United States
Environmental Protection
Agency New England
December 2005
Environmental News in New England
Dear Municipal
Leader:
I am pleased to offer you the
second edition of EPA New
England's Local Landscape. As
this is the first newsletter since
the Gulf Coast hurricanes—it
is highly focused on emergency
response and preparedness.
A study completed in mid-
November by New York Univer-
sity found that most Americans
are no better prepared for a
disaster than they were before
the hurricanes and are gener-
ally unaware of local response
plans for disasters.
Recognizing that local gov-
ernment is on the critical front-
line of any emergency response
effort, we encourage you to con-
tinue to improve your emergency
plans and capabilities. Most
importantly, share information
on your local disaster response
plans with the citizens of your
community.
We look forward to helping
you achieve these goals and
hope that you find this informa-
tion helpful.
Sincerely,
Robert W. Varney
Administrator
EPA New England Office
An Inside Look at EPA's Hurricane
Response Efforts
Debris from Hurricane Katrina was esti-
mated at 22 million tons—more than any
American city produces in one year.
EPA personnel and contractors were
some of the first relief workers on the
scene just before and immediately af-
ter Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf
Coast on August 29. EPA has over
1,200 employees and contractors cur-
rently working on the relief efforts,
and EPA's New England office has sent
almost 50 people to the region.
EPA's expertise was called upon to
address issues including: chemical and
oil contamination; water, air and sedi-
ment monitoring; performing wastewa-
ter and drinking water system assess-
ments; setting up household hazardous
waste collection and debris removal
operations, and informing citizens of
health and environmental concerns.
Working with numerous other federal
agencies and state and local emergency
response personnel, relief efforts have
been ongoing virtually around the clock
since the Hurricanes struck.
Most people are unaware that because
EPA was able to staff 67 boats during
continued on next page
INSIDE
• Secure Your Drinking Water
• A Team Succeeds in Taunton
• Power of Partnerships
• Chemical Accident Prevention
• Safe Winter Roads
• Getting Money at Grants.gov
• Watershed Resources
• Flu-Planning Summits
Safe and Secure
Drinking Water
The matter of drinking water security
has been taken seriously by commu-
nity public water systems across New
England. Nearly all community water
utilities have assessed their vulner-
abilities to terrorists or to other inten-
tional acts of contamination, and have
updated their emergency response
plans. Recent events across the country
have also shown us the importance of
continued on page 3
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EPA's Hurricane Response Efforts
(cont.) the first days after
Hurricane Katrina, the
agency joined the pri-
ority effort of rescuing
flood victims and taking
them to safety. Second
only to the Coast Guard,
EPA personnel were re-
sponsible for saving be-
tween 800-1000 flood
victims.
One of EPA's most
critical missions was to
help perform assessments
of wastewater treatment
plants and public drink-
ing water systems. After the devastat-
ing hurricanes severely damaged or
wiped out the infrastructure of numer-
ous public works facilities, helping to
bring these essential services back on
line became one of the region's highest
priorities. Currently, all but the hardest
hit systems are operating in Louisiana,
Texas, Mississippi and Alabama.
Most people have read about the
tremendous amount of debris that was
left behind by the wrath of the hurri-
EPA contractor sampling
floochvaters several weeks after
Hurricane Katrina struck.
canes. EPA's largest
task, and one that may
continue for at least an-
other year, is to support
the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers' debris re-
moval, separation and
recycling efforts.
The debris statis-
tics are staggering:
360,000 cars; 60,000
boats; 350,000 refriger-
ators and other "white
goods"; and millions
of containers of house-
hold hazardous wastes
such as pesticides, bleach, paints and
detergents. The amount of debris in the
region is more than existing landfills
can hold and more than any American
city produces in one year—estimated
at approximately 22 million tons.
To the greatest extent possible, re-
sponse personnel are working to keep
dangerous chemicals from the debris
out of landfills. The Army Corps of
Engineers with EPA's support has set
up massive household hazardous waste
collection and disposal operations
throughout the region and is working
to remove freon from refrigerators, oil
and gas from cars and boats and mer-
cury from thermostats.
Most towns and parishes in the re-
gion removed the enormous amount of
"green waste" (i.e., downed trees and
branches) that blocked roads and land-
ed in yards. Fire officials quickly set
up makeshift high volume incinerators
and burned most of the green waste.
For more information, visitwww.epa.
gov/katrina/index.html
Free Mold Resources
Flooding issues in New England
and especially along the Gulf Coast
have elevated mold as an issue of
concern to local governments. In
addition, publications on mold in
schools and public buildings have
been highly sought after by local
officials visiting EPA s booth at
municipal trade shows across New
England. For a complete resource
guide to mold, visit: www.epa.gov/
iaq/molds/moldresources. html
Emergency Response in Taunton, MA
Luckily, the Gulf Coast hurricanes had
only minimal effects on New Eng-
land's weather, although record rain
this fall created several incidents that
called federal, state and local emergen-
cy personnel into coordinated response
actions. The near potential collapse of
the Whittenton Pond Dam in Taunton,
Mass, was one of the most serious inci-
dents caused by the wet weather.
The Whittenton Pond Dam, a Civil
War era wooden dam, was in serious
danger of collapsing due to the unre-
lenting floods and rain in September
and October. Fearing a catastrophic
release of water from the pond, lo-
cal officials ordered the evacuation of
susceptible areas downstream includ-
ing most of downtown Taunton.
On October 18, one of EPA's on-
scene-coordinators was deployed to
Taunton and integrated into a unified
Incident Management Team comprised
of personnel from the Massachusetts
Department of Environmental Protection,
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the
Federal Emergency Management Agency
and local police and fire officials.
The emergency response team cre-
ated a potential inundation map and
plotted all of the EPA-regulated facili-
ties that were using or storing hazard-
ous materials. The at-risk facilities
were contacted by MA DEP to ensure
they were taking the appropriate steps
to secure the materials.
One silversmith facility that straddles
the Mill River directly downstream of the
Dam, was of particular concern. EPA,
MA DEP, and Taunton Fire Department
personnel visited the facility and worked
with employees to move hazardous mate-
rial drums and containers to safer areas.
Several days later local officials
began to pump water from the pond
around the dam to relieve the pressure.
Luckily, the rains subsided and the dam
held—but the exemplary coordinated
response ensured the protection of the
citizens of Taunton and the integrity of
the Mill River. Learn more about EPA
New England's emergency response
capabilities, visit:www.epa.gov/ne/su-
perfund/er/erindex.htm
— 2 —
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The Power of Partnerships: Interagency Collaboration Can
Make or Break an Emergency Response Effort
by Linda J. Colangelo
To recognize the value of community
disaster response plans, look no further
than the small town of Plainfield, a rural
community of northeastern Connecti-
cut, boasting four villages and a popu-
lation of nearly 15,000. Three days of
continuous news coverage put the town
on the map this past spring when the
abandoned InterRoyal Mill roared back
to life in the form of a massive fire.
After supporting a variety of manu-
facturing businesses from textiles to
furniture for nearly a century, the mill
was abandoned in 1995 and became
a regular target for vandalism. Resi-
dents grew increasingly worried over
the threat of a mill fire.
The EPA evaluated the 16.6-acre
mill site in September 1995 and by No-
vember of the same year began remov-
al of various contaminants including
PCBs, cyanide, bulk chemical waste,
transfer oils, and contaminated wood
and asbestos.
In 2001, local health officials from
the Northeast District Department of
Health received a grant from the Na-
tional Association of City and County
Health Officials (NACCHO) to con-
duct an environmental health educa-
tion needs assessment at the InterRoy-
al Mill. This project lead to increased
community awareness about the risks
posed by the mill, greater interagency
networking between federal, state, and
local officials, and the development of
a town evacuation plan in the vicinity
of the mill.
All of those planning efforts re-
vealed their value on the night of Tues-
day, April 26, 2005, when the northern
third of the mill was consumed by a
spectacular blaze that burned for days
and required the evacuation of some
forty families. The fire also deposited
potentially asbestos-contaminated de-
bris over an area approximately five
continued on next page
Drinking Water
(cont. from pg. 1) security aware-
ness and emergency preparedness in
mitigating the harsh effects of other
emergencies such as hurricanes,
blackouts, and acts of vandalism.
Quite simply, safe drinking water
sustains life.
EPA New England believes that
the job of water safety and security
doesn't begin at the door of the water
supplier. It takes a community to pre-
pare for water emergencies. So let's
do a quick check-in: Do you know
about the vulnerabilities of your
water systems? Do you know where
your sensitive populations are with-
in your community? Have you met
with your water utilities to coordinate
on emergency response plans? Have
you shared 24/7 emergency contacts
and numbers? Have you conducted a
community-wide drinking water
emergency drill? If the answer is
'no' to any one of the questions, we
encourage you to follow our Top
Ten Ways to Secure Drinking
Water. «5* (see list at right)
Top Ten Ways
to Secure Drinking Water
identify cri
9. Incorporate the utilities personnel into the community's
8. Inform utilities of any potential threats or incidents
7. Help establish "Citizen Watches" for nearby drinking water
facilities and sources
6. Support security upgrades for water utilities
5. Include utility facilities and water supplies in routine '
inspections and patrols
ully investigate vandalism ortam
3. Develop c<
critical contact lis
2. Work with utilities on vulnerability assessments
1. Prepare to respond to water emergencies by
practicing your ~™~"-"•-"-•
— 3 —
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EPA Enforcement Focuses on Chemical Accident Prevention
In the wake of the Gulf Coast Hur-
ricanes, and recent flooding in New
Hampshire and Taunton, Mass., emer-
gency responders relied heavily on
chemical management databases for
determining reconnaissance and re-
sponse priorities. Having up-to-date
and accurate information about chem-
ical storage and releases is not just an
important environmental concern, it
is vital for national security and the
health and welfare of citizens that live
near the facilities.
Five recent EPA legal actions have
focused on chemical emergency re-
sponse and prevention. As a result of
the cases, the facilities face penalties
and have spent more than $1.5 million
in safety improvements.
EPA's legal actions were taken
against the following MA and NH
companies:
• Crystal Warehouse Corporation,
Wilmington, MA, which stores hydroflu-
oric acid, agreed to pay $17,973 to settle
claims that it violated federal chemical
inventory reporting regulations.
• On September 23, EPA issued a
complaint proposing that Nova Chemi-
cals, Indian Orchard, MA, pay $39,663
for alleged violations found during an
investigation of a 2004 chemical acci-
dent that released 4,500 pounds of sty-
rene monomer to the environment.
• On September 30, EPA sought
a $113,640 penalty from Callahan
Chemical Company, Walpole, MA,
for its failure to prevent and mitigate
two releases of acetone. Among other
things, EPA found the company failed
to notify the Local Emergency Plan-
ning Committee of the release.
• Northeast Refrigerated Terminals,
Middleboro, MA, agreed on Septem-
ber 27, 2005 to pay $18,045 and spend
an additional $30,000 to make environ-
mental improvements after anhydrous
ammonia was released from a faulty
valve at the facility in April 2004.
EPA's complaint cited the company for
its failure to: have a risk management
program; notify the National Response
Center of the release; and file required
chemical inventory forms.
• OSRAM SYLVANIA Products,
Exeter, NH, agreed to pay $14,000 to
settle claims that it violated federal
clean air and chemical release notifi-
cation rules after an accidental release
of hydrofluoric acid in May 2003.
To view the press release on this topic
visit: www.epa.gov/regionl/pr/2005/
nov/sr051102.html
Interagency Collaboration (cont.)
InterRoyal Fire - April 26, 2005 /Photo by Robert Kerr
(cont. frompg. 3) miles long by one-half
mile wide. In addition to 22 fire compa-
nies, dozens of federal, state, regional,
and local agencies responded to the fire,
each bringing an important solution to
the emergency response effort.
The EPA worked around the clock
with these officials to keep accurate
information flowing between agencies,
and to develop important messages for
the community.
The lessons learned in Plainfield
may have far-reaching effects. As a re-
sult of the InterRoyal blaze, Connecti-
cut Governor M. Jodi Rell has ordered
the Department of Emergency Manage-
ment and Homeland Security to gather
detailed information on nearly 75 aban-
doned mills in the state.
"Fire at the InterRoyal mill site
wasn't a case of if; it was when," said
Patricia Beckenhaupt, Director of
Health for NDDH. "Thanks to prudent
action and positive partnerships early
on, plans were in place and officials
knew what to do. EPA Administrator
Robert Varney is right on target in urg-
ing local officials to focus on emer-
gency plans and capabilities. In times
of crisis, constituents will seek out
trusted authorities. Municipal leaders
must be ready." «5*
Linda J. Colangelo is the Public Infor-
mation Officer for the Northeast District
Department of Health and served as a lead
spokesperson during the fire.
— 4 —
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Safe Winter Roads and the Environment
With a little training and some inexpen-
sive new tools, road crews can help save
money, reduce environmental damage,
and most importantly, save lives.
Use the Right Material: Most
towns in New England use a mixture of
sand and salt on their roads. Towns like
sand because it has a low up-front cost
and is perceived to be environmentally
friendly. Studies have shown though,
that sand is ineffective except in a
handful of low-speed situations. Sand
must be removed from catch basins and
curbs and properly disposed of after the
winter is over, which is an expensive
proposition for even the smallest town.
Furthermore, sand contributes to both
air and water pollution.
Use the Right Amount: The num-
ber one factor in knowing how much
salt to apply is the surface temperature
of the road, which can be 20 degrees
different from the air temperature. With
salt prices increasing by almost 50%
last year, using the appropriate amount
of salt is good for the environment and
the bottom line. DPWs that invest in
some inexpensive infrared thermom-
eters for their trucks often find they
pay off in just one storm. Along with
properly calibrated spreaders, these
thermometers are the most effective
salt reduction tools.
copy of
EPA's
Winter Roads Fact
Sheet at: www.epa.gov/ne
Apply it at the Right Place: A
shaded section of road may need more
salt than a non-shaded area, just as
bridges may need to be treated differ-
ently. Hills and curves need special at-
tention as well.
Apply it at the Right Time: "Get
out early," says John Wilson, Highway
Operations Supervisor in Concord,
MA. Concord, which has an aggres-
sive anti-icing policy, starts applying
salt and other chemicals well before the
first flakes fly. This keeps snow from
bonding with the pavement, and gives
it a mealy, easy-to-plow consistency.
Not only does the town use less salt
than it did before anti-icing, but it has
seen savings in labor and fuel and an
improvement in customer satisfaction.
For more information, visit: www.epa.
gov/adminweb/naturalevents/snow-
ice .html#highway s
Directory of Watershed Resources
The New England Environmental
Finance Center (NEEFC) offers an on-
line Directory of Watershed Resources.
The directory is a
free, searchable
database of envi-
ronmental fund-
ing programs and
other support. It
provides up-to-date information on as-
sistance available from federal and state
government, private foundations, cor-
porations and other organizations. The
directory includes nearly 300 programs
with a New England focus in addition
to over 320 national funding/assistance
sources. Programs listed in the directo-
ry support a wide range of environmen-
tal activities including watershed res-
toration, land conservation, water and
wastewater projects, capacity building
This directory includes
nearly 300 programs
with a New England focus.
and education. The NEEFC is a uni-
versity-based research, education, and
public service program aimed at help-
ing EPA's constit-
uencies find finan-
cially successful
approaches to
environmental
improvements.
NEEFC is housed within the Muskie
School of the University of South-
ern Maine in Portland, and is part
of a network of nine EPA-sup-
ported centers distributed through-
out the country that focus on en-
vironmental financing issues.
For more information on the Water-
shed Directory or Plan2Fund, or
about NEEFC in general, contact
Will Johnston, 207-228-8356, or
wjohnston@usm.maine.edu
Financial Assistance
for Local
Governments
Grants.gov allows organizations to
electronically find and apply for com-
petitive grant opportunities from all
Federal grant-making agencies, in-
cluding EPA. Grants.gov is the single
access point for over 1,000 grant pro-
grams offered by the 26 federal grant-
making agencies.
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Health and Human Services Secretary
Michael Leavitt Announces Local
Flu-Planning Summits
Federal Health officials announced
on December 5 that pandemic influ-
enza-planning meetings will be held
in all 50 states over the next four
months to help bolster national pre-
paredness for a possible outbreak of
deadly avian flu. HHS Secretary Mi-
chael Leavitt announced the plan at
a national conference where health
officials were fine-tuning commu-
nity-response plans for the influenza
threat. Because local communities
will bear the brunt of pandemic flu
response efforts, Leavitt urged all
segments of the community to de-
velop plans to address such issues
as absenteeism, work stoppages, and
shortages of resources. For more in-
formation, visit: www.pandemicflu.
gov/plan/convening .html
EPA New England has been
reaching out to state and local drink-
ing water operators and other envi-
ronmental service professionals on
this important issue. For more infor-
mation on this issue, contact Sheryl
Rosner in EPA NE's public affairs
office at: rosner.sheryl@epa.gov
EPA New England Local
Government Office
EPA New England
1 Congress Street
Suite 1100
Boston, MA 02114-2023
(617)918-1021
(fax) (617)918-0021
gutro.doug@epa.gov
Editor
Douglas Gutro
EPA Contributors
Christopher Orlando, Sheryl Rosner,
Dave Deegan and Jane Downing
Northeast District Department
of Health
Linda Colangelo
EPA-901-N-05-003
December 2005
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Environmental Protection
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