The date is approaching for EPA to finalize its rules for controlling carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants, and states are contemplating their responses to those rules. A number of commentators have recommended that states “just say... Read More
Much has been made of late about EPA’s authority to develop federal implementation plans (FIPs) to achieve the state-based GHG emissions reduction targets the agency is preparing to establish under Clean Power Plan. Led by Senator Mitch McConnell... Read More
By J. Wylie Donald Last Tuesday night saw a few of us enjoying the charms of Virginia Beach as we recovered from a long day of coal plant demolition. (Lawyers in hard hats. Run from that.) Well, not exactly. We were attending a conference run... Read More
By Jessica J.O. King The Clean Air Act requires EPA to regulate emissions of hazardous air pollutants from coal-fired power plants if the agency determines that such “regulation is appropriate and necessary” after studying the hazards... Read More
On June 29, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Michigan v. EPA, [subscribers can access an enhanced version of this opinion: lexis.com | Lexis Advance ], that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) failed to properly consider compliance costs... Read More
By Tricia Caliguire "Pope Francis Stands Up to Climate Deniers," or so says the editorial board of the Newark Star Ledger . Yes, but the headline could have read, "Pope says No to Cap and Trade." In his ENCYCLICAL LETTER LAUDATO... Read More
By J. Wylie Donald It was innocuous enough: Conference on Environmental Regulations; but the plainness of title belied what was going on at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission at the first public forum at FERC on EPA's Clean Power Plan... Read More
By Tricia Caliguire Because I had a seat inside the meeting room at FERC's Clean Power Plan Overview last month, I got a close-up view of the protesters. Most were older (as opposed to the college-student variety), they carried signs, wore matching... Read More
By Tricia Caliguire The Supreme Court’s decision in Michigan v. EPA , [subscribers can access an enhanced version of this opinion: lexis.com | Lexis Advance ], holding that the Environmental Protection Agency should have considered costs when... Read More
By J. Wylie Donald It’s been a long winter in my neck of the woods and not because Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. Pipes froze. Twice. Furnace was out overnight. Broke three shovels. So I had a particular interest this past Wednesday, March... Read More
By J. Wylie Donald When the draft of EPA's Clean Power Plan was promulgated in the Federal Register last June, one of the critical questions raised by those in the electricity space was: what about reliability? If you shut down all those coal... Read More
It was a busy week for the United States and the Obama Administration’s Climate Change Initiative. On October 23, 2015, the Clean Power Plan was published in the Federal Register, [subscribers can access an enhanced version of this rule: lexis... Read More
Ohio EPA is seeking early stakeholder input[1] on potential amendments to Ohio’s sulfur dioxide regulations as part of the five-year rule review process mandated by ORC §119.032, [ enhanced version available to lexis.com subscribers ]. The... Read More
By J. Wylie Donald The Energy Information Agency predicted the retirement of up to 60 gigawatts of coal-fired electricity generation by 2020. A significant contributor to that evolution was the Mercury and Air Toxics Standard or MATS Rule. Until... Read More
On June 28, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court filed its 5-4 ruling on the challenge to US EPA Mercury Air Toxics (MATS) rule. Michigan, et al. v. Environmental Protection Agency, et al., No. 14-46 . http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/14pdf/14-46_10n2.pdf... Read More