The head of the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday would not address rumors about whether Chicago's regional office would be closed - even as the head of that office issued a memo calling the reports "pure speculation".
Residents of East Chicago, Indiana and their supporters rally near a public-housing complex on April 19, 2017, ahead of a visit by EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. More than one thousand people were forced to evacuate, according to Debbie Chizewer at Northwestern Law School, who has worked very closely with the affected residents.
After offering remarks about his visit, Pruitt was asked whether the EPA planned to close its Chicago office, but he walked away without answering. Also, Trump has proposed cutting the EPA's budget by 31 percent, nearly one-third, and eliminating more than 3,200 jobs, about 20 percent of the agency's workforce of 15,000. Not only are the Great Lakes a source of clean drinking water for over 40 million people, but they play a critical role in our economy - from shipping and commerce to tourism and travel.
"EPA is continuing to follow through with President Trump's Energy Independence EO", said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.
The private sector is set to get a big boost under this administration, and the latest talk to limit the power of the public sphere involves pushing legal consideration to outside counsel, potentially bypassing the influence of longtime EPA employees in favor of kowtowing to corporate concerns. That includes financial help to make sure that happens.
Bill O'Reilly says historic run at Fox ended over 'unfounded' allegations
Apparently, the extended "vacation" Bill O'Reilly had been taking from his show, "The O'Reilly Factor", was a cover story. In a statement, O'Reilly said: "It is tremendously disheartening that we part ways due to completely unfounded claims".
It was EPA officials who learned that the state Department of Environmental Quality had not required corrosion treatments when Flint switched to using the Flint River for its water, resulting in lead leaching from aging pipes. Officials say two dozen families remain at the 45-year-old complex, built on a site once occupied by a lead-products factory. Those proposed cuts could eliminate or drastically reduce funding to research programs, infrastructure programs, lead exposure prevention efforts and environmental enforcement at the federal level. They chanted and held signs reading, "East Chicago Demands Clean Water".
Residents of the housing complex in IN were joined by environmental activists as they protested nearby before Pruitt arrived.
"We can't drink the waters".
Resident Demetra Turner, 44, who left Chicago a decade ago for public housing in IN, said she was trying to find safe housing for the two children who live with her.
The pair joined other state and federal officials, including Senators Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) and Todd Young (R-Ind)., meeting with East Chicago officials and community leaders. It may not have been his intention, but he's showing the whole country how much we need an EPA strong enough to protect our health and to fight back against big polluters.
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