Archive: February 14, 2020

WASHINGTON (February 14, 2020) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that it will exercise enforcement discretion regarding some aspects of operation of electric power generating units at Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) facilities that are necessary for supplying electricity to the people of Puerto Rico in the aftermath of recent earthquakes. Beginning in December 2019, Puerto Rico has experienced repeated earthquakes and aftershocks resulting in extreme damage to its power grid. On January 7, 2020, the Governor of Puerto Rico signed an Executive Order decreeing a state of emergency throughout Puerto Rico. On January 16, 2020, President Trump signed a major disaster declaration for Puerto Rico.

EPA has responded to certain requests by PREPA for “no action assurances” in order to operate certain of its generating units for more hours or in a manner not otherwise permitted by law in order to provide electric power to citizens and critical infrastructure in Puerto Rico, and to facilitate restoration of lost electrical service caused by the earthquakes. EPA will continue to work with PREPA to address issues arising from the earthquakes.

EPA policy allows the Agency to issue no action assurances in cases where it is necessary to avoid extreme risks to public health and safety and where no other mechanism can adequately address the matter. EPA believes that the exercise of enforcement discretion in these circumstances is in the public interest and will help address the emergency circumstances in Puerto Rico.

To learn more, visit: https://response.epa.gov/site/site_profile.aspx?site_id=14624

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WASHINGTON (14 de febrero de 2020) – La Agencia Federal de Protección Ambiental de los EE. UU. (EPA, por sus siglas en inglés) anunció hoy que ejercerá discreción para el cumplimiento con respecto a algunos aspectos de la operación de algunas unidades de generación de energia eléctrica en las instalaciones de la Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica de Puerto Rico (AEE) que son necesarios para abastecer de electricidad a la ciudadanía de Puerto Rico tras los recientes terremotos. A partir de diciembre de 2019, Puerto Rico ha sufrido reiterados terremotos y réplicas que han producido un daño extremo en su red eléctrica. El 7 de enero de 2020, el Gobernador de Puerto Rico firmó una Orden Ejecutiva decretando un estado de emergencia en todo Puerto Rico. El 16 de enero de 2020, el Presidente Trump firmó una declaración de desastre grave para Puerto Rico.

La EPA ha respondido a ciertas solicitudes de la AEE de dar “garantías de no tomar ninguna medida” fiscalizadora a fin de poder operar algunos de sus unidades generatrices durante más horas o de maneras que no estarían permitidas por la ley a fin de abastecer de energía eléctrica a los ciudadanos y a la infraestructura crítica en Puerto Rico, y para facilitar el restablecimiento del servicio eléctrico perdido provocado por los terremotos. La EPA continuará trabajando con la AEE para abordar problemas que surjan tras los terremotos.

La política de la EPA permite que la Agencia emita garantías de que no tomará medidas de fiscalización donde sea necesario para evitar riesgos extremos a la salud y la seguridad del público y donde ningún otro mecanismo pueda abordar adecuadamente el asunto. La EPA cree que el ejercicio de la discreción en las medidas de fiscalización en circunstancias como estas favorece al público y ayudará a abordar la situación de emergencia en Puerto Rico.

Para obtener más información, visite: https://response.epa.gov/site/site_profile.aspx?site_id=14624

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(Lenexa, Kan., Feb. 14, 2020) – As part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 50^th anniversary celebration, the agency has released its first-ever Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program annual report. Through 2019, the WIFIA program has financed more than $3.5 billion in loans, which has saved borrowers $1.2 billion dollars and has helped improve water quality for more than 20 million Americans. 

In Region 7, municipal governments have applied for hundreds of millions of dollars in loans to realize a total of $1.3 billion in drinking water or wastewater infrastructure improvement projects. These loans through the WIFIA program account for up to 49% of projected project costs. Communities may use other loan programs, including the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, to secure financing for the remainder of project costs. 

There are two projects currently under construction using funds secured through the WIFIA program: the Saddle Creek Retention Treatment Basin in Omaha, Neb.; and the Deer Creek Sanitary Tunnel and Sanitary Relief project in St. Louis, Mo. These projects cost $70 million and $97 million respectively.  In addition to these projects, a further six projects in Kansas and Missouri were recipients of WIFIA loan offerings. 

The Saddle Creek Retention Treatment Basin in Omaha, Neb., will be a partially underground structure where combined sewage is held and treated during wet weather events. The project is part of the city’s sewer system, which serves 400,000 people over 300 square miles in the Omaha area.

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will construct a new pump station and will replace or rehabilitate sewer pipes to address overflows and improve the water quality in Deer Creek. These projects will provide storage for excessive inflow and infiltration during wet weather events; regulate sanitary flow into the River Des Peres foul water system; allow for the removal of 24 constructed sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) outfalls into the Deer Creek channel; alleviate surcharging, basement backups; and meet Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) requirements.

“The WIFIA program’s success is a key component of President Trump’s efforts to modernize our nation’s aging infrastructure, strengthen public health protections, and create jobs,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “I have seen first-hand the impact this program has had on local communities in just a short amount of time. The WIFIA program has proven to be a tremendous tool in achieving environmental protections and fostering economic growth in communities across the country.”

“The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) provide for critical funding to states and local governments to finance important water quality improvement and water infrastructure projects,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Gulliford.  “EPA works collaboratively with state and local governments through these programs to protect our water resources and water quality for years to come.”

Established by Congress in 2014, the WIFIA program is an EPA federal loan and guarantee program focused on helping meet the growing water infrastructure needs in communities across the country. The program provides long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance to creditworthy drinking water and wastewater projects of national and regional significance.

WIFIA loans can finance a wide range of drinking water and wastewater projects, including traditional drinking water and wastewater treatment plants and conveyance systems, water recycling and desalination plants, drought prevention and mitigation projects, stormwater management, green infrastructure, non-point source pollution control and source-water protection. Eligible WIFIA borrowers include local, state, tribal, and federal government entities; partnerships and joint ventures; corporations and trusts; and State Revolving Fund programs.  

Through 2019, the WIFIA program has closed 14 loans ranging in size from $20.7 million to $699 million. Together, WIFIA has provided $3.5 billion in loans to help finance more than $8 billion for water infrastructure projects while creating more than 15,000 jobs. Of those projects, 57 percent directly support Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act compliance.

In 2019, EPA invited 38 new projects to apply for WIFIA loans, totaling approximately $6 billion to help finance over $12 billion in water infrastructure investments. These projects will help support key agency priorities, including reducing lead and emergent contaminants and developing water reuse and recycling capacity. Together, the selected projects will improve water quality for 24 million people in 18 states.

For more information on the WIFIA program and to read the WIFIA annual report, visit: https://www.epa.gov/wifia.

Learn more about EPA Region 7: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-7-midwest

Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion7

Follow us on Twitter: @EPARegion7

CONTACT: Jennah Durant or Joe Hubbard, [email protected] or 214 665-2200

DALLAS (Feb. 14, 2020) — Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gave an Environmental Justice Small Grant to the Pueblo of Zia for a solid waste project. The project, carried out by the Pueblo of Zia Department of Environmental Resources (DER) and the Zia Youth Environmental Collaboration, will address litter, illegal dumping, and scrap tire piles within Pueblo lands. Goals include teaching Pueblo youth to document and report solid waste concerns using photography, holding workshops on recycling and waste control, and organizing two community cleanup days.

“Environmental justice small grants can return big results for organizations that best know their communities and their needs,” said Regional Administrator Ken McQueen. “The DER’s creative outreach programs will help the Pueblo of Zia build awareness and strategically address solid waste issues.”

As part of the project, the DER will loan 20 cameras with GPS capability to Pueblo teens and young adults so they can document possible violations of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, such as excessive littering or illegal dumpsites. The DER will meet with the youth to evaluate their findings, including visits to the most detrimental sites to discuss effects on the environment as well as potential prevention measures. The DER will use the data to compile a database of illegal dumpsites and tire piles for future removal and monitoring.

Since its inception in 1994, EPA’s Environmental Justice Small Grants Program has awarded more than $26 million in funding to over 1,400 local and tribal organizations working with communities facing environmental justice issues. The Environmental Justice Small Grants Program supports and empowers communities working on solutions to local environmental and public health issues. The program is designed to help communities understand and address exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks. Environmental Justice Small Grants fund projects up to $30,000, depending on the availability of funds in a given year.

More information on the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program:  https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-small-grants-program

More on EPA’s work in New Mexico: https://www.epa.gov/nm

Connect with EPA Region 6:

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eparegion6 

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/EPAregion6

About EPA Region 6: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-6-south-central  

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