Lisa Jackson’s 6th Gulf visit and BP gets a US-drafted Oil Spill Waste Management Plan

Jackson’s 6th Visit to Gulf

Today, July 2, 2010, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson returns to the gulf coast to monitor EPA’s on-the-ground response to the BP oil spill, meet with federal responders and BP representatives, and speak with residents about ongoing federal efforts to mitigate the spill’s impact on the region. She will travel to New Orleans and Pensacola, Florida.
This marks Administrator Jackson’s sixth visit to the gulf region since the oil spill began. During the trip, she will be briefed by EPA and Coast Guard officials on the latest response updates and monitoring data, and oversee beach clean up efforts in the region. The administrator will also meet with EPA scientists in Gulf Breeze, Fla., for a briefing on ongoing dispersant testing.

Administrator Jackson and EPA continue to work closely with National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen, who is leading the administration-wide response and directing all interagency activities.
To request an interview with Administrator Jackson, please email johnson.alisha@epa.gov.
For more information on EPA’s efforts in the gulf and for the latest air, water, sediment and underwater dispersant monitoring data: http://www.epa.gov/bpspill.

Directive to BP

Yesterday, July 1, 2010, the U.S. Coast Guard, with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agreement, issued a directive to BP on how the company should manage recovered oil, contaminated materials and liquid and solid wastes recovered in cleanup operations from the BP oil spill. The U.S. Coast Guard, along with EPA, and in consultation with the states, will hold BP accountable for the implementation of the approved waste management plans and ensure that the directives are followed in the gulf coast states. The directive will do the following:

· Provide guidelines for community engagement activities and set transparency requirements on information regarding the proper management of liquid and solid wastes.

· Require BP to give EPA and state agencies access to facilities or any location where waste is temporarily or permanently stored. Access includes allowing the agencies to perform any activities necessary, such as assessments, sampling or inspections.

· Require BP to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations and to ensure that all facilities where waste is located or placed have obtained all permits and approvals necessary under such laws and regulations.

· Finally, the directive will require BP to submit to EPA and the Coast Guard specific plans, waste reports and tracking systems for liquid and solid waste.

In addition to the directive, the Coast Guard, with the agreement of EPA and in consultation with the states, developed waste management plans outlining how recovered oil and waste generated as a result of the BP oil spill will be managed. EPA has posted to its Web site the latest versions of these waste management plans for Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana that will be implemented under the directive.

More information on the waste management plans: http://epa.gov/bpspill/waste.html

More information on the directive: http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/waste.html#directive

Note: The EPA press room contributed to this report

Compiled by JeanMarie Calvillo, Ph.D., Safetec Regulatory Specialist