EPA solicits comments on possible regulatory reform areas

The US Environmental Protection Agency’s Regulatory Reform Task Force (RRTF) is soliciting public comments on EPA regulations in response to President Donald J. Trump’s Feb. 24 executive order, the agency reported on Apr. 11. “We are supporting the restoration of America’s economy through extensive reviews of the misaligned regulatory actions from the past administration,” EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said.

“[It] abused the regulatory process to advance an ideological agenda that expanded the reach of the federal government, often dismissing the technological and economic concerns raised by the regulated community and duplicating long-standing regulations by states and localities,” Pruitt noted.

The federal regulator now will listen to those directly affected by its rules and seek ways to work with its state and local partners to keep the country’s air, land, and water clean, Pruitt said.

EPA’s RRTF, which its Policy Office leads, submitted a notice for publication in the Federal Register that includes a docket all program offices will use to collect comments specific to their issues, the agency said. The task force also will work with program offices to gather recommendations for specific rules to be considered for repeal, replacement, or modification.

Regional offices, program offices, and other officials will report back to the task force by May 15, the agency said. More information, including a list of upcoming meetings, is available at its new regulatory reform web site.

Contact Nick Snow at nicks@pennwell.com.