Latest news with #PCBs
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Group formed to invest, grant money from state's largest environmental damages settlement
The Lower John Day River, pictured, is among the Oregon waterways contaminated by polychlorinated biphenyls. (Photo by Greg Shine/U.S. Bureau of Land Management/Flickr) More than two years ago, Oregon settled with agrochemical giant Monsanto over the company's alleged role in polluting waters of the state for more than 90 years with toxic chemicals harming humans and aquatic species. Now, Gov. Tina Kotek and the newly established Oregon Environmental Restoration Council will begin planning, investing and distributing that settlement money – $698 million – over the course of 50 years, using it to pay for environmental restoration and cleanup work across the state. Kotek announced the council's chairs Wednesday, as well as details about how the money in the state's Environmental Restoration Fund will eventually be allocated. 'The term 'once-in-a-generation opportunity' can be a little bit hyperbolic, but I think in this case, it's absolutely true,' said Nicole Maness, manager of the fund. 'This is a significant amount of money, and it's coming at a time when there's a huge amount of uncertainty around federal funding for restoration.' The settlement money will be invested by the State Treasury, and earn interest income that will be distributed by the Environmental Restoration Council and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board biennially, Maness said. Half of the settlement money awarded each biennium will go to state agencies to support work on water and environmental restoration. One quarter will go to the nine federally recognized tribes in Oregon for conservation and natural resources; and the remaining quarter will go to local communities and community-based organizations for projects benefitting people and neighborhoods disproportionately harmed by pollution. The deal between the Oregon Department of Justice and Monsanto is the largest environmental damages settlement in state history. The company agreed to pay in December 2022 to end a lawsuit brought by then Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum over allegations that Monsanto had for decades polluted state waters with Polychlorinated biphenyls, also called PCBs. Oregon is among several states that have sued the company, which has not admitted guilt or liability for the pollution. Monsanto was for decades the only manufacturer, seller and distributor of PCBs — colorless or light yellow compounds once used in coolants, electrical equipment, hydraulic oils, paints and caulking and copy paper — until it voluntarily ceased production of the compounds in 1977. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found the compounds can cause cancer in animals, and the federal Environmental Protection Agency says they are likely human carcinogens. PCBs continue to leach from landfills and travel into ground and surface waters where they are difficult to remove. More than a dozen waterways in Oregon are damaged by PCBs, including the Portland Harbor, Lower Columbia River, Middle Columbia River, Willamette River, Upper and Lower John Day Rivers and Coos Bay. The money will be used for more than just trying to tackle PCB pollution, Maness said, and 'in a way that is going to be meaningful to Oregonians, that is going to strike that balance between addressing past harms, but also opportunities to restore places that are important to people, important to wildlife.' These could include removing barriers to fish passage, improving overall water quality and aquatic habitat and ensuring salmon consumed among many tribes in Oregon are abundant and safe to eat, she said. Kotek on Wednesday announced she appointed Chuck Sams, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and the former director of the National Park Service, and Michael Dembrow, former Democratic state senator representing Portland, as co-chairs of the council. She also appointed Vice Chair Cheyenne Holliday, advocacy director at the nonprofit Portland-based environmental and social justice group Verde. 'This is a tremendous opportunity for us to improve the health and living conditions of Oregonians in every part of the state, year after year for the next fifty years at least,' Dembrow said in a news release. 'It's especially important to have this stable source of funding right now, given our uncertain state budget and little hope for federal support for this important work.' The rest of the council will be made up of the directors, or a designee of the directors, of the Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality; Oregon's attorney general or someone from the Office of the Attorney General; and two non-voting members from the Oregon House of Representatives and the Oregon Senate, chosen by those chambers. Kotek has yet to pick the final two members of the 11-member council she gets to appoint, but Maness said they will have to possess expertise in either PCBs or a wide range of environmental toxins. The council aims to have its first meeting this summer, Maness said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Arab Times
25-05-2025
- Science
- Arab Times
Hosting Stockholm Regional Centre enhances Kuwait's environmental leadership: KISR
KUWAIT CITY, May 25: The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) affirmed on Saturday that hosting the Stockholm Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for West Asia underscores Kuwait's leading role in advancing global environmental initiatives and solidifies its status as a key regional hub for chemical and waste risk management. Dr. Mohammad Al-Otaibi, Coordinator of the Regional Centre and a scientific researcher at KISR, told KUNA that the center provides technical and training services to countries across West Asia. It serves as a vital link between three major environmental agreements—most notably the Stockholm Convention—and the member states, offering technical support, technology transfer, regular updates, and assistance in implementing national action plans and submitting periodic reports. Since its inception, the center has conducted numerous regional training workshops, Al-Otaibi noted. It is now preparing to host an expanded workshop in October 2025 at KISR's headquarters. The event will bring together participants from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, other West Asian nations, and international experts to address recent updates to the convention, including chemicals such as PFAS, UVA-328, and PCBs, as well as the latest testing and reporting mechanisms. He highlighted that the center recently completed an updated national survey of banned chemicals in Kuwait in coordination with relevant agencies, including the Environment Public Authority, which fully supported the effort. A comprehensive report was submitted to the Stockholm Convention Secretariat. The center is now working on a new inventory of newly added substances to be submitted according to the required timeline. Al-Otaibi outlined the center's strategic work plan for 2024–2027, which is built around eight key areas: organizing advanced training workshops, implementing national research projects, updating national implementation plans (NIP), building a regional chemical database, evaluating new chemicals, and facilitating regional coordination and periodic reporting. He stressed that collaboration with donors and international organizations — such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) — has strengthened the center's capabilities. These partnerships help facilitate technology transfer, expand regional influence, and enhance Kuwait's environmental commitments while creating valuable opportunities for national capacity-building. Al-Otaibi also emphasized the importance of KISR's participation in the recent Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions, held in Geneva from April 28 to May 9, 2025. Kuwait's involvement, he said, showcased the country's environmental efforts and contributed to key decisions, including the addition of new chemicals to the conventions, updates to technical guidelines, and the launch of joint environmental compliance programs. He added that the regional center provides strategic value for Kuwait, not only as a scientific and training hub but also as an essential mechanism for protecting public health and the environment. The center's success, he noted, has been made possible by the support of the Kuwaiti leadership and collaboration with national partners. Additionally, Al-Otaibi said the center plays a critical role in developing national human resources, proposing scientifically validated alternatives to banned substances, and reducing environmental pollution costs—ultimately supporting Kuwait's economy and promoting sustainable development. Kuwait ratified the Stockholm Convention in March 2006. In May 2009, during the Fourth Conference of the Parties in Geneva, KISR was officially approved as the Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for West Asia, making it the first internationally accredited Arab center of its kind. Since its formal launch in 2011, the center has served as a scientific and technical cornerstone for advancing environmental policy and fostering coordinated regional efforts.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The EPA is designing a plan to clean Cedarburg's former Amcast site. Here's what to know.
Cedarburg residents might soon see some crews and hefty equipment sampling the former Amcast Industrial Corp. properties again in their city. Preliminary plans are coming together for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to clean up the former automotive aluminum die-casting facility, making way for hopes of residential redevelopment by the site's owner. The facility, which operated for 65 years, has contaminated the nearby area with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other hazardous chemicals in the two decades since it closed in 2005. Amcast went bankrupt, and the EPA placed the former site on its national priority list for cleanup using Superfund money in 2009. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), which is working with the EPA to design a cleanup plan, is preparing to collect and test samples at and around the site, USACE Project Manager Rich Whipple said at an open house event held May 5 at city hall to inform the public about the status of the cleanup. This will help identify the exact spots where cleanup is needed and the methods it would use to do so, he said. The Army Corps is currently surveying the site and will start taking samples in mid-July, which will likely take two months tops, Whipple said. The presence of PCBs was identified by the EPA during its initial investigation of the site between 2009 and 2015. The substance is a carcinogenic chemical previously used in many industrial and consumer products because of its fire-resistant and insulating properties until it was banned in manufacturing in 1979. Full cleanup is still at least a few years away, and its fate depends on federal funding and the EPA's ability to prioritize the project. There are around 1,300 Superfund sites across the nation, "and we're competing against them," Whipple said. The current cleanup planning process, known as remedial design, is expected to be completed in 2026. Actual cleanup would start once additional funding has been obtained for that stage of remediation, since each stage of cleanup is funded separately, Phil Gurley, U.S. EPA Community Involvement Coordinator. Since the Amcast site has no responsible party that the EPA can hold liable for the cleanup, the costs associated with each stage of the process must come out of the EPA's Superfund Trust Fund, which must be approved by the federal government, Gurley said. The EPA's headquarters office weighs all the proposed cleanup plans for contaminated sites across the country and chooses which sites will be prioritized that year. The agency will also choose whether to continue contracting with the Army Corps for cleanup. The fate of the project also hinges on how much money Congress and the president appropriate towards the Superfund program as part of the federal budget, which will affect the number of cleanups the EPA can fund. According to reporting from Bloomberg Law, President Donald Trump has been supportive of the Superfund program and using federal funding to cleanup blighted sites, though attorneys warn his cuts to the EPA may hamper progress. If the site isn't chosen for cleanup funding though, the EPA still has a responsibility to clean up the site, meaning it would continue to apply for that funding in future cycles, Gurley said. It's not just the 8.5-acre factory site at N37 W5684 Hamilton Road that needs to be sampled for remediation. Hazardous chemicals were also dumped in the surrounding area, including the quarry pond in Zeunert Park, Wilshire Pond and some nearby residential properties. The variety of stakeholders involved with the contaminated areas, including homeowners and public park users, is, in part, why Whipple is hopeful the site will be selected for clean-up funds soon. Eventually, the EPA will also seek testing on nearby storm sewers and groundwater wells, which are less of a priority, since they're not used for drinking water, Gurley said. Amcast's plant released PCBs into nearby Cedar Creek via storm sewers, according to the EPA's website. The former factory also released harmful chemicals into the nearby Cedar Creek via storm sewers, according to the EPA's website, as did the former Mercury Marine Plant 2 factory, another site the EPA helped clean up in 2013 The site's owner Daniel Burns has plans to redevelop the site for residential use but must wait until remediation is finished. In 2017, Cedarburg officials agreed to spend around $3 million in tax incremental financing for preliminary cleaning of the site ahead of remediation, which has already been completed. In the meantime, Burns is locked in a legal dispute with the city about the site's current use. On Aug. 2, 2024 the City of Cedarburg send a cease use and vacate property order to Burns for storing items in the former Amcast facility structure, as first reported by the Cedarburg News Graphic. In July, city officials found a vehicle, motorcycles, construction equipment and other small, miscellaneous items stored in the building while conducting a walk-through to evaluate the safety and security of the facility, according to court records. City Administrator Mikko Hilvo told the Cedarburg News Graphic that the city had been asking Burns since November 2023 to not store items in the building, since it has not been up to fire and occupancy code for years. Burns, through his entity Oliver Fiontar, LLC, appealed the order and took legal action against the city in the Circuit Courts, per the Cedarburg News Graphic. Particularly, he filed a notice of breach of development against the city, claiming it didn't pay him for razing and removing buildings on the property on Oct. 25, 2024, according to court records. On Nov. 11, 2024, the city took its own legal action, filing a petition in Ozaukee County Circuit Court to have Burns remove the items on the property and raze the remaining structures. A court trial scheduled for May 2 was postponed, giving both parties more time to discuss issues at the property and potentially come to a resolution, Burns' attorney Jacques Condon told the Journal Sentinel. City Administrator Mikko Hilvo and City Attorney Johnathan Woodward could not be reached for comment on May 8 or 9. Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@ Follow her on X at @levensc13. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Here's the status on the EPA plans to clean Cedarburg's Amcast site
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Digging into an environmental scandal on the Isle of Man
I first spoke to freshwater scientist Calum MacNeil in February 2022. He explained to me that The Isle of Man – a self-governing island in the Irish Sea between the UK and and Ireland – was being cast as world's only 'all-nation' Unesco biosphere reserve. He explained how, in 2014, before its Unesco designation, contaminated silt was deliberately dumped in the Irish Sea. While designated as a biosphere, contaminated silt dredged from a marine harbour has been contained in a sealed pit but leachate from that has discharged into Peel Bay, where people regularly swim from the sandy beaches. As an environmental journalist, the story stood out to me and the more we spoke, the more the plot thickened. Read more: I spent hours of my spare time digesting the evidence he sent me – all of it in the public domain. Government reports, online pollution policies, local news coverage, the biosphere nomination documents. MacNeil, who worked for the Isle of Man government between 2004 and 2017, knew what he was talking about. But the more I looked into this, the more I felt up against smoke and mirrors. Beautiful beaches, clean seas and a thriving ecotourism destination (according to the government's tourism marketing). Contrast that with contaminated waste ending up in the ocean. Three years on, and The Conversation's Insights team and I have been working closely with Professor of Water Science at Liverpool John Moores University, Patrick Byrne. He has analysed and interpreted the consequences of this pollution. While pollution is rife around the world to a certain extent, this instance is particularly shocking, he explains. Now, The Conversation is proud to present our exclusive Insights investigation, Leaked, in two key parts. An introductory news article written Byrne explains the backstory and highlights the prominence of Isle of Man's Unesco biosphere status. Further analysis unfolds in an in-depth Q&A between Byrne and MacNeil. Byrne explains the gravity of legacy contamination from synthetic toxic chemicals known as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and why transparency is so key. Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation's environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who've subscribed so far. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
State issues new warning about eating fish from some Minnesota lakes, rivers
The Minnesota Department of Health has updated its advice on how much fish is safe to eat from certain lakes with PFAS exposure. The chemical has been found in fish from some bodies of water in 10 Minnesota counties: Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Douglas, Hennepin, Martin, McLeod, Ramsey, St. Louis and Washington. PFAS, otherwise referred to as "forever chemicals" and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are harmful chemicals that have been widely used for decades to make products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease and water. The chemical can accumulate in a person's body over time and may become a health concern, according to MDH. They are linked to developmental effects, including low birth weight in infants and a weaker immune system in children. Exposure to the "forever chemicals" may also cause changes in liver function and increase cancer risks. According to the new guidance by MDH, fish no one should eat include: All species of fish caught in Minnesota River Valley ponds and Long Meadow Lake (Hennepin County). Bass caught in Mooney Lake (Hennepin County). Walleye caught in George Lake (Martin County). Yellow perch and common carp caught in Otter Lake, McCuen Creek, Bear Creek and the south fork of the Crow River (McLeod and Carver counties). For some lakes, MDH officials advise to avoid eating all or certain types of fish. Specifically for other lakes, health officials advise that sensitive groups limit how many serving they consume of some species, such as pregnant women or children under the age of 15. The updated guidelines are based on new data analysis, according to MDH's fish consumption guidance program lead, Angela Preimesberger. 'Our fish consumption guidance can help anglers and their families make informed choices about which fish to eat and how often,' Preimesberger said. 'Following the guidance enables you to reduce your exposure to contaminants while still enjoying the many benefits of eating fish, which is an important part of a healthy, well-balanced diet.' MDH works with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to select lakes and rivers to monitor for contaminants. Since 1974, MDH has used data from these monitoring activities to advise anglers on fish consumption when levels of mercury or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may be unsafe for human consumption. The Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program added PFAS i 2004, according to MDH. Fish consumption guidance is based on the following: Where you caught the fish: Some bodies of water have lower levels of PFAS and other contaminants than others. Who you are: Some people are more sensitive than others to negative health effects from exposure to PFAS. The most sensitive groups include people who are or could become pregnant, those who are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed, and children who are under the age of 15 years old. The species of fish: The maximum number of servings recommended per week or month may vary among fish species caught in the same body of water. You can keep track of MDH's fish consumption guidance as it updates on the DNR's LakeFinder or MDH's Fish Consumption Guidance webpage.
