This page provides access to a listing of some of the recent additions and new materials made available on the EPA Web site within the past six weeks.
May 7, 2009
Exposure Framework Document Provides Foundation for Addressing NERL's Research Mission and Advances Field of Exposure Science - A Conceptual Framework for the U.S. EPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory provides a foundation for addressing NERL's research mission and its scientific leadership goals (National Exposure Research Laboratory).
Notice of the release of the IRIS Toxicological Review of 1,4-Dioxane - EPA's IRIS Program is announcing a public comment period to review the draft document titled, 'Toxicological Review of 1,4-Dioxane (External Review Draft)' (Integrated Risk Information System program).
Publication: IRIS Toxicological Review of Pentachlorophenol (External Review Draft) - EPA announces the release of the draft document, Toxicological Review of Pentachlorophenol, for public review and comment (National Center for Environmental Assessment).
May 6, 2009
"Reduce Runoff: Slow It Down, Spread It Out, Soak It In" Video Available with Spanish Sub-titles - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Botanic Garden produced this 9-minute on-line video, “Reduce Runoff: Slow It Down, Spread It Out, Soak It In,” that highlights green techniques such as rain gardens, green roofs and rain barrels to help manage stormwater runoff (Nonpoint Source Control Branch).
EPA announces proposed rule on expanded Renewable Fuel Standard Program (RFS2) - The revised statutory requirements establish new specific volume standards for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel that must be used in transportation fuel each year. The revised statutory requirements also include new definitions and criteria for both renewable fuels and the feedstocks used to produce them, including new greenhouse gas emission (GHG) thresholds for renewable fuels. The regulatory requirements for RFS will apply to domestic and foreign producers and importers of renewable fuel (Office of Transportation and Air Quality).
May 5, 2009
Antimicrobial Products Registered for Use Against the H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) and Other Influenza A Viruses on Hard Surfaces - The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are currently tracking an H1N1 flu outbreak that has caused infections in humans in the United States, Mexico, Canada and other countries. Information on this Web page will help you identify antimicrobial products that are registered by EPA to disinfect hard, non-porous surfaces that may be contaminated with the 2009-H1N1 flu (Office of Pesticide Programs).
New from the Office of Inspector General:
EPA Does Not Provide Oversight of Radon Testing Accuracy and Reliability (PDF) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that about 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States are related to indoor exposure to radon. The only way to know whether indoor radon levels are elevated is to test the indoor air. The purpose of this evaluation was to determine how EPA ensures that radon testing devices and radon laboratories provide accurate and reliable data on indoor radon levels. A 20 pp, 238K Adobe Acrobat PDF document.
EPA’s Unliquidated Obligations for Grants (PDF) - Information regarding outstanding unliquidated obligations for EPA. An 11 pp, 522K Adobe Acrobat PDF document.
April 30, 2009
New from the Office of Inspector General:
Statement of Melissa Heist, Assistant Inspector General for Audit, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Before the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure U.S. House of Representatives (PDF) - The statement discusses some of the challenges facing EPA in implementing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) and the OIG’s plans to oversee EPA Recovery Act activities. An 8 pp, 65K Adobe Acrobat PDF document.
April 22, 2009
New Cap and Trade Web site - Cap and trade is an environmental policy tool that delivers results with a mandatory cap on emissions while providing sources flexibility in how they comply. Successful cap and trade programs reward innovation, efficiency, and early action and provide strict environmental accountability without inhibiting economic growth (Clean Air Markets Division).
Notice: EPA's Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference (Apr 27-30) - EPA is hosting the 2009 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference in West Chester, OH, April 27 - 30, 2009 with the theme "Toxicology and Risk Assessment from the Trenches." Registration (for the conference and hotel), directions and a draft agenda are now available (National Center for Environmental Assessment).
April 17, 2009
Publication: Assessment of the Impacts of Global Change on Regional U.S. Air Quality: A Synthesis of Climate Change Impacts on Ground-Level Ozone - An Interim Report of the U.S. EPA Global Change Research Program (Final Report) - EPA is announcing the release of the final report, Assessment of the Impacts of Global Change on Regional U.S. Air Quality: A Synthesis of Climate Change Impacts on Ground-Level Ozone An Interim Report of the U.S. EPA Global Change Research Program, prepared by the NCEA Global Change Research Program Staff. This report is intended for managers and scientists working on air quality to provide them with information on the potential effects of climate change on regional air quality in the United States (National Center for Environmental Assessment).
NCEA Database: Physiological Parameters Database for PBPK Modeling (External Review Draft) - EPA is announcing a 30 day public comment period for the review of an ACCESS database file containing physiological parameter data intended to be suitable for application with PBPK modeling. EPA requests that interested users comment on the functionality or usability of this resource and provide comments that may be considered for improving the final product (Office of Research and Development).
The new or revised criteria recommendations would replace the criteria recommendations issued in 1986 (PDF) (24 pp., 155 K, About PDF) and could be used by States, Tribes and Territories in their adoption of new water quality standards (WQS) to protect people from illness associated with fecal contamination in water (Office of Science and Technology, Office of Water).
April 14, 2009
Open Audit Recommendations Affecting Recovery Act Activities (PDF) - We reviewed open recommendations from prior Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit reports that could impact the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act activities. These recommendations involved grants, contracts, and interagency agreements. A 9 pp, 119K Adobe Acrobat PDF document from the Office of Inspector General.
April 9, 2009
Webcasts on Financial Responsibility Instruments for Geologic Sequestration (GS) Wells announced - EPA will hold a series of webcasts to discuss potential financial responsibility mechanisms for GS wells. During the webinars EPA hopes to learn from States, Regions, and Stakeholders’ experience with these mechanisms. Each session will present background on available instruments to assure that adequate resources are available for corrective action, plugging, post-injection site care and site closure, and emergency and remedial response at GS sites. The sessions will also include a discussion of special considerations for meeting the unique needs for GS wells (Office of Ground Water & Drinking Water).
Visit EPA's new Healthy Watersheds Web area - This Web site provides information on Healthy Watersheds (Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds).
April 6, 2009
An updated Summary for Nitrobenzene and accompanying Toxicological Review (PDF) (250 pp, 3.8 Mb, About PDF) have been added to the IRIS Web site (Integrated Risk Information System).
April 2, 2009
Results of Hotline Complaint Review for California Superfund Site (PDF) - The Office of Inspector General (OIG) received a Hotline complaint that alleged mismanagement and abuse of authority regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9’s management of specific activities at the CTS Printex Superfund Site in Mountain View, California. A 25 pp, 284K Adobe Acrobat PDF document from the Office of Inspector General.
March 26, 2009
Lack of Project Plan Resulted in Transition and Contractor Performance Problems for the Institutional Controls Tracking System (PDF) - We performed this review in response to an anonymous hotline complaint alleging mismanagement of the Institutional Controls Tracking System (ICTS) project being developed by the Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI). A 13 pp, 133K Adobe Acrobat PDF document from the Office of Inspector General.
Pesticide reregistration chemical Web page for Fluoroacetate (compound 1080) has been updated FeedEnd title -->