EPA Region 2
The Region of Diversity
State of the Environment 1998
New Jersey
New York
Puerto Rico
U.S. Virgin Islands
EPA/902/R-98/003
http: 'www.epa.gov/regi0n02 soe
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A Letter from the Regional Administrator
For the past four-and-a-half years, I have had the privilege
of experiencing the incredible diversity of this region — from
the Puerto Rico rainforest to the urban metropolis of
Manhattan, from awe-inspiring Niagara Falls to the coral
reefs of the U.S. Virgin Islands to the beautiful beaches of my
home state of New Jersey.
Wherever I travel, people always ask me about the state of
the environment. It is not surprising that they are concerned:
virtually everyone today understands that there is a connection
between his or her health and a healthy environment. They
know a lot about local problems — the need for more water or a dump site across the road. But
more often than not, people need more information to help them more precisely gauge the overall
quality of the air, land and water. When people see suburban highways choked with traffic, or "No
Swimming" signs at their local beach, they often jump to the conclusion that the environment is
getting worse. So, we have decided to set the environmental record straight.
This first Region 2 State of the Environment Report shows how far we have come and how far
we still have to go. It is hard to believe that not very long ago, there was no EPA, no single federal
agency mandated to protect human health and the environment. Harder to believe, there was no
Clean Air Act, no Clean Water Act, no Superfund law to protect what we have come to see as basic
rights to good health and a clean, healthy environment.
Since EPA's creation in 1970, the country has made dramatic, measurable progress restoring
and protecting the environment. And we've had our own success stories here in Region 2. The
air is cleaner, our waters are less polluted, we are producing less waste — all accomplished
while the regional and national economies have grown significantly.
At the same time, we are still confronted by daunting challenges. This report presents a
blueprint of the new and often innovative ways we are tackling these challenges. It details
EPA's recent efforts to reinvent ourselves and our system of environmental protection. It
highlights Region 2's new initiatives in children's health, environmental justice and
community-based environmental protection. In addition, the report describes the
unprecedented working partnerships we have created with the private sector, community
groups, environmental organizations, and state and tribal governments.
The goal of the State of the Environment Report is not only to inform, but to inspire. With its
words, charts and graphs, it provides a snapshot of how people, working together, have improved
the world in which they live. It resonates with promise for the future. Speaking for the employees
of Region 2, 1 hope you will join us as we work to shape the environment of that future.
Jeanne M. Fox
Regional Administrator
EPA Region 2
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 1
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Table of Contents
3
Introduction
4
Air Quality
10
Water Resources
17
Waste and Toxics
25
Land Use and Ecosystem Health
30
The Unique Caribbean Environment
33
Looking Ahead
37
Glossary
39
References
2 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
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Introduction
EPA Region 2—the Region of Diversity—an
extraordinary mix of ecosystems, climates, cultures
and people.
Region 2 is a study in contrasts. It is home to the
concrete canyons of New York City and the barrios of
Puerto Rico; the wilderness of the Adirondack forests
and the pine barrens of New Jersey; the turquoise
waters of the Caribbean and the gray-blue Atlantic;
the rolling farmland of upstate New York and the
tropical farms of Puerto Rico; densely populated cities,
vast suburban tracts, mighty rivers and hundreds of
miles of beaches. Its native people pre-date the
exploration of America. Historically, it has provided
refuge to millions of immigrants from every corner of
the globe; today, in a single elementary school in
Queens, New York, more than 40 languages are
spoken by the students.
Even the forms of government within the Region
vary. EPA Region 2 is responsible for environmental
protection in two states, New Jersey and New York; a
commonwealth, Puerto Rico; a territory, the U.S.
Virgin Islands; and seven federally-recognized Indian
Nations—Cayuga Nation, Oneida Indian Nation,
Onandaga Nation, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, Seneca
Nation of Indians, Tonawanda Band of Senecas, and
Tuscarora Nation.
The Region's approximately 30 million residents
are concentrated in its urban areas. Close to 85
percent live in New York and New Jersey, mainly in
the New York- New Jersey metropolitan area.
Approximately one-third of the more than three and
one-half million residents of Puerto Rico live in and
around San Juan.
Although environmental conditions have improved
substantially over the past 25 years, population
growth and increased economic activity, especially in
the urban areas, have placed pressures on the
Region's natural resources. More cars are on the
road, more energy is being used, more waste
generated and more land developed. The Region also
bears the burden of economic activity in other parts of
the country. Vehicle emissions along the eastern
seaboard as far south as Washington, B.C. add to
ozone pollution in the Northeast's urban areas, and
air pollutants from Midwestern power plants
contribute to acid rain, which impacts the Region's
lakes, rivers and forests.
The State of the Environment Report details the
many programs and special initiatives EPA has
developed to protect human health and the
environment. It highlights regional priorities
including, the reinvention of our regulatory system; a
focus on children's health; the revitalization of urban
areas; the incorporation of environmental justice into
environmental protection; the expansion of
community-based environmental protection; and the
enhancement of public access to environmental
information.
The report is an important piece of the Region's
commitment to keep the public informed and fully
involved in the environmental decision-making
process. The trends and data detailed here provide an
understanding of current environmental conditions.
They also offer a baseline against which future
environmental progress can be measured. In addition,
the report offers practical information on how to deal
with common environmental concerns and where to
go for additional information.
Central to the Region's efforts to protect the
environment are successful partnerships with the
state, commonwealth and territory governments, the
Region's Indian Nations, other federal agencies, and
the many concerned individuals, organizations and
communities throughout the Region. The Region
looks to its partners in government and the public for
information and ideas that will help us restore and
better protect our common environment. After all, we
are talking about our homes, our communities, and
most importantly, our health and the health of our
families.
Our environmental concerns are as diverse as our
Region. A hurricane in one area, an ice storm in
another; peregrine falcons nesting on skyscraper
ledges and whales calving in a threatened bay; radon
in suburban basements and lead in urban
apartments; factory discharges and pesticide drift—
diverse problems that require diverse responses. They
also require us to put aside our differences and work
together to find creative solutions.
Region 2 encourages people to participate in the
protection of our incredible natural resources and the
dynamic populations they support. This State of the
Environment Report will give you a start.
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 3
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Air Quality
EPA Region 2 has long recognized the threat that air pollution poses to
human health and the environment, especially in the urban areas of New
York, New Jersey and Puerto Rico. A 1990 comparative risk study
conducted by the Region showed that all of the Region's human health risks
marked as "very high" were related to air pollution. Air quality in Region 2, as in
most industrialized areas, is impacted by emissions from automobiles, manufac-
turing, utility plants, refineries, and other mobile and stationary sources of
pollution. Although significant improvements in air quality have been made
over the last several decades, additional challenges remain.
Air is Cleaner and Safer to Breathe
The Clean Air Act (originally passed in 1970 and significantly amended in
1977 and 1990) addresses two major categories of air pollutants. The law re-
quired EPA to establish national standards for six common (or criteria) air
pollutants: lead, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide (CO), particu-
late matter, commonly called soot, and ground-level ozone, known to many as
smog (Figure 1). Standards were established to protect human health, especially
in sensitive populations including children, the elderly, and asthmatics, and to
reduce air pollution impacts on agriculture, the environment and visibility. It
also initiated a process to regulate toxic air pollutants, the health impacts of
which are less well defined but generally recognized as harmful.
Reduced Emissions of Common Pollutants
Since 1985, emissions of the common air pollutants have decreased by 28
percent throughout the Region. The most significant decrease has been in lead
emissions, due to the virtual elimination of lead pollution from automobile
exhaust. Reductions in common pollutants are even more impressive considering
they have occurred during a period of significant increases in population, eco-
nomic growth, and vehicle miles traveled (Figure 2).
Health Effects of Common Air Pollutants
Pollutant
Ozone
Paniculate Matter
Carbon Monoxide
Sulfur Dioxide
Lead
Change in Emissions,
1985-1994
-15%
-29%
-25%
-25%
-80%
Potential Health Effects
Reduced lung function. Asthma, eye
irritation, nasal congestion, lowered
resistance to infection.
Eye and throat irritation, bronchitis,
lung damage, and premature death.
Ability of Wood to carry oxygen
impaired. Cardiovascular, pulmonary
and nervous systems affected.
Respiratory tract problems; permanent
lung damage.
Developmental impairment, especially
in children.
Source National Air Pollutants Emissions Trends, 1900-1994
Figure 1
4 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
Emissions Decrease as the
Population and Economy Grow
40%-
Gross State Product >
30%-
-20%-
-30%--
Emissions of
Common Pollutants'
1985
Year
199'
Source Population and VMT data from U S Census,
emissions data from National Air Pollutants Emissions Trends,
1990-1994, GSP data from Bureau of Economic Analysis
Figure 2
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Reduced Toxic Emissions
Releases of Toxic Chemicals to the Air Decline Significantly
Ills ••••
New York
New Jersey
Puerto Rico
• 1988 B1993 »1994 B1995 ; 1996
Source U S Toxics Release Inventory
Figure 3
Unhealthy Air Days are Decreasing
50-
45 -
0 -.
1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
- Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY
-K— MkMlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJ
-*-New York, NY
-•-Newark, NJ
•K, . SanJuan-Bayamon, PR
Source' National Air Quality and Emissions Trends Reporting 1996.
Figure 4
Exposure to airborne toxic compounds such as
benzene and mercury can contribute to health
problems including cancer and respiratory illness.
EPA sets emissions standards for individual com-
pounds, placing a priority on the most common and
harmful chemicals. One measure of air toxic emis-
<*> t
sions to the atmosphere is th&A^Qtt||fe Toxics Release
Inventory (TRI), an annual more than 600
toxic chemicals released fc^ tlJe^rttelifeoninent. TRI
emissions data are estimatef ^p^f^^'ty industry.
The facilities that submit repdrte^%*we& as the
actual cheaiiSiftWPpported, can change from year to
year. Even aeeouBting for these data limitations,
total emissions of airborne toxic chemicals decreased
significantly between 1988 and 1996 (Figure 3).
Virgin Islands
Fewer Unhealthy Air Days
Reductions in the number of unhealthy air days demon-
strate improvements in the Region's overall air quality. To
determine whether air is unhealthy, EPA measures the air
quality in urban areas using the Pollution Standard Index,
or PSI. The PSI converts the concentration of each criteria
pollutant in the air to a number on a scale of 0 to 500, with
a score greater than 100 indicating unhealthful air. Since
1987, the number of days with PSI values exceeding 100
has decreased (Figure 4).
Addressing the Challenges
Despite Regional and national improvements in air
quality, the citizens of Region 2 still face significant outdoor
and indoor air quality problems.
Meeting Air Quality Standards
The states in Region 2 measure the concentrations of air
pollutants in the\air Canttllient conditions) and compare
them to the fe«i@i|f sM«a1MMtesed standards. The Agency
designates geographic areas that fail to meet the standards
for common pollutants as "non-attainment areas." While
most of Region £ meets air quality standards for most
pollutants, the R6gJ '• ' j „
\ J * ^
j Carbon Motmo$& fppf
^
"trucli and buses—New "fork
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 5
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Nassau counties in New York State, and the northeastern portion of New Jersey
are designated CO non-attainment areas. Mobile sources contribute as much as
66 percent of CO in the air. CO exhaust from vehicles poses a significant
problem in cities like New York, with high levels of traffic congestion and where
the pollution is trapped between tall buildings. There has already been a major
drop in the number of days that measured CO levels exceed health standards.
The number has declined from over 300 days in 1971 to more than 100 in 1985,
to zero in 1996. Within two years, New Jersey and New York will implement
enhanced vehicle inspection and maintenance programs that ensure federal
health standards for CO are met everywhere.
Ground-level Ozone
By far the worst air quality problem in
Region 2, ground-level ozone, the major compo-
nent of smog, forms when nitrogen oxides and
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) chemically
react in warm temperatures and sunlight.
Typical sources of smog-forming pollutants
include industrial facilities, automobiles, and
even consumer products such as hair spray and
charcoal lighter fluid. Ground level ozone, not to
be confused with stratospheric ozone, which
protects us from ultraviolet radiation, is a
serious health threat that can exacerbate the
symptoms of asthma, damage lung cells, and
reduce the lung's ability to fight infection. In
addition, it can cause significant environmental
damage, reducing the resistance of plants to
disease, pests, and other stresses. Ozone has
clear, documented impacts on human health,
crops, and ecosystems.
EPA recently revised its health-based
standard for ozone. The previous standard was
0.12 parts per million (ppm) measured over a
one hour period.
Since that time, the results of over 3,000 new
studies on ozone have shown that it can cause
adverse health effects at levels below the old
standard. For this reason, EPA adopted a more
stringent standard of 0.08 ppm over an eight
hour period to better protect public health. By
averaging over eight hours, the standard helps
protect people who spend a significant amount
of time working or playing outdoors—particu-
larly children, a group that is especially vulner-
able to the effects of ozone.
6 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
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Expected Impact of OTAG
on Future Ozone Conditions
Ozone Episode 1997
160
145
115
85
55
ppm
40
Effects of Clean Air Act in 2007
160
145
115
85
55
ppm
40
Effects of OTAG in 2007
160
145
115
85
55
ppm
40
The information in this report focuses on the progress addressing the old
one-hour ozone standard, since more air quality information needs to be col-
lected and analyzed before trends for the eight-hour ozone levels are available.
However, programs designed to achieve compliance with the one-hour ozone
standard will also reduce eight-hour ozone levels.
In Region 2, measurements of ozone in the urban corridor stretching from
the Philadelphia-Camden area through the New York City metropolitan area
exceed both the old one-hour standard and the new eight-hour ozone standard.
Attainment of the new standard is expected to require more reductions in
emissions than the existing ozone standard, so areas will be given additional
time to comply.
Despite air quality improvements, many eastern states have had difficulty
meeting the one-hour ozone standards. This led to the formation of the Ozone
Transport Assessment Group (OTAG), which included representatives from 37
participating eastern states. OTAG was charged with assessing the significance
of ozone transport and with recommending strategies for reducing ozone forma-
tion and transport. In 1997, after two years of information gathering and
debate, the group submitted its recommendations for meeting ambient air
quality standards to EPA. The recommendations include steps to reduce
emissions of compounds that lead to ozone production. In addition, OTAG
recommended implementing an innovative emissions trading program that
would give states greater flexibility in meeting air quality standards and
significantly reduce the costs of emissions reductions.
The maps at left illustrate projected improvements from implementing the
OTAG recommendations. The first map shows the highest one-hour concentra-
tions of ozone associated with a bad smog episode in 1997. The second map
illustrates the likely effect of implementing the emission reduction programs
called for in the Clean Air Act. As the map shows, improvements are limited,
due to the expected growth in sources of pollution, and continued increases in
vehicle miles traveled and the demand for electrical power. If, however, all the
OTAG strategies are fully implemented, as illustrated in map three, a 20 to 40
percent ozone reduction is expected in the northeast corridor by the year 2007
(Figure 5).
Particulate Matter (PM)
Particulate matter is a mixture of solid and liquid particles, varying greatly
in size and in chemical and physical properties. Sources include vehicles,
incinerators, power plants, and dust from farms and construction sites. PM can
cause respiratory illness and other health problems. In Region 2, the New York
City borough of Manhattan and Guaynabo, Puerto Rico are both classified as
non-attainment areas for PM. This is largely due to mobile sources such as
cars, diesel trucks, and buses. EPA regulates particles that are 10 microns or
less in size (about 1/7 the width of a human hair). Since the standards were
revised in 1987, many important new studies have been published that show
Source OTAG Northeast Modeling and Analysis Center
Figure 5
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 7
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that breathing particulate matter at concentra-
tions allowed by the PM standard for 10 micron
particles can cause significant health effects—
including premature death and an increase in
respiratory illness. Also, EPA believes that the
standard does not adequately protect visibility
(our ability to clearly perceive distance, color,
contrast, and detail) in the atmosphere.
A review of the scientific data indicates that it
is the smaller (or fine) particles—less than 2.5
microns in diameter—that are largely responsible
for the health effects of greatest concern and for
visibility impairment. Based on this information,
EPA has added new particulate standards that
provide for both new annual and 24-hour stan-
dards, while retaining the existing standard. EPA
estimates that the new standards, along with
clean air programs already planned, will reduce
premature deaths by about 15,000 a year and
serious respiratory problems in children by about
250,000 cases a year.
Tackling Indoor Air
Concentrations of certain pollutants, including
lead, radon gas, second-hand tobacco smoke,
asbestos, and pesticides, can be much greater
indoors than outdoors. EPA recognizes that the
indoor environment—in schools, homes, and in the
workplace—often poses significant environmental
health risks.
EPA's approach to indoor pollution focuses on
educating the public about indoor air health
threats and ways to reduce them. The Tools for
Schools program is one example of its outreach
efforts. Schools often face a myriad of indoor air
quality problems, but have few resources to
combat them. The program provides schools with
an action kit to help them achieve and maintain
good indoor air quality at little or no cost, using
common-sense activities and in-house staff.
Reducing Radon
Radon—a colorless, odorless, naturally occurring radioactive gas formed
from decaying radium and uranium in soil—is the nation's second leading
cause of lung cancer, resulting in an estimated 7,000 to 30,000 cancer deaths
per year nationwide. Radon gas migrates through the soil, most frequently
entering buildings through cracks in foundations.
8 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
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Fortunately, radon problems are usually easy and inexpensive to find and
address. Effective radon detectors are readily available, and homeowners who
detect a problem can follow EPA's simple mitigation strategies to divert the gas
outside where it is not dangerous. Throughout the Region, an estimated 900 lung
cancer deaths have been averted as a result of more than 20,000 residential radon
mitigations.
EPA actively supports an education effort that promotes residential radon
testing, and provides assistance in mitigating radon problems. Throughout New
York and New Jersey, the number of households conducting radon tests has
increased tremendously over the past six years. Approximately 60,000 radon tests
and 3,000 mitigations were performed in Region 2 in 1996 alone. In New Jersey's
highest radon risk areas, strengthened building codes require new homes to be
radon-resistant. As a result, over 23,000 radon-resistant homes have been built.
Things You Can Do
• Maintain par g^i
at
« Give p*tf «ar i di|: 6ff
transit, eafperfftip, IteycIlRfj,
Inquire about and, when appropriate,
197$,
to disclose known lead hazards.
Test your home for radon.
for Schools program to improve indoor air.
Lowering Lead Levels
Lead poisoning is a major environmental health hazard for young children,
affecting as many as one million children age five and under, according to the
National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adults exposed to high
levels of lead, usually in the workplace, are also at risk. Even at low levels, lead
poisoning in children can cause IQ deficiencies, reading and learning disabilities,
impaired hearing, reduced attention spans, hyperactivity and other behavior
problems. A pregnant woman poisoned by lead can transfer the metal to her
developing fetus, causing development effects. Chronic exposure can damage the
kidneys and nervous system and cause high blood pressure.
The EPA ban of lead in gasoline twenty years ago has resulted in a 98 percent
reduction in lead levels in the air, protecting millions of children from serious,
permanent learning disabilities by helping to reduce blood lead levels by 75
percent. But children are still at risk from eating chipping or peeling lead paint
and exposure to lead-contaminated dust that accumulates on window sills and
floors.
Successful EPA and state lead education and intervention programs have also
helped to reduce the number of lead-poisoned children. In 1996, 2600 children, or
0.6 percent of the total screened for lead exposure through a New York State lead
program, were diagnosed with lead poisoning (blood lead levels greater than 20 ug/
dl). This is a significant decline from the 4,237 children, or 1 percent of those
screened, found to have lead poisoning in 1994.
National Radon Hotline 800-767-713$
Indoor Air Information Clearinghouse
Internet Homepage:
Phone; " -" " v": . ' ^800-43818
Internet Homepage: hi^:^
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 9
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Water Resources
Miles
SCteean
With 60,000 miles of rivers and streams, highlighted by
the Hudson River; the ports of San Juan and the New
York/New Jersey Harbor; its bays and estuaries;
Lake Ontario, Niagara Falls and the St. Lawrence Seaway; the
Caribbean Sea; Long Island Sound and the ocean waters of the
Jersey Shore, Long Island, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands—
Region 2 is a land of water (Figure 6). Its water resources are
central to the Region's character, its beauty, its economy and the
health of its people.
Since the passage of the federal Clean Water Act in 1972,
EPA and the states have made significant progress reducing
pollution discharges into the Region's waters. These strides
have been mainly the result of controls on municipal and indus-
trial wastewater discharges, which are now effectively regulated
by a national permitting system. In New Jersey, for example,
discharges from municipal and industrial sources, referred to as "point sources,"
were reduced by 49 percent between 1985 and 1994. It is estimated that in 1972,
approximately 2,000 miles of New York's rivers and streams were impaired by
municipal wastewater pollution. Today, efforts to control wastewater discharges
have reduced that figure to 700 miles.
One measure of improvement attributable to better wastewater treatment is
dissolved oxygen levels, which reflect the ability of the water to support aquatic
life. Reducing organic pollution from sewage treatment plants has increased
dissolved oxygen in many of the Region's surface waters, a factor that has
contributed to healthier ecosystems. In the New York/New Jersey Harbor, for
example, dissolved oxygen levels have steadily increased since 1970. By 1992,
oxygen levels in most portions of New York/New Jersey Harbor met water quality
standards for both swimming and fishing (Figure 7).
As point sources of water pollution have diminished, EPA has increased its focus
on non-point sources. Non-point water pollution stems from a variety of diffuse
sources, including urban and agricultural runoff and the deposit of airborne pollut-
ants to water. Some of the pollutants entering our waters from non-point sources
include: fertilizers and pesticides; oil, grease, and salt from roadways; sediment
from improperly-managed construction sites, crop land, forest lands, and eroding
streambeds; bacteria and nutrients from livestock, pet wastes, and faulty septic
systems; and sulfur dioxide and mercury from air deposition. While the impact of an
individual non-point source may be small, the cumulative impact from numerous
sources can significantly degrade water quality. Effective control of non-point source
pollution requires changes in land use practices and personal behavior.
The Region's Water Resources
Puerto; \.-wtm:-m&jum$,
'- S4.172
79Q,782» 10,887 rvp §25,669
120
550 173
963
s or ponds ol> any of tW fslancfei.'
Source- U S EPA National Water Quality Inventory 1996 Report to Congress
Figure 6
A Measure of Water Quality
Average Summer Dissolved Oxygen
in New York/New Jersey Harbor
1 -
I
o
(0
1970 1975
1980 1985
Year
1990 199!
Source 1995 New York Harbor Water Quality Survey
Appendices
Figure 7
10 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
-------
Under the Clean Water Act, EPA works with its state
and local partners to develop non-point source assessments
and then identify and implement control programs. In New
York, for example, EPA has funded non-point source
education and information programs addressing
stormwater runoff from new housing developments. Puerto
Rico is also implementing several non-point source pro-
grams to reduce runoff from housing developments and
dairy operations.
Another threat to water quality comes from disturbing
the natural balance of hydrologic systems. Such distur-
bances range from dredging harbors, to damming running
water for electricity generation and flood control, to remov-
ing streamside wetlands. All of these activities can impact
water quality and aquatic habitat by raising water tem-
peratures; stimulating oxygen depletion; disrupting the
food supply, migration, and life-cycle of aquatic species;
increasing the intensity and energy of runoff; and contrib-
uting to flooding and accelerating erosion. For more
information on wetlands status and trends, see the Land
Use and Ecosystem Health chapter.
The Status of Region 2 Waters
Aquatic Species as Stream Quality Indicators
One of the best ways to measure water quality is by
evaluating the diversity and abundance of aquatic
macroinvertebrate (insect) populations. Since many such
species are sensitive to various forms of pollution, over
time these organisms often tell us much more about water
quality than can be determined by chemical monitoring.
New Jersey monitors macroinvertebrate populations in
streams located in each of the state's five major drainage
basins. Monitoring conducted between 1992 and 1996
shows that 35 percent of the areas sampled are not im-
paired, 53 percent are moderately impaired, and 12 percent
are severely impaired (Figure 8). Most of New Jersey's
monitoring stations have only been sampled once, preclud-
ing trend analysis.
New York has conducted extensive macroinvertebrate
monitoring since 1972. Of the sites monitored between
1972 and 1992, 38 percent improved, 4 percent declined,
and 58 percent showed no change in water quality. The
most recent monitoring data, collected between 1987 and
1996, shows that 40 percent of those waters monitored are
Ecological Condition of New Jersey and New York Streams
+ = Severely impacted
\ = Moderately impacted
o = Slightly impacted
= No impact
Source' New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Figure 8
Source' New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 11
-------
not impacted. Forty-two percent are impacted slightly, 16 percent
moderately, and 2 percent severely (Figure 8).
It is important to note that much of the sampling is targeted
at suspected problem areas and that these numbers are not
necessarily representative of all flowing waters in New Jersey and
New York.
Contaminated Sediments
While toxics entering the Region's waters have decreased in
recent years, some remain in the sediment layers lining the
bottom of streams, rivers, lakes and estuaries. These sediment
layers provide habitat and food for many aquatic species fulfilling
important roles in the food chain. When bottom feeding fish or
other aquatic species consume organisms with elevated levels of
toxics, the contaminants can accumulate in the predators' tissue;
a process known as bioaccumulation. Bioaccumulation ulti-
mately poses threats to those species, including humans, that
occupy the higher niches of the food chain.
Sediment Sampling
30
1:096
Source' EPA 1998, The Incidence and Severity of Sediment Contamination in
Surface Waters of the United States Vol. 1 National Sediment Quality Survey
Figure 9
A 1997 EPA study, which included sediment sampling at 1,096 stations
throughout Region 2, found substantial sediment contamination in many parts
of New York and New Jersey. Sampling sites were classified into three tiers
according to their potential for adverse effects on aquatic life and human health
(Tier 1 sites represent those with the highest levels of contaminants). Through-
out the Region, 32 percent of the sites rank as Tier 1 and are considered to cause
probable adverse effects (Figure 9). On a Regional basis, the most common
chemical contaminants are copper, lead, nickel, PCBs, mercury,
cadmium, zinc, DDT, and arsenic.
Based on this study, EPA has identified 12 watersheds,
encompassing portions of New York and New Jersey, as areas of
probable concern (APCs) for sediment contamination (Figure 10).
These are areas where bottom dwelling organisms and fish may
come in frequent contact with contaminated sediments. EPA
plans to conduct additional studies to determine the effects of
sediment contamination and opportunities for reducing possible
risk. These designations do not imply that all portions of these
watersheds have contaminated sediments.
The presence of contaminated sentiments and other chemical
pollution can lead to high concentrations of contaminants in fish
tissue. Due to the dangers associated with consumption of
contaminated fish, Region 2 has, since 1994, granted over
$200,000 to New York and New Jersey to conduct public outreach
and education programs on fish advisories that urge populations
at risk (sustenance anglers and women and children) to limit or
avoid eating fish from certain waters. These efforts have prima-
rily focused on the Hudson River, Lake Erie, and the New York/
New Jersey Harbor, areas affected by PCB contamination.
Sediment Contamination by Watershed
+ Tier 1: Associated adverse
effects are probable
o Tier 2 Associated adverse
effects are possible, but
expected infrequently
• Areas of probable concern
Source. EPA 1998, The Incidence and Severity of Sediment Contamination
in Surface Waters of the United States Vol 1 National Sediment
Quality Survey
Figure 10
12 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
-------
Cleaning Up the Niagara River
Famous for its spectacular waterfalls at the border of the
United Slates and Canada, the Niagara River flows for 37 mites
from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. AJongthe way, the river provides
drinking water, recreational opportunities, and hydropower elec-
tricity. Overtime, this important resource has received significant
quantities of pollution from both point and non-point sources. Of
particular concern are hgh levels of todcs— induciig mercury,
polychloririaiedbiphenyislRSs}, and pesticides— many of which
accumulate in the focdc^n, threatening the ecological health of
the river ecosystem and those who consume its fish and wildlife.
In 1987,
Canadian and U.S. government agencies committed to reduce
toxic inputs to the river by developing ttie Niagara River Toxics
Management Ran. TTiep!antargetedeighteenpfioritytoxicchemi-
cals and called for 50 percent loadings reductions of ten of these
substances by 1996. Some of me actions taken to reduce toxic
toxics discharges; deaning up nearby hazardous waste sites con-
tributing contaminated ground water and runoff to the river; and
diverting contaminated ground water toasewage treatment plant.
An intensive monitoring program involving sampling at the
head arei mouth of the river.as well as measuring concentrations
of toxics in the river's fish and mussel species, shows that the
plan is yielding significant results. Between 1986 and 1996, the
levels of many of the priority toxics found at the river's head and
mouth have dropped by over 50 percent. In addition, toxics found
in fish and mussels have been drastically reduced. To ensure that
these encouraging trends continue in the futare, the U.S. and
Canada reaffirmed their commftrnerttotfie plan in 1996.
Source' Niagara River Toxics Management Plan.
Estuaries and Coastal Waters
Estuaries: Supporting Recreation, Commerce
and Habitats
Estuaries are partially enclosed water bodies where rivers meet the
sea. These tidally-influenced ecosystems provide habitats that support
thousands of aquatic and terrestrial animal and plant species, sustain
commercial fisheries, and provide water filtration and flood control.
States and territories classify estuarine and other water bodies by
whether or not they support designated uses. Such designated uses
include fish consumption, swimming, and shellfish harvesting. In 1996,
25 percent of New Jersey's and 28 percent of New York's surveyed
estuarine waters were classified as impaired — meaning that these
waters only partially support or fail to support their designated use.
In 1997, 14 percent of New York's 1.1 million acres of classified
shellfish growing waters were designated as "harvest-limited." This
category includes areas designated as suitable for harvesting only
under certain conditions, as well as those where harvesting is prohib-
ited due to high levels of pollution caused by sewage discharges, organic
wastes, proximity to known sources of pollution or particular weather
conditions. Of New Jersey's 737,000 acres of classified shellfish growing
waters, 29 percent were listed as "harvest-limited" in 1997.
Due in part to public concern about water quality in coastal areas, in
1986, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
began monitoring levels of trace metals and organic compounds in
mussels and oysters at coastal sites throughout the U.S. The "Mussel
Watch" project monitors 18 offshore locations throughout Region 2.
Each regional site sampled for the trace metal cadmium and the organic
compounds DDT and chlordane—including locations in Long Island
Sound, Moriches Bay, the Hudson/Raritan Estuary, the New York
Bight, and Delaware Bay—shows decreasing concentrations over time.
In addition to monitoring chemical pollution, EPA, working with its
state and local partners under the National Estuary Program (NEP),
has completed comprehensive conservation management plans for three
Region 2 estuaries—Long Island Sound, the New York/New Jersey
Harbor, and the Delaware River. The Region is developing plans for the
Peconic Bay, Barnegat Bay and San Juan Bay. All six estuaries are
currently threatened by pollution, development and overuse. Activities
under the NEP include decreasing toxic pollution through pollution
prevention programs, constructing artificial wetlands, managing
storm water and non-point runoff, improving land use planning and
management, and monitoring and controlling vessel discharges.
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 13
-------
Coastal Waters: Fewer Beach Closings, Better Water Quality
The number of beach closings due to unhealthy water conditions, although
not a perfect indicator because of variations in monitoring among states, repre-
sents one measure of coastal water quality. Historically, New Jersey and New
York beaches faced threats posed by bacterial contamination from overflows from
sewers that carry both storm water and municipal wastewater during rain-
storms and discharges of untreated wastewater due to malfunctioning sewage
treatment plants. Scientists also believe that natural processes, such as
changes in ocean water patterns and climate, may exacerbate bacterial contami-
nation of coastal waters. Figure 11 shows New York and New Jersey beach
closings for bays and coastal beaches attributable to bacteria from 1988 to 1995.
While Puerto Rico does not have beach closure procedures, the Common-
wealth began monitoring bacteria levels at its beaches in 1997, and plans to
adopt beach closure regulations in the near future. According to Puerto Rico's
1996 water quality report to Congress, 33 of its 550 surveyed shore miles were
unsuitable for swimming as a result of pollution from storm water runoff,
industrial discharges and contaminated water seeping from landfills.
Trash floating in coastal waters and bays or washed up on beaches can also
cause beach closings. Most floating trash results from improper waste disposal
and storage. During the summers of 1987 and 1988, floating trash such as wood,
plastic, paper and medical waste washed up on New Jersey beaches and Long
Island's south shore. Public perception of the danger posed by medical waste on
area beaches resulted in an estimated loss of over 2 billion in tourism dollars. In
response, EPA developed new guidelines for medical waste disposal, and federal,
state and local agencies created the Floatables Action Plan to reduce floating
trash and debris through enhanced surveillance and regular cleanups of coastal
waterways. During the late spring and summer, EPA conducts water sampling at
key locations and makes daily helicopter inspection flights over the New York/
New Jersey Harbor and the New Jersey shoreline. Region 2 also initiated its
"Clean Streets/Clean Beaches" campaign, which helps to prevent street litter from
washing into area waterways by discouraging littering. These enhanced control
measures, along with heightened public awareness, have reduced the amount of
floating trash washing up on area beaches. New Jersey has reported no beach
closings due to floating trash since the early 1990s, and New York has reported
only one.
Beach Closings* in New York
and New Jersey Due to Bacteria
New York
500-
400-
100-
0
88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95
Year
New Jersey
500-
400-
100-
0
88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95
Year
* Bays and coastal beaches
Source New York Department of Health, New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection
Figure 11
14 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
-------
Puerto Rico's
Bioluminescent Bays
Very htg hcoBcSenW»rtsof iighl-^mittng
plankton^ organisms g^ eertata ocean
waters the appearance of glowing after dark
(bioluminescence) when their surfaces are
disturbed. Puerto Rico has three of only five
bioluminescent bays In the world, feahta
Mosquito, the territory's most well known
bioluminescent bay, ts looted 1C! rnifes off
Puerto Rico's coast on Vieques Wand.
Bioluminescent bays are typically small in size,
relatively'shatow in depth, wi$h a narrow
waters into the bay. The bays also depend on
which provide nutrient ess-enttei for the
plankton.
Unfortunately, toe ftjerto Rteo bays face
a number of setxw Irftrfrorwwntal threats.
resulted in increased erosion and pollution.
Other threats to these sensitive ecosystems
incluste boating, mangrove destruction,
to
A number of grassroots organizations as
well as the Vieijues CimsWvatten and
Rico's btelumtnesetrit waters.
Drinking Water Quality
Sixty-two percent of the Region receives drinking water from surface water
sources such as lakes, reservoirs, rivers and rain catchments, with the remain-
ing 38 percent served by ground water. The vast majority of the Region—over
29 million people—receive water from one of more than 3,800 community water
systems. These systems are required to meet maximum contaminant levels
(MCLs) for more than 80 contaminants. MCLs are based on known or anticipated
adverse human health effects, the ability of various technologies to remove the
contaminant, the effectiveness and cost of treatment. The chart below shows
populations served by community water systems that violated one or more MCLs
from 1993 to 1996. In New Jersey, New York and Puerto Rico, the number of
people affected by MCL violations has decreased over time. The most significant
reduction was in New York from 1995 to 1996, due to the absence of violations for
the New York City water supply (Figure 12).
Despite these overall improvements, certain areas, especially in the Carib-
bean, continue to face drinking water quality and quantity problems. In fact,
Puerto Rico considers providing high quality water the Commonwealth's highest
environmental priority. In the Virgin Islands, residents and tourists must rely on
a variety of water sources and treatment techniques to meet their consumption
needs. For more information about drinking water issues and how they are being
addressed in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, see The Unique Caribbean
Environment Chapter.
Water Quality Violations Go Down
Region 2 Populations Served^bjXommunity Water Systems
with Maximum Contaminant tS&el Violations
8-
1993 1994 1995
Year
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System Database,
Figure 12
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 15
-------
Protecting New York City's Drinking Water Supply
nofeasibtesource of dean
drinWng water nea% the dty relies^
NewYork.Thelandarea(oftenre^edtoasawatershed)drainingirtottwresem)irBC»vere
EPArequiresfiltt^n of water suppliesto protect againstcontaminationlym^^
filtratfon when it can be demc)r)sfrated that the water su^
contaminated oinoff in the watershedJnthe case of the CatskiarKl[)elav^
Wc^ng as part ofateamirx^udingNewMsrk City, New\brk State, locd
arjlanoutlinir^measurestoprotecttfreupstatewatershecisc*^^ TheplanregulateslanoMjseinsensitiv8areas,c^fcf acc^j^
partcuiaj1ysensiti\«larKl,outtres water quality testing proHfo
rontinue protecfingtedrinking water by preventing pdlution at the sc>uix» in tj^
More Information
Hotline: 202-260-7786
rwNM7wIsnti Page for
Things You Can Do
• Avoid over-watering your lawn or garden.
• Avoid using toxic materials on your lawn.
* Do not run your dishwasher or washing
machine half-full
• Do not pour household chemicals or used
motor oil down drains or sewers
• Use low-phosphate or phosphate-free de-
tergents.
* Have your septic system inspected annu-
ally.
• Repair plumbing teaks.
* Turn faucets off whan shaving or brushing
your teeth.
» Avoid littering; litter clogs storm drains,
sewers and waterways.
16 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
-------
Waste and Toxics
In 1987, the Mobro 4000, a barge carrying 3,168 tons of garbage from Islip,
New York, was turned away by six states and three countries. After travel-
ing 6,000 miles over six months in search of a disposal site, it returned to
Islip where its load was incinerated. The now infamous barge helped raise
America's consciousness about waste disposal. Similarly, the events at Love
Canal, a neighborhood built on a toxic waste site in Niagara Falls, New York,
focused national attention on the need for proper tracking and disposal of toxic and
hazardous wastes. In 1977, leakage from the site was discovered, posing serious
public health risks and resulting in the evacuation of area residents. While
portions of the site have been cleaned up and the community restored, the most
contaminated portions remain uninhabitable.
One of the undesirable by-products of increasing population and economic
growth, is the generation of hazardous and non-hazardous waste, from households
as well as industrial and commercial facilities. EPA classifies wastes as hazard-
ous based on physical properties—whether they are flammable, corrosive or
explosive—and chemical composition.
Since the 1970s, we have made significant improvements in reducing the
amount of waste produced, managing it more safely, and responding to cases in
which waste was not handled properly in the past.
Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA), first passed in 1976, EPA and the states have
developed regulations governing the safe management of
hazardous and nonhazardous wastes, from their production
to their ultimate disposal (cradle to grave). The Comprehen-
sive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability
Act (CERCLA) of 1980, commonly referred to as Superfund,
primarily addresses the cleanup of sites where waste has
been improperly disposed of in the past.
Proper Waste Management
Reducing the production of hazardous and nonhazardous
waste is the most effective way to minimize risks to human
health and the environment. For those wastes that are
produced, EPA emphasizes reuse and recycling as favored
alternatives over treatment and disposal.
Prevention: Industry and
households should adopt
measures that reduce the
amount of waste generated.
Recycling: Waste that
cannot be prevented should
be recovered and recycled.
Treatment: Waste that
cannot be prevented or
recycled should be treated to
render the waste harmless.
Disposal: Disposal (e.g.,
landfilling) should be used
only when other options are
not feasible.
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 17
-------
Significant Reductions in Toxic Releases
100-
90-
80-
70-
V)
T3
C
D
o
Q.
-------
ton 2,lc ita
a id em
m
f eeo^ery iy the m
the V|||folsli nds) &d 79 plrcea^i
t ansfefi^d in ; 99§,from Region 1
was eifti#r
Reducin
£ om
fTRI
ecycl« or rec >vered for energy use
Household Hazardous Waste
lly i^gsoei
1 *< ^ -i -ji y
the productifin and release of hazardous chemicals >
' > £
facilities. However*,~households contribute to thp
'
.r
it-
materials with the disposal of items such as paint and p
pesticides, pool chemicals, drain cleaners and car care"Drodu
\Jnited States produces an average of four pounds
a national total of about 530,000 tons
of carelessly, can create environmental and public
groundwater pollution.
not regulated under federal and "
liinmated by the use of
• \« •S'fZ., »»*««Lfc«t»>«««Mi»i^W
ous Waste
responsible for managing solid non-hazardous waste—
j packaging, food scraps, yard trimmings, cans, bottles and tires.
per Person Per dav'
.~ Again, emphasizing reducing and reusing waste first,
trash for energy recovery, and landfilling are all components
amount of waste recycled and incinerated has increased, while
has decreased (Figure 15). In both New York and New Jersey,
rates have corresponded with a decreased reliance on land- *
tates and curbside collection programs for both states are lamoajf f
ft country. New York and New Jersey have taken
amount of waste landfilled, including banning vehicle,*
automobile tires out of New York landfills, and prohibit
in New Jersey landfills. New York is among only 10 s^|fe| >f
l!,4
totainer refund law or "bottle bill."
regulations mandated new landfill standards, requi
i, the installation of liners to prevent soil and ground "W^fi
a result, many small landfills have closed, replaced |y!$*
:r regional landfills. Increases in waste r
"'have also contributed to a decline in the amount Qiljt3|if
The number of landfills in Region 2 has decrj
•/
Hazardous Waste: Where It Goes
New York
Treatment
Energy 8%
Recovery
8.5%
POTWs
7.5%
Recycling
70%
Total Off-Site Transfers for Further Waste Management:
109,950,230 pounds
New Jersey
Treatment
Disposal
2% „,,_
Other
Energy
Recovery
33%
Recycling
36%
Total Off-Site Transfers for Further Waste Management:
131,857,828 pounds
Puerto Rico
POTWs
Energy
Recovery
33%
Recycling
42%
Total Off-Site Transfers for Further Waste Management.
32,918,592 pounds
Virgin Islands
Disposal
Recycling
20%
Energy
Recovery
1%
Total Off-Site Transfers for Further Waste Management:
364,814 pounds
POTW = Publicly-Owned Treatment Works
Source U.S EPA Toxics Release Inventory.
Figure 14
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 19
-------
Solid Waste Management
New York
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
89 90
92 93
94
95
96
97
New Jersey
100
90
80
7 7°
01 60
1 50
S 40
8s 30
20
10
0
89 90
Puerto Rico
91
95
96 97
90 91
r J % Incinerated I
Source- Biocycle Magazine
Figure 15
92 93
% Recycled I
94 95
|%Landfilled
in 1986 to 82 in 1996 (Figure 16). Many of the closed facilities were
small local landfills that were unlined, poorly sited, and lacked the
resources to upgrade. The Fresh Kills landfill, the only remaining
municipal solid waste landfill in New York City, is scheduled to close
in 2001. New York City is currently developing long-term plans for
the enormous amount of garbage generated in the city each day.
Progress toward effective waste management has been more
limited in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin
Islands than elsewhere in the Region. Both island communities face
unique constraints. There are no solid waste incineration facilities on
the islands; less land suitable for siting landfills exists; less soil is
available for daily landfill cover; waste export to the continental U.S.
is generally too expensive; and fewer markets for recyclables are
available.
Despite these problems, Puerto Rico has improved its solid waste
management over the past few years. The number of operating landfills
has been reduced from 62 in 1986 to 32 in 1996, with recycling rates
increasing from eight percent in 1990 to 15 percent in 1995. Less
progress has been made in the Virgin Islands, where most garbage is
sent to its two operating landfills. The Virgin Islands currently recycles
very little, but plans to begin measuring recycling rates with a goal of
increasing recycling. For more information on solid waste issues and
how they are being addressed, see The Unique Caribbean Environ-
ment chapter.
Number of Open Landfills in Region 2
300-
86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96
• New York • Puerto Rico • New Jersey • Virgin Islands [
Source' New York Department of Environmental Conservation, New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection, Puerto Rico Solid Waste Management Authority, Federal Register
Figure 16
20 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
-------
Superfund
Cleanup of Spills and Hazardous Waste Sites
The poor and improper disposal of hazardous waste in the past has
resulted in sites throughout the country that now pose a threat to human
health and the environment. Through the Superfund program, EPA
screens suspected hazardous waste sites to determine the extent and type
of response necessary. These actions include site inspection and ranking
to determine the potential threat to human health or the environment,
the immediate removal of leaking drums or toxic materials from aban-
doned facilities, and long-term cleanup actions for highly complex con-
taminated sites. Since the Superfund program began, almost 3,000 sites
screened in Region 2 were judged not to require further action by the
Superfund program.
Removal Program
For sites that require further action, EPA determines if short-term
removal actions or longer-term remedial actions are needed to clean up
the site. Removal actions are generally taken to remove leaking drums
or tanks, provide alternate water supplies, remove contaminated surface
soils or sediments, or demolish and remove contaminated buildings or
structures. In Region 2, EPA has conducted 487 removal actions to date
and parties responsible for the pollution have conducted 120.
National Priorities List
The most seriously contaminated sites are placed on the Superfund
National Priorities List (NPL). Nearly 20 percent (221 sites) of all NPL
sites in the nation are in Region 2. As of March 1998, there were 119
sites in New Jersey (plus two sites proposed for NPL listing), 90 in New
York, 10 in Puerto Rico, and two in the Virgin Islands. Sites on the NPL
require extensive, long-term cleanup and remain on the NPL until
cleanup activities have been completed.
Economic Gain Through Waste
Minimization
"The tremendous result of this study dem-
onstrates the value of partnerships between
industry and government. As we face a more
competitive global market, we must work to-
gether to solve environmental challenges."
—PaulTebo, Vice President, Safety, Health and
the Environment, DuPont
One of the most attractive features of pollution
prevention is the potential for "win-win" outcomes—
those where a facility can reduce pollution and
simultaneously lower its own costs. An example of
such an outcome occurred as a result of a lawsuit
filed by EPA against the DuPont company's Chambers
Works chemical plant in Deepwater, New Jersey-
one of the largest chemical manufacturing facilities
in the United States.
As part of a 1991 settlement between DuPont
and EPA, in addition to paying a substantial penalty
for past RCRA violations, DuPont agreed to conduct
an internal audit of its waste-generating activities and
evaluate pollution prevention opportunities at the
facility. In consultation with EPA, company officials
identified 15 manufacturing processes with pollution
prevention potential. The individual project ideas
focused on reducing solvent, tar, and other chemical
wastes. One project even reduced packaging waste
by introducing reusable chemical containers in place
of disposable 55-gallon drums.
The outcome of the EPA/DuPont efforts is striking.
By late 1993, seven of the 15 projects were
implemented. DuPont has reduced wastes from the
affected processes by 73 percent. Once all projects
are in place, DuPont expects that wastes from all 15
processes will be cut roughly in half. More importantly,
this waste reduction will yield benefits to the company
as a result of reduced material waste disposal costs.
The total up-front investment for all 15 projects is
expected to be about $6 million, while DuPont
anticipates annual savings of about $15 million.
Finally, the success realized at the Chambers Works
facility may be relevant at other locations. DuPont is making
the study publicly available as an example of how
technological advances can be shared to further waste
minimization progress.
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 21
-------
Superfund Sites: Cleaned Up or Underway
(as of March 11, 1998)
90 Sites 119 Sites 12 Sites
100%-
80% -
221 Sites
New York
New Jersey
Puerto Rico/
Virgin Islands
Region 2
Total
-Cleanup Cleanup -Site Under
Completed "Underway - investigation
Source U S EPA Region 2, Emergency and Remedial Response Division
Figure 17
Restoration of a
Superfund Site in
Cold Spring, New
York
into an
agreement with the Scenic Hudson LandTrust,
Hudson River, to
purchase the property The group plans to
After a thorough investigation of each site and extensive
public input, EPA identifies cleanup alternatives and selects
the most appropriate remedy. At some sites, long-term
solutions, such as continued pumping of contaminated ground
water, may be required. Once a remedy is selected, EPA, the
state, or the potentially responsible parties (with EPA or state
oversight) implement the cleanup, generally by treating or
removing contaminated soils and sediments, and/or prevent-
ing the spread of contaminated ground water. Public partici-
pation at all stages of the process—from remedy selection to
site closure—is a hallmark of the Superfund program. Since
the Superfund program began in 1980, the cleanup of NPL
sites in Region 2 has resulted in tremendous environmental
benefits, including:
• Soil and Sediment Cleanup: remediation of billions
of pounds of contaminated soils and sediments. These
actions have enabled previously contaminated land to be
used for other purposes, and for streams, rivers and
wetlands to be restored.
• Cleanup of Contaminated Ground Water: the treatment of billions of
gallons of ground water contaminated with hazardous substances, preventing
the spread of contaminated ground water with the goal of restoring aquifers to
beneficial uses.
• Capping of Toxic Landfills: the placement of caps over hundreds of acres
of hazardous waste landfills. Caps, along with proper management of water
seeping from landfills, protect people and ecosystems from direct exposure to
waste and prevent ground water contamination.
• Elimination of Unacceptable Risk Posed by Improper Waste Disposal:
removal or treatment of hundreds of thousands of gallons of products from
abandoned sites.
Of the Region's 221 Superfund sites, 28 percent have been cleaned up and
taken off the NPL, or have all construction completed and are in the midst of long-
term remedial action. In addition, cleanup activities, either design or construction,
are underway at approximately 58 percent of the 221 sites. Approximately 13
percent of the Region's NPL sites are under study or are awaiting study. The sites
awaiting study have generally just been listed on the NPL or are currently pro-
posed for listing (Figure 17).
Funding for Superfund Cleanups
Under the Superfund program, parties responsible for the pollution are re-
quired to clean up and/or pay for contamination resulting from their contribution
to a particular site. However, in an emergency situation, or when those respon-
sible cannot be found or will not cooperate, EPA responds. Under these circum-
stances, EPA finances the cleanups from the Superfund Trust Fund and when
possible pursues the responsible parties through enforcement action. To date, the
Region 2 Superfund program has spent over $3.75 billion to remediate hazardous
waste sites—about half spent by the federal government and half by responsible
parties.
22 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
-------
Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative
Many communities throughout the nation are grappling with the
question of how to return underutilized or abandoned urban property to
productive use. In many cases, redevelopment of these properties, which
the EPA refers to as brownfields, is complicated by real or perceived
environmental contamination. In response, EPA has implemented the
Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative—a multi-faceted pro-
gram providing technical, legal, informational and direct assistance to
those interested in redeveloping these sites. At the center of the initia-
tive in Region 2 are the 26 Brownfields Assessment Demonstration
Pilots (Figure 18).
The pilots are designed to evaluate the political, scientific and
economic issues that can arise when trying to identify or revitalize
abandoned sites. The Newark pilot project, for example, is identifying
sites that illustrate the full range of obstacles that might arise in
developing a brownfield site and ways to overcome them. The Rochester
pilot is examining the utility of a revolving loan fund for redeveloping
numerous sites.
A Brownfields National Partnership was established in May 1997 to
coordinate local cleanup efforts and the resources of more than 15
federal agencies involved in redevelopment efforts. Sixteen communities
were chosen as models demonstrating the benefits of
collaborative brownfields cleanup efforts. Two of these
"Brownfield Showcase Communities," in Trenton, New
Jersey and Glen Cove, New York, are located in Region 2.
Region 2 Brownfield Assessment Demonstration Pilots.
Successful brownfields projects involve people from the
public and private sectors. One example is the area-wide
site assessment project in Newark, which has been made
possible by a collaboration of residents, the city, the state
of New Jersey and EPA. Other success stories include
numerous sites where local, state and federal agency
resources, as well as public-private partnerships have set
the stage for redevelopment and the creation of jobs. In
Buffalo, New York, a former brownfield was transformed
into a hydroponic tomato farm, creating 175 full time jobs.
The Region's Brownfields Initiative is actively strengthen-
ing federal, state, city and impacted community partner-
ships to meet the common goal of recycling brownfields
into productive, sustainable use.
To help promote public involvement, Region 2 has
established a Brownfields Toll Free Hotline; a Quarterly
Community Involvement Report which is available to the
public; and the Region 2 brownfields web page.
Niagara
Coun
Niagara
Falls
Puerto Rico Industrial
Development Company
(PRIDCO)x
Paterson
Newark,
Morris County
Elizabeth
Perth Amboy
Trent
Puerto Rico Ports
Authority (PRPA)
Camden,
Glen Cove
Jersey City
Hudson County
^Long Branch
'Middlesex County
^Atlantic City
Figure 18
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 23
-------
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
New York and New Jersey
25-
- Confirmed Releases -» Cleanups Initiated -A- Cleanups Completed |
Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands
600-
500-
400-
89 90 91 92 93 94 9S 96 97
"5 300-
200-
100-
-»-ContimiedR9leases -«• Cleanups Initiated -*-Cleanups Completed)
Source US EPA UST/LUST Performance Measures
Figure 19
Things You Can Do
Select products with the least packaging.
Select products with packaging made from the types of
materials your community collects in its recycling program.
Select products tnaste from recycled materials.
Be sure to dispose of hazardous materials from your home
properly. Try to avoid using products containing materials
considered to be hazardous.
Find out about toxic releases fromiacilities in your community
waste.
Underground Storage Tanks
Releases from underground storage tanks (USTs) repre-
sent another source of contamination. As of 1997, there are
over 75,000 tanks (excluding home heating oil tanks) in
Region 2, containing petroleum products. Leaking USTs can
threaten human health and safety by causing fires or explo-
sions or contaminating soil and ground water. A leak of one
gallon of gasoline can render a million gallons of water
undrinkable. In Region 2, 38 percent of the population relies
on ground water as the principal or partial source of drinking
water.
The number of confirmed releases reported in Region 2 has
been growing at a rate of approximately 6 percent per year
since 1989 (Figure 19). One of EPA's goals is to close the gap
between the number of confirmed releases from USTs and the
number of cleanups completed. Significant progress has been
made in the quality of tank installation and construction, leak
detection monitoring systems, and the pace at which cleanups
are completed. There is still work to be done to complete on-
going cleanups more quickly and initiate cleanups at sites
where releases have been detected.
For More I information
EPA Hotline on RCRA, Superfund, and Community
Right to Know: 800-424-9346
Brownfields Hotline:
800-225-7044
Internet Home Page for EPA Off ice
of Solid Waste and Emergency Response:
Internet Home Page for EPA's Brownfield
Program: ' http-7/www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/ •
Internet Home Page for Region 2
Superfund: http://www.epa.gov/region02/supertnd.htm
Earth's 911:
SCO-CLEANUP
24 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
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Land Use and
Ecosystem Health
Physical changes in the Region's land-
scape—including urban sprawl, the
filling of wetlands, and the loss of open
space—leave their impact on environmental
quality. Healthy ecosystems provide habitat
for countless animal and plant species,
biodiversity, water purification and nutrient
recycling, as well as important recreational
and economic benefits. Rare plants, for
example, threatened by habitat change or
disruption, may prove to have important
medicinal and economic value. In addition,
direct economic benefits related to healthy
ecosystems include tourism, hunting, boating,
fishing, and the observation and photography
of wildlife. Undeveloped land also provides economic and aesthetic benefits
to adjacent residents.
Clearly, the northeastern states of New York and New Jersey have very
different ecosystems than the Caribbean islands of Puerto Rico and the
Virgin Islands. Still, these diverse areas face similar pressures. Suburban
sprawl, which has placed substantial pressure on coastal ecosystems,
agricultural land, and other open space since the end of the Second World
War continues. This type of development affects the environment through
increased reliance on automobiles, runoff to water bodies from lawns and
impervious surfaces, and the destruction of wildlife habitat and sensitive
ecosystems such as wetlands.
The satellite images of light emitted by the Region's cities and suburbs
demonstrate the proximity of its population centers to sensitive coastal, river,
lake and estuarine environments (Figure 20). Over the past 50 years, popula-
tions in areas surrounding Manhattan, Newark, Albany and other urban
centers have grown dramatically (Figure 21). Similar patterns of growth have
occurred around San Juan in Puerto Rico and Charlotte Amalie, the capital of
St. Thomas. The Region's population is expected to continue growing well
into the 21st century. The conversion of rural lands to developed lands also
continues throughout the Region. Data collected by the U.S. Department of
Where We Live
Lights observed by Defense Department
Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) in New
York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S.V.I.
show the concentration of urban and suburban land
uses in coastal areas.
Source Defense Department Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)
Figure 20
Percentage Change in Population,
New York and New Jersey, 1940 to 1990
Percent Change in Population
by County
^~"J <21 25-21 87
JH 2187-2526
•B 2526-8421
•III 8421-11967
^B 11967-10409
Source U S Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census
Figure 21
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 25
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New York's Adirondack
Parts
New York'sAdirondack Pert represents
one of the ftegiwfs unique efforts to bal-
ance tod conservation with the pressures
of conwrierrfiit and recrerttooaf cte^tep-
merit, USciled in the^tate's northeastern
corner, the area's hardwood forests haw
1850?.
from the bowping ifnfeff; trade, the
area. In 1$82, Newark crea|ed As
Adirondack Park, a larpr Jawj sur-
rounding the Forest Preserve. By the
1 920s, tourism tiad surpassed the timber
trade as the region's leading industy. To-
day, vacationers continue to tavel to the
park to enjoy the area's more than 100
mountains and 200 takes for hiking, boat-
ing, fishing and other activities.
The Adirondack Forest Preserve now
includes 2.5 million acres of forest, account-
ing for 89 percent of New York's protected
forests. The Preserve's 2,5 miion protected
acres, coupied with 3.5 million acres of pri-
vately-owned iand> comprise the larger
Adirondack Park, Wiffi a total of 8 million
acres, tie Adirondack Park is tie larpst
park ir» the continentai United States,
While both the Adirondack Park and the
Adirondack Forest Preserve have been pro-
tected tern fifflbw^roductten, the heavy
tourist tr^df o»We§lt own erwironrrteritai
pressure*?si«pSff^ ittip overuse of the
area's tralf and Jab» tepf littering has
threateW t»i;scertte;bea^f of the park
as wel
In addlon; thflate«ndfo«stsof the park
face threats"posed% icid rain.;
Asdtecui5ftd|tf»e^Qia^chaf«er, EPA
is working witfi its federal slate,; and iocaf
partners to the acid rain problem
here and throughout the country.
Agriculture show that from 1982 to 1992, the amount of land classified as "devel-
oped" and comprising urban and suburban areas of ten acres or more, increased
from 8 to 45 percent across the Region (Figure 22).
Conversion of Rural to Developed Lands Continues
3500-
3005
45%
Change
1982-1992
407
New York
11982
New Jersey
• 1987
Caribbean
1992 I
Source1 USDA 1992 Natural Resources Inventory
Figure 22
Forests
Although the Region is among the most densely populated in the country, the
majority of its land mass is still rural cropland, pasture and forest. Forests cover
more than 42 percent of New Jersey and 62 percent of New York State (Figure 23).
With the exception of some protected areas (such as the Pine Barrens, the
Adirondack State Park and the Caribbean National Forest), the Region's forests
and landscape have undergone significant change, beginning with European
settlement and continuing to today. Most of the forest has already been cut more
than once.
Forest Cover in New York and New Jersey
Source Multi-Resolution Landscape Characteristics Database
Figure 23
Among the Region's pro-
tected forests is the only
tropical rain forest in the
National Forest System; the
Caribbean National Forest,
located 40 km southeast of San
Juan, Puerto Rico. Established
as a protected area by Spain in
1876, it is one of the oldest
reserves in the Western
Hemisphere. The Forest
receives more rain than any
other National Forest (up to
240 inches per year) and is
home to incredibly diverse
wildlife, including more than
240 native tree and plant
species.
26 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
-------
area. Established by Congress in 1978,
cies, approximately 100 of which are considered threatened or endangered. These species
acres of dwarfed, mature pine and
lities. Visitors can enjoy scenic hikes on the woodland
Wetlands
Wetlands provide wildlife habitat, water purification, nutrient recycling and a
range of recreational opportunities. They serve as natural contaminant filters
and vital buffers against flooding and soil erosion. Land use changes over time
have significantly reduced the quantity and quality of wetlands throughout
Region 2. In New York, one-half of the 160 species identified as endangered or
threatened by the Department of Environmental Conservation are wetland-
dependent.
From 1780 to 1980, wetland loss occurred at a rapid pace. Over that time
approximately 60 percent of New York's wetland area was lost, primarily due to
agricultural conversion. New Jersey lost about 40 percent of its wetlands, for
agricultural, transportation, housing and industrial uses. As in the northeastern
part of the Region, many of Puerto Rico's wetlands were filled and converted to
agricultural use or lost to increased development. Most of the Virgin Islands'
wetlands are coastal, and face increasing threats from tourism-related develop-
ment.
As we have learned more about the importance
of wetlands, laws have been enacted to restrict the
destruction of these habitats, resulting in a significant
decline in wetlands loss. In New York, New Jersey and
the Caribbean, shallow-water, marshes, and forested
wetland acreage has continued to decline while wetland
acreage around lakes has modestly increased.
Endangered Species
One useful indicator of the health of a region's
ecosystems is the condition of its plant and animal
species. Figure 24 illustrates the percentage of native
species that are defined by the Nature Conservancy as
being "at risk" in New York and New Jersey.
Percentage of Native Species "At Risk"
35% -
New York
New Jersey
I Native Vertebrate Species • Native Invertebrate Species
• Native Plant Species
Source The Nature Conservancy, New Jersey State of the Environment Report
Figure 24
_________________ Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 27
-------
Caribbean Coral Reefs
Extensive coral reefs along the coasts
of Puerto Ricoand the Virgin Islands
represent one of the Region's most
irtportarteoatog^ resources. Puerto
Rico possesses an estimated 500 square
kilometers of reef area, while the Virgin
Islands have approximately 200 square
kilometers. In addition to providing habitat
for thousands of aquatic species, reefs
prc^reoeafional opportunities for cfivers
and snorketers, and help protect coastal
mangroves and seagrass from wave
damage during storms.
Many reefs of Puerto Rico and the
Virgin IslanctefaceincTeasingftreats
resulfir^fraricvertBhing,bc^ancrK)rs,
and coral collecting by divers and
snorketers. In many nearshore areas, Uie
health of reef ecosystems is also declining
duetosewage disposal and erosion, both
of which result in increased siltation that
can block sunfight and reduce photosynlhe-
sis. Sewage and erosion also supply
nutrients fostering algal growth that
damages coral species. This condition is
often exacerbated by over-fishing of
herbivcfOBfishspecieslhathelp control
algal growth. SimSarly, over-fishing of
species that rely on coral predators lite star
fish and urchins can also affect the health
of reef ecosystems. Along Puerto Rico's
south store, inshore reefs display signs of
degradation including bca! extinctions,
displacement of corals by sponges, and
coral bleaching. In the Virgin Islands, many
reefs are threatened by overfishing and
white-band disease, a condition affecting
staghom and elkhom corals.
Since coral reefs are affected by a
number of direct and indirect physical and
chemical processes, their protection
requires oxiperatbn among multiple
agerctesarrijurfecfictiona El%isworking
with other puttie and private organizations
to promote reef protection by establishing
reserve areas, preventing over-fishing, and
limiting the impacts of land conversion,
sewage and erosion.
EPA's Role
EPA and other federal agencies have limited direct authority over land use
planning decisions that impact wetlands and terrestrial ecosystems. While most
of these decisions are made by the states or local authorities, EPA can affect land
use decisions through its authority to review environmental impact statements,
and its work with the states on complex air and water quality issues.
The Agency does play a role in wetlands management and works with the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers (COE) in implementing the nation's wetlands program,
with assistance from the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine
Fisheries Service. EPA provides direction, develops policy, and encourages and
enables others to effectively protect and restore the nation's wetlands and associ-
ated ecosystems, including shallow open waters and free-flowing streams. The
wetlands program engages in two principal activities—establishing national
standards and assisting others in achieving them.
EPA also recognizes that one way to limit sprawl and the conversion of more
open space or forest land is to encourage growth in existing urban and suburban
areas. Through transportation planning requirements outlined in the Clean Air
Act, EPA works with states and air pollution control districts to promote environ-
mentally-friendly land-use and transportation decisions. EPA is also pursuing
the goal of more environmentally-acceptable development through initiatives
such as brownfields redevelopment, community-based environmental protection
and sustainable development. We discuss these programs in more detail in the
Looking Ahead chapter.
28 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
-------
Puerto Rico's Cabo Rojo Salt Flats
.TWsis
The«^C^J^j)ertBsuW$u^
sr.TtieRafe
Asa
development Theoirrert landowners recatlypla^te
Construct has altBadybegmona$20 million resort arri marina in Boc^ra^^
acquisifonoflandforconservatbn.is
and
at £ftR*85*»
S5 ' GreatSwamp
S3 Long feland Complex
W
W
W
PW=
Nf
For '
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation: ^ ~
Division of Lands and Forests
Diyfeton of Pi
New
of Environmental Protection:
Puerto Rico Department of
Natural and Environmental
Resources: ','...' .'..;.". '",,..
787-724-8774
Virgin
of Planning and Natural
Resources:
340-773-0565
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 29
-------
The Unique
Caribbean Environment
Sharing responsibility with other federal and local
agencies for the protection of the Caribbean islands
of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands provides
Region 2 with a set of unique opportunities and challenges.
Protecting Island Ecosystems
Opportunities come from the ability to protect the
natural beauty of these highly productive ecosystems not
commonly found in the United States. These ecosystems
include tropical rainforests, mangrove forests, and coral
reefs—some of the most biologically diverse ecological
communities in the world. These valuable resources face
threats not only from natural disasters such as hurricanes,
but also from human impacts including improperly treated
sewage, extensive land conversion and deforestation, over-
fishing, and tourism-related impacts.
While protecting fragile ecosystems is a national
priority, it is especially important in areas such as the
Caribbean islands. Tourists flock to the islands to enjoy
the beautiful beaches and warm temperatures, and to
explore the coral reefs and other ecosystems unique to
islands. Maintaining these resources provides both ecol
cal and economic benefits.
, k£O-V|4
Protecting the islands' ecosys' * "* "
challenges since each ecosystem,,*
community—is part of a compl
the Virgin Islands, reefs
Croix depend o;
the coast run.
Other factors impacting the reefs include high nutrient
impacts from improperly treated sewage, and agricultural
and urban runoff. Not all problems facing the reefs are
human-made. Natural factors such as hurricanes can also
break down the reefs and impact the biological structure of
the systems. However, in the absence of the incremental
pressures posed by human activities, the coral reefs can
respond to naturally-occurring impacts much more quickly
with fewer long-term effects.
Special Challenges
In addition to the presence of these precious ecological
resources, both Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands face
special challenges due to their relative isolation and small
size. Among these are problems associated with the
disposal of solid waste and quantity of potable water
available on the islands.
Solid Waste
Proper waste management is a very large challenge in
the €WW»ean« >33u$e is less land suitable for siting
available for required daily landfill
XIJ3J to addition, much of
Islands has underground
anchors, coral
taining the health
30 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
-------
CapttaJ:
Population:'' : -, ; -'•".••. -'.
Population distribution:
Population density:
Miles of ocean coast:
Land area:
Land use:
:3,$19,023 (1S98)
28.8% rural {1990} ;
1,083.5 people per
square mile (1997)
550
3459 square miles
(includes Jstets of Vieques,
Culefora, and Mona)
13% cropland,
20%-forest & woodland,
26% other
promote recycling in the Caribbean include developing a
model backyard composting project in a St. Croix neighbor-
hood and hiring an economic development advocate to
encourage the development of a market for recyclables in
the Virgin Islands. Another positive development is the
formation in 1995 of the Wider Caribbean Waste Reduction
and Recycling Alliance, known as ReCarib, which works to
improve recycling and other waste management practices
in the wider Caribbean region.
Drinking Water
Providing drinking water to residents of Puerto Rico
and the Virgin Islands represents one of the most signifi-
cant environmental challenges facing the Caribbean
islands. The islands face recurrent problems with both
water quantity and quality. Water shortages in areas
served by surface water supplies occur frequently due to
reduced reservoir volume resulting from reservoir sedimen-
tation and dry weather conditions. During shortages,
water supply lines can dry completely, resulting in water
quality problems when water supply resumes. To address
water shortages in San Juan, Puerto Rico's most populated
area, the Commonwealth is constructing a "Superaqueduct"
to ensure a steady supply of water from reservoirs located
in the mountains.
Of Puerto Rico's almost four million residents, 97
percent receive household water from the Puerto Rico
Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) water systems.
The remaining three percent of the population, located in
predominantly rural areas, receive water from one of
approximately 250 non-PRASA systems. Most of these 250
systems do not comply with drinking water standards. To
ensure that those served by non-PRASA water systems
receive clean, safe drinking water, the Partnership for Pure
Water (PPW) was established in 1992 with the goal of
improving water quality in rural Puerto Rico. PPW is a
public-private initiative providing technical and financial
assistance as well as health education to communities
dependent on non-PRASA systems. Some of the results of
PPW's efforts include the rehabilitation of 77 drinking
water systems, the installation of chlorinators, the repair of
pipes and storage tanks, the installation of disinfection
systems, and the delivery of 113 community lectures on
health risks from unclean water. These actions will help to
provide safe drinking water for approximately 50,000
residents of Puerto Rico.
In the Virgin Islands, the lack of sufficient surface
water has led to the use of a variety of techniques—ranging
from capturing rainwater to saltwater desalination—to
meet the drinking water demand of the Islands' increasing
year-round and tourist populations. In addition to rainwa-
ter and desalinated water, residents of St. Croix receive
drinking water from ground water wells. The ground water
network was expanded in 1988, partly in response to
Hurricane Hugo, and again in 1992. Unfortunately, the
Virgin Islands' ground water is typically of poor quality,
due to high salt and mineral content, and often requires
additional treatment. Because of the problems with
U.S. Virgin Islands
Capital: Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
Population: 97,120 (1996)
Population distribution: St. Croix: 50,139
St. John: 3,504
St. Thomas: 48,166
Population density:
Miles of ocean coast:
Land area:
724.8 people per square mile
173
St. Croix: 84 square miles
St. John: 20 square miles
St. Thomas: 32 square miles
(land area totals do not include
53 other islands and cays)
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 31
-------
Puerto Rico's National rainwater catchment and poor
Treasure: The Coqui ground water quality, the
Islands are increasingly relying
on desalinated ocean water for
their drinking water supply.
Desalinated saltwater now
accounts for 85 percent of
potable water in the Virgin
Islands.
Hurricanes
In addition to impacts on the
integrity of the coral reef and mangrove systems, hurri-
canes pose significant human health risks to the residents
of these island communities. Most hurricanes occur
between the months of June and September. Although
hurricanes can affect mainland areas as well, the relative
isolation and small size of the islands makes recovery more
difficult. Among the problems faced in the aftermath of a
hurricane are the lack of potable drinking water due to
bacterial contamination and inoperable sewage treatment
plants leading to raw sewage discharges to coastal waters.
Moreover, debris must be collected and disposed of quickly,
which consumes large amounts of badly-needed landfill
capacity.
The EPA Presence
Through its Caribbean Environmental Protection
Division (CEPD), Region 2 maintains an active and signifi-
cant presence in both Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
From its main office in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the CEPD
works closely with the Commonwealth and Territorial
governments on solving environmental problems. It also
provides a venue for residents to learn about EPA pro-
grams and to communicate their ideas and concerns. The
office is currently undergoing a three-year phased expan-
sion and is expected to nearly double in size until almost all
of the EPA programs involving Puerto Rico and the Virgin
Islands can be carried out directly in the Caribbean.
In addition to the San Juan location, EPA recently
opened an office on St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands.
Staffed by the Region 2 Virgin Islands Coordinator, this
office will enable EPA to work more closely with local
environmental agencies, and to offer compliance assistance,
as well as enforcement oversight, to the regulated commu-
nity.
Region 2 also has a long-established Regional Disaster
Response Team that deploys staff to the Caribbean when
hurricanes or other natural disasters occur. EPA works
closely with other federal agencies and local governments
to address chronic problems (ecosystem loss, improper
landfill space) as well as the more catastrophic problems
caused by hurricanes.
32 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
-------
Looking Ahead
Over the past quarter century, EPA and its govern-
ment and non-government partners have made
significant progress in addressing environmental
problems. In recent years, EPA has complemented its
traditional regulatory and enforcement activities with
innovative programs such as market-based approaches to
environmental protection. In addition, EPA is undertaking
many new initiatives that will help us provide a safer
environment for our children and future generations.
Several of these initiatives: regulatory reinvention,
collaborating with states and Indian nations, environmen-
tal justice, protecting children's health, improving urban
environments, community-based environmental protec-
tion, and enhancing public access to environmental
information, are outlined below. Public participation at all
stages is at the center of each initiative.
Regulatory Reinvention
EPA Region 2 has been at the forefront of the Agency's
efforts to encourage innovative strategies to make environ-
mental protection "cleaner, cheaper, and smarter."
Through programs such as Project XL, the Common Sense
Initiative, and the New Jersey Chemical Industry Project,
Region 2 has worked with industry, the public, and state
and local organizations to
identify regulatory changes
that will result in higher
levels of environmental
protection at lower cost to
the regulated community.
Project XL, which stands for excellence and Leadership,
is a national program designed around three key elements:
stronger environmental performance, meaningful stake-
holder involvement, and regulatory flexibility. This effort
challenges the regulated community—facilities, industry
sectors, and government agencies—with a proven track
record of environmental performance, to find cleaner,
cheaper ways of protecting the environment in return for
the flexibility needed to implement the proposed activities.
Region 2 currently has two XL projects underway, both in
New York, and is working with the regulated community to
identify additional projects.
Early in her tenure as EPA Administrator, Carol
Browner launched the Common Sense Initiative (CSI) as a
"fundamentally different system" for exploring industry-
specific, multi-stakeholder approaches to environmental
protection. For each industry, known as a "sector" in the
CSI program, EPA convenes a team of stakeholders that
looks for opportunities to change complicated and some-
times inconsistent environmental policies into comprehen-
sive environmental strategies for the future. The process,
while lengthy, is producing better, more applicable environ-
mental protection
strategies developed Common Sense Initiative
by those who have
to live with them—
avoiding costly and
time consuming
adversarial pro-
cesses later.
Region 2 has been involved in CSI since the program's
inception, and has taken the lead in the printing sector
activities. Through CSI, the New York City Education
Project was launched in Region 2 to promote pollution
prevention in the everyday practices of small printers. This
program provides printers with educational materials
about pollution prevention, promotes awareness of the
adverse effects from printing shops on surrounding commu-
nities, and fosters cooperation among printers, customers,
and regulators. This project culminated in the develop-
ment of a technical assistance guide for New York City
printers developed with contributions by over a dozen city,
state, federal, trade and non-governmental organizations.
New Jersey Chemical Industry Project
Through the New Jersey Chemical Industry Project,
Region 2 is participating in two major efforts to demon-
strate the benefits of innovative approaches to permits that
will achieve "cleaner, cheaper, and smarter" results. The
first project consists of a market-based approach to reduc-
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 33
-------
ing chemical industry pollutant discharges to sewage
treatment facilities. This pilot program allows industrial
contributors to such treatment systems to trade allocated
heavy metal limits among themselves as long as an overall
discharge reduction of 20 percent is achieved. This pilot
demonstrates that market-based environmental protection
efforts can lead to technology improvements, regulatory
flexibility and an overall environmental benefit. The
second project, the "Flexible Track Program," provides the
regulated community regulatory flexibility in return for
exemplary and enhanced environmental performance.
Collaborating with States and
Indian Nations
To build stronger relationships with its closest partners,
EPA is developing Performance Partnership Agreements
(PPAs) and providing Performance Partnership Grants
(PPGs) to state and Indian Nation environmental agencies.
In 1995, the National Environmental Performance Partner-
ship System (NEPPS) was established jointly by EPA and
the Environmental Council of States to allow states greater
flexibility in directing resources toward their highest
priority problems and in determining how best to achieve
demonstrable environmental results. PPAs are a key
element of a state's or Indian Nation's participation in
NEPPS. PPGs provide states and Indian Nations with
administrative flexibility to manage multiple environmen-
tal grant programs.
Working with the state of New Jersey, Region 2 com-
pleted one of the first PPAs nation-wide in 1996. Cur-
rently, New Jersey has a comprehensive agreement cover-
ing all aspects of its environmental programs, and a PPG
covering 11 EPA grant programs. In 1997, the state of New
York entered into a combined PPA/PPG that covers three
water programs, while the Virgin Islands opted for a PPG
covering seven grant programs. The St. Regis Mohawk
Tribe also entered into a PPG in 1998, which covers three
grant programs. Region 2 is working with Puerto Rico and
the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe to develop Performance
Partnership Agreements for 1999 activities.
In addition to developing PPAs, the Region is working to
build government-to-government relationships with all
seven federally-recognized Indian Nations. The Region
provides grant assistance to support environmental capac-
ity-building and direct program implementation by the
Indian Nations, helps coordinate environmental planning,
and provides emergency response and technical assistance
when needed. Open lines of communication and a strong
relationship are also fostered through annual meetings
among the leaders of the Indian Nations and Region 2.
Environmental Justice
Minority and low-income communities across the
country have raised concerns that they are disproportion-
ately affected by health and environmental impacts due to
the siting of polluting facilities in their neighborhoods. In
1994, recognizing these concerns, President Clinton signed
an Executive Order requiring all federal agencies to make
environmental justice part of their mission. In Region 2,
these efforts include the assurance that environmental
regulations are fairly and equally enforced in all communi-
ties, and an outreach program that provides educational
and financial resources to communities to assist them in
identifying and addressing local environmental problems.
I I
Region 2's financial and outreach support to the Comite
de Apoyo a los Trabajadores Agricolas (CATA), a group
committed to providing migrant farmworkers in southern
New Jersey with education on contaminated drinking
water, is one of the Region's environmental justice initia-
tives. Working with health clinics, environmental groups,
and other members of the community, CATA conducts well-
water sampling and environmental assessments, and
empowers farmworkers to protect themselves against
drinking water contaminated by agricultural runoff and
malfunctioning septic systems.
34 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
-------
Children's
Health
Children face
significant health
and developmental
threats stemming
from exposure to
indoor and outdoor
air pollution, con-
taminated soil and
lead paint. In
Region 2, these threats are manifested in an incidence of
childhood asthma in the South Bronx, East Harlem and
urban portions of Puerto Rico at rates exceeding most
other parts of the country. In addition, children living in
older housing stock are often disproportionately affected by
exposure to lead-based paint, which can severely impact
their development and cause acute health problems.
To address these problems, EPA's new Office of
Children's Health Protection is working with community
groups and industry to develop innovative strategies to
better protect children's health. Region 2 is working with
the Ironbound neighborhood of Newark, New Jersey on a
children's health pilot program designed to help communi-
ties identify the primary environmental risks to children,
set community-specific risk reduction goals and design a
plan to achieve those goals. Approximately 25 percent of
the Ironbound area's population is less than eight years
old. EPA is collaborating with the Ironbound Community
Corporation (ICC), a group representing over 40,000
residents with a median per capita income of $11,000 per
year living in a portion of the city with a significant
industrial presence.
Urban Environments
EPA has, in recent years, focused attention on improv-
ing the urban environment. Many urban areas have
populations, often of minorities and children, that are
disproportionately affected by pollution and unhealthy
indoor environments. Through our environmental justice
and children's health initiatives discussed above, Region 2
seeks to reduce health risks to these populations. In
addition, through the Brownfields Economic Redevelop-
ment program, Region 2 is working in partnership with
communities, states, and other federal agencies to rede-
velop many idled or under-used industrial and commercial
facilities in urban areas and return these properties to
beneficial use. Cleaning up and restoring these
"brownfields" can reduce public health threats from on-site
contamination, and foster economic growth in formerly
blighted areas.
Community-Based Environmental
Protection (CBEP)
People who work, live, and have businesses in a com-
munity have a common interest in protecting their shared
environment and quality of life. The defining element of
community-based environmental protection is that commu-
nity members work together to develop plans and goals to
address their own environmental concerns. The Region
supports these efforts in a number of ways, both through
its direct work with communities and other stakeholders,
and by providing technical and financial assistance to build
local capacity. For example, EPA's Sustainable Develop-
ment Challenge Grants provide funding for projects de-
signed to help communities ensure long-term environmen-
tal protection through the use of sustainable development
strategies. Region 2 is also developing a CBEP capacity-
building "tool box" of more than 20 approaches that will
help communities identify environmental problems, set
priorities, and develop plans to address local concerns.
An innovative EPA CBEP project in the Barceloneta-
Manati area of Puerto Rico has been underway with the
Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board since 1996. The
goals of the project are to enhance local capacity for pre-
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 35
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venting ground water contamination and to help imple-
ment the first local wellhead protection program in Puerto
Rico. The project area includes eight municipalities in the
north-central coast region, where a limestone aquifer
provides drinking water to over 250,000 citizens.
Enhancing Public Access to
Environmental Data
Based on the success of the Toxics Release Inventory
program, which has enhanced public access and led indus-
try to voluntarily reduce toxic emissions, EPA continues to
identify ways to improve environmental data and make it
more accessible to the public. EPA is currently working
with the states and the regulated community on eliminat-
ing unnecessary reporting requirements, yet ensuring
that the data collected are meaningful for both regulatory
and public access purposes.
This State of the Environment Report represents but
one component of Region 2's commitment to providing
environmental information. We are constantly increasing
the amount of information available on our web site, and
continually striving to provide information in a format,
and at a level of detail of use to the public. In addition to
improving the content of our data, and making it easier to
find, we are enhancing how we present environmental
information with Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
We recognize that effective communication is a two-way
process and look forward to your feedback on this docu-
ment and the information available on our web site.
Closing Thoughts
Moving into the next century, the Region will continue
to work diligently to protect human health and the environ-
ment. In future Reports, we will discuss how these efforts
are progressing. Are programs in place to involve commu-
nities in decision making and how well are they working?
How accessible is environmental information and how good
is it? Answers to these questions, coupled with updated
information on air, water, and land will serve as measures
of our progress in achieving our environmental goals. We
will also be preparing a strategic plan that will help us
better focus our resources on the highest priority environ-
mental problems. We call on you—in every corner of our
diverse and magnificent Region—to help us solve those
problems.
For More Information
Information on National Environmental Performance Partnership System:
http://www.epa.gov/regional/pps/
http://www.epa.gov/region02/nepps/nepps.htm
http://www.sso.org/ecos/
Center for Environmental Information and Statistics:
http://www.epa.gov/ceis/
Envlrofacts Warehouse: http://www.epa.gov/enviro/
Project XL: http-7/www.epa.gov/oppeosc/ProjectXLC/ProjectXLC.Mm
http://www.epa.gov/r02earth/hazwaste/r2-hadco,htm
Common Sense Initiative: http://www.epa.gov/cornmonsense/bckgrd.htm
Children's Health: http://www.epa.gov/children/
36 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
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Glossary
Acid Rain: Rain or snow that has a lower pH level than is
naturally found in a particular area.
Aquifer: An underground geological formation, or group of
formations, containing usable amounts of ground water that
can supply wells and springs.
Attainment Area: A geographic area in which levels of a
criteria pollutant meet the health-based National Ambient Air
Quality Standard.
Bight: A bay formed by a curve in the coast.
Bioaccumulants: Substances that increase in concentration
in living organisms as they take in contaminated air, water, or
food because the substances are very slowly metabolized or
excreted.
Bioluminescence: Production of light by living organisms.
Brownfields: Abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial and
commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is
complicated by real or perceived environmental contamina-
tion.
Carbon Monoxide: A colorless, odorless, poisonous gas
produced by incomplete fossil fuel combustion.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs): A family of inert, nontoxic,
and easily liquefied chemicals used in refrigeration, air
conditioning, packaging, and insulation, or as solvents and
aerosol propellants. Because CFCs are not destroyed in the
lower atmosphere they drift into the upper atmosphere where
their chlorine components destroy stratospheric ozone.
Combined Sewer: A sewer system that carries both sewage
and stormwater runoff. Normally, its entire flow goes to a
waste treatment plant, but during a heavy storm, the
stormwater volume may be so great as to cause overflows.
When this happens, untreated mixtures of stormwater and
sewage may flow into surface waters. Stormwater runoff may
also carry toxic chemicals from industrial areas or streets into
sewer systems.
Criteria Air Pollutants: Common air pollutants regulated
by EPA on the basis of health-based and/or environmental
criteria. Criteria pollutants are widely distributed throughout
the United States.
Desalination: Removing salt from ocean or brackish water
for drinking water purposes.
Dissolved Oxygen: The oxygen freely available in water.
Dissolved Oxygen is vital to fish and other aquatic life and for
the prevention of odors.
Ecosystem: The interacting system of a biological community
and its non-living environmental surroundings.
Environmental Justice: The fair treatment of people of all
races, cultures and incomes with respect to the development,
implementation and enforcement of environmental laws,
regulations and policies. Fair treatment implies that no
population should bear a disproportionate burden of health
consequences due to the siting of pollution sources in their
community.
Estuary: Regions of interaction between rivers and ocean
waters, where fresh and salt waters mix (e.g., bays, salt
marshes, lagoons, mouths of rivers).
Floatables: Trash floating in coastal waters and bays or
washed up on beaches.
Ground Water: The supply of fresh water found below the
Earth's surface and which is often used for supplying drinking
water.
Hazardous Waste: By-product of society that can pose a
substantial or potential hazard to human health or the
environment when improperly managed. Possesses at least
one of four characteristics (ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity,
toxicity), or appears on special EPA lists.
Invertebrates: Lacking a backbone.
Mangrove: Tropical trees (genus: Rhizophora) that grow in
salt water along coastlines and are easily recognizable from
their root structure that appears above the water surface.
Non-attainment: Geographic area which does not meet one
or more of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for the
criteria pollutants designated in the Clean Air Act.
Non-point Source: Pollution sources that are diffuse and do
not have a single point of origin. The pollutants (e.g., litter,
grease, oil, fertilizer, pesticides, pet waste, air pollutants from
car exhaust) are generally carried off the land by stormwater
runoff.
Ozone: 1) Stratospheric Ozone ("good ozone"): In the strato-
sphere (the atmospheric layer beginning 7 to 10 miles above
the earth), ozone is a form of oxygen found naturally which
provides a protective layer shielding the earth from ultraviolet
radiation's harmful effects on humans and the environment. 2)
Ground Level Ozone ("bad ozone"): Ozone produced near the
earth's surface through complex chemical reactions of nitrogen
oxides, hydrocarbons, and sunlight. Ground level ozone is the
primary component of smog and is harmful to humans and the
environment.
Particulate Matter: Fine liquid or solid particles such as
dust, smoke, mist, fumes, or smog, found in air or emissions.
Point Source: Any single identifiable source of pollution
(e.g., a sewage treatment plant, factory smokestack, a pipe, a
ditch, a ship).
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 37
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Pollution Prevention: The reduction or prevention of pollu-
tion at the source by any practice which reduces the amount of
any hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant entering
any waste stream or otherwise released into the environment
prior to recycling, treatment or disposal; and which reduces the
hazards to public health and the environment associated with
the release of such substances, pollutants or contaminants.
Potable Water: Water that is safe for drinking and cooking.
Radon: A colorless, naturally occurring, radioactive, inert
gaseous element formed by radioactive decay of radium atoms
in soil or rocks.
Runoff: Any rainwater or other liquid that drains over land
into a waterway. Like a snowball collects snow and dirt as it
rolls down a hill, runoff collects pollutants as it runs over land
and carries them to waterways.
Solid Waste: Garbage produced in households, commercial
establishments, institutions, and businesses. Includes items
such as paper, packaging, food scraps, yard trimmings, cans,
bottles, and tires. Does not include sewage sludge, industrial
process wastes, agricultural wastes, and mining wastes.
State: (In EPA Region 2): New York, New Jersey, the Com-
monwealth of Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin
Islands.
Stormwater: Rainwater or runoff. Stormwater flows into
underground sewers that carry the water to a sewage treat-
ment plant or to a waterway (e.g. river, stream). Stormwater
runoff may carry toxic chemicals from industrial areas or
streets into sewer systems.
Superfund: The program that funds and carries out the EPA
solid waste emergency and long-term removal and remedial
activities. These activities include establishing the National
Priority List, investigating sites for inclusion on the list,
determining their priority level on the list, and conducting
and/or supervising the cleanup and other remedial actions.
Surface Water: All water naturally open to the atmosphere
(e.g., lakes, rivers, reservoirs, streams, seas, estuaries); also
refers to springs, wells, or other collectors which are directly
influenced by surface water.
Terrestrial: Living or growing on land.
Vertebrates: Organisms with backbones.
Wastewater: The spent or used water from an industry,
individual home, a community, or a farm that contains
dissolved or suspended matter.
Watershed: The land area that drains into a particular
waterway.
Wetland: An area that is regularly saturated by surface or
ground water and subsequently is characterized by a preva-
lence of vegetation that is adapted for life in saturated soil
conditions (e.g., swamps, bogs, marshes, mangroves, estuar-
ies).
38 • United States Environmental Protection Agency
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References
Figure 1: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards. 1995. National Air
Pollutant Emission Trends, 1900-1994. EPA454-R-95-011.
Figure 2: Bureau of Economic Analysis. 1998. "Summary for
States and Regions, 1977-1996 (annual) for Current-Dollar
GSP and Real Chained-Dollar GSP, with Notes." Obtained
from http://www.bea.doc.gov/bea/drl.htm.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Population Division. 1998.
"1990 to 1997 Annual Time Series of Population Estimates."
Obtained from http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/
state7ST9097Tl.txt.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. 1996.
Statistical Abstracts of the United States 1996, 116th
Edition.
See Figure 1 Reference
Figure 3: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Pollution Prevention and Toxics. 1996 Toxics Release
Inventory Database, May 1998.
Figure 4: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air
and Radiation. 1998. National Air Quality and Emissions
Trends Report, 1996. Obtained from http://www.epa.gov/
oar/aqtrnd96/.
Figure 5: OTAG Data Clearinghouse, Northeast Modeling and
Analysis Center. "OTAG July 1995 Episode." Obtained
from http://sage.mcnc.org/OTAGDC/otagdc/aqm/uamv/jul95.
Figure 6: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Water. 1997. National Water Quality Inventory, 1996
Report to Congress, Draft Appendices.
Figure 7: New York City Department of Environmental
Protection. 1997. 7995 New York Harbor Water Quality
Survey Appendices.
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
1996. Ambient Biological Monitoring Network Data.
Figure 8: New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation. 1993. 20 Year Trends in Water Quality of
Rivers and Streams in New York State, Based on
Macroinvertebrate Data 1972-1992.
New York State Department of Environmental Conserva-
tion. 1996. Stream Biomonitoring Unit Macroinvertebrate
Monitoring Data.
Figures 9 and 10: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
1997. The Incidence and Severity of Sediment Contamina-
tion in Surface Waters of the United States. Volume 1. EPA
823-R-97-006.
Figure 11: New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection, Cooperative Coastal Monitoring Program.
Personal communication with Virginia Loftin.
State of New York Department of Health, Bureau of
Community Sanitation and Food Protection. Personal
communication with Ramesh Kapur.
Figure 12: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Groundwater and Drinking Water. 1998. Safe Drinking
Water Information System (SDWIS) Database.
Figures 13 and 14: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. 1996 Toxics
Release Inventory Database, May 1998.
Figure 15: "The State of Garbage in America." Biocycle
Journal of Composting & Recycling. Biocycle, 419 State
Avenue, Emmaus, Pennsylvania 18049. Published every
March from 1989-1997.
Figure 16: New York - New York State Commission, New
York State Assembly, "Where Will the Garbage Go?," July
1996.
New Jersey - New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection, Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste.
Personal contact, July 1998.
Puerto Rico - Puerto Rico Solid Waste Management
Authority, Office of Operations. Personal contact, July
1997.
Virgin Islands - U.S. Federal Register, Friday June 16,
1995, p. 31718
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2, Division
of Environmental Planning and Protection.
Figure 17: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Solid Waste and Emergency Response. CERCLIS Data-
base.
Figure 18: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Solid Waste and Emergency Response. 1998.
"Brownfields Pilots." Obtained from http://www.epa.gov/
swerosps/bf/plocat.htm#region2.
Figure 19: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Solid Waste and Emergency Response. 1998. UST/LUST
Performance Measures.
Figure 20: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration. 1997. "City Lights
Data." Obtained from http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov:8080/
production/html/Biomass/night.html.
Figure 21: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the
Census. 1997. "1900 to 1990 Intercensal Estimates of the
Total Resident Population of the United States and
States." Obtained from http://www.census.gov/population/
www/estimates/st_stts.html.
Figure 22: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation
Service. 1994. 1992 National Resource Inventory Sum-
mary Report, 1994.
Figure 23: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Multi-
Resolution Landscape Characteristics Consortium. 1997.
"Multi-Resolution Landscape Characteristics." Obtained
from http://www.epa.gov/mrlc.
Figure 24: The Nature Conservancy. 1998. Natural Heri-
tage Central Databases. (Data on North American
Animals, developed in collaboration with the Association
for Biodiversity Information, U.S. and Canadian Natural
Heritage Programs and Conservation Data Centers).
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection,
Division of Science and Research. 1998. The State of the
Environment in New Jersey.
New York State Department of Environmental Conserva-
tion: Division of Fish, Wildlife, & Marine Resources. New
York Heritage Program. Personal contact with Teresa
Mackey.
For additional references, see
http://www.epa.gov/region02/SOER
Region 2 State of the Environment Report • 39
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