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EPA Releases 2019 Annual Reports Highlighting Agency, Regional Accomplishments and Environmental Progress, Including Midwest

02/07/2020

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913-551-7785

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Lenexa, Kan., Feb. 7, 2020) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released 2019 annual reports outlining Agency and regional accomplishments, and environmental progress throughout the past year. Highlights of EPA’s support for Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska are in the Region 7 Year in Review.

“Under President Trump, we have fulfilled many promises to the American people to address some of our most important environmental and human health challenges, while unleashing the economy and fostering innovation,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “In 2019, EPA deleted 27 Superfund sites – the largest number of sites deleted from the National Priorities List since FY 2001 – and proposed the first update to the Lead and Copper Rule in nearly three decades. Since the beginning of the administration, EPA has finalized 49 deregulatory actions saving Americans more than $5 billion in regulatory costs and redesignated 35 areas around the country, moving them into attainment with federal air quality standards and lifting major regulatory burdens off local businesses. As we celebrate our 50th year of EPA, I am honored to lead an agency with such a successful record.”

“EPA Region 7 staff are always looking for opportunities to better serve and work collaboratively with our partners and communities,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Gulliford. “The achievements highlighted in the Region 7 2019 Year in Review are only a snapshot of how we’re working to protect public health and the environment for our Heartland communities. As we continue our work alongside our federal, state and community partners, I’m confident that we’ll accomplish even more in our mission to provide cleaner air, land and water in the years ahead.”

Some EPA Region 7 accomplishments in 2019 included:

Remediating lead-contaminated lawns of 746 homes to reduce lead exposure for residents
Conducting a study with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to assist water utilities improve drinking water quality
Conducting regional chemical accident prevention workshops and mock inspections for the agribusiness community to help prevent chemical accidents in our communities
Providing emergency response support to the 2019 Midwest Floods in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri by:
- Assessing 45 Superfund sites on the National Priorities List and 768 Ag chemical facilities to assure they were protected from floodwaters
- Recovering over 5,000 orphan fuel and chemical containers by surveying 1,500 river miles and 500 highway miles. More than 75% of recovered containers were recycled or returned to their owners and diverted from landfills.
- Sampling the private wells of 280 families for E. coli, in support of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services