EPA Brownfields Grant To ND Tribe

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa will receive a $200,000 Brownfields grant to clean up an abandoned Tribal Administration Building on Highway 5 West near Belcourt, North Dakota. The award is part of $69.3 million in EPA Brownfields grants provided to 245 communities across the nation to clean and redevelop contaminated properties, protect public health and create jobs.

The 30,000 square-foot administration building was constructed in 1989 and was recently abandoned because of repeated flooding. The building is contaminated with mold, unknown chemicals and electronic waste products. EPA’s grant will facilitate the cleanup and renovation of the building to provide the tribe with usable office space.

The 245 grantees include tribes and communities in 39 states across the country, funded by EPA’s Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (ARC) grants, and Revolving Loan Fund Supplemental grants. The grants awarded will assess and clean up abandoned industrial and commercial properties. According to EPA, nearly half of the grantees this year are new awardees who demonstrate a high level of commitment for undertaking specific projects and leveraging the funding to move those projects forward.

Approximately 29 % of the grants are being awarded to non-urban areas with populations of 100,000 or less, 16 % are being awarded to “micro” communities with populations of 10,000 or less, and the remaining grants are being awarded to urban areas with populations exceeding 100,000.

Caltha LLP provides expert environmental consultant services in North Dakota to obtain environmental permits, evaluate regulatory requirements, and to develop cost effective compliance programs.
For further information contact Caltha LLP at info@calthacompany.com or Caltha LLP Website

EPA Brownfields Grant To Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe will receive a $200,000 Brownfields grant to clean up the Smee School Teacher’s quarters located at 101 Main Street in the Wakapala community, North Dakota. The site is contaminated with heavy metals and inorganic materials. The award is part of $69.3 million in EPA Brownfields grants provided to 245 communities across the nation to clean and redevelop contaminated properties, protect public health and create jobs.

The 245 grantees include tribes and communities in 39 states across the country, funded by EPA’s Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (ARC) grants, and Revolving Loan Fund Supplemental grants. The grants awarded will assess and clean up abandoned industrial and commercial properties. Nearly half of the grantees this year are new awardees who demonstrate a high level of commitment for undertaking specific projects and leveraging the funding to move those projects forward.

According to EPA, there are an estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites in America. In 2011, EPA’s brownfields program leveraged 6,447 jobs and $2.14 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funds. Since its inception EPA’s brownfields investments have leveraged more than $18.3 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funding from a variety of public and private sources and have resulted in approximately 75,500 jobs. More than 18,000 properties have been assessed, and over 700 properties have been cleaned up. Brownfields grants also target under-served and low income neighborhoods.

Caltha LLP provides expert environmental consultant services in North Dakota to obtain environmental permits, evaluate regulatory requirements, and to develop cost effective compliance programs.
For further information contact Caltha LLP at info@calthacompany.com or Caltha LLP Website

Phase 1 Assessments in North Dakota Phase I ESA

Caltha provides the technical resources to assist Buyers, Sellers & Lenders in evaluating properties in the Upper Midwest, including North Dakota. Assessments typically address the likelihood and potential cost for future liabilities, and conducting assessments required to reduce direct liabilities for environmental cleanups. Assessment can also be conducted to evaluate compliance with applicable regulations.

For more information or to request a quote from property assessment services, go to:

Phase I ESA Environmental Assessment in North Dakota

Caltha LLP provides expert environmental consultant services in North Dakota to obtain environmental permits, evaluate regulatory requirements, and to develop cost effective compliance programs.

For further information contact Caltha LLP at
info@calthacompany.com
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Changes to Small Business Adminstration Environmental Assessment Policies

The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced some upcoming changes to its environmental policies and procedures to its Lender and Development Company Loan Programs SOP-50-10-5(B), , effective October 1, 2009.

For more information, go to:

Changes to SBA Environmental Phase I ESA, Records Search and Risk Assessment Requirements

Some of the key changes made to the environmental policies for lenders and Certified Development Companies to participate in SBA lending programs include:

1. Clarification that, in the case of gas stations (NAICS code 447), the Environmental Investigation must begin with a Phase I;
2. On-site dry cleaners in operation for more than five years must undergo a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment, in addition to a Phase I (which would be required due to the NAICS code match);
3. For special use facilities (daycare or child care centers, nursery schools), revision to the date of construction for conducting a lead risk assessment for lead-based paint from 1978 to 1980;
4. Revised definition of "environmental questionnaire" to reflect that if the current owner or operator of the property will not sign the questionnaire, it cannot be used, and the lender must then, at a minimum, obtain a Transaction Screen;
5. Acknowledgment that the SBA will recognize a Phase II ESA conducted "in accordance with generally-accepted industry standards of practice and consisting of a scope of work that would be considered reasonable and sufficient to identify the presence, nature and extent of a release;"
6. Establishing a shelf life of one year for the Records Search with Risk Assessment; and
7. Very minor clarifications to the list of NAICS codes that trigger Phase I ESA requirement.

The new SOP also reflects any policy and procedural notices issued between January 1, 2009 and June 30, 2009.

Caltha LLP provides SBA-qualified professionals to conduct SBA Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments on industrial and commercial properties. For more information on services, go to SBA Environmental Site Assessment, Records Search and Risk Assessment Services.

For further information contact Caltha LLP at
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Caltha LLP Website

Environmental Rule Updates - Environmental Compliance Topics

Caltha LLP maintains several websites to provide regulatory updates and discussion of current environmental, health and safety topics, as listed below. Interested parties can register to receive automatic notification when a new topic is posted.

SWPPP - Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans - Stormwater Permits - Stormwater Training
Discussions and comments on stormwater permitting programs in all States, including industrial, municipal (MS4) and construction sites. Topics include general stormwater permits, Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans, monitoring, training, spill prevention and control, SPCC compliance.

Water Quality Standards - Aquatic Toxicology - NPDES Permit Limits
Discussion of a variety of topics related to State and Federal water quality standards, ambient water quality criteria, sediment criteria, NPDES & site-specific discharge standards, water quality management, aquatic toxicology, aquatic community impacts, and water quality assessment.

Environmental Sustainability - Sustainable Environmental Management Systems
Discussion of sustainability topics, including pollution prevention, waste reduction, material reuse, environmental management systems, product stewardship, and international environmental standards.

Environmental Due Diligence - Site Assessments - Phase I ESA - Environmental Liability
Discussions and comments regarding environmental due diligence, environmental liabilities, CERCLA liabilities, Phase I environmental site assessments, corporate liabilities, environmental compliance liabilities, quantitative environmental liability assessment.

Regulatory Briefings
Regulatory Briefings are published periodically by Caltha to highlight new or proposed regulations on a wide range of environmental, health & safety topics. These briefings are generally 2- to 4-pages in length and provide an overview of the regulations and discuss potential impacts on the regulated community. Participants must sign up to receive an email link to new Regulatory Briefings as they are posted.

Caltha LLP provides expert environmental consultant services in North Dakota to obtain environmental permits, evaluate regulatory requirements, and to develop cost effective compliance programs.

For further information contact Caltha LLP at
info@calthacompany.com
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Site Assessments For Rural - Forest Tracts - New EPA Rule

Conducting environmental site assessments for large tracts of forested or rural lands presents a challenge to strict adherence to the ASTM Standard Method for Phase I environmental site assessments (ASTM E 1527-05).

Recognizing this, in December 2008, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) issued a final rule amending the standards and practices for “All Appropriate Inquiries” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) to allow the use of ASTM E2247-08 “Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process for Forestland or Rural Property.” The rule will benefit persons or entities purchasing large tracts of forested lands or large rural properties that may intend to claim landowner liability protections as innocent landowners, bona fide prospective purchasers, or contiguous property owners.

The rule applies to any entity conducting a site characterization or assessment on a large forested or rural property with a brownfields grant and will become effective on March 23, 2009. EPA also published a separate proposed rule proposing the same change to the All Appropriate Inquiries regulations.

[Read more about Landowner Liability Protections – LLPs]
[Read more about All Appropriate Inquiry under CERCLA]

For further information contact Caltha LLP at
info@calthacompany.com
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Caltha LLP Website

North Dakota EHS Consulting Services - Environmental Consultant

Caltha LLP provides expert technical consulting services to private and public sector clients across North Dakota. For further information, clink on links below:

North Dakota (NDDH) Air Permit Compliance – Air Emission Permitting Services
North Dakota (NDDH) Stormwater Permit Compliance – Storm Water Permitting Services
North Dakota (NDDH) Environmental Assessment– Phase I (Phase 1) ESA Services
North Dakota Environmental Audit – Environmental Compliance Services
North Dakota Environmental Training Services
North Dakota Haz Com – Hazard Communication Compliance Services

For further information contact Caltha LLP at
info@calthacompany.com
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Caltha LLP Website

Phase I ESA - North Dakota Environmental Site Assessment

Caltha LLP provides expert Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESA) in North Dakota to meet All Appropriate Inquiry requirements. Our environmental assessment services include:

• Phase I Environmental Assessment
• Phase II Environmental Assessment - Site Characterization
• Transaction Screens
• Small Business Administration (SBA) Environmental Review
• Environmental Review
• Environmental Due Diligence
• Property or Business Acquisition Review
• Environmental, Health & Safety Compliance Audits

To request a quote to conduct a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment or other assessments in North Dakota, South Dakota or Minnesota, go to: Caltha LLP Website

For further information contact Caltha LLP at
info@calthacompany.com
or
Caltha LLP Website