On Feb. 7, the EPA finalized stronger air quality standards to reduce fine particle pollution, aka soot. This change aims to decrease air pollution and improve public health, especially within the country’s most vulnerable communities.

To achieve this air quality level, the EPA is expected to continue to develop complementary standards to reduce pollution across sectors — potentially including power plants, vehicles, and industrial facilities.

Additionally, the Clean Air Act directs the EPA and states to take certain designation and implementation actions following the revised standard. Special attention should be paid to Clean Air Act permits as timing of the final permit and the new standard taking effect may affect requirements.

BC’s Compliance and Permitting Team — specifically the Air Permitting & Support group — will guide clients through these evolving requirements. Reach out for guidance here.

In other environmental updates, we highlight the following in our Compliance News:

Enforcement and compliance initiatives

From climate change mitigation to drinking water standard compliance, the EPA’s 2024-2027 National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives may inform enforcement actions across all media — air, water, and land.

EPA proposes 2 new PFAS regulations

The latest EPA efforts to protect communities and the environment from PFAS would modify the definition of hazardous waste as it applies to cleanups at permitted hazardous waste facilities and would add multiple PFAS compounds as hazardous constituents under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

Compliance tip: Emergency preparedness for hazardous waste generators

Under RCRA, both large and small quantity generators of hazardous waste must comply with emergency preparedness and prevention procedures.

BC Insider: Thermal drying of biosolids to make the most out of less waste

In this evolving and uncertain market, facilities are looking at upstream solids improvements and downstream technologies to process the biosolids into other valuable products. By making the most out of less waste, thermal drying does both. Learn more about in the latest edition of BC Insider.