Environmental -- 2016



American Chemistry Council v. EPA   (D.C. Circuit)

Challenging EPA regulation of boilers for area sources (boiler GACT)

The NAM challenged an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) final rule on hazardous air pollutants, which imposes burdensome regulatory requirements on boilers, incinerators and process heaters. The rule requires “generally available control technologies” (GACT) or management practices to reduce emissions of hazardous air pollutants, taking into consideration the cost of achieving such reductions. This rule imposes costly compliance requirements on manufacturers subject to the rule. The NAM argued that 1) the EPA did not have sufficient data to property calculate an emissions standard based on the best performing 12% of combustions units as statutorily required but instead used the Upper Prediction Limit (UPL) methodology to estimate the emissions limits based on fewer data points; and 2) by requesting a voluntary remand, the EPA effectively conceded that the methodology used to calculate the UPL standards is flawed. While the court rejected the NAM’s arguments in 2016, it ordered the agency to provide further justification for some of its conclusions.


Related Documents:
Brief of Industry Intervenor-Respondents  (December 23, 2014)
Opening Brief of Industry Petitioners (incl. NAM)  (August 26, 2014)
NAM Reply Brief in support of motion for affirmative relief  (April 17, 2014)
NAM motion for affirmative relief  (March 13, 2014)
Petition for Reconsideration  (April 1, 2013)