Trump weakened environmental laws after BP lobbying

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Trump weakened environmental laws after BP lobbying

Letter suggests oil firm pushed for changes whereby fewer projects would need impact assessments

Jillian Ambrose Energy correspondent
Thu 23 Jan 2020 06.01 GMT

BP has successfully lobbied US policymakers to weaken a landmark environmental law, clearing the way for major infrastructure projects to bypass checks.

US government documents show BP America lobbied in favour of Donald Trump’s decision to dilute legislation, which could make it easier for new projects, such as oil pipelines and power plants, to move forward with far less federal review of their impact on the environment.

Many green groups fear the changes to the 50-year-old National Environmental Policy Act (Nepa) will increase greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the climate crisis.

The changes, unveiled by Trump this month, would narrow the list of projects that require an environmental impact assessment and in some cases eliminate the need for federal agencies to consider the cumulative effects of projects, including the impact on the climate crisis.

BP said in a letter to the Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) in August 2018 that streamlining the Nepa process would “directly benefit BP’s operations in the US”. The letter was discovered by Greenpeace’s investigation unit.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jan/23/trump-weakened-environmental-laws-after-bp-lobbying

[duforsure]

1. He did the same thing with big pharma

After speaking out against high drug prices, and him threatening what he would do to them , big pharma gave him millions then he said and did nothing to them to control drug costs, or a bribe into his campaign he then funneled into his pockets.Big oil probably bribed him too with campaign contributions for what they wanted done. Did he use that tactic for coal company owners? Looks like he did.

[Mickju]

2. We can always count on Trump to do the wrong thing.

[bronxiteforever]

3. GOP poisoning Americans to own the libs.