Sabin Center Urges EPA to Preserve Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards as it Implements Trump’s Deregulatory Agenda

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has requested public input on regulations that may be appropriate for repeal, replacement, or modification pursuant to President Trump’s deregulatory agenda (as outlined in Executive Orders 13771 and 13777). The Sabin Center has submitted a comment letter urging EPA to preserve existing greenhouse gas […]

Administrator Pruitt’s War on Science: Is the EPA’s Science Advisory Board Next in the Firing Line?

By Romany Webb The Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) made headlines last weekend when the agency fired at least five academics from its Science Advisory Board (“SAB”). A spokesman for Administrator Scott Pruitt told the media that he is considering replacing the fired academics with industry representatives as he “believes we […]

To Withdraw from Paris or Not to Withdraw from Paris: Thinking Through Some of the Legal Implications

By Michael Burger News accounts over the last few days have described an ongoing legal debate within the Trump administration over whether the United States should withdraw from the Paris Agreement. Two key questions are reportedly at the center of the debate: First, does the Paris Agreement permit the United […]

OIRA Guidance Solidifies Legal Problems Inherent in Trump’s Deregulation Order

Michael Burger and Jessica Wentz Last week, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) published final guidance on implementing President Trump’s Executive Order on Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs, which directs all agencies to control regulatory costs by: (1) ensuring that the “incremental costs” of all new regulations […]

How Impact Assessment Can Lead to “Climate Smart” Projects

by Jessica Wentz Last week, I traveled to Montreal to attend the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) annual conference. The theme of this year’s conference was “Impact Assessment’s Contribution to the Global Efforts in Addressing Climate Change” – a topic that we have explored in great depth at the […]

Trump Appointees at Environmental, Energy and Natural Resource Management Agencies: Not Much Expertise, Plenty of Fossil Fuel Connections

Last month, ProPublica published a list of more than 400 officials that President Trump has quietly appointed at agencies across the federal government. These officials were given beachhead positions that do not require Senate confirmation and have received far less attention in news outlets than those who do require confirmation. […]