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EPA Announces Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes to Receive $300,000 in Brownfields Cleanup Funding

The grant awards help underserved communities across the country Build Back Better and address Environmental Justice concerns

Media contacts: Jennah Durant at [email protected] or 214 665-2200

DALLAS – (June 17, 2021) Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes are among the 151 recipients of 154 grant awards totaling $66.5 million in Brownfields funding through its Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grants. The Tribes plans to use their $300,000 cleanup grant for Building 138 on the Concho School property in Concho, Oklahoma. Constructed in 1967, the property was used as the boys’ dormitory of the Concho School from 1969 until 1981, when it was closed due to federal funding cuts and the need for several repairs. The site has been unoccupied and dormant for several years and is contaminated with inorganic materials and heavy metals.

This funding will support underserved and economically disadvantaged communities across the country in assessing and cleaning up contaminated and abandoned industrial and commercial properties. Approximately 50 percent of selected recipients are receiving EPA Brownfields grant funding for the first time and more than 85 percent serve small communities.

“Through our Brownfields Program, EPA is delivering on the Biden Administration’s commitment to lifting up and protecting overburdened communities across America, especially communities that have experienced long periods of disinvestment and decay,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “These assessment and cleanup grants will not only support economic growth and job creation, but they will also empower communities to address the environmental, public health, and social issues associated with contaminated land.”

“The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes remain a strong partner in brownfields work through thoughtful planning that helps leverage funding for greater benefits,” said Acting Regional Administrator David Gray. “Cleanup of the abandoned Concho School property will help turn the site into an asset for the tribal community.”

“My main concern for Tribal members and the public when they come to Concho is to keep them safe, and to provide a healthy environment for all to enjoy,” said Governor Reggie Wassana. “The cleanup activities at the school will improve the community of Concho and continue our work to revitalize the site.”

Today’s grant announcement includes:

• $8.8 million for 11 Multipurpose Grants, which will provide funding to conduct a range of eligible assessment and cleanup activities at one or more brownfield sites in a target area. 

• $42.2 million for 107 Assessment Grants, which will provide funding for brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments, and community outreach.

• $15.5 million for 36 Cleanup Grants, which will provide funding to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites owned by the recipient.

The list of the fiscal year 2021 applicants selected for funding is available here: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/applicants-selected-fy-2021-brownfields-multipurpose-assessment-and-cleanup-grants

EPA anticipates that it will award the grants once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied by the selected recipients.

Since its inception in 1995, EPA’s Brownfields Program has provided nearly $1.76 billion in grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return them to productive reuse. This has led to significant benefits for communities across the country. For example:

• To date, communities participating in the Brownfields Program have been able to attract more than $34.4 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funding after receiving Brownfields funds. This has led to over 175,500 jobs in cleanup, construction, and redevelopment.

• Based on grant recipient reporting, recipients leveraged on average $20.13 for each EPA Brownfields dollar and 10.3 jobs per $100,000 of EPA Brownfield Grant funds expended on assessment, cleanup, and revolving loan fund cooperative agreements.

• In addition, an academic peer-reviewed study has found that residential properties near brownfield sites increased in value by 5% to 15.2% as a result of cleanup activities.

• Finally, analyzing data near 48 brownfields, EPA found an estimated $29 million to $97 million in additional tax revenue for local governments in a single year after cleanup—2 to 7 times more than the $12.4 million EPA contributed to the cleanup of those brownfield sites.

For more on the Brownfields Grants: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/types-epa-brownfield-grant-funding

For more on EPA’s Brownfields Program: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields
 

Connect with EPA Region 6:

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On Twitter: https://twitter.com/EPAregion6

Activities in EPA Region 6: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-6-south-central

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For Immediate Release: June 17, 2021
Media Contact: Soledad Calvino, 415-972-3512, [email protected]

U.S. EPA fines California auto parts companies for selling ‘defeat’ devices, harming air quality
Over $280,000 in penalties paid for violating Clean Air Act

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced settlements with four automotive parts distributors for violations of the Clean Air Act. The companies illegally manufactured or sold aftermarket auto parts that bypass or disable required emissions control systems, otherwise known as defeat devices. The companies paid $282,926 in penalties.

“These settlements are a very significant step toward our goal of stopping the sale of illegal defeat devices that cause harmful pollution in our communities,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Director of the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division, Amy Miller. “We will continue to investigate and penalize anyone who manufactures, sells, or installs these types of illegal products.”

The practice of tampering with diesel and gasoline powered vehicles by installing defeat devices can bring about the emitting of large amounts of NOx and particulate matter, both of which contribute to serious public health problems in the United States. These include premature mortality, aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, aggravation of existing asthma, acute respiratory symptoms, chronic bronchitis, and decreased lung function. Numerous studies also link diesel exhaust to increased incidence of lung cancer.

Today’s announcement highlights four separate settlement agreements:

AutoAnything, Inc. sold aftermarket exhaust systems designed to defeat the emissions control systems on motor vehicles and motor vehicle engines. The firm also sold products, commonly known as ‘tuners,’ which enable the user to easily turn off emission controls installed and certified by vehicle manufacturers to comply with the Clean Air Act. The company, headquartered in San Diego, Calif., paid a $125,000 penalty.

No Limit Enterprises Inc., doing business as No Limit Fabrication and No Limit Diesel, manufactured and/or sold tuner-related products and other components that bypass, defeat, or render inoperative emission controls installed and certified by vehicle manufacturers to reduce vehicle emissions. The company, headquartered in Moorpark, Calif., paid a $150,000 penalty, which was reduced due to financial hardship.

Integrated Strategic Resources, Inc., doing business as Andy’s Auto Sport, sold aftermarket exhaust systems designed to defeat the emissions control systems on motor vehicles and motor vehicle engines. The company, headquartered in Monterey, Calif., paid a $5,000 penalty. The penalty amount was reduced due to financial hardship.

T&R Performance Solutions sold aftermarket parts designed to defeat the emissions control systems of motor vehicles and motor vehicle engines. The company, headquartered in Simi Valley, Calif., paid a $2,926 penalty. This agreement was reached under EPA’s expedited settlement policy, which is only used in certain circumstances to address minor, easily correctable violations.

Vehicles are a significant contributor to air pollution, and aftermarket defeat devices that disable emission controls exacerbate this problem. To address that, EPA has developed a National Compliance Initiative that focuses on stopping the manufacture, sale, and installation of defeat devices on vehicles and engines. Today’s actions are part of this initiative. To learn more, visit: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/national-compliance-initiative-stopping-aftermarket-defeat-devices-vehicles-and-engines

If you suspect someone is manufacturing, selling or installing illegal defeat devices, or is tampering with emissions controls, tell the EPA by writing to [email protected].

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter.

CONTACT: [email protected]

EPA Continues to Protect Community by Requiring Additional Monitoring of Emissions from Limetree Bay Refinery on St. Croix

NEW YORK (June 17, 2021) – In its ongoing efforts to protect overburdened communities from pollution, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that it is establishing air monitoring requirements that Limetree Bay Terminals, LLC and Limetree Bay Refining, LLC must meet regarding the company’s refinery on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Repeated, recent incidents at the facility have raised significant health concerns and reinforced the need for air monitors to be in place and operational. The Limetree refinery is in a community that is disproportionately affected by environmental burdens and addressing environmental justice issues is a priority for EPA.

“This monitoring will provide important information about emissions coming from the operations at Limetree’s refinery,” said EPA acting Regional Administrator Walter Mugdan. “EPA is in close touch with this community to be responsive to serious pollution concerns, and we will not hesitate to use our authority to ensure companies like Limetree Bay come into compliance with laws that protect clean air. At the same time, we recognize the economic importance of this business on St. Croix, and EPA stands ready to assist Limetree in understanding its compliance obligations.”

In a June 16, 2021 letter to Limetree, issued under Section 114 of the Clean Air Act, EPA is directing Limetree to develop and submit within 15 days a plan to install, operate and maintain nine hydrogen sulfide (H2S) monitors and nine sulfur dioxide (SO2) monitors on St. Croix. Five of the SO2 monitors are already required by a preexisting permit. The other four SO2 monitors and all nine of the H2S monitors are being newly required. EPA’s May 14, 2021 administrative order under Section 303 of the Clean Air Act requires Limetree to arrange for an independent auditor to evaluate the refinery’s compliance with environmental requirements.

EPA is working to lend relief and assistance to the surrounding St. Croix community members, many of whom have been sickened by some of the releases from the refinery. On May 12, Limetree temporarily stopped certain refinery operations following a series of incidents that included exceedances of limits for SO2 and H2S, endangering the health and welfare of nearby communities.

To read the EPA directive requiring the additional monitors, visit: https://www.epa.gov/vi/limetree-bay-terminals-and-limetree-bay-refining-llc

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