On November 22, 2022, the White House released a new version of the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, an online interactive map that uses datasets on various “burdens” environmental justice communities may face, such as climate change, energy, health, housing, legacy pollution, transportation, water and wastewater, and workforce development. Communities will be identified as
Environmental Law & Policy Monitor
Analysis and commentary on developments in environmental and natural resources law
Latest from Environmental Law & Policy Monitor - Page 9
Federal Water Policy Coordination Codified
By Dave Ross & Anna Wildeman
President Biden recently signed the Flood Level, Observation, Operations, and Decision Support Act (FLOODS Act), codifying an important leadership and management tool that helped modernize federal water policy in the United States. In 2018 a “federal water sub-cabinet” was informally established to coordinate water policy across the major federal agencies responsible for developing, managing,…
FWS Finalizes NLEB Uplisting and Advances Tricolored Bat Listing
Following its March 2022 proposal to uplist the northern long-eared bat (NLEB) to endangered status, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS or Service) finalized the proposal on November 30, 2022. On January 25, the Service announced that these new protections for the NLEB will take effect on March 31, 2023, instead of January 30, as…
Steam Electric ELG Surprise in EPA’s Fall Regulatory Agenda
By Anna Wildeman & Dave Ross
Better late than never, but on January 4, EPA published its Fall 2022 Unified Regulatory Agenda. The Reg Agenda includes a few new rulemaking initiatives and a number of schedule changes that were largely expected since EPA has been running a few months behind on most of their major rulemakings (e.g., WOTUS, 401 Water…
2023 Air Quality and Climate Regulation Watch List
2022 was a busy year for air quality and climate change policy, and 2023 promises to be no different. See below for a list of high-profile actions expected from EPA this year, along with a few you might not have on your radar screen.…
2022 Air Quality and Climate Highlights
Need a refresher on key developments in 2022 to prepare you for what’s next in 2023? Here’s a rundown of some high-profile happenings, along with some you might have missed.…
H2-OWOW! – A Reflective Conversation with John Goodin, Former Director of EPA’s Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds
By Dave Ross & Anna Wildeman
John Goodin takes a break from his recent retirement to share invaluable insights with Dave and Anna from his 32-year career in EPA’s Office of Water. John talks about the long-running “waters of the United States” rulemaking, provides an insider’s perspective on federal decision-making, and connects his passion for travel with EPA’s mission to restore…
EPA Proposes Water Quality Standards Revisions Requiring Consideration of Tribal Treaty Rights
By Anna Wildeman & Dave Ross
Yesterday, EPA announced a proposed rule that would revise the agency’s regulations to include a requirement that water quality standards protect reserved tribal treaty rights. This proposal is a major milestone for the agency that has tried to incorporate reserved tribal treaty rights into its water quality standards program since at least 2015.…
Fish and Wildlife Service Announces Funding Grants for Fish Passage
On November 17, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced that $38 million in grant funding is available in fiscal year 2023 for fish passage projects. The goal is to award this funding to projects that address outdated, unsafe, or obsolete dams, culverts, levees, and other barriers. This funding effort is part of an…
NJDEP Interim PFAS Soil Remediation Standards
By Andrew Perel
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection posted interim soil remediation standards for several per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (collectively PFAS) to include perfluoro nonanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluoro octane sulfonate (PFOS), and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid and its ammonium salt (GenX). Posted in the October 17 NJ Register, the interim standards pertain to…