Friday, September 12, 2003

California Deal May Preserve Utah's Water Three bills approved by the California Legislature would implement an agreement among California's major water agencies to conserve water. The impact of these bills on Utah may be profound in terms of its own water needs. (Newsday) However one of the agencies (Imperial Valley) sent troubling signals (Casper Star Tribune) California Bills 277, 317, 654 1:03:16 PM

	Thursday, July 10, 2003

Salt Lake County Tops List of Toxic Releases The EPA has released the 2001 Toxic Release Index. The release shows that Salt Lake County with 60 Facilities releasing toxic chemicals, emitted nearly 732 million pounds of these chemicals into the air and water. Top 10 Counties with Largest TRI ON-Site nad Off-site Releases, All Industries, 2001 Nearly 696 million pounds of these chemicals belonged to the Kennecott Utah Copper Mine Concentrators and Power Plant in Copperton. Top 10 Facilities with Largest Total On-site and Off-site Releases, All Industries, 2001 Copper compounds led the list of chemicals released, with a United States total of over a billion pounds. Top 20 Chemicals with Largest TRI ON-site and Off-site Releases, All Industries, 2001 The top states for toxic chemical emissions are Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. TRI On-site and Off-site Releases by State 2001 Full EPA Report 11:31:01 AM

	Thursday, May 22, 2003

Utah Receives FEMA Grant The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that Utah would be one of 12 states to each receive nearly $250,000 to support development of hazard mitigation plans meeting FEMA guidelines. These funds represent about 75% of the anticipated cost of these plans.  Such plans are aimed at controlling response to primarily natural hazards. [FEMA Announcement]  10:11:04 AM

Chemical Plants Redux Finding Offsite Consequence Analysis (OCA) data dealing with word-case and alternative release scenarios for chemical plants is problematic. The EPA offers a Vulnerable Zone Indicator System, which is somewhat misleading. It says Most of us have driven past an industrial plant and wondered what was happening inside. Did you ever think to yourself: I wonder what they're making in there. Could they be using hazardous chemicals? What if there is an accident...The Vulnerable Zone Indicator System allows you to quickly find out if an address of interest to you could be affected by a chemical accident. The implication seems to be that filling out this form will reveal significant information about any possible chemical threat. A sample submission to this form brought the following information buried in a return email: Results: The EPA's Vulnerable Zone Indicator System shows that the location you submitted is likely to be in at least one RMP facility's vulnerable zone. One is then directed to a page which notes that actual information about which chemical plant and the nature of the danger is not available over the internet. Other options on this page: 1) ask someone at a regulated facility; they may choose to share this information. (Of course you would have to know what the plant is first). 2) Executive summaries of RMPs (Risk Management Plans) which leads to a dead link (and again, in any case, knowledge of the plant involved would be necessary).  3) Federal Reading Rooms (Utah's link leads to a dead page). 4) Utah's State Emergency Response Commission Contacts (at http://www.epa.gov/ceppo/serclist.htm#ut, and 5) right back around to the Vulnerable Zone Indicator System. Apparently, access to these RMP reports has been limited since 9/11, although proposed EPA restrictions on this information date back to April of 2000. [Vulnerable Zone Indicator System] [Washington Post Article 2000] 9:52:55 AM

	Wednesday, May 21, 2003

World War II threat over, says Dept of Interior The BLM has revoked Public Land Order No. 62 in Utah. The order provided for the protection of 107 acres of public land for the protection of manganese ore in support of the prosecution of World War II.  The land will be opened to surface entry, mining, and mineral leasing. 10:06:52 AM

Chemical Plants, Terrorists, and Greanpeace Sen. Jon Corzine of New Jersey has been pushing a bill in Congress (Chemical Security Act) that would require chemical plants with "worst-case scenarios" filed with the EPA that would put people at risk of terrorist attacks to submit vulnerability assessments, increase security and implement safer practices. Although the bill was supported by a broad range of advocates, from national security proponents to environmentalist groups like Greanpeace, recent lobbying from major chemical associations and industry goups and put the bill offtrack. In March the GAO issued a report highlighting the risk posed by unsecured chemical plants to terrorist attacks. Utah is listed by the EPA as containing 1 (unidentified) chemical plant whose required "worst-case scenario" submission indicated vulnerability to terrorist attack. [GAO Report] [EPA Chemical Plant Information] 10:01:41 AM

	Tuesday, May 20, 2003

Utah Considered for Mercury Storage Utah is one of the sites being considered by the Federal Government for stockpiling of mercury. Mercury is used in the manufacture of atomic bombs and has been linked to human neurological, reproductive and immune problems. Other sites being considered are in New York and Nevada. [Mercury Management] 11:40:57 AM

	Thursday, May 15, 2003

Provo Foundry Focus of Federal Probe McWane Inc. has been in the spotlight recently, the subject of television documentaries and newspaper features, for its remarkable record of workplace safety and environmental pollution. Now the federal Justice Department has opened a probe of the company which has one of its foundries, the Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe Company, in Provo. A former executive of McWane said that in 1999 and 2000, the Provo foundry was falsifying air emission tests. The New York Times reports today than a former engineer for Pacific States said that the plant had systematically lied about smokestack test results to Utah air quality officials. The company is one of the larger employers in Utah County, with 300 employees. (Utah County Web Site). An info.utah.gov search of Pacific States shows that the company has received several violation notices from the Division of Air Quality, on 10/15/99, 8/11/00, and 11/14/01. Pacific States was issued a new 5 year operating permit (required by Title V of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments) by DEQ on April 10 of this year. (Title V Permits Issued). Utah compliance inspector Robert Simine told the Times, If a company intentionally wants to falsify records or produce more than they are allowed to produce or burn a lot of hazardous waste, then there is no way we can catch them unless an insider decides to report it. [Allowables for Companies within the PM10 SIP Domain (Excel spreadsheet) [New York Times (Registration required)] 8:54:05 AM

	Wednesday, May 14, 2003

NRC To Conduct Skull Valley Nuclear Waste Hearing The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will conduct two sessions May 29 on the application of Private Fuel Storage, LLC to build and operate a temporary above-ground storage facility for spent nuclear fuel on the Goshute Reservation about 50 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. The hearing will be held in Rockville, MD. PFS has requested the Board to issue a license for a smaller facility than originally proposed, falling below the aircraft crash hazard threshold. 10:04:15 AM

	Friday, April 25, 2003

Pentagon pushes exemption from environmental laws The Pentagon has urged congressional exemption to Clean Air Act and Endangered Species Act restrictions in a blanket fashion, rather than case by case. The Department of Defense is asking Congress to use the current DOD reauthorizaion bill to restrict the reach of these laws. Former House Resources Committee chair James Hansen last year waived his committee's jurisdictional claims. A group of State Attorneys General, including Utah, have expressed concern that these exemption would likely affect cleanups of unexploded ornance at thousands of sites nationwide. [The Hill] 11:37:23 AM

	Thursday, April 24, 2003

Texas House approve nuclear waste storage The Texas House of Representatives approved a bill to allow additional low-level nuclear waste disposal. Proponents of the measure said it would isolate the storage to one spot, as opposed to hundreds of sites across the state. Opponents said it would make Texas another nuclear dumping ground. Although Envirocare Inc. is interested in a Texas license, it appears that the favorite is Texas billionaire Harold Simmons who operates a hazardous waste dump in West Texas. [Amarillo Globe News] 9:50:10 AM

	Thursday, April 17, 2003

Two Utahns win Take Pride in America Awards from Interior Department Take Pride in America, a national partnership initiative aimed at increasing volunteer service on America's public lands have honored Ray and Juanita Huber of Santa Clara. 9:29:27 AM