U.S. Department of Agriculture Announces Key Staff Appointments
WASHINGTON, February 7, 2024 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the names of individuals who will hold senior staff positions in Washington, D.C.
Malcom A. Shorter has been named Assistant Secretary for Administration
Malcom A. Shorter has been named Assistant Secretary for Administration
EPA finalizes stronger standards for harmful soot pollution, significantly increasing health and clean air protections for families, workers, and communities
WASHINGTON — The Biden-Harris Administration on Wednesday finalized a significantly stronger air quality standard that will better protect America’s families, workers, and communities from the dangerous and costly health effects of fine particle pollution, also known as soot. By strengthening the annual health-based national ambient air quality standard for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from a level of 12 micrograms per cubic meter to 9 micrograms per cubic meter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s updated standard will save lives — preventing up to 4,500 premature deaths and 290,000 lost workdays, yielding up to $46 billion in net health benefits in 2032. For every $1 spent from this action, there could be as much as $77 in human health benefits in 2032.
Today’s action is based on the best available science, as required by the Clean Air Act, and sets an air quality level that EPA will help states and Tribal Nations achieve over the coming years — including through complementary EPA standards to reduce pollution from power plants, vehicles, and industrial facilities, paired with historic investments under President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. These actions bolster the U.S. economy by deploying billions of dollars and creating good-paying jobs across the transition to cleaner technologies. This strategy will make Americans healthier and more productive, while underpinning a manufacturing resurgence in America. Since 2000, PM2.5 concentrations in the outdoor air have decreased by 42% while the U.S. Gross Domestic Product increased by 52% during that time.
“This final air quality standard will save lives and make all people healthier, especially within America’s most vulnerable and overburdened communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Cleaner air means that our children have brighter futures, and people can live more productive and active lives, improving our ability to grow and develop as a nation. EPA looks forward to continuing our decades of success in working with states, counties, Tribes, and industry to ensure this critical health standard is implemented effectively to improve the long-term health and productivity of our nation.”
Along with strengthening the primary annual PM2.5 standard, EPA is modifying the PM2.5 monitoring network design criteria to include a factor that accounts for proximity of populations at increased risk of PM2.5-related health effects to sources of air pollution. This will advance environmental justice by ensuring localized data collection in overburdened areas to inform future NAAQS reviews.
Particle pollution is of great concern to those with heart or lung disease and other vulnerable communities, including children, older adults, and people with health conditions like asthma, as well as already overburdened communities, including many communities of color and low-income communities throughout the United States. Strengthening the Clean Air Act standard for fine particle pollution improves air quality nationally for everyone, ensuring that communities that are overburdened by pollution are not left behind.
“The Biden administration is taking life-saving action to protect people and rein in deadly pollution,” said Abigail Dillen, President of Earthjustice. “The science is crystal clear. Soot, otherwise known as fine particle pollution, is a killer. It is driving heart disease, our asthma epidemic, and other serious illnesses. The people who suffer most are children and older Americans who live in communities of color and low-income communities. This federal standard will ensure that states respond to the ongoing public health and environmental justice crisis, saving thousands of lives and avoiding 800,000 asthma symptom cases every year.”
“Administrator Regan and President Biden deserve thanks for taking this vital step to curb soot pollution - a dangerous and even deadly pollutant that has taken an oversized toll on underrepresented and overburdened communities less equipped to deal with its severe health impacts,” said Dr. Doris Browne, 118th President of the National Medical Association. “This new standard of 9 micrograms per cubic meter will save lives based on scientific evidence. That is the bottom line. And as a physician, an advocate for clean air, and the past president of the National Medical Association representing physicians, our ultimate goal is health equity.”
“President Biden and EPA Administrator Regan’s new soot pollution limits will save thousands of lives and slash air pollution for people across the country, especially those disproportionately impacted by deadly particle pollution,” said Margie Alt, Director of the Climate Action Campaign. “This standard makes meaningful progress toward protecting our health and addressing the administration’s environmental justice commitments.”
“Particle pollution is a killer. In the United States alone, it cuts thousands of lives short, taking a staggering toll. Children’s bodies are uniquely vulnerable to the harms of soot pollution,” said Dominique Browning, Director and Co-Founder of Mom’s Clean Air Force. “Moms Clean Air Force commends EPA for taking a significant step forward in strengthening the annual standard for particle pollution, also known as soot, to 9 micrograms per cubic meter from its current level at 12. EPA’s new national health standard for particle pollution is the first improvement in over a decade. Soot is associated with increased infant mortality, hospital admissions for heart and lung diseases, cancer, and increased asthma severity. EPA’s finalized protection is an important step towards cleaner, healthier air for all children.”
In June 2021, EPA announced it would reconsider the December 2020 decision to retain the 2012 standards because the available scientific evidence and technical information indicated that the standards may not be adequate to protect public health and welfare. EPA considered the available science and technical information, as well as the recommendations of the independent advisors comprising the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and CASAC PM expert panel when making the decision on whether to strengthen the PM standards.
Based on the scientific evidence, technical information, recommendations from CASAC, and public comments on the 2023 proposed standards, EPA has set two primary standards for PM2.5, which work together to protect public health: the annual standard, which EPA has revised, and a 24-hour standard, which the agency retained. EPA also retained the current primary 24-hour standard for PM10, which provides protection against coarse particles. EPA is also not changing the secondary (welfare-based) standards for fine particles and coarse particles at this time.
A broad and growing body of science links particle pollution to a range of serious and sometimes deadly illnesses. Many studies show that these microscopic fine particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and that long- and short-term exposure can lead to asthma attacks, missed days of school or work, heart attacks, expensive emergency room visits and premature death.
Due to the efforts that states, Tribes, industry, communities, and EPA have already taken to reduce dangerous pollution in communities across the country, 99% of U.S. counties are projected to meet the more protective standard in 2032, likely the earliest year that states would need to meet the revised standard. That’s even before accounting for additional actions on the horizon to implement the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act investments and to update source-specific emission standards.
Most Counties with Monitors Already Meet the Strengthened Particle Pollution Standard
(Based on 2020-2022 Air Monitoring Data)
Figure 1: Based on 2020-2022 air monitoring data, the dark green areas on the map indicate counties that do not meet the annual PM2.5 standard of 9 ug/m3. View the data (pdf). (courtesy U.S. EPA)
Note: The map above reflects monitored counties with complete monitoring data. Future final designations of attainment/nonattainment will not be based on these data, but likely on monitoring data collected between 2022 and 2024. Of the 119 counties with 2020-2022 design values above 9 ug/m3, 59 counties are totally or partially contained in nonattainment areas for current PM2.5 standards. In years 2021 and 2022, EPA is aware that some states have already identified possible exceptional events that may have impacted air quality in the U.S. and may be relevant to designations decisions. (This information is provided for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to predict the outcome of any forthcoming designations process.)See projected progress in 2032.
EPA is also revising the Air Quality Index to improve public communications about the health risks from PM2.5 exposures.
Some PM is emitted directly from combustion sources, construction sites, industrial processes, and older diesel engines, while other particles are formed in the atmosphere in complex chemical reactions with other pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that are emitted from power plants, gasoline and diesel engines, and certain industrial processes. Particle pollution from industrial processes and other sources is controllable, with readily available and cost-effective technologies to manage emissions, and EPA will build on decades of experience in providing flexible options to states and Tribes across the implementation process.
EPA carefully considered extensive public input as it determined the final standards. The agency held a virtual public hearing and received about 700,000 written comments before finalizing today’s updated air quality standards.
See more information on today’s final standards at Final Reconsideration of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter.
Today’s action is based on the best available science, as required by the Clean Air Act, and sets an air quality level that EPA will help states and Tribal Nations achieve over the coming years — including through complementary EPA standards to reduce pollution from power plants, vehicles, and industrial facilities, paired with historic investments under President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. These actions bolster the U.S. economy by deploying billions of dollars and creating good-paying jobs across the transition to cleaner technologies. This strategy will make Americans healthier and more productive, while underpinning a manufacturing resurgence in America. Since 2000, PM2.5 concentrations in the outdoor air have decreased by 42% while the U.S. Gross Domestic Product increased by 52% during that time.
“This final air quality standard will save lives and make all people healthier, especially within America’s most vulnerable and overburdened communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Cleaner air means that our children have brighter futures, and people can live more productive and active lives, improving our ability to grow and develop as a nation. EPA looks forward to continuing our decades of success in working with states, counties, Tribes, and industry to ensure this critical health standard is implemented effectively to improve the long-term health and productivity of our nation.”
Along with strengthening the primary annual PM2.5 standard, EPA is modifying the PM2.5 monitoring network design criteria to include a factor that accounts for proximity of populations at increased risk of PM2.5-related health effects to sources of air pollution. This will advance environmental justice by ensuring localized data collection in overburdened areas to inform future NAAQS reviews.
Particle pollution is of great concern to those with heart or lung disease and other vulnerable communities, including children, older adults, and people with health conditions like asthma, as well as already overburdened communities, including many communities of color and low-income communities throughout the United States. Strengthening the Clean Air Act standard for fine particle pollution improves air quality nationally for everyone, ensuring that communities that are overburdened by pollution are not left behind.
“The Biden administration is taking life-saving action to protect people and rein in deadly pollution,” said Abigail Dillen, President of Earthjustice. “The science is crystal clear. Soot, otherwise known as fine particle pollution, is a killer. It is driving heart disease, our asthma epidemic, and other serious illnesses. The people who suffer most are children and older Americans who live in communities of color and low-income communities. This federal standard will ensure that states respond to the ongoing public health and environmental justice crisis, saving thousands of lives and avoiding 800,000 asthma symptom cases every year.”
“Administrator Regan and President Biden deserve thanks for taking this vital step to curb soot pollution - a dangerous and even deadly pollutant that has taken an oversized toll on underrepresented and overburdened communities less equipped to deal with its severe health impacts,” said Dr. Doris Browne, 118th President of the National Medical Association. “This new standard of 9 micrograms per cubic meter will save lives based on scientific evidence. That is the bottom line. And as a physician, an advocate for clean air, and the past president of the National Medical Association representing physicians, our ultimate goal is health equity.”
“President Biden and EPA Administrator Regan’s new soot pollution limits will save thousands of lives and slash air pollution for people across the country, especially those disproportionately impacted by deadly particle pollution,” said Margie Alt, Director of the Climate Action Campaign. “This standard makes meaningful progress toward protecting our health and addressing the administration’s environmental justice commitments.”
“Particle pollution is a killer. In the United States alone, it cuts thousands of lives short, taking a staggering toll. Children’s bodies are uniquely vulnerable to the harms of soot pollution,” said Dominique Browning, Director and Co-Founder of Mom’s Clean Air Force. “Moms Clean Air Force commends EPA for taking a significant step forward in strengthening the annual standard for particle pollution, also known as soot, to 9 micrograms per cubic meter from its current level at 12. EPA’s new national health standard for particle pollution is the first improvement in over a decade. Soot is associated with increased infant mortality, hospital admissions for heart and lung diseases, cancer, and increased asthma severity. EPA’s finalized protection is an important step towards cleaner, healthier air for all children.”
In June 2021, EPA announced it would reconsider the December 2020 decision to retain the 2012 standards because the available scientific evidence and technical information indicated that the standards may not be adequate to protect public health and welfare. EPA considered the available science and technical information, as well as the recommendations of the independent advisors comprising the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and CASAC PM expert panel when making the decision on whether to strengthen the PM standards.
Based on the scientific evidence, technical information, recommendations from CASAC, and public comments on the 2023 proposed standards, EPA has set two primary standards for PM2.5, which work together to protect public health: the annual standard, which EPA has revised, and a 24-hour standard, which the agency retained. EPA also retained the current primary 24-hour standard for PM10, which provides protection against coarse particles. EPA is also not changing the secondary (welfare-based) standards for fine particles and coarse particles at this time.
A broad and growing body of science links particle pollution to a range of serious and sometimes deadly illnesses. Many studies show that these microscopic fine particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and that long- and short-term exposure can lead to asthma attacks, missed days of school or work, heart attacks, expensive emergency room visits and premature death.
Due to the efforts that states, Tribes, industry, communities, and EPA have already taken to reduce dangerous pollution in communities across the country, 99% of U.S. counties are projected to meet the more protective standard in 2032, likely the earliest year that states would need to meet the revised standard. That’s even before accounting for additional actions on the horizon to implement the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act investments and to update source-specific emission standards.
Most Counties with Monitors Already Meet the Strengthened Particle Pollution Standard
(Based on 2020-2022 Air Monitoring Data)
Figure 1: Based on 2020-2022 air monitoring data, the dark green areas on the map indicate counties that do not meet the annual PM2.5 standard of 9 ug/m3. View the data (pdf). (courtesy U.S. EPA)
Note: The map above reflects monitored counties with complete monitoring data. Future final designations of attainment/nonattainment will not be based on these data, but likely on monitoring data collected between 2022 and 2024. Of the 119 counties with 2020-2022 design values above 9 ug/m3, 59 counties are totally or partially contained in nonattainment areas for current PM2.5 standards. In years 2021 and 2022, EPA is aware that some states have already identified possible exceptional events that may have impacted air quality in the U.S. and may be relevant to designations decisions. (This information is provided for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to predict the outcome of any forthcoming designations process.)See projected progress in 2032.
EPA is also revising the Air Quality Index to improve public communications about the health risks from PM2.5 exposures.
Some PM is emitted directly from combustion sources, construction sites, industrial processes, and older diesel engines, while other particles are formed in the atmosphere in complex chemical reactions with other pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that are emitted from power plants, gasoline and diesel engines, and certain industrial processes. Particle pollution from industrial processes and other sources is controllable, with readily available and cost-effective technologies to manage emissions, and EPA will build on decades of experience in providing flexible options to states and Tribes across the implementation process.
EPA carefully considered extensive public input as it determined the final standards. The agency held a virtual public hearing and received about 700,000 written comments before finalizing today’s updated air quality standards.
See more information on today’s final standards at Final Reconsideration of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter.
EPA Outlines Implementation Approaches for Endangered Species Act Pesticide Policies
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the latest steps to incorporate stakeholder feedback and collaboration with federal partners, ensuring the Agency’s work to protect endangered species from pesticides is practical, flexible, and supports the agricultural community. Assistant Administrator Michal Freedhoff described these steps in a speech to the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.
“Protecting endangered species and ensuring we have a safe and abundant food supply can go hand in hand,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “The steps we’re announcing today are designed to meet this dual obligation of providing the agricultural community with the tools and flexibility they need while ensuring pesticides aren’t harming endangered species.”
When registering pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA must also comply with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to ensure pesticides do not harm endangered species or their critical habitats. For most of EPA’s history, the Agency has almost never met these duties for its FIFRA decisions. This has resulted in considerable litigation against the Agency, creating uncertainty for farmers and other pesticide users, unnecessary expenses and inefficiencies for EPA, and delays in the protection of endangered species.
In April 2022, EPA released its ESA Workplan, which establishes strategies and actions to adopt those protections while ensuring farmers, public health authorities, and others have access to pesticides. In addition to other actions, EPA proposed a vulnerable species pilot and draft herbicide strategy in 2023. Stakeholders have expressed concerns related to the implementability of these strategies and urged EPA to make needed adjustments before finalizing the approaches.
Today, EPA announced its plans to address key concerns, expand its partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and seek additional stakeholder engagement in the coming months as it continues to address this decades-old challenge of protecting endangered species from pesticide exposure.
Improved Species Maps
In June 2023, EPA announced draft mitigations for 27 species that are part of the Agency’s Vulnerable Species Pilot project, an effort to protect species that are particularly vulnerable to pesticides. EPA received feedback that some of the maps included areas that endangered species do not live in, and that the areas in which pesticide mitigations would be required under the Pilot were thus overly broad.
Today, EPA announced that it will not implement the Vulnerable Species Pilot protections for a species until a more refined map of its habitat is developed. EPA is also announcing that it is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), USDA, the University of Georgia, and other stakeholders to develop maps that better reflect where these species actually live and where protections from pesticides are needed. In April, EPA plans to hold a workshop to facilitate and prioritize the development of these maps, and EPA will also develop guidelines that the public can use to develop and submit refined maps for hundreds of other endangered species.
Credit for using Voluntary USDA Conservation Practices
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps farmers carry out voluntary practices that improve environmental health and quality, many of which also reduce pesticide drift and runoff, which could benefit endangered species. Yesterday, EPA signed an MOU with USDA describing how EPA can include NRCS conservation practices on pesticide labels as one way growers who voluntarily perform those practices can use them to help fulfill pesticide label requirements. EPA and USDA are planning meetings and workshops in the coming months to further discuss the MOU and gain input from producers about mitigation options that may count toward fulfilling pesticide label requirements.
Regarding the MOU, Robert Bonnie, USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation, said, “Farmers who use strong conservation practices developed by NRCS should be given credit for all of the benefits these practices provide, including reducing the off-site movement of pesticides. NRCS’s programs remain entirely voluntary and producers will not need NRCS approval. Collaboration between USDA and EPA through efforts such as this MOU and additional stakeholder conversations will help to keep safe, effective pest management tools in farmers’ hands.”
This effort responds to suggestions received on EPA’s July 2023 draft herbicide strategy and would also apply to other ESA initiatives. This would provide more flexibility for growers on the type of practices they can use to protect endangered species and ensure EPA’s proposed mitigations can practically be implemented. For example, EPA is already considering which mitigations, if any, are needed on land that is dry or flat or both.
Online Mitigation Menu
Currently, if EPA needs to add new mitigations to pesticide labels, the Agency must update hundreds or thousands of paper labels every time the menu of mitigation options is expanded – a process that can take years. EPA will launch its first online mitigation menu that will allow the Agency to quickly add new mitigation measures options, thus ensuring that growers can use those new options promptly. This year, the Agency plans to release a draft online menu for public comment, and then update that menu based on feedback later this year.
Offsets for Endangered Species Protections
EPA is working with stakeholders to determine how to use “offsets” when avoiding or minimizing pesticide exposure to an endangered species is impossible or impractical. In those situations, it may be possible to offset the impact to the species through activities like funding habitat restoration for the species, contributing to a captive rearing project at a zoo for the species, or other steps to conserve the species. EPA, other federal agencies, and stakeholders are participating in a workshop later this month to discuss how to bring offsets into EPA’s ESA-FIFRA work. This initiative should give pesticide registrants and users more flexibility to meet label requirements to protect endangered species, while directly contributing to recovering those species.
Learn more about EPA’s ESA work.
“Protecting endangered species and ensuring we have a safe and abundant food supply can go hand in hand,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “The steps we’re announcing today are designed to meet this dual obligation of providing the agricultural community with the tools and flexibility they need while ensuring pesticides aren’t harming endangered species.”
When registering pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA must also comply with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to ensure pesticides do not harm endangered species or their critical habitats. For most of EPA’s history, the Agency has almost never met these duties for its FIFRA decisions. This has resulted in considerable litigation against the Agency, creating uncertainty for farmers and other pesticide users, unnecessary expenses and inefficiencies for EPA, and delays in the protection of endangered species.
In April 2022, EPA released its ESA Workplan, which establishes strategies and actions to adopt those protections while ensuring farmers, public health authorities, and others have access to pesticides. In addition to other actions, EPA proposed a vulnerable species pilot and draft herbicide strategy in 2023. Stakeholders have expressed concerns related to the implementability of these strategies and urged EPA to make needed adjustments before finalizing the approaches.
Today, EPA announced its plans to address key concerns, expand its partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and seek additional stakeholder engagement in the coming months as it continues to address this decades-old challenge of protecting endangered species from pesticide exposure.
Improved Species Maps
In June 2023, EPA announced draft mitigations for 27 species that are part of the Agency’s Vulnerable Species Pilot project, an effort to protect species that are particularly vulnerable to pesticides. EPA received feedback that some of the maps included areas that endangered species do not live in, and that the areas in which pesticide mitigations would be required under the Pilot were thus overly broad.
Today, EPA announced that it will not implement the Vulnerable Species Pilot protections for a species until a more refined map of its habitat is developed. EPA is also announcing that it is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), USDA, the University of Georgia, and other stakeholders to develop maps that better reflect where these species actually live and where protections from pesticides are needed. In April, EPA plans to hold a workshop to facilitate and prioritize the development of these maps, and EPA will also develop guidelines that the public can use to develop and submit refined maps for hundreds of other endangered species.
Credit for using Voluntary USDA Conservation Practices
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps farmers carry out voluntary practices that improve environmental health and quality, many of which also reduce pesticide drift and runoff, which could benefit endangered species. Yesterday, EPA signed an MOU with USDA describing how EPA can include NRCS conservation practices on pesticide labels as one way growers who voluntarily perform those practices can use them to help fulfill pesticide label requirements. EPA and USDA are planning meetings and workshops in the coming months to further discuss the MOU and gain input from producers about mitigation options that may count toward fulfilling pesticide label requirements.
Regarding the MOU, Robert Bonnie, USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation, said, “Farmers who use strong conservation practices developed by NRCS should be given credit for all of the benefits these practices provide, including reducing the off-site movement of pesticides. NRCS’s programs remain entirely voluntary and producers will not need NRCS approval. Collaboration between USDA and EPA through efforts such as this MOU and additional stakeholder conversations will help to keep safe, effective pest management tools in farmers’ hands.”
This effort responds to suggestions received on EPA’s July 2023 draft herbicide strategy and would also apply to other ESA initiatives. This would provide more flexibility for growers on the type of practices they can use to protect endangered species and ensure EPA’s proposed mitigations can practically be implemented. For example, EPA is already considering which mitigations, if any, are needed on land that is dry or flat or both.
Online Mitigation Menu
Currently, if EPA needs to add new mitigations to pesticide labels, the Agency must update hundreds or thousands of paper labels every time the menu of mitigation options is expanded – a process that can take years. EPA will launch its first online mitigation menu that will allow the Agency to quickly add new mitigation measures options, thus ensuring that growers can use those new options promptly. This year, the Agency plans to release a draft online menu for public comment, and then update that menu based on feedback later this year.
Offsets for Endangered Species Protections
EPA is working with stakeholders to determine how to use “offsets” when avoiding or minimizing pesticide exposure to an endangered species is impossible or impractical. In those situations, it may be possible to offset the impact to the species through activities like funding habitat restoration for the species, contributing to a captive rearing project at a zoo for the species, or other steps to conserve the species. EPA, other federal agencies, and stakeholders are participating in a workshop later this month to discuss how to bring offsets into EPA’s ESA-FIFRA work. This initiative should give pesticide registrants and users more flexibility to meet label requirements to protect endangered species, while directly contributing to recovering those species.
Learn more about EPA’s ESA work.
EPA Announces Settlement with Mosaic Fertilizer for Alleged Chemical Accident Prevention Violations at St. James, La., Facility
DALLAS, TEXAS (Feb. 6, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently finalized a settlement with Mosaic Fertilizer and Tampa Port Services over alleged violations of the chemical accident prevention provisions of the Clean Air Act at Mosaic’s facility in St. James, Louisiana. Under the settlement, the companies will pay more than $217,000 in civil penalties, install two ammonia gas monitors and donate equipment to the St. James Parish Emergency Response Department.
“Preventing chemical accidents is one of the most important goals of the Clean Air Act, which can only be fulfilled with the full participation and commitment of owners and operators of industrial facilities,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “Companies must prioritize safety for their workers and surrounding communities, and be held accountable when they violate these requirements.”
An on-site inspection found violations associated with Mosaic’s processing of granular monoammonium phosphate and diammonium phosphate and Tampa Port Services’ adjacent anhydrous ammonia process. Violations included failure to document required safety precautions and operating procedures, failure to promptly address recommendations of the process hazard analysis team and compliance audit, failure to train employees according to requirements, failure to implement written procedures for maintaining safety equipment, and failure to test and inspect certain process equipment.
Under the settlement, Mosaic and Tampa Port Services must correct violations and pay a civil penalty of $217, 085. They have also agreed to complete two supplemental environmental projects (SEPs) to benefit the St. James community—installing two area ammonia gas monitors for two years, and donating two 20-kilowatt generators to the St. James Parish Emergency Response Department.
Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act Amendments requires EPA to publish regulations and guidance for chemical accident prevention at facilities that use certain hazardous substances. These regulations and guidance are contained in the Risk Management Program rule, which requires facilities that use extremely hazardous substances to develop a Risk Management Plan which:
identifies the potential effects of a chemical accident,
identifies steps the facility is taking to prevent an accident, and
spells out emergency response procedures should an accident occur.
To learn more about the Clean Air Act’s accident prevention provisions, see https://www.epa.gov/rmp.
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage.
“Preventing chemical accidents is one of the most important goals of the Clean Air Act, which can only be fulfilled with the full participation and commitment of owners and operators of industrial facilities,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “Companies must prioritize safety for their workers and surrounding communities, and be held accountable when they violate these requirements.”
An on-site inspection found violations associated with Mosaic’s processing of granular monoammonium phosphate and diammonium phosphate and Tampa Port Services’ adjacent anhydrous ammonia process. Violations included failure to document required safety precautions and operating procedures, failure to promptly address recommendations of the process hazard analysis team and compliance audit, failure to train employees according to requirements, failure to implement written procedures for maintaining safety equipment, and failure to test and inspect certain process equipment.
Under the settlement, Mosaic and Tampa Port Services must correct violations and pay a civil penalty of $217, 085. They have also agreed to complete two supplemental environmental projects (SEPs) to benefit the St. James community—installing two area ammonia gas monitors for two years, and donating two 20-kilowatt generators to the St. James Parish Emergency Response Department.
Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act Amendments requires EPA to publish regulations and guidance for chemical accident prevention at facilities that use certain hazardous substances. These regulations and guidance are contained in the Risk Management Program rule, which requires facilities that use extremely hazardous substances to develop a Risk Management Plan which:
identifies the potential effects of a chemical accident,
identifies steps the facility is taking to prevent an accident, and
spells out emergency response procedures should an accident occur.
To learn more about the Clean Air Act’s accident prevention provisions, see https://www.epa.gov/rmp.
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage.
EPA Reaches Settlement with Greenidge Generation LLC on Actions to Address Compliance with Coal Ash Regulations
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement under the Agency’s Coal Ash (Coal Combustion Residuals) program with the Greenidge Generation LLC, an electrical generating plant in Dresden, New York. This settlement, the first under EPA’s National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives, commits Greenidge to address groundwater monitoring issues and to ensure the proper closure of a coal ash surface impoundment under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The company will also pay a fine of $105,000.
Produced primarily from the burning of coal in coal-fired power plants, coal ash, also referred to as Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR), is a large industrial waste stream by volume and can contain harmful levels of contaminants such as mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and cobalt. Prior to 2015, the management and disposal of coal ash was not regulated at the national level; instead, it was regulated to varying degrees, if at all, by some states under various programs. Historic disposal occurred through placement in unlined surface impoundments and landfills. Without proper containment and management, contaminants from coal ash can pollute waterways, groundwater, drinking water, and the air.
“Coal ash contamination wreaks havoc on the environment and drinking water systems, particularly in overburdened communities,” said David M. Uhlmann, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA is committed to ensuring that coal ash surface impoundments and landfills operate and close in a manner that protects public health and the environment. This settlement is an important step forward in the federal government’s nationwide effort to ensure coal burning plants clean up the harmful effects of the toxic waste they produce.”
“EPA is working to ensure that companies comply with environmental regulations designed to protect public health, our lands and water resources,” said EPA Region 2 Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This settlement requires Greenidge to cease using, and close, its surface impoundment and to monitor groundwater at the facility to protect surrounding communities and determine whether further steps are required.”
Greenidge burns natural gas to generate electricity for its bitcoin mining operation, and also provides energy to the state’s electricity grid.
EPA alleges that Greenidge did not meet certain requirements under the coal ash program, including:
Failure to comply with certain groundwater monitoring system requirements.
Failure to adequately prepare annual groundwater monitoring and corrective action reports.
Failure to timely prepare initial closure and post closure plans for its coal ash impoundment.
The settlement requires Greenidge to assess groundwater contamination from the coal ash impoundment at its facility. Greenidge will conduct groundwater sampling and analysis, evaluate groundwater flow to determine if additional wells are needed, and update and implement a closure plan for the coal ash impoundment. Ultimately, if groundwater monitoring reveals contamination above the federal groundwater protection standards, Greenidge will be required by self-implementing regulation to design and implement a corrective action program to address the contamination.
To address the risks from disposal and discharge of coal ash, including leaking of contaminants into groundwater, blowing of contaminants into the air as dust, and the catastrophic failure of coal ash surface impoundments, in April 2015, EPA established national rules for coal ash management and disposal. These rules establish a comprehensive set of requirements for the safe handling and disposal of coal ash from coal-fired power plants, which established technical requirements for coal ash landfills and surface impoundments.
EPA is increasing its efforts and working with its state partners to investigate compliance concerns at coal ash facilities around the nation to ensure compliance and protect the health of communities overburdened by pollution such as coal ash residuals.
For more information on coal ash and the Agency’s coal ash program activities, please visit EPA’s Coal Ash (CCR) website.
Produced primarily from the burning of coal in coal-fired power plants, coal ash, also referred to as Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR), is a large industrial waste stream by volume and can contain harmful levels of contaminants such as mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and cobalt. Prior to 2015, the management and disposal of coal ash was not regulated at the national level; instead, it was regulated to varying degrees, if at all, by some states under various programs. Historic disposal occurred through placement in unlined surface impoundments and landfills. Without proper containment and management, contaminants from coal ash can pollute waterways, groundwater, drinking water, and the air.
“Coal ash contamination wreaks havoc on the environment and drinking water systems, particularly in overburdened communities,” said David M. Uhlmann, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA is committed to ensuring that coal ash surface impoundments and landfills operate and close in a manner that protects public health and the environment. This settlement is an important step forward in the federal government’s nationwide effort to ensure coal burning plants clean up the harmful effects of the toxic waste they produce.”
“EPA is working to ensure that companies comply with environmental regulations designed to protect public health, our lands and water resources,” said EPA Region 2 Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This settlement requires Greenidge to cease using, and close, its surface impoundment and to monitor groundwater at the facility to protect surrounding communities and determine whether further steps are required.”
Greenidge burns natural gas to generate electricity for its bitcoin mining operation, and also provides energy to the state’s electricity grid.
EPA alleges that Greenidge did not meet certain requirements under the coal ash program, including:
Failure to comply with certain groundwater monitoring system requirements.
Failure to adequately prepare annual groundwater monitoring and corrective action reports.
Failure to timely prepare initial closure and post closure plans for its coal ash impoundment.
The settlement requires Greenidge to assess groundwater contamination from the coal ash impoundment at its facility. Greenidge will conduct groundwater sampling and analysis, evaluate groundwater flow to determine if additional wells are needed, and update and implement a closure plan for the coal ash impoundment. Ultimately, if groundwater monitoring reveals contamination above the federal groundwater protection standards, Greenidge will be required by self-implementing regulation to design and implement a corrective action program to address the contamination.
To address the risks from disposal and discharge of coal ash, including leaking of contaminants into groundwater, blowing of contaminants into the air as dust, and the catastrophic failure of coal ash surface impoundments, in April 2015, EPA established national rules for coal ash management and disposal. These rules establish a comprehensive set of requirements for the safe handling and disposal of coal ash from coal-fired power plants, which established technical requirements for coal ash landfills and surface impoundments.
EPA is increasing its efforts and working with its state partners to investigate compliance concerns at coal ash facilities around the nation to ensure compliance and protect the health of communities overburdened by pollution such as coal ash residuals.
For more information on coal ash and the Agency’s coal ash program activities, please visit EPA’s Coal Ash (CCR) website.
USDA Celebrates 10 Years of Climate Hubs as Biden-Harris Administration Leads Historic Climate Agenda
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2024 – Today marks 10 years since the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) created regional Climate Hubs, which were established to help support the agricultural producers and rural communities make climate-informed decisions. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is highlighting how these regional climate centers – bolstered by President Biden’s historic climate agenda – are helping farmers, ranchers, forest landowners and communities address the threats of climate change.
USDA Celebrates 10 Years of Climate Hubs as Biden-Harris Administration Leads Historic Climate Agenda
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2024 – Today marks 10 years since the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) created regional Climate Hubs, which were established to help support the agricultural producers and rural communities make climate-informed decisions. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is highlighting how these regional climate centers – bolstered by President Biden’s historic climate agenda – are helping farmers, ranchers, forest landowners and communities address the threats of climate change.
USDA Announces 2024 Agricultural Export Market Challenge Participants
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small today announced the selection of 19 minority-serving educational institutions to take part in the 2024 USDA Agricultural Export Market Challenge.