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.

INDUSTRY OPPOSES STATE, ACTIVIST CALL FOR INTERIM TRAIN, BOAT AIR RULES

Maritime and rail industry sources are opposing a call from state and local air officials and activist groups urging EPA to issue "interim" regulations to reduce pollution from existing marine and locomotive engines, ahead of stricter standards for new engines that EPA has said it will impose. A rail industry source says such an interim standard would be unprecedented and would likely face a legal challenge. EPA has yet to issue a proposal to reduce emissions from new locomotive and...

SOUTH COAST RIPS ARB GAS RULE EXCLUSION OF OFF-ROAD ETHANOL EMISSIONS

The South Coast air district is blasting an air board staff decision to exclude ethanol permeation emissions from off-road vehicles in an update of a key model used to predict pollution impacts of reformulated gasoline (RFG). South Coast officials believe the decision will lead to underestimated hydrocarbon emissions and mitigation targets that will fall short of addressing actual pollution. But the air board defends the decision, citing a lack of off-road data, and intends to advance the new model to...

GROUPS MAKE FINAL PUSH FOR CONTROVERSIAL SHIPPING CONTAINER FEE

Environmentalists are making a final push to convince lawmakers and the governor to approve a controversial shipping container fee to pay for air quality, infrastructure and security enhancements at the state's largest ports. But shipping industry representatives are aggressively countering this effort by declaring such fees are not only illegal taxes that violate interstate commerce laws, but would drive businesses to other ports and increase prices on a spectrum of consumer goods. The dispute over the legislation -- SB 760...

CPUC JUDGE BACKS SOUTH COAST CONCERNS IN LNG QUALITY DECISION

A California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) administrative law judge (ALJ) is supporting South Coast air district recommendations that utilities ensure future liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports meet current natural gas specifications to prevent adverse air pollution impacts, in a proposed decision. District officials have raised concerns that "hotter-burning" LNG imports expected in the coming years may increase pollution from various household and industrial equipment, as well as from vehicles that run on compressed natural gas (CNG). Southern California utilities, including...

BIODIESEL BACKERS WARY OF AIR BOARD DECISION TO DELAY NEW POLICY

Biodiesel industry representatives and alternative-fuel vehicle fleet operators said this week they are disappointed with an air board staff decision to further delay the release of a finalized biodiesel policy describing how the board intends to regulate the fuel. Biodiesel stakeholders see the release of the policy as critical to determine how the industry may market and invest in biodiesel blends in California, in light of state mandates to reduce petroleum dependency and greenhouse gas emissions. To this point, air...

PESTICIDE EXEMPTIONS IN DPR AIR QUALITY PLAN SPUR CONTROVERSY

Industry groups are urging the pesticides department to exempt some fumigants from an upcoming regulation cutting pesticide emissions, asserting their potential to pollute is minimal. But activists have long argued fumigants emit ozone-forming emissions, and predict any exemptions would fail to meet stringent U.S. EPA standards. The Department of Pesticide Regulation's rulemaking is seen as key to meeting state and federal air quality goals, and may require manufacturers and growers to significantly alter the use and formulation of pesticides. DPR...

INDUSTRY OPPOSES STATE, ACTIVIST CALL FOR INTERIM TRAIN, BOAT AIR RULES

Maritime and rail industry sources are opposing a call from state and local air officials and activist groups urging U.S. EPA to issue "interim" regulations to reduce pollution from existing marine and locomotive engines, ahead of stricter standards for new engines that EPA has said it will impose. A rail industry source said such an interim standard would be unprecedented and would likely face a legal challenge. EPA has yet to issue a proposal to reduce emissions from new locomotive...

STUDY REVEALS TROUBLESOME ETHANOL EMISSIONS FROM NEWER VEHICLES

Contrary to some previous expectations, newer-model vehicles running on reformulated gasoline (RFG) containing low levels of ethanol emit significant hydrocarbon permeation emissions, according to updated results of an ongoing study. While the new information is intensifying pressure on state air board officials to reduce the pollution, a regulatory game plan remains to be seen. Oil, ethanol and auto industry representatives are closely watching the study developments and Air Resources Board response actions related to its RFG regulation, because of potentially...

MERCURY SWITCH DEAL MARKS MAJOR FINANCIAL WIN FOR STEEL INDUSTRY

EPA's recent agreement with the steel and auto industries under which the sectors created a $4 million fund to remove mercury-containing devices from cars destined for recycling may mark a major financial win for steelmakers, because the deal means they no longer have to comply with a rule that could have cost hundreds of millions of dollars to implement, according to steel industry and other sources. A steel industry representative says the agreement represents the most cost-effective way to remove...

States Ask EPA To Withdraw 'Illegal' Draft Regional Haze Guidance

Nine states are asking EPA's acting air chief William Wehrum to take the unusual step of withdrawing what they call an illegal draft guidance outlining how states must assess whether they are making "reasonable progress" under the agency's regional haze rule (RHR), which aims to improve visibility in national parks and wilderness areas. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), which organized the letter on the RHR, and top environmental officials from Colorado, North Dakota, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri...

Xcel Project May Boost Calls For Carbon Capture At New Coal Plants

Environmentalists and other observers say a major energy company's plan to develop a first-ever power plant capable of capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions could boost public pressure on industry and regulators to pursue similar facilities instead of building new plants with traditional technologies. At issue is an Aug. 15 announcement by Xcel Energy that the company is committing $3.5 million toward developing a facility in Colorado that would capture CO2 and use integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology...

Industry Opposes State, Activist Call For Interim Train, Boat Air Rules

Maritime and rail industry sources are opposing a call from state and local air officials and activist groups urging EPA to issue "interim" regulations to reduce pollution from existing marine and locomotive engines, ahead of stricter standards for new engines that EPA has said it will impose. A rail industry source says such an interim standard would be unprecedented and would likely face a legal challenge. EPA has yet to issue a proposal to reduce emissions from new locomotive and...

Tight Deadlines For Area Source Rules May Spur Innovative Approaches

Due to concerns that EPA faces tight court-ordered deadlines to issue 50 regulations for "area sources" of air toxics by 2009 at the latest, the agency may pursue innovative approaches for setting the standards that include issuing fewer rules for multiple source categories rather than source category-specific rules. Judge Paul Friedman of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia wrote in an Aug. 2 opinion in Sierra Club v. EPA that the agency failed to perform its duty...

Activists Mull Novel Clean Water Act Suits To Limit Airborne Mercury

Environmentalists in states with high levels of mercury in water are exploring a potentially landmark lawsuit claiming that power plant smokestacks can be regulated under the Clean Water Act (CWA) as point sources of pollution -- one of several innovative strategies environmental groups are considering in an effort to force steep cuts in air emissions of mercury that are causing water pollution. The possible new efforts come after EPA rejected a novel Massachusetts approach to exempt mercury-impaired waters from the...

EPA Proposal To Cut Haze Monitors May Force State Over-Regulation

An EPA proposal to cut 35 emissions monitors from the national regional haze monitoring network is likely to reduce the quality of pollution data state regulators are able to collect, which could prompt states to over-regulate sources to guarantee they are achieving emissions reductions, state officials and activists say. One state official says any cuts to the monitoring network will create more uncertainty for regulators because it will make it harder to discover the amount of emissions various sources are...

Activists Cite Offsets In Urging States, Cities To Avoid Climate Exchange

As two business groups launch an effort to standardize how climate trading markets use emissions offset credits, environmentalists are urging states and cities not to join the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) -- the nation's first voluntary carbon trading market -- in part because of CCX offset rules. Additionally, environmentalists will urge the business groups to model their offset standards on the most rigorous protocol developed to date. An Aug. 1 letter organized by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and...

EPA PROPOSAL TO CUT HAZE MONITORS MAY FORCE STATE OVER-REGULATION

An EPA proposal to cut 35 emissions monitors from the national regional haze monitoring network is likely to reduce the quality of pollution data state regulators are able to collect, which could prompt states to over-regulate sources to guarantee they are achieving emissions reductions, state officials and activists say. One state official says any cuts to the monitoring network will create more uncertainty for regulators because it will make it harder to discover the amount of emissions various sources are...

SIDES RAMP UP LOBBYING EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE CLIMATE CHANGE BILL

Industry groups, environmentalists, administration officials and independent climate change experts this week ramped up efforts to influence landmark greenhouse gas (GHG) emission-reduction legislation, as the legislative session nears its Aug. 31 close. Sources say it is a near certainty that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would sign the legislation if approved by lawmakers, making it increasingly important that various interest groups intensify lobbying over the next three weeks to attempt to affect the bill's key provisions. The bill -- AB 32 (Assembly...

VALLEY DAIRY STUDIES COULD SPUR EMISSION ESTIMATE CHANGES

Recently published studies analyzing the sources and amounts of emissions at San Joaquin Valley dairies may force the local air district to change how it regulates the pollution, an author of the studies said this week. The studies' findings challenge the district's original estimates of the makeup and sources of those emissions, researchers say. The studies are seen as the basis for significant potential revisions to the San Joaquin Valley's landmark dairy rule, which is one of the first in...

GROUPS RIP SOUTH COAST PLAN OPENING CREDIT RESERVE TO POWER PROJECTS

South Coast air district officials are under fire from environmentalists over a proposal to open an emission reduction credit (ERC) "priority reserve" to enable new power projects to be built, arguing the move threatens communities, inappropriately manipulates the ERC market and contradicts the reserve's purpose. But district officials maintain the urgent need for electricity in the region justifies the rule changes, and say at-risk communities are protected under environmental laws applied to local projects. The controversy over the South Coast...

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