Category: Regulatory Developments

A Deregulation Reality Check

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, […]

ASSP Voices Concern Over NIOSH Reorganization

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 […]

Texas Urges New EPA Admin to Approve CCS Permitting Authority

In a letter dated February 11, 2025, a group of leading Texas business associations urged new EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to expedite and approve Texas’ application for primacy authority to approve permits for carbon dioxide (CO2) storage wells, also known as Class VI wells. Supporters believe carbon capture and storage (CCS) deployment is the next […]

Is There Danger Ahead for EPA Endangerment Filing?

On January 20, 2025, the first day of President Donald Trump’s second term, among the 26 Executive Orders (EOs) initially signed was EO 14154, “Unleashing American Energy.” Section 6 (f) of that order states, “Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Administrator of the EPA, in collaboration with the heads of any […]

White House

Federal Funding Freeze Repercussions

The federal funding freeze has had immediate impacts on industry and services across the United States. On February 10, 2025, U.S. District Judge John “Jack” McConnell Jr. issued an Enforcement Order that clarified his previous Temporary Restraining Order (TRO), which ordered the Trump administration to release federal funds. Federal programs and agreements impacted by the […]

President Orders Deregulatory Review

President Donald J. Trump ordered all federal agencies to compile lists of regulations for possible removal in an Executive Order (E.O. 14219) signed February 19 and published February 25 (90 Fed. Reg. 10583). The president directed agency heads to conduct a process of regulatory review, coordinating with the director of the Office of Management and […]

‘Fork in the Road’ for Trump’s EPA

President Donald Trump hit the ground running in his second term, issuing 36 Executive Orders (EO) in his first week of office compared with only four EOs in the first week of his first term in office. EOs impacting the EPA The following initial EOs provide insights into this administration’s agenda and directly affect EPA […]

Agencies Ordered to Remove 10 Rules, Guidelines for Each New One

Under an Executive Order (E.O.) signed January 31 by President Donald Trump, all federal agencies must now identify 10 existing regulations or guidance documents to be repealed for each new rule, regulation, or guidance promulgated (E.O. 14192, 90 Fed. Reg. 9065). The E.O. also directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to ensure agencies […]

EPA Enforcement Roundup Q4 2024

In the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024, the EPA finalized 215 settlement agreements with companies small and large across the United States. This represents a decrease in enforcement actions—down from 482 penalties issued in Q3. The actions taken resulted in $7,739,116 in fines. Here are some of the highlights. CAA violations yield biggest fine from […]

EPA Proposes Tighter NOx Standards for Stationary Combustion Sources

The EPA recently announced a proposed regulation to strengthen limits on emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from most new, modified, and reconstructed fossil fuel-fired stationary combustion turbines. The regulation, if finalized, will “ensure that new turbines built at power plants or industrial facilities—especially large ones that could operate for decades—would be among the most efficient […]