Air Pollution Standards Archives

Mar 13, 2019

California Moves to Block U.S. EPA Air Pollution Standards for Auto Emissions

California Pollution Standards: Low Emission Zone

Representatives for the California Air Resources Board have stated that they will take all legal measures necessary to block the Trump administration’s efforts to freeze fuel economy limits at nationwide 2020 levels. Under the Clean Air Act (“Act”), California has special authority to enact stricter pollution standards for motor vehicles than the nationwide standards set by the federal government. Under the same provisions of the Act, other states may adopt the more stringent California standards if they find them to be more protective of public health. Under the Trump administration, the EPA sought to impose more lenient emission requirements in… Read more

Aug 15, 2016

Oil, Gas Industry Air Pollution Standards Will Not be Reopened

The 2012 emission standards (“ESs”) applicable to the oil and gas industry will not be reopened by the U.S. EPA despite requests by the American Petroleum Institute and other industry and environmental groups’ petitions. The ESs, which include the first federal air standards for natural gas wells that are hydraulically fractured, were intended to curb emissions of volatile organic compounds and hazardous air pollutants from those wells. The standards require new hydraulically fractured gas wells to utilize technology known as a “green completion” to capture gas that otherwise would escape. The issues under the proposed rule that the EPA will… Read more