Almost 600 former EPA employees are urging multiple House panels to investigate the agency’s recent enforcement threats against California as a potential abuse of power.
The new law makes it easier for states to shift money between their clean water and drinking water revolving funds in order to assist communities in replacing lead drinking water pipes.
If confirmed by the Senate, current Department of Justice criminal trial attorney Sean O’Donnell would fill the EPA inspector general vacancy created when former IG Arthur Elkins, Jr. left in October 2018.
California’s two Democratic senators want EPA’s inspector general to investigate any talks between the agency and White House prior to EPA citing the state for alleged water quality violations.
Former George H. W. Bush EPA General Counsel E. Donald Elliott is pushing a novel argument that the agency can impose a carbon “fee” under existing authority, suggesting it could be attractive to companies looking to head off stricter limits on fossil fuel extraction that major Democratic presidential candidates are considering.
President Donald Trump’s nomination, if approved by Congress, would make the acting White House regulatory affairs office chief head of the division on a permanent basis.
A Republican House lawmaker is leading a new bipartisan carbon tax bill that would replace the federal gas tax and direct revenue to infrastructure projects, adding to the wide menu of carbon pricing bills that have been floated this Congress as supporters try to build momentum behind the policy.
Senate appropriators are issuing a variety of directives to EPA alongside their fiscal year 2020 spending bill, including on high-profile mining, water, toxics and biofuels issues.
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler says it would be “nearly impossible” to implement a high-profile measure in the pending fiscal year 2020 defense authorization bill that would require EPA to designate all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as hazardous substances under the Superfund law within one year, triggering liability for parties that contributed to releases.
