News | November 19, 2020
8 ways we’re thwarting Trump’s anti-environmental agenda
SELC has emerged as an effective and trusted national leader in fighting against the Trump administration’s long list of anti-environmental assaults. And we will continue to lead the way for our region. Here's proof:
- We’re leading the legal fight to stop the greatest loss of clean water protections in American history with litigation against the drastically reduced scope of the Clean Water Act.
- We’re fighting the administration’s rule to allow coal plants to dump more toxic pollution into rivers and lakes.
- We’re challenging the Trump administration’s attack on the power of states and local residents to protect clean water.
- We’re representing nearly 20 environmental groups to stop the gutting of the National Environmental Policy Act, known as the “Magna Carta of environmental laws,” which provides a critical opportunity for public input on government decisions and gives a voice to communities that have long borne the brunt of environmental injustices.
- We’re also challenging the rollbacks of critical air protections that have cut mercury and other pollutants from coal plants.
- We’re organizing coastal communities in the fight against unwanted offshore drilling in the Atlantic, which led to an abrupt but non-binding move from the Trump administration to promise to not move forward with plans for offshore oil leasing for the first time off the Southeast coast. Seismic blasting permits we’ve been contesting for years also recently expired before taking effect, another blow to offshore drilling plans in the Atlantic.
- We’re leading the defense to protect our national forests from attacks and pressures to increase logging and cut out the public from the process of managing their public lands.
- The Southeastern United States, which boasts spectacular diversity, could be especially impacted by multiple attempts to weaken the Endangered Species Act. We have been working with both national and local partners to oppose the massive weakening of this critically important law.