Trump EPA finalizes rollback making it harder to enact new public health rules

[Source: The Washington Post] The Trump administration finalized a rule Wednesday that could make it more difficult to enact public health protections, by changing the way the Environmental Protection Agency calculates the costs and benefits of new limits on air pollution. The new cost-benefit requirements, which apply to all future Clean Air Act rules, instruct Read More…

California environmental groups tell Biden not to pick Mary Nichols for EPA

[Source: KQED] A coalition of some 70 California environmental justice groups, national environmentalists and other organizations sent a letter to Joe Biden’s transition team Thursday asking the incoming president to avoid picking Mary Nichols as head of the Environmental Protection Agency. Nichols has been reported to be Biden’s top candidate to lead the EPA. The outgoing Read More…

Schumer calls for an environmental justice leader to serve as next chair of the CEQ

[Source: Senate Democrats] Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) released the following statement today urging that the next Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality be someone who will defend environmental safeguards, meaningfully engage with environmental justice communities, and coordinate a bold climate and clean energy agenda that works for everyone, regardless of Read More…

Biden shortlist for White House key environmental post shows focus on environmental justice

[Source: Reuters] President-elect Joe Biden is vetting three environmental justice leaders to head up the White House agency that will take the lead in coordinating efforts to safeguard communities disproportionately affected by pollution, according to sources familiar with the process. The shortlist for head of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) signals a Read More…