EPA
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Coal
Duke Energy and EPA Reach Agreement on Dan River Coal Ash Cleanup
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Duke Energy have signed an agreement regarding cleanup of the coal ash release that occurred at the retired Dan River coal-fired power plant in North Carolina in February. As part of the deal, the EPA will oversee the cleanup and Duke will reimburse the agency for its oversight […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Federal Court Hands EPA Legal Victory on Fine Particulate Matter
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia last week upheld the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) primary National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for fine particulate matter (PM2.5), dispensing to the agency its third major legal victory on air pollution in a month. The EPA in December 2012 issued […]
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Coal
State Officials to EPA: Allow Energy Efficiency for Compliance with Existing Power Plant Carbon Rule
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should allow states to use energy efficiency programs as a way to comply with its forthcoming rule that will regulate carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants, state energy officials, regulatory utility commissioners, and clean air agencies from more than 45 U.S. states urged the agency on Thursday. In a […]
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Coal
CCS Is Not Yet “Adequately Demonstrated,” Say Industry Leaders [Corrected]
Janet McCabe, a top air regulation official at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defended the agency’s carbon rule for new power plants at a House hearing on Wednesday, even as industry witnesses countered that technology does not yet exist to meet the regulatory requirements. The EPA’s acting assistant administrator for air and radiation reiterated the […]
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Coal
EPA’s McCarthy on Energy Sector Collaboration, Reliability, and 316(b)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy underscored the agency’s collaboration with the energy sector as it develops environmental rules in her keynote address at IHS CERAweek in Houston on Thursday. While her focus was centered on the proposed New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, POWERnews asked about the status of […]
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Coal
EPA Considered Few Projects Not Funded by EPACT for CCS Determination
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking comment on its interpretation of provisions in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005), which it claims do not alter the agency’s determination that the best system to reduce carbon emissions for new coal and gas-fired power plants is partial carbon capture and storage (CCS). The issue […]
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Legal & Regulatory
EPA Mulls Revising Nuclear Plant Radiation Standards
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is calling for public comment and information on approaches to updating radiation protection standards for nuclear power operations. The standards have not been updated since they were originally issued in 1977. The agency issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Feb. 4 in the Federal Register and related fact […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Okla. Asks Supreme Court to Review EPA Regional Haze Suit
Oklahoma has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a lawsuit that challenges the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) authority to reject a state regional haze plan and replace it with a federal implementation plan (FIP). Last July, in a 2–1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit upheld the EPA’s rejection of […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Legal Deadline Set for EPA’s Coal Ash Rule
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must issue a proposed revision of its Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle D rules regulating coal combustion residuals no later than Dec. 19, 2014, under a consent decree reached between the agency and environmental groups that was filed in federal court today. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia […]
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Legal & Regulatory
New Lawsuit Challenging EPA Carbon NSPS Highlights EPACT 2005 Conflict
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) proposed New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from new power plants violates the Energy Policy Act (EPACT) of 2005, a suit filed in federal court by the state of Nebraska alleges. The state alleges, as have a number of Republican lawmakers, that the EPA relied on […]