Focus
U.S. sues California over zero emission vehicle, greenhouse gas rules
Reuters – March 12
The U.S. Transportation Department sued the California Air Resources Board on Thursday in U.S. District Court in California, claiming the state’s zero-emission vehicle and tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions rules are illegal and preempted by federal law. The lawsuit seeks a ruling declaring that all zero-emission vehicle mandates by California are unlawful and unenforceable. California won approval in 2022 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) for its current vehicle rules, known as Advanced Clean Cars I, which the state says remain in effect. President Trump signed legislation last year to overturn California’s Advanced Clean Cars II rules that aim to phase out new gasoline-powered cars by 2035.
News
Nearly 40% of California produce contains PFAS pesticides, report finds
Los Angeles Times – March 11
A new report from an environmental advocacy group shows that nearly 40% of conventionally grown fruits and vegetables tested by California regulators contain residues of PFAS chemicals, commonly referred to as “forever chemicals,” some of which are linked to cancer and other health issues in humans, as well as damage to ecosystems and wildlife. PFAS have increasingly been used in agricultural pesticides in recent years. According to the report, about 2.5 million pounds of PFAS pesticides are applied annually on California cropland.
Navy begins hazardous materials removal for Hunters Point shipyard demolition project
Local News Matters – March 9
The U.S. Navy has begun to remove hazardous materials from several contaminated buildings slated for demolition at the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco. The Superfund site was once an active shipyard where radioactive ships were decommissioned, leading to the accumulation of radionuclides in the surrounding soil and groundwater. The Navy is leading ongoing cleanup efforts with oversight from the U.S. EPA, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the San Francisco Department of Public Health. The cleanup has been divided into multiple phases, and abatement and removal of waste at six buildings at the site has started, with demolition scheduled to begin in late March.
Kern water district gets $230 million to settle contamination lawsuit
SJV Water – March 10
The Arvin-Edison Water Storage District (District) accepted $230 million to settle its lawsuit against Dow Chemical and Shell Oil for allegedly contaminating its groundwater with 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP), a chemical that was included in a pesticide produced by the two companies, jeopardizing the District’s groundwater banking program with a southern California drinking water agency. Drinking water systems began addressing TCP in 2017 when the state deemed it a carcinogen and set the maximum level of TCP for drinking water at five parts per trillion — the equivalent of five grains of sand in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. The TCP issue has arisen as water districts are scrambling to store as much recharged water as possible to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which mandates that local agencies must bring aquifers into balance by 2040.
EPA sets municipal waste combustion rules for first time in 20 years
Waste Dive – March 9
The U.S. EPA on Thursday released its final air pollution rules for new and existing municipal solid waste combustors. The updated Emissions Guidelines and New Source Performance Standards had been due since 2011 per Clean Air Act rules but were repeatedly delayed and the subject of extended litigation. The rules set lower limits for nine pollutants released at 57 large facilities, add electronic reporting requirements, and remove emissions reporting exemptions for startup, shutdown, and malfunction of facilities.
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