By Zoe Gum
Milliken Policy Intern
Using the current COVID-19 situation as a pretense, the Trump Administration has stopped enforcing many Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) safeguards. This has left individual states with the additional responsibility to sustain environmental protection. Many companies and corporations have recently requested that state regulators be lenient on environmental regulations that require them to test and monitor pollution, claiming that the pandemic has interfered with their ability to comply with preexisting regulations.
This has left many citizens fearful that, if states grant companies leniency in their pollution monitoring and testing practices, then they will be left vulnerable to unknown amounts of pollution. It is especially concerning given tentative scientific findings that exposure to air pollutants increases vulnerability to COVID-19. At this moment, state regulatory transparency is vital to ensure public health and wellness.
Few states have maintained a public collection of pollution reports and companies’ requests for leniency on environmental regulations and permit requirements throughout this crisis (e.g. Minnesota, Indiana, and Pennsylvania). Fortunately, Michigan is one of those states. While the majority of companies in Michigan that requested enforcement leniency from the state have gotten it, all issues of non-compliance appear to have been thoroughly reviewed prior to approval by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to ensure the safety of Michigan citizens.
As of June 15, out of 151 requests, 112 were approved, 33 are pending, and six were rejected. Moreover, only three leniency requests were rejected on the grounds that the COVID-19 situation did not limit the companies’ ability to comply with pre-existing environmental regulations.
For further information, please visit EGLE’s website.
