By Patrick D. Joyce, Jeryl L. Olson, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: With significant objection from Industry, EPA has issued its Final Report on whether hydraulic fracturing activities can impact drinking water resources under certain circumstances.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published its controversial final report on “Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas: Impacts from
Continue Reading EPA Releases Final Report on Impacts on Drinking Water from Hydraulic Fracturing
By Robert S. Winner, Andrew L. Berg, and Ashley M. Hymel
Seyfarth Synopsis: In this edition of Seyfarth Shaw’s Energy Insights Newsletter, our Energy and Clean Technologies team covers important developments in Q1 2016 for the energy industry including 1) the fate of the Clean Power Plan and potential impact on U.S. compliance with the Paris Agreement,
Continue Reading Energy Insights: An Update from the First Quarter of 2016
In this edition of Seyfarth Shaw’s Energy Insights Newsletter, our Energy and Clean Technologies team covers important developments in Q4 2015 for the energy industry including 1) collateral tax benefits granted to YieldCos, 2) the finalization of the EPA’s renewable fuel targets, and 3) climate change initiatives in the wake of the Paris Agreement in some
Continue Reading Energy Insights: An Update from the Fourth Quarter of 2015
By Joshua L. Ditelberg and Robert S. Winner
In this edition of Seyfarth Shaw’s Energy Insights Newsletter our Energy and Clean Technologies team covers important developments in Q3 2015 for the energy industry including 1) the latest initiatives from the Environmental Protection Agency on clean power, climate and chemical regulation, 2) the National Labor Relations Board’s major shift on joint-employer
Continue Reading Energy Insights: An Update from the Third Quarter of 2015
By Patrick D. Joyce and Craig B. Simonsen
The U.S. EPA announced earlier this week a proposed rule to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) from the oil and natural gas industry. The proposal is nearly 600 pages long. Proposed rule (August 18, 2015).
The proposed rule will add methane to the list of gasses
Continue Reading Proposed Rule for Methane and VOC Controls in Oil and Gas Industry
By Patrick D. Joyce and Philip L. Comella
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued two proposed rules lowering the threshold at which landfills must control methane gas emissions.
For active landfills, EPA proposes to reduce the threshold from 50 metric tons of non-methane organic compounds annually to 34 metric tons. As a practical matter, this means that roughly 100
Continue Reading EPA Proposes Significant Change to Controlling Landfill Gas Emissions
By Patrick D. Joyce and Craig B. Simonsen
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a draft assessment study last week showing that hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) activities in the U.S. may have potential impacts on the water lifecycle, affecting drinking water resources. 80 Fed. Reg. 32111 (June 5, 2015).
The report, Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil
Continue Reading EPA Finds Low Potential Impacts on Drinking Water from Hydraulic Fracturing
By Philip L. Comella and Craig B. Simonsen
In another move to implement the President’s Climate Action Plan, the Obama Administration today announced a new goal to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40 to 45 percent from 2012 levels by 2025.
According to EPA, methane emissions accounted for nearly ten percent of U.S. greenhouse
Continue Reading EPA Plan for Methane Controls In Oil and Gas Industry
By Brent I. Clark and Craig B. Simonsen
OSHA has just released a new Safety Bulletin on “Hydraulic Fracturing and Flowback Hazards Other than Respirable Silica” (OSHA 3763-12 2014).
Hydraulic fracturing involves pumping large volumes of fluid blended with proppant and chemicals at pressures necessary to fracture a “hydrocarboncontaining formation.” According to OSHA, each year, an estimated 35,000
Continue Reading New OSHA Hazard Safety Bulletin for the Hydraulic Fracturing Industries
By Patrick D. Joyce, Philip L. Comella, and Craig B. Simonsen
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ proposed rules on “High Volume Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing” were recently approved, and will soon be published in the Illinois Register.
Bloomberg BNA reported that the Illinois’ Joint Commission for Administrative Rules (JCAR), approved the DNR rules implementing the Part
Continue Reading Illinois Rules on “High Volume Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing” Become Law