Risk in the News
CALIFORNIA ANNOUNCES VOLUNTARY LEAD TESTING IN SCHOOLS
The Desert Sun, KXTV
February 13, 2017
By: Barrett Newkirk
IS 5G TECHNOLOGY DANGEROUS? EARLY DATA SHOWS A SLIGHT INCREASE OF TUMORS IN MALE RATS EXPOSED TO CELLPHONE RADIATION
Los Angeles Times
August 8, 2016
By: Jim Puzzanghera
DOCTORS ISSUE WARNING ABOUT LED STREETLIGHTS
CNN
June 21, 2016
By: Richard G. “Bugs” Stevens
PARENTS SUE OVER LEAD IN WATER AT NEW JERSEY CITY’S SCHOOLS
Associated Press
May 3, 2016
BANNING: IN WAKE OF TRAGEDY, SCHOOLS REVAMP RAILROAD SAFETY EDUCATION
The Press Enterprise
September 18, 2015
By: Peter Surowski
GAS LINE EXPLODES DURING CONSTRUCTION AT A MANHATTAN HIGH SCHOOL
N.Y. / Region
August 20, 2015
By: Liam Stack
CANCER RISK FROM AIR POLLUTION DROPS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Los Angeles Times
October 2, 2014
By: Tony Barboza
SMOG-BUSTING ROOF TILES COULD CLEAN TONS OF POLLUTION, STUDY SAYS
Los Angeles Times
June 6, 2014
By: Tony Barboza
STATE IS MOVING TO PREVENT SPILLS OF OIL SHIPPED BY TRAINS
Los Angeles Times
June 5, 2014
By: Marc Lifsher
PLANES’ EXHAUST COULD BE HARMING COMMUNITIES UP TO 10 MILES FROM LAX
Los Angeles Times
May 29, 2014
By: Dan Weikel, Tony Barboza
NEW MAP COULD REFOCUS STATE’S POLLUTION BATTLES
Los Angeles Times
April 22, 2014
By: Tony Barboza
TOXIC WASTE WATCHDOG CAN BE GLACIALLY SLOW
Los Angeles Times
December 27, 2013
By: Jessica Garrison, Kim Christensen, and Ben Poston
MISSOURI GAS PIPELINE EXPLODES NEAR HUGHESVILLE, NO INJURIES REPORTED
Huff Post Green
November 29, 2013
By: Reuters
EARLY TESTING REVEALS HIGH TOXIC CHEMICAL LEVELS AT MALIBU HIGH SCHOOL
Los Angeles Times
November 22, 2013
By: Matt Stevens
UPDATE PHASE I ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSMENT STANDARD
August 22, 2013
The ASTM’s widely-used guidance for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) was recently revised and the updated standard, now known as ASTM 1527-13, was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on August 15, 2013. The EPA intends to amend what is known as the “All Appropriate Inquiries” Rule (i.e., 40 CFR Part 312) later this year.
As many of you know, “all appropriate inquiries,” or AAI, is a Federally-defined process whereby the environmental conditions at a particular property are evaluated, generally prior to its acquisition. AAI includes the performance of a Phase I ESA and it is essential to establishing property purchaser defenses under Federal law, including exemptions to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA – a.k.a. the “Superfund” law) for bona fide prospective purchasers or innocent landowners.
Following is a summary of the most significant changes to the ASTM Phase I standard:
- The existing definitions for Recognized Environmental Condition (REC) and Historical Recognized Environmental Condition (HREC) were revised, and are now stated more clearly
- A new condition, known as a Controlled Recognized Environmental Condition or “HREC,” has been added to the ASTM standard. The term HREC refers to a site where risk-based closure was granted and additional cleanup is not required. Residual contamination remains at such sites and formal land use restrictions may have been imposed. These sites could represent an ongoing or future obligation for property owners, such as special precautions that might need to be employed during development activities.
- Risks associated with contaminant vapor intrusion have been emphasized in the revised standard. The potential for vapor migration and intrusion, and the implications for increased liability and diminished property value, have been of increasing concern. Although several options for vapor intrusion assessment will remain, the new standard will likely increase the need for formal evaluations involving testing and analysis.
- The updated ASTM standard will include stronger recommendations to review agency files for adjacent properties. Expanded file review requirements could expand the time needed to prepare a Phase I ESA report. Thankfully, many California regulatory agencies, such as the SWRCB, DTSC, and CARB, make many of their site records available online, thereby facilitating file review.
At the present time, the revised ASTN standard ASTM 1527-13 is not available for purchase. We will keep this web site updated with an announcement once it can be downloaded from ASTM.
In the meantime, please refer to http://www.astm.org/ for information about ASTM standards and https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/08/15/2013-19764/amendment-to-standards-and-practices-for-all-appropriate-inquiries for the Federal Register notice regarding AAI Rule amendments.
RATIONAL FEAR
Planetizen
July 29, 2013
By: Todd Litman
NRDC ISSUE PAPER: BETTER RISK ASSESSMENT TO BETTER PROTECT HEALTH
NRDC
February 22, 2012
STRENGTHENING TOXIC CHEMICAL RISK ASSESSMENTS TO PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH
NRDC
February 17, 2012
CHEMICAL-FREE NONSENSE
Los Angeles Times
By: Deborah Blum
January 22, 2012
THE HIDDEN TOLL OF TRAFFIC JAMS
The Wall Street Journal
November 8, 2011
THE SMOKESTACK EFFECT: TOXIC AIR AND AMERICA’S SCHOOLS
USA Today
2010
MOBILE PHONE BASED STATIONS AND EARLY-CHILDHOOD CANCERS: CASE-CONTROL STUDY
British Medical Journal (BMJ)
June 2010
15 REASONS WHY CELL PHONES CAN CAUSE BRAIN TUMORS
EMF
August 2009
TRAFFIC FUMES INCREASE THE RISK OF CHILD PNEUMONIA
Guardian UK
January 2010
CALIFORNIA: A DRIFTING DANGER FOR CENTRAL VALLEY SCHOOLCHILDREN
Los Angeles Times
August 2010
UCLA FOOTBALL: SERMONS BREAKS LEFT LEG
Orange County Register
April 2010
MOBILE PHONE RADIATION ‘PROTECTS’ AGAINST ALZHEIMERS
BBC World News
January 2010
THE IRRATIONAL FEAR OF OUR STATE ROCK
Los Angeles Times
July 2010
LA SCHOOLS WORRY ABOUT TOXIC PLAYGROUNDS
Courthouse News Services
January 2010
STUDY FINDS TRAFFIC POLLUTION CAN SPEED HARDENING OF ARTERIES
Los Angeles Times
February 2010
BEHIND MASS DIE-OFFS, PESTICIDES LURK AS CULPRITS
YALE Environment 360
January 2010
CLEANING FOR ASTHMA SAFE SCHOOLS
CASH Register
January 2010
EPA STRENGTHENS SMOG STANDARD
EHS Today
January 2010
BUT WHO’S COUNTING – The million-billion mistake is among the most common in journalism. But why?
Los Angeles Times
January 2010
TESTS LINK CANCER TO SNARLED FREEWAY AIR
Daily Bulletin
December 2009
EPA PROPOSES TO EXPAND THE LEAD MONITORING NETWORK
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
December 2009
LIMITED EPA STUDY FINDS LOW LEVEL OF CONCERN IN SAMPLES OF RECYCLED TIRES FROM BALLFIED AND PLAYGROUND SURFACES
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
December 10, 2009
MILLIONS IN U.S. DRINK DIRTY WATER, RECORDS SHOW
New York Times
By: Charles Duhigg
December 8, 2009
OBESITY’S RISE TRUMPS SMOKING’S DECLINE WHEN IT COMES TO LIFE EXPECTANCY
Los Angeles Times
By: Jeannine Stein
December 2, 2009
ANGUISH LINGERS IN BHOPAL, 25 YEARS AFTER CHEMICAL DISASTER
Los Angeles Times
By: Mark Magnier
December 3, 2009
EPA: CAULK AT AGING SCHOOLS MAY HAVE PCBs
Associated Press
September 28, 2009
WHY I AM CONCERNED ABOUT CELL PHONES
By: Devra L. Davis, PhD MPH
Science and Environmental Health Network
October/November 2009
AIR POLLUTION FROM FREEWAY EXTENDS FURTHER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT
UCLA Newsroom
By: Sarah Anderson
June 10, 2009
FORECASTING THE EFFECTS OF OBESITY AND SMOKING ON U.S. LIFE EXPECTANCY
New England Journal of Medicine
By: Susan T. Stewart, Ph.D., David M. Cutler, Ph.D.,
and Allison B. Rosen, M.D., Sc.D.
December 3, 2009
SCIENCE SOUND, BUT MESSAGING A GIANT MESS
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Newhaven Register
By: Ellen Goodman
November 27, 2009
WHAM, BAM, NO THANK YOU, MAMMOGRAM
Creators.com
By: Lenore Skenazy
2009
STATEMENT ON MOBILE PHONES FOR CONFERENCE ON CELL PHONES AND HEALTH: SCIENCE AND PUBLIC POLICY QUESTIONS
European Environment Agency
By: Professor Jacqueline McGlade
September 15, 2009
CELL PHONE WARNINGS BY THE EARFUL
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
By: Daniel Malloy
September 15, 2009
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