The EPA
Scott Pruitt, the Administrator of the EPA, has taken control of the agency's water pollution permitting procedures. In an internal memo dated March 30
th but made public on April 4
th, Pruitt detailed the shift to the agency's permit process. He will now ultimately decide whether or not waterways can be dredged or filled and if they are covered by the Clean Water Act. Previously, these decisions were made by the EPA's regional administrators.
Pruitt claims that the change of policy is an attempt to standardize the process of determining what waters fall under the Clean Water Act and which projects need a permit. What process the EPA would follow now that the decision making authority is solely possessed by Pruitt is unclear, which is causing a number of environmental organizations to express concern.
This change comes in the midst of a troubling news cycle for Pruitt. After numerous reports of ethical and spending issues, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called for his resignation and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly urged President Trump to remove Pruitt as EPA Administrator.
Tariffs
Trade tensions escalated between the U.S. and China this week as President Trump announced a list of around $50 billion in proposed tariffs on Chinese goods in response to what his administration calls China's theft of U.S. trade secrets.
China in turn announced $50 billion in proposed tariffs of its own on a wide range of U.S. goods, including soybeans, corn, cotton, and sorghum among others.
President Trump then announced another $100 billion in proposed tariffs on Chinese goods for a total of $150 billion in tariffs, significantly exceeding the $130 in goods that China imports from the U.S. each year. China subsequently announced that it would not hesitate to retaliate in equal measure if the proposal comes to fruition, though it was unclear at the time of publication of this newsletter what exact form further retaliation would take.
The Mississippi River Basin produces the majority of all the soybeans, corn, cotton, and sorghum grown in the U.S. Implementation of these proposed tariffs would almost certainly cause major disruption to the agricultural norms and related conservation efforts in the region.
The Farm Bill
Rumors circulated this week about the future of the Farm Bill - the major piece of legislation that authorizes major federal spending on farm subsidies, food assistance programs, and conservation funding. Negotiations between Republicans and Democrats have broken down in recent weeks over proposed changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Reports began to circulate this week, however, that the House Agriculture Committee would mark up their version of the bill on April 18th. Many commentators remain skeptical about the prospects of the bill's passage, though, as there is little indication that the disagreement over SNAP funding had been settled.
The recent trade tensions between the U.S. and China prompted a number of Members of Congress to call for additional aid authorization in the Farm Bill for farmers who would suffer at the hands of the proposed agricultural tariffs. This development might change the dynamics of negotiations in the coming days, though it remains to be seen if the bill's text will include any additional aid.
The existing Farm Bill expires at the end of September.
Changes at the Department of the Interior
Secretary Ryan Zinke of the Department of the Interior selected Susan Combs to be the department's acting secretary for fish, wildlife, and parks. Combs is a former Texas state official that Zinke had tried to appoint as Interior's assistant secretary for policy, management, and budget.
Her nomination for that position stalled after it was put on hold in July of last year. Senator Bill Nelson of Florida has held up the nomination of Combs due to his concerns about Zinke's proposal to allow for oil drilling off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Her new position does not require Senate confirmation, as she is only an acting secretary.
Combs has long been a critic of the Endangered Species Act. As Texas comptroller, she fought the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over its attempts to enforce the act in the state.
