Legal Updates

EPA Proposes Rule to Prohibit What Is Not Being Done

On April 7, 2015, EPA proposed a new rule to prohibit the discharge of wastewater pollutants associated with unconventional oil and gas (“UOG”) extraction to publicly owned treatment works (“POTWs”). Given that EPA is not aware that any UOG wastewater is currently being sent to any POTW, the rule is not expected to have much impact.
The deadline for comments on the proposed rule is June 8, 2015.
Link to EPA Fact Sheet:  http://water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/guide/oilandgas/upload/oilandgas-proposed-factsheet.pdf

The text of the rule in the Federal Register may be found at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-04-07/pdf/2015-07819.pdf