EPA National News: 1. EPA REQUESTS GRANT PROPOSALS TO RETROFIT DIESEL VEHICLES; 2. EPA REQUESTS GRANT PROPOSALS TO RETROFIT DIESEL VEHICLES; 3. EPA REVISES HAZARDOUS WASTE MIXTURE RULE; 4. EPA AND GREENBIZ.COM ANNOUNCE NEW BEST ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES DATABASE; 5. LINK BETWEEN LEVELS OF LEAD IN BLOOD AND DELAYED PUBERTY IN GIRLS DESCRIBED IN RESEARCH ; 6. EPA OBSERVES NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES PREVENTION WEEK; APRIL 13-19; 7. FORMER COMPANY VICE PRESIDENT CONVICTED OF CONSPIRING TO FALSIFY DATA ON MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF REFORMULATED GASOLINE
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1. EPA REQUESTS GRANT PROPOSALS TO RETROFIT DIESEL VEHICLES; 2. EPA REQUESTS GRANT PROPOSALS TO RETROFIT DIESEL VEHICLES; 3. EPA REVISES HAZARDOUS WASTE MIXTURE RULE; 4. EPA AND GREENBIZ.COM ANNOUNCE NEW BEST ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES DATABASE; 5. LINK BETWEEN LEVELS OF LEAD IN BLOOD AND DELAYED PUBERTY IN GIRLS DESCRIBED IN RESEARCH ; 6. EPA OBSERVES NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES PREVENTION WEEK; APRIL 13-19; 7. FORMER COMPANY VICE PRESIDENT CONVICTED OF CONSPIRING TO FALSIFY DATA ON MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF REFORMULATED GASOLINE

Press Advisory


Following are some Agency developments which may interest you. If you need
more information on any of these subjects, call the appropriate contact.



EPA REQUESTS GRANT PROPOSALS TO RETROFIT DIESEL VEHICLES

Cathy Milbourn 202-564-7824/milbourn.cathy@epa.gov



As part of the continuing efforts to improve air quality in our nation, the Agency is looking to partner with state, local, and tribal organizations to reduce emissions from diesel powered vehicles. Through this partnership, grants totaling $500,000 will be awarded to transportation fleets such as: public and private school buses; waste haulers, private trucking fleets; locomotives; and construction and/or agricultural fleets that agree to retrofit existing diesel engines with improved or new technologies that has been verified to reduce diesel exhaust emissions under EPA’s Voluntary Diesel Retrofit program. Technologies under these projects will be primarily targeted to reduce particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. EPA expects to issue five to 10 grants in the $50,000 to $100,000 range. Applications must be submitted to U.S. EPA, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20460; or via email to blubaugh.jim@epa.gov; or via fax to 202-565-2057 no later than May 22. For additional information, see: http://www.epa.gov/air/grants_funding.html

EPA RELEASES TOXICOLOGICAL REVIEW OF BENZENE

Suzanne Ackerman 202-564-7819/ackerman.suzanne@epa.gov


EPA has released the “Toxicological Review of Benzene - Noncancer Effects,” a report that describes the potential noncancer health hazards associated with environmental exposures to benzene. This document supplements two previously released human health assessments of benzene, and will be used to inform the Agency’s future risk assessments and regulation of benzene sources. Benzene is an industrial solvent and a component of gasoline, and is also used in the manufacture of plastics, detergents and pesticides. EPA regulations have significantly reduced air emissions of benzene from industrial facilities. In 1989, EPA set a national emission standard for benzene from coke plants where iron ore is converted to steel. Air pollution control techniques at these facilities have since reduced benzene and VOC emissions by 90 percent. In 1994, EPA set air toxics controls for all new and existing large facilities in the gasoline distribution system. EPA is currently reviewing the need for additional rules for smaller gasoline distribution sources as part of its urban air toxics program. While inhalation exposure is the major route of exposure to benzene, the review document provides both an inhalation reference concentration (RfC) and an oral reference dose (RfD) to protect all sensitive subgroups of the population from the adverse noncancer health effects of exposure to benzene. The toxicological review is available at: http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/

EPA REVISES HAZARDOUS WASTE MIXTURE RULE
Dave Ryan 202-564-7827/ryan.dave@epa.gov


EPA announced that it is proposing to revise the wastewater treatment exemptions for hazardous waste mixtures, an action also known as the “Headworks Rule Exemptions.” EPA is proposing the following four revisions: (1) the addition of two solvents (benzene and 2-ethoxyethanol) to a list of solvents whose mixtures are exempted from the rules under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); (2) the addition of an option to directly measure solvent chemical levels at the headworks of the wastewater treatment system to the current requirement; (3) a clarification in the preamble that scrubber waters generated from the incineration of spent solvents listed in the headworks rule would be eligible for the exemption; (4) the addition of listed hazardous wastes as eligible for the de minimis exemption, as well as the addition of non-manufacturing facilities to those that qualify for this exemption if certain conditions are met. Many of today’s proposed changes are based on the public comments that EPA received during the public comment period. The headworks exemptions have been revised occasionally as new wastes have been added to the lists of hazardous wastes. The reasoning behind each of these exemptions is that the wastewater treatment system receives many different kinds of wastes and the solvents, commercial chemical products, lab wastes, etc. are a minuscule and treatable part of the mix of wastewaters. The relatively small volumes of these organic constituents should be easily and effectively handled by the wastewater treatment system, so the risk to the environment would be negligible. For more information on the headworks rule, see: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/id/headworks/index.htm

EPA AND GREENBIZ.COM ANNOUNCE NEW BEST
ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES DATABASE

Suzanne Ackerman 202-564-7819/ackerman.suzanne@epa.gov


EPA and Greenbiz.com announce a new environmental best practices database, Greenbiz Leaders,
(http://www.greenbizleaders.com), featuring hundreds of examples of companies that have successfully combined environmental responsibility with economic profit. The more than 650 company examples selected for Greenbiz Leaders are winners of federal, state, and local environmental award and recognition programs. This database will provide a valuable resource to businesses seeking to improve their environmental practices while containing costs. GreenBiz.com, a project of the National Environmental Education & Training Foundation, developed the searchable database through a grant from EPA’s National Environmental Performance Track program. The database is searchable by type of initiative (energy use, waste recycling) or type of company (standard industrial sector classifications). The database is continually updated as new award results are announced. Greenbiz Leaders also recognizes facilities in EPA’s National Environmental Performance Track program, designed to recognize and encourage top environmental performers -- those who go beyond compliance with regulatory requirements to attain high levels of environmental performance. Currently, the program has over 300 members. More information on EPA’s Performance Track program is available at: http://www.epa.gov/performancetrack/ and the new database is at: http://www.greenbizleaders.com

LINK BETWEEN LEVELS OF LEAD IN BLOOD AND DELAYED
PUBERTY IN GIRLS DESCRIBED IN RESEARCH
Suzanne Ackerman 202-564-7819/ackerman.suzanne@epa.gov


In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, EPA researchers report that higher blood lead concentrations are associated with delayed puberty in girls and are different among race-ethnic groups. Researchers from EPA’s Office of Research and Development, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, Westat Inc., analyzed data collected from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) from 1988 to 1994. Although these findings do not prove a causal relationship between elevated lead levels and delayed puberty, they suggest that even relatively low level lead exposure may influence growth and development in girls. In addition, delays in puberty were observed after adjusting for body size, suggesting that other mechanisms independent of altered growth could be involved, most likely alterations in endocrine function. EPA, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other federal agencies are committed to the goal of eliminating childhood lead poisoning by 2010, and have made substantial progress towards that goal. Blood lead levels in U.S. children age one to five years have decreased from 14.9 micrograms per deciliter (ug/dL) in the late 1970’s down to 2.2 ug/dL in recent years. Since the 1980’s, EPA and its federal partners have phased out lead in gasoline, reduced lead in drinking water, reduced lead in industrial air pollution, and banned or limited lead used in consumer products, including residential paint. In the near future, EPA plans new lead regulations for home renovation and remodeling work and bridges and structures. The research paper is available at: http://content.nejm.org/current.shtml. More information on protecting children from the dangers of lead is located at: http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/lead/index.html and the National Lead Information Center at: http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/lead/nlic.htm

EPA OBSERVES NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL
CRIMES PREVENTION WEEK, APRIL 13-19
John Millett 202-564-7842/millett.john@epa.gov


EPA joined this week in observing the second annual “National Environmental Crimes Prevention Week,” April 13 to 19. National Environmental Crime Prevention Week is intended to educate the public on the seriousness of environmental criminal activity and increase the public’s awareness of the signs of environmental criminal activity. The annual observation is sponsored by the Regional Environmental Enforcement Associations, whose members include state environmental regulatory agencies, attorneys general offices, law enforcement agencies and local prosecutor organizations in the United States and Canada. EPA provides funding to the Associations for training, and assists them in enhancing their environmental enforcement programs. The Regional Associations promote the effective enforcement of state and local environmental statutes and regulations, with a strong emphasis on criminal enforcement. President Bush recently commended the nation’s environmental law enforcers for their, “innovative programs and cooperative efforts that help protect our natural resources.” In addition, EPA Administrator Christie Whitman praised the Associations’ focus on the next generation of environmental advocates and enforcers, middle school students. “By educating young people about environmental crime prevention, they can make a big impact for years to come in the fight against environmental pollution,” Whitman said. The week’s observance will kick off at the Regional Environmental Enforcement Associations national conference in San Antonio, Texas, April 14 to 18. This year, the Associations are focusing their public awareness campaign on students across the country. Members have prepared a video, a poster, and a comic book featuring cartoon characters to help students learn the signs of environmental crime and understand the importance of reporting suspicious activity to their parents or teachers. Class room activities also planned in every state. For more information on National Environmental Crimes Prevention Week, see: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/criminal/intergovernmental/preventweek.html

ENFORCEMENT WRAP-UP

John Millett 202-564-7842/millett.john@epa.gov

FORMER COMPANY VICE PRESIDENT CONVICTED OF CONSPIRING TO FALSIFY
DATA ON MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF REFORMULATED GASOLINE


On April 11, 2002, a former vice president of a multinational petroleum products testing company was convicted of conspiring to violate the federal Clean Air Act (CAA) and a variety of fraud statutes, as well as for obstructing justice. Thomas M. Hayes, 51, of Rockaway Township, N.J., formerly vice president of Western Hemisphere operations at Saybolt Inc., was convicted of conspiracy to violate the CAA, to make false statements to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, and to commit mail fraud and obstruction of justice. Hayes was acquitted of a second charge in the indictment for obstructing justice. Hayes and his co-conspirators routinely inflated the oxygen content of its customers’ reformulated gasoline in reports that were submitted to the EPA, according to the indictment. Saybolt allegedly falsified its data, reporting results that were not actually obtained in the lab to generate higher oxygen figures. In some instances the falsified reports enabled refiners and importers to sell RFG that did not meet minimum government requirements. In other instances, sellers received undeserved “credits” for selling RFG that purportedly exceeded minimum environmental specifications. Hayes now faces a maximum statutory prison term of five years and $250,000 on the conspiracy count.

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