Biden-Harris Administration Finalizes Protections for Thompson Divide
WASHINGTON, April 3, 2024 — The Biden-Harris administration today took action to finalize protections for the Thompson Divide area in central Colorado, one of the state’s most cherished landscapes, known for its ranching heritage and grazing lands, important wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities and clean water.
Biden-Harris Administration Announces $10 Million WIFIA Loan to City of Memphis
ATLANTA (April 3, 2024) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $10 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the City of Memphis in Tennessee. EPA’s loan will support critical stormwater infrastructure updates to improve the city’s resiliency to storms.
Since 2018, EPA’s WIFIA program has announced $20 billion in financing to support over $43 billion in water infrastructure projects that are strengthening drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure while creating over 140,000 jobs.
“Climate stress is often felt as water stress, especially when it comes to storms and floods,” said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “With this $10 million loan from EPA, Memphis will invest in more resilient water infrastructure and protect vulnerable neighborhoods.”
The City of Memphis’ Stormwater Upgrades Project will modernize portions of the aged stormwater management system throughout the city. Memphis and the surrounding region have a history of significant flooding in economically stressed areas, which increased because of climate change. This project will improve the city’s resilience to future storms and protect homes and businesses. With this WIFIA loan, the City of Memphis will complete 13 projects, including planning, design, and construction for the rehabilitation of pipes, culverts, drains, drainage ditches, and detention basins.
“The City of Memphis will utilize the WIFIA loan to support our stormwater master planning efforts and help finance multiple capital improvement projects,” said City of Memphis Public Works Director Robert Knecht. “The goal of the Stormwater Master Plan is to analyze all 37 major drainage basins, giving highest priority to those with the most sensitive drainage issues. We will then use innovative solutions to proactively reduce the risk of residential and business flooding, as well as to enhance the appeal and accessibility of waterways as public amenities.”
In addition to this WIFIA loan, which will save the city $2 million, EPA is committing $50 million in total WIFIA assistance to the city to implement other aspects of its Stormwater Upgrades Project. Project construction and operation will create about 70 jobs.
Learn more about EPA’s WIFIA Program and water infrastructure investments under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Background
Established by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, the WIFIA program is a federal loan program administered by EPA. The WIFIA program aims to accelerate investment in the nation’s water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance for regionally and nationally significant projects. The WIFIA program has an active pipeline of pending applications for projects that will result in billions of dollars in water infrastructure investment and thousands of jobs.EPA made the seventh round of WIFIA financing available and is currently accepting letters of interest for WIFIA and SWIFIA loans. $6.5 billion is available through WIFIA, and $1 billion is available through SWIFIA, which is a loan program exclusively for State infrastructure financing authority borrowers. EPA is currently accepting letters of interest for WIFIA and SWIFIA loans. Learn more about submitting a letter of interest for a WIFIA loan.In addition to WIFIA loans, there are many federal funding resources available for communities and utilities to improve vital water and wastewater resources. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides a historic $50 billion investment in upgrading critical water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure.
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Since 2018, EPA’s WIFIA program has announced $20 billion in financing to support over $43 billion in water infrastructure projects that are strengthening drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure while creating over 140,000 jobs.
“Climate stress is often felt as water stress, especially when it comes to storms and floods,” said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “With this $10 million loan from EPA, Memphis will invest in more resilient water infrastructure and protect vulnerable neighborhoods.”
The City of Memphis’ Stormwater Upgrades Project will modernize portions of the aged stormwater management system throughout the city. Memphis and the surrounding region have a history of significant flooding in economically stressed areas, which increased because of climate change. This project will improve the city’s resilience to future storms and protect homes and businesses. With this WIFIA loan, the City of Memphis will complete 13 projects, including planning, design, and construction for the rehabilitation of pipes, culverts, drains, drainage ditches, and detention basins.
“The City of Memphis will utilize the WIFIA loan to support our stormwater master planning efforts and help finance multiple capital improvement projects,” said City of Memphis Public Works Director Robert Knecht. “The goal of the Stormwater Master Plan is to analyze all 37 major drainage basins, giving highest priority to those with the most sensitive drainage issues. We will then use innovative solutions to proactively reduce the risk of residential and business flooding, as well as to enhance the appeal and accessibility of waterways as public amenities.”
In addition to this WIFIA loan, which will save the city $2 million, EPA is committing $50 million in total WIFIA assistance to the city to implement other aspects of its Stormwater Upgrades Project. Project construction and operation will create about 70 jobs.
Learn more about EPA’s WIFIA Program and water infrastructure investments under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Background
Established by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, the WIFIA program is a federal loan program administered by EPA. The WIFIA program aims to accelerate investment in the nation’s water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance for regionally and nationally significant projects. The WIFIA program has an active pipeline of pending applications for projects that will result in billions of dollars in water infrastructure investment and thousands of jobs.EPA made the seventh round of WIFIA financing available and is currently accepting letters of interest for WIFIA and SWIFIA loans. $6.5 billion is available through WIFIA, and $1 billion is available through SWIFIA, which is a loan program exclusively for State infrastructure financing authority borrowers. EPA is currently accepting letters of interest for WIFIA and SWIFIA loans. Learn more about submitting a letter of interest for a WIFIA loan.In addition to WIFIA loans, there are many federal funding resources available for communities and utilities to improve vital water and wastewater resources. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides a historic $50 billion investment in upgrading critical water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure.
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EPA Issues Final Cleanup Plan for New Cassel/Hicksville Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site in Nassau County, New York
NEW YORK - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a final cleanup plan to address contaminated groundwater at a portion of the New Cassel/Hicksville Groundwater Contamination Superfund site within the Towns of Hempstead, North Hempstead, and Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York. The groundwater at this site is contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The final cleanup plan calls for installing a network of wells and underground pipes in a residential neighborhood (Salisbury, New York) to collect and move contaminated groundwater to a new water treatment facility.
“Ensuring access to clean drinking water is one of EPA’s most important missions and this cleanup plan will advance that goal,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Our final cleanup plan is a significant step forward in reducing the potential impacts from chemical contamination to residents in Nassau County.”
Residents in the impacted areas currently receive drinking water from public water supplies that have treatment systems installed and monitor water quality to ensure that the drinking water meets federal and state standards. The final cleanup plan will prevent people from potentially being exposed to the VOC-contaminated groundwater in the future, help minimize the potential for the contaminated groundwater to spread further and treat the groundwater to meet strict federal and state standards for drinking water. Many volatile organic compounds are known to cause cancer. Some volatile organic compounds have no known health effects. The extent and nature of potential health effects depend on many factors, including the level and length of exposure.
The next phase of work involves the development of detailed specifications for the various components of the treatment system. As part of this phase of work, referred to as the remedial design, additional groundwater monitoring wells will be drilled and sampled. Based on the results of the remedial design phase, EPA will decide where the extraction wells and water treatment facility will be built.
Options for how the treated water will be released will also be evaluated during the design of the cleanup plan, including releasing treated water back to the ground, to surface water, to a recharge basin or into the sewer. The final cleanup plan also requires long-term monitoring of the groundwater quality and relies on existing county and state restrictions on groundwater use to ensure that public drinking water wells are not installed without a permit.
For additional background and to see the final cleanup plan, visit the New Cassel/Hicksville Groundwater Contamination Superfund site profile page including EPA’s responses to the public comments that were received.
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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“Ensuring access to clean drinking water is one of EPA’s most important missions and this cleanup plan will advance that goal,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Our final cleanup plan is a significant step forward in reducing the potential impacts from chemical contamination to residents in Nassau County.”
Residents in the impacted areas currently receive drinking water from public water supplies that have treatment systems installed and monitor water quality to ensure that the drinking water meets federal and state standards. The final cleanup plan will prevent people from potentially being exposed to the VOC-contaminated groundwater in the future, help minimize the potential for the contaminated groundwater to spread further and treat the groundwater to meet strict federal and state standards for drinking water. Many volatile organic compounds are known to cause cancer. Some volatile organic compounds have no known health effects. The extent and nature of potential health effects depend on many factors, including the level and length of exposure.
The next phase of work involves the development of detailed specifications for the various components of the treatment system. As part of this phase of work, referred to as the remedial design, additional groundwater monitoring wells will be drilled and sampled. Based on the results of the remedial design phase, EPA will decide where the extraction wells and water treatment facility will be built.
Options for how the treated water will be released will also be evaluated during the design of the cleanup plan, including releasing treated water back to the ground, to surface water, to a recharge basin or into the sewer. The final cleanup plan also requires long-term monitoring of the groundwater quality and relies on existing county and state restrictions on groundwater use to ensure that public drinking water wells are not installed without a permit.
For additional background and to see the final cleanup plan, visit the New Cassel/Hicksville Groundwater Contamination Superfund site profile page including EPA’s responses to the public comments that were received.
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 Recognizes Excellence and Innovation in Clean Water and Drinking Water Infrastructure Projects
WASHINGTON – Today, April 3, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized 32 clean water and drinking water infrastructure projects for excellence and innovation. These projects were funded in part by the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund programs. EPA’s AQUARIUS and PISCES national recognition programs highlight exemplary water infrastructure projects. They showcase improvements in water quality and public health protection as a result of strong partnership at the federal, state, and local level. With funding from the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, more projects like these will be possible in the future.
“Communities across the country are tackling water infrastructure challenges ranging from removing lead pipes to improving infrastructure resilience to climate change to addressing emerging contaminants. I am thrilled to recognize innovative infrastructure projects that are delivering cleaner, safer water for communities while providing insights that can be replicated across the country,” said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “I look forward to seeing more projects break ground as we continue to invest $50 billion through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”
EPA’s AQUARIUS program celebrates Drinking Water State Revolving Fund projects that are innovative, sustainable, and protect public health. Twelve projects by state or local governments and drinking water utilities were recognized by the 2023 AQUARIUS program, including the following exceptional projects:
Excellence in Innovative Financing: City of Harrington, Delaware – Water Main System Improvements.
Excellence in System Partnerships: Duck Lake Water Association, Washington – Johnson Creek-Duck Lake Consolidation Project.
Excellence in Community Engagement: White Mountain Apache Housing Authority, Arizona – Apache Pine Housing Project.
Excellence in Public Health Protection: Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority, New Mexico – South Valley Drinking Water Project, Phases 7B, 7C, and 7D.
Excellence in Climate Change Mitigation and Resiliency: City of Homer, Alaska – Seawall Armor Rock Project.
Excellence in Creative Solutions: City of Benton Harbor, Michigan – City-Wide Lead Service Line Replacements.
EPA’s PISCES program celebrates innovative CWSRF programs implemented by assistance recipients. Twenty projects by state or local governments, public utilities, and private entities were recognized by the 2023 PISCES program, including the following exceptional projects:
Excellence in Innovative Financing: Athens County, Ohio — Athens County Commissioners US 50 Sanitary Sewer Improvements Phase six and seven.
Excellence in System Partnerships: Town of Carlisle, South Carolina — Carlisle/Union Regional Sewer Extension.
Excellence in Community Engagement: City of Newark, Delaware — Rodney Dormitory Site Storm Water Management Park.
Excellence in Environmental and Public Health Protection: City of Ripley Sanitary Board, West Virginia — Ripley Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Excellence in Creative Solutions: Spokane Conservation District, Washington — Farmed Smart Certification & Direct Seed Loan Implementation Program.
See the full list of recognized projects and learn more about the AQUARIUS and PISCES Programs.
Background
The SRFs are an EPA-state partnerships that provide communities with a permanent, independent source of low-cost financing for a wide range of water quality and drinking water infrastructure projects. EPA’s SRFs have provided more than $229 billion in financial assistance to over 48,000 water quality infrastructure projects and over 19,000 drinking water projects across the country.
With the passing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in November 2021, over $43 billion in funding will be provided to the SRFs over 5 years for communities’ water infrastructure improvement projects. This historic funding will help address the most pressing water challenges of today, especially in disadvantaged communities, and make more water infrastructure projects possible.
“Communities across the country are tackling water infrastructure challenges ranging from removing lead pipes to improving infrastructure resilience to climate change to addressing emerging contaminants. I am thrilled to recognize innovative infrastructure projects that are delivering cleaner, safer water for communities while providing insights that can be replicated across the country,” said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “I look forward to seeing more projects break ground as we continue to invest $50 billion through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”
EPA’s AQUARIUS program celebrates Drinking Water State Revolving Fund projects that are innovative, sustainable, and protect public health. Twelve projects by state or local governments and drinking water utilities were recognized by the 2023 AQUARIUS program, including the following exceptional projects:
Excellence in Innovative Financing: City of Harrington, Delaware – Water Main System Improvements.
Excellence in System Partnerships: Duck Lake Water Association, Washington – Johnson Creek-Duck Lake Consolidation Project.
Excellence in Community Engagement: White Mountain Apache Housing Authority, Arizona – Apache Pine Housing Project.
Excellence in Public Health Protection: Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority, New Mexico – South Valley Drinking Water Project, Phases 7B, 7C, and 7D.
Excellence in Climate Change Mitigation and Resiliency: City of Homer, Alaska – Seawall Armor Rock Project.
Excellence in Creative Solutions: City of Benton Harbor, Michigan – City-Wide Lead Service Line Replacements.
EPA’s PISCES program celebrates innovative CWSRF programs implemented by assistance recipients. Twenty projects by state or local governments, public utilities, and private entities were recognized by the 2023 PISCES program, including the following exceptional projects:
Excellence in Innovative Financing: Athens County, Ohio — Athens County Commissioners US 50 Sanitary Sewer Improvements Phase six and seven.
Excellence in System Partnerships: Town of Carlisle, South Carolina — Carlisle/Union Regional Sewer Extension.
Excellence in Community Engagement: City of Newark, Delaware — Rodney Dormitory Site Storm Water Management Park.
Excellence in Environmental and Public Health Protection: City of Ripley Sanitary Board, West Virginia — Ripley Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Excellence in Creative Solutions: Spokane Conservation District, Washington — Farmed Smart Certification & Direct Seed Loan Implementation Program.
See the full list of recognized projects and learn more about the AQUARIUS and PISCES Programs.
Background
The SRFs are an EPA-state partnerships that provide communities with a permanent, independent source of low-cost financing for a wide range of water quality and drinking water infrastructure projects. EPA’s SRFs have provided more than $229 billion in financial assistance to over 48,000 water quality infrastructure projects and over 19,000 drinking water projects across the country.
With the passing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in November 2021, over $43 billion in funding will be provided to the SRFs over 5 years for communities’ water infrastructure improvement projects. This historic funding will help address the most pressing water challenges of today, especially in disadvantaged communities, and make more water infrastructure projects possible.
EPA Reaches $120,000 Settlement with DeKalb Forge Co. in Illinois for Alleged Violations of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a $120,000 settlement with Forge Group DeKalb LLC, known as DeKalb Forge Co., to resolve alleged failure to report toxic chemical releases in DeKalb, Illinois, violating the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act, or EPCRA.
The company forges and shapes steel products using drop hammers and mechanical presses at their facility at 1832 Pleasant Street in DeKalb, Illinois. The EPA alleged the company failed to timely submit EPCRA forms to notify the agency about the release of toxic chemicals such as chromium, manganese, and nickel during the forging and shaping process.
EPCRA requires facilities to report the storage, use, and releases of toxic chemicals. The information submitted is compiled in the Toxics Release Inventory, or TRI, that informs government agencies, the public and more about toxic chemical releases and pollution prevention activities reported by industrial and federal facilities.
The facility is in a community with potential environmental justice concerns. Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
For more information about the EPA’s enforcement program, visit the Agency’s website.
For more information about the Toxics Release Inventory, visit the EPA's TRI website.
The company forges and shapes steel products using drop hammers and mechanical presses at their facility at 1832 Pleasant Street in DeKalb, Illinois. The EPA alleged the company failed to timely submit EPCRA forms to notify the agency about the release of toxic chemicals such as chromium, manganese, and nickel during the forging and shaping process.
EPCRA requires facilities to report the storage, use, and releases of toxic chemicals. The information submitted is compiled in the Toxics Release Inventory, or TRI, that informs government agencies, the public and more about toxic chemical releases and pollution prevention activities reported by industrial and federal facilities.
The facility is in a community with potential environmental justice concerns. Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
For more information about the EPA’s enforcement program, visit the Agency’s website.
For more information about the Toxics Release Inventory, visit the EPA's TRI website.
Lack of progress in Canadian rail talks raises possibility of May strike
Negotiations between the railroads and the Teamsters have hit a stumbling block over salary and mandatory rest periods, prompting the union to schedule an April 8 start date for voting on a possible strike notice.
Update to USDA Entity-Scale Greenhouse Gas Methods Report Available
WASHINGTON, April 2, 2024 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture today published the second edition of Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in Agriculture and Forestry: Methods for Entity Scale Inventory. The report provides farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners with the methods and tools needed to assess the greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint of their operations.
EPA to Hold Community Meeting on Air Permit Renewal for Veolia Hazardous Waste Incinerator in Sauget, Illinois
CHICAGO (April 2, 2024) - On April 15, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will host a community meeting to discuss the air permit renewal for Veolia ES Technical Solutions in Sauget, Illinois. The EPA received an application from Veolia to renew its Clean Air Act operating permit for a new 5-year term. Veolia operates a facility at 7 Mobile Ave. in Sauget that stores and burns hazardous waste.
The meeting is an opportunity for community members to learn about the permit application, ask questions and provide information that the EPA may consider as it reviews the application. In addition, the EPA is requesting input on how to best engage with the community in the current permitting process.
WHAT: Community meeting for air permit renewal for Veolia’s hazardous waste incinerator
WHEN: Monday, April 15
6-8 p.m.
WHERE: Cahokia Heights Fitness & Community Center
509 Camp Jackson Road
Cahokia Heights, Illinois
Community members are encouraged to register for the meeting or request the link for virtual participation at EPA’s webpage. EPA will share follow-up materials with registered participants.
For more information about this Clean Air Act permit, please visit the EPA's Veolia Sauget Air Permitting webpage.
The meeting is an opportunity for community members to learn about the permit application, ask questions and provide information that the EPA may consider as it reviews the application. In addition, the EPA is requesting input on how to best engage with the community in the current permitting process.
WHAT: Community meeting for air permit renewal for Veolia’s hazardous waste incinerator
WHEN: Monday, April 15
6-8 p.m.
WHERE: Cahokia Heights Fitness & Community Center
509 Camp Jackson Road
Cahokia Heights, Illinois
Community members are encouraged to register for the meeting or request the link for virtual participation at EPA’s webpage. EPA will share follow-up materials with registered participants.
For more information about this Clean Air Act permit, please visit the EPA's Veolia Sauget Air Permitting webpage.