Trump Administration Launching Broad Attack on USEPA Regulations

Now that Trump’s EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has been confirmed by the Senate, drastic changes to three of the agency’s environmental policies are expected in the coming weeks. New rules cutting away at the agency’s Clean Power Plan, and Waters of the U. S. clean water regulations, plus reversal of the Department of Interior moratorium on new coal mining leases on federal lands are expected within the next few weeks.

Trump’s OMB is proposing a 25 % cut in the EPA budget, and a 19% cut of 3,000 EPA staff jobs. In addition to cutting 70% of the agency’s climate change budget, proposed cuts include 97% budget reduction in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and complete elimination of funding for cleanup of San Francisco Bay.