The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has told several lawmakers it aims to end its freeze on grants and contracts late Friday, congressional aides said. The freeze had led to widespread concerns in states and cities about whether there would be delays in efforts to monitor and clean up toxic pollution, particularly lead pollution in drinking water, that would put the health of citizens at risk. President Donald Trump’s administration on Monday had asked the EPA to temporarily freeze grants, contracts and interagency agreements pending a review. The EPA allocates $4 billion worth of contracts annually on projects ranging from cleaning up polluted industrial sites, and testing of air and water quality. The […]