Bøger af U S Environmental Protection Agency

Through the RE-Powering America's Lands Initiative1, the U.S. EPA promotes the reuse of potentially contaminated properties, landfills, and mining sites for renewable energy generation. EPA has identified several benefits for siting solar photovoltaics (PV) facilities on potentially contaminated lands and municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills, noting that these sites: May provide an economically viable reuse for sites that may have significant cleanup costs or low real estate development demand; May have environmental conditions that are not well suited for commercial or residential redevelopment; Can be developed in place of limited open space, preserving the land as a carbon sink and/or for other ecosystem services; Generally are located near existing roads and energy transmission or distribution infrastructure; May be adequately zoned for renewable energy; Can provide job opportunities in urban and rural communities; Can advance cleaner and more cost effective energy technologies; and May reduce the environmental impacts of energy systems (e.g., reduce greenhouse gas emissions). 2 EPA has screened more than 11,000 potentially contaminated sites and MSW landfills3 - covering nearly 15 million acres across the United States - for suitability to site renewable energy generation facilities, including utility-scale solar. Maps depicting the locations of these EPA tracked sites and their potential for supporting renewable energy generation can be found at: www.epa.gov/oswercpa/mapping_tool.htm. These maps enable users to view screening results for various renewable energy technologies at each site. In 1988, before municipal solid waste regulations in 40 CFR 258 were promulgated, there were an estimated 7,924 landfills in the U.S. In 2009, that number dropped to 1,908 landfills. The landfills that closed over the intervening years-plus portions of active landfills with closed cells-represent thousands of acres of real property that may be suitable for siting solar PV. At least one study estimates the area of closed landfills to be hundreds of thousands of acres. As part of the EPA mapping effort, over 1,600 of the country's landfills have been pre-screened for renewable energy potential.

The development of economical tools to prioritize pipe renewal based upon structural condition and remaining asset life is essential to effectively manage water infrastructure assets for both large and small diameter pipes. One tool that may facilitate asset management is a condition curve. A condition curve is a graphical representation of the condition of a pipeline versus time. This report provides a review of the state-of-the-technology for structural/physical condition curves for water mains. Various models are summarized such as break frequency curves, deterioration/decay/survival curves, condition rating curves and condition rating indices, and serviceability/performance curves. This report also provides new case study information on how condition curves are used by utilities for managing their water infrastructure based upon a survey of nine utilities. The utilities that were surveyed for these case studies used methods that ranged from very detailed asset management programs that combine inspection, monitoring, and test data with their pipeline condition assessment program to simple analyses of pipe break history to prioritize pipeline renewal activities. The review also discusses short-term and long-term research needs for further development of a performance-based buried infrastructure asset management approach to improve the quality and quantity of data used by all utilities.

This National Program Manager Guidance applies to the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regional enforcement programs, and states and federally-recognized Indian tribes (tribes) implementing EPA-approved inspection and enforcement programs. 1 OECA coordinates with the regions, states and local agencies and consults with tribal governments as it designs, develops, implements and oversees national compliance and enforcement programs. Regional offices also work with states and local agencies and consult with tribes to implement and review these programs. 2 OECA' s National Program Manager (NPM) Guidance provides direction for fiscal year (FY) 2014. It identifies the national compliance and enforcement priorities for FY 2014, discusses national direction for all compliance assurance programs, identifies activities to be carried out by authorized programs, and describes how the EPA should work with states and tribes to ensure compliance with environmental laws. Once implemented, the priorities and activities described in the NPM Guidance serve to protect the Nation's environment and public health and provide a level playing field for responsible businesses. Most of the work in the NPM Guidance is accomplished under the agency's Goal 5 - "Enforcing Environmental Laws" in EPA's Strategic Plan.

This document presents the most recent estimates of national emissions of the criteria air pollutants. The emissions of each pollutant are estimated for many different source categories, which collectively account for all anthropogenic emissions.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) reviewed EPA's recently revised appointment process managed by its Office of Administration and Resources Management (OARM). Our objective was to determine how the new process for filling vacancies can be more efficient and effective.

The nation's aquatic resources are among its most valuable assets. Although environmental protection programs in the United States have successfully improved water quality during the past 30 years, many challenges remain. Significant strides have been made in reducing the impacts of discrete pollutant sources, but aquatic ecosystems remain impaired, primarily because of complex pollution problems caused by nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. This guidance document describes practices to reduce NPS pollution of surface waters and ground water through the protection and restoration of wetlands and riparian areas, as well as the implementation of vegetated treatment systems. The guidance provides background information about NPS pollution, including where it comes from and how it enters the nation's waters; discusses the broad concept of assessing and addressing water quality problems on a watershed level; and presents recent technical information about how certain types of NPS pollution can be reduced effectively through the implementation of these management measures.

Attached is the briefing report on the subject audit conducted by Williams, Adley & Company, LLP (Williams Adley), on behalf of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This report contains findings that describe the problems Williams Adley identified and corrective actions recommended. This report represents the conclusions of Williams Adley and does not necessarily represent the final EPA position. Final determinations on matters in this report will be made by EPA managers in accordance with established audit resolution procedures.

Improving air quality and taking action on climate change are priorities for the EPA. This summary report presents EPA's mot recent evaluation of our nation's air quality status and takes a closer look at the relationship between air quality and climate change.

This guide is the second of two guides available to help your company participate fully in the SmartWay Transport Partnership as a Multi-modal Carrier Partner. The first guide, the Multi-modal Carrier Tool "Quick Start Guide," provides a basic walk-through of the process of identifying, gathering, preparing, and submitting your data using the SmartWay Multi-modal Carrier FLEET Tool. (From this point on, this guide will refer to the SmartWay Multi-modal Carrier FLEET Tool as the "Multi-modal Tool" or simply, the "Tool," for brevity.) The Quick Start Guide may be all you need to successfully complete the Multi-modal Carrier Tool. This guide, the Multi-modal Carrier Tool "Data Entry and Troubleshooting Guide," is intended to supplement the Quick Start Guide and provide more detailed information for completing your tool submission. The Table of Contents for this guide is designed so that you can find the relevant information on specific topics without reading the entire guide.

EPA's Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Program was established in 1993 by Executive Order 12873, "Federal Acquisition, Recycling and Waste Prevention." It has been reaffirmed and expanded by subsequent Executive Orders, most recently Executive Order 13514, "Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance," in 2009. EPP is administered by EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), and is a high-priority area for the office. EPP activities include taking a leadership role or participating in the development of product and service standards, creating procurement guidance, developing model contract language, and developing tools to help buyers assess specific products and services. The program's objectives are to achieve significant reductions in the environmental footprint of federal purchasing, and to make the overall consumer marketplace more environmentally sustainable through federal leadership.

Section 112(k) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments of 1990 required the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a strategy to reduce public health risks in urban areas from air toxics emissions, particularly from small stationary sources. EPA issued its Integrated Urban Air Toxics Strategy in 1999 to meet this requirement.

Our review of both originally and derivatively classified documents generated by three offices found that the EPA does not sufficiently follow national security information classification standards. Of the two originally classified documents we reviewed, portions of one needed different classification levels and the other contained numerical data that was incorrectly transferred from another document. The National Homeland Security Research Center in the Office of Research and Development agreed to correct the documents. We also noted that the approved classification guide and the three guides under review had narrow scopes, which limits their usefulness. The three proposed guides have been in the approval process for 12 months when it must take no more than 30 days. Additionally, the declassification process needs clarity since the one pending declassification request has also been in the approval process for almost a year when it should take no more than 60 days. None of the 19 derivatively classified documents we reviewed completely met the requirements of Executive Order 13526 and the implementing regulations. The derivative classifiers did not include some required information and did not correctly transfer information from the source documents. As a result, those who later access the information may not know how to protect it or be able to properly identify or use it as a source for their own derivative decision. A lack of training for derivative classifiers and incorrect information in the annual refresher training given to all clearance holders contributed to the classification problems noted. The EPA had not promptly updated guidance. Not all cleared employees who needed an element relating to designation and management of classified information as part of their performance evaluation had such an element.

The purpose of this project was to evaluate the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) oversight of 5-year reviews conducted at Superfund National Priority List (NPL) sites that are also federal facility sites. These Reviews assess the performance of clean-up remedies to ensure the remedies adequately protect human health and the environment.

In general, the EPA managed the CASAC and Council in accordance with applicable statutes and regulations. These regulations allow agencies discretion in choosing federal advisory committee members and achieving balance. We reviewed 47 CASAC and Council member appointments, including all ozone panel appointments for the last two ozone standard reviews. We found that the EPA has adequate procedures for identifying potential ethics concerns, including financial conflicts of interest, independence issues and appearances of a lack of impartiality. However, the EPA can better document its decisions on selecting members with independence and partiality concerns. This would allow for better transparency, thus giving assurance that CASAC and the Council provide independent and objective advice to the Administrator on such important decisions as setting ambient air standards. We also identified one instance where agency procedures involving a potential conflict of interest were not followed. We also reviewed the peer review process for three EPA-developed analyses included in scientific assessments peer reviewed by the CASAC. Peer review is one method for enhancing the quality and credibility of the government's scientific information. One of these analyses was not peer reviewed in accordance with Office of Management and Budget and agency guidance. The EPA's National Center for Environmental Assessment did not have a formal process for determining whether such analyses were subject to OMB requirements and the EPA's peer review guidance before public dissemination.

The diffuse nature of nonpoint sources (e. g., agriculture, forestry, urban areas) and the variety of pollutants generated by them create a challenge for their effective control. Although progress has been made in the protection and enhancement of water quality, much work is still needed to identity nonpoint source management strategies that are both effective and economically achievable under a wide range of conditions. Monitoring will play an important role in this effort. This nonpoint source monitoring and evaluation guide is written for use by both those who monitor and those who evaluate and fund monitoring proposals. This guidance addresses the design of water quality monitoring programs to assess both impacts from nonpoint source pollution and the effectiveness of control practices and management measures. There are diverse opinions regarding the most effective way to design a monitoring program. Since each situation is different and may need a unique monitoring approach, this guidance presents the theory and information needed to design monitoring programs tailored to particular situations.

We found that three of the four NMED bureaus audited did not always comply with requirements found in the Code of Federal Regulations under 2 CFR Part 225. The Air Quality Bureau and Drinking Water Bureau charged labor, fringe benefits, and indirect costs to federal grants based upon budget allocations instead of actual activities performed. Personnel activity reports we received from the Surface Water Quality Bureau to support charges for labor costs incurred prior to July 2006 did not meet 2 CFR Part 225 requirements. Title 2 CFR Part 225 requires that where employees work on multiple activities or cost objectives, labor charges be based upon the after-the-fact distribution of an employee's actual activity and supported by employee-signed personnel activity reports or the equivalent. NMED personnel stated that they charged labor based upon budget allocations because they thought the practice was acceptable. NMED personnel also stated that the accounting system used for SWQB timekeeping before July 2006 is no longer accessible and that employee-signed personnel activity reports from this period are no longer available. We questioned $298,159 in labor, fringe benefits, and related indirect costs claimed by AQB; $2,974,318 claimed by DWB; and $2,733,798 claimed by SWQB. We also identified an additional $486,305 charged to a DWB-administered grant, which has not yet been reported to the EPA.

EPA has implemented a number of activities to promote the security of drinking water systems. However, strategic planning and internal controls for the water security program need to be strengthened to allow the Agency to measure the program's performance and progress in drinking water systems' preparedness, prevention, response, and recovery capabilities. EPA's strategic planning in this area is hampered by its limited authority over water security, the voluntary nature of its water security activities, and concerns related to protecting information. These impediments could be overcome by the water security program utilizing available data; using alternative methods to gather data; and seeking additional authority from Congress to collect, protect, and utilize information from water systems. EPA should also expand its internal controls to meet Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act requirements. EPA has made progress improving water security by taking corrective actions based on the recommendations and suggestions from prior evaluations. However, the Agency has not fully addressed three Office of Inspector General (OIG) suggestions to establish a baseline and measure improvements, despite agreeing with OIG's assessment. Additional work remains for EPA, as the lead federal agency for the water sector, to enhance its efforts to manage the water security program and help reduce risks to drinking water systems and the public.

"National Management Measures to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution from Agriculture" is a technical guidance and reference document for use by State, local, and tribal managers in the implementation of nonpoint source pollution management programs. It contains information on the best available, economically achievable means of reducing pollution of surface and ground water from agriculture.

The purpose of this Compendium of Unimplemented Recommendations is to highlight for We performed this evaluation in response to a request from a Member of Congress. We addressed the following questions: Does Region 4's assessment of drinking water and air quality at the Mills Gap Site assure the safety of drinking water and air quality? Are results clearly communicated to affected residents?

During this reporting period, we issued several reports related to homeland security. Our review of EPA's implementation of its Radiation Network system, which monitors environmental radioactivity in the United States, disclosed weaknesses involving broken monitors, late filter changes, monitors that have not been installed, and unresolved contracting issues. Our review of EPA's National Security Information program found that the Agency can create, receive, handle, and store classified material needed to fulfill its responsibilities related to homeland security, although we noted some areas for potential improvement.

Have you ever been bitten by a flea or mosquito? Treated your dog for fleas? Had head lice? Been stung by a wasp or bee? Watched weeds overtake your garden? Fought to keep cockroaches out of your school building? We've all been bugged at one time or another by pests. For many of us, our first reaction is to reach for the nearest can of bug spray. But, pesticides and fertilizers that run off from lawns and other locations are a significant source of pollution in our environment. There's a better way to solve pest problems called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common sense practices. Teaching IPM at the grade school level can provide children with important information about pest identity and biology, and ecology. It can also help children understand the impact that personal choices-like whether or not to use chemicals to control pests-can have on our environment. "Join Our Pest Patrol: A Backyard Activity Book on Integrated Pest Management" is for educators of children in grades 1-6. Join Our Pest Patrol is chock full of fun activities that can easily be incorporated into reading, science, and even math and art classes. The activities are written for the 3-5 grade level, but can be easily adapted for the lower or upper grades. Each activity includes fun facts in "Did You Know," and "Tips for Grownups."

The following summaries highlight some of the Office of the Inspector General's (OIG) audits, evaluations, inspections, special reviews, and investigations, which are discussed further in this report. As the highlights illustrate, the OIG continues to conduct wide-ranging oversight of Department of Justice (Department) programs and operations.

GH's financial management system did not meet federal standards. In particular: Procurements did not meet the competition or cost and price analysis requirements of the Code of Federal Regulations in 40 CFR 30.43 and 30.45. The contract administration system did not meet the requirements of 40 CFR 30.47. Unallowable costs were not segregated and financial management data were not properly supported as required under 40 CFR §30.21 and 2 CFR Part 230. Labor charges did not comply with the requirements of 2 CFR Part 230. Cash draws did not meet immediate cash needs requirement and were not properly documented as required under 40 CFR 30.22 and §30.21. As a result of the issues noted, we questioned $1,615,343 of the $2,250,031 claimed under the CA. In addition, due to lack of adequate documentation from GH, we were unable to determine whether GH accomplished the objective of the CA or met the job reporting requirements of Recovery Act Section 1512.

CSB does not have an effective management system to meet its established performance goal to "[c]onduct incident investigations and safety studies concerning releases of hazardous chemical substances." CSB has not fully accomplished its related strategic objective to "[c]omplete timely, high quality investigations that examine the technical, management systems, organizational, and regulatory causes of chemical incidents." We identified five reasons why CSB did not meet its objective to timely complete investigations: A lack of defined performance indicators in CSB's annual performance plan, which are necessary to assess the efficiency of its investigations process. A backlog of open investigations without documented plans for resolution. An average investigative staff turnover rate of 15 percent. Non-collocation of files and incorrectly classified or coded investigation files. A need for updated policies over current investigative procedures and a policy that defines final investigative products. By completing investigations more timely, CSB can better fulfill its mission and improve its ability to ensure that it provides the community and other stakeholders with findings and recommendations to help reduce the occurrence of similar incidents, which would protect human health and the environment.

We found no evidence that the EPA used, promoted or encouraged the use of private "non-governmental" email accounts to circumvent records management responsibilities or reprimanded, counseled or took administrative actions against personnel for using private email or alias accounts for conducting official government business. EPA senior officials said they were aware of the agency records management policies and, based only on discussions with these senior officials, the OIG found no evidence that these individuals had used private email to circumvent federal recordkeeping responsibilities. The previous EPA Administrator and the then Acting EPA Administrator who followed were issued two EPA email accounts. One account was made available to the public to communicate with the EPA Administrator and the other was used to communicate internally with EPA personnel. This was the common practice for previous Administrators. The practice is widely used within the agency and is not limited to senior EPA officials. These secondary EPA email accounts present risks to records management efforts if they are not searched to preserve federal records. The agency recognizes it is not practical to completely eliminate the use of private email accounts. However, the agency had not provided guidance on preserving records from private email accounts. The EPA has not implemented oversight processes to ensure locations provide consistent and regular training on records management responsibilities, and employees complete available training on their delegated National Records Management Program duties. Inconsistencies in employee out-processing procedures pose risks that federal records are not identified and preserved before an employee departs the agency. EPA also lacks an automated tool to create federal records from its new email system.

TDOT followed most applicable laws, regulations, and terms and conditions of the cooperative agreement in the procurement and monitoring of contracts for the TSE facilities-with the exception of the Buy American requirements of the Recovery Act. TDOT did not determine whether trusses used in the construction of TSE facilities by one contractor qualify as substantial transformation as defined in 2 CFR §176.160. This occurred because subsequent to the contract awards, EPA incorrectly determined that the Buy American requirements did not apply to the project. Consequently, there is no assurance that all iron, steel, or manufactured goods incorporated into the project were manufactured or substantially transformed in the United States, as required by Section 1605 of the Recovery Act. TDOT complied with the cooperative agreement requirements and satisfied Region 4 requirements for projecting results. However, TDOT overstated its results. This occurred because TDOT utilized significantly overestimated usage assumptions in its projections rather than current usage. As a result, TDOT does not have reasonable assurance that the TSE project will achieve projected emissions reductions, and the expected environmental results and human health benefits. Quarterly reporting of diesel emissions reductions by the DERA program may also be overstated.

The National Water Program Strategy: Response to Climate Change was first published in 2008. OW created one of the first climate change strategies in the Agency, and is considered a model for other emerging efforts within the federal government. The 2008 Strategy describes the likely effects that climate change will have on water resources and implications for EPA's Office of Water (OW) and the National Water Program (NWP). In 2012, OW developed an updated strategy that describes NWP's long- term goals for sustainably managing water resources in light of climate change. It is intended as a roadmap to guide future program work and inform the Agency's annual planning process. In late 2012, OW's Immediate Office (IO), which is responsible for coordinating OW climate change work, requested support from EPA's Evaluation Support Division (ESD) to conduct a retrospective evaluation of lessons from the 2008 Strategy, and to develop a prospective measurement framework to track the progress on the 2012 Strategy. Industrial Economics, Incorporated (IEc) and its subcontractor Ross Strategic, henceforth referred to as the evaluation team, carried out the study. This report presents the results of these coordinated efforts.

The Department of Energy's Office of Inspector General is pleased to submit its Semiannual Report to Congress for the period ending September 30, 2010. This report highlights key accomplishments of the Office, particularly pertaining to our efforts to work with agency management to ensure the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of Department of Energy operations.

The purpose of this Compendium of Unimplemented Recommendations is to highlight for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) management significant recommendations that remain unimplemented past the due date agreed to by EPA and the Office of Inspector General (OIG). The Compendium satisfies part of Section 5(a) of the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, which requires each Inspector General to issue semiannual reports to Congress and include "an identification of each significant recommendation described in previous semiannual reports on which corrective action has not been completed." This Compendium is being issued in conjunction with the OIG Semiannual Report to Congress for the reporting period October 1, 2009, through March 31, 2010. The OIG intends to issue this Compendium each semiannual reporting period. The Compendium will keep Agency management informed about EPA's outstanding commitments and its progress in taking agreed-upon corrective actions on OIG recommendations to improve programs and operations.

The nation's aquatic resources are among its most valuable assets. Although environmental protection programs in the United States have improved water quality during the past several decades, many challenges remain. Of special concern are the problems in our urban streams, lakes, estuaries, aquifers, and other water bodies caused by runoff that is inadequately controlled or treated. These problems include changes in flow, increased sedimentation, higher water temperature, lower dissolved oxygen, degradation of aquatic habitat structure, loss of fish and other aquatic populations, and decreased water quality due to increased levels of nutrients, metals, hydrocarbons, bacteria, and other constituents. This document provides guidance to states, territories, authorized tribes, and the public regarding management measures that can be used to reduce nonpoint source pollution from urban activities.