On Thursday, March 26, the EPA announced they were suspending enforcement of numerous environmental regulations for entities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Critics of this move worry that corporations have now been given free license to pollute with impunity, and question the necessity of this move. The decision comes just six days after one of America's biggest petroleum lobbyists wrote a letter to President Trump asking his administration to relax environmental regulations, calling into question the ability of Trump's EPA to remain impartial and uninfluenced by coal, oil and gas lobbies. 

Sources:

The New York Times: E.P.A., Citing Coronavirus, Drastically Relaxes Rules for Polluters 

The Hill: EPA suspends enforcement of environmental laws amid coronavirus

The Hill: Oil industry group asks Trump administration to lessen regulations amid coronavirus

Reuters: U.S. oil industry asks Trump for regulatory relief during coronavirus outbreak

Western Values Project: Interior to Follow EPA Rollback of Environmental Protections and Regulations for Big Oil and Coal

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: COVID-19 Implications for EPA's Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program