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EPA News

FINAL RULE PROMOTES METALS RECOVERY

By encouraging metals recovery from hazardous wastewater treatment sludge, a new Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) final rule will help the metal finishing industry meet voluntary waste-reduction goals as part of its National Metal Finishing Strategic Goals Program (SGP). The SGP is an innovative stewardship program that grew out of EPA's Common Sense Initiative (CSI). The new rule allows large quantity generators to accumulate sludge on-site for 180 days (or 270 days, as applicable) if the waste is going for recycling to recover the metals. This rule addresses a barrier to metals recovery and recycling that was identified by CSI. To take advantage of the longer accumulation period, metal finishing facilities must meet certain conditions. The longer accumulation time will mean that generators can accumulate increased amounts of wastes and will be able to send larger shipments of the waste off-site for metals recovery less often, thereby reducing transportation costs associated with recycling and making it a more attractive waste management option. The rule was signed March 1 and will be published in the Federal Register soon. For further information about the rule, visit: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/gener/f006acum.htm or call the RCRA/Superfund Hotline at 703-424-9346 or 703-412-9810.

EPA DRAFT REPORT REVEALS INCREASE IN U.S. GLOBAL WARMING EMISSIONS

U.S. greenhouse gas emissions rose 0.5 percent from 1997 to 1998, according to a draft report released for public comment today by EPA. Emissions rose from 1,827 to 1,834 million metric tons of total emissions, including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexfluoride. The study also shows the largest source of all greenhouse gases to be CO2 from fossil fuel combustion, accounting for 80 percent of emissions in 1998. Fossil fuel combustion was also responsible for 80 percent of total greenhouse emission growth from 1990 to 1998. Another significant trend was that from 1990 - 1998 car, truck and other transportation emissions rose 14 percent while total highway miles traveled climbed 21 percent. The report, "Draft Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990 - 1998," (EPA236-R-00-001) is required of the United States under its responsibilities as a party to the Framework Convention on Climate Change, which was signed in June 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit. Under the Framework Convention, the United States and other developed countries agreed to submit greenhouse gas emission reports annually to the Secretariat of the Convention. The report will be available within several days the EHSO site - see the "What's New" section. A Federal Register notice will be published soon announcing a 30-day public comment period for hard copies of the report, fax a request to: U.S. EPA, Climate Policy and Programs Division at 202-260-6405, or write: U.S. EPA, Climate Policy and Programs Division (2175), Ariel Rios Bldg., 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20460. For technical information, call Wiley Barbour at 202-260-6972.

DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR SUPERFUND REDEVELOPMENT PILOTS

In an effort to get Superfund sites back into productive reuse, EPA is seeking up to 40 pilot projects to fund up to $100,000 each in financial assistance and/or services under the Superfund Redevelopment Initiative. The deadline for application submission has been moved from March 10 to April 7. Announced in July 1999, the Superfund Redevelopment Initiative is a new program to help communities across the country restore toxic waste sites to productive use. Ten pilot projects were previously announced during the unveiling of the Initiative. To be eligible for selection as a pilot, the applicant must be a political subdivision, a federally recognized tribe or a state, and the applicant must have a site within its jurisdiction that is proposed or final on the National Priorities List (NPL), where construction of the remedy is not yet complete. Local governments that have sites within their jurisdictions that are not on the NPL, but where significant involvement by EPA is planned, may also be eligible if a cleanup decision is pending. Because the number of pilots to be awarded is limited, EPA has developed criteria for evaluating projects. The criteria can be found in the solicitation notice published in the Federal Register on Dec. 10, 1999. The notice extending the deadline to April 7 was published Feb. 28. Copies of the notice can be obtained at: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/proposal.htm or by calling the Superfund Redevelopment Hotline at 888-526-4321.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOSTERED IN U.S.-MEXICO BORDER AREA

A strategic alliance has been launched to foster sustainable development along the U.S.-Mexico border and to demonstrate that it is compatible with free trade. On Feb.23, in Mexico City, 10 additional Mexican and U.S. groups signed on to the Seven Principles of Environmental Stewardship for the 21st Century including the Border Trade Alliance, the Environmental Law Institute and several Mexican trade and environmental organizations. This effort is consistent with the Administration's environmental stewardship and reinvention efforts. Companies will be encouraged to work with other companies and industries to maximize environmental performance, environmental stewardship and sustainability practices, especially in the border region where population and industrial growth creates stress on human health and ecological systems. The alliance calls for companies to voluntarily control pollution and improve the environment in ways that go beyond legal requirements. The principles advocate company-wide commitments to public access to information about emissions and other environmental matters, pollution prevention, energy efficiency and improved environmental performance using environmental management systems and improved auditing procedures. The principles were developed last year by the environmental agencies of the two countries, the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce and the Border Environment Cooperation Commission, one of the groups formed to carry out the North American Free Trade Agreement. Beginning in April the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce will sponsor workshops as part of the implementation of the alliance for companies and other stakeholders in four border areas including El Paso/Juarez, San Diego/Tijuana, Tucson/Nogales and Laredo/Nuevo Laredo. Further information is available at http://www.epa.gov/usmexicoborder

ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION STAKEHOLDER FORUM RESULTS AVAILABLE

EPA's Office of Environmental Information and the Environmental Council of States (ECOS) on March 6 will release the final summary of proceedings from a stakeholder forum on public information policy held in Chicago, Ill., on Nov. 15 - 16. Forum participants from the states, industry, environmental and public interest groups, and tribes provided input on ways to improve policies concerning the availability, use, quality and management of environmental information. The document reflects the summary of discussions and actions that EPA and the states plan to undertake as a follow-up to the forum. To obtain a copy, contact Wendy Cleland-Hamnett at 202-260-4030.

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