All News Releases By Date

 

1. EPA NATIONAL ACTION PLAN TO FIND SUBSTITUTES FOR ALKYL-LEAD IN AVIATION AND RACE CAR FUELS, 2. EPA AWARDS $5 MILLION FOR RESEARCH ON POLLUTION PREVENTION, 3. EPA REGULATES RECYCLING OF FERTILIZERS CONTAINING ZINC, 4. PROPOSAL TO UPDATE FEES FOR MOTOR VEHICLES AND ENGINES, 5. NEW GRANT PROGRAM ANNOUNCED TO REDUCE IDLING FROM TRUCKS AND LOCOMOTIVES, 6. CLEAN SWEEP REPORT DETAILS STATE, LOCAL EFFORTS TO DISPOSE OF PESTICIDES, 7. WHITMAN APPOINTS PLACIDO DOS SANTOS AS THE NEW GOOD NEIGHBOR ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD CHAIR, 8. THREE NEW YORK MEN PLEAD GUILTY IN ASBESTOS CASE, 9. SIXTH OF NINE DEFENDANTS PLEAS GUILTY IN NEW YORK ASBESTOS CASE, 10 FORMER VIRGINIA TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR SENTENCED TO PRISON

Release Date: 07/26/2002
Contact Information:



Press Advisory

Following are some Agency developments which may interest you. If you need more information on any of these subjects, call the appropriate contact.

EPA is announcing the availability of a final National Action Plan for alkyl-lead under the Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxics (PBT) program. PBTs are toxic chemicals that persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in food chains, thus posing risks to human health and ecosystems. Alkyl-lead compounds are one of the 12 substances on the Agency=s PBT strategy list, for which action plans are created to reduce the use of these chemicals and to develop safer alternatives. Alkyl-lead compounds are used as a fuel additive to reduce engine Aknock@ and to help lubricate internal engine components. Currently, the only significant uses for these compounds in the United States are in gasoline for general aviation (piston-engine) aircraft and racing gasoline. One key action outlined in this plan is a new voluntary effort led by the National Association for Stock Car Automobile Racing to work jointly with their primary fuel supplier to identify safer alternatives to alkyl-lead fuel additives. EPA will provide technical assistance. Work will continue with the Federal Aviation Agency and appropriate private parties to identify substitutes for alkyl-lead compounds in aviation gas.

EPA recently awarded 14 research grants totaling more than $5 million, to 12 universities to support pollution prevention, efficient resource use and sustainability. The research is targeted to develop a new generation of cleaner industrial manufacturing and processing technologies, helping companies become more competitive by lowering resource and energy needs and reducing the costs of waste and emissions control. Application of the research will also mean cleaner air and water, less solid waste in landfills and conservation of natural resources. The grants were awarded through the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program in cooperation with the National Science Foundation. The research grants have been awarded to University of California/Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Cincinnati, University of Delaware/Newark, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Illinois/Urbana, State University of New York/Buffalo, University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill, Pennsylvania State University, Princeton University, Purdue University and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. More information on these research projects and on EPA's STAR program is available at: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/recipients.display/rfa_id/222 .
EPA has announced a final rule for zinc micronutrient fertilizers made from recycled hazardous wastes. A micronutrient is an element essential to the growth of plants in very small amounts. In 1997, EPA launched a major effort to assess how hazardous wastes are used by the fertilizer industry, what types of contaminants are generally found in fertilizer products and the potential risks associated with exposure to contaminants in a wide variety of fertilizers. EPA=s study concluded that: 1) fertilizers are generally safe; 2) by volume, fertilizers made from recycled hazardous waste account for less than one-half of one percent of the total fertilizer market in the United States; and 3) nearly all fertilizers made from hazardous waste ingredients are zinc micronutrient fertilizers, which farmers have routinely blended in small amounts with other fertilizers to grow crops such as corn, rice, potatoes and fruit trees. Today=s new regulation is designed to strengthen and streamline the federal regulatory system that governs this recycling practice. The rule will reduce pollution by ensuring that all zinc fertilizers made from hazardous wastes and secondary materials are clean, high quality fertilizers. It also encourages recycling and recovery of valuable zinc resources from materials that might otherwise be disposed of in landfills. In addition, this action is designed to make industry more accountable for its recycling activities and should result in lower prices for farmers who buy quality zinc fertilizers. The rule will appear in the Federal Register. For more information, see EPA=s web site at: https://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/recycle/fertiliz/index.htm.
EPA is proposing to update certification and compliance costs to the manufacturers of on-road and non-road vehicles under the Motor Vehicle and Engine Compliance Program (MVECP). The MVECP was established in 1992 allowing EPA to recover costs associated with administering the compliance programs. The proposal will update fees to reflect increased costs of administering the compliance programs within the MVECP and will create a new fee structure for non-road engine compliance programs. The updated regulations would apply to manufacturers of light-duty vehicles and trucks such as passenger cars, light trucks and SUVs, as well as heavy-duty vehicles and engines such as buses and highway trucks and highway motorcycles. It would also apply to manufacturers of non-road vehicles and engines such as construction equipment, lawnmowers, marine vessels, off-highway motorcycles, recreational vehicles and locomotives. The cost analysis along with additional information on the proposal is available at: https://www.epa.gov/otaq/fees.htm. Written comments on the proposal are due by Oct. 19. A public hearing will be held at 10 a.m., on Sept. 19, at the Towsley Auditorium, Morris Lawrence Building, Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Mich. Request to present oral testimony must be received by Sept. 12. Send comments and requests for oral comments to: The Air Docket (No. A-2001-09), 401 M St. S.W., Room M1500, Washington, D.C. 20460.
As directed in the National Energy Policy, EPA is introducing a new grant program that will reduce air emissions and fuel consumption from trucks and locomotives throughout the United States. Applications are being requested from national, non-profit organizations that will work with private truck and/or locomotive fleets to reduce long-duration idling. This will be achieved through the advancement of idle reduction technologies, such as auxiliary power units and truck stop electrification. These technologies will allow operators to heat and cool the vehicles without turning on the engines. Each grant recipient can receive up to $200,000. The deadline for submitting an application is Sept. 23. For more information, see https://www.epa.gov/otaq/rfp.htm.

EPA has published the 2001 summary and compilation of Clean Sweep programs, conducted by states and municipalities to collect unwanted agricultural pesticides. The report, based on information received by EPA as of October 2001, is a salute to the successful contributions by states and local governments to clean up the environment and dispose of agricultural waste pesticide products. State and local governments have collected and safely disposed of more than 24 million pounds of unwanted pesticides over the past 20 years. These efforts by state and local governments are now commonly called “Clean Sweep" programs and typically focus on agricultural pesticides but may also include other pesticides used by homeowners, golf courses and highway departments. While there is no federal statutory requirement or mandate to conduct these collections, these Clean Sweep programs are state and local initiatives which are consistent with EPA's mission to protect human health and protect the environment. This report covers several aspects of Clean Sweep programs, including the lead agencies, funding sources, methods of collection and disposal and contractual issues. The report also summarizes Clean Sweep program results, including yearly totals of pesticides collected, types of pesticides collected, numbers of participants, quantities per participant and program safety records. The report is available with or without appendices including state profiles, charts, figures and tables for the Clean Sweep programs. The Clean Sweep Report 2001 is available at: www.epa.gov/oppfead1/cb/csb_page/updates/cleansweep.pdf.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman has announced the appointment of Placido dos Santos as the new Good Neighbor Environmental Board Chair. Placido is currently the Border Environmental Manager, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. His current responsibilities include supervising and coordinating the Department’s border activities among state agencies and with border communities. Santos was actively involved in the binational Border XXI Program and remains centrally involved in discussions surrounding the new binational environmental border plan being developed. Santos formerly held senior positions in the Arizona Water Resources Department and as a geologist in the United States and Chile. The Board is a federal advisory committee that advises the President and Congress on environmental infrastructure issues along the U.S. border with Mexico.

Thomas Reed, Jerry Lindquist and Sheon DiMaio, all of New York state, pleaded guilty to federal felonies arising out of the removal of asbestos. Reed, the General Manager of AAR Contractor Inc., has been charged with 14 counts, including conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization Act, the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) as well as multiple tax violations. He faces a maximum sentence of 77 years in prison and/or possible maximum fines of $3.5 million, plus restitution to victims. Reed admits he and others used illegal practices to remove asbestos while failing to notify state and federal authorities of the removals and intentionally contaminating buildings with asbestos in order to defraud owners. He also admits to intentionally leaving asbestos behind after buildings were reportedly clean, obtaining and sending customers false laboratory reports concerning asbestos tests, submitting false invoices and obstructing justice. Lindquist pleaded guilty of conspiring to violate the CAA and TSCA, while also making false statements to EPA investigators. He faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and/or up to $1 million in fines, plus restitution to victims. Di Maio pleaded guilty of conspiring to violate the CAA and TSCA and to violating the CAA. He faces a maximum sentence of years in prison and/or a $500,000 fine. Failing to properly remove and dispose of asbestos may lead to the inhalation of asbestos fibers, a cause of lung cancer, as well as a lung disease known as “asbestosis” and mesothelioma, a cancer of the chest and abdominal cavities. The case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of the Army, the U.S. Postal Service and the New York State Office of Inspector General. Investigative assistance was provided by the New York State Department of Labor, the New York State Department of Health and EPA’s National Enforcement Investigations Center. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Syracuse.

Michael Shanahan of Broadalbin, N.Y., pleaded guilty on July 18 to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the Toxic Substances Control Act and to violating the CAA. Shanahan is the sixth of nine defendants to plead guilty in a 10-year illegal asbestos removal scheme involving multiple locations and racketeering in upstate New York. He faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and/or a $500,000 fine. Failure to properly remove and dispose of asbestos can lead to the inhalation of asbestos fibers, which can cause lung cancer, a lung disease known as “asbestosis”, or mesothelioma, a cancer of the chest and abdominal cavities. The case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of the Army, the U.S. Postal Service and the New York State Office of Inspector General. Investigative assistance was provided by the New York State Department of Labor, the New York State Department of Health and EPA’s National Enforcement Investigations Center. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Syracuse.

Richard M. Anthony, formerly of Henry County, Va., was sentenced on July 10 to serve one year in prison and pay over $31,000 in restitution for violating the Clean Water Act (CWA) by discharging sewage without a permit. Anthony, who was President and owner of Sanville Utilities Inc., constructed and operated the Fairway Acres sewage treatment plant which serviced the Fairway Acres subdivision near Bassett, Va. The defendant failed in 1996 to renew the CWA discharge permit for the plant, which had a capacity of approximately 40,000 gallons per day. In 1999, the defendant failed to pay the plant’s electric bill and after repeated attempts to get Anthony to pay the bill, the electric company cut off electric power and partially-treated sewage was then discharged into Blackberry Creek. Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) subsequently determined that the creek had a fecal coliform bacteria level of 160,000 colonies which is 160 times the maximum allowable limit. Bacteria from sewage can cause infections and intestinal diseases in people who come in contact with contaminated surface waters. The case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and VDEQ. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Roanoke.

R-141 # # #