EPA’s rollbacks of Obama-era rules could force Democrats to back a sweeping legislation-first approach to policymaking that gives the agency new rulemaking powers, a conservative attorney says, because the Trump administration’s agenda shows that even rules crafted in a two-term Democratic presidency are not “durable.”
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Former EPA Administrator William Reilly doubts any near-term compromise between Democrats and Republicans on policies to tackle climate change and instead expects it will take a series of environmental “catastrophes” to break the gridlock and spur a deal: one he hopes that will grow EPA’s role beyond traditional command-and-control rules.
Katherine Neebe, head of Walmart’s “global responsibility” efforts, including an ambitious plan to cut 1 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions before 2030, says the company’s sustainability agenda is proof that in the 21st century, industry-led programs are not only useful but essential for the future of environmental protection.
For many years, talks about “regulatory reform” tend to focus on efforts by deregulatory advocates to clamp down on agency powers, whether by slowing down the rulemaking process, strengthening judicial review of rules or otherwise making it tougher for any administration to enact its agenda administratively.
