Menu
Log in
  


Log in


  • 09 Aug 2023 12:15 PM | Michael Lazo (Administrator)

    Today Governor Maura Healy signed legislation extending the eligibility deadlines for the Massachusetts Brownfields tax credits program by five years. The legislation had been included in the budget bill, which had recently been passed by the Massachusetts House and Senate.

    Read more...

  • 09 Aug 2023 12:13 PM | Michael Lazo (Administrator)

    August 9, 2023

    Contact Information

    Stephen McBay (mcbay.stephen@epa.gov)

    (212)-637-3672

    NEW YORK - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the public comment period for its proposed changes to address contaminated soil and debris at the Woodbrook Road Dump Superfund site in South Plainfield, New Jersey to September 13, 2023. EPA held a public meeting at the South Plainfield Township Courtroom on July 27, 2023, to explain the proposed changes to the public. 

    The proposed changes that are being announced today document that the estimated cost of the selected cleanup rose from $45.4 million in 2018 to $70 million in 2023 due in part to inflation and increased construction costs. In addition, in 2021, New Jersey created the Peter J. Barnes III Wildlife Preserve which includes the Woodbrook Road Dump site.

    In 2020, EPA reviewed the selected cleanup plan for the site. The results of EPA’s review, carried out in coordination with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, confirmed that the 2013 selected cleanup plan remains the best option.

    EPA’s cleanup plan for the site was originally documented in a 2013 Record of Decision and modified in a 2018 Explanation of Significant Differences. The cleanup plan includes:

    • Removing an estimated 4,000 cubic yards of soil and debris that contains capacitors, capacitor parts and PCB-contaminated soil and debris with PCB concentrations greater than 100 parts per million (ppm) to an approved off-site disposal facility.
    • Removing an estimated 143,000 cubic yards of soil and debris that contains PCBs at concentrations greater than 1.1 ppm to an approved off-site disposal facility.

    Written comments on the proposed Explanation of Significant Differences may be mailed or emailed to Diane Salkie Sharkey, Remedial Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway – 18th Floor, New York, NY 10007, Email: salkie.diane@epa.gov.

    For additional background and to see all of the changes in the proposed Explanation of Significant Differences, visit the Woodbrook Road Dump Superfund site profile page.

  • 04 Aug 2023 10:30 AM | Michael Lazo (Administrator)

    By Niki Bajracharya, NJEDA Brownfields and Sustainable Systems

    Taking a major step towards revitalizing brownfield sites throughout New Jersey, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) launched the inaugural application round for its Brownfields Redevelopment Incentive Program (BRIP) in June. The BRIP is designed to support remediation costs and incentivize developers to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites throughout the state, transforming old, vacant, or underutilized contaminated properties into local community assets. 

    The BRIP is a competitive tax credit initiative with a budget of $300 million designed to incentivize environmental remediation, abatement, and demolition activities, opening doors for commercial, retail, and mixed-use development or expansion on brownfield sites. Under the BRIP, eligible brownfield sites can receive a one-time tax credit award up to 60 percent of the remediation costs, depending on their location, with a maximum award up to $8 million per project. Importantly, these tax credits are transferable and can be sold. The credits can also be combined with other NJEDA funding initiatives such as Aspire and the Historic Property Reinvestment Program, providing developers with additional financial support.
     
    In addition to administering financial incentives, the Brownfields & Sustainable System team at the NJEDA has created materials to assist potential applicants. The Authority’s website provides an Eligibility Self-Assessment Tool, an Application Checklist, and Frequently Asked Questions, all of which can be invaluable resources for applicants seeking to understand the program's criteria and application process.
     
    Applications for the BRIP are due by 5:00 p.m. EDT on September 21, 2023, and can be found hereDevelopers interested in revitalizing brownfield sites in New Jersey should consider this program as a valuable resource. By leveraging the financial incentives and technical support available through the BRIP, developers can transform abandoned, contaminated properties into thriving community assets.

     

     

  • 03 Aug 2023 10:57 AM | Michael Lazo (Administrator)

    Eight environmental leaders are pressing Maryland energy regulators for more transparency on how the state’s renewable energy program is handled — and how the state hands out financial credits for entities that generate renewable energy.

    Read more...

  • 02 Aug 2023 10:55 AM | Michael Lazo (Administrator)

    A new landmark Environmental Justice (EJ) law is now effective in New Jersey following a lengthy rulemaking process surrounding the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) Administration Order (AO) No. 2021-25. It is the first rule of its kind and the strongest EJ regulation in the nation.

    Read more...

  • 02 Aug 2023 10:36 AM | Michael Lazo (Administrator)

    The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced eight meetings to provide progress updates for communities participating in the statewide Community Air Monitoring Initiative launched in 2022. The meetings will provide information to help DEC target strategies to reduce air pollution in these communities, including the greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change, to help achieve the goals of the State's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (leaves DEC website). This next round of meetings will continue DEC's efforts to gather community input in targeting emission sources and future strategies to reduce air pollution. 

    Read more...

  • 31 Jul 2023 11:16 AM | Michael Lazo (Administrator)

    York Analytical Laboratories, Inc. announced today the company was approved by NELAC and received NJDEP certifications to analyze PFAS in New Jersey. York now has comprehensive PFAS capabilities in N.J. that include certifications for:

    • EPA Method 533 & 537.1 for PFAS analysis in drinking water.
    • EPA (draft) Method 1633 for PFAS analysis in non-potable water and soil.

    The approval accelerates the build and grow plan for York’s new facility in Toms River, NJ, acquired in January with the purchase of Precision Analytical Services, Inc. and Precision Testing Labs, Inc.

    Read more...

  • 31 Jul 2023 11:13 AM | Michael Lazo (Administrator)

    Massachusetts LSPA

    MassDEP leadership has recently shared that they expect the next set of Amendments to the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP), proposed in 2019, to be promulgated soon. In an effort to refresh our collective memories, the LSPA Regulations Committee has prepared this brief, high-level summary of eight key aspects of the proposed MCP regulations. The summary provided below is based on the draft revisions provided in 2019. The LSPA has not seen a more recent draft. The actual contents of the forthcoming MCP revisions are not known.

    Hot Spot and MGP Waste Definitions 

    The 2019 proposed amendments include the addition of Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) Waste as a defined term. Additionally, the amendments propose modifying the definition of a hot spot to include areas of waste disposal including MGP waste. These proposed changes effectively create a new class of oil and hazardous material (OHM), with concomitant requirements for sampling and risk assessment. 

    EPC Derivations/Calculations

    The 2019 proposed amendments embody more prescriptive requirements for calculating Exposure Point Concentrations (EPCs). Specifically, the use of the arithmetic average will no longer be an acceptable method for estimating the EPC for soil, except in the case of a discrete source of localized contamination. Otherwise, the 95th percentile upper confidence limit must be used. Maximum values could still be used for screening-style assessments

    Additional regulatory requirements may include the use of a systematic sampling approach to obtain a representative data set unless there is technical justification for not doing so. Such justification would have to consider the distribution and variability of the contamination and the size of the area sampled.

    Tier Classification Requirements

    The 2019 proposed amendments provide that Tier Classification Extensions may expire after one year. 

    Post-TS Reporting and Tier Classification Requirements

    In addition to the 5-year periodic evaluation, an annual status report will be required for sites which have achieved a Temporary Solution (TS). Submittal of the annual status report will have the effect of maintaining a Tier Classification Extension. For Sites currently in Temporary Solution, it is unclear when the first annual status report will be due and how PRPs will be notified. 

    Selection of Remedial Action Alternatives (RAAs)

    When a Permanent Solution is not selected as an RAA for the entire disposal site, the evaluation of feasible RAAs must include alternatives to reduce OHM exposure to achieve a Permanent Solution at a portion of the disposal site.

    AEPMM (Active Exposure Pathway Mitigation Measures) Revisions 

    The proposed amendments include expanding definitions to include positive pressurization systems as well as additional requirements for AEPMMs that must be implemented to support a Permanent Solution including minimum monitoring, telemetry, and operational requirements.

    Terminology Conflict: Upper Confidence Limit vs Upper Concentration Limit 

    The proposed amendments include that Upper Concentration Limit will likely be modified to “Method 3 Ceiling Limit” or “Ceiling Limit” for short. 

    Climate Change Provisions

    The proposed amendments reference climate change in the definition of Conceptual Site Model; at 310 CMR 40.1005(1) related to "'Foreseeable Period of Time' for Purposes of a Permanent Solution"; and again at 40.0191: Response Action Performance Standard (RAPS). The assessment of potential climate change impacts are to be based on information available by the state.  

    For those wishing a deeper dive into the proposed regulations, please read the LSPA’s July 19, 2019, cover letter as well as the LSPA’s detailed matrix of comments and suggestions on the full proposed MCP amendments. 

    Once MassDEP releases the next set of MCP Amendments, the LSPA will be providing members with more detailed summaries of key changes, outstanding questions, compliance tips, and other information. Stay tuned!

  • 31 Jul 2023 10:38 AM | Michael Lazo (Administrator)

    Jo Anne Kittrell (kittrell.joanne@epa.gov)

    BOSTON (July 31, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) New England Region Office is announcing a grant competition for an "Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center" (EJ TCTAC).  The agency is offering this funding opportunity of up to $10 million to help communities and other environmental justice stakeholders in the New England states access federal assistance and resources to address environmental and energy justice concerns. EPA Region 1 includes the states of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, and 10 Tribes.

    Read more...

  • 25 Jul 2023 10:44 AM | Michael Lazo (Administrator)

    On July 17, the University of Connecticut's Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) jointly released a beta version of the state's first environmental justice (EJ) screening tool for public comment. 

    Read more...


Upcoming Events

Search Our Website


Address:
c/o Cherrytree Group
287 Auburn Street
Newton, MA 02466

Phone: 833-240-0208

Click to Send Us an Email

Connect With Us


Brownfield Coalition of the Northeast is a nonprofit organization 501(C)(3) and all gifts are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Every contributor to our Organization is recommended to consult their tax advisor for further information.

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software