March—April 2022 Newsletter

Newsletter Banner: EPA in the Pacific Southwest - Photo courtesy of the National Park Service. A rainbow arcs out of the Kīpahulu Valley.
Haleakalā National Park, Maui, Hawaii

Earth Day in the Pacific Southwest

EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region celebrated Earth Day along with the 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act and the 25th anniversary of the Recycle City website in April. Regional Administrator Martha Guzman joined the East Bay Environmental Justice Forum in Berkeley, California, to discuss environmental, economic and social justice issues with EPA’s community partners. EPA also participated in the California Earth Day Twitter Chat where water conservation was a major topic of discussion with California EPA and other organizations and individuals. Earth Day also marked the launch of the newly updated Recycle City, a popular educational resource for elementary and middle school students.

Protecting Communities in Hawaii

EPA Administrator Michael Regan and EPA Region 9 Regional Administrator Martha Guzman at Red Hill

Regional Administrator Martha Guzman, Administrator Michael Regan, and Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe have all visited Hawaii recently to oversee the response to the drinking water emergency at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in O’ahu. EPA has completed its emergency response role in helping to restore safe drinking water to O’ahu residents and will continue to work with the Navy, Army, Hawaii Department of Health and others to monitor drinking water; EPA will continue its oversight role – including through independent inspections – as the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility is closed down by the Department of Defense. While in Hawaii, Regional Administrator Guzman also met with farmers to discuss agriculture and food policy and with native Hawaiians who shared their perspectives on how traditional knowledge can help protect fragile ecosystems.

Progress at Superfund Sites

Sign that reads: HEALTH ADVISORY - FISH IN THESE WATERS CONTAIN HIGH LEVELS OF MERCURY AND SHOULD NOT BE EATEN. Mercury is known to cause birth defects in infants and nerve damage in adults. More information online.

Mercury from historic gold mining polluted the Carson River Mercury Site in northwestern Nevada. EPA recently completed a report about addressing that mercury contamination and is continuing to seek input on the issue from tribal members and local residents who live within the footprint of the site. In another Superfund milestone, the Beckman Instruments site in California was recently removed from the Superfund National Priorities list. The groundwater that was contaminated by the former electronics plant has been decontaminated and now meets all California and federal drinking water standards.

Enforcement Update

Protecting Drinking Water in California

EPA has issued emergency orders under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to four mobile home park water systems, requiring the mobile home park owners to comply with federal drinking water safety requirements and to identify and correct problems with their drinking water systems that present a danger to residents. The mobile home parks are all located on the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians’ Reservation in California. None of the water systems were previously registered with EPA and will now be required to comply with SDWA regulations.

EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region serves Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Islands, and 148 Tribal Nations.

Air Quality Awareness Week May 2-6, 2022

Wildfire season has already begun in parts of the Southwest… Be Air Aware and Prepared

Resiliency and Natural Disaster Debris Report

EPA has released a report highlighting the importance of resiliency and effective planning for management of debris from natural disasters.

“The report has important implications for our Pacific Southwest region, especially for communities in coastal areas in California and Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. Planning now to reduce disaster debris through resilient design, reuse, recycling, and composting can better protect vulnerable communities, support equitable disaster recovery and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” – Regional Administrator Martha Guzman

EPA Proposes to Ban Ongoing Uses of Asbestos

EPA will accept public comments on the proposed rule for chrysotile asbestos for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register.

Equity Action Plan

EPA has released an Equity Action Plan to redress systemic barriers in policies and programs to advance equity for all.

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Last updated on August 9, 2024