Washington, October 2 (RHC)-- In environmental news from the United States, the Trump administration has taken a number of steps in recent days to roll back environmental regulations and oversight.  The New York Times is reporting acting Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler has completed a proposal to weaken dramatically a major environmental regulation covering mercury, a toxic chemical emitted from coal-burning power plants. 

 Meanwhile, the U.S. Interior Department has proposed loosening major offshore drilling regulations that were put in place after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.  This all comes as the EPA has announced plans to dissolve its Office of the Science Advisor, which was created to give the head of the EPA sound advice about scientific research.