EPA rejects industry petition to deregulate combustion turbines emitting toxic substances into the air

Washington DC

The Environmental Protection Agency Today publicly rejected an industry petition to delist energy turbines as major sources of toxic air pollution, so businesses can avoid meeting environmental health protection standards.

The EPA's refusal to delist stationary combustion turbines, which produce electricity from hundreds of major polluting sources across the country, will ensure that the owners of these sources cannot dodge pollution control requirements. pollution. Environmental groups praised the EPA for resisting pressure from industry lobbyists and maintaining important health and safety protections.

Today's decision upholds crucial environmental protections that are essential to safeguarding public health, particularly in communities that have historically borne the brunt of industrial pollution, said James Pew, director of the federal air quality practice at Earthjustice. Maintaining pollution control requirements is not just a matter of regulatory compliance; it is a fundamental issue of environmental justice. The EPA did the right thing by rejecting industry's attempts to circumvent these requirements and get a free pass to pollute.

Because of the health and environmental threat posed by hazardous air pollutants, the Clean Air Act sets a high bar for petitions to deregulate an entire class of polluters, such as that filed by industry groups including the American Petroleum Institute, to write off fixed turbines. . Industry groups have repeatedly attempted to delist stationary wind turbines without providing the required evidence. Today, the EPA found that the latest industry petition fell short and rejected it with bias, making clear that it would reject any future petitions as a matter of right to unless this future petition is accompanied by substantial new information or analysis. This decision represents an important step in getting big polluters to control their toxic pollution and protect fenced-in communities that are already overburdened.

Stationary combustion turbines are power generators used primarily to produce electricity or mechanical power and occasionally for propulsion. They operate similarly to jet engines, but are installed in a fixed or stationary position rather than being used for aviation. These turbines burn natural gas, but also oil or other liquid fuels to produce gas at high pressure. These turbines are used in power plants, in liquefied natural gas terminals, along pipelines to move oil and gas, and as workhorses inside petrochemical infrastructure. Their emissions, including nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and other hazardous air pollutants, are regulated by environmental laws to minimize impacts on public health and the environment.

Recent analysis of turbines at existing power plants and LNG terminals shows that these turbines are concentrated in or near Justice 40 parcels, an indicator of how toxic emissions from these facilities primarily affect environmental justice communities.

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EPA's rejection of petrochemical industry's proposal to ease regulations on these major sources of toxic air pollution is a victory for public health and the environment, said Jane Williams, executive director of California Communities Against Toxics. This denial ensures that strict controls on hazardous emissions remain in place, protecting our communities from the dangers of air pollution. EPA's commitment to these standards reinforces the importance of strong regulatory frameworks that prioritize the health of our planet and its people over industrial convenience.

Turbines are a major source of toxic substances in the air in Texas, said Dr. Neil Carman, Clean Air Program Director for the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club. This action taken today by EPA will help clear the air in our environmental justice communities that are disproportionately affected by emissions from these turbines.

Southeastern states are facing enormous construction of stationary gas-fired turbines. It is extremely important that these turbines remain covered by federal regulations that protect environmental justice communities from dangerous emissions of toxic substances into the air, said Keri Powell, Southern Environmental Law Center aerial program manager.