💧EPA Approves Alternative Test Methods for Drinking Water Compliance
This action announces the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) approval of alternative testing methods for use in measuring the levels of contaminants in drinking water to determine compliance with national primary drinking water regulations. The Safe Drinking Water Act authorizes EPA to approve the use of alternative testing methods through publication in the Federal Register. EPA is using this streamlined authority to make two additional methods available for analyzing drinking water samples. This expedited approach provides public water systems, laboratories, and primacy agencies with more timely access to new measurement techniques and greater flexibility in the selection of analytical methods, thereby reducing monitoring costs while maintaining public health protection.
Learn More⚡New Energy Efficiency Testing Rules for General Service Lamps
The U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") is adopting clarifications to the test procedures for general service lamps ("GSLs") located in appendix W, appendix BB and appendix DD. Specifically, DOE is clarifying instructions that GSLs must not be tested as colored lamps and that lamps with additional components that do not affect light output must be turned off during testing. The clarifications also specify that non-integrated lamps be tested with a fluorescent lamp ballast, high intensity discharge ("HID") lamp ballast or external light-emitting diode ("LED") driver selected based on compatibility lists and availability; and provide specifications regarding the starting method, ballast factor, and number of lamps. This rulemaking is limited in scope and is providing clarifications to the current test procedures that are required for certification of compliance with existing applicable GSL energy conservation standards. Further, this rulemaking does not satisfy the Energy Policy and Conservation Act ("EPCA") requirement that, at least once every 7 years, DOE review the test procedures for GSLs.
Learn More🌎EPA Approves Air Quality Revisions in Maricopa County, Arizona
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve revisions to the Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD or "County") portions of the Arizona State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern the County's reasonably available control technology (RACT) demonstration for the aerospace coating category and negative declarations for the 2008 8- hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS or "standards") in the portion of the Phoenix-Mesa ozone nonattainment area regulated by the MCAQD, as well as a rule covering emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from surface coatings and industrial adhesives. We are also approving a local rule that regulates these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or "the Act").
Learn More🌍Kansas EPA Proposes New Emission Fees and Compliance Rules
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) and Operating Permits Program and the 112(l)plan submitted by the State of Kansas on February 20, 2023. The revised Kansas rules update the Class I emission fee and emissions inventory regulations, establish a Class II fee schedule and ensure that Kansas's Operating Permits Program is adequately funded. Approval of these revisions ensures consistency between the State and federally-approved rules and does not impact air quality.
Learn More♻️Wyoming Approves Wind Turbine Blade Disposal in Coal Mining
We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are approving an amendment to the Wyoming regulatory program (hereinafter, the Wyoming Program or Program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). On its own initiative, the Wyoming Land Quality Division (LQD), in response to State legislative changes enacted in 2020, proposed rules to its Program that facilitate the disposal of inert decommissioned wind turbine blades and towers as backfill in end walls or the final pit voids in surface coal mining operations. In addition, Wyoming has updated Chapter 2 of its Coal Rules, titled "Permit Application Requirements for Surface Coal Mining Operations," to provide consistency with the Wyoming Secretary of State's Rules on Rules, as well as correct grammatical errors.
Learn More🌍EPA Withdraws Rule on Excess Emissions Compliance Requirements
Due to the receipt of adverse comment, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is withdrawing the November 26, 2024, direct final rule to partially withdraw two final actions finding that 13 States and/or local air pollution control agencies failed to submit State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions required by the Clean Air Act (CAA) in a timely manner to address the EPA's 2015 findings of substantial inadequacy and "SIP calls" for provisions applying to excess emissions during periods of startup, shutdown, and malfunction (SSM). The EPA will address all comments received in a subsequent final rule for which the EPA will not institute a second comment period.
Learn More🌍Air Quality Regulation Updates for Maricopa County Businesses
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing a limited approval and limited disapproval of revisions to the Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD or "County") portion of the Arizona State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from loading of organic liquids and gasoline. Under the authority of the Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act"), this action simultaneously approves local rules that regulate these emission sources and directs Arizona to correct rule deficiencies. We are also finalizing a disapproval of MCAQD's reasonably available control technology (RACT) demonstration for the source categories associated with these rules for the 2008 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) in the Phoenix-Mesa ozone nonattainment area.
Learn More💼2025 Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment - Labor Impact
The U.S. Department of Labor (Department) is publishing this final rule to adjust for inflation the civil monetary penalties assessed or enforced by the Department, pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (Inflation Adjustment Act). The Inflation Adjustment Act requires the Department to annually adjust its civil money penalty levels for inflation no later than January 15 of each year. The Inflation Adjustment Act provides that agencies shall adjust civil monetary penalties notwithstanding section 553 of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Additionally, the Inflation Adjustment Act provides a cost- of-living formula for adjustment of the civil penalties. Accordingly, this final rule sets forth the Department's 2025 annual adjustments for inflation to its civil monetary penalties.
Learn More🚛Implications of New FMCSA Regulations for Motor Carriers and Brokers
In a final rule published in the Federal Register on November 18, 2024, FMCSA amended its regulations by making technical corrections throughout the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). The final rule included an amendatory instruction to revise a stayed section without first lifting the stay. The final rule also included an amendatory instruction which referenced an incorrect paragraph letter. The Agency corrects these errors.
Learn More🌍EPA's Proposed Air
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the state implementation plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Alaska (Alaska or the State) on December 4, 2024, to address Clean Air Act requirements for the 2006 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) national ambient air quality standards in the Fairbanks North Star Borough Serious PM<INF>2.5</INF> nonattainment area. Alaska's submission includes SIP revisions to meet nonattainment planning requirements for emissions inventories, modeling and sulfur dioxide precursor demonstration for major stationary sources, control measures, attainment projections and progress to attainment and associated motor vehicle emissions budgets, and contingency measures. The EPA is also starting the adequacy process for the budgets.
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