Tag: Environmental Compliance

8 BMPs for Hazardous Waste Containers

Violations of container management standards are very common and cited often by agency inspectors as the most common of regulatory violations, particularly by hazardous waste generators. Anyone who handles hazardous waste should be aware that many inspectors go to hazardous waste accumulation or storage areas first when conducting an inspection. A recent example of an […]

RCRA Lessons Learned—Know Your Status!

Recap: Under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) rules, and most state variations of the RCRA rules, there are three classes of generators: large quantity generators (LQGs), small quantity generators (SQGs), and conditionally exempt small quantity generators (CESQGs). The classes are defined by the amount of hazardous waste generated each month. If you […]

EPA Wants to Protect Honey Bees: Who’s Affected?

Along the way, you can take a look at some fun facts and trivia about bees, provided by Pennsylvania Apiculture Inc., the nonprofit that runs National Honey Bee Day. Label Requirements Registrants of certain pesticides that have been deemed harmful to bees are required to include instructions on the labels to applicators on minimizing exposure […]

Why You Should Care about the Endangered Species Act

What Is the ESA? The ESA has been one of the more contentious environmental laws. This may stem from its strict substantive provisions, which can affect the use of both federal and nonfederal lands and resources. The Act defines “endangered” as “any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion […]

New Guidance for Chemical Facilities Calls for IST

In response, in part, to the EO, the EPA has: Issued a request for information (RFI) seeking public comment on updating its risk management program (RMP) regulation, and a notice of proposed rulemaking is being prepared.  The Agency is looking for specific feedback on whether the list of RMP-regulated substances should be modified by adding […]

Let the Sun Shine on Unemployment—Does Renewable Energy Create Jobs?

Although it might seem obvious what renewable energy is, there is some debate about how renewable energy is defined, which has a definite effect on policy and regulation. What seems clear from various readings is that renewable energy does not include resources from fossil fuels or waste products from fossil fuel sources. According to the […]

How Does Fixing D.C. Sewer Problems Affect You?

The Washington, D.C., area has been struggling with CSOs for years. Under a 2005 Clean Water Act Consent Decree, the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) was required to implement its Long Term Control Plan (LTCP), which primarily consisted of the construction of a system of pumps and three underground storage tunnels […]

The Truth about CSOs

Here’s the Problem About 700 U.S. cities, concentrated in the Northeast, the Great Lakes region, and the Pacific Northwest, have combined sewer systems (CSSs).  CSSs link sanitary sewers and stormwater conveyances to outfalls to surface water bodies.  When the weather is dry or moderately wet, the CSS carries both urban street runoff and sanitary sewage […]

A Quick Look at Changes to the Stormwater MSGP

Note: Industrial facilities that want coverage under the 2015 MSGP must submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) by September 2 to be covered by the new permit. No NEPA Review for New Sources The EPA prepared an environmental assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to determine the potential environmental impact of the […]

Will You Be WOTUSed?

Who Gets WOTUSed? Do the waterbodies near where you want to either develop or expand meet the new definition of waters of the United States (WOTUS), requiring you to get a permit? Here are some things to consider. You Need to Get a Permit if the Water … Is currently in use, was used at […]