Tension As EPA Await New Executive Orders From Donald Trump

Staff are said to be on edge at the Environmental Protection Agency as Donald Trump is said to be preparing executive orders that will effectively reshape the EPA. The executive orders will be signed with the confirmation of a new administrator, as CNBC report.

It was Tuesday at the EPA’s Office of General Counsel when the executive orders were brought to light by a senior official with the EPA who had been briefed by the Donald Trump administration. A source has said that no details are known at this time, besides the fact that there will be some executive orders signed about the EPA.

“It was just a heads-up to expect some executive orders, that’s it.”

However, there is a second source who has said that Donald Trump is expected to sign between two and five executive orders. When Donald Trump’s staff were asked to verify these executive orders for the EPA, they declined to comment.

One of the reasons that there is so much tension within the EPA right now is because Donald Trump has vowed to do away with many of the environmental rules in the United States. These include laws that were brought in by Barack Obama, which includes those which are meant to target carbon dioxide emissions. It is thought that Trump will end some of these environmental laws to help the mining and drilling industries.

Another reason those in the EPA are concerned is because Donald Trump has also publicly expressed much doubt over the science behind climate change and one of his campaign promises was that he would take America out of global pacts which seek to study and work on climate change.

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt is going to be Donald Trump’s choice as the person he believes should be running the EPA and on Friday it is believed that Pruitt will be facing a Senate vote. This has made many people uncomfortable as just last month there was a hearing in which Scott Pruitt was asked to reveal his ties to the oil industry. Pruitt would certainly be an odd choice to head up the EPA, especially as has sued the EPA in the past over a dozen times.

Trump looks at veteran fossil-fuel lobbyist and a state regulator for No. 2 post at EPA https://t.co/cwL6fzJcsw

— Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) February 9, 2017

With the new addition of Scott Pruitt heading up the EPA, it is highly likely that the Trump administration may slash its budget, along with the EPA’s scientific programs and research.

There has even been discussion over whether the EPA would be eliminated altogether by the Trump administration. Earlier in February, Representative Matt Gaetz put forward a 45-word bill that suggested the EPA should be terminated. The Florida congressman wrote in his proposal that, “The Environmental Protection Agency shall terminate on December 31, 2018.” This bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Steven Palazzo of Mississippi, Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia and Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

CNBC reported that Matt Gaetz believes the EPA should be eliminated completely and said be believes that a new beginning is needed.

“The EPA has been doing some drastic things. They have exceeded their original mission substantially under both Republican and Democratic presidents and violated the sovereignty of the states. I think we need to start fresh.”

What will be happening now with the EPA is unclear, but Donald Trump has praised Scott Pruitt, calling him an expert in constitutional law, according to the Washington Post. As Trump was announcing his intention to run for president, he made clear that he felt the EPA was harming fossil fuel industries.

“For too long, the Environmental Protection Agency has spent taxpayer dollars on an out-of-control anti-energy agenda that has destroyed millions of jobs, while also undermining our incredible farmers and many other businesses and industries at every turn.”

What do you think will happen with the EPA now if the Donald Trump administration does get Scott Pruitt in to run it and what do you think Trump’s executive orders will mean for the EPA?

[Featured Image by Pool/Getty Images]