Quote: The Trump administration announced a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule Thursday aimed at giving states the independence to determine how to best dispose of coal ash, the toxic metal left from burning coal.
The EPA said that the deregulations would save utilities nearly $100 million per year in compliance costs and the regulated community between $31 million and $100 million per year.
...EPA said Thursday the rule is one of two it plans to enact to amend coal ash disposal.
http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/ ... wyers-with
Quote: More than 75 Trump administration lawyers either represented clients in the industries they regulate or had clients with business before the government, according to a report released Thursday by the liberal watchdog group Public Citizen.
http://thehill.com/homenews/administrat ... -next-week
Quote: President Trump said Thursday that he will impose steep tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from around the world next week, defying Republican lawmakers who have pushed back against the move.
Trump said he will announce tariffs of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on aluminum from all countries that send their metals to the United States, a decision sure to lead to retaliation by key trading partners.
http://thehill.com/regulation/internati ... mp-tariffs
Quote: Two major U.S. allies said Thursday they are concerned about President Trump’s promise to levy steep tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, with one vowing retaliation if the administration goes through with the plan.
Canada and the United Kingdom both issued statements in response to President Trump's decision to announce next week that he will slap 25 percent tariffs on steel and 10 percent tariffs on aluminum imports.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... than-china
Quote: Donald Trump’s latest trade move, like those before, is hurting his allies more than his rivals.
U.S. partners across the world are crying foul after the president pledged to impose 25 percent tariffs on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum in the name of protecting national security. Australia’s trade minister called it “disappointing.” Japan reminded the U.S. it wasn’t a threat. Norway said national security is no excuse for protectionism. Canada vowed to strike back.
China — whose U.S. trade surplus dwarfs all others — was muted. That’s because the country sells relatively little steel to the U.S. and Bloomberg Economics estimates the impact might be negligible.
http://thehill.com/policy/finance/inter ... of-cars-to
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... rkets-wrap
Quote: Toyota Motor Corp. warned that tariffs on steel and aluminum that President Trump will impose next week will cause the price of cars and trucks in the U.S. to rise.
Quote: U.S. equity futures extended declines and a gauge of volatility rose after Trump declared trade wars are “easy to win” in a tweet on Friday. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index headed for a fourth day of losses, with Germany’s DAX reaching the lowest since August as industrials slumped.
Japan led the retreat in Asia earlier, with the Topix Index tumbling after Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda mentioned for the first time a possible time frame for discussing an exit from its extraordinary easing program. The yen surged to the strongest since 2016 and shares from Hong Kong to Australia declined. German bunds climbed, the dollar weakened and Treasuries fell
http://thehill.com/homenews/administrat ... asy-to-win
Moron
Quote: President Trump early Friday defended his plan to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, saying "trade wars are good."
"When a country (USA) is losing many billions of dollars on trade with virtually every country it does business with, trade wars are good, and easy to win. Example, when we are down $100 billion with a certain country and they get cute, don’t trade anymore-we win big. It’s easy!" Trump tweeted.
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/37 ... ion-report
Quote: A dark money group with close ties to President Trump has hired three polling firms used by the Trump campaign to produce polls and analysis related to the administration in a move that raises questions about coordination between the group and the White House.
http://thehill.com/homenews/administrat ... eal-report
Quote: FBI counterintelligence officials are scrutinizing one of Ivanka Trump's business deals related to a hotel in Vancouver, Canada, CNN reported Thursday.
Two sources familiar with the matter told CNN that officials are looking into the deal involving the International Hotel and Tower in Vancouver, which contains an Ivanka Trump-branded spa. The probe comes as Ivanka Trump, President Trump's daughter and one of his senior advisers, seeks to obtain a full security clearance.
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing- ... ump-border
Quote: The U.S. Navy corrected a Fox News contributor on Thursday who said that Navy SEALs were unable to breach prototypes for the proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall in test scenarios. No Navy SEALs were involved in the testing of prototypes for the border wall, a spokesperson for the Naval Special Warfare Command told the San Diego Union-Tribune.
And, of course, Trump backs down on another gun control measure:
http://thehill.com/homenews/administrat ... und-checks
At this point, I can't see any hope even for establishing universal licensing and training requirements for gun owners, or similar measures that a majority of both gun control advocates and sensible gun owners might support.
Quote: The White House on Friday walked back President Trump’s apparent support for universal background checks for gun purchases.
Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump supports “not necessarily universal background checks, but certainly improving the background check system.”
Edit:
http://thehill.com/homenews/administrat ... t-decision
Quote: Interior Department emails show that its decision to shrink the Bears Ears National Monument was largely centered on allowing for oil and gas exploration on the protected site, The New York Times reports.