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YEAR IN REVIEW
2018
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ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Issued Major Proposals Including the Affordable Clean Energy Rule, the SAFE Vehicles Rule, and the
New Waters of the U.S. Definition
Provided Greater Regulatory Certainty to States, Tribes, Localities, and the Regulated Community
Streamlined the Effectiveness and Efficiency of EPA
Launched Cross-Agency Initiatives to Improve Risk Communication on Emerging Contaminants and
Vulnerable Populations
Initiated Multiple Actions to Reduce Lead Exposure, Including Releasing the Federal Lead Action Plan
Improved Enforcement Compliance and Assistance
Held the Agency's First-Ever PFAS National Leadership Summit and Inaugural Recycling Day Summit
Led International Environmental Efforts, Including First-Ever Articles to Prevent and Reduce Marine
Litter
Ensured Comprehensive and Coordinated Responses to Multiple Natural Disasters
BY THE NUMBERS:
REGULATORY REFORM: 13 dereaulatorv actions were finalized in 2018. To date, under President Trump,
EPA has finalized 33 maior dereaulatorv actions saving Americans almost $2 billion.
AIR: EPA reported that, during President Trump's first year in office, greenhouse gas emissions from major
industrial sources decreased bv 2.7 percent.
WATER: By the end of 2018, EPA closed seven WIFIA loans totaling nearly $2 billion to help finance over
$4 billion for water infrastructure projects and create up to 6,000 jobs.
LAND: EPA deleted all or part of 22 sites from Superfund's National Priorities List in FY 2018 - the largest
number of deletions in one year since FY 2005.
CHEMICALS: After inheriting a "backlog" of 672 new chemical submissions pending review in January
2017, under President Trump, EPA aggressively worked to improve the review of new chemical submissions
and, as a result, eliminated the initial backlog and reduced the number of cases pending review to 475
submissions bv August 2018. EPA completed 99.7 percent of the 2.199 pesticide registration actions on-
time, registered 23 new active ingredients and 147 new uses of existing pesticides, providing new tools
to growers to meet their pest management needs.
ENFORCEMENT: In FY 2018, EPA enforcement actions required the treatment, disposal, or elimination of
809 million pounds of pollutants and waste - almost twice as much as FY 2017. The Agency also entered
into the largest settlement in the history of EPA's enforcement of the Risk Management Program with the
responsible party spending $150 million on major safety improvements.
GRANTS: EPA awarded $4.451.520.905 in grants in FY 2018 including more than $63 million under the
General Assistance Program, benefiting nearly all federally recognized tribes through awards to 500 tribal
governments and approximately 25 intertribal consortia, $4.344 million in State and Tribal Assistance Grants,
and 37 environmental education grants totaling $3.306.760 in 32 states to 13 colleges and universities,
23 stakeholder organizations, and one tribal community.
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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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INTRODUCTION:
EPA ACTING ADMINISTRATOR
ANDREW WHEELER
Over the past year, the Trump Administration has continued to deliver on its promises to the
American public. Not only are the economic prospects of Americans brighter and improving
by the day, but so are environmental and public health conditions. Under President Trump,
America is on a path to a stronger, safer, and cleaner future. This report highlights key steps we
have taken to achieve this goal and to protect the environment and public health.
In 2018, we have been particularly focused on providing greater certainty to the American
public: certainty in our EPA programs; certainty to the states, tribes, and local governments; and
certainty on how we communicate risk. The American public have a right to know the truth about
the risks they face in their daily lives and how we are responding. It is our responsibility to explain
it to them clearly and consistently.
The reality is that low-income, minority, or disadvantaged Americans are those most often
impacted by environmental hazards or most likely to live near contaminated lands. It is these
Americans that we are most focused on. I am especially proud to report that, in FY 2018, EPA
deleted all or part of 22 sites from Superfund's National Priorities List, the largest number of
deletions in one year since FY 2005. By cleaning up these toxic sites, we are returning the land
to productive use and improving the lives of nearby residents.
In the same vein, we are taking multiple steps to protect our children from the dangers of lead
exposure, such as collaborating with our federal partners to release the new Federal Lead Action
Plan, proposing stronger dust-lead hazard standards, working to update the lead and copper rule
for the first time in two decades, and using our financing and grant programs to upgrade water
infrastructure. We also launched common-sense reforms to reduce air pollution, such as the
Cleaner Trucks Initiative, and we held two historic events: the Agency's first-ever PFAS National
Leadership Summit and the inaugural Recycling Day Summit.
On top of this, we continue to deliver on President Trump's regulatory reform agenda. In 2018,
we finalized 13 major deregulatory actions, saving Americans almost $2 billion in regulatory
costs. We announced an additional 49 deregulatory actions that are in development, and we
issued three major regulatory proposals: the Affordable Clean Energy rule, the Safer Affordable
Fuel Efficient Vehicles rule, and our new waters of the U.S. definition. Together, these actions will
provide states and the regulated community the certainty they need to invest in new technologies
that can improve both the economy and the environment.
Internally, we've made great strides to make EPA more efficient and effective. Shortly after
becoming Acting Administrator, I held an Agency-wide all-hands address. I promised to listen
to and work closely with all EPA employees as we work to improve how we carry out our
responsibilities. To uphold that commitment, I visited all ten of our regional offices and held a
question and answer session at each office. The insights I gleaned from EPA staff during those
visits greatly informed our accomplishments. One such example is our regional realignment,
which will dramatically improve our interactions with states and the regulated community.
We are proud of the progress we've made in 2018, and I know that none of it would be possible
without our talented and dedicated EPA staff. More work remains to be done, but I'm confident
that we will continue to improve how we carry out our vital task of protecting human health and
the environment for all Americans.
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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YEAR in REVIEW
TABLE of CONTENTS
Accomplishments 1
Introduction: EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler 2
Regulatory Reform 4
Air 4
Water 9
Land 11
Chemicals 15
Enforcement 17
Natural Disaster, Preparedness, Response & Recovery 20
International & Tribal Affais 22
Research & Development 24
Children's Health 25
Agency Reform 29
EPAAcross the Country 31
Region 1 31
Region 2 32
Region 3 33
Region 4 34
Region 5 36
Region 6 37
Region 7 38
Region 8 39
Region 9 40
Region 10 41
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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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REGULATORY REFORM
Under President Trump, EPA has made tremendous
progress reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens. In
the last year, EPA finalized 13 major deregulatory actions
- a rate of at least one rule a month. The Agency nearly
doubled its cost-savings goals for the year and easily met
the 2-for-1 requirement per President Trump's Executive
Order 13771. Since President Trump took office, EPA has
finalized 33 major deregulatory actions, saving Americans
almost $2 billion in regulatory costs.
For FY 2019, EPA proposed a regulatory budget that
anticipates saving a total of $818 million in regulatory
costs. Additionally, the Fall 2018 Regulatory Agenda
included 45 actions that are expected to be deregulatory
- 34 of those actions appeared for the first time.
"Thanks to President Trump's leadership,
we are providing states and the regulated
community the certainty they need to
advance new technologies, improve
environmental protections, and enhance
economic growth."
- EPA Acting Administrator
Andrew Wheeler
AIR: Improving Air Quality
Air Trends
Data released over the past year of the Trump
Administration shows tremendous progress on the
improvement of air quality and a decrease in greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions. EPA's most recent report highlights
that, between 1970 and 2017, the combined emissions of
six key pollutants dropped by 73 percent, while the U.S.
economy grew more than three times.
A closer look at more recent progress shows that
between 1990 and 2017, average concentrations of
harmful air pollutants decreased significantly across our
nation:
Sulfur dioxide (1-hour) [ 88 percent
Lead (3-month average) |80 percent
Carbon monoxide (8-hour) 177 percent
Nitrogen dioxide (annual) [ 56 percent
Fine Particulate Matter (24-hour) [ 40 percent
Coarse Particulate Matter (24-hour) [ 34 percent
Ground-level ozone (8-hour) [ 22 percent
2017 GHG data collected under the EPA's Greenhouse
Gas Reporting Program showed overall decreases across
sectors and that total U.S. GHG emissions reported
decreased by 2.7 percent during 2017.
Affordable Clean Energy Rule
In August 2018, EPA proposed the Affordable Clean
Energy (ACE) Rule - a new rule to reduce GHG
emissions from existing coal-fired electric utility
generating units and power plants across the country.
The ACE Rule replaced the prior administration's Clean
Power Plan (CPP) that was indefinitely stayed by the
Supreme Court in 2016. The ACE Rule will empower
states, promote energy independence, and facilitate
economic growth and job creation across the country.
"The ACE Rule follows the Clean Air Act
and empowers states to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and provide
modern, reliable, and affordable energy
for all Americans. Our proposal provides
the states and regulated community the
certainty they need to continue
environmental progress while fulfilling
President Trump's goal of energy
dominance."
- EPA Acting Administrator
Andrew Wheeler
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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EPA estimates the ACE Rule could provide $400 million
in annual net benefits and could reduce 2030 C02
emissions by up to 1.5 percent from projected levels - the
equivalent of taking 5.3 million cars off the road. Further,
when states have fully implemented the proposal, U.S.
power sector C02 emissions could be 33 to 34 percent
below 2005 levels, a greater reduction than the projected
C02 emissions reductions from the CPP, which was
never implemented..
Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule
Together, EPA and the U.S. Department of
Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) released the proposed Safer
Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule for
Model Years 2021-2026 Passenger Cars and Light
Trucks (SAFE Vehicles Rule) to correct the current
national automobile fuel economy and greenhouse gas
emissions standards. The proposal lays out eight options
for national fuel economy standards for model years
2021-2026. Compared to keeping the 2012 standards
in place, the Trump Administration's preferred option
would reduce the cost of a new car by more than $2,300.
These savings would help more Americans purchase
newer, cleaner, and safer vehicles, thereby improving the
environment and saving lives. It is anticipated to:
Prevent thousands of on-road fatalities and injuries
as compared to the standards set forth in the 2012
final rule.
Increase vehicle affordability, which leads to
increased driving of newer, safer, more efficient, and
cleaner vehicles.
Decrease overall average vehicle ownership costs for
new vehicles, approximately $2,340.
Reduce regulatory costs approximately $252.6 billion
reduction through MY 2029.
P
'
A Timeline of NSR REFORM
1. In January 2018, Assistant Administrator Wehrum
issued a guidance memorandum withdrawing the
1995 "once-in-always-in" policy for classifying
major sources of hazardous air pollutants
(HAPs) under section 112 of the Clean Air Act,
under which even sources that had curtailed
HAP emissions entirely nevertheless remained
subject for all time to the regulatory requirements
(including recordkeeping and reporting for HAP
emissions they no longer have) major sources of
HAPs must meet. In that January 2018 guidance
memorandum, EPA explained that the plain
language of the statute allows major sources that
no longer meet the statutory definition of "major
source" to be reclassified at any time and no longer
be subject to major source requirements. EPA is
developing a proposed rule to implement this plain
language reading. These steps by EPA will reduce
unnecessary regulatory burdens that potentially
discouraged sources from reducing or eliminating
their HAP emissions and deter other innovative
efforts to improve the environment.
2. In March 2018, EPA issued a guidance memorandum
titled, "Project Emissions Accounting Under the
New Source Review Preconstruction Permitting
Program," providing EPA's interpretation of existing
NSR regulations with respect to the accounting of
emissions reductions from a project under Step 1
of the NSR applicability process. By clarifying the
meaning of current regulatory requirements, the
memo streamlines permitting without sacrificing
environmental protections, and reduces burdens
to develop and expand facilities while encouraging
companies to reduce pollution.
3. In April 2018, EPA issued a guidance memorandum
and supporting documents that recommended
significant impact levels for ozone and fine particle
pollution that may be used in the prevention of
significant deterioration (PSD) permitting program.
Permitting authorities may use the recommended
values in the guidance to help determine whether
a proposed PSD source or modification causes
or contributes to a violation of the corresponding
NAAQS or PSD increments.
5
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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A Timeline of NSR REFORM
2001, while also streamlining compliance and certification
requirements.
4. In August 2018, EPA proposed the Affordable Clean
Energy rule which proposed revisions to the NSR
program to establish a new applicability test for
electricity generating units (EGU).
5. In November 2018, EPA finalized the 2009 project
aggregation reconsideration action which lifted the
stay on the application of EPA's 2009 interpretation
on project aggregation.
6. In September and November 2018, EPA issued
for public comment draft guidance memoranda
addressing other issues of importance under the
NSR program. Two key areas addressed include
determining when two sources are sufficiently
"adjacent" to one another that they should be
considered a single source for purposes of permitting;
and what sort of measures taken to bar the general
public's access to land can permitting authorities take
account of in determining what is, and isn't, "ambient
air." EPA intends to finalize this guidance in the New
Year after considering the input received.
NSR Modernization
Previously, New Source Review (NSR) regularly
discouraged companies from investing in and deploying
the cleanest and most efficient technologies. Through
the Trump Administration's NSR reforms, EPA is
providing clarity to permitting requirements, improving
the overall process, and incentivizing investments in
the latest energy technologies. NSR reform is a key
part of President Trump's agenda to revitalize American
manufacturing and grow our economy while continuing to
protect and improve the environment.
EPA intends to undertake a number of additional actions
that will further modernize and streamline the NSR
process, without impeding the Agency's ongoing efforts
to maintain and enhance the nation's air quality. Work on
those new actions is already underway and will continue
throughout 2019.
Cleaner Trucks Initiative
In November 2018, EPA launched the Cleaner Trucks
Initiative (CTI) to further decrease nitrogen oxide (NOx)
emissions from on-highway heavy-duty trucks and
engines. CTI will include a future rulemaking that will
update the existing NOx standard, which was last set in
It is estimated that heavy-duty trucks will be responsible
for one-third of NOx emissions from the transportation
sector in 2025. EPA expects that any update to the
standards will result in significant mobile source NOx
reductions, which will aid communities across the
country in the attainment of ozone and particulate matter
standards.
In addition to NOx emissions standards, the CTI will
cut unnecessary red tape and simplify certification of
compliance requirements for heavy-duty trucks and
engines. Working together with partners in states and
industry, the country can achieve environmental results
through the pursuit of common-sense regulations that
encourage economic growth. New programs borne out
of the CTI offer opportunities to streamline regulations
through smarter program design and reduce the overall
regulatory burden while protecting human health and the
environment.
National Ambient Air Quality Standards
"Back-to-Basics" Memo: In May, the Agency issued
a memo outlining its approach to the National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) review
process. The "Back-to-Basics" process will ensure
that EPA and its independent science advisors
follow a transparent, timely, and efficient process in
reviewing and revising public health- and welfare-
based NAAQS. The reforms include incorporating
important policy-relevant context, as required in the
Clean Air Act, on issues like background pollution
and potential adverse health, welfare, economic,
energy, and social effects from strategies to attain
and maintain the NAAQS. The memo states that EPA
intends to finalize the next review of ozone by the
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
6
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Clean Air Act deadline of October 2020, It also states
that the Agency intends to complete its review of the
particulate matter NAAQS by December 2020.
FIPS to SIPS: In the second year of the Trump
EPA, the Agency continued its monthly average of
converting one Federal Implementation Plan (FIP)
into a State Implementation Plan (SIP).
Ozone Standards: The U.S. has experienced
dramatic progress for ozone and other air pollutants.
EPA completed area designations for the 2015 ozone
standards and finalized its implementation and state
plan requirements rule for the standards, which will
facilitate flexible regulatory tools to address permitting
requirements and international emissions in these
areas. Compared to designations issued in 2012
for the 2008 standards, there are 10 percent fewer
counties being designated "nonattainment" for the
more stringent 2015 standard.
CSAPR Update: Given the major progress states
have made reducing ozone concentrations, the
Agency determined that the 2016 Cross State Air
Pollution Rule (CSAPR) Update satisfies "good
neighbor" obligations for the 2008 NAAQS for
ground-level ozone. The latest EPA air quality data
and modeling predict that, by 2023, there will be
no remaining nonattainment or maintenance areas
for the 2008 Ozone NAAQS in the CSAPR Update
region (which encompasses most of the eastern
United States). Once the 2016 CSAPR Update is fully
implemented, upwind states in this region are not
expected to contribute significantly to nonattainment
or interfere with the maintenance of the 2008
ozone standards in any downwind state. The rule
determined that EPA and these 20 states have no
obligation to establish additional requirements for
sources to further reduce transported ozone pollution
to satisfy "good neighbor" obligations under the 2008
ozone NAAQS.
Renewable Fuel Standard
For the second year in a row, the Trump EPA finalized
volume requirements for the Renewable Fuel Standard
(RFS) by the congressionally mandated statutory
deadline November 30 - an annual deadline that the
previous administration consistently missed by hundreds
of days. The timely finalization of RFS volumes for 2019
and biomass-based diesel for 2020 provides stability to
the program and greater certainty to farming and refining
communities across the country.
Year-Round E15 President Trump has made
strengthening the Renewable Fuel Standard an
important priority of this administration. EPA is
actively working to implement President Trump's
directive on year-round E15 and proceeding as
expeditiously as practicable. These actions will give
America's farmers the regulatory certainty and clarity
they asked for - and deserve. The Agency plans to
release proposed rule text in February 2019 and take
final action on the proposal by the upcoming driving
season.
New Renewable Fuel Pathway: EPA approved a
variety of pathways for renewable fuel derived from
sorghum, including biodiesel, heating oil, jet fuel,
heating oil, and liquefied petroleum gas produced
from sorghum oil, a by-product of ethanol produced
from using grain sorghum as a primary feedstock.
These pathways meet the greenhouse gas emissions
reductions requirements to qualify to generate credits
or Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) for
biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuels under
the RFS program. This new feedstock is estimated to
produce around 21 million gallons providing flexibility
in meeting volume standards of the RFS program. It
also adds diversity to the biofuel mix in the country.
"More and more farmers are growing
sorghum in Nebraska, and it's an
important commodity in our state. EPA's
approval of a sorghum oil fuel pathway
under the RFS is good news for Nebraska
ag producers and rural America. I look
forward to continuing to work with the
administration to provide opportunities
for Nebraska farmers."
- Senator Deb Fischer (NE)
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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 2016 | 2017 |
Data Sets
0 Total Available RINs to Date |
Total Available RINs to Date
Dimensions Q.
easures Q
RIN Year ฉ I Fuel (D Code) O I Assignmentsฉ I Total Gem
Assignments
Assigned
Separated
Assigned
Separated
Assigned
Separated
Assigned
Separated
Assigned
2018 D3
2018 D3
2018 D4
2018 D4
2018 05
2018 D5
2018 D6
2018 D6
2018 07
Transparency: In September, EPA updated the
RFS program website to increase transparency
surrounding the program. The updated website
includes new data and information for both
stakeholders and the public. The data provides
important information for renewable fuel producers,
fuel refiners, importers, and marketers that can
be used as they make business and compliance
decisions.
Proposed Revisions to New Source Performance
Standards for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New,
Modified, and Reconstructed Fossil-Fuel Fired Power
Plants
Administrator Wheeler is joined by National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC)
President & CEO Harry Alford, American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity President
& CEO Michelle Bloodworth and NBCC Executive Vice President Kay DeBow Alford
In December, EPA proposed to revise the New Source
Performance Standards (NSPS) for greenhouse gas
emissions from new, modified, and reconstructed fossil
fuel-fired power plants. Under Section 111(b) of the Clean
Air Act, the Agency proposed to revise its determination
of the best system of emission reduction (BSER) for
these plants. This proposed rule would ensure that any
new coal plants built in the U.S. use the most advanced,
clean coal technologies that have been adequately
demonstrated. The revised standard is based on reality
and comports with the requirements of the Clean Air Act.
These proposed revisions would help to provide room
for American energy production to continue to grow and
diversify, which is critical for long-term energy security
and global competitiveness goals.
Improving Regulations for Wood Heaters
EPA took key steps toward ensuring that the Agency's
NSPS for new residential wood heaters are based
on real-world conditions. The Agency's proposed
amendments would provide relief for consumers,
retailers, and manufacturers by allowing the sale of wood
heaters that meet the latest emissions limits through May
2022. This action is expected to save approximately $33
million in regulatory costs from 2019 - 2022.
EPA's proposed amendments to the 2015 NSPS for
Residential Wood Heaters provide consumers additional
time to purchase already-manufactured wood-fired
hydronic heaters and forced-air furnaces that meet the
latest emissions limits before manufacturers are required
to sell units that meet tighter limits due to take effect in
2020. The proposal would not change the effective date
of the tighter emissions limits; however, it would allow
retailers to "sell-through" or sell existing Inventory of
heaters meeting current emissions limits through May
2022.
"Maine applauds the EPA's efforts to
revise the 2015 Residential Wood Heater
NSPS. We support the improvement of
Step 2 wood heater emission standards
to ensure they are based on reproducible
testing methods using cord wood, which
better represents real-life operations.
This provides opportunity to establish the
most appropriate emission standards for
each residential wood heater technology
based on representative
data and sound
scientific methods."
- Maine Department
of Environmental
Protection
Air Quality Bureau
Director Marc A. R.
Cone P.E.
BackofWoodstove
U S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
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DATE OF MANUFACTURE
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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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WATER: Providing Clean & Safe Water
Waters of the United States (WOTUS)
Acting Administrator Wheeler arid R. D James, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil
Works sign the WOTUS proposed definition at EPA Headquarters
In December 2018, EPA and Department of the Army
took a significant and historic step to provide certainty
to farmers, landowners, and co-regulators across the
country by proposing a revised definition for WOTUS.
The proposal's clear and common-sense approach to
identifying waters that are subject to federal regulation
reflects the pre-proposal input the agencies solicited
from a wide range of stakeholders. This proposal begins
the second step in a two-step rulemaking process to
review and revise the definition of "waters of the United
States" consistent with President Trump's February 2017
Executive Order. EPA looks forward to reviewing the
public's comments on the proposed new definition and
taking final action on this proposal in 2019.
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Providing Safe Drinking Water
Addressing Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
In May 2018, EPA convened a two-day National
Leadership Summit on PFAS in Washington, D.C. that
brought together more than 200 stakeholders from across
the country to discuss steps to address PFAS. Following
the Summit, the Agency hosted a series of visits during
the summer of 2018 in communities directly impacted
by PFAS to better understand ways the Agency can
best support the work being done at the state, local, and
tribal levels. EPA interacted with more than 1,000 people
during events held in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania,
Colorado, North Carolina, and Kansas. In addition, EPA
hosted a roundtable in Michigan and held events with
tribal representatives. Using information from the National
Leadership Summit, community engagements, and public
input provided by the docket, EPA plans to release a
PFAS Management Plan in 2019.
As part of the Agency's efforts to develop a PFAS
Management Plan, in late 2018, EPA released
draft toxicity assessments for GenX chemicals and
perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) for public input.
When finalized, these toxicity assessments may be used
by federal partners, states, tribes, and local communities
to better understand the potential risk associated with
human exposures to these PFAS chemicals.
PFAS Community Engagement Panel in Horsham, Pennsylvania
Rebuilding America's Water Infrastructure
WIFIA
EPA's Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act
(WIFIA) program plays an important part in fulfilling this
need as part of President Trump's plan to upgrade the
nation's infrastructure. EPA's WIFIA federal loan and
guarantee program aims to accelerate investment in
the nation's water infrastructure by providing long-term,
low-cost supplemental credit assistance for regionally
and nationally significant projects. By the end of 2018,
EPA closed seven WIFIA loans totaling nearly $2
9
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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billion in loans to help finance over $4 billion for water
infrastructure projects and create up to 6,000 jobs.
Because the WIFIA program offers loans with low interest
rates, these WIFIA loans saved borrowers up to $705
million.
In November 2018, EPA invited 39 additional projects in
16 states and Washington, D.C. to apply for a WIFIA loan.
Together, the selected borrowers will receive WIFIA loans
totaling approximately $5 billion to help finance over $10
billion in water infrastructure investments and create up to
155,000 jobs.
Acting Administrator Wheeler with San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer accepting a $614
million WIFIAIoan for the first phase of Pure WaterSan Diego
EPA's 2018 WIFIA LOANS ARE HELPING TO
REBUILD AMERICA'S WATER INFRASTRUCTURE
The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program accelerates investment
in our nation's infrastructure. Here's how WIFIA is transforming America in 2018:
aV ili iiii
$5 BILLION SUPPORTS $10 BILLION 155,000 22 MILLION
IN WIFIA IN INFRASTRUCTURE JOBS PEOPLE
LOANS INVESTMENTS CREATED IMPACTED
State Revolving Funds
The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving
Funds also play an integral role in President Trump's
efforts to improve and upgrade the nation's water
infrastructure and ensure all Americans have access to
clean and safe water. In FY 2018, the Drinking Water
State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) committed $2.8 billion
in drinking water infrastructure loans and refinancing and
disbursed $2.5 billion for drinking water infrastructure
to improve the nation's public health. In addition, the
DWSRF committed $194 million for prevention-focused
activities supporting drinking water systems' technical,
managerial, and financial capacity, as well as operator
certification and source water protection. In FY 2018, the
Clean Water State Revolving Fund committed $6.8 billion
in clean water infrastructure loans and refinancing and
disbursed $6.3 billion for clean water infrastructure to
improve our nation's public health.
Modernizing the Clean Water Act Permitting Process
Consistent with the Trump Administration's priorities,
Clean Water Act Section 404 dredged and fill
permits support important infrastructure projects like
highways, airports, dams, levees, mines, and housing
developments. Working cooperatively with states and
tribes, the regulated community, and other stakeholders,
EPA took multiple actions in 2018 toward streamlining
CWAsection 404 permitting processes including:
Initiating a rulemaking to update the Section 404(g)
regulations to clarify which waters a state or tribe
assumes permitting responsibility for and to foster
interest in state and tribal assumption of Section 404
permitting authority. To date, only Michigan and New
Jersey have assumed administration of the Section
404 programthe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Corps) retains permitting authority for the rest of the
country;
Evaluating updates to the regulations governing
EPA's role in restricting disposal sites under Section
404 (c) to increase predictability and provide
regulatory certainty for all stakeholders;
Announcing the consideration of opportunities to
enhance effective implementation of the Section 401
certification process, including updating regulations,
developing guidance, or training; and
Proposing a rule with the Corps to achieve greater
efficiencies in the current review and approval
process for proposed compensatory mitigation banks,
Interagency Review Team, and in-lieu fee programs
related to Section 404 permits.
Clean Water Act Glossary
Section 401: Authorizes states to certify that permits and
licenses issued by the federal government will not violate
local water quality standards.
Section 404: Authorizes the permitting of discharges of
dredged or fill material into "waters of the United States"
including wetlands.
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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LAND: Revitalizing Land for Reuse
Superfund
Over the past year, EPA has made major strides across
the board on Superfund site remediation and program
reform. In FY 2018, the Agency deleted all or part of 22
sites from Superfund's National Priorities List (NPL), the
largest number of deletions in one year since FY 2005.
NPL Deletions:
1. C & D Recycling, Foster Township, Pennsylvania
2. Davenport and Flagstaff Smelters, Sandy, Utah
3. Davis Timber Company, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
4. Dorney Road Landfill, Upper Macungie Township,
Pennsylvania
5. Eureka Mills, Eureka, Utah
6. Frontier Hard Chrome, Inc., Vancouver, Washington
7. Fulton Terminals, Fulton, New York
8. Hatheway & Patterson, Mansfield, Massachusetts
9. Nutting Truck & Caster Co., Faribault, Minnesota
10. Old Esco Manufacturing, Greenville, Texas
11. Old Southington Landfill, Southington, Connecticut
12. Ordnance Works Disposal Areas, Morgantown, West
Virginia
13. Reasor Chemical Company, Castle Hayne, North
Carolina
14. Recticon/Allied Steel Corp., East Coventry Township,
Pennsylvania
15. Union Chemical Co., Inc., South Hope, Maine
16. Vancouver Water Station #1 Contamination,
Vancouver, Washington
17. Vancouver Water Station #4 Contamination,
Vancouver, Washington
18. Whitehouse Oil Pits, Whitehouse, Florida
Partially Deleted Sites:
1. Naval Industrial Reserve Ordnance Plant, Fridley,
Minnesota
2. Omaha Lead in Omaha, Nebraska
3. Pacific Coast Pipe Lines, Fillmore, California
4. Peters Cartridge Factory, Kings Mills, Ohio
Under the Trump Administration, the Superfund program
has reemerged as a priority to fulfill and strengthen the
Agency's core mission of protecting human health and
the environment. On the one-year anniversary of the
Superfund Task Force, EPA highlighted successes and
progress over the past year while outlining work to be
done in year two.
Achieving Key Milestones at Sites on the
Administrator's Emphasis List. After the inaugural
release initial of the Administrator's Emphasis List
(AEL) on December 8, 2017, which included 21
National Priorities List (NPL) Superfund sites across
the United States targeted for immediate and intense
attention, substantial progress has been made at
AEL sites. EPA has since updated the dynamic list
each subsequent quarter while sites achieve major
milestones throughout the Superfund process.
Moving More Sites Towards Deletion/Partial Deletion.
Due to more direct attention to the sites potentially
eligible for partial or full deletion from the NPL, the
program deleted all or part of 22 sites from the NPL in
the past fiscal year.
Improving Information on Human Exposure Status.
EPA launched a Human Exposure Dashboard
providing real-time human exposure status for all
NPL sites in an easily accessible webpage. In FY
2018, the Agency designated an additional net total of
32 sites as having human exposure to contamination
under control for a total of 1,507 sites under control.
Promoting Redevelopment and Community
Revitalization at Targeted Sites. After releasing a
Redevelopment Focus List of 31 NPL sites with the
greatest reuse potential, EPA has responded to over
120 redevelopment-related prospective purchaser
inquiries and created a new informational mapping
tool that provides site-specific details on each of
the 31 sites. Two noteworthy examples of EPA's
redevelopment efforts are the Libby Asbestos site in
Libby, Montana; and the Peoples National Gas site in
Dubuque, Iowa.
Developing Tools and a Process to Encourage
Third-Party Investment. EPA created a national team
of redevelopment experts led by EPA and the U.S.
Department of Justice (DOJ) to help address liability
concerns of third-party entities and developers. EPA
and DOJ issued a new policy that encourages more
frequent consideration of Bona Fide Prospective
Purchaser Agreements and Prospective Purchaser
Agreements, when appropriate, to foster cleanup and
reuse of NPL sites.
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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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Engaging with Partners and Stakeholders. EPA held
or participated in more than 1,370 public meetings
and 3,190 in-person meetings or interviews with
community members living near Superfund sites.
Senior EPA leaders also met on a regular basis
with environmental justice groups as weli as other
federal agencies and a variety of state and tribal
organizations to obtain their ongoing input on Task
Force work. The Agency also conducted online
listening sessions open to the public to obtain
feedback on implementing many of the enforcement-
related recommendations.
As outlined in the "2018 Update," the Agency plans
to complete implementation of the Superfund Task
Force recommendations by September 2019 and will
have fully integrated that work into EPAs Superfund
program. These achievements will provide certainty to
communities, state partners, and developers that the
nation's most hazardous sites will be cleaned up as
quickly and safely as possible.
Another significant achievement in FY 2018 was
increasing the annual number of sites returned to
communities for redevelopment. By redeveloping
Superfund sites, communities are able to reuse
thousands of acres of formerly contaminated land,
often strengthening local economies. In FY 2018, EPA
committed to increase the number of NPL sites that
achieved sitewide ready for anticipated use (SWRAU)
by roughly 25 percent over the previous year. Through
focused management attention and improved program
practices, EPA achieved this goal: 51 sites reached
SWRAU in FY 2018, the highest total since FY 2013.
Many sites that EPA has designated as ready for
reuse in previous years now host parks, business
districts, renewable energy facilities, wildlife habitat,
neighborhoods, and farms.
Brownfields
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EPA brownfield grants
have led to a visible
difference in
communities across
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The Agency also achieved significant on-the-ground
accomplishments at Brownfields sites throughout the
nation. In FY 2018, the Brownfields Program reported
861 properties ready for reuse, 1919 assessments
complete, and 143 properties cleaned up. The program
also reported leveraging over $2.2 billion dollars and over
11,000 jobs. All FY18 accomplishments exceeded their
targets for the year.
In addition, EPA provided $54.3 million in Brownfields
grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties
and promote economic redevelopment nationwide,
helping to return blighted properties to productive reuse.
EPA provided an addition $15.7 million in supplemental
funds for cleanups of contaminated Brownfields sites
in communities across the country. These grants help
communities reuse vacant and abandoned properties
and turn them into community assets such as housing,
recreation and open space, health facilities, social
services, transportation options, infrastructure, and
commerce opportunities.
In May, EPA selected 17 organizations to receive $3
million for environmental workforce development and
job training programs across the country. These grants
support programs to help local residents learn the skills
needed to secure employment in the environmental field
Since the program started in 1998, EPAs Environmental
Workforce Development and Job Training Program
has trained and placed more than 12,850 individuals in
careers related to land remediation and environmental
health and safety.
After President Trump signed into law on March 23,
2018, the Brownfields Utilization, Investment and Local
Development Act (BUILD Act), the Agency immediately
began its efforts to implement its key provisions. EPA
AS OF
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FY 2018 Brownfields Program Accomplishments
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FY 2018
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FY 2018
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1300
1919
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Cleaned Up
130
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Jobs Leveraged
7,000
11,197
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Leveraged
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Properties Made
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684
861
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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updated guidance documents to reflect the new certainty
and liability protections for state and local government
entities as well as Alaska Native villages. In June, EPA
asked for public comment on how best to implement the
increased grant-size authority and the new multi-purpose
and smail community assistance grants. EPA is finalizing
the FY 2019 grant guidelines to ensure new criteria
for clean energy and waterfront properties, as well as
location within opportunity zones, are given appropriate
weight in making final grant decisions. Additionally, EPA
has hosted webinars, conducted outreach sessions,
and given numerous presentations outlining the new
opportunities under the BUILD Act.
Sustainable Materials Management & Recycling
Under Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler's leadership,
EPA's held its first-ever Recycling Summit. The summit,
convened on America Recycles Day, brought together
leaders from industry and all levels of government to
discuss opportunities to advance and strengthen the
domestic recycling industry and markets. More than 40
manufacturers, retailers, waste management companies,
trade associations, NGOs, and investment funds signed a
unified pledge to commit to work together to improve the
state of the recycling system in the United States.
EPA study found that every 10,000 tons of materials
recycled supports nearly 16 jobs and $760,000 in
wages.
Focusing on only recycling materials that are locally
accepted - like cardboard, metals cans, and paper
-will reduce contamination and ensure that more
materials get a second iife and go back into the
economy. Putting the wrong things in the bin can
increase the cost of recycling for a community, cause
everything to end up as garbage rather than recycled,
and endanger the safety of workers at local recycling
facilities. Items like plastic bags, batteries, and
electronics shouid never go in the recycling bin, but
these can often be donated or recycled somewhere
else, such as taking plastic bags back to the grocery
store collection bin, taking used batteries to hardware
stores or collection centers, or donating used
electronics.
2. New investments to upgrade and modernize the
national recycling infrastructure can produce a
more resilient national recycling system capable
of withstanding changes in the recyclable material
stream and markets.
2018 America Recycles Day Message
from President Donald Trump
reducing, reusing, and recycling in ways that contribute to the
Four Recycling Action Areas
1. The development of effective outreach and education
strategies for consumers, local, tribal and state
governments, as well as other stakeholders, on what
to do with recyclable materials at end-of-use will
improve the quality and quantity of materials that
Americans recycle, which will strengthen markets for
those recyclable materials.
Since 1960, the U.S. recycling rate has increased
from less than 7 percent to 35 percent in 2015. An
3. Encouraging communication and collaboration
among the different sectors of the economy, including
private enterprise and governmental entities, will
support the innovation, development, manufacture,
and reuse of high-quality recyclable materials that
consumers want to purchase, that manufacturers
want to use as feedstock, that retailers want to
offer for sale, and that recyclers want to collect and
reprocess. A stronger domestic recycling market
will support local communities by creating more
jobs, provide the overall U.S. economy with greater
resilience and self-reliance, and present achievable
cost savings for municipalities.
Acting Administrator Wheeler convenes the first-ever EPA Recycling Summit on
America's Recycling Day
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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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4. Working together to standardize and align the
measurement and tracking of recyclable materials will
heip better inform actions and investments to improve
recyclable materials management in the U.S.
Reducing Food Waste
Together, the Trump Administration's EPA, U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) launched the "Winning on Reducing
Food Waste" initiative to improve coordination and
communication across federal agencies as we work to
better educate Americans on the impacts and importance
of reducing food ioss and waste. Wasted food is the
single largest category of material placed in municipal
landfills and represents nourishment that could have
helped feed families in need, feed animals or be used for
industrial purposes or composting. Effectively reducing
food waste will require cooperation among federal, state,
tribal and local governments, faith-based institutions,
environmental organizations, communities, and the entire
supply chain.
Acting Administrator Wheeler, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, and FDA Commissioner
Scott Gottleib joined by 2030 Food Champions
Acting Administrator Wheeler, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, and FDA Commissioner
Scott Gottleib sign the Trump Administrations' "Winning on Food Waste" initiative
EPCRA
The Agency signed a proposed rule to amend the
emergency release notification regulations under the
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
(EPCRA) to make clear that reporting of air emission from
animal waste at farms is not required under EPCRA. The
proposal aims to provide livestock producers with greater
regulatory certainty. It will also allow emergency response
officials to focus on readiness and emergencies, not
animal waste.
Acting Administrator Wheeler, Kansas Senator Jerry Moran, members of the
emergency response community, and agriculture stakeholders
"Farmers and ranchers continue to face
numerous challenges, and the removal
of this unnecessary and burdensome
regulation is welcome news for
producers across our state. It was never
the intent of Congress for normal odors
from animal waste on farms to fall under
our nation's emergency hazardous waste
reporting requirements, so I appreciate
Administrator Wheeler taking definitive
action today to provide certainty to
the livestock industry. The resources
of our emergency responders ought
to be focused on protecting the public
from true environmental and chemical
emergencies, not odors from animal
waste."
- Senator Jerry Moran (KS)
Coal Ash
In July, EPA finalized the first set of revisions to the 2015
regulations for the disposal of coal combustion residuals,
also known as CCR or coal ash, from electric utilities and
independent power producers. The first set of revisions
provides utilities and states more flexibility in how CCR is
managed and saves between $28 to $31 million a year in
regulatory costs.
EPA also approved Oklahoma's application to operate a
permit program for disposing of coal combustion residuals
in landfills and surface impoundments. This approval
makes Oklahoma the first state in the nation to run a
federally approved coal ash permit program.
EPA has received applications to review coal ash permit
programs from Georgia, Alabama, and Kansas. The
Agency continues to work with these and several other
states, including Arkansas, Arizona, Louisiana, Michigan,
Missouri, Nebraska, Texas, and Wisconsin.
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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CHEMICALS: Ensuring Safety
Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act
Over the past year, EPA once again met the deadlines set
by the 2016 Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the
21st Century Act, which amended the Toxic Substances
Control Act (TSCA). EPA staff worked tirelessly to ensure
the most modern and innovative chemicals get to market
quickly and safely, providing regulatory certainty for
manufacturers and confidence for Americans consumers.
On the two-year anniversary, EPA announced it had
completed the following milestones:
Finalized strategy to reduce animal testing.
The strategy promotes the development and
implementation of alternative test methods and
strategies to reduce, refine, or replace vertebrate
animal testing. It also incorporates input from public
meetings and written comments.
Final rule on reporting mercury manufacturing and
imports. The information collected through the new
reporting requirements will be used to develop future
inventories of mercury and mercury-containing
product supply, use, and trade in the United States.
Guidance for state, tribal, and local governments,
and medical personnel and emergency responders
on sharing confidential business information (CBI).
These guidance documents specify the process that
will enable other governmental entities and medical
and emergency personnel to request CBI information.
Policy and procedures for assigning unique identifiers
to better publicly track information on chemicals
while protecting CBI. An identifier will be applied to
a substance, whose identity is protected as CBI, as
well as to other related information or submissions
concerning the same substance. This will allow
the public to connect information related to the
same substance, even while the specific identity is
protected as confidential.
Guidance on stmcturally descriptive generic
names. This guidance will allow EPA to share more
information with the public about the structure of
substances while protecting the confidential elements
of the substance's specific chemical identity. TSCA
Submitters claiming the specific chemical identity of a
chemical substance as CBI can supply a structurally
descriptive generic name that can be disclosed to the
public.
EPA issued the final of four framework rules under
Lautenberg with the final fees rule under TSCA,
ensuring that resources are available to the Agency
to complete chemical reviews and actions in a timely,
transparent manner while maintaining high scientific
standards.
"With today's action EPA has once again
met another important milestone under
TSCA. This rule will provide resources
needed to support the valuable work
EPA does to review chemicals for
safety, manage risk as required, and
make chemical information available as
appropriate."
- EPA Acting Administrator
Andrew Wheeler
"The SBA Office of Advocacy was pleased
to be able to work with EPA and the
SBA Office of Size Standards to develop
the fees rule for the administration of
the Toxic Substance Control Act and to
be able to assist the agency in revising
the small business definition to ensure
that the maximum number of small
businesses can benefit from a reduced
fee amount."
- Small Business Administration Office of
Advocacy Acting Chief Counsel
Major L. Clark III.
These fees collected from chemical manufacturers will go
toward developing risk evaluations for existing chemicals;
collecting and reviewing toxicity and exposure data
and other information; reviewing Confidential Business
Information (CBI); and making determinations in a timely
and transparent manner with respect to the safety of new
chemicals before they enter the marketplace.
EPA released the first ten problem formulation
documents, an important interim step prior to completing
and publishing the final risk evaluations. The documents
refine the scope of risk evaluations for the first ten
chemicals selected under the Lautenberg Chemical
Safety Act. Months following the release, EPA released
the draft risk evaluation for Pigment Violet 29 (PV29), one
of the first ten chemicals undergoing risk evaluation under
TSCA, delivering on the Agency's promise to meet the
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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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statutory deadlines and ensure the safety of chemicals
currently on the market.
The Agency released a number of documents and
guidances including (1) the systematic review approach
document, (2) "Points to Consider" guidance, and (3)
prioritization approach for chemicals in the next group of
TSCA risk evaluations.
1. EPA's systematic review approach document
will guide EPA's selection and review of studies
in addition to providing the public with continued
transparency regarding how the Agency plans to
evaluate scientific information.
2. "Points to Consider When Preparing TSCA
New Chemical Notifications" intends to improve
transparency with the public and with companies
seeking Agency review of their new chemical
substances under TSCA. The guidance promotes
early engagement and communication and enhances
overall understanding of EPA's technical review
and analysis to better move chemicals through the
evaluation process. The guidance provides the
general public, including new chemical submitters,
with important information on:
(a) General guidance relating to new chemical
notices;
(b) Preparation of pre-manufacture notices (PMNs),
Significant New Use Notices (SNUNs), and
exemption notices;
(c) EPA scientific approaches used in conducting
PMN assessments; and
(d) Best practices.
3. In September, EPA released the approach it will
use to identify chemicals that could be included
in the next group of risk evaluations under TSCA.
The document laid out EPA's near-term approach
for identifying potential chemicals for prioritization,
the initial step in evaluating the safety of existing
chemicals under TSCA.
Building on the Agency's promise to work with the
public to select the next chemicals for risk evaluation,
this approach reflects public input received at a
December 2017 meeting and through the public
docket. EPA also took input from the public on which
chemicals should be prioritized for risk evaluation and
which chemicals may be low priorities under TSCA.
The document also includes a longer-term risk-based
strategy for managing the larger TSCA chemical
landscape which, according to the TSCA Inventory,
is composed of more than 40,000 active chemicals.
This longer-term approach can be used to inform
multiple activities and priorities throughout EPA,
including within the TSCA program.
New Asbestos Regulation
EPA proposed the first regulation on asbestos to prevent
new uses of asbestos. EPA is proposing to ensure that
manufacture, import, or processing for these currently
unregulated new uses identified in the regulation are
prohibited unless reviewed and approved by the Agency.
Previously, anyone could have resumed the use of
asbestos without seeking approval from the Agency.
Once finalized, EPA will be closing this loophole.
Pesticides
In time for the growing season, EPA extended the
registration of dicamba for two years to control weeds
in fields for cotton and soybean plants genetically
engineered to resist dicamba. This action was informed
by input from and extensive collaboration between the
Agency, state regulators, farmers, academic researchers,
pesticide manufacturers, and other stakeholders. EPA
tightened the label requirements to ensure that these
products can continue to be used effectively while
addressing potential concerns to surrounding crops and
plants.
The Agency completed 99.7% of the 2,199 Pesticide
Registration Improvement Act (PRIA) pesticide
registration actions on time, registered 23 new active
ingredients, most of which were classified as reduced-
risk pesticides, and registered 147 new uses of existing
pesticides, providing new tools to growers to meet their
pest management needs.
EPA also released a draft policy to reduce the use of
animals in testing chemicals that may irritate the skin
or cause an allergic reaction. The draft policy describes
the science behind the non-animal alternatives that can
now be used (in vitro, in silico, in chemico) to identify
skin sensitization, which is necessary for pesticide
registrations. In addition, by waiving data requirements
within the pesticides program, EPA is saving over 16,000
test animals.
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ENFORCEMENT
EPA's enforcement and compliance program has focused
on priority environmental risks and non-compliance
problems. The focus on these areas has resulted in
larger, more complex cases with greater reductions in
pollution. While states do most of the work in authorized
programs, EPA has a lot of tools to help assure
compliance with federal environmental laws.
At one end of the spectrum, EPA is encouraging
compliance by promoting self-audits. Between FY 2017
and FY 2018, the number of facilities that voluntarily
disclosed violations and certified a return to compliance
increased by 47 percent, from 1,062 to 1,561. At
the other end of the spectrum, EPA is deterring non-
compliance by increasing the number of new criminal
cases in FY 2018, reversing a downward trend that
began in 2011.
Where EPA does take the lead, we strive to make sure
the cases result in meaningful environmental outcomes.
In FY 2018, EPA increased environmental outcomes
by requiring regulated entities to treat, minimize or
properly dispose of over 540 million pounds of waste
and to reduce, treat, or eliminate nearly 268 million
pounds of air, toxics, and water pollution.
In FY 2018, EPA enforcement actions this past year
resulted in:
Prevention of the illegal importation of approximately
2,200 vehicles and engines that do not comply with
EPA emissions standards.
Reduction of exposure to lead through 140 TSCA
lead paint enforcement actions against renovation
contractors, landlords, property managers, realtors,
and others.
Investment of nearly $4 billion in actions and
equipment that achieve compliance with the law and
control pollution.
A total of 73 years of incarceration for individual
criminal defendants.
Cleanups and redevelopment at over 150 sites
through use of Superfund enforcement tools.
Cleanup of over 244 million cubic yards of
contaminated soil and water by EPA regulated
entities.
Stakeholder Engagement and Compliance Initiatives
In January, EPA issued an Interim Guidance on
Enhancing Regional-State Planning to set consistent
expectations for joint planning, work sharing, and
enhanced communication, and to move to a model of
shared governance with states.
EPA also transitioned from National Enforcement
Initiatives to National Compliance Initiatives to
align priorities with the Agency's strategic plan and
to focus on environmental problems, not specific
industry sectors. This transition aims to increase
the environmental law compliance rate and reduce
the average time from violation identification to
correction.
Throughout this year, the Agency worked to be
more timely in notifying facilities of inspection results
to increase certainty and speed of correction of
violations. The Interim Policy on Inspection Report
Timeliness and Standardization directs inspectors
to flag compliance concerns with the facility at the
time of inspection. In addition, EPA will prepare most
inspection reports and provide them to facilities within
70 days of an inspection.
On the efficiency side, EPA shared a draft of New
Owner Clean Air Act Audit Program for Oil and
Natural Gas Exploration and Production Facilities
with stakeholders for input. EPA is in the process
of developing a New Owner Clean Air Act Audit
Program tailored for the oil and natural gas sector.
This program will provide environmentally protective
efficiencies and certainty in the oil and natural gas
sector for timely and cost-effective Clean Air Act
compliance.
EPA reemphasized the use of self-audits and
self-disclosure to achieve compliance. For
example, Region 8 signed a Memorandum of
Agreement (MOA) with the Wyoming Department of
Environmental Quality to encourage the use of the
Wyoming self-audit law. The MOA makes clear that
EPA will defer to the judgment of the State on how it
manages penalties associated with disclosures under
the state's law so long as threats to the environment
are fully addressed. The goal is to provide certainty to
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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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the regulated community that they will only deal with
the state when negotiating the penalty aspect of a
self-disclosure. EPA recognizes that Wyoming's self-
audit law and policy encourages greater compliance
with laws and rules protecting public health and the
environment.
STRONGER
February 2018: Environmental Council of the States
(ECOS) and Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission
(IOGCC) convened an oil and gas sector roundtable
meeting at EPA's Region 8 office in Denver with
participation from senior EPA, state, tribal, ENGO
representatives, and the State Review of Oil and Natural
Gas Environmental Regulations (STRONGER).
November 20018: EPA entered into a Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) with the non-profit, multi-
stakeholder, educational organization known as
STRONGER.
"This MOU will provide more opportunities for EPA
and STRONGER to work together to improve both
environmental protections and economic outcomes.
By collaborating with STRONGER, we can enhance
our enforcement and compliance efforts while
ensuring America's historic energy production under
President Trump continues."
- EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler
"We are very excited to enter this MOU with EPA and
look forward to new opportunities for cooperation as
we continue STRONGER's important work enhancing
protection of human health and the environment."
- STRONGER Executive Director Ryan Steadley
While STRONGER will continue to develop guidelines
and conduct reviews of state oil and natural gas
programs, the MOU will provide the parties with greater
opportunities for collaboration in areas of mutual interest
for both STRONGER and EPA. EPA and STRONGER will
work together to identify specific areas for collaboration.
Such areas of collaboration may include providing
platforms for meaningful stakeholder engagement, the
identification of emerging issues impacting states and
tribes, or the development of improved compliance
assistance tools. The MOU is yet another example of the
Trump EPA's commitment to protecting human health
and the environment through the creation of strategic
partnerships.
Superfund Enforcement: EPA's Superfund enforcement
efforts in 2018 resulted in cleanups and redevelopment
at over 150 sites including Big River Mine Tailings,
Centredale Manor Superfund Site, and McLouth Steel
Facility.
1. In the three ZIP codes comprising the majority of the
Big River Mine Tailings Site, between 9.3 and 16.7
percent of children have an elevated blood lead level
above 5 micrograms per deciliter. EPA entered into
two settlements to address lead contaminated soil
at over 4,000 residential properties at the Big River
Mine Tailings Site, located approximately 70 miles
from St. Louis, Missouri.
2. The Agency secured a $100 million cleanup at
the Centredale Manor Superfund Site in North
Providence, Rhode Island. Through EPA-led
enforcement, two subsidiaries of Stanley Black
& Decker, Inc.Emhart Industries Inc. and Black
& Decker, Inc. agreed to clean up dioxin-
contaminated sediment and soil at the site.
3. At the McLouth Steel Facility, EPA entered into an
agreement to support cleanup and redevelopment
of the site in Trenton, Michigan. This agreement
requires responsible parties to:
Demolish about 45 structures;
Remove asbestos-containing material,
containerized waste and materials containing
PCBs from all structures prior to demolition;
Install a fence around the property;
Remove contaminated water and sludges from
23 subsurface structures (pits, basements and
lagoons), clean or remove the structures and,
if the structures remain, fill them with clean fill
materials;
Investigate five areas where PCBs may have
been released; and
Assess and report on options for stormwater
management to eliminate uncontrolled flow to
the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River.
These actions will safeguard human health and the
environment by reducing the risk of exposure to certain
hazardous wastes and substances during development of
the property.
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Civil and Criminal Cases: EPA also took strong civil
arid criminal enforcement actions to address significant
pollution and non-compliance problems and to deter
future violations.
Derive Systems
EPA's settlement with Derive Systems addressed
the sale of approximately 363,000 aftermarket defeat
device products which allegedly were designed, in
part, to defeat the emissions control systems of cars
and trucks in violation of the Clean Air Act,
Over a span of multiple years, Derive sold products,
including custom engine tuning software and parts,
oniine and at distributers across the nation under
the brand names of "Bully Dog" and "SCT" for use in
many types of gasoline and diesel-fueled cars and
trucks. Under the terms of the settlement, Derive wilt
spend approximately $6.25 million to ensure future
compliance, and pay a civil penalty of $300,000.
MPLX LP
Under a settlement with EPA, Oklahoma,
Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, MPLX LP and
11 of its subsidiaries agreed to address equipment
and storage tank leaks at 20 natural gas processing
plants across the U.S., reducing VOC emissions by
more than 1,500 tons per year.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "Natural gas processor to
pay nearly S7M to settle pollution violations"
Washington County's Observer-Reporter. "Houston
plant's owner enters multimillion-dollar settlement
with EPA"
City of Lancaster
In partnership with the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, the City of Lancaster committed to
address combined sewer overflows by developing a
long-term control pian that includes the use of green
infrastructure projects.
Chevron
EPA, in participation with the State of Mississippi,
reached a nationwide settlement with Chevron USA
that requires process safety improvements at all of
its domestic refineries to prevent accidental chemical
releases.
As part of the settlement, Chevron will spend
approximately $150 million to replace vulnerable
pipes, institute operating parameters and alarms
for safer operation, improve corrosion inspections
and training, centralize safety authority within
the corporation, conduct a pilot study of safety
controls for fired heaters, and make other safety
improvements at all its domestic refineries.
Chevron also will pay a $2.95 million civil penalty
and wili implement supplemental environmental
projects worth at least $10 million in the communities
surrounding the refineries In California, Mississippi,
Utah, and Hawaii.
San Francisco Chronicle: "Chevron to pay $150
million in settlement with EPA for violating Clean Air
Act"
CBS San Francisco: "Chevron Upgrading Safety After
EPA Richmond Refinery Fire Settlement"
U.S. Technology Corporation
EPA secured a guilty plea from the operators of U.S.
Technology Corporation for illegally transporting 9
million pounds of hazardous waste from Mississippi
to unpermitted facility in Missouri.
St. Louis Business Journal: "4 plead guilty to illegally
shipping hazardous waste to Missouri"
lAVGmbH
EPA secured a guilty plea from IAV GmbH, a German
company that engineers and designs automotive
systems, for its role in the Volkswagen AG scheme
to sell diesel vehicles in the United States that cheat
U.S. vehicle emissions tests required by federal law.
1AM GmbH agreed to plead guiity to one criminal
felony count and pay a $35 million criminal fine.
Detroit Free Press: "Auto supplier fined millions in
U.S. diesel emissions fraud"
19
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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NATURAL DISASTER
PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE &
RECOVERY
Throughout 2018, EPA worked closely with states and
territories to prepare for and respond to a number of
natural disasters including: Hurricanes Florence and
Michael, Super Typhoon Yutu, and the catastrophic Camp
fire in California.
In June, EPA senior leaders gathered in New Orleans,
Louisiana, to discuss the Agency's preparations for
the 2018 hurricane season. At that time, EPA had
approximately 60 personnel on the ground in Puerto Rico
and U.S. Virgin Islands and in the Regional Emergency
Operations Center In Edison, NJ dedicated to response,
recovery, and readiness.
Building on lessons learned from sustained emergency
response in 2017, EPA stands prepared to respond to
critical environmental and public health threats. After
Kilauea Volcano erupted in Hawaii on May 3, 2018,
releasing lava from the lower East Rift Zone, EPA
monitored air quality and provided data management
support in response. In a text-book example of how to
work with local entities, EPA developed web applications
in conjunction with local communities to provide real-time
air quality data to local residents.
Hurricanes
During 2018's hurricane season, EPA assisted with
response efforts related to nationally significant storms
including Hurricanes Florence and Michael, and Super
Typhoon Yutu.
Hurricanes Florence & Michael
EPA activated emergency response centers in
Philadelphia, PA; Atlanta, GA; and Washington, D.C. to
provide support. In addition, the Agency worked with its
federal, state, and local partners to ensure that National
Priorities List (NPL) sites, Facility Response Plan (FRP)
facilities, and Risk Management Plan (RMP) facilities in
the storm's path were secured, developed plans to assist
with assessing water systems, and processed emergency
fuel waivers.
Hurricane Michael one of the most powerful storms
to ever make landfall in the continental U.S. struck
Florida on October 10, 2018 as a Category 4 hurricane.
EPA provided support to Florida's state emergency
operations center to assist with response efforts, while
also providing assistance via the Agency's headquarters
and regional emergency response centers. EPA also
performed a preliminary assessment of ali NPL sites in
the projected and actual cones of influence and deployed
field assessment teams to NPL sites impacted by the
storm in Georgia and Florida. Working with federal,
state, and local partners, the Agency also verified the
security and safety of FRP facilities and RMP facilities
in the storm's path, deployed field teams to assist with
assessing drinking water and wastewater treatment
systems, processed emergency fuel waivers, and
deployed field teams to assist with debris management.
fonofcniailiifemes
EPA Office of Emergency Management Director Reggie Cheatham participates in a
press conference with FEMA
In emergency response efforts, Region 4 had more than
40 personnel on-the-ground. During the recovery phase
of the responses to the hurricanes, Region 4 Superfund
staff coordinated post-landfall assessments of NPL and
NPL-caliber Superfund sites impacted by the storm and
conducted inspections at 127 NPL sites.
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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EPA issued a number of fuel waivers to assist in
distributing fuel needed for voluntary and mandatory
evacuations as well as no action assurances in cases
where it is necessary to avoid extreme risks to public
health and safety, including:
Federal Reid vapor pressure requirements waiver
for fuel sold in designated areas in North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia to minimize
problems with the supply of gasoline. EPA also
waived in these same states the prohibition on the
blending of reformulated gasoline blendstock for
oxygenated blending with other gasoline blendstock
or oxygenate, EPA intended these waivers to assist in
distributing fuel needed for voluntary and mandatory
evacuations. Additionally, EPA waived the highway
diesel fuel red dye requirements to allow the sale and
use of non-road diesel fuel in highway vehicles in
North Carolina and Florida.
Four no action assurances as requested by Florida,
North Carolina, and Virginia regarding the loading
and unloading of fuel at bulk gasoline terminals,
pipeline breakout stations, marine tank vessel loading
operations, and gasoline ioading racks.
One no action assurance as requested by Florida to
assure continued electric power supply to the Florida
Keys.
EPA Region 2 Emergency Responders collect household hazardous waste following
Hurricane Maria
Wildfires
The Camp, Woolsey, and Hill fires significantly impacted
three California counties Butte, Ventura, and Los
Angeles. In the aftermath of these fires, EPA is leading a
response effort involving staff from all Regions to collect
household hazardous waste from 14,528 parcels and in
three counties. EPA Region 9 also conducted radiation
monitoring in southern California in coordination with the
U.S. Department of Energy and State of California. EPA
is fielding 300 staff and contractors and has completed
approximately half the cleanup to date - the largest in
Region 9's history.
In addition to the afformentioned nationally significant
incidents, EPA engaged, as needed, on several regionally
significant incidents over 2018, including train derailments
(New York Susquehanna and Western Railway in New
York; Union Pacific, Minnesota; Burlington Northern
Santa Fe, Iowa), wildfires impacting Superfund sites (Iron
Mountain Mine, Carr Fire, California), a steam pipeline
rupture (Consolidated Edison, New York City), and a
facility explosion (Western Industrial Gas and Cylinders,
Texas).
2018 Response Efforts Related to 2017 California
Wildfires and Hurricane Maria
Although Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, and southeast areas of the continental
U.S. in 2017, EPA was still involved with response and
recovery efforts until early 2018. The Agency continued
efforts such as collecting drums, propane tanks, and
cylinders; collecting gallons of liquid hazardous waste;
and collecting and analyzing drinking water samples.
During the ongoing recovery phase, EPA remains actively
engaged with Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
in advancing long-term remediation and environmental
systems management capabilities, while promoting
economic recovery and rebuilding efforts.
In addition to Maria's carryover, EPA also continued
efforts related to the 2017 wildfires that broke out in four
northern California countiesMendocino, Lake, Napa,
and Sonoma. Continued response activities included
Superfund site assessments, debris removal, and air
quality monitoring.
r
EPA Region 9 response team removes household hazardous waste following
catastrophic wildfires throughout California
21
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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INTERNATIONAL & TRIBAL
AFFAIRS
U.S. - Mexico - Canada Agreement (USMCA)
Environmental Cooperation Agreement
On Tuesday, December 11, 2018, Acting Administrator
Wheeler signed the trilateral Environmental Cooperation
Agreement (ECA) with Canada and Mexico on
behalf of the United States. EPA and the U.S. Trade
Representative led the U.S. negotiating team for the
environmental chapter of the USMCA, which contains the
most comprehensive set of enforceable environmental
obligations of any trade agreement to date, including first-
time provisions to address pressing environmental issues
such as air quality and marine litter, and obligations
to combat trafficking in wildlife, timber, and fish. The
environmental provisions of the USMCA, along with the
ECA, help domestic producers compete on a level playing
field. It is the first-ever trade agreement among the three
nations to include environmental commitments in the
body of the agreement. The new agreement strengthens
and expands trilateral collaborative efforts to protect
and conserve the environment and address emerging
environmental challenges. Areas of cooperation include
efforts to reduce pollution, strengthen environmental
governance, conserve biological diversity, and
sustainably manage natural resources.
Administrator Wheeler Represents the United States
at the G7 Environment Ministers Meeting
Acting Administrator Wheeler represented the United
States at the G7 Environment Ministers Meeting this
year in Halifax, Canada. They discussed a wide range
of transboundary pollution issues and launched a G7
Innovation Challenge to Address Marine Plastic Litter.
Acting Administrator Wheeler also raised the importance
of G7 leadership on improving clean air and clean water
globally and he highlighted EPAs Water Infrastructure
Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program as a
concrete example of potentially replicable models. He
also launched several bilateral work streams with his
counterparts including redoubling our cooperation with
Canada on a range of border issues and setting up a
cooperation framework with the European Commission
on air quality, marine litter, resource efficiency, and
chemicals management.
Advance Environmental Cooperation with Israel
Acting Administrator Wheeler signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) with the Israeli Ministry of
Environmental Protection (MoEP) to continue work
on shared issues of concern, including cybersecurity,
innovation in water, and remediation of contaminated
sites. EPA also participated for the first time In the high-
level U.S.-lsrael Joint Economic Development Group
dialogue in September 2018.
"Throughout his presidency, President Trump
has delivered on his promise to elevate and
strengthen our relationship with Israel. We
are renewing and fortifying our longstanding
partnership with Israel to promote bilateral
cooperation on important environmental
issues."
- EPA Acting Administrator
Andrew Wheeler
"This agreement enables the United States
and Israel to deepen our partnership and
address critical environmental challenges
together. I am confident that when we
combine Israeli technology and expertise
with American technology and global
reach, there is no challenge that we cannot
overcome."
- Israeli Ambassador to the United States
Ron Dermer
Launch Trilateral Initiatives with Canada and Mexico
As Chair of the Commission for Environmental
Cooperation (CEC) Council, EPA launched two new North
American initiatives addressing key priorities of Canada,
Mexico, and the U.S. at the Council Session in June
2018. These initiatives included trilateral cooperation to
enhance and share capacities among Canada, Mexico,
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
22
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and the U.S. to prepare, respond, and improve resiliency
to extreme weather events; and an initiative to advance
entrepreneurship and innovation for green growth in
academic institutions in North America.
Working Globally: Technical Assistance
Improving Laboratory Capacity in Panama: EPA
provided technical assistance to Panama, a U.S.
trade partner, to improve its national water quality lab
capacity. As a result, Panama has its first national
water quality reference lab accredited under ISO
17025. This accomplishment increased Panama's
capacity to provide decision makers reliable
analytical water quality data for the development or
implementation of standards and regulation.
Improving Regulatory Processes in Central America:
Under the U.S.-Central America and Dominican
Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), EPA
provided technical assistance to member countries
(El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica,
Guatemala and Dominican Republic) to enhance
their environmental impact assessment procedures.
As a result, two countries have already experienced
a significant reduction of response time for permitting
and compliance reports.
Strengthening Environmental Laws in Vietnam:
EPA provided technical assistance to the Vietnam
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
(MONRE) in revising Vietnam's overarching National
Environmental Law. Prompted by the Formosa fish kill
in 2016, EPA assistance is intended to help prevent
future major environmental disasters in Vietnam. EPA
shared U.S. experiences and case studies for several
sections of the law, including environmental impact
assessment, permitting, standards development,
compensation for environmental damages,
enforcement, and public disclosure of environmental
information. MONRE plans to submit the new draft
law to Vietnam's Parliament in 2019.
Tribal Achievement
EPA has a strong track record of providing grants to
assist tribes in building capacity for federal environmental
programs and implementing tribal solid and hazardous
waste programs. In 2018, EPA regions awarded more
than $63 million under the General Assistance Program,
benefiting nearly all federally recognized tribes through
awards to 500 tribal governments and approximately
25 intertribal consortia. Funding provided under GAP
is for the administrative, technical, legal, enforcement,
communication, and outreach capacities tribes need to
effectively administer environmental regulatory programs
that EPA may delegate to tribes.
Pamunkey Tribe Joins 500 Other Federally
Recognized Tribes as Newest Recipient of Capacity
Building Funds The Pamunkey Indian Tribe, which
received federal recognition in 2016, received
Tribal GAP funding for the first time in 2018. The
Pamunkey Tribe will use these funds to establish
an Office of Environmental Protection, sponsor
community events, develop environmental plans, and
improve solid waste management on the Pamunkey
Reservation.
EPA provided $5.8 million in funding to 18 tribes in
Nevada to invest in environmental programs and
water infrastructure. The Confederated Tribes of
the Goshute Reservation will use $182,221 to plan,
develop, and implement environmental protection
programs, including education and outreach on
recycling to tribal members. The Yomba Tribe will use
$174,998 to manage environmental programs, clean
up a dump site, develop an emergency management
plan, and conduct research on a transfer station for
recycled materials. The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe
will use $203,200 to model and evaluate the impact
of Truckee River nutrient loads on Pyramid Lake's
water quality, ecology, and trophic status. Funds will
also support the cleanup and closure of three illegal
dump sites and assess the operations of several
transfer stations to reduce illegal dumping.
EPA awarded $22.1 million to tribes in California to
fund projects on water quality monitoring, watershed
protection and restoration, water and energy
efficiency and wastewater recycling and treatment.
The Agency also awarded $4.5 million to fund Indian
Health Service support of tribal drinking water and
wastewater infrastructure, plant operator training and
technical assistance The Big Valley Rancheria will
use $173,000 to install corrosion control treatment at
its public water system to address elevated levels of
lead and copper at 38 tribal homes. The Middletown
Rancheria Community will use $547,050 to extend
sewer line service connections to the Lake County
Sanitation District, removing 40 aging septic systems.
The Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians will
use $190,672 to manage environmental programs,
including solid and hazardous waste management
activities, conducting community outreach, and
monitoring Saltan Sea air quality.
23
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
PFAS
This past year, EPA updated and validated a way to test
for an additional four Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances
(PFAS) in drinking water, including the GenX chemical,
hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA).
The updated tools are part of EPA's efforts to increase
the amount of research and information that is publicly
available for chemicals in the PFAS family.
Wildfires & Smoke Sense
In 2018, EPA released an updated
version of the Smoke Sense app
(originally launched in 2017), a mobile
application that lets users learn about
wildland fires and smoke health risks in
their area and report health symptoms
they experience.
Jh
Smoke Sense
A rnซ United States
Environmental Protectior
new scientific connections and providing a path to future
research collaborations between EPA and state scientists
on pressing environmental problems. Each year, the
three day program provides an opportunity for regional
and state scientists to visit ORD research facilities for
discussions with ORD scientists about regional and state
science priorities, including topics such as PFAS, lead
in drinking water and soil, air quality sensors, hazardous
waste management, and sustainable communities. The
program began in FY 2017 hosting regional scientists at
EPA's facility in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
In FY 2018, ORD expanded the program to include not
only ten regional scientists but also ten state scientists
at the laboratory in Cincinnati. In FY 2019, ORD plans
to host ten regional and 20 state scientists from across
the country at the EPA facility in Research Triangle Park,
North Carolina.
In addition to the release of the Smoke Sense app, EPA
continues to research many aspects of wildfires. In 2018,
EPA continued its push to publish research on the health
effects of exposure to wildfire smoke. EPA has also
created resources for responders, public health officials,
and local governments that are all available on EPA's
Smoke Ready Toolbox.
' Smoke Sense ^
Air Quality Index i
Current AQI
20001 <>
AQI Tomorrow
Good
Particle
Ozone ]
Particle ฎ
Ozone
1
Symptom & Smoke
Observations
Fire & Smoke
Near Me
Smoke Smarts
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Air Quality 101
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State Support
In addition to the research and monitoring EPA does
to support states on an ongoing basis, EPA's Office
of Research and Development (ORD) Regional/ORD
Community of Science Networking (ROCS-Net) Program
strengthens science across the nation by establishing
In addition to ROCS-Net, EPA continues to host
numerous outreach opportunities with state partners on a
variety of issues including:
Bi-monthly calls with the Environmental Council of the
States on a range of issues including PFAS science
and technical issues;
Quarterly calls with the Environmental Research
Institute of the States Board; and
Monthly EPA Tools and Resources webinars on
topics such as water reuse, PFAS, harmful algal
blooms, contaminated sites, wildfires, lead modeling,
and drinking water systems.
Supporting Small Business & Students
EPA continues to support small businesses across the
country through its Small Business Innovation Research
program. This funding helps small businesses develop
innovative technologies for the marketplace. In 2018, EPA
awarded $3.5 million to 22 small businesses in Phase I
and Phase II contracts to develop innovative technologies
and solutions for environmental issues.
Through Phase I of the People, Prosperity, and the Planet
(P3) grants program, EPA provided over $463,000 in
funding for 31 college student teams from across the
country, who are developing sustainable technologies to
solve current environmental and public health challenges.
Through Phase II of P3, EPA provided more than
$557,000 in funding for eight student teams.
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
24
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CHILDREN'S HEALTH
Children's Health Month
One of the most important things we can do to protect
our children is to make sure they grow up in a healthy
and safe environment. Children are uniquely vulnerable
to the potential health effects of environmental hazards
found in their everyday environments. In honor of
Children's Health Month in October, EPA highlighted the
Agency's commitment to children's health and research
by publishing a new booklet titled, "Protecting Children's
Health."
PROTECTING
CHILDREN'S HEALTH
The booklet not only details EPA's initiatives currently
underway In partnership with federal agencies, states,
tribes, local governments, schools, community groups,
medical providers, and other stakeholders, but also
showcases new efforts under the Trump Administration to
protect children where they live, learn, and play.
"Children's health is a top priority at EPA,
and we have made tremendous progress
improving air and water quality and
helping kids and families lead healthier
lives. In recognition of National Children's
Health Month, EPA is announcing new
funding to reduce lead exposure, improve
air quality, and help children and families
prosper."
- EPA Acting Administrator
Andrew Wheeler
During Children's Health Month, EPA announced the
availability of nearly $30 million to support safe drinking
water and cleaner air. EPA is making $20 million available
for states and tribes to test for lead in drinking water
at schools and childcare facilities through a new grant
program.
At the same time, EPA announced approximately $9
million in rebates to public school bus fleet owners to
help them replace older school buses with cleaner, more
efficient models. Through Diesel Emission Reduction Act
funding, EPA has helped upgrade 25,000 school buses
across the country for America's schoolchildren to date.
REDUCING LEAD EXPOSURE
Since the 1970s, the United States has made tremendous
progress in lowering children's blood lead levels. Lead
exposure, particularly at higher doses, continues to
pose a significant health and safety threat to children,
preventing them from reaching their fullest potential. The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has
stated that no safe blood lead level in children has been
identified.
in 2018, the Trump Administration unveiled the Federal
Lead Action Plan (Lead Action Plan) - a robust and
coordinated federal effort-to reduce childhood lead
exposure. The Lead Action Plan will help federal agencies
work strategically and collaboratively to reduce exposure
to lead and improve children's health.
EPA and our federal partners are committed to a
collaborative approch to address this threat and improve
health otucomes for our nation's most vulnerable
population our children.
FEDERAL
ACTION PLAN
To Reduce Childhood
Lead Exposures and
Associated Health Impacts
-J
ฃ
President's Task Force
The President's Task Force on Environmental Health
Risks and Safety Risks to Children, which was
established in 1997 by Executive Order 13045, is the
focal point for federal collaboration to promote and
protect children's environmental health. The Task Force is
currently co-chaired by Acting EPA Administrator Andrew
25
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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Wheeler and U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS)
Secretary Alex Azar.
In February 2018, EPA convened a meeting of the Task
Force - including HUD Secretary Ben Carson, Labor
Secretary Alexander Acosta, and HHS Deputy Secretary
Eric Hargan - to collaborate on the development and
implementation of a new Federal Strategy to Reduce
Childhood Lead Exposures and Eliminate Associated
Health Impacts.
In December, the Task Force met its commitment to
issue a new strategy. Acting EPA Administrator Wheeler
was joined by HUD Secretary Ben Carson and HHS
Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan to unveil the Trump
Administration's Federal Lead Action Plan to Reduce
Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health
Impacts (Lead Action Plan).
Lead Action Plan
Goal 1: Reduce Children's Exposure to Lead Sources
Goal 2: Identify Lead-Exposed Children and Improve
Their Health Outcomes
Goal 3: Communicate More Effectively with Stakeholders
Goal 4: Support and Conduct Critical Reserach to Inform
Efforts to Reduce Lead Expsures and Related
Health Risks
"The Trump administration's new
Lead Action Plan reflects our strong
commitment to preventing future
generations from being affected by
lead exposure. We know that lead
exposure at a young age can result in
serious effects on IQ, attention span,
and academic achievement. We need
to continue taking action to prevent
these harmful effects. Identifying lead-
exposed children, connecting them with
appropriate services, and preventing
other children from being exposed to lead
are important public health priorities for
this administration."
- HHS Secretary Alex Azar
"HUD is delighted to join the other
members of the Task Force in issuing
this cohesive Federal Lead Action Plan.
Implementing this plan will help federal
agencies, along with our state and local
partners, advance efforts to remediate
home health hazards and keep children
safe from lead poisoning."
- HUD Secretary Ben Carson
EPA is committed to developing an implementation plan
by March 2019 that includes performance metrics for
monitoring progress and demonstrating accountability
for EPA activities identified in the Lead Action Plan. The
Agency is also committed to providing periodic updates
on the progress of these actions.
EPA and members of the Task Force will continue to
engage with and reach out to community stakeholders
such as non-governmental organizations.
Agency-Wide Lead Work Snapshot
National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week: To
commemorate National Lead Poisoning Prevention
Week, EPA released "Protecting Children from
Lead Exposures" to highlight some of the ongoing
programs being worked on across the various
program and regional offices. The Agency continues
to aggressively address lead issues across America,
working with communities and partners to further
identify and eliminate lead exposure, especially for
children who are most vulnerable to lead poisoning.
"Reducing lead exposure, particularly
among children, is a top priority
for EPA. We are in the process of
completing several important actions
to combat lead poisoning, such as
publishing the new joint federal lead
strategy, strengthening the dust-lead
hazard standards, and overhauling
the lead and copper rule for the first
time in over two decades. We are
releasing a new document, Protecting
Children from Lead Exposures, that
will increase public awareness of the
EPA programs and grants available to
reduce lead exposure."
- EPA Acting Administrator
Andrew Wheeler
Lead and Copper Rule: EPA is working to update the
lead and copper rule for the first time in two decades.
Lead Dust: EPA proposed strengthening the dust-
lead hazard standards. The new, lower proposed
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
26
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standards for lead in dust for floors and window sills
will be an important step to reduce lead exposure -
especially for children.
Water Infrastructure: I n 2018, the Water I nfrastructure
Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program
prioritized projects that reduce exposure to lead and
other contaminants in drinking water systems and
update the nation's aging infrastructure. While the
Agency recognizes that it will be a multi-year process
to bring in applications for lead projects under the
WIFIA program, the agency is pleased that in 2017
the Indiana Finance Authority's loan application
included $6 million dollars for two lead service line
replacement projects in East Chicago and Crown
Point. In 2018, EPA invited several entities to apply
for WIFIA loans that would invest more than $300
million in lead-related projects. The agency looks
forward to investing in more projects that will reduce
lead in drinking water.
oEPA
Sources of LEAD
in Drinking Water
Grants: EPA awarded nearly $4 Million in funding to
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
(Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Va., and the Water
Research Foundation in Denver, Colo., to research
strategies to detect and eliminate lead exposure in
drinking water.
1. Virginia Tech will use their grant of $1,981,500
to create a consumer-based framework to detect
and control lead in drinking water. Researchers will
work collaboratively with the public, encouraging
citizen scientists to participate in the research.
By involving consumers directly in research, this
community science project is designed to increase
public awareness of lead in water and plumbing
at a national scale. This research expands the
capacity of the most vulnerable communities
to actively participate in identifying risks and
evaluating opportunities to mitigate those risks.
2. The Water Research Foundation's $1,981,500
grant will be used to create a risk-based model
to identify opportunities to mitigate lead exposure
from drinking water, including at homes and among
children and pregnant women. In addition, they
will develop a communication framework that
focuses on education and outreach for risk factors
and mitigation opportunities. The communication
framework will be a resource for vulnerable
communities and water utilities, as well as the
general public and other stakeholders.
Region 3: In FY 2018, the region designed and
implemented a place-based approach to reduce
exposure to lead, focusing on increasing awareness
of and compliance with EPA's Lead Renovation,
Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule. Region 3
concentrated on outreach, compliance assistance,
and inspection/enforcement resources for at-risk
geographic areas, including Lancaster, PA and
Philadelphia, PA. This pilot led to the development
of a collaborative Federal regional initiative with
Housing & Urban Development and Health & Human
Services. Region 3 is applying lessons learned in
Lancaster to apply this approach in the Philadelphia
area and is partnering with federal, state, and local
officials, such as the City of Philadelphia school
board.
"By educating the public about the
dangers of lead paint and increasing
awareness of lead paint rules, we can
help reduce lead poisoning in children.
"This initiative is a focused effort with
our local counterparts to reduce lead
exposure in Philadelphia, where there
is a large amount of older housing
stock with lead paint that has not been
removed."
- EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator
Cosmo Servidio
In addition to performing inspections, this initiative
includes workshops on EPA-accredited RRP
training for city inspectors,and licensing/permitting
employees. It also includes events and in-person
visits with trusted organizations, such as childcare
centers and paint suppliers. Together, the Lancaster
project and the Philadelphia project constitute a
model to apply to the Regional Geographic Initiative
on Lead.
27
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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Region 7: In St, Joseph, Missouri, a historic city on
the Missouri River, 15 percent of children tested from
2010-2015 had elevated blood-lead levels - more
than three times the national average. In order to
combat this public health issue, Region 7 created
a regional lead task force working with the city, as
well as federal partners. The task force is focused on
public education to parents, health care providers,
and renovators/DIYers who may deal with lead-based
paint. As part of this initiative, Region 7 established
collaborative relationships and networks with St.
Joseph's Health Department, Missouri Department
of Health and Senior Services, two hospitals,
community groups, and others. To date, the team has
engaged more than 25,000 people in the community.
In December, St. Joseph Mayor Bill McMurray
publicly recognized and thanked EPA for its efforts.
Engagement events are reaching individual families with
small children, daycare centers, the regulated community,
and more. Activities included a variety of outreach,
compliance assistance, and enforcement activities such
as:
Conducting lead-safe certified program training
for commercial renovators as well as compliance
inspections;
Working with area home improvement stores to
share lead safety information and demonstrate
lead-safe practices for do-it-yourself home
renovators;
Visiting daycare facilities, including home
daycares, to teach children and parents how to
reduce exposure to lead-paint dust;
Engaging with local community groups to
determine how to best share resources and training
opportunities with their members;
And coordinating lead safety media coverage and
radio public service announcements.
EPA Region 7 participate in the Southside Fall Festival Parade in St. Joseph, Missouri
As part of the St. Joseph, Missouri, Geographic
Initiative, four EPA team members participated in the
annual Tiny Tot Town Event in St. Joseph, Missouri,
on October 9, 2018. This event created an interactive
simulated community to introduce children to life in
their town. Children explored Tiny Tot Town by strolling
the streets, meeting with store owners, bankers,
librarians, and other professionals in the community.
The EPA team set up a booth that highlighted how
to avoid lead exposure and educated children and
parents about easy steps they can take to stay lead-
free. They also passed out handbooks for parents
and coloring books for children. Approximately 300
people stopped by the EPA booth to learn about living
lead-free. EPA staff also participated in the Southside
Fali Festival Parade - with approximately 1,000
people in attendance - and distributed lead poisoning
awareness and prevention materials to educate
the community on how to reduce children's lead
exposures.
EPA Region 7 disccuses the importance of lead safety at the Tiny Town event in
St. Joseph, Missouri
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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AGENCY REFORM
Lean Management
Under President Trump, EPA launched a comprehensive
management system, the EPA Lean Management System
(ELMS), to identify, track, and improve critical Agency
processes.
This past year, we initiated deployment of ELMS in
three regions and scheduled deployment in the rest
of the agency for FY 2019. We also created over 600
performance measures across all national programs
and regional offices. For the first time, EPA is reviewing
its performance via these new measures and taking
corrective action on a monthly, rather annual basis.
In FY 2018, EPA made positive improvements on 46
percent of its performance goals as reported through
ELMS.
Through the deployment of ELMS, EPA has:
Reduced its backlog of new permit applications older
than six months by 34 percent between June and
November 2018.
Increased the percentage of TSCA pre-manufacture
notice final determinations completed within 90 days
of submission from 11 percent in October 2017 to 71
percent in September 2018.
Increased the annual number of Brownfields
properties made ready for anticipated use from 531 in
FY 2017 to 861 in FY 2018.
Decreased the backlog of action on Total Maximum
Daily Loads to support meeting water quality
standards under the Clean Water Act from 219 in
April 2018 to 95 in October 2018.
Agency Structure
Environmental Justice: In 2018, EPA completed
organizational changes that included moving the Office
of Environmental Justice (OEJ) and the Office of Federal
Activities into EPA's Office of Policy, located in the
Administrator's Office. By elevating the work of these
organizations, EPA can better address the Agency's
most pressing priorities, namely addressing the needs
of vulnerable groups and communities and expediting
federal infrastructure reviews and environmental
permitting decisions. In particular this will allow the
Agency to incorporate environmental justice into all EPA
programs, not just enforcement actions.
Permitting In the newly located Office of Federal
Activities, EPA worked to streamline its permitting
activities and improve its obligations related to the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In October
2018, EPA rescinded an outdated, unhelpful, and
duplicative alphanumeric rating system used in the
NEPA comment letters the Agency issues on draft
environmental impact statements (EISs). The Agency
started a review of its 1984 NEPA policy and procedures
to identify other opportunities for reform.
Moreover, for the first time ever, EPA started tracking the
percentage of EPA's NEPA comment letters that issue
within the 45-day comment period. EPA issued comment
letters within that period nearly 100% of the time in FY
2018. EPA also started tracking its early engagement with
other federal agencies in the NEPA process and worked
to increase this engagement throughout FY 2018.
EPA released its implementation plan for the One
Federal Decision policy for major infrastructure projects
established in President Trump's EO 13807. EPA's plan
includes actions to streamline permitting-related decisions
and reduce EPA's review of draft EISs. Notably, by the
end of FY 2019, EPA committed to reduce the number
of permit-related decisions exceeding six months by 50
percent and by September 30, 2022, all permit-related
decisions will be made in six months.
FOIfi EPA is improving the efficiency, accuracy, and
timeliness with which it responds to the thousands of
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests it receives
annually. EPA took a major step toward this goal in 2018
when it created the National FOIA Office (NFO) within
the Office of General Counsel (OGC). NFO aims to
standardize policies, streamline procedures, and increase
effectiveness and visibility in order to respond to FOIA
requests efficiently and in a timely manner.
Mission Support: The Agency also created the Office of
Mission Support by combining the Office of Administration
and Resources Management and the Office of
Environmental Information to align EPA's core mission
support functions, and to improve efficiency, coordination,
and customer experience for internal customers,
stakeholders, and the public.
29
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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Cost-Benefit Reform
EPA owes it to the American people to be consistent and
transparent about how it makes regulatory decisions.
Many federal environmental statutes, such as the Clean
Air Act and the Clean Water Act, require or allow some
consideration of cost and benefits when setting pollution
standards, but there is variation in terminology and
specificity provided in each law regarding the nature and
scope of the cost and benefit considerations.
To improve consistency and transparency, the Agency
engaged with the American public to consider the most
effective way to formalize the Agency's approach to
weighing costs and benefits in future decisions. In June
2018, EPA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (ANPRM) asking for public input on how
EPA can improve consistency and transparency in
considering costs and benefits and on the potential for
issuing regulations to govern EPA's approach in future
rulemakings.
WSJ Editorial Board: June 6,2018
"Barack Obama's Environmental Protection Agency
jammed through an average of 565 new rules each year
during the Obama Presidency, imposing the highest
regulatory costs of any agency. It pulled off this regulatory
spree in part by gaming cost-benefit analysis to downplay
the consequences of its major environmental rules. The
Trump Administration has already rolled back some of
this overregulation, and now [the Agency] wants to stop
the EPA's numerical shenanigans, too.
On Thursday the EPA will take the first step toward a
comprehensive cost-benefit reform by issuing an advance
notice of proposed rule-making. After weighing public
input, EPA will propose a rule establishing an agency-
wide standard for how regulations are assessed. The
reform would make it easier for Americans and their
elected representatives to see whether more regulation is
truly justifiable...
The regulatory specifics will be hashed out in the
coming months, but there's real potential here to curb
the distortions that mask bad policy. If [EPA] succeeds,
future cost-benefit analyses will be more consistent and
transparent. The reform would help to ensure regulation
is based on sound scientific analysis instead of wishful
bureaucratic thinking."
Smart Sectors
EPA's Smart Sectors program provides a platform to
collaborate with regulated sectors and develop sensible
approaches that better protect the environment and public
health. The goals include: meaningful collaboration with
regulated sectors; common-sense policies to improve
environmental outcomes; and better EPA practices and
streamlined operations.
In its first year, EPA established partnerships with
13 sectors of the economy; held three Administrator
roundtables with all sectors; visited 18 facilities covering
the operations of nine different sectors; and held
more than 500 other internal and external meetings to
better understand and help address sector issues and
opportunities.
Other achievements include:
"Best practices in permitting" video, profile, and story
map to support an Agency goal of making all permit
decisions within six months by 2022;
"Sector Snapshots:" an interactive, web-based
application that provides environmental and
economic data over the last 20 years about industries
participating in the program;
Agreement with the National Association of
Manufacturers to expand the reach of Smart Sectors
into the broader manufacturing sector; and
Extension of an agreement with the National Vehicle
Mercury Switch Recovery Program to prevent the
release of mercury into the environment.
Additionally, EPA Regions 1 and 8 launched Smart
Sectors initiatives to improve communication with
specific industries important to their regional economy,
environment, and public health.
"The Smart Sectors program has been a
game changer for our dialogue with EPA
on pragmatic and effective environmental
protections. The cement industry is
committed to finding creative ways to
reduce our environmental footprint while
continuing to provide a resilient and cost-
effective building material to support our
nation's infrastructure needs."
Portland Cement Association
President & CEO Mike Ireland
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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EPA ACROSS the COUNTRY
REGION 1: New England
[by the numbers)
3 Superfund sites deleted from the NPL (Hatheway & Patterson in Mansfield, Massachusetts; Old
Southington Landfill In Southington, Connecticut; and Union Chemical Co., Inc. in South Hope, Maine).
34 State Implementation Plans approved.
400 New England residents in attendance at the first-ln-the-country, two-day PFAS community engagement
meeting in Exeter, NH.
701 doors knocked on by the Community Involvement team In addition to the 84 public meetings and 40
factsheets to disseminate information to the public on Superfund and emergency removal sites.
Region 1 Firsts
Region 1 finalized the Massachusetts and New
Hampshire MS4 permits and put them both
into effect. The new permits update stormwater
management efforts across both states' urbanized
areas that will better protect rivers, streams, ponds,
lakes, and wetlands from harmful pollutants in many
communities. While updating ecological protection,
the permits also maximizes flexibility for individual
municipalities to tailor their efforts to individual needs
and local conditions.
Region 1 worked with the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts to develop their first-ever "watershed
permit" to hoiistically address nitrogen sources on
Cape Cod for the four towns sharing the Pleasant
Bay watershed: Brewster, Chatham, Harwich,
and Orleans. The permit represents an innovative
and flexible permitting approach to support Cape
Cod communities' efforts to address the critical
water quality challenges stemming from nitrogen
contamination of the Cape's waterways.
Working with the State of Vermont to implement the
Lake Champlain cleanup, EPA issued the first-ever
report card for Lake Champlain, which showed a
commitment to implementing the phosphorus Total
Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for Lake Champlain
and establishing a strong framework to support future
phosphorus load reductions.
M
to
New England Regional Administrator Alex Dunn and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
on Cape Cod disccusing work to reduce nitrogen levels in Cape Cod Bay through
oyster aquaculture using EPA grant funding
r ^
TpchLaw
EPA scientists water sampling the Lower Connecticut River through tracking sturgeon
31
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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REGION 2: New Jersey, New York,
Puerto Rico & U.S. Virgin Islands
(by the numbers)
*
A
ฉ
169 Public water system examinations in New York State (114) and New Jersey (55) to ensure the Lead and
Copper Rule is adequately implemented and drinking water is protected.
$74 Million Cleanup plan - with strong community support - for the American Cyanamid Superfund Site
in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey to address two waste lagoons containing highly toxic acid tar, benzene,
and other chemicals.
$307 Million Grant funding for New York and New Jersey for water infrastructure improvements.
$332 Million cleanup at Berry's Creek (Ventron/Velsicol Superfund Site) in Bergen County, New Jersey
- an action North Jersey Editorial Board called "Long Overdue" - focused on controlling the greatest sources
of contamination to the watershed.
Community Drinking Water Systems in Puerto Rico
In September 2018, EPA signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with seven non-government entities (Por
Los Nuestros, Water Mission International, the Puerto
Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust, the
Puerto Rico Community Foundation, the American Red
Cross, OXFAM, and Polytechnic University of Puerto
Rico) to strengthen the development and operation of
independent public water systems and unregulated
community water systems in Puerto Rico.
These public water systems are in remote, rural areas of
the island, relying on surface water and/or groundwater
for their water supply and facing unique challenges in
providing affordable drinking water and wastewater
services that meet federal and Commonwealth
regulations. Many of these systems lack the technical,
managerial, and financial capabilities and resources
necessary to assure access to reliable and safe drinking
water even before Hurricanes Maria and Irma hit the
island last year, and those problems have only been
exacerbated by the impact of the storms.
The MOU leverages more than $10 million pledged by
the nonprofit groups to support the organizations that
own and operate water systems and make their systems
more energy independent. Through this MOU, EPA and
the other signatories have agreed to use our resources
and expertise to collectively build capacity to ensure
the systems provide safe drinking water to community
residents, as well as conduct infrastructure repairs and
improvements to make these systems more sustainable
and resilient to future extreme weather events.
Clean Drinking Water
EPA Region 2 reached an agreement with the town of
Ticonderoga, New York, a town with a per capita income
of $16,000 and 21 % of children living in poverty, to
address longstanding violations of the Safe Drinking
Water Act (SDWA) to protect the health of approximately
5,000 village residents. The Consent Decree establishes
requirements and a schedule to bring the town into
compliance, including monitoring and public notification.
As part of the agreement, the Town will perform $100,000
in Supplemental Environmental Projects, consisting of a
notification project and a pharmaceutical disposal project.
EPA Regional Administrator Pete Lopez with the Mayor ofAguas Buenas,
Javier Garcia; Dr. Nelson Colon from the Fundacion Comunitaria de Puerto
Rico; Community Leader Don Guillermo Falcon; and EPA staff
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
32
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REGION 3: Mid-Atlantic
(by the numbers)
4 Superfund sites deleted from the NPL (Dorney Road Landfill in Upper Macungie Township, Pennsylvania;
C & D Recycling in Foster Township, Pennsylvania; Ordnance Works Disposal Areas in Morgantown, West
Virginia; and Recticon/Allied Steel Corp, in East Coventry Township, Pennsylvania).
38 Completed federally approved actions on State Implementation Plans.
165 Residential properties cleaned up to address contamination from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
and metals in the Eastwick Neighborhood in proximity to the Lower Darby Creek Area Superfund Site.
4,757 Lab analyses performed for 40 Superfund sites by Region 3's Environmental Science Center
Regional Laboratory. The Regional Laboratory also obtained new ISO Accreditation for PFAS Method 537,
becoming the first EPA laboratory with this accreditation for drinking water.
$263 Million Awarded in state revolving loan grants to state partners in the Mid-Atlantic, which will be
used to address the critical need for improved infrastructure.
EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Cosmo Servidio signed a memorandum of
understanding (MOU) with Lincoln Univeristy to enhance research, teaching, outreach
career development, and stewardship in environmental sciences. The MOU is part
of EPA's Minority Academic Institutions Program which was created to increase
opportunities for Minority Academic Institutions to participate in federal programs.
Chesapeake Bay Progress
In July 2018, EPA and the Bay Program Partnership
completed the Bay TMDL "Midpoint Assessment" which
updated the Partnership's modeling tools with new
science, land use and land cover data, and improvements
to its accuracy and completeness. It also included an
EPA evaluation of the progress the partners have made
toward meeting the goals of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL.
According to the assessment, the partnership exceeded
its halfway goal for reducing phosphorus and sediment as
measured under the current suite of modeling tools. The
report detailed record acreage of underwater grasses
and the highest estimates of water quality standards
attained in more than 30 years. Overall watershed-wide
restoration efforts exceeded the 60 percent goals for
reducing phosphorous and sediment with support from
EPA.
GREG S. FOREJT
i SONS
Region 3 Agriculture Outreach
33
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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REGION 4:Southeast
(by the numbers)
ซ
ฉ
*
127 Superfund sites assessed following Hurricanes Florence and Michael.
1.45 Million People in the Troy and Hillsborough area with clean air after the redesignation of remaining
two nonattainment areas for 2008 lead NAAQS,
$2 Million Grant funding for two projects in the Farmer to Farmer Cooperative Agreement to improve
water quality, habitate, and environmental education in the Mississippi River Basin.
500 Million Gallons of contaminated wastewater stored at the Mississippi Phosphates Corporation site
in Pascagoula eliminated by the innovative $71,6 million cleanup that will take place between 2018-2020 in
addition to reducing the volume of wastewater requiring treatment by an estimated 98 percent.
EPA and Partners Respond to Hurricanes Florence
and Michael
in September 2018, Hurricane Florence caused
significant damage and widespread flooding in the
Caroiinas. Directly following, in October 2018, Hurricane
Michael struck the Gulf Coast; it was the most powerful
hurricane to ever hit northwest Florida. Prior to the storms
landing, EPA activated emergency response centers and
worked with federal, state, tribal, and local partners in
North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida to ensure that
Superfund sites were secured, developed plans to assist
in rapidly assessing public water systems, and processed
emergency fuel waivers.
EPA Region 4 response team meet at the North Carolina Incident Command Post in
Fayetteville, North Carolina following Hurricane Florence
Following landfall, EPA coordinated closely with local,
tribal, state, and federal partners in responding to the
hurricanes' impact. Region 4 had more than 40 personnel
involved in emergency response efforts. Region 4
Superfund's On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) and Region
4 Water Protection Division's water/wastewater technical
experts deployed to State Emergency Operation Centers
and to the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) Regional Response Coordination Center in
Atlanta to assist with emergency support functions for oil
and hazardous substance response efforts and water/
wastewater infrastructure assessment and recovery. EPA
provided asbestos technical and regulatory assistance
to Florida and North Carolina as they supported local
property owners' and contractors' recovery efforts. Region
4 staff remain on the ground in Florida, assisting the State
with recovery efforts.
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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Region 4 deployment included EPA's Mobile Command
Post, a mobile laboratory, emergency response vehicles,
satellite communications equipment, air monitoring
instruments, and other assorted field equipment.
During the recovery phase of the responses to the
hurricanes, Region 4 Superfund coordinated post-landfall
assessments of NPL and NPL-caliber Superfund sites
potentially impacted by the storm. Region 4 Superfund's
assessment teams conducted inspections at 127 NPL
sites.
Region 4 Superfund also pursued an innovative approach
to the site's remedial design and remedial action
process, separating the two activities. Region 4 staff had
enforcement documents ready for issuance to site PRPs
to negotiate an agreement to conduct the remedial design
shortly after the ROD was signed.
EMERGENCY
RESPONSE,
Map of B.F. Goodrich Superfund site in Kentucky
Superfund Progress
After a multi-year journey, the B.F. Goodrich Superfund
site achieved a major milestone in advancing the cleanup.
In September 2018, EPA Acting Administrator Andrew
Wheeler signed a second ROD selecting the final remedy
for the site, which is in Calvert City, Kentucky.
The $107 million remedy includes a three-mile sub-
surface barrier wall around onshore contamination,
groundwater collection and treatment, recovery of non-
aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) from accessible onshore
areas, dredging of contaminated sediments from the
barge slip, closure of two ponds, recovery of NAPL from
beneath the Tennessee River, and treatment of the
groundwater plume beneath the river. The remedy is
widely supported by all stakeholders. It replaces an initial
cleanup plan that was more than twice as expensive,
disruptive to ongoing chemical plant operations and
posed health risks during construction.
Innovative Settlement Agreement to Protect Workers
and a Community
On June 12, 2018, Region 4 reached a settlement
agreement with Decostar Industries, Inc. (Decostar)
to control levels of hazardous air emissions from their
facility in Carrollton, GA., to protect workers and the
surrounding community. Twenty-seven different Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) violations were
observed during an inspection of the facility, the most
significant of which included releases and leaks of volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) into an area of the facility
open to all employees where no respiratory protections
were in place. One of the releases measured in excess
of 20,000 parts per million (ppm), which was approaching
the lower explosive limit of solvent in use.
As part of the settlement, Decostar will implement a leak
detection and repair program, perform a supplemental
environmental project valued at over $2.7 million and
pay a $377,900 civil penalty. In addition, Decostar will
implement a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP).
The SEP Includes the replacement of existing robots
and paint applicators with devices that increase transfer
efficiency. This project is expected to reduce hazardous
waste generated at the facility by 4,130 pounds per year,
hazardous air pollution emissions by 1,385 pounds per
year and emissions of volatile organic compounds by
1,972 pounds per year.
LandtULiBufrt Pit
35
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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REGION 5: Great Lakes
(by the numbers)
53,000 Tons of PCB-contaminated soils/sediments arid 2 million gallons of wastewater disposed of during
the cleanup of the Ostego Township Dam Area of the Kalamazoo River at the Allied Paper Inc./Kalamazoo
River Superfund site.
P 575,000 Cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment removed by three hydraulic dredges operating 24
hours per day at least five days a week in the 15th year of cleanup work at the Fox River site.
$100 Million Invested in restoring Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) bringing significant economic
ฉbenefits to local communities. In 2018, the Great Lakes program removed seven Beneficial Use Impairments
at seven AOCs in five states, allowing for greater recreational fishing, swimming, and boating opportunities
and economic development.
Expedited Response at the USS Lead Superfund Site
in East Chicago, Indiana
In 2018, Region 5 successfully met - and even exceeded
- goals for completion of soil cleanup at residences in
both Zones 2 and 3. Work included removing 24,995
tons of lead- and/or arsenic-contaminated soil from
178 Zone 2 properties and 19,561 tons of lead- and/or
arsenic-contaminated soil from 120 Zone 3 properties.
In the past two years, EPA has removed 76,851 tons of
soil contaminated with lead and arsenic from 527 homes
and yards in two of the site's three cleanup areas (Zones
2 and 3). EPA held six public meetings throughout 2018
in addition to other on-the-ground public engagement
efforts, such as Region 5 presence at Calumet Days
and door-to-door recruitment for blood lead testing, A
community outreach office at the former Carrie Gosch
Elementary School was also established where EPA staff
is available throughout the workweek.
Dultuh Seaway Port Authority in Minnesota received a $300,000 Brownfields grant to
assess, clean up, and redevelop underutilized properties while protecting public health
and the environment specifically around Rice Point, Lincoln Park, Morgan Park, and
Gary-New Duluth neighborhoods in Duluth, Minnesota.
Significant Brownfields Redevelopment
Region 5 assessed 670 Brownfields sites (35 percent
of EPA total) and cleaned up 25 Brownfields sites (17.5
percent of EPA total). The region leveraged $546 million
in Brownfields cleanup and redevelopment projects (25
percent of EPA total), and readied 261 new Brownfields
properties for reuse (30 percent of EPA total). These
projects resulted in approximately 3,800 new jobs from
Brownfields redevelopment (35 percent of EPA total).
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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REGION 6: Arkansas, Louisiana,
New Mexico, Oklahoma & Texas
(by the numbers)
54 Acres of the remediated Bayou Bonfouca Superfund site which is now home to municipal services depart-
ments, Heritage Park, public boat launch, and a state of the art marina recognized for excellence in reuse.
$35,000 Settlement with CertainTeed to resolve alleged violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
in Westlake, Louisiana. It represents the largest civil penalty payment under the SDWA by a public water
system with respect to drinking water in the state of Louisiana.
$600,000 Civil penalties resulting from settlement with Georgia-Pacific of alleged violations of the Clean
Air Act in Crossett, Arkansas where the company will take steps to correct the violations and implement a
mitigation project to reduce hydrogen sulfide (H2S) emissions.
$3.1 Million Civil penalties paid by DuPont due to a Stipulation of Settlement to address alleged
chemical accident prevention violations at its former La Porte, Texas chemical manufacturing facility.
$115 Million Record of Decision signed to cleanup the San Jacinto Waste Pits Superfund site after
responding to more than 48,000 comments.
Partnering with States and Tribes on Illinois River
Watershed Models
In April, Region 6 completed the Illinois River Watershed
Basin and Lake Tenkiller models and released them
to the partnering agencies for use. The EPA partnered
with Arkansas, Oklahoma, and the Cherokee Nation to
develop science-based water quality models. Partner
agencies can now use the models to evaluate options
as they continue to reduce phosphorus loadings from
sources in northeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas.
Tulsa World: "Long-awaited rules mean Arkansas and
Oklahoma agencies will operate off same page"
Tahlequah Daily Press: "After partnering with the
states of Arkansas and Oklahoma and the Cherokee
Nation to develop science-based water quality
models, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
has completed the Illinois River Watershed Basin
and Lake Tenkiller models and released them to the
partnering agencies for us."
Working with Federal and State Partners to Bring
New Drinking Water Source to North Texas
The Lower Bois d'Arc Creek Reservoir project, as
proposed by the North Texas Municipal Water District,
will create a water supply reservoir to provide drinking
water to cities north and east of Dallas, Texas. As a
cooperating agency, EPA worked with the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers and other stakeholders to address
issues with the proposed project, which will impact more
than 6,000 acres of wetlands and more than 120 miles of
streams. Total mitigation efforts will provide compensation
with 9,131 wetlands acres and 74.3 miles of streams.
The North Texas Municipal Water District serves one
of the fastest-growing urban areas in the country. The
Lower Bois d'Arc Creek reservoir will provide drinking
water supply infrastructure for this growing population by
2022. When finished, the reservoir will yield an estimated
175,000 acre feet of drinking water per year for North
Texas consumers.
MOU on Produced Water with New Mexico
EPA and the State of New Mexico released a draft
whitepaper which addresses state and federal regulatory
management of produced water, along with opportunities
to treat and reuse the water to help alleviate water
scarcity issues across the state. The whitepaper was
released following the July 2018 Memorandum of
Understanding entered by EPA, the New Mexico Energy,
Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD);
Environment Department; and the Office of the State
Engineer to assess and clarify the existing regulatory
landscape related to the way produced water from oil
and gas extraction activities may be reused, or, as
appropriate, treated and made available for non-oil and
gas applications in New Mexico.
37
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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REGION 7: Kansas, Iowa,
Missouri & Nebraska
BY THE NUMBERS )
4
ฉ
a remedial investigation and feasibility study for
groundwater at the Site which is part of a separate
operable unit (OU 3).
Improving Enforcement Timeliness thru Lean
Management
Region 7's Clean Air Act 112ฎ Risk Management
Program enforcement team has significantly reduced
the time it takes to complete both expedited and
administrative enforcement actions. The enforcement
team is now completing these actions faster, which
helps bring facilities in compliance at a faster pace. The
average time to complete cases has dropped from 503
days for expedited enforcement actions and 862 days for
administrative enforcement actions in FY15, to 226 and
495 days in FY18. That is a 55 percent and 42 percent
reduction respectively.
The team is also tracking the time it takes for facilities
to come back into compliance, regardless of what stage
they are in the enforcement process. Thanks to this effort
there has been a 33 percent (administrative) and 23
percent (expedited settlement agreement) reduction in
the time it takes a facility to come back into compliance.
101 Residential properties cleaned up in the Omaha Lead Superfund site formally deleted from the NFL.
$47.7 Million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the Metropolitan St. Louis
Sewer District in Missouri to help finance its Deer Creek Sanitary Tunnel and Sanitary Relief project. This
upgrade will help alleviate wastewater overflow and reduce basement backups for the 1.4 million residents
served by Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District and improve water quality in Deer Creek. Because the WIFIA
program offers loans with low interest rates, the Sewer District is expected to save up to an estimated $15
million compared to typical bond issuance. Project construction and operations are expected to create 70 jobs,
with construction beginning in 2019 and a target completion date in late 2023.
$69.7 Million WIFIA funding for the City of Omaha, Nebraska to help finance its Saddle Creek Retention
Treatment Basin, which will decrease the number and volume of overflow events into Little Papillion Creek, a
Missouri River tributary, from 58 to 5 times a year and 560 to 70 million gallons per year; reduce the volume of
untreated combined sewer overflow, total suspended solids, and E. coli bacteria entering the creek; and save
the City of Omaha about $20 million in interest costs by utilizing WIFIA financing for this project.
West Lake Landfill Record of Decision Bridgeton,
Missouri
In 2018, EPA finalized a remedy for Operable Unit (OU)
1 of the West Lake Superfund Site in Bridgeton, Missouri
- a target milestone on the Administrator's Emphasis
List. After consideration of the 4,200 public comments
received, the finalized Record of Decision (ROD)
Amendment and Responsiveness Summary selects a
remedy that includes excavation and offsite disposal of
a large portion of the radioactive materials at the Site,
followed by installation of an engineered containment
system.
Acting Administrator Wheeler signs the West Lake ROD with Missouri Senator Roy
Blunt and Congresswoman Anne Wagner
Simultaneously, the Region started negotiations with
the potentially responsible parties (PRPs) to perform
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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REGION 8; Mountains & Plains
(by the numbers)
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$12 Million Additional funds to significantly accelerate the cleanup of residential soils and indoor dust at
the Colorado Smelter Superfund site in Pueblo, Colorado from over a decade to 3 to 5 years.
303 (c) and 401 Approved Treatment in a Similar Manner applications for the Southern Ute Indian
Tribe for the Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 303(c) Water Quality Standards and 401 Certification programs
for all currently held tribal trust lands.
989 Inspections conducted in Indian Country, accounting for 47 percent of all inspections in Region 8.
2,869,000 People reached with lead poisoning prevention public service announcements in addition to
providing over 5,000 lead poisoning prevention hard-copy publications-
Silver Bow Creek / Butte Superfund Site and
Anaconda Super Superfund Site
After several meetings, EPA Region 8 reached conceptual
agreement in July 2018, with PRPs, the state, and the
county for future cleanup work at the Anaconda site and
reached a conceptual agreement in January 2018, with
Potentially Responsible Parties (PRP), the state, and the
county for future cleanup work at the site and the Silver
Bow Creek/Butte site. Agreements in both Butte and
Anaconda are significant steps in the process to achieve
the goal of completing cleanup and beginning deletion
of the Butte Site by the end of 2024 and the Anaconda
site by the end of 2025. Both sites were listed on the
NPL in the early- to mid-1980s - well over 30 years ago.
EPA intends to begin the deletion process in 2019 by
partially deleting two operable units at the Anaconda site.
At both sites, the State of Montana, as well as the locally
elected officials, deserve significant credit for reaching an
agreement. The PRP at both sites, Atlantic Richfield, also
engaged productively in negotiations and allowed us to
reach a settlement. Finally, citizen organizations in both
communities, while not engaged in direct negotiations,
provided valuable constructive criticism throughout the
process.
Anaconda: The Anaconda agreement is comprehensive
and includes finalizing the cleanup of the community
as well as an economic development funding. We are
currently in the process of working on the details of the
agreement and the consent decree. The court has lifted
the confidentiality order and we are also working with
local elected officials on a plan to seek community input
into the agreement.
Butte: The Agreement and eventual settlement/
consent decree will benefit the community of Butte by
implementing a comprehensive cleanup that includes
amenities that incorporate the interests of the community
for a park with water features in upper Silver Bow
Creek after removal of mine wastes and construction of
stormwater control features. Input from the community -
Restore Our Creek Coalition, in particular - was critical to
reaching a solution that would be supported by the public.
Wyoming Self-Audit Initiative Memorandum of
Understanding
EPA and the State of Wyoming entered into a
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to encourage greater
compliance with federal and state laws to protect human
health and the environment by promoting self-policing in
the regulated community. Specifically, the MOA provides
Wyoming and the regulated community with greater
certainty regarding environmental compliance self-audits
conducted under Wyoming's environmental self-audit
law and increases coordination between the state
and the EPA. It clarifies EPA's oversight in Wyoming's
implementation of its environmental privilege and
immunity statue. The MOA reflects the Agency's renewed
emphasis on encouraging regulated entities to voluntarily
discover, promptly disclose, expeditiously correct, and
take steps to prevent recurrence of environmental
violations.
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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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REGION 9: Pacific Southwest
(bythe numbers)
31 Number of small drinking water systems serving 10,000 people or fewer returned to compliance after
arsenic exceedances. Region 9 also reduced the number of systems exceeding lead action levels from 44 to
six and facilitated lead sampling at 100 tribal schools and daycare facilities.
$23 Million Total awarded in Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) and Targeted Airshed Grants,
leveraging more than $82 million to replace 550 diesel engines, which will reduce particulate matter by 170
tons and NOx by 2,000 tons - especially in the Los Angeles region and San Joaquin Valley - and improve
air quality.
ฎ$165 Million Funding for wastewater and stormwater projects, $153 million for projects to improve
availability and access to safe drinking water, and over $19 million to tribes to help address the increasing
demand to build and improve water infrastructure across Region 9 states and territories.
Environmental Protection at the Southwest U.S.-
Mexico Border
In the past year, the Trump Administration has
strengthened relationships with Mexico to protect
the Southwest U.S. Mexico border. Region 9 took
steps toward reducing the public health impacts of
transboundary sewage flows and ultimately eliminating
them.
EPA worked with Mexican counterparts to develop a
spill notification protocol to reduce health risks during
sewage flows from Mexico to the U.S. The protocol
was effectively implemented for the first time during
a Tijuana spill in late 2018. It allowed Region 9 to
immediately offer technical assistance to Mexico for
the repair of its collector systems, which reduced the
volume of the spill.
Region 9 convened federal, state, and local
governments, as well as representatives of NGOs
and industry, to identify technical and financial
solutions to transboundary pollution issues.
For the first time, in coordination with the International
Boundary and Water Commission, a plan for
infrastructure investments to stop sewage flows was
authorized for development by the North American
Development Bank and Border Environment
Cooperation Commission.
Tribal Environmental Protection
Region 9 includes 148 federally recognized tribes. In
Fiscal Year 2018, Region 9 awarded 111 grants totaling
$15.8 million under the Indian General Assistance
Program Act.
Among other accomplishments:
88 tribes have completed EPA-Tnbal environmental
plans;
50 tribal communities reduced environmental health
stressors by cleaning up more than 30 open dumps;
19 e-waste, hazardous waste, tires and debris
cleanups hosted by tribes;
13 Integrated Solid Waste Management plans drafted
or revised; and
Tribes in Region 9 completed drought contingency
plans, updated or drafted new codes and ordinances,
and conducted community outreach to spur
behavioral change.
Agricultural Worker Protection
Region 9 conducted Worker Protection Standards
outreach for states, tribes, territories, farmworker,
community, and industry groups. These efforts included
seven workshops and three outreach events which
trained 106 promotores, with the potential to reach 6,950
workers and their families; five events that reached
480 industry representatives; and training for 20 tribal
employees and inspectors.
United States
Mexico
\
15 million t people
borticrwidc
26 federally recognized
U.S. tribes
6 national parks
4 high priority river twins
40+ US. counties and
into the U.S.
2,000 mile shared border
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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REGION 10: Pacific Northwest
(by the numbers)
250 Pounds of debris that contained asbestos collected in close coordination with the Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality over a 3-square mile area on the banks of the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon in
response to a warehouse fire in the largest Region 10 emergency response,
340,000 Tons of debris and hazardous materials excavated and removed from the six-acre Bremerton
Landfill Gorst Creek preventing further downstream toxic pollution from moving downstream, and protecting
water quality for the Suquamish Tribe, fish and other wildlife thorough collaboration with the U.S. Navy, Suqua-
mish Tribe, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Kitsap County and Kitsap Public Health District.
$135 Million First-ever WIFIA loan to King County, Washington to help finance the Georgetown Wet
Weather Treatment Station, which will collect and treat up to 70 million gallons of wastewater and stormwater
per day that would have spilled into the Duwamish river during bad weather. The project is expected to create
an estimated 1,400 jobs and will provide education, job training, and apprenticeship opportunities during its
design, construction, and operation through King County's Priority Hire program and partnership with South
Seattle College's Georgetown Campus.
Idaho's Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
Throughout 2018, the National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System Permits Team completed complex,
multi-year work with Idaho Department on Environmental
Quality to facilitate EPA's approval of the State of Idaho to
take on Clean Water Act wastewater permitting authority
and allow Idaho to build environmental infrastructure
needed for the growing economy.
"I appreciate all the people who have
worked hard for several years to get
us to this point. And I'm grateful to the
Trump Administration for moving forward
so efficiently on this decision. Idaho
citizens are usually best served by other
Idahoans, and I'm pleased to have the
State of Idaho assume administration of
this important program for protecting and
improving the quality of Idaho's water."
- Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter (ID)
Idaho's system will ensure dischargers protect water
quality and meet the state's water quality standards.
Idaho joined 46 other states across the country running
their own water discharge permitting program, protecting
their most precious natural resource: safe, clean water.
A
4
Future Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment a i
Construction underway at the WIHA funded Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment
Station in King County, Washington
Acting Administrator Wheeler and EPA Pacific Northwest Regional Administrator
Chris Hladick meet with Western Washington tribal leaders from the Makah Tribe, the
Stillaguamish Tribe, and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, as well as leadership of the
Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission.
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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
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