Member DashboardEPA questions its own authority to regulate emissions
EPA is may rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding that gave the agency authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. If finalized, the proposal would repeal all GHG standards for light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and heavy-duty engines. According to EPA, much has changed since 2009, including scientific and technological developments that warrant review. Additionally, Supreme Court decisions in the intervening years emphasized that major policy determinations must be made by Congress, not administrative agencies. EPA held four days of hearings Aug. 19 – 22 and the deadline for comments was extended to Sept. 22.
According to the agency’s website, “EPA intends to retain, without modification, regulations necessary for criteria pollutant and air toxic measurement and standards, Corporate Average Fuel Economy testing, and associated fuel economy labeling requirements.”
NAFEM advocates for clarity on inclusion of coffee pots in PFAS ban
NAFEM reached out to the Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental Management (DEM) for clarity on the state’s Consumer PFAS Ban Act of 2024. In its FAQ, DEM stated that coffee pots are considered cookware. NAFEM asked for clarity on whether the internal parts of a coffee maker that contact beans or water apply to the ban since “coffee grinders and high heat-pressure water hoses use fluoropolymers where heat and low friction are mission critical, especially in commercial applications where performance under severe conditions is essential.”
EU evaluates further PFAS restrictions
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published an updated proposal to restrict PFAS under the EU’s chemicals regulation, REACH. ECHA’s scientific committees for Risk Assessment and for Socio-Economic Analysis are evaluating the proposed restriction drafted jointly by five EU-member countries.