environmental politics Archives - Page 25 of 28

environmental politics

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Some green patches in one of the reddest of the Red States.

The Texas AG’s office seems to do little else besides battle against EPA, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz is in the vanguard of anti-environmentalism. Yet even in Texas there are some rays of hope. While Texas is attacking the Clean Power Plan, the city of Houston is leading a coalition of cities defending it. Other …

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Trump vs. EPA

To combat the anti-environmentalism of his base, we need to stress public health issues.

Donald Trump wants to abolish EPA and leave environmental regulation to the states. Given that many environmental problems cross state lines, it’s not clear how he thinks this would work. But never mind that. A more immediate problems is understanding why this position may appeal to his core voters. For candidates like Cruz, it’s not hard …

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Environmental Enforcement in the Age of Trump

Is it time for a retributive turn in environmental law?

Many thought that the BP Oil Spill would lead to new environmental legislation, as happened after past environmental disasters. That didn’t happen. But something else did happen: BP paid $24 billion in civil and criminal penalties. In an era where any effort at government regulation is immediately denounced as a dire threat to liberty, …

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Mitch McConnell’s “War on Coal Miners”

McConnell seems to care more about political payback than the miners’ welfare.

Mitch McConnell’s website trumpets that last fall he received an award from the Washington Coal Club “for his work to defend Kentucky’s coal jobs, miners and their families.” His concern for miners turns out not to be so deep. As the Washington Post reported last week, he single-handedly blocked a measure to rescue health and pension benefits …

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The Perverse Growth of the “Job Killing” Meme

As unemployment goes down and down, talk about “job killing regulations” goes up and up.

We’ve had a number of posts about the claim that regulations cause major job losses. The evidence doesn’t support this claim. (See this post from October). But the claim at least seemed understandable in the depths of the recession, when people were desperately worried about unemployment. The weird thing is that as unemployment has gone …

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2016: The Year of Living Dangerously

2015 was a year of forward movement. Much of that could be in jeopardy this year.

We are at the start of a year of danger for environmental policy. 2015 saw many accomplishments in environmental law: the Administration issued the “waters of the United States” and Clean Power Plan regulations, a Supreme Court ruling in favor of EPA’s cross-state air pollution rule, and the Paris Agreement on climate change. Much of this progress is …

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What Does Ben Carson Think About the Environment?

He hasn’t said much. Mostly he sounds like Mitch McConnell. But sometimes he sounds like Pope Francis.

Ben Carson is rapidly rising in the polls for the GOP presidential nomination. He has a number of strengths including a demeanor that is the opposite of Donald Trump’s and an arresting personal story. Apparently, for many GOP voters, part of his charm is his lack of experience in politics or government. He has taken …

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The Top Ten Reasons Trump Should Endorse a Carbon Tax

A bold move, if Trump is brave enough to go there.

Not that he’s asked for my advice, but here are ten powerful reasons why Donald Trump should endorse a carbon tax: 10. It would be completely inconsistent with his past positions. 9. It would shock the GOP establishment. 8. It would shock the media. 7. He’s already endorsed a tax increase for …

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Guess Who Benefits From Regulating Power Plants

The answer will surprise you.

What parts of the country benefit most from the series of new EPA rules addressing pollution from coal-fired power plants? The answer is not what you think. EPA does a thorough cost-benefit analysis of its regulations but the costs and benefits are aggregated at the national level. In a new paper, David Spence and David Adelman from the University …

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Is Jeb Too Green?

GOP Primary voters may think so.

At this point, the GOP Presidential field looks like Jeb Bush versus Everyone Else. (Of course, there’s a big fight over who get’s to play Everyone Else when this particular play opens in Iowa and New Hampshire.) It’s an open question whether Jeb will turn out to be too green for the average GOP primary voter. …

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Congress Lacks Authority to Review California’s Car Waiver

It’s a complicated issue but the answer is clear: the Congressional Review Act does not apply.

Trump’s Seven Most Anti-Environmental Moves — and How to Push Back

There were dozens of actions, all harmful to the environment. These are the worst of the worst.

The California Car Waiver and the Congressional Review Act

Trump has found a possible way to end run California’s legal arguments for the waiver. But there’s no reason to give up.

Tracking the Trump Administration

Rollbacks of Climate, Energy, and Environmental Policies and Investments

What is Life Like Inside Trump’s EPA?

Three EPA employees talk about DOGE, work anxiety, regulatory rollbacks, and the impact on protecting health and the environment.

Why Isn’t Hydrofluoric Acid Banned at Oil Refineries?

The Torrance Refinery Action Alliance and Rep. Maxine Waters have renewed calls to ban hydrofluoric acid at SoCal refineries. Here’s why and how that could work.

environmental politics

Some green patches in one of the reddest of the Red States.

To combat the anti-environmentalism of his base, we need to stress public health issues.

Is it time for a retributive turn in environmental law?

McConnell seems to care more about political payback than the miners’ welfare.

As unemployment goes down and down, talk about “job killing regulations” goes up and up.

2015 was a year of forward movement. Much of that could be in jeopardy this year.

He hasn’t said much. Mostly he sounds like Mitch McConnell. But sometimes he sounds like Pope Francis.

A bold move, if Trump is brave enough to go there.

The answer will surprise you.

GOP Primary voters may think so.

Join Our Mailing List

Climate policy is changing rapidly. Stay in the loop with expert analysis via email Monday - Friday.

TRENDING

EPA has identified four different arguments against the endangerment finding. None have merit.

With nations lagging behind on climate, states and provinces are coming up with investment opportunities to protect forests and ecosystems internationally.

The Current Overheated Housing Market in Los Angeles Demonstrates That Market-Rate Housing Can Reduce Rents

Three EPA employees talk about DOGE, work anxiety, regulatory rollbacks, and the impact on protecting health and the environment.

The acclaimed science fiction author says at a UCLA talk that Trump’s attack on science is “a murder suicide” that won’t work because “you cannot kill the future.”

New CLEE report explores the risks of federal preemption.

Congress was aware that there could be a backlash against environmental standards. It took precautions.

Just as a past dictator rejected modern genetics, Trump rejects climate science. For both, evidence was no match for ideology and ego.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has launched a full-scale attack on climate, air and water pollution.

Thousands of people rallied at more than 100 Stand Up for Science events from Missouri to France. Where will the movement go from here?

It’s a complicated issue but the answer is clear: the Congressional Review Act does not apply.

There were dozens of actions, all harmful to the environment. These are the worst of the worst.

Trump has found a possible way to end run California’s legal arguments for the waiver. But there’s no reason to give up.

Rollbacks of Climate, Energy, and Environmental Policies and Investments

Three EPA employees talk about DOGE, work anxiety, regulatory rollbacks, and the impact on protecting health and the environment.

The Torrance Refinery Action Alliance and Rep. Maxine Waters have renewed calls to ban hydrofluoric acid at SoCal refineries. Here’s why and how that could work.

Don’t let the headlines deceive you. It’s not just the Supreme Court that shapes environmental law.

Private recycling subscription services are helping my family divert our waste, though I wish we didn’t need them.

Analysis of causation under NEPA should be driven by the statute’s purpose of informed decisionmaking.

A pair of new bills introduced in the California State Legislature would create a climate superfund. Here’s how it would work.