The Consent Agreement and Final Order, signed by EPA and US DOE today, addresses two independent Resource Conservation and Recovery Act violations, which occurred in 2013. In the first case, EPA alleged that US DOE moved 136 fifty-five gallon drums of hazardous waste from a permitted area to an unpermitted area, without seeking or obtaining the required permit authorization. In the second case, US DOE submitted a closure plan (in October, 2013) for eight storage units that lacked all the required information as required under an earlier settlement. The plan did not detail how and when any remaining waste and contamination would be removed and disposed of as the project was completed. US DOE is now working with the Washington Department of Ecology to amend the plan to include the needed closure information. As part of this agreement, US DOE will pay a $44,722 penalty.

EPA's Office of Air and Radiation's (OAR) Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) is hosting a community conference call about updates to several rules. January 2015 Conference Call Topics: Clean Power Plan; Ozone NAAQS; and the Methane Strategy. January 28, 2015

The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions provides current information on government affairs, energy and environment relevant to Department of Defense interests in the 22 states and territories in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3 and 5. The Review is intended to be a tool useful to DoD and Army leaders, planners, and program managers in carrying out their responsibilities. The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions monitors and targets proposed and final regulations and legislation that may affect Army or DoD operations. See attached.

The Southern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions, published by the U.S. Army's Regional Environmental and Energy Office --Southern (REEO-S), is designed to provide current information to environmental decision makers, planners, and program managers regarding environmental actions and events throughout Federal EPA Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee). Information listed may be relevant to the U.S. Army and other Military Services' activities and operations. See attached.

EPA has developed three Web-based training modules on topics related to TMDLs and NPDES permitting. The presentations are intended for TMDL developers and NPDES permitting staff to gain a better understanding of TMDL implementation through NPDES permits. Each module is offered as a recorded presentation that enables participants to review the material on demand in a self-paced environment. In addition, the modules are also available as unrecorded PowerPoint presentations with slides and scripts.

The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions provides current information on government affairs, energy and environment relevant to Department of Defense interests in the 22 states and territories in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3 and 5. The Review is intended to be a tool useful to DoD and Army leaders, planners, and program managers in carrying out their responsibilities. The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions monitors and targets proposed and final regulations and legislation that may affect Army or DoD operations. See attached.

The Southern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions, published by the U.S. Army's Regional Environmental and Energy Office--Southern (REEO-S), is designed to provide current information to environmental decision makers, planners, and program managers regarding environmental actions and events throughout Federal EPA Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee). Information listed may be relevant to the U.S. Army and other Military Services' activities and operations. See attached.

The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions provides current information on government affairs, energy and environment relevant to Department of Defense interests in the 22 states and territories in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3 and 5. The Review is intended to be a tool useful to DoD and Army leaders, planners, and program managers in carrying out their responsibilities. The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions monitors and targets proposed and final regulations and legislation that may affect Army or DoD operations. See attached.

The Southern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions, published by the U.S. Army's Regional Environmental and Energy Office--Southern (REEO-S), is designed to provide current information to environmental decision makers, planners, and program managers regarding environmental actions and events throughout Federal EPA Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee). Information listed may be relevant to the U.S. Army and other Military Services' activities and operations. See attached.

This is the text of a speech that was given on 9 October 2014 to the American Bar Association (ABA).

The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions provides current information on government affairs, energy and environment relevant to Department of Defense interests in the 22 states and territories in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3 and 5. The Review is intended to be a tool useful to DoD and Army leaders, planners, and program managers in carrying out their responsibilities. The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions monitors and targets proposed and final regulations and legislation that may affect Army or DoD operations. See attached.

The Southern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions, published by the U.S. Army's Regional Environmental and Energy Office--Southern (REEO-S), is designed to provide current information to environmental decision makers, planners, and program managers regarding environmental actions and events throughout Federal EPA Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee). Information listed may be relevant to the U.S. Army and other Military Services' activities and operations. See attached.

The Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) Pollutant Loading Tool is designed to help you determine who is discharging, what pollutants they are discharging and how much, and where they are discharging. The tool calculates pollutant loadings from permit and DMR data from EPA's Integrated Compliance Information System for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (ICIS-NPDES). Data are available from the year 2007 to the present. Revisions to the tool include: weekly updates with the latest facility, permit, and DMR data from ICIS-NPDES; integration of EPA TRI wastewater treatment technology information and links to the TRU pollution prevention report; and more documentation on how to use the tool.

The U.S. EPA has reached a settlement with the U.S. Navy over alleged environmental violations at the Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads in Chesapeake, Va. Under the settlement over violations of the Clean Air Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Navy will pay a $49,500 penalty and implement procedures to ensure the proper handling of its hazardous wastes. The Clean Air Act violations pertained to regulations designed to reduce discharges of ozone-depleting substances used as coolants in air conditioning units. EPA alleged that the facility did not perform leak rate calculations when it serviced those units. In addition, EPA alleged that the facility did not have a CAA permit to operate a diesel-fired boiler, which meant that the boiler was not subject to required emissions limits. The RCRA violations pertained to regulations that require the safe, environmentally-sound storage and disposal of hazardous waste and prevention of spills from underground storage tanks. The Navy has upgraded its underground storage tanks, which should help protect waters in the nearby Great Dismal Swamp.

The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions provides current information on government affairs, energy and environment relevant to Department of Defense interests in the 22 states and territories in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3 and 5. The Review is intended to be a tool useful to DoD and Army leaders, planners, and program managers in carrying out their responsibilities. The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions monitors and targets proposed and final regulations and legislation that may affect Army or DoD operations. See attached.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have released an initial assessment of contamination at Tern Island, a remote island in the chain of Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). The results show that there have been releases of hazardous substances such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and lead from military wastes buried on the island between World War II and 1979, and further action is warranted.

The Southern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions, published by the U.S. Army's Regional Environmental and Energy Office--Southern (REEO-S), is designed to provide current information to environmental decision makers, planners, and program managers regarding environmental actions and events throughout Federal EPA Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee). Information listed may be relevant to the U.S. Army and other Military Services' activities and operations. See attached.

Formerly known as the "Yellow Book" this website compendium of information provides field-level personnel a primer for complying with environmental requirements and understanding the enforcement and compliance processes used by EPA at federal facilities. Included on the site is a definition of what is included in the terminology "federal facilities," summaries of the enforcement process for federal facilities, and information on available assistance for achieving compliance.

The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions provides current information on government affairs, energy and environment relevant to Department of Defense interests in the 22 states and territories in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3 and 5. The Review is intended to be a tool useful to DoD and Army leaders, planners, and program managers in carrying out their responsibilities. The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions monitors and targets proposed and final regulations and legislation that may affect Army or DoD operations. See attached.

Monthly environmental news for DoD facilities in EPA Regions 1, 2 & 3 for May/June/July 2014. See attached.

The Southern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions, published by the U.S. Army's Regional Environmental and Energy Office--Southern (REEO-S), is designed to provide current information to environmental decision makers, planners, and program managers regarding environmental actions and events throughout Federal EPA Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee). Information listed may be relevant to the U.S. Army and other Military Services' activities and operations. See attached.

FedCenter is now on Facebook! Become a fan and follow us on Facebook, where you'll find valuable information that you need to help meet your environmental stewardship and compliance obligations. To follow us on Facebook, go to https://facebook.com/fedcenter.

The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions provides current information on government affairs, energy and environment relevant to Department of Defense interests in the 22 states and territories in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3 and 5. The Review is intended to be a tool useful to DoD and Army leaders, planners, and program managers in carrying out their responsibilities. The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions monitors and targets proposed and final regulations and legislation that may affect Army or DoD operations. See attached.

EPA inspections found that from at least 2012 to 2013, Fort Wainwright failed to perform leak detection tests, monitor underground storage tanks regularly and investigate suspected releases as required under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The U.S. Army is taking steps to improve management of its fuel storage tanks and comply with federal laws designed to protect groundwater at Fort Wainwright Garrison, located near Fairbanks, Alaska, according to a settlement with the U.S. EPA. Steps include a new operator, decommissioning some tanks, and paying a penalty of nearly $158,700.

Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) Release 2.2 has added Clean Water Act compliance data searching and detailed viewing of effluent discharge data. Plus, data downloads are updated once a week instead of annually and include more detailed Clean Water Act data than in prior versions of ECHO.

Through a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has certified that five of its facilities in Virginia are currently in compliance with federal and state underground storage tank (UST) regulations. As part of this certification, USPS has corrected violations associated with its failure to conduct release detection testing; line leak detector testing; a line tightness test, and failure to investigate/report a suspected release. The USPS will also pay a civil penalty of $55,258.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized an agreement with Andersen Air Force Base (AAFB) in Guam requiring the base to update its oil spill prevention plan and address other spill prevention deficiencies at the base to better protect Guam's water resources. The Federal Facility Compliance Agreement (FFCA) between EPA and AAFB will require an updated Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan and changes to the facilities to comply with newer, more stringent oil spill prevention requirements. The new plan will include AAFB, the Navy Base, and the petroleum pipeline between the two facilities.

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.

The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions provides current information on government affairs, energy and environment relevant to Department of Defense interests in the 22 states and territories in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3 and 5. The Review is intended to be a tool useful to DoD and Army leaders, planners, and program managers in carrying out their responsibilities. The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions monitors and targets proposed and final regulations and legislation that may affect Army or DoD operations. See attached.

The Plan identifies the measurable environmental and human health outcomes the public can expect over the next four years and describes how we intend to achieve those results.

The Southern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions, published by the U.S. Army's Regional Environmental and Energy Office--Southern (REEO-S), is designed to provide current information to environmental decision makers, planners, and program managers regarding environmental actions and events throughout Federal EPA Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee). Information listed may be relevant to the U.S. Army and other Military Services' activities and operations. See attached.

These settlements stem from what EPA determined was improper demolition work performed at the DOE Hanford Site. In August 2012, in response to complaints from Hanford workers, EPA inspected several demolition sites dating back to 2007. Samples collected by EPA showed remaining debris from the demolitions contained regulated asbestos waste.

Learn more about the recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers jointly released proposed rule to clarify protection under the Clean Water Act for streams and wetlands that form the foundation of the nation's water resources. The webcast will provide a broad overview of the proposed rule and its costs and benefits. The webcast presentation will be posted in advance. Participants are eligible to receive a certificate for attending this webcast.

EPA and the Army Corps have jointly released a proposed rule to clarify protection under the Clean Water Act for streams and wetlands that form the foundation of the nation's water resources. The proposed rule clarifies protection for streams and wetlands. The proposed definitions of waters will apply to all Clean Water Act (CWA) programs. It does not protect any new types of waters that have not historically been covered under the Clean Water Act and is consistent with the Supreme Court's more narrow reading of Clean Water Act jurisdiction. EPA has provided detailed explanations of the impact of the proposed rule on its' website.

(DALLAS, TX – March 18, 2014) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued an order to the U.S. Department of the Army to address 15 million pounds of abandoned explosives and propellant stored on the grounds of Camp Minden in Minden, LA.

The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions provides current information on government affairs, energy and environment relevant to Department of Defense interests in the 22 states and territories in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3 and 5. The Review is intended to be a tool useful to DoD and Army leaders, planners, and program managers in carrying out their responsibilities. The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions monitors and targets proposed and final regulations and legislation that may affect Army or DoD operations. See attached.

The Southern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions, published by the U.S. Army's Regional Environmental and Energy Office--Southern (REEO-S), is designed to provide current information to environmental decision makers, planners, and program managers regarding environmental actions and events throughout Federal EPA Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee). Information listed may be relevant to the U.S. Army and other Military Services' activities and operations. See attached.

(PHILADELPHIA (Jan. 28, 2014) - In separate agreements with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force have settled alleged violations of underground storage tank (UST) regulations at three Virginia military bases: Fort Pickett, in Blackstone Va.; Joint Base Langley-Eustis, near Newport News, Va.; and Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, in Norfolk, Va. These settlements address alleged non-compliance with federal and state environmental safeguards designed to prevent, detect, and control leaks of petroleum and other hazardous substances from underground fuel tanks.

The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions provides current information on government affairs, energy and environment relevant to Department of Defense interests in the 22 states and territories in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3 and 5. The Review is intended to be a tool useful to DoD and Army leaders, planners, and program managers in carrying out their responsibilities. The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions monitors and targets proposed and final regulations and legislation that may affect Army or DoD operations. See attached.

Each year, the U.S. EPA Region 2 honors individuals, businesses and organizations that have contributed significantly to improving the environment and protecting public health in New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and eight federally recognized Indian Nations. The period for the awards is 2013 and nominations are due no later than 18 Feb 2014.

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.

The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions provides current information on government affairs, energy and environment relevant to Department of Defense interests in the 22 states and territories in Federal Regions 1, 2, 3 and 5. The Review is intended to be a tool useful to DoD and Army leaders, planners, and program managers in carrying out their responsibilities. The Northern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions monitors and targets proposed and final regulations and legislation that may affect Army or DoD operations. See attached.

The Southern Review of Legislative & Regulatory Actions, published by the U.S. Army's Regional Environmental and Energy Office--Southern (REEO-S), is designed to provide current information to environmental decision makers, planners, and program managers regarding environmental actions and events throughout Federal EPA Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee). Information listed may be relevant to the U.S. Army and other Military Services' activities and operations. See attached.

EPA will hold 11 public listening sessions across the country throughout October and November to solicit ideas and input from the public and stakeholders about the best Clean Air Act approaches to reducing carbon pollution from existing power plants. The feedback from these 11 public listening sessions will play an important role in helping EPA develop smart, cost-effective guidelines that reflect the latest and best information available. The agency will seek additional public input during the notice and comment period once it issues a proposal by June 2014.

(SAN FRANCISCO, September 24, 2013) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced their settlement with Department of Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs including civil penalties of $136,000 for violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act at the Keams Canyon Public Water Supply system.

BASINS version 4.1 includes numerous enhancements over Version 4.0 that update its underlying GIS software, update the watershed delineation utilities, and enhance several data management and analysis tools.

(ATLANTA, September 20, 2013) - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the United States Air Force, and the Florida Department Environmental Protection signed a federal facility agreement (FFA) today that will provide the framework and accountability necessary to continue cleanup and to protect the community and the environment at Tyndall Air Force Base, located in the Florida Panhandle.

In August 2013, EPA revised the document entitled SPCC Guidance for Regional Inspectors (EPA550-B-13-001). The document provides guidance to EPA inspectors, to owners and operators of facilities that may be subject to the requirements of the SPCC Rule (40 CFR Part 112) and to the general public on how EPA intends the SPCC Rule to be implemented. The guidance is designed to facilitate nationally consistent implementation of the SPCC Rule. A list of dates on which training on the new guidance will be offered is available on the website.

This tool includes data reported by the largest emitters of greenhouse gases. The data reported by direct emitters provides a "bottom-up" accounting of the major sources of GHG emissions associated with stationary fuel combustion and industrial processes. Well over half of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are accounted for in this facility level data set, including nearly complete coverage of major emitting sectors such as power plants and refineries.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) modified the hazardous waste management regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to conditionally exclude solvent-contaminated wipes from hazardous waste regulations provided that businesses clean or dispose of them properly. Wipes are used in conjunction with solvents for cleaning and other purposes by tens of thousands of facilities in numerous industrial sectors, such as printers, automobile repair shops and manufacturers of automobiles, electronics, furniture and chemicals.

The EPA's Clean Air Excellence Awards Program is open to both public and private entities. Entries are limited to efforts related to air quality in the United States. All submissions of entries for the Clean Air Excellence Awards Program must be postmarked by 27 September 2013.

DOE has agreed to improve waste handling practices and pay $136,000 in a settlement announced today by the U.S. EPA. According to the agreement, DOE allegedly operated several dangerous waste storage units without proper permit authorization and placed waste in a landfill before treating it. Instead, DOE treated the waste after placement, a violation of existing dangerous waste regulations.

This guide provides federal agencies with information to help them identify and replace mercury-containing non-fever thermometers in their facilities with mercury-free non-fever thermometers.

EPA has created a website that features a national web-based inventory for all non-stormwater NPDES general permits issued by states and the Agency. The inventory includes 508 non-stormwater general permits and is designed with a search tool to provide easily accessible information on master general permits, such as: permit category, permit number, state, permit title, EPA Region, issuance and expiration dates, estimated number of facilities covered by each master general permit, and permitting authority. Where a general permit is available on a state website, the web inventory provides a link so that the specific terms of the general permit can be easily viewed. While the web inventory currently only includes non-stormwater general permits, stormwater general permits will be added in the coming months.

The U.S. Air Force 611th Air Support Group has closed banned motor vehicle waste wells at 3 Alaska sites and paid $45,000 as part of a separate settlement with EPA to resolve the violations.

EPA posted a new Inspection Report Template and Corrective Action Report Form for construction operators to use in preparing their inspection and corrective action reports for EPA's 2012 Construction General Permit (CGP). These forms enable operators to meet the minimum inspection and corrective action reporting requirements in the permit, and can be customized to the needs of the site. These forms may also be helpful for operators covered under a state CGP, but may need to be modified to meet the specific requirements of that permit.

The EPA has revised its Phase I stormwater regulations to clarify that a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit is not required for stormwater discharges from logging roads. The EPA did not intend for logging roads to be regulated as industrial facilities and has revised 40 CFR 122.26(b)(14) to clarify that intent by adding language to existing stormwater regulations to clarify that, for the purposes of assessing whether stormwater discharges are "associated with industrial activity," the only facilities under Standard Industrial Code (SIC) code 2411 that are "industrial" are: rock crushing, gravel washing, log sorting, and log storage. Stormwater discharges from forest roads, including logging roads, may be evaluated under section 402(p)(6) of the Clean Water Act because the section allows for a broad range of flexible approaches that are better suited to address the complexity of forest road ownership, management, and use.

The interactive state performance dashboards are located on EPA's Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) website. ECHO is an EPA transparency tool that allows the user to map federal and state inspection, violation, and enforcement information for more than 800,000 regulated facilities. The state dashboards and comparative maps that are available in ECHO are part of EPA's commitment to increasing transparency and providing data to the public in a format that is easy to understand and use.

(WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2012) - In response to a court order, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today finalized an update to its national air quality standards for harmful fine particle pollution (PM2.5), including soot, setting the annual health standard at 12 micrograms per cubic meter. By 2020, ninety-nine percent of U.S. counties are projected to meet revised health standard without any additional actions. Today's announcement has no effect on the existing daily standard for fine particles or the existing daily standard for coarse particles (PM10), which includes dust from farms and other sources), both of which remain unchanged.

(Boston, Mass. – Oct. 17, 2012) – EPA, in consultation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has completed its assessment and final cleanup decisions for the Former A Range, Former K Range and Gun and Mortar Positions located on the northern portion of the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR) on Cape Cod. The results of the site investigations concluded that limited actions are necessary at Former A Range including land use controls and site monitoring. EPA determined that no further actions were necessary at the Former K and Gun and Mortar Positions.

PHILADELPHIA (Oct. 23, 2012) -- The U.S. Navy has agreed to pay a $38,500 penalty to settle alleged hazardous waste violations at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, located at 22268 Cedar Point Road in Patuxent River, Md. This settlement resolves alleged violations alleged by EPA of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the federal law governing the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste.

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.

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.

Consult this bulletin for the current NETI offerings.

Picerne Military Management, LLC, has agreed to pay a $24,900 civil penalty to settle alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act at Fort Riley, Kansas. Picerne Military Management is a civilian development, construction, and property management company that owns and/or operates approximately 20,000 housing units on seven Army posts throughout the U.S., including Fort Riley. By agreeing to the settlement, Picerne Military Management has certified that it is in compliance with the Clean Water Act. The consent agreement is subject to a public comment period before it becomes final. The public notice and consent agreement can be found online.

(Boston, Mass. – Sept. 6, 2012) – On Aug. 30, 2012, EPA issued a Consent Agreement and Final Order with the Massachusetts National Guard to resolve EPA allegations of violations of operations and maintenance requirements by the Guard in managing three firing ranges at Camp Edwards. Camp Edwards is located on the northern portion of the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR) a 22,000-acre property that has been used for military training activities since 1935. The base is located over an aquifer that is the sole source of drinking water for residents of Cape Cod.

This course is a joint EPA/State of California training. The course is designed to teach environmental agency inspectors and other environmental compliance professionals core knowledge, skills, and cross program awareness needed to conduct quality inspections.

This online course contains an overview of Cal/EPA Boards, Departments and local agencies, environmental law, environmental science, the role of the environmental inspector and basic field health and safety.

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.

On April 26, 2012, the USEPA announced that the U.S. Navy has agreed to pay a $5,855 penalty to settle alleged underground storage tank (UST) violations at its Building NH94, located at 7918 Blandy St., Norfolk, Va.

EPA and 16 partner organizations have entered into a MOU to work collaboratively at the national level to improve decentralized performance and our nation's public health and water resources. EPA initiated this MOU partnership in 2005 through an MOU with eight public and private sector organizations; the MOU was then expanded in 2008 to 14 partners and again in November 2011 to 16 partners, with the addition of both the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and NSF International. The 2011 MOU renews the commitment of EPA and its partner organizations to working together to encourage proper management of decentralized systems and increase collaboration among EPA, state and local governments, and decentralized system practitioners and providers.

(WASHINGTON, November 4, 2011) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing that it is reinstating Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) reporting requirements for hydrogen sulfide. This action is part of Administrator Lisa P. Jackson's ongoing efforts to provide Americans with helpful information on chemicals they may encounter in their daily lives.

EPA is proposing revisions to strengthen the 1988 federal underground storage tank (UST) regulations by increasing emphasis on properly operating and maintaining UST equipment.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the release of a new mapping feature in EPA's Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) database. As part of EPA's ongoing effort to improve transparency, the EPA and State Enforcement Actions Map will allow the public to access federal and state enforcement information in an interactive format and to compare enforcement action information by state. The map will be refreshed monthly to include up to date information about the enforcement actions taken to address violations of air, water, and waste laws.

(New York, NY, September 7, 2011) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has entered into an agreement with the U.S. Naval Weapons Station Earle to achieve a number of environmentally-beneficial goals. The agreement, signed by EPA and the U.S. Navy, commits the naval facility to participate in various EPA environmental stewardship programs, and promises technical assistance and support from EPA.

FedCenter has added "Ports and Harbors" to its Facility Regulatory Tour, outlining the regulatory requirements that pertain to a variety of activities which take place in and around ports and harbors throughout the United States that impact the environment.

WASHINGTON (August 22,2011) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a comprehensive settlement with the Department of the Interior (DOI) to address alleged violations of waste, water, air, toxics and community right-to-know laws at schools and public water systems in Indian Country owned, operated, or the legal responsibility of DOI's Indian Affairs Office. The settlement will protect students' health and the health of communities in Indian Country by reducing potential exposure to environmental hazards.

On 15 April 2011 the U.S. EPA announced a settlement with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to resolve alleged Clean Air Act violations at 11 of its coal-fired plants in Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The settlement will require TVA to invest a TVA estimated $3 to $5 billion on new and upgraded state-of-the-art pollution controls that will prevent approximately 1,200 to 3,000 premature deaths, 2,000 heart attacks and 21,000 cases of asthma attacks each year, resulting in up to $27 billion in annual health benefits. TVA will also invest $350 million on clean energy projects that will reduce pollution, save energy and protect public health and the environment.

The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is calling on the public and Federal agencies to nominate projects that use innovative approaches to increase the efficiency of environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). As part of CEQ's efforts to modernize and reinvigorate Federal agency implementation of NEPA and encourage innovation, public engagement, and transparency, CEQ will track and publicize the progress of the selected pilot projects to identify and promote more efficient ways to do effective environmental reviews that can be replicated across the Federal Government.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its annual enforcement and compliance results for 2010. In fiscal year (FY) 2010, EPA took enforcement and compliance actions that require polluters to pay more than $110 million in civil penalties and commit to spend an estimated $12 billion on pollution controls, cleanup, and environmental projects that benefit communities. These actions when completed will reduce pollution by more than 1.4 billion pounds and protect businesses that comply with regulations by holding non-compliant businesses accountable when environmental laws are violated.

(WASHINGTON - November 16, 2010) As part of its commitment to help ensure that biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, are safely stored in underground storage tanks (USTs), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released draft guidance for UST owners and operators who wish to store these fuels. EPA is requesting comments on the proposed guidance that clarifies how an UST owner or operator can comply with the federal compatibility requirement for UST systems storing gasoline containing greater than 10 percent ethanol, and diesel containing a percent of biodiesel yet to be determined. After reviewing comments, EPA intends to issue the final guidance in early 2011.

Presentations given at EPA's "Common Environmental Violations at Federal Facilities: Ask the EPA Inspector" webinar held October 27, 2010 are now available at http://www.fedcenter.gov/asktheepainspector.

WASHINGTON, DC (September 9, 2010) – Continuing a commitment to lead by example, the White House today announced the release of Federal Agency Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans, which work to achieve the environmental, economic and energy goals called for in the Executive Order on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance (Executive Order 13514) signed by President Obama on October 5, 2009. This announcement marks the first time agencies have developed and submitted Sustainability Plans, now available at www.whitehouse.gov/ceq. The full announcement is available here.

(Washington, DC – July 20, 2010) President Obama announced today that the Federal Government will reduce greenhouse gas pollution from indirect sources, such as employee travel and commuting, by 13% by 2020. This commitment expands beyond the Administration's greenhouse gas reduction target from direct sources set in January, 2010, such as Federal fleets and buildings, by 2020. Cumulatively, greenhouse gas pollution reductions from Federal government operations will total 101 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to the emissions from 235 million barrels of oil.

(Kansas City, Kan., June 24, 2010) - Results from March air sampling at a child care center and an adjacent building at the Bannister Federal Complex in Kansas City do not reveal health concerns at the facilities related to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), EPA Region 7 officials announced today. The results include tests for 209 different forms of PCBs in indoor air samples and from air samples taken from beneath the concrete floor slabs of Buildings 50 and 52.

Under the first step to its' phase-in approach to GHG permitting, EPA issued a final decision that no stationary sources will be required to get Clean Air Act permits that cover greenhouse gases (GHGs) before January 2011.

(San Juan, P.R. - March 25, 2010) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will pay a $13,000 fine and hold training sessions on storage tank regulations to settle a complaint issued by EPA over a failure to monitor, inspect and maintain records for underground petroleum and diesel storage tank systems at a San Juan, P.R. facility.

(New York, N.Y. - 02/23/2010) The U.S. Army and the Army and Air Force Exchange Service failed to comply with critical environmental laws related to underground tanks used to store diesel fuel, gasoline and used oil at the West Point Garrison in New York, according to a complaint issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Both military branches failed to monitor, test and keep records for their underground petroleum storage tanks. Leaking underground storage tanks pose significant threats to soil, surface water and ground water across the nation. EPA is requiring the two parties to comply with regulations and is seeking a $167,116 penalty.

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!

WASHINGTON (February 3, 2010)– President Barack Obama today announced a series of steps his Administration is taking as part of its comprehensive strategy to enhance American energy independence while building a foundation for a new clean energy economy, and its promise of new industries and millions of jobs. At a meeting with a bipartisan group of governors from around the country, the President laid out three measures that will work in concert to boost biofuels production and reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil.

WASHINGTON, DC (January 29, 2010) – President Barack Obama today announced that the Federal Government will reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution by 28 percent by 2020. Reducing and reporting GHG pollution, as called for in Executive Order 13514 on Federal Sustainability, will ensure that the Federal Government leads by example in building the clean energy economy. Actions taken under this Executive Order will spur clean energy investments that create new private-sector jobs, drive long-term savings, build local market capacity, and foster innovation and entrepreneurship in clean energy industries.

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.

(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.

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.

(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.

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.

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.

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.