Issued: Mar 30, 2022 (10:19am EDT)

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EPA Announces Appointment of Senior Advisor for Equity to Help Advance Environmental Justice and Embed Equity in EPA Work

Contact: Mary Mears, (212) 637-3673 or mears.mary@epa.gov

NEW YORK (March 30, 2022) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that Olivia C. Glenn will join EPA as Senior Advisor for Equity and Chief of Staff to EPA's Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. Ms. Glenn will be helping to guide EPA Region 2's efforts to embed environmental justice and diversity goals into all of its work and will serve as all-around Chief of Staff. She most recently served as Deputy Commissioner of Environmental Justice and Equity for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

"I am so delighted to have Olivia join me at EPA to help guide and support the talented team here at EPA Region 2 as we all work toward a healthy environment for everyone – with a focus on improving quality of life for communities that are underserved and often overburdened with pollution," said Lisa F. Garcia, EPA Region 2 Administrator. "Olivia brings with her a wealth of experience and a proven track record of advancing EJ principles in governmental policies and programs."

A longtime advocate of ensuring underserved communities have access to the outdoors, Olivia believes all people have a right to experience and enjoy the benefits of nature.

"This is a time when environmental justice and equity issues are among those at the forefront of the nation's priorities," said Olivia Glenn. "It is such a privilege to join EPA's Region 2 as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor for Equity, ensuring the furtherance of this critical work with our communities and tiers of government in support of Administrator Regan and the Biden-Harris Administration. I look forward to working alongside the knowledgeable and passionate team in Region 2, following the lead of Regional Administrator Garcia to advance equity as an agency-wide imperative."

"New Jersey is the better for Olivia Carpenter Glenn's environmental leadership, and my colleagues and I are proud that the broader region will now have the benefit of her expertise, compassion, and dedication to equity and justice," said Shawn M. LaTourette, the State's Commissioner of Environmental Protection. "From her stewardship of our state parks and forests, to her work furthering the promise of environmental justice, Olivia has left an indelible mark on New Jersey and will be an asset to Administrator Michael S. Regan, Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia, and their teams as EPA advances critical efforts to protect and improve the environment and public health across our region and the nation."

Olivia previously led the DEP's Division of Parks and Forestry, appointed in 2018 as its director and managing its 450,000 acres of natural and historic resources. From 2003 to 2009, she worked as the Division's Urban Initiatives and Outreach Coordinator and subsequently served as special assistant to the DEP Deputy Commissioner. Olivia later was a member of the DEP's Environmental Justice Advisory Council, leading its efforts in outreach, education and land management.

Olivia also has worked with the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, making outdoor spaces and trails more readily available to Greater Philadelphia residents, especially people living in Camden. In 2018, the Camden Collaborative Initiative honored her with the Camden Environmental Hero Award. As an NJDEP Deputy Commissioner, Olivia was responsible for advancing state environmental justice and diversity, equity and inclusion goals.

Olivia earned a bachelor's degree in environmental studies from Dartmouth College. She holds a master's degree from the Yale School of the Environment, where she wrote her master's thesis on park revitalization in Camden. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors, as well as singing and playing the flute, piano and bassoon. Olivia is married and has three children.

EPA expects that Ms. Glenn will begin in her post at EPA on April 18.

Follow EPA on Twitter and Facebook. For more information about EPA Region 2 visit our website.

22-025

 

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Issued: Mar 28, 2022 (1:36pm EDT)

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EPA Releases Final Strategic Plan to Protect Public Health, Address Climate Change, and Advance Environmental Justice and Equity

WASHINGTON (March 28, 2022) – Today, the Environmental Protection Agency published its final Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan to accompany EPA's FY 2023 President's Budget. The Strategic Plan provides a roadmap to achieve EPA's and the Biden-Harris Administration's environmental priorities over the next four years.

 

This Strategic Plan furthers the agency's commitment to protecting human health and the environment for all people, with an emphasis on historically overburdened and underserved communities. For the first time, EPA's final Plan includes a strategic goal focused exclusively on addressing climate change, as well as an unprecedented strategic goal to advance environmental justice and civil rights. At the foundation of the Plan is a renewed commitment to the three principles articulated by EPA's first Administrator, William Ruckelshaus — follow the science, follow the law, and be transparent – while adding an additional fourth principle: advance justice and equity.

 

"This final strategic plan is the result of tireless work across EPA to develop a comprehensive strategy that delivers on our mission to protect all people from pollution," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "I'm confident that our plan meets the moment. Our solutions are designed to confront the challenges in front of us, where achieving justice and equity are central to addressing climate change and environmental protection." 

 

The Strategic Plan outlines seven goals and four cross-agency strategies. The strategies articulate essential ways of working to accomplish EPA's goals and mission outcomes. The Plan also includes a suite of measures that will help the Agency monitor progress and ensure accountability for achieving its priorities to protect human health and the environment for all Americans.

 

More information on EPA's Strategic Plans can be found at: Strategic Plan. 

 

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Statement by EPA Administrator Regan on the President's Fiscal Year 2023 Budget The President's Fiscal Year 2023 budget requests $11.881 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s essential work to protect people from pollution. WASHINGTON (March 28, 2022) –The Biden-Harris Administration today submitted to Congress the President's Budget for fiscal year 2023. The President's Budget details his vision to expand on the historic progress our country has made over the last year and deliver the agenda he laid out in his State of the Union address—to build a better America, reduce the deficit, reduce costs for families, and grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out.   The Budget makes historic investments to advance key priorities in the FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan, including tackling the climate crisis, advancing environmental justice, protecting air quality, upgrading the Nation's aging water infrastructure, and rebuilding core functions at the Agency. "The President's budget request for EPA reflects this Administration's unwavering commitment to protect people from pollution, especially those living in overburdened and underserved communities across America. It funds a broad suite of transformational programs enacted by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and it will enable us to implement the President's historic Justice40 commitment, among other key priorities," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "Almost half of the Budget announced today, $5.7 billion, will support Tribes, states, and localities, reaffirming EPA's commitment to work in concert with our partners and local communities to tackle the climate crisis and ensure that no American family has to worry about the air they breathe, the water they drink, or the environmental safety of their homes and workplaces." The Budget makes critical investments in the American people that will help lay a stronger foundation for shared growth and prosperity for generations to come. At the EPA, the Budget invests in: Upgrading Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Nationwide. The Budget provides approximately $4 billion to advance efforts to upgrade drinking water and wastewater infrastructure nationwide, with a focus on underserved communities. The Budget funds 20 new targeted water grant programs authorized in the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA). In total, more than $940 million in new resources are provided to implement DWWIA in FY 2023. The Budget also supports water infrastructure with an increase of $160 million in grants to reduce lead in drinking water and an increase of $240 million for the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse grant program. The Budget proposes a new $25 million water sector cybersecurity grant program. The Budget also maintains funding for the State Revolving Funds, which will complement the $23.4 billion provided for the traditional SRF programs over five years in the recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Ensuring Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities. The Budget allocates $1.1 billion to improve air quality and reduce localized pollution, reduce exposure to radiation, and improve indoor air for communities across the country. This includes $152 million to support the development and implementation of national emission standards to reduce air pollution from vehicles, engines and fuels. The Budget also supports $299 million to assist air pollution control agencies in the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and to establish standards for reducing air toxics. Tackling the Climate Crisis. The Budget prioritizes funding for tackling the climate crisis and invests an additional $100 million in grants to Tribes and states that will support on-the-ground efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resiliency in the Nation's infrastructure. The Budget proposes an additional $35 million to implement the American Innovation in Manufacturing Act to continue phasing out potent greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons and invests an additional $13 million in wildfire prevention and readiness. Advancing Environmental Justice. The Administration is committed to increasing efforts to deliver environmental justice in communities across the Nation. The Budget supports the President's Justice40 commitment to ensure at least 40 percent of the benefits of federal investments in climate and clean energy reach historically overburdened and underserved communities. The Budget invests more than $1.45 billion across the Agency's programs that will help create good-paying jobs, clean up pollution, advance racial equity, and secure environmental justice for all communities. To elevate environmental justice as a top Agency priority, EPA has proposed a new national environmental justice program office, to coordinate and maximize the benefits of the Agency's programs and activities for underserved communities.   Protecting Communities from Hazardous Waste and Environmental Damage. Preventing and cleaning up environmental damage that harms communities and poses a risk to public health and safety continues to be a top priority for the Administration. The Budget provides $1.15 billion for EPA's Superfund programs to continue cleaning up some of the Nation's most contaminated land and respond to environmental emergencies. The Budget also includes $215 million for EPA's Brownfields programs to provide technical assistance and grants to communities, including overburdened and underserved communities, so they can safely clean up and reuse once contaminated properties. The Budget supports additional Community Development Specialists to manage land revitalization projects and works with Tribal, rural, and overburdened and underserved communities to address brownfields. Strengthening Our Commitment and Ability to Successfully Implement Toxic Substances and Control Act (TSCA). The Budget provides $124 million and 449 FTE for TSCA efforts to deliver on the promises made to the American people by the bipartisan Lautenberg Act. These resources will support EPA-initiated chemical risk evaluations and protective regulations in accordance with statutory timelines.  Tackling Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Pollution. PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals that threaten the health and safety of communities across the Nation. As part of the President's commitment to tackling PFAS pollution, the Budget provides approximately $126 million in FY 2023 for EPA to increase its understanding of human health and ecological effects of PFAS, restrict uses to prevent PFAS from entering the air, land, and water, and remediate PFAS that have been released into the environment. EPA will continue to act on the Agency's PFAS Strategic Roadmap to safeguard communities from PFAS contamination.  Enforcing and Assuring Compliance with the Nation's Environmental Laws. The Budget provides $213 million for civil enforcement efforts, which includes increasing enforcement efforts in communities with high pollution exposure and to prevent the illegal importations and use of hydrofluorocarbons in the U. S. The Budget also includes $7 million to operate a coal combustion residuals compliance program, $148 million for compliance monitoring efforts, and $69 million for criminal enforcement efforts, including the development of a specialized criminal enforcement task force to address environmental justice issues in partnership with the Department of Justice. Restoring Critical Capacity to Carry Out EPA's Core Mission. The Budget includes more than 1,900 new Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) relative to current levels, for a total of more than 16,200 FTEs, to help rebuild the Agency's capacity. Restoring staffing capacity across the Agency will facilitate and expedite EPA's work to reduce air, water, and climate pollution and advance environmental justice. The Budget continues to strengthen the Agency's ability to recruit, hire, develop, promote, and retain top talent and remove barriers to equal opportunity at the management and staff levels in order to strengthen and advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. The Budget makes these smart investments while also reducing deficits and improving our country's long-term fiscal outlook. For more information on the President's FY 2023 Budget, please visit: President's Budget.

 

 

 

 

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Issued: Mar 28, 2022 (11:34am EDT)

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Statement by EPA Administrator Regan on the President's Fiscal Year 2023 Budget

The President's Fiscal Year 2023 budget requests $11.881 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s essential work to protect people from pollution.

WASHINGTON (March 28, 2022) –The Biden-Harris Administration today submitted to Congress the President's Budget for fiscal year 2023. The President's Budget details his vision to expand on the historic progress our country has made over the last year and deliver the agenda he laid out in his State of the Union address—to build a better America, reduce the deficit, reduce costs for families, and grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out.  

The Budget makes historic investments to advance key priorities in the FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan, including tackling the climate crisis, advancing environmental justice, protecting air quality, upgrading the Nation's aging water infrastructure, and rebuilding core functions at the Agency.

"The President's budget request for EPA reflects this Administration's unwavering commitment to protect people from pollution, especially those living in overburdened and underserved communities across America. It funds a broad suite of transformational programs enacted by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and it will enable us to implement the President's historic Justice40 commitment, among other key priorities," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "Almost half of the Budget announced today, $5.7 billion, will support Tribes, states, and localities, reaffirming EPA's commitment to work in concert with our partners and local communities to tackle the climate crisis and ensure that no American family has to worry about the air they breathe, the water they drink, or the environmental safety of their homes and workplaces."

The Budget makes critical investments in the American people that will help lay a stronger foundation for shared growth and prosperity for generations to come. At the EPA, the Budget invests in:

• Upgrading Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Nationwide. The Budget provides approximately $4 billion to advance efforts to upgrade drinking water and wastewater infrastructure nationwide, with a focus on underserved communities. The Budget funds 20 new targeted water grant programs authorized in the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA). In total, more than $940 million in new resources are provided to implement DWWIA in FY 2023. The Budget also supports water infrastructure with an increase of $160 million in grants to reduce lead in drinking water and an increase of $240 million for the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse grant program. The Budget proposes a new $25 million water sector cybersecurity grant program. The Budget also maintains funding for the State Revolving Funds, which will complement the $23.4 billion provided for the traditional SRF programs over five years in the recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
• Ensuring Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities. The Budget allocates $1.1 billion to improve air quality and reduce localized pollution, reduce exposure to radiation, and improve indoor air for communities across the country. This includes $152 million to support the development and implementation of national emission standards to reduce air pollution from vehicles, engines and fuels. The Budget also supports $299 million to assist air pollution control agencies in the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and to establish standards for reducing air toxics.
• Tackling the Climate Crisis. The Budget prioritizes funding for tackling the climate crisis and invests an additional $100 million in grants to Tribes and states that will support on-the-ground efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resiliency in the Nation's infrastructure. The Budget proposes an additional $35 million to implement the American Innovation in Manufacturing Act to continue phasing out potent greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons and invests an additional $13 million in wildfire prevention and readiness.
• Advancing Environmental Justice. The Administration is committed to increasing efforts to deliver environmental justice in communities across the Nation. The Budget supports the President's Justice40 commitment to ensure at least 40 percent of the benefits of federal investments in climate and clean energy reach historically overburdened and underserved communities. The Budget invests more than $1.45 billion across the Agency's programs that will help create good-paying jobs, clean up pollution, advance racial equity, and secure environmental justice for all communities. To elevate environmental justice as a top Agency priority, EPA has proposed a new national environmental justice program office, to coordinate and maximize the benefits of the Agency's programs and activities for underserved communities. 
• Protecting Communities from Hazardous Waste and Environmental Damage. Preventing and cleaning up environmental damage that harms communities and poses a risk to public health and safety continues to be a top priority for the Administration. The Budget provides $1.15 billion for EPA's Superfund programs to continue cleaning up some of the Nation's most contaminated land and respond to environmental emergencies. The Budget also includes $215 million for EPA's Brownfields programs to provide technical assistance and grants to communities, including overburdened and underserved communities, so they can safely clean up and reuse once contaminated properties. The Budget supports additional Community Development Specialists to manage land revitalization projects and works with Tribal, rural, and overburdened and underserved communities to address brownfields.
• Strengthening Our Commitment and Ability to Successfully Implement Toxic Substances and Control Act (TSCA). The Budget provides $124 million and 449 FTE for TSCA efforts to deliver on the promises made to the American people by the bipartisan Lautenberg Act. These resources will support EPA-initiated chemical risk evaluations and protective regulations in accordance with statutory timelines. 
• Tackling Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Pollution. PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals that threaten the health and safety of communities across the Nation. As part of the President's commitment to tackling PFAS pollution, the Budget provides approximately $126 million in FY 2023 for EPA to increase its understanding of human health and ecological effects of PFAS, restrict uses to prevent PFAS from entering the air, land, and water, and remediate PFAS that have been released into the environment. EPA will continue to act on the Agency's PFAS Strategic Roadmap to safeguard communities from PFAS contamination. 
• Enforcing and Assuring Compliance with the Nation's Environmental Laws. The Budget provides $213 million for civil enforcement efforts, which includes increasing enforcement efforts in communities with high pollution exposure and to prevent the illegal importations and use of hydrofluorocarbons in the U. S. The Budget also includes $7 million to operate a coal combustion residuals compliance program, $148 million for compliance monitoring efforts, and $69 million for criminal enforcement efforts, including the development of a specialized criminal enforcement task force to address environmental justice issues in partnership with the Department of Justice.
• Restoring Critical Capacity to Carry Out EPA's Core Mission. The Budget includes more than 1,900 new Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) relative to current levels, for a total of more than 16,200 FTEs, to help rebuild the Agency's capacity. Restoring staffing capacity across the Agency will facilitate and expedite EPA's work to reduce air, water, and climate pollution and advance environmental justice. The Budget continues to strengthen the Agency's ability to recruit, hire, develop, promote, and retain top talent and remove barriers to equal opportunity at the management and staff levels in order to strengthen and advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

The Budget makes these smart investments while also reducing deficits and improving our country's long-term fiscal outlook.

For more information on the President's FY 2023 Budget, please visit: President's Budget.

 

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Issued: Mar 24, 2022 (2:27pm EDT)

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New EPA Tool Provides the Public with Customized Updates on Local Enforcement and Compliance Activities

WASHINGTON (March 22, 2022) – Today, EPA announced the release of a new web tool, called "ECHO Notify," that empowers members of the public to stay informed about important environmental enforcement and compliance activities in their communities.  Through ECHO Notify, users can signup to receive weekly emails when new information is available within the selected geographic area, such as when a violation or enforcement action has taken place at a nearby facility. 

"EPA is committed to empowering communities with the information they need to understand and make informed decisions about their health and the environment," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan.  "We've also seen that increased transparency leads to stronger deterrence of environmental violations. As more people play an active role in protecting their neighborhoods from pollution, EPA has developed ECHO Notify so that finding updates on environmental enforcement and compliance activities is as easy as checking your email."

ECHO Notify provides information on all EPA enforcement and compliance activities as well as activities of state and local governments under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Safe Drinking Water Act.  

You can find ECHO Notify on EPA's website at ECHO Notify, as shown below. 

 

This is a screenshot of ECHO Notify on EPA's website. 

 

 

Visitors to the ECHO Notify homepage who wish to receive email updates only need to take a few simple steps: 

• Create an account, if you don't have one already;
• Select a geographic area and/or facility ID(s);
• Choose the type of compliance and enforcement information of interest;
• Enter an email address; and
• Click "subscribe."

Once subscribed, the user will receive an automated email (typically on Sunday) containing new information from the prior weeklong period. If no new information is available, no email will be sent. Email notifications include links for users to view additional information on ECHO, including a link to each facility's Detailed Facility Report. Users can easily update their notification selections or unsubscribe at any time.

EPA has prepared a video that provides an overview of ECHO Notify and explains how to use it.  The video can be seen here, ECHO Tutorial: Intro to ECHO Notify

 

 

For further information: EPA Press Office, press@epa.gov

 

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Issued: Mar 24, 2022 (1:58pm EDT)

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Please See Attachment.

 

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Issued: Mar 24, 2022 (1:41pm EDT)

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EPA WIFIA Annual Report Celebrates over $5 Billion in Water Infrastructure Loans

New interactive tool details investments made in communities across the country.

WASHINGTON (March 24, 2022) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the 2021 Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Annual Report. The report highlights the program's 2021 investments in water infrastructure to protect public health and the environment, create good-paying jobs, and save communities money over alternative financing options.

"The WIFIA program has been an incredible success, providing more than $5 billion in water infrastructure funding in 2021 to save communities $1.5 billion while creating nearly 40,000 jobs," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "The WIFIA program, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the agency's other water infrastructure funding programs are building a better America by securing clean and safe water for all."

In 2021, the WIFIA program closed 31 loans totaling over $5 billion to support nearly $12 billion in water infrastructure projects. At the same time, borrowers saved $1.5 billion and created nearly 40,000 jobs. The WIFIA program continues to broaden its reach by increasing the number of loans to borrowers with lower-rated credit, small communities, and underserved communities. Looking forward, the program has nearly 90 projects requesting over $14 billion in funding.

Additionally, to provide real time information about the WIFIA program, EPA is launching the WIFIA Fund Facts dashboard. This interactive web-based tool includes graphics and facts about closed and pending loans. Users can filter the data to get information by loan size, project type, geographic location, and loan status.

For more information about the WIFIA program, visit: WIFIA.

To access the WIFIA Fund Facts dashboard, visit: WIFIA Fund Facts Dashboard.

Background 

Established by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, the WIFIA program is a federal loan and guarantee program administered by EPA. WIFIA's aim is to accelerate investment in the nation's water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance for regionally and nationally significant projects. Since inception, EPA has closed 72 WIFIA loans that are investing approximately $13.3 billion in communities across the country to protect public health and the environment while creating over 81,000 jobs.

The WIFIA program has an active pipeline of pending applications for projects that will result in billions of dollars in water infrastructure investment and thousands of jobs.

 

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Issued: Mar 22, 2022 (1:16pm EDT)

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New EPA Tool Provides the Public with Customized Updates on Local Enforcement and Compliance Activities

WASHINGTON (March 22, 2022) – Today, EPA announced the release of a new web tool, called "ECHO Notify," that empowers members of the public to stay informed about important environmental enforcement and compliance activities in their communities.  Through ECHO Notify, users can signup to receive weekly emails when new information is available within the selected geographic area, such as when a violation or enforcement action has taken place at a nearby facility. 

"EPA is committed to empowering communities with the information they need to understand and make informed decisions about their health and the environment," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan.  "We've also seen that increased transparency leads to stronger deterrence of environmental violations. As more people play an active role in protecting their neighborhoods from pollution, EPA has developed ECHO Notify so that finding updates on environmental enforcement and compliance activities is as easy as checking your email."

ECHO Notify provides information on all EPA enforcement and compliance activities as well as activities of state and local governments under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Safe Drinking Water Act.  

You can find ECHO Notify on EPA's website at ECHO Notify, as shown below. 

Visitors to the ECHO Notify homepage who wish to receive email updates only need to take a few simple steps: 

• Create an account, if you don't have one already;
• Select a geographic area and/or facility ID(s);
• Choose the type of compliance and enforcement information of interest;
• Enter an email address; and
• Click "subscribe."

Once subscribed, the user will receive an automated email (typically on Sunday) containing new information from the prior weeklong period. If no new information is available, no email will be sent. Email notifications include links for users to view additional information on ECHO, including a link to each facility's Detailed Facility Report. Users can easily update their notification selections or unsubscribe at any time.

EPA has prepared a video that provides an overview of ECHO Notify and explains how to use it.  The video can be seen here, ECHO Tutorial: Intro to ECHO NotifyEXITEXIT EPA WEBSITE.

 

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Issued: Mar 22, 2022 (1:08pm EDT)

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Statement by EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan on National Agriculture Day

WASHINGTON (March 22, 2022) — In celebration of National Agriculture Day, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan issued the following statement:

"The contributions of America's farmers and ranchers to our economy, our national security and our daily lives are truly indispensable. Despite the increasing impacts of climate change, supply chain disruptions from the pandemic, and recent volatility in markets, our agricultural producers work tirelessly to put food on our tables. I am so grateful for those who wake up every day to ensure our country and the world has an abundant supply of food, feed, fuel, and fiber and I look forward to our continued partnership with the agricultural community to strengthen the productivity and resilience of our system while delivering on our mission to protect human health and the environment.

In support of this mission, I am pleased to announce that EPA has recently rechartered the Agency's Farm, Ranch & Rural Communities Advisory Committee, which provides independent advice and recommendations on environmental issues important to our agriculture and rural communities. America's farmers and ranchers find themselves on the front lines of the climate crisis, facing increasing impacts from extreme weather events like severe storms, widespread flooding, prolonged drought, and more frequent wildfires. That's why today, I am issuing a new charge topic for the FRRCC to evaluate the Agency's policies and programs at the intersection of agriculture and climate change. For the next two years, I am asking the committee to consider how EPA's tools and programs can best advance the U.S. agriculture sector's climate mitigation and adaptation goals, ensuring EPA can support farmers and ranchers in their efforts to reduce emissions and accelerate a more resilient food and agriculture system."

For more information on EPA's partnership with the agricultural community, click here.

 

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Issued: Mar 22, 2022 (12:31pm EDT)

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EPA Seeks More Information from New Owners of Refinery on St. Croix to Determine Possible Permitting Requirements

Contact: Elias Rodriguez, (212) 637-3664, rodriguez.elias@epa.gov

NEW YORK (March 22, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today sent a letter to West Indies Petroleum Limited (WIPL) and Port Hamilton Refining and Transportation, LLLP (PHRT) – the new owners of the former Limetree Bay refinery on St. Croix – informing them that, based on the information currently available to EPA, there are strong indicators to suggest that the refinery must obtain a Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permit prior to any potential startup of refinery operations.

In the letter, EPA asks for additional information regarding past and future changes to processes and emission units at the refinery. The information will enable the Agency to evaluate this issue further, before making a final determination regarding the need for a PSD permit.

"As EPA continues to obtain additional information to reach a final decision on the need for this particular permit, we remain committed to ensuring that any potential restart of this facility would occur safely and in accordance with environmental laws," said Lisa F. Garcia, EPA Regional Administrator. "Given the concerning incidents at this facility that previously endangered the health of the people who live and work in surrounding communities, we will carefully review the information we receive and any new plans before determining our next steps in the permitting process."

A PSD permit applies to new major air pollution sources or major modifications at existing sources that result in an increase of certain pollutant emissions (for example, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, or nitrogen oxide) where the area in which the source is located attains or meets EPA's national air quality health standards. In its letter, EPA poses a series of questions to the new owners, seeking answers that will help determine whether the refinery needs to obtain a PSD permit. 

The purpose of the PSD permit program is to protect public health and welfare and ensure that new air pollution sources or changes at existing air pollution sources do not degrade air quality. PSD permits are complex and specific to a given facility. In general, they require the facility to meet emissions limits that would be achieved by using the best available air pollution control technology and perform an air quality impact analysis, with an opportunity for public review and comment. If such a permit is required for the refinery on St. Croix, it must be obtained prior to startup of that facility.

In May 2021, EPA ordered the owners at the time, Limetree Bay Refining, LLC and Limetree Bay Terminals, LLC, to stop refinery operations following a series of excess emissions incidents that included exceedances of limits for sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, endangering the health and welfare of nearby communities. In response to these incidents, EPA ordered the refinery to pause all operations until the agency could be assured that this facility can operate safely and in accordance with laws that protect public health.

EPA's letter to West Indies Petroleum Limited and Port Hamilton Refining and Transportation, LLLP is available at: https://www.epa.gov/vi/refinery-st-croix-us-virgin-islands

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

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Issued: Mar 21, 2022 (12:03pm EDT)

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EPA Announces Availability of up to $1.6 Million in Environmental Justice Grants for Tribal Public Participation Project

WASHINGTON (March 21, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the availability of up to $1.6 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding to support Tribal government efforts to establish or modify programs on environmental justice water and air quality issues. Earlier this year, EPA announced spending plans for the $100 million in ARP funding appropriated by Congress in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and health outcome disparities, with $50 million being designated to improve ambient air quality monitoring, and $50 million designated to address disproportionate environmental or public health harms and risks in underserved communities. Congress made up to $1.6 million in ARP funding available to Tribes, recognizing the importance of supporting Tribal public engagement programs and related priorities that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. EPA anticipates awarding 16 to 20 grants nationwide in amounts of up to $100,000 per award.  

"This funding opportunity will help ensure that our Tribal Nation partners and their communities are prioritized within EPA's whole-of-government approach to address environmental challenges," said JoAnn Chase, Director of the American Indian Environment Office. "This funding also serves as reaffirmation of EPA's policy, and the Biden Administration's priority, to advance and integrate environmental justice into all of our work, including our work with federally recognized Tribal governments and indigenous peoples." 

"Our partners in Tribal governments recognize that they, just like us, advance justice by starting with meaningful engagement," said Matthew Tejada, Director of the Office of Environmental Justice. "We are excited to support their efforts to lift up the voices of the people most impacted by and vulnerable to pollution."

EPA is committed to assisting federally recognized Tribes in building capacity to establish public participation, community involvement, education, and communication systems to engage with tribal members and others living on tribal lands, as noted in the EPA Policy on Environmental Justice for Working with Federally Recognized Tribes and Indigenous Peoples. 

Projects stemming from this Tribal grant opportunity will help achieve the goals of President Biden's Justice40 initiative, which aims to ensure that federal agencies deliver at least 40% of benefits from certain investments to underserved communities. 

Applicants interested in this funding opportunity must submit grant proposal packages by May 19, 2022. Applicants should plan for projects to begin on October 1, 2022. To learn more about the pre-application assistance calls and how to apply for funding, visit: Environmental Justice Small Grants Program.

For more information about EPA's programs in Indian Country, visit: Environmental Protection in Indian Country

For more information on EPA's Office of Environmental Justice, visit: Environmental Justice.

 

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EPA News: EPA Presents Coalfield Development Corporation $200K in Brownfields Job Training Grants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: R3press@epa.gov EPA Presents Coalfield Development Corporation $200K in Brownfields Job Training Grants To Build a Skilled Environmental Workforce PHILADELPHIA (March 17, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz presented the Coalfield Development Corporation of Wayne, West Virginia, a $199,790 grant today for environmental job training. Ortiz made the presentation at the Black Diamond property in the Westmoreland section of Huntington, West Virginia. "Job training and workforce development are an important part of the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to build a better America by advancing economic opportunities and addressing environmental justice issues in underserved communities," Ortiz said.  "EPA's Brownfields Job Training program provides funding for curriculum development to train local unemployed and under-employed people. These Brownfields job training opportunities enable companies like Coalfield to take advantage of the jobs created by the assessment and cleanup of Brownfield sites in their own communities, by filling local environmental jobs with local people." Individuals completing a job training program funded by EPA often overcome a variety of barriers to employment. Many of these individuals are from historically under-served neighborhoods and reside in the areas affected by environmental justice issues. Rather than filling local jobs with contractors from distant cities, these organizations provide training and offer residents of communities historically affected by environmental pollution, economic disinvestment, and brownfields an opportunity to gain the skills and certifications needed to secure local environmental work in their communities. Individuals typically graduate with a variety of certifications that improve their marketability and help ensure that employment opportunities are not just temporary contractual work, but long-term careers. Ortiz made the presentation before touring the Black Diamond Property in the Westmoreland section of Huntington. Coalfield acquired Black Diamond in 2019. After community outreach and a grant application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Coalfield received cleanup funding through the EPA Brownfields Program. This grant will help Coalfield pay for a Licensed Remediation Specialist to plan and carry out the environmental clean-up onsite, all with the approval of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. Earlier in the day, Ortiz toured the former American Car and Foundry Company (ACF) Industries property in the city's Highlawn neighborhood. The City of Huntington, through its partner the Huntington Municipal Development Authority, purchased the 47-acre former ACF manufacturing site and has focused its efforts during the past year on preparing the site and upgrading its infrastructure to welcome new, technology-focused businesses and light manufacturers at the new Huntington Brownfields Innovation Zone (H-Biz) Foundry Center.  H-Biz will launch first with Marshall University's Robert C. Byrd Institute (RCBI) who will repurpose the historic machine shop to become the RCBI Welding & Robotics Technology Training Center.  The training center will empower manufacturers and makers, moving innovative ideas from concept to market with leading-edge equipment to boost performance and skills training. The historic machine shop renovation will provide a 5,000-square-foot welding training center and a 5,000-square-foot robotic, gas tungsten arc (tungsten inert gas) and alloys welding training center, and also add a 5,000-square-foot addition for a RCBI classroom, front-office functions, and entrepreneurial support and business engagement services.​ President Biden's leadership and bipartisan congressional action have delivered the single-largest investment in national brownfields infrastructure ever. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests more than $1.5 billion through EPA's brownfields program. Of that investment, $30 million will be invested into future Brownfields Job Training grants. During the next five years, communities, states and tribes will have the opportunity to apply for larger grants to include and enhance the environmental curriculum in existing job training programs. This investment will help trained individuals access jobs created through brownfields revitalization activities within their communities. EPA anticipates awarding as many as 50 additional grants to job training entities with BIL funding, beginning in fiscal year 2023. Application guidelines will be available in spring/summer 2022. Since this program began in 1998, the Brownfields Job Training Program has awarded more than 352 grants. More than 19,456 individuals have completed training, and of those, more than 14,560 individuals have been placed in full-time employment in careers related to remediation and environmental health and safety. The average starting wage for these individuals is over $14 an hour.  For more information on the selected Brownfields Job Training grant recipients, including past grantees, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/applicants-selected-fy22-brownfields-job-training-grants For more information on this, and other types of Brownfields grants, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfields-job-training-jt-grants

 

 

 

 

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