December 09, 2016
By:
Walter G. Wright
Category:
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law
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The Environmental Council of the States (“ECOS”) has submitted a paper to Vice President-Elect Pence titled Priority Areas for a time of Political Transition (“Paper”).
ECOS states that the paper outlines “key issues members believe are critical to be considered early and thoughtfully as you carry out the EPA transition.”
ECOS describes itself as the national, non-profit, nonpartisan association of state and territorial environmental commissioners. The organization states that it works to improve the capability of state environmental agencies and their leaders to protect and improve human health and the environment across the nation.
Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality Director Becky Keogh serves as Secretary-Treasurer of the organization.
The Paper identifies as priority areas the following:
- State – Federal Implementation of Environmental Programs: Collaborating for Maximum Results
- State and federal agencies must collaborate in the implementation of state-delegated environmental programs. Federal roles should be cooperative and conducted with sensitivity to states’ rights and judgment; federal directives should be thoroughly evaluated to promote flexibility and consider state priorities.
- Advancing a National Conversation on the Nexus between the Environment and Public Health
- Environmental quality is inextricably linked to public health; keeping this connection front and center allows leaders to focus limited resources on the most important environmental problems – and serves to highlight distracting federal requirements and demands.
- Measuring and Communicating Environmental Results
- The success of the state-federal environmental system depends in part on our collective ability to demonstrate how our nation’s investment in environmental protection is delivering tangible results.
- Federal Funding of States: An Integral Part of the U.S. System of Environmental Protection
- Federal investment is critical to state implementation of federal environmental programs.
- Addressing Serious Water Infrastructure Investment Needs
- Federal collaboration with states to advance innovative funding and technical support for our nation’s aging drinking water and wastewater treatment systems is critical to the US population.
- Advancing Joint Governance through E-Enterprise for the Environment
- Joint environment governance is at the heart of ensuring an effective system of environmental protection – helping us to share information, advance efficiency, utilize technology, and deliver results.
- Discussions around Our Nation’s Energy Future
- A national conversation will continue surrounding energy – states have extensive expertise, are demonstrating leadership in this arena, and must be meaningfully included.
A copy of the December 2nd letter and the Paper can be downloaded here.
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