RTM Logo

  • *
  • *
 
•Pacific Western Bank, San Diego, California, Assumes All of the Deposits of Los Padres Bank, Solvang, California
[August 26, 2010]

•Buying Distressed Assets out of Bankruptcy
[August 20, 2010]

•EPA Proposes Rules on Clean Air Act Permitting for Greenhouse Gas Emissions
[August 17, 2010]

•Federal Task Force Sends Recommendations to President on Fostering Clean Coal Technology
[August 17, 2010]

•EPA Rule Increases Protection from Lead-Paint Poisoning
[July 7, 2010]

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

News

EPA Plans on Stepping Up Work on Vapor Intrusion Plan

[February 17, 2010]

According to EPA, final toxicity values for TCE and PCE, contaminants associated with vapor intrusion will be issued by the end of 2010. This determination is a result of the report issued by the EPA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG). The agency outlines its plan to issue final toxicity values for trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) in 2010 and to issue final guidance on mitigating vapor intrusion by 2012 in its responses to an OIG report released Dec. 14th, entitled, “Lack of Final Guidance on Vapor Intrusion Impedes Efforts to Address Indoor Air Risks.”

OIG assessed EPA’s efforts on identifying and mitigating human health risks from chemical vapor intrusion that can be associated with contaminated sites. EPA issued a draft guidance in 2002 that outlined exposure risks associated with vapor intrusion in both residential and commercial buildings. That guidance was never finalized. It has been reported that the guidance relied too heavily on default exposure models rather than actual indoor air samples.

The OIG report noted that the draft guidance did not address mitigating vapor intrusion risks, nor did it recommend particular steps for assessing the risks and that the toxicity values for contaminants were outdated. The OIG report noted that the lack of such a final guidance may be impeding EPA’s efforts to address indoor air risks.

The report recommends that EPA’s Office of Solid Waste & Emergency Response (OSWER) identify the portions of the 2002 guidance that remain valid and the portions that need updating, and then issue final vapor intrusion guidance, which should include information on updated toxicity values; specific information on how risks from petroleum hydrocarbon vapors should be addressed; how the guidance applies to Superfund five-year reviews; whether preemptive mitigation is appropriate; and a recommendation to use multiple lines of evidence in assessing vapor intrusion risk. EPA has stated that as final document will be completed by the fall of 2012.