EPA CONSIDERS FLEXIBLE PERMIT STRATEGY FOR AREA SOURCE TOXIC RULES

EPA is considering whether to relax federal permit requirements in a host of pending new air toxics standards for industrial categories with relatively low emission levels, classified under the air act's "area source" program, according to state officials engaged in discussions with the agency. The officials are working with EPA on approaches for developing 50 long-delayed area source toxics standards, amid concerns about excessive regulatory burdens on state agencies. While it is still unclear how EPA will finalize these standards,...