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Displaying 1 - 15 of 19 results
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What is the definition of “overburdened community” that is relevant for EPA Actions and Promising Practices?
EPA Actions and Promising Practices apply the description of overburdened communities articulated in EPA’s Plan EJ 2014. The term is used to describe the minority, low‐income, tribal and indigenous populations or communities in the United States that potentially experience disproportionate environmental harms and risks due to exposures or cumulative impacts…
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Will boiling my water help?
No. Boiling water will NOT reduce nitrate levels. In fact, it will make the level of nitrate worse because some of the water will evaporate but the nitrate will not. This increases the concentration of nitrate in water.
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Are permit applicants required to adopt the Promising Practices?
EPA is not requiring permit applicants to adopt the Promising Practices. Promising Practices are simply that: good ideas in the form of suggestions to permit applicants. Permit applicants may benefit from applying these Promising Practices. EPA hopes that when permit applicants practice early and meaningful dialogue with the community, they…
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EPA Actions does not require EPA regional offices to prioritize the same types of permits and adopt the same outreach activities. Why doesn’t EPA require regional offices to always prioritize certain permits and always do certain outreach activities?
EPA Actions strikes an important balance between national consistency and regional flexibility. The Agency‐wide guidelines establish national consistency by providing EPA’s expectations for the regional implementation plans. At the same time, EPA recognizes that the regional offices need the flexibility to take actions suited to the types of permits and…
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Does EPA Actions apply to permits that are jointly issued by EPA and a state, tribal, or local permitting authority with partially delegated permitting authority?
EPA regional offices will decide whether a permit that EPA jointly issues with a state, tribal, or local permitting authority should be considered for prioritization for enhanced outreach as described in EPA Actions on a case‐by‐case basis. EPA will take into account its role and authority in issuing the specific…
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Why doesn’t EPA do enhanced outreach for every permit?
Robust public outreach and engagement can consume a substantial amount of resources from all stakeholders in a permitting process and would not be warranted for every permit action. EPA recognizes that its regional offices cannot enhance engagement for every EPA‐issued permit and that overburdened communities might be overwhelmed with process…
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How will an EPA regional office determine whether a permitted activity may have significant public health or environmental impacts?
Permit applications provide information on the proposed project consistent with the requirements of particular statutes and regulations. EPA may also do its own assessment of the environmental and public health impacts of a proposed project, using modeling and monitoring data for example. Such information would inform an EPA regional office’s…
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How will EPA Actions apply to EPA‐permitted activities that may impact multiple EPA regions?
A permitted activity could potentially impact an area that straddles two or more EPA regions. The EPA region where the permitted activity is located usually has the lead for issuing the permit. EPA regions with the lead for issuing the permit routinely engage other regions impacted by the permitted activity…
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Is it safe to shower or bathe in water if it is over the nitrate MCL of 10 mg/L?
Nitrate is only a concern for ingestion (eating and drinking). It is not absorbed through your skin. People who install filter systems for nitrate often install them just for their kitchen sink faucet, and they use that faucet for their cooking and drinking water.
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What should I do if my water has elevated nitrates and/or exceeds the MCL?
If nitrate exceeds the MCL of 10 mg/L, you should find a safe alternative drinking water supply. The quickest thing to do is to begin using bottled water for drinking. Another option is to install a treatment that will remove nitrate from your water such as reverse osmosis or a…
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Why is nitrate contamination a concern?
Nitrate is an acute contaminant, meaning that health effects can occur immediately (I.e. within hours or days) of short-term exposure. Too much nitrate in your body makes it harder for red blood cells to carry oxygen. While most people recover quickly, this can be very dangerous for infants and some…
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If a permit is prioritized for enhanced outreach, does this mean that EPA will require stricter emission or discharge limits, or deny a permit?
An EPA regional’ office’s decisions on whether to issue a permit and, if so, the conditions to impose within a permit are distinct from the EPA regional office’s decisions about the outreach EPA may perform during the permitting process. EPA’s decisions on whether to issue a permit and what permit…
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What are the possible health effects of nitrate exposure?
Short-term: Excessive levels of nitrate in drinking water have caused serious illness and sometimes death. The serious illness in infants is due to the conversion of nitrate to nitrite by the body, which can interfere with the oxygen-carrying capacity of the child’s blood leading to blue baby syndrome (methemoglobinemia). This…
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What is nitrate?
Nitrate (NO3) is a compound of nitrogen and oxygen naturally found in air, soil, water, and some food. Plants and animals require nitrates for their survival and growth, and the human body also produces this compound. In industry, nitrate is used as fertilizers for crops and lawns. Additionally, nitrates are…
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I use a carbon filter. Will this help?
Activated carbon filters, such as those in a “Brita” water pitcher, DO NOT remove nitrates.
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