Natural Gas Waste Rule to Be Reinstated

October 09, 2017

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that the Trump administration illegally suspended the Obama-era rule preventing waste of publicly-owned natural gas on public and tribal lands.

The Court found that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) violated the Administrative Procedure Act when it issued a notice postponing the compliance date of the rule, even though the rule had already gone into effect.

The BLM’s Waste Prevention Rule’s rule had provided protections that require the oil and gas industry to monitor wells for leaks, repair faulty equipment, reduce noisy and wasteful flaring, and capture natural gas emissions instead of releasing them into the atmosphere. It went into effect in January 2017 after BLM received extensive public input at public hearings and tribal meetings in New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado and North Dakota. BLM received more than 300,000 written comments that overwhelmingly supported the rule during a 74-day public comment period.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke suspended provisions of the Waste Prevention Rule in June without engaging in any public process.

“Venting and flaring methane at drilling sites wastes valuable public resources, costing taxpayers millions in lost revenue each year,” said Robin Cooley, staff attorney for Earthjustice. “The Waste Prevention rule also has the same greenhouse gas benefits as taking nearly a million cars off the road each year and helps reduce the serious health hazards for surrounding communities.”

Zinke’s order to suspend the commonsense rule “unlawfully cut the public out,” Cooley said. “It arbitrarily short-circuited the rule-making process, ignoring the concerns raised by thousands of people over the months-long public process. Judge Laporte reaffirmed the important role the public has in preserving natural resources and protecting public health.”

The Court’s decision reinstates the Waste Prevention Rule and restores the rule’s original requirements.

Mobile, Alabama, RCRA and DOT Training

Register for Hazardous Waste Management: The Complete Course and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in Mobile, AL, on October 24–26 and save $100. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Atlanta RCRA/DOT Update, IATA, and SARA Training

Register for RCRA and DOT Annual Update and Refresher in Atlanta, GA, on October 31 and get the refresher training you need in one day. Learn how to ship dangerous goods by air at IATA: How to Ship Dangerous Goods by Air on November 1, and ensure you understand your reporting obligations at the SARA Title III (EPCRA) Workshop on November 2. To register for these courses, click here or call 800-537-2372.

San Diego Hazardous Waste and DOT Training

Register for California Hazardous Waste Management and DOT Hazardous Materials Training: The Complete Course in San Diego, CA, on October 31–November 2 and save $100. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 800-537-2372.

Greenhouse Gas Standards Proposed for Power Plants in Washington

The Washington Department of Ecology has proposed updates to its greenhouse gas (GHG) emission rate for power plants in order to align with state law and other regulations.

Currently, this rule affects 10 facilities and can potentially affect any new facilities that meet specific criteria outlined in Ecology’s Greenhouse Gas Performance Standard rule. These power plants can emit up to 1,100 lb of GHGs per megawatt hour of power generated.

Ecology’s proposal will align its standards with a lower emission rate already required by the Washington Department of Commerce. In 2013, Commerce lowered their emission standard to 970 lb of GHGs per megawatt hour of power generated.

The 10 power plants would have to begin complying with the lower emission performance standard when they change ownership, undergo modifications, or sign new long-term contracts to purchase power or power plants.

Other changes in Ecology’s proposal include testing calculations and technical clarifications.

Public comment on the proposal is being accepted through November 14. To learn more about the environmental review of this proposal and submit formal comments online or in person at an upcoming public hearing, see the information below.

Review documents

Ecology’s website
At the Washington Department of Ecology, 300 Desmond Drive SE, Lacey

Public hearing

When: 2 p.m., November 7
Where: Washington Department of Ecology, 300 Desmond Drive SE, Lacey
Via webinar: Register

Submit comments by November 14

Submit comments online
Mail to Caroline Sun, Department of Ecology, Air Quality Program, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600

Contact:

Camille St. Onge, Communications, 360-407-6932, @ecologyWA

EPA Smart Sectors Program

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt recently announced the launch of Smart Sectors, a partnership program between the Agency and regulated sectors focused on achieving better environmental outcomes. A sector-based, collaborative approach provides a significant opportunity for EPA to consider more forward-thinking ways to protect the environment.

A sector-based approach can provide benefits, such as: increased long-term certainty and predictability, creative solutions based on sound data; and, more sensible policies to improve environmental protection. Program leads for each sector will serve as ombudsmen within the Agency across program and regional offices. Staff will also: conduct educational site tours, host roundtables with EPA leadership, analyze data and advise about options for environmental improvement; maintain open dialogue with business partners and their environmental committees; and, develop reports that profile the impact of each sector on the environment and the economy.

Smart Sectors aims to facilitate better communication and streamline operations internally at EPA. The program is located in the Office of Policy’s Immediate Office, which enables the sector leads to work across EPA’s land, water, air, and chemical program offices, as well as with environmental justice, enforcement and compliance assistance, and other offices, including EPA regional offices.

View Smart Sectors Federal Register Notice here.

P.J. Keating Company Fined for Stomwater and SPCC Violations

P.J. Keating Co., a company with a mining, quarry, and stone crushing facility in Acushnet, Massachusetts, has agreed to comply with Clean Water Act requirements, which will better protect human health and the local environment. The action resolves allegations by the EPA that the company violated federal clean water laws.

According to EPA’s New England office, the company failed to comply with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, or NPDES permit, which regulates stormwater and process wastewater discharges, and EPA’s Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure regulations, designed to prevent oil spills under the federal Clean Water Act. Since being notified of the violations by EPA, the company has made improvements to its process wastewater and stormwater management systems.

This case stems from a 2016 inspection of the facility conducted to investigate a pattern of discharge permit violations, primarily for total suspended solids and pH. The inspection also identified a number of violations of spill prevention regulations, including the failure to have adequate secondary containment for some of its oil storage containers, in order to prevent a discharge of oil. Under terms of the settlement, the company has agreed to pay $140,000. The company has already taken steps and continues to implement best management practices in order to return to compliance.

Process wastewater discharges are prohibited under the Clean Water Act unless a company has a permit allowing those discharges. Process wastewater from mining and stone crushing facilities typically contain high levels of total suspended solids. When these solids settle, they can form sediment deposits on the bottom of the water bodies that destroy the bottom fauna and the spawning grounds of fish.

The Clean Water Act also requires that these types of facilities have controls in place to prevent pollutants from being discharged with stormwater into nearby waterways. Each site must have a stormwater pollution prevention plan that sets guidelines and best management practices that the company will follow to prevent runoff from being contaminated by pollutants.

States Intend to Sue EPA for Ignoring Key Clean Air Deadline

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, leading a coalition of 14 state Attorneys General, recently filed a notice of intent to sue the EPA for failing to meet the Clean Air Act’s statutory deadline for designating areas of the country impacted by unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone (known as smog).

In August, Attorney General Schneiderman and a coalition of Attorneys General sued the EPA for illegally delaying the designations; the next day, the EPA reversed course and withdrew the delay. However, this week, the EPA missed the statutory deadline of October 1st for designation.

Reducing smog levels is vital to protecting millions of New Yorkers and other Americans from dangerous pollution. According to the American Lung Association, over 115 million Americans—including 6.7 million, or one in three, New Yorkers—breathe harmful levels of ozone, which often travels far distances from other states with less stringent clean air regulations. The designation of areas with unhealthy smog levels plays a key role under the Clean Air Act in addressing the pollutant’s severe harms to public health, triggering requirements for state-specific plans and deadlines to reduce pollution in the designated areas.

“Again and again, the Trump EPA has put polluters before the health of the people they serve,” said Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. “One in three New Yorkers are breathing dangerous levels of smog pollution. By ignoring critical deadlines for cutting this pollution, the Trump EPA is turning its back on the health and safety of millions of Americans. Attorneys General will continue to fight back in order to protect our residents and our states.”

Click here to read the notice of intent to sue, which was filed by the Attorneys General of New York, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota (by and through its Minnesota Pollution Control Agency), Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

In October 2015, the EPA revised the national air quality standards for smog, strengthening those standards. The Clean Air Act requires the Agency, within two years after issuance of new or revised standards, to designate areas of the county that are in “attainment” or “non-attainment” with these public health and welfare standards. In the case of the 2015 smog standards, EPA was required to issue attainment or non-attainment designations by October 1, 2017.

However, on June 28, 2017, EPA Administrator Pruitt published a notice stalling the deadline for the smog designations for all areas in the country for one year. Shortly thereafter, on August 1st, Attorney General Schneiderman and a coalition of 16 Attorneys General sued the Administrator for illegally delaying the designations. The next day, EPA abruptly reversed course and announced it was withdrawing the designations delay, although it remained equivocal on whether it would meet the October 1st deadline.

As of this week, EPA has failed to make the required designation of areas of the country impacted by unhealthy levels of smog, thus missing its statutory deadline and violating the Clean Air Act. The notice of the coalition’s intention to sue over the agency’s illegal inaction fulfills the Act’s requirement that parties provide a 60-day notice prior to filing a lawsuit.

The designation of areas for national air quality standards is a key statutory obligation under the Clean Air Act – and for protecting the public’s health. For areas designated as in non-attainment for the standards, states must adopt “implementation plans”—a collection of actions that the state will undertake to reduce pollution in order to ensure standards will be met in those areas. The deadlines for submitting implementation plans—and for ensuring that air quality standards are met within designated areas—are both directly keyed to the date of EPA designations.

According to EPA, the 2015 updated smog standards will improve public health protection—particularly for at-risk groups, including children, older adults, people of all ages who have lung diseases such as asthma, and people who are active outdoors, especially outdoor workers. In fact, the Agency conservatively estimated that meeting the new smog standards would result in net annual public health benefits of up to $4.5 billion starting in 2025 (not including California), while also preventing approximately:

316 to 660 premature deaths
230,000 asthma attacks in children
160,000 missed school days
28,000 missed work days
630 asthma-related emergency room visits
340 cases of acute bronchitis in children

Smog forms when nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and carbon monoxide emitted from power plants, motor vehicles, factories, refineries, and other sources react under suitable conditions. Because these reactions occur in the atmosphere, smog can form far from where its precursor gases are emitted and, once formed, smog can travel far distances. That is why, despite enacting stringent in-state controls on sources of these pollutants, many states—including New York—are not, alone, able to meet federal health-based air quality standards for smog.

This matter is being handled for the Attorney General’s Environmental Protection Bureau by Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Lusignan, Affirmative Section Chief Morgan A. Costello, and Senior Counsel Michael J. Myers. The Bureau is led by Bureau Chief Lemuel M. Srolovic and is part of the Division of Social Justice, which is led by Executive Deputy Attorney General for Social Justice Alvin Bragg.

NRDC Lawsuit Against EPA Challenges Neonic Pesticide Registrations

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) recently asked a federal court to vacate the registrations of nearly one-hundred products containing three widely-used neonics—acetamiprid, dinotefuran, and imidacloprid—until the EPA complies with its legal obligations under the Endangered Species Act. Bees, butterflies, birds and insects across the nation are being harmed by neonic pesticides that the EPA allowed on the market unlawfully.

“EPA ignored endangered bees, butterflies, and birds when it approved the widespread use of neonics. Massive pollinator die-offs across the country show that these pesticides cause serious harm to wildlife. It’s time for EPA to do its job and make sure our most vulnerable species are protected from the products it approves,” said Rebecca Riley, a senior attorney with NRDC.

The Endangered Species Act requires the EPA consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before pesticides that harm species are registered to ensure threatened and endangered species nationwide are protected from harm. Yet EPA has approved hundreds of neonic-containing pesticide products without the required consultation.

The collapse of bee and other pollinator populations in the last decade is just one consequence of neonic contamination. Neonics are systemic pesticides, meaning that they are distributed through the tissues of the plant, so that the nectar, pollen, and fruit of the plant harbor the pesticide. Because they can persist in soil and water for several years, and are used in high volumes for agriculture and gardening, neonics are ubiquitous in the environment throughout most of the country.

In the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, NRDC identified 26 species harmed by neonic use. NRDC is asking the court to order the EPA to complete the consultations required under the Endangered Species Act without delay, and to suspend registrations for almost 100 products containing the three neonics until the EPA complies with the law.

Heritage Environmental Services to Spend over $370,000 to Resolve Hazardous Waste Violations

Under a legal settlement with the EPA, Heritage Environmental Services, LLC, has agreed to install energy efficient, PCB-free lighting and new drinking water fountains with lead-filtering systems at the Carrie Gosch Pre-K Early Learning Center and the Joseph L. Block Middle School in East Chicago, Indiana. The upgrades—which cost a total of more than $290,000—are scheduled to begin this month and to be completed by early 2018.

“EPA is pleased that East Chicago children will reap health benefits at their schools thanks to this innovative legal settlement,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “These upgrades will reduce students’ potential exposure to toxins.”

"The city of East Chicago is grateful to be the recipient of funds made available by the EPA to help improve some of our schools’ lights,” said East Chicago Schools Superintendent Dr. Paige McNulty. “The EPA has been very helpful in analyzing our schools’ needs and making a plan on how to replace the lights as needed. They have worked with school district personnel to ensure that it is not disruptive to our school day. We are hoping to have this project completed by January."

Following a July 2012 inspection, EPA alleged multiple hazardous waste violations at the Heritage Environmental facility in Indianapolis. The settlement requires the company to improve waste handling procedures, pay a $77,385 civil penalty, and perform the lighting and drinking water upgrades at the two East Chicago schools. The company has also applied to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for a major modification to its Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit. IDEM’s proposed RCRA permit incorporates improved testing methodology for better waste analysis.

Big State Logistics Fined $43,000 for Oil Spills

The EPA has reached settlement with Big State Logistics, Inc. (BSL), a fuel hauler and trucking firm based in Fairbanks and Valdez, Alaska, over three separate spills on Alaska’s Richardson Highway. The spills took place in 2016, between Fairbanks and Valdez and ranged from 339 gallons to 3,571 gallons of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel.

One spill was caused by equipment failure and the other two spills involved ice and snow packed road conditions. In each incident, BSL and its contractors responded quickly and conducted fuel recovery and clean-up actions. Following these events, the company also halted transportation of double trailers during the harshest weather months and gave BSL drivers the discretion to not haul double trailers if the roads were judged to be in poor condition. The company will pay a total of $43,000 in penalties as part of this settlement.

Since 2015, the EPA, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, and United States Coast Guard have hosted workshops in Anchorage and Fairbanks for agencies, insurers and trucking companies that transport fuel and bulk chemicals throughout Alaska to troubleshoot logistical weak spots and brainstorm solutions to the persistent problem of fuel transport crashes, especially during the winter months. The most recent workshops were held in Fairbanks and Anchorage on March 30 and April 4, 2017, respectively.

All participating agencies were unanimous in underscoring the importance of timely reporting of spills and releases to the National Response Center 24-hour hotline (1-800-424-8802). Early notification plays a critical role in getting resources and personnel mobilized to often remote locations, which can make all the difference in reducing harm to people, natural resources and the environment.

Details on the spill incidents include:

Birch Lake – On September 5, 2016, a BSL tanker truck was northbound when a failure of the trailer tongue resulted in the secondary tank overturning into the right-of-way ditch of the southbound lane of the highway. In the process, the secondary tank was punctured in multiple locations and spilled approximately 3,571 gallons of diesel fuel, with most of the product released immediately after the secondary tank rolled over. Later investigation determined that the rollover was caused by a defective coupling device on the secondary tanker trailer (“pup tank”). Equipment change was immediately instituted by the company.
Tsina River – On October 21, 2016, a BSL fuel tanker truck experienced a loss of traction when the driver was attempting to decelerate in order to pull off the highway into a rest area to remove snow chains. The secondary tank trailer left the roadway, rolling over an embankment and coming to rest in a channel of the Tsina River. The pup tank suffered a puncture and spilled approximately 339 gallons of diesel fuel to a river channel.
Paxson Lake – On November 12, 2016, a BSL fuel tanker truck lost traction when attempting to stop for wildlife and hunters on the road, causing the tanker trailer to start fishtailing. Once the tanker trailer departed the highway, it released from the hitch due to a safety feature of the hitch. The tanker trailer then rolled and its vapor rail was ruptured, releasing 276 gallons of diesel fuel to the ground, and ultimately some fuel to a 10 ft. by 10 ft. area of lake ice.

For more about EPA’s Spill Response program click here.

Dennis K. Burke Inc. Fined $8,000 for Violations Following a Diesel Fuel Spill

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) penalized Dennis K. Burke, Inc., of Taunton $8,000 for environmental violations related to a spill of diesel fuel to 71 Main Street in Medway. An employee of Dennis K. Burke failed to take immediate action to clean up the oil, to notify MassDEP and to properly manage remediation waste generated during subsequent attempt to clean up the spill.

In addition to agreeing to pay the penalty of $8,000, Dennis K. Burke, Inc., will provide 18 free oil tanker spill training sessions for local municipal fire departments as part of a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP).

Dennis K. Burke, Inc., admitted to delivering, in error, a supply of diesel fuel to this gasoline station site where they had not ordered the delivery, and that the delivery resulted in an overflow and sudden release of approximately 190 gallons of diesel fuel to the pavement and soil. At the time of the spill, the company informed the gas station attendant that a spill of a minor amount had occurred and had been cleaned up.

Two days later, the employee of Dennis K. Burke, Inc., returned to perform some additional cleanup work, which generated diesel-contaminated remediation waste. Due to persistent odors, the gas station then notified Medway Fire Department and MassDEP of the spill. The delivery company was unable to document where the previously generated diesel-contaminated absorbent material had been disposed. MassDEP required Dennis K. Burke, Inc., to excavate and properly dispose of the remaining diesel-contaminated soil.

"For public health and safety reasons, it is imperative for those employees of companies that transport and deliver supplies of petroleum, that they be properly trained as to when to promptly notify MassDEP, as well as any other appropriate actions in the event of an oil spill," said Mary Jude Pigsley, director of MassDEP's Central Regional Office in Worcester. "The company will re-train its employees in spill notification requirements and provide valuable free training to local fire departments who respond to spills."

167 Colorado Companies Recognized as Environmental Leaders

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recognized 167 companies October 4 for outstanding environmental achievements that help keep Colorado a desirable place to work and live. The department, in partnership with the Pollution Prevention Advisory Board and the Colorado Environmental Partnership, presented the 18th annual Environmental Leadership Awards at the Infinity Event Center in Glendale. More than 400 government, business, and community leaders are expected to attend.

The awards recognize Colorado organizations with gold, silver and bronze designations for voluntarily going beyond compliance with state and federal regulations and for their commitment to continual environmental improvement.

“We are proud to recognize all of Colorado’s environmental leaders and work with them to reduce barriers to innovation while protecting public health and the environment,” said department Executive Director and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Larry Wolk.

This year’s program will recognize 21 new Gold Leaders, which join 90 other companies and organizations already designated as Gold Leaders. The new Gold Leaders include Seattle Fish Company, Clifton Sanitation District and Children’s Hospital. There currently are 37 companies designated as Silver Partners and 21 companies designated as Bronze Achievers.

The 2017 24-Karat Gold Award winner will be named at the event. Chosen by other Gold leaders, 24-Karat Gold Award winners are individuals or teams who have gone above and beyond required job duties to create and implement a program or initiative that made a measurable contribution to the environment, the economy and society. The Colorado Environmental Leadership Program is open to all Colorado businesses, industries, offices, educational institutions, municipalities, government agencies, communities, nonprofits and other organizations.

For a complete list of organizations with gold, silver and bronze designations and summaries of their environmental efforts, please contact Lynette Myers, Environmental Leadership Program manager, at lynette.myers@state.co.us, or visit the department’s Environmental Leadership Program website.

Ohio EPA 2017 Environmental Excellence Awards

Ohio EPA Director Craig W. Butler presented 18 Encouraging Environmental Excellence (E3) Awards recently at the Sustainability Conference in Columbus.

Ohio’s E3 Program recognizes businesses, nonprofits and government agencies for going above and beyond compliance with requirements while demonstrating environmental excellence. This is the first year awarding our fourth level of recognition, Platinum Level, which recognizes organizations that have expanded their environmental programs beyond their own facility to make a positive impact on the surrounding community.

The E3 program also provides Gold, Silver, and Achievement levels of recognition. An organization can work through levels of recognition including Achievement at the base level; Silver Level recognizing outstanding accomplishments in environmental stewardship; and Gold Level recognizing comprehensive environmental stewardship programs. All levels require a commitment to meet or exceed environmental regulatory requirements.

Platinum Level: Two organizations are being recognized at the Platinum Level.

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (Powell)
Washing Systems (Loveland)

Gold Level: Nine candidates are being awarded the 2017 E3 Gold Level recognition:

Cleveland Clinic
Crown Minster
GM Toledo
Ford Cleveland Engine Plant 1 (Cleveland)
Frito-Lay (Wooster)
Honda Anna Engine Plant (AEP)
Honda East Liberty Plant (ELP)
Honda Marysville Auto Plant (MAP)
Ohio University (Athens)

Silver Level: Seven candidates receive the 2017 E3 Silver Level recognition:

Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems (Elyria)
Kent State University
Kenworth (Chillicothe)
Nestlé (Dublin)
Oberlin College
The Ohio Department of Transportation (Cleveland)
Tigerpoly Manufacturing (Grove City

For more information about Ohio EPA’s Encouraging Environmental Excellence program and the recognition levels, see http://www.epa.ohio.gov/ohioE3.aspx. Achievement Level applications are accepted at any time. The deadline to apply for a 2018 Silver, Gold or Platinum Level award is November 17, 2017.

Metal Finisher Ordered to Reduce Hexavalent Chrome Emissions

California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District’s independent Hearing Board approved issuance of a stipulated Order for Abatement requiring Lubeco, Inc.—a metal-finishing facility in north Long Beach, California—to reduce its emissions of hexavalent chromium.

“As a result of extensive investigations of toxic emissions from metal processing facilities, we identified Lubeco as a source of elevated emissions of hexavalent chromium,” said Wayne Nastri, SCAQMD’s executive officer. “We expect this order to help protect the health and safety of residents in this area.”

The Hearing Board’s order includes short- and long-term measures designed to reduce Lubeco’s emissions of hexavalent chromium. Lubeco will be required to curtail its operation of uncontrolled equipment emitting hexavalent chromium when concentrations of hexavalent chrome exceed 1 nanogram per cubic meter, based on a three sample average. Lubeco will also be submitting a plan that is expected to result in the addition of new air pollution control equipment at the facility.

SCAQMD filed its petition for the administrative order, known as an Order for Abatement, with the independent SCAQMD Hearing Board on Friday, July 21. Public hearings were held on August 17 and 23, 2017.

Hexavalent chromium is a known human carcinogen associated with an increased risk of cancer from long-term exposure, meaning years to decades. Lubeco, Inc., located at 6859 Downey Ave., is a metal finishing facility that serves the aerospace industry.

The SCAQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

New Additive Makes Biodiesel the Cleanest Liquid Fuel in the U.S.

The California Air Resource Board has certified a biodiesel additive that will make B20 blends in California the cleanest proven and tested diesel fuel with the lowest emissions profile available anywhere in the U.S.

“Biodiesel has been a key to help California meet its intense carbon reduction goals. With this announcement, America’s Advanced Biofuel will continue to deliver a cleaner burning, American made alternative under the state’s low carbon fuel standard,” said Donnell Rehagen, National Biodiesel Board CEO. “Biodiesel will gladly take the role as the cleanest certified diesel fuel available.”

The additive takes already clean-burning biodiesel and ensures it reduces every measurable regulated emission, including NOx, when blended with California’s unique diesel formulation called CARB diesel. NBB led the initial research and development into the additive to maintain biodiesel’s competitive advantage under the state’s low carbon fuel standard.

Branded VESTA™1000, the CARB certified additive ensures compliance with the January 1, 2018 implementation of CARB’s Alternative Diesel Fuel Regulation. A 20% blend of biodiesel with VESTA™ 1000 reduced NOx by 1.9% and particulate matter by 18% compared to CARB diesel fuel. California Fueling, LLC, will produce the formula, and Pacific Fuel Resource, LLC, will deliver the product to market. The two companies will work cooperatively with NBB members as well as those in the California fuel community to support the ongoing use of biodiesel diesel blends up to B20.

“This impressive NBB-led effort, over the course of the past eighteen months, has resulted in a first-of-a-kind CARB approval, which enables biodiesel to be the renewable fuel of choice to meet California’s stringent LCFS carbon reduction requirements,” said Pat McDuff, President, California Fueling, LLC.

“As a result of this effort, biodiesel will continue to play a major role in helping Californians meet their renewable energy and clean air goals,” said Paul Nazzaro, President, Pacific Fuel Resource, LLC. “By increasing biodiesel use up to a B20 blend, estimated to be an additional 600 million gallons of cleaner-burning biodiesel annually, California can now achieve its goals under the LCFS.”

For information about VESTA™1000, valuation, additive access, purchasing and market development please Contact Paul Nazzaro at 978-438-6090 or paul@pacificfuelresources.com.

Environmental News Links

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New California Law Gives Air Quality Officials the Power to Quickly Shut Down Polluters

9 States Deciding Whether to Tighten Power Plant Emissions Rules

Flights Worldwide Face Increased Risk of Severe Turbulence Due to Climate Change

Explosion Reported at Eastman Chemical Plant in Kingsport, Tennessee

Trump Takes a First Step Toward Scrapping Obama’s Global Warming Policy

Energy Efficiency Gains at Risk of Slowing Down Without Renewed Government Focus

Pruitt Breaking the Law by Not Telling the American People About Unsafe Smog Pollution

The Coal Ash Rule: Looming Battles over Enforcement and Rollback