Health & Safety Developments. Important Updates About Air
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Environmental & Energy Cert. Petition Watch
As part of the “Environmental & Energy Cert. Petition Watch” project, in the past week, no EHS-related petitions have been filed, denied, or granted. The following three EHS-related petitions are set for conference early next year (Jan. 10, 2014). For a full list of EHS-related cert. petitions submitted from August 2013 through the present (as… Continue reading
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Three New Superfund Sites Named In Indiana
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has added three contaminated sites in Indiana to the Superfund National Priorities List Continue reading
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OMB Seeks Public Comment On Social Cost of Carbon
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requests comments on the Technical Support Document entitled Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory Impact Analysis Under Executive Order 12866. The Social Cost of Carbon (SCC) is used to estimate the value to society of marginal reductions in carbon emissions. This Technical Support Document… Continue reading
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First Criminal Conviction Under Migratory Bird Treaty Act For Wind Farms
Duke Energy Renewables Inc., a subsidiary of Duke Energy Corp., pled guilty in the deaths of golden eagles and other birds at two wind farms in Wyoming. According to the Justice Department, it is the first criminal conviction under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act for unlawful avian takings at wind projects. Continue reading
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Vote For Nuclear Option Likely to Ease The Logjam For U.S. EPA Appointments
When the United Senate voted to require only a simple majority to approve cloture motions dealing with nominations for executive agencies and judicial posts (excepting the United States Supreme Court), it opened the door for many Obama-appointees to various posts within U.S. EPA. Continue reading
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White House/OMB Revisits SCC
In a recent blog by Howard Shelanski, OMB’s Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), it was announced that OMB is issuing updated values for the Social Cost of Carbon (SCC) used to estimate the value to society of reducing carbon emissions. These updated values reflect minor technical corrections to the estimates… Continue reading
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New EPA Report On Water’s Economic Value
EPA has released a new report The Importance of Water to the U.S. Economy addressing the total economic value of water resources. Continue reading
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New CERCLA Article Published In Environmental Law Reporter
Jenner & Block Partner Keri L. Holleb Hotaling and Associate Allison A. Torrence recently published an article titled “EPA Administrative Orders on Consent, CERCLA § 113(F) Contribution Actions, and the Operative Statute of Limitations After Atlantic Research,” in the Environmental Law Institute’s Environmental Law Reporter. Continue reading
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U.S. EPA Hikes Statutory Environmental Penalties
Effective December 11, 2013, penalties for violations of certain environmental statutes will go up. According to a final rule issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, 20 of the 88 statutory penalty provisions are being increased in order to adjust for inflation. Although the standard daily fine for violations of the CWA, CAA, CERCLA,… Continue reading
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EPA Updates ECHO Database
EPA has updated/revamped its Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) website to be more user friendly and flexible. EPA’s ECHO website allows for users to search for facilities to assess their compliance with environmental regulations, investigate pollution sources, examine and create enforcement-related maps, or explore a specific state’s performance. The legacy ECHO website is scheduled… Continue reading