Friday, April 30, 2010

EPA Launches New Web Tools to Inform the Public About Clean Water Enforcement



Interactive Web tool allows the public to check water violations in their communities

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching a new set of web tools, data, and interactive maps to inform the public about serious Clean Water Act violations in their communities. Improving water quality is one of EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson’s priorities and in 2009, Administrator Jackson directed the agency to develop concrete steps to improve water quality, to better enforce the Clean Water Act and to use 21st Century technology to transform the collection, use and availability of EPA data. The web tools announced today is part of EPA’s Clean Water Act Action Plan to work with states in ensuring that facilities comply with standards that keep our water clean.

"EPA is taking another important step to increase transparency and keep Americans informed about the safety of their local waters," said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "Making this information more accessible and understandable empowers millions of people to press for better compliance and enforcement in their communities."

The new web page provides interactive information from EPA’s 2008 Annual Noncompliance Report, which pertains to about 40,000 permitted Clean Water Act dischargers across the country. The report lists state-by-state summary data of violations and enforcement responses taken by the states for smaller facilities. The new web page also makes it easy to compare states by compliance rates and enforcement actions taken and provides access to updated State Review Framework (SRF) reports.

Interactive Map for Clean Water Act Annual Noncompliance Report:
http://www.epa-echo.gov/echo/ancr/us/

State Review Framework: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/state/srf/index.html

Enforcement and Compliance History Online: http://www.epa-echo.gov/echo

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

News Release (Region 5) [RESEND]: EPA Announces Regional Administrator for Region 5‏


MEDIA CONTACT: Anne Rowan, 312-353-9391, rowan.anne@epa.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE No.10-OPA042

EPA Announces Regional Administrator for Region 5

Regional Agency Headquarters in Chicago
(CHICAGO - April 21, 2010) Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced President Barack Obama's selection of Susan Hedman to be the Agency's Regional Administrator for EPA's Region 5. This region encompasses Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin and 35 Tribal Nations.

"I look forward to working closely with Susan Hedman on the range of urgent environmental issues we face, in Region 5 and across the nation," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "At this moment of great challenge and even greater opportunity, I'm thrilled that Susan will be part of our leadership team at EPA. She will certainly play an instrumental role in our Agency's mission to protect our health and the environment."

Regional Administrators are responsible for managing the Agency's regional activities under the direction of the EPA Administrator. They promote state and local environmental protection efforts and serve as a liaison to state and local government officials. Regional Administrators are tasked with ensuring EPA's efforts to address the environmental crises of today are rooted in three fundamental values: science-based policies and programs, adherence to the rule of law, and transparency.

Susan Hedman has extensive experience in the environmental protection field dating back to the early 1980's when she taught environmental policy courses at Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin. Since 2005, she has served as Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's Environmental Counsel and Senior Assistant Attorney General, playing a role as chief negotiator for litigation and legislation relating to environmental protection, energy efficiency, renewable energy, carbon capture technology and associated consumer issues. Prior to that, she held numerous positions in environmental law and policy including senior policy advisor on energy and recycling at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; staff attorney for the Environmental Law and Policy Center with cases focused on facilities in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.; First Legal Officer for the United Nations Security Council team charged with analyzing environmental damage from oil fires in Kuwait; and as research director for the Center for Global Change at the University of Maryland. Dr. Hedman earned her B.A. in Politics and Government from Ripon College in Ripon, Wisconsin before earning her M.A. from the La Follette Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1979. She obtained her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1987 before earning a Ph.D. from the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies in Madison, Wisconsin two years later.

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Monday, April 19, 2010

2009-2010 College & University Green Power Challenge


UW-Oshkosh was recognized by EPA as Conference Champion for individual green power purchase.

Learn more about EPA’s Partner Initiatives:
Partner Initiatives
College & University Challenge
ABA/EPA Law Firm Climate Challenge
Throughout the 2009-10 academic year, EPA’s Green Power Partnership tracked and recognized collegiate athletic conferences with the highest combined green power purchases in the nation (More....)

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

EPA Requires Contractors to Become Lead-Safe Certified

CONTACTS: Dale Kemery kemery.dale@epa.gov 202-564-7839 202-564-4355 FOR

IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 8, 2010 Agency expects more than 125,000 contractors to be trained by April 22 deadline

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced it expects more than 125,000 renovation and remodeling contractors to be trained in lead-safe work practices by April 22, the effective date for a rule requiring such training. The agency is on target to implement the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, which will protect millions of children from lead poisoning, on April 22, 2010. “There has been tremendous progress by people working in the construction and remodeling trades to become trained in lead-safe work practices,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. “EPA has been working hard to get the word out far and wide to contractors working in older homes, schools and day care centers that this training is available to help stop lead poisoning in children. All a contractor needs to do to be certified is take a simple one-day course.”

Despite nearly 30 years of effort to reduce childhood lead exposures, a million American children are still poisoned by lead paint each year, putting them at risk for a wide range of health impacts, including lowered IQ and behavioral disorders. Some of that poisoning is a result of dust contaminated by old lead paint that is stirred up during remodeling activities. There are simple steps contractors can take during such renovations to minimize exposures to lead paint. To ensure contractors were following such procedures, the EPA finalized the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (LRRP) rule in 2008. The rule requires contractors to become trained and certified as lead-safe by EPA. Individuals take an eight-hour training course offered by private training providers to become a certified renovator. The certification is valid for five years.

To date, EPA has certified 190 training providers who have conducted more than 4,900 courses. An estimated 100,000 people in the construction and remodeling industries have been trained in lead-safe work practices. Based on current estimates, EPA expects more than 125,000 contractors to be certified by the April 22 deadline. EPA has a number of efforts under way to expedite the training and certification process. Included are a print and radio campaign to highlight the benefits of hiring lead-safe certified firms. As a result, it is expected that training capacity will continue to increase significantly as the April 22 deadline approaches. It is likely that many more contractors and renovators will seek and obtain training after the deadline.

To locate local EPA-accredited RRP training providers using EPA’s search tool: http://cfpub.epa.gov/flpp/searchrrp_training.htm Information on firm certification: http//:www.epa.gov/getleadsafe More information on EPA’s lead program: http://www.epa.gov/lead

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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

EPA Proposes Adding More Chemicals to Toxics Release Inventory List


First program chemical expansion in more than a decade

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to add 16 chemicals to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) list of reportable chemicals, the first expansion of the program in more than a decade. Established as part of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA), TRI is a publicly available EPA database that contains information on toxic chemical releases and waste management activities reported annually by certain industries as well as federal facilities. The proposal is part of Administrator Lisa P. Jackson’s ongoing efforts to provide communities with more complete information on chemicals.

EPA has concluded, based on a review of available studies, that these chemicals could cause cancer in people. The purpose of the proposed addition to TRI reporting requirements is to inform the public about chemical releases in their communities and to provide the government with information for research and potential development of regulations.

Four of the chemicals are being proposed for addition to TRI under the polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) category. The PACs category includes chemicals that are persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic (PBT) and are likely to remain in the environment for a very long time. These chemicals are not readily destroyed and may build up or accumulate in body tissue.

The TRI, established as part of the EPCRA of 1986, contains information on nearly 650 chemicals and chemical groups from about 22,000 industrial facilities in the U.S. Congress enacted EPCRA to provide the public with additional information on toxic chemicals in their communities.

EPA will accept public comments on the proposal for 60 days after it appears in the Federal Register.

For a list of the 16 chemicals: http://www.epa.gov/tri/lawsandregs/ntp_chemicals/index.html

More information on TRI: http://www.epa.gov/tri

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Contact information


Office of Safety and Loss Prevention
University of Wisconsin System Administration
(608) 262-4792
 
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