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| Trump's EPA attacks California with claim that state is lax on water pollution | Trump's EPA attacks California with claim that state is lax on water pollution |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | “If California does not step up to its delegated responsibilities, then EPA will be forced to take action,” Wheeler said in statement. |
| Trump claims homeless people hurt the environment. Here's why that's wrong | Trump claims homeless people hurt the environment. Here's why that's wrong |
| The accusations come just a week after Trump warned that the city of San Francisco would receive a violation notice for allegedly letting needles and other waste go through storm drains into the Pacific Ocean, an allegation Mayor London Breed fiercely denied. | The accusations come just a week after Trump warned that the city of San Francisco would receive a violation notice for allegedly letting needles and other waste go through storm drains into the Pacific Ocean, an allegation Mayor London Breed fiercely denied. |
| “I’m sick of this president taking swipes at our city for no reason other than politics,” Breed said on Thursday. “There are no needles washing out to the bay or ocean from our sewer system, and there is no relationship between homelessness and water quality in San Francisco. It’s just not a real issue.” | “I’m sick of this president taking swipes at our city for no reason other than politics,” Breed said on Thursday. “There are no needles washing out to the bay or ocean from our sewer system, and there is no relationship between homelessness and water quality in San Francisco. It’s just not a real issue.” |
| Nathan Click, a spokesman for the governor, said: “This is not about clean air, clean water or helping our state with homelessness. This is political retribution against California, plain and simple.” | Nathan Click, a spokesman for the governor, said: “This is not about clean air, clean water or helping our state with homelessness. This is political retribution against California, plain and simple.” |
| California has filed 60 lawsuits opposing Trump initiatives on the environment, immigration and healthcare. | |
| 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. | 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. |
| “This is the president of the United States that is putting out this nonsense and social stigma,” Kelley Cutler, the human rights organizer for the Coalition on Homelessness, said. “He has a massive audience and he is putting out this narrative that is very concerning.” | “This is the president of the United States that is putting out this nonsense and social stigma,” Kelley Cutler, the human rights organizer for the Coalition on Homelessness, said. “He has a massive audience and he is putting out this narrative that is very concerning.” |
| In his letter, Wheeler said urban homelessness is taking a toll on the environment, citing news reports of “piles of human feces” on streets and sidewalks. | In his letter, Wheeler said urban homelessness is taking a toll on the environment, citing news reports of “piles of human feces” on streets and sidewalks. |
| He called on San Francisco to invest billions of dollars to upgrade its sewage treatment system and stop releasing inadequately treated waste into San Francisco Bay and the Pacific, a practice he said state regulators have long allowed. | He called on San Francisco to invest billions of dollars to upgrade its sewage treatment system and stop releasing inadequately treated waste into San Francisco Bay and the Pacific, a practice he said state regulators have long allowed. |
| He said an EPA review uncovered problems with California’s handling of other federal clean water programs, including 23 significant discharges of pollutants in recent months that exceeded permit limits. | He said an EPA review uncovered problems with California’s handling of other federal clean water programs, including 23 significant discharges of pollutants in recent months that exceeded permit limits. |
| The investigation also found that the state had 202 community water systems that exceeded federal standards for the presence of contaminants such as arsenic and lead, putting nearly 800,000 people at risk, Wheeler said. | The investigation also found that the state had 202 community water systems that exceeded federal standards for the presence of contaminants such as arsenic and lead, putting nearly 800,000 people at risk, Wheeler said. |
| Eric Schaeffer, director of the Environmental Integrity Project and a former head of civil enforcement at EPA, accused the president and Wheeler of using the agency to punish enemies. | Eric Schaeffer, director of the Environmental Integrity Project and a former head of civil enforcement at EPA, accused the president and Wheeler of using the agency to punish enemies. |
| “It makes no sense to decide that homeless encampments are a major priority for Clean Water Act enforcement, when EPA has done so little to enforce illegal discharges from much larger sources across the US,” Schaeffer said. | “It makes no sense to decide that homeless encampments are a major priority for Clean Water Act enforcement, when EPA has done so little to enforce illegal discharges from much larger sources across the US,” Schaeffer said. |
| Earlier this week, the EPA chief criticized the California Air Resources Board for a backlog of pending regulations intended to reduce smog. State officials blamed delays by Washington in approving the plans. | Earlier this week, the EPA chief criticized the California Air Resources Board for a backlog of pending regulations intended to reduce smog. State officials blamed delays by Washington in approving the plans. |
| Last week, the Trump administration moved to revoke California’s decades-old legal authority to set automobile emission standards tougher than the federal government’s. | Last week, the Trump administration moved to revoke California’s decades-old legal authority to set automobile emission standards tougher than the federal government’s. |
| Trump administration | Trump administration |
| California | California |
| US Environmental Protection Agency | US Environmental Protection Agency |
| Pollution | Pollution |
| Homelessness | Homelessness |
| US politics | US politics |
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