Army Directive the establishes requirements for Army instalations in the Strategic Support Area to protect critical assets and ensure mission resilience against threats caused by changing climate and extreme weather.

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Aviation Hazardous Minimization and Green Products Branch in coordination with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment and Department of Defense (DoD) stakeholders demonstrated biobased multipurpose greases for use in non-tactical DoD and civilian federal agency equipment. USDA has designated biobased multipurpose grease for Federal use, with a minimum 72% biobased content. Multipurpose grease products were evaluated in vehicles and equipment at Military installations and civilian Federal Agency facilities. This demonstration validated biobased greases' performance and facilitated awareness of sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based greases and resulted in the assigning of National Stock Numbers (NSNs) for these sustainable products, thereby making them available for DoD and civilian Federal Agency procurement.

As part of the USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Services, the USDA BioPreferred Program online catalog lists a range of supplies that are all certified biobased. This catalog will help you buy products that are derived from plants and other agricultural, marine, and forestry materials to support the business and economic development efforts of USDA Rural Development customers.

EPA is releasing updated 2019 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data, continuing the agency's commitment to providing the public with important data and information about chemicals in their communities. This dataset builds upon the preliminary data released in July, including revised submissions and additional data quality checks, and will be used to develop the 2019 TRI National Analysis. The 2019 data are available in the online TRI tools and data files, including the location-based TRI factsheets.

The USDA Forest Service announced it is now accepting applications for approximately $10 million in funding through the 2021 Wood Innovations Grant and the 2021 Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Grant. These grants seek to support local economies through wood products and wood energy innovations while reducing hazardous fuels and improving forest health.

EPA proposed standards to reduce the environmental impact of discharges, such as ballast water, that are incidental to the normal operation of commercial vessels. When finalized, this new rule will streamline the current patchwork of federal, state, and local requirements that apply to the commercial vessel community and better protect our nation's marine waters. EPA is proposing to establish national standards of performance for incidental discharges from commercial vessels as required under the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA). The proposed rule includes discharge-specific standards for 20 different types of vessel equipment and treatment systems, as well as general performance standards that would apply more broadly to the full range of incidental discharges. The proposed rule also outlines procedures for states working through EPA or the U.S. Coast Guard to seek more stringent requirements, request emergency orders, or apply for no-discharge zones for one or more of the incidental discharges in any or all state waters. EPA will accept comment on the proposal for 30 days, following publication in the Federal Register.

The EPA announced that in FY 2020 the Agency deleted all or part of 27 sites from the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). EPA deletes sites or parts of sites from the NPL when no further cleanup is required to protect human health or the environment. Years, and sometimes decades, of complex investigation and cleanup work have gone into getting these sites to where they are today. While EPA encourages site reuse throughout the cleanup process, deletions from the NPL can help revitalize communities and promote economic growth by signaling to potential developers and financial institutions that cleanup is complete. Over the past several years, the EPA has placed special emphasis on deleting sites and portions of sites to demonstrate to communities that cleanup is complete

DOE, DOC, DoD, and Department of State launched the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries (FCAB) to accelerate the development of a robust, secure, domestic industrial base for advanced batteries. The Consortium provides a framework for cooperation and coordination among federal agencies having a stake in developing advanced battery technology and establishing a domestic supply of lithium batteries.

EPA announced a broad public engagement and outreach effort to discuss how the agency will approach the rulemaking process to address unreasonable risks found in the final Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) chemical risk evaluations. After issuing the first two final risk evaluations, methylene chloride and 1-bromopropane, EPA is moving into the risk management phase and is hosting a robust process to gain important feedback from stakeholders on the options for managing those risks. EPA is holding two public webinars in September 2020 to kick off this outreach effort. Each will provide an overview of the TSCA risk management process and the tools available to manage the unreasonable risks. The first webinar, scheduled for 16 September 2020, will feature a discussion of the findings from the final risk evaluation for methylene chloride. The second webinar, scheduled for 30 September 2020, will include a discussion of the findings from the final risk evaluation for 1-bromopropane. Under TSCA, there are several actions EPA can take to address unreasonable risks including banning a chemical, restricting the manufacturing, processing, distribution or use, warning labels /testing, and requiring manufacturers to notify distributors of any unreasonable risks. EPA has up to one year after issuing a final risk evaluation to propose and take public comments on any risk management actions.

U.S. Secretary of Energy announced the launch of the Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) platform at NREL. Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) is a research platform that can match the complexity of the modern energy system and conduct integrated research to support the development of groundbreaking new energy technologies.

The Summer 2020 edition of the DoD Cultural Resources Program newsletter, "Cultural Resources Update," is attached. Highlights include the AFCEC CR Conference, 2020 Secretary of Defense Environmental Award winners, Fort Leonard Wood Black Officers Club Restoration Project, an introduction to the new DFPO, announcements, training, and more. If you have questions about the newsletter or would like to contribute a future article, please contact Courtney Williams at 703-414-4533 or Williams_Courtney2@bah.com.

The SECARMY Environmental Awards Program recognizes outstanding performance and excellence in environmental stewardship and sustainability by Army installations, teams, and individuals. The awards emphasize innovation and accomplishments in sustainable practice, installation environmental management, and community enhancement. The period of performance for these awards is 01 October 2018 through 30 September 2020.

The EPA and USDA announced the Next Gen Fertilizer Challenges, a joint EPA-USDA partnership and competition to advance agricultural sustainability in the United States. The competition includes two challenges that seek proposals for new and existing fertilizer technologies to maintain or improve crop yields while reducing the impacts of fertilizers on the environment. The first challenge, aims to identify existing Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers (EEFs) that meet or exceed certain environmental and agro-economic criteria. EEF is a term for new formulations that control fertilizer release or alter reactions that reduce nutrient losses to the environment. The second challenge, aims to generate new concepts for novel technologies that can help address environmental concerns surrounding agriculture practices while maintaining or increasing crop yields. An informational webinar will be held on September 24, 2020 at 10:00 – 11:00 AM ET. More information about the challenges and the webinar is available on the EPA website.

The EPA and partners are launching the Innovative Ways to Destroy PFAS Challenge. The challenge asks solvers to submit detailed plans for a non-thermal way of destroying PFAS in concentrated film forming foam (AFFF), while creating the least amount of potentially harmful byproducts. The challenge opens today and closes on Nov. 23, 2020. Join EPA for an informational webinar on the challenge on September 16 at 2:00pm ET. Webinar attendees will receive an overview of the challenge and have the opportunity to ask questions. Click for more information Click below for Webinar link

In celebration of Hydropower Day on August 24, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation, and the Department of the Army through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance collaboration and leverage resources to ensure the continued strength of the federal hydropower fleet. Hydropower plays a critical role in the U.S. power system, as both a source of renewable, affordable energy and as a firm, flexible resource that ensures the reliability of the grid. This MOU builds on previous work between the agencies to support American hydropower through long-term coordination, prioritize similar goals, and align ongoing and future renewable energy development efforts.

This edition of The Corps Environment highlights creating mutually supporting economic and environmentally sustainable solutions, in support of Environmental Operating Principle #3. It features articles that illustrates the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers efforts to advance Army readiness through environmental compliance and stewardship, including projects to improve waterway navigation, protecting historic sites while managing ever-changing training missions, improving hazardous material management, protecting endangered species, reducing energy costs, leveraging alternate water sourcing, recycling initiatives, bee pollinators, responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, preparing for the 2020 hurricane season, and more.

FEMP recently released the FY 2019 annual data for federal energy, water, and associated performance metrics. The data were released to coincide with the White House Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ's) posting of its FY 2019 progress update, which includes agency progress charts and the FY 2019 Office of Management and Budget's Scorecards for Efficient Federal Operations/Management.

EPA released preliminary Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data about chemical releases, waste management, and pollution prevention activities that took place during 2019 at more than 20,000 federal and industrial facilities across the country. EPA plans to publish a revised snapshot of the TRI dataset in October 2020, which will be used to develop the 2019 TRI National Analysis. The agency expects to publish the 2019 TRI National Analysis in early 2021.

EPA announced a Workshop on Federal Government Human Health PFAS Research. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the federal family engaged with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to coordinate the two-day virtual public workshop to review federal agency research on PFAS and identify research and data gaps.

EPA issued the first update on the collaborative implementation of the National Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP) that was launched on February 27, 2020. The update highlights expeditious and meaningful progress that EPA and its partners across the water user community have made to advance consideration of water reuse and ensure the security, sustainability and resilience of our nation's water resources. The first update on the collaborative implementation of the National Water Reuse Action Plan is available at

EPA finalized a rule that streamlines and modernizes the review of permits by the Agency's Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) for the first time in nearly three decades. Additionally, the final rule provides more flexibility to regulated parties, states and tribes, and the public.

EPA proposed emissions standards for airplanes used in commercial aviation and large business jets. This action will align U.S. standards with the international carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), making domestically manufactured aircraft competitive in the global marketplace.

EPA announced an update to its Drinking Water Treatability Database with new treatment options and scientific references for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The database update will further help states, tribes, and local governments, as well as water utilities, make better decisions to manage PFAS in their communities.

On 7 July 2020, the DOE announced a solicitation for energy and water saving contracts to private-sector companies that will help improve the efficiency and address the infrastructure needs of federal facilities. DOE's will award IDIQ ESPC to multiple vendors.

On 29 June 2020 FEMP issued a Federal Agency Call titled, "Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) 2020." The AFFECT 2020 FAC (DE-EE0002329) will provide funding to strengthen energy and water infrastructure across federal agencies. Projects will improve the energy efficiency of federal operations while stimulating economic development and creating jobs in construction, building trades, and other sectors.

WASHINGTON (June 18, 2020) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a final action regarding the regulation of perchlorate under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Considering the best available science and the proactive steps that EPA, states and public water systems have taken to reduce perchlorate levels, the agency has determined that perchlorate does not meet the criteria for regulation as a drinking water contaminant under the SDWA. Therefore, the agency is withdrawing the 2011 regulatory determination and is making a final determination to not issue a national regulation for perchlorate at this time.

EPA took the next step to implement an important per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) requirement of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA added 172 PFAS to the list of chemicals required to be reported to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and established a 100-pound reporting threshold for these substances. The agency is publishing a final rule that officially incorporates these requirements into the Code of Federal Regulations for TRI. Per the NDAA requirements, the PFAS additions became effective as of January 1, 2020. Reporting forms for these PFAS will be due to EPA by July 1, 2021, for calendar year 2020 data.

The Department of Defense (DoD) has announced the 2020 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards winners. The awards recognize installations, teams, and individuals for their accomplishments in innovative and cost-effective environmental management strategies supporting mission readiness.

The Corps Environment is an online quarterly news magazine published by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is intended to provide information about USACE and Army environmental initiatives, policies and technologies. This edition highlights protecting and preserving the environment, in support of Environmental Operating Principle #4. The content within this issue showcases the extraordinary environmental stewardship efforts across the Army. Content includes: Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment Alex Beehler's Army Earth Day message; highlights the five installations and three teams recognized as winners in the 2020 Secretary of the Army Environmental Awards program; and celebrates some of our environmental heroes, who have spent their careers championing environmental stewardship across different disciplines, including scientific research and geology.

DOE has released a notice of intent to issue the "Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) 2020" Federal Agency Call, which will help fund the development of federal energy efficiency, resilience, and security projects that use energy performance contracting

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.

General guidance to advise building HVAC operators to help reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19.

EPA is updating its coronavirus website to include new resources for state, local, and tribal agencies and intergovernmental associations. The website contains important information on grants, enforcement and compliance programs, water infrastructure, and a host of other issues important to effective environmental program delivery. These resources will help EPA and its partners continue to provide the environmental protection the nation depends on without interruption during the coronavirus public health emergency.

The Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) website is updated periodically based on Agency priorities and user requests. The following new features were recently added: • Links to EPA Inspection Reports and Enforcement Documents (no link) • Fiscal Year 2020 Data Downloads • EJSCREEN • Biosolids Annual Report Data Search Added • Search for EPA Cases by Pollutant • NPDES DMR Non-Receipt Status Search

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.

The U.S Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue a funding opportunity to strengthen energy and water infrastructure across federal agencies. Projects will improve the energy efficiency of federal operations while stimulating economic development and creating jobs in construction, building trades, and other sectors.

WASHINGTON (April 10, 2020) -- Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued interim guidance to the Agency's regional offices to ensure that decisions about new or ongoing cleanup activities at sites across the country are made with the health and safety of communities, state and tribal partners, EPA staff, and contractors as the priority. The interim guidance focuses on decision making at emergency response and longer term cleanups sites where EPA is the lead agency or has direct oversight of, or responsibility for, the cleanup work. This includes, but is not limited to, Superfund cleanups, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective actions, Toxic Substance and Control Act PCB cleanups, Oil Pollution Act spill responses, and Underground Storage Tank Program actions. In addition, EPA is sharing this guidance with states to take into consideration as they encounter similar issues at state-lead RCRA cleanup sites.

U.S. EPA announces it is seeking comment on the current list of items that are or can be made from recovered materials and its recommendations to federal agencies on purchasing these items. Since 1995, EPA has designated 61 items made from recovered materials in eight product categories.

EPA is announcing a temporary policy regarding EPA enforcement of environmental legal obligations during the COVID-19 pandemic. This policy will apply retroactively beginning on 13 March 2020. Authorized states or tribes may take a different approach under their own authorities. The EPA will exercise the enforcement discretion specified in the this memo for noncompliance covered by this temporary policy and resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, if regulated entities take the steps applicable to their situations, as set forth in this policy.

EPA released its annual Automotive Trends Report, which provides the public with a single source of information about new light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, fuel economy, technology data, and auto manufacturers' performance in light of the agency's GHG emissions standards. This annual report is part of EPA's commitment to provide the public with information about new light-duty vehicle GHG emissions, fuel economy, technology data, and auto manufacturers' performance in meeting the agency's GHG emissions standards.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the U.S. Navy has completed Phase I of significant upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant and sewage collection system at Naval Base Guam. These updates were made following a 2011 Federal Facility Compliance Agreement (FFCA) between the EPA and the Navy.

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center-Environmental Laboratory's Unmanned Aircraft Systems team has created a comprehensive map for a 700-acre installation. The UAS team has conducted numerous geophysical data collections and has utilized UAS for coastal monitoring applications, assessing plant health, identifying cracks in airfield pavements and other aerial applications.

The Winter 2020 edition of the DoD Cultural Resources Program newsletter, "Cultural Resources Update," is attached. Highlights include partnerships with the CESU Network, 2019 Secretary of Defense Environmental Award winners, ANG NAGRPA repatriation, NPS Story Maps, announcements, training, and more.

In Fiscal Year 2019, the EPA continued to strengthen its collaborative partnership with state and tribal programs to assure compliance with federal environmental laws. EPA continued to focus its resources in areas that will have a major environmental or human health impact, support the integrity of our environmental regulatory programs, create a deterrent effect, or promote cleanups. In FY 2019, EPA also continued to encourage entities to self-disclose and correct violations, resulting in an increase of entities that used this option to return to compliance.

EPA announced the availability of $2.7 billion for State Revolving Funds (SRFs). This funding assists states, tribes and territories with infrastructure projects that help protect surface water and provide safe drinking water to communities across the United States. In 2020, EPA is providing approximately $1.6 billion in new federal grant funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). This funding is available for a wide range of water infrastructure projects, including modernizing aging wastewater infrastructure, implementing water reuse and recycling and addressing stormwater. EPA is also making available more than $1.07 billion in new federal grant funding for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). This funding can be used for loans that help drinking water systems install treatment for contaminants, improve distribution systems by removing lead service lines and improve system resiliency to natural disasters such as floods.

EPA released its 2018 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) National Analysis. Findings from this publicly available report show an increase in recycling of TRI chemical wastes nationwide and indicate that companies continue to find ways to implement new source reduction activities and reduce the quantities of TRI chemicals they release into the environment. This year's National Analysis expands the focus on geographical trends in chemical waste management across the country. New features include profiles exploring the diversity of industrial operations in each EPA region and a closer look at data from the hazardous waste management sector and the aerospace manufacturing sector.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released the 2019 Year in Review outlining major accomplishments and environmental progress during the Trump administration.

This February 2020 edition of The Corps Environment is an online quarterly news magazine published by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is intended to provide information about USACE and Army environmental initiatives, policies and technologies.

GSA recently updated their leasing documents, including the sustainability requirements. The Leasing Alert briefly describes background for the sustainability modifications. The updated leasing document can be found under Contract/Procurement Language in the Acquisitions Program area on FedCenter (look under Green Lease Policies and Procedures for Lease Acquisition, GSA Realty Services Letter, RSL-2007-12)

EPA announced that it issued eight Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) enforcement orders to federal facilities in Fiscal Year 2019. The SDWA enforcement orders were issued to ensure public health protection through compliance with federal drinking water standards at public water systems operated by federal facilities. EPA issued five orders to federal facilities for violations of the public water system requirements. These orders addressed different violations at each facility and include orders to monitor lead and copper, nitrate and total coliform bacteria; to lower copper levels; and to address system deficiencies. EPA also issued three orders to federal facilities for imminent and substantial endangerment. An order was issued to one facility to address a main water break, to another facility to address an e-coli positive sample; and a third facility to repair and replace piping in imminent danger of failing. EPA continues to work with these federal facilities to address violations of the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations and ensure public health protection. EPA has identified protection of drinking water as a National Compliance Initiative (NCI), indicating that it is an enforcement and compliance priority.

WASHINGTON (Jan. 7, 2020) -- Aggressively addressing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is an active and ongoing priority for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Read more ....

On December 18th, EPA announced the new validated Method 533 for testing additional short chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. Method 533 measure PFAS by isotope dilution anion exchange solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The lowest concentration minimum reporting levels (LCMRLs) for the method analytes are provided in a table and range from 1.4 to 16 nanograms/L ((ng/L) or parts per trillion (ppt)). The combination of this new method and existing EPA methods can now measure 29 different PFAS compounds in drinking water.

USDA published a rule designating 30 additional product categories for preferred federal procurement, bringing the total number of product categories to 139. These 30 categories contain finished products that are made from the intermediate ingredients that have been designated. Additionally, many of these categories are made up of products that already participated in the Program's voluntary labeling initiative. By designating these product categories, USDA is taking a step toward merging the two initiatives of the Program, with an eye towards ultimately making all products certified through the BioPreferred Program qualify for preferred federal procurement.

FEMP recently presented its 39th annual Federal Energy and Water Management Awards. These annual awards honor federal personnel and highlight their outstanding achievements related to energy and water cost savings, optimized energy and water use, and distributed energy at our nation's federal facilities.

EPA is asking the public for input on potentially adding certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the list of chemicals companies are required to report to the agency as part of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). EPA's TRI is an important tool that provides the public with information about the use of certain chemicals by tracking their management and associated activities. U.S. facilities in different industry sectors must report annually how much of each chemical is released to the environment and/or managed through recycling, energy recovery, and treatment. TRI helps support informed decision-making by companies, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and the public. Currently, no PFAS chemicals are included on the list of chemicals that are required to be reported to TRI.

WASHINGTON (November 20, 2019) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with the rest of the federal government, released the Fall 2019 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions and Regulatory Plan (Fall Regulatory Agenda and Annual Regulatory Plan), which provides updates to the public about regulatory activity. "EPA's Fall Regulatory Agenda and Annual Regulatory Plan continue to advance the agency's core mission of protecting human health and the environment through regulatory reform and modernization," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "Under President Trump, EPA has finalized 47 deregulatory actions, saving Americans nearly $5 billion in regulatory costs. By creating a climate of regulatory certainty, we're able to breathe new life into local economies around the country." EPA's Fall Regulatory Agenda includes information on the agency's regulatory and deregulatory activities under development within the next 12 months. The Agenda includes 56 actions that are expected to be deregulatory and 37 actions appearing for the first time. The Annual Regulatory Plan includes EPA's statement of regulatory priorities and additional information about 34 priority actions that the agency plans to propose or complete in the coming year.

November 2019 version of the quarterly publication of "The Corps Environment" newsletter published by the USACE Environmental Community of Practice. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide information about USACE and Army environmental actions, issues, policies and technologies. This edition highlights how the Corps fosters sustainability as a way of life, in support of Environmental Operating Principle #1. Content includes commentary from Col. Isaac Manigault, Commander of U.S. Army Environmental Command, about setting conditions for Army readiness. This edition also highlights a variety of projects and initiatives from across the Army enterprise that are setting conditions for a sustainable future.

This handbook provides an overview of the federal hazardous waste regulations and helps small-business owners and operators understand how best to comply with federal hazardous waste management regulations. It was updated in October 2019 to incorporate new requirements from the 2016 Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule, the 2018 e-Manifest Rule, the 2019 Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals Rule, and other recent rulemakings.

Education credit certificates are now available to be picked up for anyone who registered at the 2019 Symposium event in Bethesda, MD, and attended at least one session.

The presentations from the 2019 Federal Environmental Symposium held on October 30-31, 2019 at the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD, are now available for viewing or download at https://www.fedcenter.gov/symposium2019-proceedings.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recognized 28 individuals and teams across the federal government for exceptional energy and water cost savings at the 2019 Federal Energy and Water Management Awards. This year's winners include those serving in the U.S. Air Force, Army, Defense Logistics Agency, Marine Corps, and Navy; the departments of Agriculture, Commerce; Energy, Interior, Justice, and Veterans Affairs; and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Many of the winning efforts focused on improving the federal government's energy efficiency and resilience through optimized operations and replicable cost-effective projects.

E-Manifest User Fees for October 1, 2019- September 30, 2021 Are Now in

EPA announced a settlement with the Department of the Navy for improperly managing hazardous waste at the Naval Air Weapons Station in China Lake. Under the agreement, the federal facility will pay a $23,700 penalty. The Naval Air Weapons Station - China Lake is in the Western Mojave Desert region of California, approximately 150 miles north of Los Angeles. Operations at the facility include research and development of explosive materials and weapons, aircraft maintenance, facilities maintenance operations, metal fabrication operations, and storage of hazardous materials and waste. EPA's 2018 inspections identified violations of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations. RCRA rules require the safe management of hazardous waste to protect public health and the environment and to prevent the need for costly and extensive cleanups. Violations identified during the inspection included: Failure to comply with a permit condition that requires deteriorating containers to be replaced or put inside larger containers in good condition at the point of generation. Failure to keep hazardous waste containers closed. Failure to properly manage universal wastes. The facility has resolved the identified violations and is now in compliance with the RCRA requirements.

WASHINGTON (August 21, 2019) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes federal facilities for conserving resources and saving taxpayers' money as part of the Federal Green Challenge (FGC). The challenge is a national effort under the EPA's Sustainable Materials Management Program, which encourages federal agencies to lead by example in reducing the federal government's environmental impact. Read more....

The "Fish and Shellfish Program Newsletter" is published monthly by EPA's Office of Water. It highlights current information about fish and shellfish -- providing a snapshot of recent advisories, federal agency activities, publications, awarded research, and future meetings and conferences. Click here for the June 2019 edition.

August 2019 version of the quarterly publication of "The Corps Environment" newsletter published by the USACE Environmental Community of Practice. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide information about USACE and Army environmental actions, issues, policies and technologies. This edition highlights how the Corps employs an open and transparent process, in support of Environmental Operating Principle #7. In the spirit of transparency, this issue provides insight into the valuable role the Corps' National Program Managers (NPMs) play in championing environmental activities across the enterprise. It also includes content from some of the NPMs on the programs they support as well as highlights from the field.

The pace of cleanup at federal facility Superfund sites can be delayed when Federal Facility Agreement (FFA) parties continue disputes beyond the agreed-upon dispute resolution timelines specified in negotiated FFAs.However, because disagreements and disputes are fact-specific, a fluid rather than a one-size-fits-all process may at times be necessary. This memorandum sets out principles clarifying and reinforcing the importance of adhering to agreed-upon FFA informaland formal dispute timelines. These principles support Recommendation 18 of the Administrator's Superfund Task Force Recommendations report, released on July 25, 2017.

Recommendation 30 of EPA's Superfund Task Force Report directed EPA to develop Federal facilities language for placing Federal Facility Agreement (FFA) provisions on hold in instances where a third partywants to do the work. This Recommendation is also part of the Report's Goal 3 of "Encouraging Private Investment." To encourage reuse and redevelopment, either of these two FFA amendments could be used as a starting point for negotiations with the applicableFederal agency. EPA developed these amendments taking into account Federal agency and state comments.

Recommendation 30 of EPA's Superfund Task Force Report directed EPA to develop Federal facilities language for placing Federal Facility Agreement (FFA) provisions on hold in instances where a third partywants to do the work. This Recommendation is also part of the Report's Goal 3 of "Encouraging Private Investment." To encourage reuse and redevelopment, either of these two FFA amendments could be used as a starting point for negotiations with the applicableFederal agency. EPA developed these amendments taking into account Federal agency and state comments.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) is issuing a final policy on Enhancing Effective Partnerships Between the EPA and the States in Civil Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Work. POC: Kathleen H. Johnson, Senior Policy Advisor, Mail Code: 2261A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; tele: (202) 564-5401; email:johnson.kathleen@epa.gov. (Federal Register: 19 July 2019 [Notices] Pages 34887-34888).

WASHINGTON (June 19, 2019) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued the final Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule – replacing the prior administration's overreaching Clean Power Plan (CPP) with a rule that restores the rule of law and empowers states to continue to reduce emissions while providing affordable and reliable energy for all Americans.

As part of the U.S. EPA's July 25, 2017, Superfund Task Force Report (Report) Recommendation 30, EPA revised its 1997 "Policy Towards Landowners and Transferees of Federal Facilities." Recommendation 30 directed the revision as part of the Report's Goal 3, "Encouraging Private Investment." Formerly, the 1997 policy indicated that prospective purchaser agreements would not be necessary for landowners and transferees of federal facilities. In addition, it did not encourage the use of various tools, such as comfort letters, to give transferees confidence that EPA would generally not take CERCLA enforcement action against them. The revised policy is intended to encourage reuse and redevelopment of federal property. It supports the use of tools such as comfort letters and other agreements to address potential liability concerns of landowners and transferees who acquire federal property, and aims to alleviate uncertainty regarding potential enforcement by EPA for contamination existing as of the date of property acquisition. EPA developed the policy in coordination with two state organizations, ECOS and ASTSWMO, and other federal agencies. Susan Bodine, EPA's Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, issued the revised policy on May 17, 2019. See attachment.

The Green Electronics Council (GEC), the organization that manages the EPEAT ecolabel, recognized the 2019 EPEAT Purchaser Award winners at an evening celebration held on May 22nd in Portland, Oregon. Fifty-nine organizations, including cities, states, US Federal agencies and companies from around the globe were honored for their decision to purchase sustainable IT products.

Through participation in the Better Buildings Initiative more than 900 public and private sector organizations have saved nearly 1.4 quadrillion British thermal units (Btus) of energy since the program began. This is a savings of nearly $8.5 billion and more than 80 million tons of CO2. Partners also have reduced their water use by more than 6.5 billion gallons.

This year's Energy Exchange will offer a comprehensive range of technical-based training for the federal energy management community. View this years session line up in the Agenda at a Glance. Topics featured at this years event reflect the critical needs of the federal government. Sessions will cover the security and reliability of energy infrastructure, using advanced integrated technologies for portfolio adoption, and forecasting storage options to enhance resilience and more. Don't miss this unique opportunity to receive accredited training and updates on recent policy. Details about individual sessions (including speaker info and session descriptions) are coming soon.

May 2019 version of the quarterly publication of "The Corps Environment" newsletter published by the USACE Environmental Community of Practice. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide information about USACE and Army environmental actions, issues, policies and technologies. This edition highlights how the Corps proactively considers environmental consequences and acts accordingly, in support of Environmental Operating Principle #2.

The Chairman of the CEQ has issued instructions to Federal agencies for meeting energy and environmental performance requirements in a manner that increases efficiency, optimizes performance, eliminates unnecessary use of resources, and protects the environment, as required under E.O. 13834. The Implementing Instructions were issued on April 30, 2019, and are available.

AIA's Committee on the Environment (COTE) has announced its Top Ten awardees for sustainable design in 2020. The 2020 COTE® Top Ten program highlights projects that meet the AIA Committee on the Environment's rigorous criteria for social, economic, and ecological value. The COTE® Top Ten Plus designation denotes projects with exemplary performance data and post occupancy lessons.

The Central Review publishes environmental and energy related developments for DOD/Army leaders and installation staff. Covering the nine states in Federal Regions 6 and 7 the Central Review gives early notice of legislative and regulatory activities relevant to DOD interests. For installations that implement an environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001 specifications, the content of the Review may help them identify emerging requirements.

The U.S. Army Regional Environmental and Energy Office – Southern Region's April 2019 State Legislative and Regulatory REVIEW for Region 4 contains current legislative and regulatory activity pertinent to military interests. For installations that implement an environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001 specifications, the content of the Review may help them identify emerging requirements.

The Regional Environmental and Energy Office - Northern (REEO-N), March 2019 Northern Review contains current legislative and regulatory activity pertinent to military interests. Covering the 22 states and territories in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3, and 5, the Northern Review gives early notice of legislative and regulatory activities and for installations that implement an environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001 specifications, the content of the Review may help them identify emerging requirements.

The Army's Region 8 Western Review contains summaries of current legislative and regulatory activity within EPA Region 8 states (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming), the Region 9 Western Review contains summaries within EPA Region 9 states (Arizona, California, Hawaii and Pacific Islands, and Nevada), and Region 10 Western Review contains summaries within EPA Region 10 states (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington).

The DoD Cultural Resources UPDATE is sponsored by the DoD Cultural Resource Program. Highlights include military training on cultural resources at Fort Drum, a USAF case study on digital data curation, opportunities with the Corps Network, announcements, training, and more.

GSA's Policy is a comprehensive set of recommendations, with background discussion on the opportunities for federal agencies to gain the benefits of greater building-to-grid integration.

The U.S. Army Regional Environmental and Energy Office – Southern Region's February 2019 State Legislative and Regulatory REVIEW for Region 4 contains current legislative and regulatory activity pertinent to military interests. For installations that implement an environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001 specifications, the content of the Review may help them identify emerging requirements.

The Army's Region 8 Western Review contains summaries of current legislative and regulatory activity within EPA Region 8 states (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming), the Region 9 Western Review contains summaries within EPA Region 9 states (Arizona, California, Hawaii and Pacific Islands, and Nevada), and Region 10 Western Review contains summaries within EPA Region 10 states (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington).

The Regional Environmental and Energy Office - Northern (REEO-N), February 2019 Northern Review contains current legislative and regulatory activity pertinent to military interests. Covering the 22 states and territories in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3, and 5, the Northern Review gives early notice of legislative and regulatory activities and for installations that implement an environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001 specifications, the content of the Review may help them identify emerging requirements.

This annual report is part of the EPA's commitment to providing the public with transparent information about new light-duty vehicle GHG emissions, fuel economy, technology data, and auto manufacturers' performance in meeting the agency's GHG emissions standards. This report includes content previously published in two separate reports, the Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends Report, and the GHG Manufacturer Performance Report.

The Bioeconomy Initiative: Implementation Framework was developed by the federal Biomass Research and Development (BR&D) Board. The Bioeconomy Initiative is a multi-agency strategy to accelerate innovative technologies that harness the nation's biomass resources for affordable biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower. The Framework will serve as a guiding document for the BR&D Board member agencies to increase government accountability and accelerate innovative and sustainable technologies that contribute to a secure, reliable, affordable, and enduring supply of U.S. energy and products.

The EPA is leading the national effort to understand PFAS and reduce PFAS risks to the public through implementation of this Action Plan and through active engagement and partnership with other federal agencies, states, tribes, industry groups, associations, local communities, and the public. This Action Plan describes the EPA's approach to identifying and understanding PFAS, approaches to addressing current PFAS contamination, preventing future contamination, and effectively communicating with the public about PFAS.

The U.S. Army Regional Environmental and Energy Office – Southern Region's February 2019 State Legislative and Regulatory REVIEW for Region 4 contains current legislative and regulatory activity pertinent to military interests. For installations that implement an environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001 specifications, the content of the Review may help them identify emerging requirements.

The Army's Region 8 Western Review contains summaries of current legislative and regulatory activity within EPA Region 8 states (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming), the Region 9 Western Review contains summaries within EPA Region 9 states (Arizona, California, Hawaii and Pacific Islands, and Nevada), and Region 10 Western Review contains summaries within EPA Region 10 states (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington).

The Central Review publishes environmental and energy related developments for DOD/Army leaders and installation staff. Covering the nine states in Federal Regions 6 and 7 the Central Review gives early notice of legislative and regulatory activities relevant to DOD interests. For installations that implement an environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001 specifications, the content of the Review may help them identify emerging requirements.

The Regional Environmental and Energy Office - Northern (REEO-N), February 2019 Northern Review contains current legislative and regulatory activity pertinent to military interests. Covering the 22 states and territories in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3, and 5, the Northern Review gives early notice of legislative and regulatory activities and for installations that implement an environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001 specifications, the content of the Review may help them identify emerging requirements.

In FY 2018, the EPA worked in collaboration with state and tribal programs to assure compliance with federal environmental laws. EPA focused its enforcement and compliance resources in areas that would have a major environmental or human health impact, support the integrity of our environmental regulatory programs, create a deterrent effect, or promote cleanups. A portion of this report covers Federal facilities. To view the results and example cases, click on the link.

February 2019 version of the quarterly publication of "The Corps Environment" newsletter published by the USACE Environmental Community of Practice. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide information about USACE and Army environmental actions, issues, policies and technologies. This edition focuses on risk management and NEPA.

The updated ISO 14064-1, "Greenhouse Gases - Part 1: Specification with Guidance at the Organization Level for Quantification and Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals" specifies principles and requirements at the organization level for the quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals. It includes requirements for the design, development, management, reporting, and verification of an organization's GHG inventory.

The Central Review publishes environmental and energy related developments for DOD/Army leaders and installation staff. Covering the nine states in Federal Regions 6 and 7 the Central Review gives early notice of legislative and regulatory activities relevant to DOD interests. For installations that implement an environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001 specifications, the content of the Review may help them identify emerging requirements.

The Regional Environmental and Energy Office - Northern (REEO-N), January 2019 Northern Review contains current legislative and regulatory activity pertinent to military interests. Covering the 22 states and territories in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3, and 5, the Northern Review gives early notice of legislative and regulatory activities and for installations that implement an environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001 specifications, the content of the Review may help them identify emerging requirements.

The U.S. Army Regional Environmental and Energy Office – Southern Region's January 2019 State Legislative and Regulatory REVIEW for Region 4 contains current legislative and regulatory activity pertinent to military interests. For installations that implement an environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001 specifications, the content of the Review may help them identify emerging requirements.