The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
("EPA") will delay proposing the
country's first-ever greenhouse gas limits on oil refineries.
The EPA agreed to implement these regulations under a settlement agreement
("Settlement") that stemmed from two
multi-state lawsuits where environmental groups sought court orders
to require the EPA's action on greenhouse gas regulation.
Pursuant to the Settlement, the EPA agreed to propose standards
for oil refineries by December 10, 2011, and to enact the new
regulations by November 10, 2012. According to a spokeswoman for
the EPA, "the EPA expects to need more time to complete work
on greenhouse gas pollution standards for oil refineries." The
EPA did not meet the December 10 deadline for the standards but is
currently working with the litigants from the Settlement to set a
new date for submitting the proposed standards. It is unclear
whether the EPA will also miss the deadline to enact the
regulations.
