NAHB Urges White House to Ensure Streamlined Wetland Permits Remain Available

While the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reissued Clean Water Act streamlined nationwide wetland permits as a final rule on Jan. 6, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus on Jan. 20 issued a memo directing federal agencies to withdraw or postpone recently finalized regulations for at least 60 days. If the NWPs were to get caught up in the web of this regulatory freeze, builders and developers face the potential burden of costly and time-consuming "individual" wetland permits for even the smallest of impacts to wetlands, ponds and streams.

Environmentalists preparing to battle Trump, GOP in court

The night before Donald Trump's inauguration, five environmental lawyers filed a federal court brief defending an Obama administration clean-water rule that the new president and his Republican allies have targeted for elimination, considering it burdensome to landowners. The move served as a warning that environmentalists, facing a hostile administration and a Republican-dominated Congress, are prepared to battle in court against what they fear will be a wave of "It's going to be all-out war," said Vermont Law School Professor Patrick Parenteau.

Trump Is Forcing the EPA to Clear Studies With His Appointees Before…

The Trump administration has just given itself veto power over all scientific studies produced by the Environmental Protection Agency. In an unprecedented move, the White House has mandated that any studies or data produced by EPA scientists undergo review by political appointees before being released to the public, the Associated Press reports .

Scientists get political after government gag order and climate change reversal

The U.S. Department of Agriculture placed a gag order on its main research division , BuzzFeed reported Tuesday morning, which includes bans on sharing scientific summaries of papers, social media posts and talking to the press. The USDA confirmed the gag order was sent out, but then lifted the ban Tuesday evening following public outcry, BuzzFeed reported.

Report: Trump administration clamping down on some government social media accounts

According to a report at Politico, social media accounts belonging to federal agencies like the EPA and USDA are being restricted by the incoming Trump administration. Case in point, earlier today an account for Badlands National Park tweeted out some climate change information but all of those tweets were later deleted: Politico reports the disappearance of those tweets is in line with guidance being sent out to some agencies about how they are to use their social media accounts : At EPA, the lockdown extends well beyond formal coordinated messaging.

Trump administration in gag order to Department of Agriculture researchers

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has asked the Environmental Protection Agency to temporarily halt all contracts, grants and interagency agreements pending a review, according to sources. The White House sent a letter to the EPA's Office of Administration and Resources Management ordering the freeze on Monday, an EPA staffer told Reuters.

Letter: Hassan, Shaheen must work to reject EPA nominee

Our senators understand how important the environment is to our economy, our children and our public health. This month Sens. Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen will have an opportunity to confirm, or not, the nomination of Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency.

Trump Can Immediately Repeal These Obama Energy Policies

President Trump expects to sign up to 200 executive orders Monday, following the first tranche of orders he signed over the weekend. Turning from Obamacare and mortgage deductions, Trump at some point in his first week in office will begin to implement his " America First Energy Plan ."

Bill that might have meant millions for utility ratepayers snuffed out in Senate

During the first full week of the General Assembly session, there were few bills that held bigger potential implications for Virginians' pocketbooks than Sen. Chap Petersen's SB1095, which was swiftly smothered Monday in the Senate's Labor and Commerce Committee.

Transition Tracker: Picking apart Trump’s Cabinet picks

Interviews with President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence and sharp questioning of the Cabinet nominees were part of a flurry of activity less than 48 hours before Trump is set to take office. Both Trump and Rep. Tom Price, the Health and Human Services nominee, are trying to reassure the public that while the political process of replacing Obamacare may give us all a headache, the new coverage to come won't.

Pruitt’s leadership at EPA will restore its constitutional role

That slogan should be printed on t-shirts and given to every protestor who comes to disrupt the confirmation hearing for Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Appearing before Congress in 2015 in his capacity as a state attorney general, Pruitt noted how the EPA is an important agency that plays a vital role in protecting our environment.

GOP chairman plans ‘wholesale change’ at EPA

John Barrasso GOP chairman plans 'wholesale change' at EPA Overnight Energy: Former Exxon chief Tillerson takes the hot seat Republicans scramble on ObamaCare replacement plan MORE , the new chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, wrote in a Fox News opinion piece Tuesday that he and Scott Pruitt, Trump's nominee to head the EPA, will implement a major turnaround at the agency. Barrasso outlined the EPA's failures under Obama, including the Gold King Mine disaster in Colorado and the Flint water crisis in Michigan, as well as expensive rules.

West Virginia senators meet EPA – Spick

President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency received positive marks from West Virginia senators this week, with one inviting him to the state to discuss issues related to Wood County communities. In a release from Trump's transition team, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said he believes Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt has the right experience to be the next EPA administrator.

White House Announces Release of Final Update to the Coordinated…

On January 4, 2016, the White House announced the release of the 2017 Update to the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology . The Update to the Coordinated Framework provides a comprehensive summary of the roles and responsibilities of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , the U.S. Food and Drug Administration , and the U.S. Department of Agriculture with respect to regulating biotechnology products.