EPA will no longer regulate toxic compound in drinking water The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that it will not regulate or limit a toxic chemical compound linked to infant brain damagein drinking water. The big picture: The Trump administration has revoked or rolled back 66 environmental regulations, per a New York Times analysis. Eight of the regulation reversals have taken place since late April, during the coronavirus pandemic. Details: The EPA says that levels of the toxic compound — perchlorate — have already been reduced in the U.S. through drinking water regulations in California, Nevada and Massachusetts, and improved storage for drinking water disinfectants. In 2011, the Obama administration said that perchlorate caused by runoff contaminated drinking water for as many as 16 million Americans, PBS reports. The EPA says its health impact analysis shows that a higher concentration of perchlorate is necessary to cause health problems than concentrations found in 2011. What they're saying: “Today’s decision is built on science and local success stories and fulfills President Trump’s promise to pare back burdensome ‘one-size-fits-all’ overregulation for the American people,” EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a statement. “State and local water systems are effectively and efficiently managing levels of perchlorate. Our state partners deserve credit for their leadership on protecting public health in their communities, not unnecessary federal intervention," Wheeler said. The other side: “Today’s decision is illegal, unscientific and unconscionable,” Erik Olson, senior strategic director for health at the advocacy group Natural Resources Defense Council, said on Thursday, per the New York Times. “The Environmental Protection Agency is threatening the health of pregnant moms and young children with toxic chemicals in their drinking water at levels that literally can cause loss of I.Q. points." Go deeper ... NYT: EPA will not limit chemical compound linked to fetal damage
#winning. Greatest President ever. Nobody knows more about contaminating water than Trump, even more than the scientists. Many people say nobody even knew how to contaminate the water until Trump. Ironically, it’s Trump states that will probably bear the burden of more brain damaged children due to this action.
California's got their Commy Fascist rules to go above the national standards. Sorry TX. Here... have some tax dodging corporations fleeing from "California's oppression".
It is mind boggling that the Trump Administration seemingly finds a way to make things worse for Americans on a daily basis. Who knew that in four years, one President could destroy decades of progress in so many areas?
Trump and his fellow Republicans care about fetuses so much. Why would they choose to stop the regulation of a substance linked to infant brain damage?
National standards have always been low and at the baseline. Things like minimum wage or water quality are designed with poorer, mostly red states, in mind. It's the weakest link/race to the bottom thinking that has made both side think that we've become a Third World Nation. Republicans have always been clever at claiming it both ways that "regulation is too oppressive" by whining at NY or California's state laws while watering down the national standard that does the minimum at protecting people. The mpg regulation Trump is attacking is not the EPA's but whether Cal EPA has the authority to regulate their state air standards in order to be in compliance with the national laws. The bar was already low before Trump. He's taking Con rhetoric and amplifying it to game more points. Are Americans going to stay complacent w/ this ****? It's not a Trump thing. He's just using Con brainwashing that's been doing beautifully since Reagan.
Drinking water regulations across America have been severely lacking for a long time. I worked for a publication that covered the underground water pipeline construction industry during the height of the Flint Water Crisis. To see federal water regulations for a different chemical being made less stringent as some Michigan residents still lack clean drinking water is reckless, dangerous and infuriating.
Yeah, potable water through our pipelines is a true modern marvel that many countries can't take for granted. In hindsight, there are a lot of costs ensuring all piped water is drinkable, but just because it's getting harder to maintain doesn't mean you shortchange the system and remove quality benchmarks. No surprise from a ****ing shitbag who claims more testing is the reason why corona numbers are worse and avoids it like death itself.
