Envirobytes - Archive

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EnviroBytes, a Summary of Issues and Events for Week Ending August 28, 2009

EPA PROHIBITS SEWAGE DISCHARGE INTO CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHEDS

EPA is prohibiting sewage discharge from vessels into the Chesapeake Bay watersheds of Broad Creek, Jackson Creek, and Fishing Bay Watersheds in Middlesex County, Va. and designating these waters as 'no discharge' zones to protect water quality and human health. There is a need for greater environmental protection than the federal standard since the watersheds are host to many human contact activities including water skiing, and swimming, as well as boating, fishing, and crabbing. The EPA action will protect the rare, threatened and endangered plant species, animals, marine mammals, sea turtles, and waterfowl dependent on good water quality for their survival. For more information, go to https://www.epa.gov/OWOW/oceans/regulatory/vessel_sewage/vsdfaq.html

CONFERENCE PROMOTES BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT TO RE-ENERGIZE WEST VIRGINIA COMMUNITIES

The fourth annual West Virginia Brownfield Conference took place on Sept. 1-2, at the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown, W.Va., hosted by Marshall University, West Virginia University and others. The conference presented attendees with the opportunities and challenges that can be mustered to revitalize local communities through the redevelopment of Brownfield properties. EPA representatives presented a grant writing workshop and participated in panel discussions with developers, regulators, and community members, providing tips and case studies on how to bring communities back to life.

SUCCESFUL EPA REGIONAL STUDENT PROGRAM GENERATES INTEREST NATIONWIDE

Due to its success as a model to others and its growth and popularity, the EPA Region 3 Student Environmental Development Program (SEDP) for middle school students will be featured at the 2009 North American Association for Environmental Education conference: "The Power of partnerships: Creative Leadership in Environmental Education" in Portland, Oregon, Oct. 7-10. SEDP continues to advance and looks forward to more growth in the coming year. For more information on the SEDP, go to https://www.epa.gov/region3/ee/sedp.htm

EPA CONDUCTS LEAD ABATEMENT TRAINING TO ENSURE LEAD-SAFE PRACTICES IN THE INDUSTRY

The regional EPA Toxics Programs Branch is busy training applicants on lead-safe practices to use when renovating pre-1978 housing and child occupied facilities which may be contaminated with lead paint. Under the new federal Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule Program of April 22, Region 3 has received applications from applicants wishing to teach others these lead-safe practices, and some have already been accredited. Other applications are currently under review and the region expects to accredit several more by the end of September. For more information on lead abatement training opportunities, go to https://www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/lp-training.htm

CAFETERIA FOOD WASTE EVADES LANDFILL; BECOMES COST EFFECTIVE FERTILIZER FOR LOCAL FARM

Representatives from EPA's regional Solid Waste program and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance Mid-Atlantic Consortium of Recycling and Economic Development Officials, met with representatives from the W. Virginia Dep't of Agriculture, the Martinsburg, W.Va. Veterans Administration Hospital and farmers to observe the process of food waste recovery from the Veterans Administration hospital's cafeteria. The cafeteria food waste is being used by a local farm as compost/fertilizer and cost-effectively replacing the farm's need for commercial fertilizers. Since April of 2009, this effort is diverting more than 3,000 lbs. of food waste from local landfills each month and will be introduced to other food waste generators.

REGION'S SOLID WASTE PROGRAM WORKS WITH PA. FARMERS TO SET UP COMPOSTING OPERATIONS

Members of EPA's Solid Waste program, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance Mid-Atlantic Consortium of Recycling and Economic Development Officials (ILSR/MACREDO) and an expert on composting food waste on farms, met with farmers and other personnel at the Snipes Farm in Morrsiville, Bucks County, Pa., (See www.snipesfarm.com to discuss the composting of farm food waste.) The farm owners are interested in expanding their composting operation to include food waste and other organics to fertilize their farms. Presently they are purchasing compost from Delaware Valley College. EPA representatives provided information on how to get started, how to work with producers of food waste and other aspects of setting up their operations. For more information, go to https://www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/solidwastecomposting.htm

EPA SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT ON NATIONAL ENFORCEMENT PRIORITIES THROUGH ONLINE FORUM

EPA has launched an online discussion forum for public input on the future priorities for EPA's national enforcement program. The public will be able to provide feedback through the EPA Web site until Dec. 1, as a forum to submit ideas for EPA to consider as a focus for new areas of enforcement. All ideas will be evaluated and considered for recommendation to the EPA administrator about the future direction of EPA's national enforcement and compliance priorities. The current enforcement priorities through 2010 focus on significant environmental problems, including pollution from stormwater runoff, air toxics, concentrated animal feeding operations, and mineral processing. For information on the enforcement priorities, go to https://www.epa.gov/compliance/data/planning/priorities/index.html

CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT CONFERENCE TO BE HELD AT IN BALTIMORE ON SEPTEMBER 11

The EPA Region 3 Children's Health Program, the agency for toxic substances/disease registry and the Mid-Atlantic Center for Children's Health and the Environment (MACCHE) are partnering with the John's Hopkins University and Bloomberg's School of Public Health to host this year's conference on Children's Health and the Environment on Sept.11 at the Mt. Washington Conference Center in Baltimore, Md. The conference will highlight policy changes regarding the healthy homes programs, the National Children's Study, reproductive outcomes, air monitoring, and schools. MACCHE is part of George Washington University whose cooperative agreement with EPA addresses issues of asthma through a comprehensive asthma management project in Washington, D.C. For more information on the conference, go to http://www.conferencealerts.com/seeconf.mv?q=ca1mh083

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