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.

FY06 FUNDING CUTS COULD THREATEN EPA OZONE PROTECTION PLANS

The Bush administration's fiscal year 2006 budget proposal to slash funding by over 30 percent for EPA's program protecting the stratospheric ozone layer could force the agency to terminate key initiatives and damage U.S. credibility regarding the Montreal Protocol, a former top EPA official and other sources warn. The threatened efforts, these sources say, include a skin cancer prevention program at schools and a phase-out of an ozone-depleting chemical, HCFC-22, which is widely used as a refrigerant in window air-conditioning...

States Eye Stricter Mercury Policies In Wake Of Much-Criticized EPA Rule

Officials in numerous states are considering tough new legislative or regulatory proposals to control mercury emissions from power plants, after EPA issued a controversial rulemaking that many state officials criticized as insufficiently stringent. Starting this year, proposals for strict mercury requirements are expected to come up in states with a major coal industry presence, such as Pennsylvania and Indiana. And other states may seek to get around existing policies that prevent them from issuing any environmental requirements stronger than those...

Industry Concerns May Limit Scope Of EPA Air Pact For CAFOs

EPA is meeting resistance from many sectors of the agriculture industry over its clean air enforcement agreement for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), raising the prospect that the agreement could be less effective if these businesses decline to participate. The mounting concern comes as the agency has extended the deadline for signing on to the agreement, in response to pleas that many businesses could not participate without more time to review possible concerns. Companies will now have until July 1,...

Accounting Board To Finalize Major Environmental Reporting Rules

A board that establishes financial standards will soon finalize a controversial new environmental reporting requirement mandating disclosure of future liabilities for the first time, following months of delay and a chorus of opposition from companies that include electric utilities. The new requirements are coming into play as shareholder advocacy groups are putting increased pressure on companies to enhance environmental reporting in their reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Companies also face new requirements under the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act...

EPA Limits Regional Measures In Report On Environmental Trends

EPA's top officials have decided to scale back a staff proposal to include data on a host of regional environmental trends in its upcoming report on the state of the environment, sources say. However, the officials, including EPA Administrator-nominee Steve Johnson, recently decided to include a host of new indicators on national environmental trends in the upcoming report. The sources say Johnson and many of the agency's top political appointees agreed with arguments from EPA General Counsel Ann Klee at...

FY06 Budget Cuts Could Threaten EPA Ozone Protection Plans

The Bush administration's fiscal year 2006 budget proposal to slash funding by over 30 percent for EPA's program protecting the stratospheric ozone layer could force the agency to terminate key initiatives and damage U.S. credibility regarding the Montreal Protocol, a former top EPA official and other sources warn. The threatened efforts, these sources say, include a skin cancer prevention program at schools and a phase-out of an ozone-depleting chemical, HCFC-22, which is widely used as a refrigerant in window air-conditioning...

EPA Limits Regional Measures In Report On Environmental Trends

EPA's top officials have decided to scale back a staff proposal to include data on a host of regional environmental trends in its upcoming report on the state of the environment, sources say. However, the officials, including EPA Administrator-nominee Steve Johnson, recently decided to include a host of new indicators on national environmental trends in the upcoming report. The sources say Johnson and many of the agency's top political appointees agreed with arguments from EPA General Counsel Ann Klee at...

New EPA FY06 Research Program To Develop Terror Detection Methods

EPA's fiscal year 2006 budget includes funds for establishing a new emergency response research program to develop new detection methods for a host of contaminants that could be used in terrorist attacks. A former agency official says the need for new detection methods became apparent after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the anthrax attacks on postal and Senate office buildings. Although there were proven detection methods for anthrax, the incidents drew attention to the lack of technologies for...

Research Group Poised To Begin Major New Inquiry Of PM Risk Drivers

The Health Effects Institute (HEI), a joint EPA-industry research group that focuses on health effects of mobile source pollutants, is launching a major new effort to identify the most toxic components of fine particles (PM) that may indicate what industry sectors EPA and states may target in current and future air regulations, sources say. The plan is moving ahead at a time when an electric utility research group recently unveiled preliminary study results that suggest PM from automobiles may be...

Senate Budget Vote Unlikely To End Hill Fight Over ANWR Drilling

Supporters and detractors of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) say the Senate's vote to retain language in the budget blueprint that assumes revenue from the project is unlikely to end legislative debate on the issue. Nevertheless, the vote removes a major hurdle for advocates to see drilling in ANWR become a reality and is a major blow to environmental opponents of the effort. "It is one step at a time. This is not the final vote," said...

Auto Research Group Poised To Begin Major New Inquiry Of PM Risk Drivers

The Health Effects Institute (HEI), a joint EPA industry research group that focuses on health effects of mobile source pollutants, is launching a major new effort to identify the most toxic components of fine particles (PM) that may indicate what industry sectors EPA and states may target in current and future air regulations, sources say. The plan is moving ahead at a time when an electric utility research group recently unveiled preliminary study results that suggest PM from automobiles may...

Engine Makers Warn Against Oil Industry Efforts To Delay Diesel Rule

Engine manufacturers are ramping up efforts to forestall a possible delay in EPA enforcement of landmark clean diesel rules, in response to oil industry claims that EPA should offer flexibility allowing the industry more time to minimize fuel contamination during transport. While the oil industry is stopping short of demanding wholesale changes to EPA's standard, industry and congressional sources say officials appear to be outlining a possible basis for EPA or Congress to allow some fuel that exceeds the agency's...

Clear Skies Supporters Eye House Strategy To Push For New Senate Vote

Following the tied vote in the Senate environment committee, Republican supporters of Clear Skies legislation are now hoping to pass the bill through the House to put pressure on the Senate to take action on the bill, but opponents -- including a key Senate Republican opponent of the legislation-- say the strategy is unlikely to work. A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on the bill, originally scheduled for March 17 but delayed until April 21, should be seen as...

EPA Weakens Emissions Limits In Final Mercury Rule

EPA's final mercury rule includes less stringent caps for new and existing power plants in the first phase of reductions for the toxic air pollutant, compared to the agency's initial proposal. The agency is justifying the change based on a new analysis of the "co-benefits" achieved by the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) released last week, according to sections of the mercury regulation obtained by Inside EPA. Under the rule , which is expected to be released March 15, EPA...

States Eye Bills To Protect 'Green' Purchases From Trade Pacts

Backed by environmental and labor groups, lawmakers in a slew of states are seeking to limit governors' ability to back procurement provisions in international trade pacts, in part because of concerns that the treaties limit states' ability to set environmental conditions in their procurement policies, sources say. The effort comes after the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) last month rejected a call by state legislators to include them in consultations on future trade agreements. Lawmakers in California, Maine, Maryland, Tennessee, Vermont...

Industry Applauds Sen. Vitter As Climate Change Subcommittee Chair

Industry officials who oppose government controls on carbon dioxide emissions are welcoming Sen. David Vitter's (R-LA) March 8 appointment to head a new subcommittee on global climate change. The conservative senator's record may indicate he could use the role to "give a microphone" to scientists who are skeptical that global warming exists, these sources say. The new subcommittee is being formed as part of a restructuring of the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee, which had been chaired by Sen...

UNIQUE FACTORS LIKELY CONTRIBUTED TO ILLINOIS POWER NSR SETTLEMENT

A newly announced Clean Air Act settlement between EPA, Illinois Power Company and its successor underscores the unique financial and legal pressures facing the company that may not apply in pending new source review (NSR) cases against other power plants, industry and other sources say. Among these unique factors is a recent sale of company assets where distribution of some of the sale funds was delayed because of unresolved environmental liabilities at generating facilities owned or once owned by the...

SENATE GOP SIGNALS DEATH OF CLEAR SKIES AFTER COMMITTEE DEADLOCK

Senate Republicans say the White House's Clear Skies legislation is dead for this year, after the environment committee deadlocked in a 9-9 vote on the bill. The committee's seven Democrats were joined by Sens. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) and James Jeffords (I-VT) in rejecting the bill, which the president has touted as an effective plan for reducing power plant emissions. Republicans wasted no time in blaming Democrats for the failure of the bill. Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH), who led the committee's...

WITHDRAWAL OF SUIT SUGGESTS PAINT INDUSTRY RETREAT ON OTC OZONE PLAN

Paint company Sherwin-Williams is dropping its lawsuit against a Pennsylvania state ozone plan to limit volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, indicating the paint industry may be forced to retreat from similar fights in a slew of other Eastern states, observers say. Instead, the company is negotiating with officials in Pennsylvania and several other states for a five-year variance for two categories of products -- stains and indoor varnishes. The company says it lacks the technology to produce these products in...

BUILDERS, OIL INDUSTRY ATTACK NEW ARB LOCAL LAND-USE GUIDANCE

Building, petroleum and other industry representatives are ripping a revised air board draft guidance for local land use planners that recommends specific buffers between new residential and other "sensitive" development and major roadways and polluting facilities, arguing the document could stifle much-needed urban infill development and affordable housing, which lawmakers and the administration are trying to promote. Air board officials are acknowledging that the recent revisions depart from past practices of establishing risk-reduction measures, but say that cumulative impacts in...

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