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.

DEMOCRATS URGE BUSH TO DROP PROGRAM 'SUNSET' PLAN FROM LINE-ITEM BILL

Democratic senators are recommending to President Bush that language creating a commission to "sunset" EPA and other agency programs be dropped from a bill giving the president line-item veto authority if the veto language is to succeed, Senate staff say. Bush is seeking line-item authority in an effort to control government spending by removing congressional "earmarks" from spending bills that often go to members' districts. The Senate Budget Committee June 20 approved S. 3521, the "Stop Over Spending Act of...

EPA Reviews SNAP Rules To Ensure Consistency With Position In CO2 Suit

EPA is scrutinizing its long-established practice of considering the global warming potential (GWP) of proposed substitutes for ozone-depleting substances to ensure it is consistent with the agency's arguments in the pending Supreme Court case over EPA authority to regulate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from mobile sources. An agency source says officials are reviewing two draft regulations for the agency's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program -- which prescribes alternatives to ozone-depleting chemicals -- over concerns that criteria the agency uses...

Advisers Oppose EPA Plan To Limit Panel's Role In NAAQS Process

EPA science advisers are opposing an agency plan to have political appointees provide more input into national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS), which set maximum levels of criteria pollutants allowed in the air, and instead are urging the agency to expand their role to ensure they consider "critical" policy issues, rather than redundant scientific information. Air chief Bill Wehrum and science chief George Gray have developed a proposal for revising the agency's process for setting NAAQS. The plan seeks to...

Utilities Face Strict Pennsylvania Mercury Rule After Nixing Trading

Pennsylvania utilities are facing a strict mercury control regulation exceeding EPA requirements after power companies rejected an amendment to a pending mercury bill that would have allowed limited emissions trading within the state, according to power industry, state and other sources. The utilities' rejection of the trading plan makes it increasingly likely that the Pennsylvania legislature will not agree on an alternative to the strict state mercury proposal, despite efforts by critics of the rule to move legislation that would...

UTILITIES FACE STRICT PENNSYLVANIA MERCURY RULE AFTER NIXING TRADING

Pennsylvania utilities are facing a strict mercury control regulation exceeding EPA requirements after power companies rejected an amendment to a pending mercury bill that would have allowed limited emissions trading within the state, according to power industry, state and other sources. The utilities' rejection of the trading plan makes it increasingly likely that the Pennsylvania legislature will not agree on an alternative to the strict state mercury proposal, despite efforts by critics of the rule to move legislation that would...

INDUSTRIES PRESS ARB TO CLARIFY CONTROVERSIAL BIODIESEL POLICY

Biodiesel stakeholders are urging air board officials to clarify key provisions of a draft policy guiding how the board may regulate the fuel, noting that the document currently contains a number of vague and ambiguous statements. The policy is considered critical to future use and investment in biodiesel blends in California, especially in light of growing efforts to reduce petroleum use and engine emissions, including greenhouse gases, sources said. Both supporters and opponents of the new draft policy indicate that...

MULTI-AGENCY IMPACTS SEEN WITH VALLEY COMPOSTING, BURNING RULES

The San Joaquin Valley air district plans to soon unveil two new rules to reduce emissions from composting, biosolids and agricultural open-burning activities. But district officials say they must further refine the rules to avert negative consequences for sister agencies seeking to meet waste and water quality goals. The rules are expected to help the district meet state and federal air quality mandates. George Heinen, San Joaquin Valley air district supervisor of rule development, plans to discuss July 12 the...

STAKEHOLDERS RIP SCHWARZENEGGER VETO OF AIR QUALITY FUNDING

Some stakeholders are blasting Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's line-item veto last week of $35 million worth of air quality project funding and air district subvention money from the Fiscal Year (FY) 2006-2007 budget. But a finance department spokesman said the vetoes were necessary to preserve money earmarked for other important environmental protection programs, and that the governor maintained key air quality funding. Schwarzenegger June 30 signed the FY 2006-2007 budget, but used his "blue pencil" line-item veto authority to strike millions...

STAKEHOLDERS SAY ARB MUST JUSTIFY CAR SCRAP POLLUTION CREDIT

Environmentalists, air district officials and Smog Check experts are pressing air board staff to adjust aspects of its voluntary accelerated vehicle retirement (VAVR), or scrappage, program to ensure emission reductions are properly credited. Accurately estimating the emission reductions of a scrapped car is something that is vital not only to air districts that are striving to meet federal air quality standards, but to environmentalists who point out major problems in past scrappage programs, sources said. The Air Resources Board June...

SOUTH COAST ASKS ARB TO CONSIDER ADDITIVES IN BIODIESEL POLICY

The South Coast air district is asking the state air board to consider advocating the use of biodiesel fuel additives to reduce unwanted nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in a draft biodiesel policy report, based on concerns that expansion of biodiesel use may exacerbate NOx emissions in the region. But air board staff is for now declining to include such language in its controversial policy. Air Resources Board staff June 30 held a fuels workshop in part to discuss its draft...

ARB STAFF EYES FLEET AVERAGING TO EASE HARBOR CRAFT REGULATION

Air board staffers are considering providing more compliance flexibility in their draft harbor craft regulation by incorporating fleet averaging allowances and other options rather than requiring vessels to meet increasingly stringent emission limits by certain dates. Although this change to the proposed rule is being welcomed by industry representatives, they remain skeptical about their ability to comply and highly concerned about cost impacts to their businesses, many of which are classified as small. Meanwhile, environmentalists supporting the regulation have initial...

EPA REVIEWS SNAP RULES TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY WITH POSITION IN CO2 SUIT

EPA is scrutinizing its long-established practice of considering the global warming potential (GWP) of proposed substitutes for ozone-depleting substances to ensure it is consistent with the agency's arguments in the pending Supreme Court case over EPA authority to regulate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from mobile sources. An agency source says officials are reviewing two draft regulations for the agency's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program -- which prescribes alternatives to ozone-depleting chemicals -- over concerns that criteria the agency uses...

EPA UNVEILS 'ROADMAP' APPROACH IN SCALED-BACK MERCURY STRATEGY

EPA has unveiled a "roadmap" detailing current agency activities on controlling mercury releases in the environment, three years after state officials and environmentalists called for the agency to adopt more aggressive measures in its national strategy for addressing the toxin. The July 5 plan, EPA's Roadmap for Mercury , describes progress EPA has made in recent years in reducing mercury, as well as ongoing mercury control efforts. According to the report, air emissions of mercury -- a potent neurotoxin --...

DECISION LEAVES HIGH COURT AS EPA'S LAST OPTION TO REVERSE NSR RULING

A federal appellate court has rejected EPA's petition to reconsider the court's ruling overturning a key Bush administration new source review (NSR) regulation, leaving the Supreme Court as the agency's last remaining option to reverse the ruling. The U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit June 30 denied EPA's petition to rehear the court's March 17 decision vacating EPA's regulation seeking to reduce NSR applicability when industrial facilities replace equipment, saying the rule violated congressional intent...

WISCONSIN EYES MAKING IGCC 'BEST' TECHNOLOGY IN AIR PERMIT REVIEWS

Wisconsin officials may require integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) -- the clean-coal technology that proponents say reduces air pollution and eases capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) -- in clean air permits at a time when EPA and other states are generally rejecting such a requirement. But the suggestion, contained in a draft report scheduled to be finalized later this month, is drawing opposition from utilities who say requiring the costly technology would unlawfully exceed EPA standards and put facilities in...

Wisconsin Eyes Making IGCC 'Best Technology' In Air Permit Reviews

Wisconsin officials may require integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) -- the clean-coal technology that proponents say reduces air pollution and eases capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) -- in clean air permits at a time when EPA and other states are generally rejecting such a requirement. But the suggestion, contained in a draft report scheduled to be finalized later this month, is drawing opposition from utilities who say requiring the costly technology would unlawfully exceed EPA standards and put facilities in...

DOE Plan To Reorganize Environment Office May Complicate EPA Efforts

A preliminary Department of Energy (DOE) plan to reorganize its Office of Environmental Safety & Health -- whose responsibilities include department compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) -- is drawing concern from Capitol Hill lawmakers and others who say it could reduce high-level attention on environmental issues and complicate discussions among DOE, states and EPA. The critics of the draft plan say it appears to subordinate environmental concerns within a larger office charged with overseeing security issues, citing...

EPA Unveils 'Roadmap' Approach In Scaled-Back Mercury Strategy

EPA has unveiled a "roadmap" detailing current agency activities on controlling mercury releases in the environment, three years after state officials and environmentalists called for the agency to adopt more aggressive measures in its national strategy for dealing with the toxin. The July 5 plan , EPA's Roadmap for Mercury , describes progress EPA has made in recent years in reducing mercury, as well as ongoing mercury control efforts. According to the report, air emissions of mercury --- a potent...

Decision Leaves High Court As EPA's Last Option To Reverse NSR Ruling

A federal appellate court has rejected EPA's petition to reconsider its ruling overturning a key Bush administration new source review (NSR) regulation, leaving the Supreme Court as the agency's last remaining option to reverse the ruling. The U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on June 30 denied EPA's petition to rehear its March 17 ruling vacating EPA's regulation seeking to reduce NSR applicability when industrial facilities replace equipment, saying the rule violated congressional intent. EPA...

EPA Considers 'Green GDP' Method In Bid To Bolster Cost-Benefit Tools

EPA is eying new approaches economists are developing to calculate the value of a clean environment to economic growth -- a controversial approach known as Green Gross Domestic Product (Green GDP) -- to boost its ability to value ecosystem improvements and help the agency cite those benefits when justifying strict regulations. Environmentalists have long argued that ecosystem "services" provide benefits to humans, such as wetlands that control flooding and provide clean water, and that damage to the ecosystems comes at...

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