Moving us backwards in time. All I can say is that after he’s gone we’ll have to rewrite even better laws next time.
The Trump administration on Thursday is expected to complete the legal repeal of a major Obama-era clean water regulation, which had placed limits on polluting chemicals that could be used near streams, wetlands and water bodies. The rollback of the 2015 measure, known as the Waters of the United States rule, has been widely expected since the early days of the Trump administration, when President Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to begin the work of repealing and replacing it. Weakening the Obama-era water rule had been a central campaign pledge for Mr. Trump, who characterized it as a federal land-grab that impinged on the rights of farmers, rural landowners and real estate developers to use their property as they see fit. Coral Davenport reports. (NY Times) See also: Administration finalizes repeal of 2015 water rule Trump called ‘destructive and horrible’ Thursday’s move will revert the nation to 1986 water pollution rule governing wetlands and small streams. Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis report. (Washington Post)
Trump Administration to Finalize Rollback of Clean Water Protections