Montana Sulphur & Chemical v. U.S. EPA

Jan 19: In the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, Case Nos. 02-71657 and 08-72642. On Petition for Review of an Order of U.S. EPA. In these appeals, consolidated for decision, the Appeals Court address the propriety of various actions taken by U.S. EPA under the Clean Air Act with respect to Montana air quality from 1993 to 2008.

 

    In No. 02-71657, Montana Sulphur & Chemical Company (Montana Sulphur) seeks review of the EPA's final rule which partially disapproved a proposed revision to Montana's State Implementation Plan (SIP) governing sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions. 67 Fed. Reg. 22,168 (May 2, 2002). Montana Sulphur also seeks review of a prior EPA action in 1993 known as a "SIP Call," which preceded the formal SIP revision and started the review process. 58 Fed. Reg. 41,430 (Aug. 4, 1993). The final agency action incorporated documents supporting its SIP Call -- in particular EPA reliance on various modeling calculations -- into the administrative record for partial disapproval of the SIP.

 

    In No. 08-72642, Montana Sulphur seeks review of the EPA's April 2008 final rule promulgating a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) for the State of Montana's SO2 emissions. 73 Fed. Reg. 21,418 (April 21, 2008). The FIP is designed to fill perceived gaps the EPA identified in the SIP. This later appeal focuses on the EPA's authority to promulgate the FIP and the reasonableness of certain specific requirements set forth therein.

 

    The Appeals Court ruled, "Because we conclude that the agency did not act arbitrarily or capriciously with respect to either the SIP or FIP, we deny both petitions for review." The Justices said further, ". . . we conclude the EPA did not act arbitrarily or capriciously or abuse its discretion by making the SIP Call, disapproving portions of the revised SIP, or promulgating the requirements set forth in the FIP. We therefore deny the petition for review in both 02-71657 and 08-72642."

 

    Explaining further, they said, "The EPA's continued use of the ISC model was not arbitrary or capricious. The model was properly employed at both the time of the state SIP and the proposed FIP. The FIP did not replace the entire SIP, but only the limited portions the EPA had disapproved; because use of a different model could have yielded results that did not comport with the remainder of the SIP, it was not arbitrary or capricious for the EPA to continue with the existing model despite some later technological improvements." Montana Sulphur had argued that the EPA acted arbitrarily and capriciously because it used outdated modeling in the FIP.

 

    Access the complete opinion (click here). [#Air, #CA9]

 

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