1970
30 YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS
•*-2000
REMEMBER THE PAST
PROTECT THE FUTURE
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region 10, The Pacific Northwest & Alaska
EPA-910-R-00-007
ALASKA •
• IDAHO
OREGON-
-WASHINGTON
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Carol M. Browner
EPA Administrator
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
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Mill
• U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY • PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND ALASKA •
The United States Environmental Protection Agency was established thirty years ago as the country was becoming more aware of
our dependence on the natural world. By placing most environmental laws under one agency, the government became more
accountable and responsive to the needs of present and future Americans. In the past three decades rivers have become cleaner,
skies clearer and our approach to addressing problems more holistic.
From the Regional Office in Seattle, the EPA employees are working to build partnerships with the state and local governments of
Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington and hundreds of Tribes to continue this progress.
Clean Air - Tough action
on polluters has brought
major improvements; the
next step is up to you.
1
Clean Water -
Improvements to sewer
systems, industrial facilities
and agriculture are making a
difference in your streams
and lakes.
Clean Land - Everyday we
create waste. Cleaning up
the mistakes of past disposal
and preventing future
contamination is leading to
safer industrial and
residential neighborhoods.
Healthy Communities -
The stresses of population
growth can erode your
quality of life, health and
the natural beauty of the
world around you. Several
communities are making
smart decisions for the
future.
Healthy Ecosystems -
Myopic approaches to water
and air pollution are now
replaced by an
understanding of the
interconnectedness of our
world.
Healthy Planet - Borders
on maps don't stop the
effects of poor
environmental policies.
EPA's work with other
countries is leading to
benefits at home.
Challenges for the Next
Century - Sustainable
practices at work and at
home will provide a healthy
future for our children and
the generations to follow.
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EPA REGION 10 1999 ANNUAL REPORT
- Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act - Federal Water Pollution Control Act - Clean Air Act
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The Breath of Life - For A Healthy America
mA,
Clean air. It's easy to think that our air is pure and clean
in the Northwest. Unless we see or smell the clues of air
pollution, we don't often think of any problems with air
quality.
It's true that we no longer see black smoke billowing
from nearby smokestacks, yet there are times in the
summer when haze makes it difficult to see the
mountains in the distance. The familiar smell of wood
smoke brings fond memories of cozy winter nights, but
car and truck exhaust can be
an unpleasant aroma on many
urban streets.
Over the last thirty years, the
main sources of air pollution
have changed, but the
challenge to keep the air free
of pollution is as great as ever.
EPA's goal is to ensure that
every person in the Northwest
can breathe air free of
pollutants that cause
Pollution at Sea
significant risks of cancer, respiratory distress and other
health problems. We want to clear the air of pollutants
that damage our forests and crops, acidify our wilderness
lakes, and obscure our view of the natural wonders we
have in such abundance here.
Of the thousands of substances that are released to or
subsequently form in the air every day, EPA has chosen
to set national outdoor standards for just seven of them:
carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulfur
dioxide and particulate matter.
Along the Alaska coast line, citizen complaints alerted EPA
investigators to a different source fouling the air: Cruise
ships. While investigating the complaints, EPA staff observed
smoke coming from the ships which exceeded state and
federal limits for visible emissions. Consequently, six cruise
lines were issued Notices of Violation (NOVs) in early 2000
for emissions in Juneau, Seward and Glacier Bay.
Citizen tips are a valuable tool for finding polluters. By
working closely with local residents, the EPA and state
environmental agencies can better protect the air for those
communities and their tourists.
EPA works with state and
local governments to improve
air quality, and the results to
date are impressive. Since the
federal Clean Air Act was
passed in 1970, the nation has
significantly cleaned up the
air: 98 percent of lead, 79
percent of the particles, 41
percent of gaseous sulfur
dioxide, 28 percent of the
carbon monoxide, and 25
- Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring published; documents environmental harm resulting from toxic pesticides and herbicides.
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EPA REGION 10 1999 ANNUAL REPORT
percent of the smog soup now called
ozone have been eliminated from
the air we breathe. Such
improvements are very meaningful,
due to the growth that occurred
during the same period. The
nation's economy grew by 90
percent, the total U.S. population
grew by 27 percent, and the number
of motor vehicle miles driven
increased by 111 percent!
Asthma and Children's Health
Asthma remains a persistent problem
in the U.S. the number of children
afflicted has doubled in the past 10
years, currently affecting almost five
million nationwide. Nationally, the
asthma rate among children ages 5-14
rose 74% between 1980-94. Asthma
can be triggered by irritants and
allergens such as smoke, dust, molds,
mites and pet dander.
The trends related to asthma are not
encouraging. For instance, the
hospitalization rate for asthma in
Washington state is rising much faster
than the rest of the U.S. That rate is
seven times higher among minority
children from the inner city than
children from other communities.
Low-income and minority children are
afflicted at much higher rates. To
minimize asthma triggers, EPA
promotes the use of common-sense,
low-cost solutions for clearing the air
in homes and schools.
In response to this problem, the EPA
has funded several special projects
including:
• Community-based, inner-city
asthma medical intervention clinic
and home visit programs.
• An inner-city asthma outreach and
education program.
• Development and distribution of
brochures targeting residential air
pollution improvements in minority
and low-income communities.
Economic growth and
environmental protection can go
hand in hand. Industry was the first
target of the Clean Air Act rules,
and by installing sophisticated
pollution control equipment on
facilities both large and small, much
of the industrial air pollution of the
past has been eliminated. Today,
less than one-fifth of the total air
pollution in the Northwest is caused
by industry.
- Shoreline Erosion Protection Act
- Solid Waste Disposal Act
- National Environmental Policy Act
-The
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The quality of the air in the
Northwest today is dependent upon
the day-to-day choices we make.
How do we get from place to place?
How do we heat our homes? What
do we do with garbage and yard
debris?
Cars, trucks and other means of
transportation account for more than
fifty percent of the total air pollution
in the United States, and even more
in the Northwest. Vehicle exhaust is
a main ingredient of smog during
the warm summer months, and it
produces carbon monoxide in the
wintertime.
Yet despite the improvements in
automobile exhaust systems over the
last 30 years, pollution caused by
cars is still a problem because there
are simply more people driving
more cars over greater distances
than ever before. A well-tuned
vehicle creates less pollution, so
vehicle emission check programs in
major urban areas of the Northwest
help citizens keep their cars and
trucks tuned-up and operating
efficiently year-round. Oxygenated
gasoline in winter helps engines
burn fuel efficiently even in the cold
winter temperatures.
Wood-burning stoves and outdoor
burning together account for
approximately one quarter of the
particulate pollution in the air we
breathe. Road dust, windblown
dust, as well as forest-burning and
field burns also contribute to
problems in some areas. During
winter weather inversions, stagnant
air traps pollution close to the
ground, increasing the levels of
pollutants where people breathe.
These problems have been solved in
many areas of the Northwest: new
woodstoves are now certified to
meet emission standards, and public
education programs teach people
how to burn wood efficiently,
without excessive smoke. Special
Controlling Air Quality in Indian
Country
The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments
authorizes Native American tribes to
enact their own Clean Air programs,
and clarifies EPA's responsibility to
directly implement Clean Air programs
throughout Indian Country until a
tribal nation chooses to conduct its
own air pollution control plan. EPA
Region 10's work with Northwest
Native American tribes is focused in
two ways: 1) fostering tribal capacity
to manage air quality by providing
grant money and technical training;
and 2) fulfilling the array of required
regulatory responsibilities in Indian
Country (for example, issuing clean
air operating permits to industrial
sources located in Indian Country).
precautions, such as local burning
bans when pollution from
particulate matter is measured at
unsafe levels, helps keep pollution
to a minimum.
Population growth is by far the
biggest challenge to keeping the air
clean. A growing population means
more cars on the road, more
construction of new homes and
businesses, and greater demand on
the surrounding environment.
EPA is determined to do more than
simply maintain the progress that's
been made; by working together -
federal, state and local governments,
business, industry and citizens — we
can do what is necessary to improve
the quality of the air we breathe.
first Earth Day Celebration - Environmental Protection Agency is created by President Nixon. - United Nations
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EPA REGION 10 1999 ANNUAL REPORT
Recognizes Earth Day - Lead Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act - Clean Water Act, protects wetlands and gives EPA
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WIT
Water for Every on
The Pacific Northwest and Alaska are known for clear,
clean, fresh tasting water. Our major rivers and lakes are
found in the high desert, coastal rainforest, arctic glaciers
and valleys separating mountains. Such varied
landscapes offer a challenge when balancing economic
and population growth with protecting the quality of
these water resources. Since 1970, the EPA has worked
with many partners to improve sewage treatment, reduce
industrial waste discharges, and preserve habitat in our
Northwest ecosystems.
Improved Sewage Treatment
In the past, raw or inadequately treated sewage was
routinely released into our region's waters. As sewage
decomposed, these wastes consumed large amounts of
oxygen from the water. Over
time, the continuous supply of
sewage consumed so much
oxygen that many lakes, rivers
and streams could no longer
sustain aquatic life.
To reverse this trend, the EPA
developed a major sewage
treatment program to
eliminate the harmful effects
of human wastes on aquatic
ecosystems. Millions of
dollars were provided to local
governments to support the
construction of new
waste water treatment plants.
Additionally, the EPA
required wastewater plants to
treat and remove oxygen
consuming wastes. In
Oregon, these clean-up efforts
doubled the oxygen levels in
the Willamette River,
revitalizing an important
waterway.
Sewer Clean up
Between 1972-1990, the Clean Water Act provided $1.9
billion to build wastewater treatment facilities and
improvements in the states of Alaska ($234 million), Idaho
($246 million), Oregon ($578 million), and Washington
($843 million).
Water quality improvements in the Pacific Northwest have
lead to great public health benefits. For example, EPA funds
enabled the City of Yelm, Washington, to upgrade its
collection and wastewater treatment facility and deal with
failing or inadequate septic tank systems. Now the nitrate
levels in the groundwater supply, which once were rising
above the allowable drinking water standards, are under
control.
For the City of Boise, Idaho, improvements to its Lander
Street wastewater treatment facilities reduced the amount of
nutrients and bacteria taking oxygen from the Boise River.
Wastewater flows increased by seventy percent from 1995 to
1999. Consequently, the oxygen depleting nutrients and
bacteria entering the plant increased by sixty percent. The
changes to the facility reduced the detrimental nutrients and
bacteria leaving the plant by eighteen percent over the same
four years. The result was more oxygen available for the
river's fish and plants.
Seventy-three million more people, in thousands of
communities across the nation, have upgraded sewage
treatment, compared to 25 years ago. The water quality
improvements associated with these efforts are
impressive. Releases of oxygen consuming wastes have
declined by 36 percent (from 6,700 metric tons a day in
1970 to 4,300 metric tons a day in 1992) even though the
amount of sewage being treated has increased by 28
percent. Even more significant, levels of life-giving
dissolved oxygen have increased in regularly monitored
waters across the country.
Safe Drinking Water
Most people in the United States simply turn on the
kitchen tap to fill a glass with clean, safe drinking water.
It's probably even fair to say
that most Americans assume
that the 34 billion gallons of
tap water we use each day will
always be pure and close at
hand. To ensure that this
would always be true,
Congress enacted the Safe
Drinking Water Act in 1974.
Since that time, preserving the
safety of our nation's public
drinking water supply has
been, and continues to be, one
of the EPA's top priorities.
Over the last 25 years the EPA
has issued numerous drinking
water standards protecting the
public from the effects of
harmful chemicals and
microbial pollutants. In
addition, the EPA and each
state monitor the quality of
drinking water supplies and
I develop strategies to prevent
J contamination. Together these
authority to set water quality standards
- Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Amendment
- Coastal
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EPA REGION 10 1999 ANNUAL REPORT
efforts constitute a comprehensive
program providing the American
public with safe and reliable water.
Special protection programs are
being implemented in about 4,000
communities across the Northwest
region. The success of these efforts
is shown by the fact that in 1999
more than 90 percent of the
population in community water
systems received water meeting all
health-based standards.
Reduced Industrial Pollution
Prior to 1970, wastewater
discharges from industry went
largely unchecked. The Clean
Water Act, however, made it illegal
for any industry to discharge
pollutants directly to national waters
without a permit specifying
appropriate pollution limits. Those
limits are based on balancing our
economy's need for production and
the ecosystem's natural ability to
compensate for some amount of
pollution.
The EPA developed standards for
more than 50 different industries
and currently oversees more than
57,000 industrial water pollution
permits. Currently, these permits
prevent more than one billion
pounds of toxic pollution from
entering our nation's waters each
year.
A related water pollution control
program focuses on companies
dumping liquid wastes down their
drains into the public sewer system.
The Clean Water Act contains
special provisions that require these
dischargers to "pretreat" their waste
before it enters the sewer. More
than 30,000 major industrial
dischargers are now covered by
pretreatment standards. As one of
the EPA's most successful programs,
pretreatment standards have reduced
toxic discharges to public sewers by
an estimated 75 percent.
Yaquina Bay Bridge, Newport Oregon
Public Water System Violations
Since the Safe Drinking Water Act Ammendments of 1996, States have submitted annual reports. The
percentage of water systems in violation of federal rules has declined steadily since that time.
I
=
100
80
40
20
Alaska
Idaho
Oregon
Washington
1996
1997
1998
For a complete report on the nation's public water systems, view it on the web:
www.epa.gov/safewater/annual/acr98.pdf
Oregon's 1996 report double counted some systems
Zone Management Act
- Ocean Dumping Ban Act
- DDT is Banned
- Endangered Species Act
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The Pulp Industry
Many industries affect Pacific
Northwest water quality either by
using or discharging water. Under the
authority of the Clean Water Act, some
of the most dramatic environmental
progress has occurred in cleaning up
Region 10's pulp & paper industry.
The manufacturing process uses far
less water today than 30 years ago.
Consequently, water pollution from
these facilities has declined. For
example, the water discharged
consumes much less oxygen in the
water. The suspended solids that
cloud the water and hurt aquatic water
life have also been reduced. The net
improvement in water discharged by
mills has been remarkable.
To achieve this pollution reduction, the
industry made increased efficiency and
waste reduction a top priority. There
is an amazing downward trend in
discharge and water use since 1967.
And yet this streamlined industry has
seen a steady net increase in
production. That translates into a
stronger economic base while
releasing much less pollution - a real
success story.
Pulp & Paper Wastewater Discharge Improvements in the Pacific Northwest
& Alaska
200
Palp Production
Biochemical Oxygen Demand
Biochemical
Oxygen
Demand
1972
1977
1989
1999
How much has the water quality
improved? Monitoring data tell of a
98 percent reduction in oxygen
consumption, 89 percent reduction in
Total Suspended Solids and 63 percent
reduction in water use.
The graph above shows this
compelling story of an efficient
industry working to meet EPA water
quality limits.
The Non Point Source Pollution
Story
In the 1990's the EPA began looking
at water quality problems on a
watershed basis (the area from
which water drains into a river
system). Nearly every human
activity within a watershed has
some impact on its water quality.
As pollution from stationary sources
such as factories and sewage
treatment plants declined, the water
quality was still impaired from the
effects of many non point sources of
pollution. Agricultural and logging
activities, urban runoff and
homeowner actions were still
affecting water quality. Reductions
in these non point source impacts
are succeeding because of
cooperation between other agencies,
organizations and individuals.
Perhaps the most significant impact
has been when all of these interested
parties joined together to form
Watershed Councils. The councils
take an active role in protecting their
own community's watershed.
Enforcement of environmental
regulations alone will get us only
part way toward our goal of cleaner
water. The citizens in each
community must band together to
preserve these precious water
resources.
Drinking Water Act - Basic theory of how CFC's destroy ozone is published - Energy Policy and Conservation Act
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EPA REGION 10 1999 ANNUAL REPORT
- Hazardous Materials Transportation Act - EPA requires new cars to have catalytic converters and use unleaded gas. Lead
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(
rom Superfund to Super Parks
Thirty years ago, thousands of contaminated junkyards,
dump sites, and industrial facilities littered the land.
Industry and the government addressed chemical usage
and disposal totally separately. To bring this toxic
dilemma under control, Congress began establishing laws
to prevent polluting yet more
areas, and then to clean up the
many toxic sites around the
country.
Congress enacted the
Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA) in
1976 to address chemical
usage and disposal from a
more comprehensive
approach. The act regulates
hazardous waste through the
entire 'life cycle' - from
cradle to grave.
To address the existing, highly
contaminated sites, Congress
passed the Comprehensive
Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability
Act (CERCLA) in 1980, which established the Superfund
program. More than 36,000 sites were identified and
entered into EPA's inventory of hazardous waste sites.
These two laws changed the way the country looked at
industrial pollution. Generators of hazardous waste
became responsible for the use and disposal of their
waste. Polluters became responsible for cleaning up the
mess they created. The EPA then faced the challenge of
monitoring chemical use, disposal and clean-up.
"From Cradle to Grave"
Hazardous wastes under RCRA are now managed within
a system having a beginning and an end. Many industrial
Business Incentives
and commercial facilities are required to have permits
controlling both waste treatment and disposal. Although
household hazardous wastes are primarily controlled at
the local level, EPA set national standards for municipal
waste disposal to ensure that problems don't arise in the
future.
The EPA's Region 10 is finding new ways to better manage
our chemicals and waste, from using fewer toxic chemicals in
industrial processes to voluntary cleanups of past releases.
One such voluntary initiative provides incentives to
companies for going beyond simple compliance with
environmental requirements. Targeting 17 high-priority toxic
chemicals, participating companies here have reduced
releases and disposals by an astonishing 58%. Corporate
consciousness and initiative account for much of the
program's success with over a quarter of the eligible
companies participating, the highest rate in the U.S.
Economic opportunity and environmental protection are not
mutually exclusive propositions. In stimulating the
development of businesses that use recyclable or reusable
materials, new jobs and tax revenues have been created while
performing an important environmental service to society.
Our support led to a national electronic marketplace for
recyclables on the Chicago Board of Trade Recyclables
Exchange.
Congress intended for the
States to have direct
responsibility for running the
RCRA program. The EPA
assumed an assistance and
oversight role, providing
compliance and enforcement
functions, where appropriate.
Oregon, Washington, and
Idaho have pursued and been
authorized to to regulate their
share of the 6,818 hazardous
waste handlers located
throughout the region. Alaska
has not. In 1997, Washington
ranked 24th, Oregon 36th, Idaho
9th, and Alaska 47th in
hazardous waste generation
among the 50 states.
Garbage and Recycling
Most of us have heard reports about the unfortunate
problems created by municipal landfills. We are
addressing these problems by promoting better waste
management practices. Lining landfills with high-tech
seepage preventing barriers or returning sites to valuable
park and recreational space make these sites better
neighbors.
It takes an entire forest - over 500,000 trees- to supply
Americans with their Sunday newspapers every week?
Recycling is a vital part of any sensible waste
management program. It not only reduces the volume of
levels in urban air drop 99% over next 20 years.
- Toxic Substances Control Act
- Resource Conservation and Recovery
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EPA REGION 10 1999 ANNUAL REPORT
garbage otherwise sent to landfills,
but also reduces demands on our
natural resources. Although the
trend in recycling here has been
steadily moving upward, so has the
per capita amount of waste
generated. Your continuing support
is the key.
Toxic Substances
Some materials are so toxic, and the
threat of their release to the
environment so widespread, that
special toxic substances laws were
enacted to regulate them. EPA has
broad authority to ensure that these
substances are managed safely. Our
focus in this region is on PCB's
(poly chlorinated byphenyls),
chemicals in commerce (import/
export), and lead.
Between 1930 and 1979, PCBs were
used as an insulator in a variety of
electrical equipment. PCB's are a
very effective insulator - and a very
potent environmental hazard. Some
137 million pounds of PCBs were
safely disposed of in permitted
facilities in 1994.
It is truly disturbing that one in
every 25 children in the U.S. has
dangerously high blood lead levels.
This comes about in a variety of
ways, including contact with leaded
paints, contaminated soil, and dust.
We're working to assist tribes and
states to reduce lead exposure.
Cleaning up the Contamination
Superfund is designed to protect
human health and the environment
through fast, effective cleanup of
priority hazardous waste sites and
releases. Those who created the
problems are required to clean them
up. If they either can't be identified
or can't afford the cleanup costs, the
government moves forward with
cleanup using federal money.
We work with others - state, tribal
and local agencies, and the general
public - in actively searching for
sites that may require cleanup under
Superfund. Once identified, these
sites fall into two basic categories.
There are those sites which are
considered such a significant hazard
to human health or the environment
that they require an immediate
cleanup, known as a removal. And
there are other seriously
contaminated sites that require more
long-term cleanup. These sites can
be added to the National Priorities
List (NPL) and thus become eligible
for federal funded cleanup money if
necessary. Some sites are also
cleaned up under the supervision of
a qualified state cleanup program.
The Removal Program
Removals typically take less than a
year and involve waste treatment
onsite or transferring drums,
excavated contaminated soils, and
other wastes to regulated disposal
facilities. Some removals are
outright emergencies stemming
from fires or spills. In non-
emergencies, we locate the party
responsible for the contamination
and direct them to perform the
cleanup. If post-removal testing of
soils and groundwater reveals that
contamination levels are still of
concern, the site may either be listed
on the NPL or referred to another
agency for further cleanup.
Northwest Superfund Sites
Of the over 1,400 Superfund sites
located across the country, 91 can be
found in the Pacific Northwest.
Over a million people here live
within two miles of one or more
Superfund sites. These sites run the
gamut from active industrial
facilities to small businesses. From
less than an acre to more than 21
square miles in size.
Of the region's 91 Superfund sites,
43 have been cleaned up and 22 of
them have been formally deleted
from the NPL. Final cleanups at
another 41 sites are currently
underway nationally. More than
675 of the most serious uncontrolled
or abandoned hazardous waste sites
have been cleaned up and 85 more
will be done by the end of 2000.
Responsible parties have paid 70
percent of the cleanup costs, saving
taxpayers billions of dollars.
Quantity ofRCRA Hazardous Waste Generated in the Pacific Northwest &
Alaska
15,000,000
12,000,000
9,000,000
6,000,000
3,000,000
Washington
1991
1993
1995
1997
Act (RCRA)
- Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
- Love Canal Crisis in N. Y. Heightens
- CFC's
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High-Tech Cleanup Winding
Down
The Western Processing Company, a
chemical waste processing and
recycling facility, operated from 1961
to 1983 on a 13-acre site in Kent, 20
miles south of Seattle. Some of the
Pacific Northwest's largest industries
contracted with Western Processing to
handle a wide variety of chemicals and
waste materials.
In 1983, the EPA ordered the company
to stop operations and placed Western
Processing on the NPL. The
Superfund program required the
cleanup of contaminants from soil and
water found during the site
investigation.
Cleanup activities began in 1984 with
the removal of 4,700 tons of wastes
from ponds, drums, and tanks on the
site's surface. The EPA worked with
the Washington Department of
Ecology in 1987 on the second
cleanup phase, removing more than
35,000 cubic yards of contaminated
soils and sludges.
In the ensuing years we built a 40-foot
deep vertical barrier wall,
groundwater treatment system, and a
multi-layered cap over the entire 13-
acre southern portion of the site.
Today, the site is 95% complete, and
no taxpayer money was used to clean
up the site. The work was managed
and paid for entirely by the Western
Processing Trust. The Trust was
formed by the responsible parties
(companies such as Boeing, Franz, )
who had used Western Processing to
dispose of their waste. The work
accomplished demonstrates the
successful partnership of government
and private industry in helping to
protect the environment and improve
the quality of life for the people of the
Pacific Northwest.
Oil Spills & Public Awareness
EPA and the Coast Guard are jointly
responsible for cleaning up oil
spills, and for enforcing laws meant
to prevent spills. If a facility that
stores oil reports two or more small
spills, or one large one, it must
submit a spill prevention and
cleanup plan to EPA for review.
EPA also performs inspections of
such facilities to help keep spills
from happening.
Superfund's Emergency Planning
and Community Right to Know Act
requires businesses using hazardous
chemicals to report the chemicals
and their quantities to state and local
emergency response and planning
groups. We support these groups
with grants, technical assistance and
training. Our hazardous materials
response program has conducted
health and safety training at eleven
villages in Alaska in an effort to
prepare residents for cleanup jobs at
local sites.
Prince William Sound, Alaska. Eleven million gallons of crude oil from the Exxon Valdez
contaminated shorelines 1989. Congress passed the Oil Pollution Act in 1990.
(chloroflourocarbons) banned in most aerosol cans - Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant Accident - EPA bans sale
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EPA REGION 10 1999 ANNUAL REPORT
of Agent Orange herbicide. - Mount St. Helen's Erupts - Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
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Safe and Healthy P,
nd Healthy Places to Live, Wor
Work and Play
There is nothing unique about Americans wanting a safe
and healthy place to live, recreate, raise children, have
careers, build a future. In 1949, Congress mandated "a
decent home and suitable living environment for every
American family"and reaffirmed it again in 1968.
President John F. Kennedy warned in 1963 that if we
neglect our cities, we will neglect the nation.
And yet our cities have been neglected. Trends have
found families moving to the suburbs as they seek the
dream of home ownership, open space, parks and ball
fields. New roads and freeways provided easy
automobile access to abundant and affordable land,
encouraging yet new development and urban sprawl.
The Northwest, and particularly the coastal and sound
communities, has grown because of the opportunities
created by its residents. Our commitments to economic
restructuring, transportation and the environment, give us
the opportunity to improve our region's livability and
prosperity for years to come.
How do we sustain our region's livability and prosperity?
By making economic and environmental decisions that
meet our needs and without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet theirs; in other words, by
avoiding dead ends.
Sprawl
In communities across the nation, there is a growing
concern that current development patterns, dominated by
what some call "sprawl", are no longer in the long-term
interests of our cities, existing suburbs, small towns, rural
communities, open space or wilderness areas. Though
supportive of growth, communities are questioning the
economic costs of abandoning infrastructure in the city,
only to build it further out. They are questioning the
social costs of the mismatch between new employment in
locations in the suburbs and the available workforce in
the city. They are questioning the wisdom of abandoning
"brownfields" in older communities, eating up the open
space and prime agricultural lands at the suburban fringe,
and polluting the air of an entire region by driving further
to get places. Spurring the smart growth movement are
demographic shifts, a strong environmental ethic,
increased fiscal concerns and more open views of
growth. The result is both a new demand and a new
opportunity for smart growth.
This opportunity should not be confused with "no
growth" or even "slow growth." People want the jobs,
tax revenues, and amenities that come with development.
But they want these benefits without degrading the
environment, raising local taxes, increasing traffic
congestion, or busting budgets. More and more local
governments are finding that current development
patterns frequently fail to provide this balance.
Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington, are two
examples of communities searching for this balance.
They have both struggled with the classic pattern of
disinvestment in urban/suburban areas while investing in
as-yet-unbuilt communities on the fringe. In the last two
decades, flight from the core to the suburbs created a
Liability Act (Superfund Law)
- Nuclear Waste Policy Act
- Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments to RCRA
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EPA REGION 10 1999 ANNUAL REPORT
golden ring of the priciest homes
encircling the cities and moves
further outward in both cases.
Million dollar homes now sit on
ridges along the eastside of Seattle,
that were only twenty years ago
homes to rabbits and deer. The rural
character of these areas has been hit
with traffic congestion, high taxes,
decline in public services, and loss
of farmland.
Portland, Oregon, however, has
managed, with its long-standing
urban growth boundary, downtown
building boom, and well-developed
transit system, to be known as one
of the best known and frequently
cited examples of smart growth.
Smart Growth
Smart Growth recognizes
connections between development
and quality of life. It leverages new
growth to improve the community.
The features that distinguish smart
growth in a community vary from
place to place. In general, smart
growth invests time, attention and
resources in restoring community
and vitality to city centers and older
suburbs. New smart growth is more
town-centered, is transit and
pedestrian oriented, and has a
greater mix of housing, commercial
and retail uses. It also preserves
open space and many other
environmental amenities. But there
is no "one-size-fits-all solution.
Successful communities do tend to
have one thing in common - a vision
of where they want to go and of
what things they value in their
community - and their plans for
development reflect these values.
Current development patterns are all
too familiar. There has continued to
be a disinvestment in older
communities and the flight of much
of the middle class to newer, diffuse,
single-use developments. Older
suburbs now experience the
downward economic cycle once
thought to be uniquely urban.
Indeed, many suburbs now have
more in common with urban
counterparts than with new suburbs.
This has created an opportunity to
forge regional problem solving
between the city and the
surrounding suburbs. This has thus
led to investing in existing
communities rather than subsidizing
flight to as-yet-unbuilt
developments. There has been a
shift that new growth, especially
growth subsidized by state's and the
federal government, should add
value to existing communities.
The call to reexamine our growth
patterns and practices has support.
The President's Council on
Sustainable Development, a group
of business CEO's
environmentalists, and government
agencies, recommended new
patterns of growth to maintain
community vitality. While land-use
and growth-management activities
are the responsibility of state, tribal
and local authorities, EPA is
uniquely positioned to encourage
growth-management measures that
take environmental impacts into
consideration.
EPA Region 10 uses existing
authorities under statues such as the
Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act
and the National Environmental
Policy Act to help minimize the
impacts of development activities.
Region 10 also focuses on
supporting state, tribal and local
efforts. Specific activities include
improving communications and
providing technical expertise and
resources to manage growth issues
such as wastewater disposal,
drinking water, water quantity,
waste disposal, transportation and
air quality, storm water runoff, and
wetlands and habitat loss. EPA also
provides funding and support for
specific projects through programs
such as Sustainable Development
Challenge Grants and Better
American Bonds
"We will help you build what we hear you are asking for and what is no less than
you and your families deserve; livable communities, comfortable suburbs, vibrant
cities, and for you grandchildren's well-being and for their grandchildren's too,
green spaces."
Vice President Al Gore
January 11, 1999
- Over 2000 people killed in Bhopal, India following toxic gas release - Union Carbide plant at Institute, West Virginia
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Brownfields
Brownfields are abandoned or
underused properties where real or
perceived environmental
contamination has slowed
redevelopment. There are hundreds
of these sites in the Region, from
abandoned factories and shuttered
gas stations, to aging rail yards.
Cleaning up and reusing these areas
often helps to preserve greenspace
which would otherwise be used for
development.
Since 1995, Region 10 has provided
up to $200,000 in seed funding to
more than 20 state, local and tribal
governments to expedite local site
cleanup or assessment. Examples of
recent brownfields initiatives
include: funding of the Portland
Brownfields Cleanup Revolving
Loan Fund, which provides local
cleanup loans; the Seattle/King
County Job Training Pilot, which is
successfully training individuals in
need to work on hazardous waste
site assessment and cleanup; and
supplemental awards to the Oregon
Economic and Community
Development Department and King
County, Washington to perform
assessments which promote
economic redevelopment and
greenspace preservation.
Lead in Children
Cities have faced a myriad of
environmental problems: polluted
air; lead based paint hazards;
asbestos, radon, vehicle gridlock,
hazardous waste sites, polluted
beaches. All of these threaten the
health of the children growing up in
our cities. As urban sprawl
expanded, many of these same
problems moved to the suburbs.
Before 1978, lead-based paint was
commonly used in homes and
apartment buildings. Exposure can
also be traced to contaminated soil
and water from mine wastes.
Although cases of childhood lead
poisoning are on the decline
nationally, lead contamination
remains a localized concern in parts
of Region 10. Lead is a naturally
Community Tools for Transportation
When city and county governments ask for public participation in local planning,
you can bring new ideas and concepts to the table:
Explore alternatives and involve the community. Look for creative solutions
integrating land use, transportation, environment and livability.
Diversify the transportation system by providing more transportation choices.
More choices enhances personal freedom, economic equity, and environmental
protection.
Emphasize Transportation Demand Management (TDM). Explore this method of
trip reduction through an array of travel alternatives, roadway incentives, financial
incentives, work hours and location management.
Maximize the use of existing infrastructure. Habitat degradation, fragmentation,
and loss can be prevented by making better use of the existing infrastructure.
Consider redevelopment. Redevelopment prevents sprawl and protects farms,
forests, and natural lands. It also improves the existing built environment for people.
Maintain historic, cultural, natural features, and community character.
Emphasizing local history, culture, and natural history and avoiding impacts to these
elements helps to establish or maintain community identity and cohesion.
occurring substance that is toxic
when ingested or inhaled. Lead is
most hazardous to children under
six years of age. Health effects
include reduced intelligence and
attention span, reading/learning
disabilities and behavioral problems.
Home sellers and landlords must
now disclose known lead-based
paint and its hazards to both buyers
and renters. Since June 1, 1999, in
support of the Clinton-Gore
Administration's right to know
efforts, any contractor involved in
remodeling or renovation is now
required to give home owners a
copy of a new booklet, Protect Your
Family From Lead in Your Home.
EPA provides grant money to states
and tribes for public education and
testing activities. The agency also
certifies training providers and
programs to perform inspections,
risk assessment and abatement
work. EPA is also beginning to
focus on outdoor sources of lead
exposure — such as paints used on
playgrounds and fences. For
example, EPA awarded the
Washington State Department of
Health more than $2.5 million in
grant funds for determining the
extent of threats to children caused
by lead paint and lead dust across
the state.
releases methyl isocanate. Congress debates possibility of Bhopal-like accident in U.S. - Emergency Planning and Community
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EPA REGION 10 1999 ANNUAL REPORT
Right to Know Act, requires chemical facilities to report annual toxic releases. - Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor Accident
-------
HEM THY
Looking at the World Differently
Traditionally, we have looked at environmental problems
based on where they occur, such as in the water, air or
soil. Or we focused on the nature of the problem, such as
hazardous waste, pesticides or asbestos. As a result we
often missed the deeper perspective of how all these
element interrelated in the real world. We were not
looking at the whole picture at one time. EPA now looks
at the challenges facing our fragile environment from an
ecosystem approach. We are now finding big picture
solutions to ecosystem level problems.
Our goal is to protect and restore the remarkable
ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska by
addressing problems in specific geographic areas using
an integrated approach. It is a complex way of doing
business, requiring coordination with many different
people. It is also time consuming. However, since we
began focusing on environmental interrelationships over
four years ago, significant progress has been made in
addressing environmental problems from a holistic
ecosystem perspective.
Working Together in Agriculture:
Agricultural practices have been linked to a number of
environmental problems: nitrate and pesticide
contamination of ground and surface water, air quality
impairment caused by "agricultural dust", loss of natural
shrub-steppe habitat and loss of salmon habitat. The
agriculture industry is concerned about these
environmental challenges and others such as loss of
pesticides needed to protect crops, declining market
prices for traditional crops and increasing costs of doing
business.
The Columbia Plateau Agricultural Initiative is a
comprehensive effort promoting environmental
protection with wise agricultural practices, resulting in a
sustainable environment and a sustainable industry.
In early 1997 EPA, various state, federal and local
agencies, local Conservation Districts, Washington State
University Cooperative Extension, industry organizations
and individual farmers began working together. The
intent was to support community-based and individual
efforts in five eastern Washington counties that promote
farming and ranching practices which protect both the
environment and the pocketbook.
EPA provided $400,000 in funding for projects that
promote nitrate monitoring in groundwater, develop new
farming practices and provide education and training. In
addition, the Columbia Plateau Agriculture Initiative
tapped into funds from other programs such as
environmental education grants, safe drinking water
grants and air quality protection and food safety funding
sources.
The "Wilke Farm Project" is a national model of how to
develop and demonstrate to farmers, that environmentally
friendly crops and cropping methods can result in a
sustainable agriculture industry. The Wilke project and
the other efforts of the Columbia Plateau project look at
agriculture and the natural ecosystems holistically, not in
- Superfund Amendments and Re authorization Act (SARA)
- Montreal Protocol Signed by 24 nations, Banning CFC's
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EPA REGION 10 1999 ANNUAL REPORT
the context of independent
environmental elements. They
develop economically sustainable
crops and cropping methods, while
minimizing pesticide and fertilizer
use. They also aim to prevent
sediment run-off to surface water
and wind erosion that causes
agriculture dust.
Innovation and Industry
When several species of Pacific
salmon were listed as endangered in
1999, private land owners faced a
new challenge to maintain
productive crops while protecting
aquatic habitat. The EPA, National
Marine Fisheries Service and the
State of Washington worked with
Simpson Timber Company to
develop an integrated plan for
managing their timber lands. The
plan addresses the conservation
needs of fish and wildlife, maintains
water quality, basin hydrology and
channel integrity. Simpson was able
to integrate healthy environmental
management into a profitable
commercial forest operation. By
making strong commitments to
protect the ecological integrity of
their lands and waters Simpson
sought flexibility in how the
Endangered Species Act and Clean
Water Act would be enforced in the
watershed.
Simpson Timber Company's
voluntary effort to manage these
lands from an ecosystem approach
is an example of how industry and
government are working together to
view the environment differently.
This area of the Chehalis River
Basin, about 220,000 contiguous
acres, is being managed beyond the
measures that Simpson would
otherwise be subject to. Simpson
Timber Company, the EPA and
National Marine Fisheries Service
developed a mutually acceptable
plan, ensuring the protection of the
aquatic dependent resources of the
area and the ability to maintain a
commercial forestry operation.
Forest and Fish
Salmon are often referred to as an
"icon" in the Pacific Northwest and
Alaska. They represent thriving
streams, healthy forests and a
connection to our historical roots of
living off the land. Unfortunately,
many Pacific salmon runs are listed
as threatened or endangered under
the Endangered Species Act. The
reasons for the critical state of many
salmon runs generally fall under the
category of habitat destruction or
modification, whether it be from
hydropower dams, agricultural
practices, urbanization, or forest
practices.
One large scale attempt at habitat
improvement is the Forest and Fish
agreement that covers nearly eight
million acres of private forest land
in the State of Washington. While
forest practices are regulated, the
continuing decline of salmon
triggered a second look at the
adequacy of those regulations. They
ultimately proved to be inadequate.
The EPA joined other federal and
state agencies, counties, tribes, and
forest landowners to re-evaluate the
regulations. The goal was to meet
both the Endangered Species Act
and the Clean Water Act, while
recovering harvestable levels of
salmon and timber. The parties met
the goals through a long and
difficult, but ultimately successful
negotiation. The new agreement
provides:
• 180 feet of stream side vegetative
buffers
• protection for small streams
• additional restrictions on logging
steep slopes
- Long Island Garbage Barge Wanders East Coast, rejected from landfills in 5 states.
- Lead Contamination Control Act
-------
• inventories, prioritization and
repair of forest roads
• increased enforcement
• reclassification of some streams
• funding tribal involvement
• and, continuing evaluations on the
success of the new rules.
Forest practices in the State of
Washington are now among the
most stringent in the nation, and are
the result of stakeholders
negotiating in good faith to protect
the ecosystem.
There will always be challenges
when we attempt to balance
environmental protection with
economic activities and the needs of
communities. Effective solutions to
environmental problems require the
cooperation and involvement of
many groups who have a wide range
of interests. We must work together
to examine these challenges from an
ecosystem approach. Looking not
only at legal and scientific efforts to
protect the environment, but the
social and economic needs of people
as well.
River and Stream Quality Assessment - Support of Aquatic Life
From the 1998 305b Report to Congress
100 r
Good
Good (Threatened)
Fair
Poor
Impaired (Multiple uses)
Impairment for multiple uses
may include Supporting
Aquatic Life and Swimming
State (Percentage of Rivers and Streams Assessed)
For more details visit - http://www.epa.gov/305b/98report/
- Exxon Valdez Oil Spill on Alaskan Coast
- Toxic Release Inventory Available to Public
- Love Canal Declared
-------
EPA REGION 10 1999 ANNUAL REPORT
Habitable, Home Sales Begin - Pollution Prevention Act - Oil Pollution Act - Clean Air Act Amendments address
-------
Hi If BY
Many Countries — One World
PLAIT
World events have changed our view of the potential for
disaster awaiting an unprepared nation. Bhopal, India -
1984: 43 tons of toxic gases escape from a factory killing
two thousand people. Chernobyl - 1986: Uncontrolled
nuclear reaction spreads radiation across Northern
Europe. Kuwait - 1991: Oil fields set aflame by
retreating Iraqi troops, blacken middle eastern skies. For
weeks, even months, they brought us to an awareness of
what a small, vulnerable place the world really is. But
for all their special notoriety, they might also have
diverted our attention from more common, everyday
releases of pollutants into the global environment.
Two important lessons we have learned from these global
tragedies: Lack of safeguards on human activities can
Regional EPA specialists advised Saudi Arabian leaders on an
environmentally sound relocation of this treated water outfall pipe.
Sewage in the Red Sea
The City ofJeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia sought
the expertise of EPA scientists and engineers in the design of
a wastewater treatment plant on the shores of the Red Sea.
The Saudi government's Meteorological and Environmental
Protection Administration faced the task of determining the
effects of releasing the treated waste water into the adjacent
coral seas.
Recognizing the expertise of the United States Environmental
Protection Agency in evaluating sewage treatment plants, the
Saudi government requested a team of specialists to review
the proposed outfall design. Three EPA employees were
dispatched to Jeddah at the expense of the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia.
After studying maps, oceanographic reports, discharge
estimates, and design plans, the three EPA team members
used a computer simulation to estimate how the treated
wastewater would dilute in the coastal sea, and where it
would travel. The simulation results proved very useful to
the Saudis in their decision making processes, supporting the
extension of the outfall pipe and additional lengthy diffuser.
In addition to providing a simulation of the anticipated
effects, the EPA team also proposed effluent monitoring, an
impact study of the coastal coral reef, and a training
program which would further develop the technical expertise
in Saudi Arabia.
result in environmental and human disaster; and large
scale environmental contamination and its associated
impacts do not stop at international borders.
acid rain, air toxics and stratospheric ozone.
Environmental Education Act
- Federal Recycling and Procurement
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EPA REGION 10 1999 ANNUAL REPORT
The world is interconnected.
Whether it's put in environmental,
economic, or social terms, how we
manufacture, consume and dispose
of goods eventually affects other
people in other lands. It could be
the transport of airborne pollutants,
trade in endangered species, loss of
habitat to deforestation, or ocean-
dumping of toxic wastes. Actions
affecting the environment in a
remote corner of the world can have
an adverse impact in the United
States.
A Win Win Situation
The EPA's dedication to solving
complex environmental challenges
extends beyond U.S. borders. EPA
is actively involved with partners in
foreign countries that will yeild a
"win-win" for all countries.
For example, we know that the
Pacific Northwest contributes so-
called greenhouse gases (e.g. CO2)
that have led to global climate
change. We also know that others
outside this region contribute to this
global environmental problem,
affecting our weather and other
natural systems. Similarly, domestic
and foreign activities contribute to
stratospheric ozone depletion, which
may lead to increased incidences of
skin cancers, cataracts, and other
health and welfare concerns. By
engaging our international
colleagues in discussions, we hope
to find solutions to reducing
greenhouse gas emissions and ozone
depleting chemicals that will be of
mutual benefit for all.
Closer to home, our record of
cooperation with our Canadian
neighbors in addressing trans-border
environmental issues continues to
grow. We regularly work
U.S. and Canada
Marine Ecosystem Partners
EPA Administrator, Carol Browner and Environment
Canada's Minister, David Anderson, signed a Joint Statement
of Cooperation on the Georgia Basin and Puget Sound
Ecosystem, in January, 2000. This Statement of
Cooperation between the U.S. and Canada is the first
bilateral agreement to address the two marine basins as one
ecosystem.
The Puget Sound, Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Straight of
Georgia, are three basins that together form a larger
ecosystem. As the largest marine estuary in North America,
the Georgia Basin-Puget Sound region is one of the most
ecologically diverse, containing a wide range of
internationally significant species and habitats.
As the current regional population of six million moves
toward an estimated nine to eleven million by 2020, planning
for sustainable growth will be essential to maintaining a
balance between development and environmental health.
The Statement of Cooperation has been developed to provide
for improved trans-border cooperation, priority-setting and
information exchange throughout the ecosystem.
In 1996, The Province of British Columbia and the State of
Washington committed to cooperative efforts on
environmental matters on the Puget Sound/Georgia Basin
ecosystem, resulting in the identification of priority issues
through assigned international task forces. The EPA and
Environment Canada will join in these protection strategies
for managing a shared marine ecosystem.
Areas of major concern include:
• Minimizing estuarine habitat loss;
• Establishing marine protected areas;
' Protecting marine plants and animals;
• Minimizing exotic species introduction:
• Joint monitoring and research;
• More effective controls on toxic wastes releases
The Georgia Basin to the North and the Puget Sound to the
South Are Now Cooperatively Managed by the United States and
Canada
Pacific
Ocean
The cooperative agreement also allows both Federal
governments to engage in projects to address air quality issues,
growth and transportation issues, and climate change.
Policy
- Saddam Hussein Orders 7 million barrels of oil dumped into Persian Gulf - Earth Summit held in Rio de
-------
cooperatively on issues related to
salmon, water quality, air quality
and chemical management.
We also devote a small fraction of
our resources to helping others
around the world. Over the past
three years, we have sent our
experts to more than twenty
countries providing assistance to
deal with the often profound
environmental problems they face.
The expense to the U.S. is minimal.
The host country pays for all travel
and operation expenses, while the
EPA contributes technical experts.
As an alternative, we have met with
officials from more than 35
countries during their visits to the
United States, with whom we share
our environmental management
experiences.
Benefits for Region 10
For the many benefits that this
modest investment yields, it is
clearly worthwhile. Our efforts
often lead to direct improvements in
the health and welfare of people in
host countries. Building capacity in
foreign environmental programs
leads to more efficient use of these
countries' precious natural
resources. Our involvement in
technical pollution control issues
often opens doors to the purchase of
American environmental products
and services, stimulating our
economy. And as host countries
begin to shoulder the real costs of
responsible environmental
stewardship, the increased price of
their products results in a more level
international marketplace.
Among all the benefits to the United
States, perhaps the most subtle are
the experiences our employees bring
back. In working with people
elsewhere under difficult,
sometimes desperate circumstances,
we get ideas for new, often low-tech
solutions that can be applied to
some of the problems we encounter
here.
'aneiro, Brazil drawing 178 nations - EPA reports that secondhand smoke is a serious risk to non-smokers. - American
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EPA REGION 10 1999 ANNUAL REPORT
Bald Eagle population increase leads to listing upgrade, from Endangered to Threatened - President Clinton, orders
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Sustainable Business Prac
"A sustainable United States will have a growing economy that provides equitable opportunities for satisfying
livelihoods and a safe, healthy, high quality of life for current and future generations. Our nation will protect its
environment, its natural resource base, and the functions and viability of natural systems on which all life depends."
The President's Council on Sustainable Development
The Unmistakable Problem
Our industrial system
transforms natural resources
into nearly all of the products
and services that we use—our
food, our cars, our computers.
These products ultimately
return to the environment.
This flow of materials, usually
in an altered form, from nature
to the economy and back is
fundamental to our society.
According to the World
Resources Institute, the
weekly per person consumption of natural resources is
equal to 300 shopping bags filled with materials
Energy Efficiency = Savings
A business can change its processes to save money and
protect the environment. It is also less vulnerable to
government regulations. These types of investments are
generally low-risk and high-yield. The U.S. EPA's Energy
Star and ClimateWise programs have shown that switching
to energy efficient technologies can save millions of dollars.
Businesses in Region 10, saved over $21 million dollars
through these programs by using technologies such as
compact flourescent lamps, solar energy, and non-toxic
materials. These companies made themselves more
competitive, and more attractive to environmentally
conscious consumers.
weighing as much as a large
luxury car. In fact, a recent
study says that for developing
countries to duplicate the
"American" standard of living
will take in excess of three
planet Earth's worth of
resources. Short of mounting
a massive space exploration
program, living within the
carrying capacity of this planet
is certainly a more cost
effective and sustainable
option.
government agencies to make environmental justice part of their mission. - Food Quality Protection Act addresses impact of
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EPA REGION 10 1999 ANNUAL REPORT
The Road to Sustainable Business
Practices
EPA and businesses have a history
of interactions which span a range
from antagonistic through
synergistic. Before the 1970's,
corporations were generally
unprepared for the "command and
control" approach to environmental
protection. There were no industry
goals for environmental
performance. During the 1970's,
with the increasing attention to
environmental issues and the
creation of the EPA, the corporate
response was generally viewed as
"reactive," in part to regulatory
standards being created and
enforced. During the 1980's, the
industry goal was motivated mainly
by avoiding additional costs.
Companies stressed Total Quality
Environmental Management and
Stakeholder Participation.
Beginning in the 1990's, the
industry goal was to adopt the "eco-
efficient" profit-center approach.
Industries began using strategic
environmental management
systems, product stewardship,
design for the environment, and
environmental cost accounting. The
"Sustainable Development" era
ahead, will be characterized by
integrating sustainability principles.
The price of goods and services
usually do not include
environmental impact costs. There
are few, if any, "sustainable"
choices for the consumer, and often
they are more expensive. For this
reason, the Region 10 Evergreen
program honors companies which
integrate pollution prevention into
business planning. Fifteen
Corporations, because they are the
dominant institution on the planet,
must squarely address the social and
environmental problems that affect
humankind.
Paul Hawken,
co-founder of Smith & Hawken, and
author, The Ecology of Commerce
companies have been honored in the
past 4 years with Evergreen awards
after demonstrating a commitment
to the environment, achieving
environmental results through
pollution prevention and providing
greener purchasing options for the
public. If businesses can offer
consumers choices which support a
healthy environment, they ultimately
protect the source from which all
revenue flows— the planet's natural
resources.
In Region 10, our philosophy is that
the best way to prevent pollution is
to move up the waste management
hierarchy towards source reduction.
Source reduction means reducing or
eliminating the creation of wastes at
the source. Changes in materials,
practices, processes or design are
the key to source reduction.
However, a recent poll of 137
businesses in the Pacific Northwest
show that less than 1% of
businesses employ eco-efficiency.
Clearly, there is much to be done to
educate and encourage business to
adopt cost-saving measures which
also protect the environment.
pesticides on children's health - EPA establishes the Office of Children's Health Protection - EPA announces Clean
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Eco-Efficiency May Not Be
Enough
Pollution prevention, waste
minimization and source reduction
are extremely important practices
for the business sector and cost
savings, for the small number of
businesses which employ them,
have been substantial. A growing
number of observers, however,
suggest that these eco-efficiency
practices, while significant, may not
be enough. Robert M. Day of the
World Resources Institute states that
"Eco-efficiency excellence will be
necessary, but not sufficient, for
doing business in the next
millennium." He points out that
eco-efficiency is a valuable concept
both for society and business
because it is in everyone's interest to
drive waste out of our economic
systems. Global trends, however,
indicate that we are not even coming
close to achieving what is needed
for sustainable development. The
goal of sustainability is slipping
further from our grasp.
Individual Choices are the Key
Meaningful steps towards
sustainability for the business sector
can mean many different things.
From steps taken to improve
efficiency and eliminate waste all
the way to complete redesign of the
way a company does business. One
thing is clear, no business activity
can be truly sustainable without
being profitable. All major federal
environmental laws are based upon
the constitutional power of the
Commerce Clause. EPA's
environmental regulatory authority
only extends within the parameters
allowed by the rules and statutes as
passed by Congress.
Most of the environmental problems
are not caused by a polluting factory
which can be simply permited to
pollute less. It will take a holstic
approach to environmental
protection, working in concert with
sustainability business leaders,
transforming the current system by
designing products in a whole new
way.
You, as a consumer, can drive this
change. Personal choices of
consumers (what we buy, how we
travel, where we live) actually
create more of an impact than all
industrial sources combined. In the
Pacific Northwest, most air
pollution is caused by wood smoke
and automobiles. The portion of air
pollution from large facilities is
small in comparison. For more
information about the power of
personal choices, please visit
Region 10's Sustainability Website
at www.epa.gov/rlOearth/
sustainability. The choices you
make will shape our environmental
future.
Energy Efficiency Is A Superior Investment
40%
Small Company
Stocks
Common Stocks
Long Term
Corporate Bonds
U.S. T-Bills
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Consumers, businesses, and
organizations have a tremendous
opportunity to make smarter
equipment purchansing and
investment decisions. Thousands of
equipment purchases are made every
day. People tend to buy the
equipment that is the least efficient,
thereby committing themselves to
higher energy bills for the next 10 to
20 years, depending on the life of the
equipment. At the same time, buyers
overlook the investment opportunities
represented by the more efficient
equipment - investment opportunities
with more than double the return on
investment of other common options,
such as money markets or U.S.
Treasury bonds (see figure at left).
Richard, S., Hardy, B., Von Neida, B., and P. Mihlmester. 1998. The Investment Risk in Whole Building Energy-Efficiency Upgrade Projects. In the
Proceedings of the 1998 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings.
We are all responsible for this planet, but business must take the lead because only business has the global reach, the innovative
capability, the capital, and most important, the market motivation to develop the technologies that will allow the world to truly
achieve sustainable development.
Harry Pearce, Vice-Chairman of General Motors
Water Action Pla
Underground fuel tanks nation-wide must meet strict standards, protecting groundwater.
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Region 10
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Sixth Avenue
(EXA-124)
Seattle, WA 98101
http://www.epa.gov/rlOearth
Public Environmental Resource Center
(800) 424-4EPA, (206) 553-1200
E-mail: epa-seattle@epa.gov
REMEMBER THE PAST • PROTECT THE FUTURE
30 YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
EPA Region 10
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Oregon Operations Office, Portland
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Idaho Operations Office, Boise
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