Interior Secretary David Bernhardt gives remarks at the White House State Leadership Day event. (Photo Credit: The White House, Public Domain) Clearing the way for his former oil and gas-drilling clients to ransack thousands of miles of critical habitat as oil prices spike to record levels, Trump Admiration Interior Secretary David Bernhardt is … [Read more...]
DC Swamp Grows More Fetid Under Trump Administration
Donald Trump's 2016 slogan was famously “Make America Great Again.” However, arguably even more powerful was “Drain The Swamp,” a chant that was frequently heard at Trump campaign rallies and ended up defining much of his closing message. While Trump's 2016 campaign was notable for its barely disguised racism, it's undeniable that “Drain The … [Read more...]
Federal Court Dismisses Trump Administration’s Repeal of Coal, Oil Valuation Rule
A federal court has struck down the Trump administration’s repeal of an Obama-era policy aimed at boosting revenue for taxpayers, according to Reuters. The policy changes how energy companies value sales of coal, oil and gas extracted from federal and tribal land. The decision, which found the Interior Department’s repeal of the so-called … [Read more...]
Judge Restores Federal Protections for Yellowstone Grizzly Bears
On Sept. 24, a federal judge restored federal legal protections for grizzly bears of Yellowstone National Park. The judge ruled that the grizzlies could become extinct due to inbreeding and lack of genetic diversity. "By refusing to analyze the legal and functional impact of delisting on other continental grizzly populations, the service … [Read more...]
Who Wants Cruel and Inhumane Hunting Tactics? The Current Administration
Inside Trump's Plan to Kill Sleeping Wolf Puppies The Trump administration announced last month that it has plans to roll back Obama-era regulations prohibiting certain inhumane hunting tactics on federal land reserves in Alaska. The tactics in question – known as predator-control tactics – involve the slaughtering of wolf and coyote pups as they … [Read more...]
The Trump Administration’s Impact on the Environment
Over the past 15 months, the Trump administration has taken aim at a number of regulations, many of which were instituted during the Obama years. Though the president is pursuing a broad deregulatory agenda affecting every sector, the environment seems to be of particular concern. Whether it’s through the Department of the Interior or the EPA, … [Read more...]
Interior Department Expedites Oil Leasing Projects on Federal Land
Last year, the Bureau of Land Management increased its oil and gas lease sales by 86 percent. The Bureau, which is under the control of the Interior Department, will likely follow this upward trajectory in the years to come, as recent moves by the administration could expedite the leasing process. According to a memo published at the end of … [Read more...]
Zinke Stops Florida Off-Shore Drilling: a Gift to Support Rick Scott’s Senate Bid?
In what critics say is a Trump Administration stunt to boost Florida’s two-term Governor Rick Scott’s chances for a Senate win next year, Trump’s Interior Department Secretary Ryan Zinke scratched Florida from the off-shore drilling list that coastal states have fallen victim to, potentially facing oil spills and intrusion of oil rig infrastructure … [Read more...]
Interior Department Repeals Obama-Era Coal and Oil Valuation Rule
Earlier this month, the Department of the Interior (DOI) decided to roll back a 2016 regulation that sought to protect the financial interests of tax-payers and American Indian lessors. The rule, known as the Consolidated Federal Oil & Gas and Federal & Indian Coal Valuation Reform Final Rule (hereafter, the Valuation Rule), attempted to … [Read more...]
