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In February 2018, the EPA requested public comment on whether the Agency should continue to abide by its “previous statements” regarding whether point source pollutant discharges to groundwater are subject to regulation under the Clean Water Act (CWA) if the groundwater has a hydrologic connection to Waters of the United States (WOTUS) or waters that […]
In response to a settlement with environmental groups and a court order, the EPA has taken the first step to fulfill its obligation under Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 311(j)(1)(C) to issue regulations regarding discharges of hazardous substances from non-transportation-related onshore facilities. Specifically, the EPA is proposing to take no action, that is, promulgate no […]
The United States system of providing clean drinking water to all Americans, long viewed as one of the nation’s (and the world’s) premier environmental achievements, has been springing significant leaks over more than a decade. In its new Drinking Water Action Plan, which the EPA describes as a “national call to action,” the Agency sums […]
The EPA has reissued its Pesticide General Permit (PGP) for point source discharges of pesticides to waters of the United States. Authorized under the Clean Water Act’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program, the PGP was first issued in 2011 and was effective for a 5-year period.
On September 15, 2016, the Senate passed S. 2848, the Water Resources Development Act of 2016 (WRDA), by a vote of 95 to 3. While a great deal of the bill is directed at improving the ability of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to undertake navigation, flood management, and ecosystem restoration projects, the bill […]
The EPA has issued its first biannual update of its work on a proposal for a final rule that would subject facilities holding hazardous substances to the same requirements applying to facilities holding threshold amounts of oil. The update indicates that the proposal is still in its early stages, and therefore, any views on what […]
If you are planning a small construction project now or in the future, did you know that you may qualify for a waiver from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or your state permitting authority? Projects that qualify for the waiver are exempt from the Clean Water Act’s (CWA) National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is modernizing its approach to environmental compliance and efficiency through a project called “E-Enterprise for the Environment.” Today we will review EPA’s plans for E-Enterprise as outlined in the Agency’s 2017 budget pertaining to air quality, water quality, and inspections. Tomorrow we will look at EPA’s budgetary plans for […]
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.
Earlier this year, former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship was brought to trial on charges of conspiracy to violate mandatory federal mine safety and health standards, conspiracy to impede federal mine safety officials, making false statements to the Securities and Exchange Commission, and securities fraud. Blankenship faced up to 31 years in prison on the […]