Tag:

EPA

Fairfax, VA
Police & Fire
Massive Metal Pile Fire Breaks Out On Richmond Highway Massive Metal Pile Fire Breaks Out On Richmond Highway
Massive Metal Pile Fire Breaks Out On Richmond Highway A major fire erupted in a pile of metal along Richmond Highway in Fairfax County on Sunday morning, May 5. Firefighters were at the scene for hours, dousing hotspots as of 11:30 a.m. UPDATE 9900 blk of Richmond Highway: The fire is under control. Crews are hitting hotspots. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and EPA are handling environmental impacts pic.twitter.com/OqLcMxjckx — Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) May 5, 2024 This is a developing story. Check back for more.

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by Cecilia Levine
York, PA
News
West Nile Virus Detected In Two Mosquito Pools In Central PA West Nile Virus Detected In Two Mosquito Pools In Central PA
West Nile Virus Detected In Two Mosquito Pools In Central PA West Nile Virus has been detected in two pools of mosquitos in one Pennsylvania county. Pools in York City and Spring Grove Borough tested positive for the virus, the York County Mosquito Disease Control announced Saturday, July 22. West Nile Virus is a potentially serious illness that can be transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. While most people infected with the virus may not show any symptoms, some individuals may develop mild to severe symptoms, including fever, headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash.  In rare cases, particul…

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by Cecilia Levine
Springfield, MA
News
West Mass City Says Its Water Is Safe To Drink Again West Mass City Says Its Water Is Safe To Drink Again
West Mass City Says Its Water Is Safe To Drink Again West Springfield residents no longer need to boil their water before using it. City officials lifted the order Friday, April 21, after a second round of tests showed the water was safe to drink.  The boil order was implemented after a 24-inch water transmission pipe on Gooseberry Road broke on Tuesday, causing low pressure for hundreds of residents and fears about potential bacterial infections.  The Department of Public Works repaired the pipe, and the EPA ran multiple water quality tests over several days to verify it was safe to consume from the tap, the city said in its announcement.  …

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by Josh Lanier
Towson, MD
News
West Nile Virus Case Reported In Maryland West Nile Virus Case Reported In Maryland
West Nile Virus Case Reported In Maryland Maryland has its first case of West Nile Virus of the year, officials announced. An adult in the Baltimore area tested positive for the virus, the state's health department said Thursday, Aug. 25. “We are in the season when we start to see West Nile virus spread in Maryland,” said MDH Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services Dr. Jinlene​ Chan. “We urge people to be vigilant and take steps to avoid infection. Disease surveillance teams are closely monitoring for any signs of increased numbers of infected mosquitoes that may turn up in areas across the state." The West Nile virus is trans…

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by Cecilia Levine
Windham-Willimantic, CT
News
First Case Of Rare, Potentially Deadly 'POW' Virus Confirmed In CT First Case Of Rare, Potentially Deadly 'POW' Virus Confirmed In CT
First Case Of Rare, Potentially Deadly 'POW' Virus Confirmed In CT The Connecticut Department of Public Health is reporting the first confirmed case of the tick-borne Powassan (POW) virus infection in the state. State health officials issued an alert on Wednesday, May 4 advising that a Windham County man between the ages of 50 and 59 has contracted the virus after becoming ill in the fourth week of March. Related story - Maine Man Dies After Contracting Rare 'POW' Virus From Tick Bite, CDC Says Tests performed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Laboratory in Fort Collins, Colorado, confirmed the presence of antibodies to the POW virus…

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by Zak Failla
Hamilton Township, NJ
Police & Fire
70 Residents Evacuated, Streets Closed Following Chemical Spill In Trenton 70 Residents Evacuated, Streets Closed Following Chemical Spill In Trenton
70 Residents Evacuated, Streets Closed Following Chemical Spill In Trenton About 70 residents were evacuated and several local streets closed following a chemical spill in Trenton, authorities said. N. Willow St. and Tucker St. were closed to all traffic — including pedestrian traffic — as of Thursday morning, Trenton City Hall officials confirmed on social media. ** HAZMAT ** Due to a Hazmat incident in the area, N. Willow St. and Tucker St. has been evacuated at this time. N.... Posted by Trenton, New Jersey Police Department on Thursday, March 17, 2022 Bellevue to Pashley Avenues were also closed, as were the Henry J. Austin Health Center and City Beef e…

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by Valerie Musson
Hartford, CT
Police & Fire
COVID-19: Nearly 3,000 CT Prison System Inmates Have Tested Positive, 13 Have Died COVID-19: Nearly 3,000 CT Prison System Inmates Have Tested Positive, 13 Have Died
Covid-19: Nearly 3,000 CT Prison System Inmates Have Tested Positive, 13 Have Died Another inmate housed at a Connecticut Department of Corrections facility has died of COVID-19, the agency said, bringing the total number of virus fatalities behind bars in the state to 13 this year.  The 69-year-old inmate died on Tuesday, Dec. 22 after he had been treated in an external hospital for seven days.  According to the Department of Correction, he was serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a child, and was not eligible for parole until April.  Due to medical privacy laws, the names of inmates who have succumbed to the di…

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by Christina Coulter
Jersey City, NJ
News
Ex-Workers: Ferry Company Dumped Raw Sewage, More Into Hudson, Manhattan Waterways Ex-Workers: Ferry Company Dumped Raw Sewage, More Into Hudson, Manhattan Waterways
Ex-Workers: Ferry Company Dumped Raw Sewage, More Into Hudson, Manhattan Waterways Two former employees have accused New York Waterway of dumping raw sewage, oil, fuel, batteries and other waste into the Hudson River, Raritan Bay and other waterways surrounding Manhattan “for years.” After issuing dumping complaints to the company, EPA investigators returned weeks later to find ferry bathrooms that were under investigation “either locked or removed entirely,” a federal whistle-blower lawsuit filed by former NY Waterway fuelers and overnight mechanics Rafi Khatchikian and Ivan Torres alleges. “NY Waterway cynically put out-of-order signs on bathrooms and even removed toile…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Mount Vernon, NY
News
Court Order Requires Mount Vernon To Address Polluting Storm Sewers Court Order Requires Mount Vernon To Address Polluting Storm Sewers
Court Order Requires Mount Vernon To Address Polluting Storm Sewers The federal government is forcing Mount Vernon to address its long-broken sewer system, which has sent raw sewage into city homes, the Bronx and Hutchinson rivers for years. A federal district court is ordering the city to bring its polluting storm sewer system into compliance with the Clean Water Act after ignoring two previous EPA administrative orders to make the required fixes. The city's sewage system includes more than 195 miles of sewer lines, 3,100 catch-basins, and 3,000 manholes which run through Mount Vernon. Since the problems were discovered, the city has been fined millions of…

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by Zak Failla
Brentwood, NY
News
Long Island Contractor Accused Of Violating Toxic Substances Control Act Long Island Contractor Accused Of Violating Toxic Substances Control Act
Long Island Contractor Accused Of Violating Toxic Substances Control Act A Long Island company threatened the health of the public by exposing them to lead-based paint while doing renovation work in residential properties, a new federal lawsuit alleges. A civil lawsuit has been filed against Precision Consulting Inc., in New Hyde Park, and its principal, Queens Village resident Wayne Gladney, for violating the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue announced. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief preventing the company or Gladney from performing lead-based paint abatements and renovations in the New York City area in violation of feder…

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by Zak Failla
Stony Point, NY
News
Hudson Valley-Based Company To Pay EPA $575,000 For Violating Safety Rules Hudson Valley-Based Company To Pay EPA $575,000 For Violating Safety Rules
Hudson Valley-Based Company To Pay EPA $575,000 For Violating Safety Rules A Hudson Valley-based company agreed to pay a hefty penalty after being sued by the federal government for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act involving asbestos renovations at a former hospital. Dutchess County-based Dover Greens, the company tasked with developing the former Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center in Wingdale, was charged with violating the Clean Air Act and EPA’s National Emissions Standards for Asbestos during renovations at the facility, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman announced. It was alleged that Dover Greens failed to take the necessary precautions and follow the proper…

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by Zak Failla
Newburgh, NY
News
Feds Sue Orange County Horse Racing Training Center Over Violations Feds Sue Orange County Horse Racing Training Center Over Violations
Feds Sue Orange County Horse Racing Training Center Over Violations The federal government has levied charges against the owners of a Hudson Valley horse racing training center for allegedly violating the Federal Clean Water Act. It is alleged that from 2007 to 2017, the owners and operators of Mark Ford Stables in Wallkill destroyed existing federal wetlands and rerouted streams in the course of building a horse racing training center at both properties,” U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said. In addition, the owners allegedly have operated a concentrated animal feeding operation without a permit, allowing horse wash water and process wastewater to be discha…

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by Zak Failla
Cortlandt, NY
News
Swimming Banned In Croton River Due To Fecal Matter Swimming Banned In Croton River Due To Fecal Matter
Swimming Banned In Croton River Due To Fecal Matter Swimming has been temporarily banned in the Croton River following tests that found a high level of fecal matter in the water. Officials said that water testing in two areas of the river on Friday, Aug. 16, found that the levels of fecal coliform exceeded the range for swimming. The tests took place near Mayo’s Landing and the Unique Area. Signage has been posted in the area warning of the contamination, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has been made aware of the situation. The Westchester County Department of Health was also alerted. According to officials,…

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by Zak Failla
Massapequa, NY
Politics
Here's When Styrofoam Food Packaging Ban Will Take Effect In Nassau County Here's When Styrofoam Food Packaging Ban Will Take Effect In Nassau County
Here's When Styrofoam Food Packaging Ban Will Take Effect In Nassau County Styrofoam packaging will be a thing of the past in Nassau County after lawmakers voted to approve a proposed polystyrene ban. The bill makes it illegal to sell or distribute Styrofoam products. Fines for violating the policy would lead to fines between $500 and $2,500, which would be enforced by the county’s Department of Consumer Affairs and goes into effect Jan. 1, 2020. The bill passed unanimously, 19-0, and Nassau County Executive Laura Curran is expected to sign it into law in short order. “The Nassau County Legislature has voted unanimously to approve a ban on the sale of polystyre…

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by Zak Failla
Massapequa, NY
Politics
Styrofoam Food Packaging Ban Expected To Move Forward In Nassau County Styrofoam Food Packaging Ban Expected To Move Forward In Nassau County
Styrofoam Food Packaging Ban Expected To Move Forward In Nassau County The end may be near for Styrofoam in Nassau County. Lawmakers in Nassau are expected to vote this week on legislation sponsored by Legislator Denise Ford that would ban the use of Styrofoam containers countywide. The bill would make it illegal to sell or distribute Styrofoam products beginning as soon as January. Fines for violating the policy would lead to fines between $500 and $2,500, which would be enforced by the county’s Department of Consumer Affairs. Similar measures have already been passed in Suffolk County and Manhattan. A plastic bag ban has also been enacted in the Hudson Val…

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by Zak Failla
Mahwah-Ramsey, NJ
News
Playground Tire Mulch A Cancer Risk? Mahwah Parents Petition For Replacement Playground Tire Mulch A Cancer Risk? Mahwah Parents Petition For Replacement
Playground Tire Mulch A Cancer Risk? Mahwah Parents Petition For Replacement Recent findings do not indicate that the rubber used to make tire mulch on playgrounds and crumbs on artificial turfs poses a risk to public health.  But a group of Mahwah parents says there are still chemicals in the mulch and better alternatives available. More than 538 signatures had been garnered on a Change.org petition launched by the group as of Sunday afternoon. The parents hope local education officials will replace the shredded tire mulch cushioning the ground at the George Washington, Betsy Ross and Joyce Kilmer school playgrounds with wood fiber -- ASAP. Mercury, lea…

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by Cecilia Levine
Mount Vernon, NY
Politics
City Council 'Robbing Peter To Pay Paul,' Mount Vernon Mayor Says City Council 'Robbing Peter To Pay Paul,' Mount Vernon Mayor Says
City Council 'Robbing Peter To Pay Paul,' Mount Vernon Mayor Says Internal strife, bickering and finger-pointing inside Mount Vernon City Hall is back, with the mayor now vetoing a City Council transfer of funds, claiming that they are “robbing Peter to pay Paul.” Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas announced this week that he vetoed a City Council resolution that sought to transfer funds within the Department of Public Works to free up grant-matching funds to match EPA compliance. The city is facing millions of dollars in fines from the Department of Justice and EPA for its failing sewer system and other violations. The latest back-and-forth between the m…

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by Zak Failla
Poughkeepsie, NY
News
C. Difficile Case To Close Beacon High School For Cleaning C. Difficile Case To Close Beacon High School For Cleaning
C. Difficile Case To Close Beacon High School For Cleaning Beacon High School will be closed Wednesday, March 27, due to a confirmed case of bacteria that causes diarrhea and colitis. Beacon City School District Superintendent Matt Landahl said school staff learned on Tuesday, March 26, of a confirmed case of C. diff, Clostridioides difficile, in an announcement on the district's website and in an email to parents. The district immediately consulted with the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health who advised school officials to clean hard surfaces in the school Tuesday evening, to prevent the bacteria from spreading…

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by Kathy Reakes
Mount Pleasant, NY
News
Three Responsible For Release Of Mercury In Westchester Village Settle Case Three Responsible For Release Of Mercury In Westchester Village Settle Case
Three Responsible For Release Of Mercury In Westchester Village Settle Case Three companies have reached a settlement with the United States Attorney’s Office to clean up mercury at a Westchester County Superfund Site. Robert Khuzami, an Attorney for the United States announced that they have reached an agreement with Columbia Gas Transmission LLC, Henry Schein, Inc., and Union Carbide Corporation, to recoup funds the EPA incurred for more than a decade in connection with its clean-up of mercury at the Port Refinery Superfund Site in Rye Brook. As part of the agreement, the three companies have agreed to pay a combined $179,647. According to the U.S. Attorney…

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by Zak Failla
Somers, NY
Lifestyle
Deadly Tick-Borne Virus Confirmed In Hudson Valley For Second Straight Year Deadly Tick-Borne Virus Confirmed In Hudson Valley For Second Straight Year
Deadly Tick-Borne Virus Confirmed In Hudson Valley For Second Straight Year A case of a deadly tick-borne virus has been confirmed in the Hudson Valley for the second straight year. Dutchess County health officials confirmed Tuesday that a case of the Powassan virus, a rare but potentially serious disease, has been found in a Dutchess County resident. The individual contracted the virus in the late spring and is currently recovering at home. The precise location within the county was not released. “Although the risk of contracting any tick-borne disease peaks in June and July, ticks may be active in Dutchess County throughout the year if temperatures are above free…

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by Kathy Reakes
Armonk, NY
Lifestyle
Feds Invited To Speak On Hutchinson, Bronx River Discharges In Westchester Feds Invited To Speak On Hutchinson, Bronx River Discharges In Westchester
Feds Invited To Speak On Hutchinson, Bronx River Discharges In Westchester With Mount Vernon facing millions of dollars in fines for violating the Clean Water Act, Mayor Richard Thomas has invited members of the federal government to appear at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. The City of Mount Vernon is facing a lawsuit from the EPA and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York for allegedly discharging raw sewage and other pollutants from its storm sewer system into the Hutchinson and Bronx Rivers. The fines may top $100 million. Officials announced the lawsuit last month, claiming that Mount Vernon has failed to comply with the Clean Water Act sto…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Vernon, NY
News
Feds Sue Mount Vernon For Hutchinson, Bronx River Raw Sewage Discharges Feds Sue Mount Vernon For Hutchinson, Bronx River Raw Sewage Discharges
Feds Sue Mount Vernon For Hutchinson, Bronx River Raw Sewage Discharges The City of Mount Vernon is facing a lawsuit from the EPA and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York for allegedly discharging raw sewage and other pollutants from its storm sewer system into the Hutchinson and Bronx Rivers. Officials announced the lawsuit on Thursday, claiming that Mount Vernon has failed to comply with the Clean Water Act storm sewer permit requirements designed to prevent raw sewage and other illicit pollutants from flowing from the city’s storm sewer system into the rivers. The discharges have allegedly been going on since January 2012. According to Ge…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant, NY
Lifestyle
Fairfield County's Ranger Ready Insect Repellent Wants To Be On Every Shelf Fairfield County's Ranger Ready Insect Repellent Wants To Be On Every Shelf
Fairfield County's Ranger Ready Insect Repellent Wants To Be On Every Shelf The makers of Ranger Ready insect repellent are sounding the alarm. Mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, chiggers, and gnats are more than annoyances. “The rules of the game have changed,” said Chris Fuentes, Norwalk resident and founder and CEO of startup Pic20 Group, LLC, maker of Norwalk-based Ranger Ready insect repellent, “we’ve gone from pesky mosquitoes at barbecues to tiny ticks that can maim you for life.” Around here, Lyme Disease poses an ever-present threat. In fact, area states like Connecticut have issued warnings, see “Lyme Disease Warning Issued By CT Department Of Health." And wh…

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by Vira Mamchur Schwartz