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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made available three guides and related materials on the handling and disposal of waste that may contain polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), asbestos or mercury (specifically fluorescent lamps).

Each year �鶹��Ƶ seeks nominations for qualified and motivated individuals from the �鶹��Ƶ Environmental Forum to serve on the Steering Committee for the forum.  Would you like to play a leadership role in �鶹��Ƶ of America’s environmental advocacy, education and outreach efforts?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently launched a compliance assistance website to help owners and operators of stationary Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines (RICE) meet new national emission standards and operating limits by the May 2013 compliance deadline.  Be aware that an “Initial Notification” requirement is currently in effect for certain engine horsepower ranges - Sample Initial Notification- Compression Ignition.   

The reissuance of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Construction General Permit (CGP) for stormwater discharges – due out by Feb. 15, 2012 – will not include a numeric turbidity limit or associated monitoring and reporting requirements, according to latest reports. Instead, EPA is seeking more industry data to correct an error that resulted in a faulty turbidity limit established in the 2009 “Effluent Limitation Guidelines” for the “Construction Development Industry” (C&D ELG) rule.  EPA will need many more months to gather better data, propose a correction rule for public comment and then take final action on a revised limitation.

A California court recently struck down the numeric effluent limits (NEL) on turbidity and pH in the statewide General Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Construction and Land Disturbance Activities (CGP). The Sacramento County Superior Court found that the California State Water Resources Control Board (Board) developed technology-based effluent limits (TBEL) – also called numeric effluent limits or NEL –without adherence to the factors outlined in the Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 304(b). The CGP limits are now invalid and unenforceable.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing two draft vessel general permits that would regulate discharges from commercial vessels, excluding military and recreational vessels. Construction companies involved in marine operations that own or operate vessels (e.g., tugs or barges) should take note of the ever-increasing requirements and provide comments to EPA by Feb. 21, 2012.  EPA has scheduled a webcast on Jan. 19 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm (ET) to address questions and to provide information on the draft permits.  Register for the webcast on EPA’s website here.

On Dec. 7, 2011, the U.S. House passed H.R. 10, the “Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act”, by a margin of 241 to 184.  The �鶹��Ƶ-supported bill would require Congress to scrutinize major rules and affirmatively approve any new major rule before it could be imposed on employers. The REINS Act is limited to new “major rules” (i.e., rules having an impact on the economy of $100 million or more), therefore impacting only a small fraction of all rules promulgated each year (about 26 rules in the pipeline meet that threshold. They include new regulations on Crystalline Silica, Hours of Service and Hazardous Communications), while covering those with the most significant impact on the economy.

�鶹��Ƶ of America and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) have just released an executive summary of the industry summit on sustainability and risk the organizations jointly held earlier this year.  Initiated from a discussion by the AIA-�鶹��Ƶ Joint Committee, the summit brought together representatives from various industry stakeholder groups to explore the rapidly shifting legal landscape in the building industry.  Key themes for the day were collaboration, education, practice transformation, accountability and metrics.  The executive summary is available here.

On Nov. 14, �鶹��Ƶ submitted a comment letter in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) request for comment on specific information the agency collected in conjunction with its 2010 proposed rule to regulate the disposal of coal combustion residuals (CCR), such as fly ash, as either hazardous or non-hazardous waste.  During this comment period, the public could only respond to specific EPA questions related to limited information identified in the notice. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) are working on a proposed rule to revise the definition of “waters of the United States” that are subject to federal control and permit requirements under the Clean Water Act (CWA). �鶹��Ƶ recently participated in an interagency meeting to discuss the potential small-business impact of EPA’s efforts to clarify this critical term which dictates when Clean Water Act Section 404 permits are required to perform construction work (i.e., dredge and fill activities) in streams, rivers, wetlands, lakes, and other waterbodies.