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The US Environmental Protection Agency has rejected a petition filed by energy companies seeking to persuade the government to remove limits on emissions of harmful pollutants from stationary turbines, Reuters reported on Monday.
The EPA rejected the groups’ 2019 petition including the American Petroleum Institute which has sought the removal of combustion turbines from national emissions standards for hazardous pollutants, which impose limits on emissions of known carcinogens such as formaldehyde and benzene.
~250 U.S. gas turbines had been subject to the rule, according to an EPA list, which included Cheniere Energy (NYSE: LNG), which had separately petitioned the EPA in 2022 to be exempt from the limits, saying that complying with the rules would jeopardize gas exports to Europe at a time when European countries were trying to source gas gas outside of Russia, which had just invaded Ukraine.
The petitioners argued that the turbines don’t even pose a one-in-a-million cancer threat, but the EPA rejected the petition, saying it hadn’t presented enough information and analysis.
Environmental groups in southeastern states where the turbines are widely used have said the rejection will protect vulnerable residents who live near the facilities.