The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), a division of the Executive Office of the President, today published in the Federal Register a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would make significant changes to its regulations...more
1/13/2020
/ CEQ ,
Comment Period ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Review ,
Executive Orders ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Infrastructure ,
NEPA ,
NPRM ,
Public Comment ,
Public Hearing ,
Trump Administration
On August 8, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposed rule to update regulations implementing Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA). The rule was proposed in response to President Trump’s...more
8/13/2019
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Clean Water Act ,
Comment Period ,
Deregulation ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Infrastructure ,
Native American Issues ,
Oil & Gas ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Tribal Governments ,
Trump Administration
Pierce Atwood’s Environmental and Land Use Practice Groups are pleased to provide a summary of key environmental legislation from the 129th Maine Legislature’s First Regular Session, which adjourned sine die, on June 20,...more
7/1/2019
/ Administrative Authority ,
Air Quality Standards ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Fishing Industry ,
Groundwater ,
Groundwater Management Plan ,
Legislative Agendas ,
National Emissions Standards ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Recycling ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Solid Waste ,
State and Local Government ,
Subdivision
On Friday afternoon March 22, 2019, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced in a memorandum to licensed facilities that land apply, compost, or process biosolids (i.e., wastewater treatment sludge)...more
Our late January client alert noted the numerous issues raised by the presence of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and predicted more state and federal action. This alert provides an update on recent state and...more
On Monday, February 25, 2019, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved tariff changes to the ISO-New England, Inc.’s (ISO-NE) Transmission, Markets, and Services Tariff (Tariff) designed to better enable...more
Recently, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been the subject of much publicity, major ongoing litigation over alleged personal injury and property damage, and statutory and regulatory action....more
Mainers interested in the question “how clean is clean?” – not to mention the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) – heavily rely on the Maine Remedial Action Guidelines (RAGs) for Sites Contaminated with...more
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently proposed extensive changes to its Visible Emissions Regulation (Chapter 101) that may impact a facility’s ability to remain in compliance....more
On Saturday, June 30, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) anticipates launching a new national system for tracking hazardous waste shipments electronically. Known as “e-Manifest,” this system is an attempt to...more
On June 27, 2018, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) posted for public comment a draft petition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to remove most of the state from the Ozone Transport Region...more
Despite Maine’s attainment of the ozone standards, Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) control requirements keep coming. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has proposed a new regulation, Chapter 166, that...more
5/17/2018
/ Clean Air Act ,
Department of Environmental Protection ,
Environmental Policies ,
Exemptions ,
Hazardous Substances ,
Industrial Discharges ,
Industrial Products ,
Public Hearing ,
Solvents ,
Toxic Exposure ,
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
On April 25, 2018 the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) initiated a rulemaking based on a citizen petition to adopt new rules establishing emissions standards and to modify ten existing rules governing...more
A new policy memorandum from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt will impact one of the most common, complex, and fundamental questions regarding air permitting: Will my proposed project be...more
In its first comprehensive review in many years, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is proposing changes to the Hazardous Waste regulations for the identification of hazardous waste and for the “land...more
Staff of the Maine Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC or Commission) will introduce for discussion at the February 14, 2018 Commission meeting proposed revisions to the Commission’s application of the adjacency principle,...more
The Trump Administration is making what might appear to be subtle changes in federal enforcement policies that have the potential to significantly shift environmental enforcement as prescribed by the prior administration. ...more
2/8/2018
/ Corporate Counsel ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
OECA ,
Policy Memorandums ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Violations ,
Trump Administration
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Voluntary Response Action Program (VRAP) just provided updated guidance explaining the new application fees and -- perhaps more importantly -- clarifying and updating...more
Responding to increasing interest in developing grid-scale solar farms in Maine’s unorganized territory, the Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC) yesterday proposed a rulemaking to allow development of grid-scale solar energy...more
The State of Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MEDEP) just amended its rules to formally include an exemption for “solvent-contaminated wipes,” putting to bed a long-standing question of how solvent-contaminated...more
Expecting to initiate a formal rulemaking in March of this year, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) invited final public comment on its pre-rulemaking draft Wind Energy Standards rule at a workshop held on...more
1/31/2017
/ Clean Energy ,
Department of Environmental Protection ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Natural Resources ,
Power Purchase Agreements ,
Public Comment ,
Renewable Energy ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Wind Power
On January 5th, the Maine Board of Environmental Protection (Board) unanimously voted to repeal existing Chapter 200 Metallic Mineral Exploration, Advanced Exploration and Mining rules and adopt new Chapter 200 rules to...more
For many years, both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MEDEP) have wrestled with the practical question of how solvent-contaminated wipes should be...more
In late October 2016, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adopted two final rules that will very shortly change procedures for those who export or import Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)...more
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that, at this time, no additional regulations are needed to address stormwater discharges from forest roads under Section 402(p)(6) of the Clean Water Act (CWA). The...more