"The Trump Administration’s tumultuous presidency has brought a flurry of changes—both realized and anticipated—to U.S. environmental policy. Many of the actions roll back Obama-era policies that aimed to curb
climate change and limit environmental pollution, while others threaten to limit federal funding for science and the environment."
OFFSHORE DRILLING SAFETY RULES ROLLED BACK
May 2, 2019
The Trump administration
announced that they will roll back some safety measures that regulate offshore drilling operations.
The previous set of safety rules were implemented in 2010, after a
disastrous explosion at a BP oil well in the Gulf of Mexico killed 11 people and spilled over
200 million gallons of oil into the sea. Oil from the disaster marred the
nearby coasts and deep seas for
years afterward.
After the explosion, the Obama administration
tightened safety rulesfor offshore drilling operations. Amongst other measures, they required more tests on “blowout preventers” and other parts of the drilling apparatuses and required safety checks from independent investigators. The new rollbacks reduce or rescind these safety measures.
The rollbacks were welcomed by leaders in the oil and gas industry and criticized by many environmental groups.
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OIL AND GAS COMPANIES GET ACCESS TO SAGE GROUSE HABITAT
March 15, 2019
The
sage grouse, an odd-looking western bird that has become a symbol of land conflict between environmentalists and energy companies, is again at risk of losing some of its habitat.
On Friday, the Trump administration announced it would be dismantling the 2015 Sage Grouse Conservation Plans, which had been negotiated by many stakeholders from industry to conservation groups. The new directive, led by acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, now gives states more control over which habitats they can open for fossil fuel extraction. Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, and parts of California will be impacted, and the National Wildlife Federation cites eight million acres of sage grouse territory that will be potentially at risk.
Those in favor of the change are saying it will give states more flexibility over their own territories and was
praised by Utah Governor Gary Herbert.
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TRUMP OFFICIALS PROPOSE ROLLBACKS OF ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT RULES
July 19, 2018
On Thursday, the Trump administration
unveiled a proposal that would make several key changes to the Endangered Species Act—the 1973 law that has served as a bulwark against the bald eagle's extinction, among thousands of other species.
The plan calls for nixing a rule that forbids referring to the economic impacts of listing an endangered or threatened species. That said, the plan makes pains to say that determinations would still be based only on biological considerations. It also would give regulators greater freedom to avoid designating critical habitat for threatened and endangered species.
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https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/03/how-trump-is-changing-science-environment/
