News Briefs: (1) EPA Seeks Public Comment on Implementing Proposed Particle Standards; (2) Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Water Permit Application Deadline Extended; (3) North Carolina Transportation Official Indicted for Clean Water Act, Rivers and
*News Briefs *If you need more information on these subjects, call the listed Press Officer. For Release: (Washington, D.C. -- Tuesday, February 7, 2006) *(1) EPA Seeks Public Comment on Implementing Proposed Particle Standards (2) Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Water Permit Application Deadline Extended (3) **North Carolina** Transportation Official Indicted for Clean Water Act, Rivers and Harbor Act Violations (1) EPA Seeks Public Comment on Implementing Proposed Particle Standards *Contact: John Millett, 202-564-4355 / millett.john@epa.gov EPA is seeking public comment on how best to implement any new standards that may result from the recently proposed revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter (PM). EPA proposed revisions to PM standards on Jan. 17, 2006. The purpose of the notice is to assure the public that EPA is aware of and is considering the multiple issues associated with implementing potential revised standards for fine particle pollution and new standards for coarse particles while recognizing that no final decision has been made whether or how to revise the current PM standards. The notice announces that the Agency will seek comment on key implementation issues to ensure that all points of view are considered by EPA. EPA will take public comment for 60 days following publication of the notice in the Federal Register. For additional information on today's action, visit EPA's website at: http://www.epa.gov/air/particlepollution/actions.html [ http://www.epa.gov/air/particlepollution/actions.html ] For information on particle pollution, visit: http://www.epa.gov/air/particlepollution [ http://www.epa.gov/air/particlepollution ] *(2) Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Water Permit Application Deadline Extended *Contact: Dale Kemery, 202-564-4355 / kemery.dale@epa.gov Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) will have additional time to seek water permit coverage and implement nutrient management plans (NMPs) as required by EPA's 2003 CAFO rule. Under a final rule, facilities newly defined as CAFOs will have until July 31, 2007, to seek National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit coverage. The 2003 rule required newly defined CAFOs to seek NPDES permit coverage by Feb. 13, 2006, and for all CAFOs to have NMPs in place by Dec. 31, 2006. EPA will be revising the 2003 rule in response to a federal court decision; however, this revision will not be finalized by Feb. 13, 2006. Therefore, EPA is extending the deadlines. In addition, all CAFOs will have until July 31, 2007, to implement NMPs. The action being announced today will not affect other aspects of the CAFO NPDES permitting program. It solely addresses timing issues associated with the court ruling. For additional information on the extension of CAFO compliance dates rulemaking, go to: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/afo/caforulechanges.cfm#dates [ http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/afo/caforulechanges.cfm#dates ] General information about animal feeding operations is at: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=7 [ http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=7 ] ** *Enforcement Wrap-Up* Contact: Dave Ryan, 202-564-4355 / ryan.dave@epa.gov *(3) North Carolina Transportation Official Indicted for Clean Water Act, Rivers and Harbor Act Violations *Jerry Gaskill, director of the North Carolina Department of Transportation's Ferry Division, was indicted Jan. 18 by a federal grand jury in Raleigh, N.C., on four counts of violating the Clean Water Act, the Rivers and Harbor Act, and of making material false statements that relate directly to the crime. The indictment alleges that Gaskill and others conspired between at least October 2003 and October 2004 to dredge and fill navigable waters of the United States without a permit and lied to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about doing so. Gaskin and others are alleged to have pushed N.C. Dept. of Transportation (DOT) vessels into a river basin, altering the basin's bottom and using the vessels' propellers to make a channel in the Currituck Sound adjacent to Heritage Park ecosystem in Corolla, N.C., Gaskill allegedly signed a false statement claiming that creation of the channel was unintentional and submitted it to the Army Corps of Engineers. If convicted on all four counts, Gaskill could receive fines of more than $850,000 and up to 14 years imprisonment. Four other N.C. DOT employees previously pleaded guilty to charges in connection with the incident. They are Billy R. Moore, Herbert F. O'Neal, Douglas A. Bateman, and Stephen G. Smith. The case was investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Criminal Investigation Division, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service with assistance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. attorney's office for the eastern district of North Carolina. R033 [ http://service.govdelivery.com/service/edition.html?code=USAEPA_16&format=Web&email_type=bulletin ] You can update or cancel your subscription at any time [ https://www.govdocs.com/service/user.html?code=USAEPA ]. You need only your e-mail address (and your password if you have selected one). This service is provided free of charge by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. If you have any questions or problems about this service, please contact help@govdelivery.com [ mailto:help@govdelivery.com ] for assistance. Sent by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20460 202-564-4355