EPA Seeks Nominations for Public Participation in Red Hill Community Representation Initiative
HONOLULU – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in coordination with the Department of the Navy and Defense Logistics Agency, is seeking individuals to submit self-nominations to represent their community as part of the Red Hill Community Representation Initiative (CRI). The nomination period begins Wednesday, August 23, 2023, and closes Wednesday, September 6. Members of the public who are selected to participate will meet monthly with government agencies to provide input into and exchange information on defueling, closure, and drinking water protection at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.
The 10 CRI members and alternates will be selected at a hybrid (in-person and virtual) meeting on September 16. Once the CRI is formed, members will create internal ground rules and hold their first meeting with EPA and Navy representatives in late September/early October.
As the aim of the Community Representation Initiative is to bring a diverse set of voices to the table, nominations from a broad range of community groups are encouraged. The CRI should represent, among others, military and civilian-affected communities, residents living in or displaced from impacted areas, Oʻahu residents, neighborhood board members, business leaders, educators, individuals with a historical perspective, and all generations, including kūpuna and youth. Seats on the CRI are open for affected residents (2 seats), Oʻahu residents (4 seats), Community-Based Organizations/Activists (2 seats), and those representing Native Hawaiian interests (2 seats).
Interested parties may nominate themselves by submitting their name, email, phone number, chosen affiliation, and bio on EPA's Red Hill Community Representation Initiative webpage.
For questions about the CRI formation process, please contact the Red Hill Environmental Justice Coordinator, Dominique Smith at (808) 541-2724 or RedHill@epa.gov.
For more information, please see EPA's Community Representation Initiative Summary of Scoping Process Fact Sheet.
Read the Final 2023 Consent Order and Statement of Work on EPA’s website.
Read about EPA’s work at Hawai'i's Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.
Learn more about EPA's Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on X.
The 10 CRI members and alternates will be selected at a hybrid (in-person and virtual) meeting on September 16. Once the CRI is formed, members will create internal ground rules and hold their first meeting with EPA and Navy representatives in late September/early October.
As the aim of the Community Representation Initiative is to bring a diverse set of voices to the table, nominations from a broad range of community groups are encouraged. The CRI should represent, among others, military and civilian-affected communities, residents living in or displaced from impacted areas, Oʻahu residents, neighborhood board members, business leaders, educators, individuals with a historical perspective, and all generations, including kūpuna and youth. Seats on the CRI are open for affected residents (2 seats), Oʻahu residents (4 seats), Community-Based Organizations/Activists (2 seats), and those representing Native Hawaiian interests (2 seats).
Interested parties may nominate themselves by submitting their name, email, phone number, chosen affiliation, and bio on EPA's Red Hill Community Representation Initiative webpage.
For questions about the CRI formation process, please contact the Red Hill Environmental Justice Coordinator, Dominique Smith at (808) 541-2724 or RedHill@epa.gov.
For more information, please see EPA's Community Representation Initiative Summary of Scoping Process Fact Sheet.
Read the Final 2023 Consent Order and Statement of Work on EPA’s website.
Read about EPA’s work at Hawai'i's Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.
Learn more about EPA's Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on X.
EPA Joins Minnesota Leaders to Highlight Climate Pollution Reduction Grants
Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency joined Minnesota leaders at the Metropolitan Council’s Blue Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant in Shakopee, Minnesota, to highlight how organizations in the state are using more than $4 million in federal Climate Pollution Reduction Grants to develop plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollution.
“Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, EPA is able to provide funding for large-scale greenhouse gas reduction to mitigate climate pollution at the source,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “Our partners will use this funding to reduce harmful air pollution in our most vulnerable communities, while supporting our overall greenhouse gas reduction goals.”
The CPRG planning grants will support the creation of comprehensive, innovative strategies for reducing pollution, especially for low-income and disadvantaged communities. Grant recipients include Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Metropolitan Council, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association.
“Environmental conservation is a fundamental part of Minnesota’s heritage and we need to come together to combat climate pollution,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar. “These grants will help organizations across the state continue to preserve Minnesota’s natural beauty and protect our communities for generations to come.”
“Taking action on climate is a win-win situation: it presents enormous and exciting opportunities while helping to prevent an economic, environmental and public health disaster,” said Sen. Tina Smith. “I was thrilled to hear about the grants Minnesota recently received from the Climate Pollution Reduction program. This funding, which was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, will help Minnesota build on all the great work we’re doing to cut greenhouse emissions, reduce air pollution, lower energy bills, and build out a clean energy economy. I look forward to working with state and local leaders to make sure everyone in Minnesota, especially low-income and other overburdened communities, benefits from these investments.”
“The new Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program, created when Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, helps states, local governments, and tribes reduce emissions and air pollution,” said Rep. Betty McCollum. “These investments help protect clean air for our families and give communities flexibility to tackle their most pressing needs. It takes all of us to fight climate change, and I’m proud to help bring these strategic investments to Minnesota.”
“In Minnesota, we're taking bold steps to address the climate crisis. The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants represent a milestone in our ongoing efforts to create a greener future,” said Rep. Ilhan Omar. “These grants, funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, will make a tangible impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhance the overall quality of our environment through decarbonization. As the world faces the undeniable challenges posed by climate change, the collective efforts of Minnesotan organizations, fueled by this grant, serve as a beacon of progress.”
“Our tribe is committed to being a good steward of the Earth, and we hope to build on this work as we look to a carbon-neutral future,” said Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Chairman Keith Anderson. “Climate action plans are an important step in this process. We are honored to receive this support as we plan for future generations.”
“The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program will empower cities, towns, tribal nations, low-income communities, and communities of color to chart their own course for a healthier future,” said MPCA Commissioner Katrina Kessler. “These partnerships, with support from the EPA, present an exciting opportunity for Minnesota to accomplish our climate goals and achieve the vision of Minnesota’s Climate Action Framework.”
"We at the Met Council are very grateful to the EPA for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant,” said Metropolitan Council Chair Charlie Zelle. “These flexible planning resources will increase our capacity to collaborate with partners. Together we can drive transformative, scalable decarbonization efforts, especially for the benefit of low-income and underserved communities. Our local government partners are already doing great climate work, and this will allow us to further identify strategies to impact our region sooner.”
MTERA is leveraging its collective strength to coordinate the CPRG planning deliverables for eight of our 21 Member Tribes. This is a great example of how intertribal collaboration can benefit Tribes in the Midwest,” said Charlie Lippert, Treasurer of the Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association.
Speaking as Air Quality Specialist for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Charlie Lippert added, “Mille Lacs is excited to begin our climate pollutant reduction planning activities with our two-pronged approach: as a lead agency on our Tribal lands, and as a partner agency to state and regional agencies for all other Band-owned properties.”
Through the CPRG program, EPA will support the development and deployment of technologies and solutions that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and harmful air pollution, as well as transition America to a clean energy economy that benefits all Americans. The program provides support to states, local governments, and tribes regardless of where they are in their climate planning and implementation process. Planning funds can be used to update existing climate, energy, or sustainability plans, or to develop new plans.
More information on the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants
“Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, EPA is able to provide funding for large-scale greenhouse gas reduction to mitigate climate pollution at the source,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “Our partners will use this funding to reduce harmful air pollution in our most vulnerable communities, while supporting our overall greenhouse gas reduction goals.”
The CPRG planning grants will support the creation of comprehensive, innovative strategies for reducing pollution, especially for low-income and disadvantaged communities. Grant recipients include Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Metropolitan Council, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association.
“Environmental conservation is a fundamental part of Minnesota’s heritage and we need to come together to combat climate pollution,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar. “These grants will help organizations across the state continue to preserve Minnesota’s natural beauty and protect our communities for generations to come.”
“Taking action on climate is a win-win situation: it presents enormous and exciting opportunities while helping to prevent an economic, environmental and public health disaster,” said Sen. Tina Smith. “I was thrilled to hear about the grants Minnesota recently received from the Climate Pollution Reduction program. This funding, which was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, will help Minnesota build on all the great work we’re doing to cut greenhouse emissions, reduce air pollution, lower energy bills, and build out a clean energy economy. I look forward to working with state and local leaders to make sure everyone in Minnesota, especially low-income and other overburdened communities, benefits from these investments.”
“The new Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program, created when Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, helps states, local governments, and tribes reduce emissions and air pollution,” said Rep. Betty McCollum. “These investments help protect clean air for our families and give communities flexibility to tackle their most pressing needs. It takes all of us to fight climate change, and I’m proud to help bring these strategic investments to Minnesota.”
“In Minnesota, we're taking bold steps to address the climate crisis. The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants represent a milestone in our ongoing efforts to create a greener future,” said Rep. Ilhan Omar. “These grants, funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, will make a tangible impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhance the overall quality of our environment through decarbonization. As the world faces the undeniable challenges posed by climate change, the collective efforts of Minnesotan organizations, fueled by this grant, serve as a beacon of progress.”
“Our tribe is committed to being a good steward of the Earth, and we hope to build on this work as we look to a carbon-neutral future,” said Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Chairman Keith Anderson. “Climate action plans are an important step in this process. We are honored to receive this support as we plan for future generations.”
“The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program will empower cities, towns, tribal nations, low-income communities, and communities of color to chart their own course for a healthier future,” said MPCA Commissioner Katrina Kessler. “These partnerships, with support from the EPA, present an exciting opportunity for Minnesota to accomplish our climate goals and achieve the vision of Minnesota’s Climate Action Framework.”
"We at the Met Council are very grateful to the EPA for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant,” said Metropolitan Council Chair Charlie Zelle. “These flexible planning resources will increase our capacity to collaborate with partners. Together we can drive transformative, scalable decarbonization efforts, especially for the benefit of low-income and underserved communities. Our local government partners are already doing great climate work, and this will allow us to further identify strategies to impact our region sooner.”
MTERA is leveraging its collective strength to coordinate the CPRG planning deliverables for eight of our 21 Member Tribes. This is a great example of how intertribal collaboration can benefit Tribes in the Midwest,” said Charlie Lippert, Treasurer of the Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association.
Speaking as Air Quality Specialist for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Charlie Lippert added, “Mille Lacs is excited to begin our climate pollutant reduction planning activities with our two-pronged approach: as a lead agency on our Tribal lands, and as a partner agency to state and regional agencies for all other Band-owned properties.”
Through the CPRG program, EPA will support the development and deployment of technologies and solutions that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and harmful air pollution, as well as transition America to a clean energy economy that benefits all Americans. The program provides support to states, local governments, and tribes regardless of where they are in their climate planning and implementation process. Planning funds can be used to update existing climate, energy, or sustainability plans, or to develop new plans.
More information on the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants
EPA to Hold Public Meeting Regarding Prospective Purchaser Agreement with Flint Commerce Center, LLC, for Redeveloping the Former Buick City Site in Flint, Michigan
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public meeting in Flint, Michigan, next week to explain the Prospective Purchaser Agreement, or PPA, that was negotiated with Flint Commerce Center, LLC, to community members.
Flint Commerce Center, LLC, plans to redevelop roughly 330 acres of the former Buick City manufacturing facility, located at 902 E. Leith St. in Flint, Michigan, consistent with the PPA with EPA. The agreement clarifies Flint Commerce Center, LLC’s environmental liabilities and obligations in regard to the proposed construction of buildings suitable for warehousing, distribution, and light manufacturing.
EPA will give a presentation on the PPA followed by an open question-and-answer session with members of the Michigan Department of the Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, or EGLE, in addition to representatives from Flint Commerce Center, LLC, and RACER Trust. An additional public comment period has been opened through September 13, and written comments will be accepted at the meeting.
When: August 29
Where: Hasselbring Senior Center
1002 W. Home Ave.
Flint, Mich.
Time: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
A copy of the Prospective Purchaser Agreement is available to review here.
Flint Commerce Center, LLC, plans to redevelop roughly 330 acres of the former Buick City manufacturing facility, located at 902 E. Leith St. in Flint, Michigan, consistent with the PPA with EPA. The agreement clarifies Flint Commerce Center, LLC’s environmental liabilities and obligations in regard to the proposed construction of buildings suitable for warehousing, distribution, and light manufacturing.
EPA will give a presentation on the PPA followed by an open question-and-answer session with members of the Michigan Department of the Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, or EGLE, in addition to representatives from Flint Commerce Center, LLC, and RACER Trust. An additional public comment period has been opened through September 13, and written comments will be accepted at the meeting.
When: August 29
Where: Hasselbring Senior Center
1002 W. Home Ave.
Flint, Mich.
Time: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
A copy of the Prospective Purchaser Agreement is available to review here.
Statement from EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker: EPA opens additional Butte Superfund meetings for public observation in latest step to enhance transparency
Butte, Mont. (August 23, 2023) - Earlier this year, following my fourth visit to Butte, I made a commitment to invest more in community engagement and transparency related to ongoing Superfund activity. While engagement takes time and resources to bear results, the steps we have taken over the past several months represent an unprecedented set of efforts and investments to connect with the community. Today, I am announcing that the EPA Butte Superfund team will be making additional meetings -- the Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (BPSOU) remedial action materials management meetings, remedial design and remedial action meetings, and the site-wide groundwater modeling meetings -- available for virtual observation through the end of the year. EPA will share details for each of these meetings in the Butte newsletter and on our website ahead of time. EPA staff will also continue to share information from these technical meetings at future community meetings.
I recognize that this is a critical time in implementing work under the 2020 BPSOU Consent Decree and it is important that the Butte community is included as we design key aspects of the cleanup. However, there are a lot of practical trade-offs and potential challenges that come with opening these meetings up to the public, including a risk of slowing down cleanup actions, which we know is also a priority for the community. There are also concerns about accessibility, frequency and ensuring that there are not misunderstandings resulting from complex and nuanced technical discussions. We are going to use the next four months to determine whether the benefits of opening these meetings for virtual observation are the best way to ensure that we are meeting the overall goals of the cleanup, which include both a timely cleanup and community support.
EPA will continue to be responsive to the Butte community throughout the cleanup process. Our first step to enhance transparency was bringing in more EPA staff so we could better share information and address questions and concerns from individuals across the community more effectively. I’m proud that in less than six months we’ve more than doubled EPA’s Butte site team, which has been devoted to making website improvements, developing a regular newsletter for the site, providing written explanations to outstanding questions, and helping synthesize and organize meetings involving various partners and stakeholders.
At the same time, I also directed staff to distribute clear and updated messages about key meetings and cleanup topics. In June, I traveled to Butte with EPA senior managers for meetings with Butte Silver Bow, Atlantic Richfield, Montana DEQ and the Montana Natural Resource Damage Program. Following this meeting, EPA issued a press release and a comprehensive summary of the topics discussed to make sure key information from the meeting was shared widely. Also, last week, EPA’s site team issued a position paper on a topic that has been a particular source of confusion, the proposed reuse of onsite material at the BPSOU. We will be following up on the paper with a community meeting on August 30 to get feedback and share more information. Each of these efforts reflect improved community engagement, and we will continue to develop and share this type of information as we move forward in developing remedial design and cleanup plans for specific areas of the site.
EPA is invested in completing the tasks before us. The hard-earned and widely celebrated 2020 BPSOU Consent Decree establishes a science-based framework that is guiding remaining actions to protect public health and the environment, and the resources we are now devoting to community engagement will help us work within that framework to achieve our goals in a clear and transparent manner. I look forward to the upcoming months as a time of progress as we look toward a healthy, vibrant post-Superfund future for the people of Butte.
I recognize that this is a critical time in implementing work under the 2020 BPSOU Consent Decree and it is important that the Butte community is included as we design key aspects of the cleanup. However, there are a lot of practical trade-offs and potential challenges that come with opening these meetings up to the public, including a risk of slowing down cleanup actions, which we know is also a priority for the community. There are also concerns about accessibility, frequency and ensuring that there are not misunderstandings resulting from complex and nuanced technical discussions. We are going to use the next four months to determine whether the benefits of opening these meetings for virtual observation are the best way to ensure that we are meeting the overall goals of the cleanup, which include both a timely cleanup and community support.
EPA will continue to be responsive to the Butte community throughout the cleanup process. Our first step to enhance transparency was bringing in more EPA staff so we could better share information and address questions and concerns from individuals across the community more effectively. I’m proud that in less than six months we’ve more than doubled EPA’s Butte site team, which has been devoted to making website improvements, developing a regular newsletter for the site, providing written explanations to outstanding questions, and helping synthesize and organize meetings involving various partners and stakeholders.
At the same time, I also directed staff to distribute clear and updated messages about key meetings and cleanup topics. In June, I traveled to Butte with EPA senior managers for meetings with Butte Silver Bow, Atlantic Richfield, Montana DEQ and the Montana Natural Resource Damage Program. Following this meeting, EPA issued a press release and a comprehensive summary of the topics discussed to make sure key information from the meeting was shared widely. Also, last week, EPA’s site team issued a position paper on a topic that has been a particular source of confusion, the proposed reuse of onsite material at the BPSOU. We will be following up on the paper with a community meeting on August 30 to get feedback and share more information. Each of these efforts reflect improved community engagement, and we will continue to develop and share this type of information as we move forward in developing remedial design and cleanup plans for specific areas of the site.
EPA is invested in completing the tasks before us. The hard-earned and widely celebrated 2020 BPSOU Consent Decree establishes a science-based framework that is guiding remaining actions to protect public health and the environment, and the resources we are now devoting to community engagement will help us work within that framework to achieve our goals in a clear and transparent manner. I look forward to the upcoming months as a time of progress as we look toward a healthy, vibrant post-Superfund future for the people of Butte.
Biden-Harris Administration Invests $150M to Connect Underserved and Small Acreage Forest Landowners to Emerging Climate Markets as part of Investing in America Agenda
BRUNSWICK, Ga., August 22, 2023 — Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is making $150 million from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in history, available to help underserved and small acreage forest landowners connect to emerging voluntary climate markets. These markets can provide economic opportunities for landowners and incentivize improved forest health and management.
EPA announces agreement with prospective purchaser of the former plant at the Mississippi Phosphates Corporation Superfund Site in Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula, Miss. (August 22, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) are proposing to enter into a Bona Fide Prospective Purchaser Agreement (Agreement) with Seven Seas Terminals, LLC (Seven Seas) associated with the purchase of the former plant portion of the Mississippi Phosphates Corporation (MPC) Superfund Site (Site), located at 601 Industrial Road in Pascagoula, Miss. The agreement is subject to a 30-day public comment period ending on September 20, 2023.
Seven Seas plans to purchase and redevelop the former MPC manufacturing plant area as a dry bulk storage and tank terminal operation. The demolition and construction work will require several years and is anticipated to create 25-30 jobs when complete. Under the agreement with EPA, DOJ and MDEQ, Seven Seas will conduct a Removal Action under EPA oversight that includes:
Demolition of the sulfuric acid plants;
Demolition and/or re-use of the phosphoric acid plant, diammonium phosphate (DAP) plant and two bulk storage warehouses;
Installation of an impermeable cap as a containment control for the area proposed as a tank terminal operation;
Sampling of soils under demolished structures and slabs;
Removal, treatment or containment of contaminated soils outside of the capped area; and
Payment of EPA’s oversight costs.
Seven Seas will also allow the EPA continuing access to the water treatment plant, laboratory, shops and other buildings/equipment at the plant to support EPA response actions on other portions of the Site. The agreement will provide Seven Seas with legal protections against Superfund liability for legacy contamination at the Site.
MPC manufactured DAP fertilizers at its Pascagoula facility from the late 1950s until it filed for bankruptcy in October 2014. As a result of former phosphate ore processing operations, including phosphoric and sulfuric acid plants, the soil at the Site is contaminated, primarily by heavy metals, radium-226 and low pH. Groundwater beneath the former plant contains elevated metals concentrations and low pH, generally located in the central portion of the property. The EPA placed the Site on the Superfund National Priorities List in January 2018 and is overseeing the ongoing cleanup of the Site.
The federal register notice and instructions for submitting public comments are posted at: www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/08/21/2023-17943/mississippi-phosphates-corp-superfund-site-pascagoula-mississippi-notice-of-proposed-settlement
More information about the MPC Superfund Site: www.epa.gov/superfund/ms-phosphates-corp
###
Seven Seas plans to purchase and redevelop the former MPC manufacturing plant area as a dry bulk storage and tank terminal operation. The demolition and construction work will require several years and is anticipated to create 25-30 jobs when complete. Under the agreement with EPA, DOJ and MDEQ, Seven Seas will conduct a Removal Action under EPA oversight that includes:
Demolition of the sulfuric acid plants;
Demolition and/or re-use of the phosphoric acid plant, diammonium phosphate (DAP) plant and two bulk storage warehouses;
Installation of an impermeable cap as a containment control for the area proposed as a tank terminal operation;
Sampling of soils under demolished structures and slabs;
Removal, treatment or containment of contaminated soils outside of the capped area; and
Payment of EPA’s oversight costs.
Seven Seas will also allow the EPA continuing access to the water treatment plant, laboratory, shops and other buildings/equipment at the plant to support EPA response actions on other portions of the Site. The agreement will provide Seven Seas with legal protections against Superfund liability for legacy contamination at the Site.
MPC manufactured DAP fertilizers at its Pascagoula facility from the late 1950s until it filed for bankruptcy in October 2014. As a result of former phosphate ore processing operations, including phosphoric and sulfuric acid plants, the soil at the Site is contaminated, primarily by heavy metals, radium-226 and low pH. Groundwater beneath the former plant contains elevated metals concentrations and low pH, generally located in the central portion of the property. The EPA placed the Site on the Superfund National Priorities List in January 2018 and is overseeing the ongoing cleanup of the Site.
The federal register notice and instructions for submitting public comments are posted at: www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/08/21/2023-17943/mississippi-phosphates-corp-superfund-site-pascagoula-mississippi-notice-of-proposed-settlement
More information about the MPC Superfund Site: www.epa.gov/superfund/ms-phosphates-corp
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EPA and Hershey together commit $2 Million to Land O’Lakes Member Dairy Farms in PA
WASHINGTON BORO, PA - August 22, 2023 - The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and The Hershey Company (Hershey) announced today the joint commitment of $2 million to support local dairy farmers. The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (Alliance), in collaboration with Land O’Lakes, Inc., will use funds to promote the adoption of practices that support local and regional environmental goals with dairy farmers in Land O’Lakes’ eastern region milk shed.
The Alliance, Hershey, and Land O’Lakes have been working together since 2021 on an initiative called “Sustainable Dairy PA.” The initiative takes a collaborative, industry-led, and public sector-supported approach to accelerate on-farm conservation efforts for local eastern region dairy farmers.
The $2 million in funding is part of a commitment between the EPA and Hershey. These funds, $1 million of which will be funded by the EPA and a matching $1 million of which will be committed from Hershey, will be used to support the Alliance and Land O’Lakes in implementing agricultural conservation practices on Land O’Lakes member dairy farms. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) will administer the portion of the funds provided from EPA to the Alliance.
“Dairy farmers are critical to our supply chain and our local communities,” said Leigh Horner, Chief Sustainability Officer, The Hershey Company. “We are proud to support the work of Sustainable Dairy PA and the farmers participating as they drive meaningful impact on clean water and conservation efforts to protect the Chesapeake Bay.”
As a key partner and funder in this work, EPA understands the need to support corporate initiatives like these. The Alliance has been developing agriculture supply chain programs since 2018, leveraging approximately $16M in public and private funding to assist over 150 farmers. Dairy farming is an essential component of the economy and a source of wholesome local food. Supporting farmers with funding and expertise to help them improve water quality and reduce the environmental impacts of dairy farms is essential. These practices also help improve the long-term sustainability of the farms with the goal of improving soil health and the overall efficiency of the operations.
"EPA's funding commitment to Hershey, Land O'Lakes, and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay brings $2 million of much-needed support to Pennsylvania dairy farmers to scale up conservation practices that are good for our farms, climate, local streams, and the Bay." said EPA Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. "With this funding, we are not only investing in the current environment, but into the long-term viability of Pennsylvania farmers - our frontline environmentalists."
Thanks to prior funding provided by EPA, NFWF, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the Alliance has created a model that local companies are now adopting in an effort to increase sustainability in their dairy supply chain and help bring cleaner water back to their communities.
“American farmers continually rise to the challenge of feeding a growing global population in an increasingly sustainable and efficient manner,” said Tim Leviny, Land O’Lakes Senior Vice President of Global Dairy Ingredients & International. “Collaborative initiatives like Sustainable Dairy PA provide the necessary incentives to drive voluntary practice changes that not only help contribute to the health of the planet, but also help better position farmers for success in a challenging operating environment.”
As a cooperative, and largely enabled by their ag sustainability businesses Truterra, Land O’Lakes has taken a leadership position in on-farm sustainability by helping customers achieve their environmental goals, while keeping farmer profitability at the forefront. The collaboration at the heart of this work brings significant funding, technical support, and incentives to help farmers prioritize conservation while navigating difficult dairy market conditions.
“Hershey’s, EPA’s, and Land O’Lakes’ leadership to support our Pennsylvania dairy farmers and local ecosystems is revolutionary.” said Jenna Mitchell Beckett, Agriculture Program Director at the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. “This effort is helping to create a paradigm shift in which an entire supply chain works together to support work on the ground rather than farmers being expected to carry the load alone. We believe this model is the future of how we will overcome the environmental hurdles we face.
The Alliance, Hershey, and Land O’Lakes have been working together since 2021 on an initiative called “Sustainable Dairy PA.” The initiative takes a collaborative, industry-led, and public sector-supported approach to accelerate on-farm conservation efforts for local eastern region dairy farmers.
The $2 million in funding is part of a commitment between the EPA and Hershey. These funds, $1 million of which will be funded by the EPA and a matching $1 million of which will be committed from Hershey, will be used to support the Alliance and Land O’Lakes in implementing agricultural conservation practices on Land O’Lakes member dairy farms. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) will administer the portion of the funds provided from EPA to the Alliance.
“Dairy farmers are critical to our supply chain and our local communities,” said Leigh Horner, Chief Sustainability Officer, The Hershey Company. “We are proud to support the work of Sustainable Dairy PA and the farmers participating as they drive meaningful impact on clean water and conservation efforts to protect the Chesapeake Bay.”
As a key partner and funder in this work, EPA understands the need to support corporate initiatives like these. The Alliance has been developing agriculture supply chain programs since 2018, leveraging approximately $16M in public and private funding to assist over 150 farmers. Dairy farming is an essential component of the economy and a source of wholesome local food. Supporting farmers with funding and expertise to help them improve water quality and reduce the environmental impacts of dairy farms is essential. These practices also help improve the long-term sustainability of the farms with the goal of improving soil health and the overall efficiency of the operations.
"EPA's funding commitment to Hershey, Land O'Lakes, and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay brings $2 million of much-needed support to Pennsylvania dairy farmers to scale up conservation practices that are good for our farms, climate, local streams, and the Bay." said EPA Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. "With this funding, we are not only investing in the current environment, but into the long-term viability of Pennsylvania farmers - our frontline environmentalists."
Thanks to prior funding provided by EPA, NFWF, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the Alliance has created a model that local companies are now adopting in an effort to increase sustainability in their dairy supply chain and help bring cleaner water back to their communities.
“American farmers continually rise to the challenge of feeding a growing global population in an increasingly sustainable and efficient manner,” said Tim Leviny, Land O’Lakes Senior Vice President of Global Dairy Ingredients & International. “Collaborative initiatives like Sustainable Dairy PA provide the necessary incentives to drive voluntary practice changes that not only help contribute to the health of the planet, but also help better position farmers for success in a challenging operating environment.”
As a cooperative, and largely enabled by their ag sustainability businesses Truterra, Land O’Lakes has taken a leadership position in on-farm sustainability by helping customers achieve their environmental goals, while keeping farmer profitability at the forefront. The collaboration at the heart of this work brings significant funding, technical support, and incentives to help farmers prioritize conservation while navigating difficult dairy market conditions.
“Hershey’s, EPA’s, and Land O’Lakes’ leadership to support our Pennsylvania dairy farmers and local ecosystems is revolutionary.” said Jenna Mitchell Beckett, Agriculture Program Director at the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. “This effort is helping to create a paradigm shift in which an entire supply chain works together to support work on the ground rather than farmers being expected to carry the load alone. We believe this model is the future of how we will overcome the environmental hurdles we face.
Atlantic Richfield Company Agrees to $2.2 Million Cleanup at ACM Smelter and Refinery Superfund Site in Montana
Great Falls, Mont. — Atlantic Richfield Company and ARCO Environmental Remediation, L.L.C. (collectively, Atlantic Richfield) have agreed to the cleanup of community soils—including both residential and non-residential yards and soil that may have been affected by the refinery’s operations—at the ACM Smelter and Refinery Superfund Site (Site) in Black Eagle, Montana, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today. Under the proposed consent decree, Atlantic Richfield is required to pay for past response costs and implement a multi-million-dollar cleanup for community soils at the Site.
“This proposed consent decree between the EPA and the Atlantic Richfield Company represents a new chapter in the effort to protect human health and the environment in the community of Black Eagle,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “I applaud those who worked diligently to obtain this agreement, which will address decades of soil contamination and provide a safer, more healthful environment for generations to come.”
The former copper concentrating and smelting facility, referred to as the Great Falls Refinery, operated for nearly 80 years near the unincorporated community of Black Eagle. The smelter and refinery’s operations produced large quantities of slag, tailings, flue dust and other smelter and refinery wastes containing lead, arsenic and other metals that contaminated soil, groundwater and surface water resources at the Site. EPA placed the Site on the Superfund National Priority List in March 2011.
The proposed consent decree requires Atlantic Richfield to implement remedial design and remedial action in the community soils portion of one of the Site’s three operable units, OU1, at an estimated cost of $2,286,000 and pay $464,475.12 for past response costs incurred by EPA through September 30, 2022.
“I am pleased that the EPA and the Atlantic Richfield Company have reached this agreement to clean up contamination from the decades-long operation of the former smelter and refinery in Black Eagle,” said U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich for the District of Montana. “I am hopeful that this consent decree will restore the natural resources and lead to a healthier and safer environment for the people of Great Falls.”
"This is an exciting milestone for the cleanup in Black Eagle," said Amy Steinmetz, waste management and remediation division administrator for the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). "MDEQ looks forward to working with the EPA and Atlantic Richfield, on behalf of Montanans, as the cleanup in Black Eagle and at the former smelter and refinery site move forward."
The consent decree filed today in U.S. District Court in Great Falls, Montana, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court. A copy of the consent decree is available on the Justice Department’s website.
Under Montana state law, the Department of Environmental Quality is separately required to put the proposed consent decree out for public comment, which will be available on DEQ’s website. The state’s public comment period will run concurrently with the federal public comment period.
Information about operable units, past time-critical cleanup efforts, and the Site’s history is available on the EPA Superfund site page.
“This proposed consent decree between the EPA and the Atlantic Richfield Company represents a new chapter in the effort to protect human health and the environment in the community of Black Eagle,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “I applaud those who worked diligently to obtain this agreement, which will address decades of soil contamination and provide a safer, more healthful environment for generations to come.”
The former copper concentrating and smelting facility, referred to as the Great Falls Refinery, operated for nearly 80 years near the unincorporated community of Black Eagle. The smelter and refinery’s operations produced large quantities of slag, tailings, flue dust and other smelter and refinery wastes containing lead, arsenic and other metals that contaminated soil, groundwater and surface water resources at the Site. EPA placed the Site on the Superfund National Priority List in March 2011.
The proposed consent decree requires Atlantic Richfield to implement remedial design and remedial action in the community soils portion of one of the Site’s three operable units, OU1, at an estimated cost of $2,286,000 and pay $464,475.12 for past response costs incurred by EPA through September 30, 2022.
“I am pleased that the EPA and the Atlantic Richfield Company have reached this agreement to clean up contamination from the decades-long operation of the former smelter and refinery in Black Eagle,” said U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich for the District of Montana. “I am hopeful that this consent decree will restore the natural resources and lead to a healthier and safer environment for the people of Great Falls.”
"This is an exciting milestone for the cleanup in Black Eagle," said Amy Steinmetz, waste management and remediation division administrator for the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). "MDEQ looks forward to working with the EPA and Atlantic Richfield, on behalf of Montanans, as the cleanup in Black Eagle and at the former smelter and refinery site move forward."
The consent decree filed today in U.S. District Court in Great Falls, Montana, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court. A copy of the consent decree is available on the Justice Department’s website.
Under Montana state law, the Department of Environmental Quality is separately required to put the proposed consent decree out for public comment, which will be available on DEQ’s website. The state’s public comment period will run concurrently with the federal public comment period.
Information about operable units, past time-critical cleanup efforts, and the Site’s history is available on the EPA Superfund site page.