|
NATIONAL NEWS
EPA Begins Five Chemical Risk Evaluations Under Toxic Substances Control Act, Starts Process for the Next Five Chemicals-Today, Dec. 18, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it will formally designate five known or probable carcinogens as High-Priority Substances (HPS) that will undergo a risk evaluation under the nation’s chemical safety law, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA): acetaldehyde, acrylonitrile, benzenamine, 4,4’-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (MBOCA) and vinyl chloride. more
EPA Announces $2.5 Million to Fund Climate and Environmental Community Action Grant as Part of Investing in America Agenda-Today, December 17, the Biden-Harris Administration announced approximately $2.5 million in funding available to support communities and their partners in higher education work together to advance community-driven projects, strengthen climate resilience and build capacity for communities to tackle environmental and climate challenges. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s UPLIFT Climate and Environmental Community Action Grant will advance collaborative effort to achieve a healthier, safer, and more prosperous future for all. more
EPA Issues Final Rules Prohibiting Uses of Industrial Solvents TCE and PCE-The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued final rules banning the majority of uses of two solvents, trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE), under the 2016 amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). more
EPA Celebrates 50 Years of Safe and Clean Drinking Water-Today, December 16, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency marked the 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), passed in 1974 to set federal standards for drinking-water quality. President Joe Biden issued a statement commemorating the Safe Drinking Water Act’s 50th anniversary. more
Alabama-based CrowderGulf has collected enough Milton debris to fill the Empire State Building 9 times-CrowderGulf, an Alabama-based disaster recovery, debris removal and coastal restoration company, has collected more than 12 million cubic yards of debris across the Tampa Bay region in the 60 days since Hurricane Milton made landfall near Sarasota and caused widespread devastation along Florida’s Gulf Coast. more
EPA'S National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution-On November 21, 2024, the EPA released the “National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution: Part Three of a Series on Building a Circular Economy for All,” which outlines opportunities for action to protect communities from the impacts of plastic production and waste and details how government agencies, businesses, nonprofits, and communities can take additional action to prevent plastic pollution. more
Thirsty Savannah region faces looming shortage of fresh water-A drinking water shortage looms over the fast-growing Savannah metro area, even with the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Savannah River to the north and the 100,000-square-mile Floridan aquifer beneath the ground. more
Enhancing Water Infrastructure in Tribal Systems-
The Fort Duchesne Ute Tribe, with help from Wastewater Quality Action Specialist Ron Pierce with the Rural Water Association of Utah (RWAU), is making strides in addressing its sewer system challenges.
more
Rural Water Success Story: Mazeppa, Minn.-The City of Mazeppa broke ground on a new wastewater treatment facility, addressing urgent health, sanitation, and financial challenges posed by its outdated 70-year-old plant. more
STATE NEWS
Tampa Celebrates Water Savings-Tampa closes the year with nearly two billion gallons of water saved, following the once-a-week watering restrictions put in place around this time last year. more
SFWMD celebrates the completion of new Northern Everglades water quality project-On Monday, Dec. 16, the South Florida Water Management District joined the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Garcia Land Management, LLC and many other local, state and federal partners to celebrate the completion of a new dispersed water management project in Osceola County. more
Residents face an estimated hundred million dollars in future watershed projects and stormwater work-Flooding is still a significant issue for residents in parts of Volusia County, months after Hurricane Milton and county leaders estimate the community faces hundreds of millions of dollars in stormwater projects. more
Palm Coast tries to educate residents on utility decisions — through a board game? Palm Coast invited residents to play Wateropolis, a scenario-driven board game meant to help people understand how a utility company makes budgeting decisions. more
Tampa officials report nearly 2 billion gallons of water saved through restrictions-TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa officials are reporting that the city saved nearly two billion gallons of water this year, thanks to once-a-week watering restrictions. more
Escambia County completes Jones Swamps floodplain restoration project in Florida-Escambia County has completed its Jones Swamp Floodplain Restoration Project. more
BOCC Weighs Once-a-Week Watering Restrictions-Since 2010, Hernando County residents have lived with the full-time restriction of watering only one day a week. more
Commercial space industry placing wastewater infrastructure pressure on Brevard County-The booming commercial space industry produces a lot of wastewater and will produce even more as the pace of launches on the Space Coast continues to increase. more
Flagler Beach May Start Policing Grease, Fats and Oil Discharges at Restaurants and Other Businesses-Other than the fabulous taste they give food, there’s not much good about fats, oils and grease and a lot of bad–not just to health, but to infrastructure. more
Newberry City Commission discusses road maintenance assessments, wastewater plant expansion, and developer fees- At their December 9 Regular Meeting, the Newberry City Commission discussed road maintenance assessments and ways to fund a soon-to-be-needed larger wastewater plant, topics that will be discussed with the public at an upcoming December 16 workshop. more
Public water pipes found to be lead-free-In order to comply with a new standard for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), in October 2023 Gulf Breeze Regional Water System (GBRWS) took on the massive undertaking to confirm whether piping carrying water from the utility’s main service line to every utility residence did, or did not, contain lead. more
City of Marco Island discusses lead awareness during city council meeting-The city of Marco Island sent 4900 letters to residents warning them that their pipes could contain plastic or lead. more
| 
