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Envirobytes - Archive
ENVIROBYTES,
A SUMMARY OF ISSUES AND EVENTS FOR WEEKS ENDING MAY 25, 2012 TO MAY 31, 2012
STATES’ FINAL PHASE II WATERSHED IMPLEMENTATION PLANS MARK
A STEP FORWARD TOWARDS IMPLEMENTING THE RESTORATION OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY
On
May 31, EPA released its evaluations of the final Phase II Watershed
Implementation Plans (WIPs) submitted by Chesapeake Bay State jurisdictions on
the steps needed to restore the highly polluted Chesapeake Bay watershed by
2025. “While significant progress continues to be made
across the watershed, the Phase II WIPs represent a transition from planning to
implementing the necessary practices at the local level,” said EPA mid-Atlantic
Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. For more information, go to https://www.epa.gov/reg3wapd/tmdl/ChesapeakeBay/EnsuringResults.html?tab2=1
EPA’S SMALL
BUSINESS PROGRAM AWARDS $2 MILLION TO SMALL BUSINESSES -- FOUR FROM THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION
On May 22, EPA’s Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program awarded $2 million to 25 businesses
to fund the development of environmentally sustainable technologies. The Phase
I awards included four winners from Region
3: Electron
Energy Corp. (Pa.), NanoSonic,
Inc. (Va.), Luna
Innovations, Inc. (Va.), and Compact
Membrane Systems, Inc. (De.). Winners can vie for Phase
II awards to market their technologies. For more information, go to https://www.epa.gov/ncer/sbir/12awards.
SKIN CANCER IS AVOIDABLE
We all know that too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays is the number-one preventable risk factor for skin cancer. EPA’s SunWise program offers good ideas, activities, and simple steps to prevent skin cancer. Among the simple steps: remember to check the UV Index, apply sunscreen, wear protective clothing, and stay in the shade as much as possible this summer. Find out about SunWise at https://www.epa.gov/sunwise.
EPA LAUNCHES COLLEGIATE COMPETITION TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
On May 16, EPA launched an infrastructure design competition (the Campus RainWorks Challenge) to encourage college and university teams to develop innovative infrastructure designs that manage stormwater - a major cause of water pollution. Registration opens Sept. 4 and ends Oct. 5. For more information, go to http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/crw_challenge.cfm.
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO
CLOSE GAPS ON ASTHMA
On May 31, EPA and other agencies unveiled their plan to ensure children with asthma from poorer areas get the proper access to health care. The action plan will improve asthma management and asthma prevention by reducing barriers to asthma care, supporting community-based asthma care systems, targeting the most impacted areas, and accelerating prevention efforts. More on the action plan: https://www.epa.gov/childrenstaskforce.
EPA HELPS NASCAR REDUCE
ITS ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT
On May 21, EPA announced an agreement between EPA and NASCAR to help reduce NASCAR’s impact on the environment. Organizations like NASCAR can use EPA’s E3 (economy, energy and environment) methods to find safer chemical products, conserve water, reduce waste, and promote recycling. For information on EPA’s pollution prevention programs, please visit epa.gov/p2.
EPA ANNOUNCES $69.3 MILLION TO CLEAN
UP CONTAMINATED SITES, REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES AND PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH
On May
24, EPA announced $69.3 million Brownfields grants to assess, clean up and revitalize
abandoned and contaminated properties. Mid-Atlantic region grantees included: Business
Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle (W. Va.), Charles Town (W. Va.), Lycoming
County (Pa.), Norristown (Pa.), North Side Industrial Development Co., Inc.
(Pa.), Northampton County (Pa.), Philadelphia Authority for Industrial
Development (Pa.), Turtle Creek Valley Council of Governments (Pa.), and Waynesboro
(Va.). For a full list, go to http://cfpub.epa.gov/bf_factsheets/.
HEALTHY
WATERS BLOG CURRENT HIGHLIGHTS:
Connecting at the Water’s Edge – Learn how you can protect and restore wetlands near you. Share your ideas at http://blog.epa.gov/healthywaters/.
Higher Education: Messaging with Green
Roofs - Green roofs have much to offer. They hold rainfall, provide
a habitat for birds and insects, and a green space for people. Share your
ideas at http://blog.epa.gov/healthywaters/.
An A+ for Water Protection – At a competition sponsored by the Schuylkill Action Network, a team of agencies committed to cleaning up and protecting the Schuylkill River and its tributaries. Check out ways you can protect your local waters. Share your ideas at http://blog.epa.gov/healthywaters/.
