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Simple Steps for Minimizing Stormwater Pollution Stormwater runoff is the major contributor to the ongoing degradation of our nation’s surface and groundwater. Although we cannot control precipitation, there are plenty of ways to control its impact through measures that are both common sense and required by law. Here are some of EPA’s recommended measures for […]
Resources for Choosing Cleaner, More Efficient Vehicles The U.S. mandate to eliminate leaded gasoline became effective on January 1, 1996, following the gradual reduction of lead in gasoline that began in the early 1970s. But that was just the first step to reduce toxic air pollution from a variety of mobile sources aimed at specific […]
Impacts of Near-Roadway Air Pollution It’s the rare person that has not had the unfortunate experience of driving too close to a vehicle like a heavy-duty diesel truck and getting a car full of smelly exhaust. But the everyday impacts of the cumulative emissions on major roads are also under scrutiny by the Environmental Protection […]
Costs and Benefits of EPA’s Proposed Ozone Standards Since the Clean Air Act was passed in 1970, the EPA claims harmful air pollution has been reduced “by about 70% while the U.S. economy has more than tripled,” with ground-level ozone dropping about 33% since 1980. Overall, 90% of the areas in the United States that […]
EPA’s Proposed Changes to Ground-Level Ozone Standards The EPA is required by the Clean Air Act (CAA) to review outdoor air quality standards for ozone every 5 years “by following a set of open, transparent steps and considering the advice of a panel of independent experts.” In this most recent review, more than 1,000 […]
Global Methane Initiative—A Trash to Treasure Story, Part 2 The United States is a very active partner in the GMI and in keeping with the original targeted areas of focus, has created four voluntary industry programs to address methane as an emission and as an energy source. Here is a look at the programs […]
Global Methane Initiative—A Trash to Treasure Story, Part 1 According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), methane “accounts for 14 percent of global GHG emissions with an estimated 7,196 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2E) of anthropogenic [manmade] emissions in 2010.” Although methane is emitted in smaller quantities than carbon dioxide (CO2) […]
SPCC Violations Underscore Importance of Facility Response Plans In December 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with an Alaska-based oil field services company for multiple violations of the SPCC rule, including failure to submit an FRP. Under the SPCC regulations, there are two scenarios that require preparation and submission of […]
Tips for Assessing Applicability with the SPCC Rule Tip—Know the qualifying factors for coverage under the SPCC rule. The SPCC rule applies when the following are met at a facility*: The facility stores, transfers, uses, or consumes oil or oil products, such as diesel fuel, gasoline, lube oil, hydraulic oil, adjuvant oil, crop oil, […]
Sufficiently Sensitive Testing Methods Rule—The Definitions One of the most subjective aspects of testing methods is the term “sufficiently sensitive.” To establish what is meant by the term, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has defined it in two sections of the regulations: 40 CFR 122.21(e), which covers application completeness, and in 40 CFR 122.44(i)(I)(iv), which […]