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Tag Archives: clean air act
HF Sinclair Plea Deal – Climate- and Health-Harming Emissions
The Justice Department, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) announced today a proposed settlement with HF Sinclair Navajo Refining LLC, an HF Sinclair Corp. subsidiary, resolving alleged Clean Air Act and New Mexico Air Quality Control Act violations at the company’s oil refinery in Artesia, New Mexico. The refinery is adjacent to a community overburdened by pollution. This settlement is part of the Justice Department and EPA’s ongoing commitment to address unlawful pollution in historically marginalized and dis-proportionally impacted communities.
“This settlement reinforces the United States’ commitment to protect communities from illegal refinery benzene and VOC emissions,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Katherine E. Konschnik of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Under the settlement, the refinery will make significant capital investments in pollution controls and implement additional programs to improve air quality and reduce health impacts on the residents of Artesia, including the students at Roselawn Elementary School.” Continue reading
Posted in environment, global warming, litigation, news, news analysis, public health
Tagged Artesia New Mexico, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, clean air act, doj, epa, hazardous air pollutants, HF Sinclair Corp, HF Sinclair Navajo Refining, Katherine E. Konschnik, Ken Zino, New Mexico Air Quality Control Act, nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds, X @KenAutoinformed
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California Advanced Clean Cars II Regs – EPA Grants Waivers!
“After reviewing the information provided by California, reviewing comments submitted by the public, and applying the limited criteria for waiver review under the Clean Air Act, EPA determined in each case that it would be appropriate to grant both waiver requests. The records, included in the waiver decisions, contain public comments on the programs’ feasibility, including costs to manufacturers and the lead time provided. EPA’s review found that opponents of the waivers did not meet their burden to show how either program is inconsistent with the Clean Air Act. California has longstanding authority to request waivers from EPA to protect its residents from dangerous air pollution coming from mobile sources like cars and trucks,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Today’s actions follow through on EPA’s commitment to partner with states to reduce emissions and act on the threat of climate change.” Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, car sharing, electric vehicles, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, news analysis, public health, transportation
Tagged Advanced Clean Cars II or ACC II regulations, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, California Air Resources Board, carb, clean air act, Ken Zino, Low Emission Vehicle, low-NOx regulation, Michael S. Regan, X @KenAutoinformed, Zero Emission Vehicle
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Clean Air Act – Prison for Man Disabling Emissions Controls
A man was sentenced today for ongoing violations of the Clean Air Act through an aftermarket scheme to disable the emissions control systems of diesel trucks. Davis Owens, 34, of Cleves, Ohio was sentenced to serve 30 days in prison, seven months of home confinement and one year of supervised release. Continue reading
Posted in aftermarket, auto news, environment, fools 'n frauds, litigation, people, public health
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, clean air act, Davis Owens, emissions controls of diesel trucks, Holderdown Performance, Ken Zino, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, U.S. Justice Department Environment and Natural Resources Division
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EPA Finalizes Pollution Reduction Standards for Power Plants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced a series of final rules to reduce pollution from fossil-fuel-fired power plants, which have been and likely will continue to be the subject of litigation paid for by special interest money. The rules under separate authorities including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, will significantly reduce climate, air, water, and land pollution from the power sector as they go forward. During 2024 the United States is forecast to build more new electric generation capacity than it has for two decades. About 96% of that will be clean, according to the current Administration. Continue reading
Posted in economy, electric vehicles, energy, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, news analysis, public health, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Biden-Harris Administration, clean air act, clean water act, Ken Zino, resource conservation and recovery act, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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EPA Grants Emergency Fuel Waiver for Ethanol
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today issued an emergency fuel waiver to allow E15 gasoline – gasoline blended with 15% ethanol – to be sold during the summer driving season. This allows Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations to sell the fuel that otherwise would be banned for the summer. Estimates show that on average, E15 is about $0.25 a gallon cheaper than E10. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, economy, energy, environment, fools 'n frauds, news analysis, people
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Bidenomics, clean air act, department of energy, epa, Fuel Waiver for E-15 Sales, Ken Zino, Michael S. Regan, President George H. W. Bush, reid vapor pressure
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EPA Wants Stronger Standards for Solid Waste Burning
“President Biden believes every person deserves clean air to breathe and the opportunity to lead a healthy life, and EPA’s proposal is just the latest action to achieve this vision. By reducing harmful pollution and improving air quality, this rule will also advance environmental justice for nearby communities already overburdened with pollution,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “EPA is committed to working with communities and state, local, and Tribal governments to ensure that large facilities burning municipal waste utilize the most up-to-date and cost-effective control technologies to reduce pollution and protect public health.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, blog, environment, fuel economy or emissions, milestones, news analysis, public health
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Biden-Harris Administration, cadmium, carbon monoxide, clean air act, dioxins/furans, hydrogen chloride, Ken Zino, lead, mercury, Michael S. Regan, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, solid waste incinerators, sulfur dioxide, US Environmental Protection Agency
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Cummins to Pay $1.675B for Clean Air Act Violations
“Today, the Justice Department reached an initial agreement with Cummins Inc. to settle claims that, over the past decade, the company unlawfully altered hundreds of thousands of engines to bypass emissions tests in violation of the Clean Air Act. As part of the agreement, the Justice Department will require Cummins to pay $1.675 billion, the largest civil penalty we have ever secured under the Clean Air Act, and the second largest environmental penalty ever secured,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, environment, fools 'n frauds, fuel economy or emissions, litigation, news analysis, public health
Tagged Attorney General Merrick Garland, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, clean air act, cummins, Death of the diesel, emissions defeat devices, Ken Zino, model year 2013 to 2019 RAM 2500 and 3500 pickup truck diesel engines, model year 2019 to 2023 RAM 2500 and 3500 pickup truck diesel engines
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EPA Approves California Regulation of Ocean-Going Vessels
“California’s At-Berth regulation is an important step in continuing to modernize the state’s ports with the technology that will advance a clean air future,” said Dr. Steven Cliff, CARB’s Executive Officer. “The emissions reductions and public health benefits that will come from cleaner operations are also a relief for communities alongside the state’s ports that deal with the burden of pollution from multiple sources, including vessels.” Continue reading
Posted in environment, global warming, milestones, public health, transportation
Tagged At-Berth Regulation, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, carb, clean air act, Dr. Steven Cliff, Ken Zino, PM 2.5, Port of Long Beach, Port of Los Angeles, Port of Richmond
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EPA and Justice Sue eBay for Selling Toxic Substances
The Clean Air Act prohibits selling, offering for sale, or causing the sale or offer of aftermarket parts that defeat motor vehicle emission controls (aka “aftermarket defeat devices”). Today’s complaint alleges that eBay sold, offered for sale, or caused the sale of more than 343,000 such parts. Aftermarket defeat devices can cause motor vehicles to emit hundreds to thousands of times more pollution than a motor vehicle with properly functioning emission controls, including nitrogen oxides (“NOx”), carbon monoxide (“CO”), non-methane hydrocarbons (“NMHCs”), and particulate matter (“PM”). Continue reading
Tadano Group Fined for Selling Dirty Diesel Engines
As part of the proposed consent decree now residing at the United States District Court for The Southern District Of Texas Houston Division, Tadano Group will also contribute $3.2 million towards a project to mitigate harm caused by excess nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions from its non-compliant crane engines. The project will retire a 1975 tugboat and christen a new, cleaner tugboat to service ships in the Port of Port Arthur, Texas. Continue reading
Posted in environment, litigation, public health
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, clean air act, Death of the diesel, Justice Department Environment and Natural Resources Division, Ken Zino, Tadano Group, Todd Kim, United States District Court for The Southern District Of Texas Houston Division
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Hurricane Idalia – EPA Issues Florida Summer Fuel Waiver
Storm preparations have resulted in the closure of multiple ports in the state that receive fuel and have restricted and interrupted fuel terminal operations, preventing an adequate supply of gasoline. In addition, evacuations – including mandatory evacuations – are straining available supplies. Waiving federal requirements to sell summer gasoline can help address these supply shortages. Continue reading
Iowa, Nebraska Sue EPA to Sell E-15 Year Round
“The EPA’s ongoing failure to act following our E15 notification more than two years ago is nothing more than a thinly veiled disguise of their disdain towards clean, renewable, American-produced ethanol. The EPA disfavors anything that doesn’t have the word ‘electric’ in its name,” said Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. She has a point. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, customer satisfaction, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, litigation
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, clean air act, Doug Burgum, e-15, ethanol, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, JB Pritzker Illinois; Laura Kelly Kansas; Tim Walz Minnesota, Ken Zino, Kristi Noem South Dakota, Michael S. Regan, North Dakota, Pete Ricketts Nebraska, Tony Evers Wisconsin.
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Parts Maker Sinister Diesel to Pay $1 Million After Guilty Plea
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced in the criminal case by US District Court Judge John A. Mendez for the Eastern District of California on 14 November 2023. Although Sinister Diesel agreed to pay a $500,000 criminal fine under its plea agreement, the company faces – for each count – a maximum fine of $500,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain derived from the offense. Its sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of all applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which consider a number of variables. Continue reading
Posted in environment, fuel economy or emissions, litigation, public health
Tagged Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, clean air act, conspiracy to defraud the United States, Death of the diesel, emission control defeat devices, epa, Ken Zino, Sinister Diesel, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert, US District Court Judge John A. Mendez, US Justice Department
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Illegal Chinese Diesel Engines – Fayat Group Fined
The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have announced a settlement agreement with Fayat S.A.S. and nine of its subsidiaries – BOMAG GmbH, Bomag Americas Inc., BOMAG (China) Construction Machinery Co. Ltd., MARINI S.p.A., RAVO B.V., Charlatte of America Inc., PTC S.A.S., Secmair S.A.S. and MATHIEU S.A. – for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act’s mobile source emission standards regulations.
“Fayat failed to ensure that the equipment it introduced into the United States market complied with Clean Air Act requirements designed to protect the public’s health from harmful emissions,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We will not tolerate violations of Clean Air Act standards. The settlement requires both a substantial civil penalty and a project that will reduce emissions in the Mobile, Alabama, area and contribute to improved public health.” Continue reading →