EPA Relaunches National Online Portal for Environmental Guidance Documents

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has relaunched its Guidance Portal, an online searchable database that provides centralized access to thousands of the agency's active guidance documents related to air, water, waste, and other environmental programs. Originally created during President Donald Trump's first administration and later shut down under the Biden administration, the portal aims to increase transparency and reduce bureaucratic hurdles for small businesses, farmers, and the general public seeking compliance information. EPA Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi emphasized that the portal clarifies regulatory interpretations and statutory obligations, helping users understand how to comply without needing expensive legal assistance. The portal excludes superseded or internal guidance documents and does not contain documents with the force of law, focusing instead on current, publicly relevant materials. This relaunch aligns with the Trump administration's broader mission to enhance government transparency and streamline access to environmental compliance resources. Overall, the effort is seen as a move to make EPA's regulatory guidance more accessible and understandable to all stakeholders.