Envirobytes - Archive

Archive Information

EnviroBytes, a Summary of Issues and Events for Week Ending September 11, 2009

EPA REGION 3 LAUNCHES ELIZABETH RIVER PRIORITY PROJECT WEBPAGE

EPA Region 3's internet site has launched a Web page dedicated to the Elizabeth River Priority Project whose goal is to revitalize one of the most severely polluted rivers in the nation and protect human health and wildlife. The Web page identifies the projects and objectives to improve the river's water quality (such as reducing toxics and nutrients from storm water runoff); provides information on the various EPA programs coordinated for cleanups, pollution prevention, and wildlife habitat restoration; and will also supply information on the brownfield and superfund redevelopment/reuse programs to restore the river's environment. The Elizabeth River Priority Project webpage can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/region03/elizabethriver

MID-ATLANTIC REGION SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM FEATURED ON CHANNEL 10

On Sept. 8, NBC-10 TV's Terry Ruggles taped a feature story on the EPA Region 3 Sustainability Partnership Program which assists its partners including those who are major users of water, energy, and natural resources to improve their environmental footprint by meeting sustainability goals. The taping took place at the Keystone Industrial Port Complex (KIPC) redevelopment project (part of the former Bucks County, Pa. U.S. Steel Fairless Hills Works) and featured the developer KIPC and several of the environmentally-related businesses who are also becoming EPA sustainability partners. Some of these produce windmills, solar panel parts, and convert landfill gas to clean energy. The story is to air 9/16, 9/18 and again either 9/19 or 9/20. For more information on sustainable cleanup and redevelopment, go to EPA's website at https://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/bf-lr/sustainablereuse.htm Information on the US EPA Region 3 Sustainability Partnership Program.

EXECUTIVE ORDER RELEASES DRAFTS ON PROPOSED STRATEGIES TO ACCELERATE CHESAPEAKE BAY CLEANUP

Federal agencies have released draft reports required by the President's Executive Order on the Chesapeake Bay, including proposed strategies to accelerate cleanup of the nation's largest estuary and its vast watershed. The draft reports, including one prepared by EPA on future tools and actions to restore the bay's water quality, can be found at http://executiveorder.chesapeakebay.net The proposed actions, calling for increased accountability and performance from pollution control, habitat protection and land conservation programs at all levels of government are in response to scientific evidence that the health of the Chesapeake remains very poor despite 25 years of concerted restoration efforts. The draft reports are the first step in creating a new strategy for restoring and protecting the Chesapeake Bay and waterways in response to the Executive Order.

EPA RELEASES AIR TOXICS MONITORING DATA FOR YORK COUNTY (PA) SCHOOL

EPA has released data for one of 63 schools nationwide targeted for air toxics monitoring. The Kreutz Creek Valley Elementary School in York County, Pa.'s initial data from outdoor air toxics monitoring was released and shows that air toxics at the school, in this case, hexavalent chromium or Cr (VI) are below levels of short-term health concerns. The study is designed to determine whether long-term, not short-term, exposure poses health risks to school children and staff. Once monitoring is complete, the full set of results from all of the schools will be analyzed for potential for health concerns related to long-term exposure to these pollutants. EPA will use the data from this initiative to help determine next steps, such as additional monitoring or enforcement actions. As monitoring continues into the fall, EPA will post the data on its schools air toxics website at: https://www.epa.gov/schoolair.

EPA SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT ON STRATEGY FOR GREENER SITE CLEANUPS AND APPROACHES

EPA is seeking public comment on the Superfund Green Remediation Strategy that would make hazardous waste site cleanups greener and is outlining actions and activities to promote green remediation and reduced energy use. The strategy includes a call for EPA to implement a series of near-term program initiatives, and establish a baseline of Superfund energy usage. The public comment period is open for 60 days. In addition, EPA has developed Principles for Greener Cleanups calling for EPA's cleanup programs to use greener approaches during any phase of site work and to ensure protection of human health and the environment while reducing the environmental footprint of cleanup activities. For more information on the strategy: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/greenremediation More information on Principles for Greener Cleanups: https://www.epa.gov/oswer/greencleanups/index.html

SMART GROWTH SOLUTIONS CAN HELP COASTAL, WATERFRONT COMMUNITIES TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE AND OTHER CHALLENGES

EPA and other agencies have released a first-of-its-kind smart growth guide that will help coastal and waterfront communities tackle threats from sea level rise, stronger hurricanes, flooding and other challenges. The new interagency guide, aimed at planners, local government officials, developers, non-profit groups, and coastal and waterfront residents, includes a description of tools and techniques to apply smart growth guidelines, with case studies illustrating the guidelines in action. More than half the U.S. population lives in coastal counties and these communities will be better able to protect and restore natural buffers between their community and water; align natural hazard planning with development plans; promote waterfront revitalization, including retrofitting historic properties for new uses; and provide a variety of land and water-based options to accommodate seasonal fluctuations in transportation needs. For more information on the guide: https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/sg-coastal.htm

EPA MID-ATLANTIC POLLUTION PREVENTION ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS ANNOUNCED

EPA Region 3 received more than 60 award nominations and from them selected nine organizations and one individual for its 2009 Environmental Achievement Awards. The winners exemplify excellence in pollution prevention, and achieved sustained and measurable environmental results in reducing their environmental footprint. A special award ceremony was held on Sept. 16, at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia where NBC10 news anchor Terry Ruggles (host of the Green Scene), was keynote speaker. The following are the 2009 Environmental Achievement Award recipients: AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP (Wilmington, Del.), Cecil County Department of Public Works, Solid Waste Management (Cecil County Md.), Earth Conservancy (Ashley, Pa.), Healthy Food in Health Care (Philadelphia, Pa.), Lehigh Valley Health Network (Allentown, Pa.), National Energy Technology Laboratory (Pittsburgh, Pa.), National Security Agency (Ft. Meade, Md.), Temple University - Computer Recycle Center (Philadelphia, Pa.), The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Amy Deller Jacobs (Dover, Del.).

Note: If a link above doesn't work, please copy and paste the URL into a browser.

Envirobytes - Archive

Local Navigation