Latest news with #Superfund
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
States continue with bold efforts to force companies to clean up their mess: 'Not paying their fair share for the ... crisis that they've caused'
Nearly a dozen states have drafted legislation to hold dirty energy companies fiscally responsible for environmental harms and the impact of rising temperatures they've caused. In 2024, lawmakers in Vermont advanced legislation "modeled after the EPA's Superfund program." A year prior, residents experienced unprecedented, catastrophic flooding, a form of extreme weather the state later warned would likely become more common, including because of a warming climate. Vermont's first-of-its-kind legislation was passed in June 2024. At the time, Elena Mihaly of the Conservation Law Foundation said the bill was not about "punishing" oil companies. "If you contributed to a mess, you should play a role in cleaning it up," Mihaly told the Guardian. According to Grist, Vermont's novel Superfund bill "requires major oil and gas companies to pay for climate-related disaster and adaptation costs, based on their share of global greenhouse gas emissions over the past few decades." The state encountered predictable pushback from dirty fuel corporations and lobbyists, but that hasn't stopped other states from adopting the same approach. Lawmakers in New York passed similar legislation in June 2024, ultimately seeking $75 billion from oil companies. Efforts to make "polluters pay" were already underway in California when swaths of the broader Los Angeles area were devastated by another form of extreme weather — devastating wildfires that engulfed homes, caused chaotic evacuations, and killed 30 people. By March, costs associated with the January 2025 wildfires were estimated at between "$76 billion and $131 billion, with insured losses estimated [at] up to $45 billion." California's efforts to make polluters pay hit a roadblock in the form of a successful, $80 million lobbying effort to spike the bill — but as extreme weather becomes a "new norm" and disaster costs stack up, lawmakers persist in their attempts to hold oil companies accountable. "We realized that these big fossil fuel companies were, frankly, not paying their fair share for the climate crisis that they've caused," said Adrian Boafo, a Maryland state delegate and co-sponsor of a similar superfund bill. Big Oil's big pockets are infamous, and efforts to sabotage state-level Superfund bills are not unexpected. Nevertheless, the costs of a warming globe aren't going anywhere, and neither are the state lawmakers faced with ever-increasing cleanup costs. Do you think gas stoves should be banned nationwide? No way Let each state decide I'm not sure Definitely Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Columbia University climate law fellow Martin Lockman, who said advancing science has made it much easier to attribute emissions to specific companies, told Grist that state-level politicians can't ignore the issue at a budgetary level, due to "really serious questions about how our society is going to allocate the harms of climate change." "I suspect that the lawmakers who are advocating for these bills are in it for the long haul," Lockman observed. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
City unveils $292M budget with flat tax levy; ‘It is all about rebuilding Waukegan'
It took Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham less than a month after taking office to make critical elements of his plan for the city part of the 2026 fiscal year budget, with significant money for capital improvements for the next three years and necessary personnel to make plans flow smoothly. Proposing a record budget of more than $292.2 million for the fiscal year ending April 30, against just over $262.9 million in revenue, Interim Finance Director Don Schultz said the city will use slightly less than $29.3 million of the city's reserves — 16.2% of non-pension reserves. Schultz described the budget as one that will include $76.3 million for capital improvements, nearly $124 million for workers' salaries and benefits, $1 million to start planning improvements to the Washington Street corridor and $10.6 million to continue lead service line replacements. 'This is the largest capital improvement project we've ever had,' Schultz said during a public hearing on the budget before the City Council's Finance Committee Wednesday. 'This is for three years of projects.' 'My capital improvement plan is part of our five-year plan,' Cunningham added. 'It is all about rebuilding Waukegan.' The City Council is scheduled to vote on the budget for the 2026 fiscal year at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall to officially enact the spending plan for the city through April 30. Of the city's 529 employees, 445 — 84.1% — are with the police, fire or public works departments, which includes the water plant. The total planned expense for personnel is $124 million. Other than personnel and $76 million for capital improvements, other major expenses include another $49 million for contracted services, $22.8 million for police and fire pension contributions and $22.8 million for workers' compensation and liability insurance. With total revenue of slightly more than $262.9 million in revenue, $120.8 million will come from taxes, of which around $37 million is property taxes. The City Council kept the real estate tax levy flat again this year. Among new positions created in the budget are an environmental specialist and several special projects analysts. Cunningham said the environmental specialist is needed based on Waukegan's history of environmental issues, from five Superfund sites to coal ash and ethylene oxide. 'In the last 30 years, Waukegan has had its share of environmental issues,' he said. 'We need someone who is aware of our environmental issues and understands the regulatory process. They will guide us in relation to the environmental issues of our community.' With a variety of issues facing the city, which have a number of parts, Cunningham said the special project analysts' role will be to responsibly manage them to eliminate any potential confusion. 'For the casino, they will be the one person working with the developer,' he said. 'The same thing with the College of Lake County (Urban Farm) project. The same thing with Chick-fil-A,' he added, referring to a new restaurant in the Fountain Square area where manufacturers and the restaurant are at odds. With significant attention on infrastructure in the next few years, Schultz said two of the special project analysts will be assigned to the public works department. Three more will work out of the mayor's office, and one in the water department. A few days before he took office, Cunningham said infrastructure is a high priority, particularly the Washington Street corridor. Now it is part of the budget, with enough allocated to cover three years of projects. 'We're been talking about it for a long time, and it's time to get it done,' Cunningham said at that time. 'We'll do curbs, gutters and sidewalks. We will repave the surface.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Michigan Lawmakers Aim to Revisit ‘Polluter Pay' to Enforce Cleanup of Toxic Sites
Stock photo byThis article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. Michigan lawmakers are again aiming to boost state environmental cleanup standards and force polluting industries to rehabilitate brownfield sites. 'Polluter pay' legislation, facing broad opposition from Republicans, failed last year but Democrats said they are engaging with industry stakeholders to craft laws that will target the worst sites and offenders. Democratic Sen. Jeff Irwin and Rep. Jason Morgan, of Ann Arbor, said they intend to rework bills that ensure companies and utilities pay for cleanups and open their records for public review. The legislation, which they plan to reintroduce in June, would also allow legal recourse for residents who suspect they have been harmed by the pollution. The measure passed the state Senate last year but was lost amid a tumultuous and early end to the Michigan legislature's lame duck session in December. 'We've migrated from 'Let's make this law that holds polluters to account,' to 'How can we focus on the most egregious cases,'' Irwin said. 'How can we work around the edges of the law so as not to fundamentally change its approach, but nonetheless get better results? 'The idea is to require better cleanups of contaminated land and discourage companies from leaving a mess in the first place. I still expect universal opposition from polluters. Industry isn't going to support more stringent standards no matter how reasonable, because it costs them money.' The lawmakers are part of a working group that includes the Michigan Manufacturing Association, the Michigan Chemistry Council and some manufacturers. They said they want industries and state regulators to collaborate in the pollution assessment process, and they envision a negotiation process with some tough compromises. It is likely that some sites will never meet residential standards, Irwin said. 'That gives us more flexibility to address those standards where they make sense,' Irwin said. 'Some properties might continue to be designated for industrial use. Auto plants and other large industrial sites are the ones that may not be fully cleaned up (to residential standards).' First introduced in 2023, Michigan Senate bills 605–611 are far different from laws recently passed in Vermont and New York, which are also often described as 'polluter pays' measures. The Vermont and New York bills are modeled after the federal Superfund law, and would essentially tax big oil companies for their historic greenhouse gas emissions. In Michigan, lawmakers are seeking accountability from businesses and industries that for years have left toxins in the ground or in the water. Michigan has tens of thousands of toxic sites, including many one-time commercial enterprises, that will likely fall within the proposal's reach. The former Gelman Sciences Inc. site in Ann Arbor, which manufactured medical filters and related products for the pharmaceutical and microelectronic industries, is a prime example. The chemical solvent known as 1,4-dioxane, a potential carcinogen, was used in production and has been found in local groundwater and nearby wells. The state and Washtenaw County has been overseeing remediation activities at the site for over 30 years. The federal Environmental Protection Agency has recommended the site to the National Superfund Priorities List. Irwin said troubled sites will be evaluated and tested, with soil and water samples, for a range of toxins. 'Is the site near a residential area, or is it located downtown?' Irwin said. 'The goal is to take this case by case, and allow flexibility for sites that are in different locations.' Progress Michigan, an advocacy organization, said its polls show over 90 percent of the public support laws that could save taxpayers from huge remediation costs. Dave Dempsey, senior advisor at For Love of Water, a nonprofit advocacy group focused on the Great Lakes Basin, said the proposed legislation is an attempt at fairness. The Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy 'estimates it will cost $13 billion for all these cleanups,' Dempsey said. 'It could take two generations to do this, or until the end of the century. Now we just have these old sites discharging pollution into rivers and lakes.' Dempsey's organization also wants to prevent an increase in abandoned toxic sites. Taxpayers are currently footing the bill for so-called 'orphan sites,' locations where owners are unclear or unidentified. Under current law, developers who clean up unclaimed brownfields receive tax increment financing, Irwin said. Sean McBrearty, director of the nonprofit Michigan Clean Water Action, said he wonders if any polluter pay effort can succeed when corporations are often the biggest culprits. McBrearty pointed to DTE Energy, which has faced legal action over its coal-fired power plants and other facilities. 'There are industrial accidents that haven't been cleaned up because it's cheaper to lobby the legislature than clean up contaminated sites,' said McBrearty, whose organization has worked with Irwin's latest version of legislation. Irwin acknowledged that his bill will again face tough political realities. 'We worry about a 'pay-to-play' environment where companies will use payments to stop an investigation,' Irwin said. 'Now that the Michigan House is Republican, that adds more of a challenge.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
$2 million in funds announced by Governor Morrisey for environmental cleanup in part of Fayette County
CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) — $2 million in funds for the start of an environmental cleanup in Fayette County was announced by Governor Patrick Morrisey. According to a press release, the $2 million in funds announced by Governor Morrisey will go towards starting an environmental cleanup of the Arbuckle Creek Superfund Site, also known as the former Shaffer Equipment Company property, in the Minden area of Fayette County. Milton man reels in record-setting blue catfish This cleanup is a long-overdue investment in the health and safety of Minden residents. Thanks to the collaboration among federal, state, and local partners, we are taking meaningful steps to protect West Virginians from dangerous chemicals. Governor Morrisey West Virginia House of Delegates member and representative for District 50, Elliott Pritt told 59News that, while some residents may remain skeptical after similar promises from public figures in recent years, the development is a positive step on the path forward for the area. I think anything that we can do for these people is positive. I know that some of them feel like all the different cleanups that have happened over the past few years have been unsuccessful and they may have somewhat of a 'well, we'll see' attitude. But I do think ultimately this is good for them. Elliott Pritt The press release stated that the contamination at the site came from damaged transformers placed by Shaffer Equipment Company between 1970 and 1984 that caused polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to seep into Arbuckle Creek and soil in the area. The press release also mentioned that studies showed that exposure to PCBs can be connected to a higher risk of cancer and reproductive issues. MAP: State-owned shooting ranges that are open to the public in West Virginia According to the press release, although cleanup efforts began in the 1980s and early 2000s, continuous concerns resulted in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assessments in 2017, and the location was added to the EPA's National Priorities List (NPL) in 2019, which helped it qualify for Superfund resources. The press release stated that the $2 million in funding was secured by Governor Morrisey's office and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), and that in April 2025 a formal contract was completed between EPS Region 3 and the WVDEP. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
State commits funding to Superfund site cleanup
West Virginia officials have secured $2 million in funding to complement federal monies for a phase of environmental cleanup at a Superfund site in Minden. In a May 19 press release from Gov. Patrick Morrisey's office, the state announced the funding for the environmental cleanup of the Arbuckle Creek Superfund site in Fayette County. According to the release, the federally-matched funds were provided for as part of the 2025 budget and will go toward cleaning up decades-old contamination stemming from industrial activity at the former Shaffer Equipment Company property. 'This cleanup is a long-overdue investment in the health and safety of Minden residents,' said Morrisey. 'Thanks to the collaboration among federal, state and local partners, we are taking meaningful steps to protect West Virginians from dangerous chemicals.' Contamination on the site stemmed from damaged transformers placed by Shaffer Equipment Company between 1970 and 1984, resulting in polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) leaking into the surrounding soil and Arbuckle Creek. According to the release, exposure to PCBs has been linked through numerous studies to a heightened cancer risk and reproductive issues. While initial cleanup actions were taken in the 1980s and early 2000s, ongoing concerns led to further assessments by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2017. In 2019, the site was added to the EPA's National Priorities List (NPL), making it eligible for Superfund resources. Over the years, Minden residents and others have voiced concerns with the health effects of the PCBs on local residents and the environment, as well as the effectiveness of earlier remediation efforts. 'Community input is critical to the Superfund cleanup process and is always welcomed,' said an EPA spokesperson. 'Feedback from residents helps shape the EPA's cleanup plans, ensuring they meet community needs, protect the land, air and water, and support meaningful site reuse that drives economic growth and revitalizes communities. 'Formal public comment periods throughout the Superfund process allow communities to provide input. For the first phase of the cleanup at this site, there was a public comment period from March 13-April 12, 2023 and a public meeting on March 21, 2023.' That allowed the public to comment on the proposed plan for cleaning up the soil at the Shaffer Equipment Company property. 'We are expecting to have another public comment period and public meeting towards the end of 2025 to allow the public to comment on the proposed plan for the second phase of cleanup that will address the remaining contaminated soil and sediment areas,' the EPA spokesperson said. 'The EPA prioritizes community input and welcomes it at any time.' Bi-monthly community updates are provided, the spokesperson said. Morrisey's office, in coordination with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), successfully secured the required $2 million state match. A formal contract between WVDEP and EPA Region 3 was finalized in April 2025, the release noted. According to the agency spokesperson, the state funds will be utilized for construction/cleanup activities for the first phase, which will address soil contamination of the former Shaffer property. 'This requires an intricate design planning phase that takes time to implement; however, the goal is to complete the plan and begin activities in about two years.' Minden resident Steve Hayslette Monday said that he, for one, has largely abandoned hope in the fight to get complete PCB remediation or satisfaction in the form of an opportunity to be awarded funds to be able to move away from Minden, which several years ago was incorporated into the City of Oak Hill. He said that, to his knowledge, most of the community's residents were in favor of a hoped-for buyout by federal officials so they could relocate out of the damaged area. 'From Day 1, they said EPA don't buy out people,' said Hayslette, a former Oak Hill city councilman and the owner of Hayslette Towing and Recovery. 'It never was on the table.' 'The EPA rarely relocates residents and does not consider relocation unless the environmental data supports it,' the agency's spokesperson said. 'At this time, the environmental data/risk does not show that relocation is an appropriate response action. 'Permanent relocation is only considered in cases where contamination poses an immediate threat that cannot be mitigated or remediated, implementation of remedial measures would require the destruction of homes, or the cleanup requires residents to be temporarily relocated for over one year.' On its website, the EPA highlights, among other things, the history of the Shaffer Equipment property, various abatement efforts, community involvement opportunities, testing sampling and information on future cleanup or other activity. According to the timeline, a fourth removal action was initiated in October 2019 and was completed in February 2020. That featured excavation of soil from an area adjacent to a capped area and minor repairs to the capped area. Since the Minden site was added to the NPL, EPA officials have been working with the WVDEP to review data, engage with community members and local officials and conduct remedial investigation (RI), according to the website. A second phase of RI sampling occurred from July 2021 through September 2022. That effort included the installation of monitoring wells in addition to collection of soil, sediment, surface water and groundwater samples. In March 2023, a proposed cleanup plan to address soil contamination on the former Shaffer site was released for public review and comment. A Record of Decision was filed in July 2024. Officials are currently determining if there are additional areas requiring cleanup. 'The EPA sampled the site from 2019 through 2022 as part of the Remedial Investigation phase of the Superfund process,' the spokesperson said. 'After collecting enough data to establish an understanding of the nature and extent of contamination, our team was ready to advance in the Superfund process. We shifted our focus to planning the first phase of cleanup at the former Shaffer Equipment Company property, which was proposed in 2023.' According to the EPA website, sampling results to date 'show that there is no immediate threat to human health. Accordingly, no immediate action is necessary.' Hayslette, who lives one row of houses removed from Arbuckle Creek, says he is one of several Minden residents who signed up for a potential flood buyout involving the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the process for which was initiated in the fall of 2023. That program was not related to the PCB situation. A lifelong local resident, the 55-year-old said it's doubtful the toxic chemicals of the past can be completely eradicated from local soil and waterways. 'How are you going to find all that and clean it up?' he asked. The ongoing project 'may remediate the site.' Giving residents a financial way out would be a better remedy, he said. 'This is an exciting moment for West Virginia and the Minden community, marking continued progress in the cleanup of the Shaffer Equipment/Arbuckle Creek Area Superfund site,' the spokesperson said. 'The EPA looks forward to working alongside WVDEP and local residents to fulfill our commitment to provide clean air, land and water for all Americans.' To learn more about the Arbuckle Creek Superfund Site, visit
