EPA’s Spring 2022 Regulatory Agenda

Final and proposed rules planned by the EPA for the near and long term.

Posted June 24, 2022

Published on June 21, by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the 2022 Spring Agenda provides important public information about the final and proposed regulatory actions of various federal agencies within the Executive Branch.

As expected we see the agency revisit a number of rules under direction of Executive Order (EO) 13990. Reconsideration of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone, a proposed rule expected in April 2023 is one such action item. Another significant revision includes the Clean Water Act Section 401: Water Quality Certification (proposed rule expected in March 2023, intended to replace the 2020 Rule).

In commitment to the agency’s “PFAS Strategic Roadmap” there were a number of highly anticipated rules surrounding regulation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS).

The table below summarizes noteworthy EPA regulatory actions and their stage in the rulemaking process.

Rule	Stage of Rulemaking	Summary
Final Rules
Revised Definition of Waters of the United States	Final Rule, August 2022	Intended to restore the regulations in place before the 2015 Clean Water Rule and will inform future regulatory and compliance efforts.
Heavy-Duty Engine and Vehicle Standards	Final Rule, December 2022	Intended to change the heavy-duty emission control program further to reduce the air quality impacts of heavy-duty engines.
National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Aerosol Coatings Amendments	Final Rule, December 2022	Potential impact on Paint and Coating Manufacturing and Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing industries.
Toxic Release Inventory (TRI); Response to Petition From the Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) to Add 25 Chemicals	Final Rule, November 2022	This proposal considers a petition to add 25 chemicals to the EPCRA section 313 list of toxic chemicals subject to reporting under the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI).
Proposed Rules
Designating PFOA and PFOS as CERCLA Hazardous Substances	Proposed Rule, August 2023	Potential to impact a number of industries including: Carpet and Rug Mills, Paper Mills, Petroleum Refineries, Paint and Coating Manufacturing, Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing, , Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals, Airport Operations, Solid Waste Landfills, Car Washes and Fire Protection Manufacturing.
Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles	Proposed Rule, March 2024	Potential impact on Motor and Generator Manufacturing, Automobile Manufacturing, Automobile and Motor Vehicle Merchant Wholesalers and Automotive Repair and Maintenance industries.

This article was written by Mishka Binns of J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

Learn more about workplace safety compliance

Looking for more on workplace safety?

Get the information and products you need to stay on top of industry changes and comply with regs.

Learn More

J. J. Keller's free Workplace SafetyClicks™ e-newsletter brings quick-read safety and compliance news right to your inbox.