EPA Protections Relaxed During Coronavirus Pandemic

Citing potential worker shortages and the effects of restricted travel and social distancing, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a “sweeping suspension” of environmental regulations that some say gives companies free rein to pollute.

Written byAmy Schleunes

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The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday (March 26) that it will not penalize companies for failing to meet a range of environmental standards during the coronavirus pandemic, according to The Hill. The temporary policy marks a “sweeping suspension” of the laws currently in place, The Hill reports, and has no set end date.

Earlier this week, the American Petroleum Institute asked the EPA for the rules governing the repair of leaky equipment and the monitoring of water pollution to be suspended, reports The Hill. Additional industries effectively asked for an extension on deadlines to meet a number of other environmental goals.

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler says in a statement that the agency “is committed to protecting human health and the environment, but recognizes challenges resulting from efforts to protect workers and the public from COVID-19 may directly impact the ability of regulated facilities to meet all ...

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Meet the Author

Amy Schleunes
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A former intern at The Scientist, Amy studied neurobiology at Cornell University and later earned her MFA in creative writing from the University of Iowa. She is a Los Angeles–based writer, editor, and communications strategist who collaborates on nonfiction books for Harper Collins and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and also teaches writing at Johns Hopkins University CTY. Her favorite projects involve sharing the insights of science and medicine.
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