Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
In February 2019, the EPA issued its Action Plan for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The Plan listed five priority actions and four short-term actions to address “key PFAS-related challenges.” One of the priority actions is to provide guidance for groundwater cleanup at sites contaminated with the two PFAS that have prompted the most concern—perfluorooctanoic […]
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).
In his first nationally broadcast interview, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said “most of the threats from climate change are 50 to 75 years out.”
The EPA’s final Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) for asbestos is a partial step to limit potential human exposure to the toxic substance.
In a final rule, the EPA is amending technical provisions of its 2016 New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and Emission Guidelines (EG) for Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incinerators (CISWIs). Most of the amendments respond to requests for clarification the Agency received from industry stakeholders and implementing agencies following the 2016 action.
Hundreds of U.S. cities of all sizes are not waiting for the federal government to recommit to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and regain its position as the world leader in stemming climate change. At an April 2, 2019, House hearing, the mayors of three of those cities told their stories of commitment to a […]
In an April 11, 2019, ruling, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit affirmed a district court decision that found that two companies that sold a contaminated property to another company were jointly and severally liable for $5.4 million in response costs; one of the companies was also found liable […]
In a 2018 fact sheet, the EPA discussed the persistent problem of oil contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) getting inadvertently mixed with recyclable used motor oil. Based on the Agency’s experience with mixing incidents, the fact sheet summarizes best management practices (BMPs) that both oil collection centers and recyclers can use to ensure that PCB-contaminated […]
As part of a new policy to expedite the permitting and construction of energy infrastructure projects, President Donald Trump has issued an Executive Order (EO) directing the EPA to review and revise the federal program for Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401 certifications.
According to a rare Management Alert from the EPA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), information reported to the Agency on chemicals released to the environment by publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) conflicted with information the OIG obtained separately from the Agency.