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On January 11, 2024, the EPA announced a proposal to strengthen Clean Air Act (CAA) standards for large municipal waste combustors (LMWC) that burn municipal solid waste (MSW). LMWCs are incinerators that combust greater than 250 tons per day (tpd) of MSW. “If finalized, the updated standards would reduce emissions of nine pollutants, including smog- […]
On January 17, 2024, the EPA issued guidance that recommends lowering the screening levels used to investigate and clean up lead-contaminated soil in residential areas where children live and play. The guidance, issued by the EPA Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM), marks the first time in 30 years the Agency has recommended lowering […]
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been busy lately and that’s not going to change over the next few years. EHS Daily Advisor wrote last week about the EPA’s enforcement and compliance initiatives for 2024-2027. This inspired the Song of the Week, an environmentally themed classic from Pixies called “Monkey Gone to Heaven.” The song […]
An ongoing controversial construction project in Atlanta for a new training facility for fire and police personnel—nicknamed “Cop City”—highlights what some have characterized as “complicit” actions by the federal government. These allegations are the result of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) removal of a “streamgauge” that measured sediment pollution levels at a creek near the […]
In November 2023, the EPA published final updates to its “Implementing Regulations” under Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act (CAA). The Implementing Regulations set timelines and other requirements for state plans to limit pollution from existing sources under Section 111. The updates apply to state plans developed for all emissions guidelines published after July […]
Two Rhode Island companies, under separate, recently proposed settlements with the EPA, have been ordered to pay combined fines of approximately $280,000 due to alleged violations of reporting requirements for their uses of anhydrous ammonia and metals. The companies alleged violations stem from compliance with the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and the […]
A little-known rule under the Clean Air Act (CAA) known as the “exceptional events rule” allows local regulators to exclude certain high-pollution days from their National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) data reporting. “Exceptional Events are unusual or naturally occurring events that can affect air quality but are not reasonably controllable using techniques that tribal, […]
The EPA on October 31 hosted a two-hour webinar entitled “EPA Clean Ports Program—First Look!” The Clean Ports Program invests $3 billion in technologies to reduce harmful air and climate pollutants at U.S. ports and to create a zero-emission (ZE) shipping future. “This new funding program will build on EPA’s Ports Initiative that helps our […]
In the ongoing battle against per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination, U.S. District Judge James Dever of the Eastern District of North Carolina certified two classes of plaintiffs in a lawsuit claiming Chemours Co. and DuPont discharged wastewater containing PFAS and GenX chemicals, also known as “forever chemicals,” into the Cape Fear River, exposing as […]
For many years, the 85-mile stretch of chemical plants located in southeastern Louisiana and stretching from Baton Rouge to New Orleans has been nicknamed “Cancer Alley.” Home to approximately 83 chemical plants and 45,000 residents, who are predominantly low-income black families, the region’s high rates of cancer have been blamed on pollution from the plants. […]