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.

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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.

EPA LIKELY TO IGNORE NEW IG RECOMMENDATIONS IN MONITORING STRATEGY

EPA appears unlikely to incorporate new recommendations from the agency's inspector general (IG) into a comprehensive new strategy for ambient air monitoring, even though the agency's watchdog called for increased funding to help determine industrial sources of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Agency officials, along with environmentalists and state officials, suggest that resources are limited and the IG's recommendations may not be a priority for EPA's monitoring program. Under its pending national monitoring strategy, EPA over the next few years will...

EPA CHIEF RAMPS UP CLEAR SKIES LOBBYING DURING CONGRESSIONAL RECESS

Acting EPA Administrator Steve Johnson is visiting the coal-producing states Illinois and Indiana during the congressional recess to lobby for the Clear Skies utility pollution bill, in an effort some industry sources call a bid to secure the support of Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), a key swing vote on the bill. Johnson's remarks to workers at a coal mine in Springfield, IL, on Feb. 23 and a meeting about the legislation in Indianapolis, IN, with Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) scheduled...

EPA URGING UTILITIES TO HIKE RATES FOR SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE

EPA officials are re-emphasizing the agency's philosophy that wastewater rates should reflect the full cost of wastewater treatment as an important component of efforts to achieve sustainable infrastructure. The push comes as Congress and others continue to express concern about the administration's limited fiscal year 2006 budget request for the clean water state revolving loan fund (SRF), which finances infrastructure projects. Industry consultants have also been encouraging wastewater treatment utilities to consider raising their rates, arguing that even though wastewater...

Child Health Advisers Unmoved By EPA Air Chief's Mercury Rule Push

EPA air chief Jeff Holmstead appears to have failed in convincing some agency advisers that an upcoming rule on mercury emissions from power plants would be protective enough of children's health. Holmstead spoke before an advisory committee on children's health after more than a year of requests by the group to meet with top agency officials about the rule, which is slated to be released within weeks. But some members of the advisory panel say they remain unconvinced of the...

EPA Defends Clean Air Settlements With Refiners Following Court Query

EPA and the Justice Department (DOJ) have issued an explanation of an environmental settlement with Chevron that provides a broad defense of the agency's negotiated agreements with refiners under a long-running Clean Air Act enforcement initiative. The government's explanation provides what several attorneys say is an unusual glimpse into the EPA negotiating strategy, including the rationale behind its decisions to negotiate broad settlements that may include concessions to industry, while limiting investigations into specific violations in order to avoid extended...

State Visits By EPA Chief Seen As Attempt To Affect Clear Skies Vote

Acting EPA Administrator Steve Johnson is visiting coal-producing states Illinois and Indiana during the congressional recess to lobby for Clear Skies, in an effort seen by industry sources as an attempt in part to secure the support of Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), a key swing vote on the bill. Johnson's remarks to workers at a coal mine in Springfield, IL, on Feb. 23 and a press event about the legislation at the Indiana State House in Indianapolis, with Gov. Mitch...

EPA To Expand Voluntary Programs Amid Deepening Budget Cuts

Senior EPA officials and regional directors are trying to improve and increase the agency's use of voluntary programs that encourage pollution cuts by industry, EPA sources say, as the agency is facing long-term budget shortfalls that could make it more reliant on such programs in future years. EPA acting Administrator Steve Johnson is taking a keen interest in the effort, sources say, prodding top agency staffers to boost the efficacy of voluntary programs and link industry's use of such programs...

FERC PUSH FOR LOW-COST ENERGY MAY BENEFIT ENVIRONMENT, SOURCES SAY

A proposal by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for expanded authority to require electricity utilities to use the lowest-cost power generation could result in environmental benefits in some areas of the country, as well as reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, according to industry officials and environmentalists. But one environmentalist says more analysis is needed to determine whether the additional authority would boost use of older coal-fired plants or result in cleaner sources of energy. At issue is a request...

SWEEPING NEW EPA PROPOSAL FOR PARK AIR RULES TO END 'INCREMENTS'

EPA is proposing to abolish local emissions limits known as 'increments' as one option in a sweeping new proposal to overhaul the way the agency sets pollution limits in its prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) permit program, which covers national parks and other areas attaining air quality standards. The option, one of several in the new proposal, would set up nationwide or regional cap-and-trade programs in lieu of the increments. Environmentalists and some National Park Service (NPS) sources are criticizing...

STATES' CLIMATE MODEL SUGGESTS EFFICIENCY MAY LIMIT COSTS, LEAKAGE

New modeling data on New England's upcoming greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program suggests that major energy efficiency efforts could allow for a modest carbon dioxide (CO2) cap at very little cost to the economy, while also minimizing concerns about emissions "leakage" to other parts of the country, sources familiar with the modeling say. But industry officials are raising a host of concerns with the new modeling results. They question whether significant energy efficiency gains are feasible and say the model may...

WHITE HOUSE AGREES TO INCLUDE CLIMATE CHANGE MEASURES IN EPA REPORT

The White House has agreed to allow inclusion of three measures for evaluating the effectiveness of EPA climate change policies in the agency's upcoming report on the state of the environment. The move reflects a reversal from several years ago when the administration excluded any greenhouse gas references from an earlier version of the report. The upcoming report is the agency's second, and is intended to track environmental trends through the use of scientific indicators, such as emission releases. EPA...

INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE STUDY EXAMINES FEASIBILITY OF CO2 STORAGE

An upcoming report being developed by an international panel of experts may suggest it is possible to capture and store significant quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) as a way to curb climate change, without creating unmanageable environmental risks. But the report being developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) may also identify significant challenges for regulators, as well as gaps in the current legal and regulatory framework for such practices. At issue is a special report on CO2...

INDUSTRY ARGUES FOR CLIMATE TECHNOLOGY EFFORT INSTEAD OF RULES

An industry trade group is calling for a global effort to promote the development of new technologies that address greenhouse gas emissions, as an alternative to mandatory emissions reduction programs that the group considers costly and ineffectual. The report also indicates that EPA may have a role to play in crafting effective regulations for new innovations, such as nanotechnology, that may emerge as a way to curb these emissions. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce issued a report Feb. 16 calling...

GROUPS SEEK U.S. TREATY APPROVAL TO LET EPA REGULATE SULFUR IN SHIPS

With support from EPA, the shipping industry and environmentalists are urging the Senate to ratify an international shipping agreement before the treaty takes effect this year, allowing the agency to join regional efforts to regulate sulfur emissions in maritime fuel. Industry officials say that if the treaty takes effect without U.S. participation, it could prompt ship operators to bypass U.S. ports. "This is something that shippers, the port authorities and EPA all agree on. I can't think of anyone that...

EPA LIKELY TO IGNORE NEW IG RECOMMENDATIONS IN MONITORING STRATEGY

EPA appears unlikely to incorporate new recommendations from the agency's inspector general (IG) into a comprehensive new strategy for ambient air monitoring, even though the agency's watchdog called for increased funding to help determine industrial sources of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Agency officials, along with environmentalists and state officials, suggest that resources are limited and the IG's recommendations may not be a priority for EPA's monitoring program. Under its pending national monitoring strategy, EPA over the next few years will...

INDUSTRY TO AIR CONCERNS OVER MONITORING CHANGES IN OLDER AIR RULES

Industry officials are likely to urge EPA to be cautious in revising old air pollution rules to impose stricter monitoring requirements because modern monitoring technology could create unattainable standards, sources say. However, industry officials may also argue that revisions to older air rules are unnecessary because many facilities will face new obligations for monitoring when they renew their comprehensive air permits in the coming years. Environmentalists counter that additional monitoring requirements are necessary and say these requirements should come through...

LAST-MINUTE CHANGES TO CLEAR SKIES FAIL TO PERSUADE BILL'S OPPONENTS

Last-minute changes to the Clear Skies bill are doing nothing to allay fears from Senate Democrats and other critics of the legislation that it will have major negative impacts on a range of pressing air issues, even though the bill's sponsors attempted to address concerns ranging from mercury hotspots to climate change. Opponents, such as environmentalists and state officials, say a number of amendments put forward in a "manager's mark" of the bill on Feb. 15 only slightly modify the...

GOP LAWMAKER SEEKS DISTANCE FROM INHOFE INQUIRY ON STATE AIR GROUP

Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH), the chairman of the Senate clean air subcommittee, appears to be distancing himself from an inquiry by environment committee chairman James Inhofe (R-OK) into the finances of a group of state air officials that opposes the Bush administration's Clear Skies utility emissions proposal. Some observers say Inhofe's inquiry could distract key players from pending talks on the Clear Skies bill at a time when key lawmakers, congressional staff and others are seeking to develop a compromise...

CLEAR SKIES CRITICS DOUBT TWO-WEEK MARKUP DELAY WILL PROMPT DEAL

Democrats and other critics of the Bush administration's Clear Skies utility pollution legislation say they are pessimistic that Senate Republicans' decision to delay an environment committee markup for two weeks will result in a broad compromise, and are instead calling for more open-ended discussions. These critics say the two weeks allotted for the talks does not provide enough time to address carbon dioxide (CO2) and other complex issues, in part because lawmakers will not be able to meet face-to-face during...

UTILITY REGULATORS BACK COAL GASIFICATION TO REDUCE POLLUTION

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) passed a policy resolution that supports state and federal incentives for the production of electricity from gasified coal, in an effort to ease demand for natural gas and reduce environmental pollution. The Feb. 16 resolution, passed at the group's winter meeting this week in Washington, DC, calls on states to develop policies that ease utility investments in the technology, referred to as integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC), and to consider adopting alternative...

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