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Top News Stories, 2007
| Region 9 Top Stories Quick Finder | ||
Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicles (12/17)
EPA and the United Parcel Service (UPS) have developed a delivery vehicle to explore and demonstrate the environmental benefits of the hydraulic hybrid. Feature Story | Video & Photos | News Release
EPA Orders Ports' Tenants to Comply with Clean Water Act (12/5) Eight tenants of the Port of Long Beach and 12 tenants of the Port of Los Angeles were ordered to comply with stormwater
regulations. Audit report & Enforcement orders | News Release
AIRNow on Google Earth(11/19) EPA’s scientific air quality information in real time is now available on Google Earth. The Air Quality Index (AQI) can now display the air quality conditions on an hourly basis.
Feature Story | AIRNow AQI | News Release
Treatment Facility for Tucson Airport (11/5)
EPA, state, and city officials celebrate the completion of the $5.5 million soil and groundwater treatment facility, which will benefit the nearly one million residents of the metropolitan area. News Release | Superfund Site
Volunteers Needed for Continuing Oil Spill Cleanup (11/16) The Unified Command for the Cosco Busan oil spill continues response efforts as the California Department of Fish and Game and EPA offer health and safety training for volunteers looking to assist with oiled debris cleanup on beaches around the Bay Area.
Video and Information for Volunteers
Protect Yourself from Health Effects of Smoke (10/22) EPA offers recommendations on how to protect your health from the effects of smoke.
EPA and Partners Clean Up a Creek (10/9) EPA, the city of Santa Rosa, the North Coast Regional Water Quality Board, and the Russian River Riverkeeper conduct sampling at Colgan Creek during World Water Monitoring Month. News Release | More Information | World Water Monitoring Website 
Reducing Air Pollution in Humboldt County, California
(10/2) EPA, the California Air Resources Board, and North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District reach a $5M settlement that will reduce emissions of hazardous air pollutants.
News Release | Feature Story
Lifecycle Building Challenge Winners (9/20)
EPA honors winners and participants of the West Coast Green Building Conference in San Francisco. News Release | Feature Story | Video Summary
Restoring a Hazardous Waste Facility (9/17)
EPA has proposed a remedy to clean up soil and groundwater contamination at the Romic Environmental Technologies Corp. facility in East Palo Alto, CA. News Release» Feature Story» Video Summary»
First Privatized Superfund Clean-up Site in the Nation (8/27) EPA, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, the Air Force, and Sacramento County will create the first privatized clean-up of a Superfund site on a 62-acre parcel of the former McClellan Air Force Base. News Release» Feature story»
Grant for Hybrid School Bus (8/10) $215,843 award granted to the Napa Valley Unified School District to fund California’s first plug-in hybrid school bus, which has the potential to double fuel efficiency and reduce emissions by up to 90%. News Release» 
$1 Billion for Sewage System Improvements in San Diego (7/31)
Over the next six years, San Diego will make improvements to its sewer system under a comprehensive settlement filed today by the DOJ and EPA. News Release | Water Enforcement & Consent Decree
MTBE Removed from Groundwater at Martinez Terminal (7/27) The Regional Water Quality Control Board and Tesoro Refining Corporation, in cooperation with EPA, have removed 4,100 pounds of MTBE from the groundwater at a Martinez refining terminal. News Release | Feature Story
San Diego Settlement Includes Lead Paint Removal and Fines (7/24)
Sunview Properties must spend $216,664 in lead paint removal and pay a $31,000 fine over alleged violations of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act. News Release | "Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home" Pamphlet
EPA Launches New U.S.-Mexico Border Web Site (7/23) The Border 2012 Program is a binational 10-year initiative focused on making measurable improvements in environmental quality and health along the U.S.-Mexico border. New Border 2012 Website | News Advisory
Award to California Local Emergency Planning Committee (7/18) EPA presented the 2007 National Notable Achievement Award to the Committee for leadership in chemical emergency prevention and preparedness in Southern California. News Release
Raytheon, Air Force to Clean Up Airport (7/13) Raytheon Company and the U.S. Air Force were ordered to clean up a migrating plume of contaminated groundwater at the Tucson International Airport Area Superfund Site. News Release | Administrative Order
Riding the Rails to Land Revitalization (7/13) EPA awards a $200,000 Brownfields grant to revitalize a former railyard in Fremont, California. Feature Story & photos
Pesticides Settlement (7/9)
Companies must register pesticides with EPA before selling or distributing such products. News Release
Avoid Algae on the Klamath River (7/5) Due to potential health risks, environmental and public health agencies advise people to avoid contact with the blue-green algae now blooming in Iron Gate and Copco Reservoirs on the Klamath River in Northern California. News Release | Klamath River Watershed
July is UV Safety Month (7/2) The UV Index predicts the strength of harmful solar rays. Check your forecast map - when you know how strong the sun's rays will be, you can take steps to protect yourself and your family. What's the UV Index? | Sun safety action steps | Medidas de protección en español
Focus on Coral Reefs During National Oceans Month (6/25) Find new information on coral reefs and funding sources for protecting coral reefs. New and updated Coral Reefs Web site and grant information
Over $1.3 million for Clean School Buses (6/21)
Funds are available for clean diesel school bus projects as part of
the West Coast Collaborative and Clean School Bus USA programs. News Release | Grant Information | West Coast Collaborative | Clean School Bus Program | Children's Health 
Hazardous Waste Violations Settled (6/21)
EPA has settled with a contracting firm that works in grading, site preparation, excavation, demolition, and trucking for hazardous waste violations in Pearl City, Oahu. News Release
$60 Million Clean Air Act Settlement in Nevada (6/13) Air quality in the Las Vegas area will be improved by reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides by 2,300 tons annually. News Release | Feature story 
Del Monte Superfund Site Clean-Up (6/12)
The negotiated agreement limits land and water use and prevents soil and groundwater exposure. News Release | Del Monte Superfund Site Information
EPA Orders Sausalito-Marin City Sanitary District to Comply with Permit (6/5)
The wastewater treatment plant has repeatedly violated the effluent limitations for its discharge to the San Francisco Bay. News Release | More information 
EPA Honors LAX (6/5)
Los Angeles World Airports has committed to remove over 2,200 pounds of mercury at LAX as part of the EPA’s National Partnership for Environmental Priorities program. News Release | National Partnership for Environmental Priorities
Grocery Chain and EPA Settle Pesticides Case (6/4)
Albertson’s will fund a $200,000 outreach project to educate retailers on pesticides regulations News Release
Beachgoers Can Expect Good Conditions (5/31) America’s beach scorecard topped 95 percent during 2006, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s just-released Annual Beach Report. News Release | '06 Beach Report | Current Beach theProfiles Where You Live 
Kinder Morgan and SFPP to Pay $5 Million for Environmental Violations (5/21) The company will fund restoration projects and implement stringent oil spill prevention policies to apply additional precautionary measures to reduce risks and damage in the event of oil spills. News Release 
Improving the Environment at Lake Tahoe (5/17) EPA gives $400,000 to the Desert Research Institute in Nevada to research pollutants that impact lake clarity and air quality in the Lake Tahoe Basin. News Release 
Soil Cleanup on Navajo Nation (May 1) EPA, in conjunction with the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency, will begin cleaning up radium-contaminated soil in the Coyote Canyon Chapter of the Navajo Nation. News Release
Clean Air Plan for Four Corners Power Plant(May 1) EPA has finalized a clean air plan that includes emission limits for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, total particulate matter, and opacity for the Four Corners Power Plant located on the Navajo Nation. News Release | Web site
National Healthy Schools Day (Apr. 30) EPA, California agencies and others celebrate Healthy Schools Day in Los Angeles. School officials will provide a tour of Charles H. Kim Elementary School to showcase a model school in terms of environmental safety features and overall design. Children's Health Web Site | National Healthy Schools Day Web Site
San Francisco Honored for Biodiesel Program (Apr. 23)
Replacing traditional diesel with biodiesel reduces prevents pollution, protects the water, and improves air quality. Feature story 
Arizona Students Win Presidential Award (Apr. 23) Youth help young people in India and work on local water issues in their own communities. Press release | PEYA Awards
Oakland Manufacturer Violates Federal Pesticides Laws (Apr. 9) EPA seeks $177K for the alleged U.S. distribution of export-only disinfectant bleach. News release
Mission San Luis Rey to get $238K for Fire Suppression Pipeline (Apr. 5) The new pipeline will protect the historic building in Oceanside, Calif. — one of the original Franciscan missions — without damaging its cultural integrity. News release and photos
Performance Track adds new members (Apr. 4) Region 9 welcomes seven environmental leaders to Performance Track, EPA's premier incentive and recognition program for facilities achieving beyond-compliance results. News release | Performance Track Web site | Membership
Nevada Utility to Use Cleaner Technology (Apr. 3) A $90 million settlement between Nevada Power Co. and federal and state agencies resolves allegations of air pollution control violations at its Reid Gardner coal-fired power plant near Las Vegas. News release
Judge Issues Order Against Illegal Dump (Mar. 26) A federal judge has ordered California firms to pay up to $42.8M in cleanup costs at the Torres Martinez Reservation for dumping violations. Feature Story
Stopping Illegal Dumping in the Coachella Valley(Mar. 21) EPA is charging an un-permitted waste disposal company with violiating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. News release
2007 Energy Star Awards (Mar. 21) EPA and DOE honor more than 80 businesses and organizations for their outstanding accomplishments in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. News release | Energy Star Award Winners 
Poison Prevention Week March 18-24 (Mar. 20) Remember to lock up pesticides and household products that could potentially harm children. News release | Lock up household pesticides and chemicals | en español | National Poison Center & Helpline 
Promoting Biodiesel (Mar. 14)
Biodiesel reduces our dependence on foreign oil, provides jobs locally and improves air quality. News release | Region 9 Biodiesel Web site
NASA and EPA Collaborate in the San Joaquin Valley (Mar. 8) Federal agencies bring advanced monitoring to the valley to assess particulate matter pollution and improve air quality. Feature Story | Video Interviews
Los Angeles Activist Honored for Volunteer Service (Feb. 27) EPA recognized Dorothy Green, a leader in the development of sustainable water policy, with the President’s Volunteer Service Award. News release 
Santa Ana and San Jacinto Rivers Watershed Study Completed (Feb. 14) The study will be a cornerstone of future actions to protect wetlands and establish restoration goals and mitigation guidelines. News release 
779 Energy Star Buildings in California (Feb. 8) California leads the nation with more then 1.5 billion pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions saved annually. News release | Energy Star Web site
Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe to Manage Clean Water Act Programs (Feb. 8) The tribe will develop water quality standards which will form the basis for permit requirements for discharges to waters within the tribe's jurisdiction. News release 
American Mold Guard Ordered to Stop Pesticide Distribution (Feb. 1) The San Juan Capistrano company was offering samples of AMG-X40 without warning labels and first aid information. News release 
Lifecycle Building Challenge (Jan. 24) EPA and partners call on the nation’s architects, builders, and students to participate in a green building design competition supporting deconstruction. News release | Register for the challenge 
Awards Recognize Environmental Achievements (Jan. 18) EPA's Pacific Southwest Region is seeking nominations for its annual Environmental Awards program. News release | Web site 
January is National Radon Action Month. January and other cooler weather months are the best time to test your home for radon.
Underground Storage Tanks Settlement in American Samoa (Jan. 11) EPA is requiring Seaside Service Station to conduct a site assessment to determine if a release of petroleum product has occurred underground. News release 
