Phase I Environmental Site Assessment

*Architecture Firms Build Energy Efficiency *Projects for 4 New Mexico schools and businesses will save money and emissions

(Dallas, Texas - May 15, 2008) Four schools and businesses in New Mexico can look forward to reducing their energy use and costs thanks to the innovative designs of the Dekker/Perich/Sabatini architecture firm.

The firm will receive the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Design to Earn the Energy Star designation at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) convention on May 15 in Boston.

The firm’s designs for the buildings meet strict EPA standards for energy efficiency and for preventing greenhouse gas emissions. Together, Sandia Vista and Cielo Azul schools in Rio Rancho, APS Design-Build Middle School in Albuquerque and Thornburg Campus in Santa Fe will prevent over 1,500 tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year with their new energy-efficient designs.

“Thanks to the ingenuity of these architecture firms, New Mexico schools and businesses will enjoy significant savings in their energy costs,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “The firms have proved that designing with the environment in mind can benefit their clients as well.”

The AIA convention will recognize 46 projects in 19 states as achieving Design to Earn the Energy Star. The designs will result in yearly projected savings of 120 million pounds of carbon dioxide and $5 million in energy costs for clients.

Additional information on the Energy Star program is available at http://www.energystar.gov/.
To learn more about activities in EPA Region 6, please visit http://www.epa.gov/region6.

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(Atlanta, Ga. -May 15, 2008) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will recognize the City of Valley on Friday, May 16, 2008 in Valley, Ala. as recipients of $235,000 in EPA brownfields grants to help clean up the Langdale and Riverdale Mill properties, turning them from problem properties to productive community use. Additionally, EPA awarded Florence, Ala. with $400,000 in brownfields grants.

Who: EPA Regional Administrator Jimmy Palmer

What: Award EPA Brownfields Grants to the City of Valley

When: Friday, May 16, 2008, 4:00 p.m. EDT

Where: Langdale Mill-Conference Room
5901 20th Ave.
Valley, Ala.

Brownfields are sites where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. The brownfields program encourages redevelopment of America’s estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites. Since the beginning of the program, EPA has awarded 1,255 assessment grants totaling more than $298 million, 230 revolving loan fund grants totaling about $217 million, and 426 cleanup grants totaling $78.7 million.

More information on the grant recipients: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields

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(Atlanta, Ga. - May 13, 2008) EPA began a removal action at the Lincoln Metals site in Lincoln, Ala. on May 12, 2008. The removal action is a short-term cleanup intended to stabilize the Site and remove any hazards it may pose to human health and the environment. The removal action may take up to 3 months at an estimated cost of approximately is $2.5 million.

Work at the site may include:

- Mobilization and Site preparation;
- Excavation, disposal and removal of lead-contaminated soils from the foundry property, an off-site ditch, a public park, and a residential yard;
- Assessment of an additional property;
- Demolition and disposal of the foundry building;
- On-site stabilization of soils and debris, as necessary, before transportation to approved disposal facilities; and
- Restoration of a residential yard, a public park, and the foundry property.

The Lincoln Metals site is an inactive brass foundry that operated in Lincoln, Talladega County, Alabama from 1956 to 2001. The facility was built circa 1947. During March 2001, Heartland Faucet declared bankruptcy and in November 2001, Silvercrown Investments, purchased the company out of bankruptcy.

In August 2006, Alabama Department of Environmental Management referred the site to EPA requesting the abandoned property be considered for immediate response under Federal authority. In January 2007, EPA’s Emergency Response and Removal Branch (ERRB) conducted a removal site assessment and determined that further evaluation was required.

In May and July of 2007, EPA conducted additional soil sampling at the site to determine the nature and extent of contamination at the site and adjacent properties. The 2007 assessments revealed the presence of lead contaminated soils above EPA’s removal action levels at the site. As a result of the direct threat of potential contact with contaminated soils, a removal action was approved on March 26, 2008.

To obtain further information about the activities to be conducted at the site, please contact Sherryl Carbonaro, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator, at (800) 564-7577. Citizens with health concerns associated with potential lead exposure should contact Cheryl Browder, Alabama Department of Public Health, Talladega County, at (800) 201-8208 or consult with your family physician.

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*Why are you or aren’t you biking to work?*

To bike or not to bike - that is the question… It’s National Bike Week

Biking is healthy, it prevents air pollution, and it can even save you money (filled your tank recently?). So why aren’t you biking to work? Need more bike paths? Different policies from your employer? Government sponsorship or policies? Or are you just a couch potato?

If you ARE biking, tell us about your route and experiences!

Share your answers  http://blog.epa.gov/blog/2008/05/12/qotwbikingtowork

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(Dallas, Texas - May 13, 2008) Business at the Mars Snackfood U.S. plant in Waco has never been sweeter. Today, members of the company were joined by officials from the Environmental Protection Agency to flip the switch on its first landfill gas project, a venture that will cut the company’s energy costs and the release of greenhouse gases into the environment.

The project will use methane gas that is piped in from the city landfill to power two furnaces that create steam for the plant’s candy-making operations.

“Turning waste into energy is a smart strategy for business and the environment,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “EPA is pleased to be working with partners like Mars Snackfood on innovative projects like this one that deliver clean, renewable sources of energy.”

In addition to saving the company $600,000 a year in energy costs, the project will also reduce more than 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, which has the same environmental impact of avoiding the emissions of 1,900 cars. Methane, a primary component of landfill gas, is a greenhouse gas over 20 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.

“More than being a decision about the bottom line, this project is about taking responsibility for the future - for our business, for our Associates and their children, for our community, and definitely for our environment. And the story today is not simply about Mars alone. It is a story of deep commitment and concern by multiple partners at every level in government in Texas. Again, I congratulate our partners in government, especially the City of Waco, the County of McLennan and the EPA, for their visionary leadership and dedication to a sustainable future for all,” said MARS Snackfood US President Todd Lachman.

Mars Snackfood joins a growing list of companies to complete waste-to-energy projects as part of EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP). There are currently 21 operational projects in Texas and a total of 34 throughout the five-state area that makes up EPA Region 6.

To foster more development of waste-to-energy resources, EPA Region 6 has developed a pilot Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Strategic Geographic Planning tool that is designed to link waste producers with end users by identifying optimum locations for such projects. The region is currently working with the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory to expand the pilot to a national scale.

LMOP is a voluntary technical assistance and partnership program that helps businesses and communities reduce methane emissions from landfills by encouraging the recovery and use of landfill gas as a renewable energy source. The program also assists countries throughout the world in developing landfill methane reduction projects through the international Methane to Markets Partnership. Since 1994, LMOP has assisted in developing more than 330 landfill gas projects in the United States, reducing methane emissions by over 24 million metric tons of carbon equivalent.

Additional information on the LMOP program is available at http://www.epa.gov/lmop.
To learn more about activities in EPA Region 6, please visit http://www.epa.gov/region6.
An EPA audio file is available at http://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/audio.htm#audio051308_mars.
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For more information, media may contact Dave Bary or Tressa Tillman at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov
Note: If a link above doesn’t work, please copy and paste the URL into a browser.

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*EPA Administrator Recognizes Local High School Conservation Club With President’s Volunteer Service Award*
* *
Contact Information: Dawn Harris-Young, EPA Media Relations, (404)562-8421

(Atlanta, Ga. - May 12, 2008) Today, EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson honored the Southwestern High School Conservation Club and Raptor Center from Somerset, Ky., via video conference with the President’s Volunteer Service Award. EPA Regional Chief of Staff Don Christy presented the award to high school junior Adrian Tapp and other Club members, along with Club Sponsor and science teacher, Frances Carter.

This nationally recognized Conservation Club and Raptor Center was honored for the numerous hours the high school students volunteer to care for injured birds of prey, as well as their efforts to clean up communities, build trails, recycle and conduct water testing. The more than 90 Club members each volunteer about 250 hours a year.

“Today we honor members of the Southwestern High School Conservation Club and Raptor Center from Somerset, Ky., for answering President Bush’s call to serve a cause greater than themselves,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. “Dedicated volunteers like Adrian Tapp and her fellow students are inspiring others to join them in delivering America a brighter, healthier future.”

During his travels across the country, Administrator Johnson meets with students like the volunteers with the Conservation Club and Raptor Center who are answering the call to service, environmental education and pollution prevention.

Southwestern High School is one of a few high schools in the United States to operate a raptor rehabilitation center. Students volunteer to feed, exercise and provide limited medical care to the birds, as well as maintain the facility. The center houses two bald eagles, a golden eagle, several red tailed hawks, owls and other birds of prey. The Club is featured in _Environmental Science_, a high school science textbook.

In his January 2002 State of the Union Address, President Bush called on all Americans to make a difference in their communities through volunteer service. He created USA Freedom Corps, an Office of the White House, to strengthen and expand volunteer service. Americans are responding to the President’s Call to Service. Go to www.volunteer.gov [ http://www.volunteer.gov/ ] or call 1-877-USA-CORPS to find an existing volunteer service opportunity in your area or to find more information about service programs, including national service programs such as the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Citizen Corps. USA Freedom Corps is also highlighting youth volunteer service. Visit www.volunteerkids.gov [ http://www.volunteerkids.gov/ ] for games and ideas to see how America’s youth are making a difference.

The President’s Volunteer Service Award was created at the President’s direction by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. The Award is available to youth ages 14 and under who have completed 50 or more hours of volunteer service; to individuals 15 and older who have completed 100 or more hours; and to families or groups who have completed 200 or more hours. For more information about the Award, please visit www.presidentialserviceawards.gov [ http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/ ].

Note: If a link above doesn’t work, please copy and paste the URL into a browser.

View all Region 4 Press Releases [ http://www.epa.gov/region4/news/index.html ]

You can view or update your subscriptions or e-mail address at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page [ https://service.govdelivery.com/service/user.html?code=USAEPA ]. All you will need is your e-mail address. If you have any questions or problems e-mail support@govdelivery.com for assistance.

This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [ http://www.epa.gov/ ].

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(Dallas, Texas - May 8, 2008) An Arkansas nanotechnology company has been awarded $224,997 from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to develop a green alternative to fluorescent lighting.

Nanomaterials and Nanofabrication Laboratories, LLC (NN-Labs) of Fayetteville is one of seven small businesses to receive a total of $1.6 million in funding to commercialize green technologies that promise to deliver BIG results.

“These companies are showing how innovative ideas can translate into both economic and environmental success,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “Together, EPA and small businesses are advancing research, creating jobs, and protecting the environment at the same time.”

NN-Labs was awarded a Phase II SBIR contract, which is given to small businesses that successfully complete Phase I contracts. The company received a Phase I award for $69,988 in 2007.
Approximately 25 million small businesses in the United States employ more than 50 percent of the American workforce and develop most of the country’s new technologies. SBIR was established to ensure that new technologies are developed to solve priority environmental problems, and is just one example of EPA’s commitment to achieving real world environmental results through the use of innovative technology.

Since its inception in 1982, EPA’s SBIR program has helped fund more than 600 small businesses through its two-phased approach. Phase I awards are used to investigate the scientific merit and technical feasibility of a proposed concept. If the results of this phase are successful, businesses can submit proposals for Phase II contracts, which can reach amounts up to $225,000.
EPA will be accepting submissions for the next year’s Phase I SBIR awards until May 21, 2008. To participate in SBIR, a small business must have fewer than 500 employees, and at least 51 percent of the business must be owned by U.S. citizens.

Additional information on the SBIR program is available at http://www.epa.gov/ncer/sbir.

More on the Phase II projects: http://es.epa.gov/ncer/sbir/08awards/index_state.html

About activities in EPA Region 6: http://www.epa.gov/region6.

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For more information, media may contact Dave Bary or Tressa Tillman at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov
Note: If a link above doesn’t work, please copy and paste the URL into a browser.

View all Region 6 News Releases

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*City of Rome to Receive EPA Funds for Community Revitalization*
Contact: Laura Niles, 404-562-8353, niles.laura@epa.gov

(Atlanta, Ga. -May 8, 2008) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will recognize the City of Rome on Monday, May 12, 2008 in Rome, Ga. as recipients of $400,000 in EPA brownfields grants to help revitalize former industrial and commercial sites, turning them from problem properties to productive community use. Additionally, EPA awarded five other communities in Georgia with $950,000 in brownfields grants. Those include Washington, Louisville, Hinesville, the Downtown Development Authority of Social Circle, and the Jefferson County Development Authority.

Who: EPA Region 4 Acting Deputy Regional Administrator Russell L. Wright, Jr.
Rome City Manager John Bennet

What: Award EPA Brownfields Grants to the City of Rome

When: Monday, May 12, 2008, 2:00 p.m.

Where: Rome City Hall
601 Broad St.
Rome, Ga. 30162-1433

Brownfields are sites where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. The brownfields program encourages redevelopment of America’s estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites. Since the beginning of the program, EPA has awarded 1,255 assessment grants totaling more than $298 million, 230 revolving loan fund grants totaling about $217 million, and 426 cleanup grants totaling $78.7 million.

More information on the grant recipients: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields

Note: If a link above doesn’t work, please copy and paste the URL into a browser.

View all Region 4 News Releases [ http://www.epa.gov/region4/news/index.html ]

You can view or update your subscriptions or e-mail address at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page [ https://service.govdelivery.com/service/user.html?code=USAEPA ]. All you will need is your e-mail address. If you have any questions or problems e-mail support@govdelivery.com for assistance.

This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [ http://www.epa.gov/ ].

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*Cobb** County** is SunWise, Are You?*
* *
“County promotes sun safety and skin cancer prevention to become SunWise Community”
” ”
Contact Information: Dawn Harris-Young, (404) 562-8421, harris-young.dawn@epa.gov
” ”

(Atlanta, Ga. - May 7, 2008) - In an effort to encourage County residents to adopt sun-safe behaviors, Cobb County Board of Commissioners Chairman Sam Olens proclaimed today SunWise Day in Cobb County. This proclamation is part of Cobb County’s participation in SunWise Communities, a program developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that extends sun safety education through school- and community-based programs. The announcement also coincides with both National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Prevention Month in May and National Physical Education and Sport Week.
“With substantially more than one million new cases of skin cancer diagnosed annually, I hope more communities will follow Cobb County’s lead and become SunWise Communities,” said Jimmy Palmer, EPA Regional Administrator. “EPA is proud to partner with Cobb County and Wellstar Health System to educate adults and children alike about the dangers of UV rays and the benefits of sun-safe behavior. EPA’s SunWise Program will help Cobb County families live sun-safe, healthy lives.”
As part of Board of Commissioners Chairman Olen’s proclamation, Cobb County has distributed sun safety activity kits to schools so they can participate in SunWise Schools, a program designed to teach children about the dangers of overexposure to the sun and equip them with the skills to protect themselves. By using the program’s SunWise Tool Kit, students learn about sun-safe activities, such as wearing sunscreen, seeking shade during midday hours, wearing a hat and sunglasses, and other actions that can significantly reduce their lifetime risk of developing skin cancer. The county plans to promote sun safety throughout the summer and fall as well.
“Becoming a SunWise Community and fighting skin cancer fits perfectly into our commitment to promoting health and wellness in Cobb County,” said Olens. “Since melanoma rates in Cobb County are 50 percent above the national average, teaching our children to be sunwise is essential if we want to prevent unnecessary human suffering.”
Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers and will be diagnosed in substantially more than one million Americans in 2008 alone. There are more new cases of skin cancer each year than the number of breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancer cases combined. In 2008, the American Cancer Society estimates that 62,480 Americans will be diagnosed with melanoma, the most often lethal form of skin cancer, and more than 8,400 will die from the disease. That averages out to one American dying from melanoma every 62 minutes. The number one preventable risk factor for skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
Today, Cobb County Superintendent Fred Sanderson, representatives from EPA and Wellstar, and melanoma survivor Marilyn Fry will teach children in the third-grade class of Harmony Leland Elementary School in Mableton about the importance of sun protection. In addition, representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Cancer Society (ACS), and Congressman David Scott’s office, were all invited to the event. These individuals will join together to encourage Cobb County residents to incorporate sun-safe behaviors into their daily activities.
*About SunWise* The SunWise Program is an environmental and health education program that aims to teach children and their families how to protect themselves from overexposure to the sun through the use of classroom-, school-, and community-based components. SunWise is the most widely used health education program in the U.S., with over 24,000 educators signed up to use the program.
For more information about SunWise, visit _www.epa.gov/sunwise_ or email _sunwise@epa.gov_.

Note: If a link above doesn’t work, please copy and paste the URL into a browser.

View all Region 4 Press Releases [ http://www.epa.gov/region4/news/index.html ]

You can view or update your subscriptions or e-mail address at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page [ https://service.govdelivery.com/service/user.html?code=USAEPA ]. All you will need is your e-mail address. If you have any questions or problems e-mail support@govdelivery.com for assistance.

This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [ http://www.epa.gov/ ].

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