State Updates
VT pesticide application has gone batty
The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) recently had a lawsuit filed against it. The lawsuit resulted from public concern over application of insecticide for mosquito control that was also harming five threatened and endangered Vermont bat species. ANR determined the local Insect Control District’s actions did not need a permit, something two environmental organizations are fighting.
PR gets educational material for solid waste
EPA, FEMA, and the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (PRDNER) have released an infographic guide to highlight the importance of incorporating solid waste and disaster debris management into mitigation plans on the island. The collaboration focuses on the challenges municipalities in Puerto Rico face relating to solid waste and disaster debris management.
PA approves bad weather land application
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has approved alternative best management practices for the land application of food processing residual during inclement weather for a meat processing facility. The approval includes conditions for reporting, annual planning in advance of winter, and physical requirements for application during bad weather conditions. The permit conditions were all carefully crafted allowing for year-round meat processing while also preventing negative environmental impacts.
TN gets long-awaited Petroleum UST Program approval
EPA issued a final approval of Tennessee Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Program (Petroleum UST Program) revisions. The State Application, originally submitted in the fall of 2018, brings the state Petroleum UST Program into alignment with the EPA final rule published on July 15, 2015, addressing program fees, definitions, and training.
IN team begins watershed research out west
A team of Indiana University researchers kicked off a project to predict water availability in the West. The research intends to better predict the timing and availability of water resources coming from mountain watersheds by studying the physical processes and land-atmosphere interactions affecting how Rocky Mountain watersheds deliver water. The western U.S. is highly dependent on the Upper Colorado River, and improving water predictions will help drive economic stability.
OK receives delegation of several NESHAPs
EPA and DEQ are proceeding with delegation of several National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) standards to the state of Oklahoma. The state’s original request included NESHAPs in 40 CFR parts 61 and 63, promulgated by EPA and amended between September 1, 2016 and June 30, 2018. The final delegation was expanded to include those also promulgated and amended as recently as June 30, 2019.
MO receives approved 303(d) list from EPA
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) received from EPA a long-awaited 303(d) List of Impaired Waters. The list began this round of update and approval in Fall of 2020, when EPA partially approved what MoDNR had submitted. From that, a new rulemaking was kicked off, adding 40 additional water bodies to the list before being passed back to MoDNR as a finalized list.
CO gets moving with a new mobile air monitor
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recently debuted a new mobile air monitoring van, giving the department a new tool for monitoring emissions across the state. The new mobile monitoring van can measure and track emissions in real time while in motion. The state expects the mobile monitoring will specifically prove helpful in detecting fugitive emissions and leaks from oil and gas operations.
CA gains partner to focus on overburdened communities
CalEPA signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with EPA to expand activities in California communities disproportionately affected by environmental pollution. The MOU is a first-of-its-kind agreement in which the state and federal agencies will partner to reduce pollution, increase compliance, and improve public health in California communities that need it most.
OR joins podcast revolution with GreenState
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) introduced a new podcast to share information on air, land, and water quality in the state. The podcast, called GreenState, kicked off with an air quality three-part series focusing on wildfire smoke and other air quality issues. In the announcement issued by DEQ, the agency recognized the growing popularity of podcasts and their goal of using the platform as a new way to reach the public.