Running head: DRAFT OF THE FINAL WRITING PROJECT
DRAFT OF THE FINAL WRITING PROJECT 8
Draft of the Final Writing Project
Heather Fuller
LS302: Environmental Law and Policy
November 08, 2015
RRE International wants to begin the construction and operation of the smelter in the City of Riverside. There is the need for the company to get permits for its operation as it intends to build and operate the smelter, construct outfalls that will discharge into the Long Trout River, and store and transport the hazardous waste.
The paper will look at various issues that might come up with the building of the facility in that area. The issues include the opposition from residents living within the surrounding community who might oppose the facility from being built in that area. The other issue is the concerns of the reactions from local and state officials to locating this facility in their area. Another issue that will be discussed is the possible contamination of soil and river that will raise concern from the citizens.
Another issue of concern will be the air quality of the area due to building of the facility.
The paper will also look at some of the permits that will need to be pulled before the facility is set up. The environmental acts involved in the building of the facility will also be highlighted. Finally, there will be a discussion of the development and fostering of relations with government officials.
Permits and needs for the permits
There are several permits that RRE International will require to obtain before they begin the construction and operation of the smelter company they want to set up in the City of Riverside. One of the permits is the building and construction permit which is the formal permission to start the construction, demolition, addition or renovation of property. The other permit is the business license that is needed for entities that are carrying out business in the limits of a city. The other required permit is the certificate of disclosure of hazardous substances. This requires those businesses which handle hazardous materials to report the information to implementing agencies. The facility is also required to fill a Business Emergency/Contingency Plan so as to develop an emergency plan.
Another requirement is the land use permit/zoning clearance is needed to allow specific types of development. Land use permit is required for the zoning of a site. There is also a requirement for police regulations or public safety. The city of Riverside has an ordinance that requires the facility to get a permit to have an entry alarm. The facility requires obtaining a fictitious business name since the organization’s business name does not contain the surname of its owners. Another permit required is the hazardous material/waste generation program which is to be filled if an organization ha.
Running head DRAFT OF THE FINAL WRITING PROJECT DRAFT OF THE FI.docx
1. Running head: DRAFT OF THE FINAL WRITING PROJECT
DRAFT OF THE FINAL WRITING PROJECT
8
Draft of the Final Writing Project
Heather Fuller
LS302: Environmental Law and Policy
November 08, 2015
RRE International wants to begin the construction and
operation of the smelter in the City of Riverside. There is the
need for the company to get permits for its operation as it
intends to build and operate the smelter, construct outfalls that
will discharge into the Long Trout River, and store and
transport the hazardous waste.
2. The paper will look at various issues that might come up
with the building of the facility in that area. The issues include
the opposition from residents living within the surrounding
community who might oppose the facility from being built in
that area. The other issue is the concerns of the reactions from
local and state officials to locating this facility in their area.
Another issue that will be discussed is the possible
contamination of soil and river that will raise concern from the
citizens.
Another issue of concern will be the air quality of the area
due to building of the facility.
The paper will also look at some of the permits that will need to
be pulled before the facility is set up. The environmental acts
involved in the building of the facility will also be highlighted.
Finally, there will be a discussion of the development and
fostering of relations with government officials.
Permits and needs for the permits
There are several permits that RRE International will
require to obtain before they begin the construction and
operation of the smelter company they want to set up in the City
of Riverside. One of the permits is the building and construction
permit which is the formal permission to start the construction,
demolition, addition or renovation of property. The other permit
is the business license that is needed for entities that are
carrying out business in the limits of a city. The other required
permit is the certificate of disclosure of hazardous substances.
This requires those businesses which handle hazardous
materials to report the information to implementing agencies.
The facility is also required to fill a Business
Emergency/Contingency Plan so as to develop an emergency
plan.
Another requirement is the land use permit/zoning
clearance is needed to allow specific types of development.
Land use permit is required for the zoning of a site. There is
also a requirement for police regulations or public safety. The
city of Riverside has an ordinance that requires the facility to
3. get a permit to have an entry alarm. The facility requires
obtaining a fictitious business name since the organization’s
business name does not contain the surname of its owners.
Another permit required is the hazardous material/waste
generation program which is to be filled if an organization
handles, stores, transports or disposes hazardous waste. The
facility is also required to get a notification to assessor of
business activity. This is important for notifying the country’s
assessor’s office of the new business activities. Required to
notify the county assessor’s office of new business activities the
facility intends to carry out.
Another permit required by the facility is an Industrial
Activities Storm Water General Permit. The National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit No.
CAS000001 includes waste discharge requirements for
discharges of storm water associated with industrial activities.
The facility should make available occupational safety and
health information to its employees. The facility is required to
get State EPA ID Number before starting its operations.
Apart from the permits, there are also waste discharge
requirements that RRE International has to follow when setting
up the facility. This requirements state that any facility or
activity that discharges, or proposes to discharge, waste that
may affect groundwater quality or from which waste may be
discharged in a diffused manner (e.g., erosion from soil
disturbance) must first obtain waste discharge requirements
Major environmental acts
The facility is also required to carry out its operations in
line with various acts. These acts include the Clean air Act
which is a federal law put in place to control air pollution. The
other act is the Clean water Act which is a federal law that
governs water pollution in the United States. Another act that
the facility should comply with is the Chemical Safety
Information, Site Security and Fuels Regulatory Relief Act.
This act establishes amended provisions when it comes to the
reporting and dissemination of information under the clean air
4. act.
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Act (EPCRA) requires hazardous chemical emergency planning
to be put in place by all levels of government and industry. The
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)’s basic policy is to
make sure that the branches of the government give proper
consideration to the environment before undertaking federal
action that has an impact on the government. The facility
should also comply with the Noise Control Act which deals with
the regulation of noise pollution. The last act is the Toxic
Substances Control Act (TSCA) which is administered by the
Environmental Protection Agency. This act regulates the
introduction of new chemicals and those already in existence.
Comment by choward: Do you need NEPA as applies to
government not private companies
Opposition
RRE International is likely to face opposition from various
organizations and individuals. The first organization that will
oppose the building of the smelting facility is the EPA. The
EPA will conduct research on the environmental impacts of the
operations of the smelter. The EPA will require regulating
activities in the smelter that lead to environmental harm. The
EPA will oppose the operations of the smelter due to the
environmental impact the operations have on the environment.
The organization will also face opposition from Clean Air now
Organization, based in Riverside, CA. The organization will
oppose the operations of RRE International due to the air
pollution associated with the organization.
The citizens also have the right to make sure that the plant
will not pollute or make the area become harmful. Therefore,
they will strive to make sure that the activities carried out in the
facility do not harm the environment.
Major Environmental Issues:
There are numerous issues that are associated with the
operations carried out in the smelting facility. First, the
smelting can lead environmental pollution. There are various
5. toxic substances that will be released to the air and water bodies
from the smelting facility. These pollutants include sulfur
dioxide, particulate matter, mercury and metals. These
pollutants have the potential of causing various acute and
chronic diseases to human beings. The more serious and chronic
effects are heart and lung problems, and even premature death.
The pollutants can result into birth defects, kidney and liver
problems, gastrointestinal tract issues, joint pain, as well as
nervous, respiratory and reproductive system damage. Smelter
contaminants through inhalation and ingestion.4 Inhalation of
pollutants occurs as a consequence of gaseous emissions and
fine particulate matter (i.e. dust). Layers of dust can also settle
onto nearby agricultural fields, causing crop intake of pollutants
and later consumed by humans. Particulate matter emissions,
sewage waters, and solid wastes get into waterways that are
used for drinking water. People working in the metal processing
plants and smelters generally have a higher risk of exposure to
toxic pollutants since they can come into direct contact with the
pollutants when working with substances containing metal
processing and smelting waste.
Development and fostering relations with government officials
RRE International is required to develop and foster relations
with government officials. This is through making sure that they
abide by the regulations set by the government through the
different acts. This can also be achieved through partnering
with the government officials in community development
programs. The development and fostering relations with
government officials is important as these officials will support
the operations of the facility.
6. References
Doing Business Here. (2015). Retrieved November 9, 2015 from
https://www.riversideca.gov/business.asp
Metals Smelters and Processing. (2014). Retrieved November 9,
2015 from
http://www.worstpolluted.org/projects_reports/display/61
List of permits needed
http://calgold.ca.gov/Results.aspx?location=409&businessTypes
=35,176,106,61&greenBusiness=False
Air quality in Riverside
http://riversideca.gov/publicworks/air/air-quality.asp
Environmental compliance
http://riversideca.gov/publicworks/sewer/EC.asp
Clean Air Now Organization
http://www.clean-air-now.com/home.html
Review of EPA homeland security efforts Safe Buildings
Program research implementation plan. (2003). Washington,
D.C.: National Academies, Press.
Hajdu, A., & Licsko, I. (2009). Environmental pollution caused
by a non-ferrous metal smelter. Water Science and Technology,
165-168.
Duncan, W. (2010). Obtain Zoning Approvals and Building
Permits. Substantial Rehabilitation & New Construction, 141-
142.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2005). Van
7. Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia.
Heather
The rough draft is good but there is things that need to be done
to convert to final draft. First given this is a private company do
you need to meet any NEPA standards? Next, the paper did a
good job of summarizing the major acts like CWA and CAA and
the permits that are needed, Finally work on the relations with
general public and government officials some more as company
should work with the general public and local government
through lobbying and marketing and also develop relations with
staff at EPA and state agency as well.