China 'weaponizes' yuan to counter US$300B tariff threat
China has opened a new front in its trade conflict with the U.S. Unable to match the U.S. dollar-for-dollar on tariffs, China has responded to U.S. President Donald Trump's latest escalation by allowing its currency to weaken past 7 per dollar for the first time in 11 years.
US EPA proposes to formalize guidance relaxing air permitting for power plants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Aug. 1 released a proposal that would ease permitting requirements for power plants and other industrial facilities under a key Clean Air Act program that can trigger the need to install modern pollution controls. The proposal would codify changes to the Clean Air Act's New Source Review program initially issued in March 2018 by then-EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt in the form of agency guidance.
Va. regulators OK partial recovery of upgrades at Dominion coal plants
Virginia regulators granted cost recovery of environmental upgrades at certain Dominion Energy Virginia power plants while denying recovery of costs for work at two coal units. The Virginia State Corporation Commission on Aug. 5 approved, in part, a new rider for the Dominion Energy Inc. subsidiary to recover costs to comply with state and federal environmental regulations.
US Senate lawmakers introduce bill to codify EPA water rule rollback
Two GOP lawmakers in the U.S. Senate introduced a bill to create a new definition of federally protected waters and codify the Trump administration's efforts to rescind the Obama-era Clean Water Rule derided by many energy producers. The bill's sponsors said the legislation would provide greater certainty to farmers, landowners and businesses on the definition of waters of the United States and correct perceived regulatory overreach with the Clean Water Rule, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers issued in 2015.
US EPA proposal would ease rules for coal ash piles, 'beneficial use' projects
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency unveiled a proposal July 30 that would ease federal rules for the safe storage of coal ash and relax environmental requirements for projects that reuse the material as a recycled product. The EPA said in a news release that the proposed changes were the first of three planned sets of revisions to the 2015 Coal Combustion Residuals rule.
US House Democrat proposes carbon tax to fund infrastructure
U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., introduced a bill to create a tax on carbon emissions that could generate $1.2 trillion over 10 years to help rebuild the nation's infrastructure. The legislation, which is called the America Wins Act, or H.R. 4142, is one of several before the U.S. Congress aimed at placing a price on carbon dioxide emissions, a key contributor to global warming.
Appellate court dismisses greens' lawsuit over Navajo coal mine, Four Corners
Three judges recently agreed with a lower court's ruling to dismiss a lawsuit from environmental groups against various governmental agencies over their role in reauthorizing mining activities at a New Mexican coal mine. Several environmental organizations sued the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs and U.S. Department of the Interior, among other agencies, alleging they had violated the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act in approving a 25-year lease extension to operate the Four Corners power plant and strip mining expansion for the Navajo coal mine.
