NRC revised its enforcement policy, originally published on October 7, 1980, to incorporate changes approved by the Commission, including a risk-informed approach for assessing the significance of information security violations, implementation of the Construction Reactor Oversight Process, and other revisions.

EPA Regions 1-10 issued the 2016 NPDES pesticide general permit, which authorizes certain point source discharges from the application of pesticides to waters of the United States and replaces the 2011 permit that expired at midnight on October 31, 2016.

United States v. Sears Home Improvement Products, Inc., No. 1:16-cv-09302 (N.D. Ill. Sept. 28, 2016). A settling TSCA defendant that violated lead-based paint requirements for home renovations throughout the country must pay a $400,000 civil penalty and implement procedures to ensure compliance with TSCA requirements.

The President issued Proclamation No. 9511 on September 30, 2016, proclaiming October 2016 as National Energy Action Month to address our shared energy challenges and to encourage diverse, clean, and efficient energy production.

United States v. Kirby Inland Marine, L.P., No. 3:16-cv-269 (S.D. Tex. Sept. 27, 2016). A settling CWA defendant responsible for the discharge of marine fuel oil from a barge operating in the Houston Ship Channel into navigable waters of the United States must pay a $4,900,000.00 civil penalty, perform corrective measures across its entire fleet of vessels, and waive any limits on its liability under the OPA.

United States v. ExxonMobil Pipeline Co., No. 1:16-cv-00143-SPW-CSO (D. Mont. Sept. 21, 2016). A settling OPA defendant that discharged oil from a pipeline into the Yellowstone River near Laurel, Montana, must pay $12,000,000 to resolve a U.S. and Montana claim for natural resource damages.

United States v. Seattle, City of, No. 16-1486 (W.D. Wash. Sept. 22, 2016). A settling CERCLA, CWA, OPA, and Washington Model Toxics Control Act defendant responsible for natural resource damages along the Duwamish Waterway in Seattle, Washington, must purchase restoration credits in projects to create habitat, establish conservation easements on a number of parcels, pay approximately $91,000 in trustee damage assessment costs, and operate and maintain a restoration project under the trustees’ oversight.

SIP Approval: California (volatile organic compounds from pesticides).

EPA proposed revisions to the existing regulations governing significant new uses of chemical substances under TSCA to align them with revisions to the OSHA Hazard Communications Standard; EPA also proposed a minor change to reporting requirements for premanufacture notices and other TSCA §5 notices.

DOE announced proposed rulemaking implementing the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 that would establish energy conservation standards for manufactured housing based upon recommendations of a working group and current HUD construction and safety standards.