Posts from March 2013.

The recent decision in Sierra Club v. EPA, 705 F.3d 458 (D.C. Cir. 2013) vacated all of EPA's rules on Significant Monitoring Concentrations ("SMCs"), as well as some (the Prevention of Significant Deterioration ("PSD") portion) of the Significant Impact Levels ("SILs") for Particulate Matter in air emissions measuring 2.5 micrometers in diameter or smaller ("PM2.5"). As a result permit applicants have fewer screening tools available when seeking exemption from analysis and monitoring requirements under the Clean Air Act ("Act").

A. Background for the Act, NAAQS ...

The costs of reducing air emissions, at least particulates, appears to be justified according to research cited during a recent lecture by environmental economist C. Arden Pope, III, a professor at Brigham Young University. An article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Dr. Pope recounted epidemiological and scientific studies demonstrating the health and economic benefits of air pollution control regulation. Pope was speaking as part of the distinguished lecturer series at Pittsburgh Carnegie Mellon University, and he reminded the audience of early work done Lester B ...
Posted in: Air Pollution

UPDATE to previous article: EPA Confirms Uncertainty Over Timing Of Final Coal Ash Rule

As anticipated in a previous posting, President Obama has formally nominated Gina McCarthy to be the next Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. McCarthy brings to the position notable experience at both the state and federal levels. She joined EPA in 2009, and currently serves as Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation. Prior to joining EPA, she served as Director of state environmental agencies in both Connecticut and Massachusetts, the latter in the ...

Previously, we referenced an article in Bloomberg BNA reporting on an interview with an EPA representative who indicated that the Agency could not provide a definitive timeline for promulgating final regulations on the management of coal ash generated by power plants. EPA has now more formally confirmed this uncertainty. Recently, in announcing projected publication dates for a wide range of rules in various stages of development, EPA effectively acknowledged that there is no target date for the final rule. This is also reflected on EPA's web page which tracks the history of the ...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced that it has reached an agreement with the Wisconsin Builders Association, the National Association of Home Builders and others to settle litigation challenging revised standards regulating construction stormwater discharges, including a regulation establishing numerical turbidity limits. The standards were initially adopted in 2009 and then included in the Agency's final construction stormwater permit in 2012.

The Settlement Agreement, which was filed in December, addressed a number of issues raised in the ...

Burr
Jump to Page
Arrow icon Top

Contact Us

We use cookies to improve your website experience, provide additional security, and remember you when you return to the website. This website does not respond to "Do Not Track" signals. By clicking "Accept," you agree to our use of cookies. To learn more about how we use cookies, please see our Privacy Policy.

Necessary Cookies

Necessary cookies enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. These cookies may only be disabled by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.


Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies help us improve our website by collecting and reporting information on its usage. We access and process information from these cookies at an aggregate level.