NMFS proposed to modify the regulations for Marine Mammal Protection Act §104 permits, including scientific research, enhancement, photography, and public display permits and letters of confirmation.

FWS established a nonessential experimental population of the grizzly bear within the U.S. portion of the North Cascades Ecosystem (NCE) in the state of Washington under §10(j) of the ESA in order to support the reintroduction, recovery, and conservation of the species within the NCE. 

United States v. French Limited, Inc., No. 4:89-cv-2544 (S.D. Tex. Apr. 26, 2024). A fourth modification to a 1990 consent decree under CERCLA concerning contamination at the French Limited Superfund Site near Crosby, Texas, revises work requirements, provides for the reimbursement to EPA of certain response costs, and provides for the disbursement to members of the working group of funds received by EPA in a bankruptcy settlement payment for the site.

EPA granted a treatment variance, requested by DOE, from the Land Disposal Restrictions treatment standards for approximately 2,000 gallons of mixed hazardous low-activity radioactive waste from DOE’s Test Bed Initiative for the Hanford Site in Washington State. 

CEQ finalized its “Bipartisan Permitting Reform Implementation Rule” to revise its regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA. 

DOE revised its NEPA implementing procedures to add a categorical exclusion for certain energy storage systems and modify categorical exclusions for upgrading and rebuilding powerlines and for solar photovoltaic systems, as well as to make conforming changes to related sections of the Department’s NEPA regulations. 

United States v. San Diego, City of, No. 3:23-cv-00541-LL-BGS (S.D. Cal. Apr. 22, 2024). Under a proposed consent decree, settling CERCLA defendants must collectively pay $2,412,029.89 for reimbursement of response costs incurred in connection with the release of hazardous substances at the former Naval Training Center in San Diego, California. 

EPA denied a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity requesting that discarded polyvinyl chloride be listed as a hazardous waste under RCRA. 

The Federal Transit Administration announced the availability of a programmatic assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from transit projects. 

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) adopted the Department of the Air Force's categorical exclusion for supersonic flying operations over land and above 30,000 feet mean sea level, or over water and above 10,000 feet mean sea level and more than 15 nautical miles from land under NEPA to use in NASA’s program and funding opportunities.