President TrumpDonald John TrumpFederal judge shoots down Texas proclamation allowing one ballot drop-off location per county Nine people who attended Trump rally in Minnesota contracted coronavirus Schiff: If Trump wanted more infections ‘would he be doing anything different?’ MORE‘s tax records reveal that the president engineered a windfall of more than $21 million during his 2016 presidential run, The New York Times reported Friday.

A hotel Trump owns with casino mogul Phil Ruffin in Las Vegas made payments to several companies Trump controlled, and that money then flowed to the president himself. The hotel wrote off the payments as a business expense, the Times said.

The Times’s story is based on tax records of the president. The newspaper previously reported after examining the president’s tax records that he has paid little-to-no federal income taxes in recent years, including $750 in each of 2016 and 2017.

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The Times reported that the payments came at a time when Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign was in need of funds and many of his businesses were losing money. The tax records don’t indicate whether the payments helped Trump’s campaign, his businesses, or both, the newspaper said.

Trump’s tax records don’t indicate exactly when the payments were made and where the joint venture between the president and Ruffin got the money to make them. But the Times noted that seven weeks before the 2016 election, the venture borrowed $30 million from City National Bank. Trump signed the loan documents and Ruffin personally guaranteed most of the loan amount in the event the business couldn’t pay the loan.

Tax and campaign finance experts told the Times that the hotel’s deduction of the payments would be problematic if the payments were not used for a legitimate business expense. The experts said that the payments could also be illegal campaign contributions if they were not legitimate and were used to finance Trump’s 2016 campaign for the White House.

White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement to the Times that the article is “yet another politically motivated hit piece inaccurately smearing a standard business deal.” Deere also said that “during his years as a successful businessman, Donald Trump was longtime partners with Phil Ruffin and earned whatever payments he received.”

A spokesperson for Ruffin said that Ruffin was not involved in the hotel’s day-to-day operations and that “all tax statements go to the people who work on his taxes.”

TGIF! Welcome to Overnight Energy, The Hill’s roundup of the latest energy and environment news. Please send tips and comments to Rebecca Beitsch at rbeitsch@thehill.com. Follow her on Twitter: @rebeccabeitsch. Reach Rachel Frazin at rfrazin@thehill.com or follow her on Twitter: @RachelFrazin.

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SWAMP THING: Federal officials are continuing to express concerns about the potential environmental impacts of a proposed titanium mine near the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia while the company behind it has allegedly pushed back against the idea of a major government assessment of those impacts. 

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In documents newly obtained by Defenders of Wildlife and shared with The Hill, officials say that the mine may pose environmental risks to the swamp and express doubt over an assessment by the company, Twin Pines Minerals LLC. 

Although officials have previously raised concerns about the project, the new documents show continued concern after Twin Pines submitted a proposal to reduce the size of the area that would be mined. 

And in additional documents that were previously reported, a governmental official says that Twin Pines alleged that a government environmental impact statement (EIS) on the mine would be bad for business and offered an alternative. 

Twin Pines President Steve Ingle said in a statement provided to The Hill that studies have shown that the project will not impact water levels.

He added that the company would welcome an “environmental review” but said that an EIS would be extremely costly and time consuming. 

In a comment dated May 28, Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) field supervisor Donald Imm wrote that the mine could harm the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. 

“We have concerns that the proposed project may pose risks to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (OKENWR) and the natural environment due to the location, associated activities, and cumulative effects of similar projects in the area,” he said. “We opine that the impacts are not sufficiently known and whatever is done may be permanent.” 

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Imm’s letter raised concerns about the impacts to both the environment and animal species and noted the importance of the swamp on the area’s tourism economy. 

And an assessment dated July 17 by an FWS hydrologist raised what it described as “errors in conclusions drawn concerning the impact of proposed mining on swamps to the west of the 2020 proposed mining area.”

Meanwhile, an Army Corps of Engineers official said in a previously reported email from January that “the applicant was adamant that doing the EIS right now was unacceptable for his business, but did not necessarily dispute the fact that one was likely necessary at some point.”

“Instead, they offered the option of reducing the project such that it would be a 2-3 year ‘demonstration project’ which would allow some work to commence and collect data in support of the larger overall project,” the email said. 

The company had initially proposed mining 1,450 acres in 2019, but withdrew that permit application in February, just weeks after the email saying it had offered the option of the reduced project. 

And in March it submitted an application for a permit for a “demonstration mining project for a reduced mining area of approximately 898 acres.”

In response to the documents, Ingle said in a statement that “questions have been raised, but they have been answered.”

“Extensive studies have demonstrated conclusively that the proposed mine will have no impact on water levels in the Okefenokee Swamp. The original study was performed by Dr. Robert Holt, world-renowned hydrogeologist and professor of geology and geological engineering at the University of Mississippi, and it was confirmed by hydrologists and geologists at the University of Alabama,” Ingle said. 

“Dr. Holt has also addressed the questions presented by FWS. Meanwhile, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reviewed the study and stated that it agrees with Dr. Holt’s conclusions,” he added. 

Ingle also said that the company would welcome “environmental review” but said that formal environmental impact statements are “bureaucratic exercises that cost millions of dollars and take many years to complete.”   

“EIS is rarely required for activities on private land,” he said. “There was no reason why an EIS should have been required even for the original project.”

He added that the Army Corps “acknowledged that an EIS was not required” for the downsized project. 

Read more about the project and new documents here.

WINDOW PAINS: President TrumpDonald John TrumpFederal judge shoots down Texas proclamation allowing one ballot drop-off location per county Nine people who attended Trump rally in Minnesota contracted coronavirus Schiff: If Trump wanted more infections ‘would he be doing anything different?’ MORE bashed the Green New Deal during a phone interview Thursday evening, incorrectly telling Fox News host Sean HannitySean Patrick HannityOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Federal officials press concerns about proposed mine near Georgia swamp, documents show | Trump falsely claims Green New Deal calls for ‘tiny little windows’ | Interior appeals migratory bird ruling Trump to hold first White House event after coronavirus diagnosis Trump unlikely to host campaign rallies this weekend MORE that it would require builders to use “tiny little windows.”

The climate change-fighting resolution sponsored by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Federal officials press concerns about proposed mine near Georgia swamp, documents show | Trump falsely claims Green New Deal calls for ‘tiny little windows’ | Interior appeals migratory bird ruling Trump falsely claims Green New Deal calls for ‘tiny little windows’ Ocasio-Cortez claps back at Pence calling her ‘AOC’ during debate MORE (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed MarkeyEdward (Ed) John MarkeyOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Federal officials press concerns about proposed mine near Georgia swamp, documents show | Trump falsely claims Green New Deal calls for ‘tiny little windows’ | Interior appeals migratory bird ruling Trump falsely claims Green New Deal calls for ‘tiny little windows’ Joe Biden should stop ducking the court-packing issue MORE (D-Mass.) has been a favored line of attack for Republicans, who often point to policy proposals not actually included in the legislation.

“I mean they literally want to take buildings down and rebuild them with tiny little windows, OK, little windows so you can’t see out, you can’t see the light,” Trump said. 

“Our country will be a Ninth World country, not a Third World country” if the plan is implemented, he added.

The president also said the deal was conceived of “by not smart people — AOC plus three.”

Windows are never mentioned in the 14-page Green New Deal, which is more of a vision for fighting climate change and spurring economic growth than a specific prescription. 

“In case anyone was worried, tiny windows are not a part of the Green New Deal,” Sunrise Movement, a youth climate group that backs the effort, wrote on Twitter.

“We are anti-tiny window.”

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The Green New Deal does call for making buildings — a major consumer of energy — more efficient.

The U.S. should upgrade “all existing buildings in the United States and building new buildings to achieve maximum energy efficiency, water efficiency, safety, affordability, comfort, and durability, including through electrification,” the resolution states.

Read more about Trump’s comments here. 

IN LEGAL NEWS: 

Struck down… A federal court on Thursday struck down an Obama-era regulation targeting methane leaks from drilling on public lands, arguing that it went beyond the scope of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which promulgated the rule. 

The 2016 rule required oil and gas companies to cut a practice called flaring, in which natural gas is burned, by half, inspect their sites for leaks and replace old equipment that released too much methane. 

The court argued that although the rule’s stated purpose was to reduce waste, it was essentially used to regulate air quality, which is not the job of the BLM. 

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“Although the stated purpose of the Rule is waste prevention, significant aspects of the Rule evidence its primary purpose being driven by an effort to regulate air emissions, particularly greenhouse gases,” wrote Judge Scott Skavdahl, an Obama appointee. 

Skavdahl particularly noted that the rule’s cost-benefit analysis only showed the rule to be beneficial “if the ancillary benefits to global climate change are factored in.”

Read more details on the late Thursday ruling here. 

Appealing… The Department of the Interior plans to appeal a court ruling saying its memo justifying their ability to scale back projections for migratory birds was “contrary to law.”

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) has for over 100 years offered protections to 1,000 different types of birds, instigating penalties for companies whose projects or infrastructure harm them.

But a 2017 legal opinion from now-Interior Solicitor Daniel Jorjani advised punishing the oil and gas industry, construction companies and others only if their work intentionally kills birds, ending the practice of punishing companies that “incidentally” kill birds.

“The opinion freezes the MBTA in time as a hunting-regulation statute, preventing it from addressing modern threats to migrating bird populations,” a judge wrote in a decision vacating the opinion, calling it “an unpersuasive interpretation of the MBTA’s unambiguous prohibition on killing protected birds.”

Friday’s filing offers no details on Interior’s legal argument, but the department criticized the court’s decision at the time, saying it “undermines a common sense interpretation of the law and runs contrary to recent efforts, shared across the political spectrum, to de-criminalize unintentional conduct.”

The youths… More than 600 law students pledged to boycott the firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP until it drops its client ExxonMobil. 

“We won’t work for you as long as you’re working for ExxonMobil — and literally hundreds of students from your top recruitment schools have made the same pledge. If you want our generation’s talent, stop helping to destroy our generation’s future,” William Rose, a second-year student at NYU School of Law, said in a release.

OUTSIDE (AND INSIDE) THE BELTWAY:

With new letter, Alaska GOP Gov. Dunleavy stands alone in Pebble’s defense, Alaska Public Media reports

Federal scientists want to study how the virus interacts with wildlife—but they say a Trump appointee is stopping them, Wired reports

Trump’s EPA claimed ‘success’ in Superfund cleanups — but climate change went unaddressed, report NBC News,  InsideClimate News and The Texas Observer

ICYMI: Stories from Friday…

Court strikes down Obama-era rule targeting methane leaks from public lands drilling

Trump falsely claims Green New Deal calls for ‘tiny little windows‘

Federal officials continue to raise concerns about proposed mine near Georgia swamp, documents show

Duke Energy seeks net-zero methane by 2030

The head of Instagram on Tuesday warned that the Trump administration’s push to ban the Chinese-owned app TikTok could set a precedent leading to global bans of U.S.-based social media companies, including Instagram and its parent company, Facebook. 

“I think the important thing is that if the U.S. ends up banning TikTok, that sets a really powerful precedent for companies all over the world to ban companies like Instagram or Facebook,” Instagram’s Adam Mosseri said on NBC’s “Today.”

“And I think a lot of U.S. companies benefit greatly, like ours, from being able to operate all over the world,” Mosseri continued. “And the risk of that precedent being set or pushed forward, I think is much greater than the benefit we have from slowing down a competitor.”

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The Trump administration has challenged the immensely popular video-sharing app for months due to potential security concerns the administration has raised. The concerns around TikTok are related to the Trump administration’s larger efforts to clamp down on Chinese tech companies amid rising tensions between the two nations.

Asked if he is concerned about the national security risk U.S. officials have raised about TikTok, Mosseri said regulation would be better suited to serve concerns rather than a ban. 

“I think there are other ways to address those risks than forcing a sale or banning an app outright. I think regulation makes much more sense,” he said. 

A federal judge last month temporarily blocked the federal ban on the app, allowing TikTok to operate normally in the U.S. at least until a full court hearing can be held. The order blocks a Commerce Department deadline that would have removed TikTok from app stores on Sept. 27. 

A proposed TikTok deal under consideration by Beijing and Washington would establish a U.S.-headquartered TikTok Global and include a partnership with two American companies, Oracle and Walmart, while preserving the involvement of Beijing-based ByteDance. 

Mosseri, who was in charge of the news feed at Facebook in 2016, also addressed the scrutiny over social media companies’ handling of misinformation spreading on platforms, including from foreign adversaries seeking to influence the election. 

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He said the wake of the election four years ago was a “learning moment for us.”

“It took us too long to focus on the negative that can come from connecting so many people at scale. So I think the biggest takeaway is we should have started investing more years earlier than we did and we’ve been playing catch up since then,” he said. 

Mosseri said he is “really proud of the work that we’ve done in the last four years” but conceded that companies are not where they need to be yet. 

“But the key takeaway for me was we were too late and we need to invest more to catch up,” he said. 

Instagram unveiled a new feature Tuesday, on the company’s 10th anniversary, aimed at combating issues with offensive comments. The app will start automatically hiding comments similar to those that have been reported. 

The Supreme Court on Monday reinstated a restriction in South Carolina requiring that absentee voters provide a witness signature along with their ballot.

The ruling was a win for Republicans who had asked the justices to revive the rule in order to mitigate potential voter fraud, though election law experts say their concerns are not based in reality and that mail-in voting is safe.

The order largely reversed a lower court that had sided with challengers who said the need to obtain a witness signature created an unconstitutional burden on voting rights during the pandemic. But the order does not apply to votes that were already cast or are received within the next two days.

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The restriction is likely to have a greater impact on supporters of Democratic nominee Joe BidenJoe BidenState Department revokes visa of Giuliani-linked Ukrainian ally: report Biden says he should not have called Trump a clown in first debate Biden inquired about calling Trump after coronavirus diagnosis MORE, who are more likely than President TrumpDonald John TrumpState Department revokes visa of Giuliani-linked Ukrainian ally: report White House Gift Shop selling ‘Trump Defeats COVID’ commemorative coin Biden says he should not have called Trump a clown in first debate MORE’s backers to vote by mail.

The development comes as recent polling shows that Trump and Biden are in a statistical dead heat in South Carolina, which has not gone for the Democratic nominee in more than 40 years.

Justice Brett KavanaughBrett Michael KavanaughSupreme Court reinstates witness requirement for South Carolina absentee ballots Manchin becomes first Democrat to meet with Trump’s Supreme Court pick GOP super PAC preparing M ad blitz in South Carolina to boost Graham MORE, a Trump appointee, said reinstating the restriction is appropriate because it is supported by state election officials and could help avoid disruption that may accompany the lifting of the witness requirement just weeks away from the vote.

“For many years, this Court has repeatedly emphasized that federal courts ordinarily should not alter state election rules in the period close to an election,” Kavanaugh wrote.

The court’s more conservative members — Justices Clarence ThomasClarence ThomasSupreme Court reinstates witness requirement for South Carolina absentee ballots Supreme Court rejects bid by ex-Kentucky clerk who defied gay marriage ruling to block lawsuit Supreme Court could threaten Biden agenda MORE, Samuel AlitoSamuel AlitoSupreme Court reinstates witness requirement for South Carolina absentee ballots Supreme Court rejects bid by ex-Kentucky clerk who defied gay marriage ruling to block lawsuit ‘Long conference’ may signal direction of post-Ginsburg court MORE and Neil GorsuchNeil GorsuchSupreme Court reinstates witness requirement for South Carolina absentee ballots Manchin becomes first Democrat to meet with Trump’s Supreme Court pick Barrett ad war exceeds Kavanaugh fight MORE — would have gone further by requiring those who have already cast absentee ballots without a witness signature to vote again. 

There were no noted dissents from the order.

Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President TrumpDonald John TrumpFederal judge shoots down Texas proclamation allowing one ballot drop-off location per county Nine people who attended Trump rally in Minnesota contracted coronavirus Schiff: If Trump wanted more infections ‘would he be doing anything different?’ MORE’s Supreme Court nominee, submitted a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday showing she had previously signed on to an ad that referred to the Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion as “infamous” and called “for the unborn to be protected in law.” 

The ad, sponsored by the University of Notre Dame’s Faculty for Life and Fund to Protect Human Life, was published in 2013, according to Bloomberg. Barrett, who has served as a law professor at Notre Dame since 2002, joined more than a hundred other university members in signing the ad criticizing the 1973 abortion ruling. 

“In the 40 years since the Supreme Court’s infamous Roe v. Wade decision, over 55 million unborn children have been killed by abortions,” the ad started. 

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It continued, “We faculty and staff at the University of Notre Dame reaffirm our full support of our university’s commitment to the right to life, we renew our call for the unborn to be protected in law and welcomed in life, and we voice our love and support for the mothers who bear them.” 

The new filing comes as Democrats have called into question Barrett’s position on Roe v. Wade ahead of her confirmation hearing next week, with conservatives hoping a bolstered conservative majority on the court will revisit the decision legalizing abortion.

The filing follows a letter earlier this week from Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee to Assistant Attorney General Beth Williams asking for answers over the absence of a separate 2006 ad in the South Bend Tribune that Barrett signed in support of a statement opposing “abortion on demand” and supporting the “right to life.”

The panel’s 10 Democrats, led by Sen. Dianne FeinsteinDianne Emiel FeinsteinThe Hill’s Morning Report – Sponsored by Facebook – Pence, Harris spar over COVID-19 during policy-focused debate Harris: ‘Insulting’ to suggest she or Biden would attack someone for their faith Trump pick noncommittal on recusing from election-related cases MORE (Calif.), argued that the omission of the 2006 ad in materials given to the committee “raises concerns that the process of collecting materials responsive to the [committee], like the nomination process itself, has been rushed, for no legitimate reason.”

In a statement following Barrett’s letter to the Senate panel on Friday, aides to the Judiciary Committee emphasized that it is standard practice for nominees to provide updates for their nomination questionnaires. 

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Friday’s letter also discloses a lecture and a seminar Barrett gave in 2013 in her capacity as a Notre Dame law professor.

According to CNN, the seminar was co-sponsored by the school’s Right to Life club and constitutional studies minor, and the lecture was held by the law school’s Jus Vitae club, which has a mission “to promote, uphold, and defend the sanctity of all human life from the moment of conception to the point of natural death,” as stated on Notre Dame’s website. 

Trump officially announced Barrett’s nomination at a White House ceremony two weeks ago, with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamSouth Carolina Senate debate scrapped after Harrison calls for Graham to get COVID-19 test The Hill’s Morning Report – Sponsored by Facebook – Debate chaos as Trump balks at virtual format Harrison calls on Graham to take a COVID-19 test before debate MORE (R-S.C.) on Monday officially scheduling the panel to start its days-long hearing for Barrett on Oct. 12.

The announcement came as two top Republican members of the committee tested positive for the coronavirus after attending Barrett’s nomination ceremony, with another two members self-isolating.

Trump and Senate Republicans are pushing to confirm Barrett to the Supreme Court before Nov. 3, despite protests from Democrats that the winner of the election should put forward the next court pick.

Twitter announced a series of policy updates Friday aimed at countering the potential spread of misinformation around this year’s elections.

Starting Oct. 20, users will be asked to add their own comment before retweeting a post, essentially slowing down users from amplifying tweets. That change will last at least through Election Day.

Twitter will also change what shows up on timelines and in trends, removing posts that are recommended from people who users don’t follow.

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Trends will only be surfaced in the “For You” tab if they have additional context attached to them.

“Twitter has a critical role to play in protecting the integrity of the election conversation, and we encourage candidates, campaigns, news outlets and voters to use Twitter respectfully and to recognize our collective responsibility to the electorate to guarantee a safe, fair and legitimate democratic process this November,” Twitter executives Vijaya Gadde and Kayvon Beykpour wrote in a blog post.

Twitter will also add new labels to hide misleading tweets from popular accounts. If users try to share content that Twitter has flagged as false, a notice will warn them that they are about to share inaccurate information.

The platform further clarified its policy around premature election victory declarations, which will include labels and direct users to Twitter’s official election page.

Any tweet related to the election that encourages interference in the voting process, especially if it includes calls to violence, will be removed.

Most of the changes will be temporary, ending at some point after the election is called.

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The new safeguards come as internet platforms try to avoid a repeat of 2016, where many users were able to spread dangerous content with ease.

Facebook has pledged not to accept political ads in the week before the election, or run any of those ads immediately after polls close. Facebook does not fact-check political ads.

Google has said it will place a similar freeze on election-related ads after Nov. 3.

Senate Democrats’ top Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) watchdog is warning that the agency plans to withhold funds to clean contaminated land and drinking water sources in Seattle, Portland, New York and Washington, D.C., citing a directive from President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump and Biden’s plans would both add to the debt, analysis finds Trump says he will back specific relief measures hours after halting talks Trump lashes out at FDA over vaccine guidelines MORE to withhold federal funds from “anarchist” jurisdictions.

“We have learned that EPA, in its internal meetings related to the policy, has begun to identify funding sources that could be subject to the directive, some of which are vital for the provision of safe drinking water and the remediation of contamination,” Environmental and Public Works Committee ranking member Tom CarperThomas (Tom) Richard CarperOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Democrats allege EPA plans to withhold funding from ‘anarchist’ cities | Montana asks court to throw out major public lands decisions after ousting BLM director | It’s unknown if fee reductions given to oil producers prevented shutdowns Democrats allege EPA plans to withhold funding from ‘anarchist’ cities Energy innovation bill can deliver jobs and climate progress MORE (D-Del.) wrote in a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew WheelerAndrew WheelerOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Democrats allege EPA plans to withhold funding from ‘anarchist’ cities | Montana asks court to throw out major public lands decisions after ousting BLM director | It’s unknown if fee reductions given to oil producers prevented shutdowns Democrats allege EPA plans to withhold funding from ‘anarchist’ cities OVERNIGHT ENERGY: EPA gives Oklahoma authority over many tribal environmental issues | More than 60 Democrats ask feds to reconsider Tongass logging plan | EPA faces decision on chemical linked to brain damage in children MORE.

“Setting aside the legally questionable and abhorrent nature of the President’s directive, EPA’s implementation thereof could endanger human health and the environment,” he continued in the letter, which was signed by six other Democrats. “We strongly urge you not to take any action that could result in the collective loss of more than a billion dollars of funding intended to clean up contamination and drinking water in these American cities.”

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The Sept. 2 directive from Trump said the administration would “not allow federal tax dollars to fund cities that allow themselves to deteriorate into lawless zones” — a nod to protests against racial inequalities taking place in major cities. 

EPA has already pushed ahead with the directive in New York.

A late September letter from Wheeler to New York Gov. Andrew CuomoAndrew CuomoOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Democrats allege EPA plans to withhold funding from ‘anarchist’ cities | Montana asks court to throw out major public lands decisions after ousting BLM director | It’s unknown if fee reductions given to oil producers prevented shutdowns Democrats allege EPA plans to withhold funding from ‘anarchist’ cities The Hill’s Morning Report – Sponsored by Facebook – Trump resumes maskless COVID-19 recovery at White House MORE (D) and New York City Mayor Bill de BlasioBill de BlasioOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Democrats allege EPA plans to withhold funding from ‘anarchist’ cities | Montana asks court to throw out major public lands decisions after ousting BLM director | It’s unknown if fee reductions given to oil producers prevented shutdowns Democrats allege EPA plans to withhold funding from ‘anarchist’ cities The Hill’s Morning Report – Sponsored by Facebook – Trump resumes maskless COVID-19 recovery at White House MORE (D)  characterized summer protests in the city as a danger to the EPA’s Manhattan office.

“If you cannot demonstrate that EPA employees will be safe accessing our New York City offices, then I will begin the process of looking for a new location for our regional headquarters outside of New York City that can maintain order. I have an obligation to our employees, and if the city is unwilling or incapable of doing its job, I will do mine and move them to a location that can competently fulfill the basic mission of a local government,” Wheeler wrote.

Carper called the move a “retaliatory threat [that] would waste taxpayer dollars and endanger the jobs of the nearly 600 people who work there.”

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EPA accused Carper and others of “peddling a false narrative to diminish the accomplishments of the Trump Administration.”

“EPA will continue to follow guidance from the White House in accordance with its statutory obligations,” agency spokeswoman Molly Block said in an email. 

Carper’s letter outlines millions designated for each city to help with clean water and contaminated areas.

Portland was invited to apply for $554 million in Water Infrastructure and Finance Innovation Act loans to improve its drinking water quality. Seattle got $192.2 million under the same grant program. D.C. got $158,000 in funding to test for lead in drinking water in schools along with roughly $20 million in other drinking water funds.

New York got $300,000 in Brownfields funding to clean up sites with “the intention of redeveloping vacant and abandoned properties and turning them into community assets such as housing, recreation and open space, health facilities, social services and commerce opportunities.”

Carper identified each as “funding that EPA may seek to halt, deny or rescind.”

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Welcome to Friday’s Overnight Health Care. President TrumpDonald John TrumpFederal judge shoots down Texas proclamation allowing one ballot drop-off location per county Nine people who attended Trump rally in Minnesota contracted coronavirus Schiff: If Trump wanted more infections ‘would he be doing anything different?’ MORE is returning to in-person events, the stimulus talks are maybe sort-of alive again, and the CDC warns about the spread of the virus among young people. But we’ll start with Dr. Fauci weighing in on the White House. 

A stark assessment from Dr. Fauci: ‘We had a superspreader event in the White House’

Anthony FauciAnthony FauciNine people who attended Trump rally in Minnesota contracted coronavirus Schiff: If Trump wanted more infections ‘would he be doing anything different?’ Trump gives overview of COVID-19 case in first on-camera interview since diagnosis MORE, the government’s top infectious disease expert, said Friday that there was a “superspreader event” at the White House, amid an outbreak of cases among the president and staff. 

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“Well, I think the data speak for themselves. We had a superspreader event in the White House, and it was in a situation where people were crowded together and were not wearing masks,” Fauci told CBS News Radio.

His remarks came in response to a question about the lack of mask-wearing at the White House, and whether testing alone could stop the virus from spreading.

At least 34 White House staffers and contacts have been infected, according to a Federal Emergency Management Agency memo obtained by ABC News.

Many of the individuals who have tested positive attended a Sept. 26 event at the White House where Trump announced the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. The event featured a crowd of people sitting close together in the White House Rose Garden, with many not wearing masks, as well as indoor activities.

Read more here.

And now, Trump to hold an in-person event on Saturday:

President Trump plans to hold an in-person event at the White House on Saturday, an official confirmed to The Hill, his first public engagement since being diagnosed with the coronavirus last week.

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ABC News, which first reported the plans, said that Trump would speak to an audience on the South Lawn from the balcony of the White House at an event being billed to invitees as “remarks to peaceful protesters for law and order.”

It is not clear how many individuals will attend the outdoor event. The setup suggests that Trump will not be close to any of his guests. 

More on that here.

Even though the White House has repeatedly refused to disclose when Trump’s last negative test was, his doctor said he should be able to make a “safe return” to public events by Saturday. Read more on that here. 

The latest in a dizzying series of turns on the stimulus talks: Trump proposes a $1.8T coronavirus relief package 

Inching closer to Democrats’ demands, President Trump and his aides on Friday offered Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiLoeffler unveils resolution condemning Pelosi for comments on 25th Amendment On The Money: Trump fuels and frustrates COVID-19 relief talks | Trump proposes .8T coronavirus relief package | Vegas ties helped Trump score M windfall in 2016 Trump fuels and frustrates COVID-19 relief talks MORE (D-Calif.) a $1.8 trillion coronavirus relief package, sources said, as the president urged the negotiators to “go big.”

The new figure was a jump from the White House’s $1.6 trillion offer last week, but there was no indication that Pelosi would come down from her demand for a $2.2 trillion package. 

“Covid Relief Negotiations are moving along. Go Big!” Trump tweeted on Friday morning, a striking reversal from his position on Tuesday when he said he would walk away from negotiations with Democrats on a comprehensive relief bill to assist businesses and American workers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

And in a sign of how much the president has oscillated on the issue, Trump told conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh in an interview later Friday afternoon that he wanted a larger package that either Democrats or Republicans have offered, representing a break with what his own White House is now offering Capitol Hill. 

Read more here.

CDC study: ‘Urgent need’ to slow spread of coronavirus among young adults

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study released Friday warned that there is an “urgent need” to address the spread of the coronavirus among young adults. 

The study found that increases among transmission in younger people are often a precursor to transmission among older, higher-risk people. 

The findings “provide evidence that among young adults, those aged 18–24 years demonstrate the earliest increases in percent positivity; and underscore the importance of reducing transmission from younger populations to those at highest risk for severe illness or death,” the study said. 

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“Addressing transmission among young adults is an urgent public health priority,” it added.

The CDC study’s emphasis on slowing the spread of the virus among young people stands in contrast to the strategy often articulated by President Trump to “protect the vulnerable” while allowing younger, lower-risk people to go on with their lives. 

Read more here. 

US sees highest number of new coronavirus cases since August

The United States on Thursday reported more than 56,000 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, making it the country’s highest daily increase since mid-August, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. 

The increase brings the total number of U.S. cases to more than 7.6 million, with nearly 213,000 deaths. 

According to the data, Wisconsin also reached a record with more than 3,000 coronavirus cases confirmed on Thursday. The state’s department of health reported a seven-day average of 2,381 new cases. 

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In a tweet Thursday evening following reports of the record increase, Wisconsin Gov. Tony EversTony EversOvernight Health Care: Fauci: ‘We had a superspreader event in the White House’ | Trump to hold an in-person event on Saturday | Trump proposes a .8T relief package US sees highest number of new coronavirus cases since August Police officer in fatal shooting of Alvin Cole won’t be charged; Wisconsin governor activates National Guard MORE (D) called on residents to “get back to the basics in fighting this virus,” urging everyone to “please stay home, limit gatherings and travel, and wear a mask whenever you go out so we can flatten the curve and get back on track.” 

Read more here. 

What we’re reading

Hope HicksHope Charlotte HicksThe Memo: Trump searches for path to comeback Overnight Health Care: Fauci: ‘We had a superspreader event in the White House’ | Trump to hold an in-person event on Saturday | Trump proposes a .8T relief package Fauci: ‘We had a superspreader event in the White House’ MORE returned to the White House to pull Trump across the finish line. Then coronavirus hit. (Washington Post)

Chris ChristieChris ChristieGOP Rep. Mike Bost tests positive for COVID-19 Deadline accidentally publishes story about Pence being diagnosed with COVID-19 Overnight Health Care: Regeneron asks for emergency authorization of coronavirus treatment Trump received | McConnell says he hasn’t visited White House in two months due to coronavirus | Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums rise 4 percent MORE still battles coronavirus as other senior Republicans try to carry on (CNN)

A New Study Confirms Remdesivir’s Effectiveness as a Coronavirus Treatment (Time)  

State by state

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Governor says surge in Ohio’s coronavirus cases isn’t coming from bars and restaurants (Fox 8) 

Minnesota loosens bar rules put in place for the coronavirus (Associated Press) 

Wisconsin shatters previous daily coronavirus records, reporting more than 3,000 new cases, more than 900 hospitalized (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) 

Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums rose 4 percent over the past year, outpacing the increase in workers’ wages and the rate of inflation, according to an analysis released Thursday by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Average annual premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance are now $7,470 for a single plan and $21,342 for a family plan, up 4 percent from the previous year. Those dollar amounts include both worker and employer contributions.

Meanwhile, wages increased by 3.4 percent alongside 2.1 percent inflation. 

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About 157 million people get their insurance through work, and the costs have steadily risen over the years.

The average premium for family coverage, including the employer contribution, has increased 22 percent over the last five years and 55 percent over the last decade.

In 2020, on average, workers contributed 17 percent of the premium for single coverage — about $1,243 — and 27 percent for family coverage, or about $5,588.

Rising health care costs have been one of the reasons behind stagnant wages.

Eighty-three percent of covered workers had an annual deductible for single coverage that must be met because most services are paid for by the plan, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation analysis.

The average deductible for single coverage was $1,644 in 2020, similar to the average deductible last year.

Sixty-five percent of covered workers have coinsurance that requires they pay for a percentage of their care of meeting their deductible.

The analysis concluded that health care costs were stable in 2020, with premium increases modest and consistent with recent years. However, as the analysis was conducted in the early days of the pandemic, it doesn’t address how employers responded to it.