Air Toxics Standards Timeline set for boilers, incinerators.

Press Release Summary:



As part of filing with U.S. Court of Appeals for DC Circuit, U.S. EPA set schedule for issuing updated air toxics standards for boilers and specific solid waste incinerators. Agency will propose standards to be reconsidered by end of October 2011 to ensure they are based on best available data and public has ample opportunity to provide additional input and information. Final standards will be issued by end of April 2012.



Original Press Release:



EPA Announces Timeline for Reconsideration of Air Toxics Standards for Boilers and Certain Incinerators



Open and transparent process will strengthen the basis for the protective, cost-effective and achievable standards

WASHINGTON - As part of a filing with the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a schedule for issuing updated air toxics standards for boilers and certain solid waste incinerators. To ensure that the agency's standards are based on the best available data and the public is given ample opportunity to provide additional input and information, the agency will propose standards to be reconsidered by the end of October 2011 and issue final standards by the end of April 2012. This is the best approach to put in place technically and legally sound standards that will bring significant health benefits to the American public.

Following the April 2010 proposals, the agency received more than 4,800 comments from businesses and communities, including a significant amount of information that industry had not provided prior to the proposals. Based on this input, the agency made extensive revisions that resulted in dramatic cuts in the cost of implementation, while maintaining maximum public health benefits. Because the final standards significantly differ from the proposal, however, EPA believed further public review was required and announced it would reconsider the standards.

After the final standards were issued, multiple industry groups petitioned the agency to delay the effective date of standards for major source boiler and commercial and industrial solid waste incinerator. In May 2011, EPA announced it would stay the effective date of those standards. EPA did not stay the effective date of the standards for boilers located at area sources of air toxic emissions.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/airquality/combustion

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