PHILADELPHIA (May 16, 2023) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will host a community meeting for residents of Hanover and Jessup, Maryland to share information about health risks from the chemical, ethylene oxide or EtO. The community meeting will take place in the Jessup Community Hall on June 8 at 6 p.m. During the meeting, EPA staff will discuss revised risk information related to the Elite Spice Inc. commercial sterilizer facilities, located at 1415 Magellan Drive in Hanover and 7151 Montevideo Road in Jessup.

EPA has proposed an Air Toxics Rule for EtO Sterilizers which is out for public comment.  The agency is sharing EtO emissions data and information with the public to solicit feedback.  EPA aims to improve public understanding of the risk; help states, Tribes, communities, and the industry reduce risk from EtO in the near-term; and hear input as the agency continues to develop regulations to reduce air pollution from commercial sterilizers.

EPA will be joined by federal and state environmental and health officials to address questions, comments, and concerns from the public, including Maryland’s Department of the Environment staff who will discuss work they are doing in partnership with Elite Spice, Inc. to reduce emissions and risk.

Location:   Jessup Community Hall

                        2920 Jessup Road

                        Jessup, Maryland 20794

Time:              6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

To register for this in-person meeting, visit:

• https://www.epa.gov/hazardous-air-pollutants-ethylene-oxide/forms/jessup-maryland-elite-spice-inc, or
• https://www.epa.gov/hazardous-air-pollutants-ethylene-oxide/forms/hanover-maryland-elite-spice-inc

To comment on EPA’s proposed Air Toxics Rule for Sterilization, visit:  https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0244-0044

For more information about the EPA’s efforts to address ethylene oxide.

To contact us, go to:  eto@epa.gov.

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan and Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn convened for a ceremonial signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two agencies to broaden and strengthen institutional ties and create opportunities for cooperation related to strategic planning, training, management assistance and project implementation.   

Through the formal partnership, Peace Corps will use evidence-based practice and traditional ecological knowledge, along with EPA’s expertise to inform its programming for Peace Corps Volunteers to help address global environmental challenges at the local level in communities around the world. Areas of collaboration include solid waste and wastewater management; improved cookstoves to protect forest and human health; building the capacity of environmental institutions; coastal, watershed and natural resource planning and management; and biodiversity preservation and restoration. In addition to programming, the MOU creates career opportunities for returned Peace Corps Volunteers and former Peace Corps staff to join the EPA team in support of their mission.

“EPA greatly values our long history of environmental cooperation with the Peace Corps,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “We’re proud to strengthen our commitment to working together – in partnership with our volunteers and communities around the world – to combat the climate crisis, advance the values of environmental justice and equity, and strengthen environmental governance.”

“Emulating the intricate coordination of nature’s living systems, the Peace Corps plays a critical role in the ecosystem of actors working toward environmental justice, a green economy, and everything in between,” said Director Spahn. “Together with EPA, we will take intentional actions to support localized climate adaptation and environmental protection efforts in 24 Sub-Saharan African countries. This partnership directly contributes to some of the communities most affected by climate change and environmental degradation around the world.” 

The MOU advances the agencies’ shared commitment announced in December 2022 at the African and Diaspora Young Leaders Forum in Washington, D.C. At the summit, Peace Corps committed $4 million for Peace Corps Volunteers to work on projects combatting climate change on the African continent.  

Since 2010, EPA and Peace Corps have partnered on environmental protection efforts in international communities of shared concern, including Jamaica, Panama, Costa Rica, Uganda, Kenya, Burkina Faso, and Morocco. Prior collaborations included technical input on Peace Corps training materials and environmental programs, handbooks on clean cookstoves, environmental education, pesticides, solid waste, and climate change.  

Peace Corps currently has nearly 1,400 Volunteers serving in 53 countries across Africa; Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia; and the Inter-Americas and Pacific regions in support of government and community priorities. Both agencies will work side-by-side with local communities to protect a shared environmental future and in-country volunteering initiatives. More information about how to join the Peace Corps.

BOSTON (May 15, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the issuance of an Administrative Order (AO) requiring the Town of Epping, NH to complete timely corrective actions at the Town's wastewater treatment facility. On multiple occasions starting in December 2021, the Town has bypassed certain treatment processes and discharged partially treated wastewater into the Lamprey River, in violation of its Clean Water Act discharge permit.

"The violations at the Epping wastewater treatment facility are very serious. This order will help ensure clean drinking water for the downstream communities of Durham and the University of New Hampshire," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "The Lamprey River is also a popular recreational waterway that empties into ecologically sensitive Great Bay. Today's action will safeguard water quality and protect public health and the environment."

The AO requires the Town to complete all work on a Short-Term Corrective Actions Plan by December 31, 2023, including eliminating the discharge of partially treated wastewater, and submitting to EPA and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) a Long-Term Corrective Actions Plan by June 30, 2024. The AO also requires the Town to evaluate additional wastewater treatment options and ensure that its plant operator and backup operator satisfy the stringent state requirements for such positions.

"NHDES supports EPA in issuing this Administrative Order to ensure that the Town achieves compliance with its discharge permits in the most expeditious manner," said Robert R. Scott, Commissioner, NHDES. "Continued action is crucial to making sure the Lamprey River is protected for its many uses which includes its important role as a source of drinking water for UNH and Durham."

The Administrative Order also requires the Town to:

• Develop a Fats, Oil and Grease (FOG) program;
• Conduct a staffing evaluation at the facility;
• Develop and implement a plan for public notification of bypass; and
• Submit quarterly progress reports to EPA and NHDES documenting its progress.

The UNH-Durham water system intake is more than 11 miles downstream and has avoided use of the Lamprey River supply during the bypass operations, such that there is no impact to the drinking water supply. Testing of the Lamprey River is being performed to ensure that bacteria levels have not increased. UNH-Durham drinking water system also undergoes rigorous water quality testing to ensure ongoing compliance with all drinking water standards.

ATLANTA (May 15, 2023) – On Wednesday, May 17, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 Administrator will join officials from Clayton County Public Schools (CCPS) and partners to announce the availability of $400 Million in new grant funding for Clean School Buses. The grants will fund the replacement of existing school buses with clean and zero-emission (ZE) school buses. CCPS is a previous Clean School Bus rebate recipient.

WHAT:         

Clean School Bus Grant Announcement

WHO:         

EPA Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman

Jeffrey E. Turner, Chairman of the Clayton County Board of Commissioners

Denise Hall, Executive Director of Transportation, Clayton County Public Schools     

Lux Ho, Georgia Field Coordinator for Moms Clean Air Force

Anne Blair, Director of Policy for the Electrification Coalition

Tanya Coventry-Strader, Executive Director, Mothers and Others for Clean  Air

WHERE:      

Michelle Obama STEM Elementary Academy

11485 Panhandle Rd, Hampton, GA 30228

WHEN:        

Wednesday May 17, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

***Interested media should e-mail an RSVP to region4press@epa.gov. Please include your name, media affiliation and contact information.

NEW YORK (May 15, 2023) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposed settlement with Bank of America to address the White Swan Cleaners/Sun Cleaners Area Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site in Wall Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Under the proposed agreement, Bank of America, the current owner of the White Swan property, will be required to fund and perform vapor intrusion and groundwater cleanup work at an estimated cost of $29 million.

"With this settlement EPA is holding Bank of America accountable for its share of the cleanup at the White Swan site," said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. " After years of investigation and cleanup efforts, this is a significant step towards resolving the contamination issues at the site for the benefit of the community, the environment, and public health."

“The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are committed to protecting the health of those who live and work in the vicinity of the White Swan Cleaners/Sun Cleaners site,” New Jersey Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette said. “We have partnered together to test indoor air at hundreds of business and residential properties and installed ventilation systems on dozens with vapor intrusion concerns. This settlement with Bank of America ensures that long term cleanup, including remediation of contaminated groundwater and future vapor mitigation work, will be funded by the responsible party, not by the taxpayers.”

Bank of America became legally responsible for the site when it bought the White Swan property through a series of bank mergers and acquisitions in 2004.

Bank of America also will reimburse EPA for certain aspects of its cleanup work, paying $10.8 million, and pay up to $1.5 million for future EPA oversight costs. As part of the agreement, Bank of America will construct and then run the groundwater pump and treatment system for four years to capture and clean the most highly contaminated groundwater at the site.

The company will pay up to a total of $6.5 million to the State of New Jersey to settle its liability for cleanup and removal costs, to voluntarily resolve its liability for natural resource damages (NRD), and to address long-term operational needs of the treatment system. This amount includes $3.7 million for cleanup costs and $2.8 million set aside in an escrow account for any future groundwater system operation and maintenance or added vapor intrusion work needed after the State takes over the cleanup.

Vapor intrusion occurs when volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from contaminated soil and groundwater seep into buildings, potentially exposing occupants to harmful chemicals. EPA has found that the former dry-cleaning operations of White Swan Cleaners and Sun Cleaners were the sources of soil and groundwater contamination. VOCs from the contamination can easily evaporate into the air and cause health hazards. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2004. In the course of the cleanup, EPA and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) have installed several indoor air ventilation systems after conducting indoor air testing on residential and commercial properties. In 2018, EPA also oversaw Bank of America’s removal of contaminated soil from the White Swan property. Cleanup of the Sun property, which is not related to the White Swan property, is being funded by EPA.

The proposed consent decree, which has been lodged in the U.S. Federal District Court of New Jersey, is subject to a 60-day comment period. The Department of Justice and EPA will evaluate the comments and decide whether to proceed and then, if appropriate, seek final approval by the court.

For more information, to view the proposed consent decree and to give comments, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees

For additional background, please visit the White Swan Cleaners/Sun Cleaners Area Ground Water Contamination Superfund site profile page.

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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NEW YORK - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public input on its proposed cleanup plan to use a process called chemical oxidation to address recently discovered 1,4 dioxane groundwater contamination at the Monitor Devices, Inc./Intercircuits, Inc. Superfund site in Wall Township, New Jersey. A 30-day public comment period for the proposed plan begins May 11, 2023. EPA will host a public meeting at Wall Township Branch of the Monmouth County Library, 2700 Allaire Rd, Wall Township, NJ 07719 on Thursday, May 25, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. to explain the new cleanup proposal.

“Community engagement and feedback is a key part of EPA’s process as we work to select a cleanup plan at this Superfund site,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “EPA’s proposed plan for the Monitor Devices/Intercircuits site will address the 1,4-dioxane contamination in the groundwater. We encourage the public to join our meeting, ask questions and share their views on the proposed plan.”

The Monitor Devices/Intercircuits site is the former location of a manufacturing facility that produced and assembled printed circuit boards from 1977 to 1980. The plating processes used chemicals that polluted the groundwater with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and 1,4-dioxane. VOCs can cause health problems such as headaches, nausea, and liver damage. 1,4-dioxane can increase the risk of cancer.

In 2005, EPA chose a cleanup method called in-situ bioremediation to break down the VOCs in the groundwater. This method involves injecting non-hazardous additives into the groundwater that help bacteria degrade the VOCs. EPA started this cleanup in 2010 and will continue it until cleanup goals are achieved, which it expects will be in 2024. However, this method does not work for 1,4-dioxane, which EPA discovered at the site in 2010 during the cleanup process.

The new cleanup plan, announced today, proposes to remove 1,4-dioxane from the groundwater with a method called in-situ chemical oxidation using permeable reactive barriers. This method involves constructing a filtering wall underground that will capture and destroy the 1,4-dioxane contamination as it flows through the ground. Samples of the groundwater will be collected and analyzed to ensure that the technology is effective. EPA will monitor the groundwater for several years after the cleanup goals have been met to demonstrate that the groundwater is no longer a source of contamination.

Written comments on the proposed plan may be mailed or emailed to David Montoya, Remedial Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway – 19th Floor, New York, NY 10007, Email: montoya.david@epa.gov.

For additional background and to see the proposed cleanup plan, visit the Monitor Devices, Inc./Intercircuits, Inc. Superfund site profile page

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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Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a memorandum of understanding with Northeastern Illinois University that will help increase environmental knowledge, research and community engagement while providing enhanced academic and career opportunities for students from historically underrepresented groups.

“EPA’s partnerships with higher education institutions are invaluable to our work in protecting public health and the environment,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “It is our hope that this partnership will help to bring together diverse communities and open up career pathways in environmental protection for students across the university.”

Under the agreement, Northeastern Illinois University will work with EPA employees to explore creative solutions to environmental problems while providing students access to training programs and opportunities for career growth.

“By taking this step, NEIU joins EPA’s Office of Civil Rights and Office of Regional Council in demonstrating that we are committed to moving beyond the talk of equity, diversity and inclusion to actually creating the necessary opportunities to forge a truly diverse and equitable workforce,” said Northeastern Illinois University President Gloria Gibson. “We are confident that our students will benefit from this partnership, obtaining knowledge and experience in the field that can open new career paths for them.”

The agreement between EPA and NEIU highlights a shared commitment to protecting public health, improving environmental sustainability and creating opportunities for people of all backgrounds to gain valuable experience. EPA is committed to its work with universities to promote environmental stewardship and create a more sustainable and equitable future.

Northeastern Illinois University offers more than 40 undergraduate degree and certificate programs and more than 50 graduate degree, certificate, licensure and endorsement programs. The Main Campus is located on 67 acres in an attractive residential area on the Northwest Side of Chicago. The University has additional locations in the metropolitan area, including the Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies, El Centro and the University Center of Lake County.

More information is available here.

HARTFORD, CONN. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has completed an enforcement action alleging Autumn Transportation, Inc. of Rocky Hill, Conn. violated state and federal Clean Air Act standards by allowing excessive idling of school buses at a bus yard in Hartford, Conn. Under a settlement, the company will implement an anti-idling program at its facility and will pay a penalty.

"Pollution from diesel-powered vehicles is a serious health concern in New England, particularly in historically underserved communities that are already disproportionately exposed to higher levels of pollution, "said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “EPA is committed to addressing compliance issues across all of our programs to ensure communities have clean air, clean water, and are free from pollution. By including the implementation of anti-idling measures in our settlement, EPA can better protect the community of Hartford and its children, who are particularly vulnerable to diesel exhaust."

Autumn Transportation is a privately-owned Connecticut corporation that owns and operates about 120 buses to provide bus transportation for students and the public. In spring 2022, EPA responded to a citizen complaint alleging excessive idling at Autumn Transportation’s school bus yard in Hartford. On two separate days EPA conducted inspections of the bus yard and observed 30 school buses idling for a total of 418 minutes in alleged violation of state and federal law.

Under the terms of the settlement, Autumn Transportation has agreed to implement various anti-idling compliance measures, including tracking school bus idling times via a telematics system, increased driver awareness training, posting "No Excessive Idling" signs, increasing their supervision of facility lots, and certifying compliance with federal and state regulations limiting idling of vehicles. Autumn Transportation will also pay a penalty of $24,225 for its alleged violations.

Background

Connecticut's federally enforceable State Implementation Plan contains an anti-idling regulation that prohibits motor vehicles for idling unnecessarily for longer than three minutes.

Idling diesel engines emit pollutants that can cause or aggravate a variety of health conditions, including asthma and other respiratory diseases. And the fine particles in diesel exhaust are a likely carcinogen. Diesel exhaust not only contributes to area-wide air quality problems, but more direct exposure can cause lightheadedness, nausea, sore throat, coughing, and other symptoms. Drivers, school children riding on the buses, facility workers, neighbors and bystanders are all vulnerable.

More information:

EPA School Bus Idle Reduction

WILMINGTON, MASS. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a proposed Consent Decree with four parties responsible for contamination at the Olin Chemical Superfund Site in Wilmington, Mass. Under the agreement, American Biltrite Inc., NOR-AM Agro LLC, Olin Corporation, and Stepan Company will address areas of soil, sediment, and surface water contamination on and around the former Olin property and implement an interim cleanup plan for groundwater at an estimated cost of approximately $48 million.

"This settlement allows EPA to move forward on the much-needed cleanup of contaminated groundwater, surface water, soil, and sediment at this site," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash." Cleaning up Superfund sites is a top priority for EPA here in New England and is part of the agency's commitment to protecting community health and ecosystems through our cleanups nationwide. This is also a good example of EPA's cleanup enforcement program holding potentially responsible parties to account in addressing contaminated sites so taxpayers aren't stuck with the costs."

"We are pleased that significant funds will be committed to address contaminated soil, wetlands, and surface and drinking water at and near the Olin site," said Commissioner Bonnie Heiple of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). "MassDEP's involvement with the site spans four decades – from early identification and investigation of impacts, to directing removal of impacted soil, drums, and debris. We look forward to continuing to work alongside EPA and our federal partners to ensure completion of a thorough cleanup that is protective of Massachusetts residents and resources."

Under the proposed Consent Decree, the four settling defendants, led by Olin Corporation, will perform the cleanup at the site. In addition to the site cleanup costs outlined in the consent decree, the four parties will also pay approximately $400,000 for EPA's past cleanup costs at the site, as well as the agency's costs to oversee the cleanup.

The site is comprised of the Olin property, an approximately 50-acre parcel located at 51 Eames Street in Wilmington, and the surrounding areas where contamination has migrated.

Site Background

Chemical manufacturing by a series of owners and operators began at the site in 1953 and continued until 1986. Olin Corporation purchased the property in 1980. The facility was used to produce blowing agents, stabilizers, antioxidants, and other specialized chemicals for the rubber and plastics industry. Prior to the early 1970s, chemicals were discharged into several unlined pits and ponds in the central portion of the property, and later even when lined lagoons were used, leaks in the liners resulted in additional releases of fluids. The wastes percolated into the soil or overflowed into streams. As the liquid materials moved downward through the soil, they reached the groundwater table – because the liquids were more dense than water, they continued to sink downward (as dense aqueous phase liquid or "DAPL"), pooling in a series of cascading depressions on the bedrock surface.

Ultimately, contaminated groundwater migrated nearly a mile to the west and northwest of the property and resulted in the Town of Wilmington placing its municipal drinking water supply wells in the Maple Meadow Brook aquifer off-line due to contamination from the site.

Prior to 2006, the site was regulated by MassDEP under Massachusetts' cleanup statute. EPA added the site to the Superfund program's National Priorities List in April 2006 with state support. The cleanup plan for the site, selected by EPA in 2021 with state concurrence, includes interim actions to remove ongoing sources of contamination in groundwater and final cleanup actions for addressing contaminated soil, sediments, and surface water at the site:

• Construction and operation of new groundwater extraction and treatment systems.
• Capture and treatment of oily waste and contaminated groundwater that flows into surface water by construction and operation of new multi-phase extraction and treatment systems.
• Construction and maintenance of caps and cover systems on areas of soil contamination, including an impermeable cap over the feature on the Olin property known as the "Containment Area."
• Remediation and restoration of contaminated wetlands.
• Long-term monitoring and land use controls.

In parallel to the cleanup, studies are ongoing to improve the characterization of the bedrock and further define the extent of groundwater contamination. These studies will be used to evaluate long-term groundwater remedial alternatives, leading to the selection in the future of a final cleanup plan for groundwater. In the near term, these aquifer surveys will help identify the best places to locate groundwater extraction wells for the selected cleanup.

More Information:

The Consent Decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on May 11, 2023, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court. A copy of the Consent Decree and information on how to provide comments will be available on the U.S. Department of Justice's website.

Design of the groundwater extraction and treatment system and other site cleanup work can begin upon approval of the Consent Decree by the court.

More information on EPA's cleanup of the Olin Chemical Superfund Site

Map of Olin Chemical Superfund Site (pdf) (1.7 MB)

WASHINGTON  – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new carbon pollution standards for coal and natural gas-fired power plants that will protect public health, reduce harmful pollutants and deliver up to $85 billion in climate and public health benefits over the next two decades.

The proposal for coal and new natural gas power plants would avoid up to 617 million metric tons of total carbon dioxide (CO2) through 2042, which is equivalent to reducing the annual emissions of 137 million passenger vehicles, roughly half the cars in the United States. Through 2042, EPA estimates the net climate and health benefits of the standards on new gas and existing coal-fired power plants are up to $85 billion.

The proposals would also result in cutting tens of thousands of tons of particulate matter (PM2.5), sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxide, harmful air pollutants that are known to endanger people’s health, especially in communities that for too long have disproportionally shouldered the burden of high pollution and environmental injustice. In 2030 alone, the proposed standards would prevent:

• approximately 1,300 premature deaths;
• more than 800 hospital and emergency room visits;
• more than 300,000 cases of asthma attacks;
• 38,000 school absence days;
• 66,000 lost workdays.

“By proposing new standards for fossil fuel-fired power plants, EPA is delivering on its mission to reduce harmful pollution that threatens people’s health and wellbeing,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “EPA’s proposal relies on proven, readily available technologies to limit carbon pollution and seizes the momentum already underway in the power sector to move toward a cleaner future. Alongside historic investment taking place across America in clean energy manufacturing and deployment, these proposals will help deliver tremendous benefits to the American people—cutting climate pollution and other harmful pollutants, protecting people’s health, and driving American innovation.”

Consistent with EPA’s traditional approach to establishing pollution standards under the Clean Air Act, the proposed limits and guidelines would require ambitious reductions in carbon pollution based on proven and cost-effective control technologies that can be applied directly to power plants. They also provide owners and operators of power plants with ample lead time and substantial compliance flexibilities, allowing power companies and grid operators to make sound long-term planning and investment decisions, and supporting the power sector’s ability to continue delivering reliable and affordable electricity. EPA’s analysis found that power companies can implement the standards with a negligible impact on electricity prices, well within the range of historical fluctuations.

Together with other recent EPA actions to address health-harming pollution from the power sector, today’s proposed rule delivers on the Administration’s commitment to reduce pollution from the power sector while providing long-term regulatory certainty and operational flexibility. In addition, EPA and the Department of Energy recently signed a memorandum of understanding to support grid reliability and resiliency at every stage as the agency advances efforts to reduce pollution, protect public health, and deliver environmental and economic benefits for all.

President Biden’s policy agenda has already kicked off a clean energy and manufacturing boom across the country and is adding momentum for technologies like carbon capture and storage (CCS) and clean hydrogen. Today, thanks to this progress, the power sector has a broad set of tools to deploy clean, affordable energy, take advantage of ready-to-go advanced pollution reduction technologies, create and retain good-paying union jobs, and reduce energy costs for families and businesses. EPA took account of this significant technologic and economic progress in developing the proposed rule and anticipates that power companies will take advantage of these tools, and trends, when determining how to most cost-effectively meet the proposed standards and emission guidelines.

The technology-based standards EPA is proposing include:

• Strengthening the current New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for newly built fossil fuel-fired stationary combustion turbines (generally natural gas-fired)
• Establishing emission guidelines for states to follow in limiting carbon pollution from existing fossil fuel-fired steam generating EGUs (including coal, oil and natural gas-fired units)
• Establishing emission guidelines for large, frequently used existing fossil fuel-fired stationary combustion turbines (generally natural gas-fired)

Based on a separate analysis, EPA is projecting the proposed standards for existing gas-fired plants and the third phase of the NSPS could achieve up to 407 million metric tons of CO2 emission reductions. As EPA works to finalize the rulemaking, the agency will complete additional advanced modeling, aligning methodologies across the rulemaking and considering real-world scenarios within the power sector to best understand how components of the rule impact each other.

As required by section 111 of the Clean Air Act, these proposed standards and emission guidelines reflect the best system of emission reduction (BSER) that has been demonstrated to improve the emissions performance of the sources, taking into account costs, energy requirements, and other factors. In developing these proposed carbon pollution standards, EPA considered a range of technologies including CCS, utilizing low-GHG hydrogen, and adopting highly efficient generation technologies.

Installation of controls such as CCS for coal and gas plants, and low-GHG hydrogen co-firing for gas plants are more cost-effective for power plants that operate at greater capacity, more frequently, or over longer time periods. The proposed standards and guidelines take this into account by establishing standards for different subcategories of power plants according to unit characteristics such as their capacity, their intended length of operation, and/or their frequency of operation.

The proposal requires that states, in developing plans for existing sources, undertake meaningful engagement with affected stakeholders, including communities disproportionately burdened by pollution and climate change impacts, as well the energy communities and workers who have powered our nation for generations. President Biden’s Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization has identified historic resources for energy communities to invest in infrastructure, deploy new technologies that can help clean up the electric power sector, support energy workers and spur long-term economic revitalization.

EPA also conducted an environmental justice analysis, which shows these proposals would, play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas pollution, helping avoid the worst impacts of climate change, which is already having a disproportionate impact on underserved and overburdened communities.  EPA’s proposal also follows guidance from the Council on Environmental Quality to ensure that the advancement of carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration technologies are done in a responsible manner that incorporates the input of communities and reflects the best available science. Consistent with this guidance, EPA will engage with communities and stakeholders on opportunities to ensure that deployment of carbon capture and sequestration under the proposal is done in a responsible manner.

The proposed standards build on the momentum already underway in the power sector to move toward a cleaner future. Since 2005, the power sector has reduced carbon dioxide emissions 36 percent while continuing to keep pace with growing energy demand. President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act provides historic investments in pollution control technologies and clean energy, and together, will move the United States closer to ensuring a cleaner, healthier future for all communities.

EPA will take comment on these proposals for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. EPA will also hold a virtual public hearing and will make additional information available on the website. Registration for the public hearing will open after the proposal is published in the Federal Register.

The agency will also host virtual trainings to provide communities and Tribes with information about the proposal and about participating in the public comment process. Those trainings will be on June 6 and 7, and registration information is available on EPA’s website.

For more information: Greenhouse Gas Standards and Guidelines for Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Plants

LENEXA, KAN. (MAY 10, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 announced that the City of St. Charles and Ameren have signed an agreement providing access to Ameren to conduct EPA-required monitoring on property owned by the city.

Ameren is the potentially responsible party for Operable Unit 4 of the Findett Corp. Superfund Site. Operable Unit 4 is also known as the Ameren Huster Road Substation.

“EPA is encouraged by the parties reaching agreement on access,” said EPA Region 7 Superfund and Emergency Response Division Director Bob Jurgens. “With access in hand, EPA looks forward to seeing meaningful progress take place at the Elm Point Wellfield to ensure that St. Charles residents can continue to rely on their public drinking water system.”

Since November 2022, Ameren and St. Charles had been negotiating an access agreement to allow Ameren to perform monitoring and sampling work under EPA oversight.

At EPA’s urging, the parties finalized the agreement on May 5, 2023.

With the access agreement now in place, Ameren will be able to conduct monitoring within the Elm Point Wellfield, as required by EPA. This monitoring is one necessary component of the focused feasibility study. Additional access agreements will be required in the future for any potential work other than monitoring, such as additional sampling or the installation of wells on city property, which may be needed to complete the focused feasibility study.

For additional information regarding the Findett Corp. Superfund Site and Ameren Huster Road Substation (Operable Unit 4), please visit the Site Profile page.

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WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $30 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for restoration projects that advance environmental justice in underserved and overburdened communities across the Great Lakes. Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, EPA has published a request for applications for the newly created Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Program that will fund implementation of environmental protection and restoration projects that will further the goals of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) in communities with environmental justice concerns.

Many communities in the Great Lakes Basin lack the resources needed to apply for, obtain, and oversee the implementation of federal grant projects. EPA’s new Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Program will ease these administrative barriers by funding “principal recipients" who will help underserved communities effectively access federal funding for important local projects. In addition, this investment will encourage even greater environmental, economic, health, and recreational benefits for underserved Great Lakes communities, including those near severely degraded sites, known as “areas of concern.”

EPA’s Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Program was made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which invests $1 billion in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to accelerate Great Lakes restoration and protection.

“The Great Lakes are national treasures that play a critical cultural, economic, and environmental role in the region and beyond,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Thanks to the President’s historic investments in America, we’re removing barriers and moving faster to advance environmental justice across communities that have been overlooked for too long. Ensuring this funding is available for environmental projects will not only protect overburdened communities but also restore and preserve our precious Great Lakes.”

“The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has dramatically accelerated the restoration and protection of the Great Lakes Basin,” said Debra Shore, Regional Administrator of EPA’s Region 5 and Great Lakes National Program Manager. “This new Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Program builds on the additional GLRI funds provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will allow us to assist communities wishing to collaborate in restoring historically polluted sites.”

This announcement is a part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, which is growing 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 good paying jobs and building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.

About the Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Program

EPA has issued a request for applications and is making available up to $30 million for the Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Program. This program will select “principal recipients” that will receive funding from EPA to develop, implement, and oversee grant issuance and management programs focused on environmental restoration and protection projects for which Great Lakes underserved communities seek funding.

Qualifying non-profit organizations, institutions of higher learning (i.e., colleges and universities, including minority-serving institutions), state agencies, interstate agencies, federally recognized Indian Tribes and tribal organizations, and local governments are eligible to apply as principal recipients.

EPA will consider applications from potential principal recipients interested in setting up Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Programs to fund environmental restoration and protection work on a Basin-wide basis or on a smaller, more localized basis. Projects funded through this program must improve the environmental health of the Great Lakes or Great Lakes watersheds through a variety of means, including:

• restoring, enhancing, or protecting habitat;
• reducing non-point source runoff through, e.g., green infrastructure, riparian restoration, shoreline stabilization, or other stormwater/nutrient reduction practices that will improve water quality;
• connecting aquatic resources, e.g., dam removals, culvert replacements, etc.;
• controlling or preventing invasive species; and
• providing hands-on, place-based environmental educational opportunities in the Great Lakes Basin.

EPA intends to award the principal recipient(s) up to $20 million in funding to create a broad, basin-wide Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Program and up to $10 million in funding to create the more localized Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Programs.

Applications are being accepted through August 11, 2023. Learn more about the Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Program and the request for applications.

Informational Webinars

EPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office will host several webinars to discuss the application process and answer questions from participants. More information on the upcoming webinars.

Tools and resources for prospective grantees, including webinars, writing guidance, networking tools and helpful templates, can be found at:

• Helpful Recipient Training
• GLRI Action Plan III (PDF)
• EPA Grants Award Process Webinar
• Interim General Budget Development Guidance

Additional Background

Since 2010, EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) has funded more than 7,000 restoration and protection projects totaling more than $3.5 billion.

Read more about the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

Sign up for the Great Lakes News email list to get information about funding opportunities to support Great Lakes environmental work and get updates about Great Lakes environmental projects. 

Email GLRI-RFA@epa.gov with questions about this funding opportunity.

PHILADELPHIA, (May 9, 2023) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its co-sponsors, American Public Health Association, the Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities – Network (EPIC-N), Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental Justice journal, and Groundwork USA, announced the Phase 2 winners of the Environmental Justice (EJ) Video Challenge for Students. The winning teams, which consisted of college students and local community organizations, worked together to develop community capacity building strategies to address an environmental justice issue important to a local community.

“This challenge showcases how collaboration between the next generation of environmental justice advocates and community organizations can produce truly innovative ideas to address environmental and public health issues affecting communities,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “We are encouraged by each team’s exceptional efforts and look forward to creating pathways for continued community capacity building that will help us to achieve our mission to protect human health and the environment.” 

In Phase 1, college students created videos demonstrating innovative approaches to identify and characterize an environmental justice issue in a community using data and publicly available tools. In Phase 2, students worked collaboratively with local community organizations to develop a community capacity building strategy and an accompanying video that demonstrates effective community engagement and advocacy to address the environmental justice issue identified in Phase 1. 

EPA selected the Pollution to Prosperity: Tackling Landfill Impacts for a Thriving Future – University of Richmond Project as Third Place Phase 2 winner.  

Third Place ($40,000): Pollution to Prosperity: Tackling Landfill Impacts for a Thriving Future – University of Richmond

• Community Organization Partner ($34,000): Concerned Citizens of Charles City County
• Student Team Members ($6,000): Megan Salters, McKenna Dunbar, Sarah Murtaugh

Check out the Phase 2 winning submissions.

DALLAS, TEXAS (May 9th, 2023) –The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved the “treatment in a similar manner as a state” (TAS) application from the Pueblo of San Felipe. This approval of the TAS application means that the Pueblo of San Felipe is authorized to administer the water quality standards program under the Clean Water Act for all surface waters within the exterior boundaries of the Pueblo of San Felipe, comprising approximately 59,000 acres. The Pueblo of San Felipe is likewise authorized to administer the water quality certification program under CWA section 401 for these surface waters.

“The Pueblo of San Felipe has long maintained strong environmental programs and placed high priority on maintaining water quality within their borders,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “The Pueblo of San Felipe has demonstrated its commitment to protecting their Tribal waters and continues to develop programs that align with the CWA. We look forward to continued engagement with the Pueblo and we thank them for their coordination and for safeguarding public health.”

The Pueblo of San Felipe submitted the TAS application for the CWA water quality standards and certification programs on March 8, 2022. After going through the formal review process, the EPA approved the TAS application on April 18, 2023. The CWA and implementing regulations state that an Indian tribe must first be approved for TAS before the EPA can approve or disapprove water quality standards submitted by the tribe under section 303(c). The development of water quality standards remains subject to all requirements of the EPA’s regulations, including requirements for notice and comment.

The EPA approved the Pueblo of San Felipe’s TAS application for funding under the CWA section 106 water pollution control program in 2010. The Pueblo of San Felipe used these funds to develop quality assurance project plans, conduct water quality monitoring, and assess water quality data for their community. The data was also uploaded to the Water Quality Portal which is used by over 400 Indian tribes, states, and federal and local agencies. Additionally, the Pueblo’s staff participated in environmental training opportunities and increased monitoring efforts to assess crucial water resources.

For more information about the water quality standards program, visit our Tribes and Water Quality Standards webpage.

Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage.

CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe today joined Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey in Cambridge, marking the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' participation in a landmark Biden-Harris Administration program to address climate change created by President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. Under the new Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program, EPA is working with states, local governments, Tribes, and territories to develop innovative strategies to cut climate pollution and build clean energy economies.

"Tackling the climate crisis demands a sense of urgency to protect people and the planet," said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. "President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act is a historic opportunity to provide communities across the country with the resources they need to protect people from harmful climate pollution and improve our economy. EPA applauds Massachusetts and the leadership of Governor Healey, who are pursuing many actions to equip communities with the resources to create innovative strategies that reduce climate emissions and drive benefits across the Commonwealth."

On Tuesday, the pair visited Finch Cambridge, a Massachusetts-certified Passive House that offers 98 mixed-income units and meets the highest energy-efficiency and sustainability standards, including net zero carbon emissions. The site was funded by the state's Department of Energy Resources and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, as part of their Passive House Design Challenge that aims to demonstrate that multi-family affordable housing that meets Passive House standards can be built at a low- to no-cost premium.

"Thanks to the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to utilize federal funding opportunities to make real progress in combatting the climate crisis. We are honored to welcome Deputy Administrator McCabe to Massachusetts to celebrate our workplan that embraces an all-of-government approach to decarbonization, bringing together local, state and federal government, as well as the private sector, and centering environmental justice each step of the way," said Governor Maura Healey. "We appreciated the opportunity to show Deputy Administrator McCabe Finch Cambridge, a prime example of the decarbonized buildings we want to emulate across the state and the country. Together, we can build a cleaner, healthier and more equitable future for all of our communities."

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is one of the 48 states that have elected to participate in the new CPRG program which will provide flexible planning resources for state agencies to develop and implement scalable solutions that protect people from climate pollution and advance environmental justice.

"Moving toward a just clean energy future by addressing climate change is the greatest challenge and opportunity of our generation. EPA looks forward to partnering with Massachusetts to find ways to lower carbon emissions, increase the resiliency of our communities to withstand the impacts of a changing climate, and ensure that historically underserved communities are getting the workforce investments and environmental protection they deserve," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "We know that innovations driven from environmental challenges can reap major benefits for our communities and our economy."

Upon first opting in to the CPRG program, Massachusetts is receiving $3 million in initial grant funds. The state's proposed workplan draws upon capabilities across all secretariats of state government. With the administrative assistance of the Department of Transportation (MassDOT), the newly created Office of Climate Innovation and Resilience within the Office of Governor Maura Healey will convene workgroups across government to address economy-wide decarbonization. These inter-secretariat working groups will leverage the deliverables described in the CPRG Program Guidance as focal points of climate collaboration, building an internal infrastructure that may endure beyond the timeframe of the CPRG process.

Massachusetts' proposed workplan includes significant engagement with municipalities around climate action. The strategy will rely on collaboration with the 13 Regional Planning Agencies (RPAs) that work with cities and towns throughout the Commonwealth, as well as individual engagement with the ten cities that have over 100,000 residents and together comprise 50 percent of the state's population. They will leverage existing municipal climate programs administered by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), such as the Green Communities Program and the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program, and conduct outreach through established organizations such as the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

Similarly, Massachusetts will build on its existing work with environmental justice communities. Rather than create an additional layer of environmental justice process, adding complexity and administrative burden to many representatives and stakeholders, this workplan will meet environmental justice communities in the forums that already exist. Building on the Environmental Justice Advisory Committee established by EEA, this workplan will draw in a variety of processes to comprehensively engage Low Income and Disadvantaged Communities.

Later this year, EPA will launch a competition for $4.6 billion in funding to implement projects and initiatives included in the plans, which Massachusetts is eligible to compete in. Massachusetts can also use this funding to develop strategies for using the other grant, loan, and tax provisions secured by President Biden's historic legislation, including the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to achieve it clean energy, climate, and environmental justice goals.

President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act includes historic funding to combat climate change while creating good-paying jobs and advancing environmental justice. Today's announcement builds on $550 million announced last week for EPA's new Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program and $100 million announced earlier this year for environmental justice grants to support underserved and overburdened communities. Additionally, the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund will award nearly $27 billion to leverage private capital for clean energy and clean air investments across the country.

About the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program
The CPRG planning grants will support states, territories, Tribes, municipalities and air agencies, in the creation of comprehensive, innovative strategies for reducing pollution and ensuring that investments maximize benefits, especially for low-income and disadvantaged communities. These climate plans will include:

• Greenhouse gas emissions inventories;
• Emissions projections and reduction targets;
• Economic, health, and social benefits, including to low-income and disadvantaged communities;
• Plans to leverage other sources of federal funding including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act;
• Workforce needs to support decarbonization and a clean energy economy; and
• Future government staffing and budget needs.

In program guidance (pdf) (1.6 MB) released earlier this month, EPA describes how the agency intends to award and manage CPRG funds to eligible entities, including states, metropolitan areas, Tribes, and territories.

Next Steps
This funding for climate planning will be followed later this year by $4.6 billion in implementation grant funding that will support the expeditious implementation of investment-ready policies created by the CPRG planning grants, programs, and projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the near term. Through the CPRG program, EPA will support the development and deployment of technologies and solutions that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and harmful air pollution, as well as transition America to a clean energy economy that benefits all Americans.

By summer 2023, EPA Regional Offices expect to award and administer the funding agreements.

More information on the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants
CPRG Planning Grant Program Guidances
Sign up for notifications about the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants

PHILADELPHIA, (May 9, 2023) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its co-sponsors, American Public Health Association, the Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities – Network (EPIC-N), Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental Justice journal, and Groundwork USA, announced the Phase 2 winners of the Environmental Justice (EJ) Video Challenge for Students. The winning teams, which consisted of college students and local community organizations, worked together to develop community capacity building strategies to address an environmental justice issue important to a local community.

“This challenge showcases how collaboration between the next generation of environmental justice advocates and community organizations can produce truly innovative ideas to address environmental and public health issues affecting communities,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “We are encouraged by each team’s exceptional efforts and look forward to creating pathways for continued community capacity building that will help us to achieve our mission to protect human health and the environment.” 

In Phase 1, college students created videos demonstrating innovative approaches to identify and characterize an environmental justice issue in a community using data and publicly available tools. In Phase 2, students worked collaboratively with local community organizations to develop a community capacity building strategy and an accompanying video that demonstrates effective community engagement and advocacy to address the environmental justice issue identified in Phase 1. 

EPA selected the Making Eastwick Whole Project as Second Place Phase 2 winner.  

Second Place ($50,000): Making Eastwick Whole – University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University

• Community Organization Partner ($42,000): Eastwick United Community Development Corporation
• Student Team Members ($8,000): Aminah McNulty, Allison Nkwocha, Jackson Plumlee, Nina Valentine

Check out the Phase 2 winning submissions.

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its co-sponsors, American Public Health Association, the Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities – Network (EPIC-N), Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental Justice journal, and Groundwork USA, announced the Phase 2 winners of the Environmental Justice (EJ) Video Challenge for Students. The winning teams, which consisted of college students and local community organizations, worked together to develop community capacity building strategies to address an environmental justice issue important to a local community.

“This challenge showcases how collaboration between the next generation of environmental justice advocates and community organizations can produce truly innovative ideas to address environmental and public health issues affecting communities,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “We are encouraged by each team’s exceptional efforts and look forward to creating pathways for continued community capacity building that will help us to achieve our mission to protect human health and the environment.” 

In Phase 1, college students created videos demonstrating innovative approaches to identify and characterize an environmental justice issue in a community using data and publicly available tools. In Phase 2, students worked collaboratively with local community organizations to develop a community capacity building strategy and an accompanying video that demonstrates effective community engagement and advocacy to address the environmental justice issue identified in Phase 1. 

Phase 2 winners are listed below:

• First Place ($60,000): Civic Bioremediation: Building a Network of Soil Practitioners – University of California, Irvine 
  • Community Organization Partner ($50,000): Orange County Environmental Justice
  • Student Team Members ($10,000): Annika Hjelmstad, Ariane Jong-Levinger, Ashley Green, Alexis Guerra, Caroline Nguyen, David Christopher Banuelas, Tim Schütz

• Second Place ($50,000): Making Eastwick Whole – University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University
  • Community Organization Partner ($42,000): Eastwick United Community Development Corporation
  • Student Team Members ($8,000): Aminah McNulty, Allison Nkwocha, Jackson Plumlee, Nina Valentine

• Third Place ($40,000): Pollution to Prosperity: Tackling Landfill Impacts for a Thriving Future – University of Richmond
  • Community Organization Partner ($34,000): Concerned Citizens of Charles City County
  • Student Team Members ($6,000): Megan Salters, McKenna Dunbar, Sarah Murtaugh

• Honorable Mention ($12,500): Addressing Environmental Issues Identified in Martinsville, IN – Purdue University
  • Community Organization Partner ($10,000): Martinsville Indiana Superfund Site Association (MISSA)
  • Student Team Members ($2,500): Alaina Bryant, Kaleigh Karageorge, Jung Hyun Lee, Shaquila Rolle, Seohyung Kim, Kayla Young

• Honorable Mention ($12,500): DRIVERS4EJ – Western Washington University, University of Washington
  • Community Organization Partner ($10,000): Duwamish Valley Youth Corps 
  • Student Team Members ($2,500): Drew Slaney, Jenny Meyer, Rudi Mondragon, Isebella Bergsma, Cianna Bergsma-Galarosa, Christopher Castro, AJ Cooper, Guadalupe Sanchez, Alexis Sorm, Randall Thall, Wala Abdin, Montana Siddle, Nicole Araya, Naythan Ramos, Issaiah Cummins

Check out the Phase 2 winning submissions.

LENEXA, KAN. (MAY 8, 2023) – Officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 will host a Public Meeting, with a Public Availability Session and Technical Presentation, on Tuesday, May 9, at Machinists Hall in Bridgeton, Missouri.

“EPA continues to work through the Superfund cleanup process for the West Lake Landfill Site, and residents and community members will learn more about the recent Design Investigation work and the next steps in the Remedial Design process for Operable Unit 1 at this meeting,” said EPA Region 7 Superfund and Emergency Management Division Director Bob Jurgens. “Public meetings such as these are an important part of the Superfund cleanup process and facilitate communication and collaboration between EPA and communities.”

During the Public Availability Session from 6 to 6:45 p.m., EPA representatives will be available for one-on-one discussions and questions, followed by a short break. Then at the Technical Presentation from 7 to 8 p.m., officials will provide members of the community with information and results of the Design Investigation for Operable Unit 1, which is the radiologically impacted areas at the West Lake Landfill Site, as well as the next steps in the Remedial Design process. Following the presentation, EPA representatives will hold a Question-and-Answer session until 9 p.m.

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Public Availability Session: 6 to 6:45 p.m.
Technical Presentation: 7 to 8 p.m.
Question-and-Answer Session: 8 to 9 p.m.

Machinists Hall
12365 St. Charles Rock Road
Bridgeton, MO 63044

The meeting will be available to livestream during the presentation on EPA Region 7’s Facebook page. A recording of the presentation and the Q&A session will be available after the meeting on EPA Region 7’s YouTube channel.

Additional information about the West Lake Landfill Superfund Site is available on the Site Profile page and the West Lake Landfill Dashboard.

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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  – This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) celebrated National Small Business Week, paying tribute to the 33.1 million American small businesses that employ almost half of the private-sector workforce. In observance of National Small Business Week, EPA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) hosted a series of events that included small business contracting training and a vendor engagement event that connected small businesses with EPA program officials and large prime contractors.

“EPA has long recognized the vital role small businesses play in powering the country’s economy,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “As an Agency, we will continue to champion small businesses, supporting their growth and resiliency as we work to carry out the Agency’s human health and environmental protection mission.”

The highlight of the week’s activities was the EPA Administrator’s 33rd Annual Small Business Program Awards Ceremony, held on May 4, 2023. The ceremony honored exemplary EPA employees and program offices, as well as industry and state partners who contributed to EPA’s small business championship in Fiscal Year 2022.

The keynote speaker at the ceremony was Liz Sheetz, Chief Marketing Officer of Tunheim Partners, Inc., the recipient of this year’s Administrator’s Award for Outstanding Accomplishments by a women-owned small business.

A complete list of the award recipients can be found at the end of this press release.

Outstanding Direct Procurement Program Achievement

Office of Mission Support:

• Holly Fenderson
• Chi Tran
• Sarah Burke
• Quoc Bui
• Marcus Banks
• Emily McLeod
• Jennifer Cranford
• Dawn Roman Brown
• Ryan Rodriguez
• John Liertz

Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention:

• Deon Moore
• Cathleen Stewart
• LaTangila Edwards
• John Pates
• Sheila Brown
• Isaac Francois

Outstanding Accomplishments by a Small Business Contractor
Microvi Biotech, Inc.

Outstanding Accomplishments by a Women-Owned Small Business Contractor

• Tunheim Partners, Inc.

Outstanding Accomplishments by a HUBZone Small Business Contractor

• Nuka Research and Planning Group, LLC

Outstanding Accomplishments by a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Contractor

• Logzone, Inc.

Outstanding Accomplishments by a Group in Support of Small Businesses
Impacted by EPA Regulations
Region 3:

• Kellee Haye
• John Robb
• Sella Burchette
• Nathanial Work

Award for Outstanding Accomplishments by a State Small Business Environmental Assistance Provider in Providing Technical Environmental Assistance to the Small Business Community

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s SBEAP
Recognition of Team Effort:

• Christine Hoefler
• Kaitlin Urso

OSDBU Director’s Awards for Exceeding at Least Four of the Five Small and Socioeconomic Business Goals

• Office of Inspector General
• Office of Mission Support
• Office of Research and Development

Crystal Duck Awards

• Larry Douchand
  • Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation
  • Office of Land and Emergency Management
• Keith Johnson
  • Air and Radiation Division
  • Region 7
• Pamela Legare
  • Office of Acquisition Solutions
  • Office of Mission Support
• Chris Robbins
  • Office of Research and Development

SEATTLE (May 5, 2023) -- Today the U.S. EPA announced a $20 million funding program to assist Alaska tribal entities in addressing legacy contamination on lands conveyed through the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.    

The contaminants on some of these lands— arsenic, asbestos, lead, mercury, pesticides, PCBs, and petroleum products—pose health concerns to Alaska Native communities, negatively impact subsistence resources, and hamper economic activity. 

The Department of Defense, Department of Interior and EPA are leading the initiative, with participation from Bureau of Land Management, Department of Justice and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The agencies are working together to leverage resources and expertise to accelerate cleanup of contaminated ANCSA lands. 

“EPA is proud to lead the federal family’s efforts to expedite cleanup of legacy contamination on lands conveyed to tribal communities through the ANCSA settlement,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller. “This has been a long time coming and we’re finally able to fund work to reduce the risks and impacts to Native communities. I am looking forward to working with the state, ANTHC and ANVCA to coordinate our efforts to inventory, verify, assess and cleanup the sites, starting this year.”   

“It is long past time that the federal government take steps to address the environmental injustice committed when contaminated lands were conveyed to Alaska Native Corporations as settlement for their land claims under ANCSA,” said Senator Lisa Murkowski. “I applaud the availability of award opportunities through the new program I worked to set up in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, and look forward to seeing EPA and its federal partners begin to step up and start the clean-up process on these ANCSA lands.” 

Eligible tribal entities include Alaska Native Regional Corporations, Alaska Native Village Corporations, federally recognized tribes in Alaska, Alaska Native nonprofit organizations and associations, and inter-tribal consortia comprised of Alaskan tribal entities. 

EPA expects to award three or more cooperative agreements for site assessments, and three or more cooperative agreements to begin cleanup of ANCSA properties contaminated at the time of conveyance. 

Full program guidance is available online. The application deadline is June 23. EPA Region 10 anticipates making selections in July. More information about the assistance program is available on the ANCSA website.  

ANCSA was enacted in 1971 to settle aboriginal claims to public lands through the conveyance of 46 million acres of land to Alaska Native regional and village corporations and the transfer of one billion dollars from the state and federal governments as compensation for remaining claims.  

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EPA Region 10 (Pacific Northwest) - Serving Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and 271 Tribal Nations. Visit us online, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and subscribe to our RSS feed.