Stormwater season is upon us! If you haven’t reviewed your company stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) recently or are unsure of the monitoring parameters required under your Standard Industrial Code (SIC) within the current Industrial General Permit (IGP), now is a good time to review your monitoring responsibilities. Monitoring locations are identified in the SWPPP, and tests are typically specific to your industry and dictated by your SIC code. It is always advisable to review the SWPPP so that you make certain your organization is in compliance with the region’s…
Babcock Laboratories is Fully Approved for UCMR 5
A new cycle for the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) is underway and Babcock Laboratories is ready to help our clients meet new testing demands. We are pleased to announce that Babcock has been selected by the USEPA to provide small systems support through a contract with the agency. In 2021 Babcock received full EPA approval to conduct UCMR 5 testing using EPA Methods 200.7, 533, and 537. Between these three testing methods, our lab can provide high quality analyses for all 30 compounds included in this year’s…
Babcock Laboratories’ El Centro Microbiology Lab
PFAS Continues to Dominate Regulatory Response
Across the nation, state and federal agencies are renewing their efforts to end the toxic legacy of per– and polyfluoroalkyl substances. 2021 saw a flurry of PFAS-related legislation and proposals from both California and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that is carrying over into 2022. To help breakdown the state and federal government’s response to widespread PFAS contamination, here is a snapshot of the latest news in the PFAS pipeline:
Governor Newsom Signs New PFAS Bills and OEHHA Lists PFOS under Prop 65
Governor Newsom signed two major PFAS bills this fall on October 5th: AB 1200 and AB 652. Under AB 1200, or the California Safer Food Packaging and Cookware Act of 2021, no plant-based food packages with “intentionally added” PFAS may be sold or distributed after January 1, 2023. The law also requires cookware manufacturers to disclose if certain chemicals, including PFAS, are present in their products. A list of disclosed chemicals must be available online by January 1, 2023 and on the physical product by January 1, 2024. The law further prohibits manufacturers from claiming their products are free of a specific chemical, like PFOA, unless the product is also…
Looking Beyond the Pandemic: Climate Change and Drought In 2021
Over the past year, the Covid-19 pandemic pulled state resources and public attention away from the looming specter of global climate change. But while our attention was fixed on vaccine rollouts and mask mandates, climate change didn’t stop impacting California’s water. 2021 heralded some unprecedented water challenges for districts across the state. Now more than ever, we need to talk about climate change and the role it plays in California’s droughts.
It is well established that California’s droughts are becoming more common and more severe. The past year was one of the driest in a century; crucial reservoirs like Lake Mead have dropped to record lows; and many communities continue to over-draft groundwater aquifers to keep up with demand. In October, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide drought emergency and asked Californians to “redouble our efforts to save water in every way possible.” For many, the sight of depleted reservoirs and bone-dry wells looks eerily similar to the height of California’s last major drought––which only officially ended 2 years ago.
So what is happening to California’s droughts?…
A Quick Year in Review: 2021
2022 is here and we are all excited to see what this year will bring. But before we dive into new discussions, developments, and events, we would like to reflect on some important industry news that broke last year. Looking back at the unique challenges and topics of 2021 may help predict how our industry will change as we progress through the new year…