News and Analysis
U.S. EPA Proposes Changing PM 2.5 Standard
January 13, 2023On Jan. 6, the U.S. EPA announced it would reconsider National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter, also known as the PM 2.5 standard.
The National Association of Manufacturers criticized the announcement, with NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons saying U.S. air quality has improved by more than 30% during the past 20 years, while production and energy consumption have grown. Changing the standard will only further weaken an already slowing economy, Timmons said. 1/10/2023
Anne Vogel Nominated to Lead Ohio EPA
January 6, 2023Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has nominated his policy director, Anne Vogel, to be the next director of the Ohio EPA. If confirmed by the Ohio Senate, Vogel would replace Laurie Stevenson, who announced her retirement last month.
Vogel has overseen implementation of H2Ohio, the governor’s water quality initiative. Prior to working for the administration, Vogel spent a decade at AEP, conducting regulatory and policy work. 1/3/2023
Environmental Roundup: OMA Submits Comments on Hazardous Waste Rules
January 6, 2023- This week, the OMA submitted comments to Ohio EPA in support of the agency’s draft hazardous waste management program rules. The OMA urged the agency to keep the state rules consistent with federal regulations and remove certain provisions that go beyond what the federal regulations require.
- OMA Connections Partner Thompson Hine has published the results of its latest survey tracking private and public companies’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) programs, noting “an increasingly vocal anti-ESG sentiment.”
- OMA Connections Partner Plante Moran has posted this insight for businesses considering starting an ESG program.
- OMA Connections Partner Calfee has published this update on recent federal developments related to PFAS regulation.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Manufacturers has issued this statement in reaction to the U.S. EPA’s proposed new Waters of the United States rule, saying the agency is unnecessarily rewriting critical permitting standards and tossing aside U.S. Supreme Court precedent. 1/5/2023