[Podcast] Catching Up on Canadian Environmental Regulation
The Great Green North: A Discussion on Canada’s Environmental Regulations
Recent Actions on Ag Biotech by EPA’s Emerging Technologies Branch
On September 4, 2024, the New Mexico Environment Department’s Air Quality Bureau (AQB) updated its Civil Penalty Policy, making several key changes to its assessment of civil penalties and administrative compliance costs in...more
Federal officials announced on Wednesday that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a three-year-old rule — known as the Warehouse Indirect Source Rule (Rule) — targeting air pollution linked to Southern...more
The extended producer responsibility (“EPR”) programs for packaging that are currently unfolding in several states impose two primary obligations on producers of covered materials—reporting data and paying fees to a producer...more
In the 1967 movie “The Graduate,” a family friend famously tells the title character “I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Plastics. There’s a great future in plastics. Think about it.” Well, those of us engaged...more
How will you and I become extinct? The UN assures us that the weather will be unpleasant whenever it happens. The IPCC has predicted that global “warming”, “heating”, “baking” “broiling” and other Game of Thrones-worthy...more
The US has pivoted in its stance on the global management of plastic production and pollution, with significant potential impacts for industry. The shift comes amid ongoing negotiations toward a UN treaty aimed at addressing...more
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) published a consultation document on July 4, 2024, seeking input from stakeholders on a proposed roadmap for addressing plastic waste and pollution from the textile and apparel...more
As many contractors know, whenever doing federal projects there might be a nagging feeling in the back of your mind. What exactly does my contract say? What type of plan do I need to address environmental concerns? You...more
The city of Fresno announced this week that Shell USA, Dow Chemical, and other oil and chemical companies have agreed to pay the city $230 million to settle the city’s 2007 lawsuit against them for allegedly contaminating...more
Welcome to the fourteenth edition of P2N0 covering the drive to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net-zero (NZE). P2N0 identifies significant news items globally, reporting on them in short form, focusing on policy...more
On July 27, 2024, the Federal Government published a Notice with respect to certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the Canada Gazette under paragraph 71(1)(b) of Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999...more
The Clean Air Act (CAA) directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set standards for common air pollutants. When the EPA sets these standards, States must submit a State Implementation Plan (SIP) showing how the...more
This week, we discuss the first settlement between a state and a group of young plaintiffs who claimed that their government’s inadequate climate policies violated their constitutional right to a healthy environment. We...more
The ACOEL webpage “About Us” states that we are to be “Advocates for environmental law and process for a better environmental future.” Allow me to throw down this gauntlet to Members: What “better environmental future” is the...more
On July 1, 2024, CalRecycle published an updated list of covered material categories as required by California’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) law. SB 54 was signed into law by Governor Newsom in June 2022 and...more
The Supreme Court’s day started with the specter of yet another leak of a reproductive rights decision having occurred....more
In a groundbreaking move, effective July 1, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection will tighten the permitting requirement for certain existing and new sources of air pollution located near an environmental...more
On May 3, 2024, Brazil’s Federal Law No. 14,850/2024 (the “Regulation”) was passed by the President establishing the National Policy on Air Quality. The Regulation provides for the creation of a unified air quality monitoring...more
The Louisiana State Legislature has passed legislation titled: Louisiana Community Air Monitoring Reliability Act (“Monitoring Act”) The Monitoring Act awaits a decision by Louisiana’s Governor....more
On April 25, 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") finalized four rules to regulate pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants. EPA's stated goal was to provide a framework on which power plants can rely for...more
In my October 2023 blog post about “The Plastics Problem in Massachusetts,” I noted that environmental and some mainstream groups have been attacking traditional recycling of plastics in an effort to stop the manufacture of...more
On April 17, 2024, EPA formalized a new policy requiring greater coordination between its criminal and civil enforcement programs. This change, which comes amidst a substantial jump in civil and criminal enforcement actions, ...more
On April 25, 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed four final rules representing multi-media regulation (air, water, waste, climate) for the utility sector. Individually, each rule would have been notable for...more
As we wrap up our week-long celebration of Earth Day with insightful articles focusing on various aspects of plastic pollution, this final article focuses on how the courts are being asked to step into ring and referee the...more