State
Lack of September rainfall has impact in area
Bolivar Commercial
The Mississippi Valley Division is under the jurisdiction of the US Army
Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division Commander based in
Vicksburg. The Division is comprised of the World's 3rd Largest Watershed,
which is the Mississippi River Watershed.
http://www.bolivarcommercial.com/newsx/item/2790-lack-of-september-rainfall-has-impact-in-area
MS STATE VETERINARIAN PUTS POULTRY GROWERS ON HIGH ALERT FOR BIRD FLU
PREVENTION
MPB
This spring, the Bird Flu killed more than 48 million chickens and turkeys
in some 20 states according to Dr. Jim Watson. The State Veterinarian for
Mississippi's Board of Animal Health says it's the worst outbreak in the
nation's history. It impacted jobs and led to a 10 percent increase in egg
prices nationwide. Watson says the Bird Flu doesn't affect humans. But it's
highly contagious among poultry. The virus is largely transmitted by
migratory ducks and geese.
http://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news/2015/09/29/ms-state-veterinarian-puts-poultry-growers-on-high-alert-for-bird-flu-prevention/
Opposition builds online against damming Pascagoula River tributary for
lakes
BY KAREN NELSON
Sun Herald
PASCAGOULA -- An uproar may have begun.
A public school teacher in Mobile County started a Facebook page called
Protect the Pascagoula River Basin on Friday and by Monday afternoon it had
2,150 followers.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/09/28/6439318/opposition-builds-online-against.html
USDA kills Pascagoula ducks and geese citing 'health and safety' concerns
WLOX
PASCAGOULA, MS (WLOX) -More than a dozen Canada geese basked in the Friday
afternoon sun at picturesque I.G. Levy Park. But on Tuesday morning, it was
a much less pleasant scene.
http://www.wlox.com/story/30119568/usda-kills-pascagoula-ducks-and-geese-citing-health-and-safety-concerns
Health risk is real from duck and geese population at park
WLOX
PASCAGOULA, MS (WLOX) -The killing of more than a dozen ducks and geese at
a park in Pascagoula has sparked a strong reaction from some of you.
http://www.wlox.com/story/30135653/health-risk-is-real-from-duck-and-geese-population-at-park
Beer run in MDOT truck prompts investigation, claims of misuse
Clarion Ledger
A Facebook post capturing what appears to be a beer run in a
Mississippi Department of Transportation law enforcement vehicle has
resulted in a MDOT investigation.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/09/28/beer-run-mdot-truck-prompts-investigation-claims-misuse/72977258/
Regional
New Louisiana Superfund site: Colonial Creosote plant in Bogalusa
Times-Picayune
The Colonial Creosote wood preserving plant in Bogalusa has been added to
national list of Superfund hazardous waste sites eligible for federal
cleanup assistance, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday
(Sept. 28).
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/09/colonial_creosote_bogalsua_add.html#incart_most_shared-environment
Georgia Power working on plan to close ash ponds
Atlanta Business Chronicle
Georgia Power Co. is working on a plan to close all 29 of its ash ponds
scattered across the state, the Atlanta-based utility announced Monday.
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/blog/capitol_vision/2015/09/georgia-power-working-on-plan-to-close-ash-ponds.html
National
EPA set to tighten smog limits as business gears for fight
AP
WASHINGTON — Facing a court-ordered deadline, the Obama administration is
preparing to finalize stricter emissions limits on smog-forming pollution
linked to asthma and respiratory illness.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/09/29/6439565/epa-set-to-tighten-smog-limits.html
EPA rolls out pesticide protections for farm workers
The Hill
Farm workers will be better protected from exposure to harmful pesticides
under new rules from the Obama administration.
http://thehill.com/regulation/labor/255176-epa-rolls-out-pesticide-protections-for-farm-workers
NFWF announces $3.3M in grants to save monarch butterfly
The Hill
In its first round of funding, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
(NFWF) is allocating $3.3 million in 22 grants to save the monarch
butterfly.
http://thehill.com/regulation/energy-environment/255168-nfwf-announces-33m-in-grants-to-save-monarch-butterfly
3 groups will use $5.9M to train firefighters for oil trains
AP
OMAHA, NEB. — Three groups will receive $5.9 million in federal grants to
train first responders to handle railroad incidents involving crude oil,
ethanol and other flammable liquids.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/09/28/6438985/3-groups-will-use-59m-to-train.html
US Drilling States Guided on Handling Quakes
AP
A group of U.S. drilling states, seismologists, academics and industry
experts issued guidance Monday in a frank new report on handling
human-induced earthquakes caused by hydraulic fracturing or the disposal of
fracking wastewater.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/apnewsbreak-us-drilling-states-guided-handling-quakes-34104556
Oil Prices Gain on Expectations U.S. Crude Output Will Slow Further
Other major producers from OPEC to Russia continue to pump at speed to
protect market share
WSJ
Oil prices gained on Tuesday on expectations that a slowdown in U.S. oil
production will accelerate, though the continued supply from the rest of
the world kept a cap on the gains.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/oil-prices-gain-on-expectations-u-s-crude-output-will-slow-further-1443520696
Opinion
A new low in science: Criminalizing climate change skeptics
Fox News
Scientists have many important roles to play in preparations for the
upcoming UN Conference on Climate Change in Paris. Some are working hard to
clarify uncertainties in the science, others on developing and evaluating
alternative climate policies.
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/09/28/new-low-in-science-criminalizing-climate-change-skeptics.html?intcmp=hplnws
Press Releases
EPA Announces $7 Million in Funding to Reduce Diesel Emissions from School
Buses
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing
the availability of approximately $7 million in funding for rebates to
public and private school bus fleet owners for the replacement and retrofit
of older school buses. Replacing these buses that have older engines will
reduce diesel emissions and improve air quality.
"Our kids spend a lot of time on the school bus, and buses spend a lot of
time in our neighborhoods and schoolyards. They are a national symbol of
safety," said Janet McCabe, Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office
of Air and Radiation. "Significantly improving school bus fleets across the
country with retrofits, replacements, and idle reduction practices is
imperative in meeting the Agency's goal of reducing children's exposure to
air toxics."
New to this year's program is the option of implementing retrofit
technologies. Fleet owners can install Diesel Oxidation Catalysts (DOC)
plus Closed Crankcase Ventilation (CCV) systems to reduce emissions by up
to 25 percent, and they can replace older buses with newer ones that meet
the latest on-highway emission standards as in previous EPA rebate
programs. EPA will pay up to $3,000 for each DOC plus CCV, and between
$15,000 and $25,000 per replacement bus, depending on the size.
Applicants may request up to 10 buses for replacement and up to 10 buses
for the retrofit option on each application. Fleets with more than 101
buses currently in operation may submit two applications.
Many of the nation's school buses are powered by diesel engines. EPA
standards for new diesel engines make them more than 90 percent cleaner
than older ones, but many older diesel engines remain in operation and
predate these standards. Older diesel engines emit large quantities of
pollutants such as particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). These
pollutants are linked to health problems, including aggravated asthma, lung
damage and other serious health issues.
Public school bus fleets and those owned privately but contracted with a
public school system are eligible to apply for rebates to replace school
buses with engine model years of 2006 or older. They may also apply to
install DOC plus CCV technology on school buses with engine model years
1994-2006.
EPA will accept applications from September 28 to October 30, 2015.
This is the third rebate program offered under the Diesel Emission
Reduction Act (DERA) reauthorization to fund cleaner school buses. Nearly
25,000 buses across the country have already been made cleaner as a result
of DERA funding.
To learn more about the rebate program, applicant eligibility and selection
process, and informational webinar dates:
http://www2.epa.gov/cleandiesel/clean-diesel-rebates#2015sb
Questions may be directed to cleandieselrebate@epa.gov
EPA Adds Five Hazardous Waste Sites to Superfund's National Priorities List
& Proposes an Additional Seven
WASHINGTON -- Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is
adding five hazardous waste sites that pose risks to human health and the
environment to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). A separate
action includes a proposal to add seven sites to the list.
"Since the creation of the Superfund program 35 years ago, EPA has been
addressing the risk to human health and the environment as well as blight
to the economy due to contamination left behind by owners and operators,"
said Mathy Stanislaus, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Solid
Waste and Emergency Response. "Superfund cleanups protect communities'
health, their environments and their economic wellbeing, including some of
the country's most vulnerable populations."
Sites EPA adds to the NPL represent the nation's most serious uncontrolled
or abandoned hazardous waste sites. Only sites added to the NPL are
eligible to receive federal funding for long-term permanent cleanup.
Cleanups reduce adverse human health impacts, including those affecting
infants, and also help facilitate economic revitalization of formerly toxic
sites. The list serves as the basis for prioritizing both enforcement
actions against polluters, and long-term EPA Superfund cleanup funding. The
time it takes to prepare to propose a site to the NPL varies depending on
many factors, for example, the site complexity, the extent of stakeholder
interest, state and tribal support, and the availability of other cleanup
options.
State partnership is critical to the cleanup of Superfund sites. EPA
responds to requests from states/tribes and communities to propose a site
to the NPL when non-NPL response options have not proved viable. EPA
requests state support to list sites on the NPL and coordinates with them
to conduct early site assessments. In some cases, states may lead the
remedial action work with EPA oversight.
Addition of a site to the NPL helps address potential adverse human health
impacts.
The National Bureau of Economic Research study, Superfund Cleanups and
Infant Health, shows that investment in Superfund cleanups reduces the
incidence of congenital abnormalities in infants by as much as 25 percent
for those living within approximately 2100 yards of a site. Cleanups
involving lead-contaminated soil have contributed to documented reduced
blood-lead levels in children. If left unaddressed, elevated blood-lead
levels may result in irreversible neurological deficits, such as lowered
intelligence and attention-related behavioral problems.
Adding a site to the NPL also stimulates economic revitalization.
A study by researchers at Duke and Pittsburgh Universities found that once
a site has all cleanup remedies in place, nearby property values reflect a
significant increase as compared to their values prior to the site being
proposed for the NPL. Cleanups also increase tax revenue for local
communities and state governments, including helping to create jobs during
and after cleanup. For example, at 450 of the 800 sites supporting use or
reuse activities, EPA found, at the end of fiscal year 2014, that there
were ongoing operations of approximately 3,400 businesses, generating
annual sales of more than $31 billion and employing more than 89,000
people.
EPA and its partners continue to discover new sites qualifying for NPL
addition. The contamination of some sites was caused by recent activity. At
other sites, contamination has been discovered due to factors such as
increased population growth, urban growth and the migration of contaminants
from the source. EPA works closely with states and tribes and seeks public
comment prior to adding sites to the NPL.
The Superfund program operates on the principle that polluters should pay
for the cleanups, rather than passing the costs to taxpayers. EPA searches
for parties legally responsible for the contamination at sites and it holds
those parties accountable for the costs of cleanups. For the newly added
sites without viable potentially responsible parties, EPA will investigate
the full extent of the contamination before starting substantial cleanup at
the site.
The following five sites have been added to the NPL:
• Illinois - Estech General Chemical Company (pesticide
manufacturer) in Calumet City, Ill.;
• Louisiana - Colonial Creosote (wood treatment plant) in
Bogalusa, La.;
• Massachusetts - BJAT LLC (various industrial operations) in
Franklin, Mass.;
• Texas - Main Street Ground Water Plume (ground water plume) in
Burnet, Texas.; and
• Washington - Grain Handling Facility at Freeman (grain handling
facility) in Freeman, Wash.
The following seven sites have been proposed for addition to the NPL:
• Iowa - PCE Former Dry Cleaner (dry cleaner) in Atlantic, Iowa;
• Illinois - Old American Zinc Plant (zinc smelter) in Fairmont
City, Ill.;
• Indiana - West Vermont Drinking Water Contamination (ground
water plume) in Indianapolis, Ind.;
• Louisiana - SBA Shipyard (barge construction and maintenance)
in Jennings, La.;
• Nebraska - Iowa-Nebraska Light & Power Co. (former manufactured
gas plant) in Norfolk, Neb.;
• New Jersey - Former Kil-Tone Company (pesticide manufacturer)
in Vineland, N.J.; and
• New Mexico - Lea and West Second Street (ground water plume) in
Roswell, N.M.
The sites announced today have characteristics and conditions that vary in
size, complexity and contamination. Past and current uses of the sites
announced today include pesticide manufacturing, dry cleaning, grain
handling, wood treatment, zinc smelting and former manufactured gas plant
operations. Operations at some of the five sites listed today continued
until as late as the 1990s and 2000s. Many site contaminants were released
into the environment, including lead, mercury, zinc and other metals;
polychlorinated biphenyls; pesticides; and semi-volatile organic compounds
(SVOCs). Contamination affects surface water, ground water, soil and
wetlands.
From the late 1800s until 1985, the BJAT LLC property in Franklin, Mass.
was used for industrial operations including the manufacture of rubber and
plastic products. Lead, mercury and zinc, as well as a number of SVOCs are
contaminating the soil, sediment and ground water. Over the years
manufacturing activity has left areas of process waste and debris on the
property. A contaminated ground water plume is affecting nearby properties
and wetlands, and contamination on the property poses a hazard to people
that may come in contact with soil and debris.
The Grain Handling Facility at Freeman, Wash., constructed in 1955, is a
seasonally active grain handling facility equipped with silos, a grain
elevator, and a subterranean receiving pit. Contaminants found in soil
samples collected at the grain handling facility property include carbon
tetrachloride and chloroform. Contaminants found in ground water samples
collected from the nearby Freeman School primary drinking water supply
well, located downgradient of the grain handling facility property, include
carbon tetrachloride and chloroform at concentrations above the Safe
Drinking Water Act's Maximum Contaminant Levels. The school used its own
funds to install a water treatment system. Sources and extent of the ground
water contamination must be further evaluated.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the enactment of the Comprehensive
Environmental, Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the law
establishing the Superfund program. Superfund's passage was a giant step
forward in cleaning up industrial waste sites to help ensure human health
and environmental protection. The Superfund law gives EPA the authority to
clean up releases of hazardous substances and directs EPA to update the NPL
at least annually.
For Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the final and
proposed sites:
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/current.htm
For information about how a site is listed on the NPL:
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/npl_hrs.htm
For information on Superfund sites in local communities:
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/index.htm
More information about the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), the law establishing the Superfund
program, can be found at:
http://epa.gov/superfund/policy/cercla.htm
EPA Updates Standards to Increase Safety and Protect the Health of
America's Farmworkers
Revised standards give farmworkers health protections under the law similar
to those already afforded to workers in other industries
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today
increased protections for the nation's two million agricultural workers and
their families. Each year, thousands of potentially preventable pesticide
exposure incidents are reported that lead to sick days, lost wages and
medical bills but with changes to the Agricultural Worker Protection
Standard the risk of injury or illness resulting from contact with
pesticides on farms and in forests, nurseries and greenhouses can be
reduced.
"President Obama has called closing gaps of opportunity a defining
challenge of our time. Meeting that challenge means ensuring healthy work
environments for all Americans, especially those in our nation's vulnerable
communities," said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. "We depend on
farmworkers every day to help put the food we eat on America's dinner
tables—and they deserve fair, equitable working standards with strong
health and safety protections. With these updates we can protect workers,
while at the same time preserve the strong traditions of our family farms
and ensure the continued the growth of our agricultural economy."
"No one should ever have to risk their lives for their livelihoods, but far
too many workers, especially those who work in agriculture, face conditions
that challenge their health and safety every day," said U.S. Secretary of
Labor Thomas E. Perez. "Workplace illness and injury contribute greatly to
economic inequality, and can have a devastating impact on workers and their
families. By promoting workplace safety, these provisions will enhance
economic security for people struggling to make ends meet and keep more
Americans on the job raising the crops that feed the world, and we are
proud to support the EPA in this effort."
Here are thoughts from a former farmworker on EPA's revised worker
protection standards:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAYGb1-LUH4
EPA's updates reflect extensive stakeholder involvement from federal and
state partners and the agricultural community including farmworkers,
farmers and industry. These provisions will help ensure farmworkers
nationwide receive annual safety training; that children under the age of
18 are prohibited from handling pesticides; and that workers are aware of
the protections they are afforded under today's action and have the tools
needed to protect themselves and their families from pesticide exposure.
View the video to learn more about EPA's revised worker protection
standards:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0PMYSirxlY
Listen to the actualities for the revisions to the farmworker protection
standards:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/bd4379a92ceceeac8525735900400c27/b18112371b9d3f8985257ece0057f07a!OpenDocument
Additionally, EPA is making significant improvements to the training
programs including limiting pesticide exposure to farmworker families. By
better protecting our agricultural workers, the agency anticipates fewer
pesticide exposure incidents among farmworkers and their family members.
Fewer incidents means a healthier workforce and avoiding lost wages, and
medical bills.
These revisions will publish in the Federal Register within the next 60
days. For more information on the EPA's Worker Protection Standard:
www2.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/revisions-worker-protection-standard
