Trump Administration
The War and the Energy Transition
The Iran War it is hitting energy markets hard. Will that affect the energy transition?
The Iran War has been a big shock to the global energy system. It’s natural to wonder what the long terms will be. What it will lead to an orgy of oil and gas drilling, or will it speed up the energy transition? There are enormous uncertainties, and making confident predictions would be a clear mistake. In this post, I’ll try to unpack some of the issues and offer a semi-educated gas about the answers.
Challenging Hegseth’s National Security Gambit
Hegseth may not have as much power as he thinks to run roughshod over the Endangered Species Act.
According to a DOJ filing, “[o]n March 13, 2026, the Secretary of War notified the Secretary of the Interior that the Secretary of War found it necessary for reasons of national security to exempt from the ESA’s requirements all Gulf of America oil and gas exploration and development activities.” It’s difficult but not impossible to challenge the government on issues of national security. Hegseth’s demand for an exemption to allow oil companies to destroy endangered species is a bold, aggressive move, much like the decision to go to war against Iran. As with the war itself, however, the legal and political aftermath may prove a lot messier than the Administration is anticipating. Here are some possible arguments that could potentially limit Hegseth’s powers.
CONTINUE READINGHarming Species
The impact of repealing the ESA Section 9 prohibition on habitat destruction will be large for many endangered species.
As I posted last year, the Trump Administration is proposing to repeal an Endangered Species Act (ESA) regulation that limits destruction of habitat for listed species. Specifically, the proposal is to repeal the definition of “harm” in the regulations. That regulatory definition includes some forms of habitat destruction within the meaning of harm. And “harm” …
Continue reading “Harming Species”
CONTINUE READINGThe “God Squad” is Subject to a Lot of Limits. But I’m still worried.
Getting an exemption from the Endangered Species Act is normally difficult. But there’s a scary exception.
The Endangered Species Act Committee has been nicknamed the God Squad, on the theory that it holds the power of life and death over endangered species. It does the have the power to exempt from projects from the Endangered Species Act (ESA), although that’s not quite as ominous as it sounds. It’s understandable that many people freaked out when a Federal Register notice appeared announcing a meeting of the Committee relating to offshore drilling in the Gulf. We don’t have any specifics , What we do know is that the process is complex and cumbersome, and that there are important limits on the Committee’s discretion. There’s still reason to worry, however, because Pete Hegseth actually is the one with godlike powers over endangered species.
CONTINUE READINGWhat Happens When Trump is in Charge of Nuclear Reactor Safety?
In the Trump Era, approval by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission may not mean much.
Earlier this month, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued its first nuclear construction permit in a decade. It approved an innovative modular nuclear reactor by a company cofounded by Bill Gates. Will the reactor be safe? Hopefully, Gates knows what he’s doing, but it’s hard to give a lot of credence to the NRC these …
Continue reading “What Happens When Trump is in Charge of Nuclear Reactor Safety?”
CONTINUE READINGLaunching OPERATION EPIC FURRY
It’s time to rename the Endangered Species Act.
Environmentalists need to do better. at marketing Consider the Endangered Species Act. That’s an accurate but uninspiring name. Where’s the pizzaz? Where’s the spark? And the acronym ESA is just lame.The aspects of the law that appeal most to the public are its protections of iconic creatures like polar bears and cute creatures like black-footed ferrets. Why not take a leaf from Trump’s book and rebrand? Make it big, bold, and appealing: EPIC FURRY. Sounds thrilling! It could stand for Endangered Prized Innocent Creatures Flourishing Under Real Regulatory Yodas. The title doesn’t mean anything, but has a nice Star Wars connection, which never hurt anyone’s marketing. And what regulator wouldn’t like to be compared with Yoda the Jedi Master?
CONTINUE READINGNoem’s Disastrous Reign at FEMA
The post-Noem agency is in desperate need of rebuilding.
It’s going to be very difficult for a new DHS head to shift course given the message coming from the White House. But without a change in the direction, a weaker FEMA will increase the country’s vulnerability to the disaster risks posed by an increasingly unruly climate. Noem has done great damage to FEMA, leaving the country more vulnerable to disasters. Trump’s desire to abolish the agency isn’t helping. Among her failings, her damage to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may not be the worst, but it’s far from the least. Restoring the FEMA will be a major undertaking and a heavy lift in an administration best known for agency destruction.
CONTINUE READINGAn “Unprecedented” Heat Wave is Just the Start
The Drain is a weekly roundup of environmental and climate news from Legal Planet.
Dust off your fan or set the thermostat for your heat pump. A heat wave is in the forecast for the western U.S., bringing 90-plus degree heat to much of California and records are likely to fall. Temperatures that are 20-30 degrees above normal for this time of year are on tap starting today. It’s …
Continue reading “An “Unprecedented” Heat Wave is Just the Start”
CONTINUE READINGThe Trump Governance Playbook, in War and Peace
Going to war is very different than regulating pollutants, but the Trump Administration approaches both decisions similarly.
Trump’s approach to governance has some roots in previous practice, but it is not what Americans generally have been used to. It is a governance style that centralizes power not only within the executive branch, but in the executive branch at the expense of Congress, and in government rather than the public. Some might argue that this is more democratic since only the President is nationally elected. Others take a different view. There’s no question, however, that the governance system is in a very different mode of operation in all spheres, foreign and domestic.
CONTINUE READINGSurprise Support for Solar
Solar power is on the Trump Administration hit list, but it turns out to have support in unexpected places.
ere’s a social media post whose content won’t surprise you:
“Solar power is the energy of the future.
“Giant fusion reactor up there in the sky – we must rapidly expand solar to compete with China.”
And from a political ally, a poll that found three-quarters of Trump voters in five states agreed that solar should be used “to strengthen and increase” the U.S. energy supply.
Who were those solar supporters?
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