5 ways Trump reshaped energy and environment policy in his first 100 days
President Trump made “unleashing American energy” a cornerstone of his platform on the campaign trail and a focus of the first 100 days of his second term.
He has made his priorities in how to accomplish that goal clear, repeating a slogan of “drill, baby, drill” and making moves to boost fossil fuels while going after renewable energy, climate science and environmental regulations.
Here are five ways the Trump administration has reshaped energy and environment policy:
Speeding up fossil fuel and mining projects
The administration has made speeding up fossil fuel and mining projects a key focus. On his very first day in office, Trump declared an energy emergency — which his team said would unlock additional powers to jump-start energy production.
Last week, the Interior Department moved to fast-track fossil fuel and mining projects on federal lands by drastically shortening the timeline for environmental reviews.
Recent laws have already shortened these assessments to two years or less, but historically they have taken several years.
The department announced that projects that choose to be part of a special “alternative” process can now have their environmental analyses completed in two weeks to a month.
The administration described the move as cutting through unnecessary red tape, but environmental advocates have raised concerns about whether a project’s potential impacts would be adequately reviewed.
The administration has also made moves to bolster mining — invoking wartime authority to expand extraction of minerals and coal and prioritizing these activities on federal lands.
It is also fast-tracking 10 mines that would produce a range of materials including coal, gold, copper and lithium.
Downplaying climate change and fighting against climate action
Trump has repeatedly sought to deny or downplay the impacts of climate change — and targeted policies and scientific efforts that aim to combat or highlight the phenomenon.
This week, the administration dismissed hundreds of scientists who were working on the Sixth National Climate Assessment — a congressionally mandated account of climate impacts in the U.S.
An internal budget document obtained by The Hill also indicated that the administration © The Hill
