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Increased Funding Supports Fenceline Monitoring Near Environmental Justice Communities

Topics: Environmental Justice, Fenceline Air Monitoring, Air Quality and Emissions, Industrial Emissions Impacts

Recent funding for community and fenceline air monitoring presents significant opportunity to better understand and mitigate industrial emissions impacts on neighboring communities, especially within environmental justice communities.

With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, community and fenceline air monitoring will see a significant increase in funding, especially within environmental justice communities. United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) will be provided with $117.5 million for fenceline and community monitoring efforts through 2031, with another $3 million to be allocated to installing air quality sensors in low income and disadvantaged communities. In addition, Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grants will provide $3 billion in potential funding for fenceline and community monitoring projects put forward by local governments and community-based non-profits through 2026.

This funding builds on US EPA’s growing focus on using fenceline and community monitoring to better understand and mitigate industrial emissions impacts on neighboring communities. Initial passage of US EPA’s Refinery Rule in 2015 instituted benzene fenceline monitoring requirements for petroleum refineries. Subsequent state actions (California AB1647, Colorado HB21-1189) and US EPA settlement agreements have gradually expanded this practice to other pollutants and industries. The new funding of the Inflation Reduction Act can be expected to greatly expand the collection and availability of monitoring data, with an increase in the number of monitoring networks designed and run by government and nonprofit groups.

Understanding the relative contribution of different sources of air emissions and assessing cumulative impacts from chemical and nonchemical stressors will be important.

Expanded fenceline monitoring represents a significant opportunity to better understand and control emissions. Fugitive sources, leaks, and accidental releases can be better quantified and mitigated, allowing facilities the opportunity to rectify short-term problems before they represent long-term risks to the community. However, the public availability of this data comes with challenges in effective risk evaluation, community engagement, and risk communication, particularly in the context of understanding the relative contribution of different sources of air emissions and assessing cumulative impacts from chemical and nonchemical stressors.

Gradient is positioned to assist clients at this intersection of industrial activity, government policy, and community engagement. Our scientists are at the forefront of air quality, air emissions, and risk assessment, and excel at interpreting and communicating the meaning of complex data to community and government agencies. If you have questions about how expanded fenceline monitoring may impact your industry, please contact Gradient.

Gradient will have six presentations at the MGP Conference 2022, taking place September 28-30 in Chicago, Illinois. Click the links below to view the presentation and poster abstracts.

Gradient will have four presentations at the SETAC North America 43^rdAnnual Meeting, taking place November 13-17, 2022, in Pittsburgh, PA. Click the links below to view the presentation and poster abstracts.

The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, requires the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) to evaluate the safety of existing chemicals in three stages: prioritization, risk evaluation, and risk management.

In 2016, asbestos was prioritized as one of the first ten chemicals to undergo risk evaluation in this process. US EPA initially focused on chrysotile asbestos, as it is the only asbestos fiber type currently imported, processed, or distributed in the US. The agency completed the final risk evaluation for chrysotile asbestos (Part 1) in December, 2020. In this evaluation, the agency concluded that some consumer and commercial uses of chrysotile asbestos-containing automotive brakes and clutches, as well as the industrial use of chrysotile asbestos-containing diaphragms in the chlor-alkali industry, sheet gaskets in chemical production, and brake blocks in the oil industry, result in unreasonable cancer risks. In December, 2021, US EPA released the draft scope for Part 2 of the risk evaluation of asbestos, which is a supplemental effort to evaluate legacy uses and associated disposals of asbestos, other types of asbestos fibers in addition to chrysotile, and conditions of use of asbestos in talc and talc-containing products.

Currently, US EPA is moving forward with risk management actions related to Part 1 of the chrysotile asbestos evaluation. In April, 2022, US EPA proposed a ban of ongoing uses of chrysotile asbestos, based on its findings of unreasonable risks to human health in the Part 1 evaluation. This proposed ban would prohibit the manufacture, import, processing, distribution in commerce, and commercial use of chrysotile asbestos for:

Gradient submitted comments to US EPA on a draft of the Part 1 chrysotile risk evaluation and also provided comments on the Part 2 draft scope (as included in the Industrial Minerals Association – North America submission to US EPA). US EPA is accepting public comments on the proposed rule to ban ongoing uses of chrysotile asbestos until July 13, 2022. US EPA is also accepting public comments until July 5, 2022, on a proposed rule that would require those who manufactured or processed asbestos and asbestos-containing articles (including as an impurity) in the last four years to report certain exposure-related information, such as quantities of asbestos manufactured or processed and the types of use. There will be additional opportunities for public comment as US EPA continues the evaluation process for asbestos, including a public comment period on a draft of the Part 2 risk evaluation. US EPA is required by court order to publish Part 2 of the final risk evaluation for asbestos by December 1, 2024.

Gradient has been tracking the evolving science, state of knowledge, and regulatory decisions regarding asbestos for decades. If you have questions related to asbestos, please visit our website or contact:

Gradient is presenting at The World of Coal Ash Conference (WOCA) 2022, scheduled to take place May 16-19 in Covington, Kentucky. Click the links below to view the presentation abstracts.

Gradient’s 2022 WOCA Presentations:

A Risk Evaluation of Controlled Low-Strength Materials (CLSM) Containing Coal Combustion Products (CCPs) in Construction Projects
Kathleen Radloff, Ari Lewis, Andrew Bittner,

Qian Zhang, Rafic Minkara

Session: Q1 – Disposal and Waste Issues
05/17/22 @ 11:00 am-11:30 am

Emerging Clean Water Act Issues for CCR Surface Impoundments
John Kondziolka, Kathleen Radloff, Andrew Bittner

Session: D1 – Mining and Reclamation
05/17/22 @ 11:30 am-12:00 pm

Alternative Liner Performance Demonstrations – A Science-Based Approach to Inform Policy Development

Andrew Bittner, John Kondziolka

Session: O1 – Regulatory Issues
05/18/22 @ 9:30 am-10:00 am

Decision Analysis Applied to CCR Surface Impoundment Closure and Corrective Action

Andrew Bittner

Session: R1 – Impoundment Issues
05/18/22 @ 8:30 am-9:00 am

Environmental Justice Initiatives, Risk Assessment, and Coal Ash Management: An Overview

Julie Lemay, Ari Lewis

Session: O1 – Regulatory Issues
05/18/22 @ 9:00 am-9:30 am

Environmental Justice Initiatives, Risk Assessment, and Coal Ash Management: Example Assessments and Applications

Ari Lewis, Julie Lemay
Session: O3 – Regulatory Issues

05/18/22 @ 2:00 pm-2:30 pm

Ecological Risk Assessment and Environmental Liability at Coal-Fired Power Plants
Grace Greenberg, Tim Verslycke
Session: N1 – Environmental Issues
05/18/22 @ 2:30 pm-3:00 pm

Using Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment at Coal Combustion Product (CCP) Sites to Meet Closure Objectives
Ari Lewis, Andrew Bittner, Kathleen Radloff
Session: D10 – Groundwater and Environment
05/19/22 @ 9:30 am-10:00 am

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NEWS ALERT

Barbara D. Beck Awarded Women in Toxicology’s Smith and Hook Distinguished Service Award

Gradient is pleased to announce that Barbara D. Beck has been named the winner of the Smith and Hook Distinguished Service Award by Society of Toxicology (SOT) Women in Toxicology (WIT) Special Interest Group.

The Smith and Hook Distinguished Service Award “honors an individual for their long-term dedication to promote career development opportunities and recognition of the accomplishments of women toxicologists, and for their service and longstanding support to the SOT and/or WIT Special Interest Group.” The award was presented March 30 at a reception held as part of the 61^st SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo held in San Diego, California.

This award was founded in recognition of Dr. Jaqueline Smith and the late Dr. Jerry Hook, who share a history of supporting women in toxicology and whose generosity has been instrumental in honoring the accomplishments of women toxicologists. Read more about Women in Toxicology Special Interest Group Awards.

Please join us in congratulating Barbara on receiving this award!

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Charlotte Marsh has met criteria to become a certified professional product steward (CPPS). Congratulations, Charlotte!

“Product stewards are responsible for the management of raw materials, intermediate materials, and consumer products throughout their lifecycle and across the value chain to prevent or minimize negative impacts and maximize value to human health and safety and to the environment. For example, when producing a plastic bottle for drinking water, product stewards take steps to keep workers, consumers, and the environment healthy and safe: from turning the crude oil into plastic pellets, making the pellets into bottles, filling the bottles with water, bringing them to supermarkets, and finally disposing of or recycling them after they have been used.”

Julie C. Lemay, M.P.H. was reelected to serve on the Board of Health in the town of Belmont, MA.

Ali Boroumand has met criteria to become a licensed engineer with the state of Massachusetts. Congratulations, Ali!

To become licensed, engineers must complete a four-year college degree, work under a Professional Engineer for at least four years, pass two intensive competency exams and earn a license from their state’s licensure board. Then, to retain their licenses, PEs must continually maintain and improve their skills throughout their careers.