The D.C. Circuit granted a petition to review EPA's 2017 rule revising its emission standard for hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) emitted from pulp mill combustion sources. Environmental groups argued that EPA was required under §112(d)(6) of the CAA to consider the adequacy of the standard to contr...

The D.C. Circuit affirmed dismissal of an environmental group's request to compel EPA to produce guidelines for commercial or industrial solid waste incinerators (CISWI) and other categories of solid waste incinerators (OSWI). The group argued that the Agency failed to comply with nondiscretionary d...

The D.C. Circuit vacated a 2018 EPA rule that instituted a complete vacatur of its 2015 rule blocking the use of hydrofluorocarbons as replacements for ozone-depleting substances. An environmental group argued the 2018 rule was invalid because it was a legislative rule and was thus improperly promul...

The D.C. Circuit dismissed a petition to review EPA's Guidance on Significant Impact Levels (SILs) for Ozone and Fine Particles in the Prevention of Significant Deterioration Permitting Program, which sets numerical SILs that can be used by companies applying for PSD permits. An environmental group ...

A district court granted two Baltimore solid waste incineration facilities' partial motion for summary judgment in a challenge to the Baltimore Clean Air Act (BCAA). The facilities argued the BCAA was "conflict preempted" by Maryland law because it prohibited solid waste incinerators from operating ...

The Tenth Circuit vacated EPA orders that granted extensions of exemptions under the CAA's renewable fuels program for three small refineries. Industry groups challenged the orders, arguing that EPA failed to honor the statutory requirement of an "extension" by confusing an extension of an exemption...

The Washington Supreme Court invalidated a rule promulgated by the state's Department of Ecology authorizing regulation via emission standards of businesses that do not directly emit greenhouse gases (GHGs), but whose products do. Industry groups and utility companies argued the Department lacked au...

A district court denied EPA's request to stay a previous order requiring it to comply with its 2016 Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills. Eight states had argued that the Agency failed to implement and enforce the guidelines by, among other things, failing to ...

The D.C. Circuit upheld EPA's decision to modify the criteria or lower the threshold by which the Agency determined whether to grant small refineries an exemption from the CAA's Renewable Fuel Program. An industry group argued that the increase in the number of exemptions granted in 2016 and 2017 co...

A district court granted in part a motion to stay its previous order requiring an electric utility company to obtain a PSD permit to address CAA violations at its coal-fired power plant in Festus, Missouri, and to install air pollution control technology at a neighboring plant in Labadie, Missouri. ...