Oil Spill
Senators lobbying House to pass BP oil spill bill
by MBJ Staff
Published: March 15,2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST — U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger
Wicker (R-Miss.) are hoping the House of Representatives will look
favorably on "overwhelming" Senate support for legislation that will direct
fines from the BP oil spill to Mississippi and other Gulf Coast states.
http://msbusiness.com/2012/03/senators-lobbying-house-to-pass-bp-oil-spill-bill/
Oil spill documents must stay confidential, judge rules
Published: Wednesday, March 14, 2012, 10:45 PM
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune
Documents prepared by the National Marine Fisheries Service for the BP oil
spill trial are confidential and are not to be made public, U.S. Magistrate
Judge Sally Shushan ruled Tuesday. Shushan's one-page order cites earlier
orders issued by U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier outlining what documents
should be treated as confidential by the trial's Plaintiff Steering
Committee, BP and Justice Department attorneys.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2012/03/oil_spill_documents_must_stay.html
BP oil spill health settlement details are still a mystery
Published: Sunday, March 11, 2012, 6:30 AM
By Rebecca Mowbray, The Times-Picayune
In the BP oil spill case, the health settlement negotiated last weekend
between BP and attorneys for private plaintiffs in the oil spill litigation
makes tens of thousands of new people eligible for care and compensation
from the disaster, and it could make a meaningful difference in the
delivery of mental and physical health care in small coastal communities.
But law professors, environmental health specialists and health care
practitioners say it all depends on the yet-unknown details of the
agreement, which is expected to be filed in court in mid-April.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2012/03/bp_oil_spill_health_settlement.html
Oil Exceeding $120 Means BP Can Pay More for Gulf Spill: Energy
Brian Swint,
Bloomberg News
Friday, March 16, 2012
March 15 (Bloomberg) -- Oil prices close to the highest since 2008 are
increasing BP Plc's available cash as it negotiates a final bill with the
Obama administration to pay for damages caused by the worst U.S. spill.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/03/15/bloomberg_articlesM0W2GT07SXKX01-M0XKX.DTL
Fishermen Flounder as Details of Settlement for BP Oil Spill Await
Resolution
Published Thursday, Mar. 15, 2012
CRESSKILL, N.J., March 15, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Despite promises of
quick payments, it may be months if not years before plaintiffs associated
with the BP Gulf Oil Spill receive compensation. The settlement covers
lawsuits brought by more than 100,000 fishermen who lost work, cleanup
workers who suffered illness, and others who claimed harm from the April
2010 BP Gulf Oil Spill. RD Legal Funding, LLC ("RD Legal") is offering
lawsuit settlement funding to plaintiffs who are experiencing financial
hardship as soon as their settlement amounts are determined.
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/03/15/4340697/fishermen-flounder-as-details.html
State News
Groups sue MDA over drilling regulations
Sun Herald
By MICHAEL NEWSOM
Environmental groups have filed a joint lawsuit seeking to hold up the
Mississippi Development Authority's new regulations for oil and gas
exploration and seismic testing in Mississippi waters.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/03/15/v-print/3821677/groups-sue-mda-over-drilling-regulations.html
Drilling opponents file suit against MDA
WLOX
The debate over drilling in the Mississippi Sound is now headed to court.
Two groups have filed a lawsuit against the Mississippi Development
Authority, challenging its regulations for oil and gas leases.
http://www.wlox.com/story/17166095/drilling-opponents-file-suit-against-mda
State high court: Regulators' details on coal plant not clear
AP
By JACK ELLIOTT JR.
JACKSON -- The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled Thursday state regulators
failed to lay out their reasoning clearly when they eased the financial
terms under which Mississippi Power Co. could build what it calls Plant
Ratcliffe in Kemper County.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/03/15/v-print/3821678/state-high-court-regulators-details.html
Bryant should step in and settle lawsuit over drilling
Editorial – Sun Herald
Gov. Phil Bryant and the Mississippi Development Authority, an agency that
reports directly to him, could have easily avoided the lawsuit filed
Thursday by the Sierra Club and the Gulf Restoration Network to block MDA's
new regulations for offshore drilling.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/03/15/v-print/3820710/bryant-should-step-in-and-settle.html
Bill eases state worker firings
Senate approves two-year removal of civil service protection
AP
Thousands of Mississippi state employees would lose civil service
protections for two years, meaning they could be fired more easily than
they can now, under a bill passed Thursday by the Senate.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20120316/NEWS010504/203160335/Bill-eases-state-worker-firings
National News
Nutrients causing Gulf 'dead zone' subject of suits against EPA
Published: Thursday, March 15, 2012, 11:25 AM
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune
A consortium of state and national environmental groups filed suits Tuesday
against the federal Environmental Protection Agency in federal courts in
New Orleans and New York in an attempt to get greater restrictions on
nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the nation's rivers and streams.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/03/environmental_groups_sue_epa_t.html
Environmental groups sue EPA over Gulf dead zone
Wed, Mar 14 2012
Reuters
By David Bailey
(Reuters) - Several environmental groups are suing the government to curb
pollution of the Mississippi River with fertilizers and other contaminants
blamed with creating a "dead zone" the size of Massachusetts in the Gulf of
Mexico.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/15/us-lawsuits-idUSBRE82E04620120315
EPA's Proposed Fracking Rules Seen Cutting Gas Drilling
Business Week
By Mark Drajem on March 15, 2012
Regulations proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on air
pollution would reduce drilling for natural gas using hydraulic fracturing
by as much as 52 percent, the American Petroleum Institute said.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-03-15/epa-s-proposed-fracking-rules-seen-cutting-gas-drilling
EPA well water testing in Pa. gas drilling town fails to show elevated
levels of contamination
By Associated Press, Published: March 15
SCRANTON, Pa. — Federal environmental regulators said Thursday that well
water testing at 11 homes in a northeastern Pennsylvania village where a
gas driller was accused of polluting the aquifer failed to show elevated
levels of contamination.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/epa-well-water-testing-in-pa-gas-drilling-town-fails-to-show-elevated-levels-of-contamination/2012/03/15/gIQAAfg4ES_print.html
Zeroing In on Lead in Hunters' Bullets
NY Times
By DOUGLAS M. MAIN
Citing risks to birds and to human health, roughly 100 environmental groups
formally asked the federal Environmental Protection Agency this week to ban
or at least impose limits on lead in the manufacturing of bullets and
shotgun pellets for hunting or recreation.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/zeroing-in-on-lead-in-hunters-bullets/?pagemode=print
Cheap Natural Gas Unplugs U.S. Nuclear-Power Revival
Wall Street Journal
By REBECCA SMITH
The U.S. nuclear industry seemed to be staging a comeback several years
ago, with 15 power companies proposing as many as 29 new reactors. Today,
only two projects are moving off the drawing board.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304459804577281490129153610.html
Young Americans less interested in the environment than previous
generations
Washington Post
By Martha Irvine, Published: March 15
CHICAGO — They have a reputation for being environmentally minded
do-gooders. But an academic analysis of surveys spanning more than 40 years
has found that today's young Americans are less interested in the
environment and in conserving resources — and often less civic-minded
overall — than their elders were when they were young.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/young-americans-less-interested-in-the-environment-than-previous-generations/2012/03/15/gIQAGio1ES_story.html
Obama's EPA is a jobs killer
Op-Ed Politico
By: Rep. Don Young
March 15, 2012 10:12 PM EDT
President Barack Obama, in his recent "energy speech," declared that a key
to lower gasoline prices "starts with the need for safe, responsible oil
production here in America. We're not going to transition out of oil
anytime soon."
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/74072.html
Press Releases
EPA Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Energy Star
Americans saved nearly $230 billion in two decades
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is kicking off
the celebration of Energy Star's 20th anniversary by recognizing the 2012
Energy Star award winners for their outstanding leadership and commitment
to protecting America's environment through superior energy efficiency.
Over the past 20 years, with help from Energy Star partners, American
families and businesses have saved about $230 billion on utility bills and
prevented more than 1.7 billion metric tons of carbon pollution.
"As we celebrate 20 years of progress through the Energy Star program, EPA
is proud to congratulate the 2012 Energy Star award winners," said EPA
Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "Thanks to their innovative thinking and
commitment to energy efficiency, these leaders are helping Americans find
cost-effective ways to save energy in everything we do, which is good for
our environment, our health and our future."
The 109 Energy Star award winners were chosen from nearly 20,000 partners
from across the nation. Organizations are recognized in one of four Energy
Star award categories: corporate commitment, sustained excellence, partner
of the year, and excellence in delivering specific promotions.
Corporate Commitment: Sears Holdings Corporation is being recognized with
the highest honor, the Energy Star corporate commitment award. This award
is reserved for partners whose superior achievements in energy efficiency
span the breadth of the Energy Star program.
Sustained Excellence: Fifty-seven sustained excellence winners continue to
raise the bar across their respective industries for outstanding
achievements in energy efficiency. A few of these winners include: Food
Lion Family, Bloom, and Bottom Dollar Food; GE Appliances & Lighting;
Gresham-Barlow School District; Hanesbrands Inc.; Nissan North America,
Inc.; PepsiCo, Inc.; and Saint-Gobain.
Partner of the Year: Thirty-six organizations are receiving partner of the
year awards for protecting the environment through energy efficient
products, practices and services. These organizations promote Energy Star
products and practices in their own operations, and provide efficient
products and services to consumers within their community. A few of these
winners include: Cleveland Clinic; Colgate-Palmolive Company; General
Motors Company; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Staples, Inc.; and The
Boeing Company.
Excellence: Fifteen organizations are recognized with an excellence award
for advancing energy-efficient products, homes, or buildings and helping to
expand the reach of the Energy Star program. A few of these winners
include: Design Tech Homes; DIRECTV; Good Earth Lighting, Inc.; and Sharp
Electronics Corporation.
Launched in 1992 by EPA, Energy Star is a market-based partnership to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Last year alone,
Americans, with the help of the Energy Star program and its partners, saved
approximately $23 billion on their energy bills while preventing greenhouse
gas emissions equivalent to the annual emissions of 41 million vehicles. To
date, more than 1.3 million new homes and nearly 16,500 buildings across
all 50 states have earned EPA's Energy Star certification. Today, the
Energy Star label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products
with more than 5 billion sold over the past 20 years.
Complete list of 2012 award winners: www.energystar.gov/awards
More information on Energy Star 20th Anniversary: www.energystar.gov/20th
Friday, March 16, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
News Clippings 3/14/12
Oil Spill
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
Phil Bryant, GOVERNOR
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Trudy D. Fisher, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Robbie Wilbur
March 14, 2012 601/961-5277
(BILOXI, Miss.) –The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) was recognized Wednesday by the Environmental Protection Agency for its program to retrofit public school buses with Diesel Oxidation Catalysts (DOCs). Mississippi was the first state to retrofit 100 percent of eligible school buses.
At an event in Biloxi, MDEQ Executive Director Trudy Fisher was recognized by Gwen Keyes Fleming, EPA Region 4 Administrator, for Mississippi’s successful program. The Mississippi School Bus Retrofit Project, initiated by MDEQ’s Air Division in 2009, paid for the installation of Diesel Oxidation Catalysts on 1,931 school buses in 108 public school districts. The DOCs help protect students’ health by reducing tailpipe emissions including reducing particulate matter by 40 percent, hydrocarbons by 70 percent, and carbon monoxide by 40 percent. In addition, the Air Division has been working with the Mississippi Department of Education and the American Lung Association to reduce the amount of time that school buses idle unnecessarily which will further reduce exhaust emissions.
“MDEQ’s Air Division has been aggressive and creative in considering the issue of reducing tailpipe emissions around students, finding ways to fund the program, and implementing it to a successful conclusion. Being the first state to complete retrofitting is a significant achievement and demonstrates the ‘can do’ attitude of this agency. We were able to protect students’ health and to use the funds prudently while stimulating Mississippi’s economy at a time when it was needed. School buses are the safest and most efficient way to transport students, and we want to ensure that it’s a healthy trip,” said Trudy Fisher, MDEQ Executive Director.
A DOC is a porous ceramic honeycomb-like structure that is coated with a material that catalyzes a chemical reaction to reduce pollution. There is no maintenance needed for DOCs, and they do not affect the fuel economy of buses. The DOCs were installed statewide on eligible buses built from 1998 to 2006 in participating school districts. Newer buses do not need retrofitting due to stricter emissions standards for diesel engines implemented in 2007. Purchase and installation of these devices was paid for by MDEQ, at no cost to school districts, using Diesel Emission Reduction (DERA), American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and Supplemental Environmental Project funds.
Weather has delayed Ship Island project, not oil says corps official
Published: Wednesday, March 14, 2012, 6:21 AM
By Harlan Kirgan, Mississippi Press
BILOXI, Mississippi -- Weather has delayed a beach renourishment project on the north shore of West Ship Island and not oil from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, said Susan Rees, program manager of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2012/03/weather_has_delayed_ship_islan.html
Presidential spill panel regroups to press reform
AP
By DINA CAPPIELLO
The seven-member commission selected by President Barack Obama to investigate the Gulf oil spill is getting back together. This time, it will press for action to improve drilling safety.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/03/14/v-print/3817396/presidential-spill-panel-regroups.html
State News
Chevron: Oil leak in Bayou Casotte contained, cleanup efforts under way (photo gallery)
Published: Wednesday, March 14, 2012, 5:40 AM
By April M. Havens, The Mississippi Press
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- Chevron Corp.'s Pascagoula Refinery has contained about 45 barrels, or roughly 1,900 gallons, of heavy oil that was discovered leaking into Bayou Casotte during an early morning inspection, leaders said.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2012/03/chevron_oil_leak_in_bayou_caso.html
Chevron sopping up oil spill
Sun Herald
By DONNA HARRIS
PASCAGOULA -- A line that leaked nearly 2,000 gallons of heavy oil into Bayou Cassotte from the Chevron Refinery is being repaired as cleanup of the area continues over the next few days, officials said.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/03/13/v-print/3815962/chevron-sopping-up-oil-spill.html
Chevron Pascagoula refinery experiences spill
Spill contained to company's wharf
WALA
PASCAGOULA, Miss. (WALA) - A spokesperson for the Chevron Pascagoula Refinery in Bayou Cassotte said a spill in the facility's wharf poses no danger to the community.
http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/mississippi/chevron-pascagoula-refinery-experiences-spill
Gulfport site one of two from Mississippi added to EPA's Superfund list
Published: Tuesday, March 13, 2012, 5:42 PM Updated: Tuesday, March 13, 2012, 5:42 PM
By The Associated Press
JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) -- Two closed manufacturing sites in Mississippi have been added to the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund list.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2012/03/gulfport_site_one_of_two_from.html
Hundreds of Coastal students attend environmental fair
WLOX
Hundreds of students from Moss Point and Long Beach are learning how to clear the air and save the earth. They are at the Biloxi Civic Center for an environmental fair geared towards third graders.
http://www.wlox.com/story/17158146/hundreds-of-coastal-students-attend-environmental-fair
Chemical spill quickly cleaned
Bolivar Commercial
by Chance Wright
Law enforcement officials were called to the intersection of White Street and U.S. Highway 61 in Cleveland Saturday morning for a minor automobile accident.
http://www.bolivarcom.com/view/full_story/17860353/article-Chemical-spill-quickly-cleaned?instance=homesecondleft
Regulations could trump rhetoric on offshore drilling
Editorial – Sun Herald
Gov. Phil Bryant used Monday’s Gulf Coast Energy Summit in Biloxi to reaffirm his conviction that drilling in state waters can be done without harming the tourism industry or the environment.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/03/13/v-print/3815445/regulations-could-trump-rhetoric.html
National News
Lawuits against EPA target chemical nutrient pollution that feeds algae blooms in US waters
By Associated Press, Updated: Wednesday, March 14, 3:23 PM
NEW ORLEANS — Environmental groups are suing the Environmental Protection Agency to force the federal government to curb an overdose of nutrients that end up in the nation’s rivers, lakes and coastal waters, causing toxic algae blooms and the massive low-oxygen “dead zone” that crops up every summer in the Gulf of Mexico.
Ohio judge accepts Scotts Miracle-Gro guilty plea, defers decision on $4.5M payment of fine
By Associated Press, Updated: Wednesday, March 14, 1:21 PM
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A judge has accepted a guilty plea by Ohio lawn and garden company Scotts Miracle-Gro to violating federal environmental laws while deferring a decision on a deal that requires the company to pay a $4 million fine and give $500,000 to help support wildlife study and preservation.
Refiners Push EPA to Scrap Gasoline Rule That Automakers Want
Bloomberg
By Mark Drajem - Mar 14, 2012
Refiners are pushing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to delay tighter pollution rules for gasoline, while automakers say they need the cleaner fuel.
Natural-Gas Windfall Wanes
Boost in Tax Revenue Eases as Lower Prices Prompt a Cutback in Drilling
Wall Street Journal
MANSFIELD, La.—The brilliant green artificial turf on high-school football fields here serves as a vivid symbol of the natural-gas boom that brought prosperity to this traditionally poor corner of northwest Louisiana.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303717304577279670763618852.html
Press Releases
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
Phil Bryant, GOVERNOR
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Trudy D. Fisher, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Robbie Wilbur
March 14, 2012 601/961-5277
MISSISSIPPI RECOGNIZED AS FIRST STATE TO RETROFIT 100% OF SCHOOL BUSES
(BILOXI, Miss.) –The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) was recognized Wednesday by the Environmental Protection Agency for its program to retrofit public school buses with Diesel Oxidation Catalysts (DOCs). Mississippi was the first state to retrofit 100 percent of eligible school buses.
At an event in Biloxi, MDEQ Executive Director Trudy Fisher was recognized by Gwen Keyes Fleming, EPA Region 4 Administrator, for Mississippi’s successful program. The Mississippi School Bus Retrofit Project, initiated by MDEQ’s Air Division in 2009, paid for the installation of Diesel Oxidation Catalysts on 1,931 school buses in 108 public school districts. The DOCs help protect students’ health by reducing tailpipe emissions including reducing particulate matter by 40 percent, hydrocarbons by 70 percent, and carbon monoxide by 40 percent. In addition, the Air Division has been working with the Mississippi Department of Education and the American Lung Association to reduce the amount of time that school buses idle unnecessarily which will further reduce exhaust emissions.
“MDEQ’s Air Division has been aggressive and creative in considering the issue of reducing tailpipe emissions around students, finding ways to fund the program, and implementing it to a successful conclusion. Being the first state to complete retrofitting is a significant achievement and demonstrates the ‘can do’ attitude of this agency. We were able to protect students’ health and to use the funds prudently while stimulating Mississippi’s economy at a time when it was needed. School buses are the safest and most efficient way to transport students, and we want to ensure that it’s a healthy trip,” said Trudy Fisher, MDEQ Executive Director.
A DOC is a porous ceramic honeycomb-like structure that is coated with a material that catalyzes a chemical reaction to reduce pollution. There is no maintenance needed for DOCs, and they do not affect the fuel economy of buses. The DOCs were installed statewide on eligible buses built from 1998 to 2006 in participating school districts. Newer buses do not need retrofitting due to stricter emissions standards for diesel engines implemented in 2007. Purchase and installation of these devices was paid for by MDEQ, at no cost to school districts, using Diesel Emission Reduction (DERA), American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and Supplemental Environmental Project funds.
# # #
EPA Adds Four Hazardous Waste Sites in the Southeast to Superfund’s National Priorities List, Proposing an Additional 3 Sites
Contact Information: James Pinkney, (404) 562-9183, pinkney.james@epa.gov
(ATLANTA – March. 13, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has added four new hazardous waste sites in the southeast that pose risks to human health and the environment to the National Priorities List (NPL) of Superfund sites. EPA is also proposing to add another three sites to the list. Superfund is the federal program that investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country.
The following four sites in the Southeast have been added to the National Priorities List:
• Continental Cleaners (former dry cleaners) in Miami, Fla.;
• Chemfax, Inc. (former manufacturer of synthetic resins and waxes) in Gulfport, Miss.;
• Southeastern Wood Preserving (former wood treating operation) in Canton, Miss.; and
• CTS of Asheville, Inc. (former electronics components manufacturer) in Asheville, N.C.
The following three sites have been proposed for addition to the National Priorities List:
• Fairfax St. Wood Treaters (former wood treating operation) in Jacksonville, Fla.;
• Macon Naval Ordnance Plant (former ordnance manufacturer) in Macon, Ga.; and
• Holcomb Creosote Co (former wood treating operation) in Yadkinville, N.C.
EPA is also withdrawing its earlier proposal to add the Arnold Engineering Development Center site in Coffee and Franklin Counties, Tennessee to the NPL. This site is being addressed under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) program. Cleanup is progressing successfully, the migration of contaminated ground water is under control and measures have been taken that are protective of human health.
Since 1983, 1,661 sites have been listed on the NPL. Of these sites, 359 sites have been cleaned up resulting in 1,302 sites currently on the NPL (including the nine sites added today). There are 62 proposed sites (including the 10 announced today) awaiting final agency action.
Contaminants found at the sites include arsenic, benzene, cadmium, chromium, copper, creosote, dichloroethene (DCE), lead, mercury, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), pentachlorophenol (PCP), trichloroethane (TCA), trichloroethylene (TCE), toluene, uranium and zinc.
With all NPL sites, EPA works to identify companies or people responsible for the contamination at a site, and require them to conduct or pay for the cleanup. For the newly listed sites without viable potentially responsible parties, EPA will investigate the full extent of the contamination before starting significant cleanup at the site. Therefore, it may be several years before significant EPA clean up funding is required for these sites.
Contaminated sites may be placed on the list through various mechanisms:
• Numeric ranking established by EPA’s Hazard Ranking System
• Designation by states or territories of one top-priority site
• Meeting all three of the following requirements:
- The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued a health advisory that recommends removing people from the site;
- EPA determines the site poses a significant threat to public health; and
- EPA anticipates it will be more cost-effective to use its remedial authority than to use its emergency removal authority to respond to the site.
Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the final and proposed sites: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/current.htm
Information about how a site is listed on the NPL:
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/npl_hrs.htm
Superfund sites in local communities:
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/index.htm
EPA Adds Nine Hazardous Waste Sites to Superfund’s National Priorities List, Proposing an Additional 10 Sites
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is adding nine new hazardous waste sites that pose risks to people’s health and the environment to the National Priorities List (NPL) of Superfund sites, and is proposing to include 10 additional sites. Superfund is the federal program that investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country.
“Protecting human health and the environment and restoring contaminated properties to environmental and economic vitality are EPA priorities," said Mathy Stanislaus, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. “When property is cleaned up and revitalized, the reuse may result in new income to the community in the form of taxes, jobs to local residents, increases to the values of properties nearby cleaned up sites, or it may provide recreational or other services to make the community a better place to live.”
Since 1983, 1,661 sites have been listed on the NPL. Of these sites, 359 sites have been cleaned up resulting in 1,302 sites currently on the NPL (including the nine sites added today). There are 62 proposed sites (including the 10 announced today) awaiting final agency action.
Contaminants found at the sites include arsenic, benzene, cadmium, chromium, copper, creosote, dichloroethene (DCE), lead, mercury, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), pentachlorophenol (PCP), trichloroethane (TCA), trichloroethylene (TCE), toluene, uranium and zinc.
With all NPL sites, EPA works to identify companies or people responsible for the contamination at a site, and require them to conduct or pay for the cleanup. For the newly listed sites without viable potentially responsible parties, EPA will investigate the full extent of the contamination before starting significant cleanup at the site. Therefore, it may be several years before significant EPA clean up funding is required for these sites.
The following nine sites have been added to the National Priorities List:
• Continental Cleaners (former dry cleaners) in Miami, Fla.;
• Sauer Dump (inactive dump) in Dundalk, Md.;
• Compass Plaza Well TCE (contaminated ground water plume) in Rogersville, Mo.;
• Chemfax, Inc. (former manufacturer of synthetic resins and waxes) in Gulfport, Miss.;
• Southeastern Wood Preserving (former wood treating operation) in Canton, Miss.;
• CTS of Asheville, Inc. (former electronics components manufacturer) in Asheville, N.C.;
• Eighteenmile Creek (contaminated creek) in Niagara County, N.Y.;
• Metro Container Corporation (former drum recycler) in Trainer, Pa.; and
• Corozal Well (contaminated ground water plume) in Corozal, Puerto Rico;
The following 10 sites have been proposed for addition to the National Priorities List:
• Cedar Chemical Corporation (former chemical manufacturer) in West Helena, Ark.;
• Fairfax St. Wood Treaters (former wood treating operation) in Jacksonville, Fla.;
• Macon Naval Ordnance Plant (former ordnance manufacturer) in Macon, Ga.;
• Bautsch-Gray Mine (former lead and zinc mine) in Galena, Ill.;
• EVR-Wood Treating/Evangeline Refining Company (former wood treating operation) in Jennings, La.;
• Holcomb Creosote Co (former wood treating operation) in Yadkinville, N.C.;
• Orange Valley Regional Ground Water Contamination (contaminated ground water plume) in Orange/West Orange, N.J.;
• Jackpile-Paguate Uranium Mine (former uranium mine) in Laguna Pueblo, N.M.;
• West Troy Contaminated Aquifer (contaminated ground water plume) in Troy, Ohio; and
• Circle Court Ground Water Plume (contaminated ground water plume) in Willow Park, Texas.
EPA is also withdrawing its earlier proposal to add the Arnold Engineering Development Center site in Coffee and Franklin Counties, Tennessee to the NPL. This site is being addressed under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) program. Cleanup is progressing successfully, the migration of contaminated ground water is under control and measures have been taken that are protective of human health.
Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the final and proposed sites: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/current.htm
Information about how a site is listed on the NPL:
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/npl_hrs.htm
Superfund sites in local communities: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/index.htm
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
News Clippings 3/13/12
State News
Bryant touts energy policy, offshore drilling
Published: Tuesday, March 13, 2012, 6:48 AM
By Harlan Kirgan, Mississippi Press
BILOXI, Mississippi -- Gov. Phil Bryant touted a state energy plan to
develop jobs, development and research at the Gulf Coast Energy Summit on
Monday at the Mississippi Coliseum and Convention Center.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2012/03/bryant_touts_energy_policy_off.html
Oxford considers compost-mulch program
by Errol Castens
NEMS Daily Journal Oxford Bureau
03.13.12 - 07:45 am
OXFORD - City officials are considering the expansion of Oxford's rubbish
site, but they are also mulling an effort that could drastically slow down
the amount of material that goes underground.
…The compost/mulch operation is still only a possibility, as it would
require both Board of Aldermen approval and authorization by the
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
Russell said just getting DEQ's approval to get into the permitting process
has taken more than two years.
http://nems360.com/view/full_story/17850358/article-Oxford-considers-compost-mulch-program?instance=secondary_stories_left_column
Agency advertising bill 'ill-conceived'
by Clay Chandler
Mississippi Business Journal
A bill that cleared the committee in the Senate and awaits action on the
floor has caught the attention of advertising and media outlets.
Senate Bill 2736 would prohibit state agencies from spending funds
appropriated from the state's general fund on radio and television
advertisements that promote programs and initiatives, unless there is a
bidding process involved.
"It's got a lot of us concerned," said Peter Marks, president of Jackson
advertising agency Maris West and Baker, which has contracted with the
State Department of Health to promote some of its anti-smoking campaigns.
"It affects the education of these programs. A lot of these programs
educate, for example, people about teen pregnancy. There's a way to talk
about it and to educate young men and young women about how to keep from
getting pregnant. How do you get that work out? Do you do it totally with
social media? You need a media mix for it to be effective. You need radio,
you need TV, and then you need the Internet, social media. It just bothers
me that government will put that much control on how agencies spend their
money. Why are putting more restrictions in place?"
Sen. Merle Flowers, R-Southaven, told a Jackson television station the
measure was aimed at cutting costs.
"If the state is going to be spending money, we need to know how they're
spending it," Flowers said. "The public has a right to require their
government to get the best deal possible."
Dan Modisett, general manager of Jackson NBC affiliate WLBT, said the
spirit of the bill is unfair, and not carefully planned.
"It's just so ill-conceived," he said. "It doesn't speak to other
advertising, just radio and television. If you're going to do this, apply
it to everybody.They obviously don't understand the complexities of
advertising, or what constitutes advertising. Public safety initiatives –
take the use of seatbelts and all the campaigns that have centered on that
– would qualify as advertising. It's poorly thought out. You have to really
stretch to think there's a way this could benefit anybody."
http://msbusiness.com/2012/03/agency-advertising-bill-%E2%80%98ill-conceived%E2%80%99/
Senate bill seeks ad cuts
DeSoto Times
Published: Tuesday, March 13, 2012 1:05 AM CDT
JACKSON — When state agencies want to showcase or bring awareness to a
program in the future, word of mouth may be just about the only advertising
they can do.
That's if Senate Bill 2736 becomes law. It looks to pull the plug on all
state agencies' ability to advertise, mostly on television and radio.
http://www.desototimes.com/articles/2012/03/13/news/doc4f5e8c5b0d8c5663403794.txt
National News
Faulty Wells, Not Fracking, Blamed for Water Pollution
Wall Street Journal
By RUSSELL GOLD
Some energy companies, state regulators, academics and environmentalists
are reaching consensus that natural-gas drilling has led to several
incidents of water pollution—but not because of fracking.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304537904577277814040731688.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
EPA Doubts Its Own Anti-Fracking Study, While Ohio Determines Fracking Did
Not Spawn Earthquake Swarm
Forbes
Some positive news for fracking fans today, with three items that in a
rational world would help convince some anti-fracking zealots that they
ought to find something else to protest.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2012/03/12/epa-doubts-its-own-anti-fracking-study-while-ohio-determines-fracking-did-not-spawn-earthquake-swarm/
API sues EPA over biofuels
UPI
Published: March. 13, 2012 at 6:50 AM
WASHINGTON, March 13 (UPI) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is
out of touch with its mandates for cellulosic biofuels, the American
Petroleum Institute said.
http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2012/03/13/API-sues-EPA-over-biofuels/UPI-56741331635813/
Bryant touts energy policy, offshore drilling
Published: Tuesday, March 13, 2012, 6:48 AM
By Harlan Kirgan, Mississippi Press
BILOXI, Mississippi -- Gov. Phil Bryant touted a state energy plan to
develop jobs, development and research at the Gulf Coast Energy Summit on
Monday at the Mississippi Coliseum and Convention Center.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2012/03/bryant_touts_energy_policy_off.html
Oxford considers compost-mulch program
by Errol Castens
NEMS Daily Journal Oxford Bureau
03.13.12 - 07:45 am
OXFORD - City officials are considering the expansion of Oxford's rubbish
site, but they are also mulling an effort that could drastically slow down
the amount of material that goes underground.
…The compost/mulch operation is still only a possibility, as it would
require both Board of Aldermen approval and authorization by the
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
Russell said just getting DEQ's approval to get into the permitting process
has taken more than two years.
http://nems360.com/view/full_story/17850358/article-Oxford-considers-compost-mulch-program?instance=secondary_stories_left_column
Agency advertising bill 'ill-conceived'
by Clay Chandler
Mississippi Business Journal
A bill that cleared the committee in the Senate and awaits action on the
floor has caught the attention of advertising and media outlets.
Senate Bill 2736 would prohibit state agencies from spending funds
appropriated from the state's general fund on radio and television
advertisements that promote programs and initiatives, unless there is a
bidding process involved.
"It's got a lot of us concerned," said Peter Marks, president of Jackson
advertising agency Maris West and Baker, which has contracted with the
State Department of Health to promote some of its anti-smoking campaigns.
"It affects the education of these programs. A lot of these programs
educate, for example, people about teen pregnancy. There's a way to talk
about it and to educate young men and young women about how to keep from
getting pregnant. How do you get that work out? Do you do it totally with
social media? You need a media mix for it to be effective. You need radio,
you need TV, and then you need the Internet, social media. It just bothers
me that government will put that much control on how agencies spend their
money. Why are putting more restrictions in place?"
Sen. Merle Flowers, R-Southaven, told a Jackson television station the
measure was aimed at cutting costs.
"If the state is going to be spending money, we need to know how they're
spending it," Flowers said. "The public has a right to require their
government to get the best deal possible."
Dan Modisett, general manager of Jackson NBC affiliate WLBT, said the
spirit of the bill is unfair, and not carefully planned.
"It's just so ill-conceived," he said. "It doesn't speak to other
advertising, just radio and television. If you're going to do this, apply
it to everybody.They obviously don't understand the complexities of
advertising, or what constitutes advertising. Public safety initiatives –
take the use of seatbelts and all the campaigns that have centered on that
– would qualify as advertising. It's poorly thought out. You have to really
stretch to think there's a way this could benefit anybody."
http://msbusiness.com/2012/03/agency-advertising-bill-%E2%80%98ill-conceived%E2%80%99/
Senate bill seeks ad cuts
DeSoto Times
Published: Tuesday, March 13, 2012 1:05 AM CDT
JACKSON — When state agencies want to showcase or bring awareness to a
program in the future, word of mouth may be just about the only advertising
they can do.
That's if Senate Bill 2736 becomes law. It looks to pull the plug on all
state agencies' ability to advertise, mostly on television and radio.
http://www.desototimes.com/articles/2012/03/13/news/doc4f5e8c5b0d8c5663403794.txt
National News
Faulty Wells, Not Fracking, Blamed for Water Pollution
Wall Street Journal
By RUSSELL GOLD
Some energy companies, state regulators, academics and environmentalists
are reaching consensus that natural-gas drilling has led to several
incidents of water pollution—but not because of fracking.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304537904577277814040731688.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
EPA Doubts Its Own Anti-Fracking Study, While Ohio Determines Fracking Did
Not Spawn Earthquake Swarm
Forbes
Some positive news for fracking fans today, with three items that in a
rational world would help convince some anti-fracking zealots that they
ought to find something else to protest.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2012/03/12/epa-doubts-its-own-anti-fracking-study-while-ohio-determines-fracking-did-not-spawn-earthquake-swarm/
API sues EPA over biofuels
UPI
Published: March. 13, 2012 at 6:50 AM
WASHINGTON, March 13 (UPI) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is
out of touch with its mandates for cellulosic biofuels, the American
Petroleum Institute said.
http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2012/03/13/API-sues-EPA-over-biofuels/UPI-56741331635813/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)