In the United States, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a regulatory agency responsible for enacting standards related to protecting the environment. Among the various regulations put out by the EPA, the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) provides guidance on the handling of pollutants emitted into the atmosphere.

Various NESHAPs are in place for different industries. An oil and gas NESHAP, for example, regulates acceptable levels of air pollutants from oil and gas producers. Although an oil and gas NESHAP is a common example of standards put forth by the EPA, NESHAPs exist for other industries. The asbestos NESHAP, for instance, lays out disposal standards for handling asbestos in the construction industry. The development of these standards is a requirement of the Clean Air Act of 1970.

Why NESHAPs Matter

In an ongoing effort to create a clean and safe environment for everyone, the EPA is tasked with regulating pollution. More specifically, the EPA creates regulations that apply to businesses that work with potentially hazardous environmental pollutants. This means that EPA regulations and standards like NESHAPs help to protect the atmosphere from hazards that can destroy communities and ecosystems.

Penalties for Failing to Follow NESHAPs

If you manage a business that is subject to a NESHAP, your company may face civil or criminal penalties for failing to follow EPA standards. Although criminal proceedings related to NESHAPs are rare, the EPA can work in tandem with federal and local agencies to pursue criminal charges if the actions of a U.S. company warrant legal action.

In most cases, however, actions taken by the EPA against U.S. companies for failing to follow standards and regulations result in civil and administrative penalties. These penalties are usually fines and fees, but they can be costly.

In addition, having a regulatory action taken against your company by the PEA can do a lot of damage to your company’s reputation, potentially resulting in the loss of future business. This is why most experts agree that it’s best to put programs in place to follow NESHAPs and other requirements by the EPA.

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Emily Clarke is providing info about a single platform for your oil and gas software solutions. You can find her thoughts at oil and gas software blog.