Environmental Defense Fund v. Wheeler

On September 17, 2020, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals administratively stayed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/09/14/2020-18114/oil-and-natural-gas-sector-emission-standards-for-new-reconstructed-and-modified-sources-review">amendments</a> to the 2012 and 2016 new source performance standards (NSPS) for the oil and gas sector. The amendments—which were effective upon their publication in the Federal Register—removed transmission and storage sources from the oil and natural gas source category, rescinded the NSPS for such sources for both volatile organic compounds and methane, and separately rescinded methane requirements for production and processing sources. The amendments were challenged in a petition filed by 20 states, along with Chicago, Denver, and the District of Columbia, and in a second petition filed by 10 environmental groups. The D.C. Circuit issued the administrative stay to allow the court “sufficient opportunity” to consider an emergency motion for stay filed by the environmental groups. After the amendments were stayed, the state and city petitioners filed their own emergency motion. The environmental groups also filed a separate petition challenging <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/09/15/2020-18115/oil-and-natural-gas-sector-emission-standards-for-new-reconstructed-and-modified-sources">amendments</a> to the NSPS resulting from EPA’s reconsideration of fugitive emissions requirements, well site pneumatic pump standards, requirements for certification of closed vent systems, and provisions to apply for use of an alternative means of emission limitation.