Archives

You Don’t Transport Hazardous Materials So Why Do You Need to Know About Placards?

In the latest roadside inspection statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), four of the top 10 violations related to transporting hazardous materials had to do with placarding requirements. But, did you know that even if you don’t transport hazardous materials, you still need to be familiar with the hazmat placards? Today we […]

Essentials for Safety Committee Success

Of course you have a safety committee. But how effective is it? Does it satisfy a state requirement with minimal creativity or innovation, or does it actually enhance your safety performance, giving employees at all levels an opportunity to lead and engage in the safety process?

6 Ways to Become A ‘Green’ Employer of Choice

For many years now, companies of all sizes have taken giant steps in building a link between customer strategies and environmentally sustainable policies. Yet, many may still underestimate just how vital a company’s degree of “greenness” is to its own employees and potential hires.

Five Steps to See if You Could Be a DHS High-Risk Chemical Facility

Yesterday we reviewed the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) new plans to improve how it assesses facility risks under the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATs).  Today we will outline five steps to help you determine if your facility could be targeted as high risk and subject to submitting the initial Top-Screen survey to the DHS.

D.C. Circuit Issues Mammoth Ruling on Combustion Rules

In one of the more impressive displays of environmental law we have seen, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled on approximately 30 consolidated challenges—about half filed by industry and half by environmental groups—to three EPA rules issued to control emissions of air toxics from combustion units. Industry struck […]

Exemption for Closed CCR Landfills… Canceled!

In response to an order from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the EPA has issued a direct final rule amending its regulations (April 17, 2015, FR) governing the disposal of coal combustion residuals (CCRs) as solid waste under Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle D. In the CCR rule, the […]

Calculations for Containment Size

Q. In doing calculations for the size of containment, can you include the equilibrium volume of the inside of the storage tank as part of the containment volume? How often should a tank have integrity test done?

earth

Climate Change Now a Big Part of NEPA Reviews

A little more than 3 years after President Obama introduced his national action climate plan in a speech at Georgetown University, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has released final guidance on how federal departments and agencies should consider greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the effects of climate change in reviews conducted under […]

What to Do if Your Facility Poses Chemical Security Risks

What should you do if you think your facility poses security risks under the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATs)? First of all, take a breath and step back. Today we will review DHS’s plans to improve how it assesses CFAT facility risks, and tomorrow we will offer five steps to […]

A General Air Permit… Is It Right for Me?

Obtaining an air permit is not often a quick or simple process, but under the correct circumstances the process can be streamlined by using a general permit. Regulatory agencies often develop general permits for common source categories with similar operations, similar emissions, and similar regulatory requirements.