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The Department of Defense (DoD), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently proposed a rule to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement a requirement to ensure certain federal contractors disclose their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate-related financial risk and set science-based targets to reduce their […]
Due to “recent scientific advances,” the EPA has proposed a new approach to estimating the social cost of greenhouse gases (SC GHGs). SC GHGs are the estimated social harms from each incremental ton of GHG emissions released into the atmosphere. The proposal came packaged as part of a proposed rule to cut methane and other […]
The EPA is planning more stringent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks and large trailers in 2023, Reuters reports. In March 2022, the Agency published a proposed rule to set more stringent pollution reductions regulations applicable to heavy-duty vehicles and engines starting with model year (MY) 2027. The vehicle types expected to be […]
After passing the House and Senate, President Joseph Biden Jr. signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 into law on August 16, 2022. Although significantly pared down from its predecessor, the Build Back America bill, it is the largest federal commitment to date to address climate change. The law provides $369 billion in funding […]
Twelve states and a coalition of environmental groups are fighting the EPA over lax greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for airlines in two different lawsuits at the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Both suits petition the D.C. Circuit Court to review the final action by the EPA entitled “Control of Air Pollution from Airplanes and […]
A forthcoming proposed rule from the Biden administration will require contractors supplying goods and services to the federal government to disclose greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other climate-related risks. The rule follows similar requirements proposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) related to the disclosure of climate change risks. The proposed changes to the Federal […]
In a steady march toward a carbonless future, the Biden administration continues to take actions to push industry and consumers into making choices that use less fossil fuel. On June 21, 2022, the EPA released a regulatory update advising it plans to propose tougher emissions standards through at least 2030 vehicle model years by March […]
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) released its Draft 2022 Scoping Plan Update for public comment on May 10, 2022. These updates describe the state’s approach to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and are required every 5 years under Assembly Bill 32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. The state’s current reduction goals […]
On April 14, 2022, the EPA released its 29th annual report, “Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks.” The report presents an overview of national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 1990 to 2020. The GHG inventory covers seven key GHGs: Carbon dioxide (CO2) Methane Nitrous oxide Hydrofluorocarbons Perfluorocarbons Sulfur hexafluoride Nitrogen trifluoride It also […]
On April 21, 2022, EPA Administrator Michael Regan signed a final action denying four petitions filed between 2017 and 2019, which challenged the Agency’s 2009 finding that “elevated concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere may reasonably be anticipated to endanger the public health and welfare of current and future U.S. generations.” The petitions […]