PHMSA has finally published guidance to better delineate federal oversight of midstream processing facilities for public comment. The guidance, in the form of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), is intended to avoid gaps or overlaps in regulatory oversight of midstream facilities, particularly between PHMSA and OSHA. Comments are due by January 4, 2021. An example of
Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP
Troutman Pepper is a national law firm known for its higher commitment to client care. With more than 1,100 attorneys in 23 U.S. cities, the firm partners with clients across every industry sector to help them achieve their business goals.
Latest from Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP - Page 22
California Classifies Solar Panels as Universal Waste
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) recently finalized long-awaited revisions to its hazardous waste regulations that will allow PV solar panels to be managed as “universal waste” beginning on January 1, 2021. This reclassification will have significant implications on how spent PV solar panels are managed in the state.…
Class Location Proposal to Provide Flexibility to Operators
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (“PHMSA” or the “Agency”) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM” or the “Proposed Rule”) that provides increased flexibility to gas transmission pipelines that experience a certain change in population surrounding the pipeline (from a Class 1 to Class 3 location). These changes have been the subject of…
New Jersey: Permits and Approvals Must Be Registered With NJDEP By October 8, 2020 to Claim PEA 2020 COVID-19 Extension
On July 1, 2020, New Jersey’s Governor Phil Murphy signed the Permit Extension Act of 2020 (“PEA 2020”) into law. The PEA 2020 tolls certain state and local permit approvals, including approvals of soil erosion and sediment control plans granted by a local soil conservation district and waterfront development permits, during the pendency of the…
PHMSA Advisories Target Distribution Pipeline Meters and Overpressure Protection
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has issued two Advisory Bulletins directed to natural gas distribution pipeline owners and operators. PHMSA released the advisories in response to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations arising out of two high-profile distribution pipeline incidents in Silver Spring, Maryland and Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts. The first advisory…
Corps Proposes to Modify Nationwide Permit 12 to Simplify Pre-Construction Notification for Pipelines
On September 15, 2020, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) issued its “Proposal to Reissue and Modify Nationwide Permits” (Proposed Rule). Under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, the Corps issues nationwide permits (NWPs) that authorize activities that will result…
EPA Issues Long-Awaited Update to CWA Financial Capability Assessment
The COVID-19 pandemic has elevated fiscal concerns of water and sewer service providers, with many states imposing a moratorium on the collection of delinquent bills and the termination of service. The affordability of water and sewer service has also been a central topic in environmental justice discussions. In the midst of this heightened interest, the…
Illinois EPA Proposes PFAS Standards
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) released new proposed groundwater quality standards for select per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The new standards were released as a discussion draft of proposed amendments to the groundwater quality rules under 35 Ill. Adm. Code Part 620, regulating the following PFAS types:…
GAO Calls on PHMSA to Update LNG Regulations
The Government Accountability Office (GAO), an agency that conducts audits, evaluations, and investigations for the United States Congress, issued a report titled “Natural Gas Exports: Updated Guidance and Regulations Could Improve Facility Permitting Processes.” The report examines several aspects of federal agencies’ regulation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities, but of most relevance to LNG…
New DOJ CWA Enforcement Guidance
Citing delegated States as the primary enforcers of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the promotion of federalism, Assistant Attorney General for the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Environmental and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) Jeffrey Bossert Clark recently issued a memorandum promoting the use of enforcement discretion for certain civil CWA matters where a state…