EPA to host ETO public meeting for Temple Tarrace residents
TEMPLE TARRACE, Fla. (Oct. 26, 2023) - On Thursday, November 2, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will host a public meeting to provide an update concerning measures taken to limit the release of the chemical ethylene oxide (EtO) from American Contract Systems, Inc. located at 7802 East Telecon Pkwy in Temple Terrace, FL 33637.
The American Contract Systems facility is a commercial sterilizer that EPA identified as having contributed to an elevated level of risk due to its emissions of EtO into the air.
Earlier this year, using data from operations prior to July of 2023, the EPA determined that Temple Terrace neighborhoods in the vicinity of the American Contract Systems facility may have an elevated lifetime cancer risk. The risk decreases significantly as you move away from the American Contract Systems facility.
WHAT: Temple Terrace Public Meeting on EtO
WHEN: Thursday, November 2, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET
WHERE: Hillsborough Community College
Dale Mabry Campus
Learning Resource Center, Room 106
4001 W. Tampa Bay Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33614
EPA is sharing this information because communities have a right to know about emissions that could affect their health and well-being. Please go to www.epa.gov/fl/temple-terrace-fl-american-contract-systems for more information about the meeting. A recording of the meeting will be available on this website after the meeting.
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The American Contract Systems facility is a commercial sterilizer that EPA identified as having contributed to an elevated level of risk due to its emissions of EtO into the air.
Earlier this year, using data from operations prior to July of 2023, the EPA determined that Temple Terrace neighborhoods in the vicinity of the American Contract Systems facility may have an elevated lifetime cancer risk. The risk decreases significantly as you move away from the American Contract Systems facility.
WHAT: Temple Terrace Public Meeting on EtO
WHEN: Thursday, November 2, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET
WHERE: Hillsborough Community College
Dale Mabry Campus
Learning Resource Center, Room 106
4001 W. Tampa Bay Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33614
EPA is sharing this information because communities have a right to know about emissions that could affect their health and well-being. Please go to www.epa.gov/fl/temple-terrace-fl-american-contract-systems for more information about the meeting. A recording of the meeting will be available on this website after the meeting.
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EPA Hazardous Materials Removal Work is Now 85% Complete on Maui
LĀHAINĀ, MAUI, Hawai'i – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has now removed hazardous materials from over 85 percent of the burned properties in Lāhainā, Maui – the first phase of the overall federal cleanup response to the Maui Wildfires.
EPA personnel continue to remove hazardous materials from properties and apply a soil stabilizer to the ash and debris footprint of burned buildings and vehicles. The stabilizer prevents toxic ash and debris from entering the air, nearby properties, waterways, and the ocean.
EPA’s Community Involvement Coordinators and Community Relations Specialists have received several inquiries regarding re-entry into zones with apartment buildings. Due to the amount of debris and the difficulty of entering these properties EPA personnel have yet to complete hazardous material reconnaissance or assessment of multi-family buildings.
EPA works closely with the County of Maui to coordinate EPA’s operations ahead of the County’s plans for re-entry. EPA encourages residents with questions about re-entry to contact the County of Maui.
EPA and the County of Maui are also working to identify, transport, and safely dispose of lithium-ion batteries from electric and hybrid vehicles. Fire-damaged electric and hybrid vehicle batteries need to be handled with specific care to ensure the protection of response personnel and the community.
Learn more about EPA’s work in Maui.
View EPA’s Story Map for the 2023 Maui Wildfire Response.
Visit the official County of Maui website for recovery efforts.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on X.
EPA-supervised personnel conduct household hazardous material removal.
The debris associated with apartment complexes makes it very difficult for EPA to perform hazardous materials assessment and removal.
EPA personnel continue to remove hazardous materials from properties and apply a soil stabilizer to the ash and debris footprint of burned buildings and vehicles. The stabilizer prevents toxic ash and debris from entering the air, nearby properties, waterways, and the ocean.
EPA’s Community Involvement Coordinators and Community Relations Specialists have received several inquiries regarding re-entry into zones with apartment buildings. Due to the amount of debris and the difficulty of entering these properties EPA personnel have yet to complete hazardous material reconnaissance or assessment of multi-family buildings.
EPA works closely with the County of Maui to coordinate EPA’s operations ahead of the County’s plans for re-entry. EPA encourages residents with questions about re-entry to contact the County of Maui.
EPA and the County of Maui are also working to identify, transport, and safely dispose of lithium-ion batteries from electric and hybrid vehicles. Fire-damaged electric and hybrid vehicle batteries need to be handled with specific care to ensure the protection of response personnel and the community.
Learn more about EPA’s work in Maui.
View EPA’s Story Map for the 2023 Maui Wildfire Response.
Visit the official County of Maui website for recovery efforts.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on X.
EPA-supervised personnel conduct household hazardous material removal.
The debris associated with apartment complexes makes it very difficult for EPA to perform hazardous materials assessment and removal.
Biden-Harris Administration announces $980,979 for Environmental Justice Projects in communities across Mississippi as part of investing in America agenda
JACKSON, Miss. (Oct. 26, 2023) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $980,979 to fund 2 projects in Mississippi that advance environmental justice as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The organizations, 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.
Thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in U.S. history—this funding is a part the largest investment ever announced under these two longstanding EPA programs. This is the first in a series of environmental justice grant announcements the agency will announce before the end of the year.
“No President has invested more in environmental justice than President Biden, and under his leadership we’re removing longstanding barriers and meaningfully collaborating with communities to build a healthier future for all,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Together, these community-driven projects will improve the health, equity, and resilience of communities while setting a blueprint for local solutions that can be applied across the nation.”
“Building collaborative partnerships with our stakeholders is vital to addressing local environmental and public health issues,” said Acting EPA Region 4 Administrator Jeanneane Gettle. “Environmental justice communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment will benefit greatly from these projects that promote clean air, water and climate resilience solutions, leading to healthy communities.”
“Mississippi has been marginalized for a while. The Justice40 initiative led by the Biden Administration has allowed Mississippi to build our suffering communities and promote good public health,” said U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson (MS-02). “This initiative has given Mississippi the boost it needs to make a step in the right direction.”
The grants announced today deliver on President Biden’s commitment to advance equity and justice throughout the United States. The two grant programs directly advance the President’s transformational Justice40 initiative to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving (EJCPS) Program
EPA’s EJCPS program provides financial assistance to eligible organizations working to address local environmental or public health issues in their communities. The program builds upon President Biden’s Executive Orders 13985 and 14008, creating a designation of funds exclusively for small nonprofit organizations, which are defined as having 5 or fewer full-time employees, thus ensuring that grant resources reach organizations of lower capacity that historically struggle to receive federal funding. Eleven of the organizations selected for EJCPS this year are small nonprofit organizations, receiving over $1.6 million in total.
EPA EJCPS grant selection in Mississippi include the following:
2CMississippi: Towards Sustainable, Educated and Empowered M - $482,780 - Equitable access to microparks for climate resilience through flood mitigation, education and community revitalization.
This project is a partnership effort to address climate change-induced increased risk of flooding in the absence of municipal and state investments.
Steps Coalition - $498,199 - Advancing community-led, climate resilient redevelopment in East Biloxi, Mississippi
The purpose of this project is to build capacity and technical support for sustainable, climate-smart, community-led redevelopment in East Biloxi.
Environmental Justice Government to Government (EJG2G)
EPA’s EJG2G provides funding at the state, local, territorial, and Tribal level to support government activities in partnership with community-based organizations that lead to measurable environmental or public health impacts in communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harms.
Additional Background:
From day one of his administration, President Biden has made achieving environmental justice a top priority. And in August 2022, Congress passed, and President Biden signed, the Inflation Reduction Act into law, creating the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history. EPA received $3 billion in appropriations to provide grants and technical assistance for activities advancing environmental and climate justice.
Under the Inflation Reduction Act, EPA has launched and expanded innovative programs to provide more support than ever before to communities that unjustly bear the burdens of environmental harm and pollution. This includes the $177 million for the creation of 16 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) to remove barriers to federal resources and help communities pursue funding opportunities like those made available through President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda. EPA has also launched and will award funds through the $550 million Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program before the end of 2023.
To learn more about environmental justice at EPA, visit: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice
Thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in U.S. history—this funding is a part the largest investment ever announced under these two longstanding EPA programs. This is the first in a series of environmental justice grant announcements the agency will announce before the end of the year.
“No President has invested more in environmental justice than President Biden, and under his leadership we’re removing longstanding barriers and meaningfully collaborating with communities to build a healthier future for all,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Together, these community-driven projects will improve the health, equity, and resilience of communities while setting a blueprint for local solutions that can be applied across the nation.”
“Building collaborative partnerships with our stakeholders is vital to addressing local environmental and public health issues,” said Acting EPA Region 4 Administrator Jeanneane Gettle. “Environmental justice communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment will benefit greatly from these projects that promote clean air, water and climate resilience solutions, leading to healthy communities.”
“Mississippi has been marginalized for a while. The Justice40 initiative led by the Biden Administration has allowed Mississippi to build our suffering communities and promote good public health,” said U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson (MS-02). “This initiative has given Mississippi the boost it needs to make a step in the right direction.”
The grants announced today deliver on President Biden’s commitment to advance equity and justice throughout the United States. The two grant programs directly advance the President’s transformational Justice40 initiative to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving (EJCPS) Program
EPA’s EJCPS program provides financial assistance to eligible organizations working to address local environmental or public health issues in their communities. The program builds upon President Biden’s Executive Orders 13985 and 14008, creating a designation of funds exclusively for small nonprofit organizations, which are defined as having 5 or fewer full-time employees, thus ensuring that grant resources reach organizations of lower capacity that historically struggle to receive federal funding. Eleven of the organizations selected for EJCPS this year are small nonprofit organizations, receiving over $1.6 million in total.
EPA EJCPS grant selection in Mississippi include the following:
2CMississippi: Towards Sustainable, Educated and Empowered M - $482,780 - Equitable access to microparks for climate resilience through flood mitigation, education and community revitalization.
This project is a partnership effort to address climate change-induced increased risk of flooding in the absence of municipal and state investments.
Steps Coalition - $498,199 - Advancing community-led, climate resilient redevelopment in East Biloxi, Mississippi
The purpose of this project is to build capacity and technical support for sustainable, climate-smart, community-led redevelopment in East Biloxi.
Environmental Justice Government to Government (EJG2G)
EPA’s EJG2G provides funding at the state, local, territorial, and Tribal level to support government activities in partnership with community-based organizations that lead to measurable environmental or public health impacts in communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harms.
Additional Background:
From day one of his administration, President Biden has made achieving environmental justice a top priority. And in August 2022, Congress passed, and President Biden signed, the Inflation Reduction Act into law, creating the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history. EPA received $3 billion in appropriations to provide grants and technical assistance for activities advancing environmental and climate justice.
Under the Inflation Reduction Act, EPA has launched and expanded innovative programs to provide more support than ever before to communities that unjustly bear the burdens of environmental harm and pollution. This includes the $177 million for the creation of 16 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) to remove barriers to federal resources and help communities pursue funding opportunities like those made available through President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda. EPA has also launched and will award funds through the $550 million Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program before the end of 2023.
To learn more about environmental justice at EPA, visit: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice
FY 2023 textile enforcement stats show CBP’s efforts to protect American industry
WASHINGTON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection released fiscal year 2023 textile enforcement statistics today. The data reflects robust enforcement efforts that protect American workers and legitimate importers by taking action against unlawful…
QB 24-219 2024 Mandarins/Satsumas
Commodity:
Mandarins/Satsumas, in airtight containers
Quota Period:
January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024
Opening Date:
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Restraint Level:
40,000,000 KG
HTS Numbers:
Low Rate…
Mandarins/Satsumas, in airtight containers
Quota Period:
January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024
Opening Date:
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Restraint Level:
40,000,000 KG
HTS Numbers:
Low Rate…
QB 24-304 Sugar Containing Products (17 AUSN 8)
Commodity:
Sugar-containing products provided for in chapter 17, additional U.S. Note 8
Quota Period:
October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024
Opening Date:
Tuesday, October 2, 2023
Restraint Levels
Country
Quantity
Canada…
Sugar-containing products provided for in chapter 17, additional U.S. Note 8
Quota Period:
October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024
Opening Date:
Tuesday, October 2, 2023
Restraint Levels
Country
Quantity
Canada…
QB 24-220 Olives
Commodity:
Olives as provided for in Chapter 7, additional U.S. Note 5, Chapter 20, additional Note 4, and headings in Chapter 20
Quota Period:
January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024
Opening Day:
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Restraint Level…
Olives as provided for in Chapter 7, additional U.S. Note 5, Chapter 20, additional Note 4, and headings in Chapter 20
Quota Period:
January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024
Opening Day:
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Restraint Level…
USDA Publishes New Standards for Organic Livestock and Poultry Production, Promotes More Competitive Organic Market
WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2023 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today previewed the Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards (OLPS) final rule. This new rule establishes clear, strong and consistent standards for organic livestock and poultry production, levels the playing field for organic livestock farmers, ranchers and businesses and promotes fairer, more competitive markets for their products, while providing consumers with more transparency about their purchases.