Federal Independent Agencies
Here's a look at documents from federal independent agencies
Featured Stories
ACUS Requests Public Input on Frontline Decision Making in the Adjudication of Applications
WASHINGTON, April 24 -- The Administrative Conference of the United States issued the following news release:
* * *
ACUS Requests Public Input on Frontline Decision Making in the Adjudication of Applications
The Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) is soliciting public input on frontline decision making in the adjudication of applications.
Many federal programs involve the adjudication of applications for benefits, loans, grants, licenses, and the like. In many of these programs, parties are legally entitled to an opportunity for a hearing before a federal agency adjudicator
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 24 -- The Administrative Conference of the United States issued the following news release:
* * *
ACUS Requests Public Input on Frontline Decision Making in the Adjudication of Applications
The Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) is soliciting public input on frontline decision making in the adjudication of applications.
Many federal programs involve the adjudication of applications for benefits, loans, grants, licenses, and the like. In many of these programs, parties are legally entitled to an opportunity for a hearing before a federal agency adjudicatorsuch as an administrative law judge (ALJ) or administrative judge (AJ).
Before proceeding to a hearing, many agencies first attempt to adjudicate applications and resolve cases through processes--sometimes referred to as "frontline"--that are less trial-like. For example, upon receiving an application, agency personnel may work with the applicant to develop an adequate record for decision making. A "frontline" decision maker--not an ALJ or AJ--may then render an initial determination based on a review of the application and supporting documentation.
Through this request for public input, and the project more broadly, ACUS seeks to learn more about all aspects of frontline decision making in the adjudication of applications in which there is a later opportunity for a hearing, including the personnel involved in frontline processes; the processes used to develop records and decide cases prior to the hearing stage; the relationship between frontline and hearing-level proceedings, including how evidence obtained and findings made in frontline proceedings may be used at the hearing level; the development and communication of relevant policies; quality assurance and strategies for promoting timeliness; and interactions between frontline components and other agency components, including those responsible for more formal adjudication and policy development.
The request for information is available on ACUS's website at https://www.acus.gov/document/frontline-decision-making-adjudication-applications-request-comments and will be published in the Federal Register next week.
All interested persons are encouraged to submit views, data, and information. Submissions will be used as part of a study being conducted by Professor Amy Widman (Rutgers Law School) and, ultimately, to make recommendations for action by federal agencies, the President, and Congress.
Comments should be submitted by 10:00 am ET on Friday, June 26, 2026, to info@acus.gov (with "Frontline Decision Making in the Adjudication of Applications" in the subject line of the message).
To learn more about the project, visit https://www.acus.gov/projects/frontline-decision-making-adjudication-applications.
* * *
About ACUS
The Administrative Conference of the United States is an independent, non-partisan federal agency within the executive branch dedicated to improving administrative law and federal regulatory processes. It conducts applied research, and provides expert recommendations and other advice, to improve federal agency procedures. Its membership is composed of senior federal officials, academics, and other experts from the private sector. Since 1968, ACUS has issued hundreds of recommendations, published reports and reference guides, and organized forums to improve the efficiency, adequacy, and fairness of administrative processes such as rulemaking and adjudication. Many have resulted in reforms by federal agencies, the President, Congress, and the Judicial Conference of the United States. Learn more at www.acus.gov.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.acus.gov/article/acus-requests-public-input-frontline-decision-making-adjudication-applications
Trump EPA Updates PFAS Destruction and Disposal Guidance to Protect American Communities
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
* * *
Trump EPA Updates PFAS Destruction and Disposal Guidance to Protect American Communities
*
Updated gold-standard science identifies the most effective methods to destroy or dispose of PFAS
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is providing updated, science-backed guidance for the destruction and disposal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The updated interim guidance reflects the most recent data available and is designed to give states, utilities, waste
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
* * *
Trump EPA Updates PFAS Destruction and Disposal Guidance to Protect American Communities
*
Updated gold-standard science identifies the most effective methods to destroy or dispose of PFAS
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is providing updated, science-backed guidance for the destruction and disposal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The updated interim guidance reflects the most recent data available and is designed to give states, utilities, wastehandlers, and local communities the information they need to manage these chemicals safely and protect human health.
"Keeping Americans safe from PFAS exposure is a top priority and a key part of the Trump EPA's unwavering commitment to Make America Healthy Again," said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. "This updated guidance identifies approaches to manage PFAS waste using the best available gold-standard science, so communities across the country can be confident that these chemicals are being managed, disposed of and destroyed in ways that safeguard their health and their environment."
PFAS are widely used, long-lasting chemicals that break down very slowly over time. Because of their persistence in the environment, they should be destroyed or disposed of in a safe way that mitigates risks to nearby communities. EPA continuously reviews the latest data on destruction and disposal techniques to identify approaches that best protect human health and the environment. EPA's updated guidance recommends technologies with the lowest potential for releasing PFAS to the environment based on site-specific conditions, including three existing technologies that stand out for having lower potential for environmental release of PFAS than other technologies:
* Using Class I underground injection wells for long-term waste storage.
* Disposing PFAS in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act regulated hazardous waste landfills.
* Using hazardous waste combustors that operate under specific conditions to destroy PFAS and minimize harmful byproducts and air emissions.
EPA and other government, academic, and private sector institutions are working simultaneously to advance innovation, develop new technologies and methods, and better understand PFAS destruction. To support these developments, EPA's updated guidance also includes a new technology evaluation framework to assess the safety and effectiveness of emerging tools. In support of EPA's commitment to unparalleled transparency, the agency encourages technology developers and researchers to generate and publicly release data consistent with the principles of gold-standard science.
EPA will accept comments on the interim guidance for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. Comments will be used to help inform a future update of this guidance and can be submitted to the public docket at Regulations.gov Exit EPA's website, Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OLEM-2020-0527 Exit EPA's website.
Background
Administrator Zeldin has been fighting PFAS contamination since his time in Congress, where he helped found the PFAS Congressional Taskforce and supported legislation to fund community cleanup efforts. As a representative from Long Island, an area heavily affected by PFAS contamination, he has seen firsthand how these chemicals can impact families and communities. In February 2026, EPA announced the agency's accomplishments in the first year of the Trump Administration's second term.
During President Trump's first term, EPA convened a two-day National Leadership Summit on PFAS in Washington, D.C. that brought together more than 200 federal, state, and local leaders from across the country to discuss steps to address PFAS.
In 2019, the Trump EPA announced the PFAS Action Plan. This historic plan responded to extensive public interest and input the agency received and represented the first time EPA built a multi-media, multi-program, national communication and research plan to address an emerging environmental challenge like PFAS. EPA's Action Plan identified both short-term solutions for addressing these chemicals and long-term strategies that will help provide the tools and technologies states, tribes, and local communities need to provide clean and safe drinking water to their residents and to address PFAS at the source-even before it gets into the water. Find more information about President Trump's first-term successes on PFAS.
***
Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/trump-epa-updates-pfas-destruction-and-disposal-guidance-protect-american-communities
National Portrait Gallery Presents "The Spirit of Invention: Patent Office and Patentees"
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The Smithsonian Institution National Portrait Gallery issued the following news release on April 22, 2026:
* * *
National Portrait Gallery Presents "The Spirit of Invention: Patent Office and Patentees"
The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery will present "The Spirit of Invention: Patent Office and Patentees" June 26 through June 6, 2027. The exhibition will highlight the historic Patent Office Building, which served as the epicenter of American innovation and is now the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture. "The Spirit of Invention" is curated
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The Smithsonian Institution National Portrait Gallery issued the following news release on April 22, 2026:
* * *
National Portrait Gallery Presents "The Spirit of Invention: Patent Office and Patentees"
The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery will present "The Spirit of Invention: Patent Office and Patentees" June 26 through June 6, 2027. The exhibition will highlight the historic Patent Office Building, which served as the epicenter of American innovation and is now the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture. "The Spirit of Invention" is curatedby Senior Curator of Photographs Ann Shumard.
On July 4, 1836, President Andrew Jackson signed legislation to overhaul the nation's patent system and fund the construction of a purpose-built Patent Office in Washington, D.C. Completed in 1867, the Patent Office Building employed hundreds of staff and exhibited thousands of scale models of patented inventions. It later became the home of the National Portrait Gallery, which opened in 1968, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, which moved into the building that same year.
This exhibition traces the early history of the Patent Office through works from the museum's collection. Highlights include a painted portrait miniature of Jackson, who selected the building's site, plan and architect; a daguerreotype of inventor Samuel Morse; and an 1869 print depicting patent examiners at work during a surge in patent applications.
"The ability to patent inventions has long been a catalyst for innovation in the United States," Shumard said. "This exhibition spotlights both the historic Patent Office Building and early patentees whose inventions fueled the nation's technological advances."
Also on view will be rare daguerreotypes of patentees and historic prints representing the architecture of the Patent Office Building. Portraits of inventors include Thaddeus Lowe, who devised a portable hydrogen generator for reconnaissance balloons during the Civil War, and Abraham Lincoln, the only U.S. President to hold a patent.
"The Spirit of Invention: Patent Office and Patentees" will be presented in the Early Photography Alcove on the museum's first floor.
* * *
National Portrait Gallery
The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery tells the multifaceted story of the United States through the individuals who have shaped American culture. Spanning the visual arts, performing arts and new media, the Portrait Gallery portrays poets and presidents, visionaries and villains, actors and activists whose lives tell the nation's story.
The National Portrait Gallery is located at Eighth and G streets N.W., Washington, D.C. Smithsonian Information: (202) 633-1000. Connect with the museum at npg.si.edu and on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/national-portrait-gallery-presents-spirit-invention-patent-office-and-patentees
McOmber Delivers Earth Day Message: Spend Time Outdoors, Enjoy the Sense of Place our Green Spaces Provide
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
* * *
McOmber Delivers Earth Day Message: Spend Time Outdoors, Enjoy the Sense of Place our Green Spaces Provide
*
ATLANTA (April 23, 2026) - On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Southeast Regional Administrator Kevin McOmber reflected in an op-ed piece on his past experience as an engineer designing a public park in Suwanee, Georgia. He encouraged everyone to enjoy public green spaces, which benefit communities and economies.
I have seen up close how important
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
* * *
McOmber Delivers Earth Day Message: Spend Time Outdoors, Enjoy the Sense of Place our Green Spaces Provide
*
ATLANTA (April 23, 2026) - On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Southeast Regional Administrator Kevin McOmber reflected in an op-ed piece on his past experience as an engineer designing a public park in Suwanee, Georgia. He encouraged everyone to enjoy public green spaces, which benefit communities and economies.
I have seen up close how importantgreen spaces are to communities and experienced how they bring people together, improve our health, and enhance our environment.
Prior to joining EPA's Southeast Region, I designed a park for Suwanee, Georgia. The community wanted an identity and a sense of place. Today, Town Center Park serves as an anchor for the downtown, now alive with local businesses. The park serves as a gathering spot with open spaces, an amphitheater, and an interactive fountain for children.
Being a part of making Suwanee's vision a reality was satisfying. Now, I am proud to be one of many at EPA's Southeast Region working to make sure everyone has access to safe, healthy spaces to gather.
For the FIFA World Cup, more than a million people are expected to gather in Atlanta and Miami. EPA will monitor air at the global event to help protect the health of our guests and residents, as well as assist with programs for recycling and waste reuse.
In addition to our efforts surrounding the World Cup, we remain fully committed to projects that support of our mission to protect human health and the environment, including:
* Removing lead-contaminated soil at Atlanta's Lindsay Street Park as part of the Atlanta Westside Lead Superfund Site. We look forward to this park reopening this summer after City of Atlanta installs a playground.
* Awarding brownfields grants and lending our expertise to redevelopment projects such as cleaning up an old school in rural Ballard County, Kentucky. This will allow the site to be developed into retail shops and an event space, taking advantage of its location near the entry to a wildlife refuge.
* D eleting four superfund sites from the National Priorities List, which is a significant number of full deletions for a single year. One of these sites, Miami Drum Services, has already been returned to productive reuse.
* Collaborating with the Department of Energy to continue remediation at the Oak Ridge Reservation Superfund Site. Large portions of the site have already been redeveloped.
At EPA, every day is Earth Day. Green spaces are vital to our culture, well-being, and connectedness to our neighbors and the world around us. Please join me in enjoying this Earth Day, being a part of our wonderful outdoors and appreciating the sense of place that green spaces give us.
***
Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/mcomber-delivers-earth-day-message-spend-time-outdoors-enjoy-sense-place-our-green
GSA Advances Tech Talent Strategy with New Presidential Innovation Fellows Class
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The General Services Administration issued the following news release:
* * *
GSA Advances Tech Talent Strategy with New Presidential Innovation Fellows Class
*
Cohort joins growing federal technology workforce delivering on impactful priority projects
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the launch of the 2026 class of Presidential Innovation Fellows (PIF). The new PIF class showcases GSA's focus on hiring top technology talent to deliver on key Administration and priority projects.
"We are driving President Trump's mandate
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The General Services Administration issued the following news release:
* * *
GSA Advances Tech Talent Strategy with New Presidential Innovation Fellows Class
*
Cohort joins growing federal technology workforce delivering on impactful priority projects
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the launch of the 2026 class of Presidential Innovation Fellows (PIF). The new PIF class showcases GSA's focus on hiring top technology talent to deliver on key Administration and priority projects.
"We are driving President Trump's mandateto deliver the most skilled technology workforce in the history of the U.S. government," said GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst. "To achieve high-impact work that advances Administration priorities, we are embedding strong technical leaders who can perform with discipline and speed, filling critical skills gaps across our partner agencies and preparing them to meet the demands of the future."
The new cohort includes 17 technology experts from top tech companies, startups, and organizations around the country. They will begin a yearlong tour of duty in civil service, embedded at ten federal agencies:
* Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
* Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
* Department of Energy
* Department of State
* Department of Veterans Affairs
* Executive Office of the President
* National Institute of Standards and Technology
* National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
* U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
* U.S. Coast Guard
The PIF program embeds technology leaders across federal agencies to tackle the nation's most pressing innovation challenges. Using industry best practices, fellows advise, prototype, and scale solutions to significantly improve public services, such as:
* Developing AI-powered tools to accelerate the permitting of new infrastructure projects.
* Improving the nation's cyber defense through the implementation of the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act.
* Establishing an AI-ready Department of Veterans Affairs workforce and executing concrete AI and automation initiatives that improve veteran care delivery.
"This class of PIFs represents the highest standard of technical talent in the federal government," said Acting Director of Technology Transformation Services Greg Barbaccia. "Their advanced expertise will advise our partner agencies on how they can best scale, secure, and transform the technologies that power our government."
GSA is bringing in skilled technologists to support mission needs across the government. In addition to the new PIF cohort, GSA has recently hired top technology talent to drive impact across GSA priority programs, including Login.gov, TTS Engineering and USAi. The PIF program represents one of several pathways GSA is using to build federal technology capacity, alongside direct hiring authorities and other specialized recruitment programs.
PIF, part of Technology Transformation Services, has been housed within GSA since 2013. For more information about the program, the new fellows, and future opportunities, visit the Presidential Innovation Fellows website.
About GSA : GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government. GSA manages a nationwide real estate portfolio of approximately 360 million rentable square feet, oversees more than $126 billion in products and services via federal contracts, and delivers technology services to millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA's mission is to deliver exceptional customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.
Contact
press@gsa.gov
***
Original text here: https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/gsa-advances-tech-talent-strategy-with-new-presidential-innovation-fellows-class-04232026
EPA to host open house for the Centredale Manor Restoration Project Superfund Site and the Woonasquatucket River
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
* * *
EPA to host open house for the Centredale Manor Restoration Project Superfund Site and the Woonasquatucket River
*
BOSTON, MASS. (April 22, 2026) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold an open house Thursday, May 7, 2026, to update community members on the agency's investigation and cleanup activities at the Centredale Manor Restoration Project Superfund Site located in North Providence and Johnston, Rhode Island.
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Rhode
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
* * *
EPA to host open house for the Centredale Manor Restoration Project Superfund Site and the Woonasquatucket River
*
BOSTON, MASS. (April 22, 2026) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold an open house Thursday, May 7, 2026, to update community members on the agency's investigation and cleanup activities at the Centredale Manor Restoration Project Superfund Site located in North Providence and Johnston, Rhode Island.
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, RhodeIsland Department of Health and the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council will join EPA. Community members are invited to stop by to interact directly with representatives from the various agencies and ask questions about the site.
There will be no set presentation. Community members, including families, can stop by anytime within the 2-hour window. Spanish translation will be available.
What: Centredale Manor Restoration Project Superfund Site Open House
When: May 7, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Where: Centredale Elementary School, 41 Angell Ave, North Providence, RI
Background:
The Centredale Manor Restoration Project Superfund Site consists of a 9-acre source area and 1.5 miles of the Woonasquatucket River, including Lyman Mill and Allendale Ponds and its floodplain. The area is contaminated with dioxin and other contaminants from chemical production and drum reconditioning that took place on site from the 1940s to the 1970s. Following a thorough investigation and analysis and with public input, EPA decided on a remedy for addressing contamination at the Site in September 2012.
***
Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-host-open-house-centredale-manor-restoration-project-superfund-site-and
EPA Deputy Administrator Fotouhi Visits Auto Supply Facilities in Southeast Michigan, Advances Key Agency Pillar
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
* * *
EPA Deputy Administrator Fotouhi Visits Auto Supply Facilities in Southeast Michigan, Advances Key Agency Pillar
*
Ann Arbor, Michigan -Earlier this week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi traveled around Southeast Michigan to advance a key pillar of the Trump EPA's Powering the Great American Comeback initiative-protecting and bringing back American auto jobs. Over the course of two days, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi toured vehicle supply facilities
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
* * *
EPA Deputy Administrator Fotouhi Visits Auto Supply Facilities in Southeast Michigan, Advances Key Agency Pillar
*
Ann Arbor, Michigan -Earlier this week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi traveled around Southeast Michigan to advance a key pillar of the Trump EPA's Powering the Great American Comeback initiative-protecting and bringing back American auto jobs. Over the course of two days, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi toured vehicle supply facilitiesand met with Americans directly benefiting from the Trump EPA's deregulatory actions that are lowering prices, reshoring auto jobs, and restoring consumer choice. Since day one, the Trump Administration has prioritized the revival of the American auto industry, and EPA has worked diligently to achieve the President's agenda through cutting of burdensome red tape and implementing common-sense policies.
"Over the last year, EPA has worked to rescind or revise a number of misguided Obama and Biden-era regulations that were increasing costs and hampering job creators, without providing the human health or environmental benefit they were touted to bring," said EPA Deputy Administrator Fotouhi. "In stark contrast, this Administration is supporting American manufacturing and delivering billions in regulatory cost savings while providing tangible environmental results. It was great to see the positive effect this Administration's common-sense policies are having not only for auto manufacturers but also throughout the auto industry supply chain in Michigan and beyond."
On the morning of Monday, April 20, 2026, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi visited Umicore's Auburn Hills, Michigan facility. As a member of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), Umicore develops catalyst systems, an essential component of vehicle exhaust reduction. According to MEMA, the vehicle supply sector employs over 900,000 Americans directly and 4.8 million Americans indirectly, making it the largest manufacturing employer in the U.S.
Later in the afternoon, the Deputy Administrator toured the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) facility in Plymouth, Michigan. SEMA is comprised of businesses across the auto distribution chain from manufacturers to independent retailers. Each year, the SEMA show hosts the largest gathering of small businesses and provides an opportunity for these businesses to highlight their new vehicle aftermarket products. At each visit, it was clear that EPA's actions, such as ending the push towards an electric vehicle mandate, are being felt positively throughout the entire auto industry supply chain.
On Tuesday, April 21, 2026, the Deputy Administrator spent the day meeting with EPA staff and touring the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory at EPA's Ann Arbor office. He visited with the dedicated teams of EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality, who have worked tirelessly on landmark rules, including the repeal of the 2009 Endangerment Finding and the Renewable Fuel Standard "Set 2" final rule, and who are continuing to work to address Americans' concerns around system failures related to Diesel Exhaust Fluid and lowering fuel costs. He ended the visit by touring the agency's state-of-the-art National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory. EPA's lab provides a host of emission testing services for motor vehicle, heavy-duty engine, and nonroad engine programs in support of rulemakings, enforcement actions, and test procedures development. This includes certifying that vehicles and engines meet federal emissions and fuel economy standards, testing engines for in-use compliance, and analyzing fuels, fuel additives, and exhaust compounds.
Additionally, while in the area, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi joined WJR 'JR Mornings to discuss the decisive March 2026 action taken by the agency to issue temporary emergency fuel waivers to allow nationwide sales of E15, gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol, and to remove all federal impediments to selling E10, gasoline blended with 10 percent ethanol, across the country. Through these waivers, which will go into effect for most states on May 1, 2026, EPA is fortifying the domestic gasoline supply chain and providing Americans relief at the pumps.
***
Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-deputy-administrator-fotouhi-visits-auto-supply-facilities-southeast-michigan
