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EPA was born 30 years ago at a time
when rivers caught fire and cities were
hidden under dense clouds of smoke.
We've made remarkable progress since
then. But we can't rest on our success.
Our mission to protect the environment,
and to protect public health, is a mission
without end. New challenges loom over
the horizon as surely as the new day.
We must continue our work to ensure
that with each new dawn, the sun shines
through clear skies and upon clean waters
and all our families enjoy the blessings
of good health.
- Carol M. Browner, EPA Administrator
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GREGG A. COOKE
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR
U.S. EPA REGION 6
In December 2000, the U.S. Environmental Protect ion Agency will celebrate its 30th
anniversary: This is a time to look back with pride on our accomplishments together, as a
nation in preserving and restoring our environment and protecting public health. It is also
time to give thoughtful consideration to the work that remains before us in reaching our goals
for a clean, healthr, sustainable environment that thrives within a vigorous economy:
In Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas EPA's Central-South region
we have enjoyed the benefits of 30 years of protection and leadership in environmental
challenges. We have proven that economic prosperity and environmental health protection
go hand in hand.
Our region is unique and essential to our nation's economic prosperity. Nowhere else can you
find such a diverse and productive industry makeup as we have, along the lower Mississippi
River and the Gulf of Mexico coastline.
We hare come a long way in solving problems facing us. Tremendous challenges lie before us.
More toxic waste is produced from our factories and businesses in the Central-South region
than anywhere in the country. Louisiana and Texas have the highest reported toxic releases
in the country. Air pollution and ozone smog in some of our cities are among the highest in
the nation. Approximately 5,000 accidental releases of oil and hazardous materials are
reported ever}"year, more than in any other area in the country.
The 2,000-mile border Texas and New Mexico share with Mexico is seeing the largest boom
in population and industrialization in the country, yet living standards along the border are
the lowest in the nation.
To meet these groining challenges, the Central-South region has been a leader in building
consensus and collaboration. We are developing air quality with our local and state leaders
to improve air quality for our children. Lsing Alternative Dispute Resolution, we have solved
protracted problems quicker and cheaper without resorting to the courts. Formal alliances,
like broivnfields agreements with our Tribes, states and cities are transforming contaminated
land into productive use without government, mandates.
To have a healthy environment, we must continue to forge effective programs with states,
Tribes, businesses, communities arid citizens. Together, we can move beyond basic
compliance with environmental laws using innovation, flexibility and incentives to
foster a sustainable environment for today's children and tomorrow's leaders.
Rlu»0;v $ LIBRARY
U S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
1445 ROSS AVENUE
, TEXAS 75202
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CENTRAL-SOUTH STATES 30 YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS
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TheB
merica
B
efore there was an Environmental Protection
Agency, before there was an Earth Day, before
Rachel Carson wrote "Silent Spring," there was
an air pollution tragedy in Donora, Pennsylvania.
On the evening of October 26, 1948, a
suffocating cloud of industrial gases and dust
from a local zinc smelter descended upon this
town, killing 20 residents and sending 7,000
people half the population to the hospital
with difficulty breathing.
The Donora tragedy shocked the nation and
marked a turning point in our complacency
about industrial pollution. Americans demanded
breathable air, and industry was forced to clean
up. In 1963, Congress passed the first Clean Air
Act and then strengthened it in 1970. States
were required to meet clean air standards.
Since 1970, we have removed 98 percent of lead
from the air, 75 percent of soot, 35 percent of
sulfur dioxide, 32 percent of carbon monoxide,
and 38 percent of volatile organics which
contribute to forming the smog soup now called
ozone. At the same time, however, nitrogen oxide
(another ingredient that can form smog) rose 11
percent. Overall, between 1970 and 1997, air
pollution has dropped by 10 million tons.
We now understand how air pollution blows
across state and international boundaries. We
understand how haze that obstructs the vistas in
Big Bend National Park. Texas is a concern for
Mexico and the United States. Last year, we saw
how smoke from fires in Mexico can travel into
Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.
Economic, llcnllli unil
During the past 30 years, air quality has
improved significantly because of environmental
compliance, industry controls, cleaner gasoline.
and more efficient cars despite a 127-percent
increase in the number of motor vehicle miles
driven and a 31 -percent population increase.
Ground-level ozone today's smog is still
with us, and so are its associated health
problems. Studies estimate that 10-20 percent
of all respiratory-related hospital visits can be
attributed to ozone pollution. Cases of death
among children from asthma have reached
alarming levels.
The economic value of the public health and
environmental benefits that Americans enjoy
from the 1 990 amendments to the Clean Air Act
exceed their costs by a four-to-one margin. An
estimated $110 billion will be saved avoiding
illness and premature deaths that would have
occurred without the new air standards. Houston
alone estimates that achieving cleaner air will
save the city $3 billion annuallv.
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( I MK VI -SOI III SI \||S :!(| M \({S (It I NMKONMI \l VI I'UOUtl SS
Millions
100
80
60
40
20
10
0
Number of Vehicles and Vehicle
Miles Traveled Increases Dramatically
Miles 168%^,
Population 24%
^
.
Vehicles 82%
Billions
350
300
250
200
_ 150
100
~ 50
0
1970
1990 2010
Source EPA OAOP8 U S Census
An EPA study shows that by
2010, the 1990 amendments
will save 23,000 people from
dying prematurely, and will
avert more than 1.7 million
asthma attacks.
In addition, the Clean Air Act
amendments will prevent
67,000 incidents of chronic
and acute bronchitis, 91,000
occurrences of shortness of
breath, 4.1 million lost work
days, and 31 million days that
Americans would have had to
restrict activity due to air
pollution and related illnesses.
Also, averted would be 22,000
respiratory-related and 42,000
cardiovascular-related hospital
admissions, and 4,800
emergency room visits for
asthma.
In December 1999, EPA
announced the strongest
standards ever for controlling
harmful tailpipe emissions
from vehicles. For the first
time, sport utility vehicles,
minivans and pickup trucks
will meet the same new low
tailpipe emission standards
required for passenger cars.
New standards mean that over
the next few decades, almost
50 million tons of smog-
causing air pollution will be
removed from the air, which
could result in 260.000 fewer
asthma attacks in children.
4,300 premature deaths
prevented, and 173.000
respiratory-related illnesses
avoided. The standards will
save S425 billion in health-
related costs and prevent
683,000 lost workdays and
more than 5 million days when
people would have restricted
their activity because of
bad air.
Smog in the Central-South
In Texas the nation's
second-fastest-growing state
more than 9.6 million people
live in areas that do not meet
health-based air quality
standards for ozone. Central-
South communities in the top
10 fastest-growing
metropolitan areas from 1990-
1998 are Laredo. McAllen.
and Austin, Texas, and
Fayetteville, Arkansas all
exceeding a growth rate of 29
percent more people, more
cars, more ozone smog.
Louisiana, New Mexico, and
Texas have started auto
inspection and maintenance
Dallas/Fort Worth
Sources of Air Emissions
(Tons Per Day)
Hydrocarbons
Industry/
Business
10%
Small
Business
27%
Industry/
Business
21%
Small
Business
5%
Nitrogen
Oxides
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Ill \\ VII! INI Blil VI I Mil I II I - I 01! V III VIII h \ Ml UK V
programs to identify high-
polluting vehicles. Many cities
(Austin. Oklahoma City, San
Antonio, and Tulsa) are close
to exceeditig air quality
standards mainly because of
growing vehicle traffic. The
Dallas-Fort Worth area has
significant air quality problems
due to vehicle traffic.
EPAs Central-South region has
shown leadership in building
alliances with local, state and
Tribal governments by helping
communities understand the
impacts of air pollution. More
air monitors are being added
to identify air pollution
sources, and real-time
mapping of air quality7 data is
available on the Internet and
on local weather broadcasts for
communities like El Paso,
Dallas-Fort Worth, and
Houston.
We are working with the U.S.
Department of Transportation
and states to identify
opportunities for light-rail
systems, transportation
1 hour Ozone Trends for Houston and Severe
and Extreme Nonattainment Areas
0.35
030
0.25
0.20
0.15
0.10
86-88 87-89 88-90 89-91 90-92 91-93 92-94 93-95 94-96 95-97 96-98
Chicago mmm Houston New York Philadelphia Los Angeles
corridors, alternative fuel
buses and high-occupancy
vehicle lanes. In 1999. EPA
hosted transportation summits
challenging community
planners to consider the
relationship between
transportation projects and
air quality.
The region is helping cities like
Austin. San Antonio. Corpus
Christi, and Tulsa develop a
proactive approach to address
air quality so that they can
meet air quality standards.
Whether the Clean Air Act
would have saved 20 lives in
Donora in 1948. or will
improve life for 100 million
Americans living in rion-
attainment areas, it is clear
that protecting air quality
is imperative. Protecting
the environment has paid
big dividends to America.
and none bigger than in
public health.
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CENTRAL-SOUTH STATES 30 YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS
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Wa
ater quality has improved tremendously since
the early seventies when portions of the Houston
Ship Channel were among EPA's 10 most
polluted bodies of water. Between 1973 arid
1980, EPA upgraded municipal waste treatment
facilities that discharge into the Channel, and all
industrial facilities were ordered to upgrade
wastewater treatment. By 1980, the restoration
was described by EPA as "a most notable
improvement, a truly remarkable feat."
Throughout our 30-year history, we have
developed alliances with state and local partners
to ensure the nation's waters will be restored and
protected. Through EPA grants, billions of
dollars have been spent upgrading treatment
plants and building drinking water facilities.
Despite progress, much work remains. Forty
percent of our waters are still not safe for fishing
and swimming. About half of the country's
2.000 major watersheds, including the Mississippi
River watershed, have water quality problems.
Two areas of interest for water protection in the
Central-South region are the Gulf Coast and the
lower Mississippi River.
Responding to concern over harmful chemicals in
drinking water, such as low-level organics in the
lower Mississippi River. EPA set standards under
the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act. Today,
Americans enjoy one of the world's safest
drinking water supplies. Three-fourths of
Americans served by public water systems get
drinking water from lakes and rivers: the
balance from ground water. In the Central-
South region, most large systems, serving more
than 20 million people, use surface water as a
drinking water source.
Drinking water standards are in place for more
than 80 contaminants. In 1998, President
Clinton called on all public water suppliers to tell
customers where their wTater comes from and
what it contains. In 1998, 94 percent of
America's public drinking water systems reported
no violations of the health-based drinking water
standards. More than 85 percent of all
Americans now have safe, healthy drinking
water. President Clinton has challenged EPA to
raise this to 100 percent.
The Central-Sorrth region has the largest number
of underground injection wells to dispose of
wastes in the nation. Due to the region's
extensive oil and gas production, almost 80,000
injection wells dispose of billions of gallons of
oilfield waste into deep underground formations
each year. This prevents waste from
contaminating fresh ground and surface water as
it did in the early 1900's. Along the Gulf Coast.
there are 86 injection wells that dispose of
billions of gallons of hazardous waste each year
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< I M U\l -SOI I II SI Ml s . id M \i(s 01 I \\ Mil IN Ml \ I \| I'liOUtl SS
from the petrochemical
industry. The underground
injection control program
assures the safe disposal of
waste into deep underground
formations where it is isolated
far below fresh ground water.
lln- Public's fliffhl
to Knitir
A new consumer confidence
report rule requires water
companies to tell customers
about the source, quality, and
possible contaminants in
drinking water.
EPA and the states regulate
more than 9,500 water
systems serving over 33
million consumers in the
Central-South region. In
1998, only 6 percent of
America's public drinking
water systems reported
violations of a health-based
drinking water standard.
EPA Funding Drinking Water
1997 - 1999
Tribal - 1 3 million ^Arkansas
33 3inilhon
Louisiana
30 4 million
New Mexico
27 3 million
Texas
124.2 million
Oklahoma
38 5 million
EPA Funding Water Quality
1999
Arkansas
Tribal 2? °milllon Louisiana
4.3 million
32 2 million
New Mexico
30 3 million
Oklahoma
28 6 million
EPA enforcement actions are
key to maintaining safe
drinking water. From 1994-
1999, 1,157 actions were
taken against public water
systems in the region ranging
from informal phone calls to
full-blown criminal action.
\dliinml
Siriinmtiblc HVi/w
Armed with the 1972 Clean
Water Act, EPA leads the fight
to reduce industrial,
municipal, and agricultural
discharges into public waters.
EPA annually helps prevent
more than one billion pounds
of toxic pollutants from
entering our waterways.
In the past, massive fish kills
were common and threatened
the fishing industry7 in
estuaries along the Gulf of
Mexico. Through waste
treatment improvements,
water quality has improved.
Fish are now plentiful in rivers
once too contaminated to
support aquatic life. People
now swim and fish in many
lakes, such as Lake
Pontchartrain. Louisiana,
where before it was
unthinkable.
Over 1.000 oil spills have been
reported each year since 1987
in the Central-South region.
The region has developed an
industry-supported Expedited
Settlement Agreement to
prevent oil spills. Ocean
dumping of sewage sludge,
industrial waste, plastic debris
and medical waste has been
banned, and more than
30,000 major industrial
dischargers pretreat waste
before it enters sewTers. These
efforts have removed 75
percent of the toxic discharges
from our sewers.
\\tilcr Qntilily
In partnership with its states,
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I I \N\\\lil,«S\ll IlKINMM, \\ VI IK I Ml! I \ I KMIM
the region identified
watersheds riot meeting their
designated uses of fishing,
swimming or drinking water.
The region focuses on
improved monitoring and on
developing Total Maximum
Daily Loads (TMDLs), which
set pollution reduction goals
for water bodies and provide
a roadmap for restoring
water quality.
In 1998. the region's states
refined priority watersheds by
developing Unified Watershed
Assessments. The assessments
promote joint water quality
priority setting by state. Tribal.
federal arid local agencies.
The resulting assessments have
provided a framework that
focuses resources on the most
pressing problems.
States and Tribes identify
designated uses for water
bodies, arid water quality
standards protect those uses.
TMDLs arid permits for point
sources of pollution are based
on water quality standards.
When permits are violated,
EPA arid its state partrrers take
enforcement actions.
EPA's Central-South region set
a national precedent with
action against the Sewerage
and Water Board of New
Orleans for pollution of Lake
Pontch art rain. This was one of
the first actions nationwide to
incorporate prevent! ve
maintenance and spill
response. On behalf of nearby
citizens. EPA fined the city
$1.5 million and committed
New Orleans to correct
deficiencies that plagued the
collection and treatment
system for years. This action
complemented ongoing
Sources of Water Quality Impairment, on Average
25% Urban Runoff
and Stormwater
15% Municipal
and Industrial
60%
Polluted Runoff
watershed protection and Lake
Pontchartrain is showing signs
of improvement.
Polluted runoff is the biggest
source of water pollution
today. Agricultural sources of
polluted runoff affect 70
percent of our rivers and
streams and 49 percent of our
lakes. Practices such as
fertilizing fields with manure
have contributed to this
problem because farmland has
become over- saturated with
nutrients. Excess nitrogen and
phosphorus flow as pollution
into rivers, streams, and
ground water. Also, runoff
from commercial fertilizer,
herbicides and pesticides
causes water pollution.
Addressing polluted runoff is a
major goal of the 1998 Clean
Water Action Plan. EPAs
Central-South region began
hosting forums in 1998 with
the Department of Agriculture.
state agencies, associations,
and farmers to build programs
to protect and improve
water quality.
The Clean Water Action Plan,
issued to commemorate the
25th anniversary of the Clean
Water Act. is about each of us
working to protect the waters
we love and share. Its goal is
to protect waters by organizing
citizens, business, arid
government to address
local concerns.
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CENTRAL-SOUTH STATKS 30 YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS
-------
0
ne hundred years ago, President Theodore
Roosevelt called on us to preserve the nation's
great natural landscapes for future generations.
Between 1901 and 1909. he set aside nearly 230
million acres for parks, sanctuaries, and reserves.
Preserving our landscapes is not just about
protecting the places we visit on vacation, but
about enhancing our communities where we live,
work, and raise our families.
Throughout the region, acres of abandoned land
and decrepit buildings have replaced vital
industries. Most toxic waste sites requiring
Superfund cleanup are where people live and
work the auto repair shop that used toxic
solvents to clean engines; the dry cleaner that
used volatile chemicals in laundering; the factory
that manufactured metal goods: or the garbage
dump that accepted industrial waste.
The Texas and Louisiana coasts are home to 214
chemical facilities and 32 refineries. The major
regulated facilities reported about 550,000 tons
of annual air emissions in this Gulf Coast region.
In 1970, approximately 100 million tons of
hazardous wastes were generated from chemical
and petroleum industries in Texas, Louisiana,
Oklahoma, Arkansas, and New Mexico.
Refineries and petrochemical facilities have
improved waste control and use new technologies
to reduce or eliminate hazardous wastes.
EPA and the states use permits, inspections.
and environmental monitoring to ensure
industries are operating properly. Communities
and citizens play a vital role in our efforts to
protect the environment and ensure quality
of life.
In 1980, Congress passed the Superfund law to
clean up the nation's worst hazardous waste
sites. Hazardous materials are now tracked
from production to disposal, and citizens must
be kept informed about potential dangers.
During the last 18 years, EPA's Superfund
accomplishments were substantial. More than
675 of the nation's most serious uncontrolled or
abandoned hazardous waste sites have been
cleaned up and 85 more can be completed by
the end of 2000. In fact, since January 1993,
construction has been completed on more than
three times as many sites as in the previous 13
years combined. The Superfund program
involves state partners, local governments, and
the public.
Cleanup is completed or underway at the
region's 94 Superfund sites. Approximately 5
long-term and 20 short-term cleanups are
completed each year. Since 1982, the region
has cleaned up 43 sites, and responsible parties
have paid 70 percent of the cleanup costs,
saving taxpayers millions of dollars. Since
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\l!s (
October 1995, the region
used innovative approaches to
modify 18 cleanup decisions
to accelerate construction and
save more than $100 million.
From 1996 to 1999, the
average amount billed to
cooperating private parties
for clean-up oversight was
reduced 85 percent.
Itt'cycling Ltintl
(inil Kuildings
Environmental cleanups can
bring life and economic
vitality back to communities.
More than 13,000 restored
acres are now in reuse,
creating 11,000 jobs and
representing more than $225
million in annual income.
More than 32,000 low-level
hazardous waste sites have
been put on the fast-track for
Superfund Sites:
Cleaned Up or Underway
As of December 1999
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
AR LA OK TX NM R6
I Cleanup Completed
I Clean up Undeway
Site Under Investigation
redevelopment by eliminating
unnecessary red tape and the
stigma of contamination for
potential developers.
It is estimated that about
450,000 such sites exist
Location of Superfund Sites
nationwide. Brownfields
redevelopment has been one
of the most effective tools for
restoring and preserving
communities. More than 300
brownfields pilot programs
have been created by states.
communities and Tribes
across the country, and over
845 properties are being
assessed for redevelopment.
Through grants to Tribes and
local governments, EPA has
helped to take abandoned
land and buildings and
eliminated the environmental
hazards to make the property
developable and livable,
generating new jobs and an
increased tax base. Since
1995, EPA's Central-South
region has awarded $200,000
each to 24 brownfields pilot
projects. EPA has restored
32 brownfields properties.
and cleared the way for more
than 11 properties that do
riot need additional cleanup.
We have leveraged more than
$1 billion in redevelopment
funds and have been the
catalyst to support more than
1,500 jobs.
A shining example of a
revitalized site is the old
Dallas Electric Company. A
$325 million development
project transformed it into
the Dallas Victory Center,
which is part of a larger
development project and the
brownfields program.
From the 1920s until 1986,
Oklahoma Steel Castings in
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< I I \N I \M> I I!OM si I'l 111 I Ml
i si I'l |{ I'VKks
Tulsa was a productive
company. In 1950. it was the
largest such facility west of
the Mississippi with more
than 400 workers. Now the
site exemplifies what a
community is doing to
revitalize a blighted area. Its
proximity to downtown Tulsa,
major highways, and
Brownfields Redevelopment Pilots
Louisiana
Shreveport
Southeast Louisiana Regional
Planning Commission
New Orleans
Gretna
New Mexico
Albuquerque
Bernalillo County
Sante Fe
Pueblo of Acoma
State of New Mexico
Environmental Department
Rio Grande Council of
Governments
Oklahoma
Tulsa
Oklahoma City
Association of South-Central
Oklahoma Governments
Comanche Nation
Texas
Dallas
Fort Worth
Grand Prairie
Tarrant County
Austin
San Antonio
Houston
Galveston
Laredo
Brownsville
railroads makes it suitable for
development. A cooperative
effort between the industrial
authority, the site's current
owner, arid the community is
underway to restore the site
for use as a single-industry or
nmlti-tenant industrial park.
Our success is gaining
momentum, and through
grants and other assistance,
EPA has helped states and
Tribes develop these
programs.
Long-term benefits of
brownfields programs include
eliminating environmental
hazards and making the
properties usable. This
generates newr jobs, an
increased tax base, reduced
urban sprawl, and builds
better partnerships between
public and private sectors.
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CENTRAL-SOUTH STATES 30 YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS
-------
AD
C
ongress mandated "a decent home and
suitable living environment for every American
family in 1949 arid reaffirmed it again in
1968. President John F. Kennedy warned in
1963 that if we neglect our cities, we will
neglect the nation.
Since the end of World War II. families have
often fled our inner cities arid headed for the
suburbs seeking the dream of homeownership.
New freeways provided easy access to abundant
and affordable land.
The character of city neighborhoods changed.
Productive industrial factories and buildings
became Superfund or brownfields sites. Vacant
lots became garbage dumps. The tax base
disappeared. Schools were neglected.
America's great cities were in peril and faced a
myriad of environmental problems. Polluted
air. Lead paint hazards. Asbestos. Radon.
Vehicle gridlock. Aging and outdated
infrastructure. As urban sprawl expanded,
these problems also spread to suburbia.
EPA has worked with states. Tribes and cities
to address urban problems like lead in our
environment. Since 1978. average blood-lead
levels in children have declined bv nearlv 75
percent. Sellers and landlords must disclose
known lead paint and its hazards to renters
and buyers. Since June 1999, contractors
remodeling or renovating are required to give
homeowners a copy of Protect Your Family
From Lead in Your Home.
U.S. households testing for radon gas have
increased from 3.6 percent in 1990 to 10.2
percent in 1994. While radon is a concern for
many Tribes arid Pueblos in New Mexico, it is
particularly a problem at the Taos Pueblo
where 76 percent of homes detected high
radon levels.
Between 1985 and 1994. 90 of the nation's
largest cities except Los Angeles saw a 72
percent reduction in the number of days when
the air was considered unhealthy. In the
Central-South region, El Paso has significantly
improved its smog readings.
Safer and Healthier
Today, over 2,800 chemicals are produced in
amounts greater than one million pounds per
year. EPA has challenged companies producing
these chemicals to voluntarily publicize health
data, and more than 230 companies responsible
for 1.230 chemicals have shared information
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( I MUM -SOI III s| Ul s .id M VliS 1)1 I \\MtO\MI M \l I'liOUil
about chemicals used in
thousands of products.
Armed with the Food Quality
Protection Act, EPA is
reviewing 9,700 pesticide
residue tolerances to ensure
they meet new standards.
In February 1994, President
Clinton directed agencies to
ensure that minority and low-
income communities are not
disproportionately impacted
by federal decisions. The
region's Office of
Environmental Justice is
working with communities on
issues involving low-income
and minority residents. For
example, in Calcasieu Parish,
Louisiana, EPA is joining
other community and
government representatives
in quarterly meetings
concerning community and
environmental justice
concerns.
Another example is
Beaumont, Texas, where a
partnership has been
established to increase air
monitoring and data available
to residents. The partnership
includes representatives from
EPA, neighboring industries,
and residents of the largely
African-American Charlton
Pollard neighborhood. The
partnership has also led to
industry-sponsored
scholarships, summer student
employment, and alternate
routes for truck traffic to
make neighborhoods safer.
The Energy Star Building
Efficiency Program helps
local businesses conserve
energy. The Centex Building
in Dallas was recognized for
its unprecedented ENERGY
STAR rating of 99, which
means they have done all that
they can feasibly do to
become energy-efficient.
Developers can save $130
billion by 2010 if they take
advantage of available,
low-cost energy efficiency
opportunities.
People spend nearly 90
percent of their time indoors,
where air can be more
polluted than air outdoors.
Asthma rates have increased
alarmingly during the past
few decades, and poor indoor
air quality is a culprit.
Although there are no
regulatory standards for
indoor air, there are ways
to improve the indoor
environment.
After receiving complaints
about extensive mold growth
in the Birdville and El Paso
Independent School Districts,
the region assisted the schools
in improving indoor air
quality through EPA's "Tools
for Schools" program.
Indian Country tin*
\n I ion's \tilirt* American
Cominnnilii's
The U.S. Government has an
important relationship with
the first Americans - the
Indians created in the
Constitution, treaties,
Funding For Tribes
1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
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l\ Mil I ( (l\l\ll M III s \ 1)1 ( I M I KIM I \M> SI II Vlil I I l\ IV. I \\ IliONMI \l - \ ( 0\U!I S
\I\\DM1
Indian Country
statutes, arid court decisions.
Today, Indian Nations form
an integral part of our
national system, and Native-
American citizens retain
much of their status as self-
governing sovereign nations.
Indian Country, the part of
the United States set aside for
Indian Nations, is bigger than
all the New England states
combined. Indian Country
includes 52 million acres
8 million acres are farmed, 6
million are forested, and 38
million are used for grazing.
Despite accomplishments in
the past decade, much
remains to be done in
establishing environmental
programs in Indian Country.
We need to ensure that all
Native Americans are
afforded equal protections of
their air. water, and land.
Nationally, the air is not
healthy to breathe in 83
tribal communities. In the
Central-South region, only
one Tribe, Ysleta del Sur
Pueblo, in El Paso, is located
in an air non-attainment
area. Nationally, there are
180 major and 750 minor
sources of air pollution in
Indian Country.
Less than 4 percent of the
Tribes have approved water
quality standard programs,
and only 12 percent of Tribes
have solid waste management
plans. There are 1.600 open
dumps in Indian Country.
Most of the 185 schools for
more than 53.000 Indian
children are over 30 years old
and likely to contain lead
paint and asbestos. The 20
percent of schools over 50
years old are likely to contain
toxic PCBs.
Today, EPA has authorized
145 Tribes to implement 186
environmental programs
under federal law, including
38 tribes to set water quality
and pesticide standards.
In 1999, S42 million was
provided to administer
environmental regulatory
programs in Indian Country.
In the Central-South region,
53 of the 65 Tribes received
-------
< I \lli\l -SOI III SI U I S :!(! M \I!S 01 I \\ IUONMI M \l l'l!0(,l!l SS
assistance for environmental
programs.
Since 1989. the two major
regional tribal consortia have
received nearly S9 million to
implement Superfund
programs in Indian Country.
More than 160 sites were
evaluated for potential
cleanup. The Central-South
region has trained tribal staff
to clean up abandoned sheep-
dip vats which could
ultimately result in cleaning
up of hundreds of such
vats on Indian lands in
New Mexico.
Border Growth
25
20
15
10
Millions
CV> CV
v
Since 1990, EPA has
provided S2.2 million to 11
Pueblos in New Mexico to
operate waste transfer
stations and recycling centers
to manage solid waste.
EPA has also established
programs within Indian
Country to address water
runoff, smog, brownfields
redevelopment, and national
tribal water quality. These
programs rely on tribal
leadership and creativity.
I .S.-Mv.vico ttorder
('(nnntnnitics
A unique part of our world is
situated along a 2.000-mile
stretch between the U.S. and
Mexico. Defined in the 1983
agreement between Presidents
De la Madrid and Reagan, the
"border" comprises 62.5
miles north and south of this
boundary. Nowhere in the
world are two nations more
distinctly separated, and
yet united.
Economic differences are
stark, yet the residents share
many characteristics. EPA
and its neighbors to the
south want to improve
environmental conditions to
launch this area into an era
of economic prosperity and
sustainable development.
The U.S. and Mexico focused
on the 1993 North American
Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA). The
environmental side accords
created two institutions, the
Border Environmental
Cooperation Commission
(BECC) and the North
American Development Bank
(NADB). the first of their
kind in the world, who can
evaluate projects and lend
Funding For Border Projects
200
150
100
50
r Millions
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
money on both sides of the
border to improve water
supply, wastewater treatment,
and municipal solid waste
disposal.
Mexico and the U.S. have
continuously worked on the
increasing demands of the
region. Following the
agreement, environmental
concerns have been resolved
voluntarily.
Binational workgroups
undertake the most pressing
border problems in air, water,
hazardous waste, cooperative
enforcement and compliance,
pollution prevention, natural
resources, health, contingency
planning and emergency
response, and environmental
information.
An important milestone
occurred in 1999 when the
10 border states agreed on a
decentralized approach to
environmental protection.
The power and obligations
associated with federal
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l\ Mil I ( ()\l\ll \l III S « V 1)1 ( I M IIOMI VM) SI II Mil I I l\ IV, I \\ IKONMI M - \ < OV.UI ssl<>\ M \K\II\I I
Border Projects Underway
Institutional Development
Program Projects (93)
NADB Loans, Guaranties & BEIF
Approved or in Progress (15)
* NADB/BECC
Projects Under Design (7)
NuevV Leon
Tamaulipas
mandates are transferring
to the states, and nowhere
is it more necessary than at
the border.
One of the great border
stresses focuses on it being
the most rapidly growing
region of North America.
Population has gone from 1
million in 1960 to 11.5
million in 1999. If the
projected growth rate of over
6 percent per year continues.
this area will grow to 25
million by 2020. Such
growth rates and
unsustainable production and
consumption surpass the
carrying capacity of the
natural resource base, and
basic infrastructure,
particularly for water
resources. These conditions
threaten the biodiversity, air
and water quality, and health.
EPA seeks sustainable
development at the border
with a balance among social
and economic factors.
Sustainable development
meets the needs of the present
without compromising the
ability of future generations
to meet their own needs.
This is a lofty goal. NAFTA
is seen as a solution to many
problems. Meanwhile, some
critics point to the economic
and environmental cost of
free trade. Based upon our
partnership with new
international institutions such
as the BECC and the NADB.
border environmental
conditions will improve, and
a renewed era of
environmental protection arid
public participation has
begun. The border region
can be a model of
international cooperation and
local decision-making in
protecting human health arid
the environment.
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CENTRAL-SOUTH STATES 30 YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS
-------
The
A
n ecosystem is the interrelationship of all
living and non-living things in an environment
such as a lake, forest, or a geographic region.
Often, we think of a home terrarium as a man-
made ecosystem, but ecosvsterns can also be as
large as our solar system.
In the Central-South region, a major ecosystem
is the Gulf of Mexico. The diversity of the
Gulf, from the clear waters of the Laguna
Madre in Texas to the mangrove swamps of
south Florida, contributes to cultural traditions
that characterize this vast sea.
Since its discovery by Spain 500 years ago. the
Gulf of Mexico has become a wellspring of
commerce arid transportation, as well as an
area of strategic military importance. Today,
human actions and pollution are threatening
the health and well-being of the Gulf.
However, it is sometimes difficult for people
to understand how our day-to-day actions
can harm the Gulf.
At risk in the Gulf are billions of dollars in
infrastructure, homes, schools, roads, ports,
businesses and industries. Moreover, coastal
marshes are essential to various lifestages of
over 90 percent of marine species that people
depend on for their livelihoods and recreation.
Marsh loss threatens the productivity of
Gulf fisheries.
Since 1991, EPA's Central-South region has
worked with the Louisiana Department of
Natural Resources to restore the more than 500
miles of barrier islands that help protect the
Louisiana arid Texas shorelines against tropical
storms and hurricanes. Today, almost 10 miles
of the Isles Dernieres chain shoreline have been
restored. Without restoration, these islands
could disappear by 2020. Island restoration
resulted from public and private partnership.
//!< (illIf o/J/p.riro I'roffrnin
The Gulf of Mexico Program founded on
the principles of partnership, science-based
information, and citizen involvement
includes representatives from federal and
Gulf state agencies, business, industry, the
environmental community, and academia.
-------
(I MIUI -SOU 11 SI U! s :l(i M \l{»i <)| I \\ MtONMI M \l I'liOI.Ul SS
Louisiana Projected Wetlands Loss 2050
0-10%
11-20%
21-40%
41-60%
61-100%
Projected Gain
Over the past 10 years, the
program has completed
several demonstration
projects that offer solutions
to the most difficult
environmental issues facing
coastal waters. However,
progress is not keeping up
with growth. The Gulf of
Mexico is the nation's second-
fastest-growing population on
a coastline. The underlying
stresses of population,
coastal development, and
energy production and
transportation growth have
prevented real environmental
and public health gains.
Ecological problems
confronting the Gulf are
complex and enormous on a
geographic scale. Solutions
to these problems must be
found before they lead to
svstemic crises. Some
solutions will require
international cooperation
with Mexico, Central America
and the Caribbean.
Challenges
While coastal wetland loss in
Louisiana is caused in part
by subsidence a natural
process in the Louisiana
delta human activity
has accelerated this loss.
Following the disastrous 1927
flood, levees were built along
the Mississippi River,
stretching from upland areas
all the way to the Gulf. These
levees cut off the river from
its natural floodplain,
reducing the essential flow
of nutrients and sediments
needed to replenish the
marshes.
This has been further
accentuated by channeling of
the coastal marshes to allow
for oil and gas exploration
and production, and
improved transportation.
The dissection of the coastal
marshes, considered essential
to energy development of
the day, caused physical
destruction and allowed the
introduction of saltwater into
previously freshwater marsh
areas, hastening their demise.
An unprecedented "red tide"
occurred in the Gulf during
the fall of 1996, impacting
beaches and shellfish waters
from Florida to Texas. In the
past, red tides were confined
to the western and
northwestern Florida
continental shelf, the east
coast of Texas, and the Bay
of Campeche, Mexico. The
red tide caused large-scale
fish kills, loss of
invertebrates, and loss of
endangered Florida manatees.
In addition, as these blooms
approached shore, the toxic
by-products of the bloom
organisms contaminated
shellfish. In some areas,
wave action generated toxic
aerosols, causing respiratory
problems, eye irritation, and
allergic reactions for
beachgoers.
In Louisiana, restoring four
priority oyster beds in the
Barataria-Terrebonne Bay
Watershed will increase the
Gulf shellfish beds available
for safe harvest by 10
percent.
-------
in M im i MIS',MI MS . mi m\\Mi< IMI n\rno\ 01 Musn \i \\i> 1-1 OIM
The Gulf of Mexico Program
Focuses on These Challenges:
Public Health
Excessive nutrient
enrichment
Habitat loss and
degradation
Nonindigenous species
introductions
The region has a Baton Rouge
office that specifically works
with Louisiana, local
governments, and
communities to restore and
protect wetland resources.
Today, over $20 million has
been provided by EPA to
restore 1,300 acres of
wetlands. Also, hundreds of
abandoned barges in south
Louisiana threatened the
bayous, rivers and marshes
with releases of oil and
hazardous materials. The
region has joined with the
U.S. Coast Guard and the
state to remove the most
threatening barges.
Since 1990, the Texas Parks
and Wildlife Department has
teamed up with the Gulf of
Mexico Program to identify
sites for habitat protection
called Gulf of Mexico
Ecological Management Sites.
They receive additional
management attention to
protect key coastal and
offshore areas of ecological
significance.
EPA responds to ecosystem
problems of the northwestern
Gulf of Mexico in a number
of ways: through funding
states' programs, especially
those under the Clean Water
Act; through activities under
the Coastal Wetland Planning
Protection and Restoration
Act; and through support for
the Gulf of Mexico Program,
the Lake Pontchartrairi Basin
Foundation and the
Barataria-Terrebonne
National Estuary Program,
Galveston Bay Estuary
Program, and Coastal Bend
Bays and Estuaries Program.
Maintaining these ecosystems
requires financial and
technical investments. To
restore the marine and
estuarine ecosystems of the
northwestern Gulf of Mexico,
difficult policy choices and
large new financial and
human resource investments
are needed.
Mississippi River Tributaries and Basin
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CENTRAL-SOUTH STATES 30 YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS
-------
ions
C.
children today face hazards in the environment
that were neither known nor suspected only a few
decades ago.
C1
In the last 50 years, more than 75.000 chemicals
have been dispersed into the environment. Fewer
than half of these chemicals have been tested for
their potential toxicity to humans. Fewer still were
assessed for their toxicity to children.
Children eat proportionately more food, drink more
fluids, and breathe more air. Because their bodies
are growing and developing, they are more
vulnerable and susceptible to environmental risks.
Over the past 30 years, this nation has made great
progress in protecting public health and the
environment. We have the safest drinking water in
the world. Toxic pollution from industry- has
declined. Our air is cleaner.
But the job is not done. Over 6 million children
have asthma, which doubled from 1980 to 1995.
Nearly 8.700 children will be diagnosed with
cancer in 1998, the most common cause of disease-
related mortality in children.
Armed with legislation from Congress. EPA led
the way in protecting children's health from
environmental threats, hi 1996, the Food Quality
Protection Act and revisions to the Safe Drinking
Water Act are two successful examples. Both laws
require us to evaluate chemicals and their toxicity
to children, hi addition, a Presidential task force
guides our actions and directs all federal agencies
to make protection of children's health and safety
a high priority.
Young and old alike, benefit from reductions in
pollution. Protecting our future by putting our
children first is an investment in the health of
all Americans.
(liilttrt'ti * llwtlth
Through our children's health program, the
Cherokee Nation is intervening to protect rural
Native American children from polluted ground
water used for drinking. Children living near
polluted water sources are participating in
educational activities to increase their awareness
of water-quality hazards.
Communities concerned with pollution can show
children an education video called "E-Hazards,
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< I MU\I -sol III SI Ul s .ill M Mis 01 I \\IKO\\II M VI l'li()(,l!l SS
They're Out There" to increase
awareness about ways to
protect themselves from
everyday environmental
hazards. The educational
booklet and video were
produced by EPAs Central-
South region.
In New Mexico. Albuquerque
Healthy Environments and
Living Places for Kids Project.
funded by EPA, is designed to
reduce risks to children at
home, school, and in child care.
Through partnerships with
Health and Human Services
and the University of Texas
Southwest Medical Center, the
region is teaching health care
providers ways to diagnose and
treat children affected by
exposure to environmental
hazards.
Schools across the region are
using indoor ah* quality "Tools
for Schools" to improve air
quality using practical, low-cost
solutions.
The Arkansas Department of
Health and EPA are helping
identify asthmatic children
from kindergarten through
sixth grade for a study on
reducing risks from biological
agents that aggravate their
symptoms. Children with
asthma miss twice as many
school days as other children.
Working with schools and
caregivers, EPA developed an
educational Pesticide Safety
Bingo game to teach proper use
and handling of pesticides. The
Hazardous Waste Generated
and Managed in Region 6
game is available in English
and Spanish.
hi Louisiana, the Deep South
Center for Environmental
Justice at Xavier University
received funds to train
community leaders about the
hazards of lead paint. Over 50
local community leaders will
train other citizens on childhood
lead poisoning prevention.
Websites designed for parents
and caregivers on children's
health issues and federal
government programs are
www.epa.gov/region6/children
and www.epa.gov/kids.
Teaching Children
The National Environmental
Education Act of 1990 called
for the EPA to strengthen and
expand environmental
education as an integral part
of its mission to protect the
environment. Since the passage
of the Act, more than 1,200
environmental education
projects have been funded in
states, colleges, schools and
nonprofit organizations worth
about $13 million.
Sources of Pollution
Superfund Sites
» Hazardous Waste Sites
TRI Sites
-------
Ill M I in I'l VM 1 till |{| SI'ONSIIill in (II Ml \ U KINS
Through its Parmers-In-
Education program, the region
has been teaching students from
schools about the environment,
and helping them mentor
others. This new program,
established in 1997, has
graduated 3,900 students
through 1999.
hi 1999. the region helped
establish an environmental
curriculum and education center
at the University of North Texas
campus in Denton. Two EPA
employees relocated for a year
to help establish the program.
In Hot Springs, Arkansas, the
Habitat Learning Project will
train 625 at-risk students in
math and environmental
science. In Oklahoma, 4-H
student leaders, teachers and
county extension educators will
teach stream hydrology" to
youth. Each year, EPAs
Central-South region has
provided about $175,000 for 20
to 25 environmental education
projects.
Since 1997, EPAs Central-
South region has partnered
with Langston University in
Oklahoma to strengthen its
environmental science program.
Langston, an historically black
university, and EPA are
developing curriculum and
outreach programs focusing on
Native American communities.
The President's Environmental
Youth Awards are presented
annually to 10 national finalists
from across the country, hi
Toxic Release Inventory Trends
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Millions
Arkansas
Louisiana
11988
New Mexico
1995
Oklahoma
99~
Texas
1999, Kate Widland arid Valerie
Kaye, the region's winners were,
two high school seniors from
Albuquerque who founded an
Environmental Youth Network.
hosted an environmental
conference and started an
environmental business award.
Sharing Information
A late 1980s popular bumper
sticker "Think Globally, Act
Locally" urged us to recognize
the impact of local activities on
global environmental conditions.
Today, Americans want to
understand environmental
conditions in their
neighborhoods. We recognize
environmental progress is
ultimately measured at the
community level.
In the 2000s, people have access
to more information than ever
about chemicals released into
their air and water. New
labeling and disclosure
programs help consumers safely
use household products and
protect against hazards. EPAs
Internet Ozone Smog Map
provides families with
community-specific, real-time
information about ozone smog
in their neighborhoods.
Internet use has risen
dramatically. EPAs website is
accessed more than 60 million
times every month. EPA seeks
ways to make more and better
environmental information
easily available to citizens, not
only through the Internet, but
also through partnerships.
outreach and education.
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-------
CENTRAL-SOUTH STATES 30 YKARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS
-------
Smati
an Snrawl
T
he air. water and land we depend on are being
threatened by unplanned or poorly planned
development. Our communities, ecosystems and
yes. our planet, are suffering from overwhelming
growth. Between 1970 and 1990, almost 20
million acres of rural land were developed
nationwide. A total of 400,000 acres a year are
used for residential and commercial development.
In 1998. voters passed 170 of 2^0 local ballot
initiatives to reduce urban sprawl and created over
$7.5 billion in new funds to protect open space.
After World \Xar II, city dwellers began to
abandon compact urban neighborhoods for newly
built suburbs at the edge of the city. This outward
migration continues unabated to the present day.
The population of the Austin metropolitan region
increased 30 percent from 846,227 in 1990 to
1.105.909 in 1998, while only 10 percent of
growth is in Austin's urban core. Air pollution.
traffic and a lack of affordable housing are
threatening the quality of life. Citizens are
starting to realize the cost of rapid growth. In
1998. Austin voters agreed to higher water rates
to raise S65 million to preserve 15.000 acres of
land outside the citv.
Texas's healthy economy continues to create
jobs and attract workers. Texas's population is
expected to rise 66 percent from 20 million to
33.8 million between 2000 and 2030. By 2030.
nine out of ten new residents will be minorities:
three out of four will be Hispanic. From 1982
to 1992, Texas lost nearly a half million acres of
farmland more than any other state.
The Dallas-Fort Worth area added more than
250 residents a day between 1990 and 1998,
fueling a 19 percent growth rate more than
twice that of any other metropolitan areas its
size or larger. As the core city remains stable in
size, suburbs are growing at a rapid rate. Lack
of natural barriers to expansion provides more
room for population growth. In 1996. residents
of the Dallas metropolitan area traveled an
average of 29.8 miles per day per person, and
spent nearly 55 hours per person in traffic.
The Houston-Galveston-Bazoria area ranked
second with a 18 percent growth rate ahead
of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit,
Boston. New York and Philadelphia. In 1999,
the Houston metropolitan area showed the
-------
( I MIUI -SOI III SI \ll S :ii) M,\liS 01 I \\IKO\MI M M I'KOUil SS
highest air quality reading for
ozone smog in the country.
Texas border cities of Laredo
and McAllen-Edinburg-
Mission showed tremendous
growth rates of 41 percent
and 36 percent from 1990 to
1998, respectively. El Paso,
Texas showed an 18 percent
population growth rate
reaching 703,127 residents
in 1998.
In Arkansas, the Fayetteville-
Springdale-Rogers area grew
29 percent from 210.908 in
1990 to 272,615 in 1998.
In Little Rock, population
remained constant while land
use doubled to nearly 200
square miles.
In New Mexico, Santa Fe had
a 21 percent growth rate from
117,043 to 141.730, and Las
Cruces showed a 24 percent
growth rate from 135,510
to 169,165 during the
same period.
Many challenges impact
our quality of life. Loss of
green space to sprawl and
development. Polluted runoff
from highways, cities and
factory farms. Aging
infrastructure in cities and
towns. More cars driving
longer distances. Greater
demands for electricity and
fuels. Abandoned factories
and commercial sites in inner
cities. Any of these left
unmet could impact our
communities.
Looking t<> Ihv Future
In facing these challenges, we
must continue working
together leveraging our
resources and building
stronger alliances. The face of
tomorrows landscape depends
upon our activities today.
Air pollution in the Central-
South states of Arkansas,
Louisiana. New Mexico.
Oklahoma and Texas is a
major environmental
challenge. Many of our cities'
air quality is not improving
quickly enough to keep up
with growth. In Texas, nearly
one-half of the population
lives in areas not meeting
national health-based air
quality standards. As we learn
more about the health impacts
of ozone smog and soot,
stricter standards are needed
to protect people, especially
the elderly and children.
Many of our cities are barely
meeting these health-based
standards and may not meet
new national air quality
standards being proposed to
protect public health. EPA has
adopted national standards for
cleaner-burning fuels and
vehicles which will help our
communities face the clean air
challenge. In the Central-
South region, alliances with
local and state leadership like
those demonstrated in Tulsa,
Austin, Baton Rouge, Dallas-
Fort Worth, Houston and San
Antonio are essential to bring
about common-sense controls
to air pollution.
Water pollution, as well as
increased demands for clean
water, is impacted by
development along our rivers.
lakes and streams. Runoff
mi
-------
I Ml III ( I! U I I N(,l S \\l \l Sill I
from farmland and city streets
pollutes our water. No longer
can we regulate factories
separately. To get there, we
must look at the cumulative
impact of many sources of
pollution on the same river.
Programs emphasized in EPAls
Clean Water Action Plan will
help to identify and control
these sources of water
pollution. Partnerships with
the Central-South states of
Arkansas. Louisiana. New
Mexico. Oklahoma, and Texas
are vital to our achieving
healthy water.
Loss of green space and
increase in abandoned land
challenge communities
throughout the region. More
incentives for reusing
abandoned and toxic waste
sites in cities and rural
communities are needed.
Maintaining green, pristine
land and wetlands provides us
healthy places to escape the
daily grind and live.
Brownfields redevelopment,
transportation and urban
planning programs are
working to offset some of the
impacts to sprawl. Three of
our five states have federally
endorsed voluntary clean-up
programs to speed
redevelopment of abandoned
properties.
Population growth in our
urban centers and along the
Texas-Mexico border
challenges public utilities and
services. Providing equal
protection and equal hope for
Population of Region 6
20
§10
LA NM
1970 1980 a 1990
Source US Bmeau of the Census
OK
1999
TX
communities throughout the
Central-South is essential to
improving the environment
that impacts us all. Many
times, education and
collaboration with these
communities can yield great
results. Other times money
for infrastructure sewers.
drinking water, garbage
disposal and local people to
run them are needed to ensure
the health of an entire
community.
Loss of wetlands and green
space to development reduces
natural treatment and filtering
of pollution. Focusing on
ecosystems by looking at
pollution sources throughout
entire geographic areas is
yielding results. Each day.
more and more communities
are banding together to
protect their vital resources
and improve public health.
Pollution does not recognize
geographic or political
boundaries. More needs to be
done. Stronger alliances are
needed to create shared goals
and improve these large-scale.
complex problems. It is
essential to the well-being
of everyone.
Finally, we must continually
evaluate our health-based
standards using strong science
and modern technology. It
continues to be the age of
discovery. We must evaluate
chemical impacts on
communities, both people and
places. We must use new
technologies to reduce
pollution from current
sources. Government,
businesses and industry must
face the technology challenges
in collecting and reporting
environmental information.
We must look for new ways to
share information with people.
An informed public will make
better environmental and
public health decisions.
To meet the environmental
challenges of today and
tomorrow, each of us
individually and collectively
must do our part.
-------
CENTRAL-SOUTH STATES 30 YKARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS
Enforcing Environmental Laws
To maintain a balanced playing
field for industry and business and
ens'ure fair competition,
enforcement of the environmental
laws is essential. The region has
aggressive civil and criminal
enforcement programs. We are
continuing to work with our state
and industry partners to build
enforcement and environmental
compliance programs, as well as
aggressively pursue criminal
actions when necessary.
Enforcement
Accomplishments
1996 - 1999
\Civil Penalties
Supplemental / $39 Million
Environmental Projects
$29 Million
Civil Enforcement
EPA and the State of Texas sued
Koch Pipeline for hundreds of oil
spills in Kansas, Louisiana,
Oklahoma and Texas. A
settlement was reached requiring
Koch to pay $30 million in
penalties, making it the largest
Clean Water Act settlement in
history, Koch will also undertake
$5 million worth of environmental
projects for pipeline safety and
education, and wetlands
restoration.
Johnson Properties violated the
nation's clean water laws by
failing to operate 175 wastewater
treatment facilities in Louisiana.
Improper operation caused raw
sewage to back up into homes,
schoolyards and city streets
threatening public health. For
only the second time initiatory,
EPA took over operation of the
privately owned treatment
facilities through a court-
appointed receiver.
McKinney Smelting violated our
hazardous waste laws by poorly
managing lead and PCB waste in
Texas. A total of over 2,000 tons
of contaminated soil was removed
from the site and over $1 million
was used to return the property
to productive use. Lead is known
to impact the development of
young children, and PCBs can
cause cancer.
Petroleum Wholesale, Inc. violated
the federal underground storage
tank laws at 7 facilities in Houston
Texas by operating storage tanks
without adequate leak detection.
Over 80 violations were
discovered, resulting in a
$274,000 penalty. Undetected
leaks can cause irreparable harm
to ground water.
Encycle/Asarco in Texas,
Montana, and Tennessee,
improperly treated, stored and
disposed of over 500 tons of
highly toxic waste. Over $5.5
million for injunctive relief
and penalties was awarded.
It is essential to communities that
companies manage hazardous
waste safely.
Criminal Enforcement
hi Baton Rouge, the
Major Criminal
Enforcement Cases
soo r 1996 - 1999
250
200
glSO
100
50
Types of cases
superintendent and former
foreman at the former Hall Buck
Marine River Plant were sentenced
to prison for violating the nation's
clean water laws. They were
charged with illegally discharging
polluted waste from their barge-
cleaning operation into the
Mississippi River. Previously, the
plant plead guilty to Clean Water
act violations and paid $440,000
in fines and $4 milMon in
clean-up costs.
hi a 1998, joint Texas, City of
Dallas, and EPA action, Herman
Nethery received the most severe
sentence ordered in Texas for an
environmental crime: 30 years in
prison, $100,000 fine, and
$125,900 in restitution. Mr.
Nethery operated an illegal landfill
in southeast Dallas, the largest
illegal dump in the state of Texas.
hi a 1999 joint EPA and State of
Texas action, company officials
were convicted of criminal charges
in Texas for violating the federal
clean air laws. The Huntsman
Port Arthur plant manager and
Jefferson County environmental
manager were convicted and face
up to 25 years in prison and a fine
of up to $1.25 milMon.
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