Here & Now

EPA To Weigh In On Air Pollution Regulation

Frederica Freyberg:

Now to an environmental update involving Foxconn. The EPA has raised concerns over the amount of air pollution in southeastern Wisconsin and will make a decision within the next three months on how much companies like Foxconn will need to curb their emissions. At the center of this decision will be newly-appointed head of the Chicago EPA office, Cathy Stepp, who previously served as DNR secretary in Wisconsin. During her DNR tenure, Stepp worked to have the state exempted from smog regulations. According to an EPA spokesperson, Stepp will consult with ethics staff at the agency before deciding she needs to recuse herself from the decision.