Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
As today’s workplace becomes more complex, regulation of that workplace increases. In this section, you’ll find the practical advice you need to understand exactly what OSHA, other federal agencies, and their state counterparts, require of you, and to comply in the ways that best satisfy both your and their needs. Look also for important court decisions, advice on how to handle enforcement actions, and news of upcoming changes in workplace health and safety law.
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In the first quarter (Q1) of 2025, the EPA finalized 196 settlement agreements with companies small and large across the United States. This represents a decrease in enforcement actions—down from 215 penalties issued in Q4 of 2024. The actions taken resulted in $6,089,365 in fines. Here are some of the highlights. CAA violations yield biggest […]
On March 24, 2025, a webpage was added to the EPA website announcing the creation of an electronic mailbox to allow impacted regulated community to request a Presidential Exemption under Section 112(i)(4) of the Clean Air Act (CAA). Eligible industry was given until March 31, 2025, to submit an e-mail request. “The [CAA] allows the […]
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s recent announcement of 31 historic actions the Agency plans to undertake “in the greatest and most consequential day of deregulation in U.S. history” sent shockwaves throughout regulated industry, environmental groups, state and local regulatory agencies, and other concerned stakeholders across the nation. Although the Agency’s announcement labels these actions as historic, […]
On April 2, the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) expressed concerns about reductions to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as part of a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) restructuring plan. The group also voiced concerns about a proposal not to renew leases for Occupational Safety and Health and […]
On March 12, 2025, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that “the Agency will undertake 31 historic actions in the greatest and most consequential day of deregulation in U.S. history, to advance President Trump’s Day One Executive Orders (EOs) and Power the Great American Comeback.” “Today is the greatest day of deregulation our nation has seen. […]
SeaWorld’s Orlando theme park faces $16,550 in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fines after a park employee was injured during a training exercise with a killer whale, the agency announced March 21. An agency investigation concluded that the trainer wasn’t properly protected from hazards while working with the whale. OSHA cited SeaWorld with a […]
In February, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee unanimously passed the Brownfields Reauthorization Act of 2025, which is legislation to reauthorize the EPA’s brownfields program, and the Strategies to Eliminate Waste and Accelerate Recycling Development (STEWARD) Act, which is legislation to improve our nation’s recycling and composting systems. “The Brownfields Reauthorization Act of […]
The EPA recently announced a consent decree with the operators of the Oasis Mobile Home Park in California to resolve violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The consent decree requires the park’s operators to upgrade its drinking water and wastewater systems and pay a $50,000 penalty. “EPA is wholeheartedly committed to ensuring that […]
On March 12, 2025, the EPA made two announcements: Background The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires the EPA to revise industry-wide wastewater treatment limits, called effluent limitations guidelines (ELGs), to keep pace with innovations in pollution control technology. “[ELGs] are national industry-specific wastewater regulations based on the performance of demonstrated wastewater treatment technologies (often called […]
On March 18, the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) announced $25 million in funding for the California Workplace Outreach Project (CWOP) in support of 89 community-based organizations. The initiative promotes workplace safety and educates workers about their rights. Twenty-one community groups in the Los Angeles region are set to receive nearly $6 million in […]