ERG Helps EPA Halt Harmful Emissions in Overburdened Communities

ERG provided EPA with analytical support to take immediate action to stop harmful emissions to communities in two high-priority endangerment cases under the Clean Air Act. In the first case, ERG provided expert risk analysis support to evaluate human health and quality-of-life impacts of hydrogen sulfide emissions from a pulp and paper mill. Based on ERG’s analysis and other lines of evidence, EPA issued an order requiring the facility to immediately reduce emissions.

In the second case, which involved environmental justice considerations, ERG estimated emissions and modeling impacts from process upsets at a refinery in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, and assessed the impacts of these releases on the neighboring community. ERG also provided expert analysis of refinery operations, including assessing potential flare failure at the refinery. As a result of ERG’s and EPA’s work, EPA issued an order shutting the refinery down for 60 days—or longer—until it can fix its operations, halting the harmful emissions release.