WaterBriefs: EPA enforcement shows results in Southeast
In other news below:
-- Sylvan Source M-600 earns NSF certification for perchlorate reduction in drinking water
-- Produce Safety & Security Int'l touts University of Florida expert on ozone, food safety
-- Ecosphere robots complete USNS Rainier at BAE Systems
-- SecureWave's Sanctuary wins CC Evaluation Assurance Level 2 certification
-- GreenFuel Technologies to license Emissions-to-Biofuels technology in South Africa
-- Change of group president at Grundfos
-- Polo joins Parsons as program director for ports, harbors
-- Black & Veatch engineer receives AWRA 'young professional' award
-- Pall Corp. streamlines management team
-- SSPC and Chinese Corrosion Society form SSPC chapter in China
-- Air Products, WEDECO team up on ozone water treatment systems
-- Woodard & Curran opens Providence office
-- Baseline Engineering selected for major sanitary sewer rehabilitation project
-- Research & Markets - By 2010, the water price in China may double
-- MF, UF hold huge potential for desalination pretreatment market - Frost & Sullivan
-- CSA Group acquires key Florida architectural firm
-- UN Development Program focuses on water in 2006 Human Development Report
-- PBSJ Corp. announces foundation grants for 2007
• EPA enforcement results show significant pollutant reductions, environmental benefits in Southeast -- Pollutants reduced, treated or properly managed totaled over 209 million pounds -- ATLANTA, Nov. 15, 2006 -- More than 209 million pounds of estimated pollutants were reduced, treated or properly managed during Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 as part of EPA's compliance assurance and enforcement actions in the states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky. A substantial amount of the pollutant reductions are the result of enforcement actions taken under the Clean Air Act, which will eliminate over 35,000 tons of pollutants from entering streams, rivers and lakes throughout the Southeast.
"Enforcement actions taken during this past year through continued collaboration with our state partners ensure that the regulated community continues to comply with our Nation's environmental laws and regulations and do not pollute the environment," said Jimmy Palmer, EPA Regional Administrator in Atlanta. "Our strong enforcement efforts are ensuring a cleaner and healthier environment for citizens in the Southeast."
The EPA issued enforcement actions totaling $39 million in civil penalties in the Region. The results of these actions include the treatment of an estimated 1.5 million cubic yards of contaminated soil, and the clean up of more than 77 million cubic yards of contaminated water.
As a result of enforcement settlements, approximately $429.6 million will go directly toward correcting violations cited in the specific enforcement cases, cleanup of the polluted sites, and protection against further environmental contamination or destruction. In addition, more than $4.7 million will fund Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs), which are environmentally beneficial projects that a violator voluntarily agrees to perform as part of an enforcement settlement.
Region 4's efforts to get the regulated community in the Southeast to conduct compliance audits under the Agency's Audit Policy resulted in 98 facilities self-disclosing and correcting violations of environmental laws.
"I firmly believe that our compliance assistance and outreach efforts are showing businesses, industries, local governments, and other regulated entities efficient and effective ways to meet applicable requirements," said Palmer.
For more information about enforcement highlights in the southeast Region, click here.
For more information about EPA's national enforcement and compliance programs, click here.
Also see:
-- EPA presents prestigious national water award to Riverside: City places first in the nation in wastewater pretreatment category
-- EPA presents prestigious national water award to San Leandro: City placed second in the nation in wastewater pretreatment category
-- EPA Recognizes Natoma, Kan., Wastewater Treatment Facility for Excellence
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Among other recent headlines:
• Sylvan Source M-600 earns NSF certification for perchlorate reduction in drinking water -- System delivers better than 99% reduction rate -- SUNNYVALE, CA, Nov. 15, 2006 -- Sylvan Source, the provider of breakthrough ultra-clean water systems, today announced that its Sylvan Source M-600 has been certified to reduce perchlorates, a class of increasingly common and hazardous water contaminants, from drinking water. In testing conducted by NSF International, the M-600 delivered more than six times the required reduction level, resulting in treated water with less than 1 part per billion (ppb) of perchlorate. The Sylvan Source M-600 is the only system to pass the NSF/ANSI Standard 62 perchlorate reduction test. In certification testing, the M-600 reduced perchlorates by more than 99% -- to a level below the required maximum allowed in the NSF test of 6 micrograms per liter of treated water...
• Produce Safety & Security International releases comments of University of Florida expert on ozone, food safety -- Ozone may stop bacteria on produce better than food irradiation and current washing methods, says UF food science and human nutrition specialist -- GAINESVILLE, FL, Nov. 15, 2006 -- Ozone, the gas that protects the Earth from ultraviolet radiation, gives U.S. food shoppers better protection from harmful bacteria. "Retailers can sanitize fruits and vegetables by exposing them to ozone before they go on sale," said Gary Rodrick, a professor with the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. "With a 99.9% kill rate, it's far more effective than current sanitizing methods, such as commercial fruit and vegetable washes. The Food and Drug Administration recently gave the go-ahead to use it commercially in U.S. supermarkets and food-processing facilities. It also will be more acceptable than food irradiation, which has raised fears among some consumers"...
• Ecosphere robots complete USNS Rainier at BAE Systems -- STUART, FL, Nov. 15, 2006 -- Ecosphere Technologies Inc., the Stuart, FL-based company that creates engineered and patented Clean Tech solutions that address pressing global environmental and humanitarian issues, today announced that it has successfully completed another environmentally friendly coating removal project for BAE Systems at its San Francisco Ship Repair facility. Ecosphere through its wholly owned subsidiary, UltraStrip Envirobotic Solutions, removed the hull coatings on the USNS Rainier T-AOE7, a naval support ship. The agreement with BAE Systems is a five-year contract agreement for coating removal services using UltraStrip's high speed magnetically attached patented waterjetting robots...
Also see: "Ecosphere Robots Complete USNS Kaiser at BAE Systems San Francisco Ship Repair and Begins work on USNS Rainier"
• SecureWave's Sanctuary receives Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level 2 certification -- Leading endpoint security solution validated for enterprise, government use by globally recognized standards body -- HERNDON, VA, Nov. 15, 2006 -- SecureWave, a worldwide leader in endpoint security, today announced that its award-winning Sanctuary® technology has received Common Criteria (CC) certification at Evaluation Assurance Level (EAL) 2. Before receiving certification, SecureWave's Sanctuary completed a rigorous evaluation by SAIC, an independent laboratory that is accredited to the requirements of the ISO 15408 Common Criteria Standard for IT Security Evaluation. By achieving this certification, Sanctuary is in compliance with one of the highest government standards worldwide and is approved under CC EAL 2 for federal agency purchase. Since 2000, SecureWave's Sanctuary has met the needs of enterprise customers -- including water and wastewater utilities -- with complex security challenges...
• GreenFuel Technologies signs deal to license Emissions-to-Biofuels technology in South Africa -- Global Renewable Energy Efficiency Network will utilize GreenFuel's proprietary algae bioreaction process as an integral component of its biodiesel strategy in South Africa -- CAMBRIDGE, MA, Nov. 15, 2006 -- GreenFuel Technologies Corp., the leading developer of algae bioreactor systems that recycle CO2 in flue gases into clean, renewable biofuels, announced that it has signed an agreement to license its proprietary technology to Global Renewable Energy Efficiency Network, a newly formed biofuels company in the Republic of South Africa. Global Renewable is headquartered in Johannesburg and led by Frik DeBeer and Hendy Schoonbee, pioneers in South Africa's biodiesel industry. Under the terms of the agreement, Global Renewable will have the rights to install and operate GreenFuel's Emissions- to-Biofuels™ algae bioreactor systems at multiple locations with commercial deployment potential of 1,000 acres or more. The technology uses safe, naturally occurring algae to recycle the carbon dioxide in power or industrial plant flue gases into clean, renewable biofuels such as biodiesel...
• Change of group president at Grundfos -- BJERRINGBRO, Denmark, Nov. 15, 2006 -- After almost 4 years as Group President of Grundfos Jens Jorgen Madsen will be resigning from the position as Group President as per Nov. 30. Vice group president Carsten Bjerg has from the board been appointed acting group president until a decision is made concerning the new group president. The other members of group management are group executive vice presidents Soren Sorensen and Carlo Prola. Since Jorgen Madsen took over the position as group president, Grundfos has -- with its 14,000 employees -- increased turnover by about 50% and, at the same time, doubled profits. The target for 2007 which Jorgen Madsen and the board of directors set in 2003 is expected to be reached already in 2006. The co-operation between the board and president has, however, been influenced by differing understandings of the working method and tasks of group management and the board, just as there have been differing understandings of specific business questions. This has lead to the decision that Jorgen Madsen will be resigning three years earlier than originally planned; and this will make room for a successor who, together with the rest of group management and the board, will be setting the course for the next ten years' development of the Grundfos Group...
• Polo joins Parsons as program director for ports, harbors -- PASADENA, CA, Nov. 15, 2006 -- Parsons is pleased to announce that Rick Polo has joined Parsons as the Program Director for Ports and Harbors. In this position, Polo will manage Parsons' growing role in the worldwide Ports and Harbors industry. He has more than 25 years' experience in the U.S. Army. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he has held a multitude of challenging assignments with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including engineer operations officer during the first deployment of North Atlantic Treaty Organization troops to Bosnia following the signing of the Dayton Accords, project engineer in Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm, and commander and district engineer for the Corps' Detroit District. On his most recent assignment, Mr. Polo was the commander and district engineer for the Corps' New York District...
• Black & Veatch engineer receives AWRA 'young professional' award -- TAMPA, FL, Nov. 14, 2006 -- Rafael Frias, a Black & Veatch engineer, was recently presented with the "A. Ivan Johnson Outstanding Young Professional Award" at the annual American Water Resources Association (AWRA) Awards Luncheon in Baltimore, Md.
The award, established in 2000 as the Pyramid Award, was created to recognize young professionals who have demonstrated outstanding achievements, talents and leadership potential through professional activities in water resources for at least two years but not more than eight years. A project engineer based in Black & Veatch's Tampa, FL, office, Frias has worked on many projects in stormwater, surface water quality and groundwater modeling. Before moving to the company's office in Tampa, Frias spent five years in Kansas City, Mo., where he was involved with several projects in the midwestern United States, particularly in Missouri and Kansas. He also has completed international assignments in Puerto Rico and Honduras...
• Pall Corp. streamlines management team -- EAST HILLS, NY, Nov. 14, 2006 -- Pall Corp. today announced that it has streamlined its management team. Chairman and CEO Eric Krasnoff is assuming the additional role of President and has created an Office of the Chief Executive. Don Stevens, Chief Operating Officer and President of Pall Industrial, Roberto Perez, President of Life Sciences, and Lisa McDermott, Chief Financial Officer, will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer, and will join Krasnoff as members of the Office of the Chief Executive. In addition, Stevens will now oversee the Company's global shared services infrastructure as part of his COO responsibilities. The Company also announced that Marcus Wilson is leaving the Company and its Board to pursue other opportunities...
• SSPC and Chinese Corrosion Society form SSPC chapter in China -- PITTSBURGH, Nov. 14, 2006 -- SPC Executive Director Bill Shoup and Chinese Society for Corrosion and Protection (CSCP) President Guangzhiang Chen signed an agreement on Oct. 23 at the East China University of Science & Technology in Shanghai, creating SSPC-C, the official chapter representing SSPC in China. SSPC-C has 12 founding members, including Sherwin-Williams, PPG, Jotun, Hempel, ICI, International Paint, Sigma, Bayer MaterialScience, YungChi, Dalian YuXiang, CNCCC (China National Chemical Construction Corporation), and Marine Research Institute...
• Air Products, WEDECO team up on ozone water treatment systems -- Air Products' Modular Container Water Systems Offer Customized Solutions for Freshwater and Wastewater Challenges -- LEHIGH VALLEY, PA, Nov. 14, 2006 -- Operators of industrial and municipal wastewater treatment systems don't often expect to find the solution to their freshwater and wastewater challenges in a box. That, however, is the case with Air Products' newest ozone systems and wastewater system products. These new systems, which come in an innovative modular container format, help to improve the availability of drinking water and the safe disposal of wastewater. At a time of ever-tightening environmental regulations, the two container systems offer significant technology advancements and have the flexibility to address varied water contaminant issues. To address ozone system needs, Air Products has teamed with ITT-WEDECO, a leading manufacturer of ozone technology, to create a unique range of ozone water treatment systems. WEDECO is part of the Advanced Water Treatment (AWT) group of ITT Corporation (NYSE: ITT). Air Products and ITT-WEDECO have combined leading edge ozone generation with state-of-the-art oxygen producing vacuum swing adsorber (VSA) in a containerized system for both industrial and municipal customers...
Also see: "Air Products Announces Executive Appointments"
• Woodard & Curran opens Providence office -- Office establishes local presence backed by 500-person firm in the heart of Providence -- PROVIDENCE, RI, Nov. 14 , 2006 -- Woodard & Curran, a national engineering, science, and operations firm, has announced the opening of a full-service office in Providence. The office will open its doors this month at 95 Cedar Street on Federal Hill. Woodard & Curran President Guy Vaillancourt has appointed Glenn Almquist, a resident of Rumford, as General Manager of the Providence office. Almquist joined the firm last year as a vice president and has 30 years of multidisciplinary experience. He has been serving as principal-in-charge of land development and commercial/industrial permitting projects throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. Almquist graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1976 with a bachelor of science in natural resources...
• Baseline Engineering selected for major sanitary sewer rehabilitation project -- Part of Baseline Engineering's vision statement is to improve its communities. Idaho Springs to benefit from their involvement -- GOLDEN, CO, Nov. 14, 2006 -- Baseline Engineering was recently selected by the City of Idaho Springs for Surveying, Design Engineering, and Construction Administration services for a major sanitary sewer rehabilitation project. The project will replace a large portion of the city's aging collection system to reduce inflow and infiltration. Excess inflow and infiltration into the sanitary sewer lines along Clear Creek in the spring and summer puts an increased burden on the City's Wastewater Treatment Facility. Baseline Engineering's involvement will maximize life span and minimize maintenance...
Also see: "AbTech Industries Inc. Completes Financing of $6.8 Million"
• During 2006-2010, the water price in China may to rise by 50%-100% -- DUBLIN, Ireland, Nov. 14, 2006 -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of "China's Water Affair Report (Investment and Development), 2005-2006" to their offering. The year 2005 is quite important for China's water affair market. The Chinese government considers water price reformation as one of the three major price reformation projects. As a waste treatment fee came into collection and the water resource fee was improved in 2004 then in 2005 the water price in main cities rose a lot, quite beyond peoples' expectation. In 2005, the waste treatment fee increased by over 50%, in major cities in China, especially in Beijing and Shenzhen etc. During the "Eleventh Five-Year" period (2006-2010), the water price may continue to rise by 50%-100%. China is now speeding up the pace of city-building; meanwhile, the income level of city residents is improving constantly, which has become the long-term driving force of water affair development. In addition, some monopoly industries, including the water industry, are gradually opened up to the social capital and a series of favourable policies are enforced to ensure the successful marketlization of water affair. Private capitals are now entering the water market. Along with the document issue of the Execute Water Price Reformation and Promote Water Saving by China State Council, the price of water supply in cities and the waste treatment fee will be rationally adjusted to ensure the daily operation of the enterprises and to balance their profit. The reformation on water price also lays good foundation for investment into the water industry. In 2006, the direction of water marketlization reformation is clear and definite. The water market is gradually opened, and the overall framework of franchising operation and government supervision system is to be enhanced...
Also see: "The Functional Water Market Continues to Make Gains as Consumers are Paying More Attention to Healthier Soft Drinks"
• Microfiltration, ultrafiltration hold huge potential for desalination pretreatment market -- PALO ALTO, CA, Nov. 13, 2006 -- The desalination pretreatment market is expected to grow as desalination and new pretreatment technologies are likely to improve the overall quality and performance of desalination systems. With microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) technologies demonstrating successful pretreatment, industries and municipalities are realizing the benefits of installing new water systems using RO technology along with a proper pretreatment system. Frost & Sullivan finds that the "U.S. Desalination Pretreatment Market" earned revenues of $184.0 million in 2005 and estimates this to reach $399.6 million in 2012. Adoption of MF and UF membrane systems for RO pretreatment has increased significantly in the past couple of years. Some of the major market participants are experimenting and installing MF/UF systems prior to the RO systems for pretreatment. Clients are realizing the benefits of these systems...
Also see:
-- "Frost & Sullivan Recognizes GE Sensing's Leadership in Delivering High Customer Value in the Sensors Market"
-- "New Lead-Free Regulations Driving Advances in Pressure, Temperature and Flow Sensor Technologies"
-- "Water Shortage and Pollution Triggers Demand for Commercial Water Treatment Equipment in North America"
-- "Russia: A Fresh Lease of Life to Water Treatment in Europe"
• CSA Group acquires key Florida architectural firm -- MIAMI, Nov. 13, 2006 -- CSA Group, the largest Hispanic-owned architectural/engineering/planning and environmental (A/E/P&E) services firm in the U.S. is pleased to announce the acquisition of Brown + Brown Architects, a Florida-based architectural firm. Brown + Brown has over 25 years experience providing professional architectural services to Federal, State, and local government organizations. With a significant portfolio that includes state-of-the-art educational facilities and roof-consulting services, its expertise will help expand and strengthen CSA's already existing capabilities in the K-12, higher education, and government sector industries, including the United States, Caribbean & Latin American regions. William F. Brown Jr., founder, CEO and president of Brown + Brown, will provide proven leadership for the merged divisions of Brown + Brown Architects and CSA Group Florida Inc...
• UN Development Program focuses on water in 2006 Human Development Report -- 'Beyond scarcity: Power, poverty and the global water crisis,' the 16th annual Human Development Report, released Nov. 9 -- CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Nov. 9, 2006 -- In a world of unprecedented wealth almost two million children die each year for want of a glass of clean water and a toilet. Beyond the household, competition for water for production intensifies, while the environment and the rural poor lose out. Debunking the myth that the global water crisis is the result of scarcity, the 2006 Human Development Report, from the United Nations Development Program, argues that poverty, power and inequality are at the heart of the problem. The Report offers fresh new data on how many poor people go without water and sanitation, the inequality of access within and between nations, and on what clean water really means for child survival rates. It argues for a concerted drive to achieve water and sanitation for all through national strategies and proposes models of cooperation to resolve cross-border tensions in water management...
Also see:
-- "World water and sanitation crisis urgently needs a Global Action Plan"
-- "Cruel irony: water costs the most for those who can least afford it"
-- "Poor farmers face double water crisis: climate change and competition"
-- "Spectre of 'water wars' distracts from urgent need for cross-border cooperation"
-- "Why children die for lack of a toilet"
-- "Eight reasons for the world to act on water and sanitation - links to the Millennium Development Goals"
• PBSJ Corp. announces foundation grants for 2007 -- Corporation reaches out to communities across the U.S. to support educational and environmental initiatives -- TAMPA, FL, Nov. 9, 2006 -- The PBSJ Corp., parent company of PBS&J and PBS&J Constructors Inc., has announced its first round of funding for the first quarter of 2007 totaling more than $100,000. The grants will be administered through The PBSJ Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) foundation focused on helping the employee-owned subsidiaries expand their programs for charitable giving. Now in its second year of operation, the Foundation grants have topped $200,000 to date...
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For previous "WaterBriefs" reports, click here.
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