February 22, 2016
By:
Walter G. Wright
Category:
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law
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The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) issued a February 18th news release announcing seven National Enforcement Initiatives (“Initiatives”) for fiscal years 2017-2019.
EPA states that the Initiatives will focus on “national pollution challenges where EPA’s enforcement efforts will protect public health.”
The initiatives comprise:
- four current initiatives
- addition of two initiatives
- expansion of one initiative to include a new area of focus
The 2017-2019 Initiatives include:
- Keeping Industrial Pollutants Out of the Nation’s Waters (new initiative)
- Reducing Risks of Accidental Releases at Industrial and Chemical Facilities (new initiative)
- Cutting Hazardous Air Pollutants (expanded initiative)
- Reducing Air Pollution for the Largest Sources
- Ensuring Energy Extraction Activities Comply with Environmental Laws
- Keeping Raw Sewage and Contaminated Stormwater Out of the Nation’s Waters
- Preventing Animal Waste from Contaminating Surface and Ground Water
EPA states it is expanding its Initiative focused on reducing toxic air pollution by adding large storage tanks and hazardous waste facilities.
The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (“ADEQ”) has been delegated basically every federal environmental program (that can be delegated). Therefore, ADEQ is typically the primary source of enforcement in the state. Nevertheless, EPA retains the ability to undertake enforcement actions in delegated states and does so on a periodic basis.
Click here to download a copy of the news release.
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