The National Association of Clean Air Agencies (“NACAA”) submitted June 22nd comments to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) in its docket addressing Proposed National Emission Standards for Hazardous...more
The Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") has announced a new proposed rule that would strengthen the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants ("NESHAP") for Coal- and Oil- Fired Electric Utility Steam...more
On March 4, 2021, we wrote about lawsuits concerning alleged high levels of heavy metals in baby foods (“Are Your Baby’s Strained Carrots Safe? Considerations for Manufacturers”). A precipitating factor was a staff report...more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) published on February 15th a final rule reaffirming its decision that it remains appropriate and necessary to regulate hazardous air pollutants (“HAP”) from power...more
Consent decrees play a major role in environmental litigation. This week, Maine People’s Alliance v. Holtrachem Manufacturing Company, one of the nation’s longest-running cases under the Resource Conservation and Recovery...more
The North Dakota Attorney General (“AG”) sent a document to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) styled: 60-Day Notice of Intent to Sue for Failure to Perform Nondiscretionary Duty under the Clean...more
Following notification of impact to a property through the claims notification process, restorers are regularly called upon to make necessary initial decisions regarding water extraction and drying and impacted material...more
On January 24, 2022, the United States Supreme Court granted an appeal to reconsider the extent of federal Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction involving wetlands on a couple’s property in Idaho. The appellants (the Sacketts)...more
EPA has proposed to revoke the Trump administration finding in 2020 that it is not appropriate and necessary to regulate emissions of air toxics from coal- and oil-fired electric generating units. Instead, EPA proposes to...more
More than four years after finalizing reporting requirements for the manufacture, import, export, processing, and distribution in commerce of elemental mercury and mercury-added products, EPA has eliminated an exemption for...more
Earlier this week, Greenwire (subscription required) had an interesting story about the role that EPA’s estimate of the cost to comply with the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule played in the politics and judicial review...more
On November 2, 2021, the U.S. EPA announced revisions to its mercury inventory reporting rule under TSCA. The revisions eliminate an exemption for companies that import pre-assembled products containing a mercury-added...more
Twenty-twenty was an unprecedented year of crisis throughout the world with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stay-at-home orders, quarantines, remote work, and Zoom-school did not slowdown Proposition 65 plaintiffs,...more
A recent case from California, Barickman vs. Mercury Casualty, 2 Cal.App.5th 508 (2016) illustrates the perils that may arise when an insurance company, evidently playing hardball with its insured, refuses to deviate from its...more
We’ve all heard that mercury is poisonous — causes neurological damages, developmental defects, etc. Mercury thermometers have been phased out and replaced with non-mercury ones. But not so with dental amalgam (silver filling...more
The saga for regulating mercury and air toxics from coal- and oil-fired power plants continues with a final rule promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) on April 16, 2020. EPA initially determined that...more
Last week, EPA formally revised the cost-benefit analysis for its rule limiting the emissions of hazardous air pollutants from coal-fired power plants. The rule jettisons consideration of so-called “co-benefits,” in this...more
COVID-19, shelter-in-place orders and California court closures did not slow Proposition 65 plaintiff groups down in March. Plaintiff groups sent more Proposition 65 (“Prop. 65”) Notices of Violations (“Notices”) in March...more
On March 30, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the 2020 Mercury Inventory Report on the supply, use, and trade of mercury in the United States. The report presents aggregated data submitted on...more
Parties to commercial contracts that may be affected by COVID-19 are now examining their force majeure provisions, as well as all other risk allocation provisions, to determine which party bears the cost of delay or...more
This is the eighth issue of WilmerHale’s 10-in-10 Hot Topics in Energy Series. Over the course of 10 weeks, our attorneys will share insights on current and emerging issues affecting the US energy sector. Attorneys from...more
On March 18, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new tools intended to help companies, organizations, and individuals fulfill their reporting requirements under the mercury reporting requirements...more
In December 2011, the EPA announced the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act (CAA), commonly referred to as the MATS rule. The MATS rule governs the emission of mercury from electric power...more
I’ve only now had the opportunity to catch up with EPA’s proposed reconsideration of its approach to cost-benefit analysis for the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. I don’t know whether I’ve gone done a rabbit hole or it’s...more
On December 27, EPA proposed to revise the cost finding associated with the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) along with the risk and technology review required by the Clean Air Act. (EPA Announcement)....more