EPA Proposes to Add Gelman Sciences Inc. in Ann Arbor, Michigan to Superfund National Priorities List
CHICAGO (March 5, 2024) -- Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed to add Gelman Sciences Inc., which spans portions of the city of Ann Arbor and Scio Township in Washtenaw County, Michigan, to the Superfund National Priorities List. The NPL is a list of sites throughout the United States and its territories where historical releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants pose significant threats to human health and the environment. A 60-day public comment period begins March 7.
“Updating the National Priorities List is a critical component of EPA's comprehensive approach to protecting human health and the environment from contamination, including in communities overburdened by disproportionate environmental impacts,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Cleaning up contaminated land and groundwater and returning them for productive use to communities, especially those which have borne the brunt of legacy pollution, is a win for public health and local economies.”
“We’re proposing the Gelman site for the Superfund list to ensure that more federal resources are focused on tackling long-standing groundwater contamination in Washtenaw County,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “EPA’s robust community involvement program at Superfund sites would also enable us to directly address the concerns of residents and those impacted by the contamination from the facility over many decades.”
“Including the Gelman Plume on the National Priorities List is critical to bringing federal priority and resources to help finally end this decades-long nightmare for the residents of Ann Arbor, Scio Township, and the surrounding communities. Too often our communities have been pitted against each other, but we know that we accomplish more when we work together,” said Rep. Debbie Dingell. "We have worked hard to bring everyone together to get this done, and I will continue to work closely with the EPA, and with our state and local lawmakers to see this through once and for all.”
The former Gelman Sciences site manufactured medical filters and related products for pharmaceutical, microelectronics, and pollution testing industries. In 1966, Gelman began using 1,4-dioxane as a solvent for filters and cleaning process lines. Gelman’s operations caused the release of hazardous substances from years of handling 1,4-dioxane on its facility grounds. On-site manufacturing operations ceased in 2013. Nearly 8,000 people living within the 4-mile radius may be affected by the contamination.
To make a public comment, the link can be found here. The deadline to make comments is May 6. Any questions regarding comments can be directed to Erica Aultz: aultz.erica@epa.gov.
Background:
The National Priorities List. includes sites with the nation’s most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. This list serves as the basis for prioritizing EPA Superfund cleanup funding and enforcement actions. Only releases at non-federal sites included on the NPL are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup.
Sites must meet EPA requirements to be considered for the NPL. EPA must first propose a site for addition to the NPL and hold a 60-day comment period. EPA may add the site to the NPL if it continues to meet the listing requirements after the public comment period closes and the agency has responded to any comments.
Superfund cleanups provide health and economic benefits to communities. The program is credited for significant reductions in both birth defects and blood-lead levels among children living near sites, and research has shown residential property values increase up to 24% within three miles of sites after cleanup.
Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has followed through on commitments to update the NPL twice a year, instead of only once a year. Today’s announcement is the first time EPA is updating the NPL in 2024.
Learn more about Superfund and the National Priorities List.
For Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the NPL proposed sites, please visit: New Proposed and New Superfund National Priorities List Sites.
For more information about the Gelman site, please visit our website.
“Updating the National Priorities List is a critical component of EPA's comprehensive approach to protecting human health and the environment from contamination, including in communities overburdened by disproportionate environmental impacts,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Cleaning up contaminated land and groundwater and returning them for productive use to communities, especially those which have borne the brunt of legacy pollution, is a win for public health and local economies.”
“We’re proposing the Gelman site for the Superfund list to ensure that more federal resources are focused on tackling long-standing groundwater contamination in Washtenaw County,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “EPA’s robust community involvement program at Superfund sites would also enable us to directly address the concerns of residents and those impacted by the contamination from the facility over many decades.”
“Including the Gelman Plume on the National Priorities List is critical to bringing federal priority and resources to help finally end this decades-long nightmare for the residents of Ann Arbor, Scio Township, and the surrounding communities. Too often our communities have been pitted against each other, but we know that we accomplish more when we work together,” said Rep. Debbie Dingell. "We have worked hard to bring everyone together to get this done, and I will continue to work closely with the EPA, and with our state and local lawmakers to see this through once and for all.”
The former Gelman Sciences site manufactured medical filters and related products for pharmaceutical, microelectronics, and pollution testing industries. In 1966, Gelman began using 1,4-dioxane as a solvent for filters and cleaning process lines. Gelman’s operations caused the release of hazardous substances from years of handling 1,4-dioxane on its facility grounds. On-site manufacturing operations ceased in 2013. Nearly 8,000 people living within the 4-mile radius may be affected by the contamination.
To make a public comment, the link can be found here. The deadline to make comments is May 6. Any questions regarding comments can be directed to Erica Aultz: aultz.erica@epa.gov.
Background:
The National Priorities List. includes sites with the nation’s most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. This list serves as the basis for prioritizing EPA Superfund cleanup funding and enforcement actions. Only releases at non-federal sites included on the NPL are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup.
Sites must meet EPA requirements to be considered for the NPL. EPA must first propose a site for addition to the NPL and hold a 60-day comment period. EPA may add the site to the NPL if it continues to meet the listing requirements after the public comment period closes and the agency has responded to any comments.
Superfund cleanups provide health and economic benefits to communities. The program is credited for significant reductions in both birth defects and blood-lead levels among children living near sites, and research has shown residential property values increase up to 24% within three miles of sites after cleanup.
Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has followed through on commitments to update the NPL twice a year, instead of only once a year. Today’s announcement is the first time EPA is updating the NPL in 2024.
Learn more about Superfund and the National Priorities List.
For Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the NPL proposed sites, please visit: New Proposed and New Superfund National Priorities List Sites.
For more information about the Gelman site, please visit our website.
EPA proposes adding the Upper Columbia River, WA to Superfund List
SEATTLE (March 5, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today it is proposing to add the Upper Columbia River Site in northeast Washington to the National Priorities List, the list of hazardous waste sites in the United States eligible for cleanup financed under the federal Superfund Program.
“Today’s action builds on decades of efforts to clean up the river and protect the health of people who live, work, and recreate in and near the Upper Columbia,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller. “Listing this site on the National Priorities List unlocks the full suite of tools and resources of EPA’s Superfund program to address this complex site and take additional steps to protect young children from harmful levels of lead.”
The agency has determined that soils contaminated with lead and arsenic pose unacceptable risk to residents at affected properties, particularly to children. EPA determined that soil in at least 194 residential areas contain lead at levels that exceed the agency’s new screening level for residential lead contamination.
The primary source of contamination at the site is the Teck Metals Ltd. smelting facility in Trail, British Columbia, approximately 10 river miles upstream of the international boundary. The former Le Roi smelter in Northport, Washington also contributed contamination.
In November 2023 letters to Washington Governor Inslee, Chairman Jarred-Michael Erickson of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and Chairman Gregory Abrahamson of the Spokane Tribal Business Council, EPA requested concurrence with its plans to propose listing the site on the NPL. EPA received responses from the Governor and the two Tribes concurring with EPA's assessment that the NPL is the best way to ensure cleanup of lead and other metals that pose risks to people and the environment in the study area.
Governor Inslee responded, “The legacy of contamination and risks to human health and the environment justify adding the site to the National Priorities List. It is time to turn needed attention to clean up the Upper Columbia River Site for all who depend on it as a treasured natural and cultural resource.”
“Historical disposal and discharges of wastes and emissions from smelter operations have contaminated the UCR Site and pose a risk to human health as well as to the sovereignty and economic security of the Colville Tribes,” said Jarred-Michael Erickson, Chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. “An NPL listing will allow access to resources that are much needed for remediation of the UCR Site.”
“The Tribe supports EPA acting now to propose placing the Site on the NPL,” said Gregory Abrahamson, Chairman of the Spokane Tribal Business Council. “Once listed, EPA will have access to the Superfund to timely proceed with remedial actions.”
In 2006 EPA and Teck Metals Ltd. entered into a Settlement Agreement along with Teck American Inc. and U.S. Department of Justice, to complete studies that establish the nature and extent of contamination. These ongoing studies include human health and ecological risk assessments. The Human Health Risk Assessment was completed in 2021, showing unacceptable risks to people’s health caused primarily by lead and other metals to a lesser extent. The ecological risk assessments are underway.
The enforceable agreement does not require Teck to complete a comprehensive cleanup of the site. Listing the site on the NPL allows EPA to access Superfund dollars for cleanup activities which can also help ensure a more timely cleanup.
Public comment period and next steps
The proposal announced today will be published in the federal register and a 60-day public comment period will follow from March 7 – May 6, 2024.
For more information on this site, the Federal Register notice, and how to submit comments, visit Current NPL Updates: New Proposed NPL Sites and New NPL Sites.
For information on Upper Columbia River site background and ongoing studies, visit the Upper Columbia River Study Area website.
Upon completion of the comment period and review of the public comments, EPA will determine whether to officially list the site to the NPL. A final decision could come as early as September 2024.
Background on Superfund and the National Priorities List
Nationwide, thousands of contaminated sites, from landfills to processing plants to manufacturing facilities, exist due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law accelerates EPA’s work to clean up this pollution with a $3.5 billion investment in the Superfund Remedial Program. This historic investment strengthens EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment at Superfund National Priorities List sites. The law also reinstates the Superfund chemical excise taxes, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address legacy pollution.
Background on health risks from lead exposure
Lead poses a health risk to people through direct contact and incidental ingestion of soil, including from yards, gardens, and/or play areas. In infants and children, lead can severely harm mental and physical development - slowing down learning and damaging the brain. In adults, lead can cause increased blood pressure, heart disease, decreased kidney function, and cancer.
EPA has updated its residential soil lead guidance, a significant milestone in the agency-wide Strategy to Reduce Lead Exposures and Disparities in U.S. Communities. EPA made this change because protecting children from lead exposure is a top priority, and because the science has shown that lead exposure is harmful to children’s health at lower levels than was reflected in previous agency guidance in 1994.
EPA makes cleanup decisions specific to each site, including setting cleanup levels, using site-specific factors such as risk factors, community input, and the level of lead that was already in the area (called the background level).
To learn more about lead-related health risks and how to reduce your exposure, visit our Learn about Lead page.
For more information on EPA’s updated residential soil lead guidance, visit Updated Soil Lead Guidance for CERCLA Sites and RCRA Corrective Action Facilities.
“Today’s action builds on decades of efforts to clean up the river and protect the health of people who live, work, and recreate in and near the Upper Columbia,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller. “Listing this site on the National Priorities List unlocks the full suite of tools and resources of EPA’s Superfund program to address this complex site and take additional steps to protect young children from harmful levels of lead.”
The agency has determined that soils contaminated with lead and arsenic pose unacceptable risk to residents at affected properties, particularly to children. EPA determined that soil in at least 194 residential areas contain lead at levels that exceed the agency’s new screening level for residential lead contamination.
The primary source of contamination at the site is the Teck Metals Ltd. smelting facility in Trail, British Columbia, approximately 10 river miles upstream of the international boundary. The former Le Roi smelter in Northport, Washington also contributed contamination.
In November 2023 letters to Washington Governor Inslee, Chairman Jarred-Michael Erickson of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and Chairman Gregory Abrahamson of the Spokane Tribal Business Council, EPA requested concurrence with its plans to propose listing the site on the NPL. EPA received responses from the Governor and the two Tribes concurring with EPA's assessment that the NPL is the best way to ensure cleanup of lead and other metals that pose risks to people and the environment in the study area.
Governor Inslee responded, “The legacy of contamination and risks to human health and the environment justify adding the site to the National Priorities List. It is time to turn needed attention to clean up the Upper Columbia River Site for all who depend on it as a treasured natural and cultural resource.”
“Historical disposal and discharges of wastes and emissions from smelter operations have contaminated the UCR Site and pose a risk to human health as well as to the sovereignty and economic security of the Colville Tribes,” said Jarred-Michael Erickson, Chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. “An NPL listing will allow access to resources that are much needed for remediation of the UCR Site.”
“The Tribe supports EPA acting now to propose placing the Site on the NPL,” said Gregory Abrahamson, Chairman of the Spokane Tribal Business Council. “Once listed, EPA will have access to the Superfund to timely proceed with remedial actions.”
In 2006 EPA and Teck Metals Ltd. entered into a Settlement Agreement along with Teck American Inc. and U.S. Department of Justice, to complete studies that establish the nature and extent of contamination. These ongoing studies include human health and ecological risk assessments. The Human Health Risk Assessment was completed in 2021, showing unacceptable risks to people’s health caused primarily by lead and other metals to a lesser extent. The ecological risk assessments are underway.
The enforceable agreement does not require Teck to complete a comprehensive cleanup of the site. Listing the site on the NPL allows EPA to access Superfund dollars for cleanup activities which can also help ensure a more timely cleanup.
Public comment period and next steps
The proposal announced today will be published in the federal register and a 60-day public comment period will follow from March 7 – May 6, 2024.
For more information on this site, the Federal Register notice, and how to submit comments, visit Current NPL Updates: New Proposed NPL Sites and New NPL Sites.
For information on Upper Columbia River site background and ongoing studies, visit the Upper Columbia River Study Area website.
Upon completion of the comment period and review of the public comments, EPA will determine whether to officially list the site to the NPL. A final decision could come as early as September 2024.
Background on Superfund and the National Priorities List
Nationwide, thousands of contaminated sites, from landfills to processing plants to manufacturing facilities, exist due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law accelerates EPA’s work to clean up this pollution with a $3.5 billion investment in the Superfund Remedial Program. This historic investment strengthens EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment at Superfund National Priorities List sites. The law also reinstates the Superfund chemical excise taxes, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address legacy pollution.
Background on health risks from lead exposure
Lead poses a health risk to people through direct contact and incidental ingestion of soil, including from yards, gardens, and/or play areas. In infants and children, lead can severely harm mental and physical development - slowing down learning and damaging the brain. In adults, lead can cause increased blood pressure, heart disease, decreased kidney function, and cancer.
EPA has updated its residential soil lead guidance, a significant milestone in the agency-wide Strategy to Reduce Lead Exposures and Disparities in U.S. Communities. EPA made this change because protecting children from lead exposure is a top priority, and because the science has shown that lead exposure is harmful to children’s health at lower levels than was reflected in previous agency guidance in 1994.
EPA makes cleanup decisions specific to each site, including setting cleanup levels, using site-specific factors such as risk factors, community input, and the level of lead that was already in the area (called the background level).
To learn more about lead-related health risks and how to reduce your exposure, visit our Learn about Lead page.
For more information on EPA’s updated residential soil lead guidance, visit Updated Soil Lead Guidance for CERCLA Sites and RCRA Corrective Action Facilities.
EPA Proposes to Add Afterthought Mine in Shasta County, Calif. to Superfund National Priorities List
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed to add Afterthought Mine near Bella Vista in Shasta County, Calif. to the to the Superfund National Priorities List. The NPL is a list of known sites throughout the United States and its territories where historic releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants pose significant threats to human health and the environment.
Afterthought Mine operated from 1862 to 1952, producing copper, zinc, lead, silver, and gold. Historic mine features and structures remain onsite, and these mining efforts contaminated the site’s soil and nearby waterways. Contaminated soil and sediment are in direct contact with Little Cow and Afterthought creeks. Little Cow Creek is used for fishing and provides wetland habitat including critical habitat for steelhead trout. EPA will evaluate these areas to better understand the contamination, and if and how the Agency can clean it up.
“The proposal of Afterthought Mine to the National Priorities List is a vital step in EPA’s work to assess contamination in the area and how best to address it,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “Cleaning up contaminated land and water and returning them for productive use to communities, especially those which have borne the brunt of legacy pollution, is a win for public health and local economies.”
EPA is accepting comments on the proposal to add the Afterthought Mine to the Superfund NPL from March 7 until May 6, 2024. The public can submit comments online or by mail:
Online (preferred): Visit www.regulations.gov and search “Afterthought Mine” or “EPA-HQ-OLEM-2024-0066”
Mail: Send comments to:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center Superfund, [EPA-HQ-OLEM-2024-0066], Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460
Background:
The National Priorities List includes sites with the nation’s most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. This list serves as the basis for prioritizing EPA Superfund cleanup funding and enforcement actions. Only releases at non-federal sites included on the National Priorities List are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup.
Before EPA adds a site to the National Priorities List, a site must meet EPA’s requirements and be proposed for addition to the list in the Federal Register, subject to a 60-day public comment period. EPA may add the site to the National Priorities List if it continues to meet the listing requirements after the public comment period closes and the agency has responded to any comments.
Superfund cleanups provide health and economic benefits to communities. The program is credited for significant reductions in both birth defects and blood-lead levels among children living near sites, and research has shown residential property values increase up to 24 percent within three miles of sites after cleanup.
Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has followed through on commitments to update the National Priorities List twice a year, as opposed to once per year. Today’s announcement is the first time EPA is updating the National Priorities List in 2024.
Learn more about Superfund and the National Priorities List.
For Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the National Priorities List and proposed sites, please visit: New Proposed and New Superfund National Priorities List Sites.
Learn about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Afterthought Mine operated from 1862 to 1952, producing copper, zinc, lead, silver, and gold. Historic mine features and structures remain onsite, and these mining efforts contaminated the site’s soil and nearby waterways. Contaminated soil and sediment are in direct contact with Little Cow and Afterthought creeks. Little Cow Creek is used for fishing and provides wetland habitat including critical habitat for steelhead trout. EPA will evaluate these areas to better understand the contamination, and if and how the Agency can clean it up.
“The proposal of Afterthought Mine to the National Priorities List is a vital step in EPA’s work to assess contamination in the area and how best to address it,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “Cleaning up contaminated land and water and returning them for productive use to communities, especially those which have borne the brunt of legacy pollution, is a win for public health and local economies.”
EPA is accepting comments on the proposal to add the Afterthought Mine to the Superfund NPL from March 7 until May 6, 2024. The public can submit comments online or by mail:
Online (preferred): Visit www.regulations.gov and search “Afterthought Mine” or “EPA-HQ-OLEM-2024-0066”
Mail: Send comments to:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center Superfund, [EPA-HQ-OLEM-2024-0066], Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460
Background:
The National Priorities List includes sites with the nation’s most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. This list serves as the basis for prioritizing EPA Superfund cleanup funding and enforcement actions. Only releases at non-federal sites included on the National Priorities List are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup.
Before EPA adds a site to the National Priorities List, a site must meet EPA’s requirements and be proposed for addition to the list in the Federal Register, subject to a 60-day public comment period. EPA may add the site to the National Priorities List if it continues to meet the listing requirements after the public comment period closes and the agency has responded to any comments.
Superfund cleanups provide health and economic benefits to communities. The program is credited for significant reductions in both birth defects and blood-lead levels among children living near sites, and research has shown residential property values increase up to 24 percent within three miles of sites after cleanup.
Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has followed through on commitments to update the National Priorities List twice a year, as opposed to once per year. Today’s announcement is the first time EPA is updating the National Priorities List in 2024.
Learn more about Superfund and the National Priorities List.
For Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the National Priorities List and proposed sites, please visit: New Proposed and New Superfund National Priorities List Sites.
Learn about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
EPA Adds Sites to the Superfund National Priorities List, including the Lukachukai Mountains Mining District in Navajo Nation
SAN FRANCISCO — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is adding five sites and proposing to add three sites to the Superfund National Priorities List. The NPL is a list of known sites throughout the United States and its territories where historic releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants pose significant threats to human health and the environment.
“Updating the National Priorities List is a critical component of EPA's comprehensive approach to protecting human health and the environment from contamination, including in communities overburdened by disproportionate environmental impacts,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Cleaning up contaminated land and groundwater and returning them for productive use to communities, especially those which have borne the brunt of legacy pollution, is a win for public health and local economies.”
“This is historic for the Navajo communities of Cove, Lukachukai, and Round Rock, and the whole Navajo Nation,” said Cove Chapter President James Benally. “It’s reassuring to know the Superfund designation will expand the remediation of the abandoned uranium mine sites on our sacred mountain. We fully support the NPL listing, on behalf, our grandchildren, and generations to come, and the environment.”
“Adding the Lukachukai District to the National Priorities List is a significant milestone in EPA's work to address uranium contamination on the Navajo Nation,” said EPA Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “The District’s cleanup will now be eligible for federal funding through the Superfund program, enabling EPA to provide additional resources to protect the health of the Navajo people.”
Sites Proposed for Addition to the NPL:
The Lukachukai Mountains Mining District is one of five sites added to the National Priorities List and is located in communities historically overburdened by pollution. The site raises potential environmental justice concerns based on income, demographic, education, linguistic, and life expectancy data. By taking action to add this site to the National Priorities List, EPA is working to protect communities in the greatest need.
The Lukachukai Mountains Mining District (LMMD) site is located primarily in the remote Cove, Round Rock, and Lukachukai Chapters of the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona. The site includes a hundred mine waste piles from former uranium and vanadium mines. Waste from these piles contains radium 226, uranium and other metals. The waste has migrated downstream in washes and surface water and may have impacted groundwater. Many Navajo families reside on the Lukachukai Mountains and use the land for livestock grazing, recreation, and hunting. It is a sacred area of the Navajo Nation, providing plants for traditional medicinal and ceremonial uses. The mountains provide habitat for several sensitive species, including the federally threatened Mexican spotted owl.
President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to accelerate EPA’s work to clean up NPL sites with a $3.5 billion investment in the Superfund remedial program. The law also reinstated the Superfund chemical excise taxes to help clean up such sites, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address legacy pollution. Due to this historic funding, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for site cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years.
Background:
The National Priorities List includes sites with the nation’s most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. This list serves as the basis for prioritizing EPA Superfund cleanup funding and enforcement actions. Only releases at non-federal sites included on the National Priorities List are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup.
Before EPA adds a site to the National Priorities List, a site must meet EPA’s requirements and be proposed for addition to the list in the Federal Register, subject to a 60-day public comment period. EPA may add the site to the National Priorities List if it continues to meet the listing requirements after the public comment period closes and the agency has responded to any comments.
Superfund cleanups provide health and economic benefits to communities. The program is credited for significant reductions in both birth defects and blood-lead levels among children living near sites, and research has shown residential property values increase up to 24 percent within three miles of sites after cleanup.
Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has followed through on commitments to update the National Priorities List twice a year, as opposed to once per year. Today’s announcement is the first time EPA is updating the National Priorities List in 2024.
Learn more about Superfund and the National Priorities List.
For Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the National Priorities List and proposed sites, please visit:
Learn more about New Proposed and New Superfund National Priorities List Sites.
Learn more about Navajo Nation: Cleaning Up Abandoned Uranium Mines.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region x. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
“Updating the National Priorities List is a critical component of EPA's comprehensive approach to protecting human health and the environment from contamination, including in communities overburdened by disproportionate environmental impacts,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Cleaning up contaminated land and groundwater and returning them for productive use to communities, especially those which have borne the brunt of legacy pollution, is a win for public health and local economies.”
“This is historic for the Navajo communities of Cove, Lukachukai, and Round Rock, and the whole Navajo Nation,” said Cove Chapter President James Benally. “It’s reassuring to know the Superfund designation will expand the remediation of the abandoned uranium mine sites on our sacred mountain. We fully support the NPL listing, on behalf, our grandchildren, and generations to come, and the environment.”
“Adding the Lukachukai District to the National Priorities List is a significant milestone in EPA's work to address uranium contamination on the Navajo Nation,” said EPA Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “The District’s cleanup will now be eligible for federal funding through the Superfund program, enabling EPA to provide additional resources to protect the health of the Navajo people.”
Sites Proposed for Addition to the NPL:
The Lukachukai Mountains Mining District is one of five sites added to the National Priorities List and is located in communities historically overburdened by pollution. The site raises potential environmental justice concerns based on income, demographic, education, linguistic, and life expectancy data. By taking action to add this site to the National Priorities List, EPA is working to protect communities in the greatest need.
The Lukachukai Mountains Mining District (LMMD) site is located primarily in the remote Cove, Round Rock, and Lukachukai Chapters of the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona. The site includes a hundred mine waste piles from former uranium and vanadium mines. Waste from these piles contains radium 226, uranium and other metals. The waste has migrated downstream in washes and surface water and may have impacted groundwater. Many Navajo families reside on the Lukachukai Mountains and use the land for livestock grazing, recreation, and hunting. It is a sacred area of the Navajo Nation, providing plants for traditional medicinal and ceremonial uses. The mountains provide habitat for several sensitive species, including the federally threatened Mexican spotted owl.
President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to accelerate EPA’s work to clean up NPL sites with a $3.5 billion investment in the Superfund remedial program. The law also reinstated the Superfund chemical excise taxes to help clean up such sites, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address legacy pollution. Due to this historic funding, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for site cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years.
Background:
The National Priorities List includes sites with the nation’s most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. This list serves as the basis for prioritizing EPA Superfund cleanup funding and enforcement actions. Only releases at non-federal sites included on the National Priorities List are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup.
Before EPA adds a site to the National Priorities List, a site must meet EPA’s requirements and be proposed for addition to the list in the Federal Register, subject to a 60-day public comment period. EPA may add the site to the National Priorities List if it continues to meet the listing requirements after the public comment period closes and the agency has responded to any comments.
Superfund cleanups provide health and economic benefits to communities. The program is credited for significant reductions in both birth defects and blood-lead levels among children living near sites, and research has shown residential property values increase up to 24 percent within three miles of sites after cleanup.
Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has followed through on commitments to update the National Priorities List twice a year, as opposed to once per year. Today’s announcement is the first time EPA is updating the National Priorities List in 2024.
Learn more about Superfund and the National Priorities List.
For Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the National Priorities List and proposed sites, please visit:
Learn more about New Proposed and New Superfund National Priorities List Sites.
Learn more about Navajo Nation: Cleaning Up Abandoned Uranium Mines.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region x. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Four School Districts Receive National Awards for Trailblazing, Innovative Improvements to School Meals
WASHINGTON, March 4, 2024 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that four school districts in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, and Ohio received awards for their trailblazing and innovative efforts to improve the nutritional quality of meals for their students. This announcement was made in front of nearly 850 school nutrition professionals at the School Nutrition Association Legislative Action Conference during National School Breakfast Week.
EPA Awards the Fort Sill Apache Tribe with a $66,000 Air Sensor Monitoring Grant
DALLAS, TEXAS (March 4, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the Fort Sill Apache Tribe with a $66,360 grant to conduct air sensor monitoring for particulate matter (PM), a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets that can cause serious health concerns once inhaled. With this grant funding, the Fort Sill Apache Tribe will be able to develop air monitoring strategies to combat harmful emissions found in the surrounding area.
The Tribe will purchase three Purple Air PM2.5 monitoring sensors to monitor for hazardous emissions such as particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds on Tribal property. The Tribe can use data from these stations to create air monitoring strategies and improve air quality.
The grant will also fund outreach and education to improve residents’ understanding of outdoor and indoor air quality by working with local and national environmental groups who will offer new and innovate ways to conduct air monitoring. The overall outcome of this project is to ensure the Fort Sill Apache Tribe are maintaining ambient air monitoring sites/stations for their residents while addressing hazardous air pollutants within the territory.
The Fort Sill Apache Tribe spans several Southwest Oklahoma counties including Caddo, Comanche, and Grady Counties. Since 2007, the Tribe has worked with EPA to establish an environmental office to combat illegal dumping, provide more recycling opportunities, and to educate the public on local environmental issues.
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The Tribe will purchase three Purple Air PM2.5 monitoring sensors to monitor for hazardous emissions such as particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds on Tribal property. The Tribe can use data from these stations to create air monitoring strategies and improve air quality.
The grant will also fund outreach and education to improve residents’ understanding of outdoor and indoor air quality by working with local and national environmental groups who will offer new and innovate ways to conduct air monitoring. The overall outcome of this project is to ensure the Fort Sill Apache Tribe are maintaining ambient air monitoring sites/stations for their residents while addressing hazardous air pollutants within the territory.
The Fort Sill Apache Tribe spans several Southwest Oklahoma counties including Caddo, Comanche, and Grady Counties. Since 2007, the Tribe has worked with EPA to establish an environmental office to combat illegal dumping, provide more recycling opportunities, and to educate the public on local environmental issues.
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EPA Resolves Enforcement Action with Vishay Dale Electronics LLC for Alleged Hazardous Waste Violations in Columbus, Nebraska
LENEXA, KAN. (MARCH 4, 2024) – Vishay Dale Electronics LLC has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $387,000 to resolve violations of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act at its Columbus, Nebraska, facilities.
The company is a worldwide manufacturer of electronic components, as alleged by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), violated multiple federal regulations intended to protect workers and the public from exposure to the hazardous waste it generated.
EPA inspected Vishay Dale’s facilities in May and October 2022 and determined that the company violated federal law by:
Storing hazardous waste beyond 90 days without a required permit.
Failing to properly label, contain, and maintain hazardous wastes.
Failing to inspect hazardous waste containers.
Failing to separate incompatible hazardous wastes.
Failing to maintain and operate one of the facilities to minimize the possibility of fire, explosion, or any unplanned release of hazardous waste.
In response to the inspection findings, Vishay Dale agreed to take the necessary steps to return its facilities to compliance and will send quarterly reports to EPA demonstrating proper hazardous waste management.
According to EPA, Vishay Dale qualifies as a “large quantity generator” of hazardous solvents, caustics, and wipes. Exposure to these kinds of waste may lead to injury or death. Federal law requires facilities that generate hazardous wastes to identify the waste and implement safe generation, handling, transportation, and disposal practices.
EPA identified the communities surrounding Vishay Dale’s facilities as potentially sensitive areas, because of exposures to air toxics cancer risk, toxic releases to air, wastewater discharges, Superfund proximity, and hazardous waste proximity.
EPA is strengthening enforcement in overburdened communities to address disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of industrial operations on vulnerable populations.
Learn more about EPA programs that protect people from exposure to hazardous waste.
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The company is a worldwide manufacturer of electronic components, as alleged by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), violated multiple federal regulations intended to protect workers and the public from exposure to the hazardous waste it generated.
EPA inspected Vishay Dale’s facilities in May and October 2022 and determined that the company violated federal law by:
Storing hazardous waste beyond 90 days without a required permit.
Failing to properly label, contain, and maintain hazardous wastes.
Failing to inspect hazardous waste containers.
Failing to separate incompatible hazardous wastes.
Failing to maintain and operate one of the facilities to minimize the possibility of fire, explosion, or any unplanned release of hazardous waste.
In response to the inspection findings, Vishay Dale agreed to take the necessary steps to return its facilities to compliance and will send quarterly reports to EPA demonstrating proper hazardous waste management.
According to EPA, Vishay Dale qualifies as a “large quantity generator” of hazardous solvents, caustics, and wipes. Exposure to these kinds of waste may lead to injury or death. Federal law requires facilities that generate hazardous wastes to identify the waste and implement safe generation, handling, transportation, and disposal practices.
EPA identified the communities surrounding Vishay Dale’s facilities as potentially sensitive areas, because of exposures to air toxics cancer risk, toxic releases to air, wastewater discharges, Superfund proximity, and hazardous waste proximity.
EPA is strengthening enforcement in overburdened communities to address disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of industrial operations on vulnerable populations.
Learn more about EPA programs that protect people from exposure to hazardous waste.
# # #
Learn more about EPA Region 7
View all Region 7 news releases
Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook and Instagram
Follow us on X: @EPARegion7
EPA's Southeast New England Program announces additional $1.25M request for proposals to advance resilience in disadvantaged communities
BOSTON (Mar 4, 2024) – The Southeast New England Program (SNEP) Opportunity to Advance Resilience (SOAR) Fund is an EPA New England program designed to improve climate resiliency in disadvantaged communities throughout southeast New England. With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the EPA program will invest at least $5 million in SNEP disadvantaged communities by 2027. This Request for Proposal (RFP) represents the second round of funding for a total investment of over $2.5 million to date.
Disadvantaged Communities in the SNEP Region are identified via this mapping application. State, local and tribal governments, public and private universities and colleges, public and private nonprofit institutions/organizations, community colleges, philanthropic organizations, interstate agencies, Intertribal Consortia, hospitals operated by state, tribal, or local governments, or are nonprofits, and others are eligible to apply. Click here for full details on eligibility and geographic limitations on projects.
Important Dates:
April 16, 2024; 11a-1p EDT| Informational Webinar via Microsoft Teams (recording will be posted to SNEP website)
May 1, 2024; 11:59PM EDT | Last Day to Ask Questions (email: SECoastalNE@epa.gov)
June 7, 2024; 11:59PM EDT | RFP Closing Date and Application Deadline
July 2024 (Date TBD) | Anticipated Deadline for Recipients to Submit Remaining Required Application Materials
August 2024 (Date TBD) | Anticipated Award of Funds
Fall 2024 (Date Negotiable) | Anticipated Project Start Date
Background:
SNEP's mission is to foster collaboration among regional partners across southeast New England's coastal watersheds to protect and restore water quality, ecological health, and diverse habitats by sharing knowledge and resources, promoting innovative approaches, and leveraging economic and environmental investments to meet the needs of current and future generations.
More information about SNEP can be found here: https://www.epa.gov/snep
Disadvantaged Communities in the SNEP Region are identified via this mapping application. State, local and tribal governments, public and private universities and colleges, public and private nonprofit institutions/organizations, community colleges, philanthropic organizations, interstate agencies, Intertribal Consortia, hospitals operated by state, tribal, or local governments, or are nonprofits, and others are eligible to apply. Click here for full details on eligibility and geographic limitations on projects.
Important Dates:
April 16, 2024; 11a-1p EDT| Informational Webinar via Microsoft Teams (recording will be posted to SNEP website)
May 1, 2024; 11:59PM EDT | Last Day to Ask Questions (email: SECoastalNE@epa.gov)
June 7, 2024; 11:59PM EDT | RFP Closing Date and Application Deadline
July 2024 (Date TBD) | Anticipated Deadline for Recipients to Submit Remaining Required Application Materials
August 2024 (Date TBD) | Anticipated Award of Funds
Fall 2024 (Date Negotiable) | Anticipated Project Start Date
Background:
SNEP's mission is to foster collaboration among regional partners across southeast New England's coastal watersheds to protect and restore water quality, ecological health, and diverse habitats by sharing knowledge and resources, promoting innovative approaches, and leveraging economic and environmental investments to meet the needs of current and future generations.
More information about SNEP can be found here: https://www.epa.gov/snep