USDA Announces $100 Million Investment to Help Families Buy Food for Their Children During Summer Months
WASHINGTON, July 10, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced it is providing $100 million in grants to help states, Tribal Nations, and U.S. territories implement SUN Bucks – a new, permanent program that helps families buy groceries for their children during the summer.
USDA Awards $10 Million to Spark Innovation in Regional School Food Systems
WASHINGTON, July 10, 2024 – USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service today awarded a total of $10 million in grants through its partners – Full Plates Full Potential and the Illinois Public Health Institute – as part of USDA’s $100 million Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative. The initiative empowers schools to continue serving delicious, healthy meals that give students nutrition to grow and thrive.
Help the FDA Prevent the Sale of Tobacco Products to Young People
Many teens underestimate how easy it is to become addicted to nicotine. This raises concerns because young people are at greatest risk of nicotine addiction because their brains are still developing. Find out how you can help.
EPA Invites Public Comment on Review that Shows Progress and Need for More Data After Historic Hudson River PCB Cleanup
NEW YORK - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released its third review of the cleanup of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the Upper Hudson River. The EPA’s review concludes that PCB levels in water and fish are going down overall, but the EPA needs more years of fish data to determine if the cleanup is meeting the expectations of the original cleanup plan. The EPA will issue an addendum to the current five-year review report as soon as sufficient fish data is available, as early as next year. The EPA expects to issue the addendum no later than the end of 2027. The report also contains the EPA’s proposal for expanded monitoring and special studies to bolster the data on which to base its conclusions. The EPA is accepting public comment on the draft report until October 8 to ensure maximum transparency.
“The EPA continues to work on multiple fronts to address the contamination throughout the Upper and Lower Hudson River and will ensure General Electric Company (GE) remains accountable for the PCBs that came from their manufacturing plants in Hudson Falls and Fort Edward, New York,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Today we are announcing a 90-day public comment period on the latest five-year review and appreciate the intense public interest and continued input as we work to clean up the Hudson River.”
The EPA’s draft Five-Year Review is based on sound scientific analysis and an extensive evaluation of the data. The EPA looked at all the water, fish and sediment data collected between 2016-2021, and the preliminary fish data from 2022.
Consistent with conclusions in the Agency’s last review, the EPA needs a minimum of eight years of fish data after dredging to begin to draw science-based conclusions about the rate of recovery in the fish. The eighth year of fish sampling will be completed this fall. The results of that sampling will be available in 2025.
The EPA also needs more years of data to fully evaluate the PCB levels in the river bottom sediment. The next sediment sampling is in 2026. The EPA could make a protectiveness determination sooner based on the fish data.
“The extensive dredging project set the course, but the road to recovery for the Hudson River is long,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Over the next few years, we expect to have the data we need to identify reliable trends. If the fish data shows that the recovery isn’t happening as quickly as we expected, we will take the necessary actions to improve it.”
The EPA collects and reviews monitoring data every year to evaluate how the river is recovering since dredging ended in 2015. Because the latest report identifies several uneven patterns of recovery in fish, the EPA is looking more closely at water, fish and sediment in specific areas of the river. The five-year review includes these special studies as a series of recommendations and follow-up items in the report. Some of these studies are already underway. The data they collect will help the EPA understand how well the river is recovering and guide the Agency’s next steps. The EPA expects GE’s continued cooperation with the ongoing evaluation of the recovery of the river.
The EPA selected its two-part cleanup plan for the Upper Hudson River in 2002, which called for dredging to remove approximately 2.7 million cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment from the river bottom, followed by an extended period of natural recovery – a gradual period of improvement in water, fish and sediment that the EPA projected would occur over a more than 50-year timeframe. The primary purpose of the cleanup is to reduce PCB levels in fish to protect people and wildlife that eat the fish. The cleanup plan also included reconstructing habitats impacted by the dredging, which included extensive seeding and planting.
Fish consumption restrictions and advisories are a part of the cleanup plan the EPA selected for the Upper Hudson River and will continue to be necessary to protect people’s health. The restrictions and advisories are designed to help inform people about the risks from eating fish contaminated with PCBs to reduce the risk from people eating the fish that they catch. The restrictions in the Upper Hudson River will need to remain in place until PCB levels in fish are reduced and New York State determines that changes can be made to the restrictions.
It’s important that people are aware of and follow the fishing restrictions and fish consumption advisories set by New York State. The EPA is working closely with the New York State Department of Health to support their education and outreach program to inform area newcomers and others who may be looking to the river as a food source.
The EPA is actively working in all parts of the river to study and address PCBs. In the Upper Hudson River, an extensive floodplain study is underway to evaluate PCB contamination in soil in shoreline areas along a 43-mile stretch of river between Hudson Falls and Troy, NY. The Agency is also overseeing the deconstruction of the Powerhouse and Allen Mill in Hudson Falls, NY – two structures located adjacent to the former GE Hudson Falls plant. Last spring, the EPA began an investigation in the lower Hudson River under a new agreement with GE which includes extensive fish, water and sediment sampling between Troy and the Battery in New York City.
The third Five-Year Review report is available on the EPA Hudson River PCBs site webpage.
During the 90-day public comment period, which runs to October 8, comments can be sent by mail or email to:
Gary Klawinski, Director
EPA Region 2, Hudson River Office
187 Wolf Road, Suite 303
Albany, NY 12205
Email comments to epahrfo@outlook.com
The EPA will hold a virtual public information meeting on August 21 at 6 p.m. EST to discuss the five-year review process, findings, and determination. For more information and to register.
Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.
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“The EPA continues to work on multiple fronts to address the contamination throughout the Upper and Lower Hudson River and will ensure General Electric Company (GE) remains accountable for the PCBs that came from their manufacturing plants in Hudson Falls and Fort Edward, New York,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Today we are announcing a 90-day public comment period on the latest five-year review and appreciate the intense public interest and continued input as we work to clean up the Hudson River.”
The EPA’s draft Five-Year Review is based on sound scientific analysis and an extensive evaluation of the data. The EPA looked at all the water, fish and sediment data collected between 2016-2021, and the preliminary fish data from 2022.
Consistent with conclusions in the Agency’s last review, the EPA needs a minimum of eight years of fish data after dredging to begin to draw science-based conclusions about the rate of recovery in the fish. The eighth year of fish sampling will be completed this fall. The results of that sampling will be available in 2025.
The EPA also needs more years of data to fully evaluate the PCB levels in the river bottom sediment. The next sediment sampling is in 2026. The EPA could make a protectiveness determination sooner based on the fish data.
“The extensive dredging project set the course, but the road to recovery for the Hudson River is long,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Over the next few years, we expect to have the data we need to identify reliable trends. If the fish data shows that the recovery isn’t happening as quickly as we expected, we will take the necessary actions to improve it.”
The EPA collects and reviews monitoring data every year to evaluate how the river is recovering since dredging ended in 2015. Because the latest report identifies several uneven patterns of recovery in fish, the EPA is looking more closely at water, fish and sediment in specific areas of the river. The five-year review includes these special studies as a series of recommendations and follow-up items in the report. Some of these studies are already underway. The data they collect will help the EPA understand how well the river is recovering and guide the Agency’s next steps. The EPA expects GE’s continued cooperation with the ongoing evaluation of the recovery of the river.
The EPA selected its two-part cleanup plan for the Upper Hudson River in 2002, which called for dredging to remove approximately 2.7 million cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment from the river bottom, followed by an extended period of natural recovery – a gradual period of improvement in water, fish and sediment that the EPA projected would occur over a more than 50-year timeframe. The primary purpose of the cleanup is to reduce PCB levels in fish to protect people and wildlife that eat the fish. The cleanup plan also included reconstructing habitats impacted by the dredging, which included extensive seeding and planting.
Fish consumption restrictions and advisories are a part of the cleanup plan the EPA selected for the Upper Hudson River and will continue to be necessary to protect people’s health. The restrictions and advisories are designed to help inform people about the risks from eating fish contaminated with PCBs to reduce the risk from people eating the fish that they catch. The restrictions in the Upper Hudson River will need to remain in place until PCB levels in fish are reduced and New York State determines that changes can be made to the restrictions.
It’s important that people are aware of and follow the fishing restrictions and fish consumption advisories set by New York State. The EPA is working closely with the New York State Department of Health to support their education and outreach program to inform area newcomers and others who may be looking to the river as a food source.
The EPA is actively working in all parts of the river to study and address PCBs. In the Upper Hudson River, an extensive floodplain study is underway to evaluate PCB contamination in soil in shoreline areas along a 43-mile stretch of river between Hudson Falls and Troy, NY. The Agency is also overseeing the deconstruction of the Powerhouse and Allen Mill in Hudson Falls, NY – two structures located adjacent to the former GE Hudson Falls plant. Last spring, the EPA began an investigation in the lower Hudson River under a new agreement with GE which includes extensive fish, water and sediment sampling between Troy and the Battery in New York City.
The third Five-Year Review report is available on the EPA Hudson River PCBs site webpage.
During the 90-day public comment period, which runs to October 8, comments can be sent by mail or email to:
Gary Klawinski, Director
EPA Region 2, Hudson River Office
187 Wolf Road, Suite 303
Albany, NY 12205
Email comments to epahrfo@outlook.com
The EPA will hold a virtual public information meeting on August 21 at 6 p.m. EST to discuss the five-year review process, findings, and determination. For more information and to register.
Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.
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EPA and Partners Complete Cleanup and Restoration, Open New Trail at Spirit Lake near Duluth, Minnesota
CHICAGO (July 10, 2024) – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the completion of a four-year, $186 million sediment cleanup and habitat restoration project at Spirit Lake near Duluth, Minnesota. EPA contributed $92 million to the project, including funding provided through the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, in a cost-sharing partnership with U.S. Steel.
The completion of this work allowed for construction of a new two-mile-long waterfront trail, which was officially opened to the public today by Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore, Mayor Roger Reinert and project parters.
“With today’s grand opening, we’re seeing firsthand how Great Lakes Legacy Act partnerships are transforming affected land and water into restored ecosystems and recreational opportunities,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator and Great Lakes National Program Manager Debra Shore. “Thanks to this investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and the support of our many partners, a significant portion of a legacy contaminated site has been cleaned up and restored to beautiful habitat, and we’re one step closer to restoring the entire St. Louis Area of Concern.”
“For decades, excessive pollution in and around the St. Louis River watershed kept Minnesotans away," said Sen. Tina Smith. "Completing the cleanup at Spirit Lake and opening a new pedestrian trail is a huge step toward reviving public access to this natural resource and keeping the St. Louis River watershed and Lake Superior clean for generations to come."
“This vital project and investment moves us one step closer to our ultimate goal of removing one of the Great Lakes’ most important waterways from the Great Lakes Area of Concern List,” said Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Deputy Commissioner Peter Tester. “In partnering with federal, state, local, and Tribal governments, as well as other stakeholders, our work to restore and revitalize the St. Louis River will support healthy families, recreation, and a vibrant local economy well into the future.”
“U.S. Steel is excited to join EPA and our local partners in celebrating the official opening of the new recreational amenities along the Spirit Lake project site on the St. Louis River,” said U.S. Steel Senior Director of Environmental Remediation Mark Rupnow. “The significant environmental improvements to the St. Louis River Estuary and the former site of Duluth Works were only made possible by the collaboration and perseverance of the project partners. The area will provide an environmentally engaging space for years to come.”
The Spirit Lake site is located south of the Morgan Park neighborhood in Duluth, within the St. Louis River Area of Concern. The purpose of the project was to address chemicals in the sediment, primarily polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, and heavy metals including lead, copper and zinc. Work began in 2020 and continued throughout 2023. In total, 1.3 million cubic yards of impacted material was remediated. 460,000 cubic yards of sediment were dredged and placed into two newly built disposal facilities at the site. Protective caps were also placed over 96 acres of aquatic habitat. The project resulted in extensive restoration and habitat enhancement, including the creation of a new 42-acre shallow sheltered bay for fish spawning habitat.
This project is part of the larger effort to restore and delist the St. Louis River as a Great Lakes area of concern. EPA managed the Spirit Lake cleanup under the Great Lakes Legacy Act, a voluntary cleanup program funded by the federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding. As the non-federal sponsor, U.S. Steel provided project management, technical expertise, and covered the remainder of project costs.
Some of EPA’s portion of the funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s $1 billion investment to accelerate cleanup and restoration of the Great Lakes. The agency is leveraging this funding with annual Great Lakes Restoration Initiative appropriations and funding from other sources to finish cleanups and restoration at the remaining 22 United States areas of concern. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding directly supports 11 of these cleanups, including those in the St. Louis River Area of Concern.
More information about the project is available on EPA’s Spirit Lake webpage.
The completion of this work allowed for construction of a new two-mile-long waterfront trail, which was officially opened to the public today by Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore, Mayor Roger Reinert and project parters.
“With today’s grand opening, we’re seeing firsthand how Great Lakes Legacy Act partnerships are transforming affected land and water into restored ecosystems and recreational opportunities,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator and Great Lakes National Program Manager Debra Shore. “Thanks to this investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and the support of our many partners, a significant portion of a legacy contaminated site has been cleaned up and restored to beautiful habitat, and we’re one step closer to restoring the entire St. Louis Area of Concern.”
“For decades, excessive pollution in and around the St. Louis River watershed kept Minnesotans away," said Sen. Tina Smith. "Completing the cleanup at Spirit Lake and opening a new pedestrian trail is a huge step toward reviving public access to this natural resource and keeping the St. Louis River watershed and Lake Superior clean for generations to come."
“This vital project and investment moves us one step closer to our ultimate goal of removing one of the Great Lakes’ most important waterways from the Great Lakes Area of Concern List,” said Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Deputy Commissioner Peter Tester. “In partnering with federal, state, local, and Tribal governments, as well as other stakeholders, our work to restore and revitalize the St. Louis River will support healthy families, recreation, and a vibrant local economy well into the future.”
“U.S. Steel is excited to join EPA and our local partners in celebrating the official opening of the new recreational amenities along the Spirit Lake project site on the St. Louis River,” said U.S. Steel Senior Director of Environmental Remediation Mark Rupnow. “The significant environmental improvements to the St. Louis River Estuary and the former site of Duluth Works were only made possible by the collaboration and perseverance of the project partners. The area will provide an environmentally engaging space for years to come.”
The Spirit Lake site is located south of the Morgan Park neighborhood in Duluth, within the St. Louis River Area of Concern. The purpose of the project was to address chemicals in the sediment, primarily polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, and heavy metals including lead, copper and zinc. Work began in 2020 and continued throughout 2023. In total, 1.3 million cubic yards of impacted material was remediated. 460,000 cubic yards of sediment were dredged and placed into two newly built disposal facilities at the site. Protective caps were also placed over 96 acres of aquatic habitat. The project resulted in extensive restoration and habitat enhancement, including the creation of a new 42-acre shallow sheltered bay for fish spawning habitat.
This project is part of the larger effort to restore and delist the St. Louis River as a Great Lakes area of concern. EPA managed the Spirit Lake cleanup under the Great Lakes Legacy Act, a voluntary cleanup program funded by the federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding. As the non-federal sponsor, U.S. Steel provided project management, technical expertise, and covered the remainder of project costs.
Some of EPA’s portion of the funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s $1 billion investment to accelerate cleanup and restoration of the Great Lakes. The agency is leveraging this funding with annual Great Lakes Restoration Initiative appropriations and funding from other sources to finish cleanups and restoration at the remaining 22 United States areas of concern. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding directly supports 11 of these cleanups, including those in the St. Louis River Area of Concern.
More information about the project is available on EPA’s Spirit Lake webpage.
Charleston clears vessel backlog, but expects some delays through November
The port was able to clear all the recently anchored vessels, helped by a temporary reopening of all Wando Welch’s berths last week amid a 10-day pause in project work.
Charleston clears vessel backlog, but expects some delays through November
The port was able to clear all the recently anchored vessels, helped by a temporary reopening of all Wando Welch’s berths last week amid a 10-day pause in project work.
Charleston clears vessel backlog, but expects some delays through November
The port was able to clear all the recently anchored vessels, helped by a temporary reopening of all Wando Welch’s berths last week amid a 10-day pause in project work.