Sean Reilly
E&E News
Washington, DC, United States
Contact Sean
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Sean:
Goffman signals truck rule release, punts on Calif. waivers
EPA's top air regulator was definitive about the timeline for a rule cutting air emissions from heavy-duty trucks but less so about California waiver → Read More
EPA ramps up pressure over state pollution loopholes
In a coast-to-coast crackdown, EPA is poised to sanction a dozen state and local air agencies that have failed to comply with an Obama-era rule to eliminate → Read More
Study: Fossil fuel burning linked to over 1M deaths per year
A worldwide halt to the burning of coal and other fossil fuels would help save more than 1 million lives annually by cutting concentrations of dangerous → Read More
Deal forces EPA to revisit chemical industry emissions
The Biden administration has tentatively agreed to revisit EPA air toxics standards for hundreds of chemical plants, signaling a move on an issue that → Read More
EPA forces natural gas plants to make pollution data public
For the first time, hundreds of natural gas processing plants will have to publicly report emissions of benzene and other hazardous air pollutants. → Read More
EPA science board 'reset' renews tensions over bias
When EPA Administrator Michael Regan recently overhauled one of the agency’s top advisory panels, he did so with the professed intent of making a fresh start after the turmoil of the Trump administration. But behind the scenes, long-simmering tensions were again on display between environmental and business groups, according to written comments received by EPA . → Read More
Epic battle looms as EPA prepares to revive air toxics rule
Last year, attorney Robert Cheren was representing a coal company seeking to void EPA’s limits on releases of mercury and other toxic air pollutants from coal-fired power plants. Now employed by the West Virginia attorney general’s office, Cheren was first in line to formally weigh in with the Biden White House regulations office on an EPA proposal likely aimed at restoring the legal footing for… → Read More
AIR POLLUTION: Another round looms in marathon brawl over EPA boiler rules
The battle over a far-reaching set of EPA air toxics regulations could be about to reignite after a two-year lull. → Read More
PANDEMIC: 3 security guards at EPA headquarters test positive
Three security guards at EPA's Washington headquarters have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. → Read More
AIR POLLUTION: EPA about-face lets emissions soar at some coal plants
The coal-fired power industry again took a big hit last year, with total generation falling 6% by one group's count. But the industry's emissions of two dangerous pollutants didn't uniformly follow suit. → Read More
AIR POLLUTION: Deal to close coal plants hits hurdles with Trump ally
Longtime foes had finally come to terms. → Read More
AIR POLLUTION: Trump phone call to Wheeler interrupts Alaska hearing
FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- A high-profile hearing on air quality here was interrupted yesterday when President Trump telephoned EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. It was an unusual twist to an unusual event. Rarely does the EPA chief dive into the details of a local pollution cleanup. → Read More
AIR POLLUTION: EPA may spin off disputed changes in Clean Power Plan redo
When EPA last summer unveiled its proposed replacement for the Clean Power Plan, the draft blueprint came attached with a big add-on: a dramatic easing of air pollution permitting requirements for power plant upgrades. But as the agency barrels toward final release of the Affordable Clean Energy rule by the end of this month, that change could be jettisoned, according to observers. → Read More
AIR POLLUTION: EPA tweeted trade group's info page instead of its own
EPA yesterday tweeted out a link to a webpage promoting programs to switch out older wood stoves for newer, cleaner-burning models. But it wasn't an official EPA page. → Read More
EPA: Wehrum's old clients back 'ambient air' plan — documents
Three decades ago, congressional auditors slammed an obscure EPA air policy for effectively allowing companies to circumvent air pollution control requirements. But the policy, which defines "ambient air" for regulatory purposes, remained in place. Now, at industry's prompting, the Trump administration is poised to dramatically expand its scope. → Read More
EPA: Shutdown effects trickle down to states, grantees
Southern California air regulators yesterday held a regularly scheduled meeting. EPA didn't make it. → Read More
Key EPA science advisers call on agency to revive an expert soot panel it just killed
Science panel on particulate pollution was disbanded earlier this year → Read More
COAL ASH: Reuse rate skyrockets — report
The reuse rate for coal ash hit a record high last year as almost two-thirds of the waste produced by coal-fired power plants found its way into products like cement and roofing shingles, or was turned to purposes like farm soil improvement, according to industry figures released today. → Read More
EPA: Climate research scrapped from goals in draft plan
Climate change preparation would no longer be a guiding EPA research objective under a proposed long-term plan that an agency advisory panel is set to discuss this week. → Read More
AIR POLLUTION: Wheeler hands 'YUGE win' to foes of science panels
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler's dissolution last week of a 24-member air pollution review panel is a win for foes of the agency's scientific panels. → Read More