Friends,
With the public focused on COVID-19, the Trump administration is trying to rush through massive rollbacks to environmental standards that would not withstand public or legal scrutiny. I want to assure you that my team is fighting back, for our environment and our future.
For example, the White House is pushing to weaken environmental standards for all federal projects, including limitations on how much the EPA can consider the impacts of a project on climate change and environmental justice. These studies provide the framework for our air pollution limits, requirements for toxic protection and clean up, standards for clean drinking water, and much more. They set a March 10 deadline for public comment and refused repeated requests for an extension during this escalating public health crisis.
David Hayes, a former deputy secretary and chief operating officer of the Interior Department during the Obama and Clinton administrations, described our efforts in a Washington Post op-ed:
Working out of their homes, lawyers in the office of Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson helped lead a heroic effort, joined by 18 states and the District of Columbia, to produce and file a highly-critical 77-page comment letter.
No matter where my team is working, we will always stand up to powerful interests trying to exploit a crisis. If the administration moves forward with this illegal rule change, we will take them to court. Our track record against the Trump administration is pretty good -- 27 legal victories and just one defeat. I’m confident we will prevail once again.
I’ll continue to keep you updated on our efforts.
-Bob