EPA Region 7 Communities Information Digest - August 5, 2016
EPA Region 7 Communities Information Digest - August 5, 2016
EPA Region 7 Communities Information Digest - August 5, 2016
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Headlines
National
*EPA Determines that Aircraft Emissions Contribute to Climate Change Endangering
Public Health and the Environment
EPA finalized a determination under the Clean Air Act that greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions from certain types of aircraft engines contribute to pollution that causes climate
change and endangers Americans health and the environment.
*EPA Issues Final Rule to Protect the Public from Exposure to Formaldehyde
EPA moves to reduce exposure to formaldehyde vapors from certain wood products
produced domestically or imported into the United States.
*Cement Manufacturer Cemex to Reduce Harmful Air Pollution from Five Plants
under Settlement with EPA and Justice Department
EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice announced a settlement with Cemex, Inc., under
which the company will invest approximately $10 million to cut emissions of harmful air
pollution at five of its cement manufacturing plants in Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee and
Texas to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act.
Available for Public Comment: Draft Guidance for Conducting Fish Consumption
Surveys
The draft guidance updates the Guidance for Conducting Fish and Wildlife Consumption
Surveys (1998). EPA has revised this guidance in an effort to assist states, tribes, local
governments, and others with the design, conduct, and analysis of surveys focused on
characterizing contemporary consumption of finfish and shellfish. Comments due
September 13.
*New Tool: NOAA's newly updated Climate Explorer
This tool offers downloadable maps, graphs, and data tables of observed and projected
temperature, precipitation and related climate variables from 1950 to 2100.
Region 7 News
*Iowa Regulators Open Door to More Net Metering
The Iowa Utilities Board ruled that the state's two major utilities, MidAmerican and Alliant
Energy, must increase their net metering cap from 500 kW to 1 MW. The new tariffs will
have to make net metering available to all classes of customers but will change some rules
for compensation.
*EPA and Vita Craft of Shawnee, KS, Settlement to Achieve Zero Emissions of the
Hazardous Air Pollutant PCE
As part of a settlement with EPA, Vita Craft Corporation of Shawnee, KS will install
equipment to completely eliminate emissions of the hazardous air pollutant
perchloroethylene (PCE) from its facility, which is beyond what the company is required to
do by law.
*EPA Order to Protect Homes in Washington, MO from Potentially Harmful Chemical
Vapors in Groundwater
EPA Region 7 estimates as many as 25 homes in a neighborhood of central Washington,
MO could ultimately have free protective vapor mitigation systems installed, under terms of
an order issued to SV Land, LLC, the owner of a former manufacturing property where
industrial chemical solvents have polluted soil and shallow groundwater.
(PSC) to evaluate the relationship between these eight assets and economic growth
indicators, and found significant research connecting these assets to economic prosperity.
*CDFA Releases Report for City of Bedford Heights, OH
The Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA) released the Roadmap to
Redevelopment report prepared for the City of Bedford Heights, OH. Project Response
Team site visits are available through CDFA's Brownfields Technical Assistance Program,
funded by the U.S. EPA.
*Clean, State-of-the-Technology Buses to Hit the Streets
The Federal Transit Administration is overseeing an annual grants program with dedicated
funding for new technology buses, the Low or No-Emission (Low-No) Bus Competitive
Grant Program.
*EPA and NIEHS Award $28 Million to Fund Childrens Centers
EPA announced almost $28 million in joint funding with the National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to five Childrens Environmental Health and
Disease Prevention Research Centers to promote health and well-being in communities
where children live, learn and play.
*HUD to Protect Families from Lead, Other Home Hazards
To protect children and families from the hazards of lead-based paint and from other home
health and safety hazards, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
awarded Lead Based Paint Hazard Control grants to local and state government agencies.
*Agriculture Secretary Announces Substance Misuse Prevention Resources for Low
Income Pregnant Women and Mothers to Battle Opioid Epidemic
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urged all State Health Officers to use the resources and
opportunities provided through their Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,
Infants, and Children (WIC) agencies in their substance misuse prevention efforts.
*Blog post: EPA Leads New Effort to Improve America's Aging Infrastructure
Safe drinking water and effective wastewater management are basic building blocks of
public health. For years our nation's investments in water and wastewater infrastructure
weren't keeping up with the needs - which EPA estimates at $655 billion over the next
20 years. To fix the problem, we'll not only need innovative financing to leverage more
investment, but we'll also need to help these communities build capacity - so they can
sustainably manage and operate their water systems, get access to those funds, and
put them to good use.
Back to Top
*EPA Seeks Contractors for Smart Growth Planning Initiatives on Local Foods,
Broadband, and Healthcare & Sustainable Communities August 10
*Department of Education Promise Neighborhoods Competition Notice of Intent to
Apply: August 11
Deadline to Submit Applications: September 6
*Trustees Emeritus Award for Historic Site Stewardship August 15
NOAA Coastal Ecosystem Resiliency Grants Program August 16
The Big Jump Project Letters of Intent due: August 18
BIA Program to Identify and Address Tribal Climate Change Science Needs August
19
Tribal Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program August 23
Americas Promise Job Driven Grant Program August 25
Vehicle Technologies Multi-Topic Funding Opportunity August 29
Mid-America Regional Council Solid Waste Management District grant August 31
*Campus RainWorks Challenge Registration September 1-30
*Submissions due December 16
*NEA Our Town Creative Placemaking Grants September 12
HUD Rural Capacity Building (RCB) Program September 13
USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Agriculture and Natural Resources
Science for Climate Variability and Change Challenge Area Letters of Intent due:
September 14
*Applications for Climate Leadership Awards September 26
EPA National Wetland Condition Assessment Campus Research Challenge
September 30
*Build Healthy, Resilient Coastal Communities October 5
*PeopleForBikes Community Grant Program October 7
Asthma Empowerment Collaborations to Reduce Childhood Asthma Disparities
Letters of Intent: October 16, Applications due: November 16
Ongoing Opportunities
Tribal Climate Change Funding Guide Regularly updated grants and programs
designed to support scientifically-sound research and practice projects that will develop
and test information and strategies that can be used by communities to enhance their
resilience to the adverse impacts of climate change, severe weather, and major
environmental disasters, in ways that improve well-being.
*Federal Agencies Convening for Environmental Justice: Connecting Communities
to Green Space, Healthcare and Jobs August 11, 12-1:00 p.m. CST
This webinar will provide an introduction to the Environmental Justice Interagency
Working Group established in 1994 under Executive Order 12898 and chaired by the
Environmental Protection Agency.
*Economic Health Means Business: The Fort Collins Story August 12, 11:30 a.m.1:00 p.m. CST
Join Deputy City Manager Jeff Mihelich and Economic Health Director Josh Birks as they
outline Fort Collins approach to optimizing the citys economic, environmental and social
well-being.
*Enhancing Community Resilience through Energy Efficiency August 15, 1-2:00
p.m. CST
This webinar, hosted by Clean Energy Group's Resilient Power Project, will give an
overview of its work on efficiency as a resiliency measure and its new technical assistance
offering. Clean Energy Group will also discuss how efficiency can complement resilient
solar+storage system design.
*What You Should Know About Financing Energy Efficiency Upgrades August 16,
11 a.m.-12:00 p.m. CST
Learn how public sector organizations are improving energy efficiency with innovative
solutions to financial barriers. Attendees will learn about financing projects in the public
and private sectors, the basics of performance contracting, and how EPAs tools and
resources can help you make the decision to improve your facilities now or later.
*EPA Grants Award Process Webinar August 17, 1-2:00 p.m. CST
EPA's Office of Grants and Debarment periodically hosts webinars for the EPA grants
community. If you are interested in applying for EPA grants or are currently managing an
EPA grant, please consider attending this webinar. Also see
https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-grants-award-process-webinars for current information
and materials. Registration is not required.
How Recycling got its Groove Back: Turning Up the Quality August 18, 12-1:30 p.m.
CST
Join representatives from local programs, a hauler and MRF, MassDEP, and The
Recycling Partnership as they outline their winning approach to dialing up quality. Hear
the outcomes, share in the stories, and walk away with tangible tools ready-toimplement task lists, printable graphic files, curbside SOPs, and the data to back it up to
get your stream back in tune.
*Portfolio Manager 101 August 23, 12-1:00 p.m. CST
Learn about EPAs ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. Attendees will learn how to:
navigate Portfolio Manager; add a property and enter details about it; enter energy and
water consumption data; and generate template performance reports to assess progress.
This digest is being provided by EPA Region 7 for informational purposes only.
This digest contains links to information, agencies, sites, and organizations outside of the
EPA website.
EPA is not responsible for third party links. EPA does not endorse third party organizations
or agencies.