William Shane, P.E.
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and Attorney General Eric Holder to Announce Historic Clean Air Act Settlement
-November 5, 2014
New cars are required to have window stickers that clearly identify the car’s fuel economy. The stickers allow car buyers to easily compare one vehicle to another and also to estimate annual fuel costs. Most people accept these numbers as accurate, although there is an understanding that fuel economy estimates are based on idealized testing […]
EPA Proposes Dental Amalgam Pretreatment Effluent Guidelines
-October 8, 2014
Across the United States, municipalities are working to reduce the discharge of mercury to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Mercury is a bioaccumulative toxic pollutant that can cause a variety of adverse health effects in humans. In water, certain microorganisms can change mercury into methylmercury, a highly toxic form that builds up in fish, shellfish, and […]
EPA Considers New Regulations for Lead-Based Paint Hazards at Public and Commercial Buildings
William Shane, P.E. -September 30, 2014
The EPA is the process of determining whether lead‐based paint hazards exist for activities in public and commercial buildings, as required under section 402(c)(3) of the Toxic Substances Control Act. If the EPA determines that renovation activities create lead‐based paint hazards, EPA is required to address those hazards through regulation. EPA summarized the approach it […]
EPA’s Proposed Methane Updates Estimated to Cost New Landfills $471,000 Annually
William Shane, P.E. -September 10, 2014
According to EPA, methane is a “potent greenhouse gas” that accounts for nearly 9 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Since 1990, methane pollution in the United States has decreased by 11 percent, even as activities that can produce methane have increased. However, methane pollution is projected to increase to over […]
Nutrients Not Going Away Any Time Soon
William Shane, P.E. -September 5, 2014
Recently I shared a presentation titled “Potential Impacts of Kentucky’s Nutrient Strategy” at the Environmental Permitting and Reporting Conference. In general, nutrients come from two sources: point and non-point discharges. Point source discharges are easy to identify and usually have a KPDES permit. Right or wrong, it is these facilities that will sources will bear […]
Reevaluation of Pretreatment Local Limits: New Requirements from the Division of Water
William Shane, P.E. -May 22, 2014
Municipalities should be aware that the Kentucky Division of Water (DOW) is taking a closer look at pretreatment local limits. DOW has started adding new language to KPDES municipal permits that defines exactly when pretreatment local limits must be reevaluated. The following events may trigger a reevaluation: a permit issuance or reissuance, a change in […]
EPA Seeks Public Comment on Enhancing Transparency for Fracking Chemicals
William Shane, P.E. -May 16, 2014
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a mining technique in which a liquid (usually water) is mixed with sand and chemicals and injected at high pressure into a wellbore to stimulate migration of the target material to the well. There has been much discussion recently about the benefits and risks of this technique. Therefore, on May […]
Kentucky Responds to EPA’s Proposed 111(b) Rule for Power Plants
William Shane, P.E. -May 7, 2014
On March 27, 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published proposed carbon pollution standards for new electric generating units at power plants. The goal of these standards is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new, modified, and reconstructed power plants under Section 111(b) of the Clean Air Act. Needless to say, there were many interested […]
Continued Reduction of Toxic Environmental Releases in Kentucky
William Shane, P.E. -April 21, 2014
Kentucky industries show continued reduction of toxic environmental releases The EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) program requires notification from a wide range of industries that produce or handle listed toxic chemicals above reporting thresholds. Currently there are 593 chemicals and 30 chemical categories covered under the program. The affected industries must report annually releases, transfers, […]
Constructed Wetlands
William Shane, P.E. -February 17, 2014
There are many different options available to treat wastewater. Some require highly trained operators, some require large amounts of chemicals, and some require expensive equipment. Sometimes, however, the simplest approach can work just as well. Constructed wetlands are an innovative and inexpensive treatment approach that have proven to be a viable wastewater treatment option. They […]