U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Transition Team: Association of Clean Water Administrators/National Association of Clean Air Agencies/ECOS January 6th Letter

Ten national organizations that represent state, tribal, and local partners transmitted a January 6th letter to the United States Environmental Protection Agency Transition Team offering assistance to the second Trump Administration.

The organizations include:

• Association of Clean Water Administrators.
• National Association of Clean Air Agencies.
• Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies.
• Groundwater Protection Council.
• Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities.
• Western States Water Council.
• Association of State Drinking Water Administrators.
• ECOS.
• Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials.
• National Association of Wetland Managers.

(Collectively, “Organizations”).

The Organizations state that they offer:

…an efficient and effective way to communicate and collaborate with environmental agencies and programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, territories, and tribes.

The January 6th letter notes in part:

• United States environmental laws are based upon the concept of cooperative federalism.
• Cooperative federalism is key to successful implementation and emphasizes:
  • Shared priorities.
  • Shared authority.
  • Shared responsibility.
  • Problem-solving opportunities.
• For cooperative federalism to succeed, state, tribal, and local environmental agencies are partners in the shared proposition that was established by Congress to implement the nation’s environmental laws.
• EPA provides the basic regulatory framework and oversight for the laws, but the authorization/delegation structure makes state and local governments directly responsible for implementation of many of the environmental programs.
• The complexity of today’s environmental challenges mandate robust communication and collaboration to ensure reasonable, balanced, effective, and efficient strategies for environmental improvement.

The January 6th letter provides a description of each of the Organizations.

A copy of the letter can be downloaded here.