President Donald J. Trump's Year of Regulatory Reform and Environmental Protection at the EPA

“We’re ending intrusive EPA regulations that kill jobs, hurt family farmers and ranchers, and raise the price of energy so quickly and so substantially.” – President Donald J. Trump

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE: President Donald J. Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is implementing the energy independence priorities laid out in the Executive Order, Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth.

• On March 28, 2017, President Trump signed an Executive Order 13783 on Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth. On October 25, 2017, the EPA released a report on how it is implementing the President’s Executive Order to curb regulatory burdens to promote energy production and economic growth.
• The report included four initiatives started by the EPA to implement Executive Order 13783.
  • EPA is creating a task force dedicated to reviewing and simplifying the New Source Review application and permit process.
  • EPA is streamlining the National Ambient Air Quality Standards State Implementation Plan approval process.
  • EPA will conduct evaluations of the potential employment effects that may result from the implementation of five environmental statutes. These evaluations had not been conducted historically, despite being mandated by the five statutes.

ROLLING BACK THE CLEAN POWER PLAN: Following the principles established by the President’s Executive Order on Energy Independence, EPA has proposed the repeal of the “Clean Power Plan.”

• Repealing the Clean Power Plan will allow for the development of critical United States energy sources.
• The Administration estimates that repealing the Clean Power Plan could eliminate up to $33 billion in compliance costs in 2030.
• The proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan respects the limits of the EPA’s authority.
  • The Clean Power Plan was originally issued under an expansive and legally dubious view of the EPA’s authority under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act.
  • The Plan authorized EPA to dictate the content of the Nation’s energy portfolio, a power well outside its authority under the Clean Air Act.
  • It also severely restricted States’ long-held authority to make choices about energy production and use within their borders.
• Public hearings were held for the proposed repeal on November 28th and 29th.
  • EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has announced three additional public listening sessions to be held in California, Wyoming, and Missouri.

STREAMLINING SUPERFUND CLEANUPS: EPA Administrator Pruitt launched a task force to provide recommendations on how to streamline and improve the Superfund program, which is responsible for cleaning up land contaminated by hazardous waste.

• In May, EPA Administrator Pruitt announced the creation of a Superfund task force to look at ways to streamline and improve the Superfund program.
• The Superfund task force released 42 detailed recommendations with five goals in mind.
  • Expediting cleanup and remediation
  • Re-invigorating responsible party cleanup and reuse
  • Encouraging private investment
  • Promoting redevelopment and community revitalization
  • Engaging partners and stakeholders

FORWARD THINKING SOLUTIONS: EPA has re-launched launched the Smart Sectors Program to partner with the private sector to achieve better environmental outcomes.

• The Smart Sectors Program uses a sector-based, collaborative approach to consider forward-thinking ways to protect the environment.
• EPA officials who oversee and regulate a wide range of industry sectors will serve as ombudsmen within the EPA, conduct educational site tours, host roundtables, and provide advice on forward-thinking approaches to environmental improvement.
• Smart Sectors will also help streamline internal operations at EPA.