EPA’s electronic mailbox is open for requests from stationary sources until March 31. In March 2025, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it has set up an electronic mailbox to allow...more
Previously we’ve reviewed overarching expectations of the second Trump Administration, how the Trump Administration will act on California’s emissions waivers, the steps the Trump Administration is likely to take with respect...more
Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Tuesday safeguarding victims of the Los Angeles-area fires from predatory real estate investors. The executive order is designed to protect residents in fire-ravaged zip codes...more
On Monday, January 13, 2025, California withdrew requests for Clean Air Act waivers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) needed to support four recently adopted vehicle emissions regulations: 1) the Advanced...more
In a significant development for environmental law and state autonomy, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) recently declined to review whether the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the authority to...more
On the day of his inauguration, President Joe Biden issued a historic number of executive orders, several of which focused on overturning actions taken by the Trump Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We...more
While a dispute over the Clean Air Act’s (CAAs) venue provision may seem arcane, a forthcoming US Supreme Court decision will affect core principles of the separation of powers and constitutional due process in ways that may...more
In a proposed rule published on June 24, 2024, EPA has proposed to remove eighteen affirmative defense provisions for malfunctions associated with violations of New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and National Emission...more
EPA Proposes Removing Affirmative Defense Provisions from Eighteen Clean Air Act Emission Standards - In a proposed rule published on June 24, 2024, EPA has proposed to remove eighteen affirmative defense provisions for...more
The Waste-to-Energy Association (“WTEA”) submitted July 1st comments to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) addressing the proposed rule styled: Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and...more
Last week, in a 5-4 opinion, in Ohio v. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Supreme Court granted applications for a stay of the implementation of the “Good Neighbor” Plan, the EPA’s federal emissions reduction rule,...more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) issued a pre-publication version of a proposed rule that would remove affirmative defense provisions from certain Clean Air Act New Source Performance Standards...more
In Ohio et al. v. U.S. EPA, on April 9, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld a decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") to allow California's 2013 greenhouse gas emissions...more
March and April have been busy months for vehicle emission regulation in the U.S. On March 20 and March 29 respectively, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) issued a set of final emission rules setting...more
It all started in the early 40’s, when the smog was so bad in California that visibility was measured in city blocks, and people suffered from nausea, stinging eyes, and difficulty breathing. By the 50’s, the California...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") finalized the strictest-ever emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles. On March 29, 2024, EPA announced new emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles for model years 2027...more
The United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (“Court”) addressed in a March 1st Opinion an issue addressing start up, shut down and malfunction (“SSM”) provisions. See Environmental Committee of the Florida...more
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to require power plants and other stationary sources in five additional states to comply with the Good Neighbor Plan to ensure that these states do not unlawfully contribute...more
Historically, regulations under the federal Clean Air Act (CAA) and related state laws divided the world into “stationary” and “non-stationary sources.” “Stationary sources” included facilities like power plants and factories...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") has proposed regulations for calculating methane emissions fees required beginning this year under the Inflation Reduction Act ("IRA"). Section 136 of the Clean Air Act (added...more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) published in the September 13th Federal Register a proposed rule that would amend the general provisions for Clean Air Act National Emission Standards for Hazardous...more
On July 21, 2023, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a long-awaited final rule that will make it difficult for sources to continue to rely on an “emergency” to avoid liability for permit violations under...more
On July 21, 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency published a final rule eliminating an affirmative defense for Clean Air Act permit emissions violations caused by “emergency” circumstances. “Major sources” (i.e....more
On April 12, 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for “Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles – Phase 3” (the Phase 3 proposed rule or NPRM), establishing...more
On April 12, 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the notice of proposed rulemaking for “Multi-Pollutant Emission Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles” (the “proposed...more