September 2014
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US EPA Issues First-Ever RCRA “Imminent and Substantial Endangerment” Order for Vapor Intrusion at Fort Gillem, Georgia
By: Alexander J. Bandza In what appears to be the first-ever RCRA § 7003 “imminent and substantial endangerment” order for vapor intrusion, US EPA Region 4 issued an order yesterday for the US Army to take expedited corrective measures at the former Fort Gillem site in Forest Park, Georgia. The former Fort’s primary missions, which… Continue reading
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UN Climate Summit 2014
By E. Lynn Grayson Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is hosting the Climate Summit 2014 starting this week at UN headquarters in NYC. The purpose of the Summit is to engage leaders and advance climate action. The UN's ultimate objective is to rally international support for an ambitious global agreement by 2015 that limits the world… Continue reading
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TSCA Reform Dead for 2014?
By Steven M. Siros Recent actions by Senator Barbara Boxer may have sounded the death knell for TSCA reform in 2014. On September 18, 2014, Senator Boxer unveiled what she characterized as revisions to a TSCA reform bill that had been being worked on by a bi-partisan committee within the Senate. Senator Boxer's proposed… Continue reading
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Celebrate Wilderness Week 2014
By E. Lynn Grayson This week celebrates the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Wilderness Act (Act) signed by Lyndon Johnson in 1964 to provide protected places of solace away from the noise, hustle, pollution and mechanization of modern life. Wilderness areas are the nation's best reminder of the untrammeled open spaces that existed before… Continue reading
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EPA May Garnish Wage Without Court Approval
By E. Lynn Grayson EPA recently announced it plans to take final action later this year to authorize collection of non-tax debts by garnishing wages which may occur without a court order. Public comments submitted to date on EPA's proposed action express concern that the Agency may be exceeding its authority and that such actions may deprive individuals… Continue reading
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New Data on Open Burning of World’s Garbage
A new study led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research estimates that more than 40 percent of the world’s garbage is burned in such fires, emitting gases and particles that can substantially affect human health and climate change. Continue reading
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Sierra Club Ordered to Pay $6.4M in Attorneys Fees For Filing Frivolous CAA Lawsuit
By Steven M. Siros On September 2, 2014, a United States District Court for the Western District of Texas ordered that the Sierra Club reimburse Energy Future Holdings Corporation and Luminant Generation Company $6.4 million in attorneys fees for filing what the court described as a "frivolous" Clean Air Act (CAA) lawsuit. See Sierra… Continue reading