WASHINGTON – Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new review of the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to ensure the standards reflect the most current, relevant science and protect people’s health from these harmful pollutants. EPA Administrator Michael Regan reached this decision after carefully considering advice provided by the independent Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC). In October 2021, EPA announced a reconsideration of the previous Administration’s decision to retain the NAAQS for ozone. EPA will incorporate the ongoing reconsideration into the review announced today, and will consider the advice and recommendations of the CASAC in that review. The Agency will move swiftly to execute this new review of the underlying science and the standards – prioritizing transparency, scientific integrity, inclusive public engagement, and environmental justice. 

“After carefully reviewing the advice of the independent scientific panel, I am convinced that a full and complete review of the ozone NAAQS is warranted to ensure a thorough and transparent assessment of the latest science,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “From the start, I committed that EPA will uphold the integrity of independent, robust processes to ensure that air quality standards reflect the latest science in order to best protect people from pollution. As we initiate a new review, EPA will continue to work closely with our partners at the state, tribal and local levels to fully implement the existing standards, consistent with our Clean Air Act obligations.”

Exposure to ground-level ozone can cause respiratory issues, aggravate asthma and other lung diseases, and may lead to missed days of work or school, emergency room visits, and premature deaths. These costly public health impacts can be especially harmful to children and older adults, disproportionately affecting people of color, families with low-incomes, and other vulnerable populations.

Nationally, due in part to strong EPA emission standards that reduce air pollution, ozone air quality is improving. Between 2010 and 2022, national average ozone air quality concentrations have dropped 7%. In many of the areas designated as not meeting the current 2015 standards, work remains. To continue progress in reducing ozone, EPA has initiated important regulatory actions including strong new federal emissions standards for cars and trucks and strengthening rules to reduce pollution from the oil and natural gas industry – a leading source of ozone forming volatile organic compounds.  Taken together, the projected benefits of these and other actions addressing industrial and power sector emissions, such as with the Good Neighbor Plan, would cut emissions of ozone precursors by hundreds of thousands of tons with estimated health benefits adding up to billions of dollars.

The new review will allow EPA to consider fully the information about the latest ozone science and potential implications for the ozone NAAQS provided by the CASAC and the Ozone Review Panel. EPA will conduct the review according to well-established best practices and processes that embrace scientific integrity and the role of the public to provide input at multiple steps along the way.

Concrete, transparent and public next steps include:

• Issuing a call for information in the Federal Register in the next few days;
• convening a public science and policy workshop in spring 2024 to gather input from the scientific community and the public;
• in summer 2024, EPA will summarize the proceedings of the workshop to consider how the information gathered can be used to inform the next review, including specific areas of science that warrant particular focus and analytic enhancements;
• in fall 2024 the agency plans to release its Integrated Review Plan, Volume 2 to guide CASAC consideration and development of the Integrated Science Assessment.

EPA established the current standards at a level of 70 parts per billion in 2015 and retained them in 2020, after concluding that there was little new information to suggest the need for revision. The CASAC, however, has identified studies published more recently and also recommended that EPA conduct additional risk analyses that might support more stringent standards. EPA has determined that incorporating the ongoing reconsideration into a new review will best ensure full consideration of this new information and advice.

Find more information about ground-level ozone and the most recent review of the ozone NAAQS.

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a settlement with Arctic Glacier U.S.A., Inc., that resolves claims of violations of federal environmental rules at the company’s ice processing facility in Fremont, Calif. Under the settlement, Arctic Glacier has certified that the facility is in compliance with Clean Air Act regulations that are designed to ensure the safe manufacture, use, storage, and handling of anhydrous ammonia, a toxic substance used as a refrigerant. Arctic Glacier will pay a $169,400 penalty as part of the settlement.

“Toxic substances like anhydrous ammonia can pose serious threats to workers, first responders and the public, so it’s imperative that companies using them follow federal requirements to prevent accidents,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “This settlement demonstrates that EPA will be vigilant in holding accountable companies that fail to comply with environmental laws.”

Arctic Glacier owns and operates an ice processing, production and storage facility in Fremont that includes a refrigeration system containing about 14,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia, a toxic substance regulated by EPA under the Clean Air Act’s Risk Management Program. Anhydrous ammonia is very corrosive, and exposure may result in chemical-type burns to skin, eyes, and lungs.

Based on an inspection of the Arctic Glacier facility in 2018, EPA determined that the facility’s piping, operating equipment, and safety systems were not in compliance with regulatory requirements. The company has addressed the EPA identified deficiencies at the facility.

EPA’s Risk Management Program (RMP) regulations work to prevent accidental chemical releases in our communities and the environment. Facilities holding more than a threshold quantity of a regulated substance are required to comply with EPA’s RMP regulations. The regulations require owners or operators of covered facilities to implement a risk management program and to submit a risk management plan to EPA.

Learn more about the Risk Management Program rule.

Learn about the National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative on reducing risks of accidental releases at industrial and chemical facilities.

For more information on reporting possible violations of environmental laws and regulations visit EPA’s enforcement reporting website.

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

Statement from EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker on the Butte Priority Soils Superfund site 

Today, in response to concerns expressed by some in the Butte community regarding the Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (BPSOU) Superfund site, EPA issued a detailed position paper to clarify and detail the use of onsite material at the site. This paper, along with an upcoming August 30 community meeting, reflects an effort to engage with the community so that all can better understand this aspect of the cleanup. It is important for us to clearly communicate and share facts and information as we have discussions on these and other topics related to site progress.

As stated upfront in the paper, EPA is committed to making sure that all BPSOU cleanup decisions are and will be (1) protective of human health and the environment, (2) reflective of transparent community engagement, (3) consistent with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the National Contingency Plan (NCP), and (4) the BPSOU Consent Decree (CD).

I’d like to start by addressing some misconceptions about what we mean by onsite material. Onsite material is soil (or sometimes other material) present within a Superfund site which can be used to contribute to site cleanup efforts. It can serve a wide range of important functions, including stabilizing soils and reducing erosion, containing and immobilizing contamination, and supporting vegetation and land restoration, among other beneficial purposes. As such, the use of this material is common, In fact, Superfund sites across the nation, including dozens of mining sites, involve cleanup remedies which intentionally and effectively use soils and other material onsite.

One of the most fundamental objectives of the Superfund law, and the deliberate and thorough cleanup program we use to meet the law, is to eliminate exposure to harmful levels of contaminants.  Achieving this basic objective—in Butte and at the more than 1,300 Superfund priority sites across the nation—does not necessitate digging up every microgram of a metal or substance of concern and moving it to another location. Such a requirement would be practically impossible and inconsistent with the science supporting Superfund risk investigations and assessments. In the case of the BPSOU site remedy, the Consent Decree, and the technical work plans and processes that guide cleanup actions, protectiveness can be simply defined as preventing community exposures to harmful levels of metals, specifically arsenic and lead, from historic mining activities. The use of onsite material at the site is only permitted when it is consistent with that objective.

I should emphasize that the measures in place for onsite soils in Butte are rigorous. Under the Consent Decree, material that does not exceed established metals criteria may be used on site only under specific conditions which minimize any movement to air, groundwater and surface water, and limit use to locations where people are unlikely to be exposed. In addition, all onsite material identified as potentially suitable for general fill will undergo extensive sampling and analysis to confirm it meets all parameters and criteria before use.

I also would like to clarify that these determinations are not based on financial costs; they are based on science, data and risk evaluations that enable the practical and beneficial use of onsite material to advance site-specific cleanup goals and also protect offsite environmental resources. While it is true that it would take significant financial resources, time, and, potentially, new agreements, to fully remove and relocate all onsite material at the BPSOU, the most basic reason such material is used is that it is environmentally beneficial to do so. Put simply, the use of onsite material as general fill allows us to address exposure risk and restore areas efficiently and effectively.

The use of onsite material as general fill poses minimal risk to humans, groundwater, the watershed or plant and animal life.  The alternative—removing, transporting and disposing the material, and replacing it with fill material removed and transported from offsite locations (all in an effort to achieve the same cleanup purposes the onsite fill was used for)—is not only impractical, it also comes with additional potential environmental impacts in terms of fuel and energy use; air toxics and greenhouse gas emissions; erosion, runoff, and surface water degradation; and other concerns.

EPA is genuinely committed to engagement in Butte, and we look forward to continuing to share information with the community on the use of onsite material in cleaning up the BPSOU. While we welcome questions, dialogue and the many differing perspectives and opinions represented across the community, we cannot disregard the carefully developed science, determinations and agreements completed in accordance with the Superfund law and the objectives of the program. We also cannot lose sight of the goal of moving the project forward to get contamination cleaned up as expeditiously as possible to protect human health and the environment in Butte. While the processes in place for monitoring and ensuring the safe use of onsite material within the BPSOU are rigorous, we are certainly open to more discussions to clarify where, when and how such material could be used. I should also assure you the agency will act quickly and decisively if any information suggests potential exposure risks associated with specific areas or uses.

I look forward to visiting Butte on August 30 to meet with the community and engage on these and other topics.

EPA News Release on BPSOU onsite material.

Butte, Mont. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released a position paper detailing the proposed use of onsite material as general fill within the Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (BPSOU) at the Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site. EPA will host a public meeting in Butte on Wednesday, August 30, to present details, answer questions and listen to perspectives on the use of onsite material and other topics related to cleanup progress. This announcement furthers the agency’s goal of enhanced transparency and community involvement at the site.

Onsite material is soil or other natural material which exists within a Superfund site and is often used to contribute to cleanup efforts. It is frequently used to serve important functions, including stabilizing soils and reducing erosion, containing, and immobilizing contamination, and supporting vegetation and restoration, among other beneficial purposes.  As such, the use of such material is common. In fact, Superfund sites across the nation, including dozens of mining sites, involve cleanup remedies which intentionally and effectively use soils and other material onsite.

The measures proposed for onsite soils in Butte are intended to be rigorous. Under the BPSOU Consent Decree, material not exceeding established metals criteria, may be used on site only under specific conditions which minimize any movement to air, groundwater and surface water, and limit use to locations where people are unlikely be exposed. Additionally, all onsite material identified as potentially suitable for general fill will undergo extensive sampling and analysis to confirm it meet all parameters and criteria to protect human health and the environment before any use.

Using onsite material as general fill does more than assist with meeting project goals, it also provides direct local benefits such as minimizing impacts to public safety and roads from reduced transport and haul truck traffic. In addition, the unnecessary removal, transport and disposal of usable onsite material, and its replacement with fill material removed and transported from offsite locations, comes with additional potential environmental impacts in terms of fuel and energy use; air toxics and greenhouse gas emissions; erosion, runoff, and surface water degradation; and other environmental concerns. A critical aspect of developing effective onsite soil remedies is evaluating and appropriately using soil material when it contributes to cleanup goals; any material that does not meet established protectiveness criteria will be addressed.

A public meeting will be held on Wednesday August 30, 2023, from 6:00 pm to 8:00pm at the Butte Emergency Operations Center (3619 Wynne Ave, Butte, MT 59701) for the public to learn more about onsite material and to give public comments. To provide written comments, please address those to Charles Van Otten, vanotten.charles@epa.gov or by standard mail to Charles Van Otten, U.S. EPA, 1595 Wynkoop Street, Denver, Colorado, 80202.  

Statement from EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker

EPA onsite material position paper for the BPSOU.

More on the BPSOU Superfund site cleanup.

SEATTLE – La Agencia de Protección Ambiental de EE. UU. anunció hoy que Multistar Industries Inc., de Othello, Washington, pagará USD 850 000 por haber infringido las leyes ambientales.

El 1 de agosto, el Tribunal de Distrito de EE. UU. correspondiente al Distrito Este de Washington le ordenó a Multistar el pago de una multa por haber cometido cinco infracciones al Programa de Manejo de Riesgos de la Ley de Aire Limpio y dos infracciones a la Ley de Planificación para Emergencias y Derecho a Saber de la Comunidad. Las infracciones se relacionan con el hecho de que Multistar almacenó una sustancia química peligrosa llamada trimetilamina, o TMA, en su planta de Othello, Washington.

Además de la multa, el Tribunal accedió a la solicitud de la EPA de un mandamiento judicial, que exige que Multistar cumpla inmediatamente con los requisitos de la Ley de Aire Limpio y presente informes semestrales durante los próximos cinco años que demuestren su cumplimiento continuo. En la orden judicial, el Tribunal se refirió a las infracciones de Multistar como “sumamente graves” y declaró que la conducta de la empresa “pone en riesgo la vida de los trabajadores, así como la vida de las personas de la comunidad”.

Multistar comenzó a almacenar TMA en vagones de su planta en 2017, pero tomó medidas para cumplir con los requisitos de la CAA y la EPCRA recién después de que la EPA comenzara a investigar la operación en 2019. Incluso entonces, el Tribunal determinó que Multistar no había cumplido totalmente con los requisitos de la CAA en el momento del juicio. Multistar tiene una larga historia de problemas de cumplimiento en su planta, con infracciones previas resueltas con la EPA en 2005, 2016, 2019 y 2021.

“Este fallo fue un gran logro para prevenir accidentes químicos”, expresó Ed Kowalski, director de la Oficina de Seguimiento de la Implementación y el Cumplimiento de la Ley de la Región 10 de la EPA. “Tanto el Programa de Manejo de Riesgos de la EPA como la Ley de Planificación para Emergencias y Derecho a Saber de la Comunidad se centran en planificar y prevenir la liberación accidental de sustancias peligrosas, especialmente donde hay grandes poblaciones vulnerables”.

Multistar almacenó un promedio de 696 380 libras de TMA en vagones no motorizados desde 2019. La empresa aumentó su capacidad de inventario desde un promedio de 156 988 libras en 2018.

La trimetilamina es una sustancia muy inflamable, que es corrosiva para los ojos, la piel y las vías respiratorias. Se usa con frecuencia en la fabricación de productos electrónicos, explosivos, productos farmacéuticos y papel, y como aditivo en la gasolina.

Puede encontrar más detalles en los antecedentes de hecho y conclusiones de derecho del Tribunal, así como en la orden de concesión del mandamiento judicial del Tribunal.

• Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law - United States v. Multistar Industries, Inc. (pdf)

• Order Granting Injunction - United States v. Multistar Industries, Inc. (pdf)

NEW YORK - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public input on its proposed cleanup plan to address contaminated groundwater, soil, bedrock, soil vapor and surface water at the Lehigh Valley Railroad site located in LeRoy, New York. A 30-day public comment period for the proposed plan begins on August 18, 2023. EPA will host a public meeting at Caledonia Mumford High School auditorium, 99 North Street, Caledonia, NY   on August 29, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. to explain the new cleanup proposal. EPA’s proposed plan for the Lehigh Valley Railroad site will address the remaining contamination from a historic train accident that spilled trichloroethylene (TCE) onto the ground and into the groundwater.

The site includes the location of a former train derailment that occurred on December 6, 1970, at the Gulf Road crossing in the Town of LeRoy. Two tank cars ruptured and spilled approximately 30,000 gallons of TCE onto the ground. A third car containing a crystalline form of cyanide was also reported to have partially spilled. The cyanide was recovered shortly after the derailment, however the TCE was flushed with water, and it seeped into the ground, resulting in a 4-mile-long plume of TCE contamination. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List in 1999 and has been cleaning the site in several stages, including early removal responses, as well as remedial actions known as operable units (OUs).

The cleanup outlined in today’s proposed plan will address the groundwater, bedrock, soil, soil vapor, and surface water. For the groundwater contamination, EPA has determined that no existing treatment methods can clean up the groundwater to meet standards in a reasonable time. Therefore, EPA proposes to monitor the groundwater and use institutional controls (ICs) to limit its use and protect people’s health over the long term.

The proposed plan also includes:

• Removing remaining contaminated soil and disposing of it off-site, followed by backfilling with clean fill.
• In-situ treatment of contaminated surface water with streambed cover, ICs, and monitoring. 
• Monitoring groundwater, surface water, soil vapor and indoor air to check the levels of contaminants.
• Maintaining and installing vapor mitigation systems for properties that are affected by soil vapor intrusion from the groundwater plume. These systems prevent harmful vapors from entering indoor spaces.
• Connecting new homes built over the groundwater plume to the public water supply system. Existing homes over the plume were connected to the public water system in 2003.
• ICs in the form of governmental controls, proprietary controls (e.g., easements in the spill area), and informational devices (e.g., notices, publications) to limit exposure to contaminated groundwater and soil vapor.

EPA also proposes changes to a 1997 cleanup plan to eliminate source control measures including bedrock vapor extraction, to update the surface water standard for TCE, and to address soil contamination beneath Gulf Road by implementing ICs to restrict access and to require proper soil management if the roadbed is disturbed in the future.

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

For additional background and to see the proposed cleanup plan, visit the Lehigh Valley Railroad 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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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (August 18, 2023) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $300,030 settlement with the Suncor Energy USA Inc., Commerce City Refinery (Suncor) to resolve alleged violations of toxic chemical-related regulations.

The settlement addresses chemical accident prevention, toxic chemical release reporting and community right-to-know violations at the refinery, which EPA discovered during an inspection conducted from September 14-17, 2020. Suncor will pay $60,000 in civil penalties. It will also spend at least $240,030 on emergency response equipment as a Supplemental Environmental Project to enhance the chemical release accident response capabilities of the South Adams County Fire Department in Commerce City, Colorado.

"Facilities must properly handle hazardous substances to prevent dangerous chemical accidents and follow reporting requirements when releases occur,” said KC Becker, EPA Regional Administrator. “If they don’t, EPA will hold them accountable. We are pleased that Suncor is implementing critical safety measures to protect workers and the community."

The inspection focused on the root causes related to the catalyst release that occurred on December 11, 2019, among other areas. The EPA found that Suncor violated the following regulations:

• The Risk Management Program under the Clean Air Act, which is aimed at preventing accidental releases of chemicals that can have serious consequences for public health, safety, and the environment; Specifically, Suncor failed to maintain correct process safety information, complete outstanding process hazard analyses, update operating procedures and follow management of change procedures.
   
• Toxic chemical release reporting requirements under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act and reporting requirements under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, which are designed to notify the community of toxic releases from facilities to help prepare for and protect against chemical accidents. Specifically, Suncor failed to timely report two releases and failed to report sulfuric acid in their industrial batteries to the local emergency responders.

Suncor certified that it addressed these findings.

Please see Consent Agreement and Final Order for more information.

Read more information about the Risk Management Program, Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act and section 103 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.

BOSTON —Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that University of Maine, in Orono, Maine, has been selected to receive a $1,125,000 grant funding research to address the drivers and environmental impacts of energy transitions in underserved and Tribal communities. The University of Maine Orono was one of only 11 institutions selected nationwide to share in $11 million for this initiative.

In this program, University of Maine will engage with indigenous, rural, and low-income communities in Maine to understand the role of statewide Local Energy Action Networks (LEANs) in supporting and advancing renewable energy and energy efficiency adoption.

"Addressing climate change and ensuring that historically disadvantaged communities are not overlooked as we transition to a clean energy economy is a major priority for EPA," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "This research will help EPA and other entities to better understand how transitioning toward clean energy systems may impact communities, and can help pave the way to a just and equitable energy future."

"We are excited about the EPA's support for community-engaged research, which will allow us to co-develop sustainable energy knowledge and solutions with indigenous Wabanaki tribes and rural, remote Maine communities," said Sharon Klein, Project Lead and Associate Professor of Economics with the University of Maine. "We look forward to continued collaboration with multiple state and local entities to leverage the great work of the Maine Community Resilience Partnership in the pilot Maine Local Energy Action Network that is at the core of our state-level study."

"We are very excited to partner with communities across Maine to examine the benefits, challenges and effectiveness of statewide local energy action networks (LEANs) in supporting renewable energy and energy efficiency adoption," said Caroline Noblet, UMaine Associate Professor of Economics, who is partnering with Klein on the project. "We look forward to examining community engagement across national, state and community scales to understand the decision drivers for sustainable energy adoption."

Background

Energy and transportation systems are rapidly shifting away from fossil-based energy systems. These changes will help mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The evolving energy and transportation systems provide both challenges as well as opportunities to improve environmental and public health in ways that also reduce inequities such as environmental health burdens.

This EPA-funded research will increase understanding of the environmental impacts of shifting energy and transportation systems on underserved and Tribal communities as well as what drives decisions to adopt renewable energy sources, energy efficient technologies, and new transportation options. Grantees will engage with communities and Tribes in these projects, learning from their lived experience and expertise to better respond to community needs. These efforts will improve the scientific foundation for the design of robust, behaviorally informed policies and programs to support the sustainable transition to renewable and low-carbon energy systems.

More information about the University of Maine grant and other funded grant recipients.

NEW YORK (August 17, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has deleted the Smithtown Groundwater Contamination Superfund site in Smithtown, New York, from the National Priorities List (NPL) of Superfund sites. EPA has determined all cleanup work has been completed and that no further federal action is required at the site.

“A few decades ago, people were drinking the contaminated groundwater at this site, but thanks to our Superfund program EPA was able to quickly give them a safe and permanent source of drinking water, allowing the aquifer time to recover.” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Contamination levels in the groundwater have fallen to a level that meets drinking water standards, and EPA is now removing the designation of this site as a Superfund site.”

“I applaud EPA's successful efforts to address the toxic contamination at the Smithtown Groundwater Contamination Site that has threatened the health of local residents for years. It is imperative that all New Yorkers have access to clean drinking water, and everyone deserves to know that their community is a safe place to live, work, and raise a family,” said New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “Thanks to this 24-year effort, residents of Nissequogue and Head of the Harbor can now take solace in knowing their groundwater is safe, and I will never stop fighting to ensure it remains that way.”

Groundwater at the site became contaminated with tetrachloroethylene (or PCE), a solvent used in dry cleaning and metal cleaning, though in this case EPA was not able to pinpoint specific sources of the contamination. Exposure to PCE can have serious health impacts, including liver damage and increased risk of cancer. EPA selected a cleanup plan in 2004 to clean up groundwater contaminated with PCE. The plan included providing alternate water supplies to homes affected by the contamination and relied on existing state and local regulations to restrict future groundwater use.

In 2005, EPA began installing service lines to connect people’s homes to the public water that is regulated and regularly tested. In addition, EPA extended the water main so all the impacted homes could be connected. EPA monitored groundwater using a network of monitoring wells to gauge the concentration and movement of the PCE in the groundwater over time.

When hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants remain on a site at levels that limit use and restrict exposure, EPA conducts follow-up reviews every five years. These five-year reviews, ensure that the cleanup actions continue to protect people and the environment. Several five-year reviews for the site were performed from 2011 through 2020 to ensure that contamination was not posing a risk to people. The most recent five-year review, conducted in November 2020, determined that EPA’s actions at the site protect people’s health and the environment. Levels of PCE in the groundwater have fallen to below state and federal drinking water standards. As a result, no additional five-year reviews will be required.

The NPL includes some of the nation’s most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. EPA deletes sites or parts of sites from the NPL when no further cleanup is required to protect human health or the environment. Years, and sometimes decades, of complex investigation and cleanup work have gone into getting these sites to where they are today.   

Visit the [Smithtown Groundwater Contamination] Superfund site profile page for additional background and site documents.

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

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BOSTON —Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that University of Maine, in Orono, Maine, has been selected to receive a $1,125,000 grant funding research to address the drivers and environmental impacts of energy transitions in underserved and Tribal communities. The University of Maine Orono was one of only 11 institutions selected nationwide to share in $11 million for this initiative.

In this program, University of Maine will engage with indigenous, rural, and low-income communities in Maine to understand the role of statewide Local Energy Action Networks (LEANs) in supporting and advancing renewable energy and energy efficiency adoption.

"Addressing climate change and ensuring that historically disadvantaged communities are not overlooked as we transition to a clean energy economy is a major priority for EPA," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "This research will help EPA and other entities to better understand how transitioning toward clean energy systems may impact communities, and can help pave the way to a just and equitable energy future."

"We are excited about the EPA's support for community-engaged research, which will allow us to co-develop sustainable energy knowledge and solutions with indigenous Wabanaki tribes and rural, remote Maine communities," said Sharon Klein, Project Lead and Associate Professor of Economics with the University of Maine. "We look forward to continued collaboration with multiple state and local entities to leverage the great work of the Maine Community Resilience Partnership in the pilot Maine Local Energy Action Network that is at the core of our state-level study."

"We are very excited to partner with communities across Maine to examine the benefits, challenges and effectiveness of statewide local energy action networks (LEANs) in supporting renewable energy and energy efficiency adoption," said Caroline Noblet, UMaine Associate Professor of Economics, who is partnering with Klein on the project. "We look forward to examining community engagement across national, state and community scales to understand the decision drivers for sustainable energy adoption."

Background

Energy and transportation systems are rapidly shifting away from fossil-based energy systems. These changes will help mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The evolving energy and transportation systems provide both challenges as well as opportunities to improve environmental and public health in ways that also reduce inequities such as environmental health burdens.

This EPA-funded research will increase understanding of the environmental impacts of shifting energy and transportation systems on underserved and Tribal communities as well as what drives decisions to adopt renewable energy sources, energy efficient technologies, and new transportation options. Grantees will engage with communities and Tribes in these projects, learning from their lived experience and expertise to better respond to community needs. These efforts will improve the scientific foundation for the design of robust, behaviorally informed policies and programs to support the sustainable transition to renewable and low-carbon energy systems.

More information about the University of Maine grant and other funded grant recipients.

SEATTLE – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that Multistar Industries Inc. of Othello, Washington, will pay $850,000 for violations of environmental laws. 

On Aug. 1, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington ordered Multistar to pay the penalty for five violations of the Clean Air Act Risk Management Program and two violations of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-know Act. The violations relate to Multistar’s storage of a hazardous chemical called trimethylamine or TMA at its facility in Othello, Washington.  

In addition to the penalty, the Court granted EPA’s request for an injunction, which requires Multistar to come into immediate compliance with Clean Air Act requirements and submit semi-annual reports for the next five years showing ongoing compliance. In its order, the Court called Multistar’s violations “extremely serious” and stated that the company’s conduct “places workers lives at risk as well as the lives of the people in the community. ”

Multistar began storing TMA in rail cars at its facility beginning in 2017, but only took steps to come into compliance with CAA and EPCRA requirements after EPA began an investigation into the operation in 2019. Even then, the Court found that Multistar had not come fully into compliance with CAA requirements as of the time of trial. Multistar has a long history of compliance issues at the facility, with prior violations settled with EPA in 2005, 2016, 2019 and 2021. 

“This ruling was a huge win for preventing chemical accidents,” said EPA Region 10 Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Director Ed Kowalski. “EPA’s Risk Management Program and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know-Act both focus on planning for and preventing accidental releases of hazardous substances, especially where there are large vulnerable populations.”

Multistar stored an average of 696,380 pounds of TMA in unmotorized rail cars since 2019. They increased their inventory capacity from an average 156,988 pounds in 2018. 

Trimethylamine is a highly flammable substance that is corrosive to the eyes, the skin, and the respiratory tract. It is commonly used in the manufacture of electronics, explosives, pharmaceuticals, paper, and is an additive in gasoline.  

Additional details can be found in the following documents:

• Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law - United States v. Multistar Industries, Inc. (pdf) (145.52 KB, August 2023)
• Order Granting Injunction - United States v. Multistar Industries, Inc. (pdf) (158.7 KB, August 2023)

NEW YORK (August 17, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has deleted the Haviland Complex Town of Hyde Park Contamination Superfund site in Hyde Park, New York, from the National Priorities List (NPL) of Superfund sites. Cleanup work at the site is complete and the levels of contamination in the groundwater have dropped to below state and federal drinking water standards.

"EPA's work here is done. Thanks to our actions, the contamination in the groundwater has dropped to the point where you can drink the water,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “I am pleased that our work with the local government and the local community at the Haviland town complex is complete, and that we are removing its designation as an active Superfund site.”

The Haviland Complex site is a 275-acre area in Hyde Park, New York, that was contaminated by Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from the septic and sewage systems of a car wash, a laundromat, a dry cleaner, and a middle school. Contamination was discovered in 1981 and the site was added to the Superfund program in 1986.

EPA selected a cleanup plan in 1987 and modified it in 1997. The plan included removing the source of contamination from the sewers and allowing the levels of VOCs to drop naturally while carefully monitoring to assess the progress.  EPA installed additional monitoring wells in 1999 to monitor levels of contamination in groundwater. The Dutchess County Department of Health installed a public water system in the area as part of a county-wide plan. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) connected the affected homes to this system in 2000. EPA transferred the oversight of the Haviland Complex site to NYSDEC in April 2011. NYSDEC continued to monitor the groundwater.

EPA has conducted reviews, called five-year reviews, to evaluate the effectiveness of the cleanup plan. These reviews ensure that the cleanup actions taken protect people's health and the environment are working effectively. Data shows that groundwater contamination has been below state and federal drinking water standards since 2015 and is expected to remain below relevant standards in the future. All of EPA’s goals have been met at the site and groundwater monitoring and five-year reviews will no longer be required there.

The NPL includes some of the nation’s most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. EPA deletes sites or parts of sites from the NPL when no further cleanup is required to protect human health or the environment. Years, and sometimes decades, of complex investigation and cleanup work have contributed to getting these sites to where they are today. 

While EPA encourages site reuse throughout the cleanup process, deletions from the NPL can revitalize communities, raise property values, and promote economic growth by signaling to potential developers and financial institutions that cleanup is complete. Achieving this milestone can be especially impactful for disadvantaged and over-burdened communities.

Visit the [Haviland complex] Superfund site profile page for additional background and site documents.

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 (August 17, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has deleted the Smithtown Groundwater Contamination Superfund site in Smithtown, New York, from the National Priorities List (NPL) of Superfund sites. EPA has determined all cleanup work has been completed and that no further federal action is required at the site.

“A few decades ago, people were drinking the contaminated groundwater at this site, but thanks to our Superfund program EPA was able to quickly give them a safe and permanent source of drinking water, allowing the aquifer time to recover.” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Contamination levels in the groundwater have fallen to a level that meets drinking water standards, and EPA is now removing the designation of this site as a Superfund site.”

“I applaud EPA's successful efforts to address the toxic contamination at the Smithtown Groundwater Contamination Site that has threatened the health of local residents for years. It is imperative that all New Yorkers have access to clean drinking water, and everyone deserves to know that their community is a safe place to live, work, and raise a family,” said New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “Thanks to this 24-year effort, residents of Nissequogue and Head of the Harbor can now take solace in knowing their groundwater is safe, and I will never stop fighting to ensure it remains that way.”

Groundwater at the site became contaminated with tetrachloroethylene (or PCE), a solvent used in dry cleaning and metal cleaning, though in this case EPA was not able to pinpoint specific sources of the contamination. Exposure to PCE can have serious health impacts, including liver damage and increased risk of cancer. EPA selected a cleanup plan in 2004 to clean up groundwater contaminated with PCE. The plan included providing alternate water supplies to homes affected by the contamination and relied on existing state and local regulations to restrict future groundwater use.

In 2005, EPA began installing service lines to connect people’s homes to the public water that is regulated and regularly tested. In addition, EPA extended the water main so all the impacted homes could be connected. EPA monitored groundwater using a network of monitoring wells to gauge the concentration and movement of the PCE in the groundwater over time.

When hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants remain on a site at levels that limit use and restrict exposure, EPA conducts follow-up reviews every five years. These five-year reviews, ensure that the cleanup actions continue to protect people and the environment. Several five-year reviews for the site were performed from 2011 through 2020 to ensure that contamination was not posing a risk to people. The most recent five-year review, conducted in November 2020, determined that EPA’s actions at the site protect people’s health and the environment. Levels of PCE in the groundwater have fallen to below state and federal drinking water standards. As a result, no additional five-year reviews will be required.

The NPL includes some of the nation’s most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. EPA deletes sites or parts of sites from the NPL when no further cleanup is required to protect human health or the environment. Years, and sometimes decades, of complex investigation and cleanup work have gone into getting these sites to where they are today.   

Visit the [Smithtown Groundwater Contamination] Superfund site profile page for additional background and site documents.

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 is releasing the first set of data collected under the fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5). In the latest action to deliver on EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap, UCMR 5 will provide new data that will improve EPA’s understanding of the frequency that 29 PFAS and lithium are found in the nation’s drinking water systems, and at what levels. The monitoring data on PFAS and lithium will help the Agency make determinations about future actions to protect public health under the Safe Drinking Water Act. This action advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to combat PFAS pollution and safeguard drinking water for all people.

“PFAS are an urgent public health issue facing people and communities across the nation. The latest science is clear: exposure to certain PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, over long periods of time is linked to significant health risks,” said Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “That’s why the Biden-Harris Administration is leading a whole-of-government approach to address these harmful chemicals. As part of this commitment, EPA is conducting the most comprehensive monitoring effort for PFAS ever, at every large and midsize public water system in America, and at hundreds small water systems.”

The data collected under UCMR 5 will ensure science-based decision-making and help EPA better understand national-level exposure to these 29 PFAS and lithium, and whether they disproportionately impact communities with environmental justice concerns. This initial data release represents approximately 7% of the total results that EPA expects to receive over the next three years. The Agency will update the results quarterly and share them with the public in EPA’s National Contaminant Occurrence Database (NCOD) until completion of data reporting in 2026. EPA continues to conduct research and monitor advances in techniques that may improve our ability to measure these and other contaminants at even lower levels.

EPA is acting to protect peoples’ health from PFAS in drinking water. In March 2023, EPA proposed standards to limit certain PFAS in drinking water. The proposal, if finalized, would allow public water systems to use results from UCMR 5 to meet the rule’s initial monitoring requirements and to inform communities of actions that may need to be taken. In the interim period before the PFAS drinking water standard is final, EPA has established Health Advisories for four PFAS included in the UCMR 5. EPA continues to advance the science on the potential health effects of a wide range of PFAS, including many of those monitored for under this program.

EPA is moving forward to expand the investigation and cleanup of PFAS contaminated sites, including by finalizing new safeguards under Superfund to hold polluters accountable for contamination from two widely used PFAS chemicals. The Agency also recent issued its third order to require PFAS manufacturers to conduct testing under EPA’s National Testing Strategy to help EPA better confront these forever chemicals.

EPA is also deploying an unprecedented $9 billion, included in President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, specifically to invest in communities with drinking water impacted by PFAS and other emerging contaminants. This includes $4 billion via the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) and $5 billion through EPA’s “Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities” grant program. States, Tribes and communities can further leverage an additional nearly $12 billion in BIL DWSRF funds and billions more in annual SRF funds dedicated to making drinking water safer. These funds will help communities make important investments in solutions to remove PFAS from drinking water.

For more information visit EPA’s Ground Water and Drinking Water webpage.

Background

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) specifies that every five years EPA is required to monitor for priority contaminants that may be present in drinking water but are not yet subject to EPA drinking water regulations. EPA uses the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) to provide the agency and other interested parties with nationally representative data on the occurrence of contaminants in drinking water, the number of people potentially being exposed, and an estimate of the levels of that exposure. These data can support future regulatory determinations, the development of national primary drinking water regulations (NPDWRs), and other actions to protect public health. EPA’s Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) requires sample collection for 30 chemical contaminants (29 PFAS and lithium) between 2023 and 2025 using analytical methods developed by EPA and consensus organizations.

JACKSON, Miss. (August 17, 2023) – On August 21 – 22, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) will host three public meetings to receive comments on a stipulated order to expedite needed sewer system repairs in the City of Jackson. The terms of the agreement include appointing Ted Henifin as an interim third-party manager to manage, operate and maintain the City of Jackson’s sewer system. Priority actions required under the order are intended to address spills of raw and undertreated sewage into homes, businesses, streets, yards and waterways.

The order is an interim measure until the parties negotiate modifications to a judicially enforceable consent decree to achieve the sewer system’s long-term compliance with federal and state regulations. The order is subject to a public comment period that runs through August 31, 2023. The public meetings being held in Jackson next week are intended to provide a forum to accept comments on the order. Stakeholders may also comment in writing (see instruction below). Upon conclusion of the comment period, the parties will determine whether or not to proceed with the current version of the order based upon public input.

Public meetings to receive comments are planned as follows and participants are encouraged to register in advance at www.epa.gov/ms/jackson-ms-sewer-system. The meetings are being held on different days and times to accommodate as many interested stakeholders as possible, however, the content of all three meetings will be the same.

Public Meeting #1

August 21, 2023 6 – 8 p.m. CT
Mississippi e-Center, 1230 Raymond Road, Jackson, MS 39204

Public Meeting #2

August 22, 2023 10 a.m. – noon CT
Bennie G. Thompson Academic Center, Tougaloo Boulevard Jackson, MS 39174

Public Meeting #3

August 22, 2023 6 – 8 p.m. CT 
Bennie G. Thompson Academic Center, Tougaloo Boulevard Jackson, MS 39174

How to Submit Public Comments

A copy of the order and instructions for submitting public comments can be found at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.  All comments must be electronically submitted or postmarked by August 31, 2023.

Please submit comments via email to pubcomment-ees.enrd@usdoj.gov or by mail to Assistant Attorney General, U.S. DOJ – ERND, P.O. Box 7611, Washington, DC 20044-7611. Comments must be received on or before August 31, 2023. Comments should refer to DJ# 90-5-1-1-09841 and Docket Number is 36.

More information: www.epa.gov/ms/jackson-ms-sewer-system

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WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced its National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives for 2024-2027, including for the first time initiatives to mitigate climate change, address exposure to PFAS contamination, and protect communities from cancer-causing coal ash. To advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to protect disadvantaged communities, EPA also will integrate environmental justice considerations into each of its National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives.

Every four years, across administrations, EPA selects enforcement and compliance priorities so that the agency and its state partners can prioritize resources to address the most serious and widespread environmental problems facing the United States. In addition to climate change, PFAS contamination, and coal ash initiatives, EPA is modifying its Clean Air Act initiative to focus on hazardous toxic air pollution in overburdened communities in each EPA region and is continuing its drinking water and chemical accident prevention initiatives that began under prior administrations. 

“EPA’s new national initiatives address urgent 21st century environmental problems, while upholding the rule of law to level the playing field for law-abiding companies and promoting a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance David M. Uhlmann. “Working closely with our state partners, EPA enforcement efforts will mitigate climate change and limit exposure to the scourge of PFAS contamination, while addressing the reality that, for too long in the United States, the worst effects of pollution have plagued overburdened communities.”

In selecting initiatives for the FY 2024-2027 cycle, EPA used three criteria to evaluate existing initiatives and to consider new initiatives: (1) the need to address serious and widespread environmental issues and significant noncompliance, particularly in overburdened and disadvantaged communities; (2) a focus on areas where federal enforcement authorities, resources, and/or expertise are needed to hold polluters accountable and promote a level playing field; and (3) alignment with the EPA’s broader Strategic Plan, which includes tackling the climate crisis and advancing environmental justice.

The 2024-2027 National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives are:

Mitigating Climate Change - Tackling the climate crisis is an urgent priority. EPA will use its enforcement and compliance tools to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, helping to limit the worst effects of climate change. The initiative will focus on three separate and significant contributors to climate change: (1) methane emissions from oil and gas facilities; (2) methane emissions from landfills; and (3) the use, importation, and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). EPA has documented widespread noncompliance in all three of these areas, resulting in potentially tens of thousands of tons of unlawful emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. This initiative will help achieve EPA’s goals to combat climate change while also addressing significant noncompliance in specific industry sectors.

Addressing Exposure to PFAS - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals are toxic, persistent “forever chemicals” that have caused widespread contamination in our air, water, and land throughout the country. This initiative will focus on implementing EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap and hold responsible those who manufactured PFAS and/or used PFAS in the manufacturing process, federal facilities that released PFAS, and other industrial parties who significantly contributed to the release of PFAS into the environment. Ensuring these entities properly identify and characterize contamination, control ongoing releases, and comply with both existing and future environmental requirements will help address this larger environmental threat.   

Protecting Communities from Coal Ash Contamination - This initiative will focus on the threat presented by the hundreds of millions of pounds of coal ash, also known as coal combustion residuals (CCR), found throughout our country in on-site landfills, settling ponds, and other coal plant surface impoundments. Coal ash, a waste product from burning coal for energy, contains contaminants such as mercury, cadmium, chromium, and arsenic, which are associated with cancer and other serious health effects. This initiative will focus on the approximately 300 facilities nationwide that are collectively responsible for approximately 775 coal ash units. Neighborhoods located near these facilities are often communities with environmental justice concerns. 

Reducing Air Toxics in Overburdened Communities - This initiative will address the serious threat to communities that comes from unlawful exposure to regulated hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) from nearby industry. Many of these pollutants, such as benzene, ethylene oxide, and formaldehyde, are known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious neurological, reproductive, developmental, and respiratory health effects when breathed or ingested through the food chain, including harm to children. This initiative will seek to target, investigate, and address noncompliance with clean air standards designed to protect public health, with a focus on sources of HAPs in communities already highly burdened with pollution impacts.   

Increasing Compliance with Drinking Water Standards - This initiative seeks to ensure that the approximately 50,000 regulated drinking water systems that serve water to residents year-round, referred to as Community Water Systems (CWSs), comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Each year thousands of CWSs continue to violate one or more drinking water standards, exposing millions of people to potential health risks. During the next four years, EPA will ramp up its field presence, take impactful enforcement to increase compliance, and offer more compliance assistance to prevent and address public health risks.

Chemical Accident Risk Reduction - This initiative seeks to reduce the likelihood of catastrophic chemical releases, and to address the problem of avoidable chemical incidents that continue to occur throughout the country. Thousands of facilities nationwide make, use, and store extremely hazardous substances. Disastrous fires, leaks, and explosions at these facilities can result in fatalities and serious injuries, evacuations, shelter in place orders, toxic exposure, and other harm to workers, first responders, and neighboring communities. EPA has found significant noncompliance with companies who handle extremely hazardous substances and will target companies that choose not to comply with risk management requirements established to protect public health and safety from extremely hazardous chemical releases.  

To help inform the selection of the FY 2024-2027 NECIs, EPA solicited public comment via a Federal Register notice to provide ample opportunity for stakeholder input. EPA also considered input on this cycle of NECIs from states, territories, and Tribes, as well as from the public, environmental groups, and regulated entities. 

Learn more about EPA’s NECI’s for FY 2024-2027.

BOSTON (Aug. 17, 2023) – In the last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reached settlements with two Maine based companies – Jasper Wyman & Son and Barber Foods – for chemical safety violations, resulting in $373,490 in combined penalties. In addition, one of the companies agreed to conduct Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs). Both companies use anhydrous ammonia as a refrigerant at their facilities.

"Despite EPA's efforts to improve compliance at facilities that use anhydrous ammonia as a refrigerant, our inspectors continue to see many troubling violations of the Clean Air Act's chemical accident prevention requirements – in particular, failure to identify common hazards and follow industry standards of care during the operation of these refrigeration systems," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "It's imperative that companies comply with Clean Air Act requirements in order to protect facility workers and surrounding communities. Particularly in rural areas, if a chemical accident occurs, it can take time for trained HazMat responders to arrive. We are pleased to say that, as a result of the Jasper Wyman & Son settlement's Supplemental Environmental Projects, the Cherryfield Fire Department will be better prepared to respond to chemical emergencies."

Earlier this month, Jasper Wyman & Son, a blueberry processing plant in Cherryfield, Maine, agreed to pay a penalty of $73,490 to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act's chemical accident prevention requirements at its facility. In addition, the company agreed to provide training for local emergency responders on how to address ammonia releases and to donate equipment to the Cherryfield Fire Department to improve response capabilities under a Supplemental Environmental Project, valued at approximately $65,000.

Also, in the last year, Barber Foods, LLC, a Portland based company that manufactures frozen poultry products, agreed to pay a combined penalty of $300,000 for Risk Management Plan (RMP) violations at two of its facilities. Barber Foods agreed to pay a penalty of $149,000 for alleged violations at its Milliken Street plant and $151,000 for alleged violations at its St. John's Street facility. Barber Foods is in the Tyson Foods corporate family.

EPA inspections of all three facilities identified violations of the Clean Air Act's RMP requirements. In addition, the Jasper Wyman settlement includes allegations that the company failed to comply with the Clean Air Act's General Duty Clause for one refrigeration system that had less than 10,000 lbs. of ammonia. The three cases allege failures to identify, analyze and control certain hazards, failure to document compliance with certain good engineering practices, and equipment maintenance violations.

Background

All three of these facilities use anhydrous ammonia in their refrigeration systems. Anhydrous ammonia is an energy efficient refrigerant, but it must be handled with care because it is highly corrosive to the skin, eyes, and lungs. The chemical can cause serious, often irreversible health effects when released.

To prevent exposure to ammonia, it is important that ammonia refrigeration systems be designed to prevent the release of ammonia and minimize the effects of any release. This includes, among other things, providing for rapid detection of releases, safe shutdown of equipment, controlled containment of any releases, safe ventilation of such releases, and accessible eyewash/shower stations for employees and responders. Operators must also coordinate with emergency responders and have procedures in place for maintaining equipment and training employees.

More information

Clean Air Act's Risk Management Plan Program

Clean Air Act's General Duty Clause

Ammonia Refrigeration Compliance Assistance Resources

TAMUNING, GUAM – In response to Typhoon Mawar, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has completed its Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) mission assignments to support the restoration of water infrastructure, including both safe drinking water and wastewater systems, and the collection and proper disposal of hazardous waste and oil on Guam.

Completion of these two mission assignments would not have been possible without the efforts of over 100 personnel from EPA, support contractors both on- and off-island, and U.S. Coast Guard personnel that deployed on-island and virtually, as well as the efforts of Guam EPA, Guam Department of Education, Guam Department of Health and Social Services (Guam DPHSS), and Guam Water Works Authority (GWA).

“EPA’s mission is to protect human health and the environment, and responding to disasters is a critical part of that,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Superfund and Emergency Management Division Director Mike Montgomery. “Close coordination with the Government of Guam, as well as our federal and local partners, resulted in the restoration of safe drinking water, sanitation services and the removal of dangerous waste.”

Recovery efforts required collaboration from all levels of government

EPA’s water infrastructure efforts focused primarily on working with Guam EPA, Guam DPHSS, and GWA to restore safe drinking water, sample and assess water vending machines, and inspect wastewater treatment facilities immediately after the typhoon.

Water sampling efforts

For the hazardous waste and oil mission, EPA's focus was the sorting of materials at the three debris collection sites in Dededo, Barrigada, and Tamuning. This potentially dangerous material secured and removed included paint, petroleum products, pesticides, fluorescent lightbulbs, batteries, and electronics. Two additional important elements of this mission were the assessment and removal of hazardous waste and ewaste from 41 public schools, which was critical to efforts to reopen schools in August, and damage assessments at over 150 facilities permitted to store hazardous materials. Critical support from contractors and the U.S. Coast Guard was a key piece of this mission.

Waste collection site – pictured here are pallets of car batteries in the foreground and white goods/household appliances in the background

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

Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the removal of the radiation operable unit, or OU1, portion of the Aircraft Components Inc. Superfund site in Benton Harbor, Michigan, from the National Priorities List, or NPL. Cleanup is complete in this part of the site, but groundwater treatment and monitoring at the chemical operable unit will continue until no further cleanup is needed.

“Removing a portion of this site from the National Priorities List makes it available for redevelopment,” said EPA Regional Administrator Debra Shore. “This site already supports a thriving business community and will continue to as we proceed with the remaining cleanup. EPA is proud to work with communities to help transform contaminated eyesores into flourishing commercial centers.”

EPA deletes sites or parts of sites from the NPL only when no further cleanup is required, and the area is ready for productive use. The 17-acre Aircraft Components Superfund site is located next to the Paw Paw River in Benton Harbor. Several manufacturing companies operated on site, including an airplane parts resale business. These aircraft parts had deteriorated, raising concerns of radioactive paint and dust in the environment.

In 2003, EPA cleaned up this portion of the Superfund site, which involved removing and disposing radiologically contaminated soil and demolishing buildings, utilities, and foundations. The chemical operable unit of the site, or OU2, will remain on the NPL until ongoing groundwater treatment and monitoring show that all regulatory standards are met. 

The site is part of a community-wide redevelopment project that includes a craft brewery warehouse and hole 14 of the Harbor Shores Golf Course. The course is also connected to the local arts community and features sculptures at each hole created by area artists.

Sites on the NPL include the nation’s most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of hazardous substances. EPA deletes sites or parts of sites from the NPL when no further cleanup is required to protect human health or the environment.

EPA encourages site reuse and deleting a site from the NPL can help revitalize communities, raise property values, and promote economic growth by signaling to potential developers and financial institutions that cleanup is complete.

Visit EPA’s website for more information.

PHILADELPHIA (August 16, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has deleted an eight-acre portion of the Jackson Ceramix Superfund Site from the National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL is a list of the nation’s most contaminated hazardous sites. Portions of sites can be removed from the NPL after investigations conclude that no further action is needed to address public health.

The Jackson Ceramix Superfund Site is approximately 233 acres in both Jefferson and Clearfield Counties, Pennsylvania. EPA added the Site to the NPL in 2005 to address contamination from a former facility that manufactured china from 1917 to 1985. The portion of the Site removed from the NPL is known as the Baseball Field Area, located wholly in Jefferson County. It was initially identified as an area of concern because evidence suggested that china was buried in or near this portion during facility operations. However, after conducting a remedial investigation of the Baseball Field Area, EPA found that contaminants were not found in soils or the unsaturated subsurface at concentrations that would pose a risk to human health or the environment.

When a site - or portion of a site - meets the criteria for deletion from the NPL, EPA works with its state government partners on concurrence. In this instance, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection concurred with the partial deletion. EPA announced its intent to partially delete a portion of the Site on February 22, 2023, beginning a 30-day public comment period during which EPA received no significant comments.

EPA will use Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to continue working on the remedial actions for the Site. Additional information and updates can be found by visiting the Jackson Ceramix Superfund webpage, https://www.epa.gov/superfund/jacksonceramix.