In a public address on December 19th National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, previously a Director of the EPA in the Administration of President Obama, outlined changes at the EPA effected during the current Administration.  She noted that approximately 600 scientists left the agency during the four-year period in critical areas including climate change, public health and enforcement.

President Elect Biden has committed to decarbonizing the Nation’s electric generation by 2035 and ultimately achieving net-zero U.S. greenhouse gas emission by 2050.  The U.S. will rejoin the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

It would appear that priorities will be directed towards pollution from industry and power generation. Ethanol policy of the EPA and the Department of Energy in the incoming Administration is as yet unknown, although it is expected that current practice of diverting corn to biofuel will continue. The issue of enforcing refinery waivers will be considered by the Supreme Court in the current session.

The U.S. egg production industry should recognize a more active EPA from 2021 onwards with implications for stricter control of water and air quality from concentrated animal feeding operations.