©2023 League of Conservation Voters
Your weekly resource to learn what the environmental movement is saying about the news of the day and the political fight of our generation. Be sure to follow LCV on Facebook and Twitter.
REPORTER NOTEBOOK: Keep Track of the Trump Administration’s attacks on health, climate, air, water, clean energy and conservation Issues
QUOTES OF THE WEEK:
“Trump’s rigged budget would stack the deck in favor of Big Oil and other corporate lobbyists who want to take the cops off the beat that protect clean drinking water, healthy air, and a safe climate for all people in this country. Trump’s radical budget slashing the EPA would Make America Sick Again. We will resist and hold accountable Donald Trump and Members of Congress who support a spending plan that puts polluters first over the health of everyday people in this country.”
“Lo and behold, the documents Scott Pruitt wanted to keep hidden have confirmed our suspicion that he used his personal email address to conduct official state business and that he was not honest with the Senate about this during his confirmation process.”
“The rule protects the drinking water of 1 in 3 people living in this country, including those who voted for President Trump. Dismantling these clean water protections will put safe drinking water at risk without providing businesses the certainty and clarity they need while wasting taxpayer money on new, polluter-friendly regulation.”
TODAY: LCV Letter Urges Senators to Oppose BLM’s Sensible “Planning” 2.0 Rule
LCV IN THE NEWS
Huffington Post: Environmentalists Deem 2016 U.S. House The ‘Most Anti-Environmental’ In History
Associated Press: Trump orders review of Obama rule protecting small streams
New York Times: He Will Soon Run a Fifth of the Nation. Meet Ryan Zinke.
Time: What President Trump’s New Order Means for Clean Water
EE News: Trump order sets up reform task forces in agencies
Bloomberg: Trump’s EPA Budget Cuts May Unleash a Backlash as Risks Remain
The Hill: Regulatory watchdogs concerned about Trump’s budget cuts
USA Today: Delaware Sen. Tom Carper emerges as unlikely environmental warrior
WEEK IN REVIEW
NYT FRONT PAGE – White House Divided Over Plans to Scrap Paris Agreement
Steve Bannon is facing off against Ivanka Trump and Rex Tillerson for the President’s ear over the future of the Paris Climate Agreement.
Scott Pruitt Refuses to Confirm EPA Will Research Climate Change
Scott Pruitt appeared on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday and repeatedly refused to answer questions as to whether he would allow climate change research.
Mitt Romney Calls on Trump To Take Action on Climate Change
Calling on Republicans to get behind the Paris Climate Agreement, Mitt Romney criticized his party’s reluctance to acknowledge the science behind and take action on climate change.
MAKE AMERICA SICK AGAIN: Air, Water at Risk as Trump Seeks to Cut 25% of EPA Budget
The EPA’s budget has already been reduced 28% since 2010 – but leaked figures this week revealed the White House plans to cut the EPA Budget by $2 billion – and eliminate 38 key programs that protect our air, water and environment. The cuts would “take the cops off the beat that protect clean drinking water, healthy air, and a safe climate for all people in this country,” said LCV Deputy Legislative Director Alex Taurel. Trump says he wants to protect clean air, but blocking implementation of the Clean Air Act endangers 230,000 lives and throws away $30 in health benefits for every $1 invested in compliance.
In One of Pruitt’s First Acts, EPA Halts Inquiry Into Industry Methane Emissions
In yet another example of Pruitt’s disdain for transparency, the oil and gas industry is no longer required to provide information on their equipment and emissions of methane. Scott Pruitt rolled back an Obama administration effort to collect information on the industry citing the support of attorneys general from conservative, oil-producing states.
DRIP, DRIP, DRIP: What the Emails Prove
Jeff Sessions was not the only Trump nominee to lie to Congress, emails released under the Center for Media and Democracy show. Moreover, Pruitt used his personal email to carry out official business, including corresponding with ALEC and the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers – despite stating in his hearing “I use only my official OAG [office of the attorney general] email address and government-issued phone to conduct official business.”
WAR ON WATER: Administration Begins Attempts to Dismantle Clean Water Protections
President Trump signed an executive order Tuesday to begin the process to rescind the Clean Water Rule, putting at risk safe drinking water for people across the country. “The rule protects the drinking water of 1 in 3 people living in this country,” said LCV Legislative Representative Madeleine Foote, “including those who voted for President Trump.” The move is focused on one aim: protecting polluters at the expense of our communities and their access to clean drinking water
HOLE IN ONE: Water Executive Order Stands to Benefit 12 Trump Golf Courses in U.S.
As reported by Bloomberg this week, of the main beneficiaries of President Trump’s executive order rolling back the Clean Water Rule is, well, himself. Repealing the rule has been a high priority for the golf industry since it was finalized by President Obama in June 2015. The Trump Organization owns 12 golf courses in the United States that would have been subject to the rule.
ICYMI: LEADING THE CHARGE – Sen. Carper the Face of Senate Opposition to Environmental Attacks
A USA Today piece today profiled Sen. Tom Carper, the environmental warrior leading the fight against the Trump administration’s efforts to rollback protections to our clean air and water. “We think he’s absolutely done a stupendous job,” said LCV SVP for Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld. “The nomination fight over Scott Pruitt as his first major (test) spoke volumes to his leadership.” Sen. Carper’s biggest concerns about Trump? The weakening of power plant emissions rules, a de-emphasis on combating climate change and the increased threat of mercury.
CABINET UPDATE: Senate Confirms Zinke, Perry as Secretaries of Interior, Energy
What does this mean? We now have a Secretary of the Interior with a 4% lifetime score on the LCV National Environmental Scorecard and an Energy Secretary running a department he once vowed to get rid of. Swamp status: full.
COMING SOON:
“Keep Public Lands in Public Hands” – Rally in Deep-Red Idaho this Saturday
LCV’s Idaho state league, Conservation Voters for Idaho, is part of Idahoans for Public Lands, which is organizing a rally in Boise on March 4 to demonstrate support for public lands and opposition to them being sold-off. More than 1,300 people have RSVPd to attend. The rally comes on the heels of major pro-public lands rallies held in MT and NM earlier this year, which coupled with direct pressure on Rep. Chaffetz, caused Chaffetz to “withdraw” his lands sell-off bill earlier this year.
LCV and People’s Climate Movement Calls on Public to Join April 29 March for Climate, Jobs and Justice
LCV is proud to support the People’s Climate Movement and help mobilize the public to attend the April 29th March for Climate, Jobs and Justice. The march seeks to hold President Trump, Polluter Pruitt, and the rest of Trump’s rigged cabinet accountable for their continued assault on our bedrock environmental protections.
NEXT WEEK:
March 10: Native Nations March on DC
Led by the Standing Rock Sioux, indigenous grassroots leaders and allies from across the country will take to the DC streets, demanding that the rights of Native Nations are respected. On the 10th, native peoples and their allies will march from the Mall to the White House to make their voices heard by the new administration.
Executive Orders to Watch: Clean Power Plan and Coal Expected Next Week
The President is expected to sign executive orders rolling back the clean power plan and moratorium on federal coal leasing next week. As of yet, it’s unclear whether the Paris Climate Agreement will be wrapped into this effort.
Congressional Review Act: Senate Vote on BLM Methane Waste Rule
The Senate may vote next week on the Congressional Review Act “Resolution of Disapproval” to overturn the BLM’s Methane and Waste Reduction Rule. The League of Conservation Voters joins advocates across the nation in urging Senators to vote no and reject this radical attempt to unravel safeguards that would imperil our health, climate, and public lands with dangerous methane pollution and waste a valuable taxpayer resource.
©2023 League of Conservation Voters