♻️Final OSWI Emission Standards and Compliance Guidelines by EPA
This action finalizes the periodic review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the emissions standards and other requirements for Other Solid Waste Incineration (OSWI) units in the OSWI New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and Emission Guidelines (EG). The EPA is finalizing applicability-related and definitional changes; changes to OSWI subcategories and the standards for the new subcategories; changes to the startup, shutdown, and malfunction (SSM) provisions; and changes to testing, monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements. We are also making other miscellaneous technical and editorial changes to the regulatory text.
Learn More⛏️Pennsylvania Surface Mining Regulatory Amendments and Implications
We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are approving an amendment to the Pennsylvania regulatory program under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). The amendment proposes to revise the Pennsylvania program to comply with four required amendments and to correct a provision we previously disapproved. The proposed amendment also includes revisions to Pennsylvania's program, including effluent limitations for bituminous underground coal mines, temporary cessation, the definition of Surface Mining Activities, civil penalties, and administrative requirements, as well as other administrative updates and non-substantive corrections.
Learn More🌬️EPA Proposes Revisions to Missouri Air Quality Standards
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the Missouri State Implementation Plan (SIP) related to Definitions and Common Reference Tables used in Missouri rules. EPA has also previously approved this rule as part of the air planning and permitting program. Some of the definitions are associated with those programs, even though many of the definitions pertain only to the SIP. These revisions do not impact the stringency of the SIP or have an adverse effect on air quality. The EPA's proposed approval of this rule revision is being done in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Learn More🌫️Proposed Missouri Rule for Sulfur Dioxide Emissions Compliance
The EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the Missouri State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the State of Missouri. Missouri requests that EPA approve replacing the previous statewide sulfur dioxide (SO<INF>2</INF>) rule in the SIP with the latest version of a newer SO<INF>2</INF> rule (10 CSR 10-6.261). This action would result in a number of changes to the SIP, including removing outdated requirements as a result of facilities that have historically closed or switched from coal to lower sulfur fuels, as well as those that have become subject to more stringent SO<INF>2</INF> requirements elsewhere in the Missouri SIP. Other revisions include reinstating SO<INF>2</INF> emission limits for the Ameren-Labadie and Evergy-Hawthorn power plants that had been previously removed. The revisions do not impact the stringency of the SIP, nor do they impact the state's ability to attain or maintain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). In conjunction with proposing approval of revisions to the Missouri SIP, the EPA is proposing to approve Missouri's negative declaration of sources subject to sulfuric acid production requirements submitted by the MoDNR to the EPA on May 4, 2022.
Learn More🌬️EPA Air Plan Approval
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is updating the regulatory materials that are incorporated by reference into the Idaho State Implementation Plan (SIP). The EPA is also notifying the public of corrections and clarifying changes in the Code of Federal Regulations tables that identify the regulatory materials incorporated by reference into the Idaho SIP. This update affects the materials that are available for public inspection at the National Archives and Records Administration and the EPA Region 10 Office.
Learn More🍗USDA Updates State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program Lists
FSIS is amending the Federal meat and poultry products inspection regulations to remove its lists of states that do not operate their own meat or poultry inspection (MPI) programs that are "at least equal to" FSIS' Federal inspection programs and have therefore been designated for FSIS' Federal inspection. FSIS is also amending the regulations to remove or revise related cross references to the lists. Going forward, FSIS will maintain lists of states with and without MPI programs on its website to ensure that the public has accurate and timely access to information about State and Federal inspection programs.
Learn More🏥Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Regulations Overview
This final rule revises standards relating to denial of coverage for failure to pay past-due premium; excludes Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients from the definition of "lawfully present;" establishes the evidentiary standard HHS uses to assess an agent's, broker's, or web-broker's potential noncompliance; revises the Exchange automatic reenrollment hierarchy; revises standards related to the annual open enrollment period and special enrollment periods; revises standards relating to failure to file and reconcile, income eligibility verifications for premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions, annual eligibility redeterminations, de minimis thresholds for the actuarial value for plans subject to essential health benefits (EHB) requirements, and income-based cost-sharing reduction plan variations. This final rule also revises the premium adjustment percentage methodology and prohibits issuers of coverage subject to EHB requirements from providing coverage for specified sex-trait modification procedures as an EHB.
Learn More⚛️NRC Fee Schedules Amendment for FY 2025
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending the licensing, inspection, special project, and annual fees charged to its applicants and licensees. These amendments are necessary to comply with the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act, which requires the NRC to recover, to the maximum extent practicable, approximately 100 percent of its annual budget, less certain amounts excluded from this fee recovery requirement. In addition, the NRC is making amendments to implement a reduced hourly rate for advanced nuclear reactor applicants and pre-applicants for certain activities as required by the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act of 2024.
Learn More🌬️New EPA Delegation of NSPS and NESHAP to Louisiana
The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) has submitted updated regulations for receiving delegation and approval of its program for the implementation and enforcement of certain New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for all sources, as provided for under previously approved delegation mechanisms. The updated State regulations incorporate by reference certain NSPS and NESHAP promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as they existed through July 1, 2021. EPA is providing notice that it is updating the delegation of certain NSPS to LDEQ and proposing to approve the delegation of certain NESHAP to LDEQ. The proposed delegation of authority under this action does not apply to sources located in Indian country.
Learn More🌫️Missouri's St. Louis Area Reclassified as Serious Ozone Nonattainment
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting comment on a determination that the Missouri portion of the St. Louis, MO-IL bi-state nonattainment area failed to attain the 2015 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) by the applicable attainment date. The effect of failing to attain by the applicable attainment date is that the area is reclassified by operation of law to "Serious" nonattainment for the 2015 ozone NAAQS. On November 25, 2024, the EPA published a final action in the Federal Register which determined that the St. Louis area failed to attain the 2015 ozone NAAQS by the Moderate area attainment date. That action also reclassified the area to Serious by operation of law with an effective date of December 31, 2024. On January 24, 2025, the EPA received a petition for reconsideration of that final action from the State of Missouri. On March 5, 2025, EPA Region 7 granted the petition for reconsideration and stated our intention to undergo a notice and comment rulemaking. Therefore, the EPA is accepting comment on the determination that the St. Louis area failed to attain by the attainment date. The Illinois portion of the St. Louis, MO-IL bi-state area is addressed separately.
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