(Boston, Mass. – January 13, 2010) – Three entities involved in a demolition project at the Newport Navy Base in Newport, R.I. have agreed to pay a penalty for alleged violations of Federal requirements for the safe handling and disposal of asbestos during demolition activities.

(Seattle, Wash.--Jan. 12, 2010) The Federal Aviation Administration has pledged to permanently close over two dozen motor vehicle waste disposal wells in Alaska. The FAA action resulted from an administrative order on consent issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Each April, EPA Region 2 honors individuals and organizations who have significantly improved the environment in New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. One of the award categories is Federal, State, Local or Tribal Government or Agency, Nominations are due February 22, 2010.

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.

Three public hearings concerning the reconsideration will be held concurrently in Arlington, Virginia, and Houston, Texas, on Tuesday, 2 February 2010, and in Sacramento, California, on Thursday, 2 February 2010. EPA proposes to set different primary and secondary standards than those set in 2008 to provide requisite protection of public health and welfare.

40th Anniversary of National Environmental Policy Act Presidential Proclamation 8469 declares January 1, 2010 as the 40th Anniversary of the National Environmental Policy Act.

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.

On December 22nd, EPA announced final emission standards under the Clean Air Act for new marine diesel engines with per-cylinder displacement at or above 30 liters (called Category 3 marine diesel engines) installed on U.S.-flagged vessels. The final engine standards are equivalent to those adopted in the amendments to Annex VI to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (a treaty called "MARPOL"). The emission standards apply in two stages: near-term standards for newly-built engines will apply beginning in 2011, and long-term standards requiring an 80 percent reduction in nitrogen dioxides (NOx) will begin in 2016.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released enforcement results for fiscal year 2009, and has developed a new Web-based tool and interactive map that allows the public to get detailed information by location about the enforcement actions taken at approximately 4,600 facilities. In FY2009, EPA concluded enforcement actions requiring polluters to invest more than $5 billion on pollution controls, cleanup, and environmental projects. Civil and criminal defendants committed to install controls and take other measures to reduce pollution by approximately 580 million pounds annually once all required controls are fully implemented. The new mapping tool allows the public to view the locations of facilities that were the subject of those enforcement actions on interactive maps of the U.S. and territories. The maps show facilities where civil enforcement actions were taken for environmental laws for air, water, and land pollution, and a separate map shows criminal enforcement actions.

Themes of the strategy are: Healthy Watersheds and Coastal Waters, Safe Drinking Water, Sustainable Water Infrastructure, and Water Security. Within each theme, research needs are categorized into the following areas: aquatic health effects, human health effects, occurrence and exposure, methods development, and treatment technologies and effectiveness.

The report "Acid Rain and Related Program: 2008 Highlights" was released December 2009. The report documents that emissions from sources in the Acid Rain Program fell by 52 percent compared with 1990 levels and are already below the statutory annual emission cap of 8.95 million tons set for compliance in 2010.

(New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a complaint to the Puerto Rico Air National Guard, part of the U.S. Air Force, for improperly managing underground tanks used to store diesel fuel and gasoline at its facility in Toa Baja. Leaking underground storage tanks pose significant threats to soil, surface water and ground water. EPA cited the Puerto Rico Air National Guard for failing to properly monitor its storage tanks for leaks and maintain records of release detection for two underground storage tank systems; the Agency is seeking a civil penalty of $154,353.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued guidance to help federal agencies minimize the impact of federal development projects on nearby water bodies. The guidance is being issued in response to a change in law and Executive Order 13514, "Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance" signed by President Obama on October 5, 2009, which calls upon all federal agencies to lead by example to address a wide range of environmental issues, including stormwater runoff.

Reports are available from 7 Federal agencies concerning the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay. Public comment on these reports is requested. The reports were prepared pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13508 of May 12, 2009, Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration. The E.O. required that a draft strategy be published for public review and comments together with the final reports prepared by the federal agencies. The draft strategy was made available on 9 November 2008 for comment. Comments on the seven Section 202 reports must be submitted on or before 8 January 2010.

WASHINGTON (December 7, 2009) After a thorough examination of the scientific evidence and careful consideration of public comments, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that greenhouse gases (GHGs) threaten the public health and welfare of the American people. EPA also finds that GHG emissions from on-road vehicles contribute to that threat.

Fielded by EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER), this is an online discussion forum designed to enhance communication between EPA and the public on contaminated sites, waste management, and recycling issues. The forum is a public comment board and the first four discussion topics pertain to community involvement, Superfund metrics, toxic material reduction, and land revitalization. Potential topics for future discussions include recycling, waste management, brownfields, leaking underground storage tanks, and emergency response. EPA plans to post a new topic of discussion each month to generate discussion related to hazardous waste, recycling, and emergency response activities.

A free online supplement to the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) is a compilation of articles demonstrating the advancement and evolving sophistication of environmental and occupational justice work, and the use of community-based participatory research approaches over the past decade. This edition of the America Journal of Public Health is supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The supplement was supported by the three federal partners and the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

The draft standards were released on November 19, 2009. The specification is open for public comment through January 18, 2010.

(Seattle, Wash. – November 23, 2009) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has required the U.S. Navy to consider more rigorous cleanup options for residential and shoreline property near the Jackson Park Housing Complex in Bremerton, Washington. The Navy is currently in the initial stages of a Superfund cleanup at the 232-acre property.

This report, published in November 2009, provides data on the fuel economy, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and technology characteristics of new light-duty vehicles (cars, minivans, sport utility vehicles, and pickup trucks) for model years 1975 through 2009.

The Public is invited to comment on the Federal Bay-Delta Work Plan. The Departments of Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, and the Army, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Council on Environmental Quality are committed to developing a plan by December 15, 2009, that will lay out specific short-term federal goals and actions in this effort. Public input is sought on the key issues that should be addressed within the short-term plan being developed.

WASHINGTON (November 16, 2009) – Home owners, buyers and renters have a new resource for going green indoors and outdoors. EPA's new Green Homes Web site will help people make their homes greener with tips on reducing energy consumption, carbon footprints, waste generation and water usage, as well as improving indoor air quality.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 has announced its 2009 Champions of Environmental Leadership and Green Government. This program seeks to recognize those individuals and initiatives which have gone beyond regulatory compliance and show tangible measurement towards the Federal Green Challenge goals, which is a 5% or more reduction in the target areas of energy, transportation, waste, water, and overall environmental leadership. This year, as part of the Federal Green Challenge, there was a record number of reductions associated with Champions nominations. The 2009 Champions of Environmental Leadership and Green Government are:

• Overall Environmental Leadership: Bonneville Power Administration
• Transportation: U.S. Forest Service
• Waste: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Energy: General Services Administration
• One additional award in 2009 for a reduction of more than 5% in two Champions categories: National Park Service Glacier Bay

For complete details on the awards, please visit the website: http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/ECOCOMM.NSF/Federal+Green+Challenge/awards/.

LOS ANGELES (November 10, 2009) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is seeking former Atomics International, Rocketdyne, or Rockwell employees who worked on nuclear and radiological projects at the now closed Santa Susana Field Lab, located near Los Angeles, Calif., to assist the agency in identifying potential radiological contamination at the lab, which will help overall cleanup of the lab property. The EPA is interested in interviewing past lab employees that have knowledge of spills, dumping, or other types of releases of radiological material to the land, air and water. The EPA is planning a study of radiological contamination at the lab and a full understanding of past operations and events that may have caused contamination is critical to EPA's study.

A team of Air Force and scientific experts announced the environmental cleanup program at Dix will meet or exceed Air Force standards. The Dix environmental program is on track for early compliance with the Air Force goal of implementing "Remedy-in-Place" by 2012.

As a result of The National Study of Chemical Residues in Lake Fish Tissue, EPA has identified widespread contamination of fish in U.S. lakes and reservoirs.

The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) will convene the Zero-Energy Commercial Buildings Consortium in order to support the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Net-Zero Energy Commercial Building Initiative. NASEO is comprised of senior officials from the energy offices of both the states and territories, in addition to affiliates from the private and public sectors, and will provide leadership for the Consortium.

ECHO has been updated to allow users to view current information on facility compliance with water, air, and hazardous waste requirements in relation to pollutant release data from EPA's Toxics Release Inventory and National Emissions Inventory databases. This provides the public with more information on the overall environmental footprint of each facility.

Pilot projects are being sought for the Sustainable Sites Initiative Rating System, released on November 5, 2009. Accepted pilot projects will be the first projects to demonstrate their application of The Sustainable Sites Initiative: Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks 2009. Feedback will be used to revise the rating system and inform the technical reference manual. Projects may only be submitted online through February 15, 2010.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, along with four other federal agencies, the Navajo Nation, congressional staff, academia, state, tribal and local government representatives, community members and nongovernment organizations are meeting to discuss the progress of the five-year plan to address uranium contamination on the Navajo Nation.

EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announces President Obama's selections for EPA Regions 2, 6 and 9.

Dyess Air Force Base is honored by the U.S. House of Representatives for the bases' success in achieving energy savings and developing energy-saving innovations during Energy Awareness Month.

As part of FedCenter's new initiative to provide interactive, Web-based training for federal environmental personnel, FedCenter has released the third of three on-demand training courses that were planned to be released this summer/fall. "Underground Storage Tank" training is designed to provide facility personnel with help in managing underground storage tanks. For more details, FedCenter members can click on this link and log in to view the UST course information.

DOE has issued an updated version of its popular EnergyPlus simulation software for modeling heating, cooling, lighting, ventilating, and other building energy flows.

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

On July 6, 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it would develop an action plan to enhance public transparency regarding clean water enforcement performance at federal and state levels, to strengthen that performance, and to transform EPA's water quality and compliance information systems.

In addition to using no more than a half gallon per flush, urinals bearing the WaterSense label must meet EPA's performance requirements, ensuring they work as well or better than standard models.

President Obama has issued a proclamation that October 2009 is National Energy Awareness Month.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are alerting shippers and carriers to the importance of transporting lithium batteries safely. These agencies are issuing this advisory guidance to (1) Inform persons of recent aviation incidents involving fires aboard both passenger and cargo aircraft and the potential hazards that shipments of lithium batteries may present while in transportation, (2) provide information concerning the current requirements for the transportation of lithium batteries and (3) inform persons of the actions taken to date and plan to take in the future to address the hazards of these batteries [Federal Register: October 7, 2009 [Notices], Page 51643-51645].

(New York, NY, October 13, 2009) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has signed an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Department of Energy (DOE) covering federal facilities, which details responsibilities for the cleanup of a contaminated site in Middlesex, New Jersey. The federal facilities agreement specifies that USACE is responsible for cleaning up the site and DOE is responsible for long-term surveillance after the cleanup. The property was used by the Atomic Energy Commission as part of the nation's early atomic energy program to handle various radioactive ores.

EPA has designated 31 locations across the country as not meeting the agency's daily standards for fine particle air pollution (PM 2.5), or particulate matter.

FedCenter has added a new topic to its program area lineup - Greenhouse Gases. This area includes the latest guidance and information resources to aid Federal facilities in managing greenhouse gas emissions. This encompasses current guidance, policies, and trends related to climate change/global warming, calculation of carbon footprints, GHG inventories, and the application of offsets to reduce carbon footprints.

EPA has issued a document providing state and local governments technical guidance for methamphetamine lab cleanups. Issues included are best practices for specific items or materials, sampling procedures, and technical resources.

The District Department of the Environment (DDOE) and the U.S. EPA have signed a Performance Partnership Agreement that will guide their collaboration on environmental priorities over the next two years. The EPA/DDOE partnership agreement targets five areas for collaboration.

President Obama has issued the new Executive Order 13514 on "Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance", which sets sustainability goals for Federal agencies and focuses on making improvements in their environmental, energy and economic performance. The Executive Order requires Federal agencies to set a 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target within 90 days; increase energy efficiency; reduce fleet petroleum consumption; conserve water; reduce waste; support sustainable communities; and leverage Federal purchasing power to promote environmentally-responsible products and technologies.

Caulk containing potentially harmful polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was used in many buildings in the 1950s through the 1970s. PCBs in caulk have not been found in single-family homes. EPA has only found the chemical in caulk in large, older apartment complexes and some older buildings, such as schools.

This program enables Federal employees from across government to submit their ideas for efficiencies and savings as part of the annual budget process. Federal sustainability improvements often result in considerable savings and should be shared government-wide. By offering suggestions regarding environmental and energy improvements to operational elements of federal facilities, federal employees can help improve efficiency and save money.

An inter-agency agreement with the U.S. Air Force for the cleanup of the McGuire Air Force Base Superfund Site in New Hanover Township, New Jersey has been signed by Air Force and EPA officials. The federal facility agreement signed ensures that cleanup activities proceed under EPA oversight and in a manner that protects the public health and the environment.

EPA has issued the Final Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule. The rule requires reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from large sources and suppliers in the United States, and is intended to collect accurate and timely emissions data to inform future policy decisions.

PHILADELPHIA (September 16, 2009) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's mid-Atlantic region announced 10 winners of its second annual environmental achievement awards including two from Maryland – the Solid Waste Management Division of Cecil County government and the National Security Agency facility in Fort Meade.

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.

WASHINGTON – Federal agencies today released the seven draft reports required by President Obama's executive order on the Chesapeake Bay, which contain a range of proposed strategies for accelerating cleanup of the nation's largest estuary and its vast watershed. The draft reports collectively call for increased accountability and performance from pollution control, habitat protection and land conservation programs at all levels of government, including an expanded use of regulatory authorities to address pollution control and additional voluntary and market-based solutions – particularly when it comes to habitat protection and land conservation programs. Federal agencies are also proposing new ways to harness the latest innovations in science and technology. The proposed actions are in response to overwhelming scientific evidence that the health of the Chesapeake Bay remains exceptionally poor, despite the concerted restoration efforts of the past 25 years.

The free September 10, 2009 webcast is titled "Introduction to Water Quality Standards." The webcast will highlight the three major components of state and tribal water quality standards e.g., designated uses, water quality criteria, antidegradation, and will include a case study of how one state is working to strengthen its WQS program.

On 3 September 2009 President Obama issued proclamation 8409 declaring September 2009 as National Wilderness Month.

This day celebrates hands-on volunteer efforts to improve and enhance the public lands Americans enjoy. In 2008, 120,000 volunteers built trails and bridges, removed trash and invasive plants, and planted over 1.6 million trees. See the website for volunteer opportunities near you.

The EPA completed its multi-year review of the Army's closure and sampling reports and through the EPA's own analyses considers the JACADS facility to have met all of its permit requirements for closing the facility.

This report is produced through the Federal Automotive Statistical Tool (FAST). The report details information on fleet profiles, inventories, and costs as well as fuel usage.

The Web site allows the public to stay tuned to key developments, draft work products, schedules of public meetings and events, and have questions answered about the process.

The release includes raw data that accounts for 80 to 85 percent of the total data that will be included in the TRI National Analysis in December 2009. EPA has provided the preliminary data in three ways. First, a Facility Locator Tool allows you to access facility-specific information regarding TRI Section 313 chemicals in your community. Second, EPA has provided basic data files that are available for download and include 100 of the most commonly requested data fields. Third, EPA has offered basic plus data, a set of seven downloadable files containing all data submitted to EPA by covered facilities. EPA is continuing to process paper submissions and late submissions and resolve electronic filing issues; they intend to incorporate these additional datasets in September and again in October.

(Kansas City, Kan., August 18, 2009) - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Eastern Kansas Health Care System has agreed to pay a $51,501 civil penalty and spend nearly a half-million dollars on a plan to manage pharmaceutical and chemical wastes, all in an agreement to settle alleged violations of hazardous waste laws at its hospitals in Leavenworth and Topeka, Kan.

(New York, N.Y.) In order to help ensure that underground tanks used for storing diesel fuel, oil and gasoline are properly managed in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding safety violations. According to the settlement, USDA will pay $30,000 in penalties and is required to comply with federal underground storage tank requirements.

These documents contain the results of peer review of the proposed renewable fuel standards in four areas: 1) land use modeling; 2) methods to account for the variable timing of GHG emissions; 3) GHG emissions from foreign crop production; and 4) how the models EPA relied upon are used together to provide overall lifecycle estimates.

EPPNet is sponsoring a webinar on July 29, 2-009 as part of the effort to look for volunteers to help develop environmental criteria for ranking imaging equipment and televisions and their related equipment. To register for the webinar, please email sue@ceh.org. Include your name, title and the name of the organization you represent.

The results from the first 15 mo of the second UCMR2 program are now available on EPA's Web site. EPA intends to update results at least semiannually until the end of reporting under the program in 2011. UCMR2 is a tool used by EPA to help determine whether to set new drinking water standards for individual contaminants that are not currently regulated.

This agreement on the 62-acre site at McClellan Air Force Base creates the first privatized clean-up of a Superfund site in the nation.

July 2009 version of the U.S. Army OREGA-N's "Northern Region Review" bi-monthly newsletter highlighting current environmental legislative and regulatory news important to Army environmental and facility managers.

The summer edition of the US Army Environmental Center's Environmental Update, a quarterly publication of Army environmental news, is now available at http://aec.army.mil/usaec/newsroom/update/sum09/sum09.html.

OMB and the Recovery, Accountability and Transparency Board announce that webinars will be held the week of July 20,2009 to provide information on implementing the guidance set forth in OMB Memorandum M-09-21, Implementing Guidance for the Reports on Use of Funds Pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that was released on June 22, 2009

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.

The USDA's Beltsville Agricultural Research Service in Beltsville, Md. has settled alleged violations of UST and hazardous waste regulations. EPA cited USDA for failing to conduct release detection every 30 days, failing to perform annual line leak detection tests, and failing to perform annual line tightness tests. The alleged RCRA violations included operating a facility for the storage, treatment and/or disposal of hazardous waste without a permit, failing to clearly label containers of accumulated hazardous waste, not maintaining records of hazardous waste training for facility personnel and failing to determine if the solid waste generated by the facility was hazardous waste, specifically, used aerosol cans generated from the facility's machinery shop.

In conjunction with the USEPA, FedCenter is now offering web-based, on-demand training courses for Federal employees. Initially, training will be offered on "Environmental Compliance for Federal Laboratories", "Environmental Management Systems", and "Environmental Compliance for Underground Storage Tanks", but the training library will expand over time to include other topic areas deemed important to the Federal community. FedCenter membership will be required to view these courses. Visit the FedCenter Training Page for more information.

On June 30, 2009, EPA granted a waiver of Clean Air Act preemption to California for its greenhouse gas emission standards for motor vehicles beginning with the 2009 model year.

The National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA), based on 2002 air emissions data, helps federal, state, local and tribal governments identify areas and specific pollutants for further evaluation to better understand risks they may pose.

The U.S. EPA formally recognized the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency (NN EPA) today for their efforts to protect and preserve the environment over the past 30 years.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced an extension of the public comment period on the Administrative Record for the Administrative Order and Agreement on Consent (AOC) entered into between EPA and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) regarding the TVA Kingston Fossil Fuel Plant Release Site, in Roane County, Tenn. The Administrative Record file includes the AOC itself, as well as the documents which support the AOC. All interested persons are encouraged to review and comment on the documents.

WASHINGTON – Obama Administration officials announced today that they are taking unprecedented steps to reduce the environmental impacts of mountaintop coal mining in the six Appalachian states of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia through a coordinated approach between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of the Interior (DOI) and Army Corps of Engineers.

This guidance describes water program priorities and strategies, including the suite of water performance measures and their targets, for the coming fiscal year.

Two federal entities will pay a fine and enhance how they manage underground storage tanks at a facility in Puerto Rico to settle a case with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Puerto Rico Army National Guard and the Army & Air Force Exchange Service will together pay a $69,000 fine and ensure the underground storage tanks at their Camp Santiago facility in Salinas, P.R. comply with Puerto Rico underground storage tank requirements. The Guard will also install a system to conserve water and reduce pollution at the facility, estimated to cost $670,000. These actions resolve complaints issued by EPA to the two entities in August 2008. An underground storage tank system commonly stores petroleum or hazardous wastes. There are about 625,000 systems nationwide, and they can harm the environment and human health if their contents are released.

Under an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) is required to take action to reduce the amount of copper in its wastewater and comply with its federal Clean Water Act permit requirements. According to the Navy's own discharge reports, from May 2003 to July 2008, PSNS frequently violated its federal wastewater permit by discharging copper in excess of allowable levels. The shipyard's wastewater is discharged into Sinclair Inlet.

The U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, N.H. will pay $89,500 for violations of federal and state hazardous waste management laws. Following an EPA inspection in 2007, EPA alleged that the facility failed to determine whether numerous containers held hazardous wastes and failed to properly label hazardous wastes containers. Additionally, EPA alleged that the facility accumulated hazardous waste in an area with a floor drain without taking measures to prevent a leak or spill. The facility is currently in compliance with these RCRA requirements.

U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels decreased by 2.8 percent in 2008, from 5,967 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (MMTCO2) in 2007 to 5,802 MMTCO2 in 2008, according to preliminary estimates released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA). This is the largest annual decline in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions since EIA began annual reporting on greenhouse gas emissions.

EPA's IRIS database provides crucial information on ways human health is impacted by exposure to chemical substances in air, water, and land both from contaminated sites and from products. Combined with specific exposure information, government and private entities use IRIS to help characterize public health risks of chemical substances in a site-specific situation and thereby support risk management decisions designed to protect public health.

You are invited to edit the wiki content and add information resources you find valuable.

On May 18th, 2009, EPA announced Energy Star requirements for computer servers that will protect the environment and result in significant energy savings. On average, computer servers that earn the Energy Star label will be 30 percent more energy efficient than standard servers.

U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (D-NC) sent a letter to Acting United States Secretary of the Navy BJ Penn, asking him to help close information gaps in the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's (ATSDR) 1997 public health assessment. New information about the levels of benzene, TCE and PCE in Camp Lejeune's water supply recently invalidated sections of the public health assessment.

The EPA has decided to terminate the National Environmental Performance Track Program effective May 14, 2009.

This new EO creates the Federal Leadership Committee for the Chesapeake Bay which will be chaired by the Environmental Protection Agency. The EO calls for EPA and six other federal agencies to coordinate and expand federal tools and resources to help speed cleanup of the nation's largest estuary. The EO can be found here.

This year's award recipients represent achievements in five categories: clean air technology, community action, education/outreach, regulatory policy innovations, and outstanding individual achievement.

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency signed an enforceable agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to oversee the removal of coal ash at the TVA Kingston Fossil Fuel Plant in Roane County, TN, where more than five million cubic yards of coal ash spilled. Under the Administrative Order and Agreement on Consent (order) which was entered into under the Superfund law, EPA will oversee the cleanup and TVA will reimburse EPA for its oversight costs

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 is a checklist consisting of three sections, twenty-eight categories, one hundred and forty-two data points, all aimed at determining how your village, town or city is really doing in its efforts to be "green." It is addressing climate change, sustainability, and environmental health at the local level. The website provides ready-to-go policy solutions, program ideas and links to the most innovative, cost-effective and award-winning solutions from entities that have found their "piece of the puzzle."

The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2009 Federal Electronics Challenge (FEC) Awards. The 2009 FEC Awards recognize the achievements of FEC partners and their leadership in federal electronics stewardship during 2008. See attachment for complete announcement.

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

Contaminant cleanup at Elmendorf AFB began in 1990 when the AFB was added to the National Priorities List under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980. The cleanup continues and associated documentation is available for public review.

This year, 15 winners and 13 honorable mentions were selected from nearly 200 nominations in the areas of environmental management systems, pollution prevention, recycling, green product purchasing, alternative fuels, electronics stewardship and sustainable buildings. Recipients include representatives, teams, and programs from across the DoD and non-DoD agencies. The awards ceremony will be held on June 17, 2009, in the Natcher Auditorium of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in Bethesda, MD, to formally recognize the winners and their programs. See the attached press announcement for all the winners and honorable mentions.

The U.S. EPA Office of Atmospheric Programs, Climate Change Division has issued information concerning the applicability of the proposed rule on greenhouse gas emissions reporting and federal facilities. Click here for information.

The nation's top 50 purchasers are buying more than 11 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, equivalent to the CO2 emissions that would be produced from the electricity use of more than 1.1 million average American homes. The U.S. Air Force is Number 8, the U.S. EPA is number 14, the U.S. Department of Energy is number 23. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is number 30, and the U.S. General Services Administration/Region 2 is number 43 on the list.

On April 15, 2009, the Department of Defense announced the winners of the 2009 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards.

A GAO report released March 13, 2009, addressing the need for greater EPA enforcement and oversight of cleanup operations at DOD sites.

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