Tag Archive for: Trump

Opinion: President Trump Takes a Step Backward on Protecting Our Environment

On July 15, President Trump’s Council on Environmental Quality issued its long-dreaded “final rule,” a comprehensive weakening of the National Environmental Protection Act. NEPA is not only the nation’s most important federal protection against projects that threaten our environment and climate, it is also a cornerstone of our efforts to promote environmental justice, ensuring that projects assess and mitigate the disproportionate adverse impacts that minority and low-income communities often suffer.

Central Valley Could Get Federal Aid for Drinking Water Crisis. Will Trump Support It?

Central Valley neighborhoods are a step closer to new money to fix broken water systems and access clean, safe drinking water — if the White House and Congress agree on an infrastructure package currently moving through the U.S. House of Representatives.

House Sends Lands Bill to Trump Against Political Backdrop

The House yesterday cleared a sweeping public lands package to be signed into law — a historic achievement that could have long-standing political repercussions in both parties and chambers.

The House’s 310-107 passage of the “Great American Outdoors Act” came nearly a month after the Senate advanced its version, 73-25.

White House Loosens Environmental Law to Speed Up Infrastructure Projects

The White House’s Council on Environmental Quality today published its final rule to update the National Environmental Policy Act. The effective date is Sep. 14; however, it is subject to congressional review, which could delay or even prevent its implementation.

California’s Pollution Regulators Go Toe-To-Toe With Trump. Watchdog Says They Come Up Short

A California environmental advocacy group urged the state’s air pollution regulator and agriculture department to do more for minority communities in an annual report card it published last week.

That report card, compiled by the California Environmental Justice Alliance, issued environmental justice grades to eight agencies, with a statewide C average.

House Rejects Trump Cuts, Proposes Boost for Environmental Agencies

The Democratic-led House Appropriations Committee on Monday proposed a funding bump for the Interior Department and Environmental Protection Agency, soundly rejecting cuts proposed by President Trump.

Moving Forward Act Provides Funding for Central Valley Water, Friant-Kern Canal

The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has approved H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act. The legislative package would provide $1.5 trillion for the nation’s infrastructure  needs. Included in the bill is funding for Central Valley water needs and Friant-Kern Canal repairs.

The package is expected to be passed by the U.S. House of Representatives next week. The package would then need to be passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Trump.

Nevada Mulls EPA Reversal of Obama Era Drinking Water Rules

The Trump administration has decided a chemical with a notorious legacy in Nevada will not be regulated in drinking water, but state officials say the reversal of the Obama-era policy shouldn’t result in any decline in drinking water standards across the state.

Who’s Suing Over Trump’s WOTUS Rule?

Opponents of the Trump administration’s new definition of which waterways and wetlands are protected under the Clean Water Act have lined up in court to make their grievances known.

Don’t expect clarity on the rules anytime soon.

The Trump administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule is already on hold in one state — Colorado — and could still be frozen by any one of the various federal judges who are now examining the regulation. Unlike lawsuits over Clean Air Act rules, which land in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Clean Water Act challenges can be heard in any of the nation’s nearly 100 federal district courts.

Trump Uses ‘Emergency’ to Speed Up Infrastructure Projects

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday calling on federal agencies to use emergency powers to “accelerate” infrastructure projects on federal lands as a response to the coronavirus pandemic.