In February, Donald Trump issued an executive order asking EPA director Scott Pruitt, an avid climate change denier, to review the so-called Clean Water Rule. In late June, Pruitt’s agency, together with the Army Corps of Engineers, has submitted a proposal to rescind the rule and return to the original regulatory language from before the … [Read more...]
A Victory for Environmentalists Amidst Ongoing Battle Against Regulations
In May, the United States Senate failed to pass a resolution annulling a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rule that sets limits on the amount of residual methane allowed at certain drilling sites. That was the first and only time Congressional Republicans failed to pass a resolution using the obscure legislative tool known as the Congressional … [Read more...]
Federal Judge Allows Water Lawsuit Against Flint to Continue
A federal judge indicated earlier this month that a lawsuit against the City of Flint and state officials could move forward. The suit claims that state and local officials exposed residents of Flint to bodily harm by hiding the fact that there was lead-contaminated water in the main water lines. In her lengthy opinion, US District Judge Judith E. … [Read more...]
Trump Nominates Yet Another Corporate Representative
Earlier this month, Donald Trump nominated Jeffrey Bossert Clark to be an Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources at the Department of Justice, much to the chagrin of environmental activists. As a lawyer, Clark has actively argued against the scientific underpinnings of climate policy in the United States, most notably … [Read more...]
Six Michigan and Flint Officials Face Charges for Water Crisis
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette filed criminal charges against six current and former Michigan and Flint officials because of the roles they played in the water crisis that led to at least 12 deaths. The deaths were allegedly linked to a spreading of Legionnaires’ disease. Four of the six officials were charged with involuntary manslaughter … [Read more...]
Leaked Memo Offers Insight Into Proposed EPA Budget Cuts
In late March that a newly uncovered document reveals serious cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), including 25 percent of the workforce and 56 programs. The leaked document, obtained by the Washington Post, contains the most detailed budget plan to date and entails slashing programs such as water runoff control, pesticide safety and … [Read more...]
Resolution Repealing Drilling Regulation Gets Stuck in the Senate
A resolution aiming to repeal an Obama-era rule that limits the environmental impact of the oil and gas industry has hit a road bump in the Senate, as several Republicans and moderate Democrats have not fully committed to a yes vote. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulation requires drillers to implement methane mitigation technologies to … [Read more...]
Trump Proposes the Elimination of Essential Funding for Appalachia
Of the 19 federal programs that Trump would like to eliminate, there are a few that would sever lifelines to regions that helped put him in the Oval Office. One of the key programs on the chopping block is the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), created during Lyndon B. Johnson’s “war on poverty.” Cutting these programs amounts to a bitter … [Read more...]
Senate Rescinds Rule Protecting Predators in Alaskan Wildlife Refuges
The U.S. Senate passed a “resolution of disapproval” last week, overturning an Obama-era rule that protected wolves, grizzly bears and coyotes from extreme hunting practices including aerial spotting, baiting, and killing animals who are with their cubs in their dens. The regulation, which was rescinded with a party-line vote of 52-47, specifically … [Read more...]
Trump Puts a Stop to Obama-era Emissions Standards
At a rally outside of Detroit, Donald Trump announced a plan to pull back on fuel emissions regulations put in place during Barack Obama’s presidency. Trump met with auto industry executives in Ypsilanti, Michigan, to discuss a plan to review the measures known as CAFÉ standards, which would require companies to increase the gas mileage of … [Read more...]
