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Proposed Reclassification of Major Sources as Area Sources Under the Clean Air Act

Comments due November 13, 2023 On September 27, 2023, the EPA introduced a proposed rule known as the Reclassification of Major Sources as Area Sources Under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act (MM2A), which sets new requirements for major sources of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) that opt to reclassify themselves as area sources under the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) program. Major sources are defined as those emitting 10 tons per year (tpy) or more of a single …

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National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives

FY 2024-2027 The EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) updates its national enforcement and compliance initiatives (NECIs) every three years to address difficult environmental and public health challenges. The EPA focuses its enforcement and compliance assurance resources on the most serious environmental violations by developing and implementing NECIs, in addition to the EPA’s core enforcement work. The six NECIs for FY 2024-2027 are: Mitigating climate change (new) Addressing exposure to PFAS (new) Protecting communities from coal ash contamination (new) Reducing …

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Air Emissions Reporting Requirements (AERR) Comment Period Extended

New Comment Period Deadline: November 17, 2023 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the comment period for the Air Emissions Reporting Requirements (AERR) proposed rule for an additional 30 days to November 17, 2023. Written comments are being accepted here. The EPA’s proposed AERR rule could impact small businesses significantly. With unique emission thresholds for Hazardous Air Pollutants, businesses might need to report even minimal emissions. This poses challenges for recordkeeping and compliance. The Overview Fact Sheet and Key Things to Know About the …

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EPA Issues Technical Corrections to the Hazardous Waste Regulations

On August 9, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule that corrects typographical errors, incorrect citations, and clarifies ambiguous language in approximately 50 sections of the hazardous waste regulations, including the Generator Improvement Rule, Pharmaceutical Rule, and the Definition of Solid Waste Rule. The rule is effective on December 7, 2023, unless adverse comments are received by October 10, 2023.  Read the rule for more information and contact BEP with any questions.

BEP Participates in First Reno Startup Week

The first Reno Startup Week was a big success! BEP Director Chris Lynch was joined by speakers from Patagonia, Sol-Up Solar, Full Circle Compost, and nZero for the Sustainable ROI: Maximizing Business Success with Climate Responsibility panel. We were pleased to have about 30 attendees come to learn strategies and innovative practices that allow businesses to grow while minimizing their environmental impact.

Electric Transportation Forum

Chris Lynch, BEP Director, will be moderating a panel about low and zero emission boats tomorrow at the Lake Tahoe Electric Transportation Forum in South Lake Tahoe.  The forum’s goal is to bring together local, regional, and national leaders who share a vision of making the Lake Tahoe Basin a world-renowned model of clean transportation. The forum is sold out, but you can still participate by live Zoom stream. Register here.

Safer Choice Partners Event

The U.S. EPA is hosting the Partner of the Year Awards Ceremony on October 2, recognizing the 2023 Safer Choice Partners of the Year for their outstanding achievement in the design, manufacture, selection, and use of products that meet the program’s stringent health and environmental standards. The Stakeholder Summit from October 3-4 will include informational sessions, panelist discussions, and networking opportunities. The events are free and hosted in Arlington, Virginia.  Registration is required.

NV Energy — Business Energy Services Program

PowerShift by NV Energy can help business customers reduce their monthly energy consumption. Saving energy means helping the environment and it means saving money. The business case is strong. Small business owners can tap into the program if they use less than 400,000 kWh of electricity per year. One small business in southern Nevada replaced exterior lighting with LED lighting and is saving over $10,500 per year with an estimated payback of just one year on the upfront investment! Similarly, a …

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Southern Nevada Water Conservation

WATER SMART LANDSCAPES REBATE PROGRAM IT’S THE LAW Did you know that beginning in 2027, Nevada law AB 356, will prohibit the watering of nonfunctional grass at southern Nevada businesses? What is nonfunctional grass? Streetscape turf: grass location along public or private streets, sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots, including business streetscape frontage areas Frontage, courtyard, interior and building-adjacent turf: grass in front of, between, behind, or otherwise adjacent to a building or buildings on a property not zoned exclusively for single-family residences, including …

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