Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; CP staff A new rule establishes that when promulgating significant regulatory actions or developing influential scientific information, the Environmental Protection Agency will give greater consideration to studies where the underlying dose-response data are available in a manner sufficient for independent validation. The rule does not require the release of personally identifiable information or confidential business…
Read MoreTag: EPA
Pennsylvania producers springboard EPA Smart Cement & Concrete Sector
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler and Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association Chairman Rod Martin (Martin Stone Quarries) have signed a four-year, first-of-its-kind memorandum of understanding (MOU) to formalize a partnership pursuing environmental stewardship. It expands EPA and PACA activities to prioritize funding, coordinate on regulatory programs, recognize concrete and aggregate industry members for environmental performance, and enhance opportunities for…
Read MoreEPA, Corps, Interior move to expedite water infrastructure priorities
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Six federal agencies have named designees for a new Water Subcabinet established through President Trump’s mid-October “Modernizing America’s Water Resource Management and Water Infrastructure” Executive Order. They are tasked with protecting taxpayer investments by promoting integrated planning and coordination for drinking water, wastewater, water reuse, water storage and delivery, plus water resource management; supporting workforce development…
Read MorePennsylvania producers host EPA chief to further Smart Sectors action
Sources: Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association, Harrisburg; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; CP staff EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler and Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association Chairman Rod Martin (Martin Stone Quarries) have signed a four-year, first-of-its-kind memorandum of understanding (MOU) to formalize a partnership pursuing environmental stewardship. It expands EPA and PACA activities to prioritize funding, coordinate on regulatory programs, recognize concrete…
Read MoreEPA spurs $6 billion in water supply, wastewater infrastructure funding
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a 2020 notice of funding availability under its Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program, including grants for the new State infrastructure financing authority WIFIA (SWIFIA). The programs accelerate investment in critical water infrastructure through innovative and flexible financing that can support diverse projects in communities large and small. This year’s funding will provide up to $6 billion to support $12 billion in water infrastructure projects, while creating more than 35,000 jobs and improving environmental protection in communities across the country.
Read MoreEPA measures air pollutant levels’ 50-year descent
The federal government’s latest annual report on air quality trends, “Our Nation’s Air – EPA Celebrates 50 Years!,” documents pollution reduction progress from 1970-2019, emphasizing gains during the last few years. The combined emissions of Environmental Protection Agency-designated criteria pollutants and their precursors dropped 7 percent from 2017 to 2019. That metric reflects three-year declines in the emissions levels of nitrogen oxides, -10 percent; particulate matter 2.5, -1 percent; sulfur dioxide, -16 percent; carbon monoxide, -6 percent; and, volatile organic compounds, -3 percent.
Read MorePervious, permeable pavement materials prevail in EPA RainWorks Challenge
Winning projects from an annual Environmental Protection Agency competition that engages college students in on-campus green infrastructure design demonstrate the health and environmental benefits of good stormwater management.
Read MoreNOx, PM levels dive in latest EPA air quality report
Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; CP staff
The federal government’s latest annual report on air quality trends, “Our Nation’s Air – EPA Celebrates 50 Years!,” documents pollution reduction progress from 1970-2019, emphasizing gains during the last few years. The combined emissions of Environmental Protection Agency-designated criteria pollutants and their precursors dropped 7 percent from 2017 to 2019. That metric reflects three-year declines in the emissions levels of nitrogen oxides, -10 percent; particulate matter 2.5, -1 percent; sulfur dioxide, -16 percent; carbon monoxide, -6 percent; and, volatile organic compounds, -3 percent.
Read MoreCement, concrete hold steady as minor GHG emissions data points
Technology Trends’ Craig Yeack breaks down cement savings and carbon dioxide emissions reduction math in a report on ready mixed production and the CarbonCure Technologies process. Outside of fly ash, admixtures and blended binders, CarbonCure’s dosing and injection technology is among the most widely adopted tools for lowering embodied carbon in finished concrete.
Read MoreEPA revisits SCM in procurement guidelines; honors CalPortland and Cemex
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has opened a public comment period through July 6 on the Agency’s current list of 61 items that are or can be made from recovered materials in eight Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) categories, plus recommendations to federal agencies on purchasing such items. The largest category, Construction Products, includes blended cement or concrete containing fly ash, ground granulated blast furnace slag and silica fume.
Read More