Delay for Proposed Greenhouse Gas Limits on Oil Refineries
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) will delay proposing the country’s first-ever greenhouse gas limits on oil refineries. The EPA agreed to implement these regulations under a settlement agreement (“Settlement“) that stemmed from two multi-state lawsuits where environmental groups sought court orders to require the EPA’s action on greenhouse gas regulation.
Pursuant to the Settlement, the EPA agreed to propose standards for oil refineries by December 10, 2011, and to enact the new regulations by November 10, 2012. According to a spokeswoman for the EPA, “the EPA expects to need more time to complete work on greenhouse gas pollution standards for oil refineries.” The EPA did not meet the December 10 deadline for the standards but is currently working with the litigants from the Settlement to set a new date for submitting the proposed standards. It is unclear whether the EPA will also miss the deadline to enact the regulations.
