MEDIA ADVISORY: EPA to highlight IRA funding for environmental justice projects in communities across Kentucky at press event
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (February 16, 2024) — On Wednesday, February 21, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will host a press event promoting environmental justice projects across the Louisville metro area that are funded by the Inflation Reduction Act.
The EPA announced $1,500,500 to fund 2 projects in the Rubbertown and California Neighborhood areas of Louisville, Kentucky that advance environmental justice as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The projects, which EPA has selected through its Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government programs, will use the funds to ensure disadvantaged communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment have access to clean air and water and climate resilience solutions in alignment with the Biden-Harris administration’s Justice40 Initiative.
WHO:
EPA Acting Regional Administrator Jeaneanne Gettle
Congressman Morgan McGarvey, District 3
Amanda LeFevre, Deputy Commissioner Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection
Mayor of Louisville Craig Greenberg
WHAT:
Press event to promote environmental justice projects across Louisville funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
WHEN AND WHERE:
1:00 PM Wednesday, February 21, 2024
Location: Louisville City Hall Building, 601 W Jefferson Street #19, Louisville, KY 40202
Reporters will have interview opportunities following the event.
*** Interested media must RSVP via email to region4press@epa.gov to confirm your participation by COB Tuesday, February 20, 2024.
###
The EPA announced $1,500,500 to fund 2 projects in the Rubbertown and California Neighborhood areas of Louisville, Kentucky that advance environmental justice as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The projects, which EPA has selected through its Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government programs, will use the funds to ensure disadvantaged communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment have access to clean air and water and climate resilience solutions in alignment with the Biden-Harris administration’s Justice40 Initiative.
WHO:
EPA Acting Regional Administrator Jeaneanne Gettle
Congressman Morgan McGarvey, District 3
Amanda LeFevre, Deputy Commissioner Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection
Mayor of Louisville Craig Greenberg
WHAT:
Press event to promote environmental justice projects across Louisville funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
WHEN AND WHERE:
1:00 PM Wednesday, February 21, 2024
Location: Louisville City Hall Building, 601 W Jefferson Street #19, Louisville, KY 40202
Reporters will have interview opportunities following the event.
*** Interested media must RSVP via email to region4press@epa.gov to confirm your participation by COB Tuesday, February 20, 2024.
###
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine Removed from EPA Superfund List
BOSTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is deleting the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, located in Kittery, Maine, from the National Priorities List (NPL), commonly referred to as Superfund.
While EPA has determined that site cleanup work at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard site is complete, with no further site remediation activity required, ongoing operation and maintenance, land use controls, and monitoring activities will continue at the site as needed. Further, the Navy will continue to conduct comprehensive follow-up reviews every five years and submit them to EPA – even after NPL deletion – to ensure the Superfund remedies continue to protect human health and the environment.
"This is a day to celebrate the combined persistence and hard work of the Navy, EPA, and Maine! EPA deletes sites or parts of sites from the Superfund list when no further construction is required to protect human health or the environment," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "EPA is very pleased that after many years of working with the Navy and other parties on this complex investigation and cleanup work, we've achieved a major milestone to get this site where it is today and remove it from the National Priorities List."
"The successful cleanup of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is the result of 30 years of collaboration between the state and federal government," said Senator Susan Collins. "It is great news that the Shipyard is no longer considered a Superfund site, and as a longtime supporter of the Superfund program, I am pleased to see those investments paying off. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) plays an important role in our national defense—supporting our shipbuilding priorities and providing good-paying jobs to many Maine people," said Senator Angus King. "The recent news that PNSY is being removed from EPA's Superfund list is an encouraging step to know that their efforts to address the toxic threats on its grounds have made a difference. While there is still work to be done, and regular reviews will continue, this EPA decision is a welcome acknowledgement of their hard work thus far."
"Portsmouth Naval Shipyard performs an incredible service to our country in maintaining and upgrading the Navy's submarine fleet, while being a critical pillar to Southern Maine's economy. After nearly 30 years of research, assessment, and clean-up activities, today's announcement from EPA is exciting and welcome news for the shipyard's workers, surrounding communities, and importantly—for the environment. As ranking member of the House Appropriations Interior and Environment Subcommittee which oversees funding for this critical clean-up program, I am thrilled that the shipyard is now considered environmentally safe and healthy. Today marks the start of a new chapter for Portsmouth Harbor, where shipbuilding has thrived for hundreds of years," said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree.
EPA formally proposed deleting the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard site from the NPL on August 16, 2023 and provided a 30-day public review and comment opportunity. No comments were received.
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard site is one of three sites nationally that are being deleted in full or partially from the NPL today. The NPL includes the nation's most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination.
Site Background:
The 278-acre Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is a restricted access military facility located on Seavey Island in the Piscataqua River at the mouth of Portsmouth Harbor between Kittery, Maine, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Shipbuilding activities in Portsmouth Harbor date back to 1690.
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was established as a government facility in 1800. The first government-built submarine was designed and constructed there during World War I, and a large number of submarines have been designed, constructed, and repaired at this facility since 1917. Today, the shipyard employs approximately 5,000 civilians and approximately 200 active-duty military personnel with the primary mission being the conversion, overhaul, and repair of submarines for the US Navy.
Contamination at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard resulted from shipbuilding and submarine repair work, landfill operations, spills and leaks from industrial operations and piping, storage of batteries and other materials, filling of land, and outfalls to the river. Seven areas on and around the Shipyard were identified for investigation. Contamination detected in groundwater, soils, and sediments include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs), metals, and benzene. After the site was added to the NPL in 1994, extensive cleanup work was conducted over the following decades to address contamination issues, which have now been completed. The State of Maine has reviewed and commented on this action and concurs with EPA's decision to delete this site from the National Priorities List.
Long-term stewardship will be ongoing to maintain institutional controls, security and ensure future land use is consistent with the remediation. EPA will continue to assess the environmental remediation work performed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Superfund Site every five years to ensure the remedy continues to protect human health and the environment, as required by the Superfund law. A proposed or final deletion from the NPL does not prevent future actions under the Superfund law.
The NPL tracks the nation's most contaminated sites that threaten human health or the environment. Sites on the list are eligible for cleanup under the Superfund program and once all the remedies are successfully implemented, EPA removes sites or parts of sites from the list.
More information:
EPA information on the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Superfund site, including past historical documents, reports on remedial activities, etc. www.epa.gov/superfund/portsmouth
All Site related materials can be found on at: https://www.navfac.navy.mil/Business-Lines/Environmental/Products-and-Services/Environmental-Restoration/Mid-Atlantic/Portsmouth-NSY/
All materials related to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Superfund site can also be accessed at:
Rice Public Library
8 Wentworth Street
Kittery, ME 03904
(207) 439-1553
Portsmouth Public Library
175 Parrott Street
Portsmouth, NH 03801
(603) 427-1540
While EPA has determined that site cleanup work at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard site is complete, with no further site remediation activity required, ongoing operation and maintenance, land use controls, and monitoring activities will continue at the site as needed. Further, the Navy will continue to conduct comprehensive follow-up reviews every five years and submit them to EPA – even after NPL deletion – to ensure the Superfund remedies continue to protect human health and the environment.
"This is a day to celebrate the combined persistence and hard work of the Navy, EPA, and Maine! EPA deletes sites or parts of sites from the Superfund list when no further construction is required to protect human health or the environment," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "EPA is very pleased that after many years of working with the Navy and other parties on this complex investigation and cleanup work, we've achieved a major milestone to get this site where it is today and remove it from the National Priorities List."
"The successful cleanup of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is the result of 30 years of collaboration between the state and federal government," said Senator Susan Collins. "It is great news that the Shipyard is no longer considered a Superfund site, and as a longtime supporter of the Superfund program, I am pleased to see those investments paying off. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) plays an important role in our national defense—supporting our shipbuilding priorities and providing good-paying jobs to many Maine people," said Senator Angus King. "The recent news that PNSY is being removed from EPA's Superfund list is an encouraging step to know that their efforts to address the toxic threats on its grounds have made a difference. While there is still work to be done, and regular reviews will continue, this EPA decision is a welcome acknowledgement of their hard work thus far."
"Portsmouth Naval Shipyard performs an incredible service to our country in maintaining and upgrading the Navy's submarine fleet, while being a critical pillar to Southern Maine's economy. After nearly 30 years of research, assessment, and clean-up activities, today's announcement from EPA is exciting and welcome news for the shipyard's workers, surrounding communities, and importantly—for the environment. As ranking member of the House Appropriations Interior and Environment Subcommittee which oversees funding for this critical clean-up program, I am thrilled that the shipyard is now considered environmentally safe and healthy. Today marks the start of a new chapter for Portsmouth Harbor, where shipbuilding has thrived for hundreds of years," said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree.
EPA formally proposed deleting the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard site from the NPL on August 16, 2023 and provided a 30-day public review and comment opportunity. No comments were received.
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard site is one of three sites nationally that are being deleted in full or partially from the NPL today. The NPL includes the nation's most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination.
Site Background:
The 278-acre Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is a restricted access military facility located on Seavey Island in the Piscataqua River at the mouth of Portsmouth Harbor between Kittery, Maine, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Shipbuilding activities in Portsmouth Harbor date back to 1690.
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was established as a government facility in 1800. The first government-built submarine was designed and constructed there during World War I, and a large number of submarines have been designed, constructed, and repaired at this facility since 1917. Today, the shipyard employs approximately 5,000 civilians and approximately 200 active-duty military personnel with the primary mission being the conversion, overhaul, and repair of submarines for the US Navy.
Contamination at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard resulted from shipbuilding and submarine repair work, landfill operations, spills and leaks from industrial operations and piping, storage of batteries and other materials, filling of land, and outfalls to the river. Seven areas on and around the Shipyard were identified for investigation. Contamination detected in groundwater, soils, and sediments include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs), metals, and benzene. After the site was added to the NPL in 1994, extensive cleanup work was conducted over the following decades to address contamination issues, which have now been completed. The State of Maine has reviewed and commented on this action and concurs with EPA's decision to delete this site from the National Priorities List.
Long-term stewardship will be ongoing to maintain institutional controls, security and ensure future land use is consistent with the remediation. EPA will continue to assess the environmental remediation work performed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Superfund Site every five years to ensure the remedy continues to protect human health and the environment, as required by the Superfund law. A proposed or final deletion from the NPL does not prevent future actions under the Superfund law.
The NPL tracks the nation's most contaminated sites that threaten human health or the environment. Sites on the list are eligible for cleanup under the Superfund program and once all the remedies are successfully implemented, EPA removes sites or parts of sites from the list.
More information:
EPA information on the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Superfund site, including past historical documents, reports on remedial activities, etc. www.epa.gov/superfund/portsmouth
All Site related materials can be found on at: https://www.navfac.navy.mil/Business-Lines/Environmental/Products-and-Services/Environmental-Restoration/Mid-Atlantic/Portsmouth-NSY/
All materials related to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Superfund site can also be accessed at:
Rice Public Library
8 Wentworth Street
Kittery, ME 03904
(207) 439-1553
Portsmouth Public Library
175 Parrott Street
Portsmouth, NH 03801
(603) 427-1540
Corn milling company officials sentenced to federal prison for their role in deadly explosion that killed five workers
WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. District Court Judge James D. Peterson for the Western District of Wisconsin sentenced six Didion Milling Inc. officials – including a corporate vice president and former food safety, environmental and operations managers – for their role in a fatal explosion on May 31, 2017, at a mill operated by Didion.
Didion Vice President of Operations, Derrick Clark, was sentenced to two years in prison, a year of supervised release and a $5,000 fine. Former Environmental Manager Joseph Winch was sentenced to two years in prison, two years of supervised release and a $10,000 fine for conspiring to falsify Didion’s environmental compliance certifications. Former Food Safety Superintendent Shawn Mesner was sentenced to two years in prison and a year of supervised release after being convicted in October 2023 of conspiring to commit fraud and to falsify Didion’s sanitation log.
Three former Didion shift superintendents – Anthony Hess, Joel Niemeyer and Michael Bright – were sentenced probation and fines for falsification of Didion’s sanitation log. Nicholas Booker, a fourth shift superintendent, is scheduled to be sentenced in March.
Additionally, the Didion company pled guilty to falsifying its environmental and sanitation logs. Judge Peterson sentenced the company last month to pay $10.25 million in restitution to the victims of the May 2017 explosion and a $1 million fine, as well as to serve five years of probation with special conditions related to oversight of Didion’s operations.
“These defendants put Didion workers in grave danger and five people tragically lost their lives, devastating their families and their community,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Companies of all sizes should take note: failure to comply with our country’s workplace safety and environmental laws can cost workers their lives and put individual corporate managers in federal prison.”
At around 10:30 p.m. on the night of the explosion, a fire originated in milling equipment at Didion’s corn mill in Cambria, Wisconsin. The fire led to a series of explosions in the facility, killing five workers and seriously injuring others. The explosions also damaged and caused the collapse of multiple mill buildings. An investigation into Didion’s worker and food safety and environmental practices uncovered criminal violations of law attributable to both the company and senior officials.
Grain milling generates grain dust, which must be effectively managed for workplace safety, environmental, and food safety and quality reasons. Mill operators must adhere to rules and requirements intended to minimize hazards. Grain dust is combustible, and mill operators need to maintain workplace safety through cleaning programs that remove dust accumulations from inside a mill. Mill operators must also capture dust before it is emitted into the environment as particulate matter, a kind of air pollutant.
Investigations of the explosion at Didion’s Cambria mill uncovered long-standing inadequate safety measures and improper handling of grain dust that Didion and its employees concealed through falsified documents and other obstructive conduct.
In October 2023, the Justice Department secured guilty pleas from the company, Didion, and company officials, as well as convictions against two more Didion officials. Today and yesterday, three defendants were sentenced to prison time for their crimes, and another three were sentenced to probation. Sentencing for an additional defendant is scheduled for March. The company was sentenced in January 2024.
“Didion Milling and its senior managers put corporate profits ahead of worker safety and environmental protection, with tragic consequences,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The sentences imposed this week demonstrate that EPA and its law enforcement partners are committed to seeking justice for victims of environmental crime and their families.”
“Workplace and environmental safety are of paramount importance,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We will continue seeking to enforce regulations designed to prevent workplace disasters, and also to punish deceptive conduct that would undermine the administration of these important federal programs.”
“The Didion Milling dust explosion was a tragic incident resulting from a notorious industrial hazard. Individuals considering falsifying records are on notice that making false statements and attempting to obstruct our investigation are serious crimes and will be punished as such,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su. “The court’s sentences hold the company and these individuals accountable and send a clear message that cover-ups related to workplace safety will not be tolerated.”
Clark was convicted in October 2023 of conspiring to falsify documents relating to dust cleaning practices in the mill and the operation of air pollution prevention equipment and making false compliance certifications as Didion’s “responsible official” under the Clean Air Act. He was also convicted for obstructing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) investigation of the explosion at the corn mill by making false and misleading statements during a sworn deposition.
Winch pled guilty to his conspiracy charge before trial, but the court’s sentencing took into consideration Winch’s effort to obstruct the trial of his co-defendants by committing perjury during his trial testimony.
Mesner’s falsification of the log was part of a scheme to mislead Didion’s customers and auditors about the company’s sanitation practices. The log also related to Didion’s compliance with worker safety protections, including the required cleanup of combustible dust, like fine grain dust, to prevent fires and explosions in grain handling facilities. The log purported to be a record of those dust cleanings. Mesner also provided untruthful testimony to OSHA during a sworn statement after the explosion.
Hess, Niemeyer and Bright pled guilty to felonies before trial and accepted responsibility for their actions. Hess was sentenced to a probationary sentence; Niemeyer was sentenced to a year of probation and a $1000 fine; and Bright was sentenced to a year of probation.
Information on how to report suspected environmental violations may be found at the EPA Report a Violation webpage.
Information on how to file a safety and health complaint about unsafe work conditions can be found at OSHA’s File A Complaint webpage. Information about how to file a complaint of retaliation for having engaged in workplace safety-related protected activity can be found at the same website.
Didion Vice President of Operations, Derrick Clark, was sentenced to two years in prison, a year of supervised release and a $5,000 fine. Former Environmental Manager Joseph Winch was sentenced to two years in prison, two years of supervised release and a $10,000 fine for conspiring to falsify Didion’s environmental compliance certifications. Former Food Safety Superintendent Shawn Mesner was sentenced to two years in prison and a year of supervised release after being convicted in October 2023 of conspiring to commit fraud and to falsify Didion’s sanitation log.
Three former Didion shift superintendents – Anthony Hess, Joel Niemeyer and Michael Bright – were sentenced probation and fines for falsification of Didion’s sanitation log. Nicholas Booker, a fourth shift superintendent, is scheduled to be sentenced in March.
Additionally, the Didion company pled guilty to falsifying its environmental and sanitation logs. Judge Peterson sentenced the company last month to pay $10.25 million in restitution to the victims of the May 2017 explosion and a $1 million fine, as well as to serve five years of probation with special conditions related to oversight of Didion’s operations.
“These defendants put Didion workers in grave danger and five people tragically lost their lives, devastating their families and their community,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Companies of all sizes should take note: failure to comply with our country’s workplace safety and environmental laws can cost workers their lives and put individual corporate managers in federal prison.”
At around 10:30 p.m. on the night of the explosion, a fire originated in milling equipment at Didion’s corn mill in Cambria, Wisconsin. The fire led to a series of explosions in the facility, killing five workers and seriously injuring others. The explosions also damaged and caused the collapse of multiple mill buildings. An investigation into Didion’s worker and food safety and environmental practices uncovered criminal violations of law attributable to both the company and senior officials.
Grain milling generates grain dust, which must be effectively managed for workplace safety, environmental, and food safety and quality reasons. Mill operators must adhere to rules and requirements intended to minimize hazards. Grain dust is combustible, and mill operators need to maintain workplace safety through cleaning programs that remove dust accumulations from inside a mill. Mill operators must also capture dust before it is emitted into the environment as particulate matter, a kind of air pollutant.
Investigations of the explosion at Didion’s Cambria mill uncovered long-standing inadequate safety measures and improper handling of grain dust that Didion and its employees concealed through falsified documents and other obstructive conduct.
In October 2023, the Justice Department secured guilty pleas from the company, Didion, and company officials, as well as convictions against two more Didion officials. Today and yesterday, three defendants were sentenced to prison time for their crimes, and another three were sentenced to probation. Sentencing for an additional defendant is scheduled for March. The company was sentenced in January 2024.
“Didion Milling and its senior managers put corporate profits ahead of worker safety and environmental protection, with tragic consequences,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The sentences imposed this week demonstrate that EPA and its law enforcement partners are committed to seeking justice for victims of environmental crime and their families.”
“Workplace and environmental safety are of paramount importance,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We will continue seeking to enforce regulations designed to prevent workplace disasters, and also to punish deceptive conduct that would undermine the administration of these important federal programs.”
“The Didion Milling dust explosion was a tragic incident resulting from a notorious industrial hazard. Individuals considering falsifying records are on notice that making false statements and attempting to obstruct our investigation are serious crimes and will be punished as such,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su. “The court’s sentences hold the company and these individuals accountable and send a clear message that cover-ups related to workplace safety will not be tolerated.”
Clark was convicted in October 2023 of conspiring to falsify documents relating to dust cleaning practices in the mill and the operation of air pollution prevention equipment and making false compliance certifications as Didion’s “responsible official” under the Clean Air Act. He was also convicted for obstructing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) investigation of the explosion at the corn mill by making false and misleading statements during a sworn deposition.
Winch pled guilty to his conspiracy charge before trial, but the court’s sentencing took into consideration Winch’s effort to obstruct the trial of his co-defendants by committing perjury during his trial testimony.
Mesner’s falsification of the log was part of a scheme to mislead Didion’s customers and auditors about the company’s sanitation practices. The log also related to Didion’s compliance with worker safety protections, including the required cleanup of combustible dust, like fine grain dust, to prevent fires and explosions in grain handling facilities. The log purported to be a record of those dust cleanings. Mesner also provided untruthful testimony to OSHA during a sworn statement after the explosion.
Hess, Niemeyer and Bright pled guilty to felonies before trial and accepted responsibility for their actions. Hess was sentenced to a probationary sentence; Niemeyer was sentenced to a year of probation and a $1000 fine; and Bright was sentenced to a year of probation.
Information on how to report suspected environmental violations may be found at the EPA Report a Violation webpage.
Information on how to file a safety and health complaint about unsafe work conditions can be found at OSHA’s File A Complaint webpage. Information about how to file a complaint of retaliation for having engaged in workplace safety-related protected activity can be found at the same website.
EPA Proposes to Remove Three of the Last Four Properties at the South Minneapolis Residential Soil Contamination Superfund Site from Superfund List
CHICAGO - (February 16, 2024) - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposal to delete three of the remaining four properties that are part of the South Minneapolis Residential Soil Contamination Superfund site from the National Priorities List, a list of the most contaminated sites in the nation. Arsenic cleanup is complete at these three properties.
The 1,480-acre site is near a former pesticide manufacturing plant. During plant operations, powder-like arsenic trioxide may have periodically blown into the Phillips, Longfellow and Powderhorn neighborhoods in south Minneapolis, which resulted in contaminated soils. EPA has previously completed investigation and/or soil cleanup of more than 3,600 residential properties in the area and deleted them from the NPL. The one remaining property was partially cleaned up but will remain on the list until the institutional controls are implemented.
EPA’s comment period begins February 16,2024 through March 18, 2024. The public can submit comments by:
Online: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2024-03004
Email: cibulskis.karen@epa.gov
For more information, please visit the South Minn. site website.
The 1,480-acre site is near a former pesticide manufacturing plant. During plant operations, powder-like arsenic trioxide may have periodically blown into the Phillips, Longfellow and Powderhorn neighborhoods in south Minneapolis, which resulted in contaminated soils. EPA has previously completed investigation and/or soil cleanup of more than 3,600 residential properties in the area and deleted them from the NPL. The one remaining property was partially cleaned up but will remain on the list until the institutional controls are implemented.
EPA’s comment period begins February 16,2024 through March 18, 2024. The public can submit comments by:
Online: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2024-03004
Email: cibulskis.karen@epa.gov
For more information, please visit the South Minn. site website.
EPA Proposes to Remove Part of Allied Paper Site from Superfund List
CHICAGO (February 16, 2024) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to delete a 6-acre portion of the Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River site in Kalamazoo, Michigan, from the Superfund National Priorities List, the list of the most contaminated sites in the nation.
The agency has determined that cleanup is complete in two areas within the former landfill known as Operable Unit 2:
Area east of Davis Creek, and
Non-easement portion of the area east of Davis Creek extension area, which excludes the sewer and the unfenced phone line easement portions of the area east of Davis Creek extension area.
No further response action is necessary in these areas other than periodic inspection and maintenance of the restored banks and vegetation, continued monitoring and maintenance of the land and groundwater use restrictions, and five-year reviews.
Historically, the Kalamazoo River was used as a power source and waste disposal site for the paper mills and the communities adjacent to the river. The portion of the site proposed for delisting includes a landfill that received waste such as carbonless copy paper contaminated with chemicals called polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). In the early 1970s, PCBs were identified as a problem in the Kalamazoo River.
In 1990, in response to the nature and extent of PCB contamination, the site was added to the NPL. Since then, EPA, working along with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, has cleaned up three of the six operable units, removed nearly 470,000 cubic yards of contaminated material from the site, cleaned up and restored about twelve miles of the Kalamazoo River and banks, and capped 82 acres worth of contaminated material.
EPA’s comment period begins February 16, 2024, and closes March 18, 2024. The public can submit comments by:
Online: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2024-03004
Email: cibulskis.karen@epa.gov
If you have questions about the Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Site please contact EPA Community Involvement Coordinators, Diane Russell at 989-395-3494 or russell.diane@epa.gov, or Phil Gurley at 312-886-4448 or gurley.philip@epa.gov. You may also call EPA toll-free at 800-621-84631, 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., weekdays.
Visit EPA’s website for more information.
The agency has determined that cleanup is complete in two areas within the former landfill known as Operable Unit 2:
Area east of Davis Creek, and
Non-easement portion of the area east of Davis Creek extension area, which excludes the sewer and the unfenced phone line easement portions of the area east of Davis Creek extension area.
No further response action is necessary in these areas other than periodic inspection and maintenance of the restored banks and vegetation, continued monitoring and maintenance of the land and groundwater use restrictions, and five-year reviews.
Historically, the Kalamazoo River was used as a power source and waste disposal site for the paper mills and the communities adjacent to the river. The portion of the site proposed for delisting includes a landfill that received waste such as carbonless copy paper contaminated with chemicals called polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). In the early 1970s, PCBs were identified as a problem in the Kalamazoo River.
In 1990, in response to the nature and extent of PCB contamination, the site was added to the NPL. Since then, EPA, working along with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, has cleaned up three of the six operable units, removed nearly 470,000 cubic yards of contaminated material from the site, cleaned up and restored about twelve miles of the Kalamazoo River and banks, and capped 82 acres worth of contaminated material.
EPA’s comment period begins February 16, 2024, and closes March 18, 2024. The public can submit comments by:
Online: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2024-03004
Email: cibulskis.karen@epa.gov
If you have questions about the Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Site please contact EPA Community Involvement Coordinators, Diane Russell at 989-395-3494 or russell.diane@epa.gov, or Phil Gurley at 312-886-4448 or gurley.philip@epa.gov. You may also call EPA toll-free at 800-621-84631, 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., weekdays.
Visit EPA’s website for more information.
Biden-Harris Administration announces nearly $83 million in funding to expand air quality monitoring across the nation as part of Investing in America agenda
WASHINGTON – On Feb. 16, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the availability of $81 million in funding for eligible air agencies to expand and upgrade the nation’s air quality monitoring networks as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The investment, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, will enhance and extend air monitoring in and near communities. The funding will support the work of eligible state, local, Tribal and territorial air agencies in addressing air pollution, including monitoring near fenceline communities, developing and refining air toxics monitoring methods, and ensuring cleaner air for all.
In addition, EPA is also making approximately $2 million in funding available to support state, local, territorial, and Tribal agencies in the deployment and operation of air quality sensors in low-income and disadvantaged communities across the United States. This historic amount of funding for air quality sensors and air monitoring delivers on President Biden's Justice40 Initiative by helping to detect air pollution in communities that often bear the unequal health burden of legacy pollution, and better monitor and track pollution. Together, these investments will provide critical resources to ensure the sustainability of national air quality monitoring networks, helping protect human health and the environment and ensuring Americans are breathing cleaner air.
“Reliable ambient air quality monitoring is a critical component of protecting human health and the environment from the harmful effects of air pollution,” said Joseph Goffman, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “With these investments in America, EPA is making good on the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to making sure state, local, Tribal and territorial air agencies have the tools they need to implement effective pollution reduction strategies.”
State, local, Tribal and territorial agencies have primary responsibility for operating and maintaining ambient air monitoring sites, including monitors that measure ground-level ozone, particle pollution, and air toxics. They are also responsible for mitigating, regulating, and enforcing regulations on sources of air emissions. Additionally, air agencies are typically the primary points of contact for people and organizations with questions and concerns regarding air quality monitoring.
EPA encourages eligible entities to apply for funding as soon as possible and no later than April 8, 2024. Details about the application process are available on EPA’s Air Quality and Air Quality Sensors Grants website.
Background
The funding EPA announced today is one piece of the overall Inflation Reduction Act approach to improving air monitoring across the country. This strategy to deliver cleaner air also includes the American Rescue Plan’s Enhanced Air Monitoring for Communities grant competition, supplemented with Inflation Reduction Act funding, that EPA administered to help expand, improve, and modernize monitoring in more than 37 states. Combined with the diligent state, local, Tribal and territorial efforts and those of national air monitoring networks and community operated monitors, these funding streams will strengthen current air monitoring, deliver better data, and improve health outcomes across the nation.
Together, these programs are delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
Find out more by visiting EPA’s Air Grants and Funding webpage.
In addition, EPA is also making approximately $2 million in funding available to support state, local, territorial, and Tribal agencies in the deployment and operation of air quality sensors in low-income and disadvantaged communities across the United States. This historic amount of funding for air quality sensors and air monitoring delivers on President Biden's Justice40 Initiative by helping to detect air pollution in communities that often bear the unequal health burden of legacy pollution, and better monitor and track pollution. Together, these investments will provide critical resources to ensure the sustainability of national air quality monitoring networks, helping protect human health and the environment and ensuring Americans are breathing cleaner air.
“Reliable ambient air quality monitoring is a critical component of protecting human health and the environment from the harmful effects of air pollution,” said Joseph Goffman, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “With these investments in America, EPA is making good on the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to making sure state, local, Tribal and territorial air agencies have the tools they need to implement effective pollution reduction strategies.”
State, local, Tribal and territorial agencies have primary responsibility for operating and maintaining ambient air monitoring sites, including monitors that measure ground-level ozone, particle pollution, and air toxics. They are also responsible for mitigating, regulating, and enforcing regulations on sources of air emissions. Additionally, air agencies are typically the primary points of contact for people and organizations with questions and concerns regarding air quality monitoring.
EPA encourages eligible entities to apply for funding as soon as possible and no later than April 8, 2024. Details about the application process are available on EPA’s Air Quality and Air Quality Sensors Grants website.
Background
The funding EPA announced today is one piece of the overall Inflation Reduction Act approach to improving air monitoring across the country. This strategy to deliver cleaner air also includes the American Rescue Plan’s Enhanced Air Monitoring for Communities grant competition, supplemented with Inflation Reduction Act funding, that EPA administered to help expand, improve, and modernize monitoring in more than 37 states. Combined with the diligent state, local, Tribal and territorial efforts and those of national air monitoring networks and community operated monitors, these funding streams will strengthen current air monitoring, deliver better data, and improve health outcomes across the nation.
Together, these programs are delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
Find out more by visiting EPA’s Air Grants and Funding webpage.
Agriculture and Interior Departments Propose Changes to Strengthen Alaska Tribal Representation on Federal Subsistence Board
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15, 2024 — The Departments of Agriculture and the Interior today announced a proposal to strengthen Alaska Tribal representation on the Federal Subsistence Board (FSB), which manages subsistence use on federal lands and waters in Alaska. For thousands of years, subsistence practices have been immensely important for Alaska Native communities, and remain deeply intertwined with their lifeways, food security, and cultures.
Agriculture and Interior Departments Propose Changes to Strengthen Alaska Tribal Representation on Federal Subsistence Board
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15, 2024 — The Departments of Agriculture and the Interior today announced a proposal to strengthen Alaska Tribal representation on the Federal Subsistence Board (FSB), which manages subsistence use on federal lands and waters in Alaska. For thousands of years, subsistence practices have been immensely important for Alaska Native communities, and remain deeply intertwined with their lifeways, food security, and cultures.