WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced May 25 that Administrator Scott Pruitt has signed a proposed rule aimed at postponing the date that companies would need to come under compliance with the effluent limitations guidelines and standards for steam electric power plants (ELG Rule). The rule had been published in November 2015.
The EPA seeks to postpone the compliance date for what it believes are the more stringent sections of the 2015 rule – those related to fly ash transport water, bottom ash transport water, flue gas desulfurization (“FGD”) wastewater, flue gas mercury control wastewater, and gasification wastewater.
“This proposed rule is one of nearly two dozen significant regulatory reform actions I have taken during my short time as EPA administrator to protect the environment, jobs and affordable, reliable energy," Pruitt said. [This] action, if finalized, will provide relief from the deadlines under the existing ELG Rule while we carefully consider the next steps for this regulation.”
The proposed rule is subject to a 30-day public comment period. The period begins as the rule is published in the Federal Register.