Government

"As President Biden closes out his first year in office, he still has not nominated EPA’s top air official, a role that takes on even greater importance with climate legislation stalling on Capitol Hill."

"EPA’s internal watchdog is planning aggressive oversight for the billions of infrastructure funds flowing into the agency, warning fraud could follow the influx of cash."

"Congress approved $11.3 billion to clean up abandoned mine lands in the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, but environmental groups are worried that President Biden hasn’t chosen anyone to oversee how that money is spent on coal mines."

"The White House’s ban on federal purchasing of PFAS-containing products will focus on cookware, carpets and couches, according to the Office of Management and Budget’s memo implementing President Biden’s sustainability executive order."

"Nearly two years into a coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 5 million people, every country, including the United States, remains dangerously unprepared to respond to future epidemic and pandemic threats, according to a report released Wednesday assessing the efforts of 195 countries."

"President Biden on Wednesday set in motion a plan to make the federal government carbon neutral, ordering federal agencies to buy electric vehicles, to power facilities with wind, solar and nuclear energy, and to use sustainable building materials."

"A union representing 7,500 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees said that it has reached new agreements with the agency on working from home, closing out what they described as a major point in ongoing negotiations.

Union members with AFGE Council 238 told The Hill on Thursday night that employees could request to telework up to eight days in a 10-day pay period, while before they could ask for two days of telework per week, essentially doubling how much time they could potentially work from home.