U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released “sector snapshots” for eight industries participating in the Smart Sectors Program. The sector snapshot is a web-based tool that shows historical environmental and economic performance on a sector basis. Users can interact with data that include a range of up to 30 different combinations of environmental and economic parameters to view trends over time.

“The Smart Sectors Program continues to have productive and informative engagement with different sectors of the economy, which is particularly important during this challenging time,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “The sector snapshots have been an effective tool to share measurable, transparent data online with the regulated community and our state and local partners, and I’m pleased to see this series of snapshots released.”

“These snapshots improve transparency by helping the public, the regulated community, and our state and local partners better understand the performance of major economic sectors that participate in the Smart Sectors Program,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Policy Brittany Bolen. “The snapshots provide a one-stop shop for a variety of environmental and economic data that will be regularly updated to reflect the latest government data available.”
Today, EPA posted the following snapshots to its website: aerospace, agriculture, cement and concrete, construction, electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, mining, paper and wood products, and ports and maritime transportation sectors. EPA plans to update the data in these snapshots over time.

“The aerospace and defense industry’s focus on developing and producing increasingly sustainable products has led to huge gains in reducing emissions,” said Aerospace Industries Association President and CEO Eric Fanning. “But our environmental responsibility also extends to being a good neighbor to the communities our manufacturing facilities call home. The EPA’s sector snapshot highlights some of the significant improvements we have made in reducing the impact of our factories and facilities – all while we continuously contribute to the U.S. economy.”

“Mining is the foundation of our economy and the beginning of the supply chain for everything we use in modern society, and we appreciate EPA’s initiative to showcase the industry’s performance,” said American Exploration and Mining Association Executive Director Mark Compton. “Our members’ commitment to the environment is unmatched, and we look forward to continued, meaningful collaboration with the EPA, which we believe will lead to continuous improvement for the industry as well as the Agency.”

“The EPA’s new sector snapshot for U.S. agriculture highlights the ability of farmers and ranchers to use innovative new technologies to generate renewable energy, sequester carbon in the soils, and operate with a smaller carbon footprint,” said American Farm Bureau Federation Chief Economist John Newton. “EPA’s snapshot offers conservative estimates, and when you consider that agricultural productivity has nearly tripled over the last 50 years while resource use has remained flat, the success story of U.S. farmers and ranchers is unparalleled.”

“EPA’s Smart Sectors Program deserves to be commended for providing valuable information illustrating paper and wood products manufacturers’ contributions to sustainability and significant environmental progress, including per dollar value of goods produced,” said American Forest and Paper Association President and CEO Heidi Brock. “As one of the largest manufacturing sectors in the nation, we appreciate having our economic and environmental performance showcased in a readily-accessible, interactive platform. For example, greenhouse gases and sulfur dioxide emissions are down 20 percent and 67 percent respectively from 2005 to 2016. That winning combination will help inform various stakeholders about our sector’s work to protect the environment as our industry provides high-paying jobs in rural communities. The paper and wood products sector supports approximately 950,000 direct and nearly three million indirect jobs to make products essential to everyday life.”

“AWC members are very proud of their record of energy management and efficiency, and protection of the environment, all while producing products that are central to the homes and lives of all Americans,” said American Wood Council President & CEO Robert Glowinski. “The wood products industry strives to be as energy efficient as possible, and this snapshot shows that there have been significant improvements in our energy use. In fact, the wood products industry is one of the leaders nationwide in the use of carbon-neutral biomass energy. Over 75 percent of the energy at our member companies’ facilities is generated from biomass. The benefit of the wood products industry using biomass manufacturing residuals for energy is equivalent to removing about 4.6 million cars from the road every year. And on top of our renewable energy use, of the major building materials, only wood products are renewable and sequester carbon for the life of the buildings in which we live, work and learn.”

“The U.S. construction industry—which employs more than 7.5 million people and comprises more than 680,000 establishments engaged in construction and engineering projects—accounted for more than $1.6 trillion of economic output in 2018, approximately 5 percent of U.S. private economic activity,” said Associated Builders and Contractors President and CEO Michael Bellaman. “With programs like SmartWay Transport, which fosters a more efficient process for moving materials to job sites; ENERGY STAR, which has certified nearly two million energy efficient homes through 2018; and partnerships like the Smart Sectors Program, the EPA and construction industry are working together to create a more sustainable built environment. In fact, the industry’s energy consumption per unit of output declined 38 percent from 2008 to 2017.”

“AGC of America appreciates the efforts of EPA through the Smart Sectors Program to highlight the diversity of the construction industry, dominated by small businesses, and its immense contribution to the economic health of the nation,” said The Associated General Contractors of America Vice President of Government Relations Jimmy Christianson. “We have also welcomed the opportunity to demonstrate the valuable role construction plays in improving infrastructure and our environment, building a resilient future, all while making gains in energy efficiency and building more efficient structures.”

“Electronics manufacturers are committed to environmental stewardship, recognizing that proactive efforts to protect human health and the environment can reduce business risks and the need for compliance-driven activity,” said Vice IPC President of Global Government Relations Chris Mitchell. “We appreciate that the Smart Sectors Program has collaborated with us and our members, and we look forward to continuing to work together to improve our dialogue and knowledge sharing.”

“Cattle production and America’s ranchers are vital tools to improving U.S. water quality and biodiversity while maintaining vast, open landscapes across the nation,” said National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Chief Environmental Counsel Scott Yager. “Though cattle production contributes a marginal percentage of the United States’ overall greenhouse gas emissions, we continuously work to improve our production practices through voluntary conservation efforts that increase the industry’s efficiency and environmental sustainability. NCBA is proud to work with EPA to educate the public about efforts made by American farmers and ranchers to protect our environment.”

“EPA’s Smart Sectors Program helps shine a light on the important role industry plays in protecting our environment and how that work can strengthen our collective economic output,” said National Marine Manufacturers Association Senior Vice President of Environmental Health and Safety John McKnight. “We thank EPA for highlighting recreational boating and look forward to continuing to work together toward ensuring a clean, healthy world for future generations.”

“With this snapshot tool, the EPA is introducing a thoughtful approach to assessing and communicating the industry’s significant environmental achievements and extraordinary economic contributions,” said Rich Nolan, President and CEO of the National Mining Association. “The U.S. mining industry is one of the most heavily-regulated industries in the world, and our proven record of environmental progress shows that we continue to meet, and in many ways, exceed the strictest standards. This snapshot shows that smart regulation can produce better environmental and economic outcomes.”

“The EPA’s Smart Sectors Program highlights the ability of the Executive Branch to work with industry and to showcase the benefits industry brings to our communities,” said National Ready Mixed Concrete Association Executive Vice President of Operations and Compliance Gary Mullings. “The Smart Sectors’ snapshot is a great tool for educating these same communities about how industry plays a part to better our built environment.”

“The cement industry tremendously values the Smart Sectors Program as a means to better collaborate with the agency and achieve regulatory reforms that will enhance the economy while improving environmental protection,” said Portland Cement Association President and CEO Michael Ireland. “The cement industry is proud of its economic and environmental record employing 610,000 people and contributing over $125 billion to the economy while also reducing GHG and other air emissions, minimizing waste, and reusing secondary materials as fuels that are usually designated for disposal.”

“We are grateful for the commitment of the EPA Smart Sectors Program to our shipbuilding and repair industry, as we work in collaboration with local communities to help improve working conditions, prioritize environmental standards, harness innovation, and deliver on promises to the American people,” said Shipbuilders Council of America Government Relations Manager Davis Gaddy. “Working closely with the maritime workforce, our industry also ensures that the Jones Act can sustain the nearly 650,000 American jobs. For every one shipyard job created, there are four jobs created elsewhere in the economy, and thanks to our dedicated partners at the EPA, we can be certain that goods shipped between U.S. ports are American built, crewed, and operated for a thriving maritime industry.”

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced the eighth update to the Administrator’s Emphasis List of Superfund Sites Targeted for Immediate, Intense Action. In this latest update, the Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River site in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the St. Regis site in Cass Lake, Minnesota on the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation and the San Mateo Creek Basin site in McKinley and Cibola counties, New Mexico were removed from the list, and the Abandoned Uranium Mines contamination in the Navajo Nation was added to the list. In addition, EPA continues to make progress towards achieving the milestones at the sites that remain on the Administrator’s Emphasis List. At least two more sites (St. Regis Waterway and Silver Bow/Butte) have made significant progress to-date, and EPA expects their milestones to be achieved soon.

“For the past three years, EPA has focused on getting Superfund sites across the country back on track, and even during these difficult times our work continues, most recently our efforts have finalized a cleanup plan at one site and resulted in cleanup agreements at two more sites,” said EPA  Associate  Deputy Administrator Doug Benevento. “I’m pleased to announce that the communities in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and McKinley and Cibola counties in New Mexico can be assured that the long-standing Superfund sites in their communities are on track and making great strides towards effective cleanups. We will continue to advance or accelerate Superfund cleanups at the Abandoned Uranium Mines in Navajo Nation and at sites across the country using every tool in our toolbox to address site-specific issues that delay cleanups.”

Since the creation of the Administrator’s Emphasis List in 2017, 19 sites have been removed from the list after achieving critical milestones that furthered site cleanup or solved issues slowing the pace of cleanups. With this update, there are a total of 15 Superfund sites on the Administrator’s Emphasis List. Today’s update includes:

1. Removing the Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River site in Kalamazoo, Michigan from the Administrator’s Emphasis List because the milestone to reach a settlement agreement between EPA, U.S. Department of Justice, the Kalamazoo River Natural Resource Trustee Council, and Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy was achieved in December 2019.

After decades of working to cleanup this mega-site, EPA used the Administrator’s Emphasis List to bring needed attention to the site, specifically to the negotiation activities. The focused attention concluded 1.5 years of negotiations that culminated in an agreement that addresses many cleanup elements of the site, and for the first time, requires the NCR Corporation to perform and finance cleanup work at the site. The agreement with NCR Corporation, worth more than $244 million, provides funding to cleanup three areas of Operable Unit (OU) 5, pay for past and future EPA and State of Michigan costs and natural resource damages and claims. The OU 5 cleanup includes the removal of the Trowbridge dam, the largest dam within this portion of the river. Removing this dam allows access to remove contaminated sediments to prevent further contamination downgradient, as the dam continues to deteriorate. Additionally, this effort aligns with the State of Michigan’s effort to re-establish natural flow conditions of the river.

1. Removing the St. Regis Superfund site in Cass Lake, Minnesota, on the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation, from the Administrator’s Emphasis List because the milestone to sign the Record of Decision for Operable Unit 7 (OU 7) was achieved on April 2, 2020.1

The site was added to the Administrator’s Emphasis List in 2017 to complete the remedy selection process that had stalled for over 6 years. The list brought much needed senior official’s attention to the long-standing issues preventing a cleanup decision. This elevated focus resulted in the Agency selecting a $21.4 million cleanup plan that removes dioxin-contaminated soil on 66 residential properties while meeting the Leech Lake standard of dioxin in soil. Activities to implement this long-awaited action can now move forward.

2. Removing the San Mateo Creek Basin site in McKinley and Cibola counties, New Mexico, from the Administrator’s Emphasis List because the milestone to reach agreement with Homestake Mining Company of California, Rio Algom Mining, LLC, and United Nuclear Corporation to begin remedial investigation work at a portion of the site was achieved.

Because of the focus provided by placing this site on the Administrator’s Emphasis List, 1.5 years of inter-agency discussions and PRP negotiations were concluded and an agreement was finalized that will lead to beginning of active remedial field investigations necessary to move the site cleanup forward. The agreement requires the PRPs to investigate groundwater contamination in one of the three major areas of the site, the Central Study Area. The agreement also commits the PRPs to pay response costs EPA incurs in the future, starting with a payment of $700,000, and secure financial assurance for the $15 million estimated cost of the cleanup work. Finalizing the settlement was an important component of the overall mining district cleanup strategy initiated in 2010.

3.  Adding the Abandoned Uranium Mines contamination in the Navajo Nation to the Administrator’s Emphasis List to finalize the Federal Actions to Address Impacts of Uranium Contamination on the Navajo Nation Ten-Year Plan (“Ten-Year Plan”). EPA intends to use placement on the Administrator’s Emphasis List to focus attention on completion of development and finalization of the Ten-Year Plan. This plan will build on the previous plans, make adjustments based on lessons learned, and identify those next steps necessary to address the human and environmental risks associated with uranium contamination.

Addressing the legacy of uranium mining continues be a national effort involving multiple federal agencies, including EPA, collaborating closely with the Navajo Nation government and the respective Navajo Nation agencies.

EPA maintains a strong partnership with the Navajo Nation, and since 1994, the Superfund Program has provided technical assistance and funding to assess potentially contaminated sites and develop a response.

4. Retaining the DePue (New Jersey Zinc) site in DePue, Illinois on the Administrator’s Emphasis List because EPA is establishing additional milestones that are critical to moving the cleanup forward. These milestones include completing negotiations for the Operable Unit 4 (OU 4) residential yard cleanup work and remaining Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study work at other site areas.

EPA initially added the DePue (New Jersey Zinc) site to the Administrator’s Emphasis List to focus attention on reaching agreement with the responsible party to implement the remedy for the off-site residential soils (OU 4). Through the recently executed Unilateral Administrative Order in January 23, 2020, implementation of the cleanup work is expected to begin this year.

Today’s Administrator’s Emphasis List updates continue to demonstrate EPA’s commitment to the American people to facilitate progress at Superfund sites by resolving long-standing issues at cleanup projects across the country. EPA monitors sites removed from the list to ensure that significant progress continues, and cleanups move towards completion. Two such sites are the Madison County Anschutz Mine site in Fredericktown, Missouri, and the Mississippi Phosphates Corporation site in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

Site cleanup progress at the Madison County Anschutz Mine site was hindered by several years of negotiations. Initiation of the Superfund Task Force and the placing of the site on the Administrator’s Emphasis List spurred action to conclude those negotiations. Now implementation of the property-wide cleanup of historical, surficial mine waste contamination is underway. Since the site was removed from the Administrator’s Emphasis List, the site’s lessee, Missouri Cobalt, has completed construction of its tailings reprocessing facility on the site and started recovering metals from on-site waste mine tailings. Missouri Cobalt also announced tentative plans to construct an on-site metals separation plant to produce purified metals products. Cleanup of contamination is moving forward as EPA recently approved the final work plan for the waste capping removal action, and field activities have begun.

Prior to listing the Mississippi Phosphates Corporation site on the Administrator’s Emphasis List, EPA conducted wastewater operations at the site that managed and treated wastewater at a rate of approximately 2,000,000 gallons per day—at a cost of approximately $1,000,000 per month. The site was placed on the Administrator’s Emphasis List to expedite permanent closure of the East Gypsum Stack and allow field work to eliminate on site storage of contaminated water and reduce the volume of water requiring treatment. Since the site was removed from the Administrator’s Emphasis List, closure of the East Gypsum Stack began in November 2018 followed by the installation of the final cover system on the initial 55 acres in September 2019. Overall, expediting this work, saved several months of time and millions of dollars of costly temporary wastewater management and treatment operations. This year, work will continue and shift to the south slope of the site.