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Court Blocks E.P.A.'s Methane Rule Suspension
Scott Pruitt has called for the dissolution of much of the EPA's authority yet now runs the Environmental Protection Agency. He is a seasoned legal opponent of the agency and is unfortunately an effective tool for Trump's efforts to dismantle regulations on climate change and clean water and "get rid" of the agency. In general, Pruitt and the administration are waging a war against science, safety, and common sense in order to benefit their favored corporate interests. At a time when our nation and the world would benefit from a more supported EPA, the exact opposite has occurred; an impossible pill to swallow.
However, earlier this week Pruitt's efforts to place corporate profits over health and safety of hundreds of millions of human beings and the future of our Planet were dealt a setback.
Dealing a legal blow to the Trump administration, a federal appeals court ruled on Monday that the Environmental Protection Agency cannot suspend an Obama-era rule to restrict methane emissions from new oil and gas wells.
The methane rule was one of many efforts by President Obama and his administration to enhance the future of our planet. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.
...a legal setback for Scott Pruitt, the E.P.A. administrator, who is trying to roll back dozens of Obama-era environmental regulations. The ruling signals that the Trump administration’s efforts to simply delay environmental and public health actions are likely to face an uphill battle in the courts and require a more painstaking process.
Mr. Pruitt had imposed a 90-day moratorium, which he later extended to two years, on enforcement of parts of the E.P.A. methane regulation. He had also argued that his action was not subject to court review. But the appeals court ruled that the agency’s decision was “unreasonable,” “arbitrary” and “capricious.” The agency, it said, did not have authority under the Clean Air Act to block the rule.
ACTION: Organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense Coucil, 350.org, the Sierra Club will be fighting hard against this administration. Read up on their work at their web sites, follow them on Twitter, and give a donation to them or similar groups. We need environmental groups to be well funded to fight this fight. Their web sites have concrete ways you can get involved beyond giving them money if this fighting for this cause drives you.