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💧Notice of Water Quality Certification Request for Ampersand Gilman Hydro

The Department of Energy issued a notice regarding a Clean Water Act section 401(a)(1) water quality certification request from Ampersand Gilman Hydro, LP. The Vermont DEC has one year to act on this request, or the certification is deemed waived, affecting the future of the associated energy project.

🌍EPA Extends Comment Periods on Key Regulatory Notices

This document extends the comment period for three notices published by the Environmental Protection Agency in the Federal Register on December 3, 2024 and December 13, 2024.

💧Memorandum on Enhancing Water Supply in Southern California

The memorandum emphasizes the urgent need for a reliable water supply in Southern California, advocating for the resumption of water routing from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. It highlights challenges posed by environmental regulations and ongoing water waste, while underscoring the critical impacts of wildfires and water scarcity on the state's residents and businesses.

⚖️DOJ Notice

⚖️Consent Decree Notice

⚖️Proposed Consent Decree Under Clean Air Act

🌎Proposed EPA Regulations on Ethylene Oxide Emissions Standards

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to establish a new area source category to address chemical manufacturing process units (CMPUs) using ethylene oxide (EtO). The EPA is proposing to list EtO in table 1 to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Chemical Manufacturing Area Sources (referred to as the CMAS NESHAP in this document) and to add EtO- specific requirements to the CMAS NESHAP. The EPA is also proposing to add a fenceline monitoring program for EtO. In addition, the EPA is proposing new requirements for pressure vessels and pressure relief devices (PRDs). This proposal also presents the results of the EPA's technology review of the CMAS NESHAP as required under the Clean Air Act (CAA). As part of this technology review, the EPA is proposing to add new leak detection and repair (LDAR) requirements to the CMAS NESHAP for equipment leaks in organic HAP service and heat exchange systems. The EPA is also proposing performance testing once every 5 years and to add provisions for electronic reporting. We estimate that the proposed amendments to the CMAS NESHAP, excluding the proposed EtO emission standards, would reduce hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions from emission sources by approximately 158 tons per year (tpy). Additionally, the proposed EtO emission standards are expected to reduce EtO emissions by approximately 4.6 tpy.

🌊Impact of Incidental Harassment Authorization on Construction in Oregon

NMFS has received a request from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the Station Siuslaw River construction project in Florence, Oregon. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS is also requesting comments on a possible one-time, 1-year renewal that could be issued under certain circumstances and if all requirements are met, as described in Request for Public Comments at the end of this notice. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorization and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.

🌍EPA Reinstates Ohio Air Nuisance Rule

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to correct a November 19, 2020, rulemaking removing the Air Nuisance Rule (ANR) from the Ohio State Implementation Plan (SIP). This action is in response to a February 10, 2023, decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (Sixth Circuit or Court) to remand without vacatur EPA's removal of the ANR from the Ohio SIP. Because the Court did not vacate EPA's removal of the ANR, the ANR is currently not in Ohio's SIP. After reevaluating EPA's November 19, 2020, rulemaking, upon remand, EPA proposed to determine that its November 2020 final action was in error, and to correct that action by reinstating the ANR as part of the Ohio SIP. EPA proposed to take this action on February 22, 2024 and received both supportive and adverse comments. EPA is finalizing this action as proposed, and upon the effective date of this action, the ANR will be reinstated into the Ohio SIP.

🚧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.