United States v. Reading, City of, No. 04-05696 (E.D. Penn. Jan. 24, 2024). A proposed amendment to a consent decree extends the deadlines for completing remaining capital improvement projects for a settling CWA defendant that violated its NPDES permits, the CWA, and the Pennsylvania Clean Streams law by discharging pollutants into the Schuylkill River, failed to enforce the requirements of its pretreatment program for industrial users, and failed to properly operate and maintain its wastewater treatment plant and systems. 

EPA approved alternative testing methods for use in measuring the levels of contaminants in drinking water to determine compliance with national primary drinking water regulations under the SDWA. 

The Bureau of Indian Affairs proclaimed approximately 1,483.03 acres as an addition to the reservation of Pascua Yaqui Tribe.

EPA announced a 30-day public comment period on draft updates to its Scientific Integrity Policy that will adopt a new federal definition of scientific integrity and meaningfully strengthen several policy elements to ensure a culture of scientific integrity at the Agency.

United States v. Swinerton Builders, No. 3:24-cv-00274 (N.D. Cal. Jan. 17, 2024). Under a proposed consent decree, a settling CWA defendant that allegedly violated the Act during construction of solar energy facilities in Alabama, Idaho, and Illinois, must implement significant mitigation actions and pay a $2,300,000 civil penalty. 

United States v. Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, No. 3:24-cv-08006 (D. Ariz. Jan. 9, 2024). Under a proposed partial consent decree, a settling CWA defendant that allegedly violated the limits and conditions established in its NPDES permits at three wastewater treatment facilities must improve the performance of its exiting treatment plants in the short term, construct new treatment plants over the longer term, improve its operation and maintenance of the facilities, and study its collection systems to identify defects and plan for their repair. 

EPA proposed to revise the technology-based effluent limitations guidelines and standards for the meat and poultry products point source category. 

EPA entered into a proposed settlement agreement under RCRA and CERCLA with St. Croix Petrochemical Corporation (SCPC), under which SCPC would transfer its remaining assets of approximately $1.7 million to help fund remediation of contamination caused by SCPC’s former Hovensa refinery in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. 

United States v. Ohio Refining Co., No. 3:24-cv-00039 (N.D. Ohio Jan. 8, 2024). Under five proposed consent decrees, settling CERCLA, CWA, and OPA defendants that released hazardous substances and oil at the Duck & Otter Creeks NRDA Site near Toledo, Ohio, must collectively pay $7,225,909 in natural resource damages (NRD) and $903,239 as reimbursement for NRD assessment costs incurred by DOI.

EPA Region 10 reissued the NPDES general permit for federal aquaculture facilities and aquaculture facilities located in Indian country in Washington.