Jan.

EPA Final GHG Reporting 

Guidance (actually Dec 24 2010)

Mar. 31st

Annual GHG Reporting

(Suspended)

April Proposed HAPs or Mercury MACT

July 1st

Annual Toxic Release Inventory 

(TRI) Reporting (Regulation in 

place since 2000)

Summer 

Proposed EPA rule on setting 

New Source Performance 

Standards (NSPS) for all GHGs 

(including CO2 and SF6)

Sept.

EPA to convene regular air 

quality modeling conference with 

states and regulated industries to 

establish protocols for 

background and better weather 

information for SO2, NOx, ozone 

and PM 2.5 NAAQs

Dec. 31st

EPA public welfare periodic 

review and consideration of 

tighter secondary NAAQs for SO2

and NOx to reduce aquatic 

acidification (cross media 

regulation)

Unknown 

Date

Triggered by construction of new 

power plant or significant 

improvement at existing plant: 

CAA’s Best Available Control 

Technology (BACT )for new 

power plants of significant 

modifications triggering BACT 

where states have lower PSD 

thresholds or where Federal EPA 

assumes BACT process

Unknown

Date

States to require Title V 

Operating Permit revisions to 

incorporate any Federal EPA GHG 

regulations

Mar. 31st

GHG Reporting

(Suspended)

July 1st TRI Reporting

Unknown 

Date

Expected EPA 

decisions on PSD 

for larger industrial 

emitters under 

Clean Air Act 

Section 115 for 

GHGs where 

national 

governmental 

bodies or decisions 

on pollution 

control choices --

Sec. 115 is an 

international 

section of CAA. 

Possible 

movement after 

next IPCC meeting 

or NGO litigation.

Air

2011

Mar. 

31st

GHG Reporting

(Suspended)

June 

EPA expected to 

propose decision 

on whether to 

revise its primary 

and secondary 

NAAQs (PM, 

ozone, SO2, and 

NOx)

July 1st TRI Reporting

Mar. 

31st

GHG Reporting

(Suspended)

April

EPA to propose 

nonattainment 

designations (based 

upon SMSAs or 

counties) based 

upon airshed

July 1st TRI Reporting

Sept.

EPA to convene 

regular air quality 

modeling 

conference with 

states and regulated 

industries to 

establish protocols 

for background and 

better weather 

information for SO2, 

NOx, ozone and 

PM 2.5 NAAQs

Dec.

HAPs MACT 

compliance date

Mar. 

31st

GHG Reporting

(Suspended)

July 1st TRI Reporting

Oct.

EPA deadline for 

attainment 

demonstrations for 

revised SO2, NOx and 

Ozone standards. The 

new standards would 

kick in for new power 

plants likely 

permitted, built, or 

operation within 60 

days of new standards

Mar. 

31st

GHG Reporting 

(Suspended)

July 1st TRI Reporting

Mar. 

31st

GHG Reporting

(Suspended)

July 1st TRI Reporting

Aug.

States' State 

Implementation 

Plans (SIPs) must 

demonstrate air 

quality attainment 

with tighter health 

standards set in 

2010. Local air 

authorities may set 

new and tighter air 

pollution controls.

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2020

Mar. 

31st

GHG Reporting

(Suspended)

July 1st TRI Reporting

Sept.

EPA to convene 

regular air quality 

modeling conference 

with states and 

regulated industries 

to establish protocols 

for background and 

better weather 

information for SO2, 

NOx, ozone and PM 

2.5 NAAQs

Anticipated Timeline of Major EPA Regulations (as of March 2011)
Water

Waste

Feb. 1st

Implementation of new 

EPA NPDES water permit 

for construction and 

development

July 1st TRI Reporting 

Mar. 14th

EPA re-proposal of 316(b) Phase II and II of 

Impingement/ entrainment mitigation or 

prevention

July 1st TRI Reporting

July 1st TRI Reporting

July

Final 316(b) Phase II and Phase III 

Entrainment and impingement rule

July 23rd

Proposal of revised effluent guideline 

revision ("ELG") at all utilities. Expected 

to control mercury, chlorine, other 

hazardous air pollutants or metals. Might 

include temperature limits for discharge 

under 316(a) in this rulemaking although 

the EPA has not been announced

Unknown 

Date Possible EPA regulation on thermal

July 1st TRI Reporting

Jan. 31st

Final effluent guideline rule for new 

and technology to reduce chlorine, 

boron, etc.

Jan. 31st

Final implementation of Final 316(b) 

Phase II and III rule requirements at 

each utility (triggered by NPDES 

permit renewals between 2012 and 

2015)

July 1st TRI Reporting

June – Sept.

Toxics Substances Control Act 

(TSCA) IUR report on chemicals 

“manufactured” (including import) 

such as coal ash sale to wallboard 

manufacturers for calendar 2010 

activities. Next reporting year 2015 

for calendar year 2014. This TSCA 

regulation covers utilities that send 

coal ash byproducts sent into 

commercial or beneficial use. 

Disposal is not covered.

July 1st TRI Reporting

May

U.S. EPA to propose possible 

changes to the PCB use 

authorization at utilities (and 

industry) under Resource 

Conservation and Recovery Act 

(RCRA)

July 1st TRI Reporting

Unknown Date

EPA final rule on coal 

ash/beneficial reuse under 

RCRA

July 1st TRI Reporting July 1st TRI Reporting

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Anticipated Timeline of Major EPA Regulations (as of March 2011)