EPA Appeals Board Ruling May Set Precedent On Eyeing NAAQS In Air Permits

Correction Appended EPA's Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) has rejected key "major" source air permits the agency issued for Shell to drill exploratory wells off Alaska's coast, setting a possible precedent for future permits after finding EPA erred by not including a new national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) in its equity analysis supporting the permit. The Dec. 30 ruling in In re: Shell Gulf of Mexico Inc. and Shell Offshore Inc. could have broad implications requiring EPA...