Don’t Forget to Post Your OSHA Injury and Illness Summary

As February 1 approaches, employers required to maintain an OSHA 300 injury and illness log should keep in mind that the 300A Summary sheet must be posted publicly from February 1 to April 30. The summary should be posted in work areas where employee notices are posted. Form 300A is a summary of injuries and illnesses that took place in 2017.

As February 1 approaches, employers required to maintain an OSHA 300 injury and illness log should keep in mind that the 300A Summary sheet must be posted publicly from February 1 to April 30. The summary should be posted in work areas where employee notices are posted. Form 300A is a summary of injuries and illnesses that took place in 2017. Work-related injuries and illness must be recorded if they result in death, loss of consciousness, days away from work, restricted work activity or job transfer, or medical treatment beyond first aid. Any work-related injuries that are deemed significant must also be recorded. These injuries include, but are not limited to, needlestick injuries and other cuts from sharp objects, punctured eardrums, and chronic diseases.

Employers in certain low-hazard industries or those with 10 or fewer employees in the previous year are not required to post the summary.

Atlanta Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for Hazardous Waste Management: The Complete Course and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Atlanta, on January 23-25 and save $100, or receive an Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet with electronic versions of both handbooks. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Indianapolis Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for Hazardous Waste Management: The Complete Course and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Indianapolis on January 30-February 1 and save $100, or receive an Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet with electronic versions of both handbooks. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Tampa Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for Hazardous Waste Management: The Complete Course and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Tampa, FL, on February 5-8 and save $100, or receive an Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet with electronic versions of both handbooks. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Safe Driving Practices for Older Workers

You know that older workers bring skills, experience, and a respect for the rules to the workplace. But what about the driving? According to NIOSH "older drivers are more likely than their younger counterparts to adopt safe behaviors such as wearing a seatbelt and complying with speed limits." However, NIOSH says those 55 and above are twice as likely to die in a work-related crash than other workers.

Motor vehicle crashes account for 32% of all work-related deaths among workers 55 and older. A number of age-related conditions affect driving behavior. For example, diabetes, which can cause blood sugar levels to spike or drop, can cause sleepiness, dizziness, confusion, seizures, or loss of consciousness. Arthritis, which causes painful swollen joints, can limit movement of the shoulders, hands, head, and neck.

The following age-related changes can also affect driving ability:

* Eyesight - Older eyes need more light and more time to adjust when lighting changes. That makes it hard to see clearly at dawn, dusk, and at night. Peripheral vision can also decline with age, which increases driving risk. Eye diseases like cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration are more common with age. Those conditions can make it hard for older drivers to read signs and see colors.

* Hearing - Age-related hearing loss makes it harder for drivers to hear horns, sirens, and noises from cars, warning of possible danger.

* Motor skills - Skills considered essential for safe driving may decline with age. Examples are physical strength, range of motion, flexibility, and coordination.

* Mental skills - Memory, attention span, judgment, and quick reaction times, all considered essential for safe driving, can diminish with age. As a result, older drivers can feel overwhelmed by signs, signals, vehicles, and pedestrians.

NIOSH recommends the following practices to address these and other risks to older drivers:

* Require use of seat belts at all times for everyone in the vehicle.

* Plan and manage travel. For example, permit employees to consult with supervisors or adjust their driving hours if they have trouble seeing at night.

* Prevent distracted driving. Ban texting and use of handheld phones while employees are driving. Consider banning hands-free devices as well.

* Prevent drowsy driving. Allow for breaks during the work shift. If employees are too tired, permit them to take a brief nap. Promote a work environment that reduces stress, which can affect sleep. Advise employees about sleep disorders and other conditions that can lead to sleepiness.

The post Don’t Forget to Post Your OSHA Injury and Illness Summary appeared first on Environmental Resource Center.

EPA’s Annual Regulatory Plan Released

The EPA, along with the rest of the federal government, released its Semiannual Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions and Regulatory Plan. The Semiannual Regulatory Agenda provides updates to the public about regulatory activity to support EPA’s core mission to protect human health and the environment.

The EPA, along with the rest of the federal government, released its Semiannual Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions and Regulatory Plan. The Semiannual Regulatory Agenda provides updates to the public about regulatory activity to support EPA’s core mission to protect human health and the environment. The latest Regulatory Plan describes the 13 most significant regulatory priorities the Agency expects to propose or finalize in the upcoming year.

"EPA’s plan balances its statutory requirements to issue regulations and its commitment to providing regulatory certainty through improvements to existing regulations that were flawed, outdated, ineffective, or unnecessarily burdensome," said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.

Notably, EPA’s Regulatory Agenda and Plan demonstrates the Agency’s progress in implementing President Trump’s executive orders on regulatory reform. For Fiscal Year 2017 - consistent with Executive Order 13771-EPA finalized two deregulatory actions for each final regulatory action and did not impose any new net costs on the U.S. economy.

As required by Executive Order 12866, the Semiannual Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions and Regulatory Plan was released as part of the government-wide Unified Agenda. The agenda outlines 26 actions appearing for the first time and 54 deregulatory actions.

EPA’s plan describes regulatory and deregulatory actions that are under development or review and rules expected to be proposed or finalized with the next year.

EPA’s latest Regulatory Plan describes the 13 most significant regulations the Agency expects to propose or finalize in the upcoming year. EPA’s Fall 2017 Regulatory Agenda includes 101 active actions (e.g., actions with a projected stage within the next 12 months).

Among the actions in the latest Regulatory Agenda and Plan:

* 26 actions are appearing for the first time

* 54 actions are deregulatory

* To access EPA’s Fall 2017 Semiannual Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions and Regulatory Plan, please see: https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/regulatory-agendas-and-regulatory-plans.

In addition to the release of the Fall 2017 Semiannual Agenda, EPA is announcing the launch of a new online website that will provide the public with information about EPA rules that are being repealed or modified. This website will include all EPA actions that meet the criteria of a deregulatory action as described in Executive Order 13771 and have been classified as a deregulatory action by EPA following a robust public participation process this summer. This website will be accessible in the coming weeks through EPA’s regulatory reform webpage: https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/regulatory-reform.

These actions directly support Administrator Pruitt’s goal of refocusing EPA on its core mission of protecting the nation’s air, water and land while reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens on the American people.

Raleigh RCRA and DOT Training

Register for Hazardous Waste Management: The Complete Course and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Raleigh, NC, on January 8-10 and save $100. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Anaheim Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for California Hazardous Waste Management and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Anaheim, CA, on January 9-11 and save $100. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Atlanta Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for Hazardous Waste Management: The Complete Course and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Atlanta, GA, on January 23-25 and save $100. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Recommendations for Wildfire Emergency Cleanup

Ash, charred debris, and other contaminated materials from burned structures may contain hazardous wastes. To minimize exposure to emergency personnel, the general public, and workers involved with restoration efforts, and to minimize dispersion to the air and run-off to surrounding surface waters, the ash and contaminated debris should be cleaned up and contained as quickly as possible. Actions taken to immediately mitigate and contain and control hazardous waste releases are exempt from hazardous waste permit requirements (22 CCR 66270.1(c)(3)(A)) after the Governor has declared the county in a State of Emergency. This document provides general guidance for the management of these materials. This guidance applies only to the emergency actions taken to clean up, contain and dispose of the ash and debris from the burn structures. This guidance does not apply to long term restoration activities.

During emergency cleanup efforts, restoration workers must evaluate readily identifiable hazardous wastes and determine if they can be safely segregated and managed separately from the ash and debris. If hazardous material cannot be separated safely, it is permissible to contain and dispose of these materials with the ash and contaminated debris. Uncontaminated and unburned hazardous materials (i.e., hazardous materials with smoke damage from partially burned structures) should not be commingled with ash and debris. These materials should be segregated and directed to local hazardous waste collection programs. See DTSC emergency guidance on the collection of hazardous wastes from burned areas at www.dtsc.ca.gov.

The post EPA Given 90 Days to Update Lead Paint Rules appeared first on Environmental Resource Center.

Continued Innovation Brings High Fuel Economy in U.S.

The EPA issued two annual reports that provide information on fuel economy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from light duty vehicles in the United States. The reports show auto manufacturers continue to innovate and make progress increasing fuel economy and reducing pollution.

The EPA issued two annual reports that provide information on fuel economy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from light duty vehicles in the United States. The reports show auto manufacturers continue to innovate and make progress increasing fuel economy and reducing pollution.

The Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975-2017 report is the authoritative reference for real world fuel economy, technology trends and tailpipe carbon dioxide emissions, for new personal vehicles sold in the U.S. every year since 1975. The report shows fuel economy for the U.S. fleet continues to improve. Model year (MY) 2016 vehicle fuel economy was 24.7 mpg, slightly higher than MY 2015, and a record high overall. Since MY 2004, fuel economy and CO2 emissions have improved in ten out of twelve years.

The Manufacturer Performance Report assesses compliance performance for individual automakers and for the U.S. fleet as a whole with the GHG emissions standards for light duty vehicles. This year’s report shows all manufacturers are in compliance with the standards.

EPA, DOT, and CARB implement coordinated regulations for passenger cars and light trucks on fuel economy and GHG emissions.

Atlanta Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for Hazardous Waste Management: The Complete Course and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Atlanta, on January 23-25 and save $100 or receive an Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet with electronic versions of both handbooks. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Indianapolis Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for Hazardous Waste Management: The Complete Course and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Indianapolis on January 30-February 1 and save $100 or receive an Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet with electronic versions of both handbooks. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Tampa Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for Hazardous Waste Management: The Complete Course and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Tampa, FL, on February 5-8 and save $100 or receive an Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet with electronic versions of both handbooks. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

USDOT Announces Initiative to Modernize Data Analysis and Drive Down Fatalities

The DOT is launching a multi-model initiative, including two pilot programs to modernize its data analysis and integrate its traditional datasets with new "big data" sources to gain insights into transportation safety.

"Advances in data science have the potential to transform the Department’s approach to safety research and provide insights that can help improve highway safety," said DOT Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy Derek Kan announced the initiative at the Transportation Research Board Conference on January 8th.

One pilot project will integrate established data on known crashes and highway design with anonymous data from GPS-enabled devices that provides prevailing speeds at 5-minute intervals across the entire National Highway System. For the first time, the Department will be able to look directly at prevailing operating speeds at a large scale to see how speed and speed differentials interact with roadway characteristics to influence the likelihood of crashes. Every year speeding is a contributing factor in traffic fatalities, and in 2016 10,111 roadway deaths involved speed. The pilot will also look at the role of speed in rural incidents.

The second pilot project will integrate traffic crash data with data from the crowd-sourced app Waze on traffic hazards and conditions. This initiative will examine the feasibility of using this new crowd-sourcing application to provide a reliable, timely indicator of reportable traffic crashes, and estimate crash risk based on Waze-reported hazards.

Together, these pilot projects represent a new approach to data analysis that will seek to augment traditional data sources with new data that can be collected and analyzed much more quickly. This approach will create new multi-dimensional models of the transportation system. The initial focus of the effort is on gaining insights that will help drive down highway fatalities.

Michigan Tackles PFAS Contamination, Strengthens Environmental Criteria

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) announced it has developed a drinking water criterion for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). The residential and nonresidential drinking water criterion is 0.07 �g/L (70 parts per trillion) for the combined concentrations of PFOA and PFOS, which sets an official state standard for acceptable concentrations of these contaminants in ground water used for drinking water purposes.

The combined criterion took effect January 10, 2018. Previously there has been no level set in state criteria.

"This new standard allows us to take regulatory enforcement actions, something we have not been able to do absent a state criterion." said Heidi Grether, DEQ director. "This means we will now have tools to mandate a responsible party conduct activities to address PFOA and PFOS contamination, thereby reducing risk to human health and the environment."

With the new criterion, the department can now issue violation notices and take legal action against any responsible party who doesn’t comply with the state’s clean up rules.

"Our philosophy is that we expect responsible parties to voluntarily comply with state clean up criteria, which is why we work in close collaboration with them to help bring them into compliance," said Grether. "This rule update allows us the proper enforcement tools to ensure state law is met on the occasion that we need them, should compliance become a challenge."

The legal basis for development of the generic cleanup criteria is Part 201, Environmental Remediation, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended, and the Part 201 administrative rules. Rule provisions [R 299.6(9) et al] allow the department to determine that a substance not listed in the generic cleanup criteria tables is a hazardous substance using best available information about toxicological and physical-chemical properties of the substance, and to use that information to develop a generic criterion. The new criterion developed pursuant to these rules take effect when published and announced by the MDEQ.

The PFOA and PFOS drinking water criterion is set at the lifetime health advisory value presented in the United States Environmental Protection Agency Drinking Water Health Advisories for Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), EPA 822-R-16-005, May 2016 and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), EPA 822-R-16-004, May 2016. Compliance with the drinking water criterion requires comparing the sum of the PFOA and PFOS groundwater concentrations to the drinking water criterion of 0.07 �g/L. The drinking water criterion for PFOA and PFOS protect for both short-term developmental and chronic exposures.

Last fall Governor Snyder issued Executive Directive 2017-4 creating the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team MPART) to address the need for cooperation and coordination among agencies at all levels of government charged with identifying PFAS contamination, informing and empowering the public, and mitigating the potential effects. Particularly in view of the current lack of nationwide best practices, the directive serves to set a strategic and proactive approach for the state with this emerging contaminant. The MDEQ has been a key agency in the discovery and investigation of PFAS sites around the state with the goal of mitigating potential risk to public health and identifying immediate and long-term solutions to this issue.

"While PFAS is a national issue, we are determined to continue studying this emerging science until we are assured that Michigan’s communities are safe from this contaminant," said Grether.

Listening Sessions Announced on Proposed Repeal of Clean Power Plan

The EPA announced the dates for three public listening sessions on the proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan:

February 21, 2018 - Kansas City, MO

February 28, 2018 - San Francisco, CA

March 27, 2018 - Gillette, WY

"In response to significant interest surrounding the proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan and the success of the West Virginia hearing, we will now hold listening sessions across the country to ensure all stakeholders have an opportunity to provide input," said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.

Contact: Registration information and more details will be posted at: https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/electric-utility-generating-units-repealing-clean-power-plan. Pre-registration to provide an oral presentation will begin when the notice is published in the Federal Register and close one week prior to each session.

With the publication of an upcoming Federal Register notice, EPA will re-open the public comment period for the proposed repeal through April 26, 2018 and provide further details on the listening sessions. Written statements and supporting information submitted while the public comment period is open will be considered with the same weight as any oral comments and supporting information presented at the listening sessions. Comments should be identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0355 and may be submitted by one of the methods listed on the Clean Power Plan Proposed Repeal: How to Comment web page.

The post Continued Innovation Brings High Fuel Economy in U.S. appeared first on Environmental Resource Center.

Electronic Hazardous Waste Manifest to Go Live on June 30

On January 3, EPA published a final rule in the Federal Register that spells out how user fees for electronic and paper hazardous waste manifests will be submitted. After the e-Manifest system's implementation date, facilities that receive hazardous waste (such as permitted treatment, storage, and disposal facilities) will be required to pay a prescribed fee for each electronic and paper manifest and submit the fee to the national e-Manifest system so that EPA can recover the costs of developing and operating the system. The only exception to this requirement is for rejected shipments, when TSDFs return shipments to generators. In these cases, the rejecting TSDF is responsible for the payment of the fee for the return manifest

This final rule also announced that EPA expects the new e-Manifest system to be operational on June 8, of this year. EPA will begin accepting manifest submissions and collecting the corresponding manifest submission fees on this date. Although the fee structure has not been finalized, EPA has initially estimated the following fees, with the highest rates applying to mailed paper manifests:

Mailed paper $20.00 (per manifest)

Image upload $13.00

Data file upload $7.00

Electronic $4.00

The final rule also made changes not related to fees including modifications to the existing regulations to: allow changes to the transporters designated on a manifest while the shipment is en route; describe how data corrections may be made to existing manifest records in the system; and amend the previous e-Manifest regulation (the One Year Rule) to allow the use, in certain instances, of a mixed paper and electronic manifest to track a hazardous waste shipment.

The rule will become effective on June 30, 2018. Learn more about the new manifest at Environmental Resource Center’s live webcast.

Atlanta Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for Hazardous Waste Management: The Complete Course and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Atlanta, on January 23-25 and save $100 or receive an Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet with electronic versions of both handbooks. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Indianapolis Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for Hazardous Waste Management: The Complete Course and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Indianapolis on January 30 - February 1 and save $100 or receive an Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet with electronic versions of both handbooks. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Tampa Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for Hazardous Waste Management: The Complete Course and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Tampa, FL, on February 5-8 and save $100 or receive an Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet with electronic versions of both handbooks. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

The post Electronic Hazardous Waste Manifest to Go Live on June 30 appeared first on Environmental Resource Center.

EPA’s Annual Regulatory Plan Released

The EPA, along with the rest of the federal government, released its Semiannual Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions and Regulatory Plan. The Semiannual Regulatory Agenda provides updates to the public about regulatory activity to support EPA’s core mission to protect human health and the environment.

The EPA, along with the rest of the federal government, released its Semiannual Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions and Regulatory Plan. The Semiannual Regulatory Agenda provides updates to the public about regulatory activity to support EPA’s core mission to protect human health and the environment. The latest Regulatory Plan describes the 13 most significant regulatory priorities the Agency expects to propose or finalize in the upcoming year.

"EPA’s plan balances its statutory requirements to issue regulations and its commitment to providing regulatory certainty through improvements to existing regulations that were flawed, outdated, ineffective, or unnecessarily burdensome," said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.

Notably, EPA’s Regulatory Agenda and Plan demonstrates the Agency’s progress in implementing President Trump’s executive orders on regulatory reform. For Fiscal Year 2017 - consistent with Executive Order 13771-EPA finalized two deregulatory actions for each final regulatory action and did not impose any new net costs on the U.S. economy.

As required by Executive Order 12866, the Semiannual Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions and Regulatory Plan was released as part of the government-wide Unified Agenda. The agenda outlines 26 actions appearing for the first time and 54 deregulatory actions.

EPA’s plan describes regulatory and deregulatory actions that are under development or review and rules expected to be proposed or finalized with the next year.

EPA’s latest Regulatory Plan describes the 13 most significant regulations the Agency expects to propose or finalize in the upcoming year. EPA’s Fall 2017 Regulatory Agenda includes 101 active actions (e.g., actions with a projected stage within the next 12 months).

Among the actions in the latest Regulatory Agenda and Plan:

* 26 actions are appearing for the first time

* 54 actions are deregulatory

* To access EPA’s Fall 2017 Semiannual Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions and Regulatory Plan, please see: https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/regulatory-agendas-and-regulatory-plans.

In addition to the release of the Fall 2017 Semiannual Agenda, EPA is announcing the launch of a new online website that will provide the public with information about EPA rules that are being repealed or modified. This website will include all EPA actions that meet the criteria of a deregulatory action as described in Executive Order 13771 and have been classified as a deregulatory action by EPA following a robust public participation process this summer. This website will be accessible in the coming weeks through EPA’s regulatory reform webpage: https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/regulatory-reform.

These actions directly support Administrator Pruitt’s goal of refocusing EPA on its core mission of protecting the nation’s air, water and land while reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens on the American people.

Raleigh RCRA and DOT Training

Register for Hazardous Waste Management: The Complete Course and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Raleigh, NC, on January 8-10 and save $100. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Anaheim Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for California Hazardous Waste Management and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Anaheim, CA, on January 9-11 and save $100. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Atlanta Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for Hazardous Waste Management: The Complete Course and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Atlanta, GA, on January 23-25 and save $100. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Recommendations for Wildfire Emergency Cleanup

Ash, charred debris, and other contaminated materials from burned structures may contain hazardous wastes. To minimize exposure to emergency personnel, the general public, and workers involved with restoration efforts, and to minimize dispersion to the air and run-off to surrounding surface waters, the ash and contaminated debris should be cleaned up and contained as quickly as possible. Actions taken to immediately mitigate and contain and control hazardous waste releases are exempt from hazardous waste permit requirements (22 CCR 66270.1(c)(3)(A)) after the Governor has declared the county in a State of Emergency. This document provides general guidance for the management of these materials. This guidance applies only to the emergency actions taken to clean up, contain and dispose of the ash and debris from the burn structures. This guidance does not apply to long term restoration activities.

During emergency cleanup efforts, restoration workers must evaluate readily identifiable hazardous wastes and determine if they can be safely segregated and managed separately from the ash and debris. If hazardous material cannot be separated safely, it is permissible to contain and dispose of these materials with the ash and contaminated debris. Uncontaminated and unburned hazardous materials (i.e., hazardous materials with smoke damage from partially burned structures) should not be commingled with ash and debris. These materials should be segregated and directed to local hazardous waste collection programs. See DTSC emergency guidance on the collection of hazardous wastes from burned areas at www.dtsc.ca.gov.

The post EPA Given 90 Days to Update Lead Paint Rules appeared first on Environmental Resource Center.

EPA Given 90 Days to Update Lead Paint Rules

A federal court ordered EPA to propose a new rule on hazardous lead levels in paint and household dust within the next 90 days -- not the six years proposed by the Trump administration.

While lead paint was banned in the United States 40 years ago, older coatings remain on the walls and ceilings of many of the nation's homes, where it can be breathed in and endanger children's development.

The new expedited order "is going to protect the brains of thousands of children across the country," Eve Gartner, a staff attorney for Earthjustice, told The New York Times. Earthjustice helped argue the case for organizations that support tougher standards.

"It's going to mean that children that otherwise would have developed very elevated blood lead levels will be protected from the damage associated with that, assuming EPA follows the court order," she said.

The new 2-to-1 decision came from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in San Francisco. Earlier, the Obama administration had proposed a six-year delay on revisions to lead paint rules, a move the court had called unreasonable.

"Indeed EPA itself has acknowledged that 'lead poisoning is the number one environmental health threat in the U.S. for children ages 6 and younger,' and that the current standards are insufficient," the ruling said, adding, "The children exposed to lead poisoning due to the failure of EPA to act are severely prejudiced by EPA's delay."

An agency spokesman said the EPA is reviewing the court's decision, and would not say if the agency planned to appeal or seek review with the Supreme Court.

Anaheim Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for California Hazardous Waste Management and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Anaheim, CA, on January 9-11 and save $100. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Atlanta Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for Hazardous Waste Management: The Complete Course and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Atlanta, GA, on January 23-25 and save $100. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Indianapolis Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for Hazardous Waste Management: The Complete Course and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Indianapolis, IN on January 30 – February 1 and save $100. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

EPA to Publish State Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Existing Electric Utility Generating Units

In light of the EPA’s proposed repeal of the Agency's Clean Power Plan (82 FR 48035, October 16, 2017, EPA has issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes on a potential new rule establishing emission guidelines for greenhouse gas emissions from existing electrical generating units. In the ANPR, the Agency requested comment on the roles, responsibilities, and limitations of the federal government, state governments, and regulated entities in developing and implementing such a rule, and asked for information regarding the appropriate scope of such a rule and associated technologies and approaches.

According to the ANPR, EPA will propose publication of guideline documents for use by the States, with that guideline document containing, among other things, an  emission guideline that reflects the Best System of Emission Reduction (BSER), as determined by the Agency, for the category of existing sources being regulated. The guideline documents will provide information for the development of State plans, such as, an emission guideline that reflects the application of the BSER (considering the cost of such reduction) that has been adequately demonstrated.

Guidelines for Shipping Lithium Batteries

In their continuing effort to improve safety, the DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the U.S. Postal Service  recently collaborated and rolled out a set of safety guidelines for mailing lithium batteries. Everyone that ships lithium batteries and electronic devices containing lithium batteries must be aware that certain requirements must be met to ensure safety. Both agencies are responsible for enforcing the safety standards regarding the appropriate labeling and shipment of hazardous materials under PHMSA’s Hazardous Materials Regulations for the safe transportation of lithium batteries in commerce. Go here for a copy of the safety guidelines.

New Cautions Against Refilling DOT 39 Cylinders

With safety as its primary mission, PHMSA produced and launched a YouTube video and poster that cautions you to never refill DOT 39 cylinders, such as the 1 lb. cylinders used for camping. While many types of propane cylinders are designed to be refilled, a DOT 39 cylinder of any size is strictly non-refillable. Hazardous materials incidents involving refilled DOT 39 cylinders, have been reported and include one fatality. If you have any questions about refilling any cylinder, please contact a qualified refiller, or PHMSA’s HAZMAT Info Center at 1-800-467-4922, https://www.phmsa.dot.gov, or e-mail: infocntr@dot.gov

Revised Wool Fiberglass Manufacturing NESHAP

EPA has completed its final residual risk and technology reviews for the Wool Fiberglass Manufacturing source category regulated under the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP). As a result of the review, the Agency has readopted the existing emission limits for formaldehyde, established new emission limits for methanol, and a work practice standard for phenol emissions from bonded rotary spin  lines at wool fiberglass manufacturing facilities. In addition, the EPA revised the emission standards promulgated on July 29, 2015, for flame attenuation (FA) lines at wool fiberglass manufacturing facilities by creating three subcategories of FA lines and established emission limits for formaldehyde and methanol emissions, and either emission limits or work practice standards for phenol emissions for each subcategory of FA lines.  The revised NESHAP became effective on the date of December 26, 2017, the date it was published in the Federal Register.

Environmental Impact of Severe Winter Weather

What you do during severe winter conditions and cold can create certain environmental problems, indoors or out.

What homeowners can do - gasoline-powered generators provide emergency electricity, but generators also release deadly carbon monoxide (CO).

What companies, municipalities and airports can do - deicing chemicals improve safe transportation on roads or airplanes, but misused chemicals can also contaminate waterways or drinking water sources.

Around your home:

People get sick or die each year from carbon monoxide or "CO" poisoning due to unsafe use of generators.

• Generator exhaust is toxic. Always put generators outside well away from doors, windows, and vents. Never use a generator inside homes, garages, crawlspaces, sheds, or similar areas. Carbon monoxide (CO) is deadly, can build up quickly, and linger for hours.
• Never try to heat your home using a combustion appliance such as a gas stove, oven, barbeque grill, or dryer. Never operate any gas-burning heater or other appliance in a poorly vented or closed room, or where you are sleeping.

Highways and Walkways

• Use de-icers that are safer for the environment.
• Road Salt Application and Storage: Application and storage of deicing materials, most commonly salts such as sodium chloride, can lead to water quality problems for surrounding areas. Municipalities in areas with snowfall that requires deicing must ensure proper storage for materials such as road salts.
• Application Practices – See the results of this study about minimizing the loss to the environment of chemicals used in controlling snow and ice on highways.

Airports

• Airport deicing effluent guidelines - Airports are required to obtain stormwater discharge permits and ensure that wastewater associated with the deicing of airfield pavement at commercial airports from deicing operations is properly managed.
• Storm Water Technology Fact Sheet: Airplane Deicing Fluid Recovery Systems (PDF) - This describes the recovery of spent ethylene glycol or propylene glycol through a three-stage process typically consisting of filtration, contaminant removal, and distillation.

Post originally published on https://www.ercweb.com/tips/show/epa-given-90-days-to-update-lead-paint-rules

Waters of the United States Redefinition Delayed

The EPA and U.S. Department of the Army have proposed to extend the effective date of the 2015 rule defining “waters of the United States.”  The agencies are proposing that the 2015 rule would not go into effect until two years after this action is finalized and published in the Federal Register. The rule, developed by the Obama’s administration, has been held up in 13 courts nationwide and faces a date in the U.S. Supreme Court.

This action follows the February 28, 2017, Presidential Executive Order on "Restoring the Rule of Law, Federalism, and Economic Growth by Reviewing the 'Waters of the United States' Rule." The February Order states that it is in the national interest to ensure that the Nation's navigable waters are kept free from pollution, while at the same time promoting economic growth, minimizing regulatory uncertainty, and showing due regard for the roles of Congress and the States under the Constitution.

The agencies’ proposal is separate from the two-step process the agencies propose to take to reconsider the 2015 rule. The comment period for the Step 1 rule closed in September and the agencies are currently working to review the comments received from the public. The agencies are also in the process of holding listening sessions with stakeholders as EPA and the Army Corps work to develop a proposed Step 2 rule that would revise the definition of “waters of the United States.”

The agencies will be collecting public comment on this proposal for 21 days after publication in the Federal Register and plan to move quickly to take final action in early 2018.

Additional information on this proposal and how to comment are available at this link: http://www.epa.gov/wotus-rule.

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Post originally published on https://www.ercweb.com/tips/show/waters-of-the-unites-states-redefinition-delayed