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EnviroBytes, a Summary of Issues and Events for Weeks Ending July 10, 2009 and July 17, 2009

BROWNFIELD GRANT ADVANCES LEHIGH LANDING WATERFRONT REDEVELOPMENT EFFORTS

EPA awarded a $500,000 Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund grant to Lehigh County, Pa. to finance the cleanup of the Lehigh Landing Brownfield site's remaining contamination with PCBs, asbestos and petroleum and the demolition of the long defunct Calo building. These efforts will help to advance the redevelopment and revitalization of Allentown's Lehigh Landing waterfront. An EPA representative who presented the grant was interviewed by Pennsylvania's Channel 69 evening news detailing the EPA program and funding. For information on the redevelopment, go to https://www.epa.gov/reg3hscd/bf-lr/newsletter/2008-Fall/vacanthulk.html

REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY PILOT PROGRAM IMPROVES PENN STATE'S ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT

The EPA mid-Atlantic region's Sustainability Partnership Program (SPP) with Penn State University is successfully improving Penn's environmental footprint through energy savings, waste disposal, reduced water usage and other programs to lessen climate impact. This pilot program has become a model for other universities to follow. Through SPP, EPA helps its partners accomplish needed environmental improvements by providing technical support, direction and assistance in meeting their sustainability goals. For more information, go to https://www.epa.gov/region3/green For information on Penn State's program, go to http://www.psiee.psu.edu/news/2009_news/april_2009/epa_spp.asp Click here for information on the US EPA Region 3 Sustainability Partnership Program.

THREE WEST VIRGINIA SCHOOLS TO BE MONITORED FOR UNSAFE LEVELS OF INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION

The outdoor air around three West Virginia schools will be monitored for unsafe levels of toxic air pollutants as part of EPA's initiative to protect children's health in about 60 schools nationwide. EPA's air monitoring devices will be installed at Follansbee Middle School, Neale Elementary School in Vienna and the Cabell County Career Technology Center in Huntington to monitor for toxics of concern. If high levels are discovered, EPA will ensure that nearby industries are in compliance with clean air regulations and will set out to reduce high pollutant levels. All monitoring data will be posted to the EPA's new Web site on Assessing Outdoor Air Near Schools at https://www.epa.gov/schoolair/

EPA AWARDS $16.1 MILLION IN RECOVERY ACT FUNDS FOR PROJECTS TO REDUCE DIESEL EMISSIONS IN THREE STATES (PA., VA., AND MD.)

EPA awarded $16.1 million in National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program grants to seven projects in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland that excelled in reducing diesel emissions, creating jobs, and improving air quality. Region 3's winning projects are:

$4.3 million grant
To: Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Mgt. Association (MARAMA)
Project: 2009 Mid-Atlantic Diesel Reduction Campaign
(Retrofit 14 and replace six transit buses; repower 22 harbor craft; retrofit 25 dump trucks; replace six cement trucks; repower one locomotive; replace one truck.)

$3.5 million grant
To: Allegheny (Pa.) County Health Department
Project: Allegheny County Diesel
(Replace two transit buses with diesel hybrid; repower nine transit buses; retrofit 35 dump trucks; repower one locomotive; Retrofit 28 construction vehicles.)

$1.5 million grant
To: The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Project: Mother Slug Locomotive Repower
[Fund re-powering pre-1973 locomotives with a four-axle locomotive powered with an engine approaching Tier 3 emission standards (Mother) and a four-axle platform consisting of four traction motors without an engine (Slug)].

$1 million grant
To: Maryland Department of the Environment
Project: Maryland School Bus Grant Program
(Retrofit 83 cargo handling equipment and 50 drayage trucks; install idle reduction systems on seven locomotives; repower two harbor craft.)

$3.5 million grant
To: The Md. Port Administration and Md. Environmental Service
Project: Port of Baltimore Clean Diesel
(Retrofit 83 cargo handling equipment and 50 drayage trucks; install idle reduction systems on seven locomotives; repower two harbor craft.)

$1.3 million grant
To: The Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Project: Chesapeake Bay Marine Engine Repower
(Retrofitting for two education vessels, seven watermen work boats, and one tug boat operating out of Maryland and Virginia in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries).

$1 million grant
To: Virginia Clean Cities
Project: Virginia Diesel Emissions Reduction Initiative
(Retrofit 64 vehicles (transit buses, school buses, and delivery trucks) with low rolling resistance (LRR) tires, retrofit devices, or engine replacements.)

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS THRIVE AT TWO EPA SUMMER ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPS
EPA's Student Environmental Development Program (SEDP) geared for 8th graders is held for six weeks each summer in two locations to learn about environmental studies, life skills, and job skills such as computer literacy. In Philadelphia, at EPA's 1650 Arch St. office and in D.C., at the George Washington University campus, both groups of students learn to speak about the dangers of eating contaminated fish, childhood lead poisoning, asthma, pesticides, radon and other topics that benefit communities. For outdoors activities, Philadelphia students took a tour of EPA's 224'-long ship Bold to learn how scientists collect and analyze water samples, and the D.C. students visited the Anacostia Watershed Society in Maryland to learn about wetlands, watersheds and estuaries. For more information, go to https://www.epa.gov/region3/ee/sedp.htm

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