Budget

EPA financial advisers have agreed to serve as a congressionally mandated panel to give the agency advice on stormwater infrastructure funding, though some of the advisers are raising concerns about their ability to provide independent advice when EPA will use the group's recommendations in an upcoming report to Congress.

EPA is launching a long-planned reorganization of its regional offices in a bid to improve coordination between agency headquarters and its regions, despite fears from some agency staff that the “disruptive” shuffle could weaken enforcement and claims that EPA has not taken adequate steps to minimize the overhaul's adverse impacts.

Democratic appropriators are urging EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to restore the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program's scaled-back agenda and return staff that had been shifted to the toxics office, charging their redirection amounts to a cut to the IRIS budget in violation of congressional appropriations.

House Democrats have unveiled new legislation that would bar use of federal funds to withdraw from the Paris climate deal and require the Trump administration to develop a plan to meet the U.S. emissions targets, signaling a clash with the White House over the issue should lawmakers seek to enact such mandates in upcoming spending legislation.