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.

Pennsylvania Mercury Plan Could Limit Credits For EPA Trading Scheme

Pennsylvania's new proposal to control mercury emissions could significantly limit the number of emissions credits available to trade under EPA's national, controversial cap-and-trade regulation, according to environmentalists and industry sources. The Pennsylvania plan, the first issued by a major coal-producing state, would require all utilities to achieve an 80 percent reduction in mercury emissions by 2010 and a 90 percent reduction by 2015. This is a significant reduction given that the state is currently the second highest emitter of mercury,...

Legal Group To Brief EPA On Application Of Laws To Nanotech

The American Bar Association's (ABA) environment committee will brief EPA attorneys and other officials later this spring on the application of existing environmental statutes to nanotechnology, an emerging field that many believe could provide great benefits but also may pose significant threats to human health and the environment. Plans for the briefing come as congressional lawmakers will also consider the same issues later this spring, and as proposals for new legislation are being drafted by environmental experts off Capitol Hill...

EPA, Central States Look To Clean Energy For Voluntary Emissions Cuts

EPA and a group of nine states in the central part of the country have launched a broad initiative to voluntarily reduce harmful emissions by implementing diesel retrofit, renewable energy and energy efficiency projects throughout the region. Although other regions have launched voluntary efforts to cut emissions, the new initiative in EPA regions VI and VII is unique in adding a focus on renewable and energy efficiency measures, according to EPA Region VI sources. The unique focus reflects the fact...

Carper Eyes Changes To Mercury Rules In Revised Power Plant Bill

Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) -- lead sponsor of an alternative to the administration's controversial Clear Skies multipollutant utility emissions legislation -- may relax near-term timetables for reducing mercury from individual power plants, while also considering new provisions strengthening mercury control levels the facilities must meet in later years, according to sources close to the issue. The possible changes follow utility industry objections to earlier versions of the legislation that limit mercury emissions trading as a way to comply with the...

Activists Challenge EPA Decision Not To Mandate Coal Gasification

Several environmental groups have challenged in federal court a controversial EPA decision to not require evaluation of integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology as the "best available" emissions control technology for new power coal-fired power plants. The environmentalists' lawsuit comes in the wake of a Dec. 13 letter from EPA to the firm E3 consulting in which the agency said requiring such an evaluation under Clean Air Act emissions control technology standards would improperly "redefine the basic nature of a...

EPA MAY SEEK OUTSIDE INPUT ON NAAQS REVIEW IN WAKE OF CRITICISM

EPA's top air official says the agency could seek input from outside groups on its controversial evaluation of the standard-setting process for air pollutants, following criticism that the agency's effort could lack transparency. Congressional Democrats and environmentalists have criticized EPA's plans for a "top-to-bottom" review of the process for setting national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS), which EPA announced shortly after issuing a controversial particulate matter (PM) rule that did not reflect advice from the agency's science advisers to significantly...

BUDGET FOCUS ON 'PARTNERSHIPS' MISDIRECTS KEY STATE FUNDS, CRITICS SAY

The Bush administration's fiscal year 2007 budget request reflects a growing focus on state, local and industry partnerships to solve environmental problems, which some critics say is diverting federal dollars away from crucial state air and water programs in the name of promoting what the White House calls "cooperative conservation." The budget highlights these partnerships as key efforts under the conservation initiative, which asks EPA and the departments of Interior, Agriculture, Commerce and Defense to work with local communities to...

Court Battle Could Force Air Act Controls On Mexican Power Plants

A federal district court ruling allowing to proceed an environmentalists' lawsuit over two Mexican utilities that provide power to California could undermine the companies' bid to sidestep key Clean Air Act requirements by building the plants across the border. The case could also result in a first-time ruling that the plants -- in operation now for 2-1/2 years -- would have to install after-the-fact emissions controls or offset their emissions through other projects, environmentalists involved in the case say. The...

Voinovich Eyes Legislative Relief For States To Meet Air Standards

Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) may draft a stand-alone bill to implement controversial provisions in the Bush administration's stalled Clear Skies plan, which would create a "transitional" clean air attainment designation for areas that are doing everything they can to meet EPA standards but are still not in compliance. The Clear Skies plan would give these areas more time to meet the EPA standards than areas that are clearly out of attainment, and would allow them to avoid some additional emissions...

CARPER EYES CHANGES TO MERCURY RULES IN REVISED POWER PLANT BILL

Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) -- lead sponsor of an alternative to the administration's controversial Clear Skies multipollutant utility emissions legislation -- may relax near-term timetables for reducing mercury from individual power plants, while also considering new provisions strengthening mercury control levels the facilities must meet in later years, according to sources close to the issue. The possible changes follow utility industry objections to earlier versions of the legislation that limit mercury emissions trading as a way to comply with the...

NEW CLEAN POWER PLANT MAY BOOST CRITIQUE OF FUTUREGEN AS UNNEEDED

A newly announced plan to construct a power plant in California capable of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions may bolster arguments that the Bush administration's highly touted FutureGen zero-emissions power plant project is unnecessary and diverts resources from other efforts, according to environmentalists and industry sources following the issue. The new announcement by BP and Edison Mission Group could influence debates over the Department of Energy's (DOE) budget, after the White House sought $54 million in funding for the FutureGen...

DOE'S UPCOMING GHG REGISTRY UNLIKELY TO ATTRACT BROAD PARTICIPATION

The Department of Energy's (DOE) upcoming plan to create a greenhouse gas (GHG) registry -- touted during a major 2002 speech by President Bush outlining his plan to address climate change -- faces the prospect of limited industry participation because it lacks the rigorous requirements of other registries and will not recognize early action or the transfer or sale of emissions credits between private parties, private sector sources say. The long-delayed plan, known as 1605(b) after the section of federal...

VOINOVICH EYES LEGISLATIVE RELIEF FOR STATES TO MEET AIR STANDARDS

Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) may draft a stand-alone bill to implement controversial provisions in the Bush administration's stalled Clear Skies plan, which would create a "transitional" clean air attainment designation for areas that are doing everything they can to meet EPA standards but are still not in compliance. The Clear Skies plan would give these areas more time to meet the EPA standards than areas that are clearly out of attainment, and would allow them to avoid some additional emissions...

LAWMAKERS, AIR OFFICIALS TARGET SHORTFALLS IN EPA PM STANDARDS

California air district officials and state lawmakers said this week that a U.S. EPA plan for controlling particulate matter (PM) emissions is inadequate, furthering state concerns about the health-based federal plan that includes certain exemptions for "rural" areas. In addition to formally opposing the federal proposal, leading state lawmakers may also explore whether California PM standards should be tightened to counter the anticipated effect of the EPA plans. California Sen. Dean Florez (D-Shafter) this week held a hearing of the...

TUCK, ADAMS LIKELY NEW WATER BOARD APPOINTEES, SOURCES SAY

The governor appears likely to tap a controversial former air board chair and a current Central Valley regional water board member to fill open slots on the state water board, according to sources. While local government sources do not believe the appointments would have a significant effect on overall board policy, environmentalists said they would oppose one or both of the selections. Current Cal/EPA assistant secretary Cindy Tuck -- who was unable last year to attain Senate confirmation for chair...

CALIFORNIA STAKEHOLDERS BLAST EPA WASTE INCINERATOR RULES

Environmentalists and conversion technology proponents are blasting U.S. EPA, for different reasons, over the agency's recently proposed changes to Clean Air Act regulations for trash incinerators. Activists argue the proposed revisions do not go far enough to reduce emissions from the facilities, while industry argues that higher compliance costs may threaten the technology viability, which they argue is a key renewable energy source that should be embraced. California has three of the nation's 89 trash incinerators, also known as municipal...

INDUSTRY SET TO CHALLENGE PARTICULATE MATTER PENALTY BILL

Sen. Dean Florez (D-Shafter) has introduced a bill that allows the air board and air districts to impose additional fines on sources that emit high levels of particulate matter (PM) in violation of state or federal air quality standards. Expected to face industry opposition, the bill seeks to counter a recent U.S. EPA proposal to abandon a standard for coarse PM in rural areas ( see related story ). Supporters say SB 1252 seeks to uphold the state's enforcement ability...

EXPERTS: ATMOSPHERIC DEPOSITION MAY PROMPT NEW AIR, WATER RULES

Regulators should consider new Smog Check inspection provisions and tougher air permits to address atmospheric deposition of pollutants, state officials and stakeholders told Cal/EPA officials this week. But some water agency officials believe a comprehensive analysis of atmospheric deposition could lead to looser stormwater permits, based on the contention that more stringent air rules will automatically lower the pollutants' presence in stormwater. Atmospheric deposition occurs when particulate pollution suspended in the air either settles into water bodies or ends up...

ACTIVISTS CHALLENGE EPA DECISION NOT TO MANDATE COAL GASIFICATION

Several environmental groups have challenged in federal court a controversial EPA decision to not require evaluation of integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology as the "best available" emissions control technology for new power coal-fired power plants. The environmentalists' lawsuit comes in the wake of a Dec. 13 letter from EPA to the firm E3 consulting in which the agency said requiring such an evaluation under Clean Air Act emissions control technology standards would improperly "redefine the basic nature of a...

DOJ REFOCUSES AIR ENFORCEMENT ON MACT, NON-UTILITY NSR VIOLATIONS

EPA and the Department of Justice (DOJ) are focusing on new priority areas for their clean air enforcement efforts, including air toxics and new source review (NSR) violations in sectors other than utilities, as the two agencies wind down their NSR utility initiative, a top DOJ environment attorney says. Bruce Gelber, a top attorney with DOJ's environment and natural resources division, told attendees at an American Bar Association conference in Bethesda, MD, last week that EPA and DOJ intend to...

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