Arizona – Inspections Stepped Up at Border

Any company shipping hazardous waste from a facility in Mexico through Arizona should be prepared for increased scrutiny. Three ports of entry on the Arizona-Mexico border will have full-time hazardous waste inspectors to examine waste shipments transported into the state. Gov. Janet Napolitano has approved a state budget that provides funding to the Arizona DEQ for three inspectors at the border’s busiest ports – Nogales, San Luis and Douglas. Currently, there is no inspection of waste shipments on the state or federal level at the borders.

Arkansas – Recertifying Consultants

Certification requirements for environmental professionals in Arkansas are undergoing changes. The Arkansas DEQ has proposed amendments to this regulation in response to changes in the law. Regulation No. 32 implements a certification program for consultants who perform environmental site assessments, site investigations and risk assessments in preparation of site cleanup plans. The program also covers contractors who carry out the site cleanups.

California – Fed Sits on Waiver Request

The federal EPA recently closed the public comment period on the state’s request for a waiver of federal authority over vehicle emissions standards. The waiver would allow California to implement its own regulations to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from motor vehicles by 30 percent by year 2016. Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA must grant the waiver unless it finds that the state’s standards would not address a serious environmental or human health problem or that federal standards to control the problem are adequate.

Georgia – Vehicle Inspection Fees Lowered

As of Oct. 1, 2007, small business owners that conduct vehicle inspections will benefit from reduced administrative costs payable to the Georgia DNR. The DNR’s Environmental Protection Division has proposed amendments to the enhanced inspection and maintenance rules that reduce the administrative fee paid by the station owner to the DNR from $6.95 to $4.02 on a per E-Cert basis.

Illinois/Indiana – States at Odds over Hoosier Permit

A bipartisan group of Illinois lawmakers introduced a resolution bashing a permit recently issued by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to the oil company BP. According to U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., (a sponsor), the permit allows the fuel giant to increase its daily dumping of ammonia and sludge into Lake Michigan. Illinois lawmakers have complained about the Indiana permit in several press releases. They are calling on the federal EPA, which oversees Indiana’s department, to step in.

Kansas – Tire Amendments on a Roll

The Kansas Department of Health and the Environment is in the process of amending solid waste regulations aimed primarily at waste tires. The amendments include financial assurance, pest control standards for outdoor accumulation of all types of tires, and storage standards for used, waste or processed tires. The amendments also would add a definition for waste tire transporter. It would exclude all waste tire transporters that transport tires through Kansas but do not transport waste tires to or from any location in Kansas.

Maryland – California Consumer Product Limits Adopted

Restrictions in Maryland on emissions of VOCs from certain consumer products will now mirror those in California. The Maryland Department of the Environment recently adopted amendments that will affect the manufacture and sale of 17 consumer products in the commonwealth. The amendments establish new VOC concentration limits for 14 new categories of consumer products, a more restrictive VOC limit for one previously regulated category, and additional requirements for two previously regulated categories.

Massachusetts – Toxics Bill Builds Momentum

Following the European Union’s lead with the world’s strictest chemical law, Massachusetts lawmakers are overwhelmingly supporting a bill that would phase out the use of 10 toxic chemicals. The legislation also would create a system to study toxics and find safer alternatives. An Act for a Healthy Massachusetts: Safer Alternatives for Toxic Chemicals expands the commonwealth’s Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) program. PE