WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The Alabama Farmers Federation (ALFA), representing over 360,000 members, has formally opposed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) proposal to list the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). In a May 8, 2025, letter, ALFA President Jimmy Parnell argued that such a listing would duplicate current efforts and could negatively impact voluntary conservation by farmers. ALFA stated that Alabama's agricultural community already i more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- A student loan borrower, Christopher R. Weldon, Esquire, has urged the Department of Education to allocate funds for attorney fees for borrowers "unreasonably denied relief under the loan forgiveness plans." In comments submitted regarding proposed rulemaking, Weldon expressed concern over recommendations to increase funding for loan servicers, suggesting it could lead to "more aggressive denial practices." Weldon argued that enhanced servicer funding risks undermining ref more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- Shauna Brown, an early fifties borrower still paying off undergraduate student loans from the late 1990s, has submitted a public comment expressing frustration over the current student loan system. Brown called for better financial education for students, adherence to original loan contract terms, and reforms to loan servicing and forgiveness programs. Brown recounted the pressure to take out government loans for higher education, stating, "Forcing and pushing students who more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- A consortium of businesses spanning various industries, represented by Conn Maciel Carey LLP, has requested a 45-day extension to respond to the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Request for Information on potential deregulatory actions. In a letter dated May 1, 2025, the law firm stated the extension is needed to gather "thoughtful and fulsome information" from their diverse client base. Eric J. Conn, Chair of the OSHA Practice Group at Conn Maciel Carey LLP, wrote, more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- PathPoint, a non-profit organization based in Santa Barbara, California, has called on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to rescind the home and community-based services (HCBS) payment adequacy mandate, also known as the 80/20 rule. In a May 1, 2025 letter to OMB Director Russell T. Vought, PathPoint argued that the rule, intended to address workforce challenges, instead risks further disrupting services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabiliti more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The City of Ely has expressed strong support for Deseret Generation and Transmission Co-operative's (Deseret) proposed upgrades at its Bonanza Power Plant. In a letter dated March 28, 2025, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Mayor Nathan Robertson urged the approval of two Minor New Source Review permit applications that would allow for the installation of Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology and new Gas Peaking Units. Mayor Robertson highlighted  more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) is urging the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to significantly amend current regulations governing the importation of prescription drugs, arguing that existing rules create substantial roadblocks to implementing a safe, cost-effective, and workable program. In a May 5, 2025, letter, HCPF Executive Director Kim Bimestefer detailed numerous concerns with the Final Rule on Importation of Prescriptio more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The Georgia Cotton Commission, representing approximately 3,500 family cotton farmers, has voiced its opposition to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's (FWS) proposal to list the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). In a May 9, 2025, letter, Commission Chairman Bart Davis urged the FWS to reconsider the listing, emphasizing the potential negative impacts on farmers and existing conservation efforts. The Commission, representing t more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The National Infusion Center Association (NICA), a nonprofit representing community-based infusion centers, has called on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to address several regulatory policies it says create unnecessary burdens and threaten patient access to care. In a letter to OMB Director Russell T. Vought, NICA highlighted concerns regarding Medicare reimbursement, biosimilar payment, supervision requirements, and utilization management practices. NICA argues more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- Rocky Mountain Equality, an organization serving the LGBTQ+ community in Colorado, has submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Education, strongly opposing any changes that would narrow the definition of a "qualifying employer" for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. In a letter dated May 2, 2025, CEO Mardi Moore argued that restricting the program would "harm the public-service professions such as teachers, nurses, social workers, legal aid, public de more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- GovContractPros, LLC (GCP), a government contracting consulting firm located in Chevy Chase, Maryland, has called on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to ease federal regulations that govern contract awards to Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs). In an April 22, 2025 letter to OMB Director Russell T. Vought, GCP argued that the current framework within the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulations (VA more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- Matson Inc., a leading U.S. carrier in the Pacific based in Oakland, California, is urging the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to reform the Federal Ship Financing Program (Title XI), administered by the Maritime Administration (MARAD). In a May 5, 2025, letter to Secretary Sean Duffy, Matson Executive Vice President and CFO Joel M. Wine outlined nine key recommendations to make the program more user-friendly and efficient. Matson, a long-time participant in the Jo more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The Missouri Public Utility Alliance (MPUA), based in Columbia and representing over 120 community-owned water and wastewater utilities, has voiced significant concerns regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) draft risk assessment for PFOA and PFOS in sewage sludge. In a formal comment, MPUA urged the EPA to reconsider its approach, emphasizing the practical limitations faced by utilities and the potential for severe unintended economic and environmental  more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The National Council of Nonprofits (NCN) has voiced strong opposition to the Department of Education's intent to refine the definition of a "qualifying employer" for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. In a letter to the Department, NCN President and CEO Diane Yentel stated, "NCN strongly opposes any efforts by the Department to unlawfully restrict eligibility or cut resources to the PSLF program." The NCN, representing the largest network of nonprofits in  more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The Pacific Northwest Waterways Association (PNWA) has urged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to adopt implementation guidance for the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA 2024) that prioritizes fair cost-sharing and immediate action on critical navigation infrastructure. In a letter dated April 29, 2025, PNWA Executive Director Neil Maunu emphasized the need to support the Columbia River System, a vital trade gateway handling 49.7 million  more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The Advocacy Co-chair of the DC Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Elizabeth Ireson has voiced strong concerns to the Department of Education over proposed changes to federal student loan forgiveness and income-driven repayment programs, arguing that these alterations could exacerbate the nation's already critical shortage of pediatric healthcare professionals. In a letter dated May 4, 2025, Ireson urged Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education Ja more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- Taylor Humecky, a physical therapist working at a non-profit hospital system, has called on the Department of Education to maintain healthcare organization status for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligibility and improve access to the program for clinicians. In their letter, Humecky, who holds a doctorate and has over $95,000 in student loans, emphasized that PSLF "helps limit the burden of student loans and provides an incentive for healthcare providers to stay in more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- Wisconsin Assistant Attorney General Sonya Bice has urged the Department of Education to preserve the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and income-driven repayment plans, emphasizing their critical role in supporting public safety. In a letter, Bice, who benefited from PSLF after 11 years as a law clerk, stated that the program "has stood as a cornerstone of our country's public service workforce strategy." Bice, who now defends felony convictions on appeal, a more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- A public servant in Portland, Oregon, Tia Ho, has called on the Department of Education to honor existing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) agreements and maintain key aspects of the program as new regulations are considered. In a letter to Secretary Linda E. McMahon, Ho, who works in both non-profit medical transportation and as a university instructor, emphasized their commitment to a "life of service" through PSLF. Ho detailed their experience navigating the PSLF b more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The Quinn River Crossing Ranch, a historic cattle operation in Humboldt County, Nevada, has raised strong objections to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) proposal to list the bleached sandhill skipper butterfly as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). In a letter submitted on April 23, 2025, to the FWS, ranch owner S. Wallace Slough and manager Timothy A. Dufurrena argue that the listing lacks scientific justification and could devastate the ran more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- Seafreeze Ltd., a commercial fishing company headquartered in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, has called on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to roll back several federal regulations it argues are stifling the fishing industry. In a May 1, 2025 letter to OMB Director Russell T. Vought, the company outlined four specific regulatory burdens it believes should be permanently rescinded. Meghan Lapp, Fisheries Liaison for Seafreeze Ltd. and Seafreeze Shoreside, stated in more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- Riverkeeper Inc., an environmental advocacy organization based in Ossining, New York, has submitted detailed comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Washington, D.C., pressing for substantial funding for water and wastewater infrastructure projects across New York State through the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024. In a letter addressed to Ms. Amy Frantz, CEW-P, Dan Shapley, Senior Director of Advocacy, Policy and Planning at Riverkeep more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The Rural Nevada Development Corporation (RNDC), located in Ely, has expressed its support for Deseret Generation and Transmission Cooperative's permit applications for its Bonanza Power Plant. In a communication recently forwarded within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 8, RNDC CEO Mary Kerner highlighted the projects' importance. Kerner, in an email dated April 2, 2025, to EPA Environmental Engineer Suman Kunwar, emphasized that the permit applicatio more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The San Antonio River Authority, in Texas, has submitted a comment to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, urging adherence to the directives outlined in the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA 2024) regarding the Westside Creeks Ecosystem Restoration Project. In a letter addressed to Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) D. Lee Forsgren, General Manager Derek Boese emphasized the project's importance, stating, "The Westside Creeks Pr more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The Fisheries Survival Fund (FSF), representing nearly 150 small-business scallop vessels, has petitioned the U.S. Department of Commerce to open a rotational scallop fishing area in the Closed Area II Habitat Management Area (CAII HMA) on the Northern Edge of Georges Bank. Filed on April 28, 2025, the petition argues that the current ban on scallop fishing in this area, enforced under 50 C.F.R. Sec. 648.370(g), imposes severe economic costs without delivering promised envi more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- Clean Water SoCal, an association based in California representing over 80 wastewater treatment agencies, has formally requested the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) Test of Significant Toxicity (TST) guidance. In a letter submitted on April 17, 2025, the organization argued that the guidance is an unreliable and unlawfully implemented regulation that puts its members in "compliance jeopardy unnecessarily." Clean more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), located in Hawthorne, California, has called on the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to address significant issues with commercial space launch and reentry regulations. In a May 5, 2025, letter, SpaceX argued that the FAA's current regulatory framework, particularly Part 450, has led to "delays and confusion, upending years of operational precedent." The world's leading spac more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The Tompkins County Water Resources Council (TCWRC) is urging the Trump Administration to reinstate executive orders that give standing to long-held National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations. In a March 20, 2025, letter to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the advisory board voiced concerns that removing these decades-old regulations would create confusion, lead to legal challenges, and increase delays in environmental reviews. The TCWRC, an advisory b more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- Trout Unlimited (TU), a national conservation organization with over 350,000 members, has submitted comments on the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) Proposed Interim Final Rule regarding the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In its March 21, 2025, letter, TU highlighted the importance of NEPA for public participation in decisions affecting America's waters and stressed the need for an open, science-driven process. TU, whose mission focuses on caring for riv more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has submitted a supplemental comment to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) regarding the proposed listing of the monarch butterfly as a threatened species. In the letter, dated May 9, 2025, the USDA focused on pesticide application and highlighted what it considers "substantial and ongoing" efforts by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to mitigate pesticide spray drift. The FWS had specifically requested information on more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The Duchesne County Water Conservancy District (DCWCD), located in Roosevelt, Utah, has announced its strong support for Deseret Generation and Transmission Co-operative's proposed upgrades at the Bonanza Power Plant. In a letter dated March 31, 2025, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), DCWCD General Manager Clyde Watkins urged the approval of permits for installing Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology and new Gas Peaking Units. The DCWCD, which se more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is calling on the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to significantly reform several federal regulations and guidance procedures, arguing that current rules create unnecessary delays, impose hefty administrative burdens, and increase costs for vital transportation projects. In a detailed response dated May 5, 2025, to a USDOT Request for Information on "Ensuring Lawful Regulation; Reducing Regulation and Controlling Re more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- Clean Water SoCal, an association representing over 80 wastewater treatment agencies in Southern California, has formally requested the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) Test of Significant Toxicity (TST) guidance. In a letter submitted on April 17, 2025, the organization argued that the guidance, issued in 2010, is an unreliable and unlawfully implemented regulation that puts its members in "compliance jeopardy un more ST

WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The Western States Sheriffs Association (WSSA), representing over 1200 sheriffs across 18 states west of the Mississippi River, has called on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to rescind a U.S. Forest Service (USFS) rule that grants federal authority over personal property crimes and crimes against persons on National Forest System lands. In a May 5, 2025 letter to OMB Director Russell T. Vought, the WSSA President argued the rule oversteps state jurisdiction and ra more ST