This post was originally published on this site
The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to waive compliance requirements and deadlines for a range of industries, including oil refiners, water utilities and sewage plants, as it seeks to help businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic, according to Trump administration officials.
The biggest change likely will be to waive or postpone coming deadlines to switch to cleaner-burning summer-grade gasoline, according to administration officials and a business lobbyist.
Several states have already issued waivers or said they won’t enforce them, an analyst said. And many have asked EPA to step in to clarify nationally, according to one administration official.
The EPA is preparing to act following an onslaught of requests from businesses and state regulators seeking help, according to the administration officials, who expect the decision to be announced this week.
Any action is expected to be scrutinized by environmental groups concerned that the EPA and business groups will take advantage of the situation to skirt environmental regulations. Under President Trump, the EPA has moved to amend environmental policies that the White House views as overly harmful to business.
An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.
Popular on WSJ.com:
Negotiators nearing accord on U.S. stimulus package to combat coronavirus
Amazon’s Bezos, other corporate executives sold shares just in time
