Environmental Health Watchdog Condemns EPA Decision to Relax Regulations for America’s Worst Polluters During Coronavirus Pandemic
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 27, 2020
CONTACT
Ruben Diaz, ruben@ceh.org, Center for Environmental Health
Michael Green michael@ceh.org, Center for Environmental Health
OAKLAND, CA—Yesterday, the EPA announced it would stop enforcing necessary environmental protection laws and instead give chemical, coal, petroleum, electric utility, and other industries a free pass to violate air and water quality standards. Citing the coronavirus pandemic as the reason the agency will not be penalizing industries that do not meet environmental pollution standards, the EPA failed to indicate the circumstances under which regulations would resume.
In response to this sweeping regulatory decision, Michael Green, the CEO of Center for Environmental Health, issued the following statement:
“It is absolutely unacceptable that the Trump administration is taking advantage of a global health crisis to eliminate basic protections from our most polluting industries. EPA enforcement of air and water quality standards are designed to protect us from cancer-causing chemicals.
Deregulation during a time of crisis does not help the American people and only shows that this administration values corporate profit over people’s health. These companies can’t be trusted to self-regulate and that should be obvious if you take one look at their track record, as well as the Trump Administration’s. Center for Environmental Health, and our colleagues in the public health and environmental justice movements, are coming together to fight this. We’re tracking industries’ dangerous Deregulation Agenda so we can help keep toxic chemicals out of our air, water, homes and consumer products. ”
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