🏞️Proposed Consent Decree on Clean Water Act by EPA Impacting Businesses
In accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator's March 18, 2022, memorandum regarding "Consent Decrees and Settlement Agreements to resolve Environmental Claims Against the Agency," notice is hereby given of a proposed consent decree in Delaware Riverkeeper Network et al. v. U.S. EPA et al., Docket No. 2:24-cv-05308 (E.D. Pa.). On October 2, 2024, Delaware Riverkeeper Network and Maya K. van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper, filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The complaint alleges that: the EPA failed to comply with its mandatory duty under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to promulgate revised water quality standards to protect aquatic life in the Delaware River within 90 days of proposal; and the EPA's failure to promulgate revised water quality standards is an unreasonable delay under the Administrative Procedure Act. The EPA seeks public input on a proposed consent decree prior to its final decision-making with regard to potential settlement of the litigation.
Learn More🚧EPA's Proposed Clean Water Act Methods
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to promulgate new methods and update the tables of approved methods for the Clean Water Act. The Clean Water Act requires the EPA to promulgate test procedures for the analysis of pollutants. Promulgating new methods and updating the tables of approved methods increases the quality and consistency of data collected for the purposes of the Clean Water Act. In this rule, the EPA proposes to add new EPA methods for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, and add methods previously published by voluntary consensus bodies that industries and municipalities would use for reporting under the EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit program. The EPA also proposes to withdraw the seven Aroclor (PCB mixtures) parameters. In addition, the EPA is proposing to simplify the sampling requirements for two volatile organic compounds, and make a series of minor corrections to existing tables of approved methods. This proposed rule does not mandate when a parameter must be monitored or establish a discharge limit.
Learn More🌊EPA Requires NPDES Permits for Stormwater Discharges in Los Alamos
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 is providing notice of a Revised Designation Decision that storm water discharges from the Los Alamos Urban Area (as defined by the latest decennial Census) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) property in Los Alamos County and Santa Fe County, New Mexico are contributing to violations of New Mexico Water Quality Standards (WQS) and require National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit coverage under the Clean Water Act (CWA). This action is in response to a June 30, 2014, petition filed with EPA by Amigos Bravos entitled "A Petition by Amigos Bravos for a Determination that Storm Water Discharges in Los Alamos County Contribute to Water Quality Standards Violations and Require a Clean Water Act Permit," and revises the Agency's prior December 16, 2019, designation decision, which was remanded to EPA for reconsideration by the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
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