Top News Stories, 2008

Region 9 Top Stories Quick Finder
Top News Stories: 2008 \| 2007	Feature Stories

EPA Announces Public Data Release of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) TRI, also known as Community Right-to-Know, is a valuable source of information about toxic chemicals that are being used, manufactured, transported or released into the environment. Region 9 TRI Home
News Releases: AZ | CA | HI | NV | AS | CNMI |GU

California Waiver Request on Emissions to be Reconsidered President Obama has paved the way for California and other states to reduce greenhouse gases beyond national standards. President Obama's Statement | News Release

EPA Requires Upgrades of Wastewater Treatment Plants in Hawaii
The Sand Island plant, in Honolulu, and the Honouliuli plant, in Ewa, have been operating under variances from secondary treatment. Both plants will be required to upgrade to full secondary treatment. News Release | Region 9 NPDES Permits and Public Notices

EPA and Arizona Collaborate to Recognize Environmental Leaders Arizona launches Performance Track program.

EPA's National Environmental Performance Track | Arizona's Performance Track | Arizona Golf Club Manufacturer is an Environmental Leader

EPA Honors California Universities as Champions of Children's Health
UC San Francisco and UC Irvine are recognized for outreach efforts on the enviromental hazards of wildfires. News Release | Wildfires | Children's Health | Protecting Children's Health During Wildfire | UCSR Pediatric Environmental Health

Creating a Sustainable Water Infrastructure EPA is addressing the need to repair, replace and upgrade the nation's water and wastewater systems. New! Water Infrastructure Web Site

Green Power Awards to Technology and Agriculture Companies (10/28) EPA honors Lundberg Family Farms, Cisco Systems and Intel for environmental leadership. News Release: Cisco, Intel | News Release: Lundberg | Green Power Partnership

EPA Authorizes Navajo Nation to Manage Underground Injection Control Program
The tribe is taking over the program which protects a vital source of drinking water.
Ground Water: Navajo Nation | News Release

Awards for Students of Environmental Studies The EPA graduate fellowship program supports masters and doctoral candidates in completing their degrees. HI News Release | CA News Release | National Center for Environmental Research

UCLA Awarded $24M for Nanotechnology Research The grant will fund research on the possible environmental, health and safety impacts of nanomaterials. News Release | National Center for Environmental Research

Tribe to Restore Wetlands (9/11) Fifteen acres of willow forest adjacent to the Klamath River will be restored.
News Release | Klamath Watershed | Wetlands

Exxon Mobil to Pay $2.6 Million for Releasing PCBs into Environment (8/21) PCBs are a suspected carcinogen for humans and Exxon allowed one transformer to leak PCB-contaminated fluid for two years before repairing the transformer. News Release | PCBs | Enforcement

Fort Ord Redevelopment (8/12) Nearly 3,300 acres of the former Army base will be developed for residential, commercial and educational purposes. Feature Story & Photos | Superfund Site | Media Advisory

EPA Issues Air Permit to Desert Rock Energy Facility (7/31) The Desert Rock power plant will be one of the cleanest pulverized coal-burning power plants in the country. News Release | Feature Story | Permit Information

Partnership Reduces Air Pollution in Arizona (7/24) The goals of the South Phoenix Industry Challenge/Good Neighbor Partnership

are to reduce routine air emissions and accidental releases. News Release | Air Programs

Cleaning up the Anaconda Mine in Nevada (6/27)
(6/27) ARCO will pay over $2.7 million and investigate groundwater contamination. Press Release | Video & Photos

EPA Enforcement Results in Innovative Environmental Project in Saipan (7/9)
The alternative energy project will be the first non-residential alternative energy project in CNMI and will serve as a pilot for the rest of Micronesia. News Release

Watershed Restoration for Northern California River (6/11) As part of a national $4.3 million settlement, four home builders will help restore two major tributaries to the Garcia River which contains impaired steelhead and coho salmon habitat. News Release

Protecting Drinking Water (5/9) An $8M EPA grant will help fund the San Francisco Public Utility Commission to pilot monitoring, sampling, detection and early warning systems. News Release

CELEBRATE EARTH DAY! (4/22) EPA’s experts in the Pacific Southwest are available to discuss local environmental issues in communities and with the media. Media Contacts»
Earth Day Sites: Pacific Southwest | National

EPA Honors Environmental Leaders (4/14) Awards recognize organizations and individuals who have made remarkable efforts to protect and preserve our air, water and land. News Releases: Am. Samoa | AZ | So CA | No CA | HI | NV | Environmental Awards Site

EPA Funds Community Redevelopment (4/8) Grant money will support the type of assistance necessary to transform idle lands into community assets. News Releases by State: AZ | So. CA | No. CA | NV | CNMI

EPA Takes Charge of Cleanup at Greka (4/1) EPA is immediately assuming control of all cleanup efforts at Greka’s Bell Lease in Santa Maria. EPA is mobilizing contractors to clean up the site. News Release

Removing Pesticides from the U.S.-Mexico Border Region (3/26)
A collaboration of EPA, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, the Imperial County Agricultural Commissioner, the Mexican Secretariat for the Environment and Natural Resources, and the Mexican Public Health Services Agency. News Release | Feature story

Preventing Air Pollution (3/19) EPA funds communities and researchers to learn about and prevent toxic pollution. News Release

EPA Grant Supports Tribe's Cleanup Efforts (3/11) Leaking underground storage tanks can contaminate land and the Klamath River which tribal communities depend on for fishing and drinking water. News Release & Soundbite | Leaking Underground Storage Tanks in Indian Country

Protecting People from Unregistered Pesticides (3/5) Products that kill or repel bacteria or germs are considered pesticides and must be registered with the EPA prior to distribution or sale. News Release

New Nevada and California Participants in Performance Track (2/25) The National Environmental Performance Track is a partnership program that recognizes and encourages voluntary environmental protection commitments in the private and public sectors. News Release | Performance Track Web site

Powerine to Pay $1.45 Million in Cleanup Costs (2/13) The company's settlement allows EPA to recover some of its costs at three southern California Superfund sites. News Release

map of Sewerage Agency for Southern Marin

Inspection Reports Released Following Sewage Spills (2/12) EPA finalized inspection reports for five sewage collection systems that flow to the Sewerage Agency for Southern Marin wastewater facility on San Francisco Bay. News Release | Reports | Map

Pipes in the Del Amo vapor extraction system

Cleaning up the Del Amo Superfund Site (2/6) EPA and Shell Oil Co. removed more than 23,000 lbs. of hazardous toxins from the southern California site. News Release | Site Info | Site Map (Google)

EPA Responds to Oil Spills (1/29) EPA orders Greka Oil and Gas to immediately comply with the federal Water Pollution Control Act. News Release

Paradise Valley, AZ, Drinking Water (1/18) EPA is working with state and local agencies to ensure that Paradise Valley drinking water supplies meet all standards following this week's contamination. News Release

Energy Company Did Not Discover Oil Spill for 13 Hours (1/9) Greka Energy has been responsible for three major and numerous minor oil spills in the area in the past two years. News Release

Cleaner Air in Nevada (1/3) EPA proposes designation of the Truckee Meadows area of Washoe County as an attainment area for the national health standard for carbon monoxide.
• News Release
• Map of Washoe County

• Google Earth Map with Current Air Quality (Requires Google Earth, more information)

Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicles (12/17) EPA and the United Parcel Service (UPS) have developed a delivery vehicle to explore and demonstrate the environmental benefits of the hydraulic hybrid. Feature Story | Video & Photos | News Release

EPA Orders Ports' Tenants to Comply with Clean Water Act (12/5) Eight tenants of the Port of Long Beach and 12 tenants of the Port of Los Angeles were ordered to comply with stormwater regulations. Audit report & Enforcement orders | News Release

Region 9 Topics and Programs | A-Z Index

Top News Stories, 2008

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