All articles tagged with #epa
The EPA issued an emergency waiver enabling earlier sale of the summer E10 gasoline blend in California to boost supply and lower prices, effective Sept. 1–Sept. 15 with possible extensions. California is averaging about $5.59 per gallon due to an isolated market, refinery closures and imports, and the move is intended to bring relief for Golden State drivers.
Senate Republicans, led by Sen. Cynthia Lummis, are using the Congressional Review Act to nullify EPA waivers that let California set stricter vehicle and small-engine emissions standards, arguing this curbs California’s outsized regulatory influence; supporters say repealing the waivers would stop a backdoor climate agenda without Congressional approval, while opponents warn it would weaken California’s authority under the Clean Air Act.
The EPA's proposed drinking-water monitoring would require testing for up to 30 contaminants, but microplastics are not included, prompting a letter from 250 health professionals urging their addition; California has already moved ahead with microplastic screenings, though validated testing methods are not yet available, and the UCMR 6 timeline aims for finalization by year-end with implementation in 2028, while the public can submit comments by August 31.
Google has filed for an EPA experimental-use permit to release up to 64 million Wolbachia-treated male mosquitoes across Florida and California over two years to reduce disease transmission and mosquito populations without pesticides; the EPA has not yet approved the plan, public comments closed on June 5, 2026, and opponents warn about ecological risks and no built‑in rollback, while supporters call it a targeted, pesticide-free vector-control tool.
The EPA proposes removing derates and limp-mode triggers tied to DEF failures for newly built diesel engines, aiming to cut costs and boost productivity while preserving about 90% of NOx reductions. If finalized, the rule would apply to 2027-model-year vehicles with a 45-day public comment period, and older trucks would still derate; the plan also eases warranty requirements and relies on warnings rather than immediate shutdowns.
Trump administration proposes rolling back Biden-era heavy-duty truck emissions rules, arguing it would save about $12 billion for truckers and lower prices for goods by eliminating DEF-related deratings and speed restrictions on new highway and nonroad engines, while preserving roughly 90% of NOx reductions and easing emissions-warranty requirements; supporters say the changes boost supply-chain efficiency and consumer prices while maintaining environmental protections.
Air quality in Washington, D.C. stayed unhealthy for more than 10 hours after a 40-minute Independence Day fireworks show over the National Mall, with PM2.5 peaking at 212.8 µg/m³ in the Navy Yard at 3 a.m. The pollution lingered near the ground and persisted into late morning and early afternoon, according to AirNow data from the EPA.
Seven EPA workers fired during their probation last year are suing the agency, claiming their terminations for signing a public 2025 dissent letter violated their First Amendment rights and seeking reinstatement and back pay; the suits come as part of broader challenges to the EPA following the June 2025 declaration of dissent, with support from Senate Democrats and ongoing appeals, though these plaintiffs could not appeal to the MSPB due to their probationary status.
The White House releases a memorandum directing the EPA to expand the 'freedom to fix' by clarifying permissible DIY and third‑party emission repairs, encouraging alternative certifications for aftermarket parts beyond CARB, and deprioritizing civil enforcement against individuals repairing their own vehicles, all aimed at lowering consumer vehicle costs while ensuring compliance with the Clean Air Act.
The Supreme Court, in a 7-2 ruling, limited thousands of state lawsuits alleging Roundup caused cancer by holding that only the EPA can require warning labels, effectively preempting state actions. The decision follows reporting on Monsanto ghostwriting studies used in regulatory assessments; plaintiffs can press the EPA to reevaluate, but thousands of cases remain and billions have already been paid in settlements as investigations into the ghostwriting continue.
More than a dozen Republican attorneys general urged the EPA to classify the abortion drug mifepristone as a drinking-water contaminant, claiming abortion-pill remnants pollute waterways — a contention with little scientific backing that critics say is part of a broader anti-abortion political push amid safety reviews and access battles.
EPA documents confirm Tesla’s Cybercab weighs 3,113 lb curb, uses a 163 kW (219 HP) front-wheel-drive motor with a 47.6 kWh lithium-ion pack (146 Ah) and ~53.4 kWh charging energy, delivering an unadjusted 418.2-mile combined EPA range (375.4 miles highway). The vehicle has a GVWR of 3,730 lb and about 617 lb payload; charging is primarily wireless. It entered commerce on May 29, 2026, but unsupervised autonomy has not been approved.
Trump’s pardon of a diesel-truck mechanic who disabled emissions monitors has spurred a lobbying push by other Clean Air Act offenders seeking presidential clemency, arguing they were helping truck owners and shouldn’t face harsh penalties. The effort reflects a broader pattern of pardons outside DOJ guidelines and fuels a debate over criminal versus civil penalties for emissions tampering, with some Republicans proposing expunging such records while the White House reiterates that the president is the final decision-maker.
Alphabet-backed Verily seeks EPA approval to release 64 million Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes in California and Florida over two years to reduce disease-carrying populations using the Sterile Insect Technique. The plan, still under EPA review with public comments invited and no approvals yet, has sparked concerns about ecological disruption and transparency, as critics question Google’s role in an outdoor biological experiment and the potential environmental impact.
Google-owned Debug seeks EPA approval to release 32 million Wolbachia-infected male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Florida and California to curb disease spread; while the sterile-insect approach has shown promise, critics fear ecological risks and a for-profit company driving environmental interventions, and experts warn of challenges like maintaining sex-sorted releases and avoiding accidental release of females that could undermine the method.