In accordance with Section 5(b) of E.O. 13514, CEQ has issued Instructions for Implementing Sustainable Locations for Federal Facilities. These instructions provide direction to Federal agencies seeking to acquire or develop owned or leased space as well as anticipated moves, expansions or consolidations that significantly impact the overall built environment and community, such as transportation (i.e., vehicle miles traveled, commuting time, congestion), infrastructure, economic development, water and air quality. These instructions will improve Federal agency sustainability performance by ensuring a balanced consideration and evaluation of land use, the built environment, cost, security, mission need and competition on facility location decision-making.

In October 2011, the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force published the "National Action Plan: Priorities for Managing Freshwater Resources in a Changing Climate." It was developed by the Water Resources and Climate Change Adaptation Workgroup made up of federal agencies with responsibilities for water management. This recent report highlights progress made in 2014 implementing the National Action Plan and describes the specific tasks that federal agencies are planning to undertake in 2015. The work described in this report reports reflect a comprehensive, coordinated, and continuing effort by federal agencies to respond to the challenges for water resources management posed by climate change.

The U.S. DOE has joined the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. EPA, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Department of Labor in signing a Memorandum of Understanding in support of the Economy, Energy and Environment (E3) Initiative. The goal of this effort is to assist manufacturers in becoming more efficient, competitive, and sustainable through public-private partnerships. E3 focuses on helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) advance efforts to use lean, clean, and energy-efficient practices to conserve energy, reduce environmental impacts, preserve jobs, and enhance overall competitiveness.

This report focuses on the major achievements under the NSES as of July 2014, as well as the impacts of improved electronics stewardship and the significance of upcoming commitments within the NSES.

The 2024 updated interim guidance presents available information on the destruction and disposal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and PFAS-containing materials. This update identifies available, effective and methods to remediate, dispose of and destroy PFAS contamination. It provides information on the current state of science and associated uncertainties for three large-scale capacity technologies that can destroy PFAS or control PFAS release into the environment: thermal destruction, landfills, and underground injection. This guidance will help decision-makers select technologies based on characteristics of the waste and options available to prevent releases and keep PFAS out of the environment. The primary audience of this guidance is decision makers who need to identify the most effective means for destroying or disposing of PFAS-containing materials and wastes. Fact Sheet: 2024 Interim Guidance on the Destruction and Disposal of PFAS (pdf)

The Department of the Interior today announced that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has completed the environmental analysis of the proposed Vineyard Wind I offshore wind project. This represents major progress in the Biden-Harris administrations goal to accelerate responsible development of renewable energy on public lands and waters as a key component of tackling the climate crisis and creating jobs. Vineyard Wind is proposing what is expected to be the first project developed in their lease area, an 800-megawatt wind energy project offshore Massachusetts. The proposed project would be located approximately 12 nautical miles offshore Martha's Vineyard and 12 nautical miles offshore Nantucket in the northern portion of Vineyard Winds lease area. If approved, it would be the first commercial scale offshore wind project in the United States.

The Department of the Interior announced today the single largest grant investment ever from the Land and Water Conservation Fund's Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLP). Through ORLP, the National Park Service (NPS) will invest $254.68 million into 54 projects in 24 states for the redevelopment or creation of new local parks. The ORLP program advances President Biden's America the Beautiful Initiative, a locally led, voluntary conservation and restoration effort that aims to address the nature and climate crises, improve equitable access to the outdoors, and strengthen the economy. Providing safe outdoor spaces for communities that are park-deprived is one of six areas of focus. The program also helps advance the Administration's Justice40 Initiative that aims to have 40 percent of the benefits of federal funding flow to disadvantaged communities.

As part of the comprehensive review of the federal oil and gas program called for in Executive Order 14008, the Interior Department will host a virtual forum on 25 March 2021. The day-long forum will feature several panels to highlight perspectives from industry representatives, labor and environmental justice organizations, natural resource advocates, and other experts. The information gathered at the forum, which will be livestreamed, will help inform an interim report from the Department that will be completed in early summer. The report will include initial findings on the state of the federal conventional energy programs, as well as outline next steps and recommendations for the Department and Congress to improve stewardship of public lands and waters, create jobs, and build a just and equitable energy future.

This report provides the latest information on wind industries in 20 IEA Wind member countries. The information includes generation capacity, progress toward national objectives, benefits to national economies, issues affecting growth, costs of projects and turbines, national incentive programs, and research and development results.

EPA develops an annual report called the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks (Inventory), that tracks U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and sinks by source, economic sector, and greenhouse gas going back to 1990. EPA has prepared the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks since the early 1990s. This annual report, provides a comprehensive accounting of total greenhouse gas emissions for all man-made sources in the United States, including carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere by "sinks," (e.g., through the uptake of carbon and storage in forests, vegetation, and soils) from management of lands in their current use or as lands are converted to other uses. The gases covered by the Inventory include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride.

It's now easier to buy computers and other IT hardware, save money, AND meet green purchasing requirements. The new content tags identify shared acquisition contract vehicles that meet or exceed all current sustainability requirements. For IT Hardware, these tags mean energy efficiency and environmental preferability. These tags are now visible in the Solutions Finder to help acquisition professionals identify IT Hardware contract vehicles that are consistent with Federal Sustainability requirements.

ITRC's PFAS Team is pleased to announce the release of the updated PFAS-1 Technical and Regulatory Guidance Document! This update includes a broad expansion in the discussion of PFAS in several contexts, including naming conventions, bioaccumulation, treatment technologies and sampling and analytical methods. Other sections of the document have also been selected for additional content, including information in regarding the health effects of PFAS, the mechanisms of fate and transport of PFAS, and the change to fluorine free firefighting foams.

ITRC's PFAS Team is pleased to announce the release of the newly updated PFAS-1 Technical and Regulatory Guidance Document. This valuable resource was most recently updated in December of 2021, and this new update is dedicated to revisions that clarify information, provide new references for current text, and recognize significant new document releases from federal agencies and state organizations. This update is intended to provide our users with the most relevant current information available. The 500 page document includes extensive information on multiple aspects of PFAS and its management and technical challenges, along with case studies and stakeholder perspectives. The ITRC PFAS team is continuing their work to develop more extensive updates and new content that will be published in 2023.

This Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) online document includes the PFAS Technical and Regulatory Guidance Document, PFAS Fact Sheets and Explainer Videos, Training Module Videos and external tables of data and information prepared by the ITRC PFAS Team. The document is designed specifically to support state and federal environmental staff, as well as others (including stakeholders, project managers, and decision makers), to gain a working knowledge of the current state of PFAS science and practice.

This month's newsletter highlights radon testing, staying green after the holidays, and CFL cleanup.

Check out the EPA's website to learn how you can take action against radon.

Question: What is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, and the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking?
Answer: Radon. Exposure to radon in indoor air can lead to lung cancer. Radon is a radioactive gas produced by the decay of radium which occurs naturally in rock and soil.

In 2009, the World Health Organization estimated that up to 14% of lung cancers world-wide may be due to radon. In 2003, the U.S. EPA estimated there were more than 20,000 radon-related lung cancer deaths each year in America. Because of this risk, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a national health advisory on radon.

All Americans are urged to test, and if necessary, fix their homes to reduce their risk. Radon testing is simple and inexpensive, and fixing is affordable. The Environmental Protection Agency, state radon programs, and their partners, urge you to fix your home if your test result is four picocuries of radon per liter of air (4 pCi/L), or higher. You should consider fixing your home for a radon level between 2-4 pCi/L, because there is no known safe level of radon exposure. Live green from the ground up - check your home for radon. The life you save may be your own.

To learn more about radon, visit http://www.epa.gov/radon.
To contact your state radon office for help, visit < http://www.epa.gov/iaq/whereyoulive.html.

U.S. EPA is encouraging everyone to test their homes for radon. January is an especially good time to test homes and schools because windows and doors are closed tightly and people spend more time indoors.

This bulletin details the courses being offered by NETI.

During each chat, EPA will have different EPA experts sharing information on climate change and what we all can do to act on climate. EPA invites you to join the conversation and ask questions.

DOI employees are invited to submit Green DOI ideas until 26 February 2010. DOI employees can submit ideas within seven main categories: reducing GHG emissions; conserving energy; conserving water; eliminating waste; purchasing sustainable products and services; sustainable buildings; and other.

On October 19, 2009, the White House launched the GreenGov Challenge to ask all Federal and military personnel to share ideas about how the federal community can lead by example, green the govern­ment, and meet the goals of President Obama's Executive Order on Federal Sustainability. The GreenGov Challenge generated more than 5,000 ideas and 165,000 votes from 14,000 federal employees. The top ideas are summarized in the GreenGov Final Report.

The GreenGov Collaborative, an online discussion group hosted by FedCenter.gov, is your opportunity to work with colleagues across the government to put these ideas into action. This private community offers various discussion forums for you to share your best ideas and strategies, ask questions, and recruit allies in your efforts to create a more sustainable Federal Government.

Participation in the forums is offered to all Federal employees.

Click here to view the President's GreenGov Collaborative message.

Go to Join GreenGov to learn more and sign up!

(Seattle, WA--Sept 18, 2013) Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage failed to comply with federal hazardous waste management laws and has agreed to pay a fine to resolve the violations, according to a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The base has taken action to correct the violations and will pay a fine of over $21,000.

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office) today announced the members of the Electric Vehicle Working Group (EVWG), a collection of EV industry experts and leaders who will help guide the widespread adoption of EVs across the country and solidify America's position as a global leader of clean energy jobs and manufacturing. The EVWG, which will make recommendations directly to the secretaries of Energy and Transportation, includes experts with experience and knowledge across the entire EV ecosystem, including manufacturers of vehicles, components, and batteries; public utility representatives; local and regional elected officials; state energy planners; and labor officials representing transportation industry workers. The committee also includes leadership from the U.S. departments of Energy and Transportation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Council on Environmental Quality, the U.S. General Services Administration, and the U.S. Postal Service.

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation announced it is accepting nominations for committee members that will make up the Federal Advisory Committee Act Electric Vehicle (EV) Working Group, which aims to make recommendations regarding EV development, adoption, and integration across the United States. The office seeks nominations for individuals representing EV manufacturers, labor organizations, public utilities and regulators, tribal governments, the trucking industry, and other groups. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law authorized the creation of the EV Working Group to make recommendations on a broad range of EV topics including how the federal, state, and local governments and industry can prepare the U.S. workforce for more EVs on the road; supporting U.S. competitiveness in EV charging and infrastructure; and ensuring sustainable EV integration into the electric grid.

The NETI Training Bulletin announces upcoming EPA environmental enforcement training opportunities (e-Learning, Classroom, and Webinar courses) for federal, state, tribal and local government environmental enforcement professionals.

The key to efficient outdoor irrigation is applying just enough water and only when necessary. Water-wise habits will result in a healthier lawn and landscape, in addition to conserving water. Plus, reducing your consumption will help reduce your water bill.

By Presidential Proclamation 8528 of May 28, 2010 June 2010 is declared Great Outdoors Month.

President Trump issued Proclamation 9757 designating June 2018 as Great Outdoors month . This website from the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable provides ideas and encourages us to all get outdoors.

By Presidential Proclamation 8531 of May 28, 2010 June 2010 is declared National Oceans Month.

On 23 April 2014 Kate E. Brandt was appointed as the new Federal Environmental Executive. The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE) is responsible for promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship throughout Federal government operations. Created by Executive Order in 1993, the Office is housed at the President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), is administered by EPA, and stewards the interagency Steering Committee on Federal Sustainability. For more information on Kate E. Brandt, look at the OFEE website.

The Land Use and Green Infrastructure Scorecard guides municipalities through a review of local plans, policies, and municipal practices to illuminate opportunities to better protect water resources. The goal of the scorecard is to help municipalities protect water resources while maximizing the additional community benefits available through green infrastructure, including flood mitigation, public health, and climate resilience. Local government staff can use the Scorecard to improve their understanding of how local plans, policies, and practices impact water resources and ecosystem services. The Scorecard cuts across multiple departments and scales within a jurisdiction (municipal, neighborhood, and site), to ensure that these plans, policies, and practices work together to protect water resources.

This data reflects data on industrial releases and transfers of toxic chemicals in the United States between Jan. 1 and 31 Dec 2009.

The 25 April 2018 webinar proceedings about the coming RCRA e-manifest system is available for viewing. Topics covered include: The Site Managers role, where to find helpful instructional videos; updates on e-Manifest System Functionality; and a system demon on "How to sign manifest."

The latest TSCA Inventory is now available. The TSCA Inventory is a list of all existing chemical substances manufactured, processed, or imported in the U.S. This biannual update to the public TSCA Inventory is part of EPA's regular posting of non-confidential TSCA Inventory data. The next regular update of the Inventory is planned for winter 2022. The Inventory contains 86,607 chemicals of which 41,953 are active in U.S commerce. Other updates to the TSCA Inventory include new chemical substance additions, commercial activity data and regulatory flags, such as polymer exemptions, TSCA section 4 test orders and TSCA section 5 significant new use rules (SNURs).

A slide deck presented to Veteran Affairs Administration discussing general lead paint awareness, and a video recording on lead paint. The topics also include the lead disclosure rule, renovation, repair, and painting rule, and lead activities rule. (see attached pdf and video)

GSA's Green Proving Ground and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) published LED lighting and controls guidance for Federal buildings. This guidance is in support of the BRIGHT Act. The material explains the decision flow chart, as well as the many elements for Federal agencies to take into consideration when selecting the most cost-effective and energy-efficient lighting systems available.

The second public comment period for LEED for Neighborhood Development opened Friday, May 1, and will close Sunday, June 14.

EPA and the USDA will host two public listening sessions to solicit stakeholder input to assist the Pollinator Health Task Force in development of a federal strategy to protect honey bees and other pollinators. The Task Force is asking for input on the types of activities that could be part of the strategy, including public private partnerships, research, educational opportunities, pollinator habitat improvements and pesticide risk mitigation. The meetings will be held November 12 and 17. For those not able to attend the sessions, there is a webinar available.

Celebrate National Groundwater Awareness Week by checking out information on what you can do to protect your groundwater.

The U.S. EPA recognized two federal facilities with the ENERGY STAR Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Award for their highly-efficient CHP systems, which increase the reliability of their electricity supply while reducing carbon pollution that causes climate change. The awards, which demonstrate how federal agencies are reducing carbon pollution in support of the President's Climate Action Plan. The winners were the Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Albany, Albany, Ga and the National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.

In a consent agreement with the U.S. EPA, the Maryland Air National Guard (MDANG), 175th Wing, has agreed to pay a $75,000 penalty to settle alleged violations of hazardous waste regulations at its facility at 2701 Eastern Blvd., Baltimore, Md. EPA cited MDANG for violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the federal law governing the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. The consent agreement resolves alleged violations discovered in an April 2011 inspection of the facility.

This May is the 19th anniversary of American Wetlands Month and EPA is celebrating with numerous activities, videos, and events to educate people about wetlands

This May will mark the 24th anniversary of American Wetlands Month, a time when EPA and its partners in federal, state, tribal, local, non-profit, and private sector organizations celebrate the vital importance of wetlands to the Nation's ecological, economic, and social health. It is also a great opportunity to discover and teach others about the important role that wetlands play in our environment and the significant benefits they provide - improved water quality, increased water storage and supply, reduced flood and storm surge risk, and critical habitat for plants, fish, and wildlife.

This May marks the 25th anniversary of American Wetlands Month, a time when EPA and its partners in federal, state, tribal, local, non-profit, and private sector organizations celebrate the vital importance of wetlands to the Nation's ecological, economic, and social health. It is also a great opportunity to discover and teach others about the important role that wetlands play in our environment and the significant benefits they provide -- improved water quality, increased water storage and supply, reduced flood and storm surge risk, and critical habitat for plants, fish, and wildlife. Check out ideas for how you can celebrate or participate in planned events.

American Wetlands Month is a time when EPA and their partners in federal, state, tribal, local, non-profit and private sector organizations celebrate the vital importance of wetlands to our Nation's ecological, economic and social health. Wetlands help improve water quality, increase water storage and supply, reduce flooding and provide critical habitat for plants, fish and wildlife. Checkout activities and ways you can celebrate at this website.

This memorandum is to provide guidance to Federal agencies as to their implementation of the NEPA. This memorandum includes an overview of NEPA, including a discussion of recent amendments to the statute and recent case law as relevant to agency implementation of NEPA. This memorandum also provides guidance for agencies to use when establishing or revising agency specific NEPA implementing procedures. As part of this guidance, CEQ has provided a template that agencies are encouraged to follow for such NEPA implementing procedures, attached as Appendix 1. This guidance and the associated template are intended to be used by agencies that routinely undertake, or anticipate undertaking, actions subject to NEPA.

Four cabinet-level departments joined the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation today in signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to improve the protection of Indian sacred sites. The MOU also calls for improving tribal access to the sites. It was signed by cabinet secretaries from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy and Interior. It was also signed by the chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

EPA, The Nature Conservancy, and the Association of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA) have jointly signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that formalizes a mutual collaboration between these groups as they strive to develop and implement healthy watersheds programs in states and with regional aquatic ecosystem programs to help sustain an integrated network of healthy watersheds across the country. EPA, The Nature Conservancy and ACWA agree to meet periodically to track progress related to developing and implementing healthy watersheds programs in states and with regional aquatic ecosystem programs, as well as promote the sharing of educational and scientific information such as data gathering and sharing of watershed health assessments and healthy watershed implementation projects.

Teams at military academies are recent winners of DOE's Excellence in Energy Awards.

EPA is announcing a 45-day public comment period for the draft document "Nanomaterial Case Study: Nanoscale Silver in isinfectant Spray" (EPA/600/R-10/081). The document is being issued by the National Center for Environmental Assessment within EPA's Office of Research and Development. The draft is intended to serve as part of a process to help identify and prioritize scientific and technical information that could be used in conducting comprehensive environmental assessments of selected nanomaterials. The 45-day public comment period begins August 13, 2010, and ends September 27, 2010. POC is Office of Environmental Information Docket; telephone: 202-566-1752; facsimile: 202-566-1753; or e-mail: ORD.Docket@epa.gov (Federal Register: August 13, 2010 [Notices], Page 49487-49489).

The innovative NASA Langley Research Center team developed and piloted a Section 889 compliance tool to help acquisition professionals verify compliance before purchase card transactions or contract awards. Because it could affect federal acquisitions, NASA and GSA made the Section 889 Compliance Tool governmentwide. This compliance tool supports effective implementation of Section 889, paragraphs (a) (1)(A) (Part A) and (a)(1)(B) (Part B) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L. 115- 232), Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment. The remarkable and practical results of the Section 889 Compliance Tool include: 1) simplifying the process of verifying vendor compliance with Section 889, Parts A & B; 2) delivering fast and dependable confirmation of a vendor's adherence to Section 889; 3) eliminating the need for acquisition professional/other users to navigate the complexities of DUNS numbers or sift through extensive FAR clauses/reps & certs on SAM.gov; 4) reducing market research time; and 5) minimizing risks associated with awarding to noncompliant vendors or contractors.

The NASA Develop program (http://develop.larc.nasa.gov/IE/indexIE.html) which engages students to use NASA databases to address local environmental problems worked with St. Bernard Parish, LA, groups to recommend suitable planting sites for bald cypress trees. The Gulf of Mexico Program developed the Gulf Guardian awards as a way to recognize and honor businesses, community groups, individuals, and agencies that are taking positive steps to keep the Gulf healthy, beautiful and productive.

This joint effort with the EPA's Plug-In To eCycling program and leading cell phone manufacturers, retailers, and wireless service providers to increase awareness about the importance of cell phone recycling to save energy and conserve natural resources.

The NCCA describes the results of a nationwide coastal probabilistic survey that was conducted in the summer of 2010 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its state, tribal, and federal partners. Results include estimates of coastal area with good, fair, and poor biological quality, water quality, sediment quality, and ecological fish tissue quality. Results are presented nationally and regionally for the Northeast, Southeast, Gulf of Mexico, West, and Great Lakes coasts. The NCCA 2010 also includes information on how the survey was implemented, and future actions and challenges.

The ECHO data sets have been compiled for access to larger sets of national data to ensure that ECHO meets your data retrieval needs. While ECHO provides data detailing compliance assurance and enforcement activities related to federal environmental laws, it has a limited online display of data. The ECHO data sets are available for download to review these expanded data sets. Each data set is a compressed zip file containing one or more comma-delimited text files. The download summary documents posted after each data set contain a file listing and definitions of included data elements. Data sets include information on Clean Air Act Stationary Sources, NPDES dischargers, Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMR), hazardous waste, and civil enforcement information. Datasets will be updated weekly.

Consult this bulletin for the current NETI offerings.

The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is rescinding its "Draft National Environmental Policy Act Guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions" consistent with Executive Order (E.O.) 13990, "Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis." POC is Jomar Maldonado, Associate Director for the National Environmental Policy Act, 730 Jackson Place NW, Washington, DC 20503, jomar.maldonadovazquez@ceq.eop.gov or (202) 395-5750. (Federal Register: 19 February 2021 [Notice] Pages 10252)

This document reflects the compliance and enforcement agenda for EPA at federal facilities in FY15.

This document reflects the compliance and enforcement agenda for EPA at federal facilities in FY16.

This Climate Adaptation Strategy provides a roadmap of key steps needed over the next five years to reduce the current and expected impacts of climate change on our natural resources, which include: changing species distributions and migration patterns, the spread of wildlife diseases and invasive species, the inundation of coastal habitats with rising sea levels, changing productivity of our coastal oceans, and changes in freshwater availability. It provides specific voluntary steps that agencies and partners can take in the coming years to reduce costly damages and protect the health of our communities and economy. The strategy does not prescribe any mandatory activities for government or nongovernmental entities, nor suggest any regulatory actions. An intergovernmental steering committee that included representatives from 15 federal agencies, five state fish and wildlife agencies, and two inter-tribal commissions oversaw development of the strategy with support from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

The federal government will lead a new partnership with charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, the private sector and local, state and tribal governments to reduce food loss and waste in order to improve overall food security and conserve our nation's natural resources. The goal is calling for a 50-percent reduction by 2030. This announcement occurs just one week before world leaders gather at the United Nations General Assembly in New York to address sustainable development practices, including sustainable production and consumption.

The National Lakes Assessment 2012: A Collaborative Survey of Lakes in the United States is the second report assessing the condition of the nation's lakes. The NLA is one of a series of National Aquatic Resource Surveys, a national-scale monitoring program designed to produce statistically-valid assessments that answer critical questions about the condition of waters in the United States. The key goals of the NLA report are to describe the ecological and recreational condition of the nation's lakes, how those conditions are changing, and the key stressors affecting those waters. Using a statistical survey design, 1,038 sites were selected at random to represent the condition of the larger population of lakes across the lower 48 states including natural lakes and manmade reservoirs. The NLA Web site also includes findings at the ecoregional scale and allows users to explore additional results using a new interactive dashboard.

In preparation for National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW), observed Oct. 20-26, 2024, the EPA, the CDC, and the HUD have released outreach materials that organizations, governments and individuals can use to plan and implement local events and activities to educate communities about preventing lead exposure. Each year, NLPPW is a call to reduce childhood exposure to lead by increasing lead poisoning prevention awareness. Approximately three million American households with children under six years old -- including more than two million low-income households -- have lead exposure hazards. Childhood lead exposure is preventable, and NLPPW highlights the many steps we can take to reduce the risk of lead exposure through localized outreach and education.

The operator of the wastewater treatment plant at Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act in August 2011, when he allowed hundreds of thousands of gallons of sewage to run into the Nisqually River. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the employee is giving up his certification to operate a wastewater facility and is resigning from the Park Service. Sentencing is scheduled for 14 December 2012.

To protect the health of those who live, work and visit our national parks and facilities, and in support of the Presidents Executive Order on Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing , the National Park Service (NPS) implemented a mask requirement for employees, visitors, partners and contractors. Face masks are now required in all NPS buildings and facilities. Masks are also required on NPS-managed lands when physical distancing cannot be maintained, including narrow or busy trails, overlooks and historic homes. Additional public health measures are in place across the service, from capacity limits to one-way trails, or even temporary closures in response to local conditions.

The National Park Service (NPS) is releasing the Cultural Resources Climate Change Strategy (CRCC Strategy). The CRCC Strategy sets out the broad scope of cultural resources in relation to climate change and identifies major directions of action in cultural resources and climate change for the NPS. These directions in turn will help shape and support collaboration with cultural resource and climate change partners both nationally and internationally. The CRCC Strategy is available online at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/climatechange/culturalresourcesstrategy.htm.

This report summarizes water quality assessments submitted by the states to EPA under section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act. The report finds that the states assessed 16 percent of the nation's 3.5 million river and stream miles, 39 percent of its 41.7 million acres of lakes, ponds and reservoirs, and 29 percent of its 87,791 estuary square miles. Forty-four percent of assessed river and stream miles, 64 percent of assessed lake acres, and 30 percent of assessed estuary square miles were found to be impaired for one or more of the uses designated for them by the states. Leading causes of impairment included pathogens, mercury, nutrients, and organic enrichment/low dissolved oxygen. Top sources of impairment included atmospheric deposition, agriculture, hydrologic modifications, and unknown or unspecified sources. This report is a companion to electronically-submitted state water quality information available on EPA's Web site, known as ATTAINS, at http://www.epa.gov/waters/ir. In addition to viewing the national summary and information by state at this Web site, users can click down to the individual waterbody level to find out more about water quality conditions.

This is a 2-yr pilot program for the Navaho Nation and the U.S. EPA. The U.S. EPA issued inspector credentials to two NN EPA inspectors, giving them the ability to inspect tanks on behalf of the U.S. EPA. The federally-credentialed inspectors will have the ability to write U.S. EPA field citations for federal violations

The Nature Conservancy has transferred two properties totaling 210 acres adjacent to Whiting Field Naval Air Station in Santa Rosa County to the Department of Environmental Protection. The conservation of these properties represents the work of a broad partnership among state agencies, military, local government and private nonprofits to help protect the water quality of Clear Creek and buffer Naval Air Station Whiting Field against the threat of encroaching development.

Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport violated the requirements of RCRA and the EPA approved and authorized Washington State dangerous waste management program. At the time of the inspection, the 90-day central accumulation area had a container of dangerous waste marked had an accumulation start date of February 26,2022, 102 days prior to the inspection. The container of dangerous waste therefore was accumulated in excess of 90 days. Respondent therefore did not meet the permit exemption condition and required a dangerous waste permit for storage of this dangerous waste. Respondent did not have a dangerous permit for storage of this dangerous waste, in violation of WAC 173-303-800. EPA has determined that an appropriate penalty to settle this action is $4,500.

EPA has signed a Safe Drinking Water Act administrative consent order with the U.S. Navy, and Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) to take corrective action protecting the public water supply at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, a combined Navy-Air Force facility in Washington, D.C. The order requires the Navy and WSSC to submit and implement a plan to correct significant deficiencies identified in 2008 and 2011 surveys of the base's public water supply by EPA and its contractors. These deficiencies include management issues and the flooding of three vaults containing meters due to possible leaking pipes or high ground water. The water system also expanded its capacity without notifying EPA as required by Safe Drinking Water Act regulations.

The REC Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions, published by the Navy Regional Environmental Coordination Office, highlights environmental and energy related developments for DoD/Navy leaders and Installation staff. Covering 20 states in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, the REC Review gives early notice of legislative and regulatory activities relevant to DoD interests. See attached.

The REC Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions, published by the Navy Regional Environmental Coordination Office, highlights environmental and energy related developments for DoD/Navy leaders and Installation staff. Covering 20 states in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, the REC Review gives early notice of legislative and regulatory activities relevant to DoD interests. See attached.

Monthly environmental news for DoD facilities in EPA Regions 1, 2 & 3.

Monthly environmental news for DoD facilities in EPA Regions 1, 2 & 3.

Monthly environmental news for DoD facilities in EPA Regions 1, 2 & 3.

Monthly environmental news for DoD facilities in EPA Regions 1, 2 & 3.

A settlement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Navy will help reduce potentially harmful discharges of ozone-depleting substances and ensure the safe storage and disposal of hazardous waste at the Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, where EPA alleges environmental violations occurred. Under the settlement, the Navy will pay an $83,900 penalty for violations of the Clean Air Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today launched season two of "Better Buildings Challenge SWAP," featuring the U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Air Force Academy. Both military operations swap energy teams to improve the energy efficiency of each one's campus.

The Department of Defense's National Defense Center for Energy and Environment (NDCEE) is excited to announce the opening of proposals for demonstrations of environmental, safety, occupational health, and energy technologies from March 1st to April 1st. They welcome submissions from all DoD Services, inviting innovative technologies, processes, and strategies that enhance energy security, Warfighter protection, military operations efficiency, or reduce environmental impacts. NDCEE wants your help shaping the future of defense through initiatives that bolster national security, safeguard our planet, and contribute to a more robust, greener, and secure tomorrow.

The National Defense Center for Energy and Environment (NDCEE) Program has published the Summer/Fall 2009 NDCEE Newsletter.

The National Defense Center for Energy and Environment (NDCEE) Program has published the Winter/Spring 2009 NDCEE Newsletter.

Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and the Environment Katherine Hammack has issued a new policy memorandum to improve high-performance green buildings standards for the Army. The memo, "Memorandum for Sustainable Design and Development Policy Update (Environmental and Energy Performance) (Revision)", includes requirements for the planning, programming, budgeting, design and building stages that will strengthen the Army's sustainability, energy security, and energy independence through more responsible consumption and planning.

EPA has announced the first 10 chemicals it will evaluate for potential risks to human health and the environment under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). They are: 1,4-Dioxane, 1-Bromopropane, Asbestos, Carbon Tetrachloride, Cyclic Aliphatic Bromide Cluster, Methylene Chloride, N-methylpyrrolidone, Pigment Violet 29, Tetrachloroethylene (also known as perchloroethylene), and Trichloroethylene.

FedCenter has added a new topic to its program area lineup - Climate Change Adaptation. This area includes the latest guidance and information resources to help Federal agencies facilitate climate adaptation planning.

This new SFTool section is dedicated to integrative design and collaborative construction practices. Construction project teams using integrative design approaches and collaborative practices save time and money by reducing the number of hand-offs between the design team and builder, creating a sense of mutual trust among the project team, and increasing stakeholder partnerships throughout the project. The new section presents real-world examples from GSA capital construction projects featuring four project role perspectives and how they used collaborative strategies to deliver high-performance buildings on time and on budget.

The Commerce Department's Economics and Statistics Administration has issued two new reports on the green economy. The first, "Measuring the Green Economy," presents definitions and estimates of the size of the green economy. The report finds that the green economy makes up about 1 to 2 percent of the total economy and is poised for strong growth. The second report, "U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Intensities Over Time: A Detailed Accounting of Industries, Government and Households," analyzes energy-related CO2 emissions and intensities for 349 industries, the government, and households for the 1998 to 2006 period. This report shows how energy efficiency has changed over the past decade across industry sectors, indicating that some areas of the economy have shown substantial decreases in their CO2 emissions while others have made less progress. The methodology of the report provides a way to measure changes in energy efficiency over time as policies change.

On 11 January 2017, EPA's 2017 Construction General permit (CGP) was issued. It will take effect on 16 February 2017. The 2012 CGP will expire at midnight on February 16, 2017. During this time, web content for each permit will be online. Web content for the 2017 CGP will include the new permit and factsheet initially with supporting documents added soon. Web content for the 2012 CGP will remain posted online until the 2012 permit expires.

FedCenter has developed a page at https://www.fedcenter.gov/covid19 that consolidates federal, agency-specific, and non-federal environmentally-related guidance and recommendations with respect to COVID-19 (Coronavirus). The page provides up-to-date, currently available COVID-19 information as it pertains to the environment to help organizations who may be planning on developing additional guidance.

At the request of the federal community, FedCenter has added a new topic to its program area lineup - Cultural Resources. The Cultural Resources Program Area addresses the background and available tools and resources for the management of cultural and historic resources. This includes: preservation of historic properties, archaeological sites, gravesites, repatriation of Native American objects, and curation of collections.

In the U.S. District Court for South Carolina Judge David C. Norton issued an injunction against the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers' "Suspension Rule" that delayed the effective date of the Clean Water Rule for 2 years. The result of this injunction is to essentially reinstate the Clean Water Rule (26 June 2015, Federal Register) in 26 states; the remaining states are subject to district court injunctions currently blocking implementation of the Clean Water Rule.

This new search identifies instances when industrial facilities and sewage treatment plants discharge wastewater pollution in exceedance of their Clean Water Act (CWA) permit effluent limits. The results from this new search feature allow users to identify and sort effluent exceedances. These results are displayed on a webpage and are also sortable (e.g., descending order of facilities with highest effluent exceedances, most pollutant amount over effluent limits - "load over limit"). These results can be downloaded to a user's computer for additional sorting and review. The DMR Pollutant Loading Tool, including this new search, is updated weekly with DMR data from industrial facilities and sewage treatment plants. States authorized to administer the CWA permit program collect these monitoring data and share these data with EPA's national database (ICIS-NPDES).

This Fact Sheet provides general information on e-Manifest; implementation of actual response is based on cleanup authorities applicable to the site.

The new EO, signed 28 March 2017, is titled "Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth." The EO details how the current administration plans to achieve the policy stated in Section 1 of the EO to "promote clean and safe development of our Nation's vast energy resources, while at the same time avoiding regulatory burdens that unnecessarily encumber energy production, constrain economic growth, and prevent job creation." This EO will not be numbered until it is officially published in the Federal Register.

Effective in September 2011, these products must be 40 percent more efficient than conventional models in order to qualify for the Energy Star label.

As directed by President Biden's executive order, the Justice Department and EPA developed a strategy that positions the Biden-Harris Administration to leverage all available legal tools to secure protections for communities that have been overburdened by pollution and environmental injustices. This includes restoring Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs), which EPA's enforcement program has used to provide environmental and/or public health benefits to communities harmed by environmental violations. In the development of this strategy, EPA and the Justice Department engaged in listening sessions to hear directly from impacted communities and other stakeholders. This feedback was critical in shaping today's EJ announcements. A Supplemental Environmental Project is an enforcement tool that EPA used for more than 30 years until the previous administration brought it to a halt. SEPs are local projects that defendants can agree to undertake as part of an enforcement case settlement to help rectify environmental violations. SEPs help to fulfill the goals of the underlying statutes being enforced and can provide important environmental and public health benefits to communities that have been harmed by environmental violations.

FedCenter has released a new tool combining its former EPA Enforcement Focus feature with Compliance Assistance information. Here you'll find the latest information being disseminated by EPA, national and regional, that affects your facilities today.

EPA has issued guidance on the handling of PCB-containing fluorescent light ballasts in schools. While directed at schools, it applies to any other building owner or operator as well.

EPA has created a new Office of Sustainable Communities to encourage communities to take an integrated approach in making environmental, housing and transportation decisions.