26 year-old South Hadley resident died after losing control, hitting several trees
By Anthony Fay Published: June 23, 2016
SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (WWLP) – An ATV rider was killed, and his passenger was seriously hurt, after the vehicle crashed into several trees Wednesday night.
Mary Carey, spokesperson for the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, told 22News that the accident took place before 10:18 P.M. on a dirt and gravel trail off Lithia Springs Road in South Hadley.
The operator of the ATV, a 26 year-old South Hadley resident, was taken to Holyoke Medical Center, and died shortly after he got there. His passenger, a 30 year-old woman from Chicopee, was also taken to Baystate Medical Center. Carey described her injuries as serious.
Carey said it appears the operator of the ATV lost control of the vehicle, and crashed into multiple trees along the trail.
South Hadley police, state police, and the environmental police are all looking into the cause of the accident.
No names are being released at this time.
Chicago Weather: 6 tornadoes confirmed in Illinois; EF-2s in Pontiac, Seneca
The tornado that swept through Pontiac may have caused some of the worst damage. (WLS)
ABC7 Team Coverage
Updated 3 mins ago
PONTIAC, Ill. (WLS) -- The National Weather Service says it has determined EF-2 tornadoes hit Pontiac and Seneca, Ill. and three EF-1 tornadoes hit LaSalle, Iroquois and Lee counties. At least one other confirmed tornado touched down in northern Illinois Wednesday night.
As many as 18 reports of tornadoes came in Wednesday night. The National Weather Service sent teams Thursday morning to survey damage along three separate supercell paths: Amboy to Sheridan, Troy Grove to Seneca, and Pontiac to Chatsworth.
PHOTOS: TORNADO DAMAGE SOUTHWEST OF CHICAGO
EF-2 TORNADO RAVAGES GAS STATION, MOBILE HOME PARK IN PONTIAC
The tornado that swept through Pontiac may have caused some of the worst damage. NWS crews said the EF-2 tornado's path stretched more 11 miles from northwest of Pontiac and through the southwest part of town. The twister packed peak wind speeds of 115-125 mph.
A Shell gas station located along Reynolds Street, just east of I-55, was hardest hit by the tornado. Mangled metal and wood were tossed around and some pieces shattered the windows of parked cars. The Pontiac fire chief called the station "ground zero."
"I have five employees with a job, myself and him, we all have families. I have two employees without vehicles. They are both destroyed," Jenny Hamilton, Shell gas station manager, said.
Behind the Shell, a car dealership's inventory was no match for the wrath of the tornado. The shattered windows and dented doors will likely cost tens of thousands of dollars to repair. And there was more damage at another gas station, where a BP's canopy was pushed over as the twister passed through.
About three miles away, at Sterling Estates Mobile Home Park, a mobile home that was lifted off its foundation during the tornado now lays crumpled in a cornfield. Four people were inside at the time. Neighbors said they could hear them screaming for help.
"Someone was yelling at me and I come wide awake, and I jumped up and ran to the door. It was the lady across the street. She was under the trailer. The tornado flipped the trailer over on top of her," Waynette Johnson, who lives in the trailer park, said.
A relative said she's now recovering from a broken pelvis and her boyfriend suffered cuts to his head.
Brad Gillette and his family began cleaning up the home he just finished completely remodeling a week ago, and which was one of the hardest hit on Ray Street.
"The tornado took the whole roof off. We've got water from the ceiling to the floor on all three levels. What can you do?" Gillette said.
Two other injuries were also reported. A man driving a semi dislocated his shoulder when the tornado overturned the truck, and a woman who was struck by flying glass was also taken to the hospital. Pontiac authorities said both were treated and released.
Still, the community shows a spirit of commitment to each other despite what they may have lost.
"You'll find Pontiac is a place that works together and is a great place to live," says Pontiac Mayor Robert T. Russell.
Pontiac officials say the hazardous situations and much of the damage cleared, and that insurance adjusters should be able to come in and start working with home and business owners. But they are also cautioning residents to be very careful in certain parts of town where there is damage, and are asking residents to avoid neighborhoods where they do not live, particularly in the south part of town.
EF-2 TORNADO DAMAGES FARMS NEAR SENECA, MARSEILLES
Another tornado, also rated EF-2 by the National Weather service with peak winds of 111-116 mph, caused damage in nearby Seneca. Police blocked the intersection of Main and Jackson streets to keep drivers away from downed power lines.
One homeowner told ABC7 Eyewitness News his farm, which dates back to the 1800's, was badly damaged in the intense storm, but his wife and children are safe. They huddled together with several neighbors.
"My wife and two kids were in the basement with seven neighbors when the storm hit. There's lots of extensive damage to the farm. We're not really sure about the house. There's no power up there right now. Haven't really been home because there's powerlines around there. I'm going try to get as close as we can. Nobody's hurt. Everybody's fine. All the neighbors are fine. Everybody checked in with everybody. But there's a lot of damage," Jeff Maierhofer said.
Seneca Deputy Fire Chief Kett Johnson said no one in the area was injured. He said weather warnings played a big role. They allowed residents enough time to prepare for the coming storm. He said it could have been a major disaster.
"It's a rural area out there. It's corn fields, bean fields that are out there and stuff. Basically it's lucky because we have a resort out here. That's called Wood Smoke Ranch. They have 1,500 lots that have campers and trailers on there. It went a half mile just to the north of that. If it would have hit there, it would have been a totally a different situation," Johnson said.
In nearby Marseilles, Jill Ashton and her 3-month-old baby Tripp rushed to safety as the tornado swept over their family farm. She said their ears popped but the baby slept through it all.
"As tight as I could grab him, I just ran to the basement with him in my arms," Jill Ashton said.
Her sister-in-law Julie is five months pregnant. She grabbed her 2-year-old son in the dark and took cover with the rest of the family - a total of five adults and the two little ones. Everyone is ok.
"Where the roof is missing is right over my son's bedroom. So, we are so very, very thankful God was watching out for us," Julie Ashton said.
When the storm passed, they found their family home ripped up, windows shattered, trees snapped in half and a big grain bin badly dented. A few other nearby farms were badly damaged, along with a Manlius Township storage facility. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
NWS crews determined an EF-1 tornado tornado hit the Ottawa and Sheridan area. The tornado was on the ground for 6.7 miles and had peak winds of 90 mph. Areas of Livingston County, Chatsworth and Piper City also sustained damage.
Twisters that formed in West Brooklyn and in La Moille, which is in the Illinois Valley, were also caught on video. The NWS determined the West Brooklyn tornado was an EF-1 with peak winds of 100-110 mph. There were no reports of injuries in either of these areas.
Another EF-1 tornado hit the Cissna Park area in Iroquois County, according to the weather service. That tornado was on the ground for 3.5 miles and had peak winds of 110 mph.
Another confirmed tornado passed through Earlville, Leland and Troy Grove, which are about 50 miles west of Aurora in LaSalle County. Trees came down and homes were damaged as the rain and lightning raged. One homeowner in Earlville rushed down to his basement when he heard the storm was coming. When he came back out, he found parts of his house scattered across his property.
NWS survey teams are working to determine if any other tornadoes touched down and the preliminary ratings of those tornadoes.
SOCCER FANS TAKE COVER AT SOLDIER FIELD
In Chicago, heavy rain and lightning forced about 50,000 soccer fans to take cover at Soldier Field as the Copa America semi-final between Chile and Colombia was suspended.
Video posted to social media shows people clustered in the concourse as the rainwater poured into the stands. A couple from Washington, Illinois, attended the game. Their city was hit by tornadoes three years ago. They wasted no time clearing the stadium.
The match was delayed for hours before it resumed around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday. Chile won.
Drenching rain and lightning had Navy Pier closed for hours. A powerful lightning strike was caught on camera in the South Loop.
The Chicago Department of Aviation said that as of 3:50 p.m. operations were back to normal at O'Hare and Midway airports.
Many travelers were stuck at O'Hare overnight due to flight cancellations across the board. Some stranded passengers tried to sleep on the floor and on chairs, while others waited and hoped for the best.
There are no active weather alerts in the Chicago area Thursday. Isolated showers are expected. Cloudy skies will become partly sunny in the afternoon. Temperatures will be cooler than they have been this week, with highs in the 70s.
About 15,000 customers in Valley Village went without power Thursday.
By ABC7.com staff
Updated 39 mins ago
VALLEY VILLAGE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A crow that came in contact with a circuit breaker caused a power outage for about 15,000 customers in the Valley Village area Thursday, officials said.
The outage began at 8:48 a.m., when the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's Distributing Station 57 experienced an equipment failure. Crews later determined that a crow had come into contact with a 34,500-volt circuit breaker.
The outage is affecting traffic signals in the area and city crews are directing traffic.
The department initially indicated the repair work could take up to 10 hours to complete. Crews tried to switch circuits at the distributing station, but the initial efforts did not resolve the problem, the DWP said.
The DWP is posting updates online on its web page and via Twitter.
Bus driver not guilty in West New York crash that killed infant
Toni Yates reports on the deadly crash that killed a young girl in West New York (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
By Toni Yates
Updated 1 hr 11 mins ago
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (WABC) -- A jitney bus driver who crashed into a light pole that struck and killed an infant in New Jersey is not guilty of vehicular homicide.
A judge on Thursday said prosecutors failed to prove their case against 52-year-old Idowu Daramola of Jamaica, New York.
Authorities said Daramola was speeding and using his cellphone when he veered off Boulevard East in West New York in 2013, triggering a chain reaction accident. The bus struck a light pole, which fell onto a stroller, killing 8-month old Angelie Paredes.
Daramole broke down as the child's mother testified on Wednesday.
Prosecutors argued that Darmola was driving the bus despite not taking a required 10-hour break between shifts, and that he was talking on his cellphone at the time of the crash.
But his lawyer argued there was no evidence his client was using a cellphone or acting recklessly -- and the judge agreed.
Daramola's attorney said phone records show the phone was in use only after the accident.
Daramola was facing at least ten years in prison if convicted. He was released after the verdict reading and is now a free man.
The ruling deeply pained Maylin Hago, the child's mother, who sat inconsolable in the courtroom for the verdict and watched Daramola leave the defendant's table, shouting to him, "You killed her, you killed my little girl."
The incident led to tougher regulations for jitneys named for Angelie.
"The facts were presented, the court made its decision and we accept the court's decision," said Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez in response to the verdict.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
MV Benita’s Cargo Tanks Damaged and Flooded
Image Courtesy: Youtube/l'express
A number of cargo tanks have been damaged and are flooded aboard the heavily grounded bulk carrier MV Benita which ran into trouble when it hit the coast of Le Bouchon, Mauritius, on June 17.
The Greek salvage company Five Oceans Salvage, together with the vessel’s owners and the Mauritian authorities, is working on removing the 145 tonnes of fuel oil on board the ship.
The oil is currently being pumped from the fuel tanks to containers on the vessel that will then be removed to shore by helicopter, Five Oceans said.
Despite the damaged and flooded tanks, the 1998-built bulker “appears to be stable and remains firmly aground,” according to the salvage company.
A tug Ionian Sea FOS is presently attending the MV Benita in order to provide stability to the stranded vessel and afford control as needed.
Anti-pollution booms have also been placed along the surrounding shoreline and the company said that “any oil that does reach the booms will be collected and removed by dedicated teams on site.”
An oil spill which was earlier spotted in the vicinity of the bulker had been put under control.
Initial oil pumping operations have been hampered by inclement weather conditions at the site.
A plan to re-float and remove the 44,183 dwt vessel from the shoreline is being developed in conjunction with the authorities, however, the efforts to free the bulker could take over a month to complete. 
Image Courtesy: Five Oceans Salvage
World Maritime News Staff
Fire Erupts in Venezia Porto Marghera
Image Courtesy: Vigili del Fuoco
Venetian firefighters were called to intervene after a fifteen-meter-high crane caught fire in the port area of Porto Marghera at around 9:30 PM local time Wednesday, according to the Department of firefighters, public rescue and civil defense.
The fire quickly engulfed the crane, however, the operator managed to escape unharmed.
The crane was offloading a Panamanian vessel at the time of the accident, according to local media.
Eight teams of firefighters from Venice and Mestre intervened, including the port’s naval units.
It was a race against time to try to put the fire under control before it spreads on the ship carrying highly flammable cargo, according to local media.
The fire was successfully extinguished at 10:45 PM.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, however, it could be related to electricity problems of the crane or the oil overheating in the crane engine, local media said.
There were no injuries and no oil spill on the dock reported.
World Maritime News Staff
Fire Delays CMA CGM Rossini in Colombo
Image Courtesy: Hamburg hafen-HHM/Dietmar Hasenpusch
The 5,770 TEU containership CMA CGM Rossini is wrapping up operations at the port of Colombo, Sri Lanka, and will be on its way in a few days after a fire in one of its holds kept the vessel at berth since June 15.
Namely, a fire broke out in the hold number 5 on board the vessel while it was berthing in Colombo.
According to the vessel’s operator, the French shipping company CMA CGM, the fire “was extinguished successfully after efficient intervention of crew members and firemen.”
There were no injuries reported in the incident and the company said that the fire did not spread to other containers in the hold.
Additionally, experts boarded the 2004-built vessel for inspection and observed no pollution either in the atmosphere or in the port water.
Hapag-Lloyd AG earlier said that the fire experts and local authorities were in the process of assessing the extent of damages.
All containers in hold number 5 were scheduled to be discharged in Colombo once all water has been pumped out of the hold, Hapag-Lloyd said, adding that the discharge is not expected to occur before the weekend due to limited berth availability and required approvals from local authorities.
The 73,235 dwt vessel operates in the Europe Australia Express (EAX) service.
World Maritime News Staff
Ventura County oil spill misses beach, but damage on land is unclear
Sean Anderson, a professor at Cal State Channel Islands, collects samples to test for toxicity from a creek in Prince Barranca after an oil spill in Ventura County. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Joseph Serna and Veronica Rocha and Matt Hamilton
An oil spill that may have released more than 29,000 gallons of crude into a grassy canyon in Ventura County did not reach the beach or trigger evacuations, Ventura County fire officials said Thursday.
The pipeline leak was spotted about 5:30 a.m. in a gorge called Prince Barranca and originally was estimated to involve up to 5,000 barrels of crude, Ventura County Fire Department spokesman Mike Lindbery said. That estimate later was reduced to 700 barrels at most.
There are 42 gallons per barrel, meaning up to 29,400 gallons of crude may have been released.
The pump that was allowing the oil to flow was shut down quickly, and the leakage formed a small lake across the street from homes on Hall Canyon Road. About 15 city and county workers in white hazmat suits were using hoses to suck the gooey mess into trucks that carry about 4,000 gallons each, officials said.
Crude oil has coated rocks and creek beds, but details on the environmental impact were not immediately available.
Lindbery said it also was fortunate that the oil did not get into the storm drain system, which could spread the vapors from the crude more widely, especially if temperatures rose.
Still, there is some concern about vapors, authorities said. Residents have been alerted that if they are sensitive to odors, they should get out of the area. No mandatory evacuations have been ordered.
The oil spill occurred on a cool, overcast morning, but Tom Kruschke, spokesman for Ventura County Fire, said there are concerns that if the marine layer lifts, warmer temperatures could send more crude oil vapors into the air.
Initial monitoring showed hydrogen sulfide in the air, but more recent air tests did not, Kruschke said. The hazardous materials team is continuing to monitor air quality.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura County Fire and Ventura City Fire, among other agencies, have responded to the incident and are coordinating their response from San Buenaventura State Beach, about 1.5 miles from Hall Canyon.
The leak was not an “environmental threat” to the beach, Lindbery said.
Amy Norris, a spokeswoman with the state Office of Spill Prevention and Response, said investigators were at the site to assess the spill.
Live updates: Oil spill in Ventura County
The oil is from Ventura County and the 10-inch pipeline delivers crude to the Los Angeles Basin, including Exxon Mobil’s Torrance refinery.
The oil spilled from a valve that last underwent maintenance on Wednesday and since has been closed.
The underground pipeline was not “at full flow, full pressure,” said Crimson spokeswoman Kendall Klingler.
On Thursday, authorities feared the oil could flow out near the beach at Sanjon Road and the 101 Freeway, Lindbery said. But the leak was farther inland and never reached a second pipeline that would have pumped it out toward the ocean, Ventura County firefighter Marisol Rodriguez said.
The spill went about a half-mile down Hall Canyon Road in the barranca, she said.
“The pump has been shut down. There’s no way it can get to the ocean,” Rodriguez said. “They’re in cleanup mode.”
Unlike most barrancas, which flow directly to the sea, Prince Barranca is equipped with a debris catch basin that typically pools storm water and filters out debris. In Thursday’s pipeline leak, the oil pooled in this basin, officials said.
The U.S. Coast Guard dispatched a crew off the coast with booms in case the oil reached the water, officials said.
County officials said the leaked oil belonged to Aera Energy. The company denied it was theirs.
Aera spokeswoman Cindy Pollard said the pipeline and oil is owned by Crimson, not her company. The pipeline contained product from Aera and possibly other operators. Aera, she said, has offered to assist Crimson with the spill.
Klingler said the spill involved at most 600 barrels of oil. The company is investigating the leak, which happened on the V-10 line.
“Right now, our first priority is getting it cleaned up and making sure everyone is safe,” she said.
Crimson has had 10 spills involving corrosion, equipment failure and excavation damage since 2006, resulting in more than $5.8 million in property damage, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
In total, approximately 7,453 barrels of hazardous liquid has been spilled since 2006, records show.
The Colorado-based company has 661 miles of pipeline running through California. There have been no federal inspections of Crimson pipelines since at least 2006, federal records show.
The largest leak in Ventura was in 2008, according to federal records. In that spill, the company cited material, welding and equipment failure as a cause for the leak.
A ruptured or leaking seal/pump packing spilled 6,679 barrels, resulting in a loss of $654,300.
The costliest incident in the past 10 years for the company was in Los Angeles in September 2013, when electrical arcing from equipment caused more than $3.1 million in property damage, federal records indicate.
On Dec. 8, a leak released 211 barrels in Somis after an error during an excavation operation. The incident caused $525,700 in property damage.
The damage from Thursday’s spill has yet to be determined.
On Sept. 21, corrosion on a pipeline in Camarillo leaked 24 barrels, causing more than $41,000 in property damage.
Thursday’s oil spill comes more than a year after 143,000 gallons of crude oil spilled onto Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara. Some of the oil got into the Pacific Ocean, creating tar balls that were found as far away as Manhattan Beach.
In that spill, the oil company, Plains All American Pipeline, was indicted in May on 46 criminal counts, including four felony charges of knowingly discharging a pollutant into state waters.
The Houston-based company faces fines of nearly $3 million. A 41-year-old employee who worked as an environmental and regulatory compliance specialist also faces three charges.
Operators had shut down Line 901 at 11:30 a.m. on May 19 after seeing “abnormalities.”
Workers near Refugio State Beach didn’t know about the leak until they received reports of oil in the water from state parks staff about noon that day.
By 1:30 p.m., they had realized oil was reaching the ocean via a storm culvert near where the corroded pipe had broken. Federal regulators were not alerted until nearly 3 p.m.
The rupture had devastating effects on wildlife in the area: 204 birds and 106 marine mammals died as a result of the spill, according to UC Davis’ Oiled Wildlife Care Network, which was involved in recovery efforts.
“We will never forget what we experienced in the days following that spill: a half-mile slick of crude oil along our coast, the stench of petroleum, oil-drenched birds, holiday visitors sent home and a beach transformed into a toxic cleanup site,” said state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara).
Though Thursday’s spill did not reach the beach, the incident serves as a reminder of the risks of coastal oil operations, an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity said in a statement.
“This major spill is another grim example of why we must get pipelines and oil drilling out of California’s vulnerable coastal environment. The spill’s already causing environmental damage,” attorney Kristen Monsell said. “We’ve got to stop thinking about these oil spills as accidents and start regarding them as completely predictable ecological tragedies that we can prevent with strong action.”
Up to 700 Barrels of Crude Oil Spill From Pipeline in Ventura County
By Jessica Perez and Nyree Arabian
WE WANT WATER, NOT OIL
An oil spill early on Thursday, June 23, 2016 caused thousands of gallons of oil to spill into a Ventura canyon. Cleanup crews have capped the spill and are working to clean up the remaining oil. (Published 58 minutes ago)
An estimated 700 barrels of crude oil spilled Thursday from a pipeline in the Ventura area, officials said.
A hazmat investigation began after units discovered a pipeline had burst about 5:30 a.m. in the Hall Canyon area above the city of Ventura, according to Ventura County Fire Capt. Mike Lindberry.
Thousands of gallons of crude oil spilled from a Ventura pipeline on Thursday, June 23, 2016.
Photo credit: Ventura County Fire Department
Crews found crude oil flowing into the Prince Barranca, a natural flow of water that leads to the beach near the Ventura Pier.
Firefighters rushed to stop the flow to prevent it from leaking into the ocean. Nearly 30,000 gallons of oil had spilled a half-mile down the barranca but it did not reach the beach, officials said.
Officials initially reported approximately 210,000 gallons may have spilled but later revised the number.
Crews shut down and depressurized the pipeline. There was no immediate information on the possible cause.
The spill comes 13 months after a coastal pipeline about 55 miles to the west in Santa Barbara County leaked more than 120,000 gallons of oil.
That pipeline, owned by Plains All American Pipeline, was found to have been corroded.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Coast Guard responding to inland oil spill near Ventura
Jun 23rd, 2016
LOS ANGELES – The Coast Guard is responding to a report of a potential of 5,000 barrels of crude oil spilled inland near Ventura.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach command center received a report from the Ventura County Fire Department at 6:30 a.m., Thursday, reporting that a spill from an inland platform occurred. An estimated 210,000 gallons of crude oil was reported spilled near Hull Canyon Rd. and Sunset Dr. in Ventura, approximately 1 mile inland of San Buenaventura State Beach.
The Coast Guard immediately dispatched members of Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Santa Barbara to conduct an initial assessment along with a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Forward Operating Base Point Mugu to conduct an overflight assessment.
Crimson Pipeline has contacted the National Response Center to assist with clean-up operations. Booming and damming strategies are in place at the source to prevent oil from reaching the ocean.
An incident command post has been established by the Ventura County Fire Department at San Buenaventura State Beach. Several local and state agencies, including California Fish and Wildlife Office of Spill Prevention and Response, and Oxnard County Fire Department hazmat teams are responding.
Filtered water deemed safe for everyone in the Flint community
Interagency testing shows filters are effective in removing high levels of lead in Flint water
06/23/2016
Contact Information:
Flint Public Information Office (FlintPIO@epa.gov)
312-802-3646
FLINT, MI – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in coordination with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) , completed testing of water filters in Flint and found that the filters distributed by the State of Michigan effectively remove lead or reduce it to levels well below EPA’s action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb).
Over the past 2 months, EPA, at the request of CDC, collected additional samples at nearly 50 locations considered to be at high-risk for lead contaminated water–locations with full lead service lines, galvanized plumbing, and where the most vulnerable populations live, including pregnant mothers and children. The results provide strong reassurance of previous findings of the effectiveness of filters in removing lead. Nearly all filtered water came back at concentrations well below 1 ppb. The results of this effort are almost identical to a previous assessment in which EPA sampled close to 300 homes.
Based on EPA’s findings and previous independent filter testing by Virginia Tech University researchers and NSF International which certifies water filters, all local, state and federal agencies involved in the Flint crisis response agree that the use of these NSF verified filters makes water safe from lead for all populations. Pregnant and nursing women and children no longer need to drink bottled water to avoid lead exposure as long as they drink water that has passed through a filter rated to remove lead from drinking water.
“These findings reaffirm the effectiveness of filters at removing or reducing lead. This is an important step forward for providing a stable water system for the City of Flint,” said Tom Burke, EPA Science Advisor and Deputy Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “Residents can be confident that EPA’s sampling results correspond with previous tests and are consistent with outside experts’ findings.”
“With the results of this testing, residents can be confident that they can use filtered water and protect their developing fetus or young child from lead,” said HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dr. Nicole Lurie, who has led federal support efforts for the Flint crisis response. “It’s crucial that people in Flint install filters on faucets they use for drinking water, cooking, or brushing their teeth, and replace the filter cartridges regularly.”
The State of Michigan began making filters available in Flint for free in January 2016 and to date, FEMA has provided the state with more than 50,000 filters and over 243,000 filter replacement cartridges.
In late January, water samples taken by EPA, the Michigan Department of Environment Quality, and Virginia Tech researchers showed lead levels in some Flint homes exceeded 150 ppb. The companies that produce the filters had conducted testing to rate the filters up to 150 ppb, 10 times the EPA action level. Although previous Virginia Tech research had found the filters effective in removing lead at much higher levels, out of an abundance of caution, state and federal health agencies recommended that young children and pregnant women use bottled water to reduce the likelihood of lead exposure in babies and children under age 6.
This announcement makes the use of water filters in Flint even more important than before. To assist with installation of filters and replacement cartridges for everyone in Flint, Michigan Works! intends to begin recruiting local residents to be trained as Filter Education Liaisons as part of a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. This work will play a critical role in ensuring Flint residents are aware of the safeguards that will protect against lead-contaminated water and in assuring that everyone who needs help can access it. Although this is positive news, agencies at all levels of government recognize that additional work is needed. The city, state, and federal governments are committed to working together to meet the overall goal of building a lasting, sustainable water system, one that has the capacity to provide clean drinking water to all residents.
In the coming weeks, information on the Filter Education Liaison position will be posted to the Hot Jobs section of www.gstmiworks.org. You can also learn more by stopping by Employment Services at GST Michigan Works! at 711 N. Saginaw Street, Flint.
To read the filter report, visit www.epa.gov/flint/filter-study.
For more information on EPA’s role in the Flint Drinking Water Response, visit http://www.epa.gov/flint.
YUENGLING TO UPGRADE ENVIRONMENTAL MEASURES TO SETTLE CLEAN WATER ACT VIOLATIONS AT TWO PENNSYLVANIA BREWERIES
06/23/2016
Contact Information:
David Sternberg (sternberg.david@epa.gov)
215-814-5548
WASHINGTON (June 23, 2016) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice today announced that D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc., has settled Clean Water Act (CWA) violations involving its two large-scale breweries near Pottsville, Pennsylvania.
In a consent decree filed today in federal court in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the company has agreed to spend approximately $7 million to improve environmental measures at its brewery operations after it allegedly discharged pollutants into the Greater Pottsville Area Sewer Authority municipal wastewater treatment plant. Yuengling will also pay a $2.8 million penalty.
In addition, the consent decree includes a requirement to implement an environmental management system (EMS) focused on achieving CWA compliance at the facilities. Yuengling must hire a third party consultant to develop the EMS and a third party auditor to ensure proper implementation at the facility operations.
The company allegedly violated Clean Water Act requirements for companies that discharge industrial waste to municipal publically-owned wastewater treatment facilities numerous times between 2008 and 2015. Companies must obtain and comply with permit limits on discharges of industrial waste that goes to public treatment facilities, which in many cases require “pretreatment” of waste before it is discharged. The case was referred to EPA by the Greater Pottsville Area Sewer Authority (GPASA).
“Yuengling is responsible for serious violations of its Clean Water Act pretreatment discharge limits, posing a potential risk to the Schuylkill River which provides drinking water to 1.5 million people,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “This history of violations and failure to fully respond to orders from the Greater Pottsville Area Sewer Authority and EPA to correct the problems resulted in this enforcement action.”
“It is vital that companies using municipal wastewater treatment facilities strictly follow pretreatment guidelines and permit limits for their wastewater. It is what good neighbors expect, and it is what the law requires,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This settlement requires Yuengling to put into place an environmental management system designed to manage compliance with the Clean Water Act in a systemic, planned, and documented manner to establish a top-down, prevention-focused approach. The settlement also mandates independent audits of Yuengling’s compliance with the consent decree, among other requirements.”
In a complaint filed concurrently with the settlement, the United States alleged that Yuengling violated pretreatment permit requirements, including discharge limits for biological oxygen demand (BOD), phosphorus, zinc and pH to the GPASA treatment plant, at least 141 times from 2008 to 2015.
Pretreatment helps remove or change the composition of pollutants in wastewater. Unpermitted or excessive industrial discharges may interfere with the operation of public wastewater treatment plants, which are generally designed to handle sewage and domestic waste, leading to the discharge of untreated or inadequately treated wastewater into local waters.
In addition to the monetary penalty, Yuengling has also agreed to take measures that will prevent future violations including:
Designing and implementing an environmental management system for both breweries to ensure compliance with environmental laws;
Conducting a series of environmental audits and inspections to ensure ongoing environmental compliance;
Constructing a comprehensive pretreatment system at the Old Brewery;
Optimizing and improving operation and maintenance of the pretreatment system at the New Brewery;
Developing and implementing a communication and notification plan to quickly notify GPASA of any changes to the brewery facilites’ wastewater that may impact the public treatment facility;
Hiring two certified wastewater treatment operators; and implementing a process to identify, investigate and respond to any future CWA violations quickly and efficiently.
The consent decree, which is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval, is available at: www.justice.gov/enrd/
WASHINGTON –
A Chantilly-based technology company contracted to install audio-visual
equipment at government installations nationwide will pay $1.53 million
in back wages and benefits to 140 information technology professionals
in federal consent findings.
The consent findings come in response to a 2015 lawsuit filed by the
U.S. Department of Labor against Innovative Technologies Inc. after the
department’s Wage and Hour Division identified violations of federal labor laws.
The division found ITI violated the McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act of 1965
when it failed to pay legally required prevailing wages, fringe
benefits, vacation and holiday wages to its direct employees or to
ensure such payment to those employed by 10 of its subcontractors.
The lawsuit was filed based on the division’s investigation, which found ITI:
- Incorrectly categorized and paid approximately 127 engineering
technicians as lower-paid audio-visual and installation technicians.
- Incorrectly categorized and paid approximately 10 warehouse
specialists and supply technicians as lower-paid warehouse assistants.
- Failed to provide legally required fringe benefits to approximately 130 employees.
- Failed to properly provide vacation pay and holiday pay to several employees, including those employed by subcontractors.
The division also concluded that the contractor failed to pay
employees overtime at time and one-half the required prevailing wage
rates when they worked over 40 hours in a workweek, in violation of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act.
“In this competitive contracting environment, no contractor should
gain an economic advantage by paying workers below the wages and fringe
benefits required by law,” said Dr. David Weil, administrator of the Wage and Hour Division.
“Taxpayers have a right to expect that federal contractors – who are
paid with tax dollars – will comply with the law, and the U.S.
Department of Labor will not allow companies to abuse that trust. This
investigation demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that employees are
paid the wages they have rightfully earned and to leveling the playing
field among all employers who do business with the government.”
Along with ITI employees, the consent judgement covers employees of the following subcontractors:
- Ace Contractor, Springfield, Virginia
- AeroTek, Hanover, Maryland
- ALEX, Chantilly, Virginia
- Arrow Technologies, Arrow Technologies, Littleton, Colorado
- AvTek Staffing, Washington, D.C.
- MSI, Centerville, Virginia
- Northern VA Staffing, Bethesda, Maryland
- Quadrant Inc., Reston, Virginia
- Tech USA, Millersville, Maryland
- Volt Technical Resources, Vienna, Virginia
The U.S. Department of Defense’s Media Agency awarded a contract
to ITI in November 2006, with 155 task orders at 100 locations
nationwide. DMA provides news and information to U.S. forces deployed
worldwide through the department’s media outlets, including radio, TV,
Internet, print and emerging media technologies.
The SCA requires contractors and subcontractors performing services
on prime contracts in excess of $2,500 to pay service employees in
various classes no less than the prevailing wage rates and fringe
benefits found in the locality, or the rates contained in a predecessor
contractor’s collective bargaining agreement.
The CWHSSA applies to federal service contracts and federal and
federally assisted construction contracts over $100,000. These require
contractors and subcontractors on covered contracts to pay laborers and
mechanics employed in the performance of the contracts one and one-half
times their basic rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a
workweek.
June 23, 2016
OSHA announces Safety Stand-Down at worksites throughout Southeast
to emphasize response to, prevention of heat-related illnesses, injuries
Thousands of workers overcome by heat illness annually, OSHA reports
ATLANTA - In 2014, 2,630 workers suffered from heat illness while 18 died from heat stroke and related causes on the job - all of which was preventable.
To raise awareness about these dangers, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, employers and trade associations will conduct a one-hour Safety Stand-Down at construction sites and workplaces in eight Southern states from June 27 to July 1, 2016.
Workers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee will stop work voluntarily for one hour at 7 a.m. EDT to conduct safety training focused on how to recognize the symptoms of heat-related illnesses and prevent these illnesses when working in hot weather.
Every year, thousands of workers nationwide suffer from serious heat-related illnesses. OSHA investigations of recent heat-related deaths found a majority involved workers on the job for three or less days - highlighting the need for employers to ensure that new workers become acclimated to the heat when starting or returning to work. Labor-intensive activities in hot weather can increase body temperatures beyond a level that sweating cannot cool normally. Heat illness may manifest initially as heat rash or heat cramps. The illness can quickly elevate to heat exhaustion and then heat stroke without simple prevention steps.
"People who work outdoors in extreme hot weather - in industries such as agriculture, construction, baggage-handling, roofing and landscaping - must be aware of the dangers," said Kurt Petermeyer, OSHA's regional administrator for the Southeast. "Employers are responsible for protecting workers from illness or injury when temperatures increase. This safety Stand-Down initiative seeks to educate employers and workers alike. We encourage companies throughout the region to participate."
For the summer season, OSHA offers tools to assist employers and workers:
- Heat-illness educational materials in English and Spanish, and a curriculum to be used for workplace training.
- Online tools such as OSHA worker heat safety tips in a blog, Twitter posts, and at an newly updated heat campaign web page that now includes illustrations of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, an animated video, training resources, and links to an updated heat safety phone app.
- #WaterRestShade, the official hashtag of the campaign, encourages employers to provide their workers with drinking water, ample breaks, and a shaded area while working outdoors.
- OSHA continues to work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to raise awareness on the dangers of working in the heat through its Weather-Ready Nation campaign.
Employers from all states can register for the Stand-Down event at the Associated General Contractors of America Inc. Georgia branch's website. An informational flyer and toolbox, in English and Spanish, are also available there.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.
June 23, 2016
Despite extensive violation history, OSHA finds Dollar General continues to
expose workers to safety hazards at Shamokin, Pennsylvania, store
Agency proposes nearly $70K in penalties after 56th failed inspection nationwide
Employer name: DOLGENCORP LLC, doing business as Dollar General Store #398
Inspection site: 30 East Independence St., Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Citations issued: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to the employer on June 15, 2016, for three repeat violations, one serious and one other-than-serious safety violation.
Inspection findings: The agency cited Dollar General for repeat violations after finding locks - which required special knowledge to use - sealing exit doors, obstructed exit routes and electrical hazards created by extension cords used improperly.
OSHA cited the company previously for the same violations from 2011 to 2016 at stores in Missouri, New York, Georgia, Texas, Arkansas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Kansas.
The serious citation relates to emergency exits not clearly marked and visible, and unmarked circuit breakers produced the other-than-serious violation.
Quote: "By locking an emergency exit and failing to correct hazardous conditions, Dollar General has again discounted the importance of ensuring workplace safety. This company's long and extensive history of violations and penalties shows a continued disregard for the safety and health of their employees and customers," said Mark Stelmack, OSHA's area director in Wilkes-Barre.
Proposed penalties: $69,300
The citations can be viewed at: https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/DolgencorpLLCdbaDollarGeneral_1114508.pdf
Since November 2010, OSHA has inspected Dollar General stores 74 times and issued 117 citations. Blocked exits and electrical panels and fire extinguishers maintained improperly are among the violations found commonly.
Headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, Dollar General is a discount retailer with more than 100,000 employees in 12,000 store locations in 43 states nationwide. Workers are typically engaged in stocking shelves and selling merchandise. The employer has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint; or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Wilkes-Barre Area Office at 570-826-6538.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.
Posted on June 15, 2016 by Blog Administrator
Ever wondered what’s causing the water in your favorite lake to turn red? Or were the family photos from your river rafting trip spoiled by brown water in the background?
You may be looking at an algal bloom. Summer is upon us and warm weather is the perfect environment for these algal blooms, which can cause a range of problems, from simply being an eyesore to becoming a harmful algal bloom (HAB) that can make people and animals sick or damage local environments.
So, what is an algal bloom?
Algae are plant-like organisms that come in a variety of shapes and sizes – ranging from microscopic to large seaweed that may be over 100 feet long. Algae are found all over the planet, and can live in sea water, fresh water, and brackish water (a combination of fresh and sea water). Algae are vitally important building blocks of the food chain and ecosystem.
Algal blooms occur when there are overgrowths of algae, including green, brown, or red microalgae, or cyanobacteria that are commonly referred to as blue-green algae.
Not all algal blooms are harmful; however, when there is fast growth of algae and cyanobacteria that can harm people, animals and the environment, they are referred to as harmful algal blooms (HABs). HABs can produce toxins that are harmful to people and animals. The algae and cyanobacteria also reduce the levels of oxygen in the water when they decompose, and these lower oxygen levels may kill other plants and animals in the water.
Can HABs make you sick?
If people and animals are exposed to the toxins produced by HABs through water, food, or air they may experience symptoms that can range from mild to severe. These symptoms may affect the skin, stomach and intestines, lungs, and nervous system.
You may be exposed to HABs while enjoying outdoor recreational activities, while working near a body of water with a HAB, or from drinking water or food that has been contaminated.
Between 2009 and 2010, three states reported 11 outbreaks associated with HABs after people were exposed to freshwater in a recreational setting. These accounted for nearly half of all reported outbreaks associated with untreated recreation water that year.
Between 2007 and 2011, 273 people became sick after eating food that was contaminated as a result of a HAB. These illnesses were reported after people ate fish or shellfish contaminated with HAB toxins.
Are HABs increasing?
There is evidence that HABs are occurring more often, and that they are becoming more severe due to climate change, farming practices, and storm and wastewater runoff. It is important to identify when and where HABs occur in order to protect water and food supplies, and to let people know when there may be a problem in their community.
CDC and partners have created the One Health Harmful Algal Bloom System for state and territorial public health partners to report cases of human and animal illness after being exposed to a HAB and environmental data about HABs. Data about the number of people and animals who get sick from HABs, the symptoms they experience after exposure, and where HABs occur is important to understand and prevent HABs and HAB-associated illnesses.
Learn more about HABs from CDC’s Harmful Algal Bloom-Associated Illness website.
