On September 28, 2012, the US Environmental Protection Agency stated that Frederick W. Hertrich, III and Charles Ernesto, Hertrich’s project manager, were ordered to pay a $100,000 fine jointly after violating the Clean Water Act.  The violation occurred in Federalsburg, Maryland in Caroline County.  

On Tuesday, November 27, President Obama signed a bill that exempts airlines in the United States from carbon fees imposed by the European Union for every ton of carbon emitted from planes flying in and out of Europe. 

The passage of the bill was commended by Airlines for America (A4A), the trade organization represented the leading airlines in the United States. 

On November 13, 2012, the Senate passed the S. 1956 bill that allows the Transportation Secretary to exempt U.S. airlines flying in and out of Europe from the European Union Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS).  The bill was passed unanimously by the Senate and by voice vote in the House. 

The bill was passed by Congress and signed by President Obama because Congress claimed the EU ETS violates international law and U.S. sovereignty.  Additionally, the U.S. claimed that the measure by the EU would counterproductive to current U.S. investments into technology and infrastructure that increases fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. 

Nicholas E. Calio, the A4A President and CEO, stated: “The message could not be any clearer — overwhelming bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate have spoken:  EU ETS violates U.S. sovereignty and will not do what it purports to as the funds do not have to be used for environmental protection.  There is a better way to improve the environmental efficiency of the airline industry, and U.S.-based carriers are already leading those efforts.” 

The bill was passed by the Senate even though the EU announced it would suspend the requirements on November 12, 2012.  The EU announced it would suspend the carbon enforcement so an international agreement on reducing emissions could be developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), but A4A stated the EU’s decision did not remove the threat of implementing the carbon pricing in the near future. 

A4A reported that the EU law would cost U.S. airlines about $3.1 billion from 2012 to 2020. 

A4A reports that U.S. airlines have led initiatives to reduce emissions compared to other countries, and the trade union also states that U.S. airlines strongly supported policies adopted by the ICAO in 2010.  The new framework called for an annual fuel-efficiency improvement of 1.5 percent ever year up to 2020.  Additionally, the United States has improved fuel efficiency for its airlines 120 percent in the last 30 years.  The fuel efficiency is equivalent to taking 22 million cars off the road. 

Source: Airlines for America

On September 7, 2012, the US Environmental Protection Agency and Office of the Minister of the Environment in Canada stated that the two countries had signed an amended agreement to protect the water quality of the Great lakes—which is the largest freshwater system in the world.  The agreement was lasted update in 1987, and amendments aim to curve health concerns and continue the cooperation between the two countries. 

The EPA Administrator, Lisa P. Jackson, and Canadian Minister of the Environment, Peter Kent, signed the new Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in Washington D.C. 

Lisa P. Jackson was stated, “Protecting cherished water bodies like the Great Lakes is not only about environmental conservation.  It’s also about protecting the health of the families—and the economies—of the local communities that depend on those water bodies for so much, every day.” 

Minister Kent was quoted in saying: “Joint stewardship of the Great Lakes—at treasured natural resource, a critical source of drinking water, essential to transportation, and the foundation for billions of dollars in trade, agriculture, recreation and other sectors—is a cornerstone of the Canada-United States relationship.” 

The ultimate purpose of the amended Agreement aims to restore and control the chemical, physical, and biological makeup of the Great Lakes and shared portion of the St. Lawrence River.  New additions to the Agreement allow the public to participate in issues surrounding the waterways.  Also, the changes seek to put more emphasis on invasive species, degradation throughout natural habitats, and the adverse effects of climate change.  Harmful algae, toxic chemicals, and emissions from sea vessels have been a major concern for years. 

For more information, you can contact the Press Secretary under the Office of the Minister of the Environment at 819-997-8008.  You can also contact the Media Relations under Environment Canada at 819-934-8008. 

Source: Environment Canada

On September 24, 2012, the environmental protection agency announced that state and local governments as well as community groups in the state of New York and Connecticut will receive $1.6 million in grants to improve the health of the Long Island Sound.  These funds will combine with the $3 million being offered by the recipients of the grants. 

The conservation projects are funded by Long Island Sound Futures Fund.  These projects will create 50 additional river miles for fish passage and restore an estimated 390 acres of fish and wildlife habitats like lakes, underwater grasses, woodlands, wetlands, beaches, meadows, rivers, and parks. 

Judith A. Enck, the EPA Regional Administrator, states, “These grants will help to reduce pollution, improve water quality and the health of those who live near Long Island Sound.” 

Long Island Sound Futures Fund gathers funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Wells Fargo. 

The Long Island sound estuary is vital for economic and recreational trades and hobbies.  The estuary also provides a habitat for more than 170 species of fish, numerous species of migratory birds, and more than 1,200 invertebrates.

According to David O’Neill, the Director of the Eastern Partnership Office of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, “One of the greatest environmental challenges facing our communities is the protection and restoration of estuaries.

Since the Long Island Sound Futures Fund formation in 2005, the program has added about $10.5 million to 261 projects along the Sound.  Additionally, the Fund has generated about $33.5 million in total from private and public entities for both states. 

Source: Environmental Protection Agency

On September 25, 2012, the EPA announced that the W.R. Grace & Co / Wayne Interim Storage site in Wayne Township, New Jersey has been officially cleaned up and removed from the Superfund list. 

The site was originally polluted with thorium and other rare earth metals which pose serious risk to the public’s health.  Multiple studies show that the inhalation of thorium dust is a direct cause of lung and pancreas cancer. 

Since the site has been removed from the Superfund list, the area no longer poses a risk to the public or the environment.  The site was managed by the U.S. Department of Energy from 1984 to 1997 before the management was transferred to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

The contaminated area sat on six acres at 868 Black Oak Ridge Road in Wayne, New Jersey.  The property was initially owned by Rare Earths, Inc. between the years of 1948 and 1957, during which the company extracted thorium and other rare earth metals from monazite ore. 

The facility was bought by W.R. Grace & Co. Inc. in 1957, and the company continued to extract the minerals from the monazite ore until 1971.  The EPA reports that radioactive waste and other contaminated rubble was stored in 16 burial pits around the site. 

After the property was transferred to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, they excavated approximately 135,000 cubic yards of contaminated rubble and soil.  The processing building was also decontaminated and demolished. 

EPA Regional Administrator, Judith A. Enck, stated, “Monitoring has found that the cleanup conducted at this site has removed a significant risk that was posed to this community.”

New York District Commander Col. Paul E. Owen stated, “It took several years of hard work, including the safe removal and disposal of approximately 135,000 cubic yards of contaminated material, and I’m proud to be celebrating the fruits of that labor—the de-listing of this site.”

Source: Environmental Protection Agency

On September 26, 2012, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced how it handled a fire that consumed a 50,000 ton pile of plastic, glass, and glass in the Hillcrest Industries facility.  The EPA worked alongside the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and firefighters in Wyoming County and the Village of Attica. 

The EPA has been applying a fire suppression agent called F-500 to the pile of rubble over the last couple of days.  The fire suppression agent is supposed to cover the debris and smother the fire by cutting off oxygen.  However, the EPA noticed the suppression agent was not working properly, so they consulted with fire suppression experts. 

The experts determined that the EPA needed to separate the pile into smaller segments and put out the fire in the smaller sections.  The pile was originally 40 feet high and covered an entire acre.  The EPA states that because the smaller segments will be extinguished with water and possibly foam, local residents may notice a large amount of smoke, steam, and even notice an odor. 

The EPA is going to bring in heavy equipment to split up the pile.  A system is also being built to collect water runoff, and the EPA will also bring in air conditioning equipment that will use water foggers to control the level of smoke and aid in putting out the fire.  The EPA plans to begin breaking up the pile on Saturday, September 29, 2012. 

Judith A. Enck, the EPA Regional Administrator, states, “The number one priority for the EPA is to put the fire out.  By breaking the piles apart, we can expose the fire and extinguish it in smaller, more manageable sections…[and] I want to assure the community near the site that we are doing everything possible to put this fire out quickly and eliminate any smoke or pollution from being released into the air.”

Source: Environmental Protection Agency

On September 26, 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that CityServiceValcon, LLC and Thomas West Fuels, Lubricants & Chemicals, LLC were fined for violating National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants under the Clean Air Act.

The EPA reports that the companies failed to practice proper management of unloading gasoline at the Nez Perce Express in Lewiston as well as the TP Gas Station and Convenience Store on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation.  The illegal unloading into storage tanks occurred between January of 2011 and January of 2012. 

The EPA is forcing CityServiceValcon, LLC to pay a $48,000 fine.  Thomas West Fuels, Lubricants & Chemicals, LLC is required to pay a $45,600 fine. 

The EPA also announced that Nez Perce Express and TP Gas Station and Convenience Store failed to install required vapor recovery systems.  Since these systems were never installed, about 10 tons of vaporous volatile organic compounds leaked at Nez Perce Express and about 5 tons leaked at the TP Gas Station and Convenience Store. 

The EPA states that the gasoline vapors can result in “ground leave ozone,” which is a pollutant in the air that leads to health problems like asthma, decreased lung capacity, and susceptibility to pneumonia and bronchitis.  The EPA required both convenience stores to install new vapor recovery systems, and the gas stations have since installed the equipment. 

Ed Kowalski, the Director of the Office of Compliance and Enforcement in the EPA’s Seattle Office, stated, “Gas tank trucks and gas stations must both comply with EPA’s hazardous air pollutant regulations when the tank trucks are delivering gasoline to the stations.  Gas trucks and gas stations must have the require vapor controls to prevent harmful vapors from being released.”

Source: Environmental Protection Agency

On September 27, 2012, the US Environmental Protection Agency approved a final plan to decontaminate ground water at the White Chemical Corporation Superfund site located in Newark, New Jersey.  The finalized plan comes after a 60 day period that let the public make comments. 

The White Chemical Corporation industrial site is located at 660 Frelinghuysen Avenue in Newark and covers about 4.4 acres.  In the 1930s and onward, parts of the site were used by numerous businesses for multiple industrial activities like the manufacturing of acid chlorides and fire retardants.  From 1983 to 1990, the White Chemical Corporation owned and operated the facility, but after the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection cited the company for several violations, the company abandoned the property. 

The EPA reports that thousands of drums containing hazardous chemicals were left behind.  Many of these drums began to leak and exposed the groundwater to volatile organic compounds which can cause damage to human health and the environment.  The site was added to the Superfund list in 1991.  

After removing the drums and contaminated soil, the EPA formulated a third phase of the cleanup to address the groundwater.  After study, the EPA found that the groundwater could not be pumped out because of certain rock formations under the site. 

The EPA then decided on a process call bioremediation.  The process requires chemicals to be injected into the ground water to then break down the compounds.  After the chemicals are injected into the groundwater, the EPA will collective samples to make sure the process was successful.  Additionally, the EPA is recommending that several monitoring wells be placed on the site to monitor the water in the future.  The groundwater cannot be used as a source of drinking water in the future. 

Source: Environmental Protection Agency

On September 27, 2012, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced that it is providing about $125,000 in “citizen science” grants to five community groups in New York City.  The grants will help the organizations gather information about air and water pollution in their communities.

Recipients of the citizen science grant:

Bronx River Alliance

The Bronx River Alliance will receive $25,000 from the EPA to help improve the River Stewards Volunteer Monitoring Program.  The grant will allow up to 70 adults and students to use specific procedures in monitoring the water along the Bronx River at 5 different locations.  The citizen scientists can also analyze data from the last 5 to 10 years. 

Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation

The Cypress Hills Locals Development Corporation will receive $25,000 in order to train local students.  The participants in the program will monitor indoor air pollutants for 24 weeks in Cypress Hills and East New York. 

El Puente de Williamsburg, Inc.

El Puente will receive $25,000 in order to train younger populations in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on how to collect water quality data.  After the data is collected, the finds are shared at presentations and workshops for the public as well as in printed articles. 

New York Harbor Foundation

The New York Harbor Foundation will receive $25,000 to help educate New York City high school students and have them monitor air and water quality in New York Harbor.  The collected data will then be posted online. 

Sustainable South Bronx

Sustainable South Bronx will receive $24,000 to educate and encourage high school students and local residents to monitor air quality by using “AirCasting” smart phone technology.  The technology allows users to access real-time information on air quality such as carbon monoxide levels and then share the information on a “wiki” map. 

Judith A. Enck, the EPA Regional Administrator, stated, “People care deeply about clean air and clean water in their communities.  This funding will help inform local residents about the environmental conditions in their own backyards.”

Source: Environmental Protection Agency