Justices seem uncertain about reach of Clean Water Act
The United States Supreme Court seems uncertain about how to decide a closely watched case from Hawaii about the reach of landmark federal clean-water protections.
Environmental Protection Agency
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Big case hits the big screen: Taft lawyer’s DuPont suit attracts star power
A Taft Stettinius & Hollister attorney who successfully took on one of the world’s most powerful chemical manufacturers in a major toxic contamination case is being featured on the big screen as he continues to bring awareness to an issue he says is a global heath threat.
7th Circuit affirms CERCLA ruling in Beech Grove lead cleanup
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed a district court’s ruling against a Beech Grove manufacturing company over who should bear the costs of cleaning up a contaminated lead smelter site.
Ethanol producer blames Cloverdale plant closure on Trump EPA
The owner of a western Indiana ethanol plant is blaming its shutdown on the Trump administration allowing some refineries to not blend ethanol with gasoline as required under federal law.
In contamination case, 7th Circuit cleans up messy preclusion fight
Even though none of the businesses disagreed over who contaminated a manufacturing site, the question of who should pay for the cleanup became a fight over claim preclusion that ended with the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals offering instructions on how the lawsuit should have been defended.
Charlestown zoo owner must keep big cats during animal-rights case
A federal judge is doubling down on an animal-rights ruling that prohibits the owners of a southern Indiana zoo from moving its large cats out of its possession, though the judge stopped short of issuing sanctions for an alleged failure to follow that order.
US won’t impose rule to protect against coal ash spill costs
The Trump administration said Tuesday that it won’t require electric utilities to show they have money to clean up hazardous spills from power plants despite a history of toxic coal ash releases contaminating rivers and aquifers.
Ex-EPA chief Pruitt registers as energy lobbyist in Indiana
Scott Pruitt, the scandal-ridden former head of the Environmental Protection Agency, registered as an energy lobbyist in Indiana on Thursday as fossil-fuels interests there are fighting to block the proposed closure of several coal-fired power plants.
SCOTUS to determine when permits are necessary to pollute navigable waters
The US Supreme Court is reviewing a lower court ruling that seemingly expands the Clean Water Act. Under the 9th Circuit’s decision, any pollutant found in navigable water that is “fairly traceable” to a permittable discharge source is subject to permitting requirements, even if the source of the pollutant does not discharge directly into a navigable water.
EPA expands public comment period on East Chicago lead cleanup
Federal regulators are expanding the public comment period for a proposed cleanup of the site of a former housing complex in northwestern Indiana.
Group seeks 2nd hearing on tainted East Chicago site’s cleanup
East Chicago community group is asking for a second public hearing on the proposed cleanup of the site of a public housing complex that was evacuated and demolished because of industrial contamination. The East Chicago Calumet Coalition Community Advisory Group says many residents didn’t get to speak at a Nov. 29 hearing about a $26.5 million project to remove tainted soil from the site of the West Calumet Housing Complex.
Indiana joins 21-state coalition supporting Trump energy plan
Indiana joined a 21-state coalition in support of President Donald Trump’s proposed replacement of the Clean Power Plan, an Obama-era effort to limit carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants.
Proposal to sunset Ohio River pollution standards yields flood of concern
Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission members, including three from Indiana, are preparing to vote on a proposal that would sunset the organization’s pollution control standards. That proposal has yielded thousands of pages of public comments from proponents who say ORSANCO’s standards are redundant and, more significantly, from opponents who fear water quality in Indiana would suffer.
EPA begins cleanup of toxic Indianapolis commercial property
The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced it has begun cleaning up a south-side Indianapolis property that has been soaked in hazardous waste for decades. The 1.35-acre property known as the AA Oil Site has been abandoned since 1993.
Jury awards $289M to man who blames Roundup for cancer
A San Francisco jury’s $289 million award to a former school groundskeeper who said Monsanto’s Roundup left him dying of cancer will bolster thousands of pending cases and open the door for countless people who blame their suffering on the weed killer, the man’s lawyers said.
Indiana included in $1.1 settlement with Anchor Glass
Indiana will receive $275,000 as its part of a $1.1 million civil penalty against Anchor Glass Container Corp. for emitting harmful pollutants in violation of the Clean Air Act. The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposed settlement agreement Monday with Anchor Glass to improve compliance at its glass manufacturing facilities in six states, including a manufacturing plant in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.
Pence family gas stations left costly environmental legacy
The collapse of an oil company linked to the Pence family in 2004 was widely publicized. Less known is that the state of Indiana — and, to a smaller extent, Kentucky and Illinois — are still on the hook for millions of dollars to clean up more than 85 of the company’s contaminated sites, including underground tanks that leaked toxic chemicals into soil, streams and wells.
A look at Supreme Court nominee Kavanaugh’s notable opinions
Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court, has sat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit since 2006. Here are summaries of some of his notable opinions:
Scandal-plagued EPA Administrator Pruitt resigns
President Donald Trump said Thursday he has accepted the resignation of scandal-plagued Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt.
EPA must reply to suit over power plant pollution from Indiana, other states
A federal judge has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to respond to Maryland's request for a declaration that power plants in five upwind states are contributing to Maryland’s air quality problems.