EPA Defends Clean Air Settlements With Refiners Following Court Query

EPA and the Justice Department (DOJ) have issued an explanation of an environmental settlement with Chevron that provides a broad defense of the agency's negotiated agreements with refiners under a long-running Clean Air Act enforcement initiative. The government's explanation provides what several attorneys say is an unusual glimpse into the EPA negotiating strategy, including the rationale behind its decisions to negotiate broad settlements that may include concessions to industry, while limiting investigations into specific violations in order to avoid extended...