Star-Spangled Grilling and Smoking Food Safety Practices Everyone Needs to Know
WASHINGTON, June 27, 2024 – On July Fourth, the aroma of barbecue will fill the air as the festivities bring together family and friends to celebrate with quintessential American cooking pastimes: grilling and smoking. Food is the biggest staple when it comes to celebrating Independence Day, aside from the fireworks. Whether you’re sizzling burgers on the grill or slow-cooking ribs in the smoker, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service is urging everyone to take food safety precautions during food preparations.
USDA to Begin Accepting Applications for Expanded Emergency Livestock Assistance Program to Help Dairy Producers Offset Milk Loss Due to H5N1
WASHINGTON, June 27, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin accepting applications starting on Monday, July 1 through its updated Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) to provide financial assistance to eligible dairy producers who incur milk losses due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, also known as H5N1infection in their dairy herds.
EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan Addresses EPA Staff to Mark Historic Environmental Progress Under President Biden
WASHINGTON – Today, June 27, at an event convening all EPA staff across headquarters and its 10 regional offices, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan delivered keynote remarks to mark historic progress achieved under President Biden’s leadership to address climate change, advance environmental justice, and highlight unprecedented investments in science and career staff expertise. Under the banner of “Bold Promises, Real Results,” Administrator Regan touted progress to advance the President’s clear vision and bold agenda set forth on Day One of his Administration.
Administrator Regan started by recounting the weight of the moment in early 2021, and the staff’s resolve to take on big challenges as the country was still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic:
While the circumstances should have felt overwhelming… they weren’t… because I know who YOU are.
Team EPA is tenacious…resilient...and fearless…
The fight, the spirit, and the perseverance of our team is unparalleled…
Because together, there is absolutely nothing we can’t accomplish…
From day one, President Biden promised a bold and ambitious environmental agenda… and EPA was at the center.
Since then, thanks to the dedicated career workforce, EPA has made remarkable strides to protect human health and the environment in a way that ensures all people – especially those that have been historically overburdened by pollution and underserved by federal investments – are protected equally under the law. To ensure these communities were at the forefront of EPA decision-making, Administrator Regan launched the Journey to Justice in 2021:
For far too long, too many communities across our country have disproportionately suffered from a lack of investment and adequate access to critical public health protections.
President Biden is fighting with the sense of urgency that pollution and the climate crisis demands…and he’s rising to the occasion to right these longstanding wrongs.
Buoyed by his clarity of vision and strong sense of purpose, we launched our Journey to Justice tour in 2021.
I wanted to meet people in their communities…
I wanted to hear directly from some of our nation’s most neglected and underserved communities…I wanted to see what they see.
And we didn’t just visit these communities to hear about their challenges…we sought to see and feel them firsthand so that our decisions were informed by real-life experiences.
Building on these insights, EPA established the first ever Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights in September 2022. This national program office, with over 200 staff and billions in new funding to invest in community solutions, elevates environmental justice to the highest levels of the federal government, ensuring dedicated efforts to address longstanding disparities for years to come.
This ambitious agenda to protect public health and the environment has been complemented and accelerated by President Biden’s unprecedented investments in America, which charged EPA with the deployment of more than $100 billion to ensure all communities have funding to address critical infrastructure, climate and environmental justice needs:
President Biden showed even more confidence in you by securing more than $100 billion dollars through historic legislation.
These billions of dollars in resources complement our traditional mission…spurring us to move further and faster than ever before while creating jobs, growing our economy and supercharging private investment in clean technologies.
Administrator Regan also spent time highlighting the role young people have played in this movement, from the advocates at the forefront of social change, to the emerging leaders who have joined EPA’s ranks to the members of the newly established National Environmental Youth Advisory Council:
History has shown us that young people have always played a central role in demanding social and political change.
From the young leaders who peacefully protested segregated lunch counters during the civil rights movement…
To the groups of students who fought to lower the national voting age from 21 to 18…
To the college students who organized national demonstrations that led to the very first earth day…
To the brave young folks demanding climate action NOW…
Every generation has its own defining challenge…
And just like President Biden said, the challenge of our time is climate change.
I’m grateful for the young employees who’ve joined our ranks, as well as the members of EPA’s newly launched National Environmental Youth Advisory Council—because young people deserve a seat at the table… their leadership is crucial to our future.
These young leaders will bridge the gap between EPA and the communities they represent—ensuring that the environmental issues impacting communities across the country, are heard, and addressed.
The speech concluded with a call for continued momentum and agency growth, with over 5,000 new employees onboarded since 2021, and the role of EPA in keeping the nation safe for generations to come:
America needs a strong EPA.
An EPA that can respond to the communities shattered by catastrophic wildfires and hurricanes…
An EPA that partners with the advocates who have dedicated their lives to fighting for cleaner air, safer water, and healthier communities…
An EPA that empowers the parents who are working tirelessly to protect their children from PFAS and lead exposure…
And an EPA that invests in young leaders who are dedicating their lives to protecting our planet.
Let me tell you what I know…
I know our future is bright, and the state of EPA is stronger than ever.
I know we won’t let up until all communities have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink…
And, I couldn’t be prouder to lead this EPA… at this critical moment in time…under this President’s leadership.
EPA remains steadfast in our mission to deliver bold and effective solutions for environmental protection and public health. These accomplishments demonstrate our agency’s dedication to embedding environmental justice in all of our work and engaging the next generation in the fight against climate change.
Additional Background on Agency Accomplishments Climate and Air Pollution Reduction (pdf)
Environmental Justice (pdf)
Scientific Integrity (pdf)
Administrator Regan started by recounting the weight of the moment in early 2021, and the staff’s resolve to take on big challenges as the country was still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic:
While the circumstances should have felt overwhelming… they weren’t… because I know who YOU are.
Team EPA is tenacious…resilient...and fearless…
The fight, the spirit, and the perseverance of our team is unparalleled…
Because together, there is absolutely nothing we can’t accomplish…
From day one, President Biden promised a bold and ambitious environmental agenda… and EPA was at the center.
Since then, thanks to the dedicated career workforce, EPA has made remarkable strides to protect human health and the environment in a way that ensures all people – especially those that have been historically overburdened by pollution and underserved by federal investments – are protected equally under the law. To ensure these communities were at the forefront of EPA decision-making, Administrator Regan launched the Journey to Justice in 2021:
For far too long, too many communities across our country have disproportionately suffered from a lack of investment and adequate access to critical public health protections.
President Biden is fighting with the sense of urgency that pollution and the climate crisis demands…and he’s rising to the occasion to right these longstanding wrongs.
Buoyed by his clarity of vision and strong sense of purpose, we launched our Journey to Justice tour in 2021.
I wanted to meet people in their communities…
I wanted to hear directly from some of our nation’s most neglected and underserved communities…I wanted to see what they see.
And we didn’t just visit these communities to hear about their challenges…we sought to see and feel them firsthand so that our decisions were informed by real-life experiences.
Building on these insights, EPA established the first ever Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights in September 2022. This national program office, with over 200 staff and billions in new funding to invest in community solutions, elevates environmental justice to the highest levels of the federal government, ensuring dedicated efforts to address longstanding disparities for years to come.
This ambitious agenda to protect public health and the environment has been complemented and accelerated by President Biden’s unprecedented investments in America, which charged EPA with the deployment of more than $100 billion to ensure all communities have funding to address critical infrastructure, climate and environmental justice needs:
President Biden showed even more confidence in you by securing more than $100 billion dollars through historic legislation.
These billions of dollars in resources complement our traditional mission…spurring us to move further and faster than ever before while creating jobs, growing our economy and supercharging private investment in clean technologies.
Administrator Regan also spent time highlighting the role young people have played in this movement, from the advocates at the forefront of social change, to the emerging leaders who have joined EPA’s ranks to the members of the newly established National Environmental Youth Advisory Council:
History has shown us that young people have always played a central role in demanding social and political change.
From the young leaders who peacefully protested segregated lunch counters during the civil rights movement…
To the groups of students who fought to lower the national voting age from 21 to 18…
To the college students who organized national demonstrations that led to the very first earth day…
To the brave young folks demanding climate action NOW…
Every generation has its own defining challenge…
And just like President Biden said, the challenge of our time is climate change.
I’m grateful for the young employees who’ve joined our ranks, as well as the members of EPA’s newly launched National Environmental Youth Advisory Council—because young people deserve a seat at the table… their leadership is crucial to our future.
These young leaders will bridge the gap between EPA and the communities they represent—ensuring that the environmental issues impacting communities across the country, are heard, and addressed.
The speech concluded with a call for continued momentum and agency growth, with over 5,000 new employees onboarded since 2021, and the role of EPA in keeping the nation safe for generations to come:
America needs a strong EPA.
An EPA that can respond to the communities shattered by catastrophic wildfires and hurricanes…
An EPA that partners with the advocates who have dedicated their lives to fighting for cleaner air, safer water, and healthier communities…
An EPA that empowers the parents who are working tirelessly to protect their children from PFAS and lead exposure…
And an EPA that invests in young leaders who are dedicating their lives to protecting our planet.
Let me tell you what I know…
I know our future is bright, and the state of EPA is stronger than ever.
I know we won’t let up until all communities have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink…
And, I couldn’t be prouder to lead this EPA… at this critical moment in time…under this President’s leadership.
EPA remains steadfast in our mission to deliver bold and effective solutions for environmental protection and public health. These accomplishments demonstrate our agency’s dedication to embedding environmental justice in all of our work and engaging the next generation in the fight against climate change.
Additional Background on Agency Accomplishments Climate and Air Pollution Reduction (pdf)
Environmental Justice (pdf)
Scientific Integrity (pdf)
Carlisle Construction Materials to pay over $24,000 for stormwater permit violations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that Carlisle Construction Materials, LLC paid a $24,780 penalty for Clean Water Act violations that occurred at its former facility in McMinnville, Oregon.
In December 2021, an EPA inspector found several violations of the company’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit including:
failure to document an undisclosed stormwater discharge source in their Stormwater Pollution Control Plan
failure to monitor, sample, and visually inspect undisclosed stormwater discharge source
failure to reduce exposure of crumb rubber pile against stormwater.
“EPA is committed to enforcing the stormwater rules under the Clean Water Act to protect our treasured Pacific Northwest waterbodies,” said EPA Region 10 Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Director Ed Kowalski. “In this case, this enforcement action helped prevent thousands of pounds of pollution from entering the South Yamhill River.”
Due to excessive levels of dissolved oxygen, phosphorus, iron, and for high temperatures, the South Yamhill River is considered an impaired waterbody by EPA and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.
The river is not meeting its Clean Water Act beneficial uses for fish and other aquatic life.
The Clean Water Act prohibits discharging pollutants from industrial sources into a water of the United States without a NPDES permit. Stormwater can pick up pollutants like chemicals, oils, and sediment from industrial facilities which are then carried into waterways and harm fish and other aquatic life. The permit requires industrial sites to monitor, measure, and reduce stormwater pollution leaving their facilities.
Additional details can be found in the Expedited Settlement Agreement.
In December 2021, an EPA inspector found several violations of the company’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit including:
failure to document an undisclosed stormwater discharge source in their Stormwater Pollution Control Plan
failure to monitor, sample, and visually inspect undisclosed stormwater discharge source
failure to reduce exposure of crumb rubber pile against stormwater.
“EPA is committed to enforcing the stormwater rules under the Clean Water Act to protect our treasured Pacific Northwest waterbodies,” said EPA Region 10 Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Director Ed Kowalski. “In this case, this enforcement action helped prevent thousands of pounds of pollution from entering the South Yamhill River.”
Due to excessive levels of dissolved oxygen, phosphorus, iron, and for high temperatures, the South Yamhill River is considered an impaired waterbody by EPA and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.
The river is not meeting its Clean Water Act beneficial uses for fish and other aquatic life.
The Clean Water Act prohibits discharging pollutants from industrial sources into a water of the United States without a NPDES permit. Stormwater can pick up pollutants like chemicals, oils, and sediment from industrial facilities which are then carried into waterways and harm fish and other aquatic life. The permit requires industrial sites to monitor, measure, and reduce stormwater pollution leaving their facilities.
Additional details can be found in the Expedited Settlement Agreement.
EPA Region 7 Presents Nearly $4.5M Check to City of Keokuk, Iowa, After Selection for Brownfields Grant
LENEXA, KAN. (JUNE 27, 2024) – Today, at City Hall in Keokuk, Iowa, EPA Region 7 Brownfields and Land Revitalization Branch Supervisor Stanley Walker presented a $4.48 million ceremonial check to the City of Keokuk as a Brownfields Cleanup Grant selectee.
EPA has selected the city to receive the grant through EPA’s Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grants program, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. MAC Grant funds help transform once-polluted, vacant, and abandoned properties into community assets, while helping to create good jobs and spur economic revitalization in overburdened communities.
These grant funds will be used to clean up the Elkem-Carbide Site Auditor’s Parcel, located at 365 Carbide Lane. The 9.4-acre cleanup site was first used as a zinc smelter and lead alloying facility. By 1929, the site transitioned to the manufacturing of carbide, and later in the 1950s to the manufacturing of carbon products. All operations ceased in 2007 and the site has been vacant since then. It is contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, inorganic materials, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Grant funds also will be used to conduct community engagement activities.
"EPA Region 7 is proud to deliver these Brownfields funding resources to the City of Keokuk," Walker said. "The Brownfields program is truly a win-win for everyone involved, and we are proud of our communities’ efforts to provide a cleaner and healthier environment for all, while at the same time spurring local economic development."
“The City of Keokuk is thrilled to announce that we have been awarded a Brownfields Grant,” said Keokuk Mayor Kathie Mahoney. “This grant is a testament to our commitment to revitalizing and rejuvenating our community while prioritizing environmental sustainability. We are grateful for the support and recognition from the Environmental Protection Agency’s $4.48 million Brownfields Cleanup Grant that will be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. We are excited to embark on this journey of transforming contaminated sites into vibrant, safe spaces for our communities. This grant will enable us to not only address environmental challenges, but also create new opportunities for economic growth and community development. We look forward to the positive impact this project will have on our community and beyond.”
EPA has funded several rounds of assessments for the Elkem-Carbide Site. The City of Keokuk was a Brownfields Cleanup Grant selectee last year. In June 2023, McCollister stopped on the Brownfields Investing in America Tour to present a $2 million ceremonial check to Mayor Mahoney. In both 2010 and 2016, the city was selected for a $200,000 Brownfield Site Specific Assessment Grant.
Background
EPA’s Brownfields program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.7 billion in Brownfields Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. Prior to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this program made approximately $60 million available each year. Thanks to the President’s historic investments in America through this law, EPA has increased that yearly investment by nearly 400%.
More than half of the funding available for this grant cycle (approximately $160 million) comes from the historic $1.5 billion investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This investment has also allowed the MAC Grants’ maximum award amounts to increase significantly from $500,000 to a new maximum of $5 million per award.
EPA’s Brownfields program advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. The Brownfields program strives to meet this commitment and advance environmental justice and equity considerations in all aspects of its work. Approximately 86% of the MAC and Revolving Loan Fund Supplemental program applications selected to receive funding proposed to work in areas that include disadvantaged communities.
Learn more about EPA’s Brownfields program.
# # #
Learn more about EPA Region 7
Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook and Instagram
Follow us on X: @EPARegion7
EPA has selected the city to receive the grant through EPA’s Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grants program, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. MAC Grant funds help transform once-polluted, vacant, and abandoned properties into community assets, while helping to create good jobs and spur economic revitalization in overburdened communities.
These grant funds will be used to clean up the Elkem-Carbide Site Auditor’s Parcel, located at 365 Carbide Lane. The 9.4-acre cleanup site was first used as a zinc smelter and lead alloying facility. By 1929, the site transitioned to the manufacturing of carbide, and later in the 1950s to the manufacturing of carbon products. All operations ceased in 2007 and the site has been vacant since then. It is contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, inorganic materials, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Grant funds also will be used to conduct community engagement activities.
"EPA Region 7 is proud to deliver these Brownfields funding resources to the City of Keokuk," Walker said. "The Brownfields program is truly a win-win for everyone involved, and we are proud of our communities’ efforts to provide a cleaner and healthier environment for all, while at the same time spurring local economic development."
“The City of Keokuk is thrilled to announce that we have been awarded a Brownfields Grant,” said Keokuk Mayor Kathie Mahoney. “This grant is a testament to our commitment to revitalizing and rejuvenating our community while prioritizing environmental sustainability. We are grateful for the support and recognition from the Environmental Protection Agency’s $4.48 million Brownfields Cleanup Grant that will be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. We are excited to embark on this journey of transforming contaminated sites into vibrant, safe spaces for our communities. This grant will enable us to not only address environmental challenges, but also create new opportunities for economic growth and community development. We look forward to the positive impact this project will have on our community and beyond.”
EPA has funded several rounds of assessments for the Elkem-Carbide Site. The City of Keokuk was a Brownfields Cleanup Grant selectee last year. In June 2023, McCollister stopped on the Brownfields Investing in America Tour to present a $2 million ceremonial check to Mayor Mahoney. In both 2010 and 2016, the city was selected for a $200,000 Brownfield Site Specific Assessment Grant.
Background
EPA’s Brownfields program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.7 billion in Brownfields Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. Prior to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this program made approximately $60 million available each year. Thanks to the President’s historic investments in America through this law, EPA has increased that yearly investment by nearly 400%.
More than half of the funding available for this grant cycle (approximately $160 million) comes from the historic $1.5 billion investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This investment has also allowed the MAC Grants’ maximum award amounts to increase significantly from $500,000 to a new maximum of $5 million per award.
EPA’s Brownfields program advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. The Brownfields program strives to meet this commitment and advance environmental justice and equity considerations in all aspects of its work. Approximately 86% of the MAC and Revolving Loan Fund Supplemental program applications selected to receive funding proposed to work in areas that include disadvantaged communities.
Learn more about EPA’s Brownfields program.
# # #
Learn more about EPA Region 7
Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook and Instagram
Follow us on X: @EPARegion7
US trade groups urge Biden’s help in restarting stalled ILA-USMX talks
Over 150 groups representing a variety of US businesses called on the White House to bring labor and management together, but it’s not clear if the ILA would welcome outside influence.
US trade groups urge Biden’s help in restarting stalled ILA-USMX talks
Over 150 groups representing a variety of US businesses called on the White House to bring labor and management together, but it’s not clear if the ILA would welcome outside influence.
TFTEA – One Year Later
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s complex border security mission includes protecting our nation’s economic vitality through both trade enforcement and facilitation. One year ago, on February 24, 2016, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement…