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EPA Awards $2.5 Million Grant for Cleanup of Camden's Former Yaffa Industrial Site

EPA Awards $2.5 Million Grant for Cleanup of Camden's Former Yaffa Industrial Site

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded a $2.5 million grant to facilitate the cleanup and revitalization of the former S. Yaffa & Sons industrial site in Camden, New Jersey. The 1.6-acre site, located at 6th and Chestnut Streets, has a history of automotive repair and illegal dumping, resulting in significant soil contamination. The funding will be used to remove approximately 11,000 tons of dirt contaminated with lead, arsenic, and PFAS, requiring excavation up to four feet deep to address underground contamination. Regional EPA administrator Michael Martucci, Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen, and U.S. Representative Donald Norcross attended the announcement of the grant.

Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to Authorize EPA's Safer Choice Program, Supported by Rep. Scott Peters

Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to Authorize EPA's Safer Choice Program, Supported by Rep. Scott Peters

U.S. Representatives Scott Peters (D-CA) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) have introduced bipartisan legislation to formally authorize the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Safer Choice Program. This initiative follows a companion bill already introduced in the Senate, indicating a bicameral effort to solidify the program's standing. The Safer Choice Program is a voluntary, science-based initiative that identifies products made with ingredients considered safer for human health and the environment. The introduction of this legislation is a direct result of advocacy efforts by the cleaning and facility solutions industry, with over 140 leaders meeting with congressional offices to push for the authorization of Safer Choice. This program is crucial for promoting healthier indoor air quality, which is a significant public health concern, contributing to millions of premature deaths annually and exacerbating various health conditions.

Well Reopening Near Red Hill Stirs Up Lingering Concerns In Hawaii Over Poisoned Plume

Well Reopening Near Red Hill Stirs Up Lingering Concerns In Hawaii Over Poisoned Plume

The Navy plans to reopen a well closed after a jet fuel spill contaminated drinking water in Pearl Harbor

North Carolina Port of Wilmington Dredging Project Paused Amid Chemical Contamination Concerns

North Carolina Port of Wilmington Dredging Project Paused Amid Chemical Contamination Concerns

The North Carolina State Ports Authority has requested a suspension of further consideration for a long-planned dredging project at the Port of Wilmington. This decision comes due to concerns about potential 'forever chemicals' in the Cape Fear River. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had previously released an environmental impact statement in June, acknowledging contaminants upstream but stating it was unclear if dangerous silt was present in the harbor or downstream. The Corps concluded that dredging would not impact drinking water contaminant concentrations. However, environmentalists have consistently argued that the project would release harmful chemicals. The state's governor, Josh Stein, is reportedly not in favor of the project. The Port of Wilmington, located 26 miles inland, currently maintains a 42-foot channel, with advocates pushing for a deepening to 47 feet to accommodate larger vessels, similar to competing ports like Norfolk, Charleston, and Savannah. The Ports Authority's 2031 Strategic P...

Pennsylvania Senate Approves Bill to Limit PFAS in Firefighting Foam

Pennsylvania Senate Approves Bill to Limit PFAS in Firefighting Foam

The Pennsylvania state Senate has approved Senate Bill 980, a bipartisan measure aimed at restricting the use of firefighting foam containing per- and polyfluorofluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Senators Gene Yaw (R-23) and Nick Miller (D-14) sponsored the bill, which seeks to phase out these 'forever chemicals' starting in 2027. PFAS have been used since the 1940s and are known to accumulate in the environment and human body, with studies linking exposure to adverse health effects. The legislation specifically addresses the higher levels of PFAS exposure faced by firefighters compared to other emergency responders. The bill allows fire companies to use Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grant funding to cover the costs of properly disposing of PFAS-containing foam. The state fire commissioner, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, will oversee the safe and environmentally responsible disposal process. An exemption is included for facilities where PFAS-based f...

Driscoll's Faces Class-Action Lawsuit in Canada Over Alleged Pesticide Residues in Berries

Driscoll's Faces Class-Action Lawsuit in Canada Over Alleged Pesticide Residues in Berries

Driscoll's Faces Class-Action Lawsuit in Canada Over Alleged Pesticide Residues in Berries

Study Reveals EPA's Flawed Economic Logic on Vehicle Emissions Standards, Indicating $684 Billion U.S. Welfare Decrease from Elimination

Study Reveals EPA's Flawed Economic Logic on Vehicle Emissions Standards, Indicating $684 Billion U.S. Welfare Decrease from Elimination

Study Reveals EPA's Flawed Economic Logic on Vehicle Emissions Standards, Indicating $684 Billion U.S. Welfare Decrease from Elimination

Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Adam Schiff Introduce Water Safety Shield Act to Bolster Cybersecurity for U.S. Water Systems

Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Adam Schiff Introduce Water Safety Shield Act to Bolster Cybersecurity for U.S. Water Systems

Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) have introduced the Water Safety Shield Act, a legislative initiative aimed at significantly enhancing the cybersecurity of U.S. water systems. This bill proposes the implementation of tiered cybersecurity standards for the water sector and allocates a substantial annual budget of $600 million specifically for water cybersecurity. The introduction of this act follows a series of cyberattacks by Iranian hackers on water systems in 12 states during the summer, which underscored the vulnerability of these critical infrastructures to foreign adversaries. The legislation seeks to move beyond previous, less prescriptive efforts to improve resilience in the sector, addressing the technical, legal, and practical challenges that make U.S. water systems susceptible to cyber threats, including the increasing sophistication of AI-driven attacks.

FDA Phase-Out of PFAS in Food Packaging Raises Questions on Parchment Paper Safety

FDA Phase-Out of PFAS in Food Packaging Raises Questions on Parchment Paper Safety

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in February 2024 a market phase-out of grease-proofing substances containing PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in paper and paperboard food packaging. However, this notice does not explicitly mention parchment or baking paper, leading to ongoing consumer questions about the safety of these products. While many parchment paper manufacturers state their products are silicone-coated, none of the Amazon listings checked explicitly claim to be PFAS-free. Independent spot checks, such as one commissioned by a consumer blog, found no detectable fluorine in brands like If You Care and Katbite, while regular white Reynolds and Costco's Kirkland showed low levels of total fluorine. The concern about dioxins in bleached paper, stemming from past pulp mill practices, has largely been addressed by EPA regulations in 1998, which significantly reduced dioxin levels in mill wastewater.

U.S. Agencies Track Environmental Carcinogens and Exposures to Protect Public Health

U.S. Agencies Track Environmental Carcinogens and Exposures to Protect Public Health

Various U.S. agencies are actively involved in tracking environmental carcinogens and assessing human exposure to them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supports surveillance, biomonitoring, and environmental public health tracking. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of the CDC, conducts occupational research related to environmental health. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), an NIH institute, focuses on how environmental exposures influence human health and disease, including through its Superfund Research Program. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assesses risks and enforces regulations concerning air, water, chemicals, and waste. These efforts collectively aim to understand the totality of a person’s environmental exposures across their life course, a concept known as the 'exposome,' which was proposed by cancer epidemiologist Christopher Wild in 2005. This comprehensive approach involves measuring chemic...

Senate Passes Bill to Ease Prescribed Burn Regulations Under Clean Air Act

Senate Passes Bill to Ease Prescribed Burn Regulations Under Clean Air Act

The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Clean Air Act (CAA) to facilitate prescribed burns, a key tool in preventing larger, uncontrolled wildfires. Under current law, states face administrative burdens in proving that particulate matter pollution from controlled burns qualifies as an 'exceptional event' and does not count towards air quality non-compliance. Senator John Curtis, R-Utah, the bill's lead sponsor, emphasized that prescribed burns are effective in reducing hazardous fuels. The measure requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revise regulations, making it easier for states to demonstrate that a prescribed fire is an exceptional event. This legislative push gained momentum after smoke from western U.S. and Canadian wildfires impacted Washington D.C., highlighting the national threat.

Wilmington Star-News

Environmentalists say Chemours not doing enough to reduce PFAS discharges

Environmentalists say Chemours not doing enough to reduce PFAS discharges

Cape Fear River Watch and the Southern Environmental Law Center say Chemours isn't meeting the requirements of 2019 consent order to reduce PFAS pollution.