Air

Tracking the latest agency and congressional debates over rules to cut emissions of traditional pollutants, and a broad range of novel EPA policies including the agency's shift to a "multipollutant" regulatory approach for individual sectors.

Topic Subtitle
Tracking the latest agency and congressional debates over rules to cut emissions of traditional pollutants, and a broad range of novel EPA policies including the agency's shift to a "multipollutant" regulatory approach for individual sectors.

AUTOMOBILE GROUP TAKES LOW PROFILE IN CLIMATE CHANGE DISCUSSIONS

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a coalition of U.S. and foreign automobile manufacturers, is declining to participate in various public discussions aimed at addressing climate change, begging off the recent Senate energy committee conference on global warming and seeking to block discussion of the issue during an EPA advisory committee's deliberation on how to factor climate change into air quality planning. Auto industry and other sources tracking the issue offer a range of explanations for the group's stance, including ongoing...

CALIFORNIA OFFICIALS AT ODDS OVER TIMING OF CARBON EMISSIONS CAP

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and state Democrats are at odds over when the state should implement a first-time cap on carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from various industry sectors, a dispute that could hamper legislation key state assembly Democrats recently introduced that would create a cap more quickly than what Schwarzenegger is proposing. Schwarzenegger earlier this month called on state officials to delay a decision on whether various industry sectors' CO2 and other greenhouse gas...

U.S. CALL FOR STRICTER INTERNATIONAL SHIP EMISSION RULES SPARKS DEBATE

Federal agencies are calling for more stringent diesel emissions cuts from ships than under an international treaty that is awaiting U.S. ratification, and they are also saying they can set more strict domestic standards if necessary. The push has ignited a debate among environmentalists and industry groups, who both support stricter emissions standards than under the current treaty but disagree on how restrictive future standards should be. The executive branch has drafted Senate legislation obtained by Inside EPA to implement...

NHTSA ANALYSIS SUGGESTS NEW CAFE FUEL REDUCTIONS MAY BE OVERSTATED

Analysis conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for its recent fuel economy rule suggests the agency may be overestimating projected fuel consumption reductions that would result from the regulation. Public Citizen says it will soon send a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), asking the agency to revise its estimate that the new corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) rule for light trucks will save 10.7 billion gallons of fuel. NHTSA's analysis, buried deep in...

EPA DEVELOPING VOLUNTARY FUELS PLAN TO PROMOTE BIODIESEL, E-85

EPA is developing a voluntary program to boost the use of biodiesel and ethanol-containing E-85 -- two fuels that help reduce air toxics emissions -- that the agency may have limited ability to promote in its upcoming regulation to implement the renewable fuels mandate in the 2005 energy law, according to agency officials, fuel industry sources and environmentalists. Industry sources and activists say the voluntary program for biodiesel, a fuel made from materials such as vegetable oil, comes as the...

EPA PLAN ON STATE IDLING LAWS BACKS KEY EXEMPTIONS SOUGHT BY INDUSTRY

Draft model legislation EPA helped develop so that states can promulgate standardized anti-idling laws to reduce vehicle emissions recommends general limits on idling, but contains industry-backed exemptions for rest stops and financial assurance requirements to which states may object, according to state and other sources. EPA began the effort of helping to craft model state legislation in response to longstanding trucking industry concerns that a patchwork of differing state regulations creates confusion. California is also currently poised to implement an...

KENTUCKY PERMIT RULING HANDS ACTIVISTS ANOTHER BLOW IN BID FOR IGCC

Kentucky's recent ruling rejecting calls by environmentalists to require owners of a planned coal-fired utility to consider clean-burning integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology is another blow to activists' efforts to require new plants to use IGCC, rather than traditional pulverized coal technology. The state's Environmental & Public Protection Cabinet Secretary LaJuana S. Wilcher April 12 rejected an August 2005 recommendation by a state hearing officer that Kentucky's Division of Air Quality (DAQ) should be required to consider IGCC in...

STATES EYE PERMIT STREAMLINING TO COPE WITH EPA'S FY07 BUDGET CUTS

Facing shrinking budgets because of proposed EPA state and local grant funding cuts, state environmental officials are looking for innovative ways to streamline their air, water and waste permits to free up resources, several state officials say. An official from Iowa, one of the states pursuing these efforts, says streamlining of permits is "going to become one of the major undertakings most states will have to address in the coming years as budgets shrink and the public demands more accountability."...

TASK FORCE REPORT ON TITLE V PERMITS MAY PROMPT NEW LITIGATION

A long-awaited report from an EPA advisory committee on the clean air permitting process could pave the way for new litigation over what these permits are required to contain, because the report leaves unresolved key issues that have sparked disagreement between industry, states and environmentalists, observers say. A task force of outside groups issued a report April 6 to the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC) that offers a comprehensive evaluation of the permitting program under Title V of the...

LAWSUIT MAY FORESTALL STATE RULES ON NONROAD PARTICULATE EMISSIONS

An industry group is attempting to head off potential state and local regulations to control particulate matter (PM) emissions from nonroad vehicles by filing a lawsuit claiming that states are preempted by the federal government from regulating farm and construction equipment. The lawsuit comes as states, industry and EPA are battling on a variety of fronts over states' ability to regulate vehicles including locomotives, boats and small engines absent a federal mandate. The new lawsuit hinges on an obscure provision...

EPA PLAN ON EMISSIONS TRADING CREDITS MAY HAMPER STATE ACTION ON CAIR

EPA's backstop measure to issue emissions trading credits directly to utilities late next year if states fail to implement the agency's clean air interstate rule (CAIR) could increase uncertainty for utilities preparing to comply with the regulation, industry sources say. Specifically, utilities are concerned that EPA's plan may complicate efforts in Northeast states to implement an emissions trading program more stringent than CAIR, making it more difficult for industry to plan for the financial impact of the federal and state...

TEXAS REGULATOR DOWNPLAYS CONCERN OVER FUTUREGEN'S CO2 INJECTION

A key Texas oil and gas industry regulator is downplaying the risks associated with underground injection of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the Bush administration's proposed FutureGen power plant, dismissing concerns from Ohio and other states that the gas poses environmental risks that may need to be addressed at the federal level. Texas' position on potential risks from CO2 injection appears consistent with positions the state is taking in its bid to win siting of the FutureGen project, a proposed...

INDUSTRY SUGGESTS PEABODY TIES COULD LIMIT IMPACT OF DOE COAL REPORT

Peabody Energy, whose officials played a key role drafting a recent Department of Energy (DOE) advisory panel report recommending ways to promote clean, less polluting coal technologies and domestic coal use, could undermine the report's policy impact because of the company's undue influence over the content of the report, which includes Peabody advertising slogans, industry sources say. The industry concern lends credence to recent criticisms from environmentalists that the report by the National Coal Council (NCC) -- the DOE advisory...

AMID SENATE CONFIRMATION FIGHT, WEHRUM DETAILS AIR OFFICE PRIORITIES

Despite a threatened Senate hold on his nomination to head EPA's air office, acting air chief William Wehrum is plowing ahead with his regulatory agenda, laying out his priorities for air pollution regulation over the coming year. Wehrum identified the priorities to the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC) on April 6, following an April 5 Senate confirmation hearing where he was grilled over his role in controversial policies the air office has already implemented. Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) said...

DEMOCRATS' OPPOSITION MAY FORCE RECESS APPOINTMENT FOR AIR CHIEF

President Bush will likely have to install William Wehrum, his nominee to head EPA's air office, as a recess appointment because of an expected hold from Democrats critical of the administration's air policies, according to Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH). Voinvoich told Wehrum at an April 5 Senate Environment & Public Works Committee confirmation hearing that Democrats are "probably going to stop you" from being approved by the Senate to take on the role of EPA's assistant administrator for air and...

RISING ENERGY PRICES MAY ADD TO EPA SPENDING WOES IN FISCAL YEAR 2007

EPA says its fixed costs are expected to increase in fiscal year 2007, particularly in light of skyrocketing energy prices, raising questions over whether agency program offices may have to shoulder a greater burden if Congress approves deep funding cuts proposed by the Bush administration. In written correspondence to Sen. James Jeffords (I-VT), ranking member on the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee, EPA says oil and natural gas prices will add to the agency's budget woes in FY07. "Utility...

SUPPORT GROWS FOR HOUSE BILL EXEMPTING CAFOS FROM AIR MANDATES

A House bill is gaining momentum that would exempt concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) -- a source of ammonia and other air emissions -- from emissions reporting and cleanup requirements under Superfund law, with over 100 co-sponsors signing on and the possibility of a companion bill in the Senate. The bill, introduced last fall by Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX), would exempt CAFOs from both cleanup and reporting requirements under Superfund. It comes amid several pending lawsuits by state and local...

ACTIVISTS SUE OVER AIR DISTRICT'S RULE ON PARTICLES FROM AGRICULTURE

Environmentalists are suing EPA over its approval of a California air district's plans for reducing emissions from agricultural sources of large particles (PM10), claiming that the plan is contrary to Clean Air Act requirements that the district impose more stringent emission controls on these sources. Earthjustice, on behalf of the Latino Issues Forum and Sierra Club, filed suit April 12 in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit seeking judicial review of EPA's approval of the San Joaquin...

CALIFORNIA PLAN MAY BE MODEL TO TARGET EMISSIONS IMPAIRING WATERS

A novel California effort to develop an approach for regulating air depositions that pollute waterbodies could serve as a national model for addressing the long-standing problem of controlling emissions that cause most waterbody impairments, observers say. California air and water regulators are currently developing a workplan that will identify the roadblocks to regulating air emissions as water pollutants, and how new research and improved partnerships among the state's air and water boards could aid in solving the problem. One state...

States Eye Permit Streamlining To Cope With Looming EPA Budget Cuts

State environment officials are considering innovative ways to streamline their air, water and waste permitting processes to help conserve resources in the face of proposed EPA state and local grant funding cuts for fiscal year 2007, state officials say. An official from Iowa, one of the states pursuing these efforts, says streamlining of permits is "going to become one of the major undertakings most states will have to address in the coming years as budgets shrink and the public demands...

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