The environmental policy of the Donald Trump administration is a shift away from the priority policy and goals of its predecessor, Barack Obama. While Obama's environmental agenda prioritizes carbon emissions reductions through the use of clean renewable energy, the Trump administration has been working to increase the use of fossil fuels and environmental regulatory memos that he often calls a barrier to business. Both Trump and his Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt believe carbon dioxide is a major contributor to global warming. While the Trump campaign has proposed the abolition of the EPA and after its election he proposed a 31% cut for the 2018 EPA budget.
Trump has announced plans to pull the United States out of the Paris climate agreement. Immediately after its inauguration, the White House released "America's First Energy Plan", which focuses on increasing the burning of fossil fuels without mentioning renewable energy. The plan will deprive many of Obama's policies including the Climate Action Plan, and limit EPA's mission to protect air and water quality. In April 2018, Pruitt announced plans to cancel the Obama administration's auto fuel efficiency and emissions standards.
Within days of taking office he signed an executive order to approve two controversial oil pipelines and to request a federal review of the Clean Water Regulations and Cleaner Generator Plan. Trump called for more drilling in the park and has announced plans to open more federal land for energy development. The Trump Department of Home Affairs has announced plans to allow drilling in virtually all US waters, the largest expansion of offshore oil and gas leases ever proposed. The government has been tasked with rewriting EPA's pollution control policy from chemicals known as serious health risks to make them more friendly to the chemical industry.
Trump's appointment to key institutions dealing with energy and environmental policy reflects its commitment to deregulation, particularly the fossil fuel industry. Some of the people whose cabinet is chosen are people who have a history of opposition to the agency they call heads. Three of the four seat-level members of the Trump transition team were tasked with drawing up a list of proposals to guide the Indigenous American's policy of having links with the oil industry. "He also invited American manufacturers to suggest which rules should be abolished, industry leaders submitted 168 comments, nearly half of which target EPA rules.
Video Environmental policy of the Donald Trump administration
Appointments
Trump's cabinet nomination reflects his desire to reduce federal environmental regulations and to promote domestic production of coal, oil and natural gas. In some cases, the person appointed has a history of conflict with the institution they are presently leading. Although its scientific conclusion is that it is "very likely" (95 to 100 percent probable) that human influence has been the dominant cause of warming observed since the mid-20th century, "Trump's designated department head disagrees that global warming has made by humans.
EPA Administrator
As Attorney General of Oklahoma, Trump's choice for EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt challenged EPA regulations in court more than a dozen times. Some court cases are pending, and Pruitt declined to say whether he would resign in connection with the lawsuit. Pruitt hired former Oklahoma banker Albert Kelly to lead the Superfund program, which is responsible for clearing the most contaminated soil in the country. Kelly really has no experience with environmental issues, and has just received a lifetime ban from working in banking, her career up to that point, for "can not serve".
Pruitt said he plans to prioritize state and local control over federal land use and reduce regulations on industrial environmental impacts. The March 2017 executive order allows Pruitt to initiate the Obama Government regulatory review process of the coal industry, which reflects Trump's repeated promise to support the coal industry and "restore jobs" in coal mining. Such changes are likely to affect America's ability to meet the climate emission goals of the Paris Treaty. Pruitt says he does not believe that carbon dioxide is a major contributor to global warming. While acknowledging that the climate is heating up, Pruitt believes that warming is not always dangerous and can be beneficial. "Do we really know what the ideal surface temperature should be in 2100, by 2018? It's arrogant enough for us to think that we know exactly what should happen in 2100." Climate experts, including Michael Mann and Chris Field, who oversaw the United Nations and World Meteorological Organization's climate report on climate change, disagree with Pruitt's position. According to Field, "thousands" of studies have documented that planet warming causes a number of problems, not only from high temperatures but also from heat waves, higher seas, heavier torrential rains, and more frequent storms and devastating forest fires. "
In April 2018, Pruitt drew criticism over what some perceived as excessive security spending he was asking for. Trump defended Pruitt on twitter stating, "Record clean Water & Water while saving US Billions of Dollars." However, according to PolitiFact, no new figures about air quality have been released since 2016. To state that the waters of the country are listed in the net level is also not accurate because when the report issued in 2017, the information is collected in 2012 or earlier. Commenting on Pruitt's claim that his excessive security spending was related to his need for security, the New York Times commented that high spending seems "driven more by the desire to avoid tougher questions from the public than by security concerns." In April 2018, thirty-nine Senate members and more than 130 members of the House of Representatives called for Pruitt's resignation.
EPA Administrator Deputy
In 2017, Trump handed Andrew Wheeler the Deputy Administrator of the EPA. Wheeler has worked as a lawyer and lobbyist, specializing in energy and environmental policies. He is a critic of national boundaries of greenhouse gas emissions and has supported the continued use of fossil fuels. The Senate rejected it in 2017 and Trump resumed his name in January 2018. In March 2018, Wheeler commented to CNN that the EPA "brainwashed our children." His candidacy was confirmed on April 12, 2018, with most of the party's 53-45 line votes, which included three Democratic Senators. Ken Cook president of the Environmental Working Group commented on the appointment of Wheeler who called Wheeler a "shill" of coal and chemistry and said, "Prior to the Trump reign, it would have been unimaginable that coal and chemical industry lobbyers with a long history of hostility towards environmental policy would be number two at the EPA. "
Department of Energy
The US Department of Energy is tasked with developing technologies for better and more energy-efficient energy and energy education. Trump picked Rick Perry to head the department, which has called for its elimination when he runs for Republican presidential nomination in 2012. Confirmation as head of the Department of Energy is a source of contention among Democrats because of his previous refusal. man-made climate change and its close relationship with the Texas oil and gas industry. During the confirmation hearing, Perry said he regretted his pledge to abolish the Department of Energy.
Department of Home Affairs
Ryan Zinke, Congressman from Montana, was appointed Secretary of the Interior. Zinke is a lawyer for mining and logging on federal lands but opposes the sale or transfer of the land. After his appointment, Zinke said he had made "perhaps the greatest reorganization in the history of the Department of the Interior." Some scientists allege that some staff changes are politically motivated. Zinke supports Trump's plan to reduce DOI's $ 1.6 billion budget by 2018, which will cause some 4,000 jobs to lose jobs and setbacks to many of Obama's rules. When asked about global warming during the senate hearing, Zinke replied, "... I do not know for sure, there is much debate on both sides of the aisle."
Department of Agriculture
Sonny Perdue, former Governor of Georgia, was appointed Secretary of Agriculture. His supporters say that his experience in agriculture and his conservative view of immigration made him the right choice. Perdue said he plans to get rid of the "burdensome rules" department that does not contribute to a better environment. Opponents fear that he will not adequately address the effects of agricultural pollution on drinking water sources. Speaking on climate change, Perdue said that he agreed that the climate was heating up but "we do not know for sure in my opinion what causes climate change."
Council on Environmental Quality
The Environmental Quality Council is a division of the President's Executive Office that coordinates federal environmental efforts and works closely with other White House agencies and offices on the development of environmental and energy policies and initiatives. In October 2017, Trump nominated Kathleen Hartnett White, former chair of the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality, to become chairman of the CEQ. Some of Hartnett's energy views are considered controversial. He has "called unreliable renewable energy and parasites" and he has "suggested that climate regulation is a conspiracy driven by communists." His candidacy was withdrawn in February 2018 because he did not get enough support in the Senate.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Trump was nominated by Barry Lee Myers to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Myers is a lawyer and entrepreneur who once served as CEO of AccuWeather, a company providing commercial weather forecast services. National Weather Service, provides most of the same information for free by placing it in the public domain. In the past he strongly advocated NOAA's ability to provide live weather information services to the public.
Secretary of State
In March 2018, President Trump nominated Mike Pompeo as his Foreign Minister (replacing Rex Tillerson). Pompeo has referred to the Obama administration's environment and climate change plans as "destructive" and "radical". He opposes greenhouse gas emissions regulations, and supports the removal of the United States' greenhouse gas emissions list. He has stated, "Federal policy should be about American families, not adoring a radical environmental agenda." In 2012 he called for the permanent abolition of wind power income tax credits calling them "huge government flyers". In 2015 he voted against the Obama administration's Cleanup Plan resolution.
Maps Environmental policy of the Donald Trump administration
Domestic energy policy
America's First Energy Plan
Trump revealed what he called America's First Energy Plan soon after his inauguration. The administration claims that "America has refrained from the burdensome regulations on its energy industry". America currently has 264 billion barrels of oil reserves, the largest oil reserves in any country. The United States also has large reserves of coal, amounting to 26% of the world's total, more than any other country. Unexplored petroleum and coal resources are estimated to be worth about $ 50 trillion according to the Trump administration. However, reports from the Natural Resources Defense Council show that coal consumption in the US has continued to decline by about 20% over the past 10 years, with natural gas and renewable energy quickly taking over. Christina Simeone, policy director and external affairs with the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, said that strict regulations are not the only reason for a shaky coal market; Natural gas is now a cheaper option.
The White House estimates that deregulation will increase wages by more than $ 30 billion by 2024. This figure specifically refers to the abolition of the Obama Climate Action Plan and was drawn from a study from the Institute for Energy Research, a conservative nonprofit organization specializing in global energy market research; the report actually basing that figure on increasing oil drilling on federal and offshore fields, not on regulatory reductions.
Trump wants America to achieve energy independence from OPEC and all countries hostile to the interests of the United States to ensure national security, and isolate them from supply disruptions and price fluctuations from the global oil market. However, fossil fuels are limited, and entities such as the Pentagon claim climate change are also a threat to national security. The NRDC believes that a more reliable long-term solution is to develop more dependence on renewable energy than to maintain dependence on fossil fuels.
Currently, the EPA focuses on a wide range of topics including air, emergency management, soil and cleaning, pesticides, toxic substances, waste, and water. Trump will refocus its efforts to fully protect clean air and clean water. This has resulted in 31% of proposed budget cuts to the EPA. Environmental activists, current EPA staff members, and former EPA staff members believe that the EPA will have a harder time enforcing environmental standards on a smaller budget.
Renewable energy policy
America's First Energy Plan does not mention renewable energy and instead reflects the President's focus on fossil fuels. During the campaign, Trump praised solar technology during the California 2016 summer rally but later criticized it for being too expensive and has since complained about subsidies received by renewable energy companies. In June 2017, Trump told a White House meeting that a wall with Mexico should be covered with solar panels. The statement was not taken seriously. The 2019 Trump Administration budget proposes major cuts in programs that examine renewable energy and who study the effects and ways to mitigate climate change.
Access Channel Keystone XL and Dakota Access
An executive order reviving plans for the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines signed by Trump on January 24, 2017 in the hope of creating jobs and strengthening domestic energy production. The Keystone development has been blocked by President Barack Obama, who considers it a major contributor to climate change due to the extraction of greenhouse gases from tar sand. The Dakota Access Channel is also on hold. After months of protests, in December 2016, the Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) under the Obama administration announced that it would not make it easy for pipelines to be drilled under Lake Oahe and that USACE is undertaking an environmental impact statement to see possible alternative routes.
Many Sioux tribes say that pipelines threaten the welfare and economic welfare of the tribe, and that it has destroyed and destroyed important historic, religious and cultural sites. The tribe has expressed concern about the leakage because the pipeline passes under Lake Oahe, which serves as the main source of water. Protests at a pipeline construction site in North Dakota began in the spring of 2016 and attracted indigenous people from across North America as well as many other supporters, creating the largest gathering of Native Americans in the last hundred years.
Executive order on climate change
Amid the protests, on 28 March 2017, Trump signed a "sweeping executive order" instructing the EPA "regulators to rewrite key rules that limit US carbon emissions and other environmental regulations." Trump was accompanied by "coal miners and coal executives" among others and he devoted his statement to the executive order to "praise coal miners, pipelines and US manufacturing." He talked to the coal miners directly, "Come on, friends, basically, you know what it is? You know what it says, right? You're going back to work." A Trump official said that the executive order plans to put the first American job by not supporting climate change policies that put the economy at risk.
Automatic fuel economy and emission standards
The Obama's 2010 fuel economy plan calls for doubling in fuel economy for new cars and light trucks, up to more than 50 miles per gallon by 2025, equivalent to a real-world average of 36 m.p.g. In April 2018, it said "those standards are inappropriate and should be revised," Scott Pruitt announced that the EPA is rolling back the Obama government's fuel efficiency and emissions standards. Democrat Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer responded to an announcement saying:
- "The EPA decision of Pruitt Administrator to begin to roll back fuel economy standards is a win for big oil companies and big companies at the expense of American consumers and clean air for our children.As always, the administrative side is big, strong a special interest in the interests of the average American family, who will pay the price for miles lower per gallon and dirty air. "
The state of California has a release that allows it to set its own automatic emission standards, which have been used to combat haze and, more recently, global warming. Thirteen other states and the District of Columbia have adopted California standards as their own. On the grounds that Pruitt's plan violated the federal Clean Air Act and did not follow the agency's own rules, in April California sued the Trump administration. Joining California is Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia and the District of Columbia. All have Democratic general prosecutors.
Propose EPA budget cuts
While campaigning for the office, Trump has proposed the idea of ​​eliminating the EPA to help balance the United States budget. Trump said, "We will have few tidbits left but we will get most of it". After its election, in March 2017, it announced plans to cut its EPA 2018 budget by 31%, by far the biggest budget cuts for any federal agency. The cut would result in the loss of 19% of the workforce or about 3,200 employees, either through staff purchases or layoffs. The option to remove the Clean Power Plan, which is applied to reduce carbon dioxide emissions primarily from coal-fired power plants, will effectively eliminate Obama's efforts to curb climate change. The plan will also remove the $ 100 million allocated to funding research that is fighting climate change. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides $ 250 million for programs that help countries with a high risk of impact from rising and increasingly warmer and acidic seawater levels. These programs will be eliminated under a series of new budget cuts. If approved, this means deletion of up to 38 agency programs. Programs to be eliminated include radon programs, grants to clean industrial sites ("brownfields"), climate change research, and the Office of Environmental Justice.
Trump's goals include revocation of regulations from various energy industries to increase domestic energy production. Trump asked the American manufacturer to make the most difficult production rules. Industry leaders responded, and a large number of them recommended lifting restrictions related to the environment and workers' rights. In an open letter to Scott Pruitt, Mustafa Ali, former head of EPA's Environmental Justice Program who resigned in protest against Pruitt's budget cuts, expressed concerns over how budget cuts will affect pollution in poor and minority environments.
The government says it plans to refocus the EPA mission on clean water, air, and other core responsibilities. It also plans to delegate more EPA enforcement activities to the state, while reducing the amount of money given to the country for that purpose by 30%. Issues like greenhouse gas emissions will be cut significantly or eliminated from the budget.
In May 2017, Congress approved a budget for the balance of fiscal 2017-18 that cut EPA funding by only 1% and did not cut certain staff or programs. Republicans say they hope to make far greater cuts in the federal budget by 2018.
Department of the Interior
The Department of the Interior is responsible for the management and conservation of natural resources, mostly federal lands such as national parks and forests, wildlife refuges, and tribal areas. Trump accused President Obama of "denying millions of Americans accessing the energy wealth under our feet" by leasing restrictions and banning new coal extraction in the federal territory. Trump campaigned with the promise to "free America $ 50 trillion in shale, oil and natural gas reserves, plus hundreds of years in clean coal reserves." The 2018 budget proposed by Trump suggests a $ 1.5 billion drop in funding for the Department of Home Affairs.
Trump appointed Congressman Ryan Zinke from Montana as Minister of the Interior. Zinke is a lawyer for mining and logging on federal lands. Commenting on the presidency of Trump, president of the American Petroleum Institute, a lobby group based in Washington DC, said, "This opportunity is unique, perhaps once in a lifetime," in terms of increasing access to federal leases.
The Trump Administration plans to open more federal land for energy development, such as fracking and drilling. The Clean Water Regulations, issued by the EPA and the Army Labor Engineers by 2015, are also a target for possible retraction. This rule explains the jurisdiction of the federal government to protect small streams and wetlands from pollution. Groups of developers, businesses, and farmers oppose the rule because they believe that their private property rights are being violated and that undue regulatory burdens are created.
National monument
In April 2017, President Trump directed the Department of Internal Affairs to review 27 monuments at least 100,000 acres in size through Executive Order 13792. Most of the land under review is set aside by President Obama.
In June 2017, Zinke issued a provisional report as requested in the Executive Order. He proposed the re-scaling of the Bears Ears National Monument. In August 2017, Zinke delivered the final report to Trump. The report calls for the reduction of Ear Bears (founded by Obama - 2016), Cascade-Siskiyou (Clinton - 2000), Gold Butte (Obama - 2016), Grand Staircase-Escalante (Clinton - 1996), Pacific Remote Islands Marine (Bush) - 2006 ), and Rose Atoll Marine (Bush - 2009).
Zinke's recommendations have been met with approval and criticism by state lawmakers, environmental activists, and tribal governments. In particular, Native Americans in the Southwest are very important in obtaining Bears Ears that are designated as national monuments. Members of the Navajo tribe are an integral part of the monument. A tribal spokesman stated that the reduction in the size of the Telinga Biri Monument would be "an attack on an important part of the foundations of American conservation law." An elder Navajo commented, "It has always been a spiritual place and it is a white man who came and tried to undo it and we have to fight to get it - to play the game in the Western way, the way the government, to rebuild it as a monument national as a sanctuary for us, and now there are fools who try to take it. "A different opinion was offered by a representative of the state of Utah Republic who saw the shrinking Bears Ears Monument as a victory over federal restrictions on mining and grazing animals. "When you hand over the management to the looters of trees, birds and rabbits, and stone lickers, you change your legacy."
Offshore drilling
In January 2018, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced plans to allow drilling in almost all US waters. It will be the largest expansion of offshore oil and gas leases ever proposed, and includes long-standing forbidden areas for development and more than 100 million acres in the Arctic and East Coast, the region for which President Obama has been placed under a drilling moratorium.
Privatization of Native American reservations
Inside the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Indian Affairs Bureau deals with some federal relationships with Native Americans. Native American reservations are estimated to contain about one fifth of the country's oil and gas, along with huge reserves of coal. In December 2016, a Trump advisory group submitted a plan to privatize the Native American reservation to open it for drilling and mining. Many Native Americans view such efforts as a violation of self-determination and tribal culture.
The Trump transition team commissioned the Native American coalition to draw up a list of proposals to guide its Indian policy. According to a Reuters investigation report, "The background of coalition leadership is one sign of pro-drilling swelling.At least three of the four seat-level members have ties to the oil industry."
Endangered species threat
In February 2018, Minister of Trump and Interior Ryan Zinke presented their recommendations for the 2019 budget. Their proposed budget does not provide funds for state efforts to restore endangered species. The Conservation Fund for Endangered Species of Cooperatives, a program endorsed by the Endangered Species Act, supports conservation planning, habitat restoration, land acquisition, research, and education. To be eligible for funding, a state or territory must assign at least 25 percent of the project cost. The Administration justified a budget change that says that "it does not ask for funding for these activities to support higher priorities."
A senior scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity says dredging will encourage endangered species toward extinction. "It's very damaging because funding is often the backbone of the country's non-game program and helping animals across the country, from bats and butterflies to salmon and grizzlies." The former director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service serving during the Obama administration said, "We are very proud of our record, that we have restored and eliminated more species than all the previous governments combined, and that did not happen by accident. happens because we apply the resources to get the species over the last mile. "
Mexico border wall fear
The boundary wall proposed by Trump will block the threatened wildlife movements and disrupt the movement of animals in response to climate change. The wall can prevent genetic exchanges. Critical habitats are on the border with Mexico in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. The Endahered Species Act of 1973 and candidates for the list from the US Fish and Wildlife Service include ninety-three closely-spaced or cross-border species.
Among endangered species are the jaguars (the largest cats native to North America), ocelot (30 pounds cat that can make a comeback), Mexican wolves (the smallest gray wolf in North America), Sonoran pronghorn (linked to giraffes, they can run 60 mph and is the fastest land mammal in North America), the dwarf little dwarf cactus (which flies about 4.5 to 13 feet, lower than the wall), and the Quino checkerspot butterflies (which fly no higher than 6 to 8 feet).
Hazardous chemical regulations
It has been alleged that the Trump government has been trying to change the way the federal government evaluates hazardous chemicals that pose a risk to human health, making them more in tune with the chemical industry. Trump appoints Nancy B. Beck as the top deputy of the EPA's toxic chemical unit, while for the past five years he has been an executive at the American Chemistry Council industry trade association for an American chemical company. Shortly after his appointment in May 2017, Beck rewrote, inter alia, regulations covering chemicals, perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, which has been linked to many serious health problems. The revision makes it harder to track down the health consequences of chemicals, and is therefore more difficult to regulate.
Chlorpyrifos
In March 2017, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt denied that he had met with Dow Chemicals CEO Andrew Liveris before making a decision to reject a petition to ban Dow's chlorprophic pesticides initiated by the Obama administration. Research has concluded that very small amounts of chlorpyrifos can interfere with fetal and infant development. In August, it was revealed that actually Pruitt and other EPA officials had met with industry representatives on dozens of occasions in the weeks immediately prior to the March decision, promising them that it was a "new day" and convincing them that their desire to continue using chiropirifos has sounded. Ryan Jackson, Pruitt's chief of staff, said in a March 8 email that he "feared" the career staff to go along with the political decision to reject the ban, adding "[T] hey know where this is headed and they're documenting it well." The email also shows that the decision was closely coordinated with the White House and the Department of Agriculture. After the decision, the American Academy of Pediatrics said they were "very worried" and urged Pruitt to take chlorpyrifos from the market adage, "There are many studies that show the detrimental effects of chlorpyrifos exposure to developing fetuses, infants, children and pregnant women. for the health and development of babies and unambiguous children. "
Wendy Cleland-Hamnett, the previous high-ranking official overseeing pesticides and toxic chemicals, said she first became concerned when the new leadership of the EPA decided to reevaluate plans to ban methylene chloride, and trichlorethylene, two chemicals that have caused death and health problems that is severe. "It bothered me so much that the industry met the people appointed by the EPA, and then I was asked to change the bureau's establishment." In March 2017, Hamnett was again ordered to disregard the recommendations of EPA scientists and refused a ban on klorpirifos. Hamnett retired in September and was replaced by a toxicologist who has spent years helping businesses counter the EPA restrictions.
Leading paint standard
According to the EPA, lead poisoning is the number one environmental health threat for children aged 6 and under. There are no new standards established since 2001, although it is agreed that the old standards need to be updated. In December 2017, after Pruitt asked for another six years to regulate the level of lead, the federal appeals court divided the mandate issued a mandate ordering Pruitt to organize the lead within the next 90 days. The court said the risk of lead paint for children is "severe".
publication of PFOS and PFOA study disclosed
Using information obtained through the Freedom of Information Act request, in May 2018 it was found that January 2018 emails between the EPA, the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) showed a clear decision to withhold results from a study conducted by the DHHS Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) are planned for publication. Looking at chemicals known as PFOS and PFOA, research shows that they endanger human health at a much lower rate than the EPA previously called safe. They have been found to contaminate some areas, reaching water supplies near military bases, chemical plants, and other sites in Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. One White House email said, "Public, media and congressional reactions to these numbers will be enormous.The impact on EPA and [Department of Defense] will be very painful.We (DoD and EPA) can not get ATSDR to realize the relationship nightmare potential community that will happen. "When asked about the release of the study, the White House referred the question to DHHS, which confirmed that the study did not have a scheduled release date. Pruitt's chief of staff, Ryan Jackson, defended the EPA's decision to withhold research results to "ensure that the federal government responds in a uniform way to our local, state, and congressional constituents and partners."
Members of Congress have a very strong reaction to the release of information about holding studies, including some Republican lawmakers from countries that have been affected by chemical contamination. Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (American politician) said in a statement:
- "It would be unacceptable if the political considerations of those at the highest level of the EPA lead to the suppression of information about the health of American society." The EPA must provide my constituents with an answer to these allegations immediately. "
Faced with several contamination sites in the state of Vermont, several Vermont MPs also voiced strong opinions. Representative Peter Welch commented:
- "I am angry, but not surprised, that Scott Pruitt's anti-scientific EPA is pressing into research that would explain the health threat posed by PFOA contamination of the water supply." Last year I visited with a house owner in Bennington whose water was not can be drunk due to PFOA contamination, they have the right to view this information, collected by federal employees and paid with taxpayer funds.EPA must immediately provide it to the public and end its practice of choosing more polluters the public right to know. "
Senator Patrick Leahy writes:
- "My opinion about this White House and the EPA leadership, is low enough, touched the lowest point when I saw them block the release of a scientific report intended to protect nursing mothers and pregnant women from toxic exposures, as they believed it would causing a 'public relations nightmare' or anxiety from the public and Congress.These uncanny anti-science knowledge of this government causes real harm to real people, including Vermont people.This is cynical, playing with people's lives, people, and that's wrong. "
Pruitt acknowledged that his agency should take "concrete actions" related to chemicals such as PFAS, but testified that he did not know the delay in the release of the study. On May 16, Pruitt announced a "leadership summit" at PFOA, PFOS, and related chemicals scheduled for the following week.
When the "invitation only" summit was held on May 22 and 23, the news agency, including Politico, E & amp; E News, and CNN were initially banned from attending the hearing. An Associated Press reporter was told that he was not on the invitation list and was forcibly removed from the room. CNN commented, "We understand the importance of a free and open press and we expect the EPA as well," Jahan Wilcox, speaking for the EPA, confirmed the agency's action by claiming the summit was not a "federal advisory committee event," which the public would be entitled to access, is an opportunity "for EPA countries, tribes, and federal government partners and national organizations to share individual perspectives" on PFASs. Senator Tom Udall, ranked Democrat on a committee with EPA supervision, disagreed. He sent a letter to Pruitt saying "Clean drinking water is a public health problem that is not covered behind closed doors."
Toxic waste cleaning
In an effort to raise regulations on the oil industry, mining, drilling and agriculture, Trump's administration proposed a 31% budget cut into the EPA that would result in reductions in initiatives to protect water and water quality, leaving countless efforts to the states.. Environmentalists are concerned that these cuts will lead to health problems. EPA budget cuts are also expected to lead to a decrease in fracture regulation (fracking), which will result in fewer monitoring of cleanup projects in these areas.
EPA Administer Scott Pruitt hires former Oklahoma banker Albert Kelly to lead the Superfund program, which is responsible for clearing the country's most contaminated soil. Kelly really has no experience with environmental issues, and has just received a lifetime ban from working in banking, her career up to that point.
Clean water law
Much of Trump's administration's effort to reduce pollution regulation involves directly withdrawing or lifting the pollution regulations imposed under the Obama administration. In February 2017, Trump signed a resolution that overturned the President Obama Stream Stream Rules, after being valid for less than 30 days. When he signed a canceled rule resolution, Trump estimated that breaking the rules would save thousands of mining-related jobs in the US. The Government has also proposed a recall to the federal administration's extension of jurisdiction over land protected by the Clean Water Act in an effort to reduce water pollution in the area around toxic waste facilities.
Clean Water Rules
On February 28, 2017, President Trump imposed an executive order to allow the EPA Administrator to revise or cancel the Clean Water Regulations, also referred to as Waters of the United States (WOTUS), in the name of economic growth and eliminate ambiguous rules. The research cited by the EPA shows that one in three Americans gets their water from a public drinking water system that is partly sourced from a stream protected by the Clean Water Regulations. These flows may be in danger of pollution by industrial and agricultural waste, waste, radioactive material and a large number of other pollutants that are now protected by the Clean Water Regulations. The Audubon Society has expressed concerns about the revocation of the Rules. They wrote on their website: "... Trump's administration intent is clear: to reverse the Obama-era environmental protection no matter what, even if they have effectively protected the lives of birds and humans."
Standard Clean Air Act
In June 2017, Pruitt announced that it would postpone the determination of which region meets the new National Air Quality Standards for ozone. Ozone is a byproduct of pollutants from burning fossil fuels: it is associated with respiratory diseases such as asthma attacks. In August 2017, Pruitt said he would reverse the decision after being prosecuted by 16 state Attorney General. In March 2018, Pruitt was finally ordered to do so by US District Judge Haywood Stirling Gilliam Jr.
Climate change
Although in scientific literature there is a remarkable consensus that global surface temperatures have increased in recent decades and that this trend is due to human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, both Trump and Pruitt believe that global warming is human-related. During the campaign, Trump expressed the view that global warming and cooling were a natural process. He often describes global warming as a "hoax"; and sometimes associate a "hoax" with the Chinese government as a plan to sabotage American manufacturing, but then claim that it is a joke. As a candidate, Trump said he would cancel the Obama Climate Action Plan, cancel US participation in the Paris Climate Agreement, and stop all US payments against the United Nations global warming program.
After Trump's election, a large amount of climate information from the EPA website has been changed or deleted. There are widespread concerns among environmentalists and scientists and coalitions of scientific and academic groups are beginning to make copies of EPA web pages before they are removed. According to Environmental Data & amp; Government Initiatives that track changes to government websites under the Trump Administration, more than 200 web pages providing climate information have been eliminated during Trump's first year in office. Other pages have been changed to eliminate climate and climate change designations.
Paris Climate Covenant
On June 1, 2017, Trump announced the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Treaty, causing the United States to become the third country from 197 countries around the world not to sign the agreement. In 2018 the remaining two countries are signed and the US is the only country that has not ratified the Paris Treaty.
Prior to the withdrawal, the US has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025 and provide $ 3 million in aid to foreign countries to combat climate change. The withdrawal is supported by some Republicans who feel that it is stepping back in line with Trump's "First American" policy and purpose to deviate from the Obama administration's environmental policy. The announcement has been criticized by many national and international leaders, domestic politicians, business leaders and academics as well as the vast majority of Americans (7 out of 10 according to a study by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication).
Trump opposed the agreement on the grounds that it would harm US sovereignty and cause many Americans to lose their jobs. Proponents of the treaty argue, however, that retreating will lead to a loss to our economy as new green jobs are offered rather than to overseas competitors. Trump also announced his efforts to reach negotiations with the leaders involved in the agreement, who said that the agreement was "non-negotiable".
The withdrawal process is expected to take several years, and in the meantime there has been a vocal resistance against the state and the local level. Hawaii became the first country to be independently committed to the goals initially approached by the treaty. Shortly after Trump's announcement, state governments in California, New York, and Washington established the United States Climate Alliance to continue to advance the goals of the Paris Treaty. Sentiment has also been expressed by other state governors, by mayors and businesses, and the alliance now has 10 countries with governors of both Democratic and Republican parties promising to abide by the agreement. In addition, shortly after the withdrawal, California governor Jerry Brown met privately with Chinese President Xi Jinping to declare the country's compliance with the Paris Agreement. In September 2017, several government officials stated that the government remains open to remain in the agreement "under the right conditions."
Climate Action Plan
Trump has committed to eliminating industry regulations that he considers unnecessary burdens to the energy industry. In particular, he has mentioned the Obama Climate Action Plan as a priority among these rules. The Climate Action Plan, published in June 2013, includes regulations for industries with the ultimate goal of cutting domestic carbon emissions, preparing the United States for future effects of climate change, and working internationally to tackle climate change. Among the regulations outlined in the plan are initiatives to improve disaster preparedness, create and improve existing hospitals, and modernize infrastructure to be more resistant to extreme weather.
Net Power Package
The Clean Power Plan is a policy of the Obama administration aimed at combating global warming that was first proposed in 2014. In March 2017, Trump signed an executive order to formally withdraw and rewrite the Obama Clean Power Plan in an effort to revive the coal mining industry. Trump has referred to Obama's era fuel standards as a burden on the US auto industry and has instructed EPA Administrator Pruitt to review them. The EPA initiated the formal removal of the Clean Power Plan in October 2017.
Carbon Monitoring System
Carbon Monitoring System (CMS) is a NASA remote monitoring system used to measure carbon dioxide and methane, using instruments placed in satellites and airplanes. The information provided by the CMS can be used to verify the national emissions reductions agreed in the Paris climate agreement. CMS has also supported other research projects including providing information that has helped countries assess their carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. In April 2018, President Trump ended funding for CMS.
Legal Charges
During the first few months at the Trump Administration Office canceled regulations restricting mercury and airborne toxicity from power plants, limiting water pollution from coal mills, banning chlorpyrifos pesticides, and banning methane emissions from landfills, among other rules, which have resulted in lawsuits from various environmental groups such as the Environmental Defense Fund and the Natural Resources Defense Council. The NRDC litigation director commented, "It all shows that this government will not protect the environment unless they are prosecuted, they have been careless and do not follow the basic requirements of the law."
Saying, "Again and again, Trump's administration has put the benefits of multinational polluters on the health and well-being of everyday Americans," said New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman has filed more than 50 lawsuits against the Trump environmental revision. He commented, "We have already defeated some of these government's toxic policies, from energy efficiency rollbacks to haze [...] I think we will see some further losses to the government for the same reasons.If they continue to show the same legal neglect , their efforts to revoke all these environmental regulations will be very bad for them. "
Some lawsuits have been successful, such as the lawsuit from the Environmental Defense Fund and other environmental groups against the Trump government's decision to suspend rules that limit methane gas emissions from oil and gas wells, a decision abrogated by the United States. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. After legal action, the government also canceled its decision to get rid of the Obama era plan that requires dentists to prevent about five tons of mercury, used in their practice, from entering state waterways.
See also
- March for Science
- People's Climate in March (2017)
- Measurement of carbon dioxide in space
- Greenhouse Gas Watching Satellites
- TanSat
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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