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The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has been closely monitoring and reporting on how EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxic Standards (MATS) are impacting electricity generation in the United States. As the latest EIA preliminary data show, the scrutiny is well deserved. Based on information received from operators, between January 2015 and April 2016, about 87 […]
The EPA has simultaneously issued new rules governing gas emissions from both existing and new, modified, or reconstructed municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. Gas emitted by MSW landfills comprises methane, carbon dioxide (CO2), and nonmethane organic compounds (NMOCs). Both final rules define affected MSW landfills as those with design capacities of 2.5 million metric tons […]
By Al Vreeland OSHA’s new electronic recordkeeping rule, finalized in May, requires certain employers to submit injury and illness data to OSHA. But it also includes provisions intended to prevent employers from retaliating against employees who report injuries, among them a caution against postaccident drug testing. Here’s what guest columnist Al Vreeland thinks about the […]
On this episode of EHS on Tap, we parse through the significant and recent legislative reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act, better known as TSCA, and what Congress’s action will mean for the future of chemical regulation. Don’t miss out on new podcasts. Follow EHS on Tap on SoundCloud and iTunes!
Under a new federal rule effective September 6, 2016, owners and operators of stationary diesel engines—formally compression ignition internal combustion engines (CI ICEs)—may, in an emergency, temporarily override systems in those engines intended to force the use of emissions control devices.
Complying with a court order, the EPA has published in the Federal Register a decision to not develop federal regulations to control the runoff of stormwater from forest roads. According to the Agency, there are a wide range of state regulatory programs, federal assistance programs, and best management practice (BMP) certification organizations that collectively have […]
At Safety 2016, the annual conference of the American Society of Safety Engineers, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health David Michaels gave an update on his agency’s priorities and his reflections on his time with OSHA to a crowded room of safety professionals.
Confused? It’s not surprising considering that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has revised its hazardous material regulations (HMRs) for shipping lithium cells and batteries several times over the past 2 years. The DOT has added Proper Shipping Names and Identification Numbers to the Hazardous Materials Table (HMT) and revised packaging, including labeling, requirements for […]
The recently enacted sweeping revisions to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) have been decades in the making, but the EPA needed to begin implementing the changes even before the ink of President Obama’s signature dried. Accordingly, just 1 week after enactment, the Agency released its First Year Implementation Plan for the new law, including […]
OSHA finalized its rule on respirable crystalline silica in March, with phased-in compliance dates beginning in 2017. See BLR Legal Editor Ana Ellington discuss some background information on silica, the exposure and health risks associated with silica, workers and industries affected by the new rule, and specific provisions of the new silica rules.