Government Affairs

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EPA Seeks Stakeholder Input Related to Vessel Incidental Discharge Act

On Oct. 18, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking to the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA). In 2020, the agency proposed national standards of performance for marine pollution control devices for discharges incidental to the normal operation of non-military and non-recreational vessels 79+ feet in length into U.S. waters. This supplemental notice proposes additional regulatory options that EPA is considering for discharges from ballast tanks, hulls and niche areas, and graywater systems. Read More…

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PHMSA Pushes Comment Deadline for Plan to Modernize HMR

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking on modernizing regulation to improve safety and efficiency (HM-265A). The agency is soliciting stakeholder feedback on initiatives that may modernize the Hazardous Materials Regulations to improve hazmat transportation efficiency, improve transparency and stakeholder engagement, and better accommodate technological innovations. Read More…

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Final Rule Published for Waters of U.S. Definition

On September 8, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) published a final rule that revises the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS). ACA has been involved in this process since 2015 because of the uncertainty in the definition of WOTUS, since the pre-2015 definition has been challenged in court and reconsidered several times. Read More…