chemical safety, nutrient reduction initiatives - US Environmental ...

Missouri Agribusiness Association Annual Conference
Holiday Inn Executive Center
December 18, 2013
Karl Brooks, EPA Regional Administrator
Thank you, Steve. I really appreciate your invitation to participate in
this year’s MO-AG conference. It is my understanding that I might be the
first regional administrator who has keynoted your conference. It is indeed
an honor.
I also look forward to hearing from Lara Moody with the Fertilizer
Institute, who is providing national leadership on the 4R program: the
industry’s nutrient reduction program. EPA values MO-AG’s endorsement
of this program. Daren Coppock with the Ag Retailers Association will also
share chemical safety and nutrient reduction initiatives by ag retailers
throughout our country. Hopefully, our remarks will generate some
questions and discussion.
My talk has two main themes: First, chemical safety and chemical
emergency planning and response in the wake of the tragic incident at the
fertilizer plant in West, Texas. And second, EPA’s effort to craft nutrient
reduction strategies with Missouri and some very promising work in Iowa.
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All of us share an obligation to our children, families and communities
-- to handle, store and transport the chemicals used to raise our food
responsibly. Many federal and state agencies partner with your members
to safely handle fertilizers, such as anhydrous ammonia and ammonium
nitrate.
And when something goes wrong, and we have a chemical release,
we need to minimize the damage to workers, communities, the
environment and property. EPA plays a vital role in meeting this obligation.
One of the goals within EPA’s Strategic Plan is: Ensuring the Safety
of Chemicals and Pollution Prevention and MO-AG is helping us meet the
goals within the plan. At the HQ level and Region 7, we have a longstanding
working relationship with the National Ag Retailers Association,
the Fertilizer Institute (TFI), ASMARK, and our state agribusiness
associations.
EPA is also working with TFI and ASMARK to make “myRMP”
chemical information more user-friendly. As you probably know, this web
information tool went up in 2007 and is available to the public. Our Region
7 staff contributed to these improvements, particularly George Hess, who is
in the audience today. George and some of our HQ folks met with TFI and
ASMARK staff this summer. They developed a more interactive process
and upgraded the software. These efforts will help to streamline the
process of reporting information to EPA.
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As you know, 15 people died and 160 were injured in West, Texas
last April. Following this tragic incident, President Obama signed an
executive order directing federal agencies to streamline information
sharing, modernize regulations and establish a federal working group to
improve coordination between government agencies on chemical security.
EPA’s responsibilities under this executive order include increasing
coordination between first responders and agriculture retailers. Our aim is
agency seeks to enhance access to facility and chemical storage
information among first responders.
EPA, OSHA and ATF developed a chemical advisory after the West
incident. It is too soon to say if new chemicals such as ammonium nitrate
will be added to EPA’s list of regulated chemicals under the RMP.
We are holding listening sessions throughout the country, aimed at
identifying measures to protect the public from chemical incidents. ARA
and TFI have participated. EPA will keep MO-AG informed of these
sessions and webinars. Be sure to check future MO-AG newsletters for
more information. You can provide comments about chemical safety and
measures to protect the public by emailing eo.chemical@hq.dhs.gov
Some of the take-away messages from the listening sessions include
the need to enhance communication between local first responders and ag
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etailers, increased access to fertilizer data, and consideration of alternative
building designs for the storage of ammonium nitrate.
Facilities, such as the one in West, Texas are required to compile a
Tier II report or hazardous chemical inventory report, March 1 st of each
year. It has been required by the Emergency Planning and Community
Right to Know Act since 1986. If you blend or mix fertilizers, you need to
report the hazardous ingredients. This report is then available to local fire
departments, Local Emergency Planning Committees and State
Emergency Response Commissions annually. Knowledge about the
chemicals stored is key to protecting the public. Local fire fighters and
emergency responders need to know what chemicals are stored at Ag retail
facilities.
How do we tackle this mission of ensuring chemical safety in the
Heartland? We integrate accident prevention and emergency planning with
preparedness outreach programs. Here are a few examples:
Region 7 partnered with MO-AG President Steve Taylor by asking
him to deliver a presentation at the Regional emergency response
semi-annual conference. Steve offered MOAG’s perspectives on
future steps to reduce the risk of a tragic incident, like the one in
West, Texas. He also is in an EPA video highlighting the need to
enhance communications with emergency responders, which is being
shown at our booth and is now on Region 7’s Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/eparegion7
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Recently, EPA joined MO-AG, the Missouri Emergency Response
Commission (MERC), OSHA and others in presenting workshops in
Chillicothe, Warrensburg, and Springfield for fertilizer dealers. The
goal is to educate fertilizer dealers about the laws to which they might
be subject and to refresh their knowledge of safe chemical handling
and storage.
EPA contributes regulatory updates to MO-AG’s newsletter, which is
an excellent source of information for you.
Last month, EPA’s Ag Counselor Sarah Bittleman spoke at the
Kansas Agribusiness Expo in Wichita. And this fall, I also met with
Kansas agri-businessmen at the Kansas State Fair to discuss the
need for better federal agency coordination.
EPA met with the Fertilizer Institute and National Grain and Feed
Association staff at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting
Convention in Kansas City in November.
And Region 7 regularly updates all four State Emergency Response
Commissions on chemical safety, regulation changes and
developments in Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Act (EPCRA).
Our HQ office has tasked Region 7 to advise about the storage and
use of ammonium nitrate. EPA is redoubling discussions with agribusiness
associations and media outlets to promote the safe storage and handling of
this chemical.
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We operate a 24/7 spill phone to coordinate chemical accident
response efforts within Region 7. EPA responders monitor the calls and
coordinate with state and local response organizations to determine
whether a response action is needed, and who will take the lead.
When the response is beyond the capability of the local or state
agencies, EPA can lead and manage the response action.
A great example of response partnership occurred recently in the KC
metro area. This summer, a tanker truck carrying hazardous chemicals
crashed and caught on fire on I-70 just east of downtown KC, closing the
highway in both directions for more than 20 hours.
EPA, the KC Fire Department, Missouri Department of Natural
Resources, Missouri DOT, and the trucking company worked to safely
remove the hazardous liquids from the compromised tanks, clean up spilled
material, conduct air monitoring around the incident, and keep media and
the public informed throughout the response.
NOW LET ME TURN FROM SAFETY TO ANOTHER EPA
PRIORITY: SUSTAINING THE HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF OUR
HEARTLAND WATERS
Ongoing efforts in the Midwest to reduce nutrients benefit from MO-
AG’s advocacy on behalf of the “4R Program”: the right fertilizer, at the right
rate, at the right time and the right place.
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Nutrient pollution is one of America's most widespread, costly and
challenging environmental problems, and is caused by excess nitrogen and
phosphorus in the water and air. In excess, nutrients have impacted many
streams, rivers, lakes, and coastal waters for the past several decades,
resulting in serious environmental and human health issues, and impacting
the economy.
More than 100,000 miles of rivers and streams, close to 2.5 million
acres of lakes, reservoirs and ponds, and more than 800 square miles of
bays and estuaries in the United States have poor water quality because of
nitrogen and phosphorus pollution.
The people of Missouri know best what land management practices
will reduce nutrient loading in waters while maintaining a vital agriculture
economy. EPA has not mandated specific strategies or solutions.
Instead this agency continues to encourage Missouri to craft a
nutrient reduction strategy.
EPA and MO-AG are committed to research and innovation in the
area of nutrient stewardship; both acknowledge that properly managed
fertilizer applications provide for cropping systems that yield vital economic,
social and environmental benefits; and both realize that poorly managed
nutrient applications reduce profitability, increase nutrient losses, and
degrade environmental quality.
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EPA realizes that states need room to innovate and to respond to
large-scale water quality issues and that a one-size-fits-all solution to
nutrient pollution is neither desirable nor necessary. Nevertheless, the
agency’s experience has shown that essentially all nutrient reduction
programs should contain certain key elements.
In particular, watersheds in each state should be prioritized with
respect to nutrient reduction efforts, load-reduction goals should be
established for high priority watersheds based on available water quality
information, and nutrient loads in such watersheds should be reduced
through a combination of permit limits for point-sources and best
management practices for nonpoint sources.
In Missouri, the DNR is charged with protecting and managing the
state’s water resources. The department currently is developing a formal
strategy for reducing nitrogen and phosphorus loadings to the state’s
streams, lakes and aquifers and to downstream waters such as the Gulf of
Mexico.
To date, a total of 122 individuals representing 45 organizations and
agencies have participated in a series of nutrient-related committee
meetings, workgroup meetings, and other associated activities. Agriculture
organizations participating in this process have included the Missouri Pork
Association, Environmental Resources Coalition, Missouri Corn Growers
Association, Missouri Farm Bureau and, of course, MO-AG.
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The willing involvement of these and other stakeholders has given the
MDNR access to an enormous range of outside expertise and should
ensure that Missouri’s final nutrient reduction strategy is appropriately
tailored to the needs of the state.
The strategy is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2015, and
MDNR has indicated that it will test the strategy’s assumptions and
recommendations in a few pilot watersheds and make any needed
adjustments before applying them in a more widespread manner.
Additionally, with financial assistance from EPA, Missouri has hired
temporary staff and an outside consulting firm to (1) compile and evaluate
appropriate background articles and reference documents bearing on the
effectiveness and affordability of individual BMPs and (2) develop a nutrient
loading potential database needed for identifying watersheds in the state
with the highest loading potential.
MDNR also has developed a new nutrient reduction website in an
effort to further inform the public and to enhance the overall transparency of
the nutrient strategy development process. EPA Region 7 continues to
work closely with MDNR, other agencies, and interested stakeholders on
the development of the state’s nutrient reduction strategy.
My staff and I look forward to the finalization of the strategy and to the
water quality improvements ultimately stemming from this important
initiative.
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EPA recognizes MO-AG as an important partner in the national effort
to improve surface water and groundwater quality.
In Iowa, Region 7 of EPA is working with Iowa State University,
agricultural producers, IDALS, IDNR and environmental organizations to
tackle nutrient pollution. Iowa recently finalized a plan to reduce nutrients
into Iowa waters.
Similar progress would make a powerful measurable commitment to
cut nutrient pollution in the two greatest watersheds in North America.
In closing, I encourage you to explore opportunities to learn from
each other at this conference. Again, thank you for inviting me to attend.
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