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On October 6, 2023, the EPA announced two regulations in the continued crusade to phase down the use of super-polluting hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The first new action is a final rule to accelerate the ongoing transition to more efficient and climate-safe technologies in new refrigeration, heating, and cooling systems and other products by restricting the use […]
On September 28, 2023, the EPA approved Ohio’s plan to reduce the amount of phosphorus flowing from the Maumee River into Lake Erie’s western basin. The plan establishes a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for phosphorus for the Maumee River Watershed. “The TMDL is a ‘pollution diet’ dictating the maximum amount of pollution the water […]
The EPA announced that Jens Schkade of Grand View, Idaho, has agreed to pay an $88,749 penalty over violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA) related to the safe handling and disposal of asbestos. According to the consent decree, on October 5, 2021, Schkade wrecked a commercial building called the Square Deal Store, located at […]
On September 22, 2023, the EPA proposed to strengthen a 2020 Clean Air Act (CAA) rule by ensuring industrial facilities that emit large amounts of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) can’t increase emissions when reclassifying from a “major source” of emissions to an “area source.” The proposed amendments to the “Reclassification of Major Sources as Area […]
Several environmental and citizen watch groups have filed suit against the EPA in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to force the Agency to strengthen regulations for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) to provide better water quality protection. The lawsuit was filed after the EPA denied a 2017 petition that requested a […]
In the third quarter (Q3), the EPA finalized 515 settlement agreements with companies small and large across the United States. This represents a significant increase in enforcement actions—up from 260 penalties—issued in Q2 for 2023. The actions taken resulted in $14,629,489 in fines. Here are some of the highlights. RCRA violations yield biggest fine from […]
On September 13, 2023, the EPA published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to amend the General Provisions for National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) to address applicability and compliance issues resulting from the addition of a compound to the list of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) under the Clean Air Act (CAA). […]
The EPA estimates approximately 9.2 million lead pipe lines are used to carry drinking water to homes across the United States. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made $15 billion available through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to provide loans in support of lead pipe replacement projects in cities across the nation. “Washington, Oregon, Maine […]
On September 25, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia denied a motion in Utah v. EPA to stay the EPA Good Neighbor Plan, which regulates air pollution crossing state lines. The single-page ruling states the motion was denied because the plaintiffs “have not satisfied the stringent requirements for a stay […]
On September 8, 2023, the EPA published a proposed consent decree to finalize nationwide standards that will protect U.S. waterways from harmful vessel discharges. Under the agreement, the agency must release final regulations on ballast water discharges by September 24, 2024. The proposed consent decree is to settle Center for Biological Diversity et al. v. […]