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 Illinois Small Business  Environmental Assistance Program  
The Illinois Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (IL SBEAP) is a federally mandated program to assist small companies in understanding their environmental requirements and achieving compliance.  The program is located in the non-regulatory, business assistance agency, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to alleviate small business' fears in seeking assistance. Questions?  Call 800-252-3998. 
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Small Business Environmental Assistance Program
Illinois Dept. of Commerce
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Springfield, IL 62701
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Perc Dry Cleaners Mandatory Training Now Available

 

2012 state law requires all Illinois drycleaners using perchloroethylene (perc) cleaning solvent to have at least one trained person present during the operation of drycleaning machines. The purpose of this law is to reduce spills, leaks and releases of perc into the environment.

 

The Illinois Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund and Illinois EPA have partnered to develop a FREE, mandatory training course that became available online beginning December 16, 2013. Hard copies of the course will be available for drycleaners that do not have access to the Internet. To request a hard copy, call Illinois EPA at 217-785-0833 or the Illinois Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund at 800-765-4041, ext. 2.

 

The training course is a PowerPoint presentation, that includes information on environmental best management practices, followed by a short quiz. The course will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Upon completion, drycleaners will be able to print a certificate of completion. Training should be completed as soon as possible.

 

To access the online training course, visit the Illinois Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund website on or after December 16th at: http://cleanupfund.org 

 

Illinois EPA:  Stage II Vapor Recovery Decommissioning Rules Adopted by the Illinois Pollution Control Board

 

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) proposed amendments to the Illinois Pollution Control Board (IPCB) in early 2013.  The IPCB hosted two hearings, the first held on May 8, 2013 in Springfield and the second on June 5, 2013 in Chicago.  The IPCB adopted the rules on December 19th, 2013  the amended rules make three significant changes:  

 

  1. Beginning on January 1, 2014, removes the Stage II gasoline vapor recovery equipment installation requirements for gasoline dispensing facilities (GDF) in the Chicago nonattainment area.
  2. Provides that existing retail and commercial GDFs that have Stage II systems may decommission such equipment on and after January 1, 2014, but must be done by December 31, 2016.
  3. Establishes decommissioning procedures, qualified contractor eligibility requirements, and required reporting to be submitted to the Illinois EPA within certain timeframes.

 

 

It is important to note that existing GDFs with Stage II equipment must maintain and keep their systems operational, including replacing components for maintenance, until the equipment is properly decommissioned.  If nozzles, hoses, vacuum-assist pumps, or other components need to be replaced prior to decommissioning your facility, you must use Stage II-compatible parts and accessories that are certified for use with your type of system, as you have in the past, until the contractors perform the decommissioning work.

 

In addition, the Stage II equipment must stay in operation on the dispensers until decommissioning takes place.  The equipment and its components must remain in good working order, with proper maintenance, and stay in service until the day that contractors arrive to decommission the equipment at the site.  The Illinois EPA will continue to conduct routine Stage II inspections at GDFs in the Chicago area through 2016 to ensure that, prior to decommissioning, the equipment is operational and properly maintained.

 

The Illinois Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (IL SBEAP) has provided a recordkeeping calendar to assist stations in complying with the Stage II regulations.  The existing calendar for 2013 - 2014 ends in March and it will not be reprinted for 2014-2016, however log pages will be available on the IL SBEAP's website located at: www.ienconnect.com/enviro for download and printing to assist GDF's with record keeping until the facilitiy's equipment is decommissioned.  For more information regarding decommissioning Stage II equipment and a copy of the amendments to the rules visit: http://www.epa.state.il.us/air/stage-ii-vapor-recovery-decommission.html

 

For more information contact the Illinois EPA at 217/557-1441 or the Illinois Small Business Environmental Assistance Program at 800-252-3998.

 

 

Reminder: Asbestos National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants Applies to Farm Structures as well as Commercial and Public Buildings

 
The Illinois EPA is delegated authority by the USEPA to enforce the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP). NESHAP regulates asbestos during demolition and renovation of structures, including farm structures. An inspection for the presence of asbestos must be conducted by a licensed professional and a Notification of Demolition and Renovation Form  must be submitted to the Agency accompanied with the $150 fee for all demolition or renovation activities if the amount of regulated asbestos containing material being disturbed exceeds 160 square feet or 260 linear feet. For more information regarding the Asbestos NESHAP and its requirements click here.
 

Composting Council Research and Education Foundation Offers Sustainable Student Scholarship Award 

 

Application Deadline: January 20, 2014

 

The Composting Council Research and Education Foundation (CCREF) supports initiatives that enhance the stature and practices of the composting industry by supporting scientific research, increasing awareness, and educating the public to advance environmentally and economically sustainable organics recycling.

The goal of the CCREF Sustainable Student Scholarship Award - two $1,000 scholarships to encourage students interested in composting research and recruit tomorrow's generation of industry experts and researchers. 

WHO SHOULD APPLY:

High school seniors with a keen interest in the compost industry 

Requirements: 

  • Two letters of recommendation
  • An essay outlining your experience with compost and how this impacts your choice of a major at a college or university
  • Email your submission to: 

 Leanne Spaulding, leannespaulding@compostingcouncil.org

Federal Updates

 

 

EPA and DOE Release Annual Fuel Economy Guide with 2014 Models

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) released the 2014 Fuel Economy Guide, providing consumers with a valuable resource to identify and choose the most fuel efficient and low greenhouse gas emitting vehicles that meet their needs. The 2014 models include efficient and low-emission vehicles in a variety of classes and sizes, ensuring a wide variety of choices available for consumers.

The guide provides "Top Ten" lists allowing consumers to see the most efficient advanced technology vehicles as well as the most efficient gasoline and diesel powered vehicles. Consumers will also find a broad range of information in the guide that can be helpful while shopping for a new vehicle- including an estimated annual fuel cost for each vehicle. The estimate is based on the vehicle's miles per gallon (mpg) rating and national estimates for annual mileage and fuel prices. An online version of the guide, available through www.fueleconomy.gov, allows consumers to enter local gasoline prices and typical driving habits to receive a personalized fuel cost estimate. Also, for the second consecutive year, the guide includes a 1-10 greenhouse gas rating for each model, providing a quick and easy way for consumers to identify vehicles with low greenhouse gas emissions.

USEPA fuel economy estimates are the best way to compare the fuel economy among vehicles. Official fuel economy testing is controlled, repeatable, and accounts for a variety of real-world conditions for the average driver, like air conditioning usage and a variety of speed and temperature conditions. Individual mileage will vary depending on factors such as driving style, high air conditioning usage, carrying extra weight and towing, and weather.

 For tips on more efficient driving check out the gas mileage tips at http://fueleconomy.gov/feg/drive.shtml.

More information, including a complete version of the guide and details on the fuel economy labels: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/ and at http://fueleconomy.gov/m/ for mobile devices. USEPA and DOE will update the guide online as more 2014 vehicles become available.

 

 

EPA Releases Agency Plans for Adapting to a Changing Climate Comments Due January 3, 2014



The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) released its draft Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plans for public review and comment. The Implementation Plans provide detailed information about the actions US EPA plans to take across the country to help communities adapt to a changing climate.

"To meet our mission of protecting public health and the environment, EPA must help communities adapt to a changing climate," said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. "These Implementation Plans offer a roadmap for agency work to meet that responsibility, while carrying out President Obama's goal of preparing the country for climate-related challenges."

The impacts of a changing climate - including increased extreme weather, floods, and droughts - affect EPA's work to protect clean air and water. The draft Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plans recognize that EPA must integrate climate adaptation planning into its programs, policies, rules, and operations to ensure that the agency's work continues to be effective even as the climate changes.

EPA released its draft agency Climate Change Adaptation Plan on February 9, 2013 for public review and comment, and expects to issue the final version this Fall. In 2009, all federal agencies were required to develop Climate Change Adaptation Plans by the federal Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force. Under Executive Order 13514, the Task Force was charged with developing recommendations for the President on how to increase the nation's resilience to climate change. The new Implementation Plans provide information about how EPA will meet the agency-wide priorities identified in the draft Climate Adaptation Plan released earlier this year.

The comment period on EPA's draft Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plans closes on January 3, 2014.

More information on EPA's Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plans: http://epa.gov/climatechange/impacts-adaptation/fed-programs/EPA-impl-plans.html

More information on EPA's draft Climate Change Adaptation Plan: http://epa.gov/climatechange/impacts-adaptation/fed-programs.html

More information about EPA's climate adaptation activities: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/effects/adaptation.html    

FY14 Guidelines for Brownfields Cleanup Grants


RFP# EPA-OSWER-OBLR-13-07 - Closing Date: January 22, 2014.
The Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act ("Brownfields Law," P.L. 107-118) requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publish guidance to assist applicants in preparing proposals for grants to assess and clean up Brownfields sites. EPA's Brownfields Program provides funds to empower states, communities, tribes, and non profits to prevent, inventory, assess, clean up, and reuse Brownfields sites. EPA provides brown fields funding for three types of grants: Brownfields Assessment Grants, Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grants, and Brownfields Cleanup Grants. Under this RFP, EPA is seeking proposals for Cleanup Grants, only, to provide funds to carry out cleanup activities at a specific Brownfields site owned by the applicant.

 

 

Training & Events:
 

Call for Student Posters-Please submit by January 31, 2014 for the April 1 - April 2, 2014 Great Lakes Green Chemistry Conference with a focus on "Innovating for Success in Green Chemistry."A poster networking exchange session will be offered to offer interactive discussions for research and implementation strategies related to green chemistry. Posters are invited from anyone involved in research, safer formulations, new product development and implementation, decision-making tools, or technical assistance. Student involvement is encouraged and entries from students are welcome.Please submit posters to kim@p2.org orcontact Kim Richards at(202) 299-9701.

 

Great Lakes Green Chemistry Conference- Innovating for Success in Green Chemistry April 1-2, 2014, Cleveland, OH.   Click here for more information on the event.

 

Workshop-GreenScreen™Training April 3, 2014, Cleveland, OH. Hosted by US EPA Region 5 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative partners. The GreenScreen™ for Safer Chemicals is a comparative chemical hazard screening method developed by Clean Production Action to encourage the use of greener and safer chemicals. Click here for more information.

  

 
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