Effective March 2, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has withdrawn the information collection request (ICR) entitled, “Information Collection Effort for Oil and Gas Facilities.” EPA issued the final ICR in November 2016, requiring(…)
On May 4, 2016, seven environmental groups followed through on a prior threat to sue the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by filing a lawsuit against the EPA in a bid to force the agency to develop tailored rules for the disposal, s(…)
On January 29, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register a proposed rule that would amend the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program for the petroleum and natural gas systems source category at 40 CFR Part 98, Su(…)
On August 26, 2015, seven environmental groups sent the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a Notice of Intent to Sue the agency in an attempt to force the agency to develop tailored rules for oil and gas wastes under the Resource Conservation(…)
Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will host three public hearings in September regarding proposed Clean Air Act rulemaking actions that will affect the oil and gas industry. Two hearings will be held in Denver and(…)
Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formally announced its highly-anticipated proposal to regulate methane emissions from the oil and natural gas sector. Specifically, EPA is proposing to amend the New Source Performance Standards (N(…)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently released a report entitled, “Enhanced EPA Oversight and Action Can Further Protect Water Resources From the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing.” The repo(…)
This week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent a highly-anticipated proposed rule to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for interagency review that would address methane emissions in the oil and natural gas sector. E(…)
On May 27, 2015, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) released the long-awaited final rule redefining the extent of the agencies’ jurisdiction over “waters of the United States”(…)
This week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) announced that they have submitted to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a joint final rule aimed at clarifying which water bodies(…)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is convening a Small Business Advocacy Review Panel to discuss a rulemaking aimed at regulating greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and natural gas sector, as part of the Obama Administration’s methane(…)
Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a fact sheet outlining the agency’s strategy for reducing emissions of methane and ground level ozone-forming pollutants from the oil and natural gas sector. Release of the EPA strategy is(…)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has, for a second time, extended the public comment deadline associated with its proposed rule to redefine “waters of the United States” and related terms for purposes of various federal Clean Water Act(…)
On September 18, 2014, sixteen of the nation’s largest environmental advocacy groups joined forces in a letter to President Barack Obama calling for national standards aimed at reducing methane emissions from oil and gas operations. The letter urged(…)
On September 9, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass a bill introduced in response to the ‘Waters of the United States’ Proposed Rule that was prepared jointly by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and U.S. Environmental Protection Ag(…)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recently extended the public comment deadlines associated with its proposed rulemaking to redefine “waters of the United States” for federal Clean Water Act programs and its request for information rega(…)
Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) published in the Federal Register its advance notice of proposed rulemaking regarding the disclosure of chemicals and mixtures associated with hydraulic fracturing (see previous post). Public com(…)
Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) announced the availability of an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to solicit public comments on “the information that should be reported or disclosed for hydraulic fracturing chemical(…)
This week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposal to amend Subpart W of the greenhouse gas reporting program rules, which affects the Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems source category. According to EPA’s fact sheet, “[t]he(…)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued an Interim Chemical Accident Prevention Advisory concerning the design of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) installations at natural gas processing plants. EPA has found that some existing pl(…)
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill prohibiting the Interior Department from enforcing regulations on hydraulic fracturing in any state that already has regulations in place. The bill recognizes the states’ authority to regulate hydraulic(…)
Last week the University of Texas, in conjunction with the Environmental Defense Fund and 9 companies involved in natural gas production, released a study which found that 0.42% of natural gas produced in the U.S. is emitted into the atmosphere as met(…)
On Thursday, U.S. EPA announced that the State of Wyoming will lead further investigation of drinking water quality in Pavillion, Wyoming. In 2009, EPA began working with the state and local tribes to investigate water quality in the Pavillion area i(…)
On Friday, June 7th, twelve energy-producing states, including Ohio and West Virginia, signed a letter to the EPA defending the industry practice of hydraulic fracturing. The letter was in response to recent threats to sue the EPA for not assuming reg(…)
According to recent reports, the Inspector General (IG) has informed officials at the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) that an investigation will be conducted in connection with the agency’s efforts to reduce methane emissions(…)
Today the U.S. Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works voted 10-8 in favor of advancing Gina McCarthy’s nomination for EPA Administrator. The nomination now moves to the full Senate for consideration.
The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works has rescheduled the vote on the nomination of Gina McCarthy for EPA Administrator for May 16, 2013. The Committee was forced to reschedule the vote in light of a boycott last week by Republica(…)
Reuters reports that all eight Republican members of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee refused to participate in a scheduled vote on May 9, 2013. The boycott prevented Gina McCarthy’s nomination from proceeding to the next step,(…)
U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) has announced that the Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a vote May 9, 2013, on Gina McCarthy’s nomination to serve as the next Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. McCarthy appea(…)