Article | April 27, 2011
Water Online's EPA Update: April 27, 2011
Welcome to Water Online's review of the latest U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, resources, and activities related to the water, wastewater, and stormwater industries. EPA offices and programs covered in this installment are listed below. Click on an office or program name to go directly to that section of the article. Office of Water (OW) Obama Administration Affirms Comprehensive Commitment To Clean Water
EPA Directs Company To Supply Information In PA Gas Well Incident EPA And New York State Move To Ban Dumping Sewage From Boats Into Long Island Sound
EPA's Ocean Survey Vessel Bold 2010 Annual Report Released
EPA Solicits Public Comment On Permit To Reduce Stormwater Discharges From Construction Sites Many of the new permit requirements implement new effluent limitations guidelines and new source performance standards for the construction and development industry that became effective on February 1, 2010. These requirements include a suite of erosion and sediment controls and pollution prevention measures that apply to all permitted construction sites. EPA Seeks Comments On Draft Document On "Identifying And Protecting Healthy Watersheds: Concepts, Assessments, And Management Approaches"
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
(NRMRL) Earth Day 2011 — Looking Back, Looking Forward Clean Air Land and Groundwater Protection Research for the Sustainable Future Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program ETV Verified Technologies
Vendor Solicitations
Upcoming Conferences and Meetings
For more information on the ETV, visit www.epa.gov/etv. Other EPA News EPA Administrator Jackson Visits Gulf Coast On One-Year Anniversary Of The BP Oil Spill
EPA Scores 100 Percent On Sustainability And Energy Goals EPA Awards P3 Grants To College Teams For Environmental Innovation The proposed Construction General Permit (CGP) includes a number of enhanced protections, including enhanced provisions to protect impaired and sensitive waters. Some of the significant proposed permit modifications include new requirements for:
For more information on the P3 Award competition: http://www.epa.gov/p3/2011winners
EPA Updates SPCC Regulation To Exclude Milk And Milk Products
EPA Announces Plan Of Action To Address Four IRIS Assessments
U.S. EPA Reaches $1.2 Million Settlement With 49 Parties To Further Clean Santa Barbara County Toxic Dump Site
EPA Opens Public Comment On Proposed Standards To Protect Aquatic Ecosystems
Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Opens State Information Call Lines
SOURCE: EPA
Recognizing the importance of clean water and healthy watersheds to our economy, environment and communities, the Obama administration released a national clean water framework today that showcases its comprehensive commitment to protecting the health of America's waters. The framework emphasizes the importance of partnerships and coordination with states, local communities, stakeholders and the public to protect public health and water quality, and promote the nation's energy and economic security.
Read
more.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has directed Chesapeake Energy Corp. to
supply information in connection with the discharge of drilling fluids from a
natural gas well last week in Leroy Township, Bradford County, Pennsylvania.
While the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the lead in responding to this
incident, EPA staff is requesting by tomorrow, April 26, information on the
hydraulic fracturing fluids used in the drilling process at the well; the water,
land and air affected by the release; and any private well, surface water and
soil sampling data collected in the area before and after the April 19 incident.
Read
more.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has tentatively determined that
there are adequate facilities for boats in Long Island Sound to pump out their
sewage and that a proposal by the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation's (DEC) to establish a "No Discharge Zone" for the waters
of the New York State Long Island Sound can go forward. A no-discharge zone
means that boats are completely banned from discharging sewage into the water. Read
more.
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released the Ocean Survey Vessel Bold 2010 Annual Report, a report summarizing the surveys completed by the Ocean Survey Vessel Bold, EPA's coastal and oceans monitoring and assessment vessel. The surveys provide scientific information and data to support EPA's mission to protect and enhance ocean and coastal waters through a variety of programs including partnerships and regulatory activities.
In 2010, the OSV Bold supported scientific surveys over a wide variety of geographic areas, including the Atlantic Coast, the Gulf of Mexico, the Florida Keys, and the Caribbean Sea. The OSV Bold provided state-of-the-art oceanographic support to EPA scientists and their federal, state, territorial, and academic partners.
The annual report highlights the Bold's scientific survey capabilities, survey accomplishments, and the unique role the vessel plays in supporting EPA's monitoring and assessment programs that address requirements of federal statutes such as the Clean Water Act and the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act.
For more information about EPA's OSV Bold, visit http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/assessmonitor/osvbold_index.cfm.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing for public comment a draft permit that will help improve our nation's waterways by regulating the discharge of stormwater from construction sites. Stormwater discharges during construction activities can contain sediment and pollutants that harm aquatic ecosystems, increase drinking water treatment costs and pollute waters that people use for fishing, swimming and other recreational activities.
The proposed Construction General Permit (CGP) includes a number of enhanced protections, including enhanced provisions to protect impaired and sensitive waters. Some of the significant proposed permit modifications include new requirements for:
The permit will be effective in areas where EPA is the permitting authority, including four states (Idaho, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New Mexico); Washington, D.C.; most territories; and most Indian country lands.
The public will have 60 days to comment on the draft permit. EPA anticipates that it will issue the final construction general permit by January 31, 2012.
The current permit is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2011; however, EPA is proposing to extend the current permit until January 31, 2012 to provide sufficient time to finalize the new permit.
More information on the proposed construction general permit: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/cgp.cfm
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking comments on a recently released draft technical document titled "Identifying and Protecting Healthy Watersheds: Concepts, Assessments, and Management Approaches." This draft technical document provides the basis for implementing the Agency's Healthy Watersheds Initiative, which, in partnership with states, tribes, local governments, nongovernmental organizations and others, is intended to protect the nation's remaining healthy watersheds, prevent them from becoming impaired, and accelerate restoration successes. The Healthy Watersheds approach, as part of the initiative, is based on a holistic, integrated, systems view of aquatic ecosystems that acknowledges their dynamics and interconnectivity in the landscape.
The draft technical document includes an overview of the key concepts behind the Healthy Watersheds approach, examples of assessments of healthy watershed components, an integrated assessment framework for identifying healthy watersheds, examples of management approaches, sources of national data and key assessment tools. It contains numerous examples and case studies from across the country. The intended audience and potential beneficiaries of this document include aquatic resource scientists and managers at the state, tribal, regional and local levels, non-governmental organizations and federal agencies. Local government land use managers and planners may also benefit as they develop protection priorities.
EPA is seeking comments on this draft document until June 3, 2011. For more information and the draft document please visit:
www.epa.gov/healthywatersheds.
The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970. In the years since then, the United States and its frontline environmental agent--the Environmental Protection
Agency — have come a very long way toward preserving our finite resources of clean air, water, and land.
Earth Day 2011 provides a perspective on past EPA successes, especially the scientific accomplishments that laid the foundation for legislative action, and for the environmental tools and technologies in use today. But Earth Day also looks ahead to a new vision of sustainability.
Water Use and Reuse
More than a half-century of scientific research in drinking water chemistry resulted in the first U.S.
legislation — the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 — that today ensures clean drinking water for communities and efficient controls on community waste water and storm runoff. Some results of the 1974 legislation and its amendments include:
EPA research laid the foundation for Clean Air Act legislation in 1970 to protect against hazardous air pollutants, especially highway traffic emissions and power plant emissions. Some clean air research accomplishments include:
Land remediation and groundwater pollution research has resulted in innovative technologies in soil and sediment remediation and redevelopment. Some of them are:
EPA scientific and engineering research programs have been intensely involved in the problems of restoration and reclamation. Many research efforts continue on this path. But the EPA mandate of protection also involves the growing scientific understanding of the
future — the sustainability — of American environmental resources. Many EPA researchers whose work follows this new path are expanding the traditional laboratory setting to add increasing contact with stakeholders in the interaction that sustainable decision making demands.
EPA life-cycle analysts, for example, collaborate with business and manufacturing stakeholders in assessing the long-term impacts of products and processes on the environment. This cradle-to-grave assessment requires both data-based modeling and stakeholder contact to be implemented successfully in a real-world economy.
The EPA PLACES program works with a living community to make decisions about community development, land use planning, and property management, among other things, in a long-term, monitored sustainability planning model.
Another notable research model is EPA's Shepherd Creek Pilot
Project, which is using economic incentives to involve property owners in improved storm water management practices in a community with large volumes of storm water runoff.
These research programs reflect
EPA's new concepts of stewardship and sustainability that seek a balance of economic growth and environmental responsibility, public and private. They also reflect the expanded vision of Earth Day celebrations since 1970.
The ETV Program has verified the performance of 444 innovative environmental
technologies that can be used to monitor, prevent, control, and clean up
pollution. For a full list of ETV verifications, visit
http://www.epa.gov/etv/verifiedtechnologies.html.
ETV centers issue periodic solicitations for vendors and collaborators
interested in verification. For a list of active ETV vendor solicitations,
please visit www.epa.gov/etv/vendorswanted.html,
or contact the appropriate ETV center (see www.epa.gov/etv/contacts.html).
On the one-year anniversary of the explosion that led to the BP oil spill, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson spent the day in her hometown of New Orleans, surveying ecosystem restoration progress and discussing her work to preserve and restore the gulf with community members and local conservation groups.
Administrator Jackson, who chairs the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, began the day by touring marshes and wetlands along the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts. She later joined a group of community members for a tour of a successful marsh restoration project at Bayou Dupont. The project involved the dredging of 2.7 million cubic yards of sediment from a sandbar on the Mississippi River to create hundreds of acres of new land that can help absorb potential storm surges and, eventually, serve as the foundation for thriving ecosystems.
"It was important to me to be in my hometown of New Orleans on the anniversary of the rig explosion that claimed 11 lives and led to the largest oil spill in our nation's history," EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said. "It was inspiring to see some of the recovery work that is already taking place and be reminded of the resolve of the people here. With the memory of this tragedy still clear in our minds, we are dedicated to working with gulf residents to rebuild this region, restore its fragile wetlands that are the foundation of the gulf's thriving ecosystem, and re-envision a better future for gulf communities."
President Obama issued an executive order in October 2010 to create the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force and appointed Administrator Jackson chair. The task force works to integrate federal restoration efforts with those of local stakeholders and state and tribal governments, and to facilitate accountability and support throughout the restoration process.
EPA also announced today the availability of grant funding for local organizations supporting health and environmental education and outreach to communities affected by the oil spill.
More information on the grants: http://epa.gov/environmentaljustice/grants/bp-spill-grants.html
More information on the EPA's efforts on the Gulf Coast: http://epa.gov/gulfcoasttaskforce/
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released its fiscal year 2010 scorecard on sustainability and energy performance. EPA is meeting or exceeding all the federal goals to decrease energy use per square foot; reduce potable water use per square foot; lessen fleet petroleum use; establish inventories of direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions; incorporate sustainable building practices; and increase renewable energy use.
The agency's energy consumption has dropped by 22.8 percent compared with the 18 percent required federal target. Water usage has gone down by 18.7 percent vs. the six percent target. Petroleum usage in the agency's vehicle fleet has declined by 24.9 percent measured against the 10 percent target. Additionally, EPA purchases 100 percent green power for all of its electric power needs. EPA was the first agency to submit greenhouse gas targets and agency inventory to the meet the requirement of Executive Order 13514.
"The scorecard is an important tool for us to develop targets for waste reduction and energy efficiency for our facilities at EPA," said Craig Hooks, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Administration and Resources Management. "EPA is doing what the President envisioned us to do, 'lead by example,' by being good stewards of the environment, all the while realizing substantial savings to the government."
Using the scorecard as a benchmark, EPA has identified and is tracking opportunities to reduce pollution, improve efficiency, and cut costs. Under the executive order, President Obama directed federal agencies to lead by example in clean energy and to meet a range of energy, water, pollution, and waste-reduction targets. Based on scorecard benchmarks, EPA will update its sustainability plan, which is required by the executive order. The plan is due in June, and is posted publicly on the agency's website.
The agency continues to strive for additional energy and water reductions, upgrade new and existing buildings with green and energy-efficient technologies, and identify ways to decrease greenhouse gas emissions including green travel, green conferencing, and employee teleworking opportunities.
EPA's Sustainability and Energy Scorecard is at: http://epa.gov/aboutepa/ombscorecard.html
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded grants today to six college teams across the country who participated in the 7th annual EPA People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) award competition held at the National Sustainable Design Expo on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The P3 award competition and National Sustainable Design Expo were a part of the 2011 EPA Earth Day celebration event April 16-17. Since 2004, the P3 annual competition has provided a platform for teams to showcase their sustainable projects designed to protect the environment, encourage economic growth, and use natural resources more efficiently. These projects provide innovative, cutting-edge sustainable solutions to worldwide environmental problems.
"EPA's P3 Award winners are the environmental and economic future of our nation," said Paul T.
Anastas, assistant administrator for the EPA's Office of Research and Development. "Their sustainable innovations, from agriculture to architecture to energy production, keep our nation competitive and protect our health and the environment."
After an initial peer review process, this year winners were selected from 55 competing teams following two days of judging by a panel of national experts convened by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Each P3 award-winning team receives a grant of up to up to $75,000 to further develop the design, implement it in the field, or move it to the marketplace.
Winners of this year's awards include:
As part of the Obama Administration's efforts to make regulations more effective and eliminate unnecessary burdens, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today exempted milk and milk product containers from the Oil Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule, potentially saving the milk and dairy industries more than $140 million per year. This regulation has been in place since the 1970s, and with this action, EPA for the first time will ensure that all milk and milk products will be formally exempted.
In response to feedback from the agriculture community, EPA determined that this unintended result of the current regulations – which were designed to prevent oil spill damage to inland waters and shorelines – placed unjustifiable burdens on dairy farmers. To ensure that this outdated rule didn't harm the agriculture community while the mandatory regulatory process proceeded, EPA had delayed SPCC compliance requirements for milk and milk product containers several times since the SPCC rule went into effect. Today's formal rule change reflects EPA's commitment to common-sense, responsive, and transparent rulemaking. It's also consistent with the president's executive order on improving regulations.
"After working closely with dairy farmers and other members of the agricultural community, we're taking commonsense steps to exempt them from a provision in this rule that simply shouldn't apply to them. Despite the myths that have arisen about EPA's intentions, our efforts have been solely focused on exempting milk and milk products from this regulation -- and that exemption is now permanent," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "This step will relieve a potential burden from our nation's dairy farms, potentially saving them money, and ensuring that EPA can focus on the pressing business of environmental and health protection."
Based on input from the milk industry, EPA previously delayed SPCC compliance requirements for milk and milk product containers until the mandated regulatory process could be completed. In January 2009, EPA proposed the rule to exempt milk containers from the SPCC rule. Milk production is already subject to certain construction and sanitary standards and requirements that help prevent spills.
The final exemption applies to milk, milk product containers, and milk production equipment. In addition, because some of these facilities may still have oil storage subject to the spill prevention regulations, EPA is also amending the rule to exclude milk storage capacity from a facility's total oil storage capacity calculation. The agency is also removing the compliance date requirements for the exempted containers.
This announcement is consistent with President Obama's executive order on regulatory reform, which requires federal agencies to design cost-effective, evidence-based regulations that are compatible with economic growth, job creation, and competitiveness. As part of the immediate implementation of that strategy, agencies were asked to develop a plan to ensure that existing regulations are up-to-date, effective, and cost justified. This update to SPCC regulations is in line with that effort.
The SPCC regulations, in place since the 1970s, require facilities storing more than 1,320 gallons of oil to create and implement plans to prepare, prevent and respond to oil spills. The exemption does not apply to fuel oil and other applicable oils stored on farms; farms that store the regulatory threshold of fuel oil and other applicable oils are covered under the SPCC. The rule is intended to prevent damage to the inland waters and shorelines of the United States.
More information on the milk and milk product containers exemption:
http://www.epa.gov/oem/oemweb/content/spcc/spcc_milk.htm
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today its plan to address the four draft Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessments that were placed on hold in June 2010, pending a review of some of the underlying studies relied on in the assessments. EPA conducts IRIS assessments to determine the potential impact of specific chemicals on people's health. The four assessments are methanol, methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), ethyl tertiary-butyl ether (ETBE), and acrylonitrile. Methanol is used in paints, varnishes, wiper fluid and adhesives. MTBE and ETBE are gasoline additives and acrylonitrile is used in the manufacture of certain plastics.
EPA held the assessments because of a report written by the National Toxicology Program (NTP), a program administered by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). The report outlined a review of research completed by the Ramazzini Institute, a lab in Italy that conducts animal testing to evaluate the potential cancer-causing effects of chemicals. The report discussed findings from an NTP assessment of an animal study on methanol and recommended that further pathology reviews be carried out to resolve differences of opinion between NTP scientists and the Ramazzini Institute in the diagnoses of certain cancers reported in the study.
Out of an abundance of caution and to ensure the agency's chemical assessments are grounded in the soundest possible science, EPA undertook a thorough review of all ongoing and previous chemical assessments to determine which, if any, relied substantially on cancer testing from the Ramazzini Institute. EPA found six assessments, four of which were in draft form and put on hold pending further review.
EPA and NIEHS decided to jointly sponsor an independent Pathology Working Group (PWG) review, in cooperation with the Ramazzini Institute, of selected studies, including the methanol cancer assessment study. The review has begun and will continue over the next several months. The results will be made public and the cancer assessment for methanol will remain on hold until its completion.
The non-cancer health effects resulting from exposure to methanol are not under review. Therefore, the draft assessment of methanol – IRIS Methanol Toxicological Review (Non-Cancer) – will be released shortly for public comment and peer review. (More information on the peer review of the non-cancer methanol assessment is available on the IRIS website.
The Ramazzini Institute diagnosed leukemias and lymphomas in studies of MTBE and ETBE, and found other tumors in studies of acrylonitrile, MTBE and ETBE. The PWG review of these studies will inform the interpretation of the tumor findings for those three IRIS assessments; however, based on other available data, EPA has determined that reliance on Ramazzini Institute study results is not necessary to continue with assessment development for MTBE, ETBE and acrylonitrile, including an assessment of cancer risks. Therefore, work on the assessments for the three chemicals will continue during the PWG review.
When the four assessments – methanol, MTBE, ETBE, and acrylonitrile – were put on hold in June 2010, two completed and publicly posted assessments – vinyl chloride and 1,1-dichloroethylene – were also identified as relying substantially on Ramazzini data. EPA will evaluate the results of the PWG review to inform conclusions about Ramazzini Institute tumor findings for these two assessments.
More information on the non-cancer methanol assessment: http://www.epa.gov/iris/
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today reached a $1.2 million settlement with 49 small parties, called de minimis parties, for the Casmalia Resources Superfund Site (CRSS) -- a former hazardous waste disposal facility that accepted approximately 5.6 billion pounds of waste from nearly 10,000 generators between 1973 and 1989. CRSS is located approximately 10 miles southwest of the City of Santa Maria in Santa Barbara County.
This is the fifth in a series of de minimis settlements at the site. To date more than $110 million has been collected toward cleanup from generators of hazardous waste disposed of at the site and from the site's former owner-operators.
"EPA is committed to making polluters pay their fair share for as long as necessary," said Jared Blumenfeld, Regional administrator for EPA's Pacific Southwest Region. "We will continue to reduce environmental threats to the communities and businesses near this Superfund site until we are confident that the job is done."
The agreement requires the 49 parties to pay a proportionate share of the estimated $284 million total cost of cleaning up the site and resolves their liability for the more than 13 million pounds of waste they collectively sent to CRSS. The settlement includes cleanup costs and potential natural resource damage claims by various government agencies including threats to endangered species and other habitats. As part of the agreement, EPA will collect a total of over $1.2 million, equal to approximately nine cents per pound of waste that the parties sent to the site.
EPA assumed the role of the lead regulatory agency in 1992 after the facility's owners and operators abandoned efforts to clean up the Site. EPA undertook emergency response action activities, while concurrently seeking participation in site work by former customers of the facility. The site was placed on the National Priorities List in September 2001.
Notice of the proposed Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent will be available for a 30-day public comment period following publication in the Federal Register.
For more information on the Casmalia Resources Superfund Site, please visit: www.epa.gov/region9/casmalia
For the Federal Register notice and supporting documents, please visit: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/public-inspection/index.html
As required by the Clean Water Act and pursuant to a settlement agreement, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing for public comment standards to protect billions of fish and other aquatic organisms drawn each year into cooling water systems at large power plants and factories. The proposal, based on Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act, would establish a common sense framework, putting a premium on public input and flexibility.
"This proposal establishes a strong baseline level of protection and then allows additional safeguards for aquatic life to be developed through a rigorous site-specific analysis, an approach that ensures the most up to date technology available is being used. It puts implementation analysis in the hands of the permit writers, where requirements can be tailored to the particular facility," said Nancy Stoner, acting assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Water. "The public's comments will be instrumental in shaping safeguards for aquatic life and to build a commonsense path forward. The input we receive will make certain that we end up with a flexible and effective rule to protect the health of our waters and ecosystems."
Safeguards against impingement will be required for all facilities above a minimum size; closed-cycle cooling systems may also be required on a case by case basis when, based on thorough site-specific analysis by permitting authorities, such requirements are determined to be appropriate. EPA is proposing this regulation as a result of a settlement agreement with Riverkeeper, Inc. and other environmental groups.
Flexible Technology Standards:
Fish Impingement (Being pinned against screens or other parts of a cooling water intake structure):
Existing facilities that withdraw at least 25 percent of their water exclusively for cooling purposes and have a design intake flow of greater than 2 million gallons per day (MGD) would be required to reduce fish impingement under the proposed regulations. To ensure flexibility, the owner or operator of the facility will be able to choose one of two options for meeting best technology available requirements for reducing impingement. They may conduct monitoring to show the specified performance standards for impingement mortality of fish and shellfish have been met, or they may demonstrate to the permitting authority that the intake velocity meets the specified design criteria. EPA estimates that more than half of the facilities that could be impacted by this proposed rule already employ readily available technologies that are likely to put them into compliance with the proposed standard.
Fish Entrainment (Being drawn into cooling water systems and affected by heat, chemicals or physical stress):
EPA is proposing a site-specific determination to be made based on local concerns and on the unique circumstances of each facility.
This proposed rule establishes requirements for the facility owner to conduct comprehensive studies and develop other information as part of the permit application, and then establishes a public process, with opportunity for public input, by which the appropriate technology to reduce entrainment mortality would be implemented at each facility after considering site-specific factors.
Because new units can incorporate the most efficient, best-performing technology directly into the design stage of the project, thus lowering costs and avoiding constraints associated with technology that has already been locked in, the proposed rule would require closed-cycle cooling (cooling towers) for new units at existing facilities, as is already required for new facilities.
The public will be able to comment on the proposal upon its publication in the Federal Register. EPA will conduct a 90 day comment period, and will carefully consider those comments before taking final action on the proposal. The administrator must take final action by July 27, 2012.
More information: http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/lawsguidance/cwa/316b/
The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, which has been charged by President Obama with developing a restoration strategy for the gulf, recently announced the availability of a toll-free number for individuals who have questions or suggestions related to the mission of the task force.
Under its charge, the task force must propose a gulf coast ecosystem restoration agenda by October 5, 2011. A series of listening sessions are being held throughout the gulf coast states for community members to provide individual input that will inform the development of the restoration strategy. The goal of the listening sessions is to obtain individual input on priority issues, existing impediments and key outcomes or actions for the restoration of the gulf coast ecosystem.
Citizens from the five gulf coast states, which include Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, can call the state information call line at 1-855-427-9263 to receive additional information on task force meetings and other activities within their state.
The touch tone automated menu provides general information about task force activities and allows callers to be transferred to a task force staff member located in each state. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (CST) Monday through Friday. The state information call line staff includes representatives from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Interior, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force was established by President Obama through an executive order on October 5, 2010. It is an advisory body made up of lead officials from state representatives appointed by the president upon recommendation of the governors of the five gulf states and 11 federal agencies and White House offices
Citizens can receive automatic updates by emailing the task force at GulfCoastTaskForce@epa.gov.
More information on the task force: http://www.restorethegulf.gov/task-force