Great Lakes Environmental Law Center’s Post

Read the latest article by partners Joanne Rotondi and R. Latane Montague, Counsel Susan McAuliffe and Hannah Graae, and associate Erida Tosini-Corea on the new maximum civil penalties for #environmental and transportation-related violations that were finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT). The EPA and the DOT are increasing civil #penalties for violations of the Clean Air Act as well as National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) #regulatory provisions and Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. The civil penalty amounts are in effect for all penalties assessed on or after December 27, 2023 for EPA violations and December 28, 2023 for DOT/NHTSA violations. #transportation #readyforthefuture #futureofmobility #whatmovesyou

【Is the rising cost of people’s lives due to the endless emergence of environmental protection policies?】 California has just passed a new environmental regulation, which has aroused great concern in the towing industry in California. People in the industry have said that this move is too radical, which will greatly affect the operation of towing companies and push up freight costs. California's CARB (California Air Resource Board) unanimously passed the ACF (Advanced Clean Fleets) regulation last Friday, which caused a stir. Learn more : https://buff.ly/45Pxs1Z Appreciate if you could share TGL Blog among your friends who are interested in first-hand market information of supply chain and updated economic incidents. Subscribe : https://buff.ly/3PCqI1O #import and export #logistics #trailer

After reading 4 Supreme Court cases, a dozen news/journal articles and 8 policy papers, I think I came up with a reasonable primer on the Waters of the US/Clean Water Rule and its back and forth impacts over the last 20-ish years of wrangling and political pandering by nearly all the actors involved. One way or the other, I'm glad it's done and I can move onto the next thing after a couple days' worth of downtime. https://lnkd.in/gvsBjn5J #AEC #waterpolicy #watermanagement #scotus #epa #wotus

Two shipping companies, Prive Overseas Marine LLC and Prive Shipping Denizcilik Ticaret, admitted guilt in a New Orleans federal court to charges including conspiracy, violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS), and obstruction of justice. These charges arose from their falsification of the oil record book on their motor tanker, the PS Dream. These shipping firms fined $2M for oil dumping, record keeping fraud. The case was initiated by the courageous actions of a crew member. On January 11th, 2023, this crew member recorded the illegal dumping of oil overboard and reported it to the Coast Guard New Orleans Sector. When the PS Dream docked in New Orleans two weeks later, the whistleblower and another crew member presented their evidence. 📌 For detailed article, check out: https://lnkd.in/ddcDEQKE [ Environmental Law, Maritime Pollution, Maritime Insights, Rife Insights, Maritime News ] #EnvironmentalJustice #MaritimeLaw #PollutionPrevention #OilSpillPrevention #MaritimeNews #MaritimeUpdates #MarineLife #RifeInsights #MerchantNavy #RifeConsultancy

Two shipping companies, Prive Overseas Marine LLC and Prive Shipping Denizcilik Ticaret, admitted guilt in a New Orleans federal court to charges including conspiracy, violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS), and obstruction of justice. These charges arose from their falsification of the oil record book on their motor tanker, the PS Dream. These shipping firms fined $2M for oil dumping, record keeping fraud. The case was initiated by the courageous actions of a crew member. On January 11th, 2023, this crew member recorded the illegal dumping of oil overboard and reported it to the Coast Guard New Orleans Sector. When the PS Dream docked in New Orleans two weeks later, the whistleblower and another crew member presented their evidence. 📌 For detailed article, check out: https://lnkd.in/ddcDEQKE [ Environmental Law, Maritime Pollution, Maritime Insights, Rife Insights, Maritime News ] #EnvironmentalJustice #MaritimeLaw #PollutionPrevention #OilSpillPrevention #MaritimeNews #MaritimeUpdates #MarineLife #RifeInsights #MerchantNavy #RifeConsultancy

Following the decision the Supreme Court made in Sackett v. EPA back in May, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and US Army Corps of Engineers released a rule on August 29th that removed protections for more than half of the previously protected waters. We are as disappointed as EPA Administrator Michael Regan was in his statement regarding the Supreme Court ruling, but we know that these agencies are required to comply with the ruling, no matter how detrimental it could be for our wetlands and waterways. It is ironic that this rule has been finalized as we close out National Water Quality Month, when this change to protections is a direct threat to our nation's water quality. For more information on the rule and its impacts, check out the following article from The Associated Press. #NationalWaterQualityMonth #protectourwaters #CleanWaterAct #watersoftheUS

EPA Seeks Additional Comments on VIDA October 17, 2023 Contact Information EPA Press Office ([email protected]) WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a supplemental proposed rule to reduce the spread of invasive species that occurs with normal operation of large marine vessels. Following public input on EPA’s 2020 proposed rule—including meetings with states, Tribes, and other stakeholders—the agency is now issuing a Supplemental Notice to share new data and control options raised by stakeholders. This supplemental proposal will bolster the development of a final rule to stem the spread of invasive species and better protect our nation’s aquatic ecosystems. EPA’s proposed Vessel Incidental Discharge National Standards of Performance would reduce the environmental impact of discharges, such as ballast water, that are incidental to the normal operation of commercial vessels. The proposed standards would apply discharges to waters of the United States from: ▪ Commercial vessels greater than 79 feet in length ▪ Other non-recreational, non-Armed Forces vessels, such as research and emergency rescue vessels ▪ Ballast water only from small vessels (vessels less than 79 feet in length) and fishing vessels of all sizes This supplemental notice shares new ballast water information from the U.S. Coast Guard and additional regulatory options EPA is considering for the final rule for ballast tanks, hulls and associated niche areas, and graywater systems. The agency is requesting comments on the issues identified in the supplemental notice during a 60-day public comment period. The public does not need to resubmit comments from the 2020 proposed rule, as the final rule will address comments received on both the proposed rule and the supplemental notice. For more information on submitting comments on the proposal and upcoming virtual public meetings, see EPA’s Commercial Vessel Discharge Standards website at the link below.

16 years to start the average mine in the United States! The United States has some of the most stringent environmental (and safety) regulations in the world. If we need to rely on others to produce these materials during this lengthy permitting process, what is the environmental toll from obtaining these materials from those nations that do not hold our standards?

The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers have reshaped environmental regulations by redefining "waters of the United States" under the Clean Water Act. Learn more from Varnum environmental attorneys Matthew Zimmerman, Matt Eugster, and Seth Arthur.  #EPA #CleanWaterAct #EnvironmentalRegulations

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of the Army have published the final “Revised Definition of ‘Waters of the United States’” on August 29, 2023 to conform with the Supreme Court of the US decision in the Sackett vs. EPA case, which affects how wetlands and streams are regulated at the federal and state level. Matrix experts can assist you with Clean Water Act permitting, wetland delineations, and jurisdictional determinations. Reach out to Justin Apfel ([email protected]) if you have any questions on how this new rule may impact current or future projects.   The pre-publication of the final revised rule can be viewed here: https://lnkd.in/gzy_sriw #wetlands #scotus #cleanwateract #watersoftheus #epa #permitting