Chevron to pay $384,000 penalty and improve emission controls to resolve Clean Air Act violations at Salt Lake City refineryRelease Date: 07/31/2013 Company to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions and spend $100,000 on clean school bus project (Denver, Colo. – Jul 31, 2013) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced a settlement with Chevron, based in San Ramon, Calif., in which the company has agreed to pay a $384,000 penalty for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act at its refinery at 2351 N. 1100 West in Salt Lake City, Utah. The settlement stems from alleged violations of Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting requirements at the Chevron refinery’s Fluid Catalytic Cracker Unit (FCCU). These Clean Air Act violations were discovered through an inspection by EPA and the State of Utah which found that Chevron made changes to the FCCU resulting in excess emissions of nitrogen oxides. Nitrogen oxide contributes to ground-level ozone, acid rain, and destruction of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and can also irritate the lungs and lower resistance to respiratory illnesses. “It is critical that companies conduct business responsibly and obtain the proper permits before making infrastructure changes that increase emissions of air pollutants,” said Mike Gaydosh, director of EPA’s enforcement program in Denver. “This settlement will help ensure the company is operating in accordance with industry standards to protect the environment and the health of local communities.” Today’s settlement requires Chevron to overhaul and install pollution controls on three engines at the refinery, which will mitigate the effects of past excess emissions by reducing nitrogen oxide emissions by an estimated 50 tons per year. In addition, Chevron will spend $100,000 to support the purchase of four new compressed natural gas school buses for the Jordan School District in Salt Lake County. The operation of these buses will reduce in-cabin exposure of diesel pollutants to an average of 216 students and conserve an estimated 6,338 gallons of diesel fuel each year. The reduction in nitrogen oxides will have a beneficial effect on communities near the refinery, which include significant minority and low-income populations. Under the PSD permitting requirements, certain large industrial facilities making modifications that increase air pollutant emissions are required to install state-of-the-art air pollution controls. EPA investigations in various industries, including petroleum refining, reveal that many facilities fail to install pollution controls after modifications, causing them to emit pollutants that can impact air quality and public health. Enforcing these permitting requirements reduces air pollution and ensures that facilities that are complying with the requirements are not a competitive disadvantage. The consent decree was lodged in U.S. District Court. A copy of the consent decree is available on the Department of Justice website at: http://www.justice.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html For more information on the Clean Air Act: http://www.epa.gov/air/caa/
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Wednesday, July 31, 2013
News Release: Chevron to pay $384,000 penalty and improve emission controls to resolve Clean Air Act violations at Salt Lake City refinery
News Release: EPA Strengthens Chemical Assessment Process to Protect Public Health
| CONTACT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE EPA Strengthens Chemical Assessment Process to Protect Public Health WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced changes to its Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Program to improve the scientific foundation of assessments, increase transparency in the program and the process, and allow the agency to produce more IRIS assessments each year. IRIS is a human health assessment program that evaluates information on health effects that may result from exposure to environmental contaminants. These high quality, science-based health assessments are used to inform decisions to protect public health and the environment. “EPA is committed to producing high quality scientific assessments in a timely and transparent manner,” said Lek Kadeli, principal deputy assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “The improvements announced today will further strengthen our IRIS assessments and enable the agency to better protect human health and the environment by completing more health assessments for chemicals that are being used across our country every day.” Consistent with recommendations from the National Research Council, EPA will now begin releasing preliminary materials and hold a public meeting early in the assessment development process to explain the criteria for selecting studies and to ensure that critical research was not omitted. Meeting with the public earlier in the process will result in more timely opportunities for the public to provide input into the assessment and comment on the information available for each chemical assessed. EPA is also using a new document structure for IRIS assessments that is clearer, more concise, and more systematic to make the information more accessible. To improve transparency, the agency is enhancing the IRIS website by providing more detailed information regarding assessment schedules, stakeholder meetings and updates on IRIS progress. Additionally, the agency is implementing “stopping rules” for IRIS that will provide a cut-off point for accepting new data for individual IRIS assessments and raising scientific issues related to the assessment. With these changes, EPA’s goal is to increase the number of assessments being completed each year and provide more accurate assessment development timelines to the public. The IRIS database contains crucial information about how and at what levels chemicals may impact human health. When combined with exposure information, governments and private entities use IRIS to help characterize the public health risks of chemical substances, thereby supporting risk management decisions designed to protect public health. More information about IRIS: http://www.epa.gov/iris R133
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News Release: EPA Proposes Rule to Modernize Clean Water Act Reporting
| CONTACT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
E-reporting initiative will increase efficiency, ease burden for states and improve public access to data WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a rule that would modernize Clean Water Act (CWA) reporting processes for hundreds of thousands of municipalities, industries, and other facilities by converting to an electronic data reporting system. The proposed e-reporting rule would make facility-specific information, such as inspection and enforcement history, pollutant monitoring results, and other data required by permits accessible to the public through EPA’s website. EPA estimates that, once the rule is fully implemented, the 46 states and the Virgin Island Territory that are authorized to administer the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program will collectively save approximately $29 million each year as a result of switching from paper to electronic reporting. “In addition to dramatically cutting costs for states and other regulatory authorities, the e-reporting rule will substantially expand transparency by making it easier for everyone to quickly access critical data on pollution that may be affecting communities,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The e-reporting rule will also allow states and other regulatory authorities to focus limited resources on the most serious water quality problems, which will lead to increased compliance, improved water quality, and a level playing field for the regulated community.” The CWA requires that municipal, industrial or commercial facilities that discharge wastewater directly into waters of the United States obtain a permit. The NPDES program requires that permitted facilities monitor and report data on pollutant discharges and take other actions to ensure discharges do not affect human health or the environment. Most facilities subject to reporting requirements will be required to start submitting data electronically one year following the effective date of the final rule. Facilities with limited access to the Internet will have the option of one additional year to come into compliance with the new rule. EPA will work closely with states to provide support to develop or enhance state electronic reporting capabilities. EPA has already scheduled several webinars in an effort to help states, trade organizations, and other interested parties better understand the details and requirements of the proposed rule. Over the next few months, EPA expects to schedule additional webinar sessions. View the proposed rule in the Federal Register: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/07/30/2013-17551/npdes-electronic-reporting-rule More information on webinars: http://www2.epa.gov/compliance/proposed-npdes-electronic-reporting-rule ###
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Writing Down IRIS
| You are subscribed to It All Starts With Science Blog for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. 07/31/2013 02:21 PM EDT By Kathleen Deener As a scientist now working in science communications, I'm constantly surprised by the writing process. You put something down on paper, revise it a few times, and then make tweaks here and there until you're satisfied. Then you look at it again later, and you make a few more changes. Turns out [...]
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News Release: Greenville and Federal Partners Mark 4th Anniversary of Partnership for Sustainable Communities
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Partnership has invested and leveraged $4.6 million in Greenville-area projects
Contact: Davina Marraccini, 404-562-8293 (direct), 404-562-8400 (main), marraccini.davina@epa.gov
“Partnerships have been one of the keys to the City’s success,” said Lillian Brock-Flemming, Vice Mayor Pro Tem. “We appreciate the opportunity to work with our federal partners to improve the quality of life for residents in the western area of Greenville and to improve access to affordable housing, employment opportunities, transportation, parks, trails and open space.”
Representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Housing (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) participated in a tour and community roundtable to commemorate the anniversary. Regional roundtable events will be held nationwide through September to engage stakeholders and receive feedback on how sustainable communities efforts are progressing.
Under the Partnership, HUD and DOT jointly awarded funds to the City of Greenville in the fall of 2010 to support a three-year project, called “Connections for Sustainability,” focused on enhancing housing, transportation and parks. The project combines $1.8 million in funding from HUD’s Community Challenge grants and DOT’s Tiger II Planning grants with over $1 million in local and federal investments. The City's proposal was one of 42 chosen throughout the country to receive funds, and one of only 14 to receive joint funding from HUD and DOT.
“The work that the City of Greenville is accomplishing since 2011 to connect neighborhoods to jobs and open space is particularly noteworthy,” said Ed Jennings, Jr., HUD Southeast Regional Administrator. “When over half of a working family’s income is devoted to housing and transportation costs alone, we know that we have a responsibility to them and to future generations to fix that and provide affordable housing and public transportation options.”
Under the first phase of the project, the City completed a city-wide housing strategy and a transit analysis that looked at the opportunity to connect the west side through downtown to the CU-ICAR and Verdae area. The second phase is focused on developing both a park plan and comprehensive plan for the west side.
EPA has also invested $1.4 million to support Brownfields and stormwater projects in Greenville in recent years. The City was awarded $600,000 to assess and cleanup up contaminated sites within the “Connections” project area, some of which were turned into parks. A local non-profit, Upstate Forever, was awarded $800,000 to develop a stormwater policy to help improve water quality and incentivize more sustainable development in Greenville County. The County adopted the policy in March 2013.
“These investments improve the quality of life for residents, help communities become more sustainable, strengthen the local economy and protect the environment,” said Acting EPA Regional Administrator Stan Meiburg. “By combining resources, EPA together with HUD and DOT are making a real difference in Greenville.”
During the tour, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for a new greenhouse built from recycled 2-liter bottles by A.J. Whittenberg Elementary School students. The project was funded with a grant from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and spearheaded by the City’s Livability Educator.
The Partnership for Sustainable Communities was launched on June 16, 2009, when EPA joined HUD and DOT to help communities nationwide improve access to affordable housing, increase transportation options, and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment.
The Partnership for Sustainable Communities works to coordinate federal housing, transportation, water, and other infrastructure investments to make neighborhoods more prosperous, allow people to live closer to jobs, save households time and money, and reduce pollution. The partnership agencies incorporate six principles of livability into federal funding programs, policies, and future legislative proposals.
Since the program’s inception, the partnership has provided nearly $4 billion in assistance to more than 700 communities nationwide, funding nearly 750 projects. Partnership grant and technical assistance recipients are located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
More information on the Partnership for Sustainable Communities: http://www.sustainablecommunities.gov
Connect with EPA Region 4 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion4
And on Twitter: @USEPASoutheast
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News Release: Compliance with environmental laws helps protect air, land, and water in communities across Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington
EPA: Compliance with environmental laws helps protect air, land, and water in communities across Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and WashingtonContact: Suzanne Skadowski, EPA Public Affairs, 206-295-4829, skadowski.suzanne@epa.gov (Seattle – July 31, 2013) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10, completed over 20 environmental compliance and enforcement actions in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington in April through June 2013. Violations of environmental laws can put public health and the environment at risk. EPA enforces federal environmental laws to protect people’s health and to keep our region’s air, land, and water clean and healthy. These compliance and enforcement efforts also help level the playing field by deterring violators who might otherwise have an unfair business advantage over their environmentally compliant competitors. In April through June of 2013, EPA Region 10 completed the following environmental enforcement actions:
More information about the environmental rules and regulations referenced in the above enforcement cases:
Learn more about EPA’s environmental compliance and enforcement activities: http://www2.epa.gov/enforcement
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News Release: EPA Regional Administrator Tours Stormwater and Land Conservation Projects on Maryland’s Eastern Shore
| Contact: David Sternberg, 215-814-5548, sternberg.david@epa.gov EPA Regional Administrator Tours Stormwater and Land Conservation Projects on Maryland’s Eastern Shore
(PHILADELPHIA - July 31, 2013) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin today toured several projects on the Maryland Eastern Shore designed to control stormwater pollution, conserve land, and improve communities. Stormwater runoff is a leading cause of impairment to local waters and the Chesapeake Bay.
“In the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the story of the water is written on the land, and what we do on our streets influences the quality of our local rivers and streams and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay,” said Garvin. “EPA appreciates innovation by local partners in developing solutions for protecting and restoring waters, helping to mitigate climate change, promoting sustainability, and improving the economy and quality of life in their communities.”
Garvin was joined by leaders of the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC), local officials and others during the tour and discussion of projects in Oxford, Easton and Cambridge, Md. The projects included:
Oxford Stormwater Strategy - A partnership of the Town of Oxford, the University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and ESLC is helping support community mapping, diagnosis, and planning to address the town’s growing flooding and sea level rise issues.
Cambridge Gateway - The City of Cambridge and ESLC are developing designs for the U.S. Route 50 and Maryland Avenue intersection incorporating environmental best practices for reducing stormwater runoff, providing tree canopy and native vegetation, and improving accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists.
Eastern Shore Conservation Center ESLC is working to transform a vacant Easton warehouse into a green building that will bring new vitality to the South Washington Street Corridor.
Easton Point ESLC and the Town of Easton, with funding from the Town Creek Foundation, are turning an 11-acre brownfield site into Easton’s only waterfront park.
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News Release: EPA Strengthens Chemical Assessment Process to Protect Public Health
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CONTACT: Cathy Milbourn 202-564-7849 202-564-4355
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 31, 2013
EPA Strengthens Chemical Assessment Process to Protect Public Health
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced changes to its Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Program to improve the scientific foundation of assessments, increase transparency in the program and the process and allow the agency to produce more IRIS assessments each year. IRIS is a human health assessment program that evaluates information on health effects that may result from exposure to environmental contaminants. These high quality, science-based health assessments are used to inform decisions to protect public health and the environment.
“EPA is committed to producing high quality scientific assessments in a timely and transparent manner,” said Lek Kadeli, principal deputy assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “The improvements announced today will further strengthen our IRIS assessments and enable the agency to better protect human health and the environment by completing more health assessments for chemicals that are being used across our country every day.”
Consistent with recommendations from the National Research Council, EPA will now begin releasing preliminary materials and hold a public meeting early in the assessment development process to explain the criteria for selecting studies and to ensure that critical research was not omitted. Meeting with the public earlier in the process will result in more timely opportunities for the public to provide input into the assessment and comment on the information available for each chemical assessed.
EPA is also using a new document structure for IRIS assessments that is clearer, more concise and more systematic to make the information more accessible. To improve transparency, the agency is enhancing the IRIS website by providing more detailed information regarding assessment schedules, stakeholder meetings and updates on IRIS progress.
Additionally, the agency is implementing “stopping rules” for IRIS that will provide a cut-off point for accepting new data for individual IRIS assessments and raising scientific issues related to the assessment. With these changes, EPA’s goal is to increase the number of assessments being completed each year and provide more accurate assessment development timelines to the public.
The IRIS database contains crucial information about how and at what level chemicals may impact human health. When combined with exposure information, governments and private entities use IRIS to help characterize the public health risks of chemical substances, thereby supporting risk management decisions designed to protect public health.
More information about IRIS: http://www.epa.gov/iris More information about the IRIS process: http://www.epa.gov/iris/process.htm
R133
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