Trump Watch: EPA

Under the Trump Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is being led by a climate-change denier, advocate for deregulation, and close friend of the oil and gas industry. The agency is facing major budget and staff cuts, regulatory rollbacks, and alarming attacks on science. During this turbulent time, EIP has worked to increase transparency, raise awareness, and hold Administrator Scott Pruitt accountable for his actions.

Ashtracker

Ashtracker provides public access to industry-reported data from state and company records about groundwater contamination at coal ash dumps. Coal ash, a toxic waste generated by coal-fired power plants, is one of the largest industrial waste streams in the United States. Each year, coal plants generate over 100 million tons of ash, most of which is dumped into landfills and ponds that are often unlined. Pollutants in the ash frequently leak into groundwater and nearby waterways, and some of these contaminants (such as arsenic and mercury) can cause cancer, neurological damage, and other health problems.

Pennsylvania Citizens’ Toolkit

With the ever expanding oil and gas operations in western Pennsylvania, citizens, advocacy groups and elected officials seem to have more questions than answers.  And, because so much of this industrial development is new to most communities, finding facts on the operations and the permitting approval processes can seem daunting.  In an effort to help educate, inform and guide citizens through the basic components of the process, the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) is developing a Citizens’ Toolkit.  This informational toolkit provides descriptions of key portions the public notification and participation requirements, as well as provides fact sheets and example templates, so that citizens and decision makers can better prepare themselves.