Environmental Protection Agency
Report faults EPA for not enforcing limits on toxic benzene emissions at oil refineries
The federal Environmental Protection Agency must do a better job ensuring that oil refineries that exceed emissions limits for benzene, a toxic, carcinogenic pollutant, cut those concentrations, the agency’s inspector general found. “Thirteen of the 18 refineries we reviewed had benzene concentrations above the action level in 20 or more weeks after the initial exceedance,” […]
Two towns awarded federal funds for wastewater management upgrades
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded two Rhode Island towns hundreds of thousands in grant money to improve water services. Rhode Island’s congressional delegation announced Friday that Glocester and North Kingstown will receive a combined $915,000 in grant funding to upgrade wastewater management systems and boost water drinking quality. Glocester will receive $465,000 towared […]
DEM to receive $178K for air quality monitoring amid Canadian wildfire
As smoky skies and smog-filled air from Canadian wildfires continue to blanket Rhode Island, new federal funding aims to help the state detect and spread awareness about poor air quality. U.S. Sen. Jack Reed on Wednesday announced that the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management will receive an extra $178,000 in Clean Air Act funding […]
EPA again proposes power plant carbon rules
The Obama administration’s 2015 Clean Power Plan — intended to cut carbon emissions from power plants — was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Trump administration’s much-criticized replacement, the Affordable Clean Energy rule, derided as a “tortured series of misreadings” of the U.S. Clean Air Act, was also tossed by a federal court. […]
Federal funding released to upgrade R.I. drinking water infrastructure
The Ocean State is getting $62 million for its water – the drinking kind. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday announced $6.5 billion in funding nationwide for states to improve their drinking water infrastructure, including $62.2 million for Rhode Island. The funds through the EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund aim to help state’s […]
Trucking company owner admits to violating EPA regulations
PROVIDENCE — The owner of a North Kingstown-based trucking company pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court Monday to conspiracy charges related to violating the Clean Air Act. Under the federal law, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established standards that limit the emission of air pollutants from various types of vehicle engines. To meet […]