockett/DavyCrockett.html
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Compliance and Enforcement News Release (HQ): EPA Launches New Mapping Tool to Improve Public Access to Enforcement Information
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News Release: McClellan Business Park completes first in the nation privatized cleanup, redevelopment at military Superfund site in Sacramento
| For Immediate Release: Sept. 30, 2011 McClellan Business Park completes first in the nation privatized cleanup, redevelopment at military Superfund site in Sacramento SAN FRANCISCO – At a ceremony today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, along with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the U.S. Air Force, Sacramento County and McClellan Business Park, will highlight the first time that a private party has completed a cleanup at a military Superfund site in the nation. “This project is a great example of government and the private sector working together to protect the public and return land to productive reuse,” said Jane Diamond, Superfund Director for EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. “In this era of decreasing public resources and increasing need for redevelopment, we need more of these creative efforts to cleanup and reuse property in partnership with the private sector.”
Completion of the Parcel C-6 project is just the first of several cleanups EPA will be overseeing in consultation with the state of California. The success of the Parcel C-6 process has laid the groundwork for successfully combining future environmental cleanups with redevelopment.
Using funds from the Air Force, developer McClellan Business Park conducted the soil cleanup at a 62-acre parcel on the McClellan Air Force Base Superfund Site. Through an early transfer process McClellan Business Park assumed title to the property along with the responsibility for its cleanup, with oversight from EPA. The investigation and cleanup of the property was a large collective effort on the part of all involved as newly defined roles were assumed by each of the agencies for this cleanup.
In May 2009, EPA selected remedies to address contaminated soil at Parcel C-6. The contaminants include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, furans, heavy metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Under the oversight of EPA and the State, approximately 26,000 cubic yards of soil were excavated by McClellan Business Park between May and October 2010. The cleanup included treatment of more than 11,000 cubic yards of soil at an on-site thermal system, between February and May 2011. The combination of treated soil and soil that already met the established cleanup goals totaled almost 19,000 cubic yards of soil that was diverted from landfills and returned to the site.
Monitoring and institutional controls that limit land use will ensure that the cleanup remains protective of human health and the environment while allowing for the safe reuse of the property. McClellan Business Park will soon transfer ownership of nearly 2/3 of the parcel for further development, encouraging jobs and advancing the regional economy.
EPA is currently working on cleanups at two other sites and finalizing the cleanup decisions for another 49 sites in a Record of Decision planned for December 2011. The former McClellan Air Force Base was closed under the Base Realignment and Closure Act in 1995 and operations stopped in 2001. The former Air Force base was placed on the EPA’s Superfund list in 1987. Over 300 identified sites within the former base are contaminated with solvents, metals and other hazardous wastes as the result of aircraft maintenance and other industrial activities at the base. ### Accredited members of the press: Interviews and Photos are available! For media who are unable to attend the event but would like to cover this exciting news story, event photos will be made available following the presser. Please contact one of the listed media contacts to provide the details of your request along with your media affiliation. .
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Compliance and Enforcement News Release (Region 1): Vermont Ski Area Pays Penalty for Wetlands Violations
| News Release Contact: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017 Vermont Ski Area Pays Penalty for Wetlands Violations (Boston, Mass. – Sept. 30, 2011) - A Vermont ski resort has agreed to pay $80,000 for wetlands violations to settle claims by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that it violated the federal Clean Water Act when it filled in just over two acres of wetlands and streams and failed to obtain proper permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. According to EPA, a construction company working for Jay Peak Resort, Inc. placed dirt, sand and rocks into numerous wetlands and streams, affecting just over two acres of wetlands and streams during construction of its golf course between 2004 and 2006 without a required permit. This case was brought to the attention of EPA by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the spring of 2008. Since then, the Corps and EPA have worked together in pursuing this case. EPA issued Jay Peak Resort a compliance order in September 2010, requiring that the company restore the affected wetlands and streams. The company worked cooperatively with EPA and the Corps in complying with the order restoring the wetlands and streams prior to the deadlines established in the order. Jay Peak Resort was directed to apply for after-the-fact authorization from the Corps to retain certain areas of fill that appeared to be critical to the project. The affected streams on the site flow into Jay Branch Brook, which flows into the Missisiquoi River, and then into Lake Champlain. Wetlands provide valuable habitat for many species of wildlife. They also help to protect the health and safety of people and their communities. They filter and clean water by trapping sediments and removing pollutants, and they provide buffers against floods by storing flood water. Wetlands also store and slowly release water over time, helping to maintain water flow in streams, especially during dry periods. “Filling wetlands can exacerbate flooding,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. “Recent flooding in parts of Vermont underscores how devastating floods can be. Wetlands can help reduce the impact of flooding, because they act like sponges and can reduce the effects that heavy rain storms have on the surrounding communities.” More information: # # # Learn More about the Latest EPA News & Events in New England (http://www.epa.gov/region1/newsevents/index.html) Follow EPA New England on Twitter (http://twitter.com/epanewengland)
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EPA News Media Advisory (Region 7): Oct. 7 Event to Teach Students about Water Quality in Kansas City, Mo.
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7 901 N. Fifth St., Kansas City, KS 66101
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations
Oct. 7 Event to Teach Students about Water Quality in Kansas City, Mo.
Contact Information: Kris Lancaster, 913-551-7557, lancaster.kris@epa.gov
NEWS MEDIA ADVISORY
(Kansas City, Kan., Sept. 30, 2011) - A team of EPA scientists, Center High School students and Blue River Watershed Association volunteers will monitor water quality, examine aquatic life and clean up Indian Creek in Kansas City, Mo. The outdoor classroom will be used to teach students how they can become involved in preventing pollution through environmental stewardship activities.
Approximately 30 students will be conducting 10 tests to determine the water quality of Indian Creek and pick up trash along the creek. EPA is working with schools to highlight the importance of water monitoring and give students the opportunity to collect measurements side by side with EPA scientists. The students also will learn about the stream's habitats and how various land uses and urban runoff can affect a watershed.
Environmental education projects enhance public awareness, knowledge and skills to help people make informed decisions that affect environmental quality. Students will learn about native plants, habitats, ecosystems and water monitoring.
WHAT: News conference, water monitoring and stream cleanup
WHEN: 1:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. news conference; and 1:45 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. water monitoring and stream cleanup, Oct. 7, 2011
WHERE: Indian Creek behind Trailside Center, 9901 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Mo., 64131. Parking spaces are available for the news media in the parking lot.
WHO: EPA Region 7 Acting Deputy Administrator Mark Hague and Blue River Watershed Association Education Director Kate Delehunt
EPA is partnering with the Blue River Watershed Association, a grassroots community organization that engages the Kansas City metropolitan community in protecting the Blue River watershed. The organization works with school districts in both Kansas and Missouri to teach students about the importance of good water quality to health, recreation and the quality of life in watersheds. The Blue River drains much of the Kansas City metropolitan area south of the Kansas and Missouri rivers.
Throughout October, there will be a number of educational events taking place across the country. October is Children's Health Month, when EPA brings awareness to environmental issues such as watershed health, which is important to providing clean, safe water where Americans live, work and play. These are opportunities in which parents and teachers can learn about environmental issues affecting children, how they are being addressed more effectively at the local level, and the simple actions they can take to restore the nation’s watersheds.
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Learn more about EPA's children’s health program
Learn more about EPA’s environmental education program
Learn more about water quality in the Kansas City area
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Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion7
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A Healthy Family, A Healthy Community
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09/30/2011 10:30 AM EDT by Jose Lozano "We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors: we borrow it from our children.” Native American proverb… My position at the Environmental Protection Agency allows me to observe first-hand environmental hazards and their impact on public health. I love the fact that what I do every day plays a small part in [...]
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