Trump's EPA attacks California with claim that state is lax on water pollution

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian and agencies

Trump's EPA attacks California with claim that state is lax on water pollution

The agency blames the homeless crisis for the problem, an allegation state authorities have fiercely denied

Guardian staff and agencies
Thu 26 Sep 2019 22.28 BST
Last modified on Fri 27 Sep 2019 10.07 BST

The Trump administration escalated its feud with California, accusing the state of failing to stop water pollution from such sources as human waste left on the pavement by the homeless in big cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.

California officials swiftly disputed any connection between homeless people and water quality, and accused Donald Trump of using the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to punish the heavily Democratic state.

In a letter to the California governor, Gavin Newsom, the EPA administrator, Andrew Wheeler, outlined a series of alleged deficiencies in California’s compliance with federal clean water laws and gave the state 30 days to produce a detailed plan for fixing the problems.

“If California does not step up to its delegated responsibilities, then EPA will be forced to take action,” Wheeler said in statement.

-snip-

Housing advocates told the Guardian last week that the president’s comments on homelessness push a harmful narrative that homeless people are bad for the environment.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/sep/26/trump-epa-california-water-pollution-homeless

[BigmanPigman]

1. If so why does the mayor of San Diego have to go to DC

right after he already came here (to kiss his new fence). San Diego gets untreated water from Mexico up here and it is a health hazard and has been going on for a long time.

https://www.kusi.com/mayor-faulconer-in-d-c-for-help-on-tijuana-valley-sewage-crisis/

[tanyev]

2. Such concern about California's water pollution, when they are trying to revoke

the state's authority to set stricter auto emissions standards. This is really just a multi-pronged war on California by the Trump misadministration.