By: Peggy Kirk Hall, Tuesday, April 25th, 2017

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public input on EPA regulations that may be appropriate for repeal, replacement, or modification.  The request for comments is in response to President Trump’s Executive Order 13777, “Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda,” which required the heads of agencies such as the EPA to evaluate existing regulations and make recommendations to repeal, replace, or modify regulations that create unnecessary burdens on the American people.

In announcing the agency’s regulatory reform plans, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt stated that, “EPA will be listening to those directly impacted by regulations, and learning ways we can work together with our state and local partners, to ensure that we can provide clean air, land, and water to Americans.” Pruitt also issued harsh criticism of “misaligned regulatory actions from the past administration.”

Consistent with President Trump’s Executive Order, Pruitt appointed several EPA staff to a Regulatory Reform Task Force that will guide the agency’s reform efforts.  In establishing the public comment process, the Task Force is asking entities significantly affected by federal regulations, including state, local and tribal governments, small businesses, consumers, non-governmental organizations, and trade associations to provide comments that will help the Task Force identify regulations that:

  • Eliminate jobs or inhibit job creation;
  • Are outdated, unnecessary or ineffective;
  • Impose costs that exceed benefits;
  • Create serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with regulatory reform initiatives and policies;
  • Rely on data, information or methods that are not publicly available or sufficiently transparent for reproducibility;
  • Derive from Executive Orders or other Presidential directives that have been rescinded or modified.

The comment period offers the agricultural community an opportunity to raise concerns with EPA regulations that may negatively impact agricultural production.  Note that agencies such as the EPA do not base regulatory decision-making on the total number of comments for or against an issue; it is not like a popular ballot vote.  Instead, the EPA must base its regulations on information contained in public comments as well as on scientific data, expert opinions, and facts.  After receiving comments in this initial public participation period, the EPA will likely develop recommendations for regulatory reform.  If so, the agency must offer the public additional opportunity to comment on its reform proposals.

The EPA will accept public comments on regulatory reform until May 15, 2017.  Instructions for submitting comments are available here. The agency has already received over 18,000 comments on its online docket, which is available here.  Members of the public may request that the EPA allow more time to submit comments, and the EPA may consider late-filed comments if their decision-making schedule permits it.  However, commenters should be aware that agencies do not have to consider late comments.

The EPA is also hosting public meetings around the country on regulatory reform in regards to different topics such as water, chemical safety and pesticides.  A list of the public meetings is available here.

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