Air quality data monitored during 2010 were similar to 2009 data.  Air quality was either good or moderate more than 91 percent of the time throughout Illinois, compared to 96 percent in 2009. There were 32 days in 2010 when air quality in some part of Illinois was considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups;” this compares to 13 days in 2009 that were “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” 

The Illinois EPA maintains a network of 80 air quality monitoring sites with more than 200 instruments throughout the state.  The monitoring network is strategically designed to identify air pollution trends.  The data collected are then used to keep the public informed and to identify potential need for change in the Agency’s approach to air pollution regulations.

The report shows that air quality trends for criteria pollutants, pollutants for which air quality standards have been developed (particulate matter 10 and 2.5, ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and lead) along with some heavy metals, nitrates, sulfates, volatile organic and toxic compounds, are continuing to show downward or stable trends that are well below the established standards. 

From 2001 through 2010, the data show decreases in pollutants across the board, including: 25 percent for particulate matter (PM₁₀), 24 percent for smaller particulates (PM_2.5), 43 percent for sulfur dioxide, 25 percent for nitrogen dioxide, 52 percent for carbon monoxide, 33 percent for lead and 19 percent for ozone.

Illinois’ data system ranks as one of the best in the nation, with over 90 percent efficiency, in the collection of high quality data.  This high efficiency rate guarantees that the network is providing Illinois EPA and the public with a complete and accurate description of air quality in Illinois.

###

Illinois EPA Releases Air Quality Report for 2010 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

SPRINGFIELD—Illinois EPA Interim Director Lisa Bonnett has announced the award of nearly $3.5 million to 13 organizations across the state to help reduce impairment to water quality caused by nonpoint source pollution.  The list of recipients is attached.

Nonpoint source pollution is defined as the diffuse, intermittent runoff of pollutants from numerous sources.  As rainfall and snowmelt flows over and through the soils, it picks up pollutants and carries them into rivers, lakes, wetlands and into the groundwater.

“When it comes to preserving and improving our water resources, we must all work together,” said Illinois EPA Interim Director Lisa Bonnett.  “Our local partners play a critical role in controlling nonpoint source pollution and protecting our waterways.”

Major sources that contribute to Illinois’ nonpoint source pollution problems are agricultural runoff, construction site runoff, urban runoff, streambank and lake shoreline erosion, stream channelization, wetland loss and mining activities.  According to the U.S. EPA, over 60 percent of the national documented water pollution problems can be traced to nonpoint sources.

These grants are available each year to local government and other organizations and the projects must address water quality issues relating directly to nonpoint source pollution. Funds can be used for the implementation of watershed management plans including the development of information and education programs and for the installation of best management practices.

Illinois EPA receives federal funds through Section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act annually to help implement Illinois’ Nonpoint Source Management Program, including this Grant Program.   The program implementation period is two years unless otherwise approved and is a reimbursement program.  Illinois EPA received a total of 63 applications for this year’s grant cycle. 

Illinois EPA Awards Water Quality Improvement Grants | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

SPRINGFIELD— The Illinois EPA has cited a landfill, three haulers and a wastewater treatment plant for violations of the Environmental Protection Act, as it relates to solid waste management and proper waste disposal. While several paperwork violations are being alleged, the violations focus on the leachate that the landfill sent to the wastewater treatment plant over the last three years.

Violation notices were sent to the owner and certified operator of Southern Illinois Regional Landfill, Inc. the Village of Elkville’s waste water treatment plant and three area haulers: Freedom Transfer Corporation, Freedom TNT, Inc. and Barr Trucking, Inc.

Proper tracking and reporting of wastes that go into and are removed from a landfill is essential in ensuring the safety of the public and surrounding environment.  In this case, critical types and quantities of wastes were not documented, and required manifests were not completed to track the transport of wastes.  In addition, other required information such as hauler numbers, emergency phone numbers and inspection reports were not included.  These and other violations were identified in March 2011 inspections.

Illinois law requires each cited party to submit a written response to the Illinois EPA, in the form of a proposed Compliance Commitment Agreement, within 45 days of receiving the violation notice.  This submission can include a request for a meeting with the Agency.  The proposal should explain how the alleged violations occurred and propose a resolution for preventing them from recurring, along with a schedule for the completion of the resolution.

Illinois EPA Cites Landfill, Haulers and Treatment Plant for Numerous Disposal Related Violations – Inspection revealed improper waste tracking, inadequate reporting practices and poor record keeping | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

These sites, which are located in an Environmental Justice area, have been the location of chronic open dumping for many years.

The Illinois EPA is using funds from its Used Tire Cleanup Program to remove and properly dispose of waste tires first from the 500 block of North 20th Street site in East St. Louis on Wednesday.

When that removal action is completed, they will move to the 6881 Forest Blvd. site in Washington Park.

Illinois EPA expects each cleanup to take about three days, depending on weather conditions.

“The disregard for the law by illegal dumpers not only puts the public at risk, it harms property values and affects the quality of life of the citizens who live near them,” said Illinois EPA Interim Director Lisa Bonnett.

This removal action will be conducted using monies from the Used Tire Management Fund. The Illinois EPA is able to provide financial assistance to some units of local government for waste tire removal actions. The Illinois EPA is conducting a limited number of waste tire removal actions in Environmental Justice areas where because of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, income, age, or gender, exposure to greater environmental impact may exist or happen. It is also working with these units of local government to curtail the chronic illegal dumping activities occurring in these communities through enhanced patrolling, community education/action, surveillance and enforcement.

In addition, the Agency is stepping up its enforcement against chronic waste tire dumpers and other open dumping violators. House Bill 2001, which recently passed the Illinois House of Representatives and is now under consideration by the Senate, increases the penalties for this type of violation from a misdemeanor to a felony.
The Environmental Protection Act currently allows state and local law enforcement to issue citations of up to $1500 for each violation, including causing or allowing water accumulation in used or waste tires, failure by a tire retailer to collect the tire user fee from retail tire customers, failure by a tire retailer to file a quarterly tax return with the Illinois Department of Revenue (also a Class 4 Felony), and transporting used tires without a valid Illinois EPA registration and vehicle placard.

The Illinois EPA’s used/waste tire removal program began in 1990. It is funded by a $1 per tire user fee that consumers pay when purchasing new tires. Used tires are among the few products having a “closed loop” recycling program. Used tires are collected by tire dealers and are passed along to tire recyclers or processors. Some tires are retreaded and reused; others are recycled into a variety of products and uses; but most are shredded into a high-energy fuel supplement known as tire-derived fuel (TDF) and are burned in power plants, industrial boilers or cement kilns for energy recovery.

Illinois EPA to Clean up Unsafe Tire Dumps in East St. Louis and Washington Park – Waste tires spread mosquito-related diseases | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Agency alleges potentially harmful lead pollutants released into the air

SPRINGFIELD (CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM) — Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Interim Director Lisa Bonnett has asked the Illinois Attorney General’s office to proceed with an enforcement action against H. Kramer, a metal smelting facility in Chicago, for the release of lead into the air that caused a violation of federal air quality standards, and potentially putting the public, including children attending a nearby school, at risk.

H. Kramer is located at 1345 West 2lst Street, Chicago. In January 2010, the Illinois EPA installed and began operating a lead monitor at the Manuel Perez Jr. Elementary School in the Chicago Pilsen neighborhood.

The Perez School monitor was installed as one of the additional lead monitors prompted by the much more stringent January 2009 change in the federal National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for lead, which changed the health-based standard to .15 parts per million, compared to the 1.5 parts per million that had been in effect for many years.

The neighborhood also was impacted by several nearby industrial sources of lead and the Perez School monitor also responded to concerns raised by the Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization.

In February 2011, the Illinois EPA received information indicating that data collected in October, November and December 2010 showed an exceedance of the new lead standard based on a three-month average of available lead samples. Illinois EPA and the U.S. EPA have been coordinating efforts to determine any and all emission sources contributing to the violation, including the inspection of numerous facilities in the neighborhood and the analysis of monitoring and sampling data.

Illinois EPA has inspected the H. Kramer facility several times and in March installed a second, temporary lead monitor at the Benito Juarez High School, four blocks southwest of the Perez School monitor, to further pinpoint lead emissions from potential local sources. The Juarez School monitor was strategically situated to allow a determination of the contributions of local sources based on atmospheric conditions, including wind direction.

Initial results received late last week from this monitor indicate that H. Kramer is the primary contributor to the lead levels at the Perez Monitor. On the basis of the information gathered, Illinois EPA has referred H. Kramer to the Office of the Illinois Attorney General for enforcement action. The Illinois EPA is continuing to monitor the air quality in the Pilsen neighborhood and gather information.

The Agency will work with the Attorney General’s Office to determine the appropriate technical remedies. The Juarez School monitoring data has also been shared with U.S. EPA Region 5 for its enforcement purposes as well.

478**11

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Illinois EPA refers H. Kramer in Chicago to Attorney General for enforcement | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

This signifies that the building performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency.

“Boeing is pleased to accept EPA’s ENERGY STAR in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts,” said James Bell, executive vice president, corporate president and chief financial officer. “Boeing is dedicated to being an industry leader committed to environmental stewardship and recognizes its responsibility to create a better, sustainable future for all stakeholders and the communities in which we work and live.”

Improvements to the Chicago building’s automation and lighting systems and increased awareness helped to improve the building’s environmental performance by reducing energy consumption and costs. Two other Boeing facilities have received the ENERGY STAR; the Bay Area Boulevard building in Houston in 2008 and the Douglas Center in Long Beach, Calif., in 2009.

Participation as an ENERGY STAR Industrial Partner has been a key factor in Boeing’s energy-management improvements.  Boeing has been an Industrial Partner with ENERGY STAR since 1997. Since 2002, on a revenue-adjusted basis, Boeing has reduced CO2 emissions by 31 percent and energy consumption by 32 percent at major U.S. facilities.

Commercial buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

“Improving the energy efficiency of our nation’s buildings is critical to protecting our environment,” said Jean Lupinacci, Chief of the ENERGY STAR Commercial & Industrial Branch. “From the boiler room to the board room, organizations are leading the way by making their buildings more efficient and earning EPA’s ENERGY STAR.”

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products, new homes, and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved nearly $17 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 30 million vehicles. For more information about ENERGY STAR visit www.energystar.gov/buildings.

Boeing is the world’s leading aerospace company and the largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft combined. Additionally, Boeing designs and manufactures rotorcraft, electronic and defense systems, missiles, satellites, launch vehicles and advanced information and communication systems. As a major service provider to NASA, Boeing operates the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. The company also provides numerous military and commercial airline support services. Boeing has customers in more than 90 countries around the world and is one of the largest U.S. exporters in terms of sales. Headquartered in Chicago, Boeing employs more than 157,000 people across the United States and in 70 countries. Total company revenues for 2009 were $68.3 billion. For more information visit www.boeing.com

Contact:

Ann Beach, Chicago, 312-544-2997 Ann.m.beach@boeing.com

Kathy Spicer, Seattle, 425-865-7509 Kathleen.m.spicer@boeing.com

SOURCE Boeing

http://www.boeing.com/

Boeing Headquarters Building Earns EPA’s ENERGY STAR® | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency and other departments will participate in the meeting Friday afternoon in Chicago.

Officials from states in the region also will attend.

The Obama administration this week released a $78.5 million strategy for keeping the large, hungry carp from entering Lake Michigan through Chicago waterways.

The government says it’s a solid plan, but critics are unhappy because it doesn’t close two navigational locks through which the invasive carp might reach the lake.

Indiana joined Illinois on Thursday in opposing closure of the locks. Michigan and five other states want the U.S. Supreme Court to order them closed.

Read the original article on DailyHerald.com.

Feds prepare to brief public on Asian carp plan | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The Award recognizes outstanding environmental protection and conservation projects created and developed by Illinois students.

“If you have recently participated in an environmental or conservation project, I encourage you to submit an application for a Governor’s Green Youth Award,” said Director Scott.

“Teachers who support these projects reinforce the value of helping to protect environment to Illinois’ youth.”

Classrooms or individual students currently enrolled in K – 12 school, scouts, 4-H or others, and who have participated in an environmental project started no earlier than 2008 are eligible for the award.

The project must involve one or more of the following categories:  waste reduction; prevention/reduction of pollution in the air (climate change/global warming), land or water; restoration, preservation or enhancement of natural areas; and energy or water efficiency.

An application and additional information about the program are available from the Illinois EPA Web site at:  epa.state.il.us/green-youth/index.html, or by calling Deirdre McQuillen at 217-558-0073 or email Deirdre.McQuillen@illinois.gov.

The deadline for applications is Friday, March 19, 2010.

The Awards ceremony will be held on Earth Day, Thursday, April 22 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield.  Winners will receive a ticket to the Museum, in addition to their award.

Examples of past winning projects include:

• Waste Reduction: a school-wide recycling program that encouraged not only recycling but also waste reduction and environmental education
• Reducing Water Pollution: a storm sewer stenciling project
• Restoration/Preservation: the creation of a wetland area
• Energy Efficiency: school-wide energy audit and facilitation guide

Illinois EPA to recognize environmental projects by Illinois youth; Agency accepting project applications from Illinois students | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

With the recent declaration by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that greenhouse gases are dangerous pollutants, municipalities and businesses throughout the country are faced with the challenge of reducing the emissions and fuel consumption of their fleet vehicles.

Recaptured Energy Technologies has an efficient, workable solution.

“The EPA ruling, coupled with the international climate summit in Copenhagen and President Obama’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gases, shows that the U.S. can no longer wait to curb emissions and increase fuel economy of transit and fleet vehicles,” said Sam Jones, president and founder of Recaptured Energy Technologies.

“Time is of the essence. Recaptured Energy Technologies offers viable economic solutions that can make an immediate impact without the cost of purchasing new hybrid vehicles.”

Recaptured Energy Technologies has developed a unique hydraulic braking and propulsion system that it is designed specifically to be retrofit to existing vehicles.

The system captures wasted brake energy and converts it to an auxiliary source of energy to power the vehicle.

The realized reduction in harmful emissions from a renewable source of energy is a “green” benefit and the reduction in fuel consumption and added years of useful life are economic advantages as well.

“Many organizations think they will be forced to purchase a fleet of new hybrid vehicles to meet governmental standards,” continued Jones.

“These decision makers need to know that Recaptured Energy Technologies has a system in place that can save them millions of dollars and help them meet any federal guidelines head-on.”

About Recaptured Energy Technologies

Headquartered in Chicago, Recaptured Energy Technologies (RET) is a leader in providing energy solutions for fleet, commercial and transit vehicles.

RET helps government agencies, fleet managers and corporations improve fuel economy, reduce emissions and lower vehicle maintenance costs through energy optimization.

For more information, call 312-214-7266 or visit recapenergy.com.

EPA Ruling Makes Retrofitting Transit and Fleet Vehicles Imperative | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The comments of David Archer, Professor in Geophysical Sciences, and Pamela Martin, Assistant Professor in Geophysical Sciences, came Nov. 19 at hearings on the EPA’s proposed “Tailoring Rule,” which would require industrial facilities that emit at least 25,000 tons of greenhouse-gas pollution annually to obtain permits covering their emissions.

Permit recipients would have to demonstrate their use of the best-available control technologies and energy-efficiency measures to minimize emissions when facilities are built or significantly modified.

The complete statements of Archer and Martin appear below.

David Archer’s statement:

My name is David Archer, and I am a professor at the University of Chicago in the Department of the Geophysical Sciences. I’ve published 80-some peer-reviewed papers and five books on the carbon cycle of the Earth and its interaction with global climate.

I teach a class as part of our core science curriculum about the physics and chemistry of the global warming forecast. It has become the most popular class on campus, even bigger than the class about pirates, which shows the concern that young people have about what business-as-usual is doing to their futures.

One of the books I have the students read is called Six Degrees, Our Future on a Warmer Planet, by Mark Lynas.

The first chapter describes potential impacts of one-degree centigrade average global warming, all the results taken from the mainstream, peer-reviewed climate impacts literature.

Chapter 2 is about two degrees, and so on up to six degrees, the high end of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projection range for the year 2100. It’s a good book, well-researched and clear.

The Earth today is already deep in Chapter 1, one degree. In my opinion, the most profound climate impact of global warming in this country is the ongoing drought in the Southwest.

The climate impacts in later chapters of the book get truly horrific, including droughts and desertification that make the Dust Bowl seem mild. Nebraska used to be a dune field in a warmer climate a few thousand years ago; now we grow wheat there, but it could go back to how it was.

You can imagine mass migration of people, and wars about water and other resources, and failed states. The population of the Earth depends on the infrastructure of our complex society, and if this breaks down, the carrying capacity of the Earth could collapse.

This happened to the Mayans, the most advanced civilization of their day, as a result of extended droughts during the medieval warm time. How many of us would survive if there were no food in the grocery stores?

I come away from the book thinking that ultimately, humankind is better than this. Humans have done amazing things, and this challenge, technologically, isn’t even really all that hard. Coal is by far the most abundant fossil fuel, and the future of climate depends on what we decide to do with the coal.

If hypothetically there were no more coal in the ground, we wouldn’t be going back to the Stone Age, we’d figure out another way to keep things running, no problem. And if the climate starts to bite harder in the future, humankind will figure out ultimately how to leave the coal in the ground.

Since dangerous climate changes are already under way, really fixing the climate means preventing the Earth from getting any warmer than it already has. Our understanding of the physics of Earth’s climate tells us that to do this would require an atmospheric CO2 concentration of 350 parts per million.

The atmosphere already has more CO2 than this, 387 ppm. Even if the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere stopped rising, the Earth would continue to warm for a few decades as the oceans warm up.

This is what they call committed warming. Avoiding that committed warming is where the target CO2 concentration of 350 ppm comes from.

My optimistic opinion is that ultimately, humankind, in the coming decades, will begin to actively scrub CO2 from the atmosphere, as part of an effort to get back to 350 ppm.

Someday someone will clean up the mess. In the larger scheme of things, this wouldn’t be that hard to do. But if this is the ultimate tide of history, there is an easier way to get there, and a harder way.

As with many environmental messes, it would be much cheaper in the long run to avoid emitting so much CO2 to the atmosphere in the first place.

Climate change is more difficult than other challenges humans have faced, only in that it is global, and the tragedy of the commons effect is particularly strong. The people who benefit from using coal are not the same people as pay the price, mostly people in the future and in the developing world.

Will humankind plan intelligently for our collective good, or are we just another out-of-control weed species like so many others in Earth history, doomed to bloom and collapse? This is the decision you’re making.

Pamela Martin’s statement:

My name is Pamela Martin. I am an assistant professor at the University of Chicago. I teach classes in past climate change ― “paleoclimatology” ― chemical oceanography and the science of sustainability.

Looking back into the paleorecords, the records of past climate change, we see abrupt changes, tipping points, changes we can’t fully explain or don’t fully understand. We must look back millions and millions of years to find carbon dioxide levels as high as we have today.

This past fall I have been participating in a seminar with other scientists such as David Archer, who is here today and one of the top experts on the carbon cycle, climate dynamicists who study interactions among components of the climate system, atmospheric chemists and biologists who study the nitty-gritty of photosynthesis.

We have been studying the details of the fate of carbon dioxide that we have emitted into the atmosphere, looking for the natural “sinks” of the CO2 that has cycled through the air. One of the clear sinks for this carbon dioxide is in the oceans, where carbon dioxide acts as an acid and lowers the pH. Some of the other sinks and effects of elevated CO2 are not so clear.

While understanding the sinks of carbon dioxide requires detailed sleuthing, understanding the anthropogenic sources, the major emissions sources, does not. A relatively small number of polluters emit over half of the point-source greenhouse-gas pollution.

And, by starting with the biggest polluters, the EPA is taking an important first step inaddressing greenhouse-gas pollution under the Clean Air Act.

I commend the EPA’s commitment to hold the big polluters responsible first, but I also urge the EPA to work quickly to address the emissions from facilities that emit less than 25,000 tons per year.

I urge the EPA to shorten the proposed timescales of five and six years to address the sources under 25,000 tons.

The longer we wait to take action, the more we are committing to future warming and the more it will cost to address the problem.

University of Chicago Climate Scientists Share Concerns About Global Warming at EPA Hearings | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The Recovery program was authorized earlier this year by the United States Congress and President Barack Obama.

These towns and sanitary districts have completed the necessary criteria to meet the required “shovel ready” definition. Under ARRA, the state allocates the available funding based on “readiness to proceed” to move projects forward as quickly as possible in order to create badly-needed jobs and to meet critical infrastructure needs.

This funding is available through a combination of ARRA and the state’s Revolving Fund.

The federal Recovery program provides a substantial increase in the clean water and drinking water low-interest revolving loan programs administered by Illinois EPA.

The program provides financing in the form of grants and zero interest loans to communities for projects such as wastewater treatment plant upgrades and expansions, new sewer lines, drinking water treatment plant modifications and expansions, and new or replacement water distribution systems.

• Aurora will receive a $1,137,278 stimulus loan for three major water main replacement projects in the City. The existing mains are 50-60 years old, have exhibited a consistent pattern of breaks in the recent past, and are inadequate for maintaining water pressure in these areas. The improvements will result in significant water savings and will dramatically reduce service problems. Financing for the projects will be provided by the Illinois EPA’s Public Water Supply Loan Program under terms made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which are a 20-year loan at zero interest with 25 percent of the principal provided under the loan being “forgiven” by state and federal funding authorities.

  In addition, Aurora will use a $4,373,880 ARRA loan for a major combined sewer separation project. The project is designed primarily to reduce the number, frequency and duration of combined sewer overflow events, as well as to reduce the number and frequency of basement backups within the corporate limits of Aurora. Funding for this project will be provided by the Illinois EPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Program under ARRA. This will have the same terms, a 20-year, interest-free loan with the first 25 percent of principal forgiven by state and federal funding authorities.

• The City of Bushnell, a community of approximately 3,200 located in northeastern McDonough County, will utilize a $1,030,787 stimulus loan provided by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s Public Water Supply Loan Program, using both state and ARRA money, to complete improvements to the City’s public water supply. The City will focus this work on the replacement of major portions of the aging water distribution system. This project will build on a 2003 system improvement program which resolved capacity and treatment issues.
• The Urbana and Champaign Sanitary District (UCSD) serves approximately 134,000 residents in Champaign, Urbana, Savoy and a variety of unincorporated areas adjacent to the twin cities in Champaign County. The UCSD will be using the proceeds of a $20 million stimulus loan for continued Long Range Facility Plan improvements. Financing for the project will be provided by the Illinois EPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Program, using both state and ARRA money, under terms made possible by passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
• Charleston will be utilizing the proceeds of a $7,963,545 stimulus loan to construct a variety of improvements to the City’s wastewater treatment plant. Funds will be used to construct, rehabilitate or replace components that have exceeded their useful life, including rehabilitation of influent pump stations, aeration/sludge tanks, primary clarifiers, the belt filter press and controls. This project will help resolve a long-standing history of periodic sanitary sewer overflows, a major violation of water pollution control regulations. Financing for the project will be provided by the IEPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Program, using both state and ARRA money, under terms made possible by passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
• The Thorn Creek Basin Sanitary District provides regional wastewater treatment services to the communities of Chicago Heights, South Chicago Heights, Crete, Steger, Park Forest and Homewood from their regional facility located in Chicago Heights. The District will use the proceeds of a $633,440 stimulus loan to continue progress on the sanitary sewer collection system that serves the region. This project will aid the district in controlling the infiltration and inflow of non-sanitary flows to the sanitary system. Financing for the project will be provided by the Illinois EPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Program, using both state and ARRA money, under terms made possible by passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
• The City of Flora, located in south central Clay County, will be using the proceeds of a $1,012,828 stimulus loan to construct approximately 7,000 linear feet of sewer and a submersible pump station to connect the unsewered West Wye area to City sewer service. The project will resolve a long-standing history of non-compliance with the state standards for private sewage disposal systems, and will provide service to commercial establishments and residences. Financing for the project will be provided by the Illinois EPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Program, using both state and ARRA money, under terms made possible by passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
• The Liberty-Ledford Water District serves approximately 1,500 people in an area south and west of the City of Harrisburg in Saline County, and has for years suffered from a variety of water system deficiencies that have resulted in excessive pressure loss during peak demand periods, as well as considerable water loss on the system due to a leaking water supply main. The District will be using a $250,000 stimulus loan provided by the Illinois EPA’s Public Water Supply Loan Program, using both state and ARRA money, under terms made possible by passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, to make improvements in the system that will bring the supply into compliance with current construction code. The project will assure a safe and adequate source of drinking water for the citizens of the District both now and in the future.
• The City of LaSalle, in LaSalle County, will be utilizing the proceeds of a $15 million stimulus loan to construct a new wastewater treatment facility. The City needs additional wastewater capacity in the east side service area, due to anticipated population growth in the area over the next 10 to 20 years. This project is the first of three phased improvements the City will undertake to address these future needs. In addition, the new plant will be built to accommodate anticipated phosphorous removal standards associated with the City’s discharge to the Little Vermilion River. Financing for the project will be provided by the Illinois EPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Program, using both state and ARRA money, under terms made possible by passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
• The Village of Millstadt, located in southwestern St. Clair County at the intersection of Illinois Routes 158 and 163, has been growing at a rapid pace over the last several years. The Village, already lacking the water storage capacity normally required for a system of this size, will be using $2,672,153 provided by the Illinois EPA’s Public Water Supply Loan Program, using both state and ARRA money, to construct a new 500,000 gallon elevated storage tank to provide for the current and future populations. The new tower, with a storage capacity of 125,000 gallons, will replace an aging, undersized tank.
• The Ogle County City of Oregon, located along the Rock River, will be utilizing the proceeds of a $3,640,454 stimulus loan to replace the existing out-dated wastewater treatment equipment with more efficient and effective treatment technologies. Funds will be used to construct new process alternatives, and will maximize the re-use or continued use of existing facilities wherever possible. Financing for the project will be provided by the Illinois EPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Program, using both state and ARRA money, under terms made possible by passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
• The City of Red Bud, a community of approximately 3,400 people located in Randolph County in southwestern Illinois, will utilize a $375,000 stimulus loan provided by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s Public Water Supply Loan Program, using both state and ARRA money, to construct improvements to the City’s water treatment plant that are designed to remove historically high iron content in the source water. This project will improve water aesthetics and eliminate the need for high dosages of chlorine and caustic soda currently used to reduce the effects of iron in the water.
• The Village of Rockbridge, in Greene County, is not currently served by sanitary sewer facilities. This has lead to public health violations and the discharge of inadequately treated sewage to ditches, tiles, and eventually to the waters of the state. The Village will be using a combination of unsewered community grant assistance and a $545,208 stimulus loan to extend sanitary sewer service throughout the Village. Loan funding will be provided by the Illinois EPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Program using both state and ARRA money, under terms made possible ARRA. The loan will be repaid over 20 years at zero interest, with 25 percent of the principal provided forgiven under the ARRA terms. The Village will also receive $2,013,878 in funding through the Illinois EPA’s unsewered community grants program, which assists communities to add expensive sanitary service in incorporated communities.
• St. Charles, located in Kane County, will be utilizing the proceeds of a $2,405,960 stimulus loan for a variety of improvements to the City’s wastewater lift stations. The current capacity is occasionally exceeded during heavy rainfall, causing the accumulation of sediments and odor problems. These improvements will eliminate odor problems and the risk of overflows on the system. Financing for the project will be provided by the IEPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Program, using both state and ARRA money, under terms made possible by passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
• The City of Washington, located in Tazewell County, will be utilizing the proceeds of a $7,554,185 stimulus loan to construct major upgrades to the City’s wastewater infrastructure. These improvements comprise the first of three phases that will upgrade and expand the City’s sewage treatment works, and will accommodate population growth that is expected to exceed 50 percent over the 20-year planning period. Financing for the project will be provided by the Illinois EPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Program, using both state and ARRA money, under terms made possible by passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The list of communities requesting funds included 746 projects totaling $3.24 billion for wastewater projects and 895 projects totaling $1.46 billion for drinking water projects. Illinois EPA receives approximately $180 million for wastewater projects and $80 million for drinking water projects through ARRA.

This demonstrates the significant need for infrastructure improvements in the state.

Illinois EPA Announces Federal Recovery Fund Awards for Projects in Illinois; Towns Selected to Receive Drinking Water and Waste Water Funds | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The Recovery program was authorized earlier this year by the United States Congress and President Barack Obama.

Evanston, Aurora, Normal, Yorkville and Springfield have completed the necessary criteria to meet the required “shovel ready” definition.

Under ARRA, the state allocates the available funding based on “readiness to proceed” to move projects forward as quickly as possible in order to create badly-needed jobs and to meet critical infrastructure needs. Yorkville will receive nearly $1.5 million in the form of 20 year interest free loans with the first 25 percent of the principal forgiven by the State of Illinois under the terms of the ARRA.

The federal Recovery program provides a substantial increase in the clean water and drinking water low-interest revolving loan programs administered by Illinois EPA.

The program provides financing in the form of grants and zero interest loans to communities for projects such as wastewater treatment plant upgrades and expansions, new sewer lines, drinking water treatment plant modifications and expansions, and new or replacement water distribution systems.

• The City of Evanston, located in Cook County, will be using the proceeds of a $1,933,862 “stimulus” loan to make major improvements on their drinking water intake and distribution systems. Specifically, the City will be replacing approximately 3,000 feet of deteriorating water main, which is approximately 60-80 years old, and installing a heated intake system for the existing water intake structure to prevent freezing and ice build-up that inhibits optimum water operations. Using funding provided by the Illinois EPA’s Public Water Supply Loan Program under terms offered under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the City will benefit from zero interest loan terms over the 20-year life of the loan, with 25 percent of principal provided forgiven under ARRA terms.
• The City of Aurora, which lies in DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties, will receive a $1,137,278 “stimulus” loan for three major water main replacement projects in the City. The existing mains are 50-60 years old, have exhibited a consistent pattern of breaks in the recent past and are inadequate for maintaining water pressure in these areas. The improvements will result in significant water savings and will dramatically reduce service problems in the affected areas. Financing for the projects will be provided by the Illinois EPA’s Public Water Supply Loan Program under terms made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Under those terms, funding will be provided as a 20-year loan at zero interest with 25 percent of the principal provided under the loan being “forgiven” by state and federal funding authorities.
• The town of Normal in McLean County will receive $1,479,677 under the terms offered under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This project will address periodic reports of bacteria in the existing water supply wells and provide for the rehabilitation of eight existing filters with an average age of 30 years. The improvements will improve filter performance, allow for an increased filtration rate and improve the removal of bacteria and viruses. The town will realize significant water savings, as well as savings in chemical and power usage. Under terms of the stimulus package, the financing will be provided as a 20-year loan at zero interest with 25 percent of the principal provided under the loan being “forgiven” by state and federal funding authorities.
• The Yorkville-Bristol Sanitary District (YBSD), serving an estimated population of 16,300 in the City of Yorkville and surrounding unincorporated areas in Kendall County, will be using a $1,450,719 “stimulus” loan to make major sewer and utility improvements in preparation for the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant. When complete, the new plant will allow the YBSD to meet current and future discharge requirements and to accommodate anticipated growth in the service area. Funding for the project will be provided primarily by the Water Pollution Control Loan Program under terms made possible by passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The loan will be repaid over 20 years at zero interest, with 25 percent of the principal provided forgiven under the ARRA terms.
• The Springfield Metropolitan Sanitary District (SMSD), serving an estimated population of 145,000 residents in the Sangamon County communities of Springfield, Chatham, Grandview, Jerome, Leland Grove, Rochester, Sherman and Southern View, will be using the proceeds of a $20 million “stimulus” loan to fund the first phase of a four-phase project to construct a new wastewater treatment plant on a 25-acre site adjacent to the existing Spring Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. The Spring Creek Plant, located on Eighth Street Road north of the Illinois State Fairgrounds, became operational on July 10, 1929, and was last upgraded significantly in 1975. Funding for the project will be provided through the Water Pollution Control Loan Program, using both state and ARRA money, under terms made possible by passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The loan will be repaid over 20 years at zero interest, with 25 percent of the principal provided forgiven under the ARRA terms. This funding is available through a combination of ARRA and the state’s Revolving Fund.

The list of communities requesting funds included 746 projects totaling $3.24 billion for wastewater projects and 895 projects totaling $1.46 billion for drinking water projects.

Illinois EPA receives approximately $180 million for wastewater projects and $80 million for drinking water projects through ARRA. This demonstrates the significant need for infrastructure improvements in the state.

Illinois EPA Announces Federal Recovery Fund Awards for Illinois Projects; ARRA Funds Support Plans To Improve Drinking Water Quality in Several Counties | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The Recovery program was authorized earlier this year by the United States Congress and President Barack Obama.

Rockford, Villa Park, Taylorville, Sycamore, Streator and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC) have completed the necessary criteria to meet the required “shovel ready” definition.

Under ARRA, the state allocates the available funding based on “readiness to proceed” to move projects forward as quickly as possible in order to create badly-needed jobs to meet critical infrastructure needs.

Villa Park will receive nearly $3 million in the form of 20 year interest free loans with the first 25 percent of the principal provided forgiven by the State of Illinois under the terms of the ARRA.

The federal Recovery program provides a substantial increase in the clean water and drinking water low-interest revolving loan programs administered by Illinois EPA.

The program provides financing in the form of grants and zero interest loans to communities for projects such as wastewater treatment plant upgrades and expansions, new sewer lines, drinking water treatment plant modifications and expansions, and new or replacement water distribution systems.

Details are as follows:

• The City of Rockford, located in Winnebago County, will receive $6,877,227 under the terms offered under the ARRA. Using funding provided by the Illinois EPA’s Public Water Supply Loan Program, the City will do a major upgrade and rehabilitation of its public water supply. The project will establish a system of 19 facilities that will together comprise the rehabilitated Rockford water system. It will involve major improvements in the areas of water supply and treatment, water pumping and storage, water transmission and distribution, water system controls and monitoring, and water system operations. When complete, this initiative will address frequent problems with water main breaks, water pressure, as well as a number of water quality issues.
• Villa Park, located in DuPage County, will receive Recovery funds in the amount of $2,922,116. The stimulus funding is provided through the Illinois EPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Program. The Village will rehabilitate its sanitary sewer system using point repairs, sewer lining, sewer replacement and manhole rehabilitation in various parts of the Village to eliminate infiltration and inflow on the sanitary system and improve the structural integrity and hydraulic capacity of the system.
• The City of Taylorville, located in Christian County, will receive $4,769,736 provided by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s Public Water Supply Loan Program under terms offered under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The City will construct a new elevated storage tank and install approximately 20,000 linear feet of water main. These major improvements will ensure an adequate source of water for the citizens of Taylorville, while improving water pressure for most customers, and putting the infrastructure in place to accommodate future growth in the community.
• The City of Sycamore, located in DeKalb County, will receive Recovery funds in the amount of $5,506,532 under funding provided by ARRA. The stimulus funding will be provided through the Illinois EPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Program. The City is anticipating significant population growth over the next 20 years and is proposing several major upgrades to its wastewater treatment facilities in anticipation of increased demand over the 20 year planning period.
• The City of Streator, located in LaSalle County, will be utilizing the proceeds of a $13.8 million Recovery loan to solve ongoing problems with an existing combined sewer. The 80-year old brick construction will be replaced with a new and separated sanitary and storm sewer system. The separation of the combined sewer serves Streator’s long range goal of combined sewer overflow reduction and ensure compliance with state regulations. Funding for the project will be provided by the Water Pollution Control Loan Program under terms made possible by passage of ARRA.
• The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, which serves an 872 square mile area in northeastern Illinois, including virtually all of Cook County, will receive $5,647,514 under the terms offered under ARRA. Funding for the project will be provided by the Water Pollution Control Loan Program under terms in ARRA. Approximately 6,975 linear feet of deteriorating sewer line will be rehabbed to improve its structural integrity and hydraulic capacity.

The list of communities requesting funds included 746 projects totaling $3.24 billion for wastewater projects and 895 projects totaling $1.46 billion for drinking water projects.

Illinois EPA receives approximately $180 million for wastewater projects and $80 million for drinking water projects through ARRA. This demonstrates the significant need for infrastructure improvements in the state.

Illinois EPA Announces Federal Recovery Fund Awards for Illinois Projects; State Districts Will Receive Federal Funds | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

As part of their annual meeting in Springfield, the Illinois Potable Water Supply Operators Association (IPWSOA) and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency recognized the outstanding professionals in their individual categories of service in a ceremony.

Around 1,000 members and guests of the IPWSOA honored Jack Hendrick, Gateway Regional Water Company; Jeremy Barkei, Village of North Aurora; and Tim Brant, Apple Canyon Lake, Galena Territory for their work in providing plentiful, safe drinking water on a daily basis to users.

Operators are rated on the day-to-day operation of facilities that use surface water or groundwater as their water source, or purchase water from another source and distribute it to consumers. “Operator of the Year” is the highest professional honor operators can receive in recognition of service and performance in the waterworks industry.

In addition, runners-up are designated in each category.

Jack Hendrick, Manager of the Gateway Regional Water Commission was recognized as Operator of the Year in the surface water category.  Jack has been in the water business for 32 years and is responsible for helping to construct and manage the Gateway Water System which serves 12 communities. He is also a member of the Southern Illinois Water Operator’s Assoc.

James Lang, Plant Superintendent for the City of Mattoon and Michael Bourgerie, Water Operator   for the City of Elgin were runners-up in the surface water category.

Jeremy Barkei, Senior Water Operator for the City of North Aurora, won the award for public water supplies using groundwater. Jeremy has seven years of experience in the water industry. Their water system has 5,739 service connections, 85 miles of main, and Jeremy is responsible for maintaining five wells and two radium removal treatment plants. He is also Vice President of the Kane County Water Association.

Tom Shrewsbury, Water Superintendent for the Village of Hebron and Russell Schoon, Maintenance Supervisor for the Village of Ashkum were runners-up in this category.

Tim Brant, Area Manager for Utilities Inc., which covers Apple Canyon Lake and the Galena Territory, took the award for distribution-only systems operation.   Tim has been in the water industry for 22 years. He is responsible for a distribution system that has 117 miles of main, 3,100 service connections, four underground storage tanks and two booster stations. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Village of Scales Mound.

Runners up in this category were Michael Govreau, Utility Superintendent for the Village of Glen Carbon and Gil Lubuguin, Senior Pump Station Operator for the Village of Oak Park.

The recognitions came during the group’s 79th annual conference that runs from Wednesday through Friday, highlighted by a street fair and recognition dinner at Springfield’s Crown Plaza hotel. Winners of the 2009 awards were announced and received their trophies during that event.

The winners are chosen by selection committee that interviews nominees during a fly-around of the state. Committee members use a numeric system to rate nominees. The results are then tallied and winners selected by computer.

Speakers and displays at the 2009 conference focused on changing technology and improving traditional operations.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the IPWSOA co-sponsor the conference. The Agency oversees operations of approximately 1,800 public water supplies serving Illinois and their compliance with federal and state drinking water regulations.

State’s Water Plant Operators Recognize Peers as “Best” In Their Classes at Annual Event in Springfield | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

As Assistant Administrator for OSWER, Mr. Stanislaus is responsible for EPA programs on hazardous and solid waste management and hazardous waste cleanup, including corrective action under the Reconservation and Recovery Act. He will also oversee Superfund and federal facilities cleanup and redevelopment, brownfields, oil spill prevention and response, chemical accident prevention and preparedness, underground storage tanks, and emergency response.

Mr. Stanislaus brings to his new position academic training in chemical engineering and law combined with more than two decades of experience with environmental issues.

Prior to being named to the EPA earlier this year, he served as co-founder and co-director of New Partners for Community Revitalization, a New York-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing the renewal of the city’s low- and moderate-income neighborhoods and communities of color through the redevelopment of brownfields sites.

In collaboration with community, commercial, government and nonprofit partners, Mr. Stanislaus led the development of policies, programs and projects aimed at achieving the remediation and sustainable reuse of Brownfields sites in New York.

Mr. Stanislaus is a former counsel for EPA’s Region 2. He has also served as senior environmental associate in the environmental department of the law firm Huber Lawrence & Abell, and as director of environmental compliance for an environmental consulting firm. He has served on the board of the Environmental Justice Alliance in New York.

Mr. Stanislaus has also been an adviser to other federal government agencies, Congress and the United Nations on a variety of environmental issues. In 1997, he chaired a workgroup of the United States Environmental Protection Agency that investigated the clustering of waste transfer stations in low-income and communities of color throughout the United States.

In June 1994, as a member of the United Nations Environment Programme – Environmental Advisory Council, Mr. Stanislaus served as counsel to the United Nations summit that examined environmental issues affecting New York’s indigenous communities of the Haudaunosaunee Confederacy.

Chicago-Kent Law School Alumnus Mathy V. Stanislaus Appointed by President Obama to Key Environmental Post | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The former and current owners and operators of a chemical facility in Addyston, Ohio, LANXESS Corp. and INEOS ABS USA Corp., have agreed to pay a $3.1 million civil penalty and INEOS will spend up to $2 million to install environmental controls and modify operating procedures to resolve violations of multiple environmental laws, the Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today.

The settlement resolves a complaint filed by the United States and the state of Ohio alleging violations of the Clean Air Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.

“We are pleased that this settlement requires INEOS to go beyond compliance and take immediate steps to reduce emissions of hazardous air pollutants. The reductions will produce real health benefits for the people of Ohio,” said John C. Cruden, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.

“This settlement is an excellent example of state, local and federal agencies working together to improve the environment in the Addyston, Ohio area,” said Bharat Mathur, the EPA Region 5 Acting Regional Administrator.

Under the agreement filed in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Ohio, INEOS, the current owner and operator of the Addyston Facility, has agreed to upgrade environmental controls and make multiple modifications of its operating procedures including:

• Operating its flare in accordance with specific new parameters to ensure control of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which include hazardous air pollutants, in accordance with its flare control efficiency permit requirements;
• Installing a new biofilter system in the wastewater treatment system to reduce acrylonitrile emissions, a hazardous air pollutant;
• Conducting a comprehensive review of compliance with emergency release reporting regulations;
• Implementing a comprehensive set of leak detection and repair (LDAR) practices that go beyond regulatory requirements.

The LDAR practices agreed to in the settlement include an innovative program to replace valves with new “low leak” valve technology and to monitor and repair equipment that is leaking at a lower rate than required by regulations, thereby reducing fugitive emissions from leaks.

EPA estimates that the settlement will reduce multiple harmful emissions from the facility’s historical operations including 360 tons of butadiene emissions per year from the flare controls, one ton of acrylonitrile emissions per year from the biofilter project and 60 tons per year in hazardous air pollutants from the enhanced LDAR program. Since the company was notified of its violations, they have implemented a series of emissions reduction projects to reduce these emissions.

EPA classifies acrylonitrile as a probable human carcinogen and butadiene as a known human carcinogen by inhalation. Some of the effects associated with short-term inhalation exposure to acrylonitrile and butadiene are similar and include irritation of the eyes, skin and respiratory tract and central nervous system effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, headaches and nausea. In addition, VOCs contribute to the formation of ozone. Ozone has been shown to be responsible for the reduction of lung function, respiratory symptoms, and increased lung inflammation. Ozone also causes damage to forests and crops, fabric, and exterior coatings such as oil and acrylic latex, oil coatings and automotive finishes.

According to the complaint filed simultaneously with the consent decree, the Addyston Facility allegedly violated the Clean Air Act’s requirements for monitoring and repairing leaks of hazardous air pollutants, and emitted hazardous air pollutants on more than 30 occasions in excess of the legal limits. The facility also failed to comply with requirements relating to the flare, which controls emissions of butadiene, a hazardous air pollutant, by repeatedly failing to meet a 99 percent control efficiency and minimum heat content requirement required by its permits. LANXESS also failed to immediately report releases of hazardous substances to proper federal, state and local emergency response authorities.

The consent decree, lodged today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court. A copy of the consent decree is available on the Department of Justice Web site at usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html.

Two Chemical Companies Agree to Resolve Environmental Violations in Ohio | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.