HONOLULU  – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in coordination with the Department of the Navy and Defense Logistics Agency, is inviting members of the public to attend the planning meeting for the formation of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility Community Representation Initiative on July 27, 2023.

The Community Representation Initiative independently represents the interests of the community in matters related to the 2023 Consent Order between the EPA and Navy. Membership will include ten representatives who meet with government agencies approximately once a month throughout the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility defueling and closure.

The group will review Red Hill information and provide input on decisions related to defueling, closure, and assuring safe drinking water. The formation of this group is a requirement added to the 2023 Red Hill Consent Order in response to public comments.

The meeting on July 27 will provide an overview of the Community Representation Initiative, schedule for meetings, and dialogue with participants on how the selection process will be conducted.

The EPA is inviting all interested individuals to participate in this planning meeting, which will focus on soliciting community inputs regarding the design and roadmap for implementing the Community Representation Initiative.

The key areas of discussion will include:

• Defining the process for member nomination and selection
• Determining the composition of the membership
• Addressing member responsibilities

The planning meeting is scheduled as follows:

Date:                  July 27, 2023

Time:                  5 – 7 p.m. HT

Location:          Aliamanu Middle School, 3271 Salt Lake Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96818

Broadcast:       ‘Olelo Community Media, Olelo.org/53

For more information about this planning meeting or the Community Representation Initiative please visit the EPA Red Hill Public Events Calendar or contact:

Dominique Smith, US EPA, Region 9

Red Hill EJ Community Engagement Coordinator

smith.dominique@epa.gov

Steve Hurff, U.S. Navy, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy

Director, Environmental Restoration and Compliance Policy

cnrh.pao@us.navy.mil

The EPA encourages community members to attend this meeting and actively contribute to the formation of the Community Representation Initiative to help shape the future decision-making processes regarding the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.

Read more about the Community Representation Initiative.

Read the Final 2023 Consent Order and Statement of Work on EPA’s website.

Read about EPA’s work at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in Hawai‘i.

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

NEW YORK - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is encouraging the public to comment on its proposed cleanup plan to address contaminated groundwater at a portion of the New Cassel/Hicksville Groundwater Contamination Superfund site in Nassau County, New York. A 30-day public comment period for the proposed plan begins July 24, 2023. EPA will host a public meeting at East Meadow Public Library, 1886 Front Street, East Meadow, New York on August 10, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. to explain this cleanup proposal. 

“Community feedback is a key part of EPA’s process as we decide how best to clean up this portion of the New Cassel/Hicksville Superfund site,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “EPA is proposing to install a system to treat the contaminated groundwater at the site. We encourage the public to join our meeting, ask questions and share their views on the proposed plan.” 

Harmful chemicals at the New Cassel/Hicksville Groundwater Contamination site have contaminated the water underground in the towns of Hempstead, North Hempstead, and Oyster Bay. The site contamination covers 6.5 square miles and affects several drinking water wells. The groundwater contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs), primarily tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE).  

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation found the pollution sources and asked EPA to clean up the site in 2011. EPA is cleaning up the site in parts, called Operable Units (OUs). EPA has identified three OUs. In 2013, EPA selected a cleanup plan in a part of the site near the New Cassel Industrial Area called Operable Unit 1 (OU1). The cleanup plan for OU1 includes systems to pump groundwater to the surface and treat it. Work needed to plan and build those systems is underway. EPA is investigating the best way to address contaminated groundwater in an area in the eastern portion of the site designated as OU2. 

The cleanup outlined in today’s proposed plan will address the contaminated groundwater in a part of the site called OU3. This part of the site is south of both Old Country Road and OU1. The plan is to install deep wells from which the polluted groundwater will be pumped and sent to a newly constructed treatment plant. The treatment plant will remove the contamination from the groundwater before releasing it back into the ground or nearby waterway. The plan also includes long-term groundwater monitoring to verify the method works and controls to ensure no one drills new drinking water wells in the affected area. 

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

For additional background and to see the proposed cleanup plan, visit the New Cassel/Hicksville Groundwater 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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WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the draft Herbicide Strategy for public comment, a major milestone in the Agency’s work to protect federally endangered and threatened (listed) species from conventional agricultural herbicides. The Strategy describes proposed early mitigations for more than 900 listed species and designated critical habitats to reduce potential impacts from the agricultural use of these herbicides while helping to ensure the continued availability of these important pesticide tools.

“Ensuring safe use of herbicides is an important part of EPA’s mission to protect the environment,” said Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pesticide Programs for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Jake Li. “This strategy reflects one of our biggest steps to support farmers and other herbicide users with tools for managing weeds, while accelerating EPA’s ability to protect many endangered species that live near agricultural areas.”

The Strategy released today is part of EPA’s ongoing efforts to develop a multichemical, multispecies approach to meeting its obligations under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). EPA’s traditional chemical-by-chemical, species-by-species approach to meeting these obligations is slow and costly.  As a result, EPA has completed its ESA obligations for less than 5% of its actions, creating legal vulnerabilities for the Agency, increased litigation, and uncertainty for farmers and other pesticide users about their continued ability to use many pesticides. The Strategy — which is primarily designed to provide early mitigations that minimize impacts to over 900 listed species — is one of EPA’s most significant proposals to help overcome these challenges.

EPA focused the Strategy on agricultural crop uses in the lower 48 states because hundreds of millions of pounds of herbicides (and plant growth regulators) are applied each year, which is substantially more than for non-agricultural uses of herbicides and for other pesticide classes (e.g., insecticides, fungicides). Additionally, hundreds of listed species in the lower 48 states live in habitats adjacent to agricultural areas. The proposed mitigations in the Strategy would address the most common ways that conventional agricultural herbicides impact these listed species.

EPA expects that the Strategy will increase the efficiency of future ESA consultations on herbicides with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), which has authority over most listed species that could benefit from the proposed mitigations. Under the Strategy, EPA proposes to identify and begin mitigating for potential impacts even before EPA completes ESA consultations. These early mitigations should expedite EPA’s ability to fully comply with the ESA by reducing impacts to listed species before EPA conducts most of its ESA analysis. Adopting mitigations earlier will also allow EPA and FWS to far more efficiently use their resources in ESA consultations.

The Strategy’s proposed mitigations reflect practices that can be readily implemented by growers and identified by pesticide applicators and that provide flexibility for growers to select the mitigations that work best for them. The Strategy also gives credit to landowners who are already implementing certain measures to reduce pesticide runoff. For example, existing vegetated ditches and water retention ponds will qualify for credits that reduce the need for additional mitigation. Similarly, the Strategy would require less mitigation on flat lands, which are less prone to runoff, and in many western states, which typically experience less rain to carry pesticides off fields. The Strategy also describes how the Agency could add other mitigation practices to the menu of mitigation options in the future, particularly to incorporate emerging technology or new information on the effectiveness of specific practices.

Draft Herbicide Framework Document

The draft framework document includes a discussion of both the proposed scope of the Herbicide Strategy and the proposed decision framework to determine the level of mitigation needed for a particular conventional agricultural herbicide. The draft framework document also includes examples of how the proposed herbicide mitigation would apply to some of the herbicides for which EPA has conducted case studies as well as EPA's proposed implementation plan.

The draft herbicide framework and accompanying documents are available in docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2023-0365 for public comment for 60 days. 

In its ESA Workplan and ESA Workplan Update, EPA outlined this and other ESA initiatives to develop early mitigations that provide listed species with practical protections from pesticides. The Strategy complements those other initiatives, such as targeted mitigations for listed species particularly vulnerable to pesticides and Interim Ecological Mitigations that EPA has begun incorporating under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. The draft framework describes how EPA would apply the mitigations in the Strategy compared to mitigations in the other initiatives.

Visit EPA’s website to learn more about how EPA’s pesticide program is protecting endangered species.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) released a notice of intent announcing the first in a series of funding opportunities to monitor and reduce methane emissions, one of the biggest drivers of the climate crisis, from the oil and gas sector and for environmental restoration of well sites. Through a newly initiated Interagency Agreement, EPA and DOE will also partner to offer technical assistance to help companies monitor and reduce methane emissions from leaks and daily operations. Through this combination of technical and financial assistance, EPA and DOE will help reduce inefficiencies of U.S. oil and gas operations, create new jobs in energy communities, and realize near-term emission reductions. These funding opportunities are made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.

“The amount of methane emitted from oil and gas operations is enough to fuel millions of homes a year and is a major driver of the climate crisis,” said Joe Goffman, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “These programs will help minimize that waste, a benefit for nearby communities and businesses alike.”

“Methane’s potency as a greenhouse gas makes targeted emissions reduction efforts essential to slow the rapid rate of climate change,” said Brad Crabtree, Assistant Secretary of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management. “These programs will help states and industry to accelerate methane monitoring and mitigation efforts, which will increase efficiency and reduce costs for oil and gas producers, while providing long lasting climate and health benefits to communities across the nation.”

As described in the notice of intent, EPA and DOE will provide up to $350 million in formula funding to eligible states to assist industry to voluntarily identify and permanently reduce methane emissions from low-producing (marginal) conventional wells. These investments are expected to improve the economic competitiveness of small and medium-sized producers while reducing associated harmful air pollution, mitigating health effects in nearby communities, and creating jobs in energy communities. States also will be able to use a portion of their award for environmental restoration and to invest in their monitoring capacity for low-producing conventional wells, which will improve their ability to identify sources of methane emissions and to effectively prioritize their mitigation. NETL plans to issue the funding opportunity announcement later this summer.

Following this non-competitive solicitation, EPA and DOE intend to offer one or more additional competitive solicitations to monitor and mitigate methane emissions from the oil and gas sector, which will be available to a broader range of applicants. These subsequent funding opportunities are expected to advance the deployment of technologies and practices to monitor and reduce emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases. A separate financial assistance program for Tribal governments is also expected to be offered. 

In addition to funding opportunities, through this collaboration, EPA and DOE will provide technical assistance to help states, industry, and other partners implement cost-effective solutions that reduce methane leak emissions. The agencies will support small and medium-sized producers that often lack the capital and expertise of the larger oil and gas companies and will work with partners to implement and prioritize best practices and mitigation decision-support tools across the broader oil and gas sector. This technical assistance will also ensure efforts are fully aligned with the needs of local communities and help inform key decision-makers of mitigation opportunities across states, industry, and other partners.

About the Methane Emissions Reduction Program

The Methane Emissions Reduction Program, created by the Inflation Reduction Act, provides $1.55 billion in funding, including financial and technical assistance to improve methane monitoring and reduce methane and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the oil and gas sector with the co-benefit of reducing non-GHG emissions such as volatile organic compounds and hazardous air pollutants. The program allows financial and technical assistance for a number of activities, including: preparing and submitting greenhouse gas reports, monitoring methane emissions, and reducing methane and other greenhouse gas emissions by improving and deploying equipment, supporting innovation, permanently reducing wasteful methane emissions from low-producing conventional wells, mitigating health effects in low-income and disadvantaged communities, improving climate resiliency, supporting environmental restoration, and mitigating legacy air pollution. 

More information on Notice of Intent No. DE-FOA-0003108

More information on the Methane Emissions Reduction Program

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (July 21, 2023) –Today, officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined Congresswoman Valerie Foushee at a press event in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina to discuss the $7 billion Solar for All grant competition currently open through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to support millions of low-income households across the country in accessing affordable, resilient and clean solar energy, and advance environmental justice.

“The climate crisis is one of the most pressing challenges in our lifetime, and solar power is key to attaining a clean energy future,” said Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04). “Through the Solar for All Grant program, the Biden Administration and the EPA are working to ensure that every community has equitable access to affordable and resilient residential solar power. This is a huge step in environmental equity, and I encourage all who are eligible to apply for this groundbreaking federal funding opportunity.”

“As a research organization, we see the many connections between energy choices, air pollution, climate change, human health, and the environment. Clean energy choices reduce air pollution and the harmful impacts associated with air pollution – such as harm to our health and damage to crops – while also helping address climate change impacts such as heat and increased wildfires. That’s why this program is so important,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Research and Development.

“There are almost 30 gigawatts of solar already installed across the Southeast – enough to power over 3.5 million homes and providing almost 35,000 jobs – but there’s still a lot of opportunity to install more,” said EPA Region 4’s Chief of Staff, John Nicholson. “This unprecedented Solar for All program is another example of how President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is delivering for families across the country. It will transform the status quo, putting billions of dollars of solar panels on the homes of low-income families and closing the equity gap in access to solar energy.”

The Solar for All competition, which was created by the Inflation Reduction Act’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), will expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for residential solar investment by awarding up to 60 grants to states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and nonprofits to create and expand low-income solar programs that provide financing and market-building technical assistance, such as workforce development, to enable residential solar deployment in underserved communities. 

The new program will fund projects to expand existing low-income solar programs and develop and implement new Solar for All programs nationwide. Solar for All programs ensure low-income households have equitable access to residential rooftop and residential community solar power, often by providing financial support and incentives to communities that were previously locked out of investments. In addition, these programs guarantee low-income households receive the benefits of distributed solar including household savings, community ownership, energy resiliency, and other benefits. 

Residential solar generation cuts home energy bills and provides families with resilient and secure power. By investing in residential solar, the program will reduce the pollution produced from powering our homes to improve air quality and public health outcomes, all while creating good-paying jobs in the clean energy economy.

The Solar for All program advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. The program will also help meet the President’s goal of achieving a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and net zero emissions economy by no later than 2050.

This investment was made possible by 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.

Solar for All Eligibility and Application Information

The deadline to apply to this competitive grant competition is September 26, 2023. Eligible applicants to Solar for All include states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and eligible nonprofit recipients. Coalitions, led by an eligible lead applicant, are also eligible to apply to this competition. Additional detail on eligibility can be found in Section III of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

EPA intends to make up to 60 awards under this competition with three award options for applicants. These award options will include:

1. State and Territory Programs: Awards for programs that serve a specific state or territory geography
2. American Indian and Alaska Native Programs: Awards for programs that serve American Indian and Alaska Native communities
3. Multi-state Programs: Awards for programs that serve similar communities that face similar barriers to residential distributed solar deployment in multiple states

EPA anticipates issuing awards of varying amounts, calibrated to the number of households the applicant intends the program to serve. Applicants for all three award options can apply for a small-sized program ($25 - $100 million), a medium-sized program ($100 - $250 million), or a large-sized program ($250 - $400 million). Applicants to Solar for All can submit separate applications to one or multiple of the three options. The final quantity of awards will be determined by the number and quality of the applications as well as the optimal combination of awards across the three award options to achieve maximum geographic coverage and benefits of the Solar for All competition.

EPA has published the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for this competitive grant competition on grants.gov.

To compete in this competition, all applicants are required to submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) to apply to this competition. The deadline for the NOI differs by applicant type and are:

• July 31, 2023, for states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico;
• August 14, 2023, for territories (specifically, The Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), municipalities, and eligible nonprofit recipients; or
• August 28, 2023, for Tribal governments and Intertribal Consortia.

Tools and resources for prospective grantees, including helpful templates, can be found on EPA’s GGRF webpage.

Additional Background:

The President’s Inflation Reduction Act authorized the EPA to create and implement the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a historic $27 billion investment to combat the climate crisis by mobilizing financing and private capital for greenhouse gas- and air pollution-reducing projects in communities across the country. In addition to the $7 billion Solar for All competition, EPA will also launch a $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF) grant competition to expand deployment of clean technologies at a national scale and a $6 billion Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) grant competition to build local clean financing capacity through community lenders. EPA plans to release the NOFOs for these two competitions in the coming weeks.

Together, the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s National Clean Investment Fund, the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator, and Solar for All competitions will spur the deployment of residential solar energy to lower energy bills for millions of Americans, provide resilient and clean power to communities, and catalyze transformation in markets serving low-income and disadvantaged communities. Each of these competitions advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative while expanding good-paying job opportunities in domestic industries.

SAN FRANCISCO – Today, U.S. EPA Regional Administrator Martha Guzman and U.S. Representative Jim Costa (CA-21) joined Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer and community leaders gathered at the Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce to highlight three separate funding announcements made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, which Rep. Costa helped pass last year. Regional Administrator Guzman and Rep. Costa began by announcing the selection of the Fresno Council of Governments for a $1 million planning grant to tackle climate pollution, promote clean energy, and develop strategies to drive local economic growth.

"This grant will enable the Fresno Council of Governments to enhance its climate action planning to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution," said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. "We are proud to support Fresno’s ongoing efforts to reduce emissions, mitigate climate change impacts, advance environmental justice, and transition to a clean energy economy."

Regional Administrator Guzman and Rep. Costa also highlighted $20 billion for clean energy and pollution-reducing projects through two separate programs within the Inflation Reduction Act’s historic $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. The two programs will mobilize private capital for clean energy projects to improve air quality, create good-paying jobs, deliver lower energy costs, and revitalize communities that have historically been left behind.

“The Inflation Reduction Act is making significant investments to improve air quality in Fresno County. This $1 million federal grant will support a robust clean mobility network accessible to all residents, especially those who live in underserved areas,” said Representative Jim Costa. “I’m proud to have helped pass this historic law to bring clean, affordable transportation options for the people of the Valley!”

The press event also showcased Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce’s (FMBCC) Bizwerx Business Innovation and Mobility Hub. FMBCC’s innovative rideshare program will provide 200 e-bikes, 40 electric vehicles, electric vehicle chargers, and 2 ADA-compliant vans to the Southwest Fresno community. Regional Administrator Guzman and Rep. Costa delivered the announcements before the start of a daylong Community Convening on Climate Equity organized by Dream.org. The event included a presentation and Q&A session for attendees to learn about EPA Environmental Justice funding opportunities and a Climate Equity Coordination session.

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched two Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) for $20 billion across two grant competitions under the historic $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, an Inflation Reduction Act program central to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and environmental justice goals.

More information on the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants

Sign up for notifications about the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants

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

SEATTLE (July 21, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that Pure Addiction Diesel Performance L.L.C. of Hillsboro, Oregon, will pay a $148,733 penalty for violations of the Clean Air Act.   
   
Between Jan. 1, 2019, and April 27, 2021, EPA found that Pure Addiction Diesel Performance L.L.C. sold at least 351 defeat devices and removed emission control systems from at least 139 motor vehicles. EPA estimates that tampering with one heavy duty motor vehicle is equivalent to putting approximately 280 new vehicles on the road. 

The penalty amount was reduced based on the company’s inability to pay a higher penalty and continue in business. Additional details can be found in the Consent Agreement and Final Order. 

“The manufacture, sale and installation of defeat devices is against the law” said EPA Region 10 Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Director Ed Kowalski. “By installing devices that defeat the manufacturer-installed air emissions control systems, the company bypassed a system designed to protect the public’s health.” 

This action is part of a national Stopping Aftermarket Defeat Devices for Vehicles and Engines initiative. The practice of tampering with vehicles by installing defeat devices can enable large emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter which contribute to serious health problems and have harmful effects on sensitive ecosystems. 

If you suspect someone is manufacturing, selling or installing illegal defeat devices, or tampering with emissions controls, report it via email to tampering@epa.gov. 

SEATTLE (July 21, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that Doyon Associated, LLC, located in Fairbanks, Alaska, will pay a fine of $117,000 for violations of the Clean Air Act.   

Doyon Associated, LLC, is accused of installing 55 defeat devices and tampering with 28 heavy duty motor vehicles between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2019. EPA estimates that tampering with one heavy duty motor vehicle is equivalent to putting approximately 280 new vehicles on the road.  

The company has since retrofitted the vehicles with the required emission control systems. Additional details can be found in the Consent Agreement and Final Order. 

“The manufacture, sale and installation of defeat devices is against the law” said EPA Region 10 Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Director Ed Kowalski. “By installing devices that defeat the manufacturer-installed air emissions control systems, the company bypassed a system designed to protect the public’s health.” 

This action is part of a national Stopping Aftermarket Defeat Devices for Vehicles and Engines initiative. The practice of tampering with vehicles by installing defeat devices can enable large emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter which contribute to serious health problems and have harmful effects on sensitive ecosystems. 

If you suspect someone is manufacturing, selling or installing illegal defeat devices, or tampering with emissions controls, report it via email to tampering@epa.gov. 

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (July 21, 2023) –Today, officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined Congresswoman Valerie Foushee at a press event in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina to discuss the $7 billion Solar for All grant competition currently open through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to support millions of low-income households across the country in accessing affordable, resilient and clean solar energy, and advance environmental justice.

“The climate crisis is one of the most pressing challenges in our lifetime, and solar power is key to attaining a clean energy future,” said Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04). “Through the Solar for All Grant program, the Biden Administration and the EPA are working to ensure that every community has equitable access to affordable and resilient residential solar power. This is a huge step in environmental equity, and I encourage all who are eligible to apply for this groundbreaking federal funding opportunity.”

“As a research organization, we see the many connections between energy choices, air pollution, climate change, human health, and the environment. Clean energy choices reduce air pollution and the harmful impacts associated with air pollution – such as harm to our health and damage to crops – while also helping address climate change impacts such as heat and increased wildfires. That’s why this program is so important,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Research and Development.

“There are almost 30 gigawatts of solar already installed across the Southeast – enough to power over 3.5 million homes and providing almost 35,000 jobs – but there’s still a lot of opportunity to install more,” said EPA Region 4’s Chief of Staff, John Nicholson. “This unprecedented Solar for All program is another example of how President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is delivering for families across the country. It will transform the status quo, putting billions of dollars of solar panels on the homes of low-income families and closing the equity gap in access to solar energy.”

The Solar for All competition, which was created by the Inflation Reduction Act’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), will expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for residential solar investment by awarding up to 60 grants to states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and nonprofits to create and expand low-income solar programs that provide financing and market-building technical assistance, such as workforce development, to enable residential solar deployment in underserved communities. 

The new program will fund projects to expand existing low-income solar programs and develop and implement new Solar for All programs nationwide. Solar for All programs ensure low-income households have equitable access to residential rooftop and residential community solar power, often by providing financial support and incentives to communities that were previously locked out of investments. In addition, these programs guarantee low-income households receive the benefits of distributed solar including household savings, community ownership, energy resiliency, and other benefits. 

Residential solar generation cuts home energy bills and provides families with resilient and secure power. By investing in residential solar, the program will reduce the pollution produced from powering our homes to improve air quality and public health outcomes, all while creating good-paying jobs in the clean energy economy.

The Solar for All program advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. The program will also help meet the President’s goal of achieving a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and net zero emissions economy by no later than 2050.

This investment was made possible by 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.

Solar for All Eligibility and Application Information

The deadline to apply to this competitive grant competition is September 26, 2023. Eligible applicants to Solar for All include states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and eligible nonprofit recipients. Coalitions, led by an eligible lead applicant, are also eligible to apply to this competition. Additional detail on eligibility can be found in Section III of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

EPA intends to make up to 60 awards under this competition with three award options for applicants. These award options will include:

1. State and Territory Programs: Awards for programs that serve a specific state or territory geography
2. American Indian and Alaska Native Programs: Awards for programs that serve American Indian and Alaska Native communities
3. Multi-state Programs: Awards for programs that serve similar communities that face similar barriers to residential distributed solar deployment in multiple states

EPA anticipates issuing awards of varying amounts, calibrated to the number of households the applicant intends the program to serve. Applicants for all three award options can apply for a small-sized program ($25 - $100 million), a medium-sized program ($100 - $250 million), or a large-sized program ($250 - $400 million). Applicants to Solar for All can submit separate applications to one or multiple of the three options. The final quantity of awards will be determined by the number and quality of the applications as well as the optimal combination of awards across the three award options to achieve maximum geographic coverage and benefits of the Solar for All competition.

EPA has published the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for this competitive grant competition on grants.gov.

To compete in this competition, all applicants are required to submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) to apply to this competition. The deadline for the NOI differs by applicant type and are:

• July 31, 2023, for states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico;
• August 14, 2023, for territories (specifically, The Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), municipalities, and eligible nonprofit recipients; or
• August 28, 2023, for Tribal governments and Intertribal Consortia.

Tools and resources for prospective grantees, including helpful templates, can be found on EPA’s GGRF webpage.

Additional Background:

The President’s Inflation Reduction Act authorized the EPA to create and implement the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a historic $27 billion investment to combat the climate crisis by mobilizing financing and private capital for greenhouse gas- and air pollution-reducing projects in communities across the country. In addition to the $7 billion Solar for All competition, EPA will also launch a $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF) grant competition to expand deployment of clean technologies at a national scale and a $6 billion Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) grant competition to build local clean financing capacity through community lenders. EPA plans to release the NOFOs for these two competitions in the coming weeks.

Together, the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s National Clean Investment Fund, the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator, and Solar for All competitions will spur the deployment of residential solar energy to lower energy bills for millions of Americans, provide resilient and clean power to communities, and catalyze transformation in markets serving low-income and disadvantaged communities. Each of these competitions advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative while expanding good-paying job opportunities in domestic industries.

WASHINGTON — Today, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Singapore’s National Environment Agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance bilateral cooperation on environmental management and protection between the two nations. The MOU was signed in Washington, D.C. this week by EPA Administrator Michael Regan and Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu.

“EPA is fortunate to have such a strong and engaged partner as Singapore to work with while we advance our shared goals of protecting human health and the environment,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The robust relationship the EPA has enjoyed with Singapore is a model to be emulated. We look forward to continued cooperation and are excited to include a focus on Environmental Justice in this MOU.”

“Singapore and the U.S. enjoy longstanding cooperation on environmental matters, underpinned by a shared commitment to improving climate and environmental outcomes for our peoples and the world,” said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu. “This MOU will add further opportunities for such cooperation, by formalizing institutional ties between our countries’ environmental authorities.”

Under the MOU, both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation on a broad range of environmental issues, including solid waste management, circular economy, air quality management, environmental justice, and the decontamination and management of chemical, biological and radiological incidents. EPA and NEA will also explore the opportunities for technical exchanges, information sharing, and joint projects between the two agencies.

The MOU widens existing environmental cooperation between Singapore and the U.S., which currently takes place under the [auspices] of the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA) and its Memorandum of Intent (MOI) on Cooperation in Environmental Matters, and the 2021 U.S.-Singapore Climate Partnership.

Visit EPA’s website for more information about EPA’s international work. 

Visit NEA’s website for more information about Singapore NEA.

PHILADELPHIA (July 20, 2022) – EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz joined Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller today on Wye Island in Queen Anne’s County to announce new strategies by Maryland for restoring water quality in the Chesapeake and Atlantic coastal bays.

The governor ushered in a new phase of Chesapeake and coastal bay restoration cooperation by signing an executive order re-creating the “Governor’s Council on the Chesapeake and Coastal Bays watershed.”

The event represented an acknowledgement of Maryland’s longstanding leadership on Bay issues, and reformation of Bay Cabinet as the next phase of its commitment.

“Our administration is focused on working in new and collaborative ways to reduce the pollution reaching our bays and providing our local communities and farmers with the opportunities and resources they need to succeed,” said Gov. Moore. “Now is the time to embrace the lessons we’ve learned in the Chesapeake and Coastal Bays over the past 40 years and evolve our strategy to reflect that.”

“Bay restoration is not only a priority of the Biden-Harris administration, but a personal one of mine as well,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “Investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are creating real progress and tremendous opportunities to improve the health and resiliency of local communities, streams, and the Bays as we also tackle the impacts of climate change.  As the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership determines ways to accelerate our efforts, Governor Moore’s leadership and new focus will help advance our collective work.”

EPA, along with Maryland and other partners are making investments, and using federal and state authorities where it matters, including working with the agricultural community and creating coastal resilience.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership.  For more about 40 years of working to restore the nation’s largest estuary https://40years.chesapeakebay.net/.

WASHINGTON — Today, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Singapore’s National Environment Agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance bilateral cooperation on environmental management and protection between the two nations. The MOU was signed in Washington, D.C. this week by EPA Administrator Michael Regan and Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu.

“EPA is fortunate to have such a strong and engaged partner as Singapore to work with while we advance our shared goals of protecting human health and the environment,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The robust relationship the EPA has enjoyed with Singapore is a model to be emulated. We look forward to continued cooperation and are excited to include a focus on Environmental Justice in this MOU.”

“Singapore and the U.S. enjoy longstanding cooperation on environmental matters, underpinned by a shared commitment to improving climate and environmental outcomes for our peoples and the world,” said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu. “This MOU will add further opportunities for such cooperation, by formalizing institutional ties between our countries’ environmental authorities.”

Under the MOU, both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation on a broad range of environmental issues, including solid waste management, circular economy, air quality management, environmental justice, and the decontamination and management of chemical, biological and radiological incidents. EPA and NEA will also explore the opportunities for technical exchanges, information sharing, and joint projects between the two agencies.

The MOU widens existing environmental cooperation between Singapore and the U.S., which currently takes place under the [auspices] of the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA) and its Memorandum of Intent (MOI) on Cooperation in Environmental Matters, and the 2021 U.S.-Singapore Climate Partnership.

Visit EPA’s website for more information about EPA’s international work. 

Visit NEA’s website for more information about Singapore NEA.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (July 19, 2023) — On Friday, senior U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials and Congresswoman Valerie Foushee will hold a press event at the EPA’s Research Triangle Park campus in North Carolina to highlight a $7 billion grant competition through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to increase access to affordable, resilient, and clean solar energy for millions of low-income households.

The Solar for All competition, which is currently open, was created by the Inflation Reduction Act’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) to expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for residential solar investment by awarding up to 60 grants to states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities and eligible nonprofits.

WHAT:         

Press event to highlight $7 billion Solar for All grant competition

Reporters will be able to view a rooftop solar panel installation on one of EPA’s buildings

WHEN:         

Friday July 21, 2023, 10:00-10:45 am EST

WHO:          

U.S. Representative Valerie Foushee (NC-04)

Chris Frey, EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Research and Development                                                                                                                               

John Nicholson, Region 4 EPA Chief of Staff

WHERE:      

EPA Research Triangle Park campus

3799 Hopson Rd
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

*** Interested media must RSVP via email to region4press@epa.gov to confirm your participation by noon on Thursday July 20, 2023, to be added to the building security list and receive parking information and detailed directions to the event location.

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan acknowledged the agency’s “A” grade for its small business contracting goal achievement from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Small Business Federal Procurement Scorecard. This represents the 14th consecutive year that EPA has earned an “A” or “A+” grade on the Scorecard and highlights the collective efforts of EPA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and entire acquisition workforce.

This year’s Scorecard reflects EPA’s record level of contracting dollars to small businesses. Specifically, EPA awarded 48.9% of its total prime contracting dollars to small businesses, an increase of more than $300 million from the prior FY 2021. The SBA Scorecard also notes EPA’s first-time across the board increase in the number of the agency’s small and socioeconomic prime contractors in FY 2022, a testament to EPA’s ongoing delivery of value-added technical assistance and meaningful vendor engagement to help small businesses successfully compete for awards in accordance with governing law.

“For the 14th year in a row, EPA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and the broader EPA workforce have demonstrated exemplary leadership to achieve historic small business contract support,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The agency’s work to protect public health and the environment advances our commitment to support small businesses. Together, we are delivering environmental and economic benefits for all.”

Going forward, EPA remains committed to expanding small business utilization in EPA acquisitions and strengthening the resiliency of the Federal supplier base.

Each year since 2007, the SBA’s annual Small Business Procurement Scorecard has measured how well federal agencies achieve their small and socioeconomic business prime contracting and subcontracting goals. EPA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization will continue to leverage partnerships across the agency and with industry to expand contracting opportunities and support to the nation’s small businesses.

Visit EPA’s small business utilization website for more information.

WASHINGTON (July 19, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposed rule that would streamline and clarify the requirements and steps necessary for states and Tribes to administer programs protecting waterways from discharges of dredged or fill material without a permit. The Clean Water Act envisions collaborative implementation between EPA and state and Tribal co-regulators to protect our nation’s waters that support public health, thriving ecosystems, business development, recreation, agriculture, and more. EPA’s proposal would address key barriers identified by states and Tribes to administering Clean Water Act section 404 while expanding opportunities for Tribes to meaningfully engage in permitting actions.

“Many state and Tribal partners share EPA’s goal of protecting our nations waterways as envisioned by Congress and embodied in the Clean Water Act. That’s why EPA is proposing this to strengthen our partnership with states and Tribes, ensuring clean water protections,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “Today’s proposal will support co-regulator efforts to administer their own programs to manage discharges of dredged or fill material into our nation’s waters.”

Currently, three states administer their own Clean Water Act section 404 programs, which prohibit the discharge of dredged or fill material into a water of the United States without a permit. The last major update to these regulations occurred in 1988. This proposal responds to state and Tribal requests that EPA clarify the process to assume and administer the section 404 program, including which water bodies would be covered under the program and mitigation and enforcement responsibilities.

“The National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM) supports efforts by EPA to clarify and expand opportunities for assumption of the Section 404 program,” said Marla Stelk, Executive Director of NAWM. “For many states and tribes, assumption can offer a way to improve protection of their wetlands and other aquatic resources. Program assumption can reduce duplicative state, Tribal and federal permitting requirements and increase integration with related water management programs.” 

EPA is committed to meaningful stakeholder engagement on this action. After the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register, a 60-day public comment period will begin during which states, Tribes and the public may provide input on the proposed rule. Visit EPA’s CWA section 404 website for more information on providing comments and upcoming outreach opportunities.

Read more information about CWA section 404 program assumption.

Background

Clean Water Act (CWA) section 404 prohibits the discharge or dredged or fill material into a water of the United States without a permit. The CWA 404 permit program is generally administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; however, section 404(g) of the CWA authorizes states and Tribes to assume responsibility for the administration of the CWA section 404 program. This includes permitting of the discharge of dredged and fill material into waters of the United States, compliance, enforcement, mitigation, and all other aspects of the program. EPA approves and oversees all state and Tribal section 404 programs. To date, there are three states (Michigan, New Jersey, and Florida) that administer an approved CWA section 404 program. Currently, no Tribes administer a program.   

NUEVA YORK - Por primera vez en sus 30 años de historia, el Consejo Asesor Nacional de Justicia Ambiental (NEJAC), un comité asesor federal de la Agencia Federal de Protección Ambiental (EPA), se reunirá en Puerto Rico. El NEJAC proporciona asesoramiento y recomendaciones sobre temas amplios e intersectoriales relacionados con la justicia ambiental y constituye un foro valioso para las discusiones sobre la integración de la justicia ambiental en las prioridades e iniciativas de la EPA.

“La EPA está comprometida en continuar construyendo sobre los compromisos de la visita del Administrador Regan a Puerto Rico en su Viaje hacia la Justicia (“Journey to Justice”) del año pasado. Es por eso que estoy tan complacida de que la reunión del NEJAC de este año se celebre en San Juan, Puerto Rico, para resaltar y llamar más la atención sobre los muchos problemas de justicia ambiental en Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes de los Estados Unidos. Invitamos a las comunidades, entidades no gubernamentales y el público en general interesados en la justicia ambiental a unirse a nosotros en esta reunión, ya sea en persona o virtualmente”, señaló Lisa F. García, administradora regional de la EPA. “El NEJAC proporciona asesoramiento independiente que es crucial para ayudar a que la EPA sea responsable de garantizar que todos obtengan el mismo grado de protección contra los peligros ambientales y de salud, y la igualdad de acceso al proceso de toma de decisiones.”

Aquí compartimos algunos detalles claves sobre la reunión:

• La reunión pública se llevará a cabo del martes 25 al jueves 27 de julio de 2023.
• La reunión se llevará a cabo en el Hotel Sheraton en el Centro de Convenciones de Puerto Rico (200 Convention Blvd., San Juan, PR 00907)
• La reunión tendrá una opción virtual para quienes no puedan asistir en persona.
• La reunión es gratuita y abierta a todos los miembros del público.
• Se requiere que las personas se registren en línea antes del 19 de julio o en la sede del Hotel Sheraton durante las fechas de la reunión pública.
• Para inscribirse en la reunión, visite este enlace. Las solicitudes de acomodo razonable o interpretación se pueden completar en el enlace de registro de Zoom.
• Los participantes inscritos tendrán la oportunidad de aportar comentarios orales o escritos si se inscriben antes de iniciarse la sesión de comentarios públicos, la cual comienza el miércoles, 26 de julio a las 4:00 p.m. hora local.

El miércoles, 26 de julio, habrá un Panel Comunitario de Puerto Rico y un Panel Comunitario de las Islas Vírgenes de los Estados Unidos que destacarán muchos de los desafíos de justicia ambiental que enfrenta el Caribe de los Estados Unidos. 

• Entre los panelistas para las Presentaciones y el Panel de la Comunidad  de Puerto Rico se encuentran: Juan Rosario (AMANESER), Brenda Torres (Programa del Estuario de la Bahía de San Juan), Ruth “Tata” Santiago (Diálogo Ambiental y Queremos Sol), Ingrid Vila (Cambio PR y Generación Circular), Carmen Villanueva (Puerto Rico por el Derecho de una Vivienda Digna), Miriam Matos (Organización Acueductos Comunitarios Non PRASA), Mario Nuñez (Proyecto ENLACE del Caño Martin Peña) y Lucy Cruz (Grupo de las 8 Comunidades del Caño Martin Peña). 
• El Panel Comunitario de las Islas Vírgenes Estadounidenses estará representado por Deanna James (St. Croix Foundation for Community Development), Frandelle Gerard (Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism, Inc. (CHANT)) y Jennifer Valiulis (St. Croix Environmental Association).

Visite el sitio web de la EPA sobre el Consejo Asesor Nacional de Justicia Ambiental para obtener más información.

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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NEW YORK - For the first time in its 30-year history, the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC), a federal advisory committee to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will meet in Puerto Rico. The NEJAC provides advice and recommendations about broad, cross-cutting issues related to environmental justice and provides a valuable forum for discussions about integrating environmental justice with other EPA priorities and initiatives.

“EPA is committed to continue to build on the progress since Administrator Regan’s visit to Puerto Rico for the Journey to Justice Tour last year. This is why I am so pleased that this year’s NEJAC meeting is being hosted in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to highlight and bring more attention to the many environmental justice issues in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. I encourage people to join us either in person or virtually,” said Lisa F. Garcia, EPA Regional Administrator. “The NEJAC provides critical independent advice to help keep EPA accountable to ensuring that everyone gets the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards, and equal access to the decision-making process.”

Here are some key details about the meeting:

• The public meeting will take place from Tuesday, July 25 to Thursday, July 27, 2023.
• The meeting will be held at The Sheraton Hotel at the Puerto Rico Convention Center (200 Convention Blvd., San Juan, PR 00907)
• The meeting will have a virtual option for those who cannot attend in person.
• The meeting is free and open to all members of the public.
• Registration is required online by 11:59 p.m., EST, July 19 or on-site at the Sheraton Hotel throughout the public meeting.
• To register for the meeting, please visit this link. Accommodation or interpretation requests can be filled out in the Zoom registration link.
• Registered participants will have an opportunity to provide oral or written comments if they sign up by the start of the public comment session, which begins on Wednesday, July 26 at 4:00 p.m. EST.

On Wednesday, July 26, there will be a Puerto Rico Community Panel and a US Virgin Islands Community Panel that will highlight many of the environmental justice challenges faced in the US Caribbean. 

• Panelists for the Puerto Rico Community Presentations and Panel include: Juan Rosario (AMANESER), Brenda Torres (San Juan Bay Estuary Program), Ruth “Tata” Santiago (Diálogo Ambiental and Queremos Sol), Ingrid Vila (Cambio PR and Generación Circular), Carmen Villanueva (Puerto Rico por el Derecho de una Vivienda Digna), Miriam Matos (Organización Acueductos Comunitarios Non-PRASA), Mario Nuñez (Proyecto ENLACE del Caño Martin Peña) and Lucy Cruz (Group of the 8 Communities of the Caño Martin Peña). 
• The USVI Community Panel will be represented by Deanna James (St. Croix Foundation for Community Development, Frandelle Gerard (Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism, Inc. (CHANT)), and Jennifer Valiulis (St. Croix Environmental Association).

Visit EPA’s website about the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council to learn more.

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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LENEXA, KAN. (18 DE JULIO DE 2023) – La Agencia de Protección Ambiental de Estados Unidos (EPA, por sus siglas en inglés) cobrará una multa de $337,253 a Oregon Tool Inc., un fabricante de cuchillas de acero para cortadoras de césped de Kansas City, Missouri, para resolver presuntas violaciones de la Ley Federal de Conservación y Recuperación de Recursos (RCRA).

Según la EPA, Oregon Tool emplea aproximadamente a 130 empleados en sus instalaciones de Kansas City y permitió que los desechos peligrosos e inflamables se acumularan en el piso, las paredes, el techo y el equipo de la instalación sin determinar el alcance del peligro ni mantener la instalación de una manera que impidiera la liberación de desechos peligrosos.

“Las operaciones de Oregon Tool presentaron un riesgo significativo para sus trabajadores y la comunidad circundante”, comentó David Cozad, director de la División de Acatamiento y Garantía de Cumplimiento de la Región 7 de la EPA. “Este acuerdo representa el compromiso del gobierno federal de proteger a los residentes de las emisiones nocivas de sustancias peligrosas, particularmente en las comunidades que ya están sobrecargadas por la contaminación.”

Después de que la EPA observó las condiciones de la instalación durante una inspección de septiembre de 2022 y notificó a la compañía sobre posibles infracciones, la compañía propuso y llevó a cabo una limpieza integral de su instalación que recolectó y eliminó 9,000 libras de desechos peligrosos inflamables que se habían acumulado con el tiempo en toda la instalación. Además, Oregon Tool acordó instalar controles para prevenir futuras emisiones de desechos peligrosos.

Esta inspección de la EPA mostró que los procesos de fabricación de Oregon Tool provocaron la acumulación de nitrito de sodio gastado, nitrato de sodio y mezcla de nitrato de potasio en el piso, las paredes, el techo y el equipo de la instalación. Estas sustancias se consideran residuos peligrosos y podrían estimular y acelerar la combustión. Además, el inspector de la EPA observó que se emitían sustancias desde las rejillas de ventilación del techo de la instalación.

Los datos demográficos y ambientales muestran que la instalación de Oregon Tool se encuentra en un área de habla hispana en gran parte de bajos ingresos, muy recargada por la contaminación. La EPA está fortaleciendo la aplicación de la ley en las comunidades vulnerables para abordar los efectos desproporcionadamente altos y adversos para la salud humana o el medioambiente de las operaciones industriales en las poblaciones vulnerables.

La RCRA crea el marco para la gestión adecuada de residuos sólidos peligrosos y no peligrosos. Las instalaciones que generan, almacenan, transportan y/o eliminan desechos peligrosos deben tomar precauciones para evitar la liberación de esos desechos.

Conozca más detalles sobre la Ley de Conservación y Recuperación de Recursos.

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Más información sobre la Región 7 de la EPA

SEATTLE (July 18, 2023) —The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and the City of Sandy have agreed on a set of measures the city will undertake to stem the city’s frequent violations of the Clean Water Act, including significantly limiting new sewer connections and upgrading its aging wastewater treatment system.

The consent decree settles violations of the Clean Water Act that date back to 2017 when DEQ found that discharges from the city’s wastewater treatment plant were regularly exceeding permitted levels and polluting Tickle Creek and the Clackamas River. As part of the agreement, Sandy must complete a set of improvements to the wastewater treatment plant by October 31, 2023, that will improve reliability and capacity.

Additionally, the city must continue with its Sewer Assessment and Rehabilitation Program to reduce the amount of rain and groundwater that enters the collection system. The investigation portion of the project must be completed by December 31, 2025, and all identified corrective measures within the sewer system must be completed within 10 years.

The city agreed to pay $500,000 in civil penalties for violations of its water quality permit – $250,000 to the U.S. Treasury and $250,000 to Oregon.

This settlement furthers EPA's National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative to reduce significant noncompliance with discharge permits by municipalities and improve surface water quality.  

“This agreement shows what we can do when we work together,” said Casey Sixkiller, Regional Administrator of EPA Pacific Northwest & Alaska office in Seattle. “The City of Sandy is taking the right steps to correct a long-standing problem, and EPA will be there to support their progress wherever we can.”

“I’m proud that we were able to come together to resolve an issue in a way that protects the environment and people’s health and holds the City of Sandy accountable, while also addressing the needs of a growing community,” said DEQ Director Leah Feldon. “The Clackamas River is an Oregon gem, and this agreement will help ensure it runs clear and cold for generations to come.”

Background

The City of Sandy operates a wastewater treatment plant to treat domestic wastewater. The plant operates under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit to discharge to Tickle Creek, a tributary of the Clackamas River. Sandy has reported hundreds of violations of permit limits since 2017.

DEQ has been delegated authority to enforce violations of the Clean Water Act. However, EPA retains the authority to enforce violations within Oregon. EPA’s involvement often results in the establishment of a federally enforceable timeline, in the form of a court order Consent Decree – with which the City of Sandy has now agreed – to comply with federal environmental laws.

Consent decree details

Under the terms of the consent decree Sandy must:

• Pay a $250,000 civil penalty to the U.S. within 30 days of the effective date of the consent decree. The city also must pay Oregon $24,300 owed from a previous penalty within 30 days and an additional $250,000 penalty. The Oregon penalty may be reduced to $50,000 if the city completes a Supplemental Environmental Project worth $200,000 by December 31, 2028.
• Continue with its Sewer Assessment and Rehabilitation program to reduce the amount of rain and groundwater that enters the collection system.
• Develop and implement a capacity, management, operation, and maintenance (“CMOM”) program designed to ensure the collection system provides a high level of service to customers and reduces regulatory noncompliance.
• Complete preliminary design improvements by October 31, 2023. This is a set of improvements to the treatment plant identified in a report prepared for Sandy to improve reliability and increase capacity.
• Submit an Amended Wastewater Facilities Plan to bring the city into compliance with its water quality permit and keep the city in compliance in the future. The schedule for final completion of all work under the plan shall be as expeditious as possible, but no longer than 15 years from the date EPA and DEQ approve the plan.
• Implement a Capacity Assurance Program that will limit new connections to Sandy’s sewer system until the city has demonstrated that adequate capacity exists in the system.
• Every six months, submit a report describing progress that meets the above requirements.

Opportunity for public comment

The consent decree is currently available for public review and comment before it is effective. EPA, ODEQ, and the U.S. Department of Justice invite all affected community members and other stakeholders to review the consent decree and provide any relevant comments. The public comment process is designed to help ensure that all voices are heard and that all views about the consent decree are considered.

To review the materials for this action and/or provide comment, please go to: https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decree/us-et-al-v-city-sandy-oregon

The deadline to submit public comments is August 10, 2023.

Media contacts:

DEQ: Harry Esteve, harry.esteve@deq.oregon.gov, 503-951-3856

EPA: Bill Dunbar, Dunbar.bill@epa.gov, 206-245-7452

About Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality protects human health and the environment by controlling air and water pollution, reducing the impacts of manufactured products and cleaning up contaminated properties. DEQ engages the public in decision-making and helps communities solve problems in ways that are economically and environmentally sustainable.

LENEXA, KAN. (JULY 18, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will collect a $337,253 penalty from Oregon Tool Inc., a Kansas City, Missouri, manufacturer of steel lawn mower blades, to resolve alleged violations of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

According to EPA, Oregon Tool employs approximately 130 employees at its Kansas City facility and allowed hazardous, ignitable waste to accumulate on the floor, walls, ceiling, and equipment at the facility without determining the extent of the hazard nor maintaining the facility in a way that prevented the release of hazardous waste.

“Oregon Tool’s operations presented a significant risk to its workers and the surrounding community,” said David Cozad, director of EPA Region 7’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division. “This settlement represents the federal government’s commitment to protect residents from harmful releases of hazardous substances, particularly in communities that are already overburdened by pollution.”

After EPA observed the facility’s conditions during a September 2022 inspection and notified the company about potential violations, the company proposed and completed a comprehensive cleanup of its facility that collected and removed 9,000 pounds of ignitable hazardous waste that had accumulated over time throughout the facility. Further, Oregon Tool agreed to install controls to prevent future hazardous waste releases.

This EPA inspection showed that Oregon Tool’s manufacturing processes resulted in the accumulation of spent sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate, and potassium nitrate mixture on the facility’s floor, walls, ceiling, and equipment. These substances are considered hazardous waste and could stimulate and accelerate combustion. Further, the EPA inspector observed that substances were being emitted from the facility’s ceiling vents.

Demographic and environmental data show that the Oregon Tool facility is in a largely low-income, Spanish-speaking area heavily burdened by pollution. EPA is strengthening enforcement in vulnerable communities to address disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of industrial operations on vulnerable populations.

RCRA creates the framework for the proper management of hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste. Facilities that generate, store, transport, and/or dispose of hazardous waste must take precautions to prevent the release of that waste.

Learn more about the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

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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