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According to a proposed consent decree filed by the EPA in the Federal Register, the Agency plans to finalize tougher ozone pollution standards for several large metropolitan areas by September 15, 2022. These areas include Chicago-Naperville, Illinois-Indiana-Wisconsin; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, Texas; New York-North New Jersey-Long Island, New York-New Jersey-Connecticut; and Denver-Boulder-Greeley-Ft. Collins-Loveland, Colorado. On […]
In September 2021, the EPA published advance notice of proposed rulemaking, soliciting information and requesting comments to assist in the potential development of regulations for pyrolysis and gasification units that are used to convert solid or semi-solid feedstocks to useful products such as energy, fuels, and chemical commodities. The units are currently classified as waste […]
In a report issued June 30, 2022, the EPA Office of Inspector General (OIG) determined that the Agency does not have adequate internal controls in place to ensure that its screening process of self-disclosure violations reported through its eDisclosure system is effective and that significant concerns, such as criminal conduct and potential imminent hazards, are […]
On July 18, 2022, the EPA published the final rule “Implementing Statutory Addition of Certain Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Beginning with Reporting Years 2021 and 2022.” The rule adds five PFAS to the toxic chemicals list that must be reported under the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) and the […]
In the recently published Spring 2022 Unified Agenda, the EPA indicated a final rule amending National Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emission Standards for Aerosol Coatings will be issued no later than December 30, 2022. “EPA has defined VOCs as any substance which participates in atmospheric photochemical reactions,” explains a JD Supra article by Mitchell, Williams, […]
On July 5, 2022, the EPA issued amendments to its Significant New Use Rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The amendments become effective September 2, 2022. Impacted industries include chemical manufacturers, producers of petroleum and coal products, and wholesale merchants of nondurable goods. The summary of the rule states the amendments were […]
President Joseph Biden Jr. emphatically stated climate change is the “number one issue facing humanity” during his campaign and vowed to shepherd the United States through the tough changes to transition the nation away from fossil fuel use to clean energy sources during his presidency. Biden has been stalled and hampered at almost every turn […]
The EPA’s proposed expanded Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) program to further reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from large industrial sources includes an allowance-based trading program for 25 states. This action is expected to resolve the good neighbor provisions for those states in meeting the 2015 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for NOx. The […]
Twelve states and a coalition of environmental groups are fighting the EPA over lax greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for airlines in two different lawsuits at the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Both suits petition the D.C. Circuit Court to review the final action by the EPA entitled “Control of Air Pollution from Airplanes and […]
The energy industry celebrates while environmental advocates weep on the heels of a June 30, 2022, U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) decision severely limiting the EPA’s authority to set greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for existing power plants. The decision is a heavy blow to the Biden administration in its quest to transition the United States […]