From: Nation of Change
"Environmentalists are furious over the change. “Taking the element of surprise away from inspections decreases their effectiveness, for obvious reasons,” said Tim Whitehouse, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), the watchdog group that broke the news of the change. The EPA says that there will still be surprise inspections at facilities but only after state regulators are aware. This will allow a partnership to form between the EPA and states so there is an “understanding between EPA and the State regarding confidentiality and “whether or when” a facility would get advance notice of an inspection.”"