EPA Regulatory Relief Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1392
Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2011-07-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Air quality
Energy efficiency and conservation
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental regulatory procedures
Environmental technology
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Industrial facilities
Solid waste and recycling

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-20
text: 
EPA Regulatory Relief Act of 2011 - Provides that the following rules shall have no force or effect and shall be treated as though they had never taken effect: (1) the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Major Sources: Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Boilers and Process Heaters; (2) the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Area Sources: Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Boilers; (3) the Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources and Emission Guidelines for Existing Sources: Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units; and (4) Identification of Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials That are Solid Waste. 
 
Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in place of such rules, to promulgate within 15 months regulations for industrial, commercial, and institutional boilers and process heaters and commercial and industrial solid waste incinerator units subject to such rules, that: (1) establish maximum achievable control technology standards, performance standards, and other requirements for hazardous air pollutants or solid waste combustion under the Clean Air Act; and (2) identify non-hazardous secondary materials that, when used as fuels or ingredients in combustion units of such boilers, heaters, or incinerator units, are solid waste under the Solid Waste Disposal Act for purposes of determining the extent to which such combustion units are required to meet emission standards for such pollutants under such Act. Requires the Administrator to establish compliance dates for such standards and requirements after considering compliance costs, non-air quality health and environmental impacts and energy requirements, the feasibility of implementation, the availability of equipment, suppliers, and labor, and potential net employment impacts. 
 
Sets forth guidelines for such rules and regulations, including requiring the Administrator to: (1) ensure that emissions standards for existing and new sources can be met under actual operating conditions consistently and concurrently with emission standards for all other air pollutants regulated by the rule for the source category; and (2) impose the least burdensome regulatory alternative for each regulation promulgated.
 
Requires the Administrator to publish a list of nonhazardous secondary materials that are not solid waste when combusted in units designed for energy recovery. Specifies material to be included in such list.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2011-07-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4724-4725)
action_date: 2011-07-20
text: Introduced in Senate