Ohio EPA’s Division of Air Pollution Control (DAPC) has extended the annual fee reporting deadline from April 15 to June 1, 2008 to accommodate the launch of a new, secure portal for on-line submittals of reports, permit applications, and annual fees. Called “Air Services,” this portal will be available for use beginning March 3, 2008 and will replace the existing STARShip program. Until close of business on February 8, 2008, Title V facilities may continue to use STARShip, and Synthetic Minor facilities may submit hard copies for fee reporting. Any STARShip files or hard copy Synthetic Minor fee reports received after February 8 will not be accepted. The responsible official at each site must request a PIN from Ohio EPA by filling out a request form and having it notarized. Once the PIN is issued, the responsible official must request access to their facility data, and delegate privileges to other users, such as employees or consultants. For more information, visit Ohio EPA’s website or contact Sheri Bussard at (800) 229-7495.
On December 20, 2007, U.S. EPA issued new air emission standards that will reduce mercury releases from steel manufacturers using electric arc furnaces. The rule targets facilities that are considered “area sources” of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) (e.g., emit less than 10 tons per year of any single HAP or 25 tons per year of total HAPs). The new standard requires these steel-making facilities to buy motor vehicle scrap from providers that participate in an EPA-approved program for the removal of mercury switches from vehicles before they are flattened, shredded and melted to make new steel. The switches were used for lighting in hoods and trunks and in some anti-lock braking systems of many vehicles manufactured prior to 2003.
The standards will prevent the release of about five tons of mercury in to the air each year. In addition, the rule will reduce emissions of other toxic metals such as lead, manganese, nickel and chromium by about 52 tons per year and particulate emissions by about 865 tons per year.
For more information, please see the Federal Register notice, visit the following U.S. EPA websites (http://www.epa.gov/mercury/switch.htm or http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t3/fact_sheets, or contact Steve Felton at (800) 229-5299.
On December 14, 2007, U.S. EPA issued a final rule to clarify when industrial facilities making changes to equipment or processes may need to retain records documenting their emissions even if the changes do not trigger Clean Air Act New Source Review (NSR) permitting requirements.
The rule clarifies when facilities must keep records and report emissions when a "reasonable possibility" test shows that projected emissions increases could equal or exceed 50 percent of the Clean Air Act's NSR significant levels for any pollutant. This rule does not change permitting requirements.
The "reasonable possibility" test examines the difference between a project's baseline emissions and the sum of emissions projected to result from the project and emissions attributable to independent factors such as growth in market demand.
For more information, please visit the U.S. EPA website, see the Federal Register notice, or contact Jeff Slayback at (800) 229-7495 or Kent Berry at (800) 229-5299.
On December 10, 2007, the U.S. EPA released its Regulatory Plan, which describes 30 of the most significant regulations it plans to issue by October 2008. Highlights of the plan include:
For more information, please visit Regulations.gov or review the information (PDF).
At the Climate Leaders conference in Boulder, Colorado on December 4, 2007, U.S. EPA commended more than 150 businesses for working to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and advance the nation's climate change strategy. U.S. EPA-led Climate Leaders is currently the largest corporate greenhouse gas goal-setting program in the United States, with partners located in all 50 states representing ten percent of U.S. gross domestic product.
"EPA's Climate Leaders partners are proving that businesses don't need to break the bank to do what's good for the environment," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "From Main Street to Wall Street, companies are reducing their climate footprints in cost-effective ways – keeping America on track to meet President Bush's greenhouse gas reduction goal."
GHG reductions pledged through Climate Leaders are estimated to prevent the emissions equivalent to more than eight million cars annually. Some of the companies participating in this effort include Coors Brewing Co., Dell, Inc., Johnson Controls, Merck & Co, Inc., PPG Industries, Inc., Tetra Tech EM, Inc., Unilever, and Xerox Corp.
For more information, please visit the U.S. EPA website or contact Tom Robertson at (800) 229-5299.
The Climate Registry, a collaboration between states, provinces and tribes aimed at developing and managing a common greenhouse gas emissions reporting system, anticipates adopting a final protocol at its January 15, 2008 meeting in Santa Monica, CA.
The Registry has been soliciting public comment on its recently released draft General Reporting Protocol for the Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. Ohio EPA Director Chris Korleski is a member of the Climate Registry Board.
The Registry believes that its protocol reflects current best practices in comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting and reporting.
For more information on the draft protocol, please visit The Climate Registry website. For more information about greenhouse gas (GHG) programs, please contact Tom Robertson at (800) 229-5299.
U.S. EPA has launched a new website to help strengthen environmental laws in China, which suffers from severe environmental problems. The web site features information on new developments in Chinese environmental law, links to legal resources such as reports, articles, the English text of many Chinese environmental laws, and an e-mail update service.
Called the “EPA-China Environmental Law Initiative,” the web site provides a forum for sharing information and fostering an ongoing dialogue with China. U.S. EPA is undertaking this project in web partnership with a broad range of experts in Chinese environmental law. Collaborators in this project include the Environmental Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, the Woodrow Wilson Center China Environment Forum, the University of Maryland Environmental Law Program, and the George Washington University Law School.
For more information, please visit the EPA web site.
Need help communicating about odors, air emissions, hazardous waste cleanups, groundwater contamination, releases or spills, major construction projects, compliance issues, plant closures, green programs, etc.? Our new community relations group can help you effectively communicate with neighbors, concerned citizens, elected officials, employees, environmental groups, customers, and the media. We can help you strategize and implement two-way and one-way communication that will help you:
For more information or assistance in this area, please visit the EQ website or contact Deb Leonard at (800) 229-7495.
Safer, faster, cheaper. That’s what the U.S. EPA is saying about a new asbestos cleanup method that EQ helped develop, as compared with the Clean Air Act’s NESHAP on asbestos removal.
The standard NESHAP method involves removal of asbestos prior to demolition of a building. The new method – called the Alternative Asbestos Control Method (AACM) allows some as-bestos to remain in the building during demolition. The structure is wetted with amended water (foam) to control the release of asbestos fibers. EQ’s John Kominsky collaborated on this project with the U.S. EPA’s Office of Research and Development.
The U.S. EPA has already pilot tested the method during the demolition of two similar buildings at Fort Chaffee in Arkansas. The study found that the alternative method cost nearly 50% less than the standard removal procedure and was completed 20% faster. Environmental monitoring also showed lower levels of asbestos in the air, which reduces the potential for worker exposures.
The U.S. EPA plans to conduct a second pilot demolition evaluation. Ultimately, U.S. EPA will decide whether to amend NESHAP to include the alternative method.
For more information, please contact John Kominsky at (800) 229-7495.
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