Deadlines set for EPA to take action on 33 states’ plans to reduce haze pollution

Toxic “forever chemicals” remain laxly regulated.

Sam Sankar, Senior Vice President of Programs: “This is the most right-wing court we’ve seen in almost a century, and that’s emboldening conservative legal activists to swing for the fences with legal claims that would have been laughable just a few years ago. The legal landscape has shifted, and it’s profound.”

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a consent decree mandating the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to finalize much-needed updates to ethylene oxide regulations by March 1, 2024. This court-enforced deadline comes as a result of years of tireless advocacy from communities across the country and a corresponding lawsuit filed by Earthjustice on behalf of California Communities Against Toxics, Clean Power Lake County, Rio Grande International Study Center, Sierra Club, and Union of Concerned Scientists.

SEITC briefs the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights on Canada’s violations

State provided little time for intervening groups to review key documents before approving settlement

On April 18, 2023, a federal court signed a consent decree between Earthjustice clients and the Environmental Protection Agency, which agreed to review oil and gas source air pollution emission standards.

The EPA will consider closing a loophole that exempts over half a billion tons of toxic coal ash in landfills from federal oversight. The proposed consent decree would require that EPA either complete a review of 40 CFR 257.50(d) and determine that no revision is necessary, or sign a proposed rule to revise it on or before May 5, 2023. If a proposal is issued, the EPA must take final action regarding the proposed revision no later than May 6, 2024.

Plaintiffs Cape Fear River Watch, et al. filed complaint against Defendants the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Michael S. Regan, administrator of the EPA. Complaint alleges EPA failed to at least annually revise, if appropriate, the effluent limitations guidelines for the Meat and Poultry Products (MPP) industrial point source category, and failed to publish regulations establishing pretreatment standards for introduction of pollutants from MPP facilities into publicly owned treatment works.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agreed in a consent decree to review and determine whether to update pollution limits for Group I Polymers and Resins facilities — certain synthetic rubber manufacturing facilities that emit cancer-causing air pollutants and other air toxics. The decision stems from an Earthjustice lawsuit filed on behalf of Concerned Citizens of St. John, Louisiana Environmental Action Network, and Sierra Club in November of 2021. A federal court in Washington, D.C. entered a consent decree requiring EPA to perform overdue rulemakings for Group I Polymers and Resins facilities. EPA must issue a proposed rule with potentially updated pollution limits by March of 2023 and a final rule by March of 2024. [Case 1:20-cv-03119-TNM, authored by Hon. Trevor N. McFadden]

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agreed to update pollution rules for some of the most hazardous chemical manufacturers, including facilities that emit the potent carcinogen ethylene oxide. The decision stems from a lawsuit filed by seven community and advocacy groups in December of 2020. A federal court in D.C. entered a consent decree that binds EPA to begin this new rulemaking in 2022 and issue a new final rule no later than spring 2024.

Consent order requires Dynegy Midwest Generation to move coal ash to a new on-site landfill to protect the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River

Vulnerable communities were exposed to this aggressive carcinogen for years waiting for agency action. EPA must now right this wrong.

The scrapyard violated emissions limits in a community already facing many harmful sources of air pollution

EPA agrees to strengthen standards for the nation’s largest industrial source of phosphorus pollution — and second-largest industrial source of nitrogen pollution — by 2025

Earthjustice’s work is supported and guided by our Board of Trustees.

Pō‘ai Wai Ola and Nā Kia‘i Kai raised concerns about the energy project’s impact on the Waimea River

Wyoming sale was one of the largest oil and gas lease sales held on public lands