Monthly Archives: December 2021

BERDO Implementation Picks Up Speed — Better Get Ready

On Monday, Boston released a draft of the first phase of regulations intended to implement the amended BERDO ordinance signed by then-Mayor Janey in October

The first phase of the regulations is focused only on reporting issues.  It will address

  • Reporting Requirements
  • Third-Party Data Verification Requirements
  • Preservation of Records

The rationale for this narrow focus is that the City wants these regulations in place promptly,… More

New MEPA Rules Mean Big Changes For Practitioners and Developers

In compliance with the Climate Roadmap Act, the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office has released the final version of its new regulations and two final protocols regarding new MEPA review procedures to evaluate project impacts on Environmental Justice (EJ) populations.  The regulations will go into effect on December 24, 2021 and the two protocols will go into effect on January 1, 2022. Here are the big takeaways:

The MEPA Regulations

The new MEPA regulations include six new definitions: Designated Geographic Area,… More

New York Climate Action Council Approves Draft Scoping Plan to Achieve the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions

On December 20, 2021, the Climate Action Council (“Council”) approved the release for public comment of its draft Scoping Plan, which describes how New York can achieve the requirements of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (“CLCPA” or “Climate Act”): 70% renewable electricity consumption by 2030, 100% zero-emission electricity consumption by 2040, a 40% reduction in statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030, an 85% reduction in statewide GHG emissions by 2050,… More

New York Releases Much Awaited Roadmap for Deploying 10 Gigawatts of Distributed Solar by 2030

Can New York State satisfy nearly 30 percent of its electricity needs with solar projects less than five megawatts in size by the year 2030? In September of this year, Governor Hochul announced a framework to do just that, setting 10 gigawatts (GWs) of deployed distributed solar by 2030 as the goal, enough to power 700,000 New York homes – even more than the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s (CLCPA) six-GW deployment requirement.… More

The Internal Combustion Engine Is Bad For Your Health — What Should We Do About It?

I’ve written a lot about how the developing science around particulate exposure supports making the PM2.5 NAAQS more stringent.  So it won’t come as a surprise that a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences indicates that the benefits of on-road emissions reductions from 2008 to 2017 could be measured in the hundreds of billions of dollars and almost 10,000 fewer deaths. … More

Another Nail In Coal’s Coffin

I’m not sure it’s even really news at this point, but earlier this week Ameren Missouri announced that it would close its Rush Island Energy Center generating plant early, rather than spend the money to install flue gas desulfurization technology in response to an injunction issued after the District Court found that the Rush Island facility had violated the Clean Air Act.  As Ameren noted in its filing with the Court: 

Retiring Rush Island early will have a much more beneficial environmental impact,… More

Is It Finally Lights Out for the Incandescent Light Bulb?

Last week, the Department of Energy released a proposed rule that would be the death knell for the incandescent light bulb.  The proposed rule would implement the so-called “backstop” provisions of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, and impose an efficiency standard for general service lamps of 45 lumens per watt.  In short, incandescent bulbs operate at efficiencies well below 45 lm/W and thus could not meet the new standard.… More

CASAC Signals that a Lower PM2.5 NAAQS Is On the Way; It Can’t Come Too Soon

The momentum continues to build for a more stringent National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM2.5.  In June, EPA announced it would revisit the Trump Administration’s decision to keep the PM2.5 NAAQS at 12 ug/m3.  In early October, EPA staff released a supplement to its assessment of the PM2.5 NAAQS.  That supplement also supported a more stringent standard. 

Now, the Clean Air Science Advisory Committee is about to weigh in. … More