United States v. Messer LLC, No. 5:23-cv-0023-JPB (N.D.W. Va. June 22, 2023). A settling CWA defendant that violated NPDES permit numeric effluent limits with respect to wastewater discharges from its industrial gas manufacturing plant in New Cumberland, West Virginia, must perform injunctive relief, including operation of a newly installed copper treatment system by certain deadlines, implementation of a tiered effluent limit response plan, and revision and routine performance of stormwater best management practice measures; and pay a $1.9 million civil penalty.

United States v. Suffolk, County of, No. 23-CV-4369 (E.D.N.Y. June 14, 2023). Settling SDWA defendants must close prohibited large capacity cesspools and motor vehicle waste disposal wells in accordance with a specified timetable in connection with violations of relevant regulations.

EPA Region 4 proposed to reissue the NPDES general permit for the outer continental shelf of the Gulf of Mexico for discharges in the offshore subcategory of the oil and gas extraction point source category.

EPA finalized clarifications to its NPDES Stormwater Phase II regulations due to recent changes made by the Census Bureau, clarifying that the designation criteria for small municipal separate storm sewer systems will remain the same.

CEQ requested input to inform the development of an Ocean Justice Strategy, which will describe the vision, goals, and high-level objectives for coordinating and guiding ocean justice activities across the federal government.

United States v. Eastman Chemical Resins, Inc., No. 2:23-cv-00867-MJH (W.D. Pa. May 24, 2023). Settling CWA, CAA, and RCRA defendants must perform injunctive relief, including conducting a third-party environmental audit, implementing effluent limit violations response requirements, performing facility specific work and repairs, completing comprehensive stormwater and groundwater control plans, and implementing a RCRA-based training program and daily inspection requirements; as well as pay a $2.4 million civil penalty in connection with alleged violations at a hydrocarbon resins manufacturing facility in Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania.

EPA Region 9 proposed to reissue a general NPDES permit for water discharges from facilities classified as low threat located in the Navajo Nation.

The Department of State and NOAA seek public comment on the proposed scope for the upcoming United States Ocean Acidification Action Plan, which will highlight leadership in reducing carbon emissions; strengthening monitoring, research, and coordination research efforts; and investing in adaptive measures.

EPA and NOAA proposed to find that Michigan has satisfied all conditions the agencies established as part of their 1997 approval of the state’s coastal nonpoint pollution control program under the CZMA.

EPA proposed to establish federal water quality standards (WQS) for Indian reservation waters that currently do not have WQS in effect under the CWA, with limited exceptions.