EPA Plans Sampling for Cleanup of Residential Areas at the Iron King Mine – Humboldt Smelter Superfund Site

PHOENIX – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the next step to initiate its final cleanup plan, or Record of Decision, in Dewey-Humboldt, Ariz. Soil sampling in residential yards is needed to determine where residential cleanups can occur. In March, EPA will ask property owners for access to sample their properties. Providing access will benefit owners and tenants because it will determine whether cleanup is necessary to protect health and ensure site-related contamination does not remain on their property. Samples of shallow soils will be taken and sent to a laboratory for analysis, and the EPA will contact owners to discuss property-specific cleanup plans if cleanup is necessary. The cleanup will involve removing and replacing contaminated soil with clean soil before property restoration.

EPA has already performed cleanup actions for soil in residential properties that eliminated the highest contamination levels. The agency will now perform a final cleanup action at properties aiming to reach the lower levels of contamination set out in the Iron King Mine – Humboldt Smelter Superfund Site in its plan. This action will help ensure the long-term protection of residents’ health concerning the Superfund site.

“The residential soil and mine waste cleanups, taken together, are the key elements of EPA’s final plan for protecting residents and wildlife from harmful contamination,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “EPA remains committed to finishing our cleanup efforts for the Dewey-Humboldt community and using our Superfund program in Arizona and across the nation to safeguard public health.”

The overall cleanup will also address mine and smelter waste in non-residential areas. EPA is advancing the cleanup project’s engineering design to cleanup non-residential areas using repositories – waste-holding cells that permanently seal off contamination from infiltrating water and exposing people. This design will address the extensive tailings pile at the former mine, the wastes remaining at the former smelter, tailings and contaminated soils in the Chaparral Gulch drainage, and other contamination left behind by the mine and former smelter.

For more information on the Iron King Mine – Humboldt Smelter, visit epa.gov/superfund/ironkingmine.

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region x. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and X. 

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EPA announces additional $11.5M for Superfund site in Oregon

SEATTLE — Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced more than $1 billion for cleanup projects across the country, including Oregon.  

An additional $11.5 million is now available to address the 53-acre Northwest Pipe & Casing/Hall Process Company Superfund site located in Clackamas, Oregon. The site is the source of a persistent plume of chlorinated solvent contaminated groundwater. The original cleanup plan for groundwater included a remedy that was found to be ineffective after several years of operation. In the years since the original cleanup plan, groundwater cleanup technologies have progressed and new approaches are now viable. New funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be used to support the design and implementation of one of these newer approaches, and ultimately reduce the size of the contaminated groundwater plume and the areas subject to restrictions. 

“Yesterday’s funding announcement is the latest example of how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is enabling EPA to address legacy pollution in communities across the Pacific Northwest,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller. “With this funding EPA will be able to deploy new technologies, reduce ongoing impacts to the area, and accelerate cleanup of the site.”  

“The EPA’s major investments to clean up Superfund sites across the nation—including federal funding needed to help address soil and groundwater contamination at the Northwest Pipe & Casing/Hall Process Company Superfund site in Clackamas County—is a win to protect our natural resources, community members’ health, and the local economy,” said Senator Jeff Merkley, Chairman of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which oversees annual funding for the EPA’s Superfund program. “Funding projects like these that clean up enduring pollution, advance environmental justice, and invest in the long-term health, safety, and revitalization of our communities is just what the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was intended to do.” 

Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed more than $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. In 2023, EPA continued to fund Superfund pre-construction activities such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement at double pre-Bipartisan Infrastructure Law levels. 

EPA is committed to continuing to carry out this work advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site. These investments are restoring the health and economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pervasive legacy pollution.  

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

To see a list of the 25 sites nationwide receiving funding, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage. 

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EPA Advances Climate Action in the Virgin Islands

NEW YORK – (February 29, 2024)  The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is directly investing in strategies to reduce climate pollution and build clean energy economy across the US Virgin Islands through the ground-breaking Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia joined Virgin Islands Energy Office Director Kyle D. Fleming, and others today to celebrate the official award of a half million dollars to the Virgin Islands Energy Office under EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program, a program funded through IRA. 

Earlier this year, EPA awarded a $500,000 Climate Pollution Reduction Planning Grant to the Virgin Islands Energy Office (VIEO) which will provide support for USVI’s climate planning process. VIEO will use the planning grant to design a climate action plan for USVI that may include a variety of measures to reduce GHG emissions from across key sectors. Those sectors include electricity generation, industry, transportation, buildings, agriculture/natural and working lands, and waste management. This award will help USVI identify greenhouse gas reduction opportunities and quantify the benefits of energy efficiency programs.  

“Caribbean islands have unique opportunities to tackle climate change which is why EPA is happy to be here in St. Thomas to celebrate with the Virgin Islands Energy Office receiving this planning grant,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “People living in the U.S. Virgin Islands understand the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emission sources and this funding is an important step forward in our joint efforts to reduce the impacts of climate change.   

“The Climate Pollution Reduction Planning Grant award marks a transformative step forward for the U.S. Virgin Islands in our fight against climate change. The program is not just an investment in our environment but a commitment to our future. I am immensely proud of the Virgin Islands Energy Office (VIEO) and VIEO Director Fleming for securing this planning grant, which will aid in creating a more sustainable and resilient Virgin Islands,” said Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett. 

“The US Virgin Islands are situated on the front lines of climate change and face the most immediate and severe consequences of rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and environmental degradation,” said Virgin Island Energy Office Director Kyle D. Fleming. “Strategically planning and implementing effective pollution reduction strategies is not merely an option but a critical imperative for the territory's sustainable development. Through the successful award of the CPRG planning funds, the Virgin Islands Energy Office strives to be the catalyst of safeguarding our vulnerable ecosystem while preserving our economic viability & cultural heritage for generations to come.”  

In September 2023, EPA launched a $4.6 competition for the second phase of the CPRG program, the Climate Pollution Reduction Implementation Grants. This funding can be used to implement projects and initiatives identified in the Priority Climate Action Plans (PCAP) that were developed by CPRG planning grant recipients. Approximately $300 million will be specifically reserved for Climate Pollution Reduction Implementation Grants for territories and Indian Nations. The Virgin Islands Energy Office and other territorial agencies will be eligible to receive this implementation funding because USVI has opted in to receive the planning grant. 

If you would like to learn more about the CPRG Program, please visit this webpage.  

To learn more about CPRG training, tools, and technical assistance, please visit this webpage. 

Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website. 

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EPA Opens $1.5M Grant Competition for Pollution Source Reduction Projects, Apply By April 15th

PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites eligible applicants in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, and Washington D.C. to apply for a Regional Source Reduction Assistance grant by April 15, 2024. This regional competitive grant provides awardees with up to $240,000 in funding for projects that promote practical source reduction practices, tools and training, or Pollution Prevention (P2) approaches to measurably improve the environment. 

In support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s priorities, these grants will emphasize projects that support environmental justice and prevention of greenhouse gas emissions. EPA anticipates awarding between seven and 27 awards ranging from $40,000 to $240,000. Eligible applicants include states, local, interstate, and intrastate government agencies and instrumentalities, federally recognized Tribes, inter-tribal consortia, and non-profit organizations. 

Every year, the United States produces billions of pounds of pollution and spends billions of dollars controlling this pollution. Source reduction activities can lessen exposure to toxic chemicals, conserve natural resources, and reduce financial costs for businesses, particularly waste management, and cleanup. 

The agency is particularly interested in receiving applications for projects in that result in reduced generation and use of hazardous materials, projects that address reducing use of natural resources such as energy or water, and projects that support underserved communities. All projects must take place within the geographic boundaries of one of EPA Regions 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10.  

EPA may make additional awards under this solicitation if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Applications require a cost share or match of 5% of the federal funds requested. 
 

For more information or to apply, visit www.grants.gov and go to Funding Opportunity Announcement EPA-REGIONS-LCRD-2024-01. 

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Biden-Harris Administration announces new cleanup project in Texas as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda

DALLAS, TEXAS (February 28, 2024) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a site in Happy, Texas, will receive several million dollars from the third and final wave of more than $1 billion for cleanup projects across the country as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The new funding will go toward the North East 2nd Street National Priorities List site to install a system to remove contamination from the Ogallala Aquifer.

“After three rounds of investments, EPA is delivering on President Biden’s full promise to invest in cleaning up America’s most contaminated Superfund sites,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “This final round of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has made it possible for EPA to initiate clean ups at every single Superfund site where construction work is ready to begin. This is an incredible milestone in our efforts to clean up and protect communities, deliver local jobs, enhance economic activity, and improve people’s lives for years to come.”

“Funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is benefiting communities around the country, and now the community of Happy, Texas, will see progress on the North East 2^nd Street cleanup site,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “Installing the groundwater treatment system will also help restore and protect the Ogallala Aquifer, one of Texas’s most important water resources.”

Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, the cleanup project at the North East 2^nd Street site will start. The new funding will be used to construct a pump-and-treat system to clean up contaminated groundwater in the Ogallala Aquifer, identified as a major aquifer in Texas. The site, near homes and schools, is a former grain storage facility that was destroyed by an explosion and fire in 1962. Firefighting activities released carbon tetrachloride (CTC), which can cause liver and kidney damage. Other contaminants found at the site include 1,2-dibromethane (EDB), 1,2-dichloroethane (DCA) and chloroform.

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills and mining, and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas.

This investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed more than $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. Thanks to President Biden’s commitment to addressing legacy pollution and improving public health, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

EPA is committed to continuing to carry out this work advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site. These investments are restoring the health and economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.

The historic investment made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law strengthens every part of the Superfund program, making a dramatic difference in EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment. In addition to funding cleanup construction work, the investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and to ensure communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2023, EPA continued to fund Superfund pre-construction activities such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement at double pre-Bipartisan Infrastructure Law levels.

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERLCA), known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, please visit our webpage.

To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.

For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, visit EPA’s Superfund website.  

Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage.

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La EPA anuncia fondos de la Ley Bipartidista de Infraestructura para limpieza en el Lugar Superfondo de Scorpio Recycling en Puerto Rico

NUEVA YORK - La Agencia Federal de Protección Ambiental de los Estados Unidos (USEPA) anunció hoy que el lugar Superfondo Scorpio Recycling, Inc. en Toa Baja, Puerto Rico se encuentra entre más de 100 lugares en todo el país que reciben más de mil millones de dólares para proyectos de limpieza como parte de la “Investing in America” del presidente Biden. Estos fondos son posibles gracias a la Ley Bipartidista de Infraestructura (BIL, por sus siglas en inglés) del presidente y lanzará nuevos proyectos de limpieza en 25 lugares Superfondo, continuando con otras limpiezas en más de 85 lugares Superfondo.

Existen miles de lugares contaminados en todo el país debido a que desechos peligrosos se vierten, se dejan a la intemperie o se manejan de otros modos indebidos. Estos lugares pueden incluir sustancias químicas tóxicas de instalaciones manufactureras, instalaciones procesadoras, rellenos sanitarios y minería, con el potencial de perjudicar la salud y el bienestar de las comunidades locales en áreas urbanas y rurales. Más de uno de cada cuatro estadounidenses negros e hispanos viven dentro de un radio de tres millas de un lugar Superfondo. 

“La gente que vive en Puerto Rico ha visto directamente lo transformador que puede ser el programa Superfondo para las comunidades”, señaló Lisa F. García, administradora regional de la EPA.  “Esta inversión en Estados Unidos y en Puerto Rico se basa en el progreso histórico que ya hemos logrado en años recientes para asegurar que las comunidades que viven cerca de los lugares contaminados, de manera seriamente descontrolada, o abandonados reciban las protecciones que merecen.”

“La Administración Biden-Harris sigue demostrando su firme apoyo a Puerto Rico en nuestros esfuerzos colaborativos para la protección de los recursos naturales en la Isla. Luego del anuncio de la semana pasada sobre la asignación de $63.3 millones para el trabajo en nuestra infraestructura de agua potable, hoy nos place anunciar otra asignación para la limpieza localizada en el área de la antigua instalación Scorpio Recycling, Inc., perteneciente al listado del Programa Superfondo. Esa área, la cual fue una planta de reciclaje de metales en Toa Baja hasta el 2010, es uno de los más de 100 lugares en toda la Nación que recibirán fondos de los más de $1,000 millones del BIL. Los $3.1 millones que la EPA destinó para Puerto Rico se utilizarán para rectificar la contaminación y continuar la limpieza en esta última etapa de la obra. Nuevamente, queda demostrado que las acciones hablan más que las palabras, y mi administración continuará trabajando con el gobierno federal para proteger nuestro medioambiente y la salud de todos los ciudadanos que residen en Puerto Rico,” destacó el gobernador Pedro R. Pierluisi.

El lugar de Scorpio Recycling Inc. en Toa Baja, Puerto Rico era una instalación de reciclaje de metales de 6 cuerdas que compraba todo tipo de metal y lo vendía a fundidoras en los Estados Unidos, Brasil, España y Japón. La instalación comenzó sus operaciones en 1972. El lugar era mal administrador, y contaminaron el suelo con ácidos, plomo y otros metales. La EPA remedió los riesgos inmediatos al excavar y eliminar armazones de baterías y escombros, y estabilizar la contaminación en partes del lugar tratando el suelo con fosfato trisódico como medida provisoria de mitigación destinada a inmovilizar el plomo.

Los fondos del BIL de la EPA se utilizarán para instalar una cubierta de grava en un área industrial y una cubierta de tierra en un área de conservación del lugar.  Este trabajo se estima que tendrá un costo de $3.1 millones y será el último trabajo planificado para remediar la contaminación en este lugar. Se espera que el trabajo termine en 2028.

Dicha inversión es la última oleada de fondos de los $3,500 millones asignados por BIL del presidente Biden para trabajos de limpieza de Superfondo. Hasta ahora, la EPA ha desplegado más de $2 mil millones para actividades de limpieza en más de 150 lugares Superfondo en la Lista Nacional de Prioridades. Gracias al compromiso del presidente Biden para atender la contaminación existente y mejorar la salud pública, la EPA ha podido aportar todos estos fondos para trabajo de limpieza en los últimos dos años; tal como lo hizo en los últimos cinco años gracias a la Iniciativa Justice40 del presidente Biden. La iniciativa Justice40 fijó una meta de aportar el 40% de los beneficios generales de ciertas inversiones federales a comunidades desventajadas que se encuentran marginadas por la escasa inversión y sobrecargadas por la contaminación.

La EPA está comprometida a avanzar la justicia ambiental e incorporar consideraciones de equidad en todos los aspectos del proceso de limpieza de lugares Superfondo.  A la fecha, casi el 80% de los fondos del BIL se ha destinado a lugares en comunidades con posibles casos de justicia ambiental. De los 25 lugares que recibirán fondos para nuevos proyectos de limpieza, más del 75% están en comunidades con preocupaciones potenciales de justicia ambiental según datos de EJSCREEN.

La agenda Invest in America del presidente Biden procura restaurar la salud y la vitalidad económica de comunidades que han estado expuestas a una contaminación existente generalizada. La inversión histórica efectuada por el BIL fortalece cada parte del programa Superfondo, haciendo una diferencia enorme en la capacidad de la EPA para enfrentar amenazas a la salud humana y el medioambiente. Además de financiar obras de construcción para limpieza, la inversión permite que la EPA aumente los fondos y acelere trabajo esencial necesario para preparar los lugares para la construcción y asegurar que las comunidades participen de manera significativa en el proceso de limpieza. En 2023, la EPA costeó y duplicó las actividades de Superfondo previas a la etapa construcción, tales como investigaciones de remedios, estudios de viabilidad, diseños de remedio y participación comunitaria gracias al BIL.

En 1980, el Congreso promulgó la Ley de Responsabilidad, Compensación y Recuperación Ambiental (CERCLA), conocida como Superfondo. La ley dio a la EPA la autoridad y los fondos para responsabilizar a quienes causen la contaminación y que estos limpien los lugares más contaminados en todo el país. Cuando no se encuentra ninguna parte responsable viable o si esta no puede costear la limpieza, la EPA interviene para atender los riesgos inmediatos a la salud humana y al medioambiente usando fondos asignados por el Congreso, como el financiamiento provisto por el BIL.

Para ver una lista de los 25 lugares que recibirán fondos para nuevos proyectos de limpieza, visite: https://www.epa.gov/Superfondo/Superfondo-sites-new-construction-projects-receive-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

Para ver hitos de los primeros dos años de la Ley Bipartidista de Infraestructura en los lugares Superfondo, visite el lugar web de la EPA Limpieza de lugares Superfondo: Hitos de los fondos de la Ley Bipartidista de Infraestructura.

Para obtener más detalles sobre el programa Superfondo de la EPA, visite el lugar web Superfondo de la EPA.

Siga a la Región 2 de la EPA en X y visite nuestra página en Facebook. Para obtener más información sobre la Región 2 de la EPA, visite nuestro lugar web.

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EPA Announces Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funds for Cleanup at Scorpio Recycling Superfund Site in Puerto Rico

NEW YORK (February 27, 2024) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the Scorpio Recycling, Inc. Superfund site in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico is among the over 100 sites across the country getting more than $1 billion for cleanup projects as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This funding is made possible by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will launch new cleanup projects at 25 Superfund sites and continue other cleanups at over 85 Superfund sites.  

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills and mining, and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site.  

"People living in Puerto Rico have seen firsthand how transformative the Superfund program can be for communities,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia.  “This investment in America and in Puerto Rico builds on the historic progress we have already made in recent years to ensure that communities living near the most serious uncontrolled, or abandoned contaminated sites get the protections they deserve.”   

“The Biden-Harris Administration continues its steadfast support for Puerto Rico in our collaborative efforts to protect our natural resources. Following last week’s announcement of $63.3 million from the EPA for water resources and infrastructure work, today we are pleased to announce another allocation for cleanup at the Scorpio Recycling, Inc Superfund site.  This area, which was a metal recycling facility until 2010 in Toa Baja, is one of the 100 sites across the Nation that will receive more than $1 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The $3.1 million that EPA is allocating to Puerto Rico will be used to further the cleaning efforts and address contamination at the site. Once again, actions speak louder than words, and my administration will continue working with the federal government to protect our environment and the health of all American citizens living in Puerto Rico, “said Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi.

The Scorpio Recycling Inc. site in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico was a 6-acre metal recycling facility that bought all types of metal and sold it to foundries in the United States, Brazil, Spain and Japan. The facility began operating in 1972. The site was poorly operated, and the soil became contaminated with acids, lead and other metals. EPA has addressed the immediate risks by excavating and removing battery casings, miscellaneous debris, and stabilized soil contamination on portions of the site by treating the soil with trisodium phosphate as a temporary mitigation measure to immobilize the lead. 

EPA BIL funding will be used to install a gravel cover in an industrial area and soil cover in a conservation area of the site.  This work which has an estimated value of $3.1 million and will be the last work planned to address contamination at this site. The work is expected to be fully completed in 2028. 

Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed more than $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites.  

Thanks President Biden’s commitment to addressing legacy pollution and improving public health, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. 

EPA is committed to advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process.  Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN. 

President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is restoring the health and economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. The historic investment made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law strengthens every part of the Superfund program, making a dramatic difference in EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment. In addition to funding cleanup construction work, the investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and to ensure communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2023, EPA continued to fund Superfund pre-construction activities such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement at double pre-Bipartisan Infrastructure Law levels. 

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERLCA), known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage.

To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.

For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, visit EPA’s Superfund website. 

Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.  

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EPA announces new cleanup projects in California as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda

San Francisco, CA— Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a third and final wave of more than $1 billion for cleanup projects nationwide at over 100 Superfund sites as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This funding is made possible by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will launch new cleanup projects at 25 Superfund sites nationwide, including California’s Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine in Clearlake Oaks, Lava Cap Mine in Nevada City, and Southern Avenue Industrial Area in South Gate.

“Thanks to unprecedented funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is delivering significant investment to achieving the goal of long-term protection for communities living closest to contaminated sites,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “With our Superfund cleanups, we are taking firm action to protect the health, safety, and environment of communities throughout California and the Pacific Southwest.”

“Californians shouldn’t have to worry about the safety of their drinking water, soil, or food supply, but residents near mining and manufacturing sites face significant health risks,” said U.S. Senator Alex Padilla. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, millions of dollars are coming to California to help clean up hazardous waste in these communities — and I will keep fighting to hold polluters responsible so that taxpayers aren’t footing the bill for cleanups.”

“The EPA’s announcement today is wonderful news for communities that have been impacted by Superfund sites,” said U.S Representative Nanette Barragán (CA-44). “In my district in Southern California, the contaminated Southern Avenue Industrial Area in South Gate has been on the Superfund Program’s National Priorities list for over a decade. Today’s funding announcement is the first step to cleaning up and improving this site. The Infrastructure and Jobs Act that I voted for and President Biden signed into law will continue to help clean up these toxic Superfund sites that contaminate soil and groundwater in frontline communities.”

Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding announced today, three new cleanup projects in California will start.

Today’s announcement will fund mining waste cleanup at the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine site in Clearlake Oaks, located on Elem Colony of Pomo Indians land. This cleanup will help protect nearby residential areas, safeguard residents’ long-term safety and health and make on-site mine areas safe for limited use by Elem Indian Colony residents for hunting, fishing, foraging, and transit to nearby lands. The site was mined intermittently for sulfur and mercury between 1865 and 1957 and now contains about 2.5 million cubic yards of mine waste, which stretches along 1,300 feet of shoreline in the Oaks Arm area of Clear Lake. Mine waste at the site has contaminated soils, surface water, and groundwater and has left mercury in sediments at the bottom of Clear Lake that have built up in fish.

At the Lava Cap Mine site in Nevada City, California, funding will be used to construct a wetland treatment plant to treat water discharging from the former mine area. The chemicals of concern at this site are arsenic, manganese, and iron. Arsenic is a known carcinogen. Iron and manganese are not considered risks to human health but can cause taste, odor, color, and staining problems when carried in water. The treatment plant will use processes, including metal precipitation, settling ponds, and lime addition, before downstream discharge. Lava Cap is a 33-acre former gold and silver mine just east of Grass Valley, California, operated from 1861 to 1943.

Finally, cleanup will begin at the Southern Avenue Industrial Area site in South Gate, where approximately 1,400 cubic yards of contaminated soil pollute the soil and groundwater. For decades, the now sectioned-off parking lot served as the site of an industrial facility for hot-melt carpet adhesive tape, contaminating the nearby soil with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like lead and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These VOCs linger in the soil to this day. Cleanup will prevent future VOC exposure, which can cause a variety of health effects including: eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches and loss of coordination; nausea; and damage to the liver, kidneys, or central nervous system. Some VOCs are suspected or proven carcinogens. PCBs exposure can alter thyroid and reproductive function and increase the risk of developing cardiovascular and liver disease and diabetes.

In addition to the new cleanup projects, this investment supports the continued operation of a cleanup effort initially funded by prior Bipartisan Infrastructure Law –investment at the Argonaut Mine Superfund site in California.

At the Argonaut Mine site in Jackson, California, mining operations occurred from the 1850s to 1942. Portions of the site's soil still have high levels of arsenic, lead, mercury, and other metals and remain off-limits to the public. Since 2013, EPA has been working to understand and address the contamination at the site, removing the soil from a nearby lot and several residential yards in 2013 and removing soil in addition to capping a slope at Jackson Junior High School in 2015. Thanks to earlier funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA undertook a short-term cleanup known as a Removal Action at Argonaut from June 1, 2022, to November 2023. This removal action addressed the highest concentrations of contamination, which posed a risk to nearby community members if they accessed the site.  That prior cleanup cost approximately $25 million and moved 130,000 cubic yards of mine waste and contaminated soil/bedrock. The area of work covered 28 acres and consolidated all tailings and contaminated soil into a landfill on top of existing tailings and was capped with layers of clay, rodent barrier (gravel or stainless-steel wool), and composted soil that is 3.5 feet thick. Other areas not part of the landfill were also capped to prevent water percolation into the subsurface and as a barrier to remaining place waste.

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas.

Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed over $2 billion for cleanup activities at over 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

EPA is committed to continuing this work, advancing environmental justice, and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site. These investments are restoring the health and economic vitality of communities exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.

To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage.

To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and X.

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EPA announces new cleanup projects in Arizona as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda

San Francisco, CA— Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a third and final wave of more than $1 billion for cleanup projects at over 100 Superfund sites nationwide as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This funding is made possible by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will launch new cleanup projects at 25 Superfund sites nationwide, including Arizona’s Iron King Mine – Humboldt Smelter Superfund Site in Dewey-Humbolt.

“Thanks to unprecedented funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is delivering significant investment to achieving the goal of long-term protection for communities living closest to contaminated sites,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “With our Superfund cleanups we are taking firm action to protect the health, safety, and environment of communities throughout Arizona and the Pacific Southwest.”

“Our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to address critical needs in Arizona, including by making investments to protect public health and the environment,” said U.S. Senator Mark Kelly. “When we were negotiating the infrastructure law, one of my priorities was addressing the cleanup of abandoned mine sites in my state. This is going to protect Yavapai County residents from waste and contamination.”

“The historic investment I secured from my bipartisan infrastructure law will clean up the hazardous waste impacting the Dewey-Humboldt community – ensuring our state remains a safe, healthy place to call home for generations to come,” said U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will enable the EPA to fund further cleanup at the Iron King Mine – Humboldt Smelter Superfund Site in Dewey-Humbolt, Arizona. This funding is crucial to safeguard the community from mining and smelting waste by supporting the cleanup of additional residential properties and permanently consolidating the contaminated waste on-site. The Iron King Mine operated from the early 1900s to 1970, leaving behind four million cubic yards of mine tailings and approximately one million cubic yards of waste rock and contaminated soils. Some of the tailings at the site are still exposed and susceptible to erosion. The smelter operated from the late 1800s to about 1937, leaving behind over 750,000 cubic yards of mine tailings, waste dross, slag, and contaminated soils. The site's mine tailings contain high levels of arsenic and lead, with arsenic being a known carcinogen and lead exposure causing damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development in children, learning and behavior problems, and hearing and speech problems.

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas.

Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed over $2 billion for cleanup activities at over 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

EPA is committed to continuing this work, advancing environmental justice, and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site. These investments are restoring the health and economic vitality of communities exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.

To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage.

To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and X.

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Biden-Harris Administration announces over $1 billion to start new cleanup projects and continue work at 100 Superfund sites across the country

WASHINGTON  — Today, Feb. 27, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a third and final wave of more than $1 billion for cleanup projects at more than 100 Superfund sites across the country as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This funding is made possible by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will launch new cleanup projects at 25 Superfund sites and continue other cleanups at over 85 Superfund sites.

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills and mining, and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site.

Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed more than $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. Thanks to President Biden’s commitment to addressing legacy pollution and improving public health, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

“After three rounds of investments, EPA is delivering on President Biden’s full promise to invest in cleaning up America’s most contaminated Superfund sites,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “This final round of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has made it possible for EPA to initiate clean ups at every single Superfund site where construction work is ready to begin. This is an incredible milestone in our efforts to clean up and protect communities, deliver local jobs, enhance economic activity, and improve people’s lives for years to come.”

“Every American deserves clean air to breathe and access to clean land and water, no matter their zip code. That’s why as Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, I worked tirelessly with my colleagues on and off the committee to craft the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which included billions of dollars for the Superfund program,” said Senator Tom Carper, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “I’m pleased to see EPA announce over $1 billion of that funding today for more than 100 of our nation’s most contaminated sites – helping communities across the country clean up legacy pollution and protect public health all while supporting local economies.”

“Superfund sites threaten public and environmental health across the country, but with today’s announcement, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is continuing to deliver on the promise we made to clean up backlogged sites and give our communities the peace of mind they deserve,” said Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “For dozens of communities, today’s funding is a welcome assurance that help is on the way. I appreciate the Biden Administration’s commitment to transforming communities that have been impacted by toxic contamination and applaud EPA for moving swiftly to put the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s resources to work.”

Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding announced today, a number of new cleanup projects will move forward, including:

• At the East Helena Superfund site in East Helena, Montana, funds will advance critical cleanup of soil and groundwater contamination caused by more than a century of smelting lead, zinc, and other metals at the former ASARCO facility.
• At the US Finishing/Cone Mills Superfund site in Greenville, South Carolina, funds will support the completion of cleanup work at the site by treating contaminated groundwater, paving the way for the site’s return to productive use as mixed-use development (commercial and residential) through a unique public-private partnership with the state of South Carolina and landowners. 
• At the Standard Chlorine of Delaware Inc. Superfund site in New Castle, Delaware, funds will go toward excavation and treatment of wetland soils and sediment contaminated through historical industrial activities and spills outside of the former chemical manufacturing plant.
• At the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine Superfund site in Lake County, California, funds will address mining waste to help ensure the long term protection of residential areas and make on-site mine areas safe for limited use by Elem Indian Colony residents for hunting, fishing, foraging, and transit to nearby lands.
• At the Iron King Mine/Humboldt Smelter Superfund site in Dewey-Humbolt, Arizona, funding will protect the community from mining and smelting waste by cleaning up additional residential properties and permanently consolidating the contaminated waste.

EPA is committed to advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.

President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is restoring the health and economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. The historic investment made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law strengthens every part of the Superfund program, making a dramatic difference in EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment. In addition to funding cleanup construction work, the investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and to ensure communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2023, EPA continued to fund Superfund pre-construction activities such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement at double pre-Bipartisan Infrastructure Law levels.

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERLCA), known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage.

To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.

For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, visit EPA’s Superfund website.

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EPA Invests $1 Million in New York State Communities Through UAlbany-Led Community Air Monitoring Projects

ALBANY, N.Y.  – Communities in New York’s Capital District and in other areas of New York will get valuable data from two air monitoring projects funded by $1 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under its efforts to invest in communities across America. EPA recently awarded the money to the University at Albany (UAlbany) for two community air quality monitoring projects that will measure and reduce exposure to air pollutants that affect public health. The funding is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic investment of $53.4 million in 132 air monitoring projects in 37 states, funded by the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, to enhance air quality monitoring in communities that are underserved and overburdened by pollution.

To celebrate the awards, EPA joined U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan and other local stakeholders at Giffen Memorial Elementary School, a future air monitoring site in Albany’s South End. UAlbany researchers displayed an example of a low-cost air monitor and led a demonstration of their mobile air monitoring van.

“Air pollution is a serious threat to the health and well-being of millions of Americans, especially those who live in communities that are disproportionately exposed to harmful emissions. The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to investing in community-based solutions that help improve air quality, protect public health, and advance environmental justice,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “These air monitoring projects are examples of how we can partner with local stakeholders to support communities with data and tools they need to address their air quality challenges and achieve their environmental goals.”

Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, “DEC applauds the Biden-Harris Administration, EPA Administrator Michael Regan, and Regional Administrator Lisa Garcia for their continued commitment to improving air quality, combating climate change, and prioritizing environmental justice. The $1 million announced today will complement ongoing efforts like DEC’s successful Community Air Monitoring Initiative to obtain localized data that will help assess the air quality in neighborhoods here in Albany and across the state.” 

“I’m thrilled to celebrate this major federal investment that will enable the University at Albany to conduct critical community air quality monitoring projects here in our Capital Region and across New York State,” Congressman Paul Tonko said. “Ever since I welcomed EPA Administrator Regan to speak with residents and community leaders at Albany’s South End about the importance of addressing inequities and environmental injustice, we’ve been committed to helping alleviate those burdens and build healthier communities. These awards are an example of taking in those important conversations and transforming them into meaningful action. Thanks to our American Rescue Plan and our Inflation Reduction Act, we are making significant strides to ensure that our families have clean air to breathe. I’m grateful to EPA for recognizing this need and taking steps to meet it, and I look forward to the tremendous positive impact these projects will have on our Capital Region communities.”

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said, "When I first became Mayor, I worked tirelessly to secure air monitoring in Albany's South End through a partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. That study showed that our South End neighbors are disproportionately impacted by particulates from truck traffic. The information gleaned from that study was one of the ways we were able to convince large-volume vehicle operators to change their route away from Ezra Prentice and to advocate for a replacement of the Port of Albany road so we can eventually ban truck traffic from Pearl Street. This effort led by Biden-Harris Administration and the EPA in conjunction with SUNY University at Albany and the Albany City School District will help us understand whether our past efforts are still working and identify what additional pollutants - both outdoors and indoors - are present in one of our most historically underserved communities. I applaud President Biden, Vice President Harris, Congressman Tonko, and our state and local partners for engaging in this important project."

“The University at Albany is proud to partner on the EPA’s largest investment for community air monitoring in its history,” said Thenkurussi (Kesh) Kesavadas, UAlbany Vice President for Research & Economic Development. “Air quality is a serious problem that is expected to worsen through climate change. These two projects, led by faculty at our nationally renowned Atmospheric Sciences Research Center and College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering, will play a key role in helping inform policy decisions and protecting vulnerable populations, including those in underserved communities who often experience higher pollution exposure levels.”

"We're excited to be part of this important work that's happening in our community and in the South End in particular," said City School District of Albany Superintendent Joseph Hochreiter. "We're also grateful to the EPA, UAlbany, and our partners in city, state and federal government for their focus on improving air quality for all of us."

In August 2021, Congressman Tonko hosted EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan during a visit to the Capital Region to highlight a number of key priorities the EPA has championed, including clean water infrastructure and environmental justice. During this tour, the Administrator and Congressman held an environmental justice discussion at Ezra Prentice Homes, where they heard insights from residents and pledged federal action and support for investments in public health protections and pollution reductions in the communities that need them most.

Today’s announcement highlights EPA awards of nearly $500,000 each to two UAlbany projects. The goal of the projects, led by researchers at UAlbany, is to improve air quality and public health across underserved neighborhoods across New York State.

• NY Capital District Communities Air Quality Measurement Network. Working closely with local partners, UAlbany researchers will use low-cost sensors to measure the air quality inside and outside five community schools, such as the Giffen Memorial School, and use a mobile lab to provide accurate measurements. The researchers will analyze the data to estimate people’s exposure to air pollution inside and outside their homes and suggest ways to make the air cleaner and healthier. The project partners are Healthy Schools Network and the City School District of Albany. The project covers five areas: Northeast Albany, South Albany, Northwest Albany, North Troy, and East Schenectady. The air monitors will measure carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, fine particles and volatile organic compounds.

• Promoting Sustainable Air Quality at Underserved Neighborhoods in New York State. UAlbany researchers will use low-cost sensors to measure the air quality inside and outside people’s homes in underserved neighborhoods in the Capital District, Hudson Valley and Harlem. The researchers will work with community leaders to understand and improve the air quality and public health. The project covers seven areas: South End in Albany, Schenectady, Cohoes, Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, and Harlem in Manhattan. The air monitors will measure black carbon, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, ozone, nitrogen oxides, fine particles, volatile organic compounds, and other air toxics.  

Learn more about these and other winners on EPA’s American Rescue Plan’s Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring Competitive Grant webpage.

Air Monitoring and Air Quality Sensors Grants under the Inflation Reduction Act

The funding EPA announced today is one piece of the overall Inflation Reduction Act approach to improving air monitoring across the country. On Feb. 16, EPA announced the availability of an additional $81 million in funding for eligible air agencies to expand and upgrade the nation’s air quality monitoring networks, as well as approximately $2 million in funding to support state, local, territorial and Tribal agencies in the deployment and operation of air quality sensors in low-income and disadvantaged communities across the United States. Together, these investments will provide critical resources to ensure the sustainability of national air quality monitoring networks, helping protect human health and the environment and ensuring Americans are breathing cleaner air.

EPA encourages eligible entities to apply for funding as soon as possible and no later than April 8, 2024. Details about the application process are available on EPA’s Air Quality and Air Quality Sensors Grants website.

Find out more by visiting EPA’s Air Grants and Funding webpage.  

Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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EPA takes action against three New England companies for Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act violations

BOSTON (Feb.26, 2024) – Three New England-based companies have agreed to pay penalties to settle claims by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that they violated federal law for failure to file required annual pesticide production reports.

Recently, EPA Region 1 filed Settlement Agreements involving three companies; Seaman Paper Company of Massachusetts, Inc., from Gardner, Mass.; Ferti Technologies CT Corp, from Wallingford, Conn.; and Exoban, LLC, from Thomaston, Conn.for alleged violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the law that regulates pesticide production and use in the United States.

The three companies all failed to file production reports for the reporting year 2021, and were issued Notice of Warnings; however, all three companies again failed to file production reports for the reporting year 2022, which led to these enforcement actions and penalties. The assessed penalties were based, in part, on the size of the respective company and were as follows: Seaman $1,400; Ferti $1,000; and Exoban $500.

EPA requires that companies which produce pesticides, active ingredients, or devices submit annual production reports by March 1 for the preceding calendar year. EPA uses these reports for compliance, risk assessment, and risk reduction activities which are important for protecting human health and the environment.

Background 

EPA regulates all pesticide products used in the U.S. to ensure that uses described on product labels can be used without harming people's health or the environment. The settlements agreed to with each company address alleged violations of FIFRA for failure to file or timely file annual pesticide production report(s) in connection with each registered establishment. Without annual production reports, EPA cannot determine where and in what manner pesticidal products are being produced, sold, and distributed. FIFRA Section 7 reporting requirements are enforced federally and are not delegated to the states.

More information: 

Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act Section 7(c) Expedited Settlement Agreement Program (pdf) (2.7 MB): https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-09/documents/finalfifra7cesaprogram.pdf 
Enforcement Response Policy for FIFRA Section 7(c) Establishment Reporting Requirements (pdf) (142 KB): https://ift.tt/B7eFW9R
EPA Pesticide Registration Process: https://ift.tt/Nkv8buz

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EPA Settles Safe Drinking Water Act Claims with California Resources Corporation and Elk Hills Power

SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with California Resources Corporation (CRC) and Elk Hills Power LLC, a subsidiary of CRC, for Safe Drinking Water Act violations at the Elk Hills Power Plant in Tupman, California. CRC and Elk Hills Power have agreed to pay a penalty of $109,000 for permit violations of the Underground Injection Control Program. In addition to paying a penalty, CRC and Elk Hills Power will implement a supplemental environmental project with the local Buttonwillow County Water District valued at a minimum of $282,000.

"Facilities that include underground injection in their operations must comply with all permit conditions in order to protect underground sources of drinking water,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman.“ Failure to adhere to all permit requirements by owners and operators risks damage to vital groundwater resources.”

Injection wells are used to place fluid underground into porous geologic formations for storage or disposal. EPA’s Underground Injection Control Program works with underground injection well owners and operators to ensure their practices do not impact underground sources of drinking water. EPA conducts regular inspections to verify injection well operations comply with the injection well permits and applicable requirements.

EPA classifies injection wells into one of six types. Elk Hills Power holds an Underground Injection Control permit to dispose of non-hazardous wastewater into the Upper Tulare Formation, an underground source of drinking water, via two Class V injection wells.

Under the order, CRC and Elk Hills Power have agreed to take actions necessary to resolve exceedances of their maximum allowable injections pressure (MAIP). These actions include:

1. Reduce the injection rate when the injection pressure of any injection well approaches the MAIP;
2. Cease injection into any well that reaches the MAIP;
3. Increased reporting;
4. Submit and implement a compliance plan.

This enforcement action helps ensure continued operation at the Elk Hills Power Plant complies with its underground injection control permit and avoids potential contamination of underground sources of drinking water.

The supplemental environmental project agreed to by CRC and Elk Hills Power will benefit the Buttonwillow County Water District and the local community. Project work includes plugging of a standby drinking water well, demolition of a deteriorating 40,000-gallon metal tank, and installation of a back-up generator and power supply at an active drinking water well.

Read the public notice for the proposed settlement here.

Learn about EPA’s Underground Injection Control Program.

Read how to report possible violations of environmental laws and regulations.

Learn about EPA enforcement and supplemental environmental projects.

Learn about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

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EPA, HUD and HHS announce interagency commitments to more robust collaboration on addressing risks of exposures to lead

WASHINGTON – Today, Feb. 26, 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced two complementary agreements to further their “whole of government” approach to strengthen these agencies’ shared work in ensuring that children, especially those at high risk, are not exposed to human health risks from lead hazards.

These two Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) support commitments made in the Lead and Paint Action Plan, EPA’s Strategic Plan , HUD’s Strategic Plan, and HHS’s Strategic Plan, which seek to reduce lead exposures locally with a focus on underserved communities and promote environmental justice through a whole of government approach.

The first MOU expands, updates and reaffirms a 1997 agreement between EPA and HUD to coordinate their enforcement efforts addressing lead-based paint hazards in housing. 

“EPA is committed to working with our federal partners to protect children from the harmful effects of lead poisoning, which remains far too prevalent in communities across America,” said David M. Uhlmann, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s agreement demonstrates that EPA and HUD will enforce the law fairly and aggressively to protect children, particularly those living in overburdened and underserved communities, from exposure to lead-based paint in their homes.”

“With this agreement, we will collaborate across the federal government to enforce the laws that aim to ensure the healthy housing future that American children deserve,” said Matthew Ammon, Director of HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes. “HUD is proud to join our federal partners at EPA to better align our enforcement efforts and ensure that we are protecting families – especially families with limited resources – from lead-based paint hazards in their home.”

The second MOU, signed by EPA, HUD and CDC launches a pilot program in the agencies’ Region 3, which includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, to facilitate information sharing about communities with high blood lead levels or higher lead exposure risks, to help them focus their respective and collaborative efforts working in communities with the greatest risks. The agencies plan to use the knowledge gained from the pilot to expand the scope of this effort. 

“Our three agencies will work together to identify, reach, and assist communities most at risk from exposure to lead,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “Through this pilot program, we will develop more effective processes for sharing actionable information on lead exposure, with the goal of alleviating the negative health impacts that still burden too many people across our region.”

“HUD is pleased to collaborate with its EPA and CDC partners on this pilot that we hope will provide the basis for an enhanced national framework for sharing and using information on the sources of lead exposures at the community and even neighborhood levels,” said Ammon. “HUD has a particular interest in using the shared data to facilitate its engagement with state and local lead hazard control programs, healthy homes programs, and housing rehabilitation programs, for the purposes of improving its targeting of funding, conducting special projects, or other collaborations.”

“All children deserve to grow up without lead burdening their minds and bodies” said Aaron Bernstein, Director of CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health, “We are committed to working together to leave no child behind and put an end to lead poisoning.”

Over 1 million children in the United States suffer from the irreversible impacts of lead poisoning, including reduced intelligence, behavioral and learning disabilities, and effects on many other body systems; new cases continue to be diagnosed every year. Lead-contaminated dust from chipped or peeling lead-based paint is one of the most common causes of elevated blood lead levels in children. Adults with exposure to lead can develop symptoms such as high blood pressure, memory loss and reduced motor skills. Infants and children are especially vulnerable to lead paint exposure because their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults do, and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead. They can be exposed from multiple sources and may experience irreversible and life-long health effects. 

More than 34 million homes in the US have lead paint somewhere in the building. About 3.3 million homes in the US have children less than six years of age facing one or more lead-based paint hazards, including over 2 million low-income households.

The EPA-HUD Memorandum of Understanding Lead Paint Compliance and Enforcement and the EPA Region 3-HUD-CDC Memorandum of Understanding for sharing of data can both be found on EPA’s Enforcing Lead Laws and Regulations webpage.  

You can find out more about identifying and addressing housing health and safety hazards, including those from lead, on HUD’s Healthy Homes Program website.

Learn more about EPA’s efforts to reduce lead exposure and help protect children from lead paint by identifying and reporting lead paint violations to EPA, or identifying and reporting violations, especially in assisted housing to HUD’s lead reporting email. EPA, HUD and HHS are supporting the 2019 Federal Lead Action Plan, which was designed to reduce exposure to lead and improve children’s health.

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