The state acknowledges money designated for collecting dumped tires increasingly has been shifted to cover administrative expenses in a time of tight state budgets. But local waste coordinators also contend the state is missing out on hundreds of thousands of dollars through lax enforcement of a $1 per tire fee that new tire retailers are supposed to pay for each tire sold in Kentucky to fund cleanup efforts.

The full article is available here:
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/2009909280322

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to require large facilities with emissions over 25,000 tons of CO2 annually to obtain permits that would demonstrate they are using the best practices and technologies to minimise Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Existing facilities, which meet this threshold but do not hold operating permits, would be required to obtain them. The EPA is suggesting a five year phase-in period in which facilities that meet the threshold but already have Clean Air Act (CAA) operating permits would not have to show Best Available Control Technology (BACT) for GHG control until after the phase-in. Waste-to-energy plants and landfills would both be affected by this proposed ruling, although in separate ways.

Landfills are perhaps the largest sector to be affected by this ruling. EPA estimates that using the 25,000 tons of CO2 threshold would newly subject 1,700 landfills to CAA permitting. These additional landfills would be required to show they are using the “best demonstrated technology” to control their GHG emissions.

Once this proposal is formally introduced in the Federal Registrar, EPA will accept comments for a 60 day period. They intend to promulgate the final rule in early 2011.