Tougher air-quality standards for particulate matter (PM), also called soot, could trigger higher energy prices, one witness testified July 17 during a field hearing in Philadelphia on the US Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to change the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).

US President Barack Obama reiterated his support for developing natural gas resources with new technologies as long as it can be done safely and in an environmentally sound manner.

BP Products North America Inc. has agreed to pay $13 million in fines to settle more than 400 process safety violations at its Texas City, Tex., refinery identified in a 2009 follow-up investigation of a 2005 explosion at the facility that killed 15 workers, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration reported.

The Energy Resources Conservation Board of Alberta has conditionally approved Shell Canada Ltd.’s application for the Quest carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at the Scotford Upgrader north of Edmonton.

Nine environmental organizations sued the US Department of the Interior on July 10 to protest federal approval of Shell Oil Co.’s Beaufort and Chukchi Sea oil spill response plans.

A Battelle Memorial Institute review of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s study of hydraulic fracturing and drinking water concludes EPA did not define important quality requirements in its study process.

A crude oil pipeline operator’s pervasive organizational failures combined with weak federal regulations to cause a massive 2010 spill in Michigan, the National Transportation Safety Board said.

EQT Corp., Pittsburgh, has launched a pilot program in which it has converted a diesel rotary rig to run on natural gas liquefied from local Marcellus gas production.

The US Chemical Safety Board will hold public hearings July 23-24 in Houston on effective safety measurements in high-hazard industries, including development of leading and lagging indicators. It also plans to release preliminary findings from its investigation of the 2010 Macondo deepwater well incident and oil spill.

The US Environmental Protection Agency issued its final greenhouse gas requirements for facilities emitting at least 100,000 tons/year of carbon dioxide equivalent to obtain prevention of significant deterioration permits. The agency decided not to include smaller plants after consulting with states and evaluating its phased process, it said on July 3.

The US Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration proposed a record $3.7 million fine and 24 enforcement actions against Enbridge Energy Partners LP for a July 2010 crude oil spill near Marshall, Mich.

US liquids pipeline operators adopted eight safety principles following the Association of Oil Pipe Lines and American Petroleum Institute Pipeline Subcommittee’s joint summer leadership meeting on June 24.