Category: Special Topics in Environmental Management

USTs: Inspections 101

Aging tanks, muddled inspections, and inadequate recordkeeping can increase the probability for underground storage tank (UST) spills and releases. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirms that more than 6,000 releases are discovered annually, and as of 2015, more than 525,000 total releases from USTs have occurred. UST owners and operators that fail to conduct […]

EPA Ordered to Meet Deadline

A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ordered the EPA to fulfill its obligations under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) to initiate financial assurance rulemaking for the hard rock mining industry. The court order responds to a joint motion filed by six environmental groups and the […]

Amendments Proposed for National Contingency Plan

In a proposal, the EPA has described how it intends to align its National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (more commonly called the National Contingency Plan or NCP) with the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) National Response Framework (NRF) and National Incident Management System (NIMS).

Bill Introduced Would Delay Compliance with Brick MACT

Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House to block the EPA from requiring compliance with its National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for the brick and structural clay products manufacturing and clay ceramics manufacture maximum achievable control technology (collectively, Brick MACT) until any judicial proceedings, including appeals, addressing the rule are final.

Microbead Ban Goes into Law

On December 28, 2015, President Obama signed into law the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 (House of Representatives (H.R.) 1321). This law amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by banning the sale of rinse-off cosmetics that contain intentionally added plastic microbeads beginning January 1, 2018, and by banning the manufacture of these cosmetics […]

Tier II Reporting Essentials

by Tim Fagan The Tier II reporting deadline is approaching. This infographic provides essential information to help you determine if you need to report, along with some helpful tips for preparing and submitting a Tier II report.

Senate WOTUS Override Falls Short

The Senate voted 52 to 40 to override President Obama’s veto of Senate Joint Resolution (S.J. Res.) 22, which was written to prohibit the Agency from implementing its Clean Water Rule. The vote fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto.