Hazardous Waste Webinar Next Week! Learn more about recent changes to Wisconsin's hazardous waste management rules, with a focus on the Generator Improvement Rule and what it means to those that generate or handle hazardous waste in Wisconsin. This webinar will also provide tips for a successful hazardous waste management program, and what to expect when your facility is inspected by the WI DNR. Agenda and Registration form visit the FET website at: https://fetinc.org/website/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/5-4-21-Haz-Waste.pdf Questions can be directed to FET at 262-437-1700 or visit our website at www.fetinc.org.
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Apr 27, 2021
FET - Hazardous Waste Webinar May 4, 2021
Analysis finds difficult-to-detect chemicals in mothers and newborns
Now, a study uses a new screening technology to identify potentially toxic chemicals that were previously hard to find in human specimens. The study detected 109 industrial chemicals in the blood of pregnant women and newborns, including 55 chemicals never-before reported in people (Environ. Sci. Technol. 2021, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c05984).
The study authors focused on pregnant women and newborns because prenatal exposure to industrial chemicals can lead to health problems such as reduced IQ and childhood cancers, says Tracey J. Woodruff, director of the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE) at the University of California San Francisco. She and her team collected blood samples from 30 pregnant women and their babies' umbilical cords during delivery. The scientists analyzed the samples using high-resolution mass spectrometry and detected roughly 35,000 chemical features—patterns of chromatographic peaks and retention times—that could correspond to molecules of interest for biomonitoring.
"We wanted to prioritize the chemicals that people are most likely to be exposed to," Woodruff says, so the researchers developed a screening process that winnows down the list of chemical features to a number of suspected toxic chemicals. The process relies on a suite of software tools that allow researchers to compare the mass spectra of the chemicals found in blood to databases of high-production-volume chemicals and libraries of chemical formulas.
The scientists focused on the suspect chemicals that were detected in all the samples and had not been routinely monitored in people. They tentatively identified 109 chemicals found in pharmaceuticals, pesticides, flame retardants, stain repellents, plasticizers, cosmetics, and other consumer products. The team observed that women with higher socioeconomic status had relatively higher exposures to some of the compounds. "That association could be explained by the fact that with higher buying power, you can bring more products containing flame retardants, plasticizers, or stain repellents into your home," says study coauthor Dimitri Panagopoulos Abrahamsson, a chemist at PRHE.
In addition to the 55 chemicals never reported before in people, the researchers detected 42 "mystery chemicals" for which the team derived molecular structures but could find no information on what they were used for or what products they were from, Woodruff says. "This points to gaps in [US Environmental Protection Agency] requirements for industry to identify and report the use of chemicals in consumer products, which limits our ability to understand exposures and health effects," she says.
Please read on from source:
Apr 13, 2021
New study finds toxic chemicals in water systems across the US
Potential toxic forever chemicals (PFAS) are human-made chemicals, including PFOA and PFOS (hence the name), that don't break down easily — if at all — and accumulate over time in both the environment and the body. Currently, the government doesn't have an enforceable legal limit to the amount of PFAS in drinking water, but the report used recommendations established by CR scientists and other health experts.
"Americans shouldn't have to navigate bureaucracy and be forced to make significant investments in order to access clean tap water," said Brian Ronholm, CR's director of food policy, in the report.
Read full at (The Hill)
Mar 17, 2021
OSHA Issues New COVID-19 National Emphasis Plan And Interim Enforcement Response Plan
The first is a COVID-19 National Emphasis Program (NEP) focusing OSHA enforcement efforts on companies with the largest number of workers at serious risk of contracting the coronavirus. The program also prioritizes employers that retaliate against workers for complaints about unsafe or unhealthy conditions, or for exercising other rights protected by federal law. OSHA also released a news release on the NEP.
In a related action, OSHA has also updated its Interim Enforcement Response Plan to prioritize the use of on-site workplace inspections where practical, or a combination of on-site and remote methods. OSHA will only use remote-only inspections if the agency determines that on-site inspections cannot be performed safely. Prior enforcement guidance will be rescinded, and the new guidance will remain in effect until further notice.
Read full from OSHA
https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/national/03122021
Mar 11, 2021
The DDT dumping ground off coast of Los Angeles, as many as half a million barrels
An epic Superfund battle later exposed the company's disposal of toxic waste through sewage pipes that poured into the ocean — but all the DDT that was barged out to sea drew comparatively little attention.
Shipping logs show that every month in the years after World War II, thousands of barrels of acid sludge laced with this synthetic chemical were boated out to a site near Catalina and dumped into the deep ocean — so vast that, according to common wisdom at the time, it would dilute even the most dangerous poisons.
Regulators reported in the 1980s that the men in charge of getting rid of the DDT waste sometimes took shortcuts and just dumped it closer to shore. And when the barrels were too buoyant to sink on their own, one report said, the crews simply punctured them.
The ocean buried the evidence for generations, but modern technology can take scientists to new depths. In 2011 and 2013, Valentine and his research team were able to identify about 60 barrels and collect a few samples during brief forays at the end of other research missions.
One sediment sample showed DDT concentrations 40 times greater than the highest contamination recorded at the Superfund site — a federally designated area of hazardous waste that officials had contained to shallower waters near Palos Verdes.
FET is hosting a virtual OSHA HazWoper Refresher on Wednesdays, March 24th & 31st.
The eight hour class will help you meet this annual requirement. Kevin O'Brien and John Spahr will be co-chairing the seminar and are looking forward bringing the refresher course to you virtually!
Agenda and Registration form is attached or visit the FET website at: https://fetinc.org/website/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/March-2021-HAZWOPER.pdf
Mar 1, 2021
OSHA Proposes Revisions To Hazard Communications Standard
Comments are due to OSHA by April 19, 2021.
Read the Federal Register notice or file comments here:
Feb 25, 2021
Dynamics of radiocesium in forests after the Fukushima disaster: Concerns and some hope
....Considering the massive threat posed by 137Cs to the health of both humans and ecosystems, it is essential to understand how it has distributed and how much of it still lingers. This is why the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has recently published a technical document on this specific issue. The fifth chapter of this "Technical Document (TECDOC)," titled "Forest ecosystems," contains an extensive review and analysis of existing data on 137Cs levels in Fukushima prefecture's forests following the FDNPP disaster.
The chapter is based on an extensive study led by Assoc. Prof. Shoji Hashimoto from the Forestry and Forestry Products Research Institute, Japan, alongside Dr. Hiroaki Kato from the University of Tsukuba, Japan, Kazuya Nishina from the National Institute of Environmental Studies, Japan, Keiko Tagami from the National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Japan, George Shaw from the University of Nottingham, UK, and Yves Thiry from the National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (ANDRA), France, and several other experts in Japan and Europe.
The main objective of the researchers was to gain a better understanding of the dynamics of 137Cs flow in forests. The process is far from straightforward, as there are multiple elements and variables to consider. First, a portion of 137Cs-containing rainfall is intercepted by trees, some of which is absorbed, and the rest eventually washes down onto the forest floor. There, a fraction of the radiocesium absorbs into forest litter and the remainder flows into the various soil and mineral layers below. Finally, trees, other plants, and mushrooms incorporate 137Cs through their roots and mycelia, respectively, ultimately making it both into edible products harvested from Fukushima and wild animals.
Considering the complexity of 137Cs flux dynamics, a huge number of field surveys and gatherings of varied data had to be conducted, as well as subsequent theoretical and statistical analyses. Fortunately, the response from the government and academia was considerably faster and more thorough after the FDNPP disaster than in the Chernobyl disaster, as Hashimoto explains: "After the Chernobyl accidents, studies were very limited due to the scarce information provided by the Soviet Union. In contrast, the timely studies in Fukushima have allowed us to capture the early phases of 137Cs flow dynamics; this allowed us to provide the first wholistic understanding of this process in forests in Fukushima."
Feb 10, 2021
New TSCA Restrictions for 5 PBT Chemicals
The law also directs EPA to take expedited action to address the risks of some specific substances that had been identified in a previous TSCA Work Plan. These include persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals that EPA believes pose a high or moderate risk to human health of the environment.
EPA recently completed risk evaluations and established new regulatory management programs for five PBT chemical substances. For many of these chemicals, EPA will prohibit all manufacture, import, processing, and distribution in commerce.
All five Final Rules take effect on February 5, 2021.
The five PBT chemicals for which EPA issued new rules are:
- Pentachlorothiophenol (PCTP)
- Hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD)
- Decabromodiphenyl ether (DecaBDE)
- Phenol, Isopropylated Phosphate 3:1 (PIP 3:1)
- 2, 4, 6-tris(tert-butyl)phenol (2, 4, 6-TTBP)
EPA Clarifies New PFAS Restrictions
The new guide, Compliance Guide for Imported Articles Containing Surface Coatings Subject to the Long-Chain Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylate and Perfluoroalkyl Sulfonate Chemical Substances Significant New Use Rule, was published on January 19, 2021 to address compliance issues that may arise among US businesses.
Specifically, the guide defines "surface coating," identifies which articles and businesses are subject to the regulation, describes the actions that are required and those that are prohibited, and summarizes the notification requirements of the Significant New Use Rule.
Read the complete PFAS guide now.
By publishing the guide, EPA seeks full compliance with the Significant New Use Rule among chemical and electronics manufacturers, carpet and rug mills, home furnishing wholesalers, and other retailers that may be affected.
Firefighters Battle an Unseen Hazard: Their Gear Could Be Toxic
This week, Captain Mitchell and other members of the International Association of Fire Fighters, the nation's largest firefighters' union, are demanding that union officials take action. They want independent tests of PFAS, the chemicals in their gear, and for the union to rid itself of sponsorships from equipment makers and the chemical industry. In the next few days, delegates representing the union's more than 300,000 members are expected to vote on the measure — a first.
"We're exposed to these chemicals every day," Captain Mitchell said. "And the more I looked into it, the more it felt like the only people who were saying these chemicals were safe were the people who make it."
The demands come as the safety of firefighters has become an urgent concern amid the worsening effects of climate change, which bring rising temperatures that prime the nation for increasingly devastating fires. In October, two dozen firefighters in California — where a record 4.2 million acres burned across the state last year — filed suit against 3M, Chemours, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and other manufacturers, claiming that the companies for decades knowingly made and sold firefighting equipment loaded with toxic chemicals without warning of the chemicals' risks.
"Firefighting is a dangerous occupation, and we don't want our firefighters to burn up. They need that protection," said Linda Birnbaum, the former director of the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences. "But we now know that PFAS is in their gear, and it doesn't stay in their gear."
Please read full at:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/26/climate/pfas-firefighter-safety.html
Feb 1, 2021
Job opening Safety Specialist (Milwaukee, WI)
Responsible for designing policies and procedures that help prevent harm to workers and property. Inspects machines and air quality, designs safe work spaces, and creates policies for workers to follow that minimize job-related hazards. Must have union experience in a manufacturing setting.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Create ways to keep workers and the general public safe from harm.
- Design safe workspaces.
- Inspect machines and test for faults.
- Remove defective equipment.
- Test air quality.
- Investigate complaints.
- Reduce absenteeism and equipment downtime.
- Lower insurance premiums and workers' compensation payments.
- Prevent government fines.
- Conduct safety inspections.
- Impose fines.
- Design programs to control, eliminate, and prevent disease or injury.
- Search for and identify biological, chemical, and radiological hazards.
- Advise workers on proper lifting techniques.
- Inform an organization's management of areas not in compliance with State and Federal laws or employer policies.
- Advise management on the cost and effectiveness of safety and health programs.
- Devise and implement health programs.
- Provide training on new regulations.
- Demonstrate how to recognize hazards.
- Develop methods to predict hazards.
- Evaluate current equipment, products, facilities, or processes and those planned for future use.
- Uncover patterns in injury data.
- Evaluate the probability and severity of accidents.
- Write accident reports.
Donovan Harris
donharris(at)aerotek.com
414-214-6036 Phone
US Department of Labor issues stronger workplace guidance on coronavirus
"Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace" provides updated guidance and recommendations, and outlines existing safety and health standards. OSHA is providing the recommendations to assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace.
"More than 400,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and millions of people are out of work as a result of this crisis. Employers and workers can help our nation fight and overcome this deadly pandemic by committing themselves to making their workplaces as safe as possible," said Senior Counselor to the Secretary of Labor M. Patricia Smith. "The recommendations in OSHA's updated guidance will help us defeat the virus, strengthen our economy and bring an end to the staggering human and economic toll that the coronavirus has taken on our nation."
Implementing a coronavirus prevention program is the most effective way to reduce the spread of the virus. The guidance announced today recommends several essential elements in a prevention program:
- Conduct a hazard assessment.
- Identify control measures to limit the spread of the virus.
- Adopt policies for employee absences that don't punish workers as a way to encourage potentially infected workers to remain home.
- Ensure that coronavirus policies and procedures are communicated to both English and non-English speaking workers.
- Implement protections from retaliation for workers who raise coronavirus-related concerns.
"OSHA is updating its guidance to reduce the risk of transmission of the coronavirus and improve worker protections so businesses can operate safely and employees can stay safe and working," said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Jim Frederick.
Jan 21, 2021
DNR Releases Latest Sampling Results Revealing Broader PFAS Presence In Madison Area Lakes And Yahara River Chain
The DNR found elevated levels of PFAS in Lake Monona and Starkweather Creek in 2019, which resulted in a new PFAS fish consumption advisory for those two water bodies. The DNR collected surface water and fish samples in 2019 due to PFAS-containing stormwater leaving the Dane County airport into Starkweather Creek and Lake Monona.
Due to public safety concerns, the DNR collected additional surface water samples in 2020 on lakes Mendota, Monona, Upper Mud, Waubesa and Kegonsa, as well as along sections of the Yahara River between the lakes.
The DNR also collected samples from Lake Wingra and Nine Springs Creek. PFAS compounds were discovered throughout the areas sampled, many of those samples were at levels above what the DNR may consider acceptable.
PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals used for decades in numerous products, including non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers and stain-resistant sprays. These legacy contaminants have made their way into the environment in a variety of ways, including spills of PFAS-containing materials, discharges of PFAS-containing wastewater to treatment plants and certain types of firefighting foams.
PFAS do not break down in the environment and have been discovered at concentrations of concern in groundwater, surface water and drinking water. PFAS are known to bioaccumulate in the tissues of fish and wildlife. They also accumulate in the human body and pose several risks to human health.
Surface Water Sampling
More information on how the DNR is addressing PFAS contamination in Wisconsin is available here.
Jan 20, 2021
Amazon Bans Toxic Chemicals From Its Food Packaging
What Are the Chemicals of Concern?
Amazon's definition of chemicals of concern includes substances that are a "carcinogen, mutagen, reproductive or other systemic toxicant," and products that are "persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic." Although Amazon has mentioned it is encouraging manufacturers to avoid these potentially toxic chemicals, the company is focusing on its own private brands because it has complete control over them.
The restricted substances on Amazon's list include antiseptics (antimicrobial substances), nonylphenols and nonylphenol ethoxylates (detergent-like substances), formaldehyde donor preservatives (substances that slowly release formaldehyde over time), parabens (preservatives) and phthalates (chemicals to make plastics more flexible). The list has more than 50 items ranging from triclosan (antimicrobial chemical) to propylparaben (preservative).
Free WebCast on Respiratory Protection
- Identity workplace and engineering controls,
- Define personal protective equipment (PPE),
- Recognize respiratory safety hazards,
- Explain why a medical evaluation is necessary,
- Select appropriate PPE for respiratory protection,
- Evaluate a respirator seal for fit, and
- Follow proper maintenance procedures.
Ray Chishti
EHS Editor
J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.
EHS Editor
J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.
1:00 PM Central Time
(2 ET, 12 MT, 11 PT)
Jan 8, 2021
EPA requests applications for $5 million in funding for Great Lakes trash-free water
In October 2019, EPA Administrator Wheeler announced the GLRI Action Plan III, an aggressive plan to guide Great Lakes restoration and protection activities by EPA and its many partners over the next four years. The trash-free water projects EPA selects will support the larger GLRI effort to restore and protect the Great Lakes.
"This grant program will continue to harness the power of collaboration and strong partnerships we've established to fuel progress and so many successes under the GLRI," said EPA Region 5 Administrator/Great Lakes National Program Manager Kurt Thiede. "This funding will help communities across the Great Lakes basin ensure that their harbors, rivermouths and waterfronts are trash-free— something Administrator Wheeler and this Administration has placed as a high priority for this agency."
Mismanaged or misplaced trash, including litter or garbage, can degrade aquatic habitats, threaten aquatic wildlife, and interfere with human uses of lake, coastal, and riparian environments. These grants will support large-scale projects that use mechanical devices, vessels and other technology to remove trash from Great Lakes harbors, rivermouths and waterfronts. With these grants, EPA intends to increase the number of Great Lakes communities with operational large-scale aquatic trash collection devices that will continue to be used after project funding has ended. The minimum award is $300,000 and the maximum award is $1,000,000.
State agencies, federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia, any agency or instrumentality of local governments, nonprofit organizations, interstate agencies, and colleges and universities are eligible to apply for the grants.
EPA will host a webinar on January 26, 2021, at 2 p.m. CST to provide additional information and answer questions. To register for the webinar or learn more about the request for applications, visit https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/glri-trash-free-waters-fy2021-request-applications-rfa
In July 2020, Administrator Wheeler announced seven Great Lakes Trash-Free Waters grants totaling approximately $2 million to support efforts to clean up beaches and water bodies.
Background:
The GLRI was launched in 2010 to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes. Federal agencies have funded more than 5,400 projects totaling over $2.7 billion to address the most important Great Lakes priorities such as addressing agricultural nutrients and stormwater runoff, cleaning up highly contaminated "Areas of Concern," combating invasive species and restoring habitat. Making GLRI funding available through a competitive application process is just one way that the GLRI achieves results.
For more information on the GLRI, visit https://www.glri.us/
Nov 19, 2020
Free Seminar - Introduction to Forensic Geology - Petrography
Chris Braaten, PG, CPG, is a Senior Petrographer/Geologist at American Engineering Testing, Inc. He graduated from the University of Minnesota-Duluth with degrees in Geological Sciences and Environmental Studies. He has spent 15 years with American Engineering, holding positions in the Construction Materials Department as a Field Technician, Bridge Inspector, and Aggregate Laboratory Coordinator. For the last 9 years he has held a Petrographer position in the Petrography/Chemistry Department. He has performed petrography on construction aggregate from 46 US States and 17 different
https://www.americangeosciences.org/webinars/introduction-forensic-geology-petrography
Nov 5, 2020
Recent list of OSHA Alerts for Covid
Oct 30, 2020
A room, a bar and a classroom: how the coronavirus is spread through the air
Oct 28, 2020
COVID's cognitive costs? Some patients' brains may age 10 years
"Our analyses ... align with the view that there are chronic cognitive consequences of having COVID-19," the researchers wrote in a report of their findings. "People who had recovered, including those no longer reporting symptoms, exhibited significant cognitive deficits."
Cognitive tests measure how well the brain performs tasks - such as remembering words or joining dots on a puzzle. Such tests are widely used to assess brain performance in diseases like Alzheimer's, and can also help doctors assess temporary brain impairments.
Hampshire's team analysed results from 84,285 people who completed a study called the Great British Intelligence Test. The findings, which have yet to be reviewed by other experts, were published online on the MedRxiv website.
The cognitive deficits were "of substantial effect size", particularly among people who had been hospitalised with COVID-19, the researchers said, with the worst cases showing impacts "equivalent to the average 10-year decline in global performance between the ages of 20 to 70".
Scientists not directly involved with the study, however, said its results should be viewed with some caution.
Oct 26, 2020
The forklift truck drivers who never leave their desks
But as Covid-19 spreads easily, the warehouses dotted along the world's supply chains have become potential hubs of disease transmission, says Elliot Katz, co-founder of Phantom Auto.
The solution, he suggests, is to reduce the number of people working in those environments. Take forklift operators, for instance - with remote-control technology they can now work off-site, controlling their machines from afar.
"We have customers today where we are fully remotely operating those forklifts from remote locations," says Mr Katz, whose firm has equipped a string of new clients with these systems in recent months.
Phantom Auto's technology is now installed in around a dozen warehouses in the US and Europe, he adds.
Oct 20, 2020
EPA crews use color system to remove hazardous waste for Carmel Fire
In phase one of waste removal, EPA crews are looking to remove all the hazards from sites, which includes cleaning supplies, paints, etc. The first step, Phase I, is needed before bulldozing of the damage.
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If the first phase is not completed before bulldozing over a burned out property, "that could be hazardous for the workers who come in to do that second phase of debris removal," said Jeremy Johnstone, an Environmental Protection Agency task force leader.
It's not about what a person sees on a burned out property, it's what most people visiting don't see, that needs professional eyes.
"The ash can be hazardous, there can be asbestos on site, you can get on skin and hair," Johnstone said.
Those are a few examples of hazardous materials on a site everyone who visits, should be aware of. The EPA has a color coded system to help.
Items they have marked with white spray paint are deemed safe and should be treated as debris. An orange mark means the item is hazardous such as unexploded ammunition.
A pink mark is the assumption of asbestos, to be actually tested in phase two.
This consist of a lot of work for crews who are averaging about an hour a property under new COVID-19 protocols. The new rules include keeping smaller, similar work crews together. For example crews working on Trampa Canyon Road near Cachagua Rd. in Carmel Valley, will stick with their same groups as they move to different properties
Johnstone said, "we are maintaining social spacing. In the after hours we are not hanging out having drinks or dinner together." "We're also getting regualry tested. Each individual is getting tested twice a week."
Once phase one is completed for the Carmel fire, EPA crews will move to do phase one for the River and then Dolan Fire. Once phase one is completed on a property, phase two can begin.
Read full from source:
https://www.ksbw.com/article/epa-crews-use-color-system-to-remove-hazardous-waste-for-carmel-fire/34350381#
More Than 200 Million Americans Could Have Toxic PFAS in Their Drinking Water
"We know drinking water is a major source of exposure of these toxic chemicals," said Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., vice president for science investigations at EWG and a co-author of the new study. "This new paper shows that PFAS pollution is affecting even more Americans than we previously estimated. PFAS are likely detectable in all major water supplies in the U.S., almost certainly in all that use surface water."
The analysis also included laboratory tests commissioned by EWG that found PFAS chemicals in the drinking water of dozens of U.S. cities. Some of the highest PFAS levels detected were in samples from major metropolitan areas, including Miami, Philadelphia, New Orleans and the northern New Jersey suburbs of New York City.
There is no national requirement for ongoing testing and no national drinking water standard for any PFAS in drinking water. The EPA has issued an inadequate lifetime health advisory level of 70 ppt for the two most notorious fluorinated chemicals, PFOA and PFOS, and efforts to set an enforceable standard could take many years.
In the absence of a federal standard, states have started to pass their own legal limits for some PFAS. New Jersey was the first to issue a maximum contaminant limit for the compound PFNA, at 13 ppt, and has set standards of 13 ppt for PFOS and 14 ppt for PFOA. Many states have either set or proposed limits for PFOA and PFOS, including California, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Vermont.
"The first step in fighting any contamination crisis is to turn off the tap," said Scott Faber, EWG senior vice president for government affairs. "The second step is to set a drinking water standard, and the third is to clean up legacy pollution. The PFAS Action Act passed by the House would address all three steps by setting deadlines for limiting industrial PFAS releases, setting a two-year deadline for a drinking water standard, and designating PFAS as 'hazardous substances' under the Superfund law. But Mitch McConnell's Senate has refused to act to protect our communities from 'forever chemicals.'"
West Texas nuclear waste plan prompts fears of radioactive trains in Fort Worth
The destination for much of the nuclear waste is Andrews County, where Waste Control Specialists already operates a toxic waste site. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering a similar plan from nuclear company Holtec for a high-level waste storage facility in southeastern New Mexico. While the nuclear waste is concerning for residents of West Texas and eastern New Mexico, Fort Worth residents should also be worried, said Lon Burnam, a former state representative and the chair of the Tarrant Coalition for Environmental Awareness.
With today's rail traffic, Burnam said trains hauling the nuclear waste may have to stop overnight in Metroplex rail yards like the massive Union Pacific Davidson Yard south of the Cultural District.
"These canisters can sit here and leak radiation without anyone knowing," Burnam said.
Oct 19, 2020
Energy Department Announces Round One Winners of Geothermal Manufacturing Prize
The winners of the Ready! contest – the first in a series of four progressive competitions – were announced at the Geothermal Resources Council's Virtual 2020 Annual Meeting and Expo by Daniel R Simmons, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
"Geothermal has the potential to play an important role in our energy future," said Simmons. "These projects will help unlock that potential through innovative approaches to additive manufacturing."
Read more
https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/energy-department-announces-round-one-winners-geothermal-manufacturing-prize
DNR Launches Waste Characterization Study At Wisconsin Landfills Study To Provide Insight Into Waste Reduction And Diversion Efforts
Results of the study will provide a powerful planning tool for waste reduction and minimization efforts across the state, and when compared to prior studies conducted in 2003 and 2009, will help officials identify trends in waste and recycling.
"Millions of pounds of materials are diverted through recycling, e-cycling or composting every year, which keeps hazardous materials out of the environment, saves valuable landfill space and supports Wisconsin's economy," said Kate Strom Hiorns, DNR recycling and solid waste section chief. "But more can be done. This study will help determine the communication, infrastructure and resources still needed."
Crews will visit 12 landfills across the state to sort 400 municipal solid waste samples and visually characterize 640 construction and demolition waste loads. Crews are trained to identify 85 material types, representing eight waste categories including plastics, organics and hazardous materials. Region, hauler type and the source of the waste will also be recorded.
"The DNR is looking for opportunities to minimize and divert waste statewide, but also at the source or regional level," said Casey Lamensky, DNR solid waste coordinator. "The DNR will continue to work with local governments, businesses and organizations to ensure they have the resources they need to divert materials from the landfill."
Waste characterization data from 2003 and 2009 provided crucial information for waste management decisions still affecting residents today. Dane County used the 2009 study
"We hope the 2020 data will be similarly used," Lamensky said. "Dane County is a great example of why this information is important."
The final report will be published this spring. From mid-October through mid-December, crews will be sampling at landfills located in Appleton, Wisconsin Rapids, Weyerhaeuser, Watertown, Muskego, Franklin, Menomonee Falls and Eau Claire.
To learn more about recycling in Wisconsin, visit the DNR's what to recycle page.
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Recycling/banned.html
Oct 16, 2020
Water Subcabinet Members Highlight Enhanced Aquatic Resource Mapping with Western States
"After nearly 50 years of implementing the Clean Water Act, it is disappointing that the federal government lacks the ability to point to a map and tell our stakeholders which waters are subject to federal jurisdiction, and which are exclusively reserved to the capable management of our state and tribal partners," said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water David Ross. "Because there are currently no maps showing the universe of waters regulated under the Clean Water Act, we are leveraging the collective expertise, tools, and resources of the Water Subcabinet to solve this problem."
Representatives from EPA, Department of the Interior (DOI), and Department of the Army (Army) along with Western State water managers and expert scientists from the EPA, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) discussed the benefits of enhanced geospatial tools and novel approaches to improve the accuracy of maps depicting surface waters nationwide. When fully developed, maps of CWA jurisdiction will promote greater regulatory certainty, relieve some of the regulatory burden associated with determining the need for a CWA permit, and play an important part in helping to implement the goals and policies of the CWA.
Under the newly formed Water Subcabinet, established by the President's Executive Order "Modernizing America's Water Resource Management and Water Infrastructure," EPA and the Army are aligning their WOTUS mapping interests with DOI's established and ever-improving aquatic resource mapping efforts, including the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD), National Wetlands Inventory (NWI), and other datasets. At yesterday's WSWC Fall Meeting, technical experts from EPA, USGS, and USFWS described the ongoing cross-agency efforts to enhance the existing NHD and NWI frameworks, coupled with on-the-ground field research, streamflow monitoring, and geospatial modeling approaches to improve the accuracy of the nation's stream and wetland maps.
"In developing the new WOTUS definition under the new Navigable Waters Protection Rule, we heard from stakeholders that maps of jurisdictional waters could increase certainty and transparency regarding which waters are jurisdictional and which waters are not," said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Ryan Fisher. "This interagency mapping effort will increase certainty and efficiency within the Corps' regulatory programs while enhancing predictability for landowners and businesses to support the economy and accelerate critical infrastructure projects."
To help inform this effort, the Water Subcabinet is engaging with stakeholders like WSWC to make progress on these mapping goals, while being advised by a work group of participants from federal agencies with interest and expertise in geospatial mapping. EPA and the Army believe the most efficient way to address their CWA mapping needs is to better align their efforts with DOI's existing processes and national mapping capabilities.
"Department of the Interior's USGS, FWS, and other bureaus have a long history of working together to map the nation's waters," said DOI Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Timothy Petty. "Now, by focusing our assets and capabilities to the needs of USACE and EPA, our aim is to accelerate enhancements to our existing national frameworks and the maps they will support for a wide variety of federal, state, tribal, and private sector water programs. This is a prime example of the cross-agency work that the Water Subcabinet can tackle to better manage our nation's aquatic resources and leverage taxpayer dollars."
For more information on mapping jurisdictional waters under the CWA, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2020-01/documents/nwpr_fact_sheet_-_mapping.pdf
Background
There are currently no comprehensive datasets through which EPA and the Army can map the universe of jurisdictional waters under the CWA. While the USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and the USFWS National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) are the most comprehensive hydrogeographic datasets mapping waters and wetlands in the United States and are useful resources for a wide variety of water management applications, they currently have technical limitations that present significant challenges for use as standalone tools to determine the full scope of CWA jurisdiction, regardless of the regulatory definition of WOTUS. In fact, prior to finalizing the now-rescinded 2015 rule defining WOTUS, an EPA blog post published under the previous administration entitled "Mapping the Truth" stated, "While these [USGS and USFWS] maps are useful tools for water resource managers, they cannot be used to determine Clean Water Act jurisdiction – now or ever." Due to limitations of the existing datasets, the Trump Administration agrees with Obama Administration officials that the data cannot currently be used to determine the scope of CWA jurisdiction, but rejects the premise that the tools we have today cannot be improved upon in the future to map WOTUS. The Water Subcabinet, leveraging the collective expertise, tools, and resources across the federal family, is working together with our state and tribal partners to do so.
President Trump Signs Executive Order on Modernizing America’s Water Resource Management and Water Infrastructure
The Water Subcabinet will be co-chaired by U.S. Department of the Interior (Interior) Secretary David Bernhardt and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler, and will include senior officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Department of Commerce (DOC), the Department of Energy (DOE), and the Department of the Army (Civil Works). The Water Subcabinet will work in close coordination with senior officials from the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and other federal agencies as appropriate.
"Clean, reliable, and safe water supplies are essential for our communities, our economy, and our environment," said CEQ Chairman Mary Neumayr. "By establishing the Water Subcabinet, President Trump is bringing key policymakers together who will coordinate actions to streamline needs of our Nation. Once again, the Trump Administration is taking action to deliver practical results for the American people."
"The Trump Administration has made it a priority to ensure communities across the nation receive safe, reliable water," said U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt. "Today's action by President Trump furthers our incredible efforts over the past three and a half years to cut bureaucratic red tape and improve water infrastructure."
"The Federal Government has the responsibility to ensure all Americans, regardless of their zip code, have access to reliable sources of clean and safe water," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "By creating the Water Subcabinet, President Trump is supporting 21st century water infrastructure that will provide all Americans with safe drinking water and surface water protection."
"From the very early days of the Administration, President Trump has recognized the importance of the energy-water nexus to U.S. economic competitiveness," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette. "Through the President's Water Security Grand Challenge, DOE has advanced transformational technology and innovation to help meet the domestic and global need for safe, secure and affordable water through collaboration between industry and our 17 National Labs. DOE looks forward to continuing this work in coordination with the newly established Water Subcabinet."
"The Water Subcabinet will enhance collaboration among the Federal agencies responsible for our nation's water management, allowing for a more effective and efficient environmental and economic balance of our nation's water resources for all users," said R.D. James, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. "This Administration's focus on streamlining and reducing duplication between Federal agencies will benefit the American people by the coordinated modernization of our Nation's water infrastructure and water resource management."
"It is essential that Americans have access to clean, safe, and reliable water resources. Streamlining and modernizing water management will foster innovation in water forecasting and research, bolster the resilience of our water infrastructure, promote efficiency across the Federal Government, enhance public health, and create jobs. I commend President Trump's strong leadership as well as the collective efforts across the Administration on this important issue," said OSTP Director Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier
"President Trump is committed to making it easier for farmers be successful and to ensure they are the most innovative in the world. Today's Executive Order is evidence of that commitment," said USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey. "Water is critical to farming and the success of Rural America. USDA has already taken the lead to invest in America's wetlands through projects that inspire creative problem-solving that boosts production on farms, ranches, and private forests – ultimately improving water quality, soil health, and wildlife habitat."
Under the Executive Order, the Water Subcabinet will:
·• Promote effective and efficient water resources management by reducing duplication between Federal agencies developing water policy;
·• Develop a national water strategy to ensure the reliability of our water supplies, water quality, water systems, and water forecasting;
·• Protect taxpayer investments and improve water infrastructure planning by promoting integrated planning and coordination for drinking water, wastewater, water reuse, water storage and delivery, and water resource management; and
·• Support and enhance workforce development to recruit, train, and retain water sector professionals.
Under the Trump Administration, Federal agencies that have primary authority for water policy have coordinated like never before, to help ensure that all Americans have access to safe drinking water, reliable rural and farm water supplies, and clean water for recreation and enjoyment. Coordination by the Water Subcabinet will streamline decision-making processes across these Federal agencies, promoting effective and efficient planning to modernize our Nation's water infrastructure.
To view the Executive Order: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-modernizing-americas-water-resource-management-water-infrastructure/
To view a fact sheet: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/201013-Final-Water-EO-Fact-Sheet-.pdf
MIT Book on Repairing Infrastructures: The Maintenance of Materiality and Power
Oct 13, 2020
The Human Cost of Disasters - An overview of the last 20 years 2000-2019
In the period 2000 to 2019, there were 7,348 major recorded disaster events claiming 1.23 million lives, affecting 4.2 billion people (many on more than one occasion) resulting in approximately US$2.97 trillion in global economic losses.
This is a sharp increase over the previous twenty years. Between 1980 and 1999, 4,212 disasters were linked to natural hazards worldwide claiming approximately 1.19 million lives and affecting 3.25 billion people resulting in approximately US$1.63 trillion in economic losses.
Much of the difference is explained by a rise in climate-related disasters including extreme weather events: from 3,656 climate-related events (1980-1999) to 6,681 climate-related disasters in the period 2000-2019.
The last twenty years has seen the number of major floods more than double, from 1,389 to 3,254, while the incidence of storms grew from 1,457 to 2,034. Floods and storms were the most prevalent events.
The report "The Human Cost of Disasters 2000-2019" also records major increases in other categories including drought, wildfires and extreme temperature events. There has also been a rise in geo-physical events including earthquakes and tsunamis which have killed more people than any of the other natural hazards under review in this report.
Download report here:
Source:
https://reliefweb.int/report/world/human-cost-disasters-overview-last-20-years-2000-2019