Federal Independent Agencies
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from federal independent agencies.
Featured Stories
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Longest Conversation
PANAMA CITY, Panama, Dec. 7 (TNSres) -- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute issued the following news:
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The first volumes of the BCI 100 celebration series are now available online
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Author: Vanessa Crooks
To celebrate a century of scientific research in the Barro Colorado Nature Monument, a series of volumes will provide a record of the major contributions to plant and ecosystem science, animal science, and the physical environment for future generations of researchers.
Six staff scientists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) are compiling and editing
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PANAMA CITY, Panama, Dec. 7 (TNSres) -- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute issued the following news:
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The first volumes of the BCI 100 celebration series are now available online
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Author: Vanessa Crooks
To celebrate a century of scientific research in the Barro Colorado Nature Monument, a series of volumes will provide a record of the major contributions to plant and ecosystem science, animal science, and the physical environment for future generations of researchers.
Six staff scientists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) are compiling and editingvolumes to commemorate the "longest conversation in tropical biology", to document research conducted in the Barro Colorado Nature Monument and its contribution to current understanding of humid tropical forests.
"The First 100 Years of Research on Barro Colorado: Plant and Ecosystem Science" volumes 1 and 2, edited by STRI staff scientists Helene Muller-Landau and S. Joseph Wright, are the first volumes to be published with the Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press (SISP) and are now available online for download (https://doi.org/10.5479/si.26048527).
"Barro Colorado Island (BCI) has become the most thoroughly studied tropical forest on earth," stated Muller-Landau. "This wealth of research is valuable for tropical forest scientists more broadly. At the same time, it's a challenge to students and researchers new to the site, to sort through all that literature to find the most relevant studies for their interests. Researchers who have been working at BCI for decades, especially resident STRI staff scientists, have long played an invaluable role in this respect, pointing new people to key papers and connecting them with others with similar interests. But the community as well as the literature has grown so large, that this is an increasingly difficult task. It was time for a new synthesis."
These two volumes brought together 140 plant and ecosystem scientists who contributed 98 chapters, covering everything from plant reproduction and physiology, community ecology, plant-animal and plant-microbe interactions, remote sensing, observational and experimental ecosystem studies, the natural history of BCI taxa, and much more.
"We invited everyone who had completed a sustained research program in the Barro Colorado Nature Monument to contribute," said Wright. "Their synthetic reviews integrate discoveries made in the BCNM with current understanding of plant and ecosystem biology. Each chapter brings its own perspective and together provide an unprecedented understanding of the inner workings of a humid tropical forest."
Additionally, authors' datasets, metadata and supplemental materials were included in an open access data repository that accompanies the book.
"This volume brings together the massive number of studies that have been conducted on BCI, providing a synthetic overview of the insights that have emerged about tropical forest ecology over the past century," said STRI Research Associate Liza Comita, a frequent BCI visitor and contributor to the volume. "In doing so, it also helps identify remaining knowledge gaps to be filled over the coming century by the next generation of researchers."
"The power of this volume goes well beyond any single chapter; rather, it is the linkages that can be found among the many chapters that will provide a more profound and complex understanding of tropical ecology," stated Stefan Schnitzer, a STRI Research Associate who studies lianas in the BCNM and also contributed to the volume.
"The long-term, multi-disciplinary wealth of natural history information collected by generations of scientists is unsurpassed," said STRI Research Associate Phyllis Coley, who has studied plant defenses on BCI since the 1970s.
"The BCI bryophyte listing was the first compilation of the diversity of these plants in a forest in Panama," said STRI scientist Noris Salazar, who specializes in bryophytes. "It served as the basis for comparative projects carried out in other regions of the country. We hope that it will also serve as a basis for the development of future ecology projects, including the effects of climate change on lowland tropical bryophyte populations over time."
The physical version of the plant and ecosystem volumes will be published early in 2025. Two more BCI volumes are currently in the works, focusing on research on animal ecology, evolution and behavior, and on the climate, hydrology and geology of the island.
The editors expect that these volumes will also provide a foundation for future research in BCI and other tropical forest sites.
The Barro Colorado Nature Monument in Panama, which includes Barro Colorado Island and nearby mainland peninsulas, is the best studied tropical forest in the world. Spanning the main water channel of the Panama Canal, the 5,400-hectare BCNM was created in 1979 when the Republic of Panama granted custodianship of BCI and the surrounding mainland to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute for the purpose of scientific research.
Barro Colorado Island became a natural reserve in 1923, and the research station opened in 1924. Around 400 scientists from dozens of countries visit the island each year, to study everything from the effects of lightning strikes on trees, to microbial communities, to plant and animal diversity. With nearly 100 years of climate data, 54 years of environmental monitoring, and the first long-term, large-scale 50-ha tropical forest plot established in 1980, the island is a must for biologists to study how tropical forests and their inhabitants change through time.
"We scientists are typically fully engaged in everyday business, constantly moving forward, not looking back," shared STRI Research Associate Gerhard Zotz, who contributed several chapters on epiphytic plants. "This book gave me the chance to look back at 100 years of BCI history."
"While living on BCI, one is surrounded by the wonders of the forest, the comradery of fellow scientists, and the extraordinary body of knowledge that scientists before us had compiled," Coley added. "Discussions over dinner were richer than a whole semester in a typical academic department. Except for her chiggers, I think most of us fall in love with BCI."
STRI thanks all the authors who contributed to these volumes, all the peer reviewers, and the Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press for making these volumes possible.
The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, headquartered in Panama City, Panama, is a unit of the Smithsonian Institution. The institute furthers the understanding of tropical biodiversity and its importance to human welfare, trains students to conduct research in the tropics and promotes conservation by increasing public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems. Promo video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9JDSIwBegk).
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Original text here: https://stri.si.edu/story/longest-conversation
Renewed EPA Wastewater Permits Require Haines, Sitka, Skagway, Wrangell to Significantly Reduce Bacteria From Sewage Discharges
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
Seattle (December 5, 2024) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is re-issuing wastewater discharge permits to the southeast Alaska communities of Haines, Sitka, Skagway, Wrangell, Peterburg, and Ketchikan requiring the facilities to significantly reduce the levels of bacteria they discharge into local marine waters. Permits for Haines, Sitka, Skagway, and Wrangell are being reissued today, and permits for Peterburg and Ketchikan will be reissued in early 2025.
Currently, the discharges from the
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
Seattle (December 5, 2024) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is re-issuing wastewater discharge permits to the southeast Alaska communities of Haines, Sitka, Skagway, Wrangell, Peterburg, and Ketchikan requiring the facilities to significantly reduce the levels of bacteria they discharge into local marine waters. Permits for Haines, Sitka, Skagway, and Wrangell are being reissued today, and permits for Peterburg and Ketchikan will be reissued in early 2025.
Currently, the discharges from thewastewater facilities are not consistently disinfected and contain high levels of fecal coliform and enterococcus bacteria.
Since the 1980s EPA has used its authority under Section 301(h) of the Clean Water Act to issue permits to these and three other Alaska communities sparing them the requirement to conduct "secondary" treatment of their wastewater as most communities in the U.S. do.
EPA only can waive secondary treatment for certain wastewater facilities that discharge to oceans or saline estuaries, and such permits issued by EPA must comply with all state and federal water quality standards, receive concurrence from the state in which the permit is issued, and comply with several other criteria designed to protect human health and the environment.
When Alaska revised its water quality standards for bacteria in 2017, it became clear that renewed EPA permits would need to require the wastewater facilities to disinfect their discharges to meet these updated standards, which are intended to protect marine waters for recreational and subsistence uses.
As a condition of concurrence on the permits, the state has mandated that the reissued EPA permits require the facilities to meet the new standards within five years.
The new bacteria limitations will require capital investments to provide disinfection of the discharges. EPA funds and the state administers the Clean Water State Revolving Fund that provides low interest loans to communities seeking to upgrade wastewater facilities.
Copies of the renewed permits and other supporting information are available at the links below:
* NPDES Permit for Haines Borough Wastewater Treatment Plant in Alaska
* NPDES Permit for Sitka Wastewater Treatment Facility in Alaska
* NPDES Permit for Skagway Wastewater Treatment Plant in Alaska
* NPDES Permit for Wrangell Wastewater Treatment Plant in Alaska
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Original text and links presented by source here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/renewed-epa-wastewater-permits-require-haines-sitka-skagway-and-wrangell-significantly
Pacific Premier Bank Partners With FHLBank San Francisco to Award Center by Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco: Lendistry $100,000 Grant to Help Diverse Small Businesses Become Climate Resilient
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Dec. 7 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, a federal district bank, issued the following news:
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Grant will support The Center by Lendistry's "Main Street Goes Green" initiative, equipping underserved entrepreneurs with tools to thrive in a greener economy
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The Center by Lendistry (The Center) has been awarded a $100,000 grant to support its efforts to help diverse small businesses adopt sustainable, climate-resilient practices. Provided through the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) AHEAD Program in partnership with
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SAN FRANCISCO, California, Dec. 7 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, a federal district bank, issued the following news:
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Grant will support The Center by Lendistry's "Main Street Goes Green" initiative, equipping underserved entrepreneurs with tools to thrive in a greener economy
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The Center by Lendistry (The Center) has been awarded a $100,000 grant to support its efforts to help diverse small businesses adopt sustainable, climate-resilient practices. Provided through the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) AHEAD Program in partnership withPacific Premier Bank, this grant will expand economic opportunities for underserved entrepreneurs in the transition to a greener economy.
Through a competitive application process, Pacific Premier Bank collaborated with The Center to secure this grant from FHLBank San Francisco. The AHEAD Program allows FHLBank San Francisco members like Pacific Premier Bank to deliver resources to local initiatives that address critical community needs and foster new opportunities for underserved populations.
The grant award will support The Center's "Main Street Goes Green" initiative, which includes a digital toolkit and business accelerator program to equip small businesses in low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities with practical resources to reduce their carbon footprint, cut energy costs, comply with sustainability regulations, and adopt green technologies. By embracing energy efficiency, renewables, and decarbonization practices, these businesses can reduce operating expenses, increase profitability, and create jobs--boosting economic growth in communities that are disproportionately impacted by climate change.
"Receiving this grant is a powerful boost to our mission of making climate resilience accessible to all small businesses," said Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, President & CEO of The Center by Lendistry. "Our Main Street Goes Green initiative is about bridging gaps--helping small businesses gain the resources, knowledge, and support they need to thrive in a greener economy. We're grateful to Pacific Premier Bank and FHLBank San Francisco for their support in making this vision a reality."
"At Pacific Premier Bank, we recognize that small businesses, particularly in underserved communities, struggle with a lack of resources and tools to ensure their viability," said Sherri Scott, Pacific Premier Bank's Sr. EVP / Chief ESG and Corporate Responsibility Officer. "In partnership with FHLBank San Francisco, we are grateful for the opportunity to support The Center by Lendistry in their efforts to promote equal access to more sustainable workplace environments."
"This grant for The Center by Lendistry's Main Street Goes Green initiative will help create access to these vital resources that will help diverse-owned small businesses integrate sustainable, climate-resilient practices that can improve energy efficiency and reduce operating expenses," said Eric Cicourel, community investment officer for FHLBank San Francisco. "We're proud that for 20 years and counting, the AHEAD Program continues to make a positive impact in the communities we serve."
For more information about the AHEAD Program, visit http://www.fhlbsf.com.
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About Pacific Premier Bank
Pacific Premier Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPBI) is the parent company of Pacific Premier Bank, a California-based commercial bank focused on serving small, middle-market, and corporate businesses throughout the western United States in major metropolitan markets in California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Nevada. Founded in 1983, Pacific Premier Bank has grown to become one of the largest banks headquartered in the western region of the United States, with approximately $18 billion in total assets. Pacific Premier Bank provides banking products and services, including deposit accounts, digital banking, and treasury management services, to businesses, professionals, entrepreneurs, real estate investors, and nonprofit organizations. Pacific Premier Bank also offers a wide array of loan products, such as commercial business loans, lines of credit, SBA loans, commercial real estate loans, agribusiness loans, franchise lending, home equity lines of credit, and construction loans.
Pacific Premier Bank offers commercial escrow services and facilitates 1031 Exchange transactions through its Commerce Escrow division. Pacific Premier Bank offers clients IRA custodial services through its Pacific Premier Trust division, which has approximately $18 billion of assets under custody and 32,000 client accounts comprised of self-directed investors, financial institutions, capital syndicators, and financial advisors. Additionally, Pacific Premier Bank provides nationwide customized banking solutions to Homeowners' Associations and Property Management companies. Pacific Premier Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. For additional information about Pacific Premier Bancorp, Inc. and Pacific Premier Bank, visit our website: http://www.ppbi.com.
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About The Center by Lendistry
The Center by Lendistry is a nonprofit organization that supports diverse small businesses through education, technical assistance, and access to competitive financing. Our mission is to close the racial wealth gap by anchoring small businesses and the communities where they do business. As part of this mission, we're helping underserved communities become climate resilient in the transition to a clean energy economy. Through strategic partnerships across municipalities and industries, The Center is reshaping the landscape of opportunity and wealth in America--ensuring that economic growth and sustainability are accessible and equitable for all. To learn more about our work, visit http://www.thecenterbylendistry.org.
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Original text here: https://www.fhlbsf.com/impact/articles/news/pacific-premier-bank-partners-with-fhlbank-san-francisco-to-award-the-center-by-lendistry-a-100-000-grant-to-help-diverse-small-businesses-become-climate-resilient
NCPC Approves Peace Corps Commemorative Park Final Plans
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 -- The National Capital Planning Commission issued the following news release on Dec. 6, 2024:
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Commission approves National Air and Space Museum Construct Integrated Bezos Learning Center preliminary plans
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At its December 5, 2024 meeting the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) approved final site development plans for the Peace Corps Commemorative Park. Submitted by the National Park Service, in collaboration with the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation, plans are for an approximately 7,200 square feet park in a triangular-shaped plot bounded by Louisiana
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 -- The National Capital Planning Commission issued the following news release on Dec. 6, 2024:
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Commission approves National Air and Space Museum Construct Integrated Bezos Learning Center preliminary plans
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At its December 5, 2024 meeting the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) approved final site development plans for the Peace Corps Commemorative Park. Submitted by the National Park Service, in collaboration with the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation, plans are for an approximately 7,200 square feet park in a triangular-shaped plot bounded by LouisianaAvenue, NW, First Street, NW, and C Street, NW. Commissioners expressed support for the mission of the Peace Corps and appreciated the applicant's responsiveness to previous comments.
The Commission also approved preliminary site and building plans submitted by the Smithsonian Intuition for the National Air and Space Museum Construct Integrated Bezos Learning Center. The three-level, approximately 80,000 square foot addition is proposed for the museum's east end on the National Mall. Components will include a restaurant, learning center, special event space, two civic green spaces (Learning Courtyard and Astronomy Park), and a permanent location for the Pheobe Waterman Haas Public Observatory.
Commissioners thought that the proposed building materials would complement the existing museum's exterior and recommended that the relationship of the addition's south elevation termination adjacent to the museum be further explored. Commissioners recommended further study of the proposed lighting to ensure it is compatible with the context of the National Mall. They requested further details regarding the amount of paving and shade in the Astronomy Park and Learning Courtyard. Commissioners also inquired about wayfinding, which the applicant noted will be further developed before the next review. NCPC anticipates reviewing final plans in spring/summer 2025.
NCPC approved preliminary and final site and building plans submitted by the Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Service for the Pentagon Metro Entrance Pedestrian Access Control Point. The approximately 18,000 square feet facility will be an addition to the existing Metrorail Entrance Facility and provide space for employee screening prior to entering the Pentagon. Commissioners supported the overall design, commenting that the changes made since concept review improved both the look and feel of the addition. The changes will also provide more natural light and make it a more welcoming entry for Pentagon employees.
Commissioners provided comments on the Joint Base Anacostia Bolling Honor Guard Campus Area Development Plan submitted by the U.S. Air Force. The campus is designed to support the rigorous training and operational needs of Air Force ceremonial units at the base, and the plan seeks to consolidate campus development with modernized facilities. Components include administrative buildings, dormitories, storage, parking, and training/practice space.
Commissioners supported the plan as a framework for sustainable campus growth and the removal of surface parking through the addition of garages. Among their requests for the next review stage are that the Air Force evaluate the proposed placement of buildings to create a stronger campus entrance, consider locating the parking garages along the freeway, and reinforce the central ceremonial lawn through appropriate building massing and design. They also recommended that the Air Force consider a campus-wide stormwater management approach.
The Commission then approved preliminary site development plans submitted by Air Force for the District Department of Transportation South Capitol Street Trail at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. The 3.8-mile, hard-surface pedestrian and cyclist trail would be part of the larger Anacostia Riverwalk Trail network. Proposed by the District Department of Transportation, it would run between Joint Base Anacostia Bolling's Firth-Sterling Gate and the Oxon Hill Farm Trail along DC Village Lane. Commissioners supported the efforts to improve accessibility to the base.
NCPC staff made an information presentation on the agency's Flood Risk Management Initiative, which was initiated this fall as a way to develop a comprehensive understanding of flood risk approaches along the Potomac River. Because the federal government controls the majority of Washington's riverfront, it has an interest in managing flood risks. NCPC is working with several agencies currently doing flooding related studies to share resources, consider gaps or differences, look at potential impacts among neighboring facilities, and ensure effective federal operations. No action is taken on information presentations.
Commission actions and related materials are available online (https://www.ncpc.gov/review/archive/2024/12/).
The Commission approved two items on the Consent Calendar (no presentations were made). Unless otherwise noted, the projects are in Washington, DC.
1. Preliminary and final building plans for the National Air and Space Museum Wireless Communications Equipment Installation, Independence Avenue and 6th Street, SW. (8606)
2. Final building plans for the William Howard Taft Bridge Pedestrian Railing Improvements, Northwest, Washington, DC. (8504)
The Executive Director approved seven items under authority delegated by the Commission. Unless otherwise noted, the projects are in Washington, DC.
1. Preliminary and final site development plans for the ATF Headquarters Perimeter Fence Extension and Permanent Ladders, 99 New York Avenue, NE. (8601)
2. Preliminary and final site and building plans for the New Executive Office Building and Eisenhower Executive Office Building President's Park Officer Posts. (8604)
3. Final site and building plans for the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center South, 702 Valley Avenue, SE. (8534)
4. Comments to the Council of the District of Columbia for the Proposed Public Street Opened and a Portion of a Public Street Closed in Square 1112-E - S.O. 23-01560. (8607)
5. Preliminary and final site development plans for the Chinatown Park Lotus Sculpture Temporary Installation, 5th, 6th, and I Streets NW, and Massachusetts Avenue, NW. (8589)
6. Report to the Zoning Commission of the District of Columbia for the Consolidated Planned Unit Development and Related Map Amendment, 4337-4347 and 4353-4363 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SW; 201-211 and 200-210 Elmira Street, SW. (ZC 23-29)
7. Report to the Zoning Commission of the District of Columbia for the Text Amendment to Subtitle K, Section 230.4 for Building 173 in The Yards, 301 Water Street, SE. (ZC 24-08)
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The National Capital Planning Commission is the federal government's central planning agency in Washington, DC and surrounding counties of Maryland and Virginia. The Commission provides overall guidance for federal land and buildings in the region. It also reviews the design of federal projects and memorials, oversees long-range planning for future development, and monitors capital investment by federal agencies.
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Original text here: https://www.ncpc.gov/participate/releases/2024/NCPC_Approves_Peace_Corps_Commemorative_Park_Final_Plans.pdf
EPA: PSF, Formerly Peter Pan Seafoods, Pays $750K Penalty for Clean Water Act Violations in Valdez and King Cove, Alaska
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on Dec. 5, 2024:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that PSF, Inc., formerly known as Peter Pan Seafoods, has paid a $750,000 penalty for violations of state and federal Clean Water Act permit requirements limiting the amount of waste that seafood processors can discharge to the marine environment.
PSF's and Peter Pan Seafood Company LLC's violations occurred at seafood processing facilities in Valdez and King Cove, Alaska. PSF and Peter Pan discharged seafood processing waste from
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on Dec. 5, 2024:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that PSF, Inc., formerly known as Peter Pan Seafoods, has paid a $750,000 penalty for violations of state and federal Clean Water Act permit requirements limiting the amount of waste that seafood processors can discharge to the marine environment.
PSF's and Peter Pan Seafood Company LLC's violations occurred at seafood processing facilities in Valdez and King Cove, Alaska. PSF and Peter Pan discharged seafood processing waste fromthe Valdez facility beyond the one-acre "zone of deposit" allowed by permit, creating a significantly larger seafood pile onto the seafloor. The Valdez Facility is now owned by Silver Bay Seafoods.
At the King Cove facility, PSF and Peter Pan discharged seafood processing waste from a broken outfall and at the incorrect depth, among other permit violations.
Alaska is the only state where zones of deposit are permitted at seafood processing facilities.
Silver Bay Seafoods has agreed to implement compliance measures at the Valdez facility and Peter Pan's successor is obligated to conduct an audit to identify and correct and non-compliance at the King Cove facility. The companies' compliance actions will reduce the environmental impact of their operations.
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Details of the violations and the terms of the settlement can be found in the Consent Decree (https://www.justice.gov/enrd/media/1353406/dl?inline).
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/psf-formerly-peter-pan-seafoods-pays-750k-penalty-clean-water-act-violations-valdez
EPA's Annual Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Results Include Strongest Outcomes Since 2017
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on Dec. 5, 2024:
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Revitalized enforcement and compliance efforts delivered public health benefits for people and communities, combatted climate change, and ensured cleaner air, water and land
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ATLANTA - Today, Dec. 5, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced its Fiscal Year 2024 (FY 2024) Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Annual Results, highlighting the agency's enhanced efforts to hold polluters accountable and protect communities from harm. The agency's enforcement efforts resulted
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on Dec. 5, 2024:
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Revitalized enforcement and compliance efforts delivered public health benefits for people and communities, combatted climate change, and ensured cleaner air, water and land
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ATLANTA - Today, Dec. 5, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced its Fiscal Year 2024 (FY 2024) Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Annual Results, highlighting the agency's enhanced efforts to hold polluters accountable and protect communities from harm. The agency's enforcement efforts resultedin over 1,800 concluded civil cases, over 120 criminal defendants charged, and more than 225 million pounds of pollution reductions in overburdened communities, providing substantial environmental and public health benefits for the nation.
In FY 2024, EPA's enforcement and compliance assurance program delivered results to address 21st century environmental challenges including climate change, environmental justice, and waste and chemical risks, leveraging an expanded and reinvigorated enforcement program that had suffered more than a decade of budget cuts.
"In Fiscal Year 2024, EPA's enforcement and compliance assurance program produced its strongest results since 2017, focusing on efforts to combat climate change and tackling some of the nation's most significant environmental threats to our shared air, water and land," said David M. Uhlmann, Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "The progress made under the Biden-Harris Administration has sent a clear signal that polluters will be held accountable and that protecting communities from harm is a top priority. Based on investments Congress has made over the last two years, the EPA enforcement program is poised for even greater gains in the years ahead. Communities across America should expect nothing less."
EPA made significant progress in efforts to support communities that have suffered the worst pollution in the United States. During the fiscal year, EPA conducted 53 percent of on-site inspections in communities overburdened with pollution, surpassing its annual goal of 50 percent. Half of EPA's civil enforcement cases addressed facilities in overburdened areas. These efforts seek to make good on the promise of clean air and safe drinking water for everyone living in the United States.
EPA also delivered results from its "Climate Enforcement and Compliance Strategy" that directs all EPA enforcement and compliance offices to address climate change in criminal, civil, federal facilities and cleanup enforcement actions and to pursue climate mitigation, adaptation and resiliency whenever possible in its enforcement actions and compliance assurance program. This year EPA focused on cutting climate super pollutants, including methane from oil and gas operations and landfills and unlawful imports of hydrofluorocarbons, to deliver reductions under this strategy. EPA conducted over 450 inspections as part of this effort and coordinated criminal, civil and administrative efforts in ways it never has before.
EPA drove results across all six FY 2024-2027 National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives (NECIs), which are designed to address the most significant pollution threats seen nationwide. The current NECIs include the first ever national initiatives on climate change, the forever-chemicals per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and contamination from coal ash facilities. The agency continued three initiatives from the prior NECI cycle that began during the last administration focused on air toxics, safe drinking water and preventing chemical accidents.
Additional highlights of our accomplishments this past year include:
* 2.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions were reduced, treated or eliminated.
* 227 million pounds of pollution eliminated in communities overburdened by pollution, the highest total ever.
* $1.7 billion in penalties, the highest level since FY 2017.
* 1,851 civil cases concluded - the highest number since FY 2017.
* 121 criminal defendants charged, the highest since FY 2019.
* 8,500+ inspections, nearly 10 percent increase from FY 2023.
* 53 percent of inspections in areas overburdened by pollution.
* 82 percent of completed Superfund enforcement settlement agreements at sites in overburdened communities.
Enforcement and compliance assurance work completed in FY 2024 and throughout the Biden-Harris Administration has established a solid foundation for fulfilling the agency's mission to protect human health and the environment for generations to come.
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To learn more about EPA's FY 2024 enforcement and compliance accomplishments, including case highlights, visit EPA's Enforcement and Compliance Annual Results for Fiscal Year 2024 (https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/enforcement-and-compliance-assurance-annual-results-fiscal-year-2024).
Members of the public can help protect our environment by identifying and reporting environmental violations. Learn more at EPA's Report Environmental Violations web page (https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations).
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epas-annual-enforcement-and-compliance-assurance-results-include-strongest-outcomes-0
EPA Penalizes Plaze for Alleged Hazardous Waste Violations in Pacific, Missouri
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
LENEXA, KAN. (DEC. 5, 2024) - Plaze Inc. of Pacific, Missouri, has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $205,791 to resolve violations of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The company operates 16 locations nationwide that formulate, blend, fill, and package over 2,500 aerosol and liquid products.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Plaze violated multiple federal regulations intended to protect workers and the public from exposure to the hazardous waste it
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
LENEXA, KAN. (DEC. 5, 2024) - Plaze Inc. of Pacific, Missouri, has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $205,791 to resolve violations of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The company operates 16 locations nationwide that formulate, blend, fill, and package over 2,500 aerosol and liquid products.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Plaze violated multiple federal regulations intended to protect workers and the public from exposure to the hazardous waste itgenerated.
EPA inspected Plaze's Pacific facility in November 2022 and determined the company violated federal law by:
* Operating a hazardous treatment, storage, or disposal facility without a permit.
* Failing to properly label and close hazardous waste containers.
* Failing to control air emissions from equipment leaks.
* Failing to perform hazardous waste tank inspections.
* Failing to minimize the possibility of fire, explosion, or release of hazardous wastes.
In response to the inspection findings, Plaze Inc. agreed to take the necessary steps to return the Pacific facility to compliance.
According to EPA, Plaze qualifies as a "large quantity generator" of hazardous wastes, including wastes that are corrosive, toxic, and/or ignitable. Exposure to these kinds of waste may lead to injury or death. Federal law requires facilities that generate hazardous wastes to identify the waste and implement safe generation, handling, transportation, and disposal practices.
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Learn more about EPA's Hazardous Waste programs (https://www.epa.gov/hw).
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-penalizes-plaze-inc-alleged-hazardous-waste-violations-pacific-missouri
