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A three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a win for the EPA on June 28, 2024, when it decided to dismiss Electric Energy Inc. (EEI), et al., v. EPA, et al. In the suit, a group of power generating companies sued the EPA, challenging its interpretation of its 2015 coal combustion […]
On August 8, 2024, the EPA announced it finalized updates to strengthen the Safer Choice and Design for the Environment (DfE) Standard, which identifies the requirements that products and their ingredients must meet to earn the Agency’s Safer Choice label or DfE logo. These updates increase the criteria products must meet to qualify for the […]
The EPA and the Department of Justice recently announced a settlement with Houston-based Marathon Oil Company, resolving Clean Air Act (CAA) violations at the company’s oil and gas production operations on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota. “The settlement requires that Marathon pay a civil penalty of $64.5 million, the largest ever for […]
Twenty-six Republicans, led by Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA), recently sent a letter to the EPA expressing concern that the Clean Power Plan (CPP) 2.0 is likely to threaten the reliability of the PJM Interconnection grid, which serves 65 million customers across Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, […]
Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine the debate over electric vehicles. The federal deadline regarding reduced transportation emissions that’s expected to increase electric vehicle (EV) sales continues to creep closer. The pending changes to vehicle emissions limits […]
The EPA recently granted a petition from the Center for Environmental Health, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Clean Cape Fear, Clean Water Action, Delaware Riverkeeper, and Merrimack Citizens for Clean Water to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) formed during the fluorination of plastic containers—perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), […]
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) issued a call for greater use of remote isolation equipment at U.S. chemical facilities, the board announced July 25. A new safety study titled “Remote Isolation of Process Equipment” offered recommendations for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), as […]
In a 5-to-4 ruling delivered June 27, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) delivered yet another blow to EPA authority when it placed the Agency’s “Good Neighbor” rule on hold. The “Good Neighbor” rule, also known as the “Cross State Air Pollution Rule” (CSAPR), was designed to cut pollution from power plants and other industrial […]
The EPA is reviewing comments on proposed revisions to the preconstruction permitting regulations that apply to modifications at existing major stationary sources in the New Source Review (NSR) program under the Clean Air Act (CAA). The proposed revisions include: The NSR program requires certain stationary sources of air pollution to obtain permits before construction. The […]
Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine chemical hazard “worker right-to-know” compliance. Both communities and workers need to understand the chemical hazards they might encounter. Hazard communication, or “worker right-to-know,” is the workplace counterpart to community right-to-know. While […]