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Trends Include 170% Increase In Toxicity Listings Since 2006

SAN FRANCISCO— More of California’s waterways are impaired than previously known, according to a list of polluted waterways submitted by the state to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and finalized by the agency today. Increased water monitoring data shows the number of rivers, streams and lakes in California exhibiting overall toxicity have increased 170 percent from 2006 to 2010.

California has some of the most magnificent rivers, lakes and coastal waters in the country.  However, of its 3.0 million acres of lakes, bays, wetlands and estuaries, 1.6 million acres are not meeting water quality goals, and 1.4 million acres still need a pollution clean-up plan, known as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).  Of the 215,000 miles of shoreline, streams and rivers, 30,000 miles are not meeting water quality goals, and 20,000 miles still need a TMDL.  The most common contaminants in these waterways are pesticides and bacteria, followed by metals and nutrients.

“Clean water is vital to California’s pubic health, economy, recreation and wildlife,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “California has done an excellent job of increasing the amount of water monitored.  Unfortunately, much of the new data points in the wrong direction. This list of impaired waters is a wake-up call to continue the critical local and statewide work to needed to heal California’s damaged waters. “

The Clean Water Act requires states to monitor and assess their waterways and submit a list of impaired waters to EPA for review. The 2010 list is based on more comprehensive monitoring as well as new assessment tools that allow the state to evaluate larger quantities of data.

The data showed several important trends including:

• Many more beaches, both inland and coastal, are on the 2010 list because bacteria reached unsafe levels for swimming. This increase is largely driven by a more extensive review of data collected by counties.
• Better reporting of trash in waters has led to an increase in trash impairments by 76% from 2006 to 2010. California’s statewide Trash Policy is under development and will address trash impacts to both local wildlife and reduce California’s contribution to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
• The numbers of listings showing pollutants in fish are at levels too high for safe human consumption has increased 24% from 2006 to 2010, with the greatest increases seen in mercury.  Rather than signaling an increase in fish contamination, this trend is due to California’s recent statewide sport fish monitoring effort.  Additionally, some pollutants such as DDT are no longer manufactured and are slowly decreasing in concentration over time.
• Waters identified as impaired by pesticides showed a 36% increase from the prior list, likely a result of the more thorough monitoring required under the State’s Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program.  Under this program, close collaboration between the Water Boards and the Department of Pesticide Regulation has resulted in reduced pesticide discharges to surface and groundwater.

Last year, California submitted to EPA for approval its list of polluted rivers, lakes and coastal waters.  EPA added several waterways to the list, including portions of the San Joaquin River, where increasing temperatures and salinity imperil salmon and trout populations. Following public comment, EPA today finalized the additions.

Today’s action will lead to the development and adoption of hundreds of pollution clean-up plans by California to restore waters to swimmable, fishable and drinkable conditions. Work is already underway in California to address hundreds of waters previously listed as impaired. EPA will continue to work with the state to develop and implement additional TMDLs to address the remaining waters.

The supporting documents for EPA’s listing decision and a link to the list submitted by California are available at EPA’s web site:http://www.epa.gov/region09/water/tmdl/california.html

For information on Total Maximum Daily Loads, please visit EPA’s web site:  http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/lawsguidance/cwa/tmdl/index.cfm

For the full list of EPA’s added waters, maps, and more information, please visit EPA’s media center at: http://www.epa.gov/region9/mediacenter/impaired-waters/

Its purpose is to provide timely authorization for discharges to Waters of the United States. This general permit establishes Notice of Intent (NOI) requirements, water quality limitations, prohibitions and management practices for five (5) separate discharge categories.

NVG201000 authorizes water discharges associated with various activities; it was developed to authorize a range of De Minimis water discharges under one permit. Monitoring requirements have been established for five (5) discharge categories.

This De Minimis General Permit intends to control and reduce pollution to Waters of the United States (U.S.) from water discharges. NVG201000 requires NOI water quality submittal, annual sampling, installation of BMPs and reporting to ensure the site is performing at a level that minimizes water pollution and protects public health and the environment.

Read the Fact Sheet at NDEP Public Notices Water Pollution Control

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is inviting small businesses to participate in a review panel focusing on formaldehyde. The agency plans to implement regulations for the new Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act, enacted in July 2010.The proposed regulation will establish limits for composite wood products (hardwood plywood, medium-density fiberboard, and particleboard) so these products meet emission standards.

The national emission standards in the Act mirror standards established last year by the California Air Resources Board for products sold, offered for sale, supplied, used or manufactured for sale in California.  While EPA was not given the authority to modify the national emission standards, the Act does give EPA the discretion to adapt other provisions of the California regulations for national applicability.  EPA’s implementing regulations must address the following topics, among others:

• sell-through provisions (including a prohibition on stockpiling)
• ultra low-emitting formaldehyde resins
• no-added formaldehyde-based resins
• finished goods
• third-party testing and certification
• auditing of and reporting for third-party certifiers
• chain-of-custody requirements
• recordkeeping
• labeling
• enforcement
• laminated products
• hardboard
• other provisions aside from the emission limits

EPA classified formaldehyde as a probable human carcinogen in 1991. Formaldehyde-based resins are sometimes used as adhesives in composite wood products, and are known to cause irritation to the eyes, skin and lungs.

The Regulatory Flexibility Act requires EPA to establish a federal panel for rules that may have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small organizations. The panel will include representatives from the Small Business Administration, the Office of Management and Budget, and EPA. The panel will ask a selected group of small business representatives to provide advice and recommendations on behalf of their company, community, or organization to inform the panel on impacts of the proposed rule.

EPA is seeking self-nominations directly from the small organizations that may be subject to the rule requirements.  Volunteers should send a message to RFA-SBREFA@epa.gov or call (202) 564-5586 by no later than November 2. In the message, please provide:

• your name,
• the name and size of your company,

ScienceDaily (Sep. 19, 2011) — British science has led to a use for waste glass that cannot be recycled that could help clean up polluted waterways by acting as an ion-exchange filter to remove lead, cadmium and other toxic metals.

Details are published in a forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Environment and Waste Management.

Only a fraction of waste glass bottles and jars can be recycled, partly because much of the glass is colored, brown or green, and partly because the market sustains only a limited weight of recyclable glass. Millions of tons of waste container glass are generated across Europe. As such, large amounts of waste glass, purportedly for recycling, are shipped to China and elsewhere to be ground up and used as hardcore filling materials for road building.

Read the complete article at Science Daily

New 2 U Computers in partnership with Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful and Channel 2 News

Volunteers are needed for the Community E-Waste Collection Event at the previous PARK LANE PROPERTY

Event:  October 22 from 9am-2pm

Volunteers are needed from 8:00am until 3:00pm

• *Varied shifts available!
• *Positions will include traffic control, unloading, box breakdown, volunteer relief and more!
• *Free food for volunteers!
• Volunteers will be able to recycle for FREE after shift!

SIGN UP!

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released the final health assessment for trichloroethylene (TCE) to the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database.  IRIS is a human health assessment program that evaluates the latest science on chemicals in our environment. The final assessment characterizes the chemical as carcinogenic to humans and as a human noncancer health hazard. This assessment will also allow for a better understanding of the risks posed to communities from exposure to TCE in soil, water and air. It will provide federal, state, local and other policy makers with the latest scientific information to make decisions about cleanup and other actions to protect people’s health.

“This assessment is an important first step, providing valuable information to the state, local and federal agencies responsible for protecting the health of the American people,” said Paul Anastas, assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “It underscores the importance of EPA’s science and, in particular, the critical value of the IRIS database for ensuring that government officials and the American people have the information they need to protect their health and the health of their children.”

TCE is one of the most common man-made chemicals found in the environment. It is a volatile chemical and a widely used chlorinated solvent. Frequently found at Superfund sites across the country, TCE’s movement from contaminated ground water and soil, into the indoor air of overlying buildings, is of serious concern. EPA already has drinking water standards for TCE and standards for cleaning up TCE at Superfund sites throughout the country.

TCE toxicity values as reported in the assessment will be considered in:

• Establishing cleanup methods at the 761 Superfund sites where TCE has been identified as a contaminant
• Understanding the risk from vapor intrusion as TCE vapors move from contaminated groundwater and soil into the indoor air of overlying buildings
• Revising EPA’s Maximum Contaminant Level for TCE as part of the carcinogenic volatile organic compounds group in drinking water, as described in the agency’s drinking water strategy
• Developing appropriate regulatory standards limiting the atmospheric emissions of TCE – a hazardous air pollutant under the Clean Air Act

This assessment has undergone several levels of peer review including, agency review, interagency review, public comment, external peer review by EPA’s Science Advisory Board in January 2011, and a scientific consultation review in 2006 by the National Academy of Sciences. Comments from all reviewers are addressed in the final assessment.

EPA continues to strengthen IRIS as part of an ongoing effort to ensure concrete research and science are used to protect human health and the environment. In May 2009, EPA restructured the IRIS program to reinforce independent review and ensure the timely publication of assessments. In July 2011, EPA announced further changes to strengthen the IRIS program in response to recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences. EPA’s peer review process is designed to elicit the strongest possible critique to ensure that each final IRIS assessment reflects sound, rigorous science.

More information on IRIS: http://www.epa.gov/IRIS