In this month's issue of Restoration & Remediation Magazine, Mr. John Banta wrote an excellant article regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Lead Paint regulation - Renovation, Remodeling, & Painting Rule. The article covers the history of the rule and discusses enforcement issues.
As the article discusses the roll-out period for firms to become certified by filing their paperwork and paying their fees to the EPA, as well as for the Certified Renovators supervising these jobs to be trained, was extended to the end of 2010, but the effective date for using lead safe work practices remained April 22, 2010. As Mr. Banta indicates in his article "this means...that any firm performing work for hire in target housing or child-occupied facilities built prior to 1978 is required to follow the regulations, even if their paperwork hasn’t been processed or even filed." However, this grace period is over.
The EPA may audit the records of any firm in violation of the regulation for up to three years after the job is complete and be fined up to $37,500 per occurrence per day. If the violation of the law is willful, the fine can be doubled and jail time may be assigned by the courts. This law applies in all federal jurisdictions; except states, tribes, and territories that EPA has approved to administer their own RRP programs. According to the article those states are, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Carolina, Mississippi, Kansas, Rhode Island, Utah, Oregon, Massachusetts, and Alabama have had their programs approved in lieu of the Federal program. Approved State programs must be at least as strict as the EPA regulations.
Don't forget tomorrow is the EPA Information Session at Hofstra and if you have any questions please post them here or at Future Environment Designs Forum, and I will try to get an answer to your questions.
Future Environment Designs Training Center specializes in asbestos, indoor air quality, industrial hygiene, and occupational safety training programs. We offer New York State asbestos and mold certification courses. We design, develop, and maintain the various indoor air quality, asbestos, and safety programs that are Keeping Your Employees Safe.
Search This Blog
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Hofstra is Hosting an Information Session on EPA's Lead RRP Law.
Image via WikipediaThe Guest Speaker will be Jeanette Dadusc, the RRP Coordinator, Region 2 for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). I will be attending this free information session on Friday, April 1, 2011 at 11:30 AM at Breslin Hall. If anyone has any questions they wish me to ask, please post them here or on the Future Environment Designs Forum. Maybe I will see you there.
Related articles
- EPA's Local Coordinator for the Lead Paint Rule at Hofstra University (futureenv.blogspot.com)
- Massachusetts DOS and EPA Begins Enforcement of Lead RRP (unitedallianceservices.typepad.com)
- Attention Homeowners/Realtors: EPA RRP Certification required to All Contractors & Workers If Your Home Has Been Built Prior 1978 (briarhillsinfo.wordpress.com)
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Jury Selection Begins in the Deutsche Bank Building Fire Trial
Image via WikipediaThe Engineering News Record (ENR) of New York wrote an excellant article on the beginning of jury selection for the manslaughter trial of site safety manager Jeffrey Melofchik, 49, who worked for Bovis; Mitchel Alvo, 58, the cleanup director for subcontractor John Galt Corp.; Salvatore DePaola, 56, a Galt foreman; and Galt itself on the fire that occurred in 2007 at the former Deutsche Bank Building. The article does an excellant job of providing a history of all that has occurred since the fire occurred in 2007. Including the Manhattan District Attorney's investigation, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) investigation, and the New York City investigation. Based on the article it would seem the Manhattan District Attorney will have an uphill battle getting a conviction on this trial.
Related articles
- Jury Selection Set For Deutsche Bank Fire (newyork.cbslocal.com)
- 2 Seek Bench Trial In Fatal Deutsche Bank Fire (newyork.cbslocal.com)
- Trial stemming from deadly Deutsche Bank fire begins (reuters.com)
- Finally Gone, Ground Zero Tower In Focus At Trial (newyork.cbslocal.com)
- Tower damaged on 9/11 finally coming down (msnbc.msn.com)
- Almost 10 Years Later, Old Deutsche Bank Tower Is Down (newyork.cbslocal.com)
Monday, March 28, 2011
EPA Proposes to Add Area Near Hicksville, New Cassel, Westbury, Hempstead and Salisbury, N.Y. to the Federal Superfund List
Image via WikipediaMarch 8, 2011 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that they are proposing consolidating areas in Hicksville, New Cassel, Westbury, Hempstead and Salisbury in Nassau County, N.Y. into one site and adding it to the Superfund National Priorities List of the country’s most hazardous waste sites. Ground water throughout the site is contaminated with harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The Magothy aquifer, Nassau County’s primary source of drinking water, has likely been impacted by the contamination. Residents of the affected towns are currently receiving drinking water that is being treated to remove the VOCs. EPA has conducted an initial investigation of the site, and the Superfund designation will allow EPA to further investigate the extent of the contamination and its sources and remediate it. EPA will solicit input from the public before reaching a final decision on whether to add the area to the Superfund list.
With the proposal of this site to the Superfund List, a 60-day comment period will begin during which EPA solicits public input regarding this action. For instructions on how to submit comments, go to http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/pubcom.htm or contact Dennis Munhall at (212) 637-4343 or munhall.dennis@epa.gov.
VOCs are often used as ingredients in paint, solvents, aerosol sprays, cleaners, disinfectants, automotive products and dry cleaning fluids. Repeated and direct exposure to VOCs can cause serious health effects including damage to the liver, kidneys and central nervous system.
“By placing the site on the federal Superfund list, EPA can do the extensive sampling needed to determine the best ways to address the widespread ground water contamination in this area of Long Island,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck. “Residents of Long Island rely on ground water as their source of drinking water. It is imperative that Long Island’s drinking water is protected from toxic contamination. Placing these areas on the federal Superfund list is an essential step to cleaning up this water contamination. EPA needs to take a more comprehensive look at the contamination and any potential health and environmental threats it poses.”
New York State had been examining a number of areas contained in the newly proposed site individually, and determined that the contamination would be better addressed as one large site. Ground water testing by EPA in 2010 confirmed the presence of elevated levels of VOCs in 11 public water supply wells, six in Hicksville, four in Hempstead and one on Westbury. The impacted towns have installed treatment systems to remove VOCs from the contaminated ground water before it goes into the water distribution systems, and to monitor water quality and the treatment systems regularly.
A variety of past industrial and commercial activities in the area may have caused the ground water contamination, although investigations by the New York State Department of Environmental Protection (NYSDEC) have yet to identify the specific sources contaminating the wells. NYSDEC has investigated 17 facilities in the New Cassel industrial area between Frost St. in New Cassel and Swalm Ave. in North Hempstead. NYSDEC and some of the entities in the New Cassel industrial area potentially responsible for the contamination have already installed systems to remove contaminants from the ground water at and near some of the sites. The New Cassel industrial area is just north of the four contaminated wells – the Bowling Green wells – in Hempstead.
With all Superfund sites, EPA does an extensive search to identify and locate the parties potentially responsible for the contamination and make them pay or perform the cleanup work. The majority of Superfund cleanups are performed by or paid for ny polluters, not tax dollars. Superfund money s used for EPA oversight costs and when no responsible party can be identified.
With the proposal of this site to the Superfund List, a 60-day comment period will begin during which EPA solicits public input regarding this action. For instructions on how to submit comments, go to http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/pubcom.htm or contact Dennis Munhall at (212) 637-4343 or munhall.dennis@epa.gov.
VOCs are often used as ingredients in paint, solvents, aerosol sprays, cleaners, disinfectants, automotive products and dry cleaning fluids. Repeated and direct exposure to VOCs can cause serious health effects including damage to the liver, kidneys and central nervous system.
“By placing the site on the federal Superfund list, EPA can do the extensive sampling needed to determine the best ways to address the widespread ground water contamination in this area of Long Island,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck. “Residents of Long Island rely on ground water as their source of drinking water. It is imperative that Long Island’s drinking water is protected from toxic contamination. Placing these areas on the federal Superfund list is an essential step to cleaning up this water contamination. EPA needs to take a more comprehensive look at the contamination and any potential health and environmental threats it poses.”
New York State had been examining a number of areas contained in the newly proposed site individually, and determined that the contamination would be better addressed as one large site. Ground water testing by EPA in 2010 confirmed the presence of elevated levels of VOCs in 11 public water supply wells, six in Hicksville, four in Hempstead and one on Westbury. The impacted towns have installed treatment systems to remove VOCs from the contaminated ground water before it goes into the water distribution systems, and to monitor water quality and the treatment systems regularly.
A variety of past industrial and commercial activities in the area may have caused the ground water contamination, although investigations by the New York State Department of Environmental Protection (NYSDEC) have yet to identify the specific sources contaminating the wells. NYSDEC has investigated 17 facilities in the New Cassel industrial area between Frost St. in New Cassel and Swalm Ave. in North Hempstead. NYSDEC and some of the entities in the New Cassel industrial area potentially responsible for the contamination have already installed systems to remove contaminants from the ground water at and near some of the sites. The New Cassel industrial area is just north of the four contaminated wells – the Bowling Green wells – in Hempstead.
With all Superfund sites, EPA does an extensive search to identify and locate the parties potentially responsible for the contamination and make them pay or perform the cleanup work. The majority of Superfund cleanups are performed by or paid for ny polluters, not tax dollars. Superfund money s used for EPA oversight costs and when no responsible party can be identified.
Related articles
- EPA adds 2 wells in Puerto Rico to Superfund list (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
- BRIEF: Eight more defendants in Superfund suit pay to settle claims (newdayunderwriting.wordpress.com)
- EPA, NYC Brace for Grueling Cleanups of 2 Industrial Waterways (nytimes.com)
- Appeals court upholds Utah Superfund listing (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
- The $500 Million Superfund Cleanup (huffingtonpost.com)
Friday, March 25, 2011
Engineering News Record of New York Interviews William Rapetti
Tower Crane in Venice, Italy |
Related articles
- Crane Collapse Verdict: Master rigger William Rapetti, charged with... (ny.curbed.com)
- Contractor Is Acquitted in Crane Collapse (cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com)
- Rigger Acquitted in Deadly '08 NYC Crane Collapse (abcnews.go.com)
- Crane rigger found not guilty in 2008 East Side crane collapse (nydailynews.com)
- Rigging contractor found not guilty in New York crane collapse (cnn.com)
- NYC crane rigger cleared in fatal collapse (cbc.ca)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Chrysotile Asbestos Banned? More Like Certain Conditions of Use Will Be Eventually Banned!
Many of you, as did I, read about the " Ban of Chrysotile Asbestos " and rejoiced over something long overdue. However, after rea...
-
… … … This debate regarding asbestos floor tiles started at the Professional Abatement Contractors of New York's ...
-
We attended the Environmental Information Association (EIA) 2022 National Conference and Exhibition in Phoenix, Arizona from March 20, thro...
-
Every year at this time the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers with 10 or more employees to post the O...