Environment

Trump's White House Continues Effort to Renew Drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

In April 2017, Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at ending the ban on offshore drilling in certain areas.  Smart Dissent painfully covered that here.  In late June, Trump spoke again on the topic, claiming that progress is being made to make his "vision" a reality and sell our environment to the highest bidder.  

Trump's Pick to Head NASA Loves Space, Denies Climate Change

If we're trying to focus on the positives, Trump's pick to head NASA is a longtime vocal proponent of the organization.  Buuuuuuut, he's also been a vocal climate change denier and NASA plays a significant role in climate research.  

Trump's pick for the next leader of NASA is a fighter pilot who wants Americans to return to the moon but doesn't believe that humans are causing climate change.

The Destruction of the Environmental Protection Agency Occurring in Secret

Scott Pruitt has called for the dissolution of much of the EPA, yet now runs the Environmental Protection Agency.  He is a seasoned legal opponent of the agency and is incredibly effective tool for Trump and Republican efforts to dismantle regulations on climate change and clean water and "get rid" of the agency.  Pruitt and the White House are waging a war against science, safety, and common sense in order to benefit their favored corporate interests.

Trump Rescinds Obama Executive Order to Improve Flood Management Days Before Hurricane Harvey

Just 10 days before Hurricane Harvey hit the coast of Texas threatening the state with massive flooding, the White House revoked Executive Order 13690, which increased standards for federal flood risk management.

In January 2015, President Obama issued an executive order requiring all federal investments involving floodplains to meet higher flood risk management standards.

Trump Administration Reverses Course on Plastic Water Bottle Restrictions

The National Park Service (NPS) decided late last week to reverse an Obama-era recommendation to ban the sale of disposable plastic bottles at national parks. The rule did not outright ban water bottles, but

Officials say 23 of the 417 NPS sites have implemented the policy since it was enacted. Those include some the nation’s most popular destinations such as the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park and Mount Rushmore.

White House Science Division is Now Unstaffed

The climate-change-denying White House has little use for science.  So it should infuriating all of us - but unfortunately not surprising - that the science department within the White House is now unstaffed.

The science division of the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) was unstaffed as of Friday as the three remaining employees departed this week.... All three employees were holdovers from the Obama administration.

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