Renewable Energy Update

EPA Claims it will “Clarify” its Proposed Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule

February 10, 2015

The EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers appeared before a rare joint hearing of House and Senate committees on February 4, 2015 to justify the rule the agencies proposed last year to define “waters of the United States.” Notwithstanding a previous justification of the rule as merely providing “clarity” over streams that EPA and the Corps already regulate, EPA Administrator McCarthy conceded that…

A LITTLE OF THIS AND A LITTLE OF THAT TO START OFF THE NEW YEAR

February 3, 2015

PENNSYLVANIA DEP RELEASES FOURTH IN SERIES OF REPORTS ON EFFECTS OF SURFACE SUBSIDENCE FROM UNDERGROUND MINING

February 3, 2015

PADEP has announced the release of the fourth in a series of ongoing reports detailing the effects of surface subsidence caused by underground mining in Pennsylvania.  The report, prepared by the University of Pittsburgh, addresses the effects of mining in Armstrong, Beaver, Cambria, Clearfield, Elk, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Somerset and Washington counties.   The report,…

Sierra Club Declares Clean Water Act War on the Coal Industry By Suing EPA in Kentucky and West Virginia

January 27, 2015

The Sierra Club and other anti-coal groups filed THREE lawsuits against USEPA on January 7, 2015 in federal courts in Kentucky and West Virginia. 

Two of the actions, one in each state, allege that EPA has not acted on petitions submitted by the Plaintiffs several years ago to withdraw EPA approval of the State NPDES programs.  See Kentuckians for the Commonwealth v. McCarthy, No.…