EAB Ruling Could Set Precedent For Weighing New NAAQS In Air Permits

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 and also questioning EPA's practice of relying only on NAAQS attainment to demonstrate environmental justice. The Dec. 30 ruling in In re: Shell Gulf of Mexico Inc...