Environmental -- 2016



U.S. Sugar Corp. v. EPA   (D.C. Circuit)

Challenging EPA's boiler MACT regulations

The NAM challenged the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA), Boiler Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standard used to regulate emissions of hazardous air pollutants generated by boilers. The challenge came after EPA issued the final MCAT rule; however, the EPA did not have enough data to properly calculate an emissions standard based on the statutory requirement. This decision will impose enormous costs on key industrial sectors. The NAM argued that the EPA exceeded its authority in imposing an energy assessment requirement on portions of the facility that are not part of the defined source category (boilers and process heaters); 2) the emissions limitations are unlawful because they have not been achieved in practice; 3) the standards are not achievable because they were set without accounting for malfunctions; 4) EPA improperly established a numeric emission limitation for organic pollutants rather than a work practice as it has done in a comparable rule; and 5) EPA failed to justify its reversal of previously established health-based limits for hydrogen chloride. In 2016, the court rejected all industry arguments, finding that the EPA's approach was reasonable.


Related Documents:
NAM Brief in Response to Environmental Petitioners  (December 17, 2014)
Opening Brief of Industry Petitioners  (August 12, 2014)
NAM Reply Brief in Support of Affirmative Relief  (April 17, 2014)
NAM Petition for Review  (April 29, 2011)
NAM Petition for Administrative Stay  (April 27, 2011)