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.

Senators Press Bush Administration To Support Funding In Diesel Retrofit Bill

A bipartisan group of senators is pressing the Bush administration to reverse its opposition to the $1 billion funding level in the proposed Diesel Engine Retrofit Act, in light of nearly universal support for the bill and the tremendous health benefits it is expected to provide. In July 12 written testimony before a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, EPA Region IX Administrator Wayne Nastri said, "Although the administration supports efforts to reduce emissions from both new and existing diesel...

Critics Fault DOE Greenhouse Gas Registry Reforms As Ineffective

Environmentalists and industry groups are criticizing proposed changes to the Department of Energy's (DOE) voluntary greenhouse gas (GHG) registry, arguing that intended improvements would not likely result in emission reductions and could jeopardize industry participation. The criticisms could raise a major obstacle to DOE's implementation of the changes, which are designed to support the Bush administration's goal of reducing greenhouse emissions through voluntary reductions and technological breakthroughs. While environmentalists and industry differ in the details of their criticisms, they agree...

White House Touts G-8 Meeting As Success For U.S. Climate Change Policy

White House Council on Environmental Quality Chairman James Connaughton is touting the outcome of the recently concluded G-8 summit of industrialized nations as an indication the U.S. has successfully steered the climate change debate past the controversies of the Kyoto treaty and toward global cooperative efforts to encourage clean-energy technologies and sustainable development policies, without mandatory emission controls. At a July 8 press event in Washington, organized by the George Marshall Institute, Connaughton characterized the summit prelude and final results...

SAN JOAQUIN AIR BOARD EXPANSION FIGHT INTENSIFIES; FLOOR BATTLE LOOMS

A controversial bill seeking to increase the membership of the San Joaquin Valley air district board cleared a key committee this week, but faces two more fights in the Assembly Appropriations Committee and on the floor. The bill has ignited a conflict between environmental groups -- which blast the district as ineffective and beholden to agribusiness -- and valley officials and agriculture groups that argue the measure will remove crucial local control over regulatory decisions. SB 999 (Sen. Mike Machado,...

EPA QUIETLY APPROVES MAJOR AIR QUALITY MODEL FOR NATIONAL PARK

EPA has approved with little fanfare a controversial procedure for modeling air quality near a North Dakota national park, setting what could be a nationwide precedent for allowing more industrial expansion near pristine wilderness areas. Environmentalists are likely to sue over the new modeling method, which has also sparked long-standing objections from EPA regions. EPA Assistant Administrator for Air & Radiation Jeffrey Holmstead sent a letter June 30 to the North Dakota Department of Health, offering the agency's initial approval...

NEW OZONE RESEARCH COULD BOOST EPA BENEFITS ESTIMATES IN AIR RULES

EPA may increase its economic benefits estimates of air rules that reduce ozone levels, in light of new agency-funded studies that demonstrate a link between ozone exposure and premature deaths, sources familiar with the research say. Scientists and public health advocates say the peer-reviewed studies are significant because EPA assigns far more value in its cost-benefit analyses to measures that save lives rather than measures that simply improve health. Three studies published in the July issue of the journal Epidemiology...

CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTALISTS THREATEN SUIT OVER EPA'S INTERSTATE AIR RULE

Environmental groups in Canada are threatening a lawsuit to force EPA to require seven states mostly in the Midwest to reduce power plant emissions beyond levels required in the agency's clean air interstate rule (CAIR). The groups have filed a petition with EPA under a little-used provision of the Clean Air Act that allows foreigners to formally ask the agency to reduce air emissions. The environmentalists hope their petition -- only the third of its kind -- will lead to...

Trade Commission Says MTBE, Reformulated Fuels Cause Price Spikes

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a study identifying major factors that contribute to increases and fluctuations in gasoline prices in the United States, including several state bans on a widely-used gasoline oxygenate, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), and supply disruptions in cleaner-burning reformulated gasoline required for certain regions of the country to reduce air pollution. The FTC report relies in part on EPA data in its ongoing investigation into antitrust matters related to the petroleum industry. The commission's...

Pew Center Reports Say Quick Action Reduces Cost Of CO2 Controls

As world attention focuses on global climate change issues at this week's G-8 summit in Scotland, a major U.S. think-tank is circulating two reports that argue quick action would reduce the costs of reducing greenhouse gases. The reports call for firm regulatory timetables to reduce emissions from electrical utilities and recommend dozens of energy efficiency measures to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) from buildings, which are both major sources of greenhouse gases in the U.S. The Bush administration has opposed mandatory...

EPA Quietly Approves Major Air Quality Model For National Park

EPA has approved with little fanfare a controversial procedure for modeling air quality near a North Dakota national park, setting what could be a nationwide precedent for allowing more industrial expansion near pristine wilderness areas. Environmentalists are likely to sue over the new modeling method, which has also met long-standing objections from EPA regions. EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Jeffrey Holmstead sent a letter June 30 to the North Dakota Department of Health, offering the agency's initial approval...

Bush To Counter G-8 Climate Change Push With Technology Offer

The White House is prepared to offer new trade opportunities in the transfer of advanced clean-energy technologies to counter foreign pressures to adopt mandatory climate change controls at the upcoming Group of Eight Summit in Scotland, according to senior administration officials. The White House has devised a two-tiered strategy to counter pressure to act on climate change. The first involves bilateral and/or multilateral agreements that facilitate technology transfer among the major industrial powers, specifically, harmonizing industrial codes and standards and...

Canadian Environmentalists Threaten Lawsuit Over EPA's Interstate Air Rule

Environmental groups in Canada are threatening to file a lawsuit to force EPA to require seven states mostly in the Midwest to reduce power plant emissions beyond levels required in the agency's clean air interstate rule (CAIR). The groups have filed a petition with EPA under a little-used provision of the Clean Air Act that allows foreigners to formally ask the agency to reduce air emissions. The environmentalists hope their petition -- only the third of its kind -- will...

EPA REFINERY SETTLEMENTS FRUSTRATING ACTIVISTS' LITIGATION STRATEGY

EPA's recent settlements with refineries could preempt lawsuits brought by activists against the facilities alleging numerous Clean Air Act violations, since the settlements address many of the same issues, but achieve weaker controls than the activists are seeking, environmentalists involved in the suits say. Representatives of several environmental groups, including the National Refinery Reform Campaign and the Environmental Integrity Project, will meet with EPA officials in mid-July to raise their concerns about the agency's refinery settlements. Activists who have several...

LAWMAKERS AIM TO STRIKE MERCURY RULE UNDER CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW ACT

Lawmakers in both chambers of Congress are invoking a little-used law in an attempt to overturn EPA's controversial power plant mercury emissions rule. Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Susan Collins (R-ME) and 29 other senators moved to strike the rule under the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to invalidate executive branch rulemakings by a majority vote. The senators filed a June 29 resolution challenging EPA's formal reversal of a Clinton administration decision to impose strict air pollution control requirements on...

EPA SEEKS ADDITIONAL COMMENT ON FINAL 'RISK-BASED' AIR TOXICS RULES

EPA is in the process of requesting additional public comment on two controversial air toxics rules the agency has already finalized, in a move likely to slow pending lawsuits over "risk-based" exemptions that make it easier for industry to avoid installing costly pollution controls. Environmentalists who have sued the agency contend it is unlikely that EPA will seriously consider changing these rules, but instead charge the requests for more comment represent a procedural tactic to delay the litigation. The agency...

SENATORS PRESS ADMINISTRATION OVER DELAYS IN ACID RAIN REPORT

Key Senate Democrats are redoubling efforts to urge the Bush administration to release an overdue report to Congress on the impact of acid rain and current pollution controls, which observers say could help evaluate current emissions reduction plans like the administration's controversial Clear Skies bill, its recently issued clean air interstate rule (CAIR) and haze control requirements. At issue is the White House's failure to release a periodic report on the adequacy of existing measures to reduce acid rain required...

Senate Democrats Press EPA On Delay Of Acid Rain Progress Report

Key Senate Democrats are redoubling efforts to urge the Bush administration to release an overdue report to Congress on the impact of acid rain and current pollution controls, which observers say could help evaluate current emission reduction plans like the administration's controversial Clear Skies bill and its recently issued clean air interstate rule (CAIR) and haze control requirements. At issue is the White House's failure to release a biennial report on the adequacy of existing measures to reduce acid rain...

EPA REFINERY SETTLEMENTS FRUSTRATING ACTIVISTS' LITIGATION STRATEGY

EPA's recent settlements with refineries could preempt lawsuits brought by activists against the facilities alleging numerous Clean Air Act violations, since the settlements address many of the same issues, but achieve weaker controls than the activists are seeking, environmentalists involved in the suits say. Representatives of several environmental groups, including the National Refinery Reform Campaign and the Environmental Integrity Project, will meet with EPA officials in mid-July to raise their concerns about the agency's refinery settlements. Activists who have several...

NEW OZONE RESEARCH COULD BOOST EPA BENEFITS ESTIMATES IN AIR RULES

EPA may consider increasing its economic benefits estimates of air rules that decrease ozone levels, in light of new agency-funded studies that demonstrate a link between ozone exposure and premature deaths, sources familiar with the research say. Scientists and public health advocates say the peer-reviewed studies are significant because EPA assigns far more value in its cost-benefit analyses to measures that save lives rather than ones that simply improve health. Three studies published in the July issue of the journal...

EPA ADVISORY PANEL MAY CONSIDER ALLOWING COST AS FACTOR IN AIR ACT

An EPA Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC) panel earlier this month began to address several potentially controversial reforms to the Clean Air Act, including suggestions from industry representatives to change the statute in order to allow cost to be a factor in setting health-based standards. Industry officials also want to test the effectiveness of state implementation plans (SIPs) by tying them to improvements in health-based outcomes, such as fewer premature deaths and hospital visits. Yet other panelists say it...

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