In The Works is a monthly newsletter providing Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) news and regulatory updates. The newsletter is provided free of charge by Loureiro Engineering Associates, Inc. of Plainville, Connecticut.
In this issue of In The Works you will find links to the following articles:
EPA's FY 2014 Budget Proposal: On April 10, 2013, the Obama Administration proposed a Fiscal Year 2014 (FY 2014) budget of $8.153 billion for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This request is $296 million below the EPA's budget for Fiscal Year 2012. According to EPA, the FY 2014 request will allow EPA to continue its progress in addressing climate change; protecting the nation's air, waters, and lands; supporting sustainable water infrastructure; and assuring the safety of chemicals. For more information, click here.
Plans for 2013 Assessments: EPA announced the chemicals identified for assessment in 2013 under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). These include 20 flame retardant chemicals and three other non-flame retardant chemicals identified in the TSCA Work Plan. EPA also made public its Plans for 2013 Assessments, which outlines the agency's process for identifying these chemicals and the approach for assessment. For more information, click here.
New OSHA Publication on Toluene: OSHA has published a new InfoSheet on Toluene Safety in the Workplace. Toluene is a clear, colorless liquid used in paints, thinners, lacquers, metal cleaners, fingernail polish, glues and other products. The sweet-smelling chemical is highly flammable and may catch fire if exposed to heat or flames. For more information, click here. http://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3646.pdf here.
Connecticut - Notice of Intent to Adopt Connecticut Water Quality Standards Regulations: On April 16, 2013 the Commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) gave notice of his intention to adopt Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies (RCSA) sections 22a-426-1 through 22a-426-9, inclusive, to be known as the Connecticut Water Quality Standards Regulations. These regulations are being proposed under the authority of section 22a-426 of the Connecticut General Statutes, in accordance with Section 9 of Public Act 10-158. The purpose of these regulations is to codify Connecticut's established Water Quality Standards into regulations. The Water Quality Standards set the overall policy for management of surface water and groundwater quality in accordance with the state and federal clean water programs. The Surface Water Quality Standards are required by and consistent with Section 303 of the federal Clean Water Act. For more information, click here.
Connecticut - Categorical General Permit: On April 9, 2013, the Commissioner of the DEEP provided notice of issuance of the General Permit for the Discharge of Wastewaters from Categorical Industrial Users to a Publicly Owned Treatment Works pursuant to section 22a-430b(b) of the Connecticut General Statutes. This general permit is issued for metal finishing discharges from existing and new facilities to Publicly Owned Treatment Works that meet the requirements of this general permit. Any person or municipality seeking coverage under the authority of this general permit shall file a registration with the Commissioner. For more information, click here.
Connecticut - Financial Responsibility for UST Owners: All UST owners or operators subject to RCSA 22a-449(d)-101 et seq., are required to comply with the financial responsibility requirements in RCSA 22a-449(d)-109. These requirements concern the financial ability of UST owners or operators to respond in the event of a release from their USTs. Up to now, UST owners or operators could demonstrate compliance with these requirements through the UST Petroleum Clean-Up Program CGS 22a-449a et seq. During the June 12, 2012 Special Session, the Connecticut General Assembly passed Public Act 12-1, which phases out this Program. As part of this phase-out, section 262 of the Act contains dates after which UST owners or operators can no longer rely upon the Program to demonstrate compliance with their financial responsibility requirements. The deadline is October 1, 2013 for municipalities or those who own or operate USTs on five or fewer parcels of real property. For more information, click here.
New Jersey - SPLP Guidance: The technical guidance describing the use of the Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (SPLP) to determine site-specific impact to groundwater remediation standards has been revised. The updated document, "Guidance for the use of the Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure to Develop New Jersey Site-Specific Impact to Ground Water Remediation Standards" (April 2013) now allows the use of this procedure with volatile organic chemicals (VOCs). For these chemicals, modified sampling and extraction procedures should be used. Both the guidance document and updated New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) SPLP spreadsheet (April 2013) can be accessed here.
New Jersey - PCB Remediation Policies: On March 22, 2013, the Site Remediation Program posted revised guidance, entitled "Coordination of the DEP and EPA Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Remediation Policies" on its web page updating the previous guidance of March 3, 2011. The revised guidance (March 1, 2013) includes additional information on the TSCA Performance-based Disposal option as codified in 40 CFR 761.61(b) for soil as a bulk PCB remediation waste. The update also clarifies the Licensed Site Remediation Professional's notification responsibilities under TSCA and how they should document their coordination with the EPA in key document submissions to the DEP. For more information, click here.
Europe - Are 'Green Jobs' Safe? With pressure to reduce carbon emissions, reduce waste, increase energy efficiency and the proportion of renewable energy, the European Union (EU) is set for a rapid growth in the number of 'green jobs' - jobs which help to protect or restore the environment. But with new technologies and processes being introduced in the green economy, what are the implications for workers' health and safety? With the publication of a new Foresight report, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) turns the spotlight on the occupational safety and health risks of green jobs. The Foresight project attempts to identify new or emerging risks in this important area. It works by identifying a number of possible future scenarios looking at how work is likely to develop in green jobs by 2020 and what future challenges this may bring, given advances in green technologies, and a variety of different social and economic conditions. For more information, click here.
Europe - Commission Moves Forward on Climate and Energy Towards 2030: On March 27, 2013, the European Commission took the first step towards developing a 2030 framework for EU climate change and energy policies. It adopted a Green Paper which launches a public consultation on the content of the 2030 framework. The Commission also published a Consultative Communication on the future of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Europe, aimed at initiating a debate on the options available to ensure its timely development. Finally, the Commission adopted a report assessing Member States' progress towards their 2020 renewable energy targets and reports on the sustainability of biofuels and bioliquids consumed in the EU. For more information, click here.
