The new Cleanup Program Area encompasses the identification, remediation, and management of contaminated sites under the Superfund, the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC), and the Brownfields programs.

This website allows users to report suspected violations, and has the ability to directly report emergency situations.

This award seeks to recognize individuals and groups outside of the U.S. EPA who made significant contributions to improve the environment in the year 2005. Anyone can be nominated, such as scientists, teachers, journalists, citizen activists, young people, organizations, business representatives, public officials and others committed to protecting public health and preserving our natural surroundings.

See the official website for category and process explanations. This site also includes information on similar Agency award programs.

This voluntarily program will reduce hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) emissions from the coolant and insulation used in making new refrigerators and freezers.

According to a report from the Environmental Performance Review Program of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD), The United States has significantly improved its environmental performance in the last eight years even as its economy and population have grown substantially. The report commends the United States for being a pioneer in market-based solutions, innovative policies, and partnerships for an improved environment.

The focus of this issue is electronic stewardship.

The second annual Federal Electronics Stewardship Conference will showcase success stories of Federal Electronics Challenge (FEC) partners, as well as provide an opportunity for FEC partners and other federal facilities to share ideas and discuss best practices related to environmentally sound electronics purchasing, use, and end-of-life management. The conference agenda will also contain a number of special topics addressing current issues related to electronics stewardship.

Abstracts are due January 20, 2006.

Dedicated Session proposals are due February 15, 2006. Contributed Presentation proposals are due March 31, 2006. Poster proposals are due April 30, 2006.

For the first time, EPA is awarding contracts to help the entire federal government recycle or properly dispose of computers and other electronic equipment. Under Recycling Electronics and Asset Disposition (READ) services, EPA has awarded eight Government Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) to small businesses (three nationwide, three in the eastern U.S. and two in western U.S.). The contractors are Molam International, Marietta, Ga.; Supply Chain Services, Lombard, ILL.; UNICOR (Federal Prison Industries), Washington, D.C.; Asset Recovery Corporation, St. Paul, Minn.; Hesstech LLC, Edison, N.J.; Liquidity Services Inc., Washington, D.C.; Global Investment Recovery, Tampa, Fla.; and Hobi International, Batavia, ILL. The eight small businesses selected as contractors specifically will help agencies to prevent toxic substances such as lead and mercury from entering landfills through recycling, reuse, and more environmentally responsible disposal of old electronic equipment.

Abstracts are due January 15, 2006

EPA Region 9 is looking for nominations from federal employees, groups, and/or facilities be recognized as “Champions of Green Government”. The goal is to acknowledge individuals and groups of federal agencies outside of EPA who going above and beyond the call of working to improve the environment protect our natural resources. Nominations are due no later than March 1, 2006. This recognition program is for federal facilities located in EPA Region 9 (California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii and Pacific Islands) only.

This is a national student design competition for sustainability where the P3 competition will provide grants to teams of college students to research, develop, and design solutions to challenges to sustainability. Approximately $1,250,000 in funding is available for approximately 60 grants. Eligibility is restricted to public nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes public institutions of higher education and hospitals) and private nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes private institutions of higher education and hospitals) located in the U.S. Collaboration with colleges and universities outside the United States is permitted, but only U.S. institutions will be eligible for awards. Applications are due 2/20/06.

This conference is October 16 – 19, 2006 in Amherst, Massachusetts. This conference’s theme is Expediting and Economizing Cleanups. Deadline for abstracts/preoposals is February 8, 2006.

The U.S. EPA and the California Urban Water Conservation Council developed a framework for a national partnership on water use efficiency. It is hoped that the new organization can represent the needs of the water efficiency community: develop initiatives for improved products, research new technologies for saving water, and assemble programs for water utility involvement across the United States.

The AIA has adopted position statements to promote sustainable design and resource conservation to achieve a minimum reduction of fifty percent of the current consumption level of fossil fuels used to construct and operate buildings by the year 2010. The AIA also supports the development and use of rating systems and standards that promote the design and construction of communities and buildings that contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future.

The conference is March 19 – 21, 2006 in Richmond VA. Appropriate topics include research and practical applications in stormwater management, watershed management, hydrology, hydraulics, limnology, water quality, biology, dam safety, dam and lake maintenance, and related water subjects. Abstracts are due January 11, 2006.

Although MEK has been removed from a list of 188 air toxics for which EPA is required to develop national, technology-based emissions control standards, emissions of MEK will continue to be regulated as a volatile organic compound because of its contribution to the formation of ground-level ozone (smog). Facilities emitting MEK in areas not meeting national ambient air quality standards for ozone remain subject to volatile organic compound emissions limits through other Clean Air Act programs.

The following area sources are exempt from obtaining Title V operating permits: neighborhood perchloroethylene dry cleaners; small ethylene oxide sterilizers that clean laboratory equipment and other items; chromium electroplaters that make items such as chrome parts for cars and plumbing fixtures; secondary aluminum production sources like car salvage yards; and halogenated solvent cleaners that clean metal parts, electronics and other objects. An area source emits less than 10 tons per year of a single toxic air pollutant or fewer than 25 tons of a combination of such pollutants.

The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Surgeon General and organizations nationwide encourage Americans to reduce their exposure to radon in indoor air. Radon is created by the decay of uranium found naturally in the ground. EPA estimates that about 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year are radon-related. Learn more by visiting www.epa.gov/radon or call 1-800-SOS-RADON (767-7236).

Abstracts for this August 2006 meeting in Florence Italy are due February 8, 2006.

The report “Validating Regulatory Analysis: 2005 Report to Congress on the Costs and Benefits of Federal Regulations and Unfunded Mandates on State, Local and Tribal Entities” has been issued.

EPA is accepting comments on the DRAFT of its’ Nanotechnology White Paper until January 9, 2006. The intent of the paper is to examine both the pros and cons of nanotechnology.

U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and more than 50 organizations have developed a leadership group to launch an aggressive new national commitment to energy efficiency. Called the “Leadership Group,” they will look at policies and programs that are delivering results around the country, develop a common understanding of what works, and develop and follow through on recommendations for action. They, in particular, lead the development of the Energy Efficiency Action Plan.

The EPA has shut down EDOCKET, the agency's electronic public docket and comment system. All federal entities with rulemaking responsibilities will be brought onto the government wide Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) (www.regulations.gov) by the end of 2006. The EDOCKET site contained all public comments received, as well as internal background documents that illustrated how a rulemaking was developed. The site posted hundreds of thousands of documents about thousands of rulemakings.

Ideas for gift giving that minimizes the creation of solid waste and potentially enhance our environment.

The 2003-2004 State of Federal Facilities Report is now available. This annual report profiles the federal government's compliance with various environmental laws based on the most recent reporting data compiled by EPA's Federal Facilities Enforcement Office. The Report provides environmental compliance information back to 1993 so that compliance trends may be observed.

TIAP is sponsored by a coalition of government agencies, public interest nonprofit groups, and other organizations in the energy efficiency fields, is designed to provide information needed to make use of the federal income tax incentives for federal energy efficient projects and technologies passed by Congress in the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

The conference is June 22 – 24, 2006 and abstracts are due May 12, 2006.

EnviroInfo-2006 invites long papers (8 pages), short papers(4 pages) and poster presentations. All submissions will undergo a careful review process. Detailed author instructions including template, formatting guidelines and access to the submission system will be made available at www.enviroinfo.net.

The White House Closing the Circle (CTC) Awards recognizes outstanding achievements of Federal employees and their facilities for efforts which resulted in significant contributions to or have made a significant impact on promoting environmental stewardship. The award categories are: waste/pollution prevention; recycling; green purchasing; environmental management systems; sustainable design/green buildings; and alternative fuels and fuel conservation in transportation. Nominations will be accepted for programs involving either hazardous or non-hazardous waste. Nominations can be from either an individual Federal employee or teams/groups of Federal employees (including teams of Federal and contract employees).

Use this checklist to lower your energy bills this winter.

America Recycles Day (ARD) is a national all-volunteer, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The goal of their annual campaign is to encourage Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products.

Both the U.S. Surgeon General and the World Health Organization have issued warnings on the link between lung cancer and radon gas.

United States government officials and their counterparts in 16 countries have committed to accelerated action to recover and use methane as a clean energy source. To date, 17 countries have joined the Methane to Markets Partnership and committed to advancing cost-effective, near-term methane recovery and use as a source of clean energy. By 2015 the Methane to Markets Partnership has the potential to deliver annual reductions in methane emissions of up to 50 million metric tons of carbon equivalent or recovery of 500 billion cubic feet of natural gas.

America’s Forest & Paper People® are now accepting nominations for its annual paper recycling awards. The 2006 AF&PA Recycling Award program was created to encourage and recognize outstanding programs that promote the recovery of high quality paper for recycling. Entries must be received by Friday, February 17, 2006.

The Sustainability Program Area includes the latest guidance, examples, and information resources to aid Federal facilities in developing and maintaining sustainable facilities and environmental programs or activities.

$9 million in grants has been awarded to establish two environmental bioinformatics centers that merge computer science, biology, and toxicology to predict hazardous outcomes and advance the field of human health and ecological risk assessment. The grants were awarded to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey at Piscataway.

Region 8 is competitively seeking project proposals that will achieve measurable environmental and public health results within the following priority areas: 1) Energy, 2) Agriculture and 3) Enhancing Capacity to Provide Public Health and Environmental Protection in Region 8 States and on Tribal Lands. The funding programs included in this announcement are: TMDL, Tribal Source Water Protection, Wetlands Program Development Grants, Source Reduction Assistance (Pollution Prevention), Strategic Agriculture Initiative, the Regional Geographic Initiative and the Environmental Priorities Program. Project proposals are due December 20, 2005.

These awards recognize innovative chemical technologies that incorporate green chemistry into chemical design, manufacture and use, and that have broad applications in industry. Nominated technologies should reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances from a chemical product or process. Any individual, group or organization, both nonprofit and for-profit, including academics, government and industry, may nominate a green chemistry technology for these awards. Self-nominations are welcome and expected. Typically, five awards are given each year: one to an academic researcher, one to a small business, and the others to larger companies for specific areas of green chemistry. Each nominated technology must have reached a significant milestone within the past five years in the United States.

This newly released legislative and regulatory analyses compared several cap-and-trade approaches aimed at reducing sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants. The legislative and regulatory analyses project potential costs and benefits for public health, air quality, and the power sector for the years 2010, 2015, and 2020.

This memorandum, dated 13 October 2005, was sent to Federal Agency Environmental Executives and Agency Senior Procurement Executive. The memorandum contains a survey which must be completed and reported by 17 March 2006. The indicator items for the report are: sanitary tissue products; toner cartridges; concrete; landscaping timbers; park benches/picnic table; traffic barricades; re-refined lubricating oil; and signage. Agencies must also provide information on Federal Procurement System Data (FPDS), affirmative procurement program implementation, green purchasing training, and agency goals.

The Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket is to contain certain information about Federal facilities that manage hazardous waste or from which hazardous substances have been or may be released. This notice identifies the additions and deletions to the docket and is up-to-date as of February 4, 2005 (Federal Register: October 25, 2005 [Notices], Page 61616-61621).

A new toxicological profile is available for perchlorates and seven updated profiles are available for acrolein, arsenic, barium, benzene, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide, lead, and xylenes. Profiles describe available toxicological and epidemiological information, as well as whether adequate information exists on the health effects of each substance.

The EPA’s Green Power Partnership has grown to 600 partner organizations purchasing more than 3 billion kilowatt hours (KWh) of green power annually, enough to power 300,000 American homes each year. This voluntary program includes Fortune 500 companies, universities, and local, state, and federal agencies.

Oct 23-29, 2005
EPA is partnering with other government agencies and organizations to emphasize the importance of preventing lead poisoning. Events across the country include free blood-lead tests for children, health fairs, and workshops on lead education and safety.

Awards are given for first and second place national winners for projects and programs in operations and maintenance at wastewater treatment facilities, biosolids management, pretreatment and storm water management.

In Section 1528 of the Act all departments and federal agencies that own, operate, or manage one or more federally regulated USTs are required to report the compliance status of their USTs to EPA and Congress by August 8, 2006. In order to facilitate this reporting, the EPA is requesting that every Federal Agency Environmental Executive provide the name of one representative per department or agency with who the EPA can coordinate. The memorandum, dated 17 October 2005, was signed by the Director of the Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OUST), Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) and the Director of the Federal Facilities Enforcement Office (FFEO), Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA).

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has formed an alliance with the Integrated Waste Services Association. Under the alliance, the groups plan to develop training and education programs focusing on hazards in the solid waste-to-energy management industry such as lead exposure, confined spaces, and unsafe walking and working surfaces. OSHA and IWSA also plan to share best practices and publicize results.

(Washington, D.C.-October 7, 2005) In response to the President Bush's recent directive to all federal agencies on energy conservation, EPA is taking immediate actions to conserve natural gas, electricity, gasoline and diesel fuel in all its DC buildings. These actions will reduce the overall demand of fuel and, in turn, allow extra supplies to be used for the efforts associated with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The report outlines the current progress of the Superfund program as the EPA works to increase community participation, strengthen public and private partnerships, enhance cleanup effectiveness and consistency in program implementation, streamline the enforcement process and optimize the use of fairness initiatives, encourage beneficial reuse and revitalization of sites following cleanup and ensure that remedies continue to protect human health.

This report provides an initial assessment of the overarching environmental health and infrastructure issues faced by New Orleans to reinhabit the city. It was prepared by a joint taskforce of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA and CDC are collaborating with state and local public health and environmental officials, including the New Orleans City Public Health Department, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. The report includes data such as up to 30 million cubic yards of debris, some of which contains materials hazardous to health and the environment, will need to be removed and managed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

AEE has announced a trademarked program Green Building Engineers, designed to help reduce energy use by 10 percent or more. AEE's program, developed in partnership with EPA through its Energy Star Challenge, help educates energy engineers about ways to improve energy efficiency in buildings. The program also provides certification for engineers with knowledge of energy efficiency principles and practices that improve building energy management. The program will serve as a valuable resource for building owners looking to improve their building's energy efficiency and apply for EPA's Energy Star. POC: John Millett, 202-564-4355 / millett.john@epa.gov

Through NEER, DHS assists the coordination efforts between the resources that are needed and the resources that may be available from the private and public sectors. If you or your organization / agency / corporation have resources that may be made available to the response agencies, please list them in this Resource Registry.

The National Wetlands Awards Program honors individuals from across the country who have demonstrated extraordinary effort, innovation, and excellence through programs or projects at the regional, state, or local level. The 2006 Awards will be given in six categories: Education and Outreach; Science Research; Conservation and Restoration; Landowner Stewardship; State, Tribal, and Local Program Development; and Wetland Community Leader. Nomination forms for the 2006 National Wetlands Awards Program are now available. To download the nomination form, please visit our website at http://www2.eli.org/nwa/nwaprogram.htm. The deadline for submitting nominations is December 15, 2005.

Initial biological results indicated the presence of high levels of E. coli in sampled areas. EPA in coordination with federal, state and local agencies will continue to release data as it becomes available. A map displaying sampling locations is available on the EPA website.

As part of the nationwide effort to improve air quality, EPA is proposing the steps state, local and tribal governments can take to reduce fine particle pollution (PM2.5) in areas that do not meet EPA's health-based standards.

National Library of Medicine's directory of Environmental Health and Toxicology links, covering Hazardous Materials, Environmental Cleanup and Recovery, Rodents, Snakes, and Other Pests After Disasters, Drinking Water, Food Safety, Mold, Animals, etc.

Office of Pipeline Safety of the DOT has issued an advisory bulletin to owners and operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipelines as well as owners and operators of natural gas distribution pipeline facilities to communicate the potential for damage to pipeline facilities caused by the passage of Hurricane Katrina.

A new Agency-wide effort to foster greater collaboration to accelerate restoration of watersheds and fisheries threatened by abandoned mine runoff. EPA is pioneering an innovative agreement as a tool to identify parties rights and responsibilities related to the voluntary clean up of abandoned mines and to protect the Good Samaritan against pre-existing liabilities. Under the Good Samaritan Initiative, the Agency will expand the use of existing tools and promote greater collaboration to encourage more voluntary cleanups. The Agency will also continue to work cooperatively with partners through our Clean Water Act programs, including ?319 (polluted runoff management) and Targeted Watersheds Grants to clean up abandoned mines and protect fishable waters.

The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is announcing the formation of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) Lead Review Panel and is soliciting nominations for this Panel. Nominees in response to this request for nominations will be considered for membership on the CASAC Lead Review Panel. New nominations should be submitted by September 27, 2005.

EPA has waived specific volatility and sulfur standards for gasoline and diesel fuels nationwide until September 15, 2005, to help alleviate the effects of Hurricane Katrina on fuel supplies. Check http://www.epa.gov/katrina/index.html for the most current information on EPA’s responses and activities related to Katrina relief efforts.

Industries and businesses that encounter spills or discharges in the hurricane's aftermath should contact the National Response Center immediately at (800) 424-8802 or (202) 267-2675. The Center is available to take calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Additional recovery assistance information is available at FirstGov.gov.

EPA and the Department of Justice have signed a Settlement Agreement which resolves a lawsuit brought against EPA by the Center for Biological Diversity and the Save Our Springs Alliance (SOSA). The Settlement Agreement establishes a series of deadlines for the Agency to make “effects determinations” for pesticides containing any of six active ingredients, atrazine, diazinon, carbaryl, prometon, metolachlor, and simazine, to determine their potential effect on the Barton Springs salamander, Eurycea sosorum, or its designated critical habitat. The Settlement Agreement also states that plaintiffs in this case will not seek injunctive relief (further use restrictions) for these pesticides during EPA's review of potential effects. A copy of the Settlement Agreement and a fact sheet can be found here.

The Pilot test will examine the practicality of using biobased food service products such as plates, bowls, cups and cutlery in carrying out the daily responsibilities of the Whitten Building basement cafeteria.

FedCenter has recently added a collection of compliance assessment tools to complement its set of compliance auditing information. Access to the items currently available require a FedCenter.gov account and Federal Agency sponsorship.

The language revision was done in response to concerns from potentially responsible parties who feared they could no longer sue other parties to recoup cleanup costs. The revised language is detailed in an Aug. 3 memorandum drafted by EPA and the Justice Department and addresses concerns raised since the U.S. Supreme Court's Dec. 13, 2004, ruling in Cooper Industries Inc. v. Aviall Services Inc., 59 ERC 1545 (U.S., 2004). The memo and revisions, Interim Revisions to CERCLA Removal, RI/FS and RD AOC Models to Clarify Contribution Rights and Protection Under Section 113(f), are available here.

The SERDC´s goal is to unite public and private groups, including local businesses, state recycling coalitions and state and federal agencies within a 10-state region. The group has elected a board of directors, approved a five-year budget and adopted a common theme, "One strong united voice for recycling."

Environmental Management Systems and the Federal Electronics Challenge: An Environmental Management System (EMS) represents a new approach to environmental management. This new approach allows for organizations to achieve and demonstrate sound environmental performance by addressing the impact of their activities on the environment.

Twenty-six unregulated contaminants will be monitored by many U.S. drinking water suppliers under a new rule proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency. This second cycle of the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 2) also proposes the use of nine analytical methods to detect the contaminants.

New test methods proposed today by the Environmental Protection Agency will lead to the detection of four types of bacteria in wastewater and sewage sludge. EPA's proposal centers on culture-based approaches to detecting enterococci and Escherichia coli (E. coli) in wastewater. Additional tests will identify salmonella and fecal coliform bacteria in sewage sludge. The bacteria are seen as "health indicators" that point to possible contamination and the need for further investigation and treatment.

We are delighted to announce the EPA Region 10 Air Toxics Summit, running October 18 & 19 in Portland, Oregon, and co-hosted by Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and EPA Region 10. This is your Summit!

Agenda for October 18-19 conference schedule and training scheduled for October 17 and 20.

On August 8, 2005, President Bush signed H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act into law.

Peacock comes to EPA from the Office of Management and Budget where he served as associate director for Natural Resources, Energy, and Science. In that position he and staff were responsible for reviewing the budget and policies of the natural resources, energy, and science agencies of the federal government, including EPA. He also has served as the government-wide leader for the Budget and Performance Integration initiative of the president's Management Agenda.

On July 20th, FedCenter added another integral element to its lineup of Program Area information designed to help Federal program managers and facility managers meet their environmental stewardship and compliance needs. Our new Natural Resources Program Area includes the latest guidance, examples, and information resources to assist Federal facilities in managing endangered or threatened species, wetlands, erosion control, habitat development, native landscaping, and wildlife in general. Please take a few minutes to visit our Natural Resources page today and let us know if you have any suggestions for improvement!

National Pollution Prevention Week is a time when businesses, environmental groups and citizens can join forces for a common cause. By sharing information about pollution prevention (P2), businesses can become more competitive, businesses and government can realize cost savings, and environmental quality can be enhanced. See information about previous award winners, examples of projects to celebrate National P2 Week, and this year's poster.

The Institute, funded by EPA and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) will be jointly administered by two organizations with extensive experience in helping states address development and related quality-of-life issues -- the Smart Growth Leadership Institute and the National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education, both at the University of Maryland. In the coming year, the Institute will conduct four workshops to pair governors and their cabinets with top planning experts to identify strategies that spur smarter development -- development that serves the economy, public health and the environment. Other forms of assistance that will be available to governors include ongoing advice on technical issues and a publication listing a range of policy options for Governors to consider.

EPA will reopen for public comment certain aspects of its National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPS) for Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Boilers and Process Heaters, issued in September 2004. Facilities may comply with the requirements of the September 2004 final rule by demonstrating that their emissions have minimal impact on human health. This approach, known as a health-based compliance alternative, is outlined in appendix A of the rule. In this reconsideration, EPA is requesting additional public comment on the approach a facility owner or operator may use to demonstrate eligibility for the health-based compliance alternatives.

Post-construction completion activities are conducted at sites after all cleanup construction is finished, but the remediation is not necessarily complete. They include actions such as operation of groundwater pump-and-treat systems, five-year reviews of cleanup remedies, and enforcement and management of institutional controls, and they are usually the last phase before a site is deemed “clean.” The EPA is seeking feedback on the draft strategy from interested and affected parties by July 8.

The EPA has announced the appointment of four national program directors who will lead and coordinate research planning and development. The four individuals selected to serve in these new slots are: Elaine Francis, who will oversee pesticides and toxics research; Randy Wentsel, who will oversee research dealing with contaminated sites and resources conservation; Joel Scheraga, who will oversee the agency's global chance and mercury research programs; and Dan Costa, who will oversee air research. EPA is recruiting additional directors to focus on water quality, ecology, human health, and drinking water, the agency said. In the interim, scientists serving in acting positions for those positions are: Rochelle Araujo, for water quality; Kevin Summers, for ecology, Hugh Tilson, for human health, and Greg Sayles, for drinking water.

This report provides an overview of Federal real property assets categorized in three major areas – buildings, land, and structures. This report, compiled by the General Services Administration (GSA), summarizes real property data submitted by holding agencies as of September 30, 2004. The real property profile, in combination with other available data, is used in: planning space needs, promoting fuller utilization of available properties, conducting property management and property accounting surveys, evaluating funding requests for acquisition of real property, and facilitating on-site inspection activities. This issue of the Federal Real Property Profile (FRPP) report is the last publication of the summary report from the Federal Real Property Profile (FRPP) reporting system. Future reports related to Federal real property will be based on direction from the Federal Real Property Council.

Abstracts are due July 1, 2005. The workshop will be held October 4-6 in St. Louis, Missouri. The focus of the workshop is to assess the state of the science regarding the fate and effect of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) in large rivers in the Mississippi River Basin (including the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio Rivers as well as other major tributaries). Abstracts can be submitted via e-mail or CD-Rom to Ansu John, Tetra Tech, Inc. (EPA Contractor), 10306 Eaton Place, Suite 340, Fairfax, VA 22030; phone (703) 385-6000, ext. 185; e-mail: Ansu.John@tetratech-ffx.com.

On June 1, 2005 the President nominated Marcus A. Peacock, of Minnesota, to be Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Mr. Peacock currently serves as Associate Director for Natural Resource Programs for the Office of Management and Budget at the White House. He previously served as Subcommittee Staff Director for the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight and Emergency Response Subcommittee of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

List of recipients of the EPA Region 10's Champions for Environmental Leadership and Green Government Innovation Recognition for 2004/2005.

The EPA’s newest report on the status of drinking water in the U.S.

The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has released its second annual industry rankings of wind energy development in the United States. The rankings include the top states for wind energy development, the top suppliers of wind energy turbines and the top developers and purchasers of wind energy.

EPA has completed and posted its report on incorporating green purchasing into agency environmental management systems. See http://www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/green-pur-ems1a3a.pdf.

Together the top 25 green power purchasers are purchasing more than 1.6 million MWh (megawatt hours) of green power annually. Green power is electricity from environmentally-preferable renewable resources such as solar, wind, or geothermal power.

Learn firsthand how your agency can achieve tremendous cost savings, improve operational efficiency and decrease environmental impact all at the same time. The US EPA along with the Sustainable Earth Initiative (SEI) are hosting a FREE Webcast to introduce and promote the idea of an Environmental Management System (EMS) for public entities as a means to decrease environmental impact while saving money.

The Environmental Protection Agency launched a clearinghouse March 2, 2005 for information on alternatives to chromated copper arsenate, a pesticide used on treated wood in decks, fences, and wood playsets that was banned for residential uses in December 2003

Nearly 10 percent of all homes built in 2004 qualified for Energy Star, according to an EPA report.

Current issue contents: FedCenter Launched!, EPA & Army Corps Watershed Agreement, FEE Pinero Plots Environmental Course, Feds Commit to Environmental Stewardship of Electronics, EPA Green Power Purchase, National Guard Transforming with EMS, NPS San Antonio Missions Win Award, EMR News, other environmental news, conferences, and award announcements.

The 2005 Environmental Sustainability Index: Benchmarking National Environmental Stewardship has been published and is available for your review. The ESI ranks countries on 21 elements of environmental sustainability covering natural resource endowments, past and present pollution levels, environmental management efforts, contributions to protection of the global commons, and a society's capacity to improve its environmental performance over time. The United States placed 45th out of 146 in the rankings. The 2005 ESI, is a joint production of the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy and the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) at Columbia University.

(Washington, D.C.-January 25, 2005) Almost 2000 of the nation’s most energy efficient buildings have earned EPA’s ENERGY STAR, saving an estimated $200 million annually and reducing approximately six billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to the emissions of 500,000 cars. The buildings qualifying as ENERGY STAR use about 40 percent less energy without compromising comfort or services.

Currently 1,964 buildings nationwide qualify for the ENERGY STAR, representing nearly 400 million square feet. ENERGY STAR buildings protect the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and using energy more efficiently.

The solicitation for the FY 2006 ESTCP program was be released on January 6th, 2005. The due date for ALL pre-proposals is MARCH 10, 2005.

The EPA has bought renewable energy certificates for its Denver and Golden facilities totaling nearly seven million kilowatt-hours per year over the next three years.

Leak repair requirements for refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment containing certain ozone-depleting refrigerants have been amended to clarify how the requirements apply to appliances using substitutes for chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants. The regulatory change applies to owners or operators of industrial process refrigeration equipment and owners or operators of federally-owned commercial refrigeration equipment or of federally-owned comfort cooling appliances.