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On April 8, 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order (EO) 14261: Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry and Amending Executive Order 14241 and issued a Presidential Proclamation entitled “Regulatory Relief for Certain Stationary Sources to Promote American Energy.” These actions gave almost 70 coal-fired power plants a two-year exemption from meeting tighter emissions laws […]
A coalition of environmental groups filed suit against the EPA on September 3, 2024, challenging the Agency’s final emissions rule for coke ovens and coke oven batteries. The coalition includes the Greater-Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution (GASP), the Clean Air Council, the Hoosier Environmental Council, Just Transition Northwest Indiana, PANIC, PennFuture, and the Sierra Club […]
A proposed rule issued by the EPA on October 13, 2022, signifies the Agency’s intent to include additional large industrial sources in the requirements to account for “fugitive emissions” in determining whether a physical or an operational change at their facility is a “major modification,” which would need a major New Source Review (NSR) permit […]
A recent jury ruling in Cook County, Illinois, granting a $360 million win to plaintiff Sue Kamuda in her damages suit against medical sterilizer Sterigenics’ Willowbrook plant does not bode well for facilities using ethylene oxide (EtO). In the suit, Kamuda claimed she contracted cancer from breathing emissions from the facility over three decades. According […]
Last month, the U.S. Senate consented to ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The vote, 69–27, showed strong bipartisan support for the measure. The United States will soon join 137 other countries that have already ratified the Kigali Amendment, according to a media note issued […]
The EPA recently announced flyover emissions monitoring of the Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico to identify super-emitters. “The Permian Basin accounts for 40 percent of our nation’s oil supply and has produced large quantities of dangerous [volatile organic compounds (VOCs)] and methane over the years, contributing to climate change and poor air quality,” […]
On August 2, 2022, California Attorney General (AG) Rob Bonta led a coalition of 17 AGs in urging the EPA to grant, in full, California’s preemption waiver applications for its heavy-duty truck standards. Under the Clean Air Act (CAA), California may request a waiver of preemption that allows California to enforce different emissions standards for […]
The EPA’s annual report on power plant emissions—released on February 18, 2022—reveals a 20% increase in sulfur dioxide (SO2), a 13% rise in mercury, and a 7% increase in carbon dioxide (CO2). The data also showed a 5% increase in nitrogen oxides (NOx) during ozone season (May 1 to September 30) and a 3% increase […]
The EPA’s Spring Regulatory Agenda indicates it will amend volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions standards for Aerosol Coatings under Section 183(e) of the Clean Air Act (CAA). The agency plans to complete the amended rule by year end 2021. Why Is This Action Necessary? Aerosol coatings regulations apply to aerosol spray paints, which have been […]
President Joe Biden hosted the Leaders Summit on Climate April 22–23, 2021, during which 40 international leaders met virtually as part of an extended Earth Day event. The purpose of the Summit was to unite nations around the globe in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Attendees included China President Xi Jinping, Russia President Vladimir Putin, […]