News Releases from Region 09
EPA awards over $3 million to Guam for environmental protection
HONOLULU – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is awarding over $3 million to Guam for work to protect human health and the environment.
“EPA’s support enables Guam to advance its environmental programs,” said Alexis Strauss, Acting EPA Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “These investments will directly benefit the residents of Guam and the precious island resources.”
The funding will support the operations of the Guam Environmental Protection Agency (GEPA). The work done by the agency includes inspections, program implementation to ensure clean beaches and safe drinking water, permit writing, and enforcement.
The funding will enable GEPA to continue a host of ongoing environmental programs including:
- Reducing non-point source pollution generated by stormwater runoff in the Ugum watershed, a key drinking water source for southern Guam, through education and outreach, improved land management and construction practices, and planting trees in eroded areas;
- Protecting the Northern Guam Lens, the island’s sole-source drinking water aquifer, through permitting and enforcement programs designed to prevent contamination, maintain water quality, and ensure potable drinking water for the residents of Guam;
- Monitoring 44 recreational beaches around the island weekly for microbiological contamination;
- Providing improved real-time access to environmental data through development of the Guam Facility Registry System and updates to Guam EPA’s geographic information system (GIS);
- Developing GEPA’s Brownfields program and selecting clean-up sites;
- Improving pesticide management to educate farmers on proper application techniques and eliminate illegal importation and use of unregistered pesticides;
- Conducting island-wide inspections to help ensure safe underground and above ground fuel storage tanks; and
- Managing GEPA emergency response, hazardous waste, and clean air programs.
The EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region (Region 9) administers and enforces federal environmental laws in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Islands and 148 tribal nations -- home to more than 48 million people.
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