4 years is too long to wait for cleaner air!
New rules for medical waste incinerators in North Carolina

There will be an important public hearing held by the NC Environmental Management Commission (EMC) on September 7th at 7 p.m. at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. Of most importance is our request that the EMC require the two medical waste incinerators in NC to comply with the new and more protective EPA rules by 2012 instead of 2014. Releasing these toxic air pollutants at the current unsafe levels for another 4 years is unacceptable!

YOUR COMMENTS COUNT! The public comment period is currently open and ends on October 15, 2010.

BREDL Action Alert

(ongoing) April 26, 2004: BREDL and Protect All Children's Environment (PACE) Action Alert (.pdf) asking the NC Dept. of Agriculture to require public notification of ALL aerial pesticides spraying.

TELL EPA TO REGULATE ALL WASTE BURNERS AS INCINERATORS

Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League BREDL@skybest.com (336) 982-2691

An important air pollution and solid waste rule is now being considered by the US Environmental Protection Agency. We are asking you to join us in telling the EPA to apply the strictest pollution standards to all types of waste burning plants.

At present, the EPA has drafted a rule and is asking for public comments. The deadline for you to act is Tuesday, August 3, 2010.

In the past, EPA excluded industrial facilities that burn solid waste to generate electricity from being subject to the strict standards for incinerators. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has determined that the federal Clean Air Act requires that a unit burning “any solid waste material at all” must be regulated as a solid waste incinerator. And the rule applies regardless of whether the material is being burned as fuel. However, today EPA appears to be ignoring the law and the welfare of the people.

At issue is the definition of solid waste and which section of the federal Clean Air Act applies to waste burners: Industrial boilers are regulated under Section 112; Commercial and industrial solid waste incinerators are controlled under Section 129. Of the two, Section 129 is the much stricter standard. A large majority of the comments submitted to EPA have been from industry sources seeking to weaken the rule by limiting the definition of solid waste. Your comments are needed to counter the pollution for profit crowd. Comments can be brief but should encourage EPA to adopt a broad definition of solid waste (see list below). Reference to a specific facility in your state or your community would be particularly helpful. Information on how to comment is at the bottom of this email.

BREDL Action Alert

The BMWNC medical waste incinerator is located in Matthews, North Carolina. Under its CURRENT permit the BMWNC medical waste incinerator generates over 23 tons of toxic and hazardous air pollutants per year.

The EPA just issued NEW RULES that set stricter standards for chemicals released by medical waste incinerators. Existing incinerators like the BMWNC must comply with the EPA’s NEW RULES no later than October, 6, 2014, but the Mecklenburg County Air Quality has the authority to instigate the new EPA rules immediately. However, the County is proposing that the permit renewal for the BMWNC reflect the standards under old rules, not the new rules!

Please Write to Mecklenburg County Air Quality and request that a public hearing be held to allow residents an opportunity to comment on the County’s plan to issue a permit to the BMWNC medical waste incinerator to control toxic air emissions from BMWNC under the old rules

BREDL Action Alert

Deadline for these sign-on letters was Midnight September 16, 2009. They will be mailed on September 17, 2009. Thanks to all who signed.

BREDL Sign-on Letter Please sign on to our letter urging the North Carolina Utilities Commission to adopt a poultry waste " time-out " and make use of the opportunity to consider the implications of using poultry waste to generate electricity.

BREDL Sign-on Letter Please sign on to our letter urging NC GreenPower to remove the incineration of poultry litter and other types of litter from the green energy program.

April 9 Comment Deadline on NC Fossil-Fuel Loophole - THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST TOXIC AIR POLLUTION HAS ENTERED A NEW PHASE!: Six months ago North Carolina officials proposed a loophole for 1,400 sources burning fossil fuel: coal and fuel oil. Since then, the comment deadline for the air toxics rule for these fossil-fueled industrial boilers and process heaters has been extended twice. The new deadline is April 9th. To those of you who sent comments previously, please do it again! To those of you who have not, now is the time! We believe state decision-makers are beginning to get the message: NO TOXIC LOOP HOLES! But we are in the middle of this campaign and action is critical now. We need a public hearing on fossil-fueled air pollution sources in North Carolina. MORE DETAILS: BREDL Action Alert

Protect Public Health! - Tell North Carolina Environmental Management Commission to remove the Combustion Source Exemption. This proposal would exempt 1,400 pollution sources in NC.

The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission has proposed a rule which would create a permanent exemption in the state's health-protective toxic air pollution limits. The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League believes that the NC EMC has an obligation to protect the health of all our people by removing the Combustion Source Exemption. Meeting the state's toxic air pollution limits at their property boundaries is not too much to expect from North Carolina's electric utilities and manufacturing industries.
BREDL Action Alert. Comment Deadline: December 31, 2008

Aug. 2008: The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission has proposed a rule which would create a permanent exemption in the state’s health-protective toxic air pollution limits. The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League believes that the NC EMC has an obligation to protect the health of all our people by removing the Combustion Source Exemption. Meeting the state’s toxic air pollution limits at their property boundaries is not too much to expect from North Carolina’s electric utilities and manufacturing industries. A public hearing will be held this Fall. The time for us to organize is now. Contact BREDL for more information. BREDL Factsheet

Help Stop Nuclear Power in South Carolina!
Do You Live 50 miles from Gaffney, SC?

On December 13, 2007 Duke Energy applied to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a license to build and operate two nuclear plants on the Broad River near Gaffney, South Carolina. The application is for two Westinghouse AP1000 Pressurized Water Reactors designated William States Lee III Nuclear Station Units 1 & 2. The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League is challenging this permit for health, safety and economic reasons. If you are within the 50-mile zone, you may join in this effort.

Deadline: June 27, 2008

Gaffney 50-mile map and factsheet | Declaration of Standing
FAQs about Legal Declaration of Standing | BREDL Membership Form

Help Stop Nuclear Power in Virginia!
Do You Live 50 miles from the North Anna Nuclear Plant?

Dominion-Virginia Power has submitted an application to add a third nuclear power plant at its North Anna Nuclear Station in northern Virginia. The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League is challenging this permit for health and safety reasons. If you are within the 50-mile zone, you may join in this effort.

Deadline: May 9, 2008

North Anna 50-mile map and factsheet | Declaration of Standing
FAQs about Legal Declaration of Standing | BREDL Membership Form

July 05, 2007: ACTION ALERT

To everyone in North Carolina concerned about our future!

The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission is about to carve a loophole in North Carolina environmental law. Approval of a pending rule would create an exception for special interests now and a precedent for more exemptions in the future.

Is there a dry-cleaning business in your community? The dry-cleaning industry and their supporters have drafted a new rule which would leave excessive amounts of toxic solvents in the soil and groundwater, not only at hundreds of commercial dry-cleaning sites but on neighboring property, too. Why? They want to reduce their clean-up costs. We think polluters should abide by existing laws which require groundwater to be safe enough to drink, the highest standard for public health protection.

We can stop the erosion of public health protection and the chipping away of environmental laws. Please add your name and organizational affiliation to our letter to be delivered to the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission, the state's rule-making body. Help us stop a proposed rule change which would allow contaminated dry-cleaning sites to remain polluted.

We want to have as many people as possible sign on before the upcoming meeting of the NC Environmental Management Commission on July 12. So feel free to pass the word. People should sign on by sending their name and address to BREDL@skybest.com. With enough people from enough areas of the state, we can convince the Commission to heed our request. We will hand deliver it to the EMC at 9:00 AM Thursday, July 12, 2007. Sign-on Letter

According to the Dry-cleaning Solvent Cleanup Act Program’s 2006 Annual Report to the General Assembly, the state has identified 225 operating or abandoned dry-cleaning facilities in 46 counties with environmental contamination caused by dry-cleaning solvent. A total of 29 new dry-cleaning solvent releases were reported to in 2005. There are approximately 700 operating retail dry-cleaning establishments in North Carolina today. As many as 1,500 contaminated dry-cleaning sites may exist in North Carolina.


BREDL Action Alert | Sign-on Letter

PUBLIC MEETING - EARLY SITE PERMIT - NORTH ANNA
On February 8, 2007 the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold a public meeting to take statements from the public. Any person may make a comment on the proposed nuclear power plant expansion including health and safety issues. It is important to attend this meeting or send written comments. The NRC meeting will be held in central Virginia at the Louisa County High School auditorium from 6:00 - 11:00 p.m. More Details: BREDL Action Alert

Dec. 9, 2006: The Land & Water Conservation Commission, created and appointed by the 2006 General Assembly and the Governor, will hold three public meetings in early January 2007 (Jan 4, 8, & 10). These public meetings are a great time to show legislators that we North Carolinians think that conservation is a critical issue for the state's future. More Details see Action Alert.

Join the National Day of Action on PVC
TARGET UNCOVERED: The Poison Plastic Lurking In Your Shopping Cart...
On October 11th, Let Target Know Its Time to Phase Out PVC, the Poison Plastic. Join consumers and students from around the country on Wednesday, October 11th and tell Target that it is time to clean up their act and phase out PVC, the poison plastic.

Feb. 17, 2005 Rally and NRC Public Hearing: Action Alert and more details. RALLY AGAINST NEW LICENSING for NUKES at NORTH ANNA, Thursday, February 17, 2005, 6:00 pm
Louisa County Middle School, 1009 Davis Highway, Mineral, VA. This rally precedes the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) hearing scheduled for 7:00 pm concerning a site permit for two new reactors at North Anna nuclear power station in Louisa County in Central VA.

May 20, 2004: Consolidated Coal Company in Buchanan Co., VA is seeking to nearly double its permitted VOC limits just months after being deemed a "High Priority Violator" for violating the current VOC limits. VA DEQ will hold a June 1, 2004 public info. briefing and a July 1, 2004 public hearing. Action Alert flyer and more details.

April 26, 2004: Please write the NC Rules Review Commission to ask them to oppose NC Environmental Management Commission’s exemption for Paper Mills from Hydrogen Sulfide Air Emissions Limits. Action Alert and more details. Letters needed as soon as possible. Thanks UPDATE: The NC Rules Review Commission (RRC) received more than 10 letters objecting to the H₂S exemptions for pulp and paper mills, thus sending the issue to the NC General Assembly. On June 17, 2004, industry lawyers argued that the RCC should rescind the approval of the new H₂S AALs because the new rules should be considered as a "package". The RRC obliged and rescinded the new H₂S rules. Discussions are underway . . . stay tuned. Thank you for your letters

Feb. 24, 2004 Public Hearing: VA DEQ will hold a public hearing in Front Royal, VA on the proposed CPV Warren 580 Mw gas-fired power plant. This facility would be located 5 miles from the Shenandoah National Park, a very polluted Class I area. Action Alert and more details.

Feb. 12, 2004: People’s Hearing on International Paper Riegelwood air pollution permit, risk assessment and new innovative technology. Hearing held on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2004 at 7:00 PM in Lake Waccamaw, NC. More Details: BREDL Press Release | BREDL Action Alert | IP Fact Sheet | Hearing Flyer (Flyer & Fact Sheet updated with new date)

NC EMC Public Hearing Nov. 5, 2003 in Enka, NC regarding hydrogen sulfide regulations and reductions. Action Alert and more details. Deadline was Dec. 15, 2003

Particulate matter standards under review. EPA Nov. 12 & 13, 2003 MEETING in Research Triangle Park, NC. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) Particulate Matter (PM) Review Panel. Public comment period will probably happen on Nov. 12. | Nov. 12, 2003: BREDL comments on CASAC review of the air quality criteria document for particulate matter.

Oct. 29, 2002: U.S. Dept. of Energy Public Hearing on Supplemental PEIS re: Pit Facility at SRS. Hearing is scheduled to begin at 6 pm in North Augusta, SC. BREDL Factsheet with more details (in .pdf)

Plutonium Fuel Factory Public Meetings: Sept. 17, 2002 - North Augusta, SC; Sept 18, 2002 - Savannah, GA; Sept. 19, 2002 - Charlotte, NC.
BREDL factsheet and details for upcoming NRC plutonium fuel factory meetings. (in.pdf)

September 21, 2001 - The re-licensing public hearing for Catawba nuclear power station will be held at the Rock Hill Council Chamber at the City Hall, located at 155 Johnston Street, Rock Hill, South Carolina, on Tuesday, October 23, 2001. The NRC will hold the hearing in two 3-hour sessions: from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.  NRC will record a transcript of the hearing.

September 10, 2001 - The first re-licensing public hearing for McGuire nuclear power station will be held at the North Campus of Central Piedmont Community College (in the auditorium) on Tuesday, September 25, 2001.   CPCC is on 11920 Verhoeff Road, Huntersville, North Carolina, about 15 miles north of Charlotte.    The NRC will hold the hearing in two 3-hour sessions: from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.  NRC will record a transcript of the hearing.

May 8 , 2001 - Public Hearing on Plutonium Fuel in Charlotte.

Nov. 20, 2000 - Take Action: Use our automatic emailer to send comments to Virginia Dept. of Transportation regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for I-73. DEADLINE WAS JAN. 12, 2001. Read our Sample Letter that was automatically emailed to Mr. Earl Robb, VDOT State Environmental Administrator and Mr. Fred Altizer, VDOT Salem District Manager.

September 28, 2000 - NIX MOX Day

Take Action: Send a letter to Governor Hunt and North Carolina state policy makers in support of the People's Plan for Clean Air. DEADLINE WAS SEPT 1, 2000. Read our Sample Letter that was automatically emailed to Governor Hunt with copies sent to Secretary Holman, Chairman Moreau of EMC and Chairman Deerhake of EMC Air Committee. Thanks! (updated Sept 13, 2000)

Action Alert: Public Hearing on Rhodes Brothers Asphalt Plant permit. May 30, 2000 at 6:30 PM at Franklin High School in Franklin, NC. UPDATE: On August 8, 2000, the North Carolina Division of Air Quality issued a new air permit for the Rhodes Brothers asphalt plant in Macon County. More info: NC DAQ Press Release

Action Alert: Public Hearing on CP& L Title V permits April 18, 2000,  7:00 PM , Raleigh, NC - BREDL's Comments on CP& L permits

Action Alert - UPDATE: New Comment Deadline - April 17, 2000 - The NC Division of Air Quality has announced the first Title V public hearing on two Duke Power coal-fired power plants.  The hearing on the Dan River and Riverbend plants will be on April 3, 2000 at 7 PM in Statesville.

Action Alert - Please write NC DAQ to request a public hearing/comment period for Corning, Inc. air permit upgrade which increases the Cabarrus County plant's pollution by 96%.

Action Alert: Stop the Yucca Mountain Dump! Comments to Dept. of Energy Needed. The DOE deadline for public comment on its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed Yucca Mountain dump is fast approaching. Public comments need to be in to DOE by February 9th, 2000.

Action Alert - UPDATE: March 9, 2000 - A Public Hearing was held on March 9 at the Elkin Elementary School. You may still send comments. Deadline March 24, 2000. Thanks for your calls and letters which led to the public hearing. - Request for a public hearing on the air permit upgrade for the Carl Rose and Sons Asphalt Plant near Elkin, NC. TELEPHONE CALLS, LETTERS, AND E-MAILS ARE NEEDED TO ENSURE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE UPGRADE.

Action Alert - Three meeting have been scheduled (Sept. 22, 28, 30) by the North Carolina Division of Radiation Protection to receive suggestions from the public and radioactive waste generators on how to manage low-level radioactive waste.  It is imperative that citizens make their voices heard at these meetings.  Opinions by utility representatives must be balanced by those who want a better way to control deadly pollution from ionizing radiation:  No more waste dumps!

Action Alert - AIR POLLUTION ALERT - This alert contains information about the proposed agreement between NC Division of Air Quality and Duke Power and Carolina Power & Light which would allow most of the coal fired electric plants to exceed state visible pollution regulations until 2002.  The Director of DAQ, Alan Klimek, may sign this agreement, the "SOC," this week.  Please call (919-715-6233), email alan_klimek@aq.ehnr.state.nc.us, fax (919-715-7175), or write him after reading this alert. 

Action Alert - UPDATE: April 7, 2000 - Virginia Power drops out of Plutonium Fuel Consortium. Virginia Power has announced that it's dropping its plans to burn Plutonium fuel at its North Anna Nuclear Power Plant in Louisa County, Virginia. Duke Energy has said it will stay in the Plutonium fuel program. - The US Department of Energy plans to turn more than 36 tons of plutonium into commercial nuclear power reactor fuel. On March 22, 1999 DOE awarded a $130 million contract to design the plutonium fuel plant to an industry group led by Duke Engineering & Services. The group is led by Duke Energy and includes Virginia Power, French nuclear fuel manufacturer COGEMA, and Stone & Webster. The utilities would use the fuel at the Maguire and Catawba reactors near Charlotte and the North Anna reactors in Virginia.

Action Alert - UPDATE: Georgia Pacific Corporation and the parent company of Wisconsin Tissue Chesapeake Corporation announced June 26, 1999 their intention to combine their tissue supply business. Georgia-Pacific Group will control and manage the partnership and is expected to own approximately 90 percent of the equity of the partnership. Chesapeake will contribute the assets of its Wisconsin Tissue business to the partnership, for which it will receive a 10 percent interest in the partnership and an initial cash distribution of approximately $730 million. As a result the Wisconsin Tissue Plant project in Halifax County, NC has been put on hold. At the end of May, Wisconsin Tissue had announced their intention not to use chlorine based chemicals at the Halifax facility. On June 28, Wisconsin Tissue withdrew the permit applications and EIS currently under review by NC DENR.

Action Alert - Regarding North Carolina’s entering into an agreement on permitting procedures with federal land managers for the protection of Class I areas.  We urge the governor to approve the pending agreement between the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the US Departments of Interior and Agriculture-Forest Service.