The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced it is resuming consideration of withdrawing the 2014 preemptive veto against Pebble Mine issued under the Obama Administration.

EPA General Counsel Matthew Leopold issued a memo EPA General Counsel, Matthew Leopold, directing staff to resume “consideration whether to withdraw the 2014 Proposed Determination” while citing the agencies responsibility to reduce “confusion and uncertainty surrounding arcane regulatory processes.”

ATR President Grover Norquist Reacts:

“Americans for Tax Reform applauds the EPA’s decision to resume consideration of withdrawing the Obama Administration’s unprecedented preemptive veto of Pebble Mine. Pebble Mine, like all other projects, should be evaluated based upon a proper and well-established environmental review process. Instead, the Obama Administration chose to abuse and weaponize its authority under the Clean Water Act to block Pebble Mine’s development before a permitting application was even submitted. Yesterday’s announcement from General Counsel Matthew Leopold is a step forward towards restoring a consistent, fair and rational permitting process at the EPA. The Trump EPA now has a chance to right the wrongs of the past and withdraw the Obama Administration’s unprecedented preemptive veto. ATR encourages them to do so.”

A broad coalition of conservative groups has publicly urged the Trump EPA to rescind the Obama Administration’s unprecedented preemptive veto of Pebble Mine. While the preemptive veto is still left in place after this announcement, yesterday’s move is widely considered a prelude to withdrawing the veto entirely.