Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brought to the forefront the key role that energy policy plays in international relations. Many countries sympathetic to Ukraine, but not wanting to escalate the conflict by sending troops, have discussed or actually imposed economic sanctions on Russia. One obvious target area for sanctions is Russian
EPA Releases 2020 Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Data, Plans to Eliminate De Minimis Exemption for PFAS
Earlier this week, U.S. EPA released the agency’s 2020 TRI National Assessment Report, which includes data from first-time reports filed for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). In releasing the report, EPA indicated that it was concerned by “the seemingly limited scope of PFAS reporting” and that it plans to “enhance PFAS reporting under the TRI by
In a Grim World, Even a Sliver of Positive Environmental News Is a Good Thing
Earlier this week, the United National Environmental Programme (doesn’t everything just look better with British spelling!) announced that 175 nations had approved a resolution titled “End plastic pollution: Towards an international legally binding instrument.” If the ambition of the resolution wasn’t clear from the title, perhaps this quote from the UNEP press release
Reuse to the Rescue: Talking Water Reuse with Pat Sinicropi, Executive Director, WateReuse Association
WateReuse Association Executive Director Pat Sinicropi joins Anna Wildeman and Dave Ross to talk about the role of water reuse as a water management strategy for the 21st century. Specifically, Pat discusses water reuse technology, the role of the federal government in encouraging water recycling as a national strategy, and state and local community efforts
Biden EPA Backtracks on Trump-Era Water Policy – Will the New Stance Lead to Efficiency or Add to Administrative Backlog?
US EPA recently issued two memoranda announcing a more flexible timeline for its review of state and tribal water quality standards (WQS), replacing a Trump-Era policy that set defined deadlines for these reviews. On February 4, 2022, US EPA Assistant Administrator Radhika Fox issued a memorandum entitled “Rescission of Memorandum Titled: ‘Policy for the EPA’s Review
Massachusetts Regulators Begin to Clear the Path to Net-Zero Emissions
On February 8, 2022, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) released a Straw Proposal containing proposed updates to the existing Stretch Energy Code and an outline for the new Specialized Opt-In Stretch Energy Code for public comment.
Renewable Energy in Latin America Updates
This GT Alert, also posted in Spanish, highlights news and updates on renewable energy in Latin America.
Consultation is opened on the Office for Environmental Protection’s (OEP) draft strategy and enforcement policy (UK)
The consultation seeks views on the new regulator’s plans, which set out how it will protect and improve the environment by holding public authorities to account.
The draft strategy defines what the OEP considers to be a “public authority” and this includes the government, government agencies, local authorities and similar organisations, and private companies carrying
The IPCC and The Ukraine Crisis
As the world struggles to adjust to the harsh new reality of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the most recent instalment of the Sixth IPCC Report slipped out almost unnoticed. And that is worrying, since the assessment in this section of the Report is even starker than previous assessments – noting in particular that in order
California Loosens Indoor Masking Requirements for the Unvaccinated
By Chantelle C. Egan, Bernard Olshansky, Patrick D. Joyce, and Ilana Morady
Seyfarth Synopsis: On February 28, 2022, California’s Governor Newsom issued a press release lifting California’s mask requirements for unvaccinated individuals in indoor settings, downgrading the former requirement to a strong recommendation, effective March 1, 2022. The same day, the California