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Release Date: 01/04/2012Contact Information: Molly Hooven, hooven.molly@epa.gov, 202-564-2313, 202-564-4355; En español: Lina Younes, younes.lina@epa.gov, 202-564-9924, 202-564-4355

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is encouraging Americans this January, as part of National Radon Action Month, to take simple and affordable steps to test their homes for harmful levels of radon gas. Radon, a colorless odorless gas, is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Radon can seep into a home from underground and if left to accumulate, high levels of radon can cause lung cancer. Improving indoor air quality by increasing awareness of environmental health risks, such as radon gas, supports healthier homes and communities.

“Testing for radon is an easy and important step in protecting the health of your family,” said Gina McCarthy, EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation. “Radon can be found in every single state. Nationally, elevated radon levels are in as many as one in 15 homes – a statistic that is even higher in some communities.”

Approximately 21,000 people die from radon related lung cancer each year in the United States, yet elevated levels of this health hazard can be prevented through these simple steps:
· Test: EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General recommend that all homes, both with and without basements, be tested for radon. Affordable Do-It-Yourself radon test kits are available at home improvement and hardware stores and online or a qualified radon tester can be hired.
· Fix: EPA recommends taking action to fix radon levels above 4 Picocuries per Liter (pCi/L). Addressing high radon levels often costs the same as other minor home repairs.
· Save a Life: By testing and fixing for elevated levels of radon in your home, you can help prevent lung cancer while creating a healthier home and community.

Radon is a natural, radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. It can enter homes through cracks in the foundation or other openings such as holes or pipes. In addition to testing for radon, there now are safer and healthier radon-resistant construction techniques that home buyers can discuss with builders to prevent this health hazard.

In 2011, EPA announced the Federal Radon Action Plan, along with General Services Administration and the Departments of Agriculture; Defense; Energy; Health and Human Services; Housing and Urban Development; Interior; and Veterans Affairs. This action plan will demonstrate the importance of radon risk reduction, address finance and incentive issues to drive testing and mitigation, and build demand for services from industry professionals.

More information on how to Test, Fix, Save a Life, obtain a test kit, or contact your state radon office: http://www.epa.gov/radon or call 1-800-SOS-RADON

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Release Date: 01/05/2012Contact Information: Latisha Petteway (News Media Only), petteway.latisha@epa.gov, 202-564-3191, 202-564-4355; En español: Lina Younes, younes.lina@epa.gov, 202-564-9924, 202-564-4355

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing its annual national analysis of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), providing all Americans with vital information about their communities. The TRI program publishes information on toxic chemical disposals and other releases into the air, land and water, as well as information on waste management and pollution prevention activities in neighborhoods across the country. Total releases including disposals for the latest reporting year, 2010, are higher than the previous two years but lower than 2007 and prior year totals. Many of the releases from TRI facilities are regulated under various EPA programs and requirements designed to limit human and environmental harm.

“We will continue to put accessible, meaningful information in the hands of the American people. Widespread public access to environmental information is fundamental to the work EPA does every day,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “TRI is a cornerstone of EPA’s community-right-to-know programs and has played a significant role in protecting people’s health and the environment by providing communities with valuable information on toxic chemical releases.”

Citizens have a right to know what toxic chemicals are being released into their communities. Over the past 25 years, the TRI program has helped citizens, emergency planners, public health officials, and others protect human health and the environment by providing them with toxic chemical release and other waste management data they need to make decisions that affect the safety and welfare of their communities.

The 2010 TRI data show that 3.93 billion pounds of toxic chemicals were released into the environment nationwide, a 16 percent increase from 2009. The increase is mainly due to changes in the metal mining sector, which typically involves large facilities handling large volumes of material. In this sector, even a small change in the chemical composition of the ore being mined — which EPA understands is one of the reasons for the increase in total reported releases — may lead to big changes in the amount of toxic chemicals reported nationally. Several other sectors also reported increases in toxic releases in 2010, including the chemical and primary metals industries.

Total air releases decreased 6 percent since 2009, continuing a trend seen over the past several years. Releases into surface water increased 9 percent and releases into land increased 28 percent since 2009, again due primarily to the metal mining sector.

EPA has improved this year’s TRI national analysis report by adding new information on facility efforts to reduce pollution and by considering whether economic factors could have affected the TRI data. With this report and EPA’s Web-based TRI tools, citizens can access information about the toxic chemical releases into the air, water, and land that occur locally. Finally, EPA’s first mobile application for accessing TRI data, myRTK, is now available in Spanish, as are expanded Spanish translations of national analysis documents and Web pages.

TRI data is submitted annually to EPA and states by multiple industry sectors including manufacturing, metal mining, electric utilities, and commercial hazardous waste facilities. Facilities must report their toxic chemical releases to EPA under the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) by July 1st of each year. The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 also requires information on waste management activities related to TRI chemicals.

More on the 2010 TRI analysis and TRI Web-based tools: http://www.epa.gov/tri

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Release Date: 02/07/2012Contact Information: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017

(Boston, Mass. – Feb. 7, 2012) – Six New England communities will benefit from EPA technical assistance through the “Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities” program.  The communities, Simsbury, Conn., Fall River, Holyoke, Northampton and Roxbury, Mass., and Burlington, Vt. were among 56 communities in 26 states that will receive technical assistance under this program.

Each community will receive the assistance from EPA-funded private-sector experts.  The technical experts will work with the communities on actions they can take to improve the economy, the environment, and quality of life.  Some examples may include improving pedestrian access and safety, incorporating green infrastructure, or conducting an economic and fiscal health assessment.

“EPA is very pleased to be part of a coordinated effort to help these six New England communities develop practical and sustainable approaches that can lead to quality of life improvements for citizens, and which can help bolster our economy,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office.

Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities is a project of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities among EPA, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The interagency collaboration coordinates federal investments in infrastructure, facilities, and services to get better results for communities and use taxpayer money more efficiently.  The partnership is helping communities across the country create more housing choices, make transportation more efficient and reliable, reinforce existing investments, and support vibrant and healthy neighborhoods that attract businesses.

In 2010, in a different Smart Growth program, EPA selected the Rhode Island-based KeepSpace program as one of eight recipients nationwide to receive targeted technical assistance on growth and development issues.

More information:  

- Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities: http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/buildingblocks.htm

- Partnership for Sustainable Communities:  http://www.sustainablecommunities.gov

#  #  #
Learn More about the Latest EPA News & Events in New England (http://www.epa.gov/region1/newsevents/index.html)
Follow EPA New England on Twitter (http://twitter.com/epanewengland)
More info on EPA’s Environmental Results in New England (http://www.epa.gov/region1/results/index.html)

*** Edited on Feb. 08, 2012:
The final sentence was edited to make clear that the 2010 selection of the Rhode Island-based KeepSpace program was under a different Smart Growth program than the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities effort.
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Release Date: 02/09/2012Contact Information: Contact Information: Donna Inman (303) 312-6201; Matthew Allen, (303) 312-6085

Union Pacific Railroad Company to pay $1.5 million for Clean Water Act violations in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming
Company cited for oil and coal spills, inadequate prevention and planning

Contact Information: Donna Inman (303) 312-6201; Matthew Allen, (303) 312-6085

(Denver, Colo—February 9th, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced a settlement with Union Pacific Railroad Company regarding alleged violations of the Clean Water Act and the Oil Pollution Act.
This settlement resolves a Clean Water Act enforcement action against Union Pacific that involves continuing operations at 20 rail yards in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, as well as spills of oil and coal in 2003 and 2004 along railroad lines in all three states.
For the railyards, EPA alleges Union Pacific violated EPA’s Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) and Facility Response Plan (FRP) regulations. These regulations are the first line of defense for preventing oil spills and providing immediate containment measures when an oil spill does occur.
“Today we have secured a settlement that will help prevent spills, protect water quality, and improve the safety of Union Pacific’s operations in 20 communities across Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming,” said Jim Martin, EPA regional administrator. “Union Pacific has already begun putting necessary measures in place and we will ensure they continue to do so.”
As part of the settlement, Union Pacific will pay a civil penalty of $1.5 million of which approximately $1.4 million will be deposited into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, a fund used by federal agencies to respond to oil spills. The remaining $100,000 will be deposited in the U.S. Treasury for the coal spills and stormwater violations. In addition, the settlement requires the company to develop a management and reporting system to ensure compliance with SPCC regulations, FRP regulations, and storm water requirements at 20 rail yards in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. Union Pacific must take further actions to control stormwater runoff at the Burnham Rail Yard in Denver, which are anticipated to prevent the discharge of approximately 2,500 pounds of chemical oxygen demand, 50 pounds of nitrate, 11,000 pounds of total suspended solids, and 30 pounds of zinc annually to waters in the Denver area.
This settlement will benefit many communities in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, many of which are disadvantaged, by requiring Union Pacific to install secondary containment to safely store oil and prevent oil spills from leaving its properties. Further, it will require the company to designate an environmental vice-president responsible for complying with oil spill prevention and stormwater control requirements at the 20 railyards. The majority of the 20 locations cited in the settlement are in disadvantaged areas with significant low-income and/ or minority populations.
The complaint alleges the following violations:

· Six oil spills in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming
· Three coal spills in Colorado
· Inadequate SPCC plans and/or inadequate SPCC plan implementation (e.g., inadequate secondary containment) at the following 20 rail yards:

o Denver 36th Street, Burnham, Denver North, East Portal Moffatt Tunnel, Grand Junction, Kremmling, Pueblo, and Rifle, all in Colorado
o Helper, Ogden, Provo, Roper, Salt Lake City North, and Summit, all in Utah

§ Also for six rail yards in Utah, failure to provide certifications and reports for storm water pollution prevention plans (SWPPPs) as required by the Utah Multi-Sector General Permit.

o Bill, Buford, Cheyenne, Green River, Laramie, and Rawlins, all in Wyoming

§ Also for the Rawlins, Wyoming rail yard, an inadequate FRP and a failed Government Initiated Unannounced Exercise

For more information on the Clean Water Act, visit EPA’s compliance web page: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/cwa/index.html
For more information on Environmental Justice within EPA Region 8 please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region8/ej/index.html
Help EPA protect our nation’s land, air and water by reporting violations: http://www.epa.gov/tips/

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Release Date: 01/19/2012Contact Information: Dawn Harris-Young, (404) 562-8421, harris-young.dawn@epa.gov

ATLANTA – Representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Alabama Radon Education Program – Alabama Cooperative Extension System will present a community workshop on asthma and radon on January 24, 2012.

The workshop will include discussions on asthma and asthma triggers, such as secondhand smoke, pets, air pollution, cockroaches, and chemicals used in the home. Attendees will also learn about radon (the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States) and its current impact in the North Birmingham area. Participants will be given a radon detector and instructions on how to measure radon in their homes. The workshop is free and open to the public.

WHO: EPA, Jefferson County Department of Health, and the Alabama Radon Education Program – Alabama Cooperative Extension System
WHAT: Asthma and Radon Workshop

WHEN: January 24, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. CST (Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.)

WHERE: Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity Head Start/Early Head Start Calloway Center
3417 34th Terrace North

Birmingham, AL

Community members interested in obtaining additional information are encouraged to contact Lonnie F. Pressley of the Jefferson County Department of Health at (205)930-1248.
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Release Date: 11/18/2011Contact Information: John Martin (212) 637- 3662 martin.johnj@epa.gov; or Michael Basile (716) 551-4410 basile.michael@epa.gov

(Lackawanna, New York) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory are evaluating the feasibility of developing wind or solar power production on three previously contaminated sites in New York State. EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck today visited the community near the former Bethlehem Steel plant in Lackawanna, one of two Buffalo area sites that will be evaluated, to announce the New York sites chosen for assessments. The assessments are part of the RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative through which EPA will help revitalize abandoned sites, clean up the environment and lay the groundwork for renewable energy and job creation. The Lackawanna site will be evaluated for either solar or wind power. The EPA and DOE will evaluate sites in 20 states including Lackawanna, South Buffalo and Ulster, New York.

“America faces serious environmental and economic challenges caused by our over reliance on fossil fuels,” said Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. “Part of the solution is to use previously contaminated land to generate clean energy. This strategy will revitalize communities, cut air pollution and create new jobs.”

EPA and DOE selected 26 sites across the country where wind, solar, biomass, or geothermal energy production may be possible. The EPA and DOE will determine the potential energy generating capacity of the sites, the optimal location for placement of the renewable energy technology on the sites, the return on the investment, and the economic feasibility of the renewable energy projects.

The New York sites to be assessed are:

The ArcelorMittal Tecumseh Redevelopment, Inc. property, Lackawanna, New York
The ArcelorMittal Tecumseh property consists of 1,100 acres located on the shores of Lake Erie in Lackawanna, New York. The site once housed the Bethlehem steel plant. The site is located next door to the nationally known 2.5 mega-watt Steel Winds wind turbine project. EPA and DOE will assess the potential for either wind or solar power production on the site. New energy production could build on the success of the Steel Winds facility and aid the community in addressing the impacts of massive job losses from the de-industrialization of the Great Lakes region.

South Buffalo/Buffalo River industrial area, Buffalo, New York
This 3,500-acre area is within two state-designated brownfield areas, known as South Buffalo and Buffalo River. Historic uses of these sites include steel operations, iron production, grain production, and production of dye and organic chemicals. EPA and DOE will assess the area for wind or solar power production potential. The large areas of vacant land present an opportunity for the construction of numerous renewable energy facilities in the project area. There has already been significant public and private investment and stakeholder interest in renewable energy production in this part of the city.

TechCity, Ulster County, New York
The 256-acre TechCity site is the largest industrial site in the town of Ulster, New York. The site is already being redeveloped, with millions already invested. The EPA and DOE will examine the potential for solar power production on this site. The existing redevelopment plan already leaves 50 acres open for ground-mount solar and calls for rooftop photovoltaic cells on large buildings. Renewable energy manufacturing businesses are currently manufacturing materials for solar power, LED lighting and energy efficient roofing materials at the site. Bringing solar energy production to the site could further bolster the efforts of these green businesses.

For more information about these projects of about the RE-Powering America’s Land initiative, visit:

http://www.epa.gov/renewableenergyland/.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/eparegion2/.

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Release Date: 01/05/2012Contact Information: John Martin (212) 637- 3662 martin.johnj@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today issued its 25th annual report on the amount of toxic chemicals released in 2010 to the land, air and water by industrial facilities in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) report covers four Virgin Islands facilities that are required to report their releases to the EPA. Total releases of chemicals in the territory were higher in 2010 than in 2009. The increase from 2009-2010 was due in part because of an increase in air emissions from the Virgin Islands Water & Power Authority’s St. Thomas facility and an increase in air and water emissions from Hovensa.

“Transparency is a powerful tool,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “The Toxics Release Inventory allows the public and policymakers to better understand the pollutants released to our air, water and land each year and gives them the information they need to take action in their communities. The data that was released is a reminder of how important TRI has been in helping us create a healthier environment, and the work still needed to be done to reduce industrial pollution.”

Last year marked the 25th Anniversary of the Toxic Release Inventory. In 1986, New Jersey Senator Frank R. Lautenberg authored the legislation that established TRI, which was signed into law as part of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. Since that time, TRI data has been provided to the public annually to inform the public about the chemicals present in their local environment and gauge environmental trends over time. The inventory contains the most comprehensive information about chemicals released into the environment reported annually by certain industries and federal facilities. Many of these facilities are required to install and maintain pollution controls to meet the limits on pollution set forth in their permit.

Facilities must report their toxic chemical releases by July 1 of each year. EPA made a preliminary set of data for 2010 available in July 2011, the month the reported data was collected. Nationally, over 20,000 facilities reported on approximately 650 chemicals for calendar year 2010.

EPA has improved this year’s TRI national analysis report by adding new information on risks, facility efforts to reduce pollution and details about how possible economic impacts could affect TRI data. With this report and EPA’s Web-based TRI tools, the public can access information about the disposals and releases of toxic chemicals into the air, water, and land that occur in their communities. Finally, EPA’s first mobile Web application for accessing TRI data, myRTK, is now available in English and Spanish, as are expanded Spanish translations of national analysis documents and Web pages.

To view an area fact sheet, visit: http://www.epa.gov/triexplorer/statefactsheet.htm

For program overview, visit: http://www.epa.gov/tri/

For myRTK, visit: http://www.epa.gov/tri/myrtk/

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2

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Release Date: 01/05/2012Contact Information: John Martin (212) 637- 3662 martin.johnj@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today issued its 25th annual report on the amount of toxic chemicals released in 2010 to the land, air and water by industrial facilities in New Jersey. The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) report covers 411 New Jersey facilities that are required to report their releases to the EPA. Total releases of chemicals in New Jersey were higher in 2010 than in 2009. A significant portion of the 2009-2010 increase was due to increases in wastewater being discharged from the DuPont Chambers Works, Conoco Phillips and Paulsboro Refining Co. LLC.

“Transparency is a powerful tool,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “The Toxics Release Inventory allows the public and policymakers to better understand the pollutants released to our air, water and land each year and gives them the information they need to take action in their communities. The data that was released is a reminder of how important TRI has been in helping us create a healthier environment, and the work still needed to be done to reduce industrial pollution.”

Last year marked the 25th Anniversary of the Toxic Release Inventory. In 1986, New Jersey Senator Frank R. Lautenberg authored the legislation that established TRI, which was signed into law as part of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. Since that time, TRI data has been provided to the public annually to inform the public about the chemicals present in their local environment and gauge environmental trends over time. The inventory contains the most comprehensive information about chemicals released into the environment reported annually by certain industries and federal facilities. Many of these facilities are required to install and maintain pollution controls to meet the limits on pollution set forth in their permit.

Facilities must report their toxic chemical releases by July 1 of each year. EPA made a preliminary set of data for 2010 available in July 2011, the month the reported data was collected. Nationally, over 20,000 facilities reported on approximately 650 chemicals for calendar year 2010.

EPA has improved this year’s TRI national analysis report by adding new information on risks, facility efforts to reduce pollution and details about how possible economic impacts could affect TRI data. With this report and EPA’s Web-based TRI tools, the public can access information about the disposals and releases of toxic chemicals into the air, water, and land that occur in their communities. Finally, EPA’s first mobile Web application for accessing TRI data, myRTK, is now available in English and Spanish, as are expanded Spanish translations of national analysis documents and Web pages.

To view an area fact sheet, visit: http://www.epa.gov/triexplorer/statefactsheet.htm

For program overview, visit: http://www.epa.gov/tri/

For myRTK, visit: http://www.epa.gov/tri/myrtk/

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2

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Release Date: 01/27/2012Contact Information: Ben Washburn, 913-551-7364, washburn.ben@epa.gov

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., Jan. 27, 2012) – EPA is partnering nationally and locally with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) to introduce children’s environmental health information into the youth service organization’s educational programs. A $100,000 grant from EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection is funding the national development and implementation of the curriculum.

In the Kansas City metro area, five Boys & Girls Clubs are participating: the J & D Wagner Unit, 2405 Elmwood, Kansas City, Mo.; the Hawthorne Unit, 16995 E. Dover Lane, Independence; the Leslie Unit, 315 S. Leslie, Independence; the Thornberry Unit, 3831 E. 43rd Street, Kansas City, Mo.; and the Wyandotte County Unit, 1240 Troup, Kansas City, Kan.

One cycle of the curriculum is currently in progress and will last until March 26. The second cycle will begin later during the summer.

“Region 7 is delighted to continue our work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America,” said Karl Brooks, Region 7 Administrator. “The Boys & Girls Clubs offer a great opportunity to work with our most vulnerable population, children, to educate them on the health effects of their every day environment. As the youngest stewards of the environment, children can make a huge environmental impact now and in the future.”

The curriculum consists of nine 45-minute sessions in a format that is consistent with curricula currently used by BGCA clubs for middle school students. The entire curriculum is packaged in a carrying case which contains everything needed to teach the lessons. Each lesson includes a hands-on activity, as well as materials that students can take home to share with their families. The focus of all the lessons is to excite kids about environmental health and inspire them to take steps in their lives to improve the environment for their community and reduce their environmental risk.

For 100 years now, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City have provided a fun and safe environment for youth, ages 5-18, to learn, play, meet new friends and grow. From sports, digital arts and media to group activities and tutoring, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City serves more than 1,000 area youth each day.

For more information about environmental effects on children’s health, please contact the EPA Region 7 Children’s Health Coordinator, LaTonya Sanders, at sanders.latonya@epa.gov.
# # #

More information on EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection

More information about Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City: www.helpkckids.org

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Release Date: 12/15/2011Contact Information: Kris Lancaster, (913) 551-7557, lancaster.kris@epa.gov (news media only)

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., Dec. 15, 2011) – EPA has awarded $123,000 to the City of Wichita, Kan., for improvements to its storm sewer system. The project is expected to be completed by the fall of 2012.

EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks said, “It’s always a pleasure to help provide adequate storm sewer systems for Kansas cities. These water infrastructure funds will partially fund a construction project which is estimated to cost $391,000.”

The purpose of the project is to construct a new storm sewer near the Brooks Technology and Arts Magnet Middle School in an area developed in the 1950s without storm sewers. The new sewer will prevent area flooding during heavy storms.

The project will include the installation of approximately 2,400 feet of storm sewer pipe, 20 stormwater structures, and 13 manholes.

EPA oversees the protection of water quality and public health. The Agency is working with community leaders and the public to meet the growing needs and demands of limited water resources. EPA remains committed to developing innovative and sustainable solutions for managing and financing infrastructure with public and private partners.
# # #

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(1) NREL. 2010. Green Power Marketing in the United States: A Status Report (PDF). (69 pp., 1.1M)

Release Date: 01/05/2012Contact Information: Dean Higuchi, 808-541-2711, higuchi.dean@epa.gov

(01/05/12) SAN FRANCISCO – Toxic chemicals managed, treated or released into the environment from facilities operating in Hawaii decreased in 2010 when compared to 2009, according to the latest data available from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The data comes from the EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory, commonly referred to as TRI. It’s one of the EPA’s largest publicly available databases, providing communities valuable information on more than 650 toxic chemicals that are managed or released by various industries. The chemical information in the inventory is calculated by industrial facilities and reported to the EPA, as required by Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act..
“Twenty-five years ago, Congress passed the law that gave communities the ‘Right-To-Know’ about potential toxic hazards in their area,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “The annual toxics report helps residents and local governments make informed decisions, and by working together with businesses, they can reduce chemical use.”
Total releases include toxic chemicals discharged by facilities to air, water, land, and underground, and the amount transferred off-site for disposal. Pollution controls apply to many of the reported releases. Reporting facilities must comply with environmental standards set by local, state and federal agencies.
Release data alone are not sufficient to determine exposure or to calculate potential risks to human health and the environment. TRI data, in conjunction with other information, such as the toxicity of the chemical, the release medium (e.g., air), and site-specific conditions, may be used in evaluating exposures that may result from releases of toxic chemicals.

Hawaii Total Releases for Reporting Years 2008-2010

YearAirWaterOn-site LandUnderground InjectionOff-Site TransfersTotal Releases

20082,277,988549,8383,471169,076245,1513,245,524

20092,228,566222,9634,477147,530343,7052,947,241

20101,739,249452,3592,603171,221130,1732,495,605

Data from 2010 in Hawaii shows:

· In 2010, 37 facilities reported a total of 2.5 million pounds of toxic chemical releases.
· Hawaii’s total reported on-site and off-site releases decreased 15% (452 thousand pounds) when compared to 2009 data.
· Three fewer facilities reported this year
· In Hawaii, 95 thousand pounds of total (on-site and off-site) releases of PBT chemicals were reported. This is a decrease of 15 thousand pounds or 14%. Lead and lead compounds tops the list in 2010.

Annual Toxics Release Inventory reporting began in 1988 after the enactment of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986. The 25th anniversary of the act provides information to the public on annual toxic chemical releases reported by certain industrial and federal facilities. The TRI does not include data on toxic emissions from cars and trucks, nor from the majority of non-industrial sources, such as agriculture. In 2000, TRI expanded to include persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemicals, or PBTs, at ranges from 0.1 grams to 100 pounds. PBT pollutants are toxic chemicals that remain in the environment and food chain, posing risks to human health and ecosystems.

The top facilities in Hawaii for total on-site and off-site releases during 2010 of all chemicals (reported in pounds) are:

NameCityCountyTotal

1HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC CO INC KAHE GENERATING STATIONKAPOLEIHonolulu550,651

2JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAMPEARL HARBORHonolulu420,761

3CHEVRON PRODUCTS CO HAWAII REFINERYKAPOLEIHonolulu271,569

4HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC CO INC WAIAU GENERATING STATIONPEARL CITYHonolulu204,158

5MAUI ELECTRIC CO LTD KAHULUI GENERATING STATIONKAHULUIMaui190,022

6HAWAII ELECTRIC LIGHT CO INC HILL GENERATING STATIONHILOHawaii140,028

7AES HAWAII INC.KAPOLEIHonolulu136,697

8TESORO HAWAII REFINERYKAPOLEIHonolulu103,701

9US ARMY POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA-RANGE FACILITYHILOHawaii96,397

10MAUI ELECTRIC CO LTD MAALAEA GENERATING STATIONKIHEIMaui84,199

TRI Explorer
TRI Explorer is a tool that you can use to see the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data. It allows you to look at data by state, county, or zip code; by chemical; or by industry. It provides maps that you can click on to find TRI facilities, chemicals and industries in a particular area.

National TRI Findings:

The 2010 TRI data show that 3.93 billion pounds of toxic chemicals were released into the environment nationwide, a 16 percent increase from 2009. The increase is mainly due to changes in the metal mining sector, which typically involves large facilities handling large volumes of material. Several other sectors also reported increases in toxic releases in 2010, including the chemical and primary metals industries. Releases from electric utilities decreased between 2009 and 2010. Total air releases decreased 6 percent since 2009, continuing a trend seen over the past several years. Releases to surface water increased 9 percent and releases to land increased 28 percent since 2009, again due primarily to the metal mining sector.

EPA has improved this year’s TRI National Analysis report by adding new information on facility efforts to reduce pollution and by considering whether economic factors could have affected the TRI data. With this report and EPA’s Web-based TRI tools, citizens can access information about the toxic chemical disposals and releases into the air, water, and land that occur locally. Finally, EPA’s first mobile application for accessing TRI data, myRTK, is now available in Spanish, as are expanded Spanish translations of National Analysis documents and Web pages.
Please visit: http://www.epa.gov/tri/myrtk/spanish/index.htm

For more on the TRI program including additional city, county and facility information, please visit the EPA’s Web sites: http://www.epa.gov/tri, http://www.epa.gov/triexplorer and http://www.epa.gov/enviro.

State fact sheets are available at: http://www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/tri/ and http://www.epa.gov/triexplorer/statefactsheet.htm.

For more information on the PBT Chemicals Program, please visit the EPA’s Web site at http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pbt
###Follow the U.S. EPA’s Pacific Southwest region on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EPAregion9 and join the LinkedIn group: http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/1823773/
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