U.S. EPA Pacific Southwest Region

08/05/2026

It’s the here in the Pacific Southwest, and today we’re highlighting big progress on the Lava Cap Mine cleanup. ⚒️

Recently, EPA hosted a site tour for local, state, and federal partners to celebrate breaking ground on a new, wetland-based water treatment system on-site, which will safeguard drinking water and local water resources for years to come.

➡️ Swipe through and visit https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/superfund-season-cleanup-advance-restoration-clean-land-and-water-across-pacific to learn more.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District | Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) | Nevada County, CA

07/29/2026

💧 Following the landfall of Super Typhoon , EPA worked alongside the FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency and local partners to help protect drinking water on Rota. EPA teams sampled two public water systems and assessed damage to drinking water infrastructure to support the island’s recovery. 🤝

While EPA's mission is now complete, recovery efforts continue. We are grateful to our federal and local partners for their collaboration, and our thoughts remain with the people of Rota as they rebuild. 💙 🏝️

CNMI Waters, CNMI Office of the Governor & Lt. Governor

07/28/2026

07/27/2026

⛏️ EPA, Navajo Nation, and private sector partners recently broke ground on the cleanup of the Northeast Church Rock Mine on Navajo Nation, addressing legacy uranium contamination that has impacted this community for decades.

🚧 About 1 million cubic yards of mine waste will be removed and placed in an engineered repository -- real progress for the surrounding communities and environment.

🧹 This effort is part of EPA Region 9’s Superfund Season of Cleanup: six major construction starts happening across the Pacific Southwest this summer and fall, removing roughly 8 million cubic yards of contaminated soil from communities.

It also advances U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's nationwide Superfund Solutions Initiative, accelerating cleanups at more than 1,340 Superfund sites across the country in partnership with state and Tribal governments.

Find out more at https://www.epa.gov/navajo-nation-uranium-cleanup/necr.

U.S. EPA South Central Region | New Mexico Environment Department | 25th Navajo Nation Council

07/17/2026

07/14/2026

We are carrying out a drinking water recovery mission on the island of Rota: helping with sampling of public water systems to ensure the return of safe drinking water for residents. EPA will work closely with local partners and FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency on this effort.
CNMI Office of the Governor & Lt. Governor CNMI Division of Environmental Quality

07/09/2026

🎉 Congratulations to U.S. EPA Pacific Southwest Region's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) winner, Pacific Reclaimed Lumber & Supply, SPC of Sebastopol, CA!

👉 The small business will receive $400,000 to scale 📈 reclaimed lumber reuse through web, AI, and application-based technologies. EPA is proud to support others in driving innovation to tackle today's environmental challenges. 📲

📖 Learn more:

EPA announced $3.6 million in funding to nine U.S. small businesses to further develop and commercialize environmental technologies through EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.

07/08/2026

🔬 EPA scientists recently held training at our Hayward, CA facility for enforcement inspectors 📋 on using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) technology to screen for toxic metals.

➡️ Applied Science: EPA inspectors work alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection at ports 🚢, using XRF technology to quickly screen imports for lead, chromium, and other hazardous metals in products such as solder and other plumbing materials, helping stop unsafe products from entering the country.

Safer imports = healthier communities. 💚

07/07/2026

💪 Protecting Americans from dangerous illegal imports

Recently, EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martucci and enforcement inspectors joined U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Zeldin and U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport, where illegal foreign chemicals were recently seized before entering the United States.

Every day, EPA inspectors and CBP officers work tirelessly to stop harmful chemicals and other dangerous products from entering the country, keeping our communities safe.

For more information on EPA’s work to protect Americans from illegal chemicals: https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/06/26/zeldin-exposes-china-smuggler-pesticides/

07/06/2026

What owl 🦉 is EPA doing to protect wildlife during the Moss Landing battery fire cleanup? Closely coordinating 🤝 with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Wildlife, of course!

🐣 Recently, a Western Gull nested on-site. EPA quickly worked with our partners to enact the Migratory Bird Treaty Act 📜 and have a trained handler safely relocate the nest. Good news: the gulls settled right in, and chicks have been spotted! 🪺

🦉 A trained handler is releasing a barn owl on-site to help keep migratory birds out of hazardous areas.

🦎 Every day before work begins, crews survey for protected species like the California Red-Legged Frog 🐸 and Tiger Salamander. Workers have also been trained to identify endangered species and notify 📞 U.S. Fish and Wildlife if they are spotted.

🌧️ EPA also has strict stormwater, traffic, and dust controls in place to help protect people and wildlife.

Learn more here: https://www.epa.gov/ca/moss-landing-vistra-battery-fire

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Ventura