EPA May Finally Release Final Ozone Standards

July 20, 2011–The standards were initially scheduled to be released in August 2010, then October 2010, after EPA determined that the ones approved during the George W. Bush administration weren't grounded in science, didn't protect public health with an adequate margin of safety, and didn't protect the environment.

EPA To Issue Long Overdue Standards for Oil & Gas Facilities

July 20, 2011–Two and a half years after being sued, EPA is under a twice-extended court deadline to release by July 28, 2011, proposed standards which will address air toxics from oil production facilities and natural gas production, processing, transmission, and storage facilities.

Defiant Murdoch E-Tab To Judge: Nuts To Pulling BP Deposition

July 13, 2011–U.S. Magistrate Judge Sally Shushan of the Eastern District of Louisiana ordered iPad-only publication The Daily to remove the deposition, by former BP CEO Tony Hayward in the Gulf oil spill lawsuit, because it had not been published with her permission.

EPA To Announce Secondary Standard for SOx and NOx

July 6, 2011–While primary standards are designed to protect human health, secondary standards are established to protect the environment. In the case of NOx and SOx, some of the primary targets include reduced aquatic and terrestrial acidification, and reduced nitrogen deposition on land and water.

EPA Outs 150 Chemicals Claiming Trade Secret Status Under TSCA

June 15, 2011–The chemicals, the identities of which had been withheld up till now based on companies' "confidential business information" claims, are used in products like oil dispersants, air fresheners, non-stick and stain-resistant materials, fire-resistant materials, nonylphenol compounds, perfluorinated compounds, and lead.

BLM Invites More Public Comment for New Oil Shale PEIS

April 27, 2011–Public meetings in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming from April 26 to May 5, 2011 will likely be newsy events, with advocates and critics representing industry, environmentalists, local governments, and other interested groups and individuals voicing their opinions.

Supreme Court Strikes Down Misuse of FOIA 'Personnel' Exemption

March 9, 2011–In the case of Milner v. Department of the Navy, the court rejected an expansive interpretation of the FOIA exemption on personnel matters. And in another FOIA case decided March 1, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations do not have a right of personal privacy that can prevent the federal government from disclosing records about them.

Proposed Rule for Power Plant Toxics Due March 16

March 2, 2011–The consent decree that established the March 16 release date also mandates that a final rule be published by Nov. 16, 2011 (nine years later than the deadline dictated by the Clean Air Act). Here are several tools you can use to get a handle on the power plants and their emissions in your audience area prior to release of the rule.

Issa's Push on Homeland Security FOIA Raises Worries

February 9, 2011–The House Oversight Committee Chair's method of investigating whether DHS was politically screening its responses to FOIA requests has at least one member of his committee worried about the privacy of the FOIA requesters due to Issa's demand for specifics of information.

House GOP Staff Meet with Energy Lobbyists Behind Closed Doors

January 26, 2011–Politico broke the story of a January 18, 2011, meeting between House and Senate GOP aides and energy industry lobbyists to map out strategy for handcuffing President Obama and EPA on climate regulations.