Tag:

US Environmental Protection Agency

Upper Township, NJ
News
Mercury Found In Some Upper Township Wells, NJDEP Offers To Relocate Residents: Mayor Mercury Found In Some Upper Township Wells, NJDEP Offers To Relocate Residents: Mayor
Mercury Found In Some Upper Township Wells, Njdep Offers To Relocate Residents: Mayor Wells for some homes in Upper Township have tested positive for mercury, officials said. About a dozen wells were found to have "unacceptable levels of contamination" from mercury, Mayor John Newman said in a Facebook post on Monday, Oct. 14. State and county health officials were helping the township identify the affected homes. "It is important to understand that no correlation, blame, cause, or any other finger can be pointed to anyone for causing this contamination at this time," Mayor Newman wrote. "At this time, our goal is to keep testing until the entire contaminatio…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
Newark, NJ
News
Company Hired To Replace 18,000 Lead Pipes In Newark Faked Work, Billed For It Anyway: Feds Company Hired To Replace 18,000 Lead Pipes In Newark Faked Work, Billed For It Anyway: Feds
Company Hired To Replace 18,000 Lead Pipes In Newark Faked Work, Billed For It Anyway: Feds Two people hired by the City of Newark to replace 18,000 lead pipes are facing federal charges after they intentionally left the pipes in the ground, hid them from officials, and then collected payment for work that they didn't properly perform, federal officials said. Michael Sawyer, 57, of Burlington, and Latronia "Tee" Sanders, 55, of Roselle, are each charged by complaint with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, US Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said (click here for the complaint). Citing charging documents, NJ Advance Media says JAS Group Enterprise Inc. (JAS), the company in which Sa…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Yorktown, NY
News
Water Fluoridation Suspended In Yorktown, Somers After Court Ruling Water Fluoridation Suspended In Yorktown, Somers After Court Ruling
Water Fluoridation Suspended In Yorktown, Somers After Court Ruling In response to a federal court ruling regarding risks posed by water fluoridation, officials in Northern Westchester have ordered the practice to be suspended in two towns as a precautionary measure.  In an announcement on Thursday, Sept. 26, Yorktown Supervisor Ed Lachterman said he ordered a pause on water fluoridation within the town, which will also affect Somers residents.  Lachterman's decision was made following a ruling by US District Court Edward Chen on Tuesday, Sept. 24 that determined the current standard for fluoridation in the US, 0.7 mg/L, poses an "unreas…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Hamilton Township, NJ
Schools
What Lead Found At Trenton Public School Means For Students What Lead Found At Trenton Public School Means For Students
What Lead Found At Trenton Public School Means For Students Lead contamination has been discovered at a school in Trenton, authorities said. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tested two schools in December that once were the site of pottery factories in the early 1900s. On Monday, Jan. 29, the EPA contacted the school district and said an "above normal" level of lead existed in the grass and dirt outside Ulysses S. Grant Intermediate School, according to Superintendent James Earle. Earle said the contaminated area will be clearly condoned off with rope, tape, cones and barrels. Students and staff will be offered testing for lead, a school d…

SHARE

by Jon Craig
Jersey City, NJ
Lifestyle
TV Star From Jersey City Who 'Never Smoked Cigarette' Announces Lung Cancer Diagnosis TV Star From Jersey City Who 'Never Smoked Cigarette' Announces Lung Cancer Diagnosis
TV Star From Jersey City Who 'Never Smoked Cigarette' Announces Lung Cancer Diagnosis Let's get one thing straight: It's not a TikTok, it's a sick tok. Kate Micucci, a 43-year-old painter and actress best known for her role as Lucy on the "Big Bang Theory;" took to the video-sharing app from the hospital to announce — she had lung cancer — but she got it removed. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bothering The Band (@botheringtheband) "They caught it really early," said Micucci, who grew up in Jersey City and Nazareth, PA.  "It’s pretty weird because I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life. It was a…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Bowie, MD
News
New Batch Of Mosquitoes Test Positive For West Nile In Maryland Neighborhoods New Batch Of Mosquitoes Test Positive For West Nile In Maryland Neighborhoods
New Batch Of Mosquitoes Test Positive For West Nile In Maryland Neighborhoods The dog days of summer have brought mosquitos carrying the West Nile Virus to another neighborhood in Maryland. In Prince George's County, the Maryland Department of Agriculture said that mosquitoes have tested positive for the virus in Laurel, following similar reports in different parts of the state. The latest batch of mosquitoes were trapped at the Highpoint Trail and Overlook Way, as well as Oxford Drive and Northlake Court.  In response, there will be an unscheduled spraying on Sunday in Laurel surrounding the trap sites where the mosquitoes were located. "The department’s Mosq…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Bowie, MD
News
More Mosquitoes Test Positive For West Nile In New Maryland Neighborhoods More Mosquitoes Test Positive For West Nile In New Maryland Neighborhoods
More Mosquitoes Test Positive For West Nile In New Maryland Neighborhoods Mosquitos in different parts of Maryland have tested positive for the West Nile virus, health officials are advising. Last week, the Anne Arundel County Department of Health announced that mosquitos trapped in two parts of the region tested positive, representing the first cases identified this year. More recently, there were more found in the Bowie area of Prince George's County that tested positive for the virus. As of Saturday, July 29, there were still no human cases confirmed. The Maryland Department of Agriculture said that it will be spraying a specific solution in the areas where…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Glen Burnie, MD
News
Mosquitos Test Positive For West Nile Virus In Parts Of Maryland Mosquitos Test Positive For West Nile Virus In Parts Of Maryland
Mosquitos Test Positive For West Nile Virus In Parts Of Maryland Mosquitos in parts of Maryland have tested positive for the West Nile virus, health officials are advising.  The Anne Arundel County Department of Health announced that mosquitos trapped in two parts of the region tested positive, representing the first cases identified this year. As of Thursday, July 20, there were still no human cases confirmed.  The Maryland Department of Agriculture said that it will be spraying a specific solution in the areas where the mosquitos tested positive. Spraying is scheduled for approximately 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 23 near the intersection of C…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Rye, NY
News
Company Admits Responsibility In Rye Brook Mercury Contamination, Will Pay Clean-Up Costs Company Admits Responsibility In Rye Brook Mercury Contamination, Will Pay Clean-Up Costs
Company Admits Responsibility In Rye Brook Mercury Contamination, Will Pay Clean-Up Costs A company will be required to pay thousands of dollars in clean-up costs after admitting that it contributed to mercury contamination in Westchester.  New York-based United Alloys and Steel Corporation has agreed to pay $260,000 in clean-up costs after admitting that it arranged for the disposal and treatment of mercury at a Rye Brook refinery site that led to the contaminant being released into the environment, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Wednesday, March 8.  According to federal officials, the corporation contributed to t…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Chambersburg, PA
Lifestyle
THANKSGIVING SPECIAL: $1.99 Gas, 500 Rewards Points At Sheetz THANKSGIVING SPECIAL: $1.99 Gas, 500 Rewards Points At Sheetz
Thanksgiving Special: $1.99 Gas, 500 Rewards Points At Sheetz Just in time for holiday travel, Sheetz has announced they are running a special on gas again.   Starting Monday, Nov. 21. the price of Unleaded 88 will drop to $1.99 a gallon. This limited-time promotion will last through November 28, 2022. “Sheetz is a family owned and operated company and at the heart of everything we do is giving back to our customers and the communities we reside in,” said Travis Sheetz, President and CEO of Sheetz. “We hope this price reduction provides much-needed relief at the pump for our customers as they travel for the Thanksgiving holiday.” The price…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
News
3 Cases Of West Nile Virus Reported In These NJ Counties 3 Cases Of West Nile Virus Reported In These NJ Counties
3 Cases Of West Nile Virus Reported In These NJ Counties New Jersey has its first cases of West Nile Virus of the year, the state's health department confirmed. Three men tested positive for the virus in Bergen, Morris, and Ocean counties. Two are in their 50s, one is in his 80s, and all were hospitalized. Two were recovering at home and one remains hospitalized.  WNV has also been detected in 293 mosquito pools and a red-tailed hawk this year in New Jersey. No cases of WNV have been reported in horses in 2022. In a typical year, there are eight human WNV infections reported. Last year, New Jersey had 36 human cases of WNV. WNV activit…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Gettysburg, PA
News
Cancer Causing Weed Killer Found In Most Americans' Urine, Study Says Cancer Causing Weed Killer Found In Most Americans' Urine, Study Says
Cancer Causing Weed Killer Found In Most Americans' Urine, Study Says Monsanto, a weed killer known for causing cancer, was discovered in the urine of most Americans, according a multi-agency government study. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention program, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected urine samples from participants ages six and up and found glyphosate in 1,885 of 2,310 samples, according to the study results. The chemical is the active ingredient in Roundup weed killer, which is made by Monsanto, a company which has battled thousands of lawsuits over it's cancer causing properties.  Monsanto was purchased by B…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Fair Lawn-Glen Rock, NJ
News
Feds: EPA Inspector From Bergen County Watched Child Porn On Work Computer At Home Feds: EPA Inspector From Bergen County Watched Child Porn On Work Computer At Home
Feds: EPA Inspector From Bergen County Watched Child Porn On Work Computer At Home A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency employee from Fair Lawn watched child porn on his government-issued computer, authorities charged. John Struble, 63, was released by a U.S. magistrate judge in Newark, with conditions, after a brief video-conferenced appearance on Wednesday, March 29, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. Struble, who works as a tank system inspector for the EPA’s office in downtown Manhattan, is charged with possession of child pornography. “The EPA alerted the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations that it discovered …

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
White Plains, NY
News
Proposed New Bill Would Ban Noisy Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Statewide Proposed New Bill Would Ban Noisy Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Statewide
Proposed New Bill Would Ban Noisy Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Statewide New York lawmakers are promoting a new green agenda as they look to potentially put a ban on noisy gas-powered leaf blowers across the state. State Sen. Pete Harckham (who represents parts of Westchester/Putnam/Dutchess counties) promoted a new bill that would amend New York’s energy laws to require zero-emission landscaping devices no later than 2027. The bill includes a potential ban on lawnmowers, lawn edgers, leaf blowers, leaf vacuums, and other landscaping equipment. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one hour of lawn mower use is the equivalent of driving 300…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Highland Lakes-Vernon, NJ
News
NJ Man Infected With Rare Mosquito-Borne Virus NJ Man Infected With Rare Mosquito-Borne Virus
NJ Man Infected With Rare Mosquito-Borne Virus A New Jersey man has been infected with a rare mosquito-borne virus, state health officials confirmed Wednesday. A Sussex County man in his 60s started suffering a fever and various neurological symptoms in May and later tested positive for the Jamestown Canyon virus, marking the state’s first detection of a mosquito-borne disease this year. The Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV) is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito and is treated by “supportive care,” health officials said. A vaccine for virus prevention has not been developed. “Spending time outdoors, whether walking, g…

SHARE

by Valerie Musson
Springfield, MA
Lifestyle
Popular Flea, Tick Collar Has Been Connected To Nearly 1,700 Pet Deaths Popular Flea, Tick Collar Has Been Connected To Nearly 1,700 Pet Deaths
Popular Flea, Tick Collar Has Been Connected To Nearly 1,700 Pet Deaths A popular flea and tick collar for dogs and cats has been linked to nearly 1,700 pet deaths, according to a new report. The collar is manufactured by Bayer and sold by Elanco. The brand linked to the deaths, as well as 75,000 injuries, is Seresto, according to an investigation by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting. Data for the report was pulled from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency via public records requests by the Center for Biological Diversity. Seresto flea and tick collars have been on the market since 2012. From then until June 2020, the agency has received rep…

SHARE

by Kristin Palpini
Mount Pleasant, NY
News
COVID-19: Managers Of NY Business Charged With Selling Ineffective Air Sanitizer COVID-19: Managers Of NY Business Charged With Selling Ineffective Air Sanitizer
Covid-19: Managers Of NY Business Charged With Selling Ineffective Air Sanitizer A Long Island man and his business partner are facing charges for allegedly selling miracle COVID-19 cure-alls that actually may have contained potentially hazardous pesticides. Jericho resident Po Shan Wong, and Flushing resident Zhen Wu, of JCD Distribution, were in federal court in Central Islip on Tuesday, Nov. 10 on a criminal complaint charging them with selling “Virus Shut Out Cards,” which they marketed as air sanitizers designed to kill COVID-19. After new cases of the virus spiked in April, it is alleged that between May and July, Wong, JCD’s general manager, and Wu, his sales man…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Mahopac, NY
Lifestyle
Here's Where Putnam Ranks Among Healthiest US Communities Here's Where Putnam Ranks Among Healthiest US Communities
Here's Where Putnam Ranks Among Healthiest US Communities Putnam County ranks among the 250 communities deemed the healthiest in America in this year's U.S. News and Aetna Foundation 2020 Healthiest Communities Rankings. Over 3,000 communities were evaluated to compile the list, according to U.S. News & World Report, using metrics including the areas' educational systems, average population health, infrastructure and environments.  This data is sourced from agencies like the U.S. Center for Disease Control, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Putnam Co…

SHARE

by Christina Coulter
Springfield, MA
Business
Industrial Contamination Cleanup Effort In Chicopee Gets $300K Industrial Contamination Cleanup Effort In Chicopee Gets $300K
Industrial Contamination Cleanup Effort In Chicopee Gets $300K Chicopee is getting $300,000 to help clean up environmentally damaged places in the Willimansett, industrial area. Among the sites slated for clean-up are the Spalding sports equipment manufacturing facility on Meadow Street and properties along the North Chicopee Street Corridor, said Congressman Richard Neal. The money is coming from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “brownfields” program, which provides funds for areas that have been severely polluted. To be named a brownfield property, the area has to be available for demolition, redevelopment or other reuse once the environme…

SHARE

by Kristin Palpini
Newark, NJ
News
UPDATE: City Gives Bottled Water To Newarkers Affected By Lead In Tap Water UPDATE: City Gives Bottled Water To Newarkers Affected By Lead In Tap Water
Update: City Gives Bottled Water To Newarkers Affected By Lead In Tap Water UPDATE, Aug. 12: The city has released the following information regarding ongoing water issues. The original story appears after the release from city officials:  Follow up test results provided on August 9, 2019 have shown that a small sample of water filters (2 of 3) provided to the City of Newark may not be removing lead to the low levels expected by city, state and federal officials. At this time, the City is aware of only two residences where water filters are not working as expected. Out of an abundance of caution, the City is notifying residents that some filters may not be work…

SHARE

by Paul Milo
DV Plus - Fairfield, CT
Politics
Around The Towns: School Construction, Regionalization, Bottled Water Warning Around The Towns: School Construction, Regionalization, Bottled Water Warning
Around The Towns: School Construction, Regionalization, Bottled Water Warning Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff led passage of legislation to provide more than $1.4 million in state funding for construction at Norwalk High School as well as schools in Bridgeport and Fairfield. “State funding for school construction is critical to helping local taxpayers and our students,” Duff said. “By expanding the facilities for Norwalk’s highly successful and popular Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts program we are strengthening our schools and preparing our young people for jobs after high school." Senate Bill 1210 -- the 2019 school building project bonding bill - authoriz…

SHARE

by Jon Craig
Stamford, CT
Politics
NY, CT Spar Over Dumping In Long Island Sound NY, CT Spar Over Dumping In Long Island Sound
NY, CT Spar Over Dumping In Long Island Sound Connecticut and New York disagree about whether Long Island Sound should be a toxic dumping ground. A federal court battle over Connecticut’s dumping of sediment in the eastern portion of Long Island Sound is expected to heat up this summer. Connecticut defends dredging as a method of keeping harbors and navigation routes open. it argues that its new underwater dump site helps the economy. It also protects survival of the submarine base in New London and a submarine construction business at Electric Boat's shipyard. Connecticut argues that dumping dredged material in the eastern sound is e…

SHARE

by Jon Craig
Brentwood, NY
Schools
Mercury Vapor Leads To Closures Of Two More Long Island School Facilities Mercury Vapor Leads To Closures Of Two More Long Island School Facilities
Mercury Vapor Leads To Closures Of Two More Long Island School Facilities Two more Long Island school districts have been forced to close the doors of multiple buildings after potentially hazardous fumes were detected in their facilities. Park Avenue Memorial Elementary School in Amityville and the Norman J. Levy Lakeside School in Merrick have been the latest to test for hazardous fumes, joining Miller Place, which was forced to close its high school gym due to similar conditions last month. School officials said that there is no threat to the children and that the closures were out of precaution. While not toxic, the levels measured were about the U.S. Environm…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
DV Plus - Fairfield, CT
Politics
Here's Why Taking On Trump Is Sound Strategy Here's Why Taking On Trump Is Sound Strategy
Here's Why Taking On Trump Is Sound Strategy Attorney General William Tong has put the environment at the top of his agenda as Connecticut's chief law enforcement officer.  It's a popular stance given that a solid majority of Americans believe in global warming, according to recent public-opinion polls and this five-year survey co-sponsored by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.  Rising public concern -- in sharp contrast to President Trump's position -- coupled with an increasing trend to combat pollution, has fueled Tong and other Attorneys General efforts to preserve decades-old Clean Air and Clean Water sta…

SHARE

by Jon Craig
Brentwood, NY
News
Ex-CEO Ordered To Pay $48M For Discharging Hazardous Substances At Port Jefferson Site Ex-CEO Ordered To Pay $48M For Discharging Hazardous Substances At Port Jefferson Site
Ex-ceo Ordered To Pay $48M For Discharging Hazardous Substances At Port Jefferson Site A longtime defense contractor on Long Island has agreed to pay nearly $50 million for environmental cleanup costs and penalties. Former CEO of Lawrence Aviation Industries (LAI) Gerald Cohen was found guilty of discharging hazardous substances at LAI’s Port Jefferson facility. The court determined that LAI and Cohen were responsible for $48,116,024.31 in costs incurred by the EPA in cleaning up the site. Cohen and LAI were both assessed a $750,000 fine as well for their failure to comply with requests for information from the EPA. According to U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue, Cohen and LAI…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant, NY
Politics
Cuomo Announces Plan To Ban Plastic Bags Cuomo Announces Plan To Ban Plastic Bags
Cuomo Announces Plan To Ban Plastic Bags A day after the world celebrated Earth Day, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has proposed a bill that would ban plastic bags throughout the state. Cuomo announced on Monday that he has introduced legislation that would ban single-use, plastic carryout bags based on the recommendation of the New York State Plastic Bags Task Force, which “outlined the environmental impact” of reducing the use of the bags at retail locations. Led by State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos along with co-chairs Sen. Thomas O'Mara and Assemblyman Steve Englebright, the Task Force was ta…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Port Chester, NY
News
U.S. EPA Sues Rye Brook Refinery For Mercury Pollution U.S. EPA Sues Rye Brook Refinery For Mercury Pollution
U.S. EPA Sues Rye Brook Refinery For Mercury Pollution The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has sued a West Virginia company for $7 million for disposing scrap mercury at a refinery in Rye Brook, according to media reports. Steel of West Virginia Inc., a 111-year-old steel products company based in Huntington,  Va', was sued in federal court in White Plains for violating environmental laws. The lawsuit states that the company replaced furnace equipment that contained mercury, and it arranged shipment of 179 pounds of mercury to Port Refinery Co. in Rye Brook for treatment or disposal. Port Refinery, despite its industrial-sounding name, wa…

SHARE

by Jon Craig
Armonk, NY
News
Dangerous Levels Of Radon, Cause Of Lung Cancer, In More Than 4K Area Homes Dangerous Levels Of Radon, Cause Of Lung Cancer, In More Than 4K Area Homes
Dangerous Levels Of Radon, Cause Of Lung Cancer, In More Than 4K Area Homes With January being National Radon Awareness Month, the New York State Health Departments said New Yorkers should make sure their homes are tested. Dangerous radon levels (at a level above the EPA guideline) have been reported in 4,000 Hudson Valley homes. Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., after cigarette smoking and the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths a year. About 2,900 of those deaths occur in people who never smoked. Radon Test kits are…

SHARE

by Sam Barron