{"id":151703,"date":"2020-02-20T08:17:07","date_gmt":"2020-02-20T16:17:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=119408"},"modified":"2020-02-20T08:17:07","modified_gmt":"2020-02-20T16:17:07","slug":"environmental-rollbacks-you-need-to-know-about","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/environmental-rollbacks-you-need-to-know-about","title":{"rendered":"The 6 Environmental Rollbacks You Need to Know About"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"cb-itemprop\" itemprop=\"reviewBody\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Since President Trump took office in 2017, his administration has rescinded or proposed to rescind dozens of policies rooted in environmental protection, often in the name of economic growth. The rollbacks come as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/bioscience\/advance-article\/doi\/10.1093\/biosci\/biz088\/5610806\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">scientists warn of a climate emergency<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that requires swift, coordinated global action through stricter regulations meant to control emissions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nearly 100 environmental policies have been repealed<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">or are in the process of being repealed<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">since Trump took the helm, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2019\/climate\/trump-environment-rollbacks.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">according to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The New York Times<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Proponents of the measures say the rollbacks will help advance the economy and streamline regulations the administration claims are burdensome to industry.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But others fear the relaxed regulations<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014many of which are <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">meant to curb pollution and protect natural resources<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">could accelerate climate change, worsening an already dire situation. Global greenhouse gas emissions have increased by 1.5 percent each year over the last decade, according to the 2019 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unenvironment.org\/resources\/emissions-gap-report-2019\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Emissions Gap Report<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The world\u2019s 20 richest countries, including the U.S., are responsible for 78 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. To keep the global temperature this century at 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels (a temperature deemed safe by a U.N.-supported panel of scientists), emissions would have to decline by 7.6 percent each year over the next decade. The stark reality <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/live-updates-from-the-youth-led-global-climate-strike\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">has motivated millions around the world to speak up<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and demand climate-conscious policy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">With numerous environmental rollbacks, it can be overwhelming to track each one. To make things easier, we\u2019ve broken down six policy proposals that are particularly relevant to recreationists and public lands advocates. Click through the article to learn more about each one.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Revising NEPA<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Trump administration in January 2020 proposed major revisions to the National Environmental Policy Act, which since 1970 has outlined an environmental review process for federal projects like pipelines and highways. The administration\u2019s stated goal is to aid economic expansion by speeding up and streamlining environmental evaluation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>AT A GLANCE<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Policy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: National Environmental Policy Act<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Agency<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Council on Environmental Quality<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Why it matters:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> T<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">he proposed standards could alter review periods and limit the public&#8217;s ability to comment on major infrastructure projects that affect the environment<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Status<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Proposal<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Next step<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The administration is accepting comments on the proposed changes through March 10.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t<div class=\"CustomHeadline CustomHeadline-1 clearfix\">\n\t\t\t<p data-action=\"openCustomHeadline\" class=\"CustomHeadline__headline\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"CustomHeadline__headline-text\"><\/span>LEARN MORE<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<i data-js=\"customHeadlineCaret\" class=\"fa fa-caret-right CustomHeadline__carret\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<div data-js=\"customHeadlineContent\" class=\"CustomHeadline__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Proposed revisions to a landmark environmental law could severely limit the public\u2019s ability to provide input on major infrastructure projects that affect the environment, including public lands.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Trump administration in early January <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefings-statements\/presidential-message-50th-anniversary-national-environmental-policy-act\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">proposed major revisions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/cgi-bin\/text-idx?SID=30655823cf5f0dcb1c5ee59d01883b89&amp;mc=true&amp;tpl=\/ecfrbrowse\/Title40\/40chapterV.tpl\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, which since 1970 has outlined an environmental review process for federal projects like pipelines and highways. The goal, as with many of the administration\u2019s proposed regulatory changes, is to aid economic expansion\u2014in this case, by speeding up and streamlining environmental evaluation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)\u2014the federal agency that enforces NEPA\u2014proposed the revisions, which could alter everything from the public\u2019s ability to comment on proposed projects to the ways in which agencies review environmental impact.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cAmerica\u2019s most critical infrastructure projects have been tied up and bogged down by an outrageously slow and burdensome federal approval process,\u201d President Trump<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefings-statements\/remarks-president-trump-proposed-national-environmental-policy-act-regulations\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">said Jan. 9<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, adding that the process wastes money, stalls projects and denies people jobs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">President Nixon signed NEPA\u2014often considered the \u201cMagna Carta of federal environmental laws\u201d\u2014as one of the first national policies for the environment. The administration created it in response to threats to clean air and water, said Brad Brooks, acting senior director of agency policy and planning at The Wilderness Society.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cIt protects the things we need as a human species to survive, period,\u201d he said. NEPA is different from other environmental laws because it has such a wide reach: It applies to most federal agencies across the political spectrum. Revisions will impact projects, permits and land management changes overseen by those agencies.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adam Cramer, founding executive director of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.outdooralliance.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Outdoor Alliance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, said the revisions will significantly impact recreationists because\u2014like for everyone else\u2014it will become more difficult for them to comment on proposed projects that affect public places like trails, forests and parks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cGiven how much outdoor recreation takes place on public lands \u2026 this isn\u2019t an abstraction for people who care about the outdoors,\u201d Cramer said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Under the proposed changes, people would have to provide comments<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.federalregister.gov\/d\/2019-28106\/p-283\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">that are far more detailed<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> than what is mandated under the current law. For instance, an agency could<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">disregard a comment if it voices a general concern not supported by data and methodologies, Brooks said. To have it considered, the individual would have to provide information about the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.federalregister.gov\/d\/2019-28106\/p-684\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">environmental, economic and employment impacts<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">CEQ spokesperson Daniel Schneider said in email to the Co-op Journal that the changes are meant to \u201cpromote meaningful public comment.\u201d He said federal agencies will be encouraged to solicit public input earlier in the process and use new technologies like social media to make evaluating proposals more efficient.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But Brooks said the changes would still make commenting tougher for the average person who doesn\u2019t have a law or science background, largely due to the amount of information they\u2019d have to provide to support their comment. \u201cThe way (NEPA) is right now \u2026 you don\u2019t have to be a lawyer to participate in the process,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The revisions also could result in fewer comment periods overall. CEQ is proposing that agencies conduct fewer environmental impact statements (EIS) in favor of more environmental assessments. The latter\u2014typically reserved for projects where it\u2019s unclear whether there will be a major environmental impact\u2014requires a 30-day comment period compared to the 60 to 90 days mandated for an EIS. An EIS is required for large projects, such as a major energy plant or pipeline, where an environmental impact is certain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cThe new rules would dramatically reduce the number of projects that have a comment period, and if they do have a comment period, the agencies now have the discretion to truncate that period,\u201d Brooks said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Additionally, the revisions could allow agencies to impose a bond on an individual or organization if an agency has to delay a project in order to consider its environmental impact. \u201cThink about the people who have the financial means to post a bond for some of these big projects,\u201d Brooks said. \u201cWho can afford to do that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Agencies within the Department of Interior who stand to benefit from the revisions support the changes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;The purpose of NEPA is noble; its application, however, has gone off the rails,\u201d David Bernhardt, Department of Interior secretary, said <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.doi.gov\/pressreleases\/what-they-are-saying-ceq-issues-proposed-rule-modernize-its-nepa-regulations\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">in a January news release<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u201cThe action by the (CEQ) is the first step in bringing common sense to a process that has needlessly paralyzed decision-making.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Bureau of Land Management, which is an agency within Interior, and the Department of Transportation, declined to provide a comment specific to their agency.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The revisions will place new limits on EIS\u2019s. The existing law requires agencies to hire a third party to assess potential impact to the environment, but the revisions could make it possible for an agency to do its own assessment, creating a conflict of interest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The administration also proposes that the assessments be capped at no more than 75 pages and take no longer than two years to create. On average across all federal agencies, these statements are about 600 pages and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/CEQ-EIS-Timelines-Report.pdf\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">take about 4.5 years to create<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. However, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gao.gov\/assets\/670\/662543.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">less than 1 percent<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of projects each year require this level of assessment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cramer said the revisions short-circuit the public\u2019s ability to engage with federal projects. Though it\u2019s likely there will be litigation, Cramer said the best thing people can do right now is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/secure.everyaction.com\/8UezTMj1-ECpzn-uQdHbpQ2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">comment on the proposed NEPA revisions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. They have until March 10.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n<div id=\"attachment_142661\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-142661\" class=\"wp-image-142661 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/01\/will-porada-eM3YNw__OAU-unsplash-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C683\" alt=\"Fog in the Smoky Mountain National Park\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-142661\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@will0629\">Will Porada<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Paris Climate Accord<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On Nov. 4, the Trump administration provided notice to the U.N. that the U.S. would be withdrawing from the Paris climate accord. The withdrawal will take effect on Nov. 4, 2020. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>AT A GLANCE<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Policy: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/unfccc.int\/process\/conferences\/pastconferences\/paris-climate-change-conference-november-2015\/paris-agreement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Paris climate accord<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Agency: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Executive branch<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Why it matters: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It aims to hold nations accountable for meeting targets that help combat global warming.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Status:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The Trump administration began the withdrawal process on Nov. 4, 2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Next step: <\/b>The withdrawal is set to take effect on Nov. 4, 2020.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t<div class=\"CustomHeadline CustomHeadline-1 clearfix\">\n\t\t\t<p data-action=\"openCustomHeadline\" class=\"CustomHeadline__headline\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"CustomHeadline__headline-text\"><\/span>LEARN MORE<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<i data-js=\"customHeadlineCaret\" class=\"fa fa-caret-right CustomHeadline__carret\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<div data-js=\"customHeadlineContent\" class=\"CustomHeadline__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In response to a rapidly warming planet, nearly 200 countries have<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">signed the 2015 Paris climate agreement, each pledging to play a part in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. The primary objective is to limit this century\u2019s global temperature increase to at least 2 degrees Celsius<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, while attempting to hit<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> a more ambitious goal of capping the increase at 1.5 degrees Celsius.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But in November 2019, the U.S. began the process of withdrawing from the accord<\/span><b>. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">President Trump first announced his intent to leave the agreement in September 2017, saying the treaty placed unfair environmental standards on American businesses and workers, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/09\/18\/climate\/trump-adviser-un-paris-climate-agreement.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">according to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The New York Times<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The Trump administration initiated the action on Nov. 4\u2014the earliest it could do so\u2014though the withdrawal won\u2019t take effect for a year<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The move undercuts the international cooperation needed to combat climate change, said David Waskow, director of the World Resources Institute\u2019s International Climate Initiative. WRI is a global environmental group that conducts research on climate and energy, among other things.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;[The administration] would effectively be walking away from the greatest tool we have available to ensure all countries are playing their part,&#8221; he said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Following China, the U.S. is the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wri.org\/blog\/2017\/04\/interactive-chart-explains-worlds-top-10-emitters-and-how-theyve-changed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">according to WRI<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, with the E.U. not far behind. Together, the three contribute more than half of total global emissions, with most coming from the energy sector (think transportation, electricity generation and heating). To put this in perspective, the bottom 100 countries together account for only 3.5 percent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As part of the accord, participating countries agree to nationally determined contributions (NDCs), which outline a country\u2019s individual efforts to meet a climate target. For instance, one of the U.S.\u2019s intended NDCs was to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www4.unfccc.int\/sites\/ndcstaging\/PublishedDocuments\/United%20States%20of%20America%20First\/U.S.A.%20First%20NDC%20Submission.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The U.S.\u2019s withdrawal from the accord isn\u2019t likely to cause other countries to abandon their targets, Waskow said. Countries have their own reasons for wanting to take action, including maintaining international relationships and reducing domestic pollution in addition to combating climate change. And many Americans support the accord: Nearly 80 percent of Americans agree the U.S. should be part of the Paris agreement, and the support is bipartisan, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/climatecommunication.yale.edu\/publications\/politics-global-warming-march-2018\/2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">according to a 2018 poll by Yale<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The\u00a0 states, cities and businesses that support the accord account for almost 70 percent of U.S. GDP, Waskow said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Experts warn unchecked emissions will have widespread, negative impacts on the planet. A warming climate has already contributed to an increase in droughts, hurricanes and torrential rain and a decrease in biodiversity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Trump administration or a future administration could decide to reenter the agreement, Waskow said. But that person would need to develop new NDCs for the country to meet by 2030<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">and would have to set more aggressive targets to play a part in keeping the global temperature below 2 degrees Celsius. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n<div id=\"attachment_119419\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-119419\" class=\"wp-image-119419 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/01\/Paris-agreement.png?resize=1024%2C999\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"999\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-119419\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Graphic Credit: World Resources Institute<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Science-Based Stewardship in National Parks<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The National Park Service passed an order in 2016 that encouraged park leaders to use best-available science when managing park resources amid a warming climate. In August 2017, the acting park service director rescinded the order to better align with the Department of Interior. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>AT A GLANCE<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Policy: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/policy\/DOrders\/DO_100.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Director\u2019s Order No. 100<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Agency<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: National Park Service\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Why it matters: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It influences how the NPS incorporates climate change in decision-making.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Status: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rescinded\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Next step: <\/b>The NPS could reinstate it, but there currently aren\u2019t talks to do this.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t<div class=\"CustomHeadline CustomHeadline-1 clearfix\">\n\t\t\t<p data-action=\"openCustomHeadline\" class=\"CustomHeadline__headline\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"CustomHeadline__headline-text\"><\/span>LEARN MORE<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<i data-js=\"customHeadlineCaret\" class=\"fa fa-caret-right CustomHeadline__carret\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<div data-js=\"customHeadlineContent\" class=\"CustomHeadline__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In 2016, the National Park Service <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/policy\/DOrders\/DO_100.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">passed an order<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014known as Director\u2019s Order No. 100 or DO 100<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">that encouraged those overseeing park resources to use the best-available science when managing the resources amid a warming climate. The rule could extend to such decisions as handling species, mitigating noise pollution or improving park meadows worn down by tourists.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This signified a major shift in NPS oversight of parks, said <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gary Machlis, a Clemson University professor who worked on the order as science adviser to former Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis, during Jarvis\u2019 tenure from 2009 to 2017. In addition to mandating that park decisions be made using best-available science, the order elevated the role of Indigenous knowledge in decision-making; stipulated that natural and cultural resources be managed together; and required that park superintendents have some level of scientific literacy (though that requirement was loosely defined).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But in <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">August 2017, acting park service director Michael Reynolds rescinded the order to better align park service policy with the vision set by the Department of Interior, the agency said that year in an email. Rescinding DO 100 freed the park service from a requirement to consider change in its decision-making, Machlis said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cThe lack of science, the lack of fidelity to the law and the lack of long-term public interest will have a long-term impact to the visitors and what is theirs, which is the parks,\u201d he said. Climate change disproportionately impacts national parks, according to a 2018 study published in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.1088\/1748-9326\/aade09\/meta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Environmental Research Letters<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Researchers say this is largely because of the parks\u2019 locations<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">they\u2019re often in the Arctic (more than half<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">of total national park area is in Alaska) or <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">at higher elevation, where warming occurs more quickly due to a thinner atmosphere.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But park service decision-makers still factor in climate change, even if the issue is no longer explicitly part of a director\u2019s order, said Cat Hoffman, chief of NPS Climate Change Response Program. She said park service staff realizes the climate is changing and that it\u2019s affecting the parks, adding that the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/orgs\/ccrp\/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Climate Change Response Program<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">which helps national parks access information about climate change to inform decisions<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">is one example of how the park service is addressing climate change.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cTo me, [rescinding the order] is akin to having a sign over the highway that has useful information for drivers on it that isn\u2019t turned on,\u201d she explained. \u201cWith or without the sign [turned on], astute drivers realize when driving conditions are changing, and they adjust.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Jarvis said the park service was more vocal about climate before DO 100 was repealed. \u201cMy gut on why it was rescinded was that [DO 100] was basically telling the park service to be a leader \u2026 to demonstrate to the American people that climate change is real,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Based on an archival analysis, the park service has posted little new information about climate change on its website since 2017.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cI think the [new] mantra is basically: Stay in your lane \u2026 we don\u2019t want you being a vocal, high-profile sort of spokesperson about climate change,\u201d Jarvis said. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-article_body wp-image-135222\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/01\/Resources-in-National-Parks.gif?resize=1024%2C682\" alt=\"A glacier beneath a bright-blue sky\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Oil and Gas Drilling in National Forests<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A forthcoming proposal could relax a process that for years has provided a series of checks and balances for drilling requests in national forests. The proposal is meant to remove regulatory requirements and streamline decision making. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>AT A GLANCE<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Policy:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.federalregister.gov\/documents\/2018\/09\/13\/2018-19962\/oil-and-gas-resources\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Revised Oil and Gas Resources regulations<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Agency: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">U.S. Forest Service (USDA)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Why it matters: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Current regulations provide checks and balances for drilling and protect the public\u2019s ability to comment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Status: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Notice of proposal<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Next step: <\/b>The U.S. Forest Service expects to release the proposal in 2020.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t<div class=\"CustomHeadline CustomHeadline-1 clearfix\">\n\t\t\t<p data-action=\"openCustomHeadline\" class=\"CustomHeadline__headline\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"CustomHeadline__headline-text\"><\/span>LEARN MORE<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<i data-js=\"customHeadlineCaret\" class=\"fa fa-caret-right CustomHeadline__carret\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<div data-js=\"customHeadlineContent\" class=\"CustomHeadline__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For years, requests for oil and gas drilling in U.S. national forests were subject to a series of checks and balances. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For example, t<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">he Bureau of Land Management would request a drilling spot, and the U.S. Forest Service could accept or deny it after assessing environmental impact. The public often would have time to comment. In total, this process could take six months to several years, depending on the scope of the authorization, which could be for anything from small timber projects to forest plan revisions, said Marla Fox, rewilding attorney with WildEarth Guardians, a conservation nonprofit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But a forthcoming proposal could relax that process, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.federalregister.gov\/documents\/2018\/09\/13\/2018-19962\/oil-and-gas-resources\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">according to a notice published in the Federal Register<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Meant to remove regulatory requirements and streamline decision-making around domestic oil and gas production, the proposal<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">and subsequent rule, if finalized<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">could also eliminate the public\u2019s ability to weigh in on proposed leases, said Sam Evans, national forest and parks program leader for the Southern Environmental Law Center. Though the notice of the proposal doesn\u2019t explicitly state intent to reduce public comment period, less time to comment is often a byproduct of streamlining an approval process when the purpose is to expedite it. Public comment periods can vary depending on the action, but often are between 30 and 90 days. The Forest Service didn\u2019t provide insight on the process, despite multiple requests for comment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Forest Service oversees 154 national forests, 20 grasslands and one prairie. About forty-four of those properties currently have oil and gas interests or operations. Recreationists frequently use that same public land to camp, cycle, hike and run, and their experience and input can help inform how it\u2019s managed, Evans said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Drilling across all federal public lands <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.usgs.gov\/sir\/2018\/5131\/sir20185131.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">contributes about 24 percent of U.S. carbon\u00a0 emissions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (from the extraction and end-use combustion of fossil fuels).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Trump administration claims the current requirements place a regulatory burden on energy production. Delays in requests can happen when an energy company wants to drill on forest land, but opponents say those delays aren\u2019t necessarily connected to public comment periods or environmental regulations. They say those issues can stem from a lack of resources: The involved agencies are often understaffed and underfunded.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The proposal likely won\u2019t be released until 2020, according to a Forest Service spokesperson. Once it\u2019s released, it\u2019ll be open for public comment, which likely will last 30 days.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n<div id=\"attachment_135223\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-135223\" class=\"wp-image-135223 size-article_body\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/01\/Oil-and-Gas-Drilling-in-National-Forests.gif?resize=1024%2C681\" alt=\"A waterfall cascading through Tongass National Forest\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-135223\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Credit: Getty Images<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Regulating Methane Emissions<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In August, the EPA proposed eliminating requirements for oil and gas companies to install technology to detect and fix methane leaks from wells, pipelines and storage facilities. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>AT A GLANCE<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Policy: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/sites\/production\/files\/2019-08\/documents\/frn_oil_and_gas_review_2060-at90_nprm_20190828revised_d.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Oil and Natural Gas Sector: Emission Standards for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Agency: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">EPA<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Why it matters: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The proposed rule would relax controls that limit methane emissions, a major contributor to climate change.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Status: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Proposal<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Next step: <\/b>The EPA is expected to finalize the rule over the coming months.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t<div class=\"CustomHeadline CustomHeadline-1 clearfix\">\n\t\t\t<p data-action=\"openCustomHeadline\" class=\"CustomHeadline__headline\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"CustomHeadline__headline-text\"><\/span>LEARN MORE<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<i data-js=\"customHeadlineCaret\" class=\"fa fa-caret-right CustomHeadline__carret\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<div data-js=\"customHeadlineContent\" class=\"CustomHeadline__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In 2016, the EPA under the Obama administration created a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/energy-environment\/wp\/2016\/05\/12\/obama-administration-announces-historic-new-regulations-for-methane-emissions-from-oil-and-gas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">rule<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that placed separate controls on two pollutants\u2014climate-warming methane and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)\u2014emitted during oil and gas operations. But in a move the Trump administration said will remove regulatory duplication, the EPA in August proposed relaxing the regulations that limit methane emissions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/sites\/production\/files\/2019-08\/documents\/frn_oil_and_gas_review_2060-at90_nprm_20190828revised_d.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">plan<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> advocates for eliminating requirements for oil and gas companies to install technology to detect and fix methane leaks from wells, pipelines and storage facilities. It also calls into question whether the EPA is legally allowed to regulate methane as an emission.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Methane is a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">greenhouse gas that, when measured over a 20-year period, is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide, according to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unece.org\/energywelcome\/areas-of-work\/methane-management\/the-challenge.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Methane\u2014emitted from oil and gas operations; livestock and other agricultural practices; and organic waste decay in landfills\u2014accounts for at least 10 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to the EPA. The administration\u2019s proposed rule would override Obama-era regulations that placed separate<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">controls on methane and VOCs. Like methane, VOCs are gases that are emitted during oil and gas operations. They contribute to smog, according to the EPA.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The agency claims that regulating both methane and VOCs is redundant because VOC controls alone can catch methane and prevent it from escaping into the atmosphere. But not everyone agrees. Even though rules that limit methane and VOC emissions are similar, Darin Schroeder, attorney for the Clean Air Task Force, a nonprofit environmental organization, argues that both are necessary for limiting emissions because there are different amounts and types of pollutants at different stages of oil and gas production.<\/p>\n<p>The separate methane regulations also are significant because they are tied to a long-term goal of regulating existing sources of pollution. Right now, the VOC controls only catch methane from new sources of the pollutant, not from existing operations built before 2015, which account for about 90 percent of methane leaks, Schroeder said.<\/p>\n<p>When the EPA first created the methane rule under the Obama administration, it was a statutory requirement to eventually address pre-2015 sources of methane emissions (though a timeline was never specified), Schroeder said. If the methane regulation is repealed, the requirement to address existing sources would also disappear.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cIt\u2019s another step by the administration to ignore climate change,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The proposed rule would save the oil and natural gas industry between $17 million and $19 million a year, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/sites\/production\/files\/2019-08\/documents\/frn_oil_and_gas_review_2060-at90_nprm_20190828revised_d.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">according to the EPA<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. (For reference, U.S. oil and gas revenue was <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/294614\/revenue-of-the-gas-and-oil-industry-in-the-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">between $140 billion and $200 billion<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> between 2010 and 2018.) Not all oil and gas companies are in favor of the proposal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">BP America asked that the EPA regulate methane emissions from new and existing sources in an August statement. \u201cSimply, the more gas we keep in our pipes and equipment, the more we can provide to the market\u2014and the faster we can all move toward a lower-carbon future,\u201d said Susan Dio, chairman and president of BP America.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">However, Reid Porter, spokesperson for the American Petroleum Institute, said in an email to the Co-op Journal that the proposed rule could eventually help lower methane emissions by making it easier for companies to create new technologies to detect emissions.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Porter characterized the proposal as a realignment<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">not a rollback<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">of emission regulations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cDismissing the rule as a rollback also dismisses the effective role of technology, innovation and industry initiative in reducing emissions,\u201d Porter said. \u201cIt discounts industry\u2019s strong motivation to reduce emissions, which it has done in growing measure amid increased natural gas and oil production.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Another argument for the proposed rule: It would help smaller oil and gas companies, which can have a slimmer profit margin and find it harder to meet the Obama-era emissions regulations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mark Boling, a consultant to oil companies trying to monitor emissions in Colorado, said it\u2019s bad practice to cater to these smaller companies. Ultimately, the burden of complying with emissions regulations is small compared to the benefit, he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cIt should just be a cost of business that you don\u2019t leak this stuff,\u201d he added.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The comment period for the proposal has ended, so it\u2019s now up to the EPA to develop its rule in light of the comments, which will take six months or more. What will be included in the final rule remains to be seen. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-article_body wp-image-135224\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/01\/Methane.jpg?resize=1024%2C683\" alt=\"Cows standing in a dry field\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Relaxing Car Emission Standards<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Trump administration in August 2018 proposed to relax an Obama-era policy that increased the national fuel economy standard. The proposed rule will also revoke the rights of states to set their own fuel standards that are stricter than federal standards. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>AT A GLANCE<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Policy: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/FR-2019-09-27\/pdf\/2019-20672.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Agency: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Department of Transportation and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Why it matters: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The proposed standards will lower the national fuel economy requirements, potentially allowing more pollution from vehicles.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Status: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Proposal\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Next step: <\/b>Administration is in the process of finalizing proposal but exact timing is unclear.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t<div class=\"CustomHeadline CustomHeadline-1 clearfix\">\n\t\t\t<p data-action=\"openCustomHeadline\" class=\"CustomHeadline__headline\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"CustomHeadline__headline-text\"><\/span>LEARN MORE<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<i data-js=\"customHeadlineCaret\" class=\"fa fa-caret-right CustomHeadline__carret\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<div data-js=\"customHeadlineContent\" class=\"CustomHeadline__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In 2016, the Obama administration created <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/obamawhitehouse.archives.gov\/the-press-office\/2012\/08\/28\/obama-administration-finalizes-historic-545-MPG-fuel-efficiency-standard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">standards<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to increase the national fuel economy from 35.5 mpg to 54.5 mpg for cars and light-duty trucks by 2025. The goal: reduce pollution from car emissions, a major contributor to global warming.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In August 2018, however, the Trump administration proposed to relax the Obama-era policy. The EPA and the Department of Transportation\u2019s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration jointly published the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/FR-2019-09-27\/pdf\/2019-20672.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">proposal<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in the Federal Register in September.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The new standard lowers the national fuel economy requirements from an average of 54.5 mpg to about 37 mpg by 2025. <\/span><a href=\"\/blog\/news\/the-california-emissions-waiver-lawsuit-explained\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It also revokes the rights of states to set their own standards that are stricter than the federal standards<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Transportation accounts for the largest source of human-caused greenhouse gases in the U.S., producing about 29 percent of emissions in 2017, according to the EPA. Light-duty vehicles produce the most pollutants<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">contributing to about 59 percent of greenhouse gas emissions within the transportation sector, which also includes emissions from ships, trucks and planes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pollutants from transportation also create major health risks. Air pollution from transportation and other sources kills about 7 million people globally each year, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/health-topics\/air-pollution#tab=tab_1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">according to the World Health Organization<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In part motivated by the risks to the environment and health, <\/span><a href=\"\/blog\/news\/the-california-emissions-waiver-lawsuit-explained\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">23 states in September joined a lawsuit<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> aimed at protecting California\u2019s ability to set emissions standards stricter than those proposed by the federal government. This would in turn allow other states to adopt California\u2019s standards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The lawsuit claims California\u2019s standards \u201care longstanding and fundamental parts of many [states\u2019] efforts to protect public health and welfare in their states.\u201d The states contend that the administration hasn\u2019t considered the damage that revoking the waiver will inflict on the environment, public health and welfare.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Trump administration cites multiple reasons for revoking California\u2019s emissions waiver. Chief among them is to prevent the auto industry from having to comply with multiple standards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cOne national standard provides much needed regulatory certainty for the automotive industry,\u201d said EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler in a September statement. Essentially, if California were to continue setting stricter standards than those federally mandated for other states, automakers might feel forced to create vehicles for multiple different standards.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the same statement, Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao said the administration\u2019s action aims to ensure \u201cthat no state has the authority to opt out of the nation\u2019s rules and no state has the ability to impose its policies on the rest of the country.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The EPA declined to provide additional comments beyond the prepared statement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dennis McLerran, an attorney with Cascadia Law Group in Seattle, said automakers operate in a global market with more sales in China than in the U.S. With increasingly strict emissions standards in those markets, McLerran said the U.S. risks falling behind if it relaxes its own standards<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">He added that the administration\u2019s other arguments\u2014for instance, that relaxing standards will make cars safer and cheaper to buy\u2014have been disproved by California officials.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Under the Trump administration\u2019s proposed standards, a <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Consumer Reports <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.regulations.gov\/document?D=NHTSA-2018-0067-12437\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> found that consumers would pay more overall, as compared with the existing standards. Under the current standards\u2014which apply to 2017 to 2025 models\u2014American consumers net $660 billion dollars in gasoline and other savings, according to the study. Consumers would lose $460 billion of those savings under the Trump administration\u2019s proposed standards because they would be spending more each year on fuel.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On Dec. 6, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefings-statements\/remarks-president-trump-vice-president-pence-roundtable-small-business-red-tape-reduction-accomplishments\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">President Trump said the administration next year will move to finalize the proposal<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Specifics about when it will take full effect are still unclear, though the president noted he expects he will continue to be challenged in court by California state officials. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-article_body wp-image-135225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/01\/Emissions_Rollbacks.gif?resize=1024%2C681\" alt=\"traffic in Washington. D.C.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>Related articles<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"\/blog\/news\/the-california-emissions-waiver-lawsuit-explained\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The California Emissions Lawsuit\u2014Explained<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"\/blog\/news\/policy-rollback-could-mean-more-development-in-alaskas-tongass-national-forest\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Policy Rollback Could Mean More Development in Alaska&#8217;s Tongass National Forest\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"\/blog\/news\/endangered-species-act-understanding-the-changes-and-potential-impact\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Endangered Species Act: Understanding the Change and Potential Threat<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"\/blog\/news\/what-to-expect-from-climate-conversations-in-2020\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What to Expect from Climate Conversations in 2020<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Since President Trump took office in 2017, his administration has rescinded or proposed to rescind dozens of policies rooted in environmental protection, often in the name of economic growth. The rollbacks come as scientists warn of a climate emergency that requires swift, coordinated global action through stricter regulations meant to control emissions. Nearly 100 environmental [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":119417,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[685],"tags":[795,727,692,656],"internal-tag":[],"class_list":["post-151703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-climate-change","tag-latest-posts","tag-news","tag-public-lands"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/news\/environmental-rollbacks-you-need-to-know-about","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"The 6 Environmental Rollbacks You Need to Know About","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/environmental-rollbacks-you-need-to-know-about","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/environmental-rollbacks-you-need-to-know-about"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/01\/Environmental-Protections_Hero_alexander-popov-Xbh_OGLRfUM-unsplash.gif?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/01\/Environmental-Protections_Hero_alexander-popov-Xbh_OGLRfUM-unsplash.gif?fit=2000%2C1333"},"articleSection":"News","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Beckindale"}],"creator":["Beckindale"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["climate change","latest posts","news","public lands"],"dateCreated":"2020-02-20T16:17:07Z","datePublished":"2020-02-20T16:17:07Z","dateModified":"2020-02-20T16:17:07Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"The 6 Environmental Rollbacks You Need to Know About\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/news\\\/environmental-rollbacks-you-need-to-know-about\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/news\\\/environmental-rollbacks-you-need-to-know-about\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/Environmental-Protections_Hero_alexander-popov-Xbh_OGLRfUM-unsplash.gif?resize=150%2C150\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/Environmental-Protections_Hero_alexander-popov-Xbh_OGLRfUM-unsplash.gif?fit=2000%2C1333\"},\"articleSection\":\"News\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Beckindale\"}],\"creator\":[\"Beckindale\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Uncommon Path \\u2013 An REI Co-op Publication\",\"logo\":\"\"},\"keywords\":[\"climate change\",\"latest posts\",\"news\",\"public lands\"],\"dateCreated\":\"2020-02-20T16:17:07Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-02-20T16:17:07Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-02-20T16:17:07Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/rei.com\/p.js"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/01\/Environmental-Protections_Hero_alexander-popov-Xbh_OGLRfUM-unsplash.gif?fit=2000%2C1333","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=151703"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151703\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":168569,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151703\/revisions\/168569"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/119417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=151703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=151703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=151703"},{"taxonomy":"internal-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-tag?post=151703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}