New York State Begins Ban on Natural Gas
The New York Legislature recently approved a new $229 billion state budget. This budget includes provisions which will ban the installation of natural gas utilities, equipment, and appliances during the construction of most new buildings. The ban includes gas stoves,...
Supreme Court Limits EPA’s Authority to Regulate Wetlands
On May 25, 2023, the Supreme Court handed down a ruling to Idaho property owners that will affect the United States as a whole, with the potential to limit the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to regulate certain wetlands under the...
US EPA Proposes Prohibition on Methylene Chloride Use
On May 3, 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent out a Federal Register notice regarding a proposed rule to prohibit the use of methylene chloride due to its unreasonable risk of injury to human health. These identified risks were addressed under the...
NYSDEC Extends Deadline Again for New Part 360 Solid Waste Management Facility Regulatory Compliance
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) has extended the deadline for Solid Waste Management Facilities (SWMF) in New York State to comply with certain provisions of the NYSDEC Part 360 series regulations, effective November 4, 2017. The...
PFAS: EPA and NYSDEC Regulatory Updates
EPA Proposed PFAS National Drinking Water Regulation On March 14, 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) to establish Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances...
OSHA Releases Guidance on Enhanced “Instance-by-Instance Citations”
On January 26, 2023, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued what they stated was: “…new enforcement guidance to make its penalties more effective in stopping employers from repeatedly exposing workers to life-threatening hazards or failing to...
NYSDEC Releases Guidance Documents for CLCPA and CRRA Compliance
This past December, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) issued two policies that will help mitigate the impacts of climate change. The first, Commissioner’s Policy on Climate Change (CP-49), outlines guidance on how to comply with the...
EPA to Strengthen Fine Particle Pollution Standards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing a policy that will make the national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for fine particle pollution, PM2.5, more stringent. The current primary annual PM2.5 standard is 12 micrograms per cubic meter, with...
EPA Proposed Rulemaking Targets Phaseout of HFCs
Last month, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed rulemaking intended to improve heating and cooling technologies, making them operate more efficiently. This proposed rule has been developed under the bipartisan American...
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Limits in New York City—Who and What Will Be Affected?
On December 7, 2022, New York City (NYC) passed its latest rule corresponding to the overall goal of reducing building greenhouse gas emissions over the next several decades. Section 103-14 of Chapter 100 of Title 1 of the Rules of the City of New York, herein...