Issued: Feb 28, 2022 (12:20pm EST)

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EPA Announces New Science Advisory Board Process to Strengthen Science Supporting EPA Decisions

WASHINGTON (Feb. 28, 2022) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the implementation of a new process by which the Science Advisory Board (SAB) will assess the science that informs decisions regarding Agency proposed rules. The new process will restore opportunities for peer review and strengthen the independence of the board. The improved process builds on the principle that early engagement with the Science Advisory Board is a priority and will best enable EPA to benefit from the expert advice received from the board. 

"Everything we do as an agency must adhere to the highest standards of scientific integrity, and today's action is a major step towards stronger, independently reviewed science," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan.  "This new process, Science Supporting EPA Decisions, will allow EPA to effectively engage the Science Advisory Board while ensuring the important independent advisory status of the Board is maintained."

This new Science Supporting EPA Decisions process strengthens peer review at EPA by:

• Restoring the SAB's role by having structed opportunities to conduct peer review of critical scientific and technical actions developed by EPA.
• Strengthening the independence of the SAB's role by scoping and identifying the peer review need for EPA decisions.
• Ensuring EPA considers and develops peer reviewed science early in their rule-making development process.
• Restoring public faith in the EPA by ensuring the use of peer reviewed science to inform decision making.

"The Science Supporting EPA Decisions process is a victory for peer reviewed science and will lead to better EPA rule-making decisions" said Thomas Brennan, Director of the SAB Staff Office.  "This process is effective immediately."

The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to restoring the central role of science and evidence in addressing numerous challenges to public health and the environment, including climate change, environmental justice, PFAS, children's health, air quality, water quality, contaminated lands, and many others.  Durable EPA decision-making is dependent on the credibility of the science that informs these decisions.  The credibility of the science depends on adherence to well established, time-tested processes and procedures for peer review that assure scientific integrity, and strong peer review depends on engaging independent external experts in a timely and rigorous manner.  Today's action addresses these goals.

A memo from Associate Administrator for Policy Victoria Arroyo, Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Research and Development Christopher Frey and Director of the SAB Staff Office Thomas Brennan outlines the improved process for engaging the EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) in the review of the scientific and technical basis of proposed EPA decisions.  This memorandum was issued at the direction of the Administrator and supersedes prior procedures.

The memo was issued on February 28, 2022 and is available at the SAB Staff Office web site: https://sab.epa.gov/ords/sab/sab_apex/r/files/static/v403/Science%20Supporting%20EPA%20Decisions.pdf.

 

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EPA News: EPA seeks explanations, solutions from Hanover Foods for numerous violations (Pa.)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: R3press@epa.gov EPA seeks explanations, solutions from Hanover Foods for numerous violations at company's wastewater treatment facility PHILADELPHIA (February 25, 2022) –  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is taking legal action to get Hanover Foods Corporation to address numerous alleged violations at the company's wastewater treatment facility in Hanover, Pennsylvania that included excessive levels of contaminants as well as floating solids and visible scum in the discharged water and receiving water. "The number of alleged violations observed during inspections is appalling," said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. "The company needs to identify why this occurred and present a plan to fix this so that the local waters that eventually feed into the Chesapeake Bay are protected." Under a consent order with EPA, Hanover Foods will conduct a study to determine the cause and how to correct these alleged water pollution violations that were identified during inspections by EPA and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. EPA alleges the company has failed to comply with a state-issued National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to operate its own wastewater treatment facility at 1486 York Street to treat industrial waste before wastewater is discharged to Oil Creek, a tributary of Codorus Creek that feeds into the Susquehanna River in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Environmental inspections identified numerous alleged violations at the facility including: Discharges of water exceeding permit effluent discharge limitations Floating solids and visible scum in wastewater and receiving water Violations of the permit's operation and maintenance conditions In an Administrative Order on Consent, the company has agreed to provide EPA with a complete engineering evaluation and propose and implement a corrective action plan and maintenance plan to correct the alleged violations. This work is a first step in addressing the company's discharge of pollutants into the Chesapeake Bay watershed. EPA is working with Pennsylvania DEP during the development of this action. For more information on treating wastewater and the NPDES process, visit:  https://www.epa.gov/npdes. # # #

 

 

 

 

 

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Issued: Feb 24, 2022 (4:22pm EST)

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EPA Announces Appointment of David Cash as Regional Administrator for EPA Region 1

WASHINGTON (Feb. 24, 2022) - Today, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan announced that President Biden has appointed Dr. David Cash to become EPA's Regional Administrator for Region 1.  Dr. Cash will lead the implementation of the Biden-Harris environmental agenda in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and in 10 Tribal Nations. Dr. Cash's appointment began on February 7, 2022.

"Dr. Cash brings deep experience in environmental policy, equity, and economic justice. I know he will ensure voices throughout Region 1 are heard on key issues," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "Dr. Cash has hit the ground running and I'm very excited to welcome him to the team."

"I am deeply honored to serve as the EPA Region 1 Administrator, to champion the bold climate, environment and justice agenda of the Biden-Harris Administration and EPA Administrator Regan," said Dr. Cash. "I eagerly anticipate working with the world-class staff at EPA, elected and state officials and Tribes, as well as engaging all New England communities, especially those most vulnerable and historically overburdened. Given my conviction that wise and equitable environmental policy goes hand-in-hand with robust economic policy, together we can solve our most pressing environmental challenges while creating jobs, leaving clean air and water to our children, and crafting a just transition to a clean energy future."

Dr. Cash has spent his career in public service harnessing science, innovative policy and participatory decision-making to solve challenges and seize opportunities at the intersection of environment, economy and equity. In his most recent position, Dr. Cash was the Dean of the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston. He spent a decade in Massachusetts state government where he held a range of senior positions. As Assistant Secretary of Policy in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs in Governor Deval Patrick's Administration, he was an architect of nation-leading climate, clean energy and environmental justice policies. All of these initiatives were grounded in the notion that wise environmental policy, economic policy and policies for equity can and should go hand-in-hand. Dr. Cash then served as a Commissioner in the Department of Public Utilities, followed by serving as the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection. With this rare experience of being both an environment and an energy commissioner, he had the unique perspective of understanding the importance of breaking down silos and focusing on complex issues in much more comprehensive and integrative ways. In these roles, he collaborated in government and with communities and the private sector to craft and implement innovative science-based policies around climate, environmental justice, energy, job creation, water, land use, waste management, and grid modernization. Dr. Cash holds a Ph.D. in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He and his wife Annie Weiss, a psychotherapist, live in the Boston area and have two young adult daughters.

 

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Issued: Feb 24, 2022 (3:10pm EST)

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EPA Awards Over $65,000 to U.S. Virgin Islands Government to Expand Understanding of Wetlands

Contact: Tracy McIntosh, (212) 637-3633, McIntosh.Tracy@epa.gov 

NEW YORK (February 24, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it had awarded a grant for over $65,000 to the Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands to update the United States Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetland Inventory maps for the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

"Wetlands in the U.S. Virgin Islands are critical to supporting healthy aquatic ecosystems as well as providing flood and erosion control, stabilizing shorelines, and supplying food and habitat for fish and wildlife," said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "These grants will help improve scientific understanding of wetlands in the U.S. Virgin Islands." 

With the grant, the U.S. Virgin Islands Government will update the National Wetland Inventory (NWI) for wetlands in the U.S. Virgin Islands. As part of the update, remote imagery will be used to delineate the boundaries of wetlands in the USVI and classify what type of wetland they are. In the U.S. Virgin Islands there are tidal and scrub-shrub wetlands, as well as other types of wetlands. The remote imaging will then be confirmed with field visits. This will improve the knowledge of wetland distribution for regulators and the general public which will, in turn, improve the ability to monitor and assess wetlands in the USVI. 

EPA's Wetland Program Development Grants provide an opportunity to promote and accelerate research and improve the ability to investigate wetlands. The program also improves capacity to train wetlands staff, and conduct surveys and studies related to water pollution and it's impacts on wetlands.

For more information on these grants, visit: https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/federal-funding-wetlands

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://facebook.com/eparegion2

22-014

 

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Issued: Feb 24, 2022 (3:07pm EST)

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EPA Awards Over $200,000 to Puerto Rico to Expand Understanding of Wetlands

Contact: Tracy McIntosh, (212) 637-3633, mcintosh.tracy@epa.gov

NEW YORK (February 24, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it has awarded a grant for over $200,000 to the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources to update the United States Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetland Inventory maps for Puerto Rico.

"Wetlands in Puerto Rico are critical to supporting healthy aquatic ecosystems as well as providing flood and erosion control, stabilizing shorelines, and supplying food and habitat for fish and wildlife," said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "These grants will help improve scientific understanding of wetlands in Puerto Rico ." 

With the grant, the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) will generate updated National Wetland Inventory (NWI) spatial data for Puerto Rico, as current wetland inventories are decades out of date. As part of the update, DNER will use remote imagery to delineate the boundaries of wetlands and classify what type of wetland they are.  In Puerto Rico there are tidal, forested, and scrub-shrub wetlands, as well as other types of wetlands. The remote imaging will then be confirmed with field visits. This will improve knowledge of wetland distribution for regulators and the general public which will, in turn, improve the ability to monitor and assess wetlands in Puerto Rico. 

EPA's Wetland Program Development Grants provide an opportunity to promote and accelerate research and improve the ability to investigate wetlands. The program also improves the capacity to train wetlands staff and conduct surveys and studies related to water pollution and its impacts on wetlands.

For more information on these grants, visit: https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/federal-funding-wetlands

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://facebook.com/eparegion2

22-013

 

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Issued: Feb 24, 2022 (2:58pm EST)

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EPA Awards Over $450,000 to New Jersey to Expand Understanding of Wetlands

Contact: Tracy McIntosh, (212) 637-3633, mcintosh.tracy@epa.gov 

NEW YORK (February 24, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it has awarded grants for over $450,000 to two entities in New Jersey that will foster their programs to help protect wetlands. The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority received two grants totaling $347,535, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection received one grant for $102,509.

"New Jersey's wetlands are critical to supporting healthy aquatic ecosystems as well as providing flood and erosion control, stabilizing shorelines, and supplying food and habitat for fish and wildlife," said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "These grants will help improve protections for and scientific understanding of wetlands in New Jersey." 

The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA) was awarded $179,454 to measure the sustainability of marshes under future sea-level rise conditions in the Meadowlands of New Jersey. The purpose is to measure indicators of marsh resilience to identify marshes in the Hackensack Meadowlands that have the best chance of persisting under future sea-level rise. 

NJSEA received a second grant for $168,081 for a project to understand how to adapt Sawmill Creek to lessen climate change weaknesses. The funding will help assess the Meadowlands' Sawmill Creek Wildlife Management Area to improve understanding of the site's vulnerability to increasing impacts due to climate change. Furthermore, the grantee will estimate the  current carbon storage in the area and its potential future capacity to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection was awarded $102,509 in grant funding to provide baseline documentation for salt marsh ponds as potential reservoirs of harmful algal blooms (HAB) for New Jersey coastal ecosystems due to climate change.  Certain environmental conditions in water bodies can intensify algae growth, causing algal blooms. Blooms with the potential to harm human health or aquatic ecosystems are referred to as harmful algal blooms or HABs. The project includes sampling of salt marsh ponds on the Tuckerton Peninsula for HAB species through laboratory analysis, performing DNA sequencing, interpretation, and the analysis of results, and developing a website to host project results and distribution maps. 

EPA's Wetland Program Development Grants provide an opportunity to promote and accelerate  research and improve the ability to investigate wetlands. The program also improves capacity to train wetlands staff, and conduct surveys and studies related to water pollution and it's impacts on wetlands.

For more information on these grants, visit: https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/federal-funding-wetlands

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://facebook.com/eparegion2

22-012

 

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Issued: Feb 24, 2022 (2:28pm EST)

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EPA Announces Collaborative Research Program to Support New Chemical Reviews

WASHINGTON (Feb. 24, 2022) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new effort under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to modernize the process and bring innovative science to the review of new chemicals before they can enter the marketplace.

Through this effort, the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP)is proposing to develop and implement a multi-year collaborative research program in partnership with the Agency's Office of Research and Development (ORD) and other federal entities focused on approaches for performing risk assessments on new chemical substances under TSCA. The results of the effort are expected to bring innovative science to new chemical reviews, modernize the approaches used, and increase the transparency of the human health and ecological risk assessment process.

"Science is the backbone of our chemical safety work, and strong science ensures we put measures in place to protect human health and the environment, when necessary," said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. "This exciting and collaborative effort announced today will modernize the processes and bring innovative science into the evaluation of new chemicals under TSCA, leading to a more sustainable program."

"This collaborative effort between OCSPP and ORD will draw on ORD's innovative science, expertise, and leadership in relevant areas such as high-throughput testing, computational toxicology and exposure approaches, and development of databases and tools to make data accessible and informative for chemical assessments. Work on this collaborative effort furthers ORD's commitment to translating research into application and is complementary to efforts on EPA's New Approach Methods Work Plan," said Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science Policy in the Office of Research and Development Chris Frey.

EPA is holding a virtual public meeting on April 20 and 21, 2022, from 1:00 PM to approximately 5:00 PM (EDT) to provide an overview of the TSCA New Chemicals Collaborative Research Program and give individual stakeholders an opportunity to provide input. 

Prior to the public meeting, EPA will release a draft document describing this collaborative research program for a 60-day public comment period. Following the public meeting, EPA intends to update the draft document as appropriate and will place the updated document in the docket. Later in 2022, the Agency plans to release a revised version of the collaborative research plan for an additional public comment period and peer review by the Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC).

This multi-year research program will refine existing approaches and develop and implement new approach methodologies (NAMs) to ensure the best available science is used in TSCA new chemical evaluations. Key areas proposed in the TSCA New Chemicals Collaborative Research Program include:

• Updating OCSPP's approach using data from structurally similar chemicals to determine potential risks from new chemicals, also known as read-across. This will increase the efficiency of new chemical reviews promoting the use of the best available data to protect human health and the environment.
• Digitizing and consolidating information on chemicals to include data and studies that currently only exist in hard copy or in disparate TSCA databases. The information will be combined with publicly available sources to expand the amount of information available, enhancing chemical reviews and enabling efficient sharing of chemical information across EPA. Safeguards for confidential business information will be maintained as appropriate in this process.
• Updating and augmenting the models used for predicting a chemical's physical-chemical properties and environmental fate/transport, hazard, exposure, and toxicokinetics to provide a suite of models to be used for new chemicals assessments. The goal of this effort is to update the models to reflect the best available science, increase transparency, and establish a process for updating these models as science evolves.
• Exploring ways to integrate and apply NAMs in new chemicals assessments, reducing the use of animal testing. As this effort evolves, the goal is to develop a suite of accepted, fit-for-purpose NAMs that could be used by external stakeholders for data submissions under TSCA as well as informing and expanding new chemical categories. 
• Developing a decision support tool that integrates the various information streams specifically used for new chemical risk assessments. The decision support tool will more efficiently integrate all the data streams (e.g., chemistry, fate, exposures, hazards) into a final risk assessment and transparently document the decisions and assumptions made. Simply put, this will facilitate the new chemicals program tracking decisions over time and evaluating consistency within and across chemistries.

Register for the public meetingEXITEXIT EPA WEBSITE.

Learn more about the Collaborative Research Program to Support New Chemical Reviews.

 

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Issued: Feb 24, 2022 (1:02pm EST)

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EPA and Army Select 10 Roundtables to Highlight Regional Implications of WOTUS

WASHINGTON (Feb. 24, 2022) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of the Army (the agencies) announced the selection of ten geographically varied roundtables with participants representing diverse perspectives. The agencies will work with each selected roundtable to facilitate discussion on implementation of "waters of the United States" (WOTUS), while highlighting regional differences.

"EPA and Army are committed to listening to all sides and working to foster a common-ground approach to WOTUS that protects our environment and is informed by the experience of those who steward our waters day-in and day-out," said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. "Through these regional roundtables, we will work toward a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities to enhance WOTUS implementation to support public health, environmental protection, agricultural activity, and economic growth."

"The Department of the Army, together with the EPA, is committed to gaining a better understanding of the various regional perspectives through these roundtables to develop an implementation approach that accounts for these diverse voices and regional variations," said Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael L. Connor. "In addition, the Army hopes to identify implementation considerations and tools that could assist in effective, consistent, and efficient implementation across the nation."

EPA and Army are announcing the selection of ten roundtables that highlight geographic differences and a range of perspectives—including agriculture, conservation groups, developers, drinking water and wastewater managers, environmental organizations, communities with environmental justice concerns, industry, Tribal nations, and state and local governments. The ten selected roundtables are:

• Amigos Bravos (Southwest)
• Arizona Farm Bureau (Southwest)
• Cahaba Brewing (Southeast)
• California Farm Bureau (West)
• Kansas Livestock Association (Midwest)
• Natural Resources Defense Council (Northeast)
• National Parks Conservation Association (Midwest)
• North Carolina Farm Bureau (Southeast)
• Regenerative Agriculture Foundation (Midwest)
• Wyoming County Commissioners Association / Montana Association of Counties / Idaho Association of Counties (West)

These regional roundtables are one important mechanism for the agencies to consider the regional variation in implementation of WOTUS, given the diverse water quality and quantity conditions in diverse parts of the United States. The regional roundtables will provide opportunities to discuss geographic similarities and differences, particular water resources that are characteristic of or unique to each region, and site-specific feedback about the ongoing implementation of WOTUS by the agencies. The agencies anticipate hosting these regional roundtables virtually over the spring and summer. 

The agencies most recently concluded a public comment period on the proposed rule to re-establish the pre-2015 definition of WOTUS that had been in place for decades, updated to reflect consideration of Supreme Court decisions. The agencies also hosted public hearings on the proposed rule. Prior to proposal, the agencies requested written comments, hosted listening sessions, and conducted Federalism consultation with state and local governments. In addition, the agencies participated in a roundtable organized by the Small Business Administration.

For more information visit: www.epa.gov/wotus.

Background

The Clean Water Act prohibits the discharge of pollutants from a point source to navigable waters unless otherwise authorized under the Act. Navigable waters are defined in the Act as "the waters of the United States, including the territorial seas." Thus, "waters of the United States" (WOTUS) is a threshold term establishing the geographic scope of federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act. The term "waters of the United States" is not defined by the Act but has been defined by EPA and the Army in regulations since the 1970s and jointly implemented in the agencies' respective programmatic activities.

On July 30, 2021, the agencies announced stakeholder engagement opportunities, including the agencies' intent to host ten regionally focused roundtables. On October 13, 2021, EPA and Army announced a process for stakeholders to submit nomination letters for a slate of nominees to potentially be selected for one of these geographically focused roundtables. In response to robust interest in these regional roundtables, the agencies extended the deadline for submissions to December 1, 2021. 

 

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Issued: Feb 24, 2022 (12:06pm EST)

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EPA Announces Selection of 11 Organizations to Receive $2 Million to Help Tackle the Climate Crisis Through Food Diversion

WASHINGTON (Feb. 24, 2022) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces the selection of 11 organizations expected to receive a total of approximately $2 million in funding to divert food waste from landfills by expanding anaerobic digester capacity nationwide. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a process in which microorganisms break down organic materials, such as food scraps, manure, and sewage sludge, in the absence of oxygen. The process produces biogas, which can be captured and used for energy production, and digestate, a nutrient-rich product used for fertilizer.

"Anaerobic digestion is an important way to ensure essential nutrients are recirculated into our ecosystems," said Carlton Waterhouse, Deputy Assistant Administrator for the EPA Office of Land and Emergency Management. "This kind of innovation helps communities reduce food waste that could end up in landfills while capturing methane for use, instead of having it go into the atmosphere."

By decreasing the amount of wasted food in landfills, AD reduces landfill methane emissions, in turn reducing impacts of climate change. Methane traps 28 to 36 times more heat in the atmosphere over a 100-year period than carbon dioxide. Additionally, AD is a strategy included in EPA's food recovery hierarchy that is preferable to landfilling and incineration because it reclaims valuable resources, contributing to a circular economy. Keeping food waste out of landfills by transforming it into fuel or fertilizer can save money and reduce environmental impacts.

EPA is prioritizing environmental justice by ensuring nearly half of the funds announced today will be awarded to projects or recipients located in underserved communities. Specifically, EPA considered the effects of this program on people of color, low-income, tribal, and indigenous populations, and other vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and children.

Each selected organization will receive a range of approximately $150,000 - $200,000 over a two-year period. The 11 organizations selected for AD project funding are:

• District of Columbia Department of Public Works (Washington, D.C.): Plans to establish a training and certification program for commercial food waste generators that will equip the participants to set up successful source-separated organics programs to divert food waste to anaerobic digesters for processing.
• Food Lifeline (Seattle, Wash.): Plans to develop an AD demonstration project that introduces the community of South Park to alternative energy production through hands-on, culturally, and linguistically relevant engagement and education opportunities.
• Georgia Southern University Research and Services Foundation (Statesboro, Ga.): Plans to conduct a feasibility study to advance the understanding of how existing AD capacity at pulp and paper mills can be sustainably leveraged for the treatment of food waste from university campuses.
• Monterey One Water (Monterey County, Calif.): Plans to conduct a feasibility study to evaluate the conversion of existing anaerobic digesters at its wastewater treatment facility to co-digest sewage sludge with food and other organic wastes diverted from the area.
• Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association (NEWMOA) (Boston, Mass.): Plans to develop environmental justice engagement and regulatory compliance guidance and training to support states seeking to increase food waste diversion rates through AD utilization.
• Ohio University (Athens County, Ohio): Plans to study and quantify the potential for waste diversion at microbrewery brewpub businesses and demonstrate an AD model system scaled for that sector.  
• San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition (Mosca, Colo.): Plans to install a high-efficiency AD system to process food and organic waste that will demonstrate the technological feasibility and cost effectiveness of such a project in Colorado's rural, high-alpine San Luis Valley region.
• University of Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa): Plans to conduct a project that will use computational modeling to demonstrate optimum conditions for biogas production while minimizing digester issues.
• University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus (Cataño, Puerto Rico): Plans to conduct a project to empower and educate the local community in utilizing AD for organic material management through a seminar series and small pilot facility to demonstrate benefits.
• University of Vermont (Burlington, Vt.): Plans to perform a study to assess current capacity at digesters to accept food wastes; the potential impacts of food waste co-digestion on biogas production; and the potential impacts of co-digestion on nutrients and microplastics in digestate.
• Yurok Tribe (Klamath, Calif.): Plans to establish an AD pilot demonstration project to divert the food waste generated on and near the Yurok Indian Reservation, beginning with a local elementary school.

EPA will make the awards once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.

For this year's grant competition, EPA evaluated applicants on how their projects addressed numerous factors resulting from industrial, governmental, commercial, and/or other actions: human health, environmental, social, climate-related, and other cumulative impacts, and accompanying economic challenges of such impacts.

Background

In 2019 and 2020, EPA awarded a total of  more than $110,000  and more than $3 million in cooperative agreement grants, respectively. The project types selected for funding include feasibility studies, demonstration projects, workshops, as well as technical assistance and training.

For more information on AD, visit: https://www.epa.gov/anaerobic-digestion.

To learn about other EPA resources and possible funding opportunities related to the food system, visit: https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/resources-and-possible-funding-opportunities-related-food-system.

 

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Issued: Feb 23, 2022 (5:51pm EST)

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EJ4Climate 2022 Grant Winners Announced -- $2 Million Environmental Justice and Climate Resilience Grant Program

Five US winners address environmental inequality and promote community-level innovation and climate adaptation in Alaska, Louisiana, Maryland, New Mexico, and North Carolina.

WASHINGTON (Feb. 23, 2022) — The 15 grant winners of the EJ4Climate program inaugural year, including five from the U.S., were announced this week by the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC).  Announced by President Biden at the 2021 Climate Summit, EJ4Climate funds grants for underserved and overburdened communities, and Indigenous communities, in Canada, Mexico, and the United States to prepare for climate-related impacts.

The five U.S. winners are:

• Native Village of Eyak (Alaska) - using the grant to develop sustainable mariculture in Prince William Sound to address the decline of traditional food sources.
• Common Ground Relief (Louisiana) - addressing coastal flooding through marsh restoration at Grand Bayou Indian Village, including the planting of 3,000 plugs of smooth cordgrass.
• Greater Baltimore Wilderness Coalition (Maryland) - building community awareness and taking shared action on climate resilience by employing local youth in planting a new generation of Witness Trees to address increased flooding and shoreline erosion. 
• Upper Gila Watershed Alliance (New Mexico) - combining elementary school-based food resilience labs with emerging soil restoration technologies to combat risks from climate-related fire, drought, and extreme heat.  
• Conservation Trust for North Carolina (North Carolina) - focusing on "seeding resilience" by converting vacant town-owned parcels to green infrastructure and community gardens and employing local youth to build a recreational trail adjacent to the Tar River.

"I'm proud to join my Canadian and Mexican counterparts in congratulating the selections for the first CEC grants for community-based action to protect against the impacts of climate change in our most vulnerable communities," said EPA Assistant Administrator for International and Tribal Affairs Jane Nishida. "The EJ4Climate grant program supports President Biden's objective to address environmental justice and foster climate resilience through the CEC."

EPA congratulates these winning grant applications, which will be building resilience and adapting to climate change in some of the most vulnerable and underserved communities in the United States. 

This year's $2 million USD in grants are funded by EPA and the CEC and provide funding directly to North American community-based organizations to help them develop community-driven solutions to adapt to the impacts of climate change. The CEC Secretariat received a total of 366 proposals, with 170 from the U.S., 57 from Canada and 139 from Mexico.  Non-profit and non-governmental organizations, environmental groups, community-based associations, Tribal nations, and Indigenous Peoples and communities were eligible to submit proposals.  Five winning proposals were selected from each member nation. 

For more information on the winning proposals Environmental Justice and Climate Resilience Grant Program go to http://www.cec.org/EJ4climate/.

 

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Issued: Feb 22, 2022 (3:37pm EST)

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US and State of Louisiana Settlement with Firestone Polymers to Bring Cleaner Air to Southwest Louisiana Communities

WASHINGTON – (Feb. 22, 2022) The United States, together with the State of Louisiana, announced today that the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana has approved the consent decree resolving alleged violations of the Clean Air Act and several other federal and state environmental laws at the company's synthetic rubber manufacturing facility in Sulfur, Louisiana. Under the terms of the settlement, Firestone will install equipment controls to reduce emissions of hazardous air pollutants, fund ambient air monitoring system upgrades, and pay a total of $3.35 million in civil penalties.

"This settlement requires Firestone to take concrete steps to reduce emissions of air pollutants from its manufacturing facility in Sulfur, Louisiana," said Larry Starfield, Acting Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.  "This will result in cleaner air for communities in Southwest Louisiana, particularly for communities that have suffered a historically disproportionate burden from pollution."

"We are always glad to work with our federal partners, the USDOJ and USEPA, to resolve violations," said LDEQ Secretary Dr. Chuck Carr Brown.  "We plan to use this penalty and the beneficial environmental project funds from this consent decree to further enhance the environment in Louisiana."

The consent decree requires several actions from Firestone, including meeting emissions limits, operating and maintenance requirements, equipment controls, limiting hazardous air pollutants from facility dryers, conducting inspections of heat exchangers, installing controls and monitors on covered flares, and installing flaring instrumentation and monitoring systems. After being notified of the violations but prior to the consent decree being lodged, Firestone took other compliance measures, including installing and operating a regenerative thermal oxidizer system to receive waste gases from dryers, reducing n-hexane solvent concentrations and inspecting and testing heat exchangers.

The Department of Justice, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and co-plaintiff Louisiana Department of Environment Quality (LDEQ), filed a complaint and lodged the consent decree in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana on September 30, 2021. The complaint alleged that the facility emitted excess amounts of pollutants including nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and hazardous air pollutants including 1,3-butadiene, n-hexane, styrene, formaldehyde, methanol, and others and failed to comply with requirements related to equipment such as dryers, cooling towers, and flares; leak detection and repair; mechanical integrity; and monitoring and reporting. The complaint also asserted violations of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act; the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act; the Pollution Prevention Act; and Louisiana state air pollution control requirements.

As part of the consent decree, Firestone will pay a civil penalty of $2,098,678.50 to the United States and $1,251,321.50 to LDEQ for a total of $3,350,000. Firestone will also complete a Beneficial Environmental Project in Louisiana by funding ambient air monitoring system upgrades in several locations in Southwest Louisiana. 

To read the Consent Decree:  https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/firestone-polymers-llc-settlement

For more about the Clean Air Act: https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-air-act

 

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Issued: Feb 22, 2022 (2:31pm EST)

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EPA Establishes an Internal Council to Identify Opportunities for Greater Partnership with Historically Black Colleges and Universities

As part of a larger agency strategy, EPA's HBCU Council will review the agency's recruitment, resources, research, and community engagement efforts and provide recommendations to strengthen support of schools and students

WASHINGTON (Feb. 22, 2022) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the creation of an internal council charged with helping the agency foster stronger relationships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This internal council will identify enhanced opportunities for recruitment of students and support for institutions through grants, contracts, transparent data sharing and community engagement, consistent with law. This announcement comes as EPA kicks off a week celebrating HBCUs during Black History Month.

"HBCUs have produced some of the greatest minds in American history and as we continue the mission of protecting human health and the environment, these vital institutions are helping us lead the charge," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "That's why I'm proud to create this council to assess ways we can strengthen our recruitment of students and provide broader support to help fortify HBCUs into the future." 

The HBCU council is one part of EPA's broader HBCU strategy that will be developed in the coming months. The council is comprised of volunteer staff from EPA headquarters, and program and regional offices. The group will identify opportunities for immediate enhancement for recruitment, resources, research, and community engagement. The council will also be charged with determining how EPA can support HBCUs as leader in climate change, climate resiliency, and environmental justice during this administration and into the future. The council's findings and recommendations will be submitted to Administrator Regan for review and incorporation in the agency's broader strategy for engagement with HBCUs, which is expected in May. 

"It is fantastic to see the EPA finally lift up HBCUs since our schools have played an outsize role over the decades in training generations of leaders and seeding justice movements—including environmental and climate justice," said Dr. Robert D. Bullard, environmental justice pioneer and Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning & Environmental Policy at Texas Southern University. "Hopefully, this new EPA initiative will help strengthen the education and training infrastructure, research centers, and community-university partnerships at HBCUs and support organizations that uniquely serve some of our most vulnerable populations and communities." 

EPA's efforts are aligned with Executive Order 14041, White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity Through Historically Black Colleges and Universities, issued in September 2021, which instructs agencies to "advance equity in economic and educational opportunities for all Americans, including Black Americans, strengthen the capacity of HBCUs to provide the highest-quality education, increase opportunities for these institutions to participate in and benefit from Federal programs, and ensure that HBCUs can continue to be engines of opportunity."

"I am grateful that EPA is making this commitment to HBCUs. Our work with HBCUs prepares students to apply research and analysis to the pressing problems of environmental racism and the climate crisis facing Black communities," said Dr. Beverly Wright, Executive Director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice and Co-Director of the HBCU Climate Change Consortium.

During Administrator Regan's Journey to Justice Tour last November, leaders from Jackson State University, Tougaloo College, and Texas Southern University, expressed a desire for EPA to provide greater opportunities for students to gain experience in environmental fields and for their schools and others to be considered for more federal funding as they tackle the environmental challenges that plague vulnerable communities. Discussions with these leaders and those from schools across the country reinforced the agency's commitment to supporting the environmental advocates of the future.

"EPA's partnering with HBCUs is significant to prepare the next generation of leaders to navigate the nation's most complex issues and make significant changes to protect our environment," said Tougaloo College President Dr. Carmen J. Walters.

 

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EPA Establishes an Internal Council to Identify Opportunities for Greater Partnership with HBCUs

EPA Establishes an Internal Council to Identify Opportunities for Greater Partnership with Historically Black Colleges and Universities As part of a larger agency strategy, EPA's HBCU Council will review the agency's recruitment, resources, research, and community engagement efforts and provide recommendations to strengthen support of schools and students WASHINGTON (Feb. 22, 2022) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the creation of an internal council charged with helping the agency foster stronger relationships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This internal council will identify enhanced opportunities for recruitment of students and support for institutions through grants, contracts, transparent data sharing and community engagement, consistent with law. This announcement comes as EPA kicks off a week celebrating HBCUs during Black History Month. "HBCUs have produced some of the greatest minds in American history and as we continue the mission of protecting human health and the environment, these vital institutions are helping us lead the charge," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "That's why I'm proud to create this council to assess ways we can strengthen our recruitment of students and provide broader support to help fortify HBCUs into the future."  The HBCU council is one part of EPA's broader HBCU strategy that will be developed in the coming months. The council is comprised of volunteer staff from EPA headquarters, and program and regional offices. The group will identify opportunities for immediate enhancement for recruitment, resources, research, and community engagement. The council will also be charged with determining how EPA can support HBCUs as leader in climate change, climate resiliency, and environmental justice during this administration and into the future. The council's findings and recommendations will be submitted to Administrator Regan for review and incorporation in the agency's broader strategy for engagement with HBCUs, which is expected in May.  "It is fantastic to see the EPA finally lift up HBCUs since our schools have played an outsize role over the decades in training generations of leaders and seeding justice movements—including environmental and climate justice," said Dr. Robert D. Bullard, environmental justice pioneer and Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning & Environmental Policy at Texas Southern University. "Hopefully, this new EPA initiative will help strengthen the education and training infrastructure, research centers, and community-university partnerships at HBCUs and support organizations that uniquely serve some of our most vulnerable populations and communities."  EPA's efforts are aligned with Executive Order 14041, White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity Through Historically Black Colleges and Universities, issued in September 2021, which instructs agencies to "advance equity in economic and educational opportunities for all Americans, including Black Americans, strengthen the capacity of HBCUs to provide the highest-quality education, increase opportunities for these institutions to participate in and benefit from Federal programs, and ensure that HBCUs can continue to be engines of opportunity." "I am grateful that EPA is making this commitment to HBCUs. Our work with HBCUs prepares students to apply research and analysis to the pressing problems of environmental racism and the climate crisis facing Black communities," said Dr. Beverly Wright, Executive Director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice and Co-Director of the HBCU Climate Change Consortium. During Administrator Regan's Journey to Justice Tour last November, leaders from Jackson State University, Tougaloo College, and Texas Southern University, expressed a desire for EPA to provide greater opportunities for students to gain experience in environmental fields and for their schools and others to be considered for more federal funding as they tackle the environmental challenges that plague vulnerable communities. Discussions with these leaders and those from schools across the country reinforced the agency's commitment to supporting the environmental advocates of the future. "EPA's partnering with HBCUs is significant to prepare the next generation of leaders to navigate the nation's most complex issues and make significant changes to protect our environment," said Tougaloo College President Dr. Carmen J. Walters.

 

 

 

 

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