SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement with NRC Environmental Services Inc. and the Oakland Power Company LLC, and NRC and Oakland Power will pay $230,000 in civil penalties and personnel at California facilities will complete training to ensure familiarity with state and federal hazardous waste regulations.

During 2019-2020, Oakland Power hired NRC to remove tank bottom water from a two-million-gallon jet fuel tank at the Oakland plant and dispose of it. In April 2020, NRC transported over 8,000 gallons of what the companies believed was tank bottom water in three tanker trucks to the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) for disposal as non-hazardous waste. The EBMUD staff sampled the third truck when they suspected it contained petroleum products. The sample showed that the truck’s contents possessed characteristics of hazardous waste, including elevated concentrations of benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene and xylenes. As a result, EPA investigated and determined that the companies’ management and delivery of hazardous waste violated the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

“The unlawful transportation of hazardous waste is a clear risk to human health and the environment,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “EPA is committed to enforcing laws that protect our communities."

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act is designed to protect public health and the environment and avoid lengthy and extensive cleanups by requiring the safe, environmentally sound storage and disposal of hazardous waste. With proper training, employees may know how to handle hazardous waste safely and how to respond in an emergency, thereby decreasing the likelihood of a release and worker exposure.

For more information on EPA enforcement of hazardous waste requirements, visit EPA’s Waste Enforcement webpage.

For more information on RCRA, visit EPA’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Laws and Regulations webpage.

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

BOSTON – Smoke from wildfires in Quebec and Northern Ontario is continuing to cause elevated levels of air pollution in many portions of New England. The primary concern is high concentrations of fine particle air pollution that is unhealthy, especially for sensitive groups such as people with respiratory disease, the elderly, or people with compromised health.  

Areas that are currently exceeding the Federal air quality standard for 24-hour particle pollution level concentrations are: 

Connecticut, Western Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and portions of Vermont

"Many areas in New England are currently experiencing unhealthy air quality levels due to smoke from wildfires in Canada. Scientists predict that the fire season in Canada will be longer and more intense as a result of climate change, so there is a chance we will see more of these kinds of events," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "We are seeing levels of air pollution that are unhealthy for all people, and especially for sensitive populations. EPA encourages people to check their Air Quality Index (AQI) throughout the day to be aware of their local air quality and take steps to reduce smoke exposure and protect their health. Pay attention to any health symptoms if you have asthma, COPD, heart disease, or are pregnant. Get medical help if you need it."

Smoke can cause air quality to change rapidly. Stay up to date on current air quality and forecasts near you through the AirNow app, available for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. You also can use the app to check the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map. EPA and the U.S. Forest Service developed the map to give the public information on fire locations, smoke plumes, near real-time air quality and actions to take to protect your health -- all in one place. The map is available at https://fire.airnow.gov, or by tapping the Smoke icon in the AirNow app. It includes data from hundreds of air quality monitors provided by state and local air quality agencies, along with crowd-sourced data from air quality sensors.

Most healthy adults and children will recover quickly from smoke exposure and will not have long-lasting health effects. But people with chronic diseases, such as asthma, other lung disease, or cardiovascular disease are at greater risk of experiencing more severe health effects. Children, pregnant people, and people over 65 also are more vulnerable to health effects from smoke exposure Limit your outdoor exercise when it is smoky or choose lower-intensity activities to reduce your smoke exposure. When indoors, take steps to keep your indoor air cool and clean. For more tips, see https://www.airnow.gov/wildfires/when-smoke-is-in-the-air/

Larger and more intense wildfires are creating the potential for greater smoke production and chronic exposures in the U.S., particularly in the West. Wildfires increase air pollution in surrounding areas and can affect regional air quality. If you must be outdoors when wildfire smoke is in the air, an N-95 mask can help reduce the smoke you breathe in and potential health risks.

State, local, and tribal governments work closely with EPA, the Forest Service, and other departments to maintain a strong monitoring network to help inform the public about local air quality conditions and what steps to take to protect themselves from air pollution and wildfire smoke. This partnership is what makes AirNow.gov work.

More information and Resources:

Real-time ozone data and air quality forecasts New England Air Quality Index

National real-time air quality data (free iPhone and Android apps) AirNow 

Air Quality Alerts  EnviroFlash 

Current Air Quality conditions in New England, June 8, 2023, 10:00 AM

EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister (right) presents a $642,400 ceremonial check to Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart (left) and Waterloo Community Planning and Development Director Noel Anderson in Waterloo, Iowa, on June 8, 2023. (Photo credit: U.S. EPA)

LENEXA, KAN. (JUNE 8, 2023) – Today, at the Crystal Cold Storage site in Waterloo, Iowa, EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister presented a $642,400 ceremonial check to the City of Waterloo as a Brownfields Cleanup Grant selectee.

McCollister was joined by city leaders Mayor Quentin Hart and Community Planning and Development Director Noel Anderson, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources Executive Officer for Brownfield Redevelopment Program Mel Pins. This grant program is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

EPA has selected the City of Waterloo for this grant that will be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Grant funds will be used to clean up the Former Rath Buildings property at 1442 Sycamore Street. The 4.4-acre cleanup site contains four interconnected brick structures and was operated as a meat packing plant from 1908 to 1985. Some of the remaining buildings are currently used for cold warehousing. The cleanup would remove the contamination of asbestos-containing building materials. Grant funds also will be used to conduct two public meetings and support other community engagement activities.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once-in-a-generation financial investment in our communities,” McCollister said. “We are incredibly proud to see a portion of this historic investment go to benefit the City of Waterloo, creating economic opportunity and a healthier environment for all.”

“We are strongly encouraged by the partnership between the EPA and the City of Waterloo to impact business growth and development through this sizeable grant, Hart said. “To see renewed activity in the historic Rath neighborhood will help ensure that the area is environmentally sound, produces more jobs, and expands Crystal’s business footprint: A win for all involved!”

These investments are part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to grow the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to driving over $470 billion in private-sector manufacturing and clean-energy investments in the United States. These investments will also create a manufacturing and innovation boom powered by good-paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree, build a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.

Background

EPA has selected these organizations to receive funding to address and support the reuse of brownfield sites. EPA anticipates making all the recently announced awards, once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.

EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.37 billion in Brownfields Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. EPA’s investments in addressing brownfield sites have leveraged over $36 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding has leveraged nearly 260,000 jobs from both public and private sources. Communities that previously received Brownfields Grants used these resources to fund assessments and cleanups of brownfields, and successfully leveraged an average of 10.6 jobs per $100,000 of EPA Brownfield Grant funds spent and $19.78 for every dollar.

The next National Brownfields Training Conference will be held on Aug. 8-11, 2023, in Detroit. Offered every two years, this conference is the largest gathering of stakeholders focused on cleaning up and reusing former commercial and industrial properties. EPA co-sponsors this event with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

• Learn more about Brownfields Grants
• Learn more about EPA’s Brownfields Program

# # #

Learn more about EPA Region 7

View all Region 7 news releases

Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter: @EPARegion7

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced another action to protect public health under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), proposing a ban on most uses of perchloroethylene (PCE), a chemical known to cause serious health risks such as neurotoxicity and cancer. Today’s proposal would protect people from these risks by banning all consumer uses while allowing for many industrial/commercial uses to continue only where strict workplace controls could be implemented, including uses related to national security, aviation and other critical infrastructure, and the Agency’s efforts to combat the climate crisis.

“We know that exposure to PCE is dangerous for people’s health, and today’s rule is an important first step to keeping communities and workers safe,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “We’ve proposed to ban the uses we know can’t continue safely, and we’ve made sure that stringent controls are in place to protect workers for the uses that remain.”

PCE is a solvent that is widely used for consumer uses such as brake cleaners and adhesives, commercial applications such as dry cleaning, and in many industrial settings. For example, PCE is used as a chemical intermediate in the production of two chemical substances regulated under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act. This rule proposes to allow for continued processing of PCE to manufacture hydrofluorocarbons (HFC)-125 and HFC-134a in tandem with strict workplace controls, as the two can be mixed with other substances to make more climate-friendly refrigerants. Additionally, the rule proposes to continue to allow the industrial and commercial use of PCE in petrochemical manufacturing, the manufacture of coatings for aircraft skins, and vapor degreasing with PCE to make aerospace parts and engines, as examples of other uses not proposed for prohibition.

EPA determined that PCE presents unreasonable risk to health, driven by risks associated with exposure to the chemical by workers, occupational non-users (workers nearby but not in direct contact with this chemical), consumers, and those in close proximity to a consumer use. EPA identified risks for adverse human health effects, including neurotoxicity from inhalation and dermal exposures as well as cancer effects from chronic inhalation exposure. While EPA identified potential risks to fenceline communities in a small number of instances, the prohibitions and other requirements in EPA’s proposed rule are expected to mitigate to a great extent the potential risks to the neighboring communities.

EPA’s proposed risk management rule would rapidly phase down manufacturing, processing and distribution of PCE for all consumer uses and many industrial and commercial uses, most of which would be fully phased out in 24 months. The uses subject to the proposed prohibitions represent less than 20% of the annual production volume of PCE. For most of the uses of PCE that EPA is proposing to prohibit, EPA’s analysis also found that alternative products with similar costs and efficacy to PCE are reasonably available.

EPA is proposing a 10-year phaseout for the use of PCE in dry cleaning, with compliance dates depending on the type of machine in which PCE is used. The proposed phaseout of PCE in dry cleaning would eliminate unreasonable risk for people who work at or spend considerable time at dry cleaning facilities. This phaseout period would provide dry cleaners, many of which are small businesses, time to transition to an alternative process, and stakeholders have already noted an overall year-to-year decline in the use of PCE in dry cleaning. In addition, President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget request proposed funding for new pollution prevention grants that would support small businesses with transitioning to TSCA compliant practices and mitigate economic impacts. If implemented, these grants could be used to support small businesses like dry cleaners in their transition away from PCE.

For the industrial manufacturing, industrial processing and other uses of PCE that EPA is not proposing to prohibit, EPA is proposing a workplace chemical protection program with a strict inhalation exposure limit and requirements to prevent skin exposure to ensure protection for workers. EPA has received data from industry that indicate many workplaces already have controls in place that may reduce exposures sufficient to meet the inhalation exposure limit in the proposed rule or to prevent direct skin contact with PCE.

EPA encourages members of the public to read and comment on the proposed rule. EPA is especially interested in hearing perspectives on the feasibility and efficacy of the proposed requirements for worker protections from entities that would be required to implement the proposed program and the timeline for the phaseout of PCE use in dry cleaning. In the coming weeks, EPA will host a public webinar targeted to employers and workers, but useful for anyone looking for an overview of the proposed regulatory action to discuss the proposed program. The date, time and registration information will be announced soon. EPA will accept public comments on the proposed rule for PCE for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register via docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2020-0720 at www.regulations.gov.

Learn more about today’s proposal.

SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement with NRC Environmental Services Inc. and the Oakland Power Company LLC, and NRC and Oakland Power will pay $230,000 in civil penalties and personnel at California facilities will complete training to ensure familiarity with state and federal hazardous waste regulations.

During 2019-2020, Oakland Power hired NRC to remove tank bottom water from a two-million-gallon jet fuel tank at the Oakland plant and dispose of it. In April 2020, NRC transported over 8,000 gallons of what the companies believed was tank bottom water in three tanker trucks to the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) for disposal as non-hazardous waste. The EBMUD staff sampled the third truck when they suspected it contained petroleum products. The sample showed that the truck’s contents possessed characteristics of hazardous waste, including elevated concentrations of benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene and xylenes. As a result, EPA investigated and determined that the companies’ management and delivery of hazardous waste violated the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

“The unlawful transportation of hazardous waste is a clear risk to human health and the environment,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “EPA is committed to enforcing laws that protect our communities."

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act is designed to protect public health and the environment and avoid lengthy and extensive cleanups by requiring the safe, environmentally sound storage and disposal of hazardous waste. With proper training, employees may know how to handle hazardous waste safely and how to respond in an emergency, thereby decreasing the likelihood of a release and worker exposure.

For more information on EPA enforcement of hazardous waste requirements, visit EPA’s Waste Enforcement webpage.

For more information on RCRA, visit EPA’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Laws and Regulations webpage.

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

CHICAGO (June 8, 2023) – Today, following successful completion of requirements to improve the safety of its drinking water and to protect residents from exposure to lead, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has terminated its order under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act to the city of Benton Harbor, Michigan.

“All people deserve access to safe and reliable drinking water, and the community of Benton Harbor is no different. We are pleased that the city has taken action as directed by EPA to protect public health and ensure this crucial access,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “Today’s action recognizes the important progress in the community to reduce exposure to lead and better protect the city’s drinking water system from harmful pollution and hazards.”

The Safe Drinking Water Act provides EPA with broad authority to protect public health. EPA’s order to Benton Harbor was issued in November 2021 based on violations and deficiencies found during a joint federal-state inspection of the city’s water system. The order required the city to take several actions to protect residents in Benton Harbor.

Benton Harbor has demonstrated to EPA that all terms of the order have been satisfactorily completed. In addition, 100% of the lead service lines in the city have been replaced, and the water system has not experienced a lead action level exceedance in any of its three most recent Lead and Copper Rule compliance monitoring periods.

Termination of the order does not relieve Benton Harbor of the ongoing obligation to comply with the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act and its regulations. In its role as the primacy agency, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy will continue to work with the City of Benton Harbor to maintain compliance with applicable requirements, including overseeing implementation of the water system’s plan for ensuring necessary technical, managerial, and financial capacity to operate and maintain the water system. EPA will continue to track compliance of public water systems in Michigan, including Benton Harbor, through routine coordination with the state.

EPA’s involvement has been instrumental to driving actions to ensure that the people of Benton Harbor are protected from exposure to lead and have access to safe and reliable drinking water. This includes:

• Awarding $5.6 million to Benton Harbor under a Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act grant to replace lead service lines and conduct a corrosion control study.
   
• Coordinating with the city to award $800,000 to Benton Harbor through community grants for improvements to its public water system.
   
• Working with Michigan, the city of Benton Harbor and the drinking water system on medium- and long-term solutions, which are essential to protect the health and well-being of residents.
   
• Supporting state efforts to provide bottled water and address the immediate and pressing needs of the community.
   
• Conducting three inspections to ensure compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.
   
• Provided the city a compliance advisor to provide direct, one-on-one technical assistance to the system operator. EPA makes compliance advisors available to small under-resourced drinking water systems nationwide that may lack sufficient expertise.

EPA also conducted a large-scale filter study in Benton Harbor. After analyzing water samples from more than 200 homes, results show that, when used properly, filters are effective at reducing lead in drinking water.

For more information, including the full results of the filter study, visit EPA’s website.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (June 8, 2023) – Next week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold community lead awareness seminars in Memphis, Tennessee, in partnership with the City of Memphis, the Memphis Shelby County Health Department and local nonprofits. These include hold two lead awareness seminars for the general public – one in English and one in Spanish – on Thursday June 15, 2023, and a train-the-trainer seminar for community leaders on Friday, June 16, 2023.

Community members interested in learning more about lead can join an Understanding Lead Session on Thursday, June 15, 2023, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Participants will use the Lead Awareness in Indian Country: Keeping our Children Healthy! Curriculum (commonly referred to as the Lead Awareness Curriculum) to learn about actions they can take to reduce lead exposure, be familiar with all materials included within the Lead Awareness Curriculum, understand how the curriculum is designed to be modified to fit an individual community’s needs and have a plan for how to facilitate sessions in their own communities.

Sign-up link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lead-awareness-curriculum-understanding-lead-tickets-632927993667

Understanding Lead is also being offered in Spanish on Thursday, June 15, 2023, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/informacion-sobre-el-plomo-memphis-tn-tickets-632932416897

Community leaders with experience educating and training community members who would like to educate others about lead, can join the Lead Awareness Curriculum Train-the-Trainer on Friday, June 16, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Sign-up link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lead-awareness-curriculum-train-the-trainer-tickets-632935145057

To learn more, visit https://www.epa.gov/lead/community-lead-awareness-sessions.
 

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (8 de junio del 2023) – La próxima semana, la Agencia de Protección Ambiental de EE. UU. (con sus siglas en inglés, EPA) llevará a cabo seminarios comunitarios de concientización sobre los efectos del plomo en la ciudad Memphis, Tennessee, en asociación con la ciudad de Memphis, el Departamento de Salud del condado de Memphis Shelby y organizaciones locales sin fines de lucro. Estos incluyen la realización de dos seminarios de concientización sobre el plomo para el público en general, uno en inglés y otro en español, el jueves 15 de junio del 2023, y un seminario de capacitación de capacitadores para líderes comunitarios el viernes 16 de junio del 2023.

Los miembros de la comunidad interesados en obtener más información sobre el plomo pueden unirse a una sesión sobre la comprensión del plomo el jueves 15 de junio del 2023, de 1:00 a 3:00 p.m. Los participantes utilizarán el Plan de estudios de concientización sobre el plomo en los terrenos indígenas: ¡Mantener sanos a nuestros niños! (comúnmente conocido como el Plan de estudios de concientización sobre el plomo) para conocer las acciones que pueden tomar para reducir la exposición al plomo, familiarizarse con todos los materiales incluidos en el Currículo de Concientización sobre el Plomo, comprender cómo el currículo está diseñado para ser modificado para adaptarse a las necesidades de una comunidad individual y tener un plan sobre cómo facilitar sesiones en sus propias comunidades.

Enlace de registro: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lead-awareness-curriculum-understanding-lead-tickets-632927993667

Sesión sobre Comprensión del Plomo también se ofrecerá en español el jueves 15 de junio del 2023, de 4:00 a 6:00 p.m.: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/informacion-sobre-el-plomo-memphis-tn-tickets-632932416897

Los líderes comunitarios con experiencia en educación y capacitación a miembros de la comunidad que deseen educar a otros sobre el plomo pueden unirse a el Currículo de Concientización sobre el Plomo - Capacitación para Capacitadores, el viernes 16 de junio del 2023, de 9:00 a.m. a 12:00 p.m.

Currículo de Concientización sobre el Plomo - Capacitación para Capacitadores Enlace de registro: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lead-awareness-curriculum-train-the-trainer-tickets-632935145057

Para obtener más información, visite https://www.epa.gov/lead/community-lead-awareness-sessions

BOSTON – Smoke from wildfires in Quebec and Northern Ontario is continuing to cause elevated levels of air pollution in many portions of New England. The primary concern is high concentrations of fine particle air pollution that is unhealthy, especially for sensitive groups such as people with respiratory disease, the elderly, or people with compromised health.  

Areas that are currently exceeding the Federal air quality standard for 24-hour particle pollution level concentrations are: 

Connecticut, Western Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and portions of Vermont

"Many areas in New England are currently experiencing unhealthy air quality levels due to smoke from wildfires in Canada. Scientists predict that the fire season in Canada will be longer and more intense as a result of climate change, so there is a chance we will see more of these kinds of events," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "We are seeing levels of air pollution that are unhealthy for all people, and especially for sensitive populations. EPA encourages people to check their Air Quality Index (AQI) throughout the day to be aware of their local air quality and take steps to reduce smoke exposure and protect their health. Pay attention to any health symptoms if you have asthma, COPD, heart disease, or are pregnant. Get medical help if you need it."

Smoke can cause air quality to change rapidly. Stay up to date on current air quality and forecasts near you through the AirNow app, available for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. You also can use the app to check the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map. EPA and the U.S. Forest Service developed the map to give the public information on fire locations, smoke plumes, near real-time air quality and actions to take to protect your health -- all in one place. The map is available at https://fire.airnow.gov, or by tapping the Smoke icon in the AirNow app. It includes data from hundreds of air quality monitors provided by state and local air quality agencies, along with crowd-sourced data from air quality sensors.

Most healthy adults and children will recover quickly from smoke exposure and will not have long-lasting health effects. But people with chronic diseases, such as asthma, other lung disease, or cardiovascular disease are at greater risk of experiencing more severe health effects. Children, pregnant people, and people over 65 also are more vulnerable to health effects from smoke exposure Limit your outdoor exercise when it is smoky or choose lower-intensity activities to reduce your smoke exposure. When indoors, take steps to keep your indoor air cool and clean. For more tips, see https://www.airnow.gov/wildfires/when-smoke-is-in-the-air/

Larger and more intense wildfires are creating the potential for greater smoke production and chronic exposures in the U.S., particularly in the West. Wildfires increase air pollution in surrounding areas and can affect regional air quality. If you must be outdoors when wildfire smoke is in the air, an N-95 mask can help reduce the smoke you breathe in and potential health risks.

State, local, and tribal governments work closely with EPA, the Forest Service, and other departments to maintain a strong monitoring network to help inform the public about local air quality conditions and what steps to take to protect themselves from air pollution and wildfire smoke. This partnership is what makes AirNow.gov work.

More information and Resources:

Real-time ozone data and air quality forecasts New England Air Quality Index

National real-time air quality data (free iPhone and Android apps) AirNow 

Air Quality Alerts  EnviroFlash 

Current Air Quality conditions in New England, June 8, 2023, 10:00 AM

EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister (right) presents a $642,400 ceremonial check to Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart (left) and Waterloo Community Planning and Development Director Noel Anderson in Waterloo, Iowa, on June 8, 2023. (Photo credit: U.S. EPA)

LENEXA, KAN. (JUNE 8, 2023) – Today, at the Crystal Cold Storage site in Waterloo, Iowa, EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister presented a $642,400 ceremonial check to the City of Waterloo as a Brownfields Cleanup Grant selectee.

McCollister was joined by city leaders Mayor Quentin Hart and Community Planning and Development Director Noel Anderson, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources Executive Officer for Brownfield Redevelopment Program Mel Pins. This grant program is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

EPA has selected the City of Waterloo for this grant that will be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Grant funds will be used to clean up the Former Rath Buildings property at 1442 Sycamore Street. The 4.4-acre cleanup site contains four interconnected brick structures and was operated as a meat packing plant from 1908 to 1985. Some of the remaining buildings are currently used for cold warehousing. The cleanup would remove the contamination of asbestos-containing building materials. Grant funds also will be used to conduct two public meetings and support other community engagement activities.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once-in-a-generation financial investment in our communities,” McCollister said. “We are incredibly proud to see a portion of this historic investment go to benefit the City of Waterloo, creating economic opportunity and a healthier environment for all.”

“We are strongly encouraged by the partnership between the EPA and the City of Waterloo to impact business growth and development through this sizeable grant, Hart said. “To see renewed activity in the historic Rath neighborhood will help ensure that the area is environmentally sound, produces more jobs, and expands Crystal’s business footprint: A win for all involved!”

These investments are part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to grow the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to driving over $470 billion in private-sector manufacturing and clean-energy investments in the United States. These investments will also create a manufacturing and innovation boom powered by good-paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree, build a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.

Background

EPA has selected these organizations to receive funding to address and support the reuse of brownfield sites. EPA anticipates making all the recently announced awards, once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.

EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.37 billion in Brownfields Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. EPA’s investments in addressing brownfield sites have leveraged over $36 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding has leveraged nearly 260,000 jobs from both public and private sources. Communities that previously received Brownfields Grants used these resources to fund assessments and cleanups of brownfields, and successfully leveraged an average of 10.6 jobs per $100,000 of EPA Brownfield Grant funds spent and $19.78 for every dollar.

The next National Brownfields Training Conference will be held on Aug. 8-11, 2023, in Detroit. Offered every two years, this conference is the largest gathering of stakeholders focused on cleaning up and reusing former commercial and industrial properties. EPA co-sponsors this event with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

• Learn more about Brownfields Grants
• Learn more about EPA’s Brownfields Program

# # #

Learn more about EPA Region 7

View all Region 7 news releases

Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter: @EPARegion7

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced another action to protect public health under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), proposing a ban on most uses of perchloroethylene (PCE), a chemical known to cause serious health risks such as neurotoxicity and cancer. Today’s proposal would protect people from these risks by banning all consumer uses while allowing for many industrial/commercial uses to continue only where strict workplace controls could be implemented, including uses related to national security, aviation and other critical infrastructure, and the Agency’s efforts to combat the climate crisis.

“We know that exposure to PCE is dangerous for people’s health, and today’s rule is an important first step to keeping communities and workers safe,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “We’ve proposed to ban the uses we know can’t continue safely, and we’ve made sure that stringent controls are in place to protect workers for the uses that remain.”

PCE is a solvent that is widely used for consumer uses such as brake cleaners and adhesives, commercial applications such as dry cleaning, and in many industrial settings. For example, PCE is used as a chemical intermediate in the production of two chemical substances regulated under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act. This rule proposes to allow for continued processing of PCE to manufacture hydrofluorocarbons (HFC)-125 and HFC-134a in tandem with strict workplace controls, as the two can be mixed with other substances to make more climate-friendly refrigerants. Additionally, the rule proposes to continue to allow the industrial and commercial use of PCE in petrochemical manufacturing, the manufacture of coatings for aircraft skins, and vapor degreasing with PCE to make aerospace parts and engines, as examples of other uses not proposed for prohibition.

EPA determined that PCE presents unreasonable risk to health, driven by risks associated with exposure to the chemical by workers, occupational non-users (workers nearby but not in direct contact with this chemical), consumers, and those in close proximity to a consumer use. EPA identified risks for adverse human health effects, including neurotoxicity from inhalation and dermal exposures as well as cancer effects from chronic inhalation exposure. While EPA identified potential risks to fenceline communities in a small number of instances, the prohibitions and other requirements in EPA’s proposed rule are expected to mitigate to a great extent the potential risks to the neighboring communities.

EPA’s proposed risk management rule would rapidly phase down manufacturing, processing and distribution of PCE for all consumer uses and many industrial and commercial uses, most of which would be fully phased out in 24 months. The uses subject to the proposed prohibitions represent less than 20% of the annual production volume of PCE. For most of the uses of PCE that EPA is proposing to prohibit, EPA’s analysis also found that alternative products with similar costs and efficacy to PCE are reasonably available.

EPA is proposing a 10-year phaseout for the use of PCE in dry cleaning, with compliance dates depending on the type of machine in which PCE is used. The proposed phaseout of PCE in dry cleaning would eliminate unreasonable risk for people who work at or spend considerable time at dry cleaning facilities. This phaseout period would provide dry cleaners, many of which are small businesses, time to transition to an alternative process, and stakeholders have already noted an overall year-to-year decline in the use of PCE in dry cleaning. In addition, President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget request proposed funding for new pollution prevention grants that would support small businesses with transitioning to TSCA compliant practices and mitigate economic impacts. If implemented, these grants could be used to support small businesses like dry cleaners in their transition away from PCE.

For the industrial manufacturing, industrial processing and other uses of PCE that EPA is not proposing to prohibit, EPA is proposing a workplace chemical protection program with a strict inhalation exposure limit and requirements to prevent skin exposure to ensure protection for workers. EPA has received data from industry that indicate many workplaces already have controls in place that may reduce exposures sufficient to meet the inhalation exposure limit in the proposed rule or to prevent direct skin contact with PCE.

EPA encourages members of the public to read and comment on the proposed rule. EPA is especially interested in hearing perspectives on the feasibility and efficacy of the proposed requirements for worker protections from entities that would be required to implement the proposed program and the timeline for the phaseout of PCE use in dry cleaning. In the coming weeks, EPA will host a public webinar targeted to employers and workers, but useful for anyone looking for an overview of the proposed regulatory action to discuss the proposed program. The date, time and registration information will be announced soon. EPA will accept public comments on the proposed rule for PCE for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register via docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2020-0720 at www.regulations.gov.

Learn more about today’s proposal.

Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the final plan to clean up contaminated soil and sediment at the Hegeler Zinc Superfund site in Vermilion County, Illinois. In addition to zinc products, the former smelting facility produced sulfuric acid and cadmium which resulted in large amounts of slag, stored in piles on the site. Soil, sediment, groundwater and surface water are contaminated with cadmium, lead, arsenic and zinc.

EPA’s cleanup will involve excavating contaminated sediment and soil and adding it to the existing slag pile or disposing of it off-site. The agency will then install a low-permeability cover over the pile, reroute portions of a creek to ensure a safe distance from the slag pile, and continue monitoring groundwater and surface water. 

EPA received six public comments on the proposed plan. The agency’s responses to the comments can be found in the Responsiveness Summary section of the Record of Decision, which is posted on EPA’s website for the Hegeler Zinc site.

The design phase of the clean-up will start in about six to eight months and will last approximately two years. After that, construction will begin. EPA anticipates the construction will take about three years.

To learn more, visit EPA’s website.

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) collects data from hundreds of air quality monitors provided by state, local and Tribal air quality agencies, along with crowd-sourced data from air quality sensors. This data underpins the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map, which EPA developed in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service. This tool provides current air quality information, smoke plume locations and recommended actions to take to protect your health – all in one place. The map is available in English and Spanish. In addition to being accessible through EPA’s webpage, the map also is available through the AirNow smartphone app. EPA is promoting these resources through digital channels (see tweet thread from the EPA account, and this thread from the Administrator, and this thread from the AirNow account). EPA has more detailed information resources tailored to specific audiences.[1] EPA will continue to maintain close contact with our state and local partners throughout the region. EPA also provided the statement below to a network of interested reporters.

EPA June 7 Desk Statement

A weather system carries smoke from wildfires in Canada hundreds of miles into the U.S., pushing air quality into the unhealthy or worse categories in areas from the mid-Atlantic through the Northeast and parts of the Upper Great Lakes. EPA encourages people living in these areas to check their Air Quality Index (AQI) throughout the day to see their local air quality and steps to take to reduce smoke exposure and protect their health. Pay attention to any health symptoms if you have asthma, COPD, heart disease, or are pregnant. Get medical help if you need it.

Smoke can cause air quality to change rapidly. Stay up to date on current air quality and forecasts near you through the AirNow app, available for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. You also can use the app to check the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map. EPA and the U.S. Forest Service developed the map to give the public information on fire locations, smoke plumes, near real-time air quality and actions to take to protect your health -- all in one place. The map is available at the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map webpage, or by tapping the Smoke icon in the AirNow app. It includes data from hundreds of air quality monitors provided by state and local air quality agencies, along with crowd-sourced data from air quality sensors.

Most healthy adults and children will recover quickly from smoke exposure and will not have long-lasting health effects. But people with chronic diseases, such as asthma, other lung disease, or cardiovascular disease are at greater risk of experiencing more severe health effects. Children, pregnant people, and people over 65 also are more vulnerable to health effects from smoke exposure Limit your outdoor exercise when it is smoky or choose lower-intensity activities to reduce your smoke exposure. When indoors, take steps to keep your indoor air cool and clean. For more tips, see AirNow’s When Smoke is in the Air webpage.

Larger and more intense wildfires are creating the potential for greater smoke production and chronic exposures in the U.S., particularly in the West. Wildfires increase air pollution in surrounding areas and can affect regional air quality. If you have to be outdoors when wildfire smoke is in the air, an N-95 mask can help reduce the smoke you breathe in and potential health risks. 

State, local and tribal governments work closely with EPA, the Forest Service, and other departments to maintain a strong monitoring network to help inform the public about local air quality conditions and what steps to take to protect themselves from air pollution and wildfire smoke. This partnership is what makes AirNow.gov work.

[1] Wildfires and Indoor Air Quality for the general public; Wildfires and Indoor Air Quality in Schools and Commercial Buildings; Wildfire Smoke Guide for Public Health Officials and associated factsheets.

ATLANTA (June 7, 2023) — As the new Atlantic hurricane season kicks off this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reminding people, businesses and state and local governments where they can find the best information on preparedness before hurricane force winds or storm flooding may occur. 

“Being prepared and having a plan to protect your family and home is imperative during hurricane season,” said Acting EPA Region 4 Administrator Jeaneanne Gettle. "We want to inform the public – particularly people in storm-prone coastal areas throughout the Southeast – about how they can prepare for hurricane season and help protect their communities, the environment and first responders by mitigating hazardous waste and securing potential harmful debris before storms strike."

EPA understands that effective emergency response and recovery is most successful when every person, community, business leader and government official is prepared. In addition, the agency is taking this opportunity to remind facility operators of their legal obligations to prevent, minimize and report chemical releases in order to fully protect people and the environment. EPA is also urging those who live in hurricane-prone areas to take proactive steps now to be prepared for hurricane season.

EPA's hurricane website includes information for business operators on preventing and reporting chemical releases due to severe weather. Local governments and community agencies can find suggestions for preparing and protecting water and wastewater facilities. There is also detailed information for debris management planning, since storm debris can occur in enormous amounts that overwhelm local landfills and can also present serious dangers to human health and the environment.

To aid facilities, EPA has posted specific information about release prevention and preparedness requirements and that clarifies reporting requirements, including exemptions. Unlike some natural disasters, the onset of a hurricane is predictable and allows for early preparations to lessen its effect on a facility. EPA’s central hub for disaster and hurricane information is https://www.epa.gov/hurricanes.

To help individuals and families prepare for hurricane season, there are also resources available on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) websites in English at www.Ready.gov and in Spanish at www.Listo.gov.

For alerts from the National Weather service, visit https://www.weather.gov/alerts.

EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister (right) presents a $500,000 ceremonial check to Clinton Mayor Scott Maddasion (left) and Clinton City Administrator Matt Brooke in Clinton, Iowa, on June 7, 2023. (Photo credit: U.S. EPA)

LENEXA, KAN. (JUNE 7, 2023) – Today, near a brownfield site in historic downtown Clinton, Iowa, EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister presented a $500,000 ceremonial check to the City of Clinton as a Brownfields Cleanup Grant selectee. McCollister was joined by city leaders Mayor Scott Maddasion and City Administrator Matt Brooke.

EPA has selected the City of Clinton for this grant that will be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Grant funds will be used to clean up the South 4th Street Property located on the 1000 block of South 4th Street. The cleanup site consists of two- and three-story buildings that were used for residential apartments and retail businesses, including a grocery store, laundromat, hardware store, and restaurant. The buildings have been vacant for over a decade are in disrepair, and are contaminated with asbestos containing materials. Grant funds also will be used to conduct community engagement activities.

These investments are part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to grow the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to driving over $470 billion in private-sector manufacturing and clean-energy investments in the United States, to creating a manufacturing and innovation boom powered by good-paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree, to building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.

“Downtowns are the heart and soul of many communities throughout the heartland,” McCollister said. “We are proud to partner with the City of Clinton, and we share their commitment to cleaning up contaminated sites in the area to protect our environment and Clinton residents, while allowing for future redevelopment.”

“The City of Clinton is honored that EPA Region 7 selected our city to receive a $500,000 Brownfields Grant,” Brooke said. “This grant will enable Clinton to engage in a vital environmental cleanup project. This will allow the removal of four, multiple-storied, nuisance and vacant buildings that are visible to all traveling to and from our historic Clinton Downtown. It will provide future economic growth and will completely change the entrance and exit to our downtown. Partnering with EPA, IDNR, East Central Intergovernmental Association, and our downtown, Clinton will continue to work toward a cleaner and greener Clinton for people to live, work and enjoy.”

Background

EPA has selected these organizations to receive funding to address and support the reuse of brownfield sites. EPA anticipates making all the recently announced awards, once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.

EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.37 billion in Brownfields Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. EPA’s investments in addressing brownfield sites have leveraged over $36 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding has leveraged nearly 260,000 jobs from both public and private sources. Communities that previously received Brownfields Grants used these resources to fund assessments and cleanups of brownfields, and successfully leveraged an average of 10.6 jobs per $100,000 of EPA Brownfield Grant funds spent and $19.78 for every dollar.

The next National Brownfields Training Conference will be held on Aug. 8-11, 2023, in Detroit. Offered every two years, this conference is the largest gathering of stakeholders focused on cleaning up and reusing former commercial and industrial properties. EPA co-sponsors this event with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

• Learn more about Brownfields Grants
• Learn more about EPA’s Brownfields Program

# # #

Learn more about EPA Region 7

View all Region 7 news releases

Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter: @EPARegion7

EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister (right) presents a $2 million ceremonial check to ECIA Director of Special Programs Jennifer Walker in Clinton, Iowa, on June 7, 2023. (Photo credit: U.S. EPA)

LENEXA, KAN. (JUNE 7, 2023) – Today, near a brownfield site in historic downtown Clinton, Iowa, EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister presented a $2 million ceremonial check to the East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA) in Iowa.

McCollister was joined by ECIA Project Manager Dawn Danielson, ECIA Director of Special Programs Jennifer Walker, and other regional partners.

EPA has selected ECIA to lead a $1 million Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant that will be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Grant funds will be used to inventory brownfield sites and conduct 10 Phase I and 20 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to conduct planning and community outreach activities.

Assessment activities will focus on Cedar, Clinton, Delaware, Dubuque, Jackson, and Jones counties in Iowa, and the city of Edgewood, Iowa. Priority sites include a vacant and unmaintained college campus, an abandoned industrial and manufacturing building, a former coal-fired gas plant, and a vacant garage. Non-lead coalition members include Clinton County and Limestone Bluffs Resource, Conservation, and Development Inc.

EPA also selected ECIA to receive an additional $1 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for their successful Revolving Loan Fund (RLF).

These investments are part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to grow the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to driving over $470 billion in private-sector manufacturing and clean-energy investments in the United States, to creating a manufacturing and innovation boom powered by good-paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree, to building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.

“EPA Region 7 has a long and successful history working with ECIA through our Brownfields Program,” McCollister said. “With the new grants, ECIA will continue working with our communities to create a cleaner environment and spur economic development in the region.”

“ECIA is grateful and honored to have been selected for a $1 million Assessment Coalition Grant,” Danielson said. “With the funds, ECIA can continue its efforts within the region and is able to expand in offering brownfield assistance in Jones County.”

“The Brownfields Program will be a huge boon to Jones County since we have never had access to the funding and resources before,” said Executive Director of Jones County Economic Development Derek Lumsden. “These resources can help us identify and mitigate risk for potential future development and keep us competitive in the business realm.”

“As small organizations, we also have a long history of leaning on our peers to learn new programs,” said Executive Director of the East Central Iowa Council of Government Karen Kurt. “We are excited to partner with ECIA’s successful Brownfields program to both serve Jones County and expand our knowledge base.”

Background

EPA has selected these organizations to receive funding to address and support the reuse of brownfield sites. EPA anticipates making all the recently announced awards, once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.

EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.37 billion in Brownfields Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. EPA’s investments in addressing brownfield sites have leveraged over $36 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding has leveraged nearly 260,000 jobs from both public and private sources. Communities that previously received Brownfields Grants used these resources to fund assessments and cleanups of brownfields, and successfully leveraged an average of 10.6 jobs per $100,000 of EPA Brownfield Grant funds spent and $19.78 for every dollar.

The next National Brownfields Training Conference will be held on Aug. 8-11, 2023, in Detroit. Offered every two years, this conference is the largest gathering of stakeholders focused on cleaning up and reusing former commercial and industrial properties. EPA co-sponsors this event with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

• Learn more about Brownfields Grants
• Learn more about EPA’s Brownfields Program

# # #

Learn more about EPA Region 7

View all Region 7 news releases

Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter: @EPARegion7

HONOLULU – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Extra Space Management, Inc. and Kaloko Storage 18 LLC, the respective operator and owner of an Extra Space Storage facility on the island of Hawaii. The Extra Space Storage facility has been operating an illegal large capacity cesspool (LCC) at the property. Under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA banned LCCs in 2005.

“Illegal large capacity cesspools pose major threats to groundwater and precious coastal resources across Hawai‘i,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “EPA is committed to using our enforcement authority to ensure that all such unlawful cesspools are permanently closed to protect the public health of residents and their vital water resources.”

EPA is authorized to issue compliance orders and/or assess penalties to violators of the Safe Drinking Water Act’s underground injection control regulations. EPA inspected the Extra Space Storage facility in July 2021 and sent an information request in September of that year about the method of wastewater disposal at the property. The agency confirmed there was one LCC in operation at the site. As a result, the LCC was backfilled in December 2022 and Extra Space Management Inc. and Kaloko Storage 18 LLC agreed to pay a $130,000 penalty.

Cesspools collect and release untreated raw sewage into the ground, where disease-causing pathogens and harmful chemicals can contaminate groundwater, streams, and the ocean.

Since the 2005 federal ban, more than 3,750 large capacity cesspools in Hawaii have been closed; however, hundreds remain in operation. Cesspools are used more widely in Hawaii than any other state and pose a unique challenge as groundwater provides 95 percent of all water supply for the islands.

To encourage regulated entities to voluntarily discover, promptly disclose, and expeditiously close these pollution-causing systems, EPA provides penalty mitigation and other incentives for companies that proactively find and close LCCs on their property. Information on how to self-disclose potential large-capacity cesspool violations is available here. 

You can view the public notice of this settlement here.

Learn more about the federal ban and definition of a large-capacity cesspool.

Learn more about cesspools in Hawaii.

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter.

San Juan, PR (June 7, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that LEAP Social Enterprise, Inc. will receive a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment grant to conduct environmental assessments and develop approximately eight cleanup plans at high-priority properties in Puerto Rico. The target areas for this grant are Río Piedras, Carolina and the PR-198 Corridor between Juncos and Humacao. Among the priority sites there are schools that closed and not in used.

“EPA is investing in America through its Brownfields program. The program lifts the financial burden of communities cleaning up contaminated sites, especially underserved and overburdened communities,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This funding will pave the way for cleaning up sites, to bring back their economic potential—including former schools—and redeveloping them for the benefit of Puerto Rican communities. An initial investment in Brownfields is a real investment in children, families, neighbors, and communities, and we at EPA are happy to support that investment here in Puerto Rico.

“During the rapid industrialization of Puerto Rico in the past century, many communities have been impacted by pollution creating a challenge to long term health and safety, and also to their ability to redevelop and give new uses to the sites particularly in the Metropolitan Area and in the Southeastern Puerto Rico. The EPA funding through the MARC brownfields grants is a valuable tool to address these situations and enable long term recovery. The additional availability of this funding through bipartisan legislation in Congress will help extend this program to even more communities,” said Rep. Jenniffer González Colón. 

On the other hand, Dr. Gloria Bonilla, director of LEAP Enterprise, added that “the acquisition of this aid will allow us to clean the school Gerardo Sellés Solá and the areas that are nearby. This way we can begin to move forward with the construction of what will become the LEAP STEAM + E Resilience Community.” According to Bonilla, the center will count with health and welfare services, development of environmental sustainability and the creation of business leaders. “We have announced that this center is part of the expansion of the LEAP project in Puerto Rico and that our vision is to turn it into a link to economic growth for all the communities near us in San Juan and its neighboring municipalities. We are so thankful for the help that we have received for the development of these projects that have a direct impact in the entire community, “expressed Bonilla.

The funds announced today are part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to expedite the assessment and cleanup of brownfields sites while advancing environmental justice through the Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (MARC) Grant programs. In May, EPA announced the largest ever funding awarded in the history of the EPA Brownfields MARC Grant programs, thanks to the historic boost from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Background  

Many communities that are under economic stress, particularly those located in areas that have experienced long periods of disinvestment, lack the resources needed to initiate brownfield assessment, cleanup and redevelopment projects. As brownfield sites are transformed into community assets, they attract jobs, promote economic revitalization, and transform communities into sustainable and environmentally just places.

Thanks to the historic $1.5 billion investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA’s Brownfields Program is helping more communities than ever begin to address the economic, social and environmental challenges caused by brownfields and stimulate economic opportunity and environmental revitalization in historically overburdened communities.  

EPA’s Brownfields Program also advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative to direct 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities. Approximately 84% of the MARC program applications selected to receive funding proposed to work in areas that include historically underserved communities. 

EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.37 billion in Brownfield Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. EPA’s investments in addressing brownfield sites have leveraged more than $36 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Communities that previously received Brownfields Grants used these resources to fund assessments and cleanups of brownfields, and successfully leverage an average of 10.6 jobs per $100,000 of grant funds spent and $19.78 for every dollar. 

More on Brownfields Grants.   

More on EPA’s Brownfields Program.  

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

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BOSTON – New England state air quality forecasters are predicting air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups, due to elevated concentrations of fine particle air pollution from wildfires in Quebec and Northern Ontario.  Areas predicted to exceed the Federal air quality standard for 24-hour particle pollution level concentrations on June 7 are: 

Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island

EPA and state forecasters are predicting that the smoke will linger in New England for a few days.  These locations are subject to change, so please refer to EPA New England's AQI Air Quality Index for current air quality conditions and forecasts across New England.

Hazy skies, reduced visibility, and the odor of burning wood is very likely as the smoke plumes are transported over the region. During the times that significant smoke is in your area, it is recommended that people with pre-existing medical conditions remain indoors with windows closed while circulating indoor air with a fan or air conditioner.

Exposure to elevated fine particle pollution levels can affect both your lungs and heart which may cause breathing problems, aggravate asthma, and other pre-existing lung diseases.  When particulate matter levels are elevated, people should refrain from strenuous outdoor activity, especially sensitive populations such as children and adults with respiratory problems. 

Everyone can take steps to keep air emissions down during air quality advisory days.  As climate change increases the probability of unseasonably warm weather, these kinds of air quality events are predicted to increase in frequency.  Communities already vulnerable and overburdened will also be impacted by these kinds of events.  

More information:

Real-time ozone data and air quality forecasts New England Air Quality Index
National real-time air quality data (free iPhone and Android apps) AirNow 
Air Quality Alerts  EnviroFlash  
EPA's ENERGY STAR Program:  EPA's ENERGY STAR Program

San Juan, PR – La Agencia de Protección Ambiental de Estados Unidos (EPA, por sus siglas en inglés) anunció hoy que LEAP Social Enterprise, Inc. recibirá una subvención de $500,000 del Programa Brownfields con el fin de realizar evaluaciones ambientales y desarrollar aproximadamente ocho planes de remediación en propiedades de alta prioridad en Puerto Rico. Las áreas objetivo para esta subvención son Río Piedras, Carolina y el corredor PR-198 entre Juncos y Humacao. Los sitios prioritarios incluyen entre ellos escuelas antiguas.

“La EPA está invirtiendo en Estados Unidos a través de su programa de Brownfields. El programa alivia la carga financiera de las comunidades que restauran lugares previamente contaminados, especialmente las comunidades desatendidas y marginadas”, señaló la administradora regional de la EPA, Lisa F. García. “Este financiamiento allanará el camino para restaurar estos lugares, recuperar su potencial económico - incluyendo las antiguas escuelas - y reconstruirlos en beneficio de las comunidades en Puerto Rico. Una inversión inicial en Brownfields es una inversión real en niños, familias, vecinos y comunidades, y nosotros en la EPA estamos felices de apoyar esa inversión,” amplió García.

“Durante la rápida industrialización de Puerto Rico en el siglo pasado, muchas comunidades han sido afectadas por la contaminación creando un reto para la salud y la seguridad a largo plazo, y también para su capacidad de reurbanizar y dar nuevos usos a los sitios particularmente en el Área Metropolitana y en el Sureste de Puerto Rico. El financiamiento de la EPA a través de las subvenciones MARC brownfields es una herramienta valiosa para abordar estas situaciones y permitir la recuperación a largo plazo. La disponibilidad adicional de estos fondos a través de una legislación bipartidista en el Congreso ayudará a extender este programa a más comunidades”, dijo la representante Jenniffer González Colón. 

Por su parte, la doctora Gloria Bonilla, directora del programa LEAP Enterprise, añadió que “la obtención de esta ayuda nos permitirá realizar las labores de limpieza de la Escuela Gerardo Sellés Solá y sus áreas cercanas y comenzar así a dar pasos de avanzada para la construcción de lo que será el Centro Comunitario de Resiliencia LEAP STEAM + E.”  Según Bonilla, el centro contará con servicios de salud y bienestar, desarrollo de sostenibilidad ambiental y fabricación de líderes empresariales. “Hemos anunciado anteriormente que este centro es parte de la expansión del proyecto LEAP en Puerto Rico y que nuestra visión es convertirlo en un nexo de desarrollo económico para todas las comunidades de áreas cercanas, del Municipio de San Juan y de pueblos limítrofes. Nos sentimos muy agradecidos por la ayuda brindada para el desarrollo de estos proyectos que tienen un impacto directo en toda la comunidad", expresó Bonilla.

Los fondos anunciados hoy forman parte de la Agenda del presidente Biden “Investing in America” para acelerar la evaluación y limpieza de terrenos industriales abandonados promoviendo a la vez la justicia ambiental a través de los programas de subvenciones multipropósito, evaluación, fondo de préstamos rotativos y limpieza (MARC). En mayo, la EPA anunció el mayor financiamiento otorgado en la historia de los programas de subvenciones MARC de Brownfields de la EPA, gracias al impulso histórico de la Ley Bipartidista de Infraestructura.

Antecedentes

Muchas comunidades que están en desventaja económica, particularmente aquéllas ubicadas en áreas que han experimentado largos periodos de falta de inversión, carecen de los recursos necesarios para iniciar proyectos de evaluación, limpieza y reurbanización de terrenos abandonados. A medida que los terrenos industriales abandonados se transforman en activos comunitarios, atraen empleos, promueven la revitalización económica y transforman a las comunidades cercanas en lugares sostenibles y ambientalmente justos.

Gracias a la inversión histórica de $1,500 millones de la Ley Bipartidista de Infraestructura (BIL, por sus siglas en inglés) del presidente Biden, el Programa de Brownfields de la EPA ayuda a más comunidades a comenzar a abordar los desafíos económicos, sociales y ambientales causados por los “brownfields” y a estimular las oportunidades económicas y la revitalización ambiental en comunidades históricamente sobrecargadas.

El Programa de Brownfields de la EPA también promueve la iniciativa Justice40 del presidente Biden cuyo propósito es destinar el 40% de los beneficios generales de ciertas inversiones federales a las comunidades desventajadas. Aproximadamente el 84% de las solicitudes del programa MARC que fueron seleccionadas para recibir fondos se proponen a trabajar en áreas que incluyen comunidades históricamente desatendidas.

El Programa de Brownfields de la EPA comenzó en 1995 y ha proporcionado casi $2,370 millones en subvenciones para evaluar y limpiar propiedades contaminadas y devolver las propiedades deterioradas a la reutilización productiva. Las inversiones de la EPA para atender los terrenos industriales abandonados han aprovechado más de $36 mil millones en limpieza y reurbanización. Las comunidades que anteriormente recibieron subvenciones de Brownfields utilizaron estos recursos para financiar evaluaciones y limpiezas de estos, y aprovecharon con éxito un promedio de 10.6 empleos por cada $100,000 de fondos de subvención gastados y $19.78 por cada dólar.

Más sobre las subvenciones de Brownfields.   

Más sobre el Programa de Brownfields de la EPA.  

Siga a la Región 2 de la EPA en Twitter y visite nuestra página de Facebook. Para más información sobre la Región 2 de la EPA, visite nuestro sitio web.

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