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F. X. Browne, Inc.'s

Sustainable Environments

May 2010

Photo taken by Lisen Cummings in Bucks County, PA
(Geranium maculatum, Wild Geranium)

~Sitting quietly,

doing nothing,

spring comes,

and the grass grows by itself~

~ Zen Proverb

EPA Releases Review of Federal Drinking Water Standards and Proposes New Strategy for Protecting Drinking Water

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completed the second review of the National Primary Drinking Water regulations under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).  They published the findings in the Federal Register on March 29, 2010.  They found that out of 71 existing  regulations for contaminants, 4 are in need of revision.  This includes regulations governing acrylamide, epichlorohydrin, tetrachloroethylene, and trichloroethylene.  A new drinking water protection strategy was announced by EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and includes addressing contaminants as a group, fostering new drinking water treatment technologies, using the authority of multiple statutes, and partnering with states to share data.

For more information, visit http://www.epa.gov/safewater/sdwa/dwstrategy.html

For information on the six-year review, visit http://www.epa.gov/safewater/review.html

EPA Initiates Hydraulic Fracturing Study

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will perform a scientific study to determine the potential impact hydraulic fracturing has on water quality, public health, and the environment.  Hydraulic fracturing is used to release natural gas buried in shale formations.  The study will determine the safety of this technique, and help develop future policies and regulations.  For information on hydraulic fracturing, visit http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw000/uic/wells_hydrofrac.html 

For more information on the EPA Science Advisory Board, visit http://www.epa.gov/sab

EPA Proposes “Next Generation” Storm Water Controls in Clean Water Permit for Washington D.C. - Enhanced Protections for the Anacostia River and Chesapeake Bay

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a proposed permit to the District of Columbia requiring them to continue improving their Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program for controlling stormwater runoff.  The permit requires the District to take steps that were not required by the old permit issued in 2004.  They will have to promote low impact development and green infrastructure, complying with strict discharge limits, increased monitoring of total maximum daily loading (TMDL), and controlling and reducing trash.  The EPA is accepting comments until June 4, 2010. 

EPA News Release, April 21, 2010

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/ECF0FC0431AFBF0B8525770C006EA74B

For more information about Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) visit http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/munic.cfm

EPA Orders 79 Municipalities in South Central Pennsylvania to Improve Stormwater Management

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has sent orders to 79 municipalities in PA requiring improvements to their Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) programs.  The municipalities will have to correct problems with their MS4 programs and come into compliance with their Clean Water Act permits.  For a list of the municipalities affected, visit the link below. 

EPA News Release (Region 3), April 23, 2010-05-04

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/0048DBEB354B9EF98525770E0059E0F7

For more information about Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) visit http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/munic.cfm
 

PA Must Take Action to Protect Water Resources from Drilling Wastewater, Other Sources of TDS Pollution: Proposed Rules will Help Keep Drinking Water, Streams and Rivers Clean

Natural gas drilling, abandoned mine drainage, agricultural runoff, industrial or sewage treatment plant discharges, and other sources of pollution create high levels of total dissolved solids (TDS) pollution that threaten our streams and aquatic life.  There have been recent examples of elevated TDS pollution in the Monongahela River (a major drinking water source) and Dunkard Creek, which caused destruction of 26 miles of the river in PA.  TDS is a measure of elements dissolved in water including carbonates, chlorides, sulfates, nitrates, sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.  PA DEP Secretary John Hanger believes that the rules must be strengthened to protect our waterways. 

PA DEP News Release, April 6, 2010
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/newsroom/14287?id=10349&typeid=1

EPA Issues Comprehensive Guidance to Protect Appalachian Communities from Harmful Environmental Impacts of Mountaintop Mining

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a set of actions to clarify and improve environmental permitting for Appalachian mountaintop removal and surface coal mining projects to protect the local community’s water quality and environment.  Mountaintop mining uses explosives to access coal, which can harm water quality and ecosystems.  The EPA is providing clarified and improved guidance, providing two scientific reports on the aquatic impacts and levels of conductivity, and creating a permit tracking website.  The EPA will accept public comments on the new guidance, which will be effective immediately on an interim basis. 

For more information, and to view the documents, visit http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/guidance/mining.html

For the full press release, visit http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d0cf6618525a9efb85257359003fb69d/
4145c96189a17239852576f8005867bd!OpenDocument