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EPA Region 4 Update - September 6, 2019 9/6/2019 Site Update
EPA Region 4 has redeployed one water sector liaison (ESF-3) from the Florida EOC to the North Carolina EOC. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is beginning status checks to hazardous waste facilities in the southern portion of the state and expects to initiate outreach to the mid to northeast portions of the state either today or tomorrow. Additionally, two EPA personnel deployed today to provide direct oil and hazardous substance support (ESF-10) to North Carolina and one remains in South Carolina. To date, EPA has issued fuel waivers to Florida which remain in effect until September 15th and a total of six No Action Assurances to the impacted states. EPA has temporarily suspended operations at one NPL site in North Carolina and one emergency response site in South Carolina to ensure worker safety. As the path of the storm continues to evolve, we will continue to monitor our sites.
EPA Region 4 Statement - September 5, 2019 9/6/2019 Site Update
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to coordinate closely with local, state, tribal, and federal partners and stands ready to assist as the Agency continues to prepare for Hurricane Dorian’s landfall. EPA Region 4 has also identified the list of potentially impacted Superfund waste sites in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. In addition to the EPA liaisons supporting FEMA’s Regional and National Response Centers, as well as the Florida State Emergency Operating Center (EOC), EPA will provide water sector support for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina EOCs in the coming days, pending federal declarations of emergency.
EPA Region 4 Statement - August 31, 2019 9/1/2019 Site Update
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) continues to coordinate closely with local, state, tribal, and federal
partners and stands ready to assist as the Agency continues to prepare for
Hurricane Dorian’s landfall. EPA Region 4 has also identified the list of
potentially impacted Superfund waste sites in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina
and South Carolina. In addition to the EPA liaisons supporting FEMA’s Regional
and National Response Centers, as well as the Florida State Emergency Operating
Center (EOC), EPA will provide water sector support for the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers at the Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina EOCs in
the coming days, pending federal declarations of emergency.
EPA Region 4 Statement - August 30, 2019 9/1/2019 Site Update
The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is coordinating closely with local,
state, tribal, and federal partners and stands ready to assist as the
Agency continues to prepare for Hurricane Dorian’s landfall. Region 4 is
performing a preliminary assessment of all National Priorities List (NPL) sites
in Florida. The list of NPL sites will continue to evolve with the path of the
storm. Currently, EPA is providing support at the
Florida State Emergency Operations Center (EOC), as well as at the FEMA
Regional Response Coordination Center and FEMA’s National Response Coordination
Center. In addition, EPA has approved fuel waivers for
the state of Florida to help ensure that an adequate supply of gasoline is
available in the affected areas until normal supply to the region can be
restored. T he Region 4 Administrator has reached out to
environmental and agriculture leaders for Florida and Georgia, as well as
tribal leaders in Florida, and has reemphasized the Agency is ready to assist,
upon request.
EPA Region 4 Statement - August 29, 2019 9/1/2019 Site Update
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) stands ready to assist local, state, tribal, and federal partners in
preparation for and in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. The Agency, in
coordination with state and federal partners, is engaged in planning for
potential post-landfall actions to assist our partners, as needed.
EPA Approves Emergency Fuel Waiver for Florida 8/30/2019 Site Update
CONTACT:press@epa.gov
EPA Approves Emergency Fuel Waiver for Florida
WASHINGTON (August 30, 2019 In response to Hurricane Dorian, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler today approved emergency fuel waver requests made on behalf of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
EPA has waived the federal Reid vapor pressure requirements for fuel sold in Florida to minimize problems with the supply of gasoline. EPA has also waived the prohibition on the blending of reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenated blending with other gasoline blendstock or oxygenate in Florida. In a separate waiver, EPA has waived the prohibition of using dyed Non-Road Locomotive and Marine (NRLM) diesel fuel in motor vehicle diesel engines. EPA will allow the sale, distribution and use of red dyed NRLM diesel fuel in the State of Florida for use in highway diesel vehicles, but the diesel fuel must meet the 15 ppm sulfur standard set forth at 40 C.F.R. § 80.520. These waivers will continue through September 15, 2019.
The Clean Air Act allows EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, in consultation with Energy Secretary Rick Perry, to waive certain fuel requirements to address shortages caused by the Hurricane. Administrator Wheeler quickly determined that extreme and unusual fuel supply circumstances exist in portions of Florida as a result of the approaching hurricane and has granted temporary waivers to help ensure that an adequate supply of gasoline and diesel is available in the affected areas until normal supply to the region can be restored.
As required by law, EPA and the Department of Energy (DOE) evaluated the situation and determined that granting a short-term waiver was consistent with the public interest.EPA and DOE are continuing to actively monitor the fuel supply situation resulting from Hurricane Dorian and will act expeditiously if extreme and unusual supply circumstances exist in other areas.
To mitigate any impacts on air quality, the Clean Air Act provides criteria for when fuels waivers may be granted and requires that waivers be limited as much as possible in terms of their geographic scope and duration.
More information: www.epa.gov/enforcement/fuel-waivers
