Earning GHG Credits

Massachusetts has joined nine fellow Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) states in announcing that the first ever carbon dioxide (CO2) allowance auction in the nation for a mandatory emissions reduction program will take place on Sept. 25, 2008. The RGGI states have agreed to participate in quarterly uniform regional auctions; the second auction is scheduled for Dec. 17, 2008. The first compliance period for the RGGI cap-and-trade program will begin Jan. 1, 2009. RGGI has retained several experts to design and implement the auction, develop and implement an emissions and allowance tracking system, develop an accreditation process for independent verifiers of offset projects, and conduct market monitoring. Nearly 12.5 million carbon emissions allowances will be made available during the nation's first carbon auction. For more information on RGGI and the auction process, turn to: www.rggi.org/ro.htm

Over $540 Million Awarded in 2008 SRF Program

The 2008 Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) program has awarded more than $540 million in low-interest loans to Massachusetts' communities, wastewater districts and water supplies for 99 environmental infrastructure and planning improvement projects. The Clean Water SRF will provide $400 million in financing for 62 construction and planning projects aimed at eliminating combined sewer overflows, upgrading wastewater treatment facilities, extending sewers and developing long-term wastewater management plans. An additional $140 million in loans from the Drinking Water SRF will finance 37 drinking water treatment, storage and distribution projects. The funds are under the control of the Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust, administered by MassDEP, the Executive Office of Administration and Finance, and the State Treasurer's Office. Massachusetts has awarded nearly $3.4 billion in Clean Water SRF loans since the program's inception in 1991. The Drinking Water SRF, initiated in 1999, has financed more than $791 million in projects. For more information about the SRF program, turn to: www.mass.gov/dep/water/wastewater/wastewat.htm

Climate Change Grants Awarded

MassDEP has awarded $957,885 in grants to 162 communities and regional organizations to address issues of climate change, sustainability, and pollution prevention. The conditional funding will support innovative local and regional efforts to save energy, reduce waste, recycle and compost more, eliminate hazardous materials from school facilities and grounds, and reduce people's exposure to air pollution from excessive idling of bus, car and truck engines. Climate Change grants totaling $104,000 to six communities that are working to reduce greenhouse gases by using approaches such as installing green roofs, using solar power, public outreach, and retrofitting traffic signals with light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The awards went to Boston, Cohasset, Hull, Marlborough, Melrose and Reading. For a complete list of grant recipients, turn to: www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/recawgr.htm

 
Pharmaceuticals in the Water

The issue of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in drinking water sources has recently been in the news. Massachusetts was among the first states in the nation to begin to address the issue, targeting these compounds as part of MassDEP's Emerging Contaminants Workgroup. Since there are no federal or Massachusetts regulations regarding PPCPs and no requirements to test for these compounds, MassDEP is supporting further study of the issue to determine the extent of PPCPs in drinking water supplies and in water resources, and the effectiveness of standard treatment to eliminate the compounds from water supplies and wastewater. MassDEP is now working with UMass-Amherst, the MWRA, Earth Tech, the American Waterworks Association Research Foundation, and selected local water suppliers who have volunteered to conduct a study of PPCPs around the state. MassDEP is also supporting a national research project sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey, which will target potential PPCPs in waters samples from the Merrimack River. MassDEP also recently convened a summit of key stakeholders from the private, government and public sectors to facilitate the development of strategies to address PPCPs; another summit is planned for the fall. For more information on the issue, go to: www.mass.gov/dep/toxics/stypes/ppcpedc.htm

Oil Spill Training Exercise Held

First-responders are shown out in Wild Harbor on Cape Cod training to properly set the containment boom supplied by MassDEP as part of the oil spill emergency response trailers.

MassDEP recently sponsored a municipal first-responder oil spill training exercise at the Sea Crest Resort, North Falmouth, and in the Wild Harbor area. Fifty federal, state and local responders attended. The exercise focused on bringing local responders together to coordinate deployment of oil spill response equipment previously provided by MassDEP, and to test oil spill protection strategies found in the Buzzards Bay Geographic Response Plan (GRPs). A key funding provision in the Oil Spill Act, which took effect in the fall of 2004, established a Trust Fund that has been accumulating a two-cents-per-barrel fee paid by all vessels delivering oil to a marine oil terminal in Massachusetts. Those funds have been utilized to provide an oil spill response trailer containing thousands of dollars worth of equipment to communities along the SouthCoast and on Cape Cod. MassDEP has also created a training and response web site for state and local emergency responders to use as a training tool. It provides valuable information on oil spill response equipment and GRPs provided by DEP to assist in preparedness and response to oil spill events. To find this information, turn to: www.horsleywitten.com/depoilspill/Pages/presentation.html

DeGabriele Honored with EPA Merit Award

The New England Office of the EPA recently honored a MassDEP staffer with an Environmental Merit Award. Steven DeGabriele, head of the MassDEP Business Compliance Division, was among four citizens and nine groups honored as part of the EPA's Earth Day ceremony. DeGabriele is a champion of MassDEP's innovative Environmental Results Program (ERP), an initiative that improves environmental performances of businesses in cost-effective ways. The program, developed for dry cleaners, printers and photo processors, has inspired 24 other states to either adopt or research this model, and Steve has traveled the country advising other states on the program. As a result of the ERP, health and environmental risks in several under-regulated industries are getting the tools they need to run cleaner and safer operations.

Initiative Targets Default Contaminated Sites

 Under a new compliance initiative for contaminated sites in default, MassDEP has told non-responder potentially responsible parties (PRPs) that they had until June 30, 2008 to come into compliance with state regulations regarding the assessment and cleanup of their properties. Approximately 400 non-responder property owners, representing 320 sites, are included in the initiative. The sites are a mix of residential/homeowner, municipal, small business and commercial and industrial properties. Each of these sites needs to be assessed, cleaned up and closed out to ensure that potential unknown risks are addressed in a timely manner. Non-responder PRPs who fail to come into compliance by June 30 will be prioritized for enforcement, including penalties, and they will be subject to compliance fees up to $4,000 annually. For more information on the compliance initiative, go to: www.mass.gov/dep/about/region/findyour.htm and find the MassDEP contact from your region. For information about compliance fees, call the Fee Inquiry Center at 617-292-5545.

Recycling on the T


As part of the Earth Day celebrations, MassDEP joined the Executive Office of Transportation, the MBTA, the U.S. EPA Region 1, the City of Boston and MassPIRG to promote increased paper recycling on the MBTA commuter rail, subway and bus lines. With interagency support, the MBTA has placed newspaper recycling bins in key spots at T stations across eastern Massachusetts. Shown at the announcement at Haymarket station in Boston are: (l-r) James Hunt, head of Environment and Energy for the City of Boston; MBTA General Manager Daniel Grabauskas; MassDEP Commissioner Laurie Burt; EOT Secretary Bernard Cohen; and MassPIRG Consumer Advocate Eric Bourassa. Not shown is EPA New England Administrator Robert Varney.

MassDEP has joined the US EPA WaterSense program, and MassDEP is urging public water systems across the Commonwealth to join the nationwide partnership. The WaterSense mission is to protect the future of the nation's water supply by promoting and enhancing the market for water-efficient products and services. WaterSense is partnering with irrigation professionals and certification programs to promote water-efficient landscape irrigation practices. WaterSense is also partnering with manufacturers, retailers and distributors, and utilities to bring WaterSense-approved products to the marketplace and make it easy to purchase high-performing, water-efficient products. For more information about the program and becoming a partner, go to: www.epa/gov/watersense

Re-Dressing for Success

MassDEP preaches about "recycling and reusing" of materials, but many staffers also live that mantra. The Boston Public Schools recently held a "Dress for Success: How to Tie a Necktie" workshop, teaching young men that they must dress properly in order to become successful. So a call went out for used neckties for the young men. And MassDEP delivered! Approximately 300 young men participated in the workshop, and a collection organized through the MassDEP "Green Team" resulted in more than 100 ties being donated to the program. A few women's business suits were also donated, so that young women could use them on job interviews. Good job, MassDEP!

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