EPA Promulgates Final Landfill Methane Rules

Date: August 29, 2016

Source: News Room

EPA's regulations that seek to limit methane emissions from new and existing landfills are slated to be promulgated in the Federal Register Aug. 29. This begins the 60-day clock for any parties to challenge the rules in court. The rules, released on July 15, include a regulation for new and modified municipal solid waste landfills under section 111(b) of the Clean Air Act and a rule for existing landfills under section 111(d). Both measures strengthen standards that were issued by the Clinton administration in 1996. The final standards retain stricter emissions thresholds for when facilities have to begin capturing landfill gas. However, they are not expected to draw significant opposition from the landfill sector.

Industry officials had tentatively embraced the proposed version of the rules after EPA allowed site owners to use monitoring results, rather than modeling data. However, some in the industry worry that the stricter rules could challenge the economics of methane recovery projects leading to a slowdown in their development.

See also: "EPA's Final Landfill Methane Rule Sets Stricter Limits," (www.wasteinfo.com/news/wbj20160720A.htm), July 18, 2016.

Sign up to receive our free Weekly News Bulletin