(WASHINGTON, April 22, 2024) The Department of Defense (DoD) announced the nine winners of the 2024 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards. The awards have honored installations, teams, and individuals each year since 1962 for outstanding achievements in DoD environmental programs. These accomplishments include outstanding conservation activities, innovative environmental practices, and partnerships that improve quality of life and promote efficiencies without compromising DoD's mission success.

EPA is taking another step in its efforts to protect people from the health risks posed by exposure to "forever chemicals" in communities across the country. Exposure to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been linked to cancers, impacts to the liver and heart, and immune and developmental damage to infants and children. This final rule will designate two widely used PFAS chemicals, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund, and will help ensure that polluters pay to clean up their contamination. This final action will address PFOA and PFOS contamination by enabling investigation and cleanup of these harmful chemicals and ensuring that leaks, spills, and other releases are reported. In addition to the final rule, EPA is issuing a separate CERCLA enforcement discretion policy that makes clear that EPA will focus enforcement on parties who significantly contributed to the release of PFAS chemicals into the environment, including parties that have manufactured PFAS or used PFAS in the manufacturing process, federal facilities, and other industrial parties.

EPA is proposing to amend the Standards and Practices for All Appropriate Inquiries to reference a standard practice recently made available by ASTM International, a widely recognized standards development organization. Specifically, EPA is proposing to amend the All Appropriate Inquiries Rule to reference ASTM International's E2247–23 "Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process for Forestland or Rural Property" and allow for its use to satisfy the requirements for conducting all appropriate inquiries under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. EPA is additionally proposing to remove after one year, from the All Appropriate Inquiries Rule, recognition of the previous version of that standard, ASTM E2247–16, as compliant with the All Appropriate Inquiries Rule. Written comments must be received by 11 April 2024. POC is Patricia Overmeyer, Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalizations (5105T), EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC; tele: 202-566-2774; email: overmeyer.patricia@epa.gov. (Federal Register 12 March 2024 [Proposed Rule] Pages 17804-17808)

A bill to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to designate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980. (Congressional Record 14 December 2023 [House] Pages H6983-H6986)

In alignment with Executive Order (EO) 14008, the EPA Administrator has underscored the importance of integrating climate action goals into the EPA's broader Strategic Plan. This memorandum serves as a directive to all EPA enforcement and compliance offices, urging them to proactively incorporate measures to combat climate change in all matters within their respective jurisdictions.

On November 9, 2023, EPA hosted a webinar about the "Alternate PCB Extraction Methods and Amendments to PCB Cleanup and Disposal Regulations" final rule. For those who missed it, you can now access the webinar recording and presentation slides on our website.

This SERDP and ESTCP webinar focuses on DoD-funded research efforts on transitioning from active to passive remedies at DoD sites. Specifically, investigators will talk about the development of a quantitative framework for predicting abiotic attenuation under natural and transitional site management scenarios and a web-based application to perform a site-specific transition assessment. First presenter will discuss the development of a web-based application to assist site managers in assessing transition from active remedies to natural attenuation. Second presenter will talk about the development of a quantitative framework for predicting abiotic attenuation under natural and transitional site management scenarios.

Each March, EPA organizes a daylong workshop in San Diego on the State of Vapor Intrusion Science, featuring many of the best researchers and practitioners of vapor intrusion response. All presentations from these workshops are available to watch.

EPA has ongoing cleanup and property transfer responsibilities at nearly 2,400 federal facility sites including 175 federal facilities on the Superfund National Priorities List, which are some of the largest and most complex cleanup sites in the U.S. The Agency also promotes innovative, cost-effective cleanups at other federal facilities by working with federal agencies, Tribes, state and local governments, and community representatives to ensure that facilities meet environmental standards and undergo redevelopment for both public and private-sector reuse. To recognize outstanding collaborative outcomes at federal facility sites, EPA created the National Federal Facility Excellence in Site Reuse award. The 2023 Federal Facility Excellence in Site Reuse Award winners are: Middlesex Sampling Plant, Middlesex, New Jersey (Department of Energy – Office of Legacy Management) and Former Bannister Federal Complex, Kansas City, Missouri (Department of Energy - National Nuclear Security Administration).

EPA is issuing an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) asking the public for input regarding potential future hazardous substance designations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as "Superfund." This request for input and information follows EPA's September 2022 proposed rule to designate two PFAS -- perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and?perfluorooctanesulfonic?acid (PFOS), and their salts and structural isomers -- as hazardous substances under CERCLA. EPA is currently reviewing comments received on this proposed rule.

ASTM's environmental assessment and risk management standards provide the proper procedures for carrying out specific evaluation procedures for identifying and predicting the possible biophysical, social, and other relevant impacts that certain products and projects may have on the natural environment, as well as on the health and safety of the immediate users of such. These environmental assessment and risk management standards are valuable to environmental scientists and engineers, impact assessment institutions, and real estate firms in implementing the appropriate environmental impact designs to ensure overall prevention of the associated contamination risks.

The Federal sustainability community is cordially invited to attend the 2023 Federal Environmental Symposium, a hybrid event to be attended October 23-27, 2023 either virtually or in-person. This year's theme for the Symposium "Environment: A Mission Asset" focuses on the sharing of best practices, success stories, partnerships, and challenges and achievements of the federal practitioner community as they apply to your Agency's mission. The event schedule, registration instructions, call for presentation abstracts and continuous updates to the event can be found on the Symposium website at https://www.fedcenter.gov/fes2023.

This edition highlights proactively considering the environment and acting accordingly, in support of Environmental Operating Principle #2. Content includes commentary from Mr. Edward Belk, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Director of Civil Works, sharing how the Civil Works mission is being advanced through environmental considerations and partnerships. This issue also features initiatives from across the Army environmental community that proactively consider the environment to shape a sustainable future for current and future generations.

The November 2022 edition of The Corps Environment is now available and can be accessed online at: https://www.dvidshub.net/publication/issues/65712. This edition highlights providing environmental and economic benefits, in support of Environmental Operating Principle #3. Content includes commentary from Col. Matthew F. Kelly, commander of U.S. Army Environmental Command (USAEC), sharing his impressions after taking command and his focus on building upon USAEC's legacy. This issue also features initiatives from across the Army environmental community that are providing enduring environmental benefits around the globe.

EPA announced the results of a study that estimates the economic benefits of cleaning up facilities under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action program. EPA's analyses of 79 cleanups revealed that these facilities support 1,028 on-site businesses, which provide economic benefits including: $39 billion in annual sales revenue; over 82,000 jobs; and $7.9 billion in estimated annual employment income. EPA also developed brief profiles for more than 40 facilities to showcase the economic benefits that can be fostered through RCRA Corrective Action cleanups.

(Washington, August 31, 2022) Today, the Biden Administration took a major step forward in achieving the goals of President Biden's Federal Sustainability Plan and Executive Order (E.O.) 14057 Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability by issuing E.O. 14057 Implementing Instructions to Federal agencies.

Through President Biden's historic Executive Order 14057 Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability the U.S. Federal Government leads the world by example again – transforming how it builds, buys, and manages to help make America's economy cleaner, more efficient, and more sustainable.

The August 2022 edition of The Corps Environment is now available and can be accessed online at: https://www.dvidshub.net/publication/issues/64976. This edition highlights employing an open and transparent process, in support of Environmental Operating Principle #7. Content within this issue recognizes our U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) environmental and sustainability champions and features initiatives from across the Army environmental community that are providing environmental benefits across the globe.

(Honolulu, August 11, 2022) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a Federal Facility Compliance Agreement with the U.S. Marine Corps to make improvements related to stormwater discharges at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) located on the Mokapu Peninsula of Kaneohe, Oahu.

The RSL website is the source of screening levels for all the EPA regions. The RSL tables provide comparison values for residential and commercial/industrial exposures to soil, air, and tapwater (drinking water). Here you will find tables of risk-based screening levels, calculated using the latest toxicity values, default exposure assumptions and physical and chemical properties, and a calculator where default parameters can be changed to reflect site-specific risks.

This edition highlights protecting and preserving our environment, in support of Environmental Operating Principle #4. Content includes commentary from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Environmental Community of Practice leadership, discussing how our actions are directly connected to the environment and shaping a sustainable future. This issue also features initiatives from across the Army environmental community that are protecting and preserving our environment for current and future generations.
Included in this issue:
– U.S. Army Environmental Command highlights the recipients of the Secretary of the Army and Secretary of Defense environmental awards.
– USACE Honolulu District shares how they removed thousands of unexploded ordnances in Saipan.
– USACE St. Paul District discusses progress being made under the Upper Mississippi River Restoration program.
– USACE Charleston District highlights a day in the life of a USACE regulatory project manager.
– U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center shares how they are working to address energy and water resiliency.
– USACE Far East District discusses how their stormwater pollution prevention measures are keeping waterways clean.

The Biden Administration through the EPA awarded $254.5 million in Brownfields grants to 265 communities. The grants are supported by President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides a total of $1.5 billion to advance environmental justice, spur economic revitalization, and create jobs by cleaning up contaminated, polluted, or hazardous brownfield properties. Brownfield projects can range from cleaning up buildings with asbestos or lead contamination, to assessing and cleaning up abandoned properties that once managed dangerous chemicals. Once cleaned up, former brownfield properties can be redeveloped into productive uses such as grocery stores, affordable housing, health centers, museums, parks, and solar farms. The Brownfields Program advances President Biden's Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver at least 40 percent of the benefits of certain government programs to disadvantaged communities. Approximately 86 percent of the communities selected to receive funding as part of today's announcement have proposed projects in historically underserved areas.

EPA issued a technical amendment to modify the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) list of hazardous substances, to be consistent with the statutory provisions that currently comprise this list. These modifications include adding the Clean Air Act (CAA) HAP 1-Bromopropane and removing the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) vacated K-Code Wastes: K064, K065, K066, K090, and K091. The Agency is also adding clarifying language, correcting a Chemical Abstract Service Registry Number (CASRN), and modifying the formatting of hazardous substance isomers and homologs that are listed with parent substances. This final rule is effective on 8 April 2022. POC is Jennifer Barre, EPA, Office of Emergency Management, (MC: 5104A), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460; tel 202-564-9026; email Barre.Jennifer@epa.gov. (Federal Register 8 April 2022 [Rule] Pages 20721-20761)

EPA announced that it is adding 12 sites Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) and is proposing to add another five. These are sites where releases of contamination pose significant human health and environmental risks. Cleaning up contaminated sites is important for the health, safety, and revitalization of communities. Thousands of contaminated sites, from landfills, processing plants, to manufacturing facilities exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will accelerate EPA's work to help communities clean up these contaminated sites with a $3.5 billion investment in the Superfund Remedial Program and reinstates the Superfund chemical excise taxes, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address legacy pollution. This historic investment strengthens EPA's ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment, and EPA has already set action in motion to clear the backlog of the 49 contaminated sites which had been awaiting funding to start remedial action.

REMINDER: Registration to attend the 2022 Federal Environmental Symposium is now open! Federal employees and sponsored contractors are invited to attend the Symposium, hosted by NIH as a virtual event on March 28-31, 2022. The theme of this year's event is "Mission, Environment and Our Community". The event is FREE and registration will end Friday, March 18, 2022, so mark your calendar and register now. For more information, please see the Symposium website at https://www.fedcenter.gov/fes2022.

ABSTRACT SUBMITTAL DEADLINE EXTENDED TO FRIDAY JAN. 14th:The Federal sustainability community is cordially invited to attend the 2022 Federal Environmental Symposium, March 28-31, 2022. This year's theme is Mission, Environment, and Our Communities, and will be conducted via webinar-format only. The four day event will focus on Federal sustainability initiatives over the past year while encouraging partnerships, sharing of information, and best practices amongst Federal facilities. The event schedule, registration instructions, call for presentation abstracts (now open until Friday, January 14th), and continuous updates to the event can be found on the Symposium website.

WASHINGTON (Dec. 28, 2021) -- In 2021, under the new leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration and Administrator Michael S. Regan, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took significant steps forward in tackling the climate crisis, advancing environmental justice, protecting the health and safety of communities across the country, and restoring scientific integrity.

(12/08/2021) President Biden has signed an executive order that demonstrates how the United States will leverage its scale and procurement power to lead by example in tackling the climate crisis. The executive order will reduce emissions across federal operations, invest in American clean energy industries and manufacturing, and create clean, healthy, and resilient communities. The President is building on his whole-of-government effort to tackle the climate crisis in a way that creates well-paying jobs, grows industries, and makes the country more economically competitive.

EPA has developed the Superfund Redevelopment Mapper to help communities affected by Superfund sites reclaim and return land to safe and beneficial use. This web-based mapping tool helps stakeholders explore potential reuse opportunities. It provides users with Superfund site locations and options for adding data layers that highlight site features and site surroundings. Any existing GIS data layer can be added to the tool, allowing users to explore more information about their communities, such as income levels, unemployment numbers and land features.

EPA has announced the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible entities, including nonprofit organizations, to deliver Brownfields Job Training (JT) programs that recruit, train, and place local, unemployed and under-employed residents with the skills needed to secure full-time employment across a spectrum of brownfield-related activities. The application submission deadline is 5 October 2021.

To help deliver on the EPA commitment to help reduce the potential risks to the public from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the agency is announcing three important actions that will better protect all communities from pollution. The Agency's actions include issuing a proposed rule that is designed to gather comprehensive data on more than 1,000 PFAS manufactured in the United States, withdrawing guidance that weakened EPA's?July 2020 Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) restricting certain long-chain PFAS, and publishing a final rule that officially incorporates three additional PFAS into the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI).

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) released its final toxicological profile for several per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). There twelve perfluoroalkyl compounds discussed in the profile. The perfluoroalkyls discussed in the profile primarily consist of perfluorinated aliphatic carboxylic acids and perfluorinated aliphatic sulfonic acids.

The objective of this SRR guidance is to provide resources for regulators, stakeholders, consultants and responsible parties to help integrate sustainability and resilience practices into remediation projects.

To help deliver on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) mission to protect human health and the environment, today Administrator Michael S. Regan issued a memorandum to EPA's senior leadership calling for the creation of a new "EPA Council on PFAS" that is charged with building on the agency's ongoing work to better understand and ultimately reduce the potential risks caused by these chemicals. The ECP's work will build on the important steps the Biden-Harris Administration has already taken to address these chemicals, including pulling down and updating a PFBS toxicity assessment that had been politically compromised and issued a new assessment backed by career scientists. EPA has also taken action to begin to develop a national primary drinking water regulation, to collect new data critically needed to improve EPA's understanding of 29 PFAS, and to solicit data on the presence and treatment of PFAS in wastewater discharges. The agency also strongly supports President Biden's American Jobs Plan, which calls for investing billions of dollars to monitor and treat PFAS in drinking water.

In support of the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to tackling pollution from Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and protecting human health and the environment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing important policy shifts in its review of new PFAS before they can enter the market. Due to the scientific complexities associated with assessing PFAS, and the hazard potential associated with various sub-classes of PFAS, it is challenging to conduct an appropriately robust review of low volume exemptions (LVE) requests for PFAS in the 30 days the regulations allow. The regulations provide for the denial of LVE requests when EPA finds the chemical in question may cause serious human health effects or significant environmental effects, or when issues concerning toxicity or exposure require review that can't be completed in 30 days. These policy changes will ensure that if new PFAS are allowed to enter commerce, EPA will have reviewed all intended, known, and reasonably foreseen conditions of use and that these chemicals will not enter commerce absent appropriate and enforceable protections for human health, including that of workers, and the environment.

EPA released an updated toxicity assessment for perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS), a member of a larger group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFBS assessment is part of EPA's commitment to restore scientific integrity to all of the agency's actions and increase the amount of research and information available to the public on PFAS chemicals. EPA, federal agencies, states, tribes, and local communities can use the PFBS toxicity assessment, along with specific exposure and other relevant information, to determine if and when it is necessary to take action to address potential health risks associated with human exposures to PFBS under appropriate regulations and statutes.

As EPA pursues its mission to protect human health and the environment, addressing risks related to PFAS is a priority. To this end, EPA is making available new testing data related to PFAS found in fluorinated containers in which a mosquito control product was packaged and sold. EPA is also announcing its planned next steps to further characterize and address this potential source of contamination.

EPA's Technology Innovation and Field Services Division supports the Contaminated Site Clean-up Information (CLU-IN) website that provides fact sheets about the concepts and tools for using best management practices to reduce the environmental footprint of activities associated with assessing and remediating contaminated sites.

This edition highlights proactively considering environmental consequences and acting accordingly, in support of Environmental Operating Principle #2. Content includes commentary from Dr. Edmond Russo, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Environmental Laboratory Director, and highlights initiatives across the Army environmental community.

EPA aggressive efforts under the PFAS Action Plan, the agency is releasing new interim guidance on destroying and disposing of certain PFAS and PFAS-containing materials for public comment. Specifically, the new interim guidance outlines the current state of the science on techniques and treatments that may be used to destroy or dispose of PFAS and PFAS-containing materials from non-consumer products, including aqueous film-forming foam for firefighting. EPA will accept comments on the Interim Guidance for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. EPA will then consider and incorporate comments, as appropriate, into a revised document. EPA will also review and revise the interim guidance, as appropriate, or at least once every 3 years.

PFAS Project Lab maintains a public PFAS contamination site tracker, which now contains more than 850 PFAS-contaminated sites and over 600 contaminated water systems in the United States.

Newsletter sponsored by Northeastern University's Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute.

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

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

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.

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.

The Disaster Debris Recovery Tool is an interactive mapping tool of 12 types of recovery facilities, recyclers, and landfills that manage disaster debris. This tool provides information and locations of over 20,000 facilities throughout the U.S. Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands. The tool can be used by disaster response, recovery and planning experts to advance safe recovery, recycling, and disposal of disaster debris.

Meeting materials for the Eighteenth Annual Intergovernmental Meeting with the U.S. Department of Energy on Nuclear Weapons Waste Cleanup held by the National Governor's Association. The NGA is the representative gubernatorial body to identify priority issues and deal with matters of public policy and governance at the state, national and global levels as well as provide resources to the governors and their staff.

EPA's PFAS Action Plan outlines concrete steps the agency is taking to address PFAS and to protect public health. EPA's website provides basic information, tools, and resources regarding PFAS.

EPA continues its focus on taking concrete action to address PFAS and protect public health. Building on the work outlined in the February 2019 PFAS Action Plan, the agency is expanding its research efforts and capabilities by launching its PFAS Innovative Treatment Team (PITT).

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 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.

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.

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.

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 ....

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.

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.

Updated Guidance for Applicants Requesting to Treat/Dispose of PCBs Using Incineration or an Alternative Method. This guidance is to assist applicants, facility owners and operators applying to EPA for approval to dispose of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) using incineration or alternative thermal and non-thermal methods. The update modernizes the format of the document and puts the relevant existing policies in one place.

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....

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.

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.

This course is designed for individuals performing field sampling of environmental media including soil and other solids; surface and groundwater; sediment; indoor and ambient air; solid and hazardous waste; and chemicals of commerce for the analysis of a broad range of analytical methods as established by a variety of regulatory and standards organizations.

Class will address the following aspects: data reduction for efficient assessment (assessment of data validation output), compliance with regulatory and programmatic requirements, representativeness and completeness of the data set, fulfillment of data quality objectives, application and assessment of statistical methods in decision-making.

This course will provide attendees with a wide array of analytical techniques available to fingerprint a variety of contaminants and to address the basic questions involved in any environmental forensics study.

Upon completion of the course, attendees will come away with tools for deciding how to assess environmental laboratory data, how to maximize data defensibility, and when an independent data validator is needed. The extensive hands-on exercises include working through a Quality Assurance Project Plan and setting up Excel worksheets to perform efficient assessments for standard analytical data.

Hosted by U.S. EPA Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation Federal Facility RPM, this 3-day course, is geared toward Federal Facility (FF) Remedial Project Managers (RPM) from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to facilitate an understanding of how the FF RPM role, responsibilities and authorities differ from a private or Fund-financed Superfund EPA RPM. This course is specifically designed for EPA FF RPMs of all experience levels. Participants with one to two years of experience and who have taken the Fundamentals of Superfund and Remedial Process courses may derive the most benefit. This course may also be taken by other EPA RPMs, DOD/DOE RPMs, EPA RCRA personnel, state personnel who manage Federal Facilities across the nation, tribal RPMs and managers. This Course is not open to academia, contractors, consultants, or other private entities. This course is offered free of charge to all registrants who are confirmed to attend.

Revisiting the October 1992 Federal Facility Compliance Act (FFCA) enhancing local, state and EPA solid and hazardous waste enforcement authority against federal agencies.

This class offered by the Navy will provide attendees with the necessary tools and information to make remedy selection decisions and achieve site closeout. The attendees will learn the components of the Record of Decision, Remedial Action Operation (RAO)/Long Term Management (LTMgt) optimization strategies, and site closeout requirements. Factors such as contaminant and media impacts, transfer mechanisms, applicable technologies and lifecycle design considerations will be emphasized. This course has been comprehensively updated for 2019, Target audience is Installation Restoration Program RPMs, BRAC Environmental Coordinators, UST EIC's and Navy personnel responsible for Navy Hazardous Waste sites.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) presented its first annual "National Federal Facility Excellence in Site Reuse" award to the former McClellan Air Force Base, in Sacramento County, in recognition of exemplary work transforming the Superfund site into a successful business park. The 3,452-acre McClellan Business Park now supports more than 17,000 jobs and has generated $580 million in public and private investment.

(WASHINGTON, April 20, 2018) The Defense Department is honoring nine winners with the 2018 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards for exceptional environmental achievements and innovative, cost-effective environmental practices. The department has honored individuals, teams and installations each year since 1962 for remarkable achievements in these environmental management strategies that successfully support mission readiness, Ellen M. Lord, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, said in the memorandum announcing the recipients.

This course focuses on aspects of the RD/RA phase of a Superfund project and the objectives, issues and challenges that Remedial Project Managers (RPM) face during response planning and implementation.

April 2016 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.

The Department of Defense (DoD) has announced the winners of the 2016 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards. Each year since 1962, the Secretary of Defense has recognized individuals, teams, and installations for their outstanding achievements and innovative work protecting the environment while sustaining mission readiness. Military Services and Defense Agencies may submit one nomination for each of the nine award categories. A diverse panel of judges representing federal and state agencies, academia, and the private sector select the winners.

January 2016 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.

The GreenGov Presidential Awards celebrate extraordinary achievement in the pursuit of President Obama's Federal Sustainability goals. They honor Federal civilian and military personnel, agency teams, agency projects, facilities, and programs that exemplify President Obama's charge to lead by example.

On November 23, the White House announced eight awards in seven different categories to individuals and teams. These honorees exemplify our Federal workforce's commitment to meeting the President's directive to create a clean energy economy that will increase our Nation's prosperity, promote energy security, protect the interests of taxpayers, combat climate change, and safeguard the health of our environment.

EPA, in accordance with provisions of the Camp Minden Administrative Order, has notified the Louisiana Military Department (LMD) that the Agency will not exercise its right to disapprove any or all contractors and/or subcontractors outlined in the state's April 14 recommendation for the alternative disposal of materials at Camp Minden. EPA continues to support an alternative technology for disposal and is quickly working to conclude efforts necessary in helping the state finalize its plans. On March 18, EPA signed an amended action memo that allowed alternative technologies to be considered in disposing of the materials at the site. The amendment cleared the way for the Louisiana Military Department to review quotes for alternative methods and select a company to dispose of the M6 and CBI.

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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 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) tracks the management of certain toxic chemicals that may pose a threat to human health and the environment. U.S. facilities in different industry sectors must report annually on how much of each chemical is released to the environment and/or managed through recycling, energy recovery and treatment. The information submitted by facilities is compiled in TRI, and can help support informed decision-making by industry, government, non-governmental organizations and the public. The TRI National Analysis is EPA's annual interpretation of TRI data. It highlights how toxic chemical wastes were managed, where toxic chemicals were released, and how the 2012 TRI data compare to data from previous years.

(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.

FedCenter has compiled a topical index of Federally-sponsored and non-profit mobile applications that may be of interest to the Federal environmental community. Mobile applications are those tools and information resources that have been specifically developed for your mobile devices, such as smartphone, tablet, or other Internet-connected hand-held device. The directory will be maintained daily to keep you abreast of any new and useful mobile applications the federal community releases.

The U.S. Coast Guard has completed cleanup construction activity at the Curtis Bay Yard Superfund site in Anne Arundel County, MD. The Coast Guard's green remediation included recycling materials, creating green space and minimizing hazardous waste. Overall during the cleanup, 2,616 tons of concrete were recycled and about 25,000 tons of contaminated soil were treated onsite so it could be shipped to a non-hazardous waste landfill. This saved more than 500,000 truck miles and approximately $6 million compared to sending the soil to a hazardous waste landfill. In addition, approximately 20 tons of steel were recycled. In addition to using innovative remediation, the Coast Guard also chose to clean up the Yard to the more stringent residential cleanup standards rather than using the industrial standards. This creates more options for future use of the property.

The DoD Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards issues awards in the areas of Sustainability, environmental Quality, Environmental Excellence in Weapon Systems Acquisition, Natural Resources Conservation, environmental Restoration, and Cultural Resources.

EPA has released updated enforcement discretion guidance regarding the treatment of tenants concerned about CERCLA liability at contaminated and potentially contaminated sites in an effort to support redevelopment opportunities nationwide. As part of the new guidance package, EPA also released model comfort letters specific to renewable energy.

(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.

Notes: 1. Please read the "Read Me" File first, for an explanation of the attached report sections.
2. The complete report is available for download in the attachment "ACSIM GSR Final Report 2012.zip". 3. Package updated on 12/11/2014 to replace SiteWise™ 2.0 with SiteWise™ 3.0.

EPA, in coordination with the US Navy and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced approval of the thirteenth Record of Decision (ROD) at the Naval Submarine Base - New London Superfund site in Groton, Conn. In signing the ROD, the EPA has formally accepted the Navy s cleanup plan to address contamination at the submarine base. The signing of the ROD will enable the Navy to move forward on the remedial design and cleanup action in the area known as the Lower Submarine Base. The cleanup is expected to commence in November 2013.

(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 provides an overview of the vapor intrusion exposure pathway including its scientific foundation, regulatory framework, and the technical aspects of investigating and remediating contaminated vapor sites. The class will cover topics such as: screening sites for potential vapor intrusion concerns, conducting field investigations, sampling techniques, data analyses, exposure point calculations, the Johnson and Ettinger predictive model, vapor intrusion risk assessment, vapor intrusion mitigation, and remediation. Participants will work through practical problems and typical site scenarios based on case studies of established vapor intrusion sites. This course provides a comprehensive introduction for those new to the field, and will also provide insights, data analysis techniques, and the latest research for more advanced participants.

This 2-day course provides participants first with a broad overview of Site Restoration/Mitigation, and then expands to an examination of specific steps used for innovative restoration and mitigation planning and implementation, applicable to western North America.

The 6 January 2012 letter from the EPA Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance transmitted the EPA Administrator's decision in a Federal Facility Agreement formal dispute initiated by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) that affirmed the EPA Position issued by the EPA Region 4 Regional Administrator and found the ARARs table developed by EPA and NASA for the OU-12 ROD at the Marshall Space Flight Center had the appropriate level of specificity, and was consistent with CERCLA, the NCP, and EPA guidance. The EPA Position rejected ADEM's assertions that the ROD's ARARs tables should cite broadly to various Alabama statutes and regulations, which would have included administrative provisions and others that were not related to the selected remedy.

The Environmental Protection Agency has announced that the Air Force has signed an agreement with EPA and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to clean up Air Force-owned property at Air Force Plant 44, part of the Tucson International Airport Area Superfund Site in Tucson. Under the terms of the federal facility agreement, the Air Force will work with the EPA and ADEQ to clean up areas impacted by Air Force Plant 44 south of Los Reales Road. Groundwater at the site is contaminated with volatile organic compounds and other chemicals.

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.

Based on recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, and under the guidance of a National Ocean Council, this order, signed by President Obama on July 19, 2010, establishes a national policy to ensure the protection, maintenance, and restoration of the health of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems and resources, enhance the sustainability of ocean and coastal economies, preserve our maritime heritage, support sustainable uses and access, provide for adaptive management to enhance our understanding of and capacity to respond to climate change and ocean acidification, and coordinate with our national security and foreign policy interests. This order also provides for the development of coastal and marine spatial plans that build upon and improve existing Federal, State, tribal, local, and regional decisionmaking and planning processes.

EPA Region 7 announced it is going to reassess the entire Bannister Federal Complex for possible inclusion on the National Priorities List (NPL). The Sierra Club and Physicians for Social Responsibility sent a request April 15 asking Region 7 to "conduct a full and complete reinvestigation and reassessment of the entire Bannister Federal Complex." The original EPA assessment was conducted in 1987.