Environmental Protection Agency News

Wyoming Refiner Pays $655K for Asbestos Cleanup

Sinclair Casper Refining Co. has paid $655,000 to the Environmental Protection Agency for cleaning up asbestos at an oil refinery in the town of Thermopolis, Wyo. The Casper Star-Tribune reported the agency determined there was significant contamination at the site …

$160M Claim Filed by Navajo Nation Over Mine Spill

The Navajo Nation has submitted a claim of more than $160 million in damages to the federal government over last year’s mine waste spill that fouled rivers in three western states. A cleanup team led by the U.S. Environmental Protection …

Study: Injection Wells, Agriculture Harming Bays in Maui

A team of University of Hawaii scientists has completed a study of nearshore ecosystems across Maui that shows the impact of discharged treated wastewater. The findings were published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE earlier this month. The scientists analyzed …

University of Georgia Settles Hazardous Waste Violations with EPA for $400K

The University of Georgia will spend more than $400,000 after federal inspectors found dozens of safety violations in the way it handles hazardous waste. Under a “consent agreement and final order” with the Environmental Protection Agency, the university will pay …

Cancer-Causing Metal Near Wells Tied to Volcanic Soil More Than Coal Ash: Study

A cancer-causing heavy metal found in water wells near coal ash pits and other industrial sites is much more widespread and naturally occurring than previously thought, university researchers said Wednesday. The presence of hexavalent chromium is more related to volcanic …

Whole Foods Reaches $3.5M Settlement with EPA over Environmental Waste

Whole Foods Market Inc., headquartered in Austin, Texas, has reached a $3.5 million settlement with regulators over the disposal of products that were once for sale but later classified as hazardous waste. The Environmental Protection Agency announced the fine and …

Insurance Fight Prolongs Junk Yard Pollution in Indiana City

Five years of court battles haven’t resolved the blame game between a western Indiana junk yard and one of the nation’s largest insurance companies over water pollution. Valley Forge Insurance has spent millions of dollars in an attempt to stop …

Oklahoma Quake Upgraded to 5.8 Mag, More Waste Wells Shut Down

Oklahoma drillers are being ordered to shut more fracking wastewater wells just as the U.S. Geological Survey is upgrading last weekend’s earthquake to a record magnitude. The Environmental Protection Agency said it has ordered the closure of 17 additional disposal …

EPA, Forest Service Seek Permanent Firefighters Near Montana Asbestos Site

The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Forest Service want to station 10 firefighters near Libby this summer so crews are immediately available to fight any fire that night burn in or near a former vermiculite mine contaminated with asbestos, …

Congress on Brink of First Update to Toxic Chemical Law in 40 Years

Legislation with bipartisan support that would revamp U.S. chemical safety law for the first time in decades is advancing in Congress, winning overwhelming passage in the House of Representatives as backers sought quick Senate action. Senate leadership aides said the …