Category — EPA News

On October 7, 2011, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or the “Commission”) announced that it will hold a Commissioner-led Technical Conference to address the reliability of the Bulk-Power System and emerging issues, including reliability concerns which may arise in complying with Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) regulations, along with tools to address these issues. [Read more →]

On October 6, 2011, the EPA proposed what it is referring to as “technical adjustments” to the final Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (“CSAPR”).  According to the EPA, the adjustments are needed to correct errors made in certain unit specific modeling assumptions and to smooth the transition from the Clean Air Interstate Rule (“CAIR”) to CSAPR.  A summary of the proposed adjustments is as follows: [Read more →]

On September 20, 2011, the Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (“SPP”), wrote to Administrator Lisa Jackson at the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) in its capacity as a FERC approved Regional Transmission Organization (“RTO”) and Regional Entity, requesting a delay of the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (“CSAPR”). [Read more →]

The House of Representatives on Friday passed H.R. 2401, the Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation Act (“TRAIN Act”).  The Act establishes an interagency federal panel to assess the cumulative impact of various EPA regulations and requires that the panel issue its report by next August.  The bill prevents EPA from proceeding with its recently promulgated Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (“CSAPR”) and finalizing its proposed Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (“MATS”) rule. [Read more →]

Last week saw continued appeals filed of EPA’s Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (“CSAPR”), as well as petitions to EPA to reconsider the rule.  The deadline for appeals is October 7, 2011.  Currently, the following parties have filed appeals in the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit:  EME Homer City Generation, L.P., Luminant Generation Company, LLC,  GenOn Energy, Inc., State of Kansas, State of Texas, States of Nebraska, Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas.  As of this writing, EME Homer City, Luminant and GenOn have asked the Court to stay the rule.  Other appeals and other motions for stays are expected. [Read more →]