Overview

• EPA briefed staff on an Office of Air and Radiation reorganization that eliminates two climate-focused branches and creates new entities including the Office of Air Programs Support and a new Office of Clean Air Programs.
• The reconfigured air program has been directed to complete most major regulatory repeals by November for publication in December, including efforts targeting the endangerment finding, vehicle rules, power plant carbon standards and oil and gas methane controls.
• Funding is set to lapse at midnight Tuesday, and a shutdown could slip the early November implementation date, with EPA preparing lists of exempted personnel as leaders weigh who is essential to keep working.
• EPA has stopped maintaining its Greenhouse Gas Inventory and has proposed ending a carbon reporting program for major emitters, with repeal of greenhouse gas reporting rules and an aircraft climate rule proposal slated before year-end.
• Workforce reductions are already deep, with 3,707 employees terminated since July per EPA, and further downsizing plans and potential shutdown furloughs raising concerns from current and former officials about rulemaking delays and diminished enforcement capacity.