Groups Ready Defense Of State Environmental Laws As EPA Rollbacks Loom

Some state lawmakers and environmentalists are preparing to defend and promote state environmental laws that are stricter than federal requirements on curbing greenhouse gases (GHGs), exposures to toxics, and other issues, fearing an attack on state laws echoing Republican attempts in the 112th Congress to rollback EPA regulations. State-level attempts to undo or pare back environmental regulations could occur in states where the governor's office or state legislature switched from Democratic to Republican following the November elections, sources say. In...

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...

GOP Sharpens Three-Pronged Legislative Strategy To Overturn EPA Rules

The new House Republican majority in the 112th Congress is crafting a three-pronged strategy to challenge what it sees as costly EPA regulations, planning a series of Congressional Review Act (CRA) votes to undo rules, proposed spending cuts to prevent the implementation of regulations, and aggressive oversight to highlight rules' costs, sources say. Rep. John Carter (R-TX), secretary of the House GOP Conference, will lead efforts to move CRA resolutions that require a majority vote in both chambers to disapprove...

EPA Targets Interstate Air Pollution

EPA is proposing to reject Kansas' claim that the states' nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions do not contribute to ozone formation in downwind states, saying the state needs to take steps to cut NOx pollution or the agency will impose an air quality improvement plan on Kansas. In a proposed rule slated for publication in the Jan. 6 Federal Register , EPA says it wants to reverse a Bush administration final rule that agreed with Kansas' claim that it is not...

Targeting 'Job-Killing' Rules

An industry think tank is urging the new chairman of the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), to investigate EPA's endocrine disruptor screening program (EDSP) as part of the lawmaker's plan to review “job-killing” regulations from the Obama administration. Issa Dec. 8 sent letters to 150 trade associations, companies and conservative think tanks as he assembles his agenda for the 112th Congress, which convened Jan. 5. The new chairman asked for input on new and upcoming...

http://InsideEpa.com/sites/insideepa.com/documents/jan2011/epa2011_0027.pdf


Center For Regulatory Effectiveness Letter

Public Citizen Letter


EPA Region VI Order Against Range Resources In Texas

EPA Region VIII Order Against Several Companies In Montana

Range Resources Letter To EPA Region VI

Range Resources Sues EPA For Release Of Data, Testimony


http://InsideEpa.com/sites/insideepa.com/documents/jan2011/epa2011_0024.pdf


GOP Sharpens Three-Pronged Legislative Strategy To Overturn EPA Rules

The new Republican House majority in the 112th Congress is crafting a three-pronged strategy to challenge what it sees as costly EPA regulations, planning a series of Congressional Review Act (CRA) votes to undo rules, proposed spending cuts to prevent the implementation of regulations, and aggressive oversight to highlight rules' costs, sources say. Rep. John Carter (R-TX), secretary of the House GOP Conference, will lead efforts to move CRA resolutions that require a majority vote in both chambers to disapprove...

GOP Sharpens Three-Pronged Legislative Strategy To Overturn EPA Rules

The new Republican House majority in the 112th Congress is crafting a three-pronged strategy to challenge what it sees as costly EPA regulations, planning a series of Congressional Review Act (CRA) votes to undo rules, proposed spending cuts to prevent the implementation of regulations, and aggressive oversight to highlight rules' costs, sources say. Rep. John Carter (R-TX), secretary of the House GOP Conference, will lead efforts to move CRA resolutions that require a majority vote in both chambers to disapprove...

Growth Energy Comments

Renewable Fuel Association Comments

American Coalition for Etahnol Comments

National Petrochemical & Refiners Association Comments

Environmental Working Group Comments

Gasoline Retailer Comments

Outdoor Power Equipment Institute Comments

AAA Comments

National Association of Clean Air Agencies Comments


New Acting EPA Policy Office Chief

Louise Wise, a career EPA employee, has been picked to be acting head of the agency's policy office that serves as the main liaison between EPA and the White House on rulemakings, filling a slot left vacant after former office chief Lisa Heinzerling stepped down from the post. According to EPA's website, Wise is now serving as acting associate administrator for the Office of Policy. Wise first joined EPA as an attorney in the general counsel's office, then moved into...

http://InsideEpa.com/sites/insideepa.com/documents/jan2011/epa2011_0022.pdf


Scheduling Order

Fola Coal Company Reply

Sierra Club Complaint


http://InsideEpa.com/sites/insideepa.com/documents/jan2011/epa2011_0020.pdf


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...

EPA, Activists Oppose Industry Bid To Expedite Cement Air Rule Lawsuits

EPA and environmentalists are opposing industry's request to a federal appeals court to expedite litigation challenging the agency's final air toxics and criteria pollutant rules for the Portland cement industry, saying the industry has failed to prove harm necessary to justify accelerating the briefing schedule in the lawsuits. At the same time, industry and environmentalists are for separate reasons urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to resist EPA's request to consolidate litigation filed over...

EPA Eyes New Method For Estimating Health Benefits Of Regulations

EPA is proposing a new method for measuring the public health benefits of its regulations, including reduced mortality levels, a major step that could help the agency defends its regulatory decisions and address long-standing criticisms about its existing method by dropping a measurement that places a statistical value on a human life. EPA late last month released a draft paper, “Valuing Mortality Risk Reductions for Environmental Policy,” prior to a Jan. 20-21 meeting of EPA Science Advisory Board's (SAB) augmented...

Court's Ruling Upholding RFS Biodiesel Standard Backs EPA Discretion

A key appeals court has upheld biodiesel fuel mandates in EPA's renewable fuel standard (RFS) rules, backing the agency's discretion in setting the standard and rejecting industry's claims that the standard violates statutory mandates, is illegally retroactive and violates requirements for industry to have a certain amount of time to comply with agency rules. Industry is strongly opposing the decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, arguing the ruling sets "troubling and potentially far-reaching...

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