Politics and Policy

  1. People
  2. Politics and Policy

Making the case for a green stimulus

Written by Riley DeBaecke

The scoop: Given recent developments in fiscal policy, there is a compelling case to be made for a green stimulus package.

The proposal:  Create millions of family-sustaining career-track green jobs, deliver strategic investments, Expand public and employee ownership, Make rapid cuts to carbon pollution

Bottom line: The Green Stimulus plan must decidedly advocate for ambitious measures and well-reasoned policies to correct the egregious destruction of American land and improve workers’ conditions nationwide. We must follow suit after several European countries’ green stimulus packages; the world is watching.
  1. Politics and Policy

Breaking down the Green New Deal

Written by Danny Schleien

Big picture

  • The GND was founded on the belief that environmental issues are overlooked and underfunded
  • The GND gained traction in 2018, when the Democratic Party took control of the house. 
  • Biden offered support to the GND, but differs on some policies like an immediate ban on all fracking activities. 

Between the lines Biden has been urged to beef up his climate policy platform by climate advocacy groups to deal with the challenges global warming presents. 

Legislative precedents

  • Theodore Roosevelt’s Square Deal prioritized conservation of natural resources, control of corporations and consumer protection. 
  • Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal prioritised relief for poor, economic recovery and financial reform. 
  • Johnson’s Great Society aimed at alleviating social justice and education reform. 

Key talking points

  • It helps secure a sustainable future.
  • Our society needs a paradigm shift towards the clean energy sector, this legislation could be among the last chances to make that happen.
  • The GND is perhaps the encouragement voters need to mitigate the effects of global warming by utilizing the power of voting.

Dig deeper → 4 min
  1. Politics and Policy

Landmark SCOTUS Cases: Clean Water Act

Written by Cassidy Schwartz

What to know With the fate of the Clean Water Act hanging in the balance, the Supreme Court delivered a momentous verdict on County of Maui v. Hawai’i Wildlife Fund on Thursday, April 23.

The case centers on the County of Maui’s belief that the CWA only covers direct pollution discharge, not pollution that travels through groundwater. Because the county didn’t dump their wastewater directly into the ocean, they viewed any punishment as completely unjustified. The Trump administration decided to go against 40 years of EPA precedent and sided with the County of Maui.

Why it matters The decision sets a precedent for regulating indirect sources of pollution. Past decisions will need to be re-evaluated, like the 2018 appellate court rulings that ruled against requiring permits for coal ash impoundments.

Bottom line We are privileged to live in a country with a justice system that enables an environmental group to overrule a government-run wastewater treatment plant. Behind the scenes, groups like Earthjustice fight daily to represent our interests and protect the planet. 

We must continue to educate ourselves on the nuances of the environmental laws that exist to protect us.

Dig deeper → 4 min
  1. Politics and Policy

Six Trump Environmental Rollbacks during COVID

Written by Jared Wolf
Trump Environmental Rollbacks

Why it matters Changes made now can pave the way for a new and dangerous status quo in environmental regulation that could severely impact the environment.

The big picture The EPA’s policies work to protect our environment and our health. Rolling them back can have grave consequences for both. 

  • A New York Times analysis revealed how the Trump Administration rolled back nearly 100 environmental rules and regulations since 2016. 
  • Proponents of radical changes like the Green New Deal are still the overwhelming minority in Congress. 

What actually happened The Federal Government proposed rolling back 6 major pieces of EPA rules and regulations including:

  1. Weakening the National Environmental Policy Act
  • Successfully allowing final environmental impact statements for projects with federal funding to effectively exclude climate change considerations. Unscrewing tight policy measures will give a free pass to pollute on major infrastructure projects, like oil & gas pipelines. 
  1. Suspending EPA Enforcement
  • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decided to indefinitely suspend enforcement of its rules and regulations due to COVID-19. Companies will self-regulate their own air and water pollution (sort of). The rule was applied on March 13th.
  1. Opening a national park to resource extraction
  • The Trump administration recently pushed through a final environmental impact statement for a 211-mile road in Alaska that would bisect a national park and open up an area rich in copper, zinc, and other minerals.
  1. Reducing regulation for  a major slaughterhouse
  • The Department of Agriculture confirmed a waiver that allowed a private company to inspect a Tyson Foods slaughterhouse in lieu of the EPA.
  1. Reducing the impact of fuel efficiency standards
  • Last week, the Trump administration rolled back Obama-era vehicle efficiency standards through 2026. Those standards, which passed in 2012, mandated 5% annual increases in fuel economy. The new standards will require less stringent 1.5% annual increases.
  1. Trying to bail out Big Oil:
  • When drafting legislation for the coronavirus stimulus package, the Trump administration intended to buy millions of barrels of oil from struggling producers. Luckily, the measure was nixed in the final legislation due to a lack of funding.

Dig deeper → 3 min

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