Category: Energy

Climate Change Insurance Defense Coverage Up in the Air

Who pays for climate change damages? Industry or their insurance carrier? The first cases that will determine the answer to these questions are making their way through the legal system. In the last few years, several state and local governments across the country have filed lawsuits against energy companies for their alleged contributions to climate […]

Back to Basics: Carbon Capture, Storage, and Repurposing

Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine carbon capture, storage, and reporting. There has been a shift in attitude toward climate action. Instead of being viewed as a source of job loss, climate action is seen as a […]

Climate Lawsuits Sent Back to State Courts

In an opinion dated August 17, 2022, the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals upheld federal district court rulings in Delaware and New Jersey that state courts are the proper venue for two climate change lawsuits brought against big oil companies. Two different lawsuits, one filed by the City of Hoboken and the other by the […]

Back to Basics: Oil and Gas Hazards

Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine the hazards associated with oil and gas extraction, and OSHA’s recommendations for oil and gas safety. Oil and gas industry workers face all kinds of hazards during all the different industrial […]

Is the Biden Administration’s Clean Energy Agenda Dead?

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 […]

Electricity Providers Say Proposed CSAPR Plan Threatens Grid Reliability

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 […]

Tougher Vehicle Emissions Proposed

In a steady march toward a carbonless future, the Biden administration continues to take actions to push industry and consumers into making choices that use less fossil fuel. On June 21, 2022, the EPA released a regulatory update advising it plans to propose tougher emissions standards through at least 2030 vehicle model years by March […]

EPA Says It’s Time to Clean Coal Ash

On January 11, 2022, the EPA announced coal-fired power plants will be required to clean up their coal-ash waste ponds as the Agency begins enforcing regulations to remove decades of coal combustion residue (CCR). Facilities impacted by this announcement are located in New York, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, and Kentucky, reports CNN. CCR […]

The Danger of Radon in Commercial Facilities: How to Detect and Mitigate

January is National Radon Action Month. When you say the word “radon,” most people probably think about residential homes. The majority of people probably never hear of radon until they buy or sell a house. But, the issue of radon spreads far beyond what can be found in homes. Radon found in commercial buildings is […]

EPA Sets GHG Standards For Passenger Vehicles

On December 20, 2021, the EPA announced it is finalizing the most ambitious federal greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks ever. “The final rule for light duty vehicles reflect core principles of this Administration: We followed the science, we listened to stakeholders, and we are setting robust and rigorous standards […]