The U.S. EPA recently released the 15th installment of its Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Program Plan[1]. In addition to announcing the initiation of new rulemakings for certain categories of industrial dischargers, the report provides a window into where the agency is focusing its attention for potential future clean water act regulations. This year,
Landfill News
Proposed Vermont Regulations Threaten to Upend Process for Treatment of Oily Wastewater
The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VDEC) is currently in the process of reviewing and reauthorizing its Hazardous Waste Management Regulations. Mixed among the updates is a proposed provision that should be of great concern to generators of used oil wastewater. Section 7-805 of VDEC’s hazardous waste regulations delineates the requirements for wastewater to…
EPA Information Collection Request
EPA is accepting comments on an information collection request (ICR), NSPS for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills, submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Comments will be accepted until March 1, 2021 and should be submitted online using www.regulations.gov or by email to docket.oeaca@epa.gov referencing Docket ID Number EPA=HQ-OECA-2020-0203.
EPA Required to Finalize Federal Plan for Landfill Methane Emissions by January 2020
Last week, a federal judge denied a request from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) seeking to shift its timeline for implementing a 2016 rule targeting landfill emissions. As a result, EPA is required to finalize its federal implementation plan for landfill methane emissions by January 14, 2020.
This ruling marks the latest turn in…
EPA Determines That Additional Federal Regulation of Fracking Waste Not Necessary – Leaving it to the States
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a decision last week stating that revisions to the federal regulations for the management of wastes from the exploration, development, and production of crude oil, natural gas, and geothermal energy (i.e. oil and gas wastes from hydraulic fracturing and directional drilling) are not necessary at this time. EPA…
Environmental Groups Claim Victory While Dropping Lawsuit Against EPA Over Landfill Methane Emissions Rules
Last May, the Trump EPA issued a 90-day stay of two Obama-era landfill methane rules, namely the Standards of Performance for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (NSPS Subpart XXX) and the Emissions Guidelines (EG). EPA was responding to concerns by industry groups to reconsider portions of the rules. After the stay was put into place, the…
Receiving Facilities Will Be Responsible For Payment of User Fees Under the E-Manifest User Fee Final Rule
Continuing on our discussion of the electronic manifest (e-Manifest) system, EPA Administrator, Scott Pruitt, signed the e-Manifest User Fee Final Rule on December 20, 2017. EPA expects the final rule to be published in the Federal Register in the coming weeks. The pre-publication version of the final rule is attached here.
Under the final…
Illinois Court Finds that Landfill Post-Closure Monitoring Period not Limited to 15 Years by Statute
An Illinois appellate court recently ruled that the 15 year post-closure monitoring requirement for sanitary landfills under the Illinois Environmental Protection Act sets the minimum, not maximum, period, and that that the operator will be required to continue post-closure monitoring if the threat of future violations of the Act is present.
D&L Landfill, Inc., the…
EPA Stays Newly Adopted New Source Performance Standards and Emissions Guidelines for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills
By rule published in the Federal Register today, EPA is staying the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and Emissions Guidelines (EG) final rules for municipal solid waste landfills, in their entirety, for 90 days pending reconsideration. The rules are found at 40 CFR Part 60, Subparts Cf and XXX and had been published…
EPA Rulemaking in the Trump Administration
Mr. Trump made cutting regulations a central promise of his campaign. At one point he suggested 70% of federal regulations could be eliminated. Although his staff quickly walked that number back, there is little doubt that at least a few EPA regulations will be among those the administration will target.
An agenda that involves a…
Waste and Recycling Industry Challenges New Clean Air Act Emission Guidelines for Existing Municipal Solid Waste Landfills
A group of waste industry trade associations and waste management and recycling companies is challenging the EPA’s recently finalized Clean Air Act rule that revises Emission Guidelines for existing municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. The National Waste & Recycling Association is among those that petitioned the United States Court of Appeals for the District of…