EPA LAUNCHES ACID RAIN BLOGS

Although the pollutants that form acid rain, mainly sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions have each been cut by more than 60 percent since 1995, acid rain continues to negatively affect our environment.  Acid rain pollutants can cause respiratory illnesses and premature death in people, damage lakes, streams, and forests and the plants and animals in these ecosystems. EPA has launched some daily blogs to help the public keep abreast of the issue in an interactive way: Whatever happened to Acid Rain? and Acid Rain and Cap and Trade  To follow the series on Facebook and Twitter, go to www.facebook.com/EPAairmarkets and www.twitter.com/EPAairmarkets

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EPA TO ADD 16 CHEMICALS TO ITS TOXIC CHEMICAL LIST TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH

EPA is proposing to add 16 additional toxic chemicals to its Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) list to which industries and federal facilities must contribute when reporting their chemical releases and waste management activities. This will add to the database of nearly 650 chemicals and chemical groups from about 22,000 industrial facilities nationwide.  EPA will accept public comments on the proposal for 60 days after it appears in the Federal Register.  For a list of the 16 chemicals, go to http://www.epa.gov/tri/lawsandregs/ntp_chemicals/index.html  For information on TRI, go to http://www.epa.gov/tri

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Gov. Joe Manchin has issued a ban on all outdoor burning that will take effect at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 10, 2010. This proclamation will be in effect until the governor rescinds the order.

The ban includes fires built for camping, the burning of debris or for warming purposes; however, the following items are excluded from the restrictions:

•Fires for the purpose of chemical production, where fire is essential to operation.

•Fires for commercial land-clearing, such as mining, highway construction, and development: Provided that a permit is obtained from the Division of Forestry prior to burning.

•Training fires conducted under the direct control and supervision of qualified instructors at a training facility operated by a fire department or government entity: Provided that a permit for such training fires is obtained from the Division of Forestry prior to burning.

•Fires for outdoor cooking conducted for fundraising events and charitable organizations: Provided that a water source capable of extinguishing the fire must be present and a permit is obtained from the Division of Forestry prior to the operation.

•Grills, lanterns or liquid-fueled gas fire stoves.

Since April 1, the number of fires has increased from 108 to 283. The number of burned acres has escalated from 773 to almost 8,500. Warm, dry weather and windy conditions, plus an abundance of vegetative material like downed trees, limbs and leaves have led to these increases. Forty-two percent of these fires have resulted from escaped debris fires.