EPA Issues Air Quality Advisory for Western Washington Reservations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10, has issued an Air Quality Advisory through midnight Thursday for Indian Reservations in Western Washington due to smoke from fires in the Cascade Mountains.
Reservations included in the advisory are the Nooksak, S’Klallam, Suquamish, Nisqually, Chehalis, Squaxin, Skokomish, Puyallup, Muckleshoot, Tulalip, Stillaguamish, Sauk-Suiattle, Upper Skagit, and Lummi Reservations.
Smoke levels may be variable, so check current air quality conditions at https://fire.airnow.gov/. Take advantage of better air quality for exercise or outdoor activities. As pollution levels increase, the EPA recommends that all residents begin to restrict activity and use N95 masks. To keep levels of smoke as low as possible indoors, create a clean room. For more safety tips visit https://www.airnow.gov/wildfires/when-smoke-is-in-the-air/.
People who are at greater risk from the effects of smoke include those with heart disease or lung disease, older adults, children, and pregnant people. These sensitive groups should avoid outdoor exertion and minimize exposure to smoke as much as possible.
For current air quality advisory/burn ban status on tribal lands, please call the EPA FARR Hotline at 1-800-424-4372, or visit https://www.epa.gov/farr/burn-bans-indian-reservations-id-or-and-wa#current-bans.
For burning restrictions in areas outside reservation boundaries, please contact your local clean air agency or fire department.
For smoke and fire information in Washington visit https://enviwa.ecology.wa.gov/home/text/426#BurnBans.
Reservations included in the advisory are the Nooksak, S’Klallam, Suquamish, Nisqually, Chehalis, Squaxin, Skokomish, Puyallup, Muckleshoot, Tulalip, Stillaguamish, Sauk-Suiattle, Upper Skagit, and Lummi Reservations.
Smoke levels may be variable, so check current air quality conditions at https://fire.airnow.gov/. Take advantage of better air quality for exercise or outdoor activities. As pollution levels increase, the EPA recommends that all residents begin to restrict activity and use N95 masks. To keep levels of smoke as low as possible indoors, create a clean room. For more safety tips visit https://www.airnow.gov/wildfires/when-smoke-is-in-the-air/.
People who are at greater risk from the effects of smoke include those with heart disease or lung disease, older adults, children, and pregnant people. These sensitive groups should avoid outdoor exertion and minimize exposure to smoke as much as possible.
For current air quality advisory/burn ban status on tribal lands, please call the EPA FARR Hotline at 1-800-424-4372, or visit https://www.epa.gov/farr/burn-bans-indian-reservations-id-or-and-wa#current-bans.
For burning restrictions in areas outside reservation boundaries, please contact your local clean air agency or fire department.
For smoke and fire information in Washington visit https://enviwa.ecology.wa.gov/home/text/426#BurnBans.
EPA Extends Air Quality Advisory for Cow Creek Umpqua Reservation
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10, in coordination with the Cow Creek Umpqua Tribe, has maintained the Air Quality Advisory for the Cow Creek Umpqua Reservation through midnight Thursday due to continued smoke impacts from the Cedar Creek fire.
Smoke levels may be variable, so residents can check current air quality conditions at https://fire.airnow.gov/. As pollution levels increase, the EPA recommends that all residents begin to restrict activity and use N95 masks. To keep levels of smoke as low as possible indoors, create a clean room. For more safety tips visit https://www.airnow.gov/wildfires/when-smoke-is-in-the-air/.
People who are at greater risk from the effects of smoke include those with heart disease or lung disease, older adults, children, and pregnant people. These sensitive groups should avoid outdoor exertion and minimize exposure to smoke as much as possible.
For current air quality advisory/burn ban status on tribal lands, please call the EPA FARR Hotline at 1-800-424-4372, or visit https://www.epa.gov/farr/burn-bans-indian-reservations-id-or-and-wa#current-bans.
For burning restrictions in areas outside reservation boundaries, please contact your local clean air agency or fire department.
For smoke and fire information Oregon visit https://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/
Smoke levels may be variable, so residents can check current air quality conditions at https://fire.airnow.gov/. As pollution levels increase, the EPA recommends that all residents begin to restrict activity and use N95 masks. To keep levels of smoke as low as possible indoors, create a clean room. For more safety tips visit https://www.airnow.gov/wildfires/when-smoke-is-in-the-air/.
People who are at greater risk from the effects of smoke include those with heart disease or lung disease, older adults, children, and pregnant people. These sensitive groups should avoid outdoor exertion and minimize exposure to smoke as much as possible.
For current air quality advisory/burn ban status on tribal lands, please call the EPA FARR Hotline at 1-800-424-4372, or visit https://www.epa.gov/farr/burn-bans-indian-reservations-id-or-and-wa#current-bans.
For burning restrictions in areas outside reservation boundaries, please contact your local clean air agency or fire department.
For smoke and fire information Oregon visit https://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/
USDA Announces More Than $71 Million to Support Underserved Communities
WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today a more than $71 million investment to help underserved communities.
Funding is made possible through two key USDA programs: USDA’s 2501 Program and the American Rescue Plan Technical Assistance Investment Program. These investments are part of USDA’s commitment to take aggressive action to advance equity for all, especially for farmers and producers in underserved communities.
Funding is made possible through two key USDA programs: USDA’s 2501 Program and the American Rescue Plan Technical Assistance Investment Program. These investments are part of USDA’s commitment to take aggressive action to advance equity for all, especially for farmers and producers in underserved communities.
QB 23–334 2023 Global Refined Sugar TRQ Results
Commodity
Refined and Specialty Sugar (7,090,000 kg)
The Global Refined Sugar Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) opened on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 and over-subscribed at opening moment. The prorata percentage of 28.99093 or .2899093 was calculated via ACE…
Refined and Specialty Sugar (7,090,000 kg)
The Global Refined Sugar Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) opened on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 and over-subscribed at opening moment. The prorata percentage of 28.99093 or .2899093 was calculated via ACE…
CBP Trade-Related Federal Register Notices – 2023
Period of Admission and Extensions of Stay for Representatives of Foreign Information Media Seeking to Enter the United States; 87 FR 61959 (October 13, 2022)
Arrival Restrictions Applicable to Flights Carrying Persons Who Have Recently Traveled…
Arrival Restrictions Applicable to Flights Carrying Persons Who Have Recently Traveled…
USDA Releases Proposed Regulatory Framework to Reduce Salmonella Infections Linked to Poultry Products
WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today released a proposed regulatory framework for a new strategy to control Salmonella contamination in poultry products and reduce foodborne illnesses attributed to these products. The agency is hosting a virtual public meeting on Nov. 3, 2022, to seek input from stakeholders on the proposed framework.
Biden-Harris Administration and EPA Announce Delivery of Historic Water Infrastructure Funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Michigan
CHICAGO (October 14, 2022) — Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced more than $212 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to the state of Michigan for water infrastructure improvements.
President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocates more than $50 billion to EPA toward repairing the nation’s essential water infrastructure, in turn helping communities access clean, safe, and reliable drinking water, prevent flooding, collect and treat wastewater to protect public health, and safeguard vital waterways.
Regional Administrator Debra Shore joined White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu, Congressman Dan Kildee, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) Director Liesl Clark, and local officials at the Saginaw Water Treatment Plant to announce the funding.
"President Biden has been clear—we cannot leave any community behind as we rebuild America's infrastructure with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law," said White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu. "Because of his Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, nearly half of the additional SRF funding will now be grants or forgivable loans, making accessing these critical water resources easier for small, rural and disadvantaged communities."
“The historic investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is accelerating critical infrastructure upgrades in communities, especially those overburdened by water challenges,” said EPA Regional Administrator Debra Shore. "EPA is proud to partner with Michigan to maximize the benefits of these resources – including modernized infrastructure, lead service line replacement, and increased resiliency to climate impacts – in communities where they’re most needed.”
“In the richest country in the world, access to safe, affordable and reliable drinking water should be a right,” said Congressman Dan Kildee. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering for mid-Michigan by improving our water infrastructure, ensuring access to clean drinking water and creating thousands of good-paying union jobs. In Congress, I will continue working to bring federal resources home to mid-Michigan.”
“These projects and others like them throughout our state will help provide protections for the environment and for the 10 million Michiganders who rely on the Great Lakes system for drinking water,” said Michigan EGLE Director Liesl Clark. “It is incredibly exciting to see real progress made on modernizing water systems – particularly those that have deteriorated from decades of disinvestment.”
“The City of Saginaw is dedicated to providing safe, clean, reliable, drinking water to city residents, as well as to our 20 wholesale customer communities located in Saginaw County and portions of Bay and Tuscola Counties,” said Saginaw City Manager Tim Morales. “Our system is benefiting from federal investment and we are pleased that the infrastructure dollars announced today will support other projects throughout Michigan for years to come, greatly improving the reliability and integrity of our state’s water supply systems.”
Michigan has been awarded more than $212 million in capitalization grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law through its State Revolving Funds (SRFs) program. These grants supplement nearly $67 million in regular FY22 funding to Michigan’s SRFs program.
EPA's SRFs are part of President Biden's Justice40 initiative, which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits from certain federal programs flow to underserved communities. Furthermore, nearly half the funding available through the SRFs thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law must be grants or principal forgiveness loans that remove barriers to investing in essential water infrastructure in underserved communities across America.
Michigan has submitted and obtained EPA’s approval of their plans for use of the FY22 funding announced today. Capitalization grants will continue to be awarded, on a rolling, state-by-state basis, as more states submit applications; states will also receive awards over the course of the next four years. Once grants are awarded, state programs will begin to deliver the funds as grants and loans to communities across their state.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law presents the largest-ever funding opportunity for investing in water infrastructure. Find out more about Bipartisan Infrastructure Law programs and other programs that help communities manage their water resources on EPA's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law page.
President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocates more than $50 billion to EPA toward repairing the nation’s essential water infrastructure, in turn helping communities access clean, safe, and reliable drinking water, prevent flooding, collect and treat wastewater to protect public health, and safeguard vital waterways.
Regional Administrator Debra Shore joined White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu, Congressman Dan Kildee, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) Director Liesl Clark, and local officials at the Saginaw Water Treatment Plant to announce the funding.
"President Biden has been clear—we cannot leave any community behind as we rebuild America's infrastructure with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law," said White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu. "Because of his Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, nearly half of the additional SRF funding will now be grants or forgivable loans, making accessing these critical water resources easier for small, rural and disadvantaged communities."
“The historic investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is accelerating critical infrastructure upgrades in communities, especially those overburdened by water challenges,” said EPA Regional Administrator Debra Shore. "EPA is proud to partner with Michigan to maximize the benefits of these resources – including modernized infrastructure, lead service line replacement, and increased resiliency to climate impacts – in communities where they’re most needed.”
“In the richest country in the world, access to safe, affordable and reliable drinking water should be a right,” said Congressman Dan Kildee. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering for mid-Michigan by improving our water infrastructure, ensuring access to clean drinking water and creating thousands of good-paying union jobs. In Congress, I will continue working to bring federal resources home to mid-Michigan.”
“These projects and others like them throughout our state will help provide protections for the environment and for the 10 million Michiganders who rely on the Great Lakes system for drinking water,” said Michigan EGLE Director Liesl Clark. “It is incredibly exciting to see real progress made on modernizing water systems – particularly those that have deteriorated from decades of disinvestment.”
“The City of Saginaw is dedicated to providing safe, clean, reliable, drinking water to city residents, as well as to our 20 wholesale customer communities located in Saginaw County and portions of Bay and Tuscola Counties,” said Saginaw City Manager Tim Morales. “Our system is benefiting from federal investment and we are pleased that the infrastructure dollars announced today will support other projects throughout Michigan for years to come, greatly improving the reliability and integrity of our state’s water supply systems.”
Michigan has been awarded more than $212 million in capitalization grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law through its State Revolving Funds (SRFs) program. These grants supplement nearly $67 million in regular FY22 funding to Michigan’s SRFs program.
EPA's SRFs are part of President Biden's Justice40 initiative, which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits from certain federal programs flow to underserved communities. Furthermore, nearly half the funding available through the SRFs thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law must be grants or principal forgiveness loans that remove barriers to investing in essential water infrastructure in underserved communities across America.
Michigan has submitted and obtained EPA’s approval of their plans for use of the FY22 funding announced today. Capitalization grants will continue to be awarded, on a rolling, state-by-state basis, as more states submit applications; states will also receive awards over the course of the next four years. Once grants are awarded, state programs will begin to deliver the funds as grants and loans to communities across their state.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law presents the largest-ever funding opportunity for investing in water infrastructure. Find out more about Bipartisan Infrastructure Law programs and other programs that help communities manage their water resources on EPA's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law page.
Final Cleanup Plan for Operable Unit 2 at Kerr-McGee Navassa Superfund Site to be Discussed at Community Meeting and Drop-In Information Session, October 18
NAVASSA, N.C. (October 14, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) and the Multistate Trust will hold a community meeting and drop-in information session on Tuesday, October 18 to discuss the Record of Decision (ROD) and final cleanup plan that EPA recently issued for Operable Unit 2 (OU2) at the Kerr-McGee Chemical Corp – Navassa Superfund Site (the Site).
The OU2 ROD that EPA signed on September 28, 2022 is linked here. OU2 is the 15.6-acre area south of OU1 and north of the historical wood treating operations process area. OU2 was used for treated and untreated wood storage by Kerr-McGee and its predecessors. EPA selected Alternative 3 (Removal, On-site Reuse/Consolidation, and Off-site Disposal) as the final remedy for OU2 based in part on community input, including environmental justice considerations. The ROD presents a re-evaluation of Alternative 2 (Removal and Off-site Disposal) and Alternative 3 against the nine criteria per the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). The decisive criteria that led to the selection of Alternative 3 over Alternative 2 were Alternative 3’s short-term effectiveness, implementability, and cost effectiveness. In addition, both the State of North Carolina and community stakeholders expressed a preference for Alternative 3.
Other meeting topics will include the upcoming sampling in the marsh, Site marketing and future use, and the Moze Heritage Center land donation.
Both the community meeting and drop-in information session will be held at the Navassa Community Center at 338 Main Street. The meeting can also be joined by Zoom or phone. See the flyer attached and linked here for more information.
What:
Tuesday, October 18, 2022
Community Meeting: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. In person and virtual.
Drop-in Information Session: 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. In person only.
Where:
Navassa Community Center, 338 Main Street, Navassa, NC
Join the meeting online:
Use this Zoom link or enter tinyurl.com/NavassaMeetings into your browser window.
Join the meeting by phone:
Call (301) 715-8592. Use meeting ID 946 584 8922# and passcode 664564#.
***MEDIA AVAILABILITY RSVP***: A media availability session will be held from 5 – 5:30 p.m. Interested credentialed media should e-mail an RSVP to region4press@epa.gov. Please include your name, media affiliation and contact information.
For More Information:
Presentation from the June 13, 2022 Community Meeting
Multistate Trust website: https://navassa.greenfieldenvironmental.com
EPA website: www.epa.gov/superfund/kerr-mcgee-chemical-corp
NCDEQ website: https://deq.nc.gov
Site Background:
From 1936 to 1974, Kerr-McGee and its predecessors operated a creosote-based wood treating facility on approximately 70 acres of the ±246-acre former Kerr-McGee property on the Brunswick River at Sturgeon Creek. In 1980, Kerr-McGee decommissioned and dismantled the wood-treatment buildings and facilities.
In 2010, groundwater, soil, and sediment contamination by creosote-related chemicals led EPA to add the former Kerr-McGee property to the National Priorities List of federal Superfund sites. Site contamination does not currently threaten people living or working near the Superfund Site.
In 2005, the former Kerr-McGee property was conveyed to Tronox, a Kerr-McGee spinoff that filed for bankruptcy protection in 2009. In 2011, the Multistate Environmental Response Trust (the Multistate Trust) acquired approximately 152 acres of the former Kerr-McGee property as a court-appointed trustee as part of the Tronox bankruptcy settlement. In 2016, the Multistate Trust purchased an additional two acres.
The Multistate Trust is working with its beneficiaries—EPA and NCDEQ—on Site investigation, remediation and facilitating safe, beneficial future reuse of the ±100-acre Superfund Site. In April 2021, EPA issued a Record of Decision explaining that the selected remedy for the 20.2-acre OU1 is no action. The deletion of OU1 from EPA’s National Priorities List in September 2021 cleared the way for OU1’s future return to productive reuse.
Greenfield Environmental Multistate Trust LLC is trustee of the Multistate Trust.
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The OU2 ROD that EPA signed on September 28, 2022 is linked here. OU2 is the 15.6-acre area south of OU1 and north of the historical wood treating operations process area. OU2 was used for treated and untreated wood storage by Kerr-McGee and its predecessors. EPA selected Alternative 3 (Removal, On-site Reuse/Consolidation, and Off-site Disposal) as the final remedy for OU2 based in part on community input, including environmental justice considerations. The ROD presents a re-evaluation of Alternative 2 (Removal and Off-site Disposal) and Alternative 3 against the nine criteria per the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). The decisive criteria that led to the selection of Alternative 3 over Alternative 2 were Alternative 3’s short-term effectiveness, implementability, and cost effectiveness. In addition, both the State of North Carolina and community stakeholders expressed a preference for Alternative 3.
Other meeting topics will include the upcoming sampling in the marsh, Site marketing and future use, and the Moze Heritage Center land donation.
Both the community meeting and drop-in information session will be held at the Navassa Community Center at 338 Main Street. The meeting can also be joined by Zoom or phone. See the flyer attached and linked here for more information.
What:
Tuesday, October 18, 2022
Community Meeting: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. In person and virtual.
Drop-in Information Session: 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. In person only.
Where:
Navassa Community Center, 338 Main Street, Navassa, NC
Join the meeting online:
Use this Zoom link or enter tinyurl.com/NavassaMeetings into your browser window.
Join the meeting by phone:
Call (301) 715-8592. Use meeting ID 946 584 8922# and passcode 664564#.
***MEDIA AVAILABILITY RSVP***: A media availability session will be held from 5 – 5:30 p.m. Interested credentialed media should e-mail an RSVP to region4press@epa.gov. Please include your name, media affiliation and contact information.
For More Information:
Presentation from the June 13, 2022 Community Meeting
Multistate Trust website: https://navassa.greenfieldenvironmental.com
EPA website: www.epa.gov/superfund/kerr-mcgee-chemical-corp
NCDEQ website: https://deq.nc.gov
Site Background:
From 1936 to 1974, Kerr-McGee and its predecessors operated a creosote-based wood treating facility on approximately 70 acres of the ±246-acre former Kerr-McGee property on the Brunswick River at Sturgeon Creek. In 1980, Kerr-McGee decommissioned and dismantled the wood-treatment buildings and facilities.
In 2010, groundwater, soil, and sediment contamination by creosote-related chemicals led EPA to add the former Kerr-McGee property to the National Priorities List of federal Superfund sites. Site contamination does not currently threaten people living or working near the Superfund Site.
In 2005, the former Kerr-McGee property was conveyed to Tronox, a Kerr-McGee spinoff that filed for bankruptcy protection in 2009. In 2011, the Multistate Environmental Response Trust (the Multistate Trust) acquired approximately 152 acres of the former Kerr-McGee property as a court-appointed trustee as part of the Tronox bankruptcy settlement. In 2016, the Multistate Trust purchased an additional two acres.
The Multistate Trust is working with its beneficiaries—EPA and NCDEQ—on Site investigation, remediation and facilitating safe, beneficial future reuse of the ±100-acre Superfund Site. In April 2021, EPA issued a Record of Decision explaining that the selected remedy for the 20.2-acre OU1 is no action. The deletion of OU1 from EPA’s National Priorities List in September 2021 cleared the way for OU1’s future return to productive reuse.
Greenfield Environmental Multistate Trust LLC is trustee of the Multistate Trust.
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