Leaked memo: Pruitt taking control of Clean Water Act determinations

Key provisions in the Clean Water Act are now under the control of one person at the US Environmental Protection Agency -- Administrator Scott Pruitt, according to a leaked memo obtained by CNN. In the new directive, Pruitt states he will make final critical decisions about preservation of streams, ponds and wetlands. Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility provided CNN with a copy of the memo dated March 30, 2018. In the memo calling for "regulatory certainty," Pruitt directed EPA regional offices to "cede their Clean Water Act determinations" to him, said Kyla Bennett, the New England director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. The memo states: "With this revised delegation, authority previously delegated to regional administrators to make final determinations of geographic jurisdiction shall be retained by the Administrator. ... As part of effectuating this revision, I ask that you involve the Administrator's Office early on in the process of developing geographic determinations." The move appears to change the approval process to lessen the role of EPA employees and scientists when it comes to evaluating whether a project has a significant negative environmental impact on waterways or wetlands. The projects must receive permits from the Army Corps of Engineers and final approval from the EPA. Traditionally, regional EPA offices and career EPA scientists review the requests for permits to determine whether the project is detrimental to the local environment and the larger goal of waterway and wetland preservation...MORE 

What a bunch of outhouse soup.

The last time I looked, regional directors of EPA are political appointees. So this just moves the final decision from a regional political appointee to to the headquarters appointee. Career scientists and employees will still perform their functions and nothing is changed there. This breathless report by CNN is another example of how the environmental group-influenced media is going after Pruitt, even when there is nothing there.