Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
On October 21, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) agreed to hear several EPA-related cases to determine which federal courts are the proper venues for specific EPA actions. The specific cases are: Although the Oklahoma and Pacificorp cases appear to be unrelated, they’ve been consolidated to determine “which courts can hear objections to a rejection […]
In today’s business landscape, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria have become pivotal for companies aiming to enhance sustainability, ethical practices, and long-term viability. While most discussions surrounding ESG focus on environmental impacts or governance structures, one smaller yet critical aspect often overlooked is the safety of contractors. Contractor safety is more than just a […]
Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) leaders know that great safety and compliance performance is rooted in vigilance—not just from EHS staff, but from all employees. Maintaining this vigilance isn’t always easy amid the day-to-day pressures of operations. But with regularly scheduled and properly managed EHS inspections, EHS managers can mitigate hazards and capture important data, […]
In a final rule published October 11, 2024, in the Federal Register, the EPA took final action on a revision to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) portion of the California state implementation plan (SIP). This revision concerns the regulation of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and particulate matter (PM) associated with warehouses as […]
The EPA recently published a proposed rule to add 16 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 15 PFAS categories to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), which is a list of toxic chemicals subject to reporting under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) to comply with the National […]
The EPA has put the state of Vermont on notice that it must make corrections to its administration of the federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program or lose the authority altogether. In a letter dated September 6, 2024, the EPA Region 1 administrator informed Vermont authorities it had received a joint petition from […]
The EPA recently announced a proposed update to its Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing, which help federal government purchasers and other buyers use private sector standards and ecolabels to buy products that are more sustainable and climate-friendly and contain safer chemical ingredients. This update marks the first time in nearly 10 […]
The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in September ruled against the EPA in United States Sugar Corp. v. EPA, unanimously deciding that the EPA erred in retroactively classifying industrial boilers built before 2020 as new sources of emissions. These boilers are used to create heat, electricity, and other forms of energy by burning materials like […]
On September 4, 2024, the EPA announced it issued draft Class VI permits to Oxy Low Carbon Ventures LLC for three proposed wells to be dug for the geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in Ector County, Texas. These are the first draft permits the EPA has issued in Texas for Class VI wells under […]
After calling for more accessible public emissions records from Colorado, the EPA abruptly changed course and “proposed to rescind its previous directive that required the State of Colorado to collect and maintain critical air pollution data from the oil and gas industry,” states a Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) press release. “A coalition of […]