Trump’s latest executive order could let industry shirk environmental responsibility
Oil and gas pipelines could be among the projects fast-tracked without consideration of how they might impact the environment (jotoya/Pexels/)The Trump Administration continued to erode the nation’s environmental protections last week, issuing an executive order that could lead to major infrastructure projects being approved with little consideration of their impacts.In the order, President Trump wrote that the current historic levels of unemployment and economic downturn constitute an emergency. Due to that emergency situation, the Administration argues it’s necessary to speed up development in an effort to revive the economy. “Agencies, including executive departments, should take all appropriate steps to use their lawful emergency authorities and other authorities to respond to the national emergency and to facilitate the Nation’s economic recovery.,” the order reads. The action is one of many the Administration has taken to roll back environmental protections while the public copes with the spread of the new coronavirus.The order...