"A week after EPA issued a controversial enforcement policy, the agency declined to reveal how many companies sought waivers of noncompliance due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The agency told E&E News it would post online No Action Assurances provided for 'essential critical infrastructure,' but did not respond to follow-up questions about when it planned to do so.
'EPA's response to specific issues of non-compliance will be case-specific,' an agency spokesman wrote via email yesterday.
EPA last week offered to hold back on penalties for violations that are caused by the response to the pandemic, but environmental groups quickly denounced it as a 'license to pollute.' Other experts said that while some enforcement relief amid a public health crisis is warranted, the recent EPA policy is vague and could pose problems for industry down the road."
