Latest news with #OfficeofChemicalSafetyandPollutionPrevention
The Hill
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Hill
In reversal, Trump administration will defend Biden's asbestos ban
The Trump administration says it will uphold a Biden-era ban on the ongoing use of asbestos after previously saying it would reconsider the rule. In a court filing last month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had said that it planned to pursue a rulemaking process that could make changes to the ban. However, in a Monday court filing, it withdrew that previous motion, saying it 'no longer intends to conduct … rulemaking to evaluate potential changes at this time.' In an additional court filing, Lynn Dekleva, an official in the EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, said that the administration could try to instead use a guidance to alter how the rule is implemented. 'EPA plans to explore whether guidance could provide further clarity to stakeholders as they implement the Rule, particularly with respect to any workplace protection measures,' Dekleva's declaration states. But the declaration means that the Trump administration will defend the asbestos ban in court after challenges from the chemical industry and others. The Biden-era rule requires companies to phase out their uses of a type of asbestos known as chrysotile asbestos, which is the only known type used in the U.S. The rule gave companies making automotive breaks six months to stop making products with asbestos, while other industries got more time. Most sheet gaskets, a type of seal, that contain asbestos will be banned after two years, while the chlor-alkali sector, which makes chemicals like chlorine for treating water, will have up to 12 years to make the change. Exposure to asbestos causes lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare cancer that occurs in the lining of the lung, chest and the abdomen and heart. Asbestos-related diseases are estimated to kill thousands of Americans each year. Michelle Roos, executive director of the Environmental Protection Network, a group of former EPA employees, called the administration's latest court filing a 'step in the right direction' in a written statement, saying it came in the wake of 'fierce public pressure and legal accountability. 'This is just the beginning of the public backlash against the Trump administration's plans to roll back 31 standards that protect the air we breathe and the water we drink,' Roos said. A number of Trump administration officials have ties to the chemical industry, including the agency's deputy administrator, who represented a group of car companies that argued against the asbestos ban in a legal filing last year.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
EPA chief Zeldin announces overhauls to bring agency back to Reagan-level staffing
The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is facing a massive overhaul to slash staffing down to Reagan-era levels and save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars a year, agency chief Lee Zeldin announced on Friday. "This reorganization will bring much-needed efficiencies to incorporate science into our rulemakings and sharply focus our work on providing the cleanest air, land, and water for our communities," Zeldin said in a press release on Friday. Zeldin announced that he is on a mission to save taxpayers an estimated $300 million annually by next year through an office overhaul that he said will maintain the EPA's focus on protecting human health and the environment while "recommitting" the agency to "common sense policies." The EPA employs roughly 15,000 full-time workers, which Zeldin said he is working to bring down to levels "near those seen when President Ronald Reagan occupied the White House," according to a video announcement of the office overhauls. There were 11,400 EPA staffers in 1984 under the Reagan administration, Reuters reported. 35 Democrats Vote With Gop To Block Biden Rule Allowing Newsom's Gas Car Ban The EPA said the Office of the Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), and Office of Water will all face restructuring. Read On The Fox News App Zeldin said he will reorganize the agency's research office to shift its focus on "statutory obligations and mission-essential functions," including by creating a new office called the Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions. The new office will "prioritize research and put science at the forefront of the agency's rulemakings and technical assistance to states. At the program level, the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention will add more than 130 scientific, technical, bioinformatic and information technology experts to work directly on the backlog of over 504 new chemicals in review that are beyond the statutorily required timeframe. And they're also going to address the backlog of over 12,000 reviews that are well beyond the expected review timelines in the pesticides program," Zeldin said. Epa Chief Takes On Mexican 'Sewage Crisis' Flowing Into Us Waters Where Navy Seals Train The EPA will also create the Office of State Air Partnerships within the Office of Air and Radiation, which Zeldin said will streamline resolving air permitting concerns across the state, local and tribal levels. "EPA is also creating the Office of Clean Air programs that will align statutory obligations and mission essential functions based on centers of expertise to ensure more transparency and harmony in regulatory development. Similarly, changes to the Office of Water will better align the development of regulations, guidance and policy with the science that underpins it," Zeldin added of another new office in the agency shakeup. Peta, Animal Rights Groups Praise Trump Admin For Phasing Out 'Cruel Tests On Dogs' And Other Animals Zeldin underscored that when he took the reins of the agency earlier this year, he "inherited a workforce that didn't come into the office." "In 2024, the record high day of attendance at EPA headquarters in D.C., clocked in around 37%. Upon President Trump's swearing in, we immediately ended COVID-era remote work," Zeldin said. Scoop: Biden-era Grant Program Described As 'Gold Bar' Scheme By Trump Epa Administrator Under Scrutiny The former New York congressman added that EPA's budget and awards in granted last year alone, under the Biden administration, sat at $63 billion — though it had previously been funded to the tune of between $6 billion and $8 billion a year, he said. "We are going to massively reduce this excess spending. We owe it to the American taxpayer to be as efficient as possible. We've already started to make significant progress by re-examining grants and contracts, real estate footprint, travel costs, staff and more. With the help of DOGE, EPA has identified and canceled more than $22 billion in grants and contracts. These are direct savings for the American people," Zeldin article source: EPA chief Zeldin announces overhauls to bring agency back to Reagan-level staffing
Fox News
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
EPA chief Zeldin announces overhauls to bring agency back to Reagan-level staffing
The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is facing a massive overhaul to slash staffing down to Reagan-era levels and save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars a year, agency chief Lee Zeldin announced on Friday. "This reorganization will bring much-needed efficiencies to incorporate science into our rulemakings and sharply focus our work on providing the cleanest air, land, and water for our communities," Zeldin said in a press release on Friday. Zeldin announced that he is on a mission to save taxpayers an estimated $300 million annually by next year through an office overhaul that he said will maintain the EPA's focus on protecting human health and the environment while "recommitting" the agency to "common sense policies." The EPA employs roughly 15,000 full-time workers, which Zeldin said he is working to bring down to levels "near those seen when President Ronald Reagan occupied the White House," according to a video announcement of the office overhauls. There were 11,400 EPA staffers in 1984 under the Reagan administration, Reuters reported. The EPA said the Office of the Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), and Office of Water will all face restructuring. Zeldin said he will reorganize the agency's research office to shift its focus on "statutory obligations and mission-essential functions," including by creating a new office called the Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions. The new office will "prioritize research and put science at the forefront of the agency's rulemakings and technical assistance to states. At the program level, the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention will add more than 130 scientific, technical, bioinformatic and information technology experts to work directly on the backlog of over 504 new chemicals in review that are beyond the statutorily required timeframe. And they're also going to address the backlog of over 12,000 reviews that are well beyond the expected review timelines in the pesticides program," Zeldin said. The EPA will also create the Office of State Air Partnerships within the Office of Air and Radiation, which Zeldin said will streamline resolving air permitting concerns across the state, local and tribal levels. "EPA is also creating the Office of Clean Air programs that will align statutory obligations and mission essential functions based on centers of expertise to ensure more transparency and harmony in regulatory development. Similarly, changes to the Office of Water will better align the development of regulations, guidance and policy with the science that underpins it," Zeldin added of another new office in the agency shakeup. Zeldin underscored that when he took the reins of the agency earlier this year, he "inherited a workforce that didn't come into the office." "In 2024, the record high day of attendance at EPA headquarters in D.C., clocked in around 37%. Upon President Trump's swearing in, we immediately ended COVID-era remote work," Zeldin said. The former New York congressman added that EPA's budget and awards in granted last year alone, under the Biden administration, sat at $63 billion — though it had previously been funded to the tune of between $6 billion and $8 billion a year, he said. "We are going to massively reduce this excess spending. We owe it to the American taxpayer to be as efficient as possible. We've already started to make significant progress by re-examining grants and contracts, real estate footprint, travel costs, staff and more. With the help of DOGE, EPA has identified and canceled more than $22 billion in grants and contracts. These are direct savings for the American people," Zeldin said.
