"The federal agency that frequently investigates chemical disasters in Houston and elsewhere is struggling to function amid an exodus of investigators and management’s push toward more lenient treatment of industry, interviews and documents show."
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's efforts to cultivate a strong personal relationship with President Trump helps explain how he has survived burgeoning scandals that would have ended the jobs of other cabinet members.
"At a time when the Trump administration is already waging trade wars, new research suggests seafood could be the next battleground."
"Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, is expected on Friday to send President Trump a detailed legal proposal to dramatically scale back an Obama-era regulation on water pollution, according to a senior E.P.A. official familiar with the plan. It is widely expected to be one of his agency’s most significant regulatory rollback efforts."
"House Republicans put forward a proposal this week to impose hefty fees on states that do not approve of drilling for oil and natural gas off their coasts, a move that would pressure local leaders who oppose the Trump administration’s plan to expand offshore leasing."
"Senior staff members at the Environmental Protection Agency frequently felt pressured by Scott Pruitt, the administrator, to help in personal matters and obtain special favors for his family, according to interviews with four current and former E.P.A. officials who served as top political aides to Mr. Pruitt."
"Kansas corn and ethanol leaders told Administrator Scott Pruitt Tuesday that his efforts to undermine the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) are helping Big Oil while hurting rural America. Administrator Pruitt was in the state touring the East Kansas Agri Energy LLC ethanol plant in Garnett."
"The Obama-era regulation is meant to curb leaks of methane, which is about 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide."
"Using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's own numbers, two Harvard scientists have calculated that 80,000 more lives will be lost per decade if President Donald Trump's administration fulfills its plans to roll back clean air and water protections."
"Environmental groups sued the Trump administration on Wednesday challenging moves they say weaken protections for rivers, wetlands and other waterways."
Advertisement 
