** The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) was deployed Thursday night to the scene of a fatal chemical release at Prime Pak Foods in Gainesville, GA. According to initial reports, a release of liquid nitrogen led to six fatalities, nine others were transported to the hospital, with three in critical condition and six in …
Category: EPA
Energy news in brief
** President Biden is expected to announce several executive actions on Wednesday meant to fight climate change, including one asking government agencies to determine the extent of a drilling ban on federal land, two people with knowledge of the matter told The New York Times on Monday. ** Elon Musk is ‘super fired up’ about President Joe Biden’s focus …
Biofuels blending waivers put on hold by a DC federal court
Upset with the EPA’s approval of three waivers of biofuels mandates, the Renewable Fuels Association obtained a federal court order to put the waivers on hold. The order was issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and came after the RFA filed an emergency motion to the EPA’s approval that …
More Obama workers return to EPA
Little wonder that Biden-administration critics contend it’s nothing but a remake of the Obama administration prompting some to call it the O’Biden administration. Even when it comes to energy and the environment. Check the list of new leaders of the Environmental Protection Agency under the Biden administration. POLITICO reported that Dan Utech, a …
EPA reverses course on granting biofuels waivers
A move by the EPA to extend the 2019 and 2020 compliance deadlines for biofuel waivers likely means they won’t be granted anytime soon because of a Supreme Court case involving at least one Oklahoma refinery. The agency has changed its mind. The EPA recently proposed extending the compliance deadlines under the Renewable Fuels …
Enviros sue EPA over oil and gas operations in Texas
Some environmentalists, upset with the EPA and Texas for not requiring tougher clean air rules for refineries, gas plants and chemical plants have decided to take their differences to court. Led by the Environmental Integrity Project, several environmental groups sued EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler this week alleging his agency looked the other way when …
Valero to pay $2.85 million fine for violating pollution standards
Valero Energy Corp. agreed to pay a $2.85 million fine and to improve its emissions controls and fuel quality management to settle alleged violations of the Clean Air Act that the Environmental Protection Agency identified in an audit. The EPA said the San Antonio independent refiner produced millions of gallons of gasoline between 2012 and …
Dems accuse EPA of illegally destroying water records in Kansas
Democrats in charge of the U.S. House Transportation Committee are pushing ahead with a probe into claims that the EPA might have illegally destroyed Kansas water quality records even though the EPA and another federal agency say the claims are “baseless” and proven wrong. Rep. Peter DeFazio, (D-Ore.), chairman of the committee and Water …
Regional EPA Administrator addresses methane emissions rollbacks
The administrator over the Environmental Protection Agency region that covers Oklahoma and Texas says the Trump administration’s rollback of Obama-era methane emissions rules will save millions for the oil and gas industry. Ken McQueen is the Region Six administrator and addressed the rollback during a weekly Oilfield Strong webinar. The Midland Reporter-Telegram reported that …
Senators demand answers from EPA about creation of Obama era methane emissions rules
While environmentalists have led legal challenges to many moves by the Trump administration’s EPA, some U.S. Senators, led by Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, are using the same tactic in challenging Obama-era rules and regulations of methane emissions from oil and gas operations. In short, they’re turning the table on the Obama rules and …