🌬️EPA Ruling on Valero Refining's Clean Air Act Permit Petition
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) former Acting Administrator signed an Order dated January 07, 2025, granting in part and denying in part a petition dated August 20, 2024, from Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services, Caring for Pasadena Communities, Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, and Environmental Integrity Project (the Petitioners). The petition requested that the EPA object to a Clean Air Act (CAA) title V operating permit issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to Valero Refining-Texas, L.P., for its Valero Houston Refinery located in Harris County, Texas.
Learn More🌫️EPA Proposes New PM2.5 Air Quality Standards Affecting Businesses
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to determine that the San Joaquin Valley, California fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) nonattainment area attained the 1997 annual PM<INF>2.5</INF> national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) by the December 31, 2024 applicable attainment date. This proposed determination is based on ambient air quality monitoring data from 2022 through 2024. We are also proposing to make a clean data determination (CDD) based on the 2022 through 2024 data and our evaluation of preliminary air quality monitoring data from 2025. We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.
Learn More🌍EPA Notice on Environmental Impact Statements Availability
The Environmental Protection Agency has announced the availability of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) filed by federal agencies. This notice includes important details about review periods and agency contact information. Compliance with the Clean Air Act is highlighted, emphasizing the need for businesses to stay informed about environmental assessments that may impact their operations.
Learn More🌍Approval of Air Quality Plans for Oklahoma Incinerators
Pursuant to the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is notifying the public that we have received CAA section 111(d)/129 negative declarations from Oklahoma for existing incinerators subject to the Other Solid Waste Incineration units (OSWI), Hospital/Medical/ Infectious Waste Incinerator units (HMIWI), and Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units (CISWI) Emission Guidelines (EG). These negative declarations certify that existing incinerators subject to the OSWI, HMIWI, and CISWI EG and the requirements of sections 111(d) and 129 of the CAA do not exist within specified jurisdictions in Oklahoma. The EPA is proposing to accept the negative declarations and amend the agency regulations in accordance with the requirements of the CAA. In addition, EPA is withdrawing its prior proposed approval of the Oklahoma CISWI plan revision due to Oklahoma's submission of its negative declaration for incinerators subject to the CISWI EG and its withdrawal of the CISWI plan revision.
Learn More🌬️Mojave Desert Air Quality Regulation and Its Business Implications
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District (MDAQMD or "the District") portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern definitions that are necessary to implement and enforce local rules that regulate air pollution. We are proposing to approve a definitions rule under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the "Act"). We are also proposing to approve the rescission of earlier versions of this rule from the California SIP as they are no longer needed to under the CAA. We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.
Learn More🌍Louisiana SIP Revision Approved for Sulfur Dioxide Compliance
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision which Louisiana submitted to EPA on April 2, 2025, for attaining the Evangeline Parish 2010 1-hour sulfur dioxide (SO<INF>2</INF>) primary national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) nonattainment area. EPA is finalizing approval of the following Clean Air Act (CAA) SIP elements: The attainment demonstration for the SO<INF>2</INF> NAAQS, which includes an Agreed Order on Consent (AOC) for the Cabot Corporation's Ville Platte Plant (Cabot) facility; the reasonable further progress (RFP) plan; the reasonably available control measures (RACM) and reasonably available control technology (RACT) demonstration; the emission inventories; and the contingency measures. The State has demonstrated that its current Nonattainment New Source Review (NNSR) program covers this NAAQS; therefore, no revision to the SIP is required for the NNSR element.
Learn More🌫️EPA Proposes Ozone Standards Failure for San Joaquin Valley
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to determine that the San Joaquin Valley, California area failed to attain the 1997 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard by its June 15, 2024 "Extreme" area attainment date. This proposed determination is based on quality-assured and certified ambient air quality monitoring data from 2021 through 2023.
Learn More♻️Revised Compliance Deadlines for Coke Oven Emission Standards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking interim final action on revisions to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for the Coke Oven Batteries (COB) source category and the Coke Ovens: Pushing, Quenching, and Battery Stacks (PQBS) source category by revising certain compliance deadlines for standards finalized in 2024. Specifically, the EPA is amending the compliance deadlines for certain 2024 revisions to the COB and PQBS NESHAPs from July 7, 2025 and January 6, 2026, to July 5, 2027. The EPA seeks comment on this final action and will respond to comments received and revise this final action as appropriate.
Learn More🌫️Ohio's Regional Haze Plan
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the Regional Haze State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio or Ohio EPA) on July 30, 2021, as supplemented on August 6, 2024, and clarified by Ohio on June 16, 2025, as satisfying applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA's Regional Haze Rule for the program's second implementation period. Together, Ohio's 2021 SIP submission, 2024 SIP supplement, and 2025 clarification address the requirement that States must periodically revise their long-term strategies for making reasonable progress towards the national goal of preventing any future, and remedying any existing, anthropogenic impairment of visibility, including regional haze, in mandatory Class I Federal areas. Ohio's complete SIP submission also addresses other applicable requirements for the second implementation period of the Regional Haze Program. EPA is taking this action pursuant to sections 110 and 169A of the CAA.
Learn More🌬️Proposed Amendments to Oklahoma NSPS Delegation by EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to update federal regulations to reflect Oklahoma's current New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) delegation status and the mailing address for the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ). The ODEQ has submitted updated regulations for the delegation of EPA authority for implementation and enforcement of certain NSPS. The updated State regulations incorporate by reference certain NSPS promulgated by EPA, as they existed through June 30, 2023. The delegation of authority for implementation and enforcement applies to sources subject to the delegated NSPS, including those located in certain areas of Indian country as discussed herein.
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