Tag Archives: epa

Hyundai and Kia Caught in EPA Mileage Rating Fraud

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that Hyundai Motor America and Kia Motors America will lower their fuel economy (mpg) estimates for the majority of their model year 2012 and 2013 vehicles after EPA testing found “discrepancies” between agency results and data submitted by the company. The fraud produced mileage claims that could be as much as 6 mpg higher than EPA tests showed. About 900,000 vehicles are affected in the largest mileage scam to date. Continue reading

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BP Fined Again, this time for Oil Spill Violations in Maryland

EPA alleged that BP Products violated federal regulations requiring oil storage facilities to conduct drills and exercises to respond to oil spills. The civil penalty is EPA’s highest to date for violations of oil drills and exercises requirements where there was no discharge of oil. BP, of course, was responsible for dumping 5 billion gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico after a blowout on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig killed 11 men. A former BP worker is under indictment for the disaster in an ongoing investigation that has thus far not reached executive levels. Continue reading

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Ford Fusion Hybrid Sedan Said to Top EPA Fuel Economy Ratings

Many brands now have a claim of some sort to use in fuel economy marketing, which likely means all of them will advertise fuel efficiency this fall, making the issue so confusing that it might no longer be effective for selling cars. Buyers will assume that fuel economy is a given in the entire class of vehicles and forgo the nuances. A similar situation has occurred in the marketing of auto safety during the past decade, with it increasingly difficult for companies to draw a competitive advantage in a continually improving field of what is now demonstrably the safest fleet of new vehicles ever sold in the U.S. Continue reading

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EPA Approves Fuel Waiver for States Hit by Hurricane Isaac

EPA has temporarily waived some clean gasoline requirements for fuel distributed in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina. The request for federal help come from the governors of the states most affected by delays in production and delivery of Gulf coast refineries. Continue reading

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DOT and EPA Issue Record 54.5 MPG Fuel Economy Standards

Realistically, the fuel economy average will likely be in the 38-40 mpg range. Therefore, your mileage not only can vary but will vary from big numbers being touted in a closely contested Presidential election year. This, by the way, is where European fuel economy is right now, so if you want to know what the roads will look like a decade hence, travel to Spain or Italy whose governments desperately need tourist revenues to cover their massive deficits. Continue reading

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D.C. Court Throws Out E15 Lawsuit on a Technicality

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has dismissed petitions challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s partial waiver allowing gasoline with 15% ethanol or E15 in 2001 and newer model vehicles. Federal law establishes a renewable fuel mandate that requires gasoline producers to introduce significant amounts of renewable fuel such as ethanol into the Nation’s gasoline supply. Continue reading

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Sinclair Oil to Pay $3.8 Million Penalty for Refinery Pollution

Sinclair Oil Corporation will pay a $3.8 million fine and install pollution control equipment at its refineries in Casper and Sinclair, Wyoming after it previously agreed to reduce pollution, but then failed to do so. The U.S. Justice Department said today that the pollution controls would cost about $10.5 million, including other projects to resolve the allegations of violations of the Clean Air Act. Continue reading

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U.S. and Mexico Sign Agreement on Decreasing Border Pollution

The U.S. and Mexico today signed an agreement to reduce pollution, exposure to chemicals accidents or terrorism, and improve environmental stewardship. It is the latest environmental cleanup program implemented under the 1983 U.S.-Mexico La Paz Agreement covering public health problems in the 2,000-mile border region. The border is home to more than 14 million people and one of the busiest trade regions in the world. Continue reading

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Ford C-Max Hybrid EPA Rated at 47 MPG in all Categories

The all-new Ford C-Max Hybrid that goes on sale this fall is now EPA-certified at 47 mpg city, 47 mpg highway and 47 mpg combined. This makes it the first hybrid without a window sticker decline in highway fuel economy ratings. Whether this is real or the product of carefully calibrating the C-Max to the test cycle awaits independent verification. Continue reading

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BP, Marathon, Exxon Mobil, Monsanto, BASF, and Other Hazardous Waste Polluters to Pay for Texas City Superfund Cleanup

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced have reached an agreement with more then three dozen companies and government agencies that will result in a $56.4 million cleanup of the “Malone Services Company” Superfund Site in Texas City, Texas. The former waste-disposal site is near the shore of Galveston Bay. The deal avoids costly and time-consuming litigation. Continue reading

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EPA Proposes Soot Pollution Standards under Court Order

Depending on the final level of the standard, estimated benefits will range from $88 million a year, with estimated costs of implementation as low as $2.9 million, to $5.9 billion in annual benefits with a cost of $69 million – a return ranging from $30 to $86 for every dollar invested in pollution control.

While EPA cannot consider costs in selecting a standard under the Clean Air Act, those costs are estimated as part of an analysis now undertaken for all significant regulations, as required by Executive Order 13563 issued by President Obama in January 2011. This genuine reform is a fact apparently unknown or ignored by the presumptive Republican presidential candidate who says he require such and analysis if elected. Continue reading

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Honda Fit EV Rated by the EPA at 118 MPGe, the Highest Ever

The Fit EV’s 20-kWh lithium-ion battery provides the capacity to earn an EPA combined city/highway estimated driving range of 82-miles, meaning the Fit EV on paper and in press releases surpasses the EPA efficiency and range ratings of the Ford Focus Electric (105 MPGe, 76-mile range), Nissan Leaf (99 MPGe, 73-mile range), and Mitsubishi i-MiEV (112 MPGe, 62-mile range). Honda recently settled a class action lawsuit that said in effect that it had overrated the mileage on the Civic hybrid. Continue reading

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EPA, NIH start Contest to Develop Personal Air Pollution Tool

The Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institutes of Health will announce tomorrow a contest sponsored by EPA and NIH to develop a personal, portable sensor system that measures air pollution and a person’s physiological response to it. Awards will be given as part of a competition called the My Air, My Health Challenge at the Health Data Initiative Forum III. Continue reading

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Mid-America Pipeline and Enterprise Products Fined for Spills

As part of a consent decree recorded today in the U.S. District Court in Omaha, Nebraska, in addition to paying a $1,042,000 civil penalty, the companies have agreed to undertake various measures aimed at reducing external threats to their pipeline, enhance their reporting of spills, and spend at least $200,000 to identify and prevent external threats to the pipeline involved in the spills. Continue reading

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New EPA Grants Go to Clean Up Contaminated Industrial Sites

Since its inception, EPA’s brownfield investments have used more than $18.3 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funding from public and private sources. During an election year, the ‘no jobs’ Obama Administration claims this has resulted in approximately 75,500 jobs. More than 18,000 properties have been assessed, and more than 700 properties have been cleaned up. Continue reading

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