"Perhaps more than any other federal agency, the one responsible for protecting air, water and public health is a target for Donald Trump and his allies."
"The Environmental Protection Agency has largely recovered from many of the staff exits and budget cuts that occurred during the Trump administration and, in some ways, has swiftly rebounded.
It has banned toxic pesticides, strengthened chemical safety protections and imposed strong climate regulations. Enforcement of pollution laws, which had plummeted under the Trump years, is starting to climb back up.
But with next week’s election looming, the agency charged with protecting the environment faces more uncertainty than at any other time since its creation more than 50 years ago. Perhaps like few other federal agencies, the E.P.A. has been targeted by former President Donald J. Trump and his allies for a wholesale makeover.
If she wins the presidential race, Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to keep the E.P.A. on course, with a likely focus on fighting climate change and cleaning up the pollution that disproportionately burdens poor communities."
Lisa Friedman reports for the New York Times October 29, 2024.