Next Citizen Coordinating Council meetings with GE, EPA, and DEP -  3/26 (CT) & 3/27 (MA)

Here are draft agendas for each of the upcoming Citizens Coordinating Council meetings in Connecticut and Massachusetts.  The CT meeting is on March 26, at 6 PM, at Kent Town Hall.  The MA meeting is on March 27, at 5:30 PM, at Lee Middle and High School in Lee MA.  Both meetings will cover the same topic, a presentation on the Corrective Measures Study that General Electric Co. (GE) will complete this month for the Rest of River project .
For more information on the CCC including a link to the summary of previous meetings, please see BEAT's CCC web page, or for more information on the issue of GE and PCBs in the Housatonic River visit BEAT's webpages on these issues, or the Housatonic River Initiative's website, or the EPA/GE website.
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EPA DROPPED BALL ON PHARMACEUTICALS IN DRINKING WATER  
Decade Behind Statutory Deadlines to Screen Chemicals from Drinking Water
(from Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER))

Washington, DC - Scientists have known about the widespread presence of chemicals from pesticides, pharmaceuticals and personal care products in our drinking water for decades, despite recent media coverage of the issue.  In 1996, Congress ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address the issue, but the agency has missed deadlines and avoided addressing the growing contamination, according to an analysis released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).

Chemicals from over-the-counter and prescription medications, dietary supplements, hormones, cleaning agents and other products are not completely metabolized by the human body and are not screened in water treatment, and thus end up being discharged into rivers and lakes and entering our drinking water supplies.  Many of these chemicals are also endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) that either block or mimic natural hormones, thereby disrupting normal functioning of organs.

In 1996, the U.S. Congress directed EPA to screen chemicals for hormonal effects on humans in the Food Quality Protection Act.  During the intervening 12 years, EPA has done remarkably little, despite mounting evidence that thousands of chemical compounds are a spreading presence in drinking water:

• EPA is not listing known EDCs on its Contaminant Candidate List of priority contaminants which are anticipated to occur in public water systems.  Even if EDCs made this list, however, Contaminant Candidates are still not regulated under federal drinking water regulations;
• Although it has identified more than 87,000 suspected EDCs, it has taken EPA 11 years (July 2007) to publish a list of only 73 chemicals for which it proposes to begin screening; and
• EPA has repeatedly missed statutory deadlines to begin testing and screening for EDCs.

"EPA has simply shirked its duty to protect America's drinking water,"stated New England PEER Director Kyla Bennett, a former EPA biologist and lawyer who prepared PEER's analysis.  "On issues of emerging contaminants in our water, EPA is moving with all deliberate delay."  

EPA's webpage on pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) contains a bald assertion that these chemicals do not harm humans:  "To date, scientists have found no evidence of adverse human health effects from PPCPs in the environment."  This assertion, however, is contradicted not only by scientists outside of EPA, but also from EPA's own scientists and publications.

• EPA publications state, for example, "Endocrine disruptors … may cause a variety of problems with, for example, development, behavior, and reproduction.  They have the potential to impact both human and wildlife populations";  
• Respected scientists outside the EPA, including at the World Health Organization, also caution that exposure to EDCs can result in adverse health impacts to non-humans, and therefore we must invoke the precautionary principal when considering the potential impacts on humans; and
• The drug industry itself is expressing more concern than EPA.  The Associated Press quoted Mary Buzby, director of environmental technology for Merck & Co. Inc, as saying "There's no doubt about it, pharmaceuticals are being detected in the environment and there is genuine concern that these compounds, in the small concentrations that they're at, could be causing impacts to human health or to aquatic organisms."

"Fetuses are at risk from even one part per quadrillion of certain chemicals, and children, the elderly, and people with immune deficiencies are more sensitive than the general population.  This exposure pathway should be cause for great concern, not bland assurances," Bennett added.  "When it should be pressing forward, EPA is spinning in place, as if it has overdosed on pharmaceuticals."

Read the PEER analysis

Visit the EPA webpage for PPCPs

Look at EPA's drinking water Contaminant Candidate List

View the Endocrine Disruptor webpage of the American Water Works Association
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State Issues New Regulations on Lead in Children's Jewelry
(from Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow: Everyone has the right to a healthy environment.)

Last week, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) issued new regulations banning the sale of children's jewelry containing dangerous levels of lead. At the same time, DPH committed to drafting a second set of regulations covering lead in other products to which children are exposed, such as toys.

Significantly, the standards mark only the second time in decades that DPH has used its authority to regulate unsafe products.

The regulations are a victory for the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, which strongly encouraged DPH to use its authority to promote safer alternatives to toxic chemicals in products. The coalition also marshaled its forces to insist that proposed regulations cover more than just jewelry.

The new regulations will go into effect in June 2008. Under the regulation, the sale of children's leaded jewelry will be banned in all venues in Massachusetts, including Internet and catalogue sales. They will apply to jewelry marketed to or intended for use by children under 14 years of age. Read the DPH press release.

Of course, our work has only just begun. Please stay tuned for more information about supporting strong regulations covering other products besides jewelry.
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EPA Announces $5.4 million for New Clean Diesel Projects in the Northeast

(Boston, Mass. – March 17, 2008) – Nearly $5.4 million in grants and innovative financing are available to Northeastern communities and organizations working to significantly reduce diesel emissions and improve public health.

Today, EPA's Regions 1 and 2 issued the 2008 Northeast Diesel Collaborative Emissions Reduction Request for Proposals from regional, state and local governments, federally recognized tribes, port authorities, environmental organizations, colleges and universities, hospitals, and others interested in establishing innovative projects to reduce diesel emissions in their communities.

“Reducing emissions from diesel engines is one of the most important air quality challenges facing New England,” said Robert Varney, regional administrator for EPA’s New England office. ”Fleet by fleet, we are making the black puff of diesel smoke from diesel vehicles a thing of the past.”

Diesel engines contribute significantly to air pollution, especially in urban areas. The fine particles in diesel exhaust pose serious health risks, including aggravated asthma and other respiratory symptoms. Children are especially vulnerable to these effects. The Northeast has some of the highest asthma rates in the nation, including a childhood asthma rate above 10 percent in all six New England states.

The Northeast Diesel Collaborative (NEDC) is a partnership of public and private organizations working to improve air quality by taking action to reduce diesel pollution. The NEDC was established in 2005 by the U.S. EPA's Regions 1 and 2, the "Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management" (NESCAUM) and the states and territories of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. Puerto Rico joined in 2007.

Today’s request for proposals makes approximately $5.4 million available for clean diesel projects in the eight northeastern states - including Tribal lands belonging to the federally recognized tribes in these regions, or the territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Projects can involve cleaner fuels, idle reduction, and retrofit technology for a range of diesel engines, including school and transit buses, port equipment and construction vehicles

EPA will host two Question and Answer sessions via teleconference on April 10 from 10:00 am to 12 noon and May 7 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM to answer questions and provide additional information about this funding competition. The call-in number for both sessions is: 866-299-3188. Enter Conference Code: 212 637 3745#.
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Tree branches cause airport project delay

By Bonnie Obremski, North Adams Transcript
Saturday, March 15

WILLIAMSTOWN -- The final phase of the $6.5 million project to bring Harriman and West Airport in North Adams up to code is facing another hold-up -- this time because far more trees than originally expected need to be cut.

The Williamstown Conservation Commission ordered the airport project's engineers to delay tree cutting after an environmental consultant asked the board Thursday if contractors could cut 188 more trees growing in wetlands than were indicated in the original plan.

The trees are among an estimated 480 remaining that penetrate the airport's flight path. Contractors already removed hundreds of trees during the project's first phase, more than three years ago. Brian Smith, an engineer from Gale Associates, Inc. of Bedford, N.H. told the commission last spring that contractors would cut no more than 282 trees in wetlands in the project's second and final phase. <more>
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$50M for 'green jobs?'

The Associated Press
Tuesday, March 18

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts would dedicate $50 million over the next five years to encourage the growth of so-called "green jobs" — from wind farms to renewable energy technology — under a proposal House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi is set to unveil today.

DiMasi said the money, which would come from redirecting $5 million annually from each of two existing development funds, could help create more than 13,000 new jobs and spark up to $500 million in private venture capital investment, quoting an estimate from the New England Clean Energy Council, a clean energy advocacy group. <more>
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EPA Signs Agreement with Federal Highway Administration

EPA recently signed an agreement with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to establish a dedicated liaison position within the Office of Water to coordinate, participate in, and conduct research activities to identify innovations related to water regulations, programs, and planning with respect to the highway program.

BEAT is pleased to see action at the Federal level to reduce the impact roads have on their surrounding ecosystem. However, water should just be the first step. We would like to see a similar agreement with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The liaison will serve as the central point of contact to coordinate activities between the Office of Water and FHWA towards advancing common goals and protecting watersheds and serve as the chair for an office-wide workgroup. The establishment of a liaison position is a significant step towards supporting stewardship and enhanced environmental protection in highway planning and project development. Under this agreement, the agencies will focus on integrating transportation and watershed planning and incorporating green infrastructure practices for managing stormwater. Formalizing the partnership between EPA and FHWA, through this agreement, builds upon the work already begun under our Green Highways Partnership in the Mid-Atlantic region and offers greater opportunities to support and promote innovative practices nationwide.
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DAY CAMP REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

Mass Audubon’s Berkshire Sanctuaries’ renowned Natural History Day Camp registration is well underway, with some sessions already full! Camp sessions begin in June and run through August, and are available for children ages 6-13. Due to increased demand, an additional session for 10 & 11 year olds has been added. Counselors and counselors-in-training spots are still available as well. Call Berkshire Sanctuaries for a registration form. It’s summer! Are you plugged in; or playing outside?

Berkshire Sanctuaries
472 W. Mountain Rd
Lenox, MA 01240
413-637-0320
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Free Recycling Through the Mail

Free and green. Those are the goals of a pilot program launched today by the U.S. Postal Service that allows customers to recycle small electronics and inkjet cartridges by mailing them free of charge.

The “Mail Back” program helps consumers make more environmentally friendly choices, making it easier for customers to discard used or obsolete small electronics in an environmentally responsible way. Customers use free envelopes found in 1,500 Post Offices to mail back inkjet cartridges, PDAs, Blackberries, digital cameras, iPods and MP3 players – without having to pay for postage.

Postage is paid for by Clover Technologies Group, a nationally recognized company that recycles, remanufactures and remarkets inkjet cartridges, laser cartridges and small electronics. If the electronic item or cartridges cannot be refurbished and resold, its component parts are reused to refurbish other items, or the parts are broken down further and the materials are recycled. Clover Technologies Group has a “zero waste to landfill” policy: it does everything it can to avoid contributing any materials to the nation’s landfills.

It was this philosophy that won Clover the contract with the Postal Service, besting 19 other companies, said Anita Bizzotto, chief marketing officer and executive vice president for the Postal Service.

“As one of the nation’s leading corporate citizens, the Postal Service is committed to environmental stewardship,” Bizzotto said. “This program is one more way the Postal Service is empowering consumers to go green.”

The free, postage-paid Mail Back envelopes can be found on displays in Post Office lobbies. There is no limit to the number of envelopes customers may take.

The pilot is set for 10 areas across the country, including Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles and San Diego, but could become a national program this fall if the pilot program proves successful.

The Postal Service recycles 1 million tons of paper, plastic and other materials annually. Last year, USPS generated more than $7.5 million in savings through recycling and waste prevention programs. The nation’s environmental watchdog, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded the Postal Service eight WasteWise Partner of the Year awards, the agency’s top honor.

The Mail Back program is another example of the Postal Service’s commitment to sustainability. USPS is the only shipping or mailing company in the nation to receive Cradle to CradleSM Certification from MBDC (McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry) for human and environmental health. More than half a billion packages and envelopes provided by the Postal Service annually are nearly 100 percent recyclable and are produced with the least harmful materials. Based on the recycled content of these envelopes and packages, more than 15,000 metric tons of carbon equivalent emissions (climate change gases) now are prevented annually.

“We know our customers are interested in real solutions for proper disposal of personal electronics,” Bizzotto said. “Everyone from consumers to businesses to non-profit organizations use the mail, and the Postal Service works to manage resources wisely to minimize environmental impact.”
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Officials investigate dipping lake levels

Valve blamed for Plunkett's receding waters
By Amy Carr, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Article Last Updated: 03/14/2008 09:32:03 AM EDT
Friday, March 14

Eva Tor, a spokeswoman with the Springfield office of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, said the state was contacted by the Hinsdale Conservation Commission on Wednesday about the failure of an outlet valve, which regulates water flow from the lake.

DEP officials could not comment on the specific level of decline in the body of water, and Hinsdale Conservation Commissioner Michael Frederick said he had no specific knowledge of the situation. <more>
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AMERICAN RIVERS-NOAA PARTNERSHIP NOW ACCEPTING PROPOSALS FOR RIVER RESTORATION GRANTS

American Rivers seeks proposals for river restoration project grants as part of its partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Community-based Restoration Program. Program funding is provided through NOAA's Open Rivers Initiative, which seeks to enable environmental and economic renewal in local communities through the removal of stream barriers.

This Partnership funds stream barrier removal projects that help restore riverine ecosystems, enhance public safety and community resilience, and have clear and identifiable benefits to diadromous fish populations. "Diadromous" fish migrate between freshwater and saltwater during their life cycle. Examples include alewife, American eel, American shad, blueback herring, salmon, steelhead, shortnose sturgeon and striped bass. Projects in the Northeast (ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, RI), Mid-Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA, DE, VA, MD, DC), Northwest (WA, OR, ID), and California are eligible to apply. Projects located within the St. Lawrence/Great Lakes Basin are not eligible for funding in the April 2008 grant round.

Eligible applications will be evaluated based upon four priority criteria: (1) ecological merits of the project, (2) technical feasibility of the project, (3) benefits provided to the local community, and (4) financial clarity and strength of the application.

Grants are provided for three distinct project phases: Feasibility Analysis, Engineering Design and Construction. Average grants are $25,000 - $50,000. Successful applicants for one project phase will not be eligible to receive additional funding for that same project phase in future grant rounds. See the Funding Guidelines for additional details.

Applications are currently being accepted for the second cycle of fiscal year 2008 with a deadline of April 1, 2008. Applications for projects must be postmarked by the deadline for consideration in this funding cycle. Potential applicants should contact American Rivers to discuss potential projects prior to submitting an application. Applicants can expect notification about funding decisions in early June 2008.

Obtain the Application for Financial Assistance and Funding Guidelines on the American Rivers web site.
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Environmental Bond Bill Hearing
(from ELM Bulletin - March 13, 2008)

We just learned that the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets will hold a hearing on the environmental bond bill.

Wednesday, March 19th - 1 p.m.
State House, Room 222

The bond authorizes over $1.5 billion in spending on a wide variety of critical environmental projects and programs.

There are a number of other bond bills (e.g., transportation, housing) that have large, active constituencies pushing them, and we need to do the same if the environmental bond is to pass this session.

This bill has already been heard and favorably reported out by the Joint Committee on Natural Resources. The panel that testified at that hearing will again testify on the 19th but with an emphasis on why we need an environmental bond bill NOW.

We need to show the committee that there is broad support for the bill and for timely action, so we hope we can fill the room. Please consider attending the hearing even if you don't plan on testifying. If you can't attend, please submit written testimony.

More info.
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Senate Passes Global Warming Solutions Act!
(from ELM Bulletin - March 13, 2008)

Last Thursday, the state Senate passed the Global Warming Solutions Act (S.2531). This Act puts Massachusetts on a path to reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions by capping emissions at 20% below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80% below by 2050.

In addition, the bill includes a power plant performance standard that would prohibit construction of any new or expanded power plant that discharged more greenhouse gas emissions than an average natural gas-fired power plant.
 
The bill overcame opposition by Associated Industries of Massachusetts and
other business interests. Senator Pacheco, a tireless champion, sponsored this legislation.

Our focus will now move to the House.
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