The Department of Conservation added two crayfish species and a freshwater mussel species to the state endangered species list. The crayfish species are found in the St. Francis River watershed and the freshwater mussel species is found in the Black, Current, Spring, and St. Francis River watersheds. See https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/AdRules/moreg/2024/v49n2Jan16/v49n2.pdf (p. 96).
The Division of Energy adopted an amendment to regulations governing Missouri’s Renewable Energy Standard. The amendment clarifies that black liquor is not an eligible renewable energy resource under the standard unless used as an input for the thermal depolymerization or pyrolysis of waste material. See https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/AdRules/moreg/2024/v49n2Jan16/v49n2.pdf (pp. 98-99).
The Department of Natural Resources proposed amendments to regulations governing the shell recycling tax credit. The amendments would rename the chapter “Shell Recycling Grant Program” and create a process for nonprofit organizations, community associations, restaurants, and seafood processors and dealers to donate oyster shells to an authorized shell recycling collector and receive grants based on the amount recycled. Comments are due February 12, 2024.
The Department of the Environment proposed to adopt new regulations for the Marine Contractors Licensing Board. The regulations would, among other things, establish four tiers or categories of marine contractor licenses.. Comments are due February 12, 2024. See https://dsd.maryland.gov/MDRIssues/5101/Assembled.aspx#_Toc155692852.
The Public Utilities Commission proposed amendments to regulations governing customer net energy billing (NEB). The amendments would update the NEB rule to reflect recently enacted legislation that lowered the size limit for solar and other projects participating in the NEB kWh credit program or the NEB tariff rate program as well as limited the eligibility for commercial and industrial projects participating in the NEB tariff rate program. A hearing will be held February 8, 2024. Comments are due February 23, 2024.
SIP Proposal: Kentucky (2015 eight-hour nonattainment new source review planning requirements for the Jefferson County portion of the Louisville, Kentucky-Indiana multistate nonattainment area).
SIP Approval: Indiana (revisions to 2008 ozone maintenance plan for the Indiana portion of the Chicago Naperville, IL-IN-WI area).
SIP Proposal: Indiana (revisions to 2008 ozone maintenance plan for the Indiana portion of the Chicago Naperville, IL-IN-WI area).
SIP Proposal: New York (source-specific revision for Finch Paper LLC to address nitrogen oxide reasonably available control technology required for implementation of 2008 and 2015 ozone NAAQS).
EPA entered into a proposed consent decree in South Coast Air Quality Management District v. U.S. EPA, No. 2:23-cv-02646-JLS-PD (C.D. Cal.), that would establish a deadline for EPA to take final action on a SIP revision submitted by the state of California.