At White House Tribal Nations Summit, USDA Fulfills Long-Standing Tribal Requests to Strengthen Food Sovereignty and Expand Indigenous Roles in Forest Management
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2023 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced ways the Biden-Harris Administration is fulfilling long-standing Tribal requests for USDA to support and better partner with Tribal Nations in empowering Tribal food sovereignty and co-stewardship of federal lands and waters.
EPA takes action against Connecticut-based school bus transportation company for idling violations
BOSTON (Dec. 6, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently reached a settlement with All Star Transportation, a Connecticut-based school bus transportation company, that violated state and federal clean air standards by allegedly allowing excessive idling of school buses at two locations in Connecticut.
“Cutting down on pollution is a crucial part of achieving clean air, especially for children and for our communities who bear the brunt of this pollution,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “With settlements like this one, and through our efforts to replace diesel school buses with electric buses, EPA continues to make good on our mission to protect our communities’ basic rights to clean air and a clean environment.”
All-Star Transportation, LLC is a company that owns and operates fleets of school buses in eighteen Connecticut communities. Under the terms of the settlement, All-Star Transportation, based in Waterbury, agreed to pay a penalty of $64,833 and certify compliance with state regulations. The settlement also requires the company to adopt a series of compliance measures at all its facilities. These include tracking school bus idling time via a telematics system; posting clear signage; updating driver training, including documenting any applicable regulatory exceptions when exceeding idling limit; conducting regular examinations of bus lots to prevent future violations; and addressing driver noncompliance.
Connecticut's federally enforceable State Implementation Plan contains an anti-idling regulation that prohibits motor vehicles from idling for longer than three minutes, unless a specifically listed exception applies. EPA alleged that it observed 76 of All-Star’s school buses idling excessively during EPA’s investigation in New Milford and Brookfield, Conn., totaling more than 780 excess minutes.
Background
Idling diesel engines emit pollutants that can cause or aggravate a variety of health problems including asthma and other respiratory diseases, and the fine particles in diesel exhaust are a likely human carcinogen. Diesel exhaust not only contributes to area-wide air quality problems, but more direct exposure can cause lightheadedness, nausea, sore throat, coughing, and other symptoms. Drivers, school children riding on the buses, facility workers, neighbors, and bystanders are all vulnerable.
More information:
EPA School Bus Idle Reduction
“Cutting down on pollution is a crucial part of achieving clean air, especially for children and for our communities who bear the brunt of this pollution,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “With settlements like this one, and through our efforts to replace diesel school buses with electric buses, EPA continues to make good on our mission to protect our communities’ basic rights to clean air and a clean environment.”
All-Star Transportation, LLC is a company that owns and operates fleets of school buses in eighteen Connecticut communities. Under the terms of the settlement, All-Star Transportation, based in Waterbury, agreed to pay a penalty of $64,833 and certify compliance with state regulations. The settlement also requires the company to adopt a series of compliance measures at all its facilities. These include tracking school bus idling time via a telematics system; posting clear signage; updating driver training, including documenting any applicable regulatory exceptions when exceeding idling limit; conducting regular examinations of bus lots to prevent future violations; and addressing driver noncompliance.
Connecticut's federally enforceable State Implementation Plan contains an anti-idling regulation that prohibits motor vehicles from idling for longer than three minutes, unless a specifically listed exception applies. EPA alleged that it observed 76 of All-Star’s school buses idling excessively during EPA’s investigation in New Milford and Brookfield, Conn., totaling more than 780 excess minutes.
Background
Idling diesel engines emit pollutants that can cause or aggravate a variety of health problems including asthma and other respiratory diseases, and the fine particles in diesel exhaust are a likely human carcinogen. Diesel exhaust not only contributes to area-wide air quality problems, but more direct exposure can cause lightheadedness, nausea, sore throat, coughing, and other symptoms. Drivers, school children riding on the buses, facility workers, neighbors, and bystanders are all vulnerable.
More information:
EPA School Bus Idle Reduction
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Availability of $30 Million for Projects in Underserved Communities That Promote a Healthy and Resilient Gulf of Mexico
ATLANTA (December 6, 2023) –Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $30 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) grant funding for projects promoting a healthy and resilient Gulf of Mexico watershed. Selected projects must be located in underserved communities within the five Gulf states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. Eligible projects for the newly created Healthy & Resilient Gulf of Mexico Grant program include those that support water quality improvement; habitat protection, enhancement and restoration; environmental education; and community resilience.
“This historic funding will bring critical health protections, progress on shoreline and wetland restoration, jobs, and economic opportunities to the communities in the Gulf who have been overburdened by pollution,” said Acting Region 4 Administrator Jeaneanne M. Gettle. “We look forward to seeing the transformative projects that will work to advance protection and restoration of this vital watershed.”
“Vulnerable Gulf Coast communities deeply understand the environmental harms they live with every day, and they are ready for solutions,” said Region 6 Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “This funding will provide investments in coastline habitats, water quality, and community resilience, thereby laying the foundation for a vital coastal ecosystem.”
The EPA plans to award approximately five grants of up to $6 million each to eligible state agencies, interstate agencies, federally recognized Indian tribes, tribal organizations, local governments, and institutions of higher learning. The application period will close on April 4, 2024, and awards are anticipated to be made in November 2024 for projects in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.
The request for applications can be found at grants,gov or www.epa.gov/gulfofmexico. Questions regarding applying for this opportunity should be directed to the EPA Gulf of Mexico Division at GMP-RFP@epa.gov.
Background
On November 21, 2021, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), allocating over $60 billion to the EPA to invest in clean water infrastructure. Of that $60 billion, the EPA’s Gulf of Mexico Division was appropriated $53 million over five years to develop funding opportunities for the public, with majority of the funding dedicating to activities supporting underserved communities. The new Healthy & Resilient Gulf of Mexico RFA is intended to allocate up to $30 million of this BIL funding.
The Healthy & Resilient Gulf of Mexico grants are administered by the U.S. EPA’s Gulf of Mexico Division. The Gulf of Mexico Division is a non-regulatory program of EPA founded to facilitate collaborative actions to protect, maintain, and restore the health and productivity of the Gulf of Mexico in ways consistent with the economic well-being of the region. To carry out its mission, the Gulf of Mexico Division continues to maintain and expand partnerships with state and federal agencies, federally recognized tribes, local governments and authorities, academia, regional businesses and industries, agricultural and environmental organizations, and individual citizens and communities.
For more information visit: www.epa.gov/gulfofmexico / https://youtu.be/RL10jboGfIg
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“This historic funding will bring critical health protections, progress on shoreline and wetland restoration, jobs, and economic opportunities to the communities in the Gulf who have been overburdened by pollution,” said Acting Region 4 Administrator Jeaneanne M. Gettle. “We look forward to seeing the transformative projects that will work to advance protection and restoration of this vital watershed.”
“Vulnerable Gulf Coast communities deeply understand the environmental harms they live with every day, and they are ready for solutions,” said Region 6 Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “This funding will provide investments in coastline habitats, water quality, and community resilience, thereby laying the foundation for a vital coastal ecosystem.”
The EPA plans to award approximately five grants of up to $6 million each to eligible state agencies, interstate agencies, federally recognized Indian tribes, tribal organizations, local governments, and institutions of higher learning. The application period will close on April 4, 2024, and awards are anticipated to be made in November 2024 for projects in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.
The request for applications can be found at grants,gov or www.epa.gov/gulfofmexico. Questions regarding applying for this opportunity should be directed to the EPA Gulf of Mexico Division at GMP-RFP@epa.gov.
Background
On November 21, 2021, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), allocating over $60 billion to the EPA to invest in clean water infrastructure. Of that $60 billion, the EPA’s Gulf of Mexico Division was appropriated $53 million over five years to develop funding opportunities for the public, with majority of the funding dedicating to activities supporting underserved communities. The new Healthy & Resilient Gulf of Mexico RFA is intended to allocate up to $30 million of this BIL funding.
The Healthy & Resilient Gulf of Mexico grants are administered by the U.S. EPA’s Gulf of Mexico Division. The Gulf of Mexico Division is a non-regulatory program of EPA founded to facilitate collaborative actions to protect, maintain, and restore the health and productivity of the Gulf of Mexico in ways consistent with the economic well-being of the region. To carry out its mission, the Gulf of Mexico Division continues to maintain and expand partnerships with state and federal agencies, federally recognized tribes, local governments and authorities, academia, regional businesses and industries, agricultural and environmental organizations, and individual citizens and communities.
For more information visit: www.epa.gov/gulfofmexico / https://youtu.be/RL10jboGfIg
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EPA Fines Kansas City-Based CBD American Shaman LLC for Violating Federal Pesticide Law
LENEXA, KAN. (DEC. 6, 2023) – CBD American Shaman LLC, based in Kansas City, Missouri, will pay a $120,720 civil penalty and donate $250,000 of products to a local nonprofit to settle alleged violations of federal law.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company unlawfully sold and/or distributed six antimicrobial pesticides called “Shaman Cleansing Wash” and “Shaman Cleansing Gel” without registering the products with EPA, in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.
“The registration of pesticide products with EPA is critical to protecting public health so consumers are aware of a product’s ingredients, how the product can be safely used, and how the product should be properly stored and disposed,” said David Cozad, director of EPA Region 7’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division.
CBD American Shaman’s settlement with EPA includes the donation of medical equipment, including COVID-19 tests, personal protective equipment, hand sanitizer, antiseptic wipes, masks, gloves, and thermometers, to Care Beyond the Boulevard, a Kansas City nonprofit that provides free medical services to Kansas City’s homeless and underserved populations. CBD American Shaman will donate $50,000 worth of products each year for five years.
According to EPA, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant increase in sales of unregistered pesticides.
CBD American Shaman is a wellness company specializing in cannabidiol (CBD) products with over 300 locations in 30 states. The alleged violations were observed during EPA inspections in 2021 at one of the company’s locations in Overland Park, Kansas, and at the company’s headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri.
Under federal law, it is unlawful to distribute or sell any pesticide that is not registered with EPA. An antimicrobial pesticide is a type of pesticide that is intended either to disinfect, sanitize, reduce, or mitigate growth or development of microbiological organisms.
# # #
Learn more about EPA’s air enforcement programs
Learn more about EPA Region 7
View all Region 7 news releases
Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter: @EPARegion7
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company unlawfully sold and/or distributed six antimicrobial pesticides called “Shaman Cleansing Wash” and “Shaman Cleansing Gel” without registering the products with EPA, in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.
“The registration of pesticide products with EPA is critical to protecting public health so consumers are aware of a product’s ingredients, how the product can be safely used, and how the product should be properly stored and disposed,” said David Cozad, director of EPA Region 7’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division.
CBD American Shaman’s settlement with EPA includes the donation of medical equipment, including COVID-19 tests, personal protective equipment, hand sanitizer, antiseptic wipes, masks, gloves, and thermometers, to Care Beyond the Boulevard, a Kansas City nonprofit that provides free medical services to Kansas City’s homeless and underserved populations. CBD American Shaman will donate $50,000 worth of products each year for five years.
According to EPA, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant increase in sales of unregistered pesticides.
CBD American Shaman is a wellness company specializing in cannabidiol (CBD) products with over 300 locations in 30 states. The alleged violations were observed during EPA inspections in 2021 at one of the company’s locations in Overland Park, Kansas, and at the company’s headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri.
Under federal law, it is unlawful to distribute or sell any pesticide that is not registered with EPA. An antimicrobial pesticide is a type of pesticide that is intended either to disinfect, sanitize, reduce, or mitigate growth or development of microbiological organisms.
# # #
Learn more about EPA’s air enforcement programs
Learn more about EPA Region 7
View all Region 7 news releases
Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter: @EPARegion7
Congressmen push FMC to form national advisory committee on port matters
With shippers already having a say in regulation and policy, two House members are urging maritime regulators to give marine terminal operators and public port authorities a seat at the table.
GPA lines up final funding for Northeast Georgia inland rail terminal
The Blue Ridge Connector will have 18,000 feet of working track and an annual lift capacity of up to 200,000 containers while providing shippers with an all-rail service from Savannah.
USDA Now Accepting Applications for Farm Loans Online
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched an online application for Direct Loan customers. More than 26,000 customers who submit a Direct Loan application each year can now use an online, interactive, guided application that is paperless and provides helpful features including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet and build a farm operating plan.
Xotta appointed Vancouver port chief as ambitious expansion plans loom
The long-time Vancouver Fraser Port Authority executive has helped to lead the port’s gateway infrastructure program to develop road and rail projects designed to facilitate cargo movement.