The basis of an effective Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) program remains the strength of its management system and how thoroughly it is integrated into business practices. This year, Troutman Sanders is thrilled to be the presenting sponsor at the North Carolina Chamber Environmental Compliance Conference, which takes place next Thursday, January 28th in Durham, North Carolina. This conference is designed to provide employers with an in-depth understanding of current critical issues and practices related to the effective implementation of EHS programs as well as tools to navigate the regulatory landscape. Attendees will join expert panelists and top North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) officials in proactive discussions on pressing regulatory issues, legislation, policy decisions, and other initiatives on water, waste, air and natural resources that affect business. This conference provides NC DEQ officials with valuable feedback from the regulated community while providing businesses with an excellent forum on emerging environmental trends and issues.
EPA Proposes to Expand Refrigerant Rules and Leak Detection / Repair Requirements
On November 9, 2015, EPA published a proposal to revise its Clean Air Act refrigerant regulations under the stratospheric ozone protection program, which cover all appliances containing a refrigerant, including HVAC systems, commercial food refrigeration appliances, and industrial cooling processes. The proposal would significantly increase the regulatory burden associated with those regulations in two ways.
EPA Action in Texas Foreshadows New Regional Haze Policy
On Tuesday, January 5, 2016, EPA partially approved and partially disapproved a revision to the Texas “regional haze” State Implementation Plan (SIP). The regional haze program is intended to protect and improve visibility at national parks and requires states to write plans for accomplishing those goals. While EPA has disapproved dozens of states’ regional haze SIPs in the past, primarily based on the state’s determination of “Best Available Retrofit Technology” (BART), this action simply defers EPA’s decision on BART.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Publishes 2015 Candidate Notice of Review
Each year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) publishes its annual Candidate Notice of Review (CNOR) in the Federal Register. The 2015 CNOR is available here, and includes the candidate species of plants and animals that FWS has deemed eligible for listing under the Endangered Species Act, but which have not yet been listed due to higher priority listings. The 18 plants and 42 animals on the 2015 notice are the fewest number of candidate species listed since FWS began the list in 1975. This is due, in part, to litigation settlements between FWS and the Center for the Biological Diversity and WildEarth Guardians which mandated that FWS expedite their listing decisions and thereby reduce the number of candidate species on the CNOR.
EPA Launches eDisclosure System for Automating Self-Disclosed Civil Violations
EPA recently announced it is centralizing its violation self-disclosure process in a new eDisclosure portal. Through the portal, registered users will be able to disclose routine violation and their corrections to EPA. The portal is based on EPA’s “Incentives for Self-Policing: Discovery, Disclosure, Correction and Prevention of Violations” policy issued in 2000 to encourage voluntary discovery, prompt disclosure and correction of violations by incentivizing the regulated community with potential penalty reductions for self-reporting.
Peter Glaser quoted in ClimateWire article on EPA’s publishing of its Clean Power Plan Rule
Washington, D.C. Environmental and Natural Resources Partner Peter Glaser was quoted in the Friday, October 23 ClimateWire article, “Opening day for EPA’s Clean Power Plan Rule and for litigation”. October 23 marked the EPA’s publishing of its Clean Power Plan rule in the Federal Register. The EPA’s Clean Power Plan rule is designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants through a series of regulations by 32% from 2005 levels by 2030. These regulations are a key part of the Obama administration’s agenda to mandate efforts to address climate change.
Doug Henderson to give Georgia Environmental Case Law Update ICLE Webinar
Environmental and Natural Resources Partner Douglas Henderson will present a Georgia Environmental Case Law Update for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education of Georgia on August 25 at 2 p.m. Doug will discuss 10 federal court and 9 Georgia court opinions that will cover topics like the impact of drought
Mack McGuffey discusses EPA’s Clean Power Plan rule during the Southern Legislative Conference
Partner Mack McGuffey offered his perspective on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan at the Southern Legislative Conference last week, as reported in the Monday, July 20 issue of E&E News. The lawmakers signed a resolution urging state attorneys general to sue the EPA over its latest Clean Power Plan rule, which calls for a reorganization of the nation’s electric power supply with the intent of reducing carbon emission by 30 percent, as compared to 2005 levels, by the year 2030.
Pharmaceutical Waste Management: Compliance for Hospitals, Pharmacies and Other Healthcare Facilities Webinar – July 30, 1 p.m.
In conjunction with Strafford Publications, TS Environmental and Natural Resources Partner Greg Blount will present a webinar on Pharmaceutical Waste Management: Compliance for Hospitals, Pharmacies and Other Healthcare Facilities on Thursday, July 30 at 1:00 p.m.
EPA Issues “SIP Call” Requiring New Rules for Startup, Shutdown, and Malfunction Emissions Webinar – July 23, 1 p.m.
In conjunction with Bloomberg BNA, TS Environmental and Natural Resources Partner Mack McGuffey will present a webinar on the EPA’s new “SIP call” requiring new rules for startup, shutdown, and malfunction emissions on Thursday, July 23 at 1:00 p.m.