Environment

Brief #19—Corruption Blog
By Sean Gray
The Environmental Protection Agency has a wide range or responsibilities related to human health and conservation.

Brief #91—Environment
By Jacob Morton
Donald Trump has finalized a rollback of the nation’s “Magna Carta” of environmental protection policy, the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). NEPA, signed into law 50 years ago by President Richard Nixon, requires government agencies to provide an environmental impact statement (EIS) for any proposed federal infrastructure project, such as building a pipeline or highway.

Brief #90—Environment
By Jacob Morton
Two major victories for environmental justice have been served this past week.

Brief #89—Environment
By Jacob Morton
The Trump administration and EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler have decided to end Federal regulation of the toxic chemical Perchlorate in America’s drinking water.

Brief #86—Environment
By Shannon Q. Elliott
In 2012, President Obama made historic changes to the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) standards.

Brief #87—Environment
By Jacob Carter
More than 12 percent of the total land area of the United States and almost 20 percent of its marine area are protected by a combination of state and federal protections.

Brief #88—Environment
By Jacob Morton
On Friday, June 5th, Donald Trump signed an order to open nearly 5,000 square miles of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument off the coast of New England, to commercial fishing.

Brief #85—Environment
By Jacob Morton
In response to President Trump’s June 2019 executive order for the USDA, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency took steps to streamline the process for approving biotech crops, including those produced by gene editing, the USDA has proposed the new SECURE Rule

Brief #84—Environment
By Shannon Quinn Elliott
Hawaiian culture is sacred. Hawaiians give much respect to the history and folklore of their state. Forest, streams, oceans and humans are all interconnected creating “Ohana” one family, protecting invaluable resources. Hawaiian mythology tells a tale of Kane and Kanaloa; Gods of Water, who when they desired to drink would dig their hands into the earth calling on the fresh water to quench their thirst.

Brief #83—Environment
By Todd J Broadman
Approximately 25% of all U.S. meat packing plants have been closed.

Brief #81—Environment
By Shannon Q Elliot
On March 26, 2020, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a memorandum in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “COVID-19 Implications for EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program” authored by Susan Parker Bodine, (Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance) is a 7-page temporary policy, in which the EPA addresses industry concerns over non-compliance issues as a result of COVID-19. Staff shortages, travel restrictions and other imposed regulations are affecting facility operations, reporting obligations and ability to meet required deadlines. 

Brief #82—Environment
By Jacob Morton
In 2012, the Obama administration passed a climate policy requiring automobile manufacturers to reduce their vehicles’ CO2 emissions by 5% each year through 2026. This would have meant that all new passenger vehicles and light trucks would have a fuel economy of around 54 mpg by the 2025 model year.