REGION 7
YEAR IN REVIEW
Protecting Human Health and the Environment
Serving Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations
-------
1 EPA REGION 7
SEVEN STRONG
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
IN THE HEARTLAND
I joined the Region 7 family just before the start of 2022, and during my first year
here, I quickly learned why "Seven Strong" is the unofficial motto in Region 7 - it
captures the hardworking and innovative spirit of our team.
After two years of operating remotely during a pandemic, this year was our transi-
tion from fully remote to a hybrid workplace. Our Mission Support Division staff
worked hard to ensure that our COVID workplace procedures complied with Agency
policies and cultivated a transparent and supportive working environment for our
Region 7 employees.
While our physical workplaces evolved from where we conduct business, this year
also saw a lot of big changes in how we conduct business. Our teams remained agile
as we worked to implement new resources and further develop and strengthen
regional priorities.
An astounding increase to EPA funding through the American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law brought unprec-
edented changes to our capacity and capabilities. We quickly developed the internal infrastructure necessary to better manage,
track, allocate, and educate our states and communities on financial opportunities available to them.
As civil servants, our primary function should always be to provide "cumulative support" to those we're sworn to serve - es-
pecially those residing in underserved and impoverished areas. Environmental justice is being incorporated into the daily work
across our divisions and programs. More than ever before, Region 7 is engaging and listening to communities and tribes to bet-
ter identify problems and drive change at a hyper-localized level.
We've made great strides in climate resilience initiatives, especially in those underserved communities. We awarded our first
clean school bus rebate to a rural district in our region for over $1.1 million. We also presented our top climate initiatives at the
Climate, Emergencies and Health Symposium, alongside our federal partners, FEMA and i-IHS.
We have also taken a deeply collaborative approach to cultivating relationships with other agencies and organizations. We
signed memorandums of understanding with four universities in our region - University of Kansas, Lincoln University, University
of Missouri-Kansas City, and Haskell Indian Nations University - to further nurture and cultivate an environment of learning,
mentorship, and collaboration with educational partners in our communities.
Lead cleanup and safety remains one of our highest priorities. This year, Region 7 continued to actively address sites with lead
contamination and risks of lead exposure to communities. This included cleaning up nearly 800 residential yards with lead; re-
mediating nearly 905,000 cubic yards of mine waste at Superfund sites across the region; and completing a Record of Decision
at the Washington County Lead Site in Missouri that will help protect over 1,000 families from impacted groundwater.
In a region socially and economically tied to agriculture, we have been focused on cultivating relationships with our coregulators
to develop clear and effective ways of collaborating on important issues affecting agricultural communities in our region. We
want to ensure that agriculture has a seat at the table within EPA Region 7 through meaningful input and influence.
So, when I say I learned quickly that Seven Strong captures the spirit of our team, I have also learned that it just touches the
surface when it comes to the depth of the positive impacts our employees have on people's lives here in the Heartland. I am
continually amazed by our Region 7 staff's dedication and creativity towards protecting our communities from environmental
hazards. Undoubtedly, it is this collective dedication that provides our region hope for a healthier, more equitable future.
MEG MCCOLLISTER
Regional Administrator
Sincerely,
Meg McCollister
EPA REGION 7
2022 Year in Review
-------
2
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region 7 Fiscal Year 2022 Funding
l^ansas
EPA Region 7 provided
$374,855,470
to states and tribes
Iowa
^lebraska
Missouri
Tribes
$110,968,820
$112,543,190
$63,909,360
$82,024,620 $5,409,480
FY2022 State and Tribe Funding by R7 Divisions
$374,855,470
Water Division
rm
1
_ Land, Chemical and Redevelopment Division
w
¦
Air and Radiation Division
t PA REGION 7 I 2022 Year in Review
-------
ure to Communities
Protecting Children From
Lead (Pb) Exposures
Region 7 has a rich history
of lead mining - from the lead
Droduction sites of Galena,
-------
EPA REGION 7
Management; the importance of
(and tools to achieve) pesticide
safety; and most crucially, the
hazards of lead-based paint dust.
Lead-based paint is the most
widespread and dangerous high-
dose source of lead exposure
for young children. Homes built
before 1978 tend to have a
higher prevalence of lead-based
paint, and in Springfield, 57% of
the occupied housing stock falls
into this category of older, higher-
lead risk homes.
According to data compiled
by the Missouri Department of
Health and Senior Services in
2017, approximately 15% of
children under 6 years old were
tested for lead in Greene County.
Of those children tested, 2.5%
had elevated blood lead levels of
5 micrograms per deciliter (pg/
dl_) or greater while 15% had
levels in the range of 3 to 4.9 pg/
dL
In viewing this data, Region
7 saw a need for outreach and
education to the local population
regarding the risks associated
with lead exposure in Springfield.
The focus of EPA's initiative in
the city has been on reducing
lead exposures to children and
pregnant women.
Plans for this geographic
initiative began in 2020, just
before the outbreak of COVID-
19. After reworking the initiative's
actions to account for pandemic
impacts, EPA's educational
activities associated with this
initiative shifted from in-person to
virtual platforms in 2022.
Outreach was also conducted in
the form of a Spanish language,
lead-based paint safety public
service announcement (with
over 50,000 views on YouTube)
and by working to increase the
number of certified lead-based
paint renovation, repair and paint
contractors in the Springfield
area by 26%.
EPA Region 7 Superfund staff tour the Cherokee County
Superfund Site in Cherokee County, Kansas.
-------
Pay
to the
order of
Thanks to the historic
investment from the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law (BIL), EPA has
more than tripled total funding
for FY 2022, ensuring that more
communities, states, and tribes
will have the opportunity to apply
for larger grants to improve
regional health and safety, help
create good-paying jobs, and
increase climate resilience.
The implementation of the
BIL was a major priority and
undertaking for Region 7.
Through the BIL, the Region
successfully hired 25 BIL
positions; expended $285 million
of $511 million in BIL funds
received, including the execution
of five contracts and 21 grants;
developed a robust BIL internal
control process; and met with
over 15 communities to share BIL
information.
Air Quality Monitoring
Improvement
One of the BIL's impacts in
Region 7 is that it has raised the
capacity of regional entities to
surveil the status of air quality
in their communities. This past
year, Region 7 awarded seven
grants to state, local, and tribal
air agencies, totaling over $1
million to upgrade PM2.5 and
other NAAQS (National Ambient
Air Quality Standards) monitoring
sites.
Under the Clean Air Act, air
monitoring for pollutants like
particulate matter (PM2.5
referring to tiny particles or
droplets in the air that are
m microns or less in width),
ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur
dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and
lead is required across the
region. Stimulated by the BIL,
Region 7's Air and Radiation
Division established a team
to ensure the sound fiscal
management of resources, as
well as the appropriate rollout
and implementation of these air
quality monitoring improvement
programs.
Expansion in R7
Environmental Cleanup
Capacity
Funding from the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law has been
instrumental in the start of new
cleanup activities, as well as the
acceleration of ongoing cleanup
and remediation activities at sites
across the region.
In the Tri-State Mining District
(spanning EPA Regions 6 and
7), BIL funding has enabled EPA
officials from both regions to
expedite the remediation of mine
EPA REGION 7
2022 Year in Review
-------
EPA REGION 7
a
waste in residential properties
and mine waste piles to control
the further release of heavy
metals-impacted material into
the environment, Similarly, two
previously unfunded Superfund
sites in Missouri, the Valley Park
ICE Site in Valley Park and
Vienna Wells Site in Vienna,
received financial backing for
cleanup efforts through the BIL.
The BIL has provided EPA's
highly successful Brownfields
program with a huge boost as
well. BIL's investment of over
$1.5 billion over five years
through the program is the
single largest investment ever
in brownfield revitalization.
Region 7's Land, Chemicals
and Redevelopment Division
programs conducted extensive
outreach on BIL-funded grant
opportunities for Brownfields,
Pollution Prevention, and Solid
Waste Infrastructure programs.
In total, the Brownfields program
reached (and aided in the
redevelopment efforts of) 150
communities by partnering with
Region 7 states and the Kansas
State University Brownfields
Technical Assistance program
through utilizing the newly
available BIL resources.
Advancing the Clean
School Bus Rebate
Program
Creative outreach led to
Region 7 exceeding its goal for
the Clean School Bus Rebate
program by 825% in FY 2022!
Of the more than 1,500 school
districts in Region 7, 975 of those
are considered to be "priority-
districted," due to impoverished
and/or rural status. EPA
contacted 100% of the priority
districts and provided grant
education outreach to over 90%
of the total school districts in the
region. This resulted in receiving
applications for 619 clean school
bus rebates, with 471 from
Region 7 priority school districts.
Nationally, EPA received requests
totaling approximately $4 billion,
exceeding the initial goal of $500
million for the first phase of the
Clean School Bus program.
Improving Water Quality
in Mississippi River
Communities & Beyond
In 2022, Region 7 supported
a Water Infrastructure Summit
with the Mississippi River Cities
and Towns Initiative (MRCTI).
Through this national event, EPA
Regions 4, 5, 6, and 7 engaged
with MRCTI mayors from 100
cities and towns to share how
they can receive technical
assistance and compete
effectively with large cities for BIL
funding opportunities. Through
the BIL, EPA wiil be able to invest
in critically needed strategies
to improve water quality in the
Mississippi River/Atchafalaya
River Basin (MARB) and the Gulf
of Mexico (Gulf). Bll funding
includes $12 million per year for
five years for actions to support
the Mississippi River/Gulf of
Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task
Force's (Flypoxia Task Force or
HTF) Gulf Flypoxia Action Plan.
Region 7 has two states (Iowa
and Missouri) within the HTF
program area, and both states
have been awarded Gulf Flypoxia
BIL funding for FY 2022 through
the efforts of Region 7-negotiated
workplans.
Of utmost importance to
those of the agricultural sector
in Region 7, $50 billion in
BIL funding has also been
set aside for water and water
infrastructure. Many agricultural
communities across Region 7
have populations with an average
of fewer than 425 people, and
with so few ratepayers, these
communities often struggle to
meet drinking water needs. EPA
is focused on aiding smaller,
rural communities with water and
wastewater infrastructure needs
and ensuring that environmental
protections are equitably
distributed - regardless of where
people live.
School
districts in R7
hUh
£1Q Applications for
W v./ I J clean school bus rebates
470+ Applicants
from priority school districts
Q ") r 0/ Total applications,
OZ.D /0 Region 7's original goal!
109
Electric/Energy
Efficient Buses
0 school bus
EMERGENCY EXIT
Billion dollars requested nationally, exceeding the
initial goal of $500 million for the first phase of the
clean school bus program.
EPA REGION 7
2022 Year in Review
-------
REVITALIZING
n«UI TMKOUCM
City
Kansas City. Wo
(NMWIIIM
PEOPLE
to •tvtn.uu
<0Hnuw"Trt* *»e
ciun to cm »•»
PLACES
llntegrating Environmental
Justice
At EPA, we are charged with
ensuring that all citizens - no
matter their ethnicity, nationality,
or geographic or economic
position in life - should have
clean air to breathe, clean water
to drink, and the opportunity to
lead a healthy life. Environmental
justice (EJ) has become the
common thread that binds all of
our work here in Region 7.
This past year, we completed
our Region 7 EJ Strategic Plan
and convened a Regional EJ
Action team to better integrate
EJ efforts into the daily work
across each of our divisions
and programs. This has helped
lead to a number of initiatives
that will further work to protect
underserved areas within our
region.
As outlined in this plan, this year
we:
Launched a
new approach
to address air
toxics through
a cross-division
team working
to proactively reduce risk
and enhance air quality
awareness in communities
facing disproportionate risk from
hazardous air pollution.
Created a Water Inspection
Targeting Dashboard that
integrates a map of the locations
of targeted inspection facilities
with key information such as EJ
area, with proximity to a 100-
year flood plain to aid in quarterly
inspection planning based on
priority status and locality.
Partnered with EPA's External
Civil Rights Compliance Office
to provide proactive technical
assistance to Region 7 states on
civil rights compliance.
Developed a first-of-its-
kind EPA VISTA pilot program
for Region 7 EJ communities.
The program will provide boots-
on-the-ground support to help
communities with challenges like
water pollution, lead exposure,
capacity building, and land
revitalization with a focus on
creating sustainable, anti-poverty
solutions.
In addition, our EJ team
conducted 25 trainings
for internal Regional staff,
which included employees
in various programs (as well
as management), reaching
approximately 355 people. Over
400 EJSCREENS were also
performed for staff by our team
during this fiscal year.
EPA REGION 7
2022 Year
in Review
-------
Environmental Justice
Community Outreach
More than ever before, Region
7 is engaging with and listening
to communities and tribes. During
the summer months alone, we
held EJ Community Engagement
Listening Sessions in eight
communities and conducted 65
training sessions on issues such
as lead, PFAS, illegal dumping,
asthma, facility compliance
issues, mobile sources issues,
mold, and odors.
Most of the trainings delivered
by Region 7's EJ program were
EJ 101 and EJSCREEN basics
trainings that consisted of an
overview of the fundamentals
of environmental justice (e.g.,
history, definitions, executive
orders, sharing activities and
resources available through EPA,
and introducing/demonstrating
the EJSCREEN mapping tool).
These trainings were tailored to
the audience's backgrounds and
areas of emphasis. In October
2021, EPA partnered with Kansas
State Technical Assistance, the
Brownfields (TAB) program, and
other federal and state partners
(including USDA, HUD, and
HHS) for two such trainings in
the form of webinars on grant
writing. Our team also conducted
a training for an audience of 400
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
staff on EPA's EJSCREEN tool.
In summary, this year Region 7:
Conducted 15 EJ trainings for
hundreds of external audiences
(including federal, state, and
tribal partners; members
of business and industry;
universities; and members of
community-based organizations)
in programs such as emergency
response, emergency cleanup,
water, air, underground storage
tanks, solid waste, pollution
prevention, and grants.
Held five EJ Community
Engagement listening sessions
in the Kansas City metro area
(including two in Kansas City,
Kansas, and one in Kansas
City, Missouri) and two in St.
Louis, reaching approximately
60 people from neighborhood
associations, nonprofits, faith-
based organizations, and
academia.
EPA receives important
feedback from communities,
including specific environmental
and public health issues that
impact the lives of those in
communities across Region 7,
These sessions also provide us
EPA REG
with information on how to better
collaborate and communicate
more effectively in order to foster
awareness and partnerships
with those holding the historic
knowledge of a community, with
the goal of building the trust and
expertise necessary to address
these issues.
These trainings and listening
sessions assisted the program
and Region with not only
improving outreach and
education to various stakeholders
about EJ, but also internally
helped with the integration of EJ
principles. Through our efforts,
we are striving to reduce the
disproportionate environmental
and health impacts in Region
7, and increase partnerships
and visibility for our region's
communities with EJ concerns.
ION 7 I 2022 Year in Review
-------
Working Together to Build Climate-Resilient Partnerships and Practices
The impacts of climate change are affecting people in every region of the country, threat-
ening lives and livelihoods and damaging infrastructure, ecosystems, and social systems in
communities across the nation.
To tackle the climate crisis
head-ori, Region 7 final-
ized its Climate Adaptation
Implementation Plan. This plan
outlines the work the Region will
undertake to align with the five
EPA-wide climate adaptation pri-
orities laid out in the 2021 EPA
Consult and partner with
states, tribes, territories, local
governments, environmental
justice organizations, community
groups, businesses, and other
federal agencies to strengthen
adaptive capacity and increase
the resilience of the nation, with
a particular focus on advancing
environmental justice.
Implement measures to
protect the Agency's workforce,
facilities, critical infrastructure,
supply chains, and procurement
processes from the risks posed
by climate change.
Measure and evaluate
performance.
Identify and address climate
adaptation science needs.
The plan also features specific
priority actions Region 7 will take
in FY 2022-2023 to ensure that
our programs, policies, and oper-
ations remain effective under
future climate conditions, while
we work to support states, ter-
ritories, tribes, and communi-
ties to increase their adaptive
capacity and resilience to climate
change impacts. We successfully
completed five of our 28 priority
actions in FY22.
Climate Adaptation Action Plan:
Integrate
climate adap-
tation into EPA
programs, poli-
cies, rulemak-
ing processes,
and enforce-
ment activities.
EPA REGION 7
2022 Year in Review
-------
EPA REGION 7 10
Innovative Stakeholder
Engagement on Climate
Change
The climate crisis is complex
and larger than any one agency
or entity could ever hope to solve
alone. In Region 7, we've found
that seeking out collaborative
partnerships and taking a collec-
tive approach can help broaden
the pool of voices, perspectives,
and resources needed to solve
this problem.
This past year, the Region
co-hosted a FEMA-HHS EPA
Climate, Emergencies, and
Health Symposium, The two-day
meeting discussed regional
climate, public health, and equity
issues and vulnerabilities; shared
tools and resources; and devel-
oped goals that all partners can
pursue to reduce climate change
impacts. These issues are closely
intertwined, making it absolutely
vital for federal partners to share
plans and perspectives on topics
that directly impact our agen-
cies, as well as our communities.
Approximately 100 stakeholders
attended, including leadership
and representation from each
host agency, our four Region 7
states, five Region 7 tribes, local
governments, universities, and
other interested parties.
We also established a Climate/
Justice40 workgroup with federal
agencies as part of the Greater
Kansas City Federal Executive
Board (FEB). This workgroup
seeks to better understand
federal agency Justice40 pro-
grams and identify key inter-
section points to collaborate
and leverage them in under-
served communities in the
Kansas City metro area. Going
forward, we hope that this work-
group can serve as a model for
other communities and FEBs
around the country in applying a
"whole-of-government approach"
to addressing climate change,
environmentaljustice, and equity
issues.
Region 7 led the organization
of a Climate-Smart Agriculture
Roundtable event in Iowa,
attended by the EPA Region 7
Administrator, Senior Agriculture
Advisor to the EPA Administrator,
and EPA Region 7 Agriculture
Advisor, where EPA obtained
input from over 20 agriculture
stakeholders and organiza-
tions. We've also strengthened
our relationships with the USDA
Climate Hubs in our region to
facilitate further information and
data sharing and community
outreach.
We will continue to think cre-
atively and develop innovative,
lasting solutions and partnerships
to address the climate crisis in
Region 7.
EPA REGION 7
2022 Year in Review
-------
EPA Region 7 protects human health and the environment in our nation's Heartland. Our ecosystems are numerous and the
range is broad, encompassing the Sandhills of Nebraska, Flint Hills of Kansas, winding Missouri and Mississippi rivers, prairies and
plains of Iowa, forests and delta of Missouri, and an abundance of agricultural lands throughout our region.
11201 Renner Boulevard, Lenexa, KS 66219 | 800-223-0425 | www.epa.gov/region7
------- |