Search Frequent Questions

Filter By:

Active filters:

Remove all filters

Displaying 1 - 15 of 23 results

  • Purpose of Oil Pollution Prevention regulation

    What is the purpose of the Oil Pollution Prevention regulation? When oil spills into navigable waters or onto adjoining shorelines, it can have harmful impacts on the environment, human health, and economic activity. EPA issued the Oil Pollution Prevention regulation to prevent oil spills and to assure that oil facility…

    • Last published:

  • Do settlement communications, such as past “agreements in principle,” impact the implementation of the final Consent Decrees?

    The parties are bound by the terms of the various final, publicly available consent decrees. These consent decrees were made available for public comment before they were finalized and entered by the Court. Past settlement communications and documents created in the course of settlement discussions have been incorporated (or not)…

    • Last published:

  • What is the Confidentiality Order?

    The Confidentiality Order (Order) is a court order entered by the Federal District Court for the District of Montana (Court) on August 8, 2002, and amended by the Court on December 31, 2003, that applies to Superfund settlement negotiations in the Clark Fork River Basin, including the following sites: Silver…

    • Last published:

  • How does EPA ensure that the potentially responsible parties complete their work?

    All cleanup activities performed by the PRPs are subject to enforcement instruments (i.e., consent decrees or administrative orders) that provide for EPA approval of all deliverables and oversight of all work performed by the PRPs.

    • Last published:

  • What is the purpose of a cellulosic biofuel waiver credit?

    See More Frequent Questions about Fuels Registration, Reporting, and Compliance Help . Under EISA, EPA is required to make cellulosic biofuel waiver credits available for years where we waive some portion of the statutory volume for cellulosic biofuel. These credits can then be used by obligated parties to comply with…

    • Last published:

  • Can you explain who has authority over the active mine vs the Superfund site?

    The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has regulatory authority over the active mine. EPA is the lead agency for the Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site and works in consultation with MDEQ to ensure the cleanup of the Site.

    • Last published:

  • Where can I go to learn more?

    PitWatch.org is the online home of the Berkeley Pit Public Education Committee. This volunteer committee educates residents, students, and the public about the environmental management of the Berkeley Pit.  Information includes the geology, hydrology, current events, and ongoing academic research associated with the Berkeley Pit. This committee frequently shares their…

    • Last published:

  • When will construction begin in the Silver-Bow Creek Corridor?

    Construction in the Silver Bow Creek corridor began in 2024 with the Grove Gulch Project.

    • Last published:

  • Why is the Confidentiality Order important?

    The Confidentiality Order (Order) has been, and continues to be, effective in assisting the parties in reaching settlements under the framework established by the Court in US v. ARCO and still pending in court – six consent decrees to date have been entered since the Order was issued. There are…

    • Last published:

  • Is fuel sold in U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico, required to comply with RFS2?

    See More Frequent Questions about Fuels Registration, Reporting, and Compliance Help . United States territories, such as Puerto Rico, are not included in the RFS2 program unless they opt-in according to §80.1443. See also §§80.1407(f) and 80.1426(b).

    • Last published:

  • Could you please expand upon the definition of the cellulosic biofuel waiver credit that may be for sale? I am not certain when, or if, a paper or pulp company could obtain a waiver credit or benefit from selling a waiver credit?

    See More Frequent Questions about Fuels Registration, Reporting, and Compliance Help . Cellulosic biofuel waiver credits may only be purchased by obligated parties (e.g., gasoline and diesel fuel refiners and importers) from EPA. See section 80.1456(c).

    • Last published:

  • What projects has EPA been involved with in Butte related to the Superfund site?

    A variety of actions and activities have been implemented to address the contamination in Butte, including: Assessments of risk have been conducted to quantify actual and potential human health risks due to potential exposure to tailings, waste rock, yard soils, indoor dust, attic dust, mercury vapor, surface water, and ground…

    • Last published:

  • Why were the consent decree negotiations under a confidentiality order?

    The confidentiality order was issued by the federal district court in 2002 to encourage and facilitate settlement negotiations. The court determined that the confidentially order was appropriate to ensure that the parties were afforded the opportunity to engage in frank, open discussion so that litigation could be settled promptly and…

    • Last published:

  • SPCC Training Materials for Production Sector

    Does EPA offer any Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) training materials specifically for the production sector? Yes. EPA has developed a “train-the-trainer” presentation for the production sector. The presentation provides information for organizations to hold trainings on the SPCC rule. The presentation is available in the SPCC Rule: Train-the-Trainer…

    • Last published:

  • Is the Renewable Fuels Mandate in ethanol equivalent gallons?

    See More Frequent Questions about Fuels Registration, Reporting, and Compliance Help . The percentage standards applicable under RFS are intended to be met with ethanol-equivalent volumes of renewable fuel. As a result, a gallon of ethanol counts as one gallon of renewable fuel for purposes of compliance with the four…

    • Last published: