News

Environmental Justice Data System Updates

On Friday, February 18, 2022, EPA provided a number of updates to EJScreen used to pinpoint disadvantaged communities suffering from legacy environmental pollution. EJScreen is an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic indicators. EJScreen users choose a geographic area; the tool then provides demographic and environmental information for that area. All of the EJScreen indicators are publicly-available data. EJScreen simply provides a way to display this information and includes a method for combining environmental and demographic indicators into EJ indexes. Among the changes are new data showing communities with gaps in food availability, medical services, and broadband internet, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Health inequity data has also been updated to show metrics on life expectancy, asthma, and heart disease, drawing on Centers for Disease Control data. Other updates include an indicator on underground storage tanks, new drought and wildfire data, a new indicator on unemployment, and updated demographic data from the latest Census.

The same day, CEQ released the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool which is more narrowly focused and used to help federal agencies identify disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. The current version of the tool provides socioeconomic, environmental, health and climate information to inform decisions that may affect these communities. The tool identifies disadvantaged communities through publicly-available, nationally-consistent datasets and also shows federal agencies which communities may qualify under Biden’s plan to steer 40% of the benefits from federal investments in climate and clean energy toward communities most affected by pollution.

Clean Watersheds Needs Survey Data Collection Begins

Data collection for the 2022 Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS) is now open! Data collection will be open until February 28th, 2023. Participation in the 2022 CWNS is critical to maintaining a comprehensive national data set of water quality-related needs. Recent legislative changes in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will allow EPA to Report to Congress the needs for all capital projects eligible for assistance through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, including Decentralized and Nonpoint Source needs. Additionally, small communities will be able to use a new integrated online form to more easily participate in the survey. For state-specific data entry questions please contact your State Coordinator. For any other questions, please contact Josh Klein (klein.joshua@epa.gov) and Elisabeth Schlaudt (schlaudt.elisabeth@epa.gov).

GWPC Names New Executive Director

The Groundwater Protection Council recently announced the promotion of Dan Yates to the Executive Director position. Dan began in the role on March 1, 2022. Prior to his appointment as Executive Director, Dan served since 2001. Dan replaces long-time Executive Director Mike Paque, who announced his retirement last year. Mike served in this role for almost 40 years and was instrumental in building the organization into what it is today.

New USDA NRCS Source Water Protection Website with National Maps

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has developed a new Source Water Protection page on their website that includes national maps of NRCS identified source water priority areas under the 2018 Farm Bill. These two maps show the 2022 priority source water areas by:

Type of (water) system using either groundwater, surface water, or both.
Resource concern for water quality, quantity, or both.

This is an opportunity for state and local source water partners to reach out to their NRCS State Conservationist’s office to request their state specific map of priority source water areas. These maps can be used to identify project opportunities with source water partners like conservation districts for NRCS conservation program funding and technical assistance for agricultural producers and private owners of forested lands and rangeland to install conservation practices that address drinking water quality and quantity concerns. One of the current funding opportunities for these projects is the Resource Conservation Partnership Program. For tips on reaching out to your State Conservationist and to local conservation districts, use the Source Water Collaborative’s Conservation Toolkit.

FY2022 Exchange Network Grant Solicitation

This week the 2022 Exchange Network Grant Program (ENG) published notice at Grants.gov. Applications are due to EPA no later than Sunday, May 1st, 2022. The purpose of the ENGP is to foster better environmental management and decision making through access to timely, high quality, environmental information. An applicant’s proposed project goals and outputs should align with one or more EN Funding Areas as described in EPA’s Draft FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan. EPA plans to award 20-30 grants of up to $400,000 each, totaling approximately $8,000,000 for FFY22. Most awards will be in the $50,000 to $200,000 range. EPA accepts project proposals submitted electronically through Grants.gov, unless applicants secure a waiver. EPA anticipates that it will announce selection decisions around August 2022, and tentatively plans to issue awards by October 2022. For more information, please contact Erin McGown at ENGrantProgram@epa.gov.

New Toxics Release Inventory Data Show Decline in Releases of Certain Toxic Chemicals

This week, EPA released the 2020 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) National Analysis, which shows that environmental releases of TRI chemicals by facilities covered by the program declined by 10% between 2019 and 2020. More than 21,000 facilities report annually on over 800 chemicals they release into the environment or otherwise manage as waste.

This 2020 Analysis includes enhancements to make data more useful and accessible to communities, including communities with environmental justice concerns. EPA has added demographic information to the “Where You Live” mapping tool, making it easy to overlay maps of facility locations with maps of overburdened and vulnerable communities. Community groups, policymakers, and other stakeholders can use this information to identify potential exposures to air and water pollution, better understand which communities are experiencing a disproportionate pollution burden, and take action at the local level.

Findings Webinar: EPA is hosting a public webinar on March 23, 2022, highlighting the findings and trends from the 2020 TRI National Analysis and explaining the interactive features of the National Analysis website. Register for the webinar.

International Transfers of Chemical Waste: In addition to the new community mapping tools, the National Analysis also includes a new map in the data visualization dashboard that displays international transfers of chemical waste by facilities in each state. The map includes information on the facility that shipped the waste, the destination country, and how the waste was managed in that country.

New Sectors and GHG Reporting: The National Analysis includes a new profile of the cement manufacturing sector and the addition of greenhouse gas reporting information in certain sector profiles. Users will be able to track greenhouse gas emissions for electric utilities, chemical manufacturing, cement manufacturing, and other sectors. This section will also include information on the benefits of source reduction in these industries.

Notable Trends in 2020: Facilities that report to TRI avoided releasing into the environment more than 89 percent of the chemical-containing waste they created and managed during 2020 by using preferred practices such as recycling, energy recovery, and treatment. The 2020 Analysis showcases these industry best practices for preventing waste creation and reducing pollution. Facilities reported initiating nearly 3,000 new source reduction activities. The report also includes a discussion of chemical releases into the environment, including air releases, which decreased by 52 million pounds from 2019 to 2020, continuing a long-term trend, as well as summaries of regional chemical waste management activities, illustrating the geographic diversity of U.S. industrial operations.

PFAS Reporting: The 2020 Analysis is also the first to feature reporting on the 172 per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) added to TRI by the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Facilities reported managing 800,000 pounds of these chemicals in 2020, but of that, only around 9,000 pounds were reported as releases. Most of the production-related PFAS waste was reported by hazardous waste management facilities or chemical manufacturers, and most releases of PFAS were reported by the chemical manufacturing sector.

EPA plans to enhance PFAS reporting under TRI by proposing a rulemaking this summer that would, among other changes, remove the eligibility of the de minimis exemption for PFAS. The de minimis exemption allows facilities that report to TRI to disregard certain minimal concentrations of chemicals in mixtures or trade name products. If finalized, this proposal would also make unavailable the de minimis exemption with regard to providing supplier notifications to downstream TRI facilities for PFAS and persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals.

To view the 2020 TRI National Analysis, including local data and analyses, click here.

Information on facility efforts to reduce TRI chemical releases is available here.

Request for Proposals: Great Lakes Sediment and Nutrient Reduction Program

The Great Lakes Commission today issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the 2022 Great Lakes Sediment and Nutrient Reduction Program grant program.

For more than 30 years, the Great Lakes Sediment and Nutrient Reduction Program has provided grants to reduce nutrients and sediments from entering the Great Lakes. This year’s program will continue to help local partners take action to reduce nutrient loads from agricultural watersheds, reduce untreated stormwater runoff, and restore shoreline and streambanks in the Great Lakes basin.

Through the program, nonfederal units of government, tribes, and incorporated nonprofit organizations are eligible to receive grants for up to $200,000, supporting work over a period of up to three years. Applicants are invited to submit proposals for activities associated with one of three project types: 1) agricultural nonpoint; 2) stormwater; and 3) Great Lakes shoreline or streambanks.

The due date for applications is 5:00 p.m. Eastern on April 22, 2022. Applications will be reviewed by representatives from the eight Great Lakes states, plus federal partners at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). Final decisions on funded projects are anticipated in summer 2022. Selected projects would begin work not later than October 1, 2022.

The Great Lakes Commission has managed the Great Lakes Sediment and Nutrient Reduction Program for more than three decades. Since 2010, the program has benefitted from funding through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Funded projects support progress toward the achievement of GLRI Action Plan objectives and goals. The program is a partnership with NRCS, U.S. EPA, and the Great Lakes states. Please visit www.nutrientreduction.org for more information.

An informational webinar for applicants will be offered on March 24, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern to discuss funding priorities and the application process. To register for the webinar, click here. For more information, please contact GLC Program Manager Nicole Zacharda at nzacharda@glc.org or 734-396-6084.

Association Updates

2022 ACWA Mid-Year Meeting

Registration has opened for ACWA’s Mid Year Meeting, March 16-17! To register, please log into your Member365 portal and click the Event tab in your navigation menu. If you are EPA staff or have a colleague who would like to attend, please direct them to contact Kara McCauley, who will register them for the event.

You can view the agenda here. The event page can be found here.

Nutrients Permitting Workshop

Date: April 12-14, 2022
Location: Kansas City, MO
Register here

Registration is now open for ACWA’s upcoming Nutrients Permitting Workshop in Kansas City, MO!

This workshop will be a discussion-heavy event, focusing on drafting policy recommendations based on a variety of topics covered throughout the previous six workshops in this series. Below, you will find information on how to register, where to book a room at the hotel, and travel support.

Registration

You may register for the workshop here.

In order to register you will need to read and accept the terms of ACWA’s Communicable Disease Waiver. You will then be prompted to select which breakout sessions you would like to be a part of. Please keep in mind that attendees are expected to participate in a speaking role during the breakout discussions. We may have multiple breakouts per topic based on the number of attendees. The draft agenda can be found here. A virtual option will be available but may not include all sessions at the event.

Hotel

The workshop will be held at the Hotel Phillips, in downtown Kansas City, MO. ACWA has procured the local gov’t per diem rate of $123/night for Monday, April 11 – Thursday, April 14.

You may reserve your hotel room here. This limited room block will be open through 3/21. We recommend you secure your room as soon as possible to ensure your stay at this hotel.

Meetings and Webinars

ACWA Legal Affairs Committee Quarterly Call

The next ACWA Legal Affairs Committee. The LAC will meet next on March 10 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM E.T. Please contact Julia Anastasio if you are interested in registering.

The call will include one presentation on the Iowa League of Cities v. EPA. Mr. John Hall (Hall & Associates) will join us to discuss the Iowa League of Cities v. EPA case. Mr. Hall will be discussing the recent mandamus order granted by the 8^th Circuit, partially granting municipal wastewater treatment plants’ request for enforcement of a 2013 ruling that struck down EPA’s use of Clean Water Act (CWA) permits to restrict “blending” of fully and partially treated wastewater during wet weather events.

NPDES Basic Permit Writers’ Course

Virtual Guided Learning
Date: March 10 – April 21, 2022
Registration Information

This week EPA announce the opening of registration for the NPDES Basic Permit Writers’ Virtual Guided Learning Course. The objective of this course is to provide the basic training that supports development of wastewater discharge permits. The course is designed for new permit writers with 1-2 years’ experience. There will be two separate classes offered – one in the AM and one in the PM and these classes will last 6 weeks. Participants should anticipate a time commitment of approximately 8-10 hours per week, which includes homework materials.

There is no cost for the course. Registration is limited and available at:
NPDES Permit Writers’ Course – Virtual Guided Learning March 2022 (AM)
NPDES Permit Writers’ Course – Virtual Guided Learning March 2022 (PM)

Please note demand is significant and I have heard both classes have already filled up with a wait list being developed. EPA does plan to announce another class starting in April. For any questions related to this announcement, please contact Sean Ramach at ramach.sean@epa.gov or (202) 564-2865.

Public Meetings on Environmental Justice Considerations Related to Drinking Water Regulation for PFAS

Date: March 2 and April 5, 2022
Register here

EPA invites the public to participate in two identical virtual public meetings related to environmental justice and the development of the proposed Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) on March 2, 2022 (1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, eastern time) and April 5, 2022 (5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, eastern time). Registration is required.

The sessions will be an opportunity for EPA to share information and for communities to offer input on environmental justice considerations related to the development of the proposed PFAS NPDWR. We encourage the public to share thoughts on addressing PFAS drinking water contamination issues in their communities.

When registering, you will also have an opportunity to sign up to provide brief verbal comments during a meeting. Translations and disability access support can be requested during meeting registration as well.

Additionally, EPA is accepting written public comments submitted to the public docket. You can submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No, EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0114 at here. More information is available here.

EPA Climate Resilience Training Workshop for Drinking Water and Wastewater Utilities

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Creating Resilient Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative is providing a series of five, free webinars for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater (water sector) utility owners and operators, as well as other water sector stakeholders in Alaska. This webinar training series titled “Building Resilience and Adapting to Climate Change Impacts for Drinking Water and Wastewater Utilities” begins with an Introductory webinar concentrating on the impacts of climate change in Alaska, the identification of adaptation options, and a utility climate change risk assessment case study. The following four webinars focus on conducting a climate change risk assessment using EPA’s Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool (CREAT), developing resilience and adaptation projects, and identifying financing programs to pay for infrastructure projects.

CREAT is a web-based risk assessment application for water sector utilities to assess and address current and potential future climate change impacts. This free training will help utilities incorporate climate change considerations into their decision-making, identify adaptation projects to build long-term resilience, and learn about federal and local resources for financing utility resilience projects. To learn more about CREAT success stories visit our Case Study and Information Exchange Map and to view other trainings visit the CRWU Training Center.

Introductory Webinar on Climate Impacts	Wednesday, March 2, 2022 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Alaska Time
CREAT training Session 1	Tuesday, April 5, 2022 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Alaska Time
CREAT training Session 2	Thursday, April 7, 2022 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Alaska Time
CREAT training Session 3	Tuesday, April 12, 2022 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Alaska Time
CREAT training Session 4	Tuesday, April 26, 2022 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Alaska Time

You can register for the free Introductory webinar here.

You can register for the free CREAT training sessions here.

Developing the Digital Water Workforce of the Future

Date: March 8, 2022
Time: 2-3 PM EST
Register here

The water system operating environment is evolving to incorporate various technology advancements. There is a growing need to attract, train, and retain water protection specialists with a high degree of technological competence – and the ability to make data driven decisions based on up-to-date and accurate information using technology. Meeting this need will require creative and inclusive workforce approaches to ensure the utility’s workforce is an integral part of the utility’s technology development and deployment strategy. This will help staff be comfortable and fully able to understand and implement new technologies– i.e., “bought in”.

This webinar is part of an ongoing webinar series hosted by EPA, in partnership with leading water sector organizations around the country. More information on this webinar series can be found here.

Flood Resilience and Adaptation Planning in the US: Challenges and Opportunities

Date: March 8, 2022
Time: 3 – 4:30 PM EST

Register Here

The frequency and severity of flood-inducing storms is projected to rise over the next several decades, placing a premium on the need to adapt now and better prepare communities for current and future impacts of climate change.

The State Resilience Partnership, a network of organizations committed to support state planning and implementation efforts—convened by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the American Flood Coalition—conducted first-of-its-kind research on resilience and adaptation planning in the U.S. Please join us for a conversation with our research partner, the Urban Institute, and state Chief Resilience Officers to discuss how state governments across the country are rising to the challenge with long-range adaptation plans and integrated resilience efforts across sectors.

Keynote Speaker: White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory will discuss resilience and adaptation initiatives of the Biden-Harris Administration and opportunities for state and federal partnerships in the Administration’s ‘whole-of-government’ approach to climate adaptation and resilience.

Agenda

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Laura Lightbody, director, flood-prepared communities, The Pew Charitable Trusts

Unveiling of State Flood Resilience and Adaptation Planning: Challenges and Opportunities

Eric Burnstein, Research Associate, The Urban Institute
Mathew Sanders, senior manager, flood-prepared communities, The Pew Charitable Trusts

Panel Discussion

Mathew Sanders, senior manager, flood-prepared communities, The Pew Charitable Trusts (moderator)
Amanda Martin, Chief Resilience Officer, North Carolina
Ben Duncan, Chief Resilience Officer, South Carolina
Dave Rosenblatt, former Chief Resilience Officer, New Jersey

Fireside Chat

Brenda Mallory, White House, Council on Environmental Quality

EFAB Pollution Prevention Finance Forum Webinar

Date: March 9, 2021
Time: 12 – 1:30 PM EST
Register Here

EPA’s Environmental Financial Advisory Board (EFAB) is holding a public webinar on March 9 from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Eastern, the first in a series of webinars as part of a Pollution Prevention (P2) Finance Forum to support EFAB’s Pollution Prevention Workgroup and its charge. Due to interest from the full Board, this webinar is being opened to the public. EFAB’s P2 Finance Forum intends to explore opportunities and challenges in financing sustainability, with an initial focus on advancing opportunities for small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses. The Forum seeks to shine new light on the challenges businesses may face when trying to finance adoption and integration of P2 technologies and practices and explores emerging strategies to solve the finance challenge.

Workshop 1: Financial Structures

What financing structures will help reduce barriers and risk and create economies of scale for P2 financing?

This workshop is designed to provide a strong foundation for the EFAB’s Forum on financing small manufacturer P2 projects. The workshop will define the common types of P2 projects relevant to small businesses and manufacturers, characterize the barriers and risks facing businesses and lenders for P2 projects, and explore financing mechanisms and structures that are well-suited to overcome these barriers and risks to enhance financing for P2 projects. Specific workshop objectives include:

provide a strong foundation for the Forum by defining what is meant by P2, providing some brief examples of the types of projects that can benefit from external financial assistance (e.g., loans, insurance, bundling), and characterizing the potential demand from small and medium-sized businesses and manufacturers for P2 project financing;
learn from financial sector experts about the types of barriers and risks that are inherent in providing financing to small and medium-sized businesses for purchasing capital equipment and undertaking process improvement projects (i.e., the types of projects relevant to P2); and,
learn from financial sector experts about the types of financial mechanisms and financing structures (e.g., loan structures [terms, interest rates], tax incentives, insurance, bundling) that have proven successful in addressing common barriers and risks.

Registration is required in advance for all members of the public who wish to participate. The webinar is open to the public, but no oral public comments will be accepted during the briefing. Written statements for the webinar should be received by March 4 so that the information can be made available to the EFAB for its consideration. Written statements should be sent via email to efab@epa.gov.

For information on access or services for individuals with disabilities, or to request accommodations for a disability, please register for the webinar and list any special requirements or accommodations needed on the registration form at least 10 business days prior to the meeting to allow as much time as possible to process your request.

For more information, please visit our EFAB website.

National Environmental Justice Community Engagement Call

Date: March 15, 2022
Time: 2 – 4 PM EST
Register here

EPA invites Environmental Justice (EJ) advocates to participate in the next National Environmental Justice Community Engagement Call. These calls are free and open to the public.

Agenda:

Leadership Updates
TRI National Analysis Report: Highlighting updates to TRI data.
Air Toxics Screening Assessment (AirToxScreen): Introducing EPA’s latest tool to assess risks to the public from air toxics
Listening Session and Dialogue: Q&A about ongoing EJ initiatives

Mixtures Modeling Methods: Applications for Assessing Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

Date: March 16, 2022
Time: 1-4 PM EST
Registration: EPA PCBs Mixture Webinar (Links to EventBrite) | The registration deadline is March 14, 2022

Agenda: Click here and see downloads tab

EPA is currently updating its Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessment of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). This assessment addresses selected noncancer human health effects that might result from exposure to these chemicals. PCBs are a class of synthetic compounds characterized by a biphenyl structure with chlorine substitutions at up to 10 positions. There are 209 well-defined PCBs known as “congeners” based on the various combinations of the numbers and positions of the chlorine substitutions on the biphenyl molecule. PCB congeners vary both structurally and in their toxicity in humans and animals. PCBs were synthesized as mixtures of congeners, and the composition of commercially produced PCB mixtures can vary substantially from mixtures humans are currently exposed to in the environment. Most health effect studies of PCBs in animals have been conducted using commercial mixtures, and there are no data to represent many environmental mixtures of concern for human health risk assessment. Therefore, methods for translating experimental data from tested to untested mixtures would be useful, including methods for addressing PCB mixtures with varying proportions of congeners that act via different biological pathways. For these reasons, EPA is evaluating approaches for assessing chemical mixtures for use in the assessment.

To that end, EPA is developing the Mixtures Similarity Tool (MiST). MiST is a Microsoft Excel® based tool, which automates the process of evaluating the degree to which chemical mixtures are similar in their ability to cause health effects and whether they are “sufficiently similar” for risk assessment applications. MiST identifies PCB mixtures with well-characterized dose-response information (i.e., reference mixtures) that are “sufficiently similar” to a specific candidate mixture that may not have dose-response information. Dose-response data for a sufficiently similar reference mixture could be used to assess toxicity for the candidate mixture.

EPA Tools & Resources Webinar: Advances in Environmental Monitoring – Water Sensors

Date: March 16, 2022
Time: 3 – 4 PM EST
Register here

Sensors are playing an increasingly important role in the monitoring of water quality. EPA’s Office of Research and Development has several efforts aimed at the development and use of sensors—an easily accessible summary of many of these efforts can be found on ORD’s Water Sensors Toolbox webpage. While many of these efforts are research focused, some of these projects are directly relevant to states and territories. One such effort is the Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN) application, which provides satellite data to monitor and quantify cyanobacterial biomass for over 2,000 of the largest lakes and reservoirs across the United States. A second significant effort is the development of case studies to evaluate the potential for using sensors to monitor source water quality with regard to nutrients, algae, and disinfectant byproducts and provide data to water utilities for help with decision making. Preliminary results from ongoing studies in North Carolina and Ohio will be described.

2020 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) National Analysis

Date: March 13, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM EST
Register Here

Join EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention for a webinar highlighting findings from the most recent Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data about industrial management of toxic chemicals. Get answers to questions such as:

How is chemical waste being managed where I live?
Are emissions from U.S. facilities increasing or decreasing over time?
How are facilities reducing the amount of chemical waste they create?

This webinar will introduce the basics of the TRI Program, explain key findings from EPA’s analysis of the 2020 TRI data, and explore the interactive features of the TRI National Analysis website. You’ll also learn how to easily get summary TRI data for any U.S. location.

Job Opportunities

Hydrogeologist | Washington Department of Ecology

Location: Lacey, WA
Closing Date: March 7, 2022

As a Hydrogeologist within the Modeling and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Unit (MTU), you will independently plan, develop, direct, conduct and/or oversee surface water quality modeling studies. In this role, you will collaborate with others in the design and implementation of hydrological water quality field investigations and evaluate the effects of point and non-point source pollution in surface waters in Western Washington. This work is directly aligned with Department of Ecology’s mission.