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Group Sues EPA to Suspend Oil Company’s New Mexico Permits

In May, WildEarth Guardians filed suit against the EPA in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico. The purpose of the suit is to compel the EPA to revise Houston-based Targas Resources Corp’s operating permits in the Permian Basin. On November 16, 2022, in response to Guardians’ petitions to the EPA, the […]

EPA Takes First CWA Enforcement Action Over PFAS

The EPA has ordered chemical company Chemours to take corrective measures to address pollution from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in stormwater and effluent discharges from the Washington Works facility near Parkersburg, West Virginia. The order on consent also directs Chemours to characterize the extent of PFAS contamination from discharges. This action marks the first […]

Major Pushback on the EPA’s Phase 3 Truck Rule

Since the EPA announced its Phase 3 proposed greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles, there has been significant political and industry pushback. “Part of EPA’s proposal is to electrify 25% of new long-haul trucks by 2032, as well as 35% of new short-haul regional tractors and 50% of vocational vehicles,” says Overdrive Online. […]

EPA Announces Investments in Port Upgrades

While touring the Port of Savannah, Georgia, on May 5, 2023, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan announced the initial steps in the development of programs that will invest $4 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in U.S. port infrastructure while reducing air pollution and advancing President Joseph Biden Jr.’s commitment to environmental justice. Ports […]

Know Your Waste Accumulation Requirements

The EPA and an Alaska hospital recently entered into an Expedited Settlement Agreement and Final Order to resolve alleged Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste regulations violations. The EPA inspected the facility May 11–12, 2022, and identified several violations. This particular case highlights the importance of understanding waste accumulation requirements. Storage of hazardous […]

Mental Health’s Role in Contractor Safety

While often overlooked, mental health is a crucial factor that affects the safety of contractors in the workplace. Contractors commonly work in environments that require physical and mental agility, but struggles with mental health challenges can impact a contractor’s ability to perform their duties safely and effectively. This article explores how mental health affects contractor […]

EHSDA Song of the Week: Smoke on the Water

Thanks to those persistent forest fires in Canada, we’ve been hearing a lot about smoke lately. Last Wednesday, New York City was engulfed in smoke that had traveled from the north, giving it a spooky orange glow and leading authorities to warn residents about going outside. And OSHA urged employers to protect outdoor workers from […]

Faces of EHS: Suzanne Kilpatrick on Setting the Tone for Safety

Suzanne Kilpatrick feels like she started her career in safety as a child. She grew up on a ranch and helped her parents at an agricultural feed store where she gained experience with confined spaces, powered industrial trucks, chemicals, moving parts, pinch points, and more. When she discovered safety as a field of study, it […]

Using Robotics to Improve Workplace Safety

Despite concerted efforts to reduce both serious injury and death on the job, workplace fatality rates in the United States have remained largely unchanged over the past three decades. To help reverse this devastating development and assist organizations on their safety journeys, the National Safety Council (NSC) recently released a white paper through its Work to […]

OSHA’s Parker Highlights Agency’s Focus Areas at ASSP Conference

Heat stress and fall prevention continue to be among the major focus areas for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) this year, but a new focus is mental health. Speaking last week at the American Society of Safety Professionals’ (ASSP) Safety 2023 conference, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker […]