Probably the most important environmental action the Trump administration can take is to eliminate the Endangerment Finding (EF). The EF was used to have CO2 and several other so-called greenhouse gases (GHGs) inserted in the Clean Air Act. That action has allowed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enact regulations without any input from Congress. Giving the EPA free reign has given the radicals in that Department the leverage to try to regulate fossil fuels out of existence.
As recently as 30 January this year, just a little over a month ago, EPA Director Pruitt said in a Congressional hearing that he was reviewing a challenge to the EF. Red teams, blue teams and all that but not one to my knowledge has been formed. Nothing seems to be getting done. It is over a year ago that the Pruitt was named Director.
Posting of that hearing by USA Today, reported:
“Pruitt spent much of the hearing touting some of the priorities he sees as important: aggressively cleaning up Superfund sites, modernizing water systems tainted by lead and cleanup of abandon mines.”
Good objectives but minor league compared to the EF. And that list of his priorities will eventually be done as both parties want them done. He needs to concentrate on getting things done that the Democrats will not do if they get back in power.