Energy

Environmentalists are previewing their likely court challenge to Oklahoma's first-of-its-kind permit program for coal ash disposal, arguing in comments on EPA's proposed approval of the permit regime that regardless of its technical mandates the state's lack of enforcement resources and public-input policies constitute fatal flaws in the plan.

ST. PAUL, MN -- Seeking to increase compliance with environmental rules, EPA is crafting a new audit policy for streamlining disclosure of non-compliance by new oil and natural gas facilities and is seeking states' input on the issue, though environmentalists and others are cautioning that strong enforcement will still be needed to deter non-compliance.

A federal appeals court in a unanimous ruling is backing the Obama EPA's policy allowing states to rely on their participation in the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) emissions trading program to satisfy regional haze air pollution control mandates, rejecting challenges to the policy from environmentalists and utility industry groups.

Pro-ethanol lawmakers are calling on President Donald Trump to oppose calls from the oil sector and others for EPA to impose a short-term cap on renewable fuel standard (RFS) compliance credit prices, warning that a cap would make it “impossible” to achieve the RFS' goals for production of alternative and renewable fuels.