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Proponents of energy infrastructure projects such as natural gas pipelines and electricity transmission lines that require federal licenses or permits welcomed an EPA proposal to amend regulations to implement the state certification process authorized by Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) for these projects.
No one looks forward to the day when the regulatory authority arrives at your facility for an inspection. Will he or she find issues of noncompliance? Will an enforcement action or penalty be forthcoming? But remember, the ultimate goal of the inspector is not to write up a notice of violation but to ensure your […]
During the first half of 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) enforcement record has proven that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Despite shifting priorities and upheaval regarding the scope of the Agency’s jurisdiction over waters of the United States (WOTUS), the EPA has quietly continued to issue hefty fines […]
The EPA has issued new guidance describing measures and other considerations federal agencies should adopt when fulfilling their roles in the Clean Water Act’s (CWA) Section 401 state certification process, particularly in relation to federal permitting of infrastructure projects. Specific topics addressed in the guidance are timelines for review and action on Section 401 certifications, […]
In a lengthy interpretive statement, the EPA takes the position that a pollutant discharged from a point source, which reaches a water of the United States via a hydrologic connection provided by groundwater, is not subject to permitting under the Clean Water Act’s (CWA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
Two types of jurisdiction were central to a case in which two plaintiff companies deposited hazardous waste generated in Colorado into industrial wells in Illinois. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) found that the injections were conducted without the required Class I permit and brought charges against the companies before the Illinois Pollution Control Board […]
Now that we are about halfway through the 5-year permit cycle for the federal 2015 Multi-Sector General Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Industrial Activity (MSGP), it’s a good idea to turn our attentions toward what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has in store for the 2020 MSGP.
Two environmental groups have filed a suit in a U.S. District Court against the Department of the Interior (DOI) for allegedly failing to comply with federal law regarding the impact of hydraulic fracturing and acidizing being conducted at oil production platforms in California’s Santa Barbara Channel.
In the world of stormwater, certain “qualified” professionals have hefty responsibilities, such as conducting facility inspections, monitoring, and developing and certifying the stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP). But, what does it really mean to be a qualified professional? Often, in National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater permits, there is language referring to a qualified […]
Q. We recently purchased an existing building, but renovations need to be completed prior to moving into the building. What types of indoor/outdoor activities would trigger the need for a permit?