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On June 11, 2025, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced two proposals to repeal all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for the power sector under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and to repeal amendments to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Coal- and Oil-Fired Electric Utility Steam Generating Units, […]
On June 4, 2025, the EPA announced a penalty settlement in the amount of $270,437 with Ultramar Inc., doing business as Valero Wilmington Refinery, over chemical safety violations under both the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). The facility uses hydrofluoric acid, a dangerous chemical that can cause […]
The House of Representatives recently voted 216 to 212 to repeal the power plant rule that “prevents facilities previously subject to strict standards for seven hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act (CAA) from being reclassified into a less-strict category of regulation,” according to a Washington Examiner article on MSN News. No replacement rule […]
The EPA in March announced it’s reconsidering its implementation of the Clean Air Act’s (CAA) Regional Haze Program as part of its historic deregulation plans. “The way EPA has historically implemented this program has imposed significant costs on power plants and other sectors, calling into question the supply of affordable energy for American families,” states […]
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 […]
In a letter dated January 13, 2025, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) withdrew its request for a Clean Air Act (CAA) waiver for its Advanced Clean Fleet Regulation. The original request sought a waiver to allow the state to enact rules to require all medium- and heavy-duty trucks operating within the Golden State to […]
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 […]
The EPA and the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced two settlements with energy operators located in Pennsylvania. XTO Energy Inc. (XTO) and Hilcorp Energy Company (Hilcorp) agreed to resolve alleged Clean Air Act (CAA) and Pennsylvania Air Pollution Control Act violations involving their oil and gas production operations in the state. Under the settlement, […]
On October 16, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) declined to put a hold on a Clean Air Act (CAA) regulation for New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) that went into effect on July 8, 2024. The regulation addresses greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fossil fuel-fired electric generating units (EGUs) by: “The justices denied emergency requests […]