Sustainability
Last month’s luncheon speaker Matt Mehalik provided us with an informative talk on innovation and sustainability.
The theme of this year’s A&WMA Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon is “Integrating Science and Sustainability.” The mission of A&WMA is to assist in the professional development and critical environmental decision-making of our members to benefit society. We promote a better understanding of environmental issues and provide a means for this exchange in a neutral forum; and we help advance the environmental profession. The current focus on “sustainability” by corporations, the general public, Wall Street, NGOs, and CEOs may be the largest opportunity in our careers to accomplish these things. It’s a subject matter that can truly integrate business professionals across all functional areas. Motivated young professionals and second or third career 60-somethings from many different fields are getting a piece of the action. Top MBAs are seeking out sustainability positions at sustainability-driven companies in all business sectors.
To us environmental professionals, sustainability is common sense that has not necessarily been common. Sustainability is often measured by the triple bottom line metric of financial performance first, then environmental and social performance (so by definition traditional business execs tend to support it). Much of the literature concludes that sustainability performance is a proxy indicator for superior management. Like it or not sustainability is improving the business profile of the environmental professional.
At companies with the best sustainability performance, this includes: management commitment, application across the value chain, transparent communication, consideration in all business decision-making, a corporate culture of environmental responsibility, continuous improvement, innovation in product (and process) design, incorporation into underlying business strategy, robust risk management approaches, voluntary programs, third party assessment, and individual accountability. No one organization I know of excels in all of this, but many do in many of these. Where does your organization fall?
What does it mean to you? What are you doing about it? Is your company taking action? Are you involved in greenhouse gas management or energy efficiency improvements? Waste minimization, recycling, risk control, or environmental restoration? Are all employees aware of their role in sustainability? Are you leading change in your organization (corporation, facility, office, department, or your cubicle)? Is your company positively or negatively influencing the sustainability performance of your customers? Does your company consider product lifecycles? Are your communities involved with your company? Would you say your company is sustainability-driven? What would your CEO say? What does your supply chain department say? What do your customers think? How about your investors? What action are you taking?
Sustainability is more than just environmental performance, but your role is significant. You should become versed in the many financial and intangible benefits of a sustainability-orientation (energy, material, and disposal costs; production efficiencies; insurance premiums; lending rates; tax advantages; employee morale; recruiting; government relations; green marketing; green procurement; competitive advantage). It is not a political issue; it is not a tree hugger issue; it is not a soft discretionary garnish; it makes hard business sense. Like it or not, you have a role, and so does the A&WMA. Let me know your anecdotes of sustainability successes. Would you like to see a fall workshop on sustainability implementation?
Please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or ideas: gollasw@westinghouse.com , or (412)374-5279.
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Meet the Neighbors:
Over 20 local environmental non-profit and professional
organizations participated in the Allegheny Mountain Section Outreach Booth at
the A&WMA Convention last June. Two of these organizations were:
The Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania (PROP) , is a non-profit association of recycling professionals dedicated to promoting and enhancing the interests of recycling, recycling programs, composting, and composting programs in Pennsylvania through education, information exchange, technical support, applied research and coordination of recycling industry initiatives. PROP's goal is to establish and improve information networks among programs and between public and private sector recycling professionals.
Their website is at:
http://www.proprecycles.org/
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE), founded in 1950, is a not-for-profit national educational and service organization. SWE stimulates women to achieve full potential in careers as engineers and leaders, expands the image of the engineering profession as a positive force in improving the quality of life, and demonstrates the value of diversity. The website of the Pittsburgh Section is at:
http://www.swe.org/SWE/RegionG/Sections/G004/index.html
_________________________
Internet Site Review
Internet Sites of
Interest to Environmental Professionals
with Kim Walker
You can contact me at Kimberly.walker @ erm.com
___________________________________
EPA Calculator Puts Greenhouse Gas Savings in
Everyday Terms
Individuals produce greenhouse gas emissions
through everyday activities such as driving and using air conditioning or
heating.
In the United States,
approximately 4 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents (almost 9,000
pounds) per person per year are emitted from people's homes.
This is equivalent to about17% of the total US emissions of
CO2.
Did you ever wonder what reducing
carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 1 million metric tons means in everyday
terms?
EPA's new Greenhouse Gas
Calculator helps you turn greenhouse gas savings into more easily understood
everyday terms. The calculator converts greenhouse gas-related savings
estimates, typically presented in "million metric tons of carbon dioxide
equivalents," into familiar terms such as the greenhouse gas emissions
that would result from:
·
Driving X number of cars for a year,
·
Using X amount of gasoline or barrels of oil,
·
Providing energy to a X number of homes for a
year,
·
Growing trees across a X number of acres for a
year,
·
X kilowatt-hours of electricity per year,
·
Recycling X quantity of waste instead of
sending it to the landfill.
Users can enter savings in emissions, electricity
consumption, gallons of gasoline, or number of vehicles into the calculator and
determine up to 13 different ways to express the magnitude of the savings. For
example, if you reduce your electricity consumption by 1000 kWh hours per year,
the energy savings are equivalent to:
·
0.78 metric tons of CO2,
·
88.2 gallons of gasoline,
·
1.8 barrels of oil,
·
32.4 propane cylinders used for home
barbecues,
·
0.27 tons of waste.
So log on today and see what your pollution
prevention and energy efficiencies measures can do to reduce the effects of
climate change!
To find more information no electronics recycling, the Web Page can be
accessed at:
www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html.
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A Word on Water
The Latest News on Water, Wastewater
and Related Topics
with Susan Z. Forney,
szforney@ehsinfolink.com
___________________________________
EPA Seeks Public Comment on Possible Drinking Water
Contaminants
EPA is asking for public comment on a list of 104 possible drinking water
contaminants that may need to be regulated in the future to ensure the
continued protection of drinking water. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA
includes on the draft Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) currently unregulated
contaminants that are known or anticipated to occur in public water systems and
which may require regulation. This draft CCL, which is the third such listing,
lists 93 chemical contaminants or groups and 11 microbes, and describes the
process and basis for selecting these contaminants.
"EPA is casting a broader scientific net for potential regulation of
chemicals and microbes in drinking water," said Assistant Administrator
for Water Benjamin H. Grumbles. "EPA's proposed list of priority
contaminants will advance sound science and public health by targeting research
on certain chemicals and microbes and informing regulators on how best to
reduce risk."
The CCL process was established by the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking
Water Act as a mechanism to determine if new regulations are needed to protect
drinking water. Under this process EPA conducts extensive research into the occurrence
and health effects of the listed contaminants before issuing new regulations or
standards. In developing the draft CCL 3, the agency implemented a new approach
for selecting contaminants which builds upon evaluations used for previous
lists and is based on substantial expert input early in the process and
recommendations from a larger number of different groups including
stakeholders, the National Research Council and the National Drinking Water
Advisory Council.
The draft list includes chemicals used in commerce, pesticides, biological
toxins, disinfection byproducts, and waterborne pathogens. The agency evaluated
approximately 7,500 chemicals and microbes and selected 104 candidates for the
final draft list based on their potential to pose health risks through drinking
water exposure. The comment period is open for 90 days beginning the day of
publication in the Federal Register. Information on the CCL 3: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ccl/ccl3.html
TMDL Knowledgebase Clearinghouse
Virginia Tech's Center for Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and Watershed
Studies has developed an on-line database to house selected TMDL-related information
and documents in one central location. The searchable clearinghouse
contains three types of resources: TMDL guidance documents, reviews and
summaries of TMDL-related technical and trade literature, and state-by-state
summaries of TMDL programs across
the nation. State summaries are updated regularly for all 50 states and
include the approach and methodology used to develop TMDLs in that state.
In total, about 500 documents are available within this database, which was
funded, in part, by an EPA grant. The TMDL Knowledgebase Clearinghouse
can be accessed via the Center's Web site at: http://www.tmdl.bse.vt.edu/site/knowledgebase/
Stormwater BMP Performance Webcast Available
On February 6th, EPA sponsored a webcast on Stormwater Best Management
Practices (BMP) Performance featuring nationally known experts. The webcast was
recorded and is available on the NPDES website http://www.epa.gov/npdes/training. The webcast introduced
EPA's Urban BMP Performance Tool to over 3900 attendees, and provided detailed
information on the state of scientific research into the performance of
stormwater BMPs. The instructors discussed a wide variety of factors,
including pollutant removal, volume reduction, costs, and many other factors
that should be considered when selecting permanent (post-construction)
stormwater BMPs. Included was a comparison of three common BMP types
(traditional wet and dry ponds and newer Green Infrastructure techniques, such
as bioretention). The presenters discussed the advantages of the Green
Infrastructure BMPs, particularly their ability to reduce the volume of
stormwater discharged to rivers, lakes, and coastal waters.
Guidebook to
Help Water Utilities Improve Energy Management
EPA and its water and wastewater partners are learning more and doing more
to confront serious challenges related to rising energy costs. A new guidance, Ensuring
a Sustainable Future: An Energy Management Guidebook for Wastewater and Water
Utilities, will help utilities systematically assess their current
energy costs and practices, set measurable performance improvement goals, and
monitor and measure their progress over time.
Steadily rising energy costs and associated environmental effects have made
energy use one of the most pressing challenges facing water utilities. Energy
management is also at the heart of efforts across the industry to ensure that
water and wastewater systems are operated in a sustainable way.
The guidance follows the successful Plan-Do-Check-Act methodology embodied
in environmental management systems and other utility management tools. It was
developed with the help of utilities that are successfully confronting their
own energy challenges using this approach. It will serve as a step-by-step
guide to help utilities systematically manage their energy programs over time.
Great
Lakes
Cleanup Would Give $50 Billion Lift to Economy
According to a recent report commissioned by a coalition of
business and environmental organizations and conducted by the Brookings
Institution Metropolitan Policy Program, Restoring the Great Lakes—controlling
invasive species, addressing sewage contamination, cleaning up toxic waste, and
restoring shoreline—would create $50 billion in economic benefit from a $26
billion cleanup investment.
The $26 billion Great Lakes restoration
effort would:
- Modernize
wastewater treatment systems to reduce sewage
- Curb
and address current and future invasive species
- Restore
wildlife habitat
- Remove
contaminated sediment
The report, “Healthy Waters, Strong Economy: The Benefits of Restoring the
Great Lakes Ecosystem,” was commissioned by Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes
Coalition, the Council of Great Lakes Industries and the Great Lakes-St.
Lawrence Cities Initiative. Buchsbaum is co-chair of the Healing Our Waters
group.
EPA Helps
Communities Increase Water System Sustainability
EPA is providing tools and information to help communities improve
sustainability of their water systems. Two new documents that describe how EPA
is carrying out efforts to help are the “National Capacity Development
Strategic Plan” and “Analysis on the Use of Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
Set-Asides: Promoting Capacity Development.” EPA works with a number of
partners, including organizations that provide technical assistance to small
public water systems for improving technical, managerial, and financial
capacity of systems.
More information on these programs can be found at EPA’s website pertaining
to guidance documents for ground and drinking
water for small systems.
At World
Economic Forum, United Nations Secretary-General
pledges action on water resources
Cautioning
that a shortage of water resources could spell increased conflicts in the
future, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently told
participants at the World
Economic Forum in Davos today that the United Nations will take action to
address the problem in the context of reaching global anti-poverty targets.
“Our experiences tell us that environmental stress, due to lack of water,
may lead to conflict, and would be greater in poor nations,” Mr. Ban told
leaders from governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations,
industry, academia and the arts attending the United Nations annual meeting in
Davos.
“Population growth will make the problem worse. So will climate change. As
the global economy grows, so will its thirst. Many more conflicts lie just over
the horizon,” he warned.
The Secretary-General cited a recent report by International Alert
identifying 46 countries, home to 2.7 billion people, where climate change and
water-related crises create a high risk of violent conflict. A further 56
countries, representing another 1.2 billion people, are at high risk of
political instability, according to the study.
“This is not an issue of rich or poor, north or south,” he said, pointing to
examples of water problems in China,
the United States,
Spain, India,
Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Republic of Korea.
“All regions are experiencing the problem.”
The Secretary-General emphasized that water resources must be protected.
“There is still enough water for all of us – but only so long as we keep it
clean, use it more wisely, and share it fairly,” he said.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which call for halving the
proportion of people without access to safe drinking water by 2015, are key to
this effort, he said.
Mr. Ban announced that he would gather world leaders at the UN this
September “for a critical high-level meeting on the MDGs, focusing in
particular on Africa.”
While emphasizing that “governments must engage and lead,” he said the
private sector also has a role to play in this effort.
The United Nations Global Compact – an initiative aimed at making
globalization more equitable by promoting human rights, labour and
environmental standards – last July launched its “CEO Water Mandate” to
galvanize businesses in this effort.
“Only about 20 companies have joined the CEO Water Mandate. A drop in the
bucket, perhaps, but I like to think it is a small wave that will gather force
and spread across the globe,” said Mr. Ban.
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In the Air
News of Air Pollution Control
and Air Related Issues
with Nancy Hirko, Kimberly Coy, and Mark Schooley of Air/Compliance
Consultants, Inc
You can contact them at schooley @ air-comp.com
___________________________________
Greenhouse
Gas Reporting to Be Mandatory Next Year
A spending bill recently
signed into law by President Bush includes a provision requiring EPA to
establish a mandatory greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting program. The law directs
the EPA to publish a draft GHG reporting regulation within nine (9) months and
final regulations within 18 months, which would be June 2009. The law, which
could cover all U.S.
industries, does not appear to pre-empt GHG reporting standards that are
already being adopted by many states.
EPA will have discretion in determining program source categories,
reporting thresholds, and frequencies.
Federal Court
Decision Strikes Down EPA’s Mercury Rule; Pennsylvania Rule Remains Valid
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously
upheld the challenges of Pennsylvania
and 13 other states to the mercury reduction rule adopted by the U.S. EPA. This
rule would have allowed coal-fired electric power plants—the main culprits in
mercury pollution—to continue emitting large amounts of mercury into the air by
purchasing allowances from other plants that had reduced mercury emissions
below the required cap. This policy is known as “cap and trade.”
However, Pennsylvania’s
state-specific mercury reduction rule, adopted in February 2006, will remain in
effect.
Pennsylvania’s
rule does not have a cap-and-trade component, and will result in a 90% cut in
mercury emissions from all Pennsylvania
coal-fired power plants by 2015.
Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin that accumulates in fish and poses the
greatest risk of nerve and brain damage to pregnant women, women of
childbearing age, and young children. Mercury can also cause heart and immune
system damage in adults, and it can remain active in the environment for up to
10,000 years.
Pennsylvania
has 34 plants with 71 electric generating units that represent 20,000 megawatts
of capacity. Pennsylvania is second in the
country (behind Texas)
for total mercury emissions from all sources and the total amount of mercury
pollution coming from power plants. Nearly 80% of the 5 tons of mercury emitted
in Pennsylvania
comes from power plants.
OTC Says
Stricter Power Plant Controls Needed
The Ozone Transport Commission (OTC), an organization of 12 northeastern and
mid-Atlantic states and the District
of Columbia, announced the preliminary results of a
study showing that additional health benefits would be achieved by reducing
power plant emissions beyond levels currently required by EPA. These results,
together with other modeling work released by the OTC last spring, demonstrate
that additional reductions in power plant emissions will yield significant
health benefits at a reasonable additional cost.
Recent analyses conducted by the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use
Management (NESCAUM), in collaboration with the OTC, show that reducing power
plant emissions achieves reduced mortality, fewer respiratory and heart-related
hospital admissions and emergency room visits, decreases in school absences,
and higher worker productivity.
“The science is clear; we can save lives by reducing power plant emissions,”
said OTC Chair, Lisa P. Jackson, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection. “It is time for the federal government to work with
the states to immediately implement national controls that put the health of
people before the wealth of industry.”
Cutting sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) power plant emissions
by approximately 20% from levels currently required by EPA provides $1.7–$2.0
billion in annual health benefits in the OTC states by 2018. The results show
benefits in the eastern U.S.
will range between $6.7–$7.8 billion annually. Additional health benefits are
expected to accrue outside the geographic scope of this analysis.
Last Spring the OTC released the results of a modeling analysis showing that
power plants could achieve this level of emission reductions in 2018 for $2.6
billion in incremental total production costs nationally. Based on this recent
information, the OTC reiterated its call for EPA to require deeper emission
reductions from power generators, above and beyond those provided in the Clean
Air Interstate Rule (CAIR).
The OTC was established under the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 to
address the transport of ground-level ozone and its precursors, NOx and
volatile organic compounds (VOCs), into and through the region. NOx and VOCs
are generated by power plants, cars and trucks, and other industrial business
sources.
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International
Focus
News of
Environmental Trends and Regulations
in Other Countries
with Kim Walker
You can contact me at Kimberly.walker @ erm.com
___________________________________
Canadian Province Plans Comprehensive Carbon
Tax
Environmentalists say carbon
taxes provide an economic incentive to reduce pollution, because people and
companies can save money as their emissions drop. Last year, Quebec became the
first Canadian province to enact a limited carbon tax, but British Columbia
said its plan will be among the world's most comprehensive, and was needed to
meet the B.C. Liberal government's promise to cut emissions of greenhouse gases
linked to global warming by 33 percent by 2020.
Earlier this month, Canada's
westernmost province said it plans to impose a comprehensive carbon tax,
dismissing fears voiced by the federal government as well as some business and
labor leaders that the fees to fight climate change will hurt the economy.
British Columbia said the tax on fossil fuels
used by businesses and individuals will raise C$1.85 billion ($1.82 billion)
over the next three years, but officials were quick to describe the plan as
"revenue neutral" because it will be offset by tax cuts and a
one-time C$100 payment to each provincial resident this year.
Environmentalists were quick to praise the
announcement, but others were worried about the impact of the tax on low income
households, and industries that are already struggling with high energy prices.
"It is our decision as a
province that we must start now to take action on climate change and we can't
wait until we get a consensus," Finance Minister Carole Taylor told
reporters, saying it could be "a turning point" for Canada. The tax,
which will be implemented this year if passed by the legislature, was
introduced as part of the government's C$37.7 billion budget for the 2008-2009
fiscal year.
The tax will apply to nearly
all fossil fuels, including gasoline and home heating fuel, starting at C$10
per ton of carbon emissions in 2008 and increased by C$5 a ton annually for the
next five years.
British Columbia is also working with a
coalition of US states and Canadian provinces to develop a regional carbon
credit trading system that will impose caps on total emissions from industrial
polluters.
Taylor said the province will ensure
industries will not be double-penalized by a carbon tax and emission caps,
although officials said details on how the plans will interact had yet to be
decided.
(Source:
http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=47077&newsdate=21-Feb-2008)
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Solid Waste Views
with John Scrabis, P.E.
You can contact me at: jmscrabis @ mactec.com
___________________________________
PADEP
Offers Automated Online Application Process for Waste Hauler Authorizations
HARRISBURG – A
new online application system for waste hauler
authorizations is expected to improve processing times and better ensure that
haulers comply with state laws designed to protect the public’s health and
safety, and the environment.
The automated system, which is now online,
provides the state’s 6,200 waste haulers with a convenient and efficient way to
register the approximately 32,000 vehicles they operate.
“This paperless system increases the convenience
for waste haulers and improves the efficiency of DEP’s operation by reducing
the amount of paper we process by hand,” said Environmental Protection
Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty. “The new system allows for applications to be submitted
through our Web site at any time, any day.”
The new Web-based application system allows
haulers to start, save and submit applications for Act 90 authorizations
electronically. A valid credit card, charge card or debit card is necessary to
utilize the advantages of the Web-based system. Although paper applications can
still be accessed at DEP’s Web site, w
ww.depweb.state.pa.us,
and mailed with a check, electronic submissions will
provide a much faster processing time. In developing the system, DEP worked
closely with the waste industry over the past year and incorporated a number of
their suggestions into the final version of the system. Several waste haulers
participated in a test run to ensure the system met their expectations and was
user-friendly. “This online application system will provide a model for other
programs within DEP and, possibly, for government agencies across Pennsylvania,” McGinty
said.
Waste haulers are regulated under the Waste
Transportation Safety Act (Act 90 of 2002). Municipal and residual waste
haulers using waste disposal and processing facilities in Pennsylvania must first obtain written
authorization to use those facilities from DEP. Vehicles without valid waste
hauler authorization stickers may not use waste disposal and processing
facilities in the commonwealth. For more information, visit w
ww.depweb.state.pa.us,
keyword: Waste Transportation.
EPA Offers
Free Seminar on Climate Change and Waste Management
EPA’s Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC) Web Academy
is hosting a Recycling and Solid Waste Management Educational Series of monthly
programs. Many people don’t realize that solid waste reduction and recycling
help address global climate change. The manufacture, distribution, and use of
products—as well as management of the resulting waste—all result in greenhouse
gas emissions. Waste prevention and recycling reduce greenhouse gases
associated with these activities by reducing methane emissions, saving energy,
and increasing forest carbon sequestration.
To view the entire program calendar and register
for RCC web seminars, visit http://www.epa.gov/region1/RCCedu/
Revisions
to 25 PA Code Chapter 245 - Storage Tank Final Rulemaking
The following are key elements of the recent
changes to Chapter 245, which were published as final rulemaking in the
Pennsylvania Bulletin on November 10, 2007.
See Pennsylvania Bulletin Volume 37 Number 45 for actual rules and more
detailed information.
Key revisions
include:
·
Re-regulates large
aboveground heating oil tanks (exempted in 1996) with greater than 30,000
gallons of capacity where the product is consumed on the premises where stored.
Tanks must be registered with the Department by January 9, 2008.
·
Regulated substance
now includes biodiesel, several non-petroleum oils, synthetic fuels and fluids
(motor oils), and ethanol intended for blending with motor fuel. Tanks must be
registered with the Department by January 9, 2008.
·
Adds comprehensive
tank registration provisions similar to past registration policy and
procedures. Requires submission of amended registration form within 30 days of
change in tank ownership or any change in previously reported registration
information.
·
Provisions for
Department routine withdrawal of operating permits for tanks in temporary
out-of-service (TOS) status and requires tanks to be empty while in TOS status.
·
Simplifies
site-specific installation permit process for certain aboveground storage
tanks.
·
Adds several
Underground Storage Tank Compliance Act provisions contained in the Federal
Energy Policy Act of 2005 and EPA Grant Guidelines to states:
o Product delivery prohibition in conjunction with tank
permit suspension or revocation order by the Department for noncompliance with
spill, overfill and corrosion protection or release detection monitoring requirements
o Underground storage tank facility operations inspection
frequency every three years or sooner (by DEP certified inspector).
o Total secondary containment for new or replacement
underground tank systems (tanks, product piping and/or dispensers). Requires
double-wall tank and product piping with sumps under product dispenser and at
product piping junctures. Also requires routine monthly monitoring of sumps,
product piping and double-wall tank interstice. When more than 50% of existing
product piping is replaced, the entire length of piping must be replaced with
double-wall piping and sumps installed.
·
Line leak detector
with automatic pump shutoff device required for new and replacement underground
storage tank system pressurized piping conveying product between the tank and
product dispenser.
·
Requires spill
containment buckets and sumps on underground storage tank systems to be tested
for liquid tightness at installation, replacement or repair and test record to
be retained.
·
Adds deadline for
tanks to remain in TOS status and provisions for extension to remain in TOS
status. Provides for delaying inspections for underground storage tank
facilities with all tanks in TOS status and for individual aboveground storage
tanks in TOS status.
·
Precludes underground
storage tank internal linings and provides inspection requirements for
aboveground and existing underground storage tanks with internal linings.
·
Requires overfill
protection to be consistent with industry standards for existing aboveground
storage tanks.
·
Specifies types on
nondestructive examination and leak testing, when required during large
aboveground storage tank in-service and out-of-service integrity inspections.
·
Aboveground storage
tanks in underground vaults, containing class I or II motor fuel, for resale
must have underground product piping monitored in a manner equivalent to
underground storage tank system piping release detection.
Reminder:
2007 Hazardous Waste Reports Due by March 3
The 2007 Hazardous Waste Report covers hazardous
waste activities which occurred during calendar year 2007. The forms are to be
completed and are
returned to the State Office (or EPA Regional Office, if applicable) by March
3, 2008 (since March 1, 2008 is a Saturday).
The 2007 Hazardous Waste Report Instructions and
Forms Booklet is the implementing guidance to support the reporting by
hazardous waste large quantity generators (LQGs) and hazardous waste treatment,
storage, or disposal facilities (TSDFs) required by the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA). RCRA Sections 3002 and 3004, as amended by the
Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984 (HSWA), require reporting to EPA
or to authorized States at least every two years. Hazardous waste LQGs and
TSDFs must report information on the type, source, form, quantities, and
management of hazardous wastes generated on site and on the type, quantities,
and management of hazardous wastes received from off site.
The appropriate forms and instructions are
available on the USEPA web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/epao
swer/hazwaste/data/br07/forms.htm
Pennsylvania Passes
Uniform Environmental Covenants Act (UECA)
On December 18, 2007, Governor Rendell signed Act 68, the
Uniform Environmental Covenants Act (UECA), into law. Act 68 provides a
standardized process for creating, documenting and assuring the enforceability
of activity and use limitations on contaminated sites. Under UECA an
environmental covenant will be required whenever an engineering or
institutional control is used to demonstrate the attainment of an Act 2
remediation standard for any cleanup conducted under an applicable Pennsylvania
environmental law.
Similar UECA legislation has already been enacted in 20 states
including Ohio, Maryland,
and Delaware and will become effective in Pennsylvania on February
19, 2008.
DEP is required to and has already begun to develop the
"Pennsylvania Environmental Covenant Registry." Until the
registry is developed, DEP will maintain an interim list of sites (link
below) with an environmental covenant on its website. The list will
include location information (ex. street address, municipality, county) about
each site as well as digital copies of the applicable environmental covenant,
notice of environmental covenant or waiver.
To assist with the implementation of UECA, DEP has
developed the following documents for the public’s use.
• Pen
nsylvania
Enacts Uniform Environmental Covenants Act (Overview) available
online at http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/ocrlgs/lib/ocrlgs/ueca/ueca_final_overview.pdf
• Model Environmental
Covenant available online at
http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/ocrlgs/lib/ocrlgs/ueca/model_envrnmntlcov___final_020
708__.pdf
• Notice of
Environmental Covenant available online at
http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/ocrlgs/lib/ocrlgs/ueca/final_model_notice_of_envrnmntl_co
v__2008-02-07_.pdf
• List of Land
Recycling Program Sites with Environmental Covenants available online at
http://www.ahs.dep.state.pa.us/LandRecycling_Brownfields/
Questions regarding Pennsylvania’s
Uniform Environmental Covenant Act and its implementation may be sent to Troy
Conrad at tconrad@state.pa.us.
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ENVIROCABULARY
Environmental Acronyms, Obscure Words
and Other Lingo
with Kim Walker
You can contact me at Kimberly.walker @ erm.com
___________________________________
Each month, the
Envirocabulary staff will scour the environmental literature for terms of
interest to our readers.
This month’s term is…
Mycelium:
a mass of hyphae (thin
tubes or threads, which spread out from the seeds, across the surface of
timber, feeding on the starch, sugar and moisture it contains).
(Source: The Urban Conservation Glossary,
http://www.trp.dundee.ac.uk/research/glossary/glossary.html)
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P2 Forum
News on Pollution Prevention,
Recycling and Related Issues
with Michael Stepaniak
You can contact me at michaels @ ccicenter.org
___________________________________
This
Month:
Sales
of Compact Fluorescent Lights Jump to 20% of the Market
United
States Wind Power Capacity Surged 45% in 2007
Department of
Energy Offers $30 Million for Developing Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles
SALES OF COMPACT
FLOURESCENT LIGHTS JUMP TO 20% OF THE MARKET - The Department of
Energy’s (DOE) Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy newsletter recently announced
that according to estimates the sales of Energy Star-qualified compact
fluorescent lights (CFLs) nearly doubled in 2007. During that time 290 million
CFLs were sold, and the energy-saving bulbs now account for about 20% of the
light bulb market in the U.S.
The sale of CFLs has been on the rise since 2006, when their market share
jumped from 5% to nearly 11%. Since the bulbs use approximately 75% less energy
and last up to 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs one can save
about $30 or more in energy costs over the length of its lifetime. If every
U.S. household replaced just one light bulb in
their homes with a CFL, the United
States would save more than $600 million
each year in energy costs and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to
those of more than 800,000 cars. For more information from the DOE about CFLs
and how they compare to traditional incandescent bulbs visit http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/lighting_daylighting/index.cfm
/mytopic=12060.
UNITED STATES WIND POWER SURGED 45% IN 2007 - According to DOE the
U.S. wind energy industry installed
5,244 megawatts (MW) of wind power capacity in 2007. This rapid growth boosts
the total U.S.
wind power capacity by 45% in only one year. The expansion even exceeded the
American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) expectations for 4,000 MW of new
capacity. Surprisingly, wind power provided 30% of the new generating capacity
installed in the U.S.
in 2007. The total U.S.
wind power capacity is now at 16,818 MW, with wind projects located in 34
states. AWEA estimates that in 2008, U.S. wind power facilities will
generate 48 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, or about 1% of the nation’s
electricity needs. The association estimates 3,520 MW of new wind power
capacity currently under construction. Texas
leads the states in terms of new wind power capacity installed in 2007, with
1,618 MW of new capacity. Among the largest projects built in 2007 are the
264-MW Peetz Table and 300.5-MW Cedar Creek wind plants, both in Colorado; the
198-MW and 161.7-MW Twin Groves I and II wind plants in Illinois; the 205.5-MW
Fenton Wind Power Project in Minnesota; the 221.1-MW Klondike III wind plant in
Oregon; the 232.5-MW phase II of the Buffalo Gap wind plant in Texas; and the
204.7-MW White Creek Wind Power Project in Washington. AWEA also estimates that
at least 14 new wind power manufacturing facilities either opened or were
announced in 2007. For more information on AWEA visit http://www.awea.org/.
DEPARTMENT OF
ENERGY OFFERS $30 MILLION FOR DEVELOPING PLUG-IN HYBRID VEHICLES – The DOE
recently announced that it is offering $30 million over the next three years
for companies to design and build plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) and then test
them in fleets located in select areas. The vehicles must be able to travel at
least 10 miles using only their electric drives. The DOE however, would prefer
vehicles that come closer to achieving the goal of a 40-mile electric range.
The vehicles must also meet standards in terms of emissions, safety, comfort,
and performance. In addition, the projects must either involve a high-volume
vehicle manufacturer or a company with the capability of producing vehicles in
high volumes. The selected projects are intended to deal with many of the
critical barriers to achieving DOE’s goal of making PHEVs cost-competitive by
2014 and ready for production by 2016. Estimates are that PHEVs with a 40-mile
electric range would satisfy about 70% of all the average daily travel in the
United States.
The first round of applications is due on February 13, and a second round will
be due on April 30, 2008.
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Compliance Corner
What's New with Regulatory Compliance,
Environmental Management
and Related Issues
with Dan Hagerty, CHMM
You can contact me at daniel_hagerty @ hotmail.com
______________________________
DOT Relaxes Hazardous Material
Shipping Regulations
The
DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published
a new final rule in the January 28 issue of the Federal Register.
Most of the amendment is intended to provide
relief to industry by eliminating, revising, clarifying, or relaxing regulatory
requirements.
PHMSA
is adopting a new proper shipping name and identification number for fuel
blends composed of ethanol and gasoline. The rule includes updated references
to consensus standards, revises and clarifies certain hazard communication
requirements, and clarifies transportation requirements applicable to dry ice,
detonator assemblies, and explosives. PHMSA is also expanding exceptions from
regulation for small quantities of hazardous materials. Other changes include:
- Updated provisions incorporating consensus standards issued by the
Chlorine Institute and the Compressed Gas Association (49 CFR 171.7,
173.301, 178.337–9, and 178.337–10).
- A definition for “household wastes” to clarify the current
exception in the HMR for transportation of such materials (49 CFR 171.8,
173.12 and 173.134).
- Revisions to the hazardous materials table to harmonize certain
entries with international standards (49 CFR 172.101) by removing, adding,
and revising certain proper shipping names.
- Revised hazard communication provisions to address shipping paper
requirements for marine pollutants, marking requirements for limited
quantities, proper shipping name markings on packages, and labeling of
intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) (49 CFR 172.203, 172.315, and
172.406).
- Clarification of the requirements applicable to the transportation
of dry ice on aircraft, detonator assemblies, and packagings authorized
for the transportation of certain explosives (49 CFR 173.24, 173.61,
173.62, 173.217, 175.30, and 175.900).
- Clarification that a shipper must use a carrier with a safety
permit to transport hazardous materials for which safety permits are
required as specified under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations
(49 CFR 173.22).
- Clarification of the segregation requirements for hazardous
materials transported by motor carrier (49 CFR 177.848).
OSHA Establishes a New National Emphasis Program on
Silica
On January 24, OSHA initiated a new National Emphasis
Program (NEP) to target worksites where employees are at risk for developing
silicosis.
"Exposure to silica threatens nearly two million
American employees annually," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA
Edwin G. Foulke Jr. "Under this program, OSHA will work diligently to
maximize the protection of employees and eliminate workplace exposures to
silica-related hazards."
The NEP compliance directive builds on policies and
procedures instituted in the 1996 Special Emphasis Program and includes an
updated list of industries commonly known to have overexposures to silica;
detailed information on potential hazards linked to silica and about current
research regarding silica exposure hazards; guidance on calculating the
Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) for dust containing respirable crystalline
silica in the construction and maritime industries; and guidance on conducting
silica-related inspections.
Two additional elements included in the directive are
an evaluation procedure for recording reductions of employee exposures to
silica, as well as information on outreach programs, partnerships, and
alliances with employers to share resources and training to reduce employee
exposures.
Silicosis is a disabling, nonreversible and sometimes
fatal lung disease caused by breathing in a large amount of crystalline silica.
EPA Regulates Lead in
Children’s Lead in Products
EPA
issued a Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) final rule on Jan. 29, requiring
certain manufacturers, including importers of consumer products intended for
use by children, to submit unpublished health and safety information on the
lead content of children's products (excluding metal jewelry for which less
lead-content information is available). EPA will review the submitted health
and safety data and will consult with the Consumer Product Safety Commission to
address any lead-containing product concerns. To view the Federal Register
Notice, go to http://www.epa.goc/fedrgstr/EPA-TOX/2008/January/Day-29/t1546.pdf
Toxic
Release Data Now Available to the Public
Information
on the 2006 reporting year is now available as part of the Toxics Release
Inventory (TRI) database. This is the earliest release of the data in the
20-year history of the program. Improvements in electronic reporting and data
processing have made this possible. On a nationwide basis, chemical releases
into the environment are down by 2% from 2005 levels.
“Citizens
have information about hundreds of chemicals at their finger tips and, we’re
getting that information to them faster than ever with improvements made in
electronic reporting, data processing, and analysis,” said EPA’s Chief
Information Officer Molly O’Neill. “Making the public aware of this inventory
of releases is a powerful tool for reducing pollution. From 2001 to 2006, we
have seen a 24% decrease in total releases.”
The TRI is
an online electronic database, housing information about chemical releases at
facilities across the country. TRI tracks and contains detailed information on
releases of nearly 650 chemicals and chemical categories from about 23,000
industrial and federal facilities. The Emergency Planning and Community
Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) of 1986, also known as SARA Title III, established
the TRI program. In 1990, The Pollution Prevention Act expanded the program by
including data on toxic chemicals that are released, treated, recycled, and
burned for energy recovery.
EPA has
been providing information to the public about chemical releases into the air,
water, and land at facilities nationwide. This information is getting to the
public earlier and faster than ever and is accessible based upon geographic
location, industry sector, and individual chemicals.
Information
about the 2006 reporting year is available by going to
http://epa/gov/tri/tridata/tri06/index.htm. Additionally, a brochure that
provides an overview of the 2006 data is available from EPA.
.
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