Trump’s Day 1 Attacks on the Environment
And what you can do.
Nine of the Executive Orders that President Trump signed on Day 1 of his administration specifically assault our environment and hinder our ability to address climate change.
These orders will make our air dirtier, make people sicker, make energy more expensive, and make our communities less prepared for extreme weather. But don’t worry, fossil fuel executives will get richer! Priorities. Just as promised in Project 2025.
Here’s a quick summary of the top dirty dozen things the executive orders aim to do:
Bail on the UN Paris Climate Agreement (again) and end all climate aid to foreign countries.
Reopen protected waters to offshore oil and gas drilling, and expedite permits for fossil fuel development.
Cancel the commitment to 30x30, the goal to protect 30% of our lands and waters by 2030.
Halt, indefinitely, all offshore wind energy permitting, leasing, and approvals, and assess options for terminating existing offshore wind leases.
Declare an “energy emergency” to allow fossil fuel projects to evade environmental protections including the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Hinder public engagement and judicial review by revising NEPA regulations to gut Environmental Impact Statements.
Eliminate or redirect all unspent Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding for renewable energy or climate related projects.
Pillage Alaska’s natural resources — from oil and gas to timber to minerals — that had been under protection.
Terminate or re-evaluate all policies that support the adoption of electric vehicles, including the EV tax credit.
Cease to support energy and water efficiency for household appliances and fixtures.
Dismantle and politicize the federal workforce by invoking Schedule F to reclassify workers and make them easier to fire.
Eliminate all environmental justice related offices and positions across the government.
Bonus: Includes a new definition of “energy resources” that specifically omits solar and wind as types of energy.
If implemented, these actions will put us all at risk. And my list is not exhaustive. You can read the Executive Orders yourself (with titles so Orwellian that I’m not including them here) at whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions.
Note: I say “if implemented” because the constitutionality of some of this will be challenged in court (shoutout to the good folks at Earthjustice), and some elements are not within executive power (e.g., require congressional action) so are more an indication of the Administration’s intent. It’s not all a done deal.
What can you do? Many things. But let’s focus on just one for now:
Join a local environmental group. State and local efforts will be more important than ever. So will speaking with a collective, coordinated voice. Find a home, a community, for your climate work — and settle in for the long haul.
There are many groups all over the country. If you don’t know where to start, find your local chapter of: Sunrise Movement (for youth), Third Act (for seniors), (for all) Citizens Climate Lobby and 350.org and Surfrider and the Sierra Club.
Get in where you fit in, y’all. Getting it right requires you to be actively engaged in pushing for climate solutions.
Okay, deep breath. Take care of each other.
Resources:
I can recommend checking out the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, which does work from local to state to federal level, with lots of opportunities for volunteers to get involved, particularly in the DMV (DC/MD/VA areas).
Thanks for your encouragement, Ayana! I’ll also mention that my local Indivisible group has a very strong and active Environment/Climate Action team. We’ve been able to be effective at the state and county levels. Most recently we worked with Indivisibles and others across our state of Washington to save the Climate Commitment Act from predatory initiatives funded by a California billionaire. Count every win!