EPA Starts Process to Take the Rochester Embayment off List of Badly Polluted Areas in the Great Lakes
NEW YORK - After decades of restoration and cleanup work, the Rochester Embayment Area of Concern (AOC) is no longer a polluted hotspot in the Great Lakes basin. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), Monroe County, and other partners have launched the official process to remove the Rochester Embayment from the list of Areas of Concern. These are regions in the Great Lakes that need special attention due to environmental degradation. The Rochester Embayment is a 35-square-mile bay on Lake Ontario’s south shore, where the Genesee River meets the lake.
The Rochester Embayment, one of the 43 polluted hotspots in the Great Lakes Basin, faced many challenges that harmed its water quality and biodiversity. Decades of industrial and urban pollution in the watershed led to contaminated sediments, habitat loss, and fish and wildlife impairment. Thanks to a collaborative effort from all levels of government, the embayment has undergone a remarkable recovery. The restoration involved restoring habitats, improving land use practices, and addressing contamination sources through sediment dredging and capping projects.
“The Rochester Embayment has become a thriving ecosystem for wildlife and a valuable resource for Rochester residents,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This delisting will be a milestone for Rochester and the entire Great Lakes region. It demonstrates that we can reverse the environmental harm caused by decades of pollution if we collaborate across government, community, and business sectors.”
The AOC covers parts of the towns of Webster, Irondequoit, Greece, and Parma, and the city of Rochester. The AOC also includes a six-mile stretch of the Genesee River, from the Lower Falls to the lake.
In 1993, the EPA and the NYSDEC identified 14 Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) in the AOC. These were environmental damages that affected the health and well-being of people and ecosystems. To begin the delisting process, all 14 BUIs had to be removed. The final BUI removed was “Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat,” which was addressed by October 2023, following a review of habitat restoration projects that have occurred throughout the embayment. With all 14 BUIs now removed, the EPA, the NYSDEC, and Monroe County can now proceed with the delisting process.
The delisting process involves a comprehensive review of all the scientific data and documentation that support the removal of the BUIs. The process also includes an Indian Nation consultation period, a public comment period, and a review by the International Joint Commission, the binational organization that oversees the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The final step is the approval by the U.S. State Department.
The recovery of the Rochester Embayment AOC is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together to address the environmental challenges in the Great Lakes. The EPA, the NYSDEC, Monroe County, and their partners have implemented several key projects that have contributed to the restoration of the embayment, such as:
The Braddock Bay habitat restoration project, which restored 340 acres of wetland habitats and re-established a barrier beach to protect the bay and the habitats from erosion and wave action. The project also created a safe harbor for boats on Lake Ontario. The project was a partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the EPA.
The Buck Pond wetland restoration project, which removed invasive vegetation and restored native plants in a 205-acre marsh system. The project improved the habitat quality and diversity for wildlife, especially waterfowl.
The delisting process will mark the official recognition of this achievement and the end of a long journey of environmental restoration.
Visit EPA’s Great Lakes Program Areas of Concern Website for the Rochester Embayment for additional background and site documents.
Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.
24-20
The Rochester Embayment, one of the 43 polluted hotspots in the Great Lakes Basin, faced many challenges that harmed its water quality and biodiversity. Decades of industrial and urban pollution in the watershed led to contaminated sediments, habitat loss, and fish and wildlife impairment. Thanks to a collaborative effort from all levels of government, the embayment has undergone a remarkable recovery. The restoration involved restoring habitats, improving land use practices, and addressing contamination sources through sediment dredging and capping projects.
“The Rochester Embayment has become a thriving ecosystem for wildlife and a valuable resource for Rochester residents,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This delisting will be a milestone for Rochester and the entire Great Lakes region. It demonstrates that we can reverse the environmental harm caused by decades of pollution if we collaborate across government, community, and business sectors.”
The AOC covers parts of the towns of Webster, Irondequoit, Greece, and Parma, and the city of Rochester. The AOC also includes a six-mile stretch of the Genesee River, from the Lower Falls to the lake.
In 1993, the EPA and the NYSDEC identified 14 Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) in the AOC. These were environmental damages that affected the health and well-being of people and ecosystems. To begin the delisting process, all 14 BUIs had to be removed. The final BUI removed was “Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat,” which was addressed by October 2023, following a review of habitat restoration projects that have occurred throughout the embayment. With all 14 BUIs now removed, the EPA, the NYSDEC, and Monroe County can now proceed with the delisting process.
The delisting process involves a comprehensive review of all the scientific data and documentation that support the removal of the BUIs. The process also includes an Indian Nation consultation period, a public comment period, and a review by the International Joint Commission, the binational organization that oversees the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The final step is the approval by the U.S. State Department.
The recovery of the Rochester Embayment AOC is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together to address the environmental challenges in the Great Lakes. The EPA, the NYSDEC, Monroe County, and their partners have implemented several key projects that have contributed to the restoration of the embayment, such as:
The Braddock Bay habitat restoration project, which restored 340 acres of wetland habitats and re-established a barrier beach to protect the bay and the habitats from erosion and wave action. The project also created a safe harbor for boats on Lake Ontario. The project was a partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the EPA.
The Buck Pond wetland restoration project, which removed invasive vegetation and restored native plants in a 205-acre marsh system. The project improved the habitat quality and diversity for wildlife, especially waterfowl.
The delisting process will mark the official recognition of this achievement and the end of a long journey of environmental restoration.
Visit EPA’s Great Lakes Program Areas of Concern Website for the Rochester Embayment for additional background and site documents.
Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.
24-20
EPA to test for soil contamination near U.S. Fireworks site in Memphis, Tennessee and host Open House for residents
Memphis, Tenn. (March 13, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) are investigating whether contamination from the former United States Fireworks Company (U.S. Fireworks) in Memphis is present in soil of nearby residential areas. Soil sampling is planned for the week of April 15, 2024, and an open house is planned where residents can learn more:
U.S. Fireworks Site Open House
March 18, 2024
6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
The Lester Community Center
317 Tillman Street
Memphis, TN 38112
The soil sampling is being offered at no cost to homeowners and tenants in a 34-acre study area near the former U.S. Fireworks facility. Sampling permission forms will be available for residents to sign at the open house. The forms are also available on EPA’s website (address below).
The soil in the area will be sampled for contaminants related to historical fireworks manufacturing, including heavy metals like lead and arsenic. The samples will be taken from yards outside, and tenants/ homeowners do not have to be present. Results should be available by late summer 2024 and will inform any additional steps needed to protect human health and the environment. Individual results will be shared directly with tenants/homeowners. If the results indicate additional properties may be impacted, the study area will be expanded.
BACKGROUND
A former pyrotechnics manufacturing facility operated on the 44-acre U.S. Fireworks site from about 1920 to 1941. Today, a lumber company operates on a portion of the property (9.90 acres), and the remainder is occupied by residential single-family lots and apartments. EPA and TDEC have determined that additional soil sampling is needed to build upon information gathered during a 2013 site inspection.
For more information, visit: www.epa.gov/tn/memphis-tn-united-states-fireworks-company
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U.S. Fireworks Site Open House
March 18, 2024
6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
The Lester Community Center
317 Tillman Street
Memphis, TN 38112
The soil sampling is being offered at no cost to homeowners and tenants in a 34-acre study area near the former U.S. Fireworks facility. Sampling permission forms will be available for residents to sign at the open house. The forms are also available on EPA’s website (address below).
The soil in the area will be sampled for contaminants related to historical fireworks manufacturing, including heavy metals like lead and arsenic. The samples will be taken from yards outside, and tenants/ homeowners do not have to be present. Results should be available by late summer 2024 and will inform any additional steps needed to protect human health and the environment. Individual results will be shared directly with tenants/homeowners. If the results indicate additional properties may be impacted, the study area will be expanded.
BACKGROUND
A former pyrotechnics manufacturing facility operated on the 44-acre U.S. Fireworks site from about 1920 to 1941. Today, a lumber company operates on a portion of the property (9.90 acres), and the remainder is occupied by residential single-family lots and apartments. EPA and TDEC have determined that additional soil sampling is needed to build upon information gathered during a 2013 site inspection.
For more information, visit: www.epa.gov/tn/memphis-tn-united-states-fireworks-company
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EPA takes action against two Rhode Island companies for Clean Air Act Asbestos violations
BOSTON (Mar. 13, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has settled with Citadel Properties, LLC, and Strive Construction, LLC, property management and real estate development firms based in Providence, Rhode Island, for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA) asbestos reporting requirements. Under the settlement, the companies will pay a penalty of $24,800 to resolve the allegations.
"We all have an obligation of being a responsible neighbor and protecting our fellow humans. Due diligence was not completed in this situation, and proper notifications were not made, which has resulted in these penalties being handed down." said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "We are especially sensitive to the fact that this occurred in a population-dense area in Providence, in communities that have been overburdened by prior environmental injustices. This settlement reinforces the requirements companies have to comply with reporting requirements and uphold their commitments in the name of public and environmental safety."
EPA alleged that Citadel Properties, LLC, and Strive Construction, LLC violated the CAA and the National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants for asbestos regulations (Asbestos NESHAP), by failing to notify EPA of its intention to demolish a commercial and residential building located at 663 Admiral Street in Providence, R.I., and by failing to inspect the portion of the building that was demolished for the presence of asbestos .
The Asbestos NESHAP requires owners and operators of demolition and renovation operations to thoroughly inspect a facility for asbestos prior to starting any work. It also requires them to provide written notice to the appropriate regulatory agency before renovation activities involving Regulated Asbestos Containing Material (RACM) at or above certain threshold amounts, or demolition activities begin regardless of whether the facility is believed to contain RACM. Performing the work in accordance with the Asbestos NESHAP helps to ensure that areas in use during the renovation are not contaminated and that the area under renovation or demolition, when it is complete, is also free of contamination.
The facility where the partial demolition occurred is located in a potential environmental justice area of concern, and this settlement is meant to encourage future compliance with the Asbestos NESHAP.
More information
Asbestos
Learn more about asbestos
Asbestos Laws and Regulations
"We all have an obligation of being a responsible neighbor and protecting our fellow humans. Due diligence was not completed in this situation, and proper notifications were not made, which has resulted in these penalties being handed down." said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "We are especially sensitive to the fact that this occurred in a population-dense area in Providence, in communities that have been overburdened by prior environmental injustices. This settlement reinforces the requirements companies have to comply with reporting requirements and uphold their commitments in the name of public and environmental safety."
EPA alleged that Citadel Properties, LLC, and Strive Construction, LLC violated the CAA and the National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants for asbestos regulations (Asbestos NESHAP), by failing to notify EPA of its intention to demolish a commercial and residential building located at 663 Admiral Street in Providence, R.I., and by failing to inspect the portion of the building that was demolished for the presence of asbestos .
The Asbestos NESHAP requires owners and operators of demolition and renovation operations to thoroughly inspect a facility for asbestos prior to starting any work. It also requires them to provide written notice to the appropriate regulatory agency before renovation activities involving Regulated Asbestos Containing Material (RACM) at or above certain threshold amounts, or demolition activities begin regardless of whether the facility is believed to contain RACM. Performing the work in accordance with the Asbestos NESHAP helps to ensure that areas in use during the renovation are not contaminated and that the area under renovation or demolition, when it is complete, is also free of contamination.
The facility where the partial demolition occurred is located in a potential environmental justice area of concern, and this settlement is meant to encourage future compliance with the Asbestos NESHAP.
More information
Asbestos
Learn more about asbestos
Asbestos Laws and Regulations
Seaboard Marine boosts US Gulf short-sea capacity to Central America
Seaboard is adding calls to Costa Rica and Panama, among other countries, as Central American economies look to source raw materials from the US.
Biden-Harris Administration Bringing High-Speed Internet, Clean Drinking Water and Modern Infrastructure to Tribal Communities
LAS VEGAS, March 12, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is making investments to provide clean drinking water, sanitary wastewater systems and affordable high-speed internet to people in Tribal communities. A portion of today’s funding will improve water infrastructure for the Yomba Shoshone Tribe in Nevada, which is part of USDA’s Rural Partners Network.
QB 24 – 210 2024 Peanuts
COMMODITY:
Peanuts provided for in Chapter 12, Additional U.S. Note 2.
QUOTA PERIOD:
April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2025.
OPENING DAY:
Monday, April 1, 2024.
RESTRAINT LEVELS
Countries
Quantity Limit
Argentina…
Peanuts provided for in Chapter 12, Additional U.S. Note 2.
QUOTA PERIOD:
April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2025.
OPENING DAY:
Monday, April 1, 2024.
RESTRAINT LEVELS
Countries
Quantity Limit
Argentina…
Biden-Harris Administration announces latest action to better protect communities from treatment of waste explosives
WASHINGTON – Today, Mar. 12, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing a rule to amend standards for facilities that use open burning and open detonation (OB/OD) to treat waste explosives such as munitions, fireworks, flares or airbag propellants. If finalized, the rule would strengthen existing regulatory requirements to use safe and available alternative technologies to treat waste explosives and provide new technical standards for open burning and open detonation designed to better protect communities and military families from pollution. EPA also proposed a framework for permitting mobile treatment units aimed to expand potential treatment options for waste explosives and reduce the use of open burning and open detonation.
“Open burning and open detonation of waste explosives like fireworks or munitions can have serious environmental and public health impacts, oftentimes in communities already overburdened by pollution,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “In close coordination with federal, state and local partners, EPA’s proposal will work to better protect local communities from environmental and health harm while ensuring facilities are supported in the transition to new alternative technologies that safely manage explosive wastes.”
Explosive wastes include a range of items, including munitions, propellants, fireworks, and flares and are often treated by OB/OD because historically, other safe modes of treatment have not been available. However, as described in 2019 reports by EPA and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, alternative technologies are now available to safely treat certain waste explosives.
Unlike treatment of other hazardous waste, OB/OD occurs in the open, and emissions are released directly into the environment. The proposed rule responds to community concerns, including the potential for exposure to pollutants released into the air, deposited into soil and surface water, and leached into groundwater after an OB/OD event. Communities raised additional concerns about noise and vibration from facilities using OB/OD to treat waste explosives.
If finalized, the proposal is expected to reduce existing disproportionate and adverse impacts on communities with environmental justice concerns. Specifically, more frequent evaluations of alternatives to OB/OD and new technical permitting standards for OB/OD may accelerate the implementation of cleaner, safer alternative technologies.
In 1980, due to the potential risks to human health and the environment, EPA prohibited open burning of hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) with one exception for waste explosives “which cannot safely be disposed of through other modes of treatment.” Since that time, facilities have been required to determine whether alternatives are safe and available. EPA committed to monitoring the progress of ongoing development of safe alternatives, as this explosives exception from the ban on open burning of hazardous waste was not intended to be indefinite.
In developing this proposal, EPA engaged with Tribes, state regulators, communities, and operators of OB/OD facilities, including the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration. In June 2022, EPA also issued a policy memorandum to communicate existing requirements for OB/OD facilities and to provide guidance to EPA Regions, states, and territories for permitting OB/OD units under RCRA to protect human health and the environment.
After publication in the Federal Register, EPA will take public comment for 60 days on the proposed rule.
Review a prepublication copy of the proposed rule on our Revisions to Standards for the Open Burning / Open Detonation of Waste Explosives webpage.
Learn about energetic hazardous waste.
“Open burning and open detonation of waste explosives like fireworks or munitions can have serious environmental and public health impacts, oftentimes in communities already overburdened by pollution,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “In close coordination with federal, state and local partners, EPA’s proposal will work to better protect local communities from environmental and health harm while ensuring facilities are supported in the transition to new alternative technologies that safely manage explosive wastes.”
Explosive wastes include a range of items, including munitions, propellants, fireworks, and flares and are often treated by OB/OD because historically, other safe modes of treatment have not been available. However, as described in 2019 reports by EPA and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, alternative technologies are now available to safely treat certain waste explosives.
Unlike treatment of other hazardous waste, OB/OD occurs in the open, and emissions are released directly into the environment. The proposed rule responds to community concerns, including the potential for exposure to pollutants released into the air, deposited into soil and surface water, and leached into groundwater after an OB/OD event. Communities raised additional concerns about noise and vibration from facilities using OB/OD to treat waste explosives.
If finalized, the proposal is expected to reduce existing disproportionate and adverse impacts on communities with environmental justice concerns. Specifically, more frequent evaluations of alternatives to OB/OD and new technical permitting standards for OB/OD may accelerate the implementation of cleaner, safer alternative technologies.
In 1980, due to the potential risks to human health and the environment, EPA prohibited open burning of hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) with one exception for waste explosives “which cannot safely be disposed of through other modes of treatment.” Since that time, facilities have been required to determine whether alternatives are safe and available. EPA committed to monitoring the progress of ongoing development of safe alternatives, as this explosives exception from the ban on open burning of hazardous waste was not intended to be indefinite.
In developing this proposal, EPA engaged with Tribes, state regulators, communities, and operators of OB/OD facilities, including the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration. In June 2022, EPA also issued a policy memorandum to communicate existing requirements for OB/OD facilities and to provide guidance to EPA Regions, states, and territories for permitting OB/OD units under RCRA to protect human health and the environment.
After publication in the Federal Register, EPA will take public comment for 60 days on the proposed rule.
Review a prepublication copy of the proposed rule on our Revisions to Standards for the Open Burning / Open Detonation of Waste Explosives webpage.
Learn about energetic hazardous waste.
EPA Expands Wastewater Infrastructure Program, Invites Rural Communities To Apply for Assistance
PHILADELPHIA, PA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the expansion of its successful Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap Community Initiative to 150 communities across Rural America. The program is already serving McDowell and Raleigh Counties in West Virginia and the agency invites rural communities across the region to apply.
Originally launched in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap Community Initiative partners with underserved communities across the country to provide technical assistance on accessing federal wastewater funding. This program, along with historic funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will advance President Biden’s environmental justice agenda and help thousands of Americans access the wastewater infrastructure they need to thrive.
“I’ve been on the ground in McDowell County and Raleigh County, and I’ve seen firsthand the environmental and public health impacts of untreated wastewater,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “The people in these communities deserve the protection that modern wastewater treatment can provide. This initiative is part of the more than half a billion dollars that EPA has invested in West Virginia under the Biden-Harris Administration.”
In McDowell County, the McDowell County Public Service District will continue to work with partners to identify and pursue funding for wastewater treatment alternatives for the communities of Keystone and Northfork. In Raleigh County, the Crab Orchard-MacArthur Public Service District is exploring affordable wastewater treatment options for the unincorporated communities of Rhodell and Amigo.
An estimated two million people in the U.S. live without adequate wastewater infrastructure and safe and reliable drinking water in their homes. Many more live with wastewater infrastructure that is ineffective and puts people’s health at risk. To date, the Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap initiative provided communities with no-cost technical assistance that helps identify affordable options for wastewater infrastructure. For example, technical assistance providers help the community conduct assessments of the community’s specific needs and submit applications for wastewater funding.
Interested communities can request assistance by completing the WaterTA request form. Communities will be selected on a rolling basis and there is no deadline to apply. For questions, email SepticHelp@epa.gov.
Learn more about EPA’s WaterTA services and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s historic $50 billion investment in America.
Originally launched in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap Community Initiative partners with underserved communities across the country to provide technical assistance on accessing federal wastewater funding. This program, along with historic funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will advance President Biden’s environmental justice agenda and help thousands of Americans access the wastewater infrastructure they need to thrive.
“I’ve been on the ground in McDowell County and Raleigh County, and I’ve seen firsthand the environmental and public health impacts of untreated wastewater,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “The people in these communities deserve the protection that modern wastewater treatment can provide. This initiative is part of the more than half a billion dollars that EPA has invested in West Virginia under the Biden-Harris Administration.”
In McDowell County, the McDowell County Public Service District will continue to work with partners to identify and pursue funding for wastewater treatment alternatives for the communities of Keystone and Northfork. In Raleigh County, the Crab Orchard-MacArthur Public Service District is exploring affordable wastewater treatment options for the unincorporated communities of Rhodell and Amigo.
An estimated two million people in the U.S. live without adequate wastewater infrastructure and safe and reliable drinking water in their homes. Many more live with wastewater infrastructure that is ineffective and puts people’s health at risk. To date, the Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap initiative provided communities with no-cost technical assistance that helps identify affordable options for wastewater infrastructure. For example, technical assistance providers help the community conduct assessments of the community’s specific needs and submit applications for wastewater funding.
Interested communities can request assistance by completing the WaterTA request form. Communities will be selected on a rolling basis and there is no deadline to apply. For questions, email SepticHelp@epa.gov.
Learn more about EPA’s WaterTA services and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s historic $50 billion investment in America.