In late September, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reinstated, on a temporary basis, a requirement that states account for on-road greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) when planning transportation improvement projects. On Oct. 5, FHWA proposed a rulemaking to formally repeal the measure with a goal of finalizing it by spring 2018. FHWA pointed out that a GHG measure is not required by statute and is a burdensome and an unnecessary addition to the planning review. FHWA limited the comment period to 30 days in an effort to eliminate this requirement before states would be required to implement it.
The Trump Administration reinforced its commitment to ensure that the Federal environmental review and permitting process for infrastructure projects is coordinated, predictable, and transparent.. President Trump, through Executive Order (EO) 13807, Establishing Discipline and Accountability in the Environmental Review and Permitting Process for Infrastructure Projects, issued on Aug. 15, identified concerns with the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 鈥 including lack of coordination among federal agencies, overlapping statutory requirements, and redundant processes 鈥 and called on federal agencies to undertake reforms.
On Tuesday, 澳门六合彩开奖预测 Chief Executive Officer Stephen E. Sandherr and Tom Couling (Zachry Constr), the chair of 澳门六合彩开奖预测鈥檚 environmental forum, joined senior officials at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the launch of the agency鈥檚 Smart Sectors program. EPA invited 澳门六合彩开奖预测 to partner on an aggressive effort to eliminate or improve harmful rules that have failed to deliver results and stifled economic growth.
澳门六合彩开奖预测 filed comments this week on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer鈥檚 joint proposed rule to repeal the 2015 definition of 鈥淲aters of the United States鈥 (WOTUS). 澳门六合彩开奖预测 offered strong support for the agencies鈥 plan to re-codify regulatory text that existed prior to the 2015 WOTUS rule to 鈥渞eflect[] the current legal regime under which the agencies are operating鈥 following a nationwide stay of the rule by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Join Us Again Next Year on September 12-13, 2018, in Crystal City, Virginia!
澳门六合彩开奖预测 Submits Recommendations
Presents Case to Senate Committee
As part of EPA's compliance assistance for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) construction stormwater program, EPA created a "Do I Need A Permit?" flowchart to help construction operators determine if and from whom they need to get NPDES permit coverage for their construction activities. EPA also updated the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) template and Inspection and Corrective Action Report templates for the new 2017 Construction General Permit (CGP). These fillable templates help construction site operators develop a SWPPP and prepare inspection and corrective action reports that meet the requirements of EPA's 2017 CGP.
Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reversed its June 2017 decision to delay by one year the final designation of counties that are not attaining the 2015 ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). EPA will now make those determinations by the October 1, 2017, deadline. The reversal came after news that 15 states and the District of Columbia were filing suit against EPA to enforce the original deadline. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has been critical of lawsuits (and settlement agreements) resulting from missed statutory deadlines.
EPA Drafts OECA Outlook; 澳门六合彩开奖预测 Continues to Push for Cooperative Approach