"President Trump's EPA isn't just rolling back regulations, it's failing to enforce the rules that remain on the books, according to a new report from a group formed to track the administration.
"No longer does the EPA seem so capable of fulfilling its mission to ensure competent enforcement of federal environmental laws," states the report out today from the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative (EDGI). "Put bluntly, the dramatic decline of EPA enforcement is a threat to public health."
The watchdog group says the agency is retreating from its role of ensuring that environmental laws are enforced evenly and serving as a backstop to state regulators.
The report documents a sharp percentage reduction in enforcement actions, although it also notes a more gradual decline under President Obama. And it cites memos and documents from staff indicating a reluctance to go after polluters. While Trump officials talk of shifting enforcement to the states, the report maintains that state agencies aren't picking up the slack."
Mike Soraghan reports for Greenwire November 16, 2018.
