The agency action did away with an Obama administration proposal requiring chemical manufacturers, oil and gas producers and coal plants to set aside money for clean up in the event of an oil spill, explosion or other event. On December 12 th, the Environmental Protection Agency relieved major polluters from financial obligations for environmental disaster cleanup. Letting Industry Off the Hook for Disaster Cleanup.The rule includes extremely lax limits on debt collection calls, allowing phone calls seven times a week This is a particularly egregious action considering the millions of unemployed Americans suffering through the pandemic. On November 30 th, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule that places no limits on the frequency that debt collectors can harass consumers through email and text message. Facilitating Predatory Debt Collection.The Trump administration has fast-tracked federal executions in the final days of his term. The rule would also allow prisoners to be transferred to states that permit the execution in ways other than lethal injection. The rule allows federal prisoners to be executed in a state-approved manner when lethal injection is not practicable in that state. On November 27, the Department of Justice finalized a rule permitting federal executions to take place by means beyond lethal injections, including by firing squad and the electric chair. Now, those pollution sources can be reclassified, allowing the plants to go back to prior levels of air pollution without government oversight. Even after installation, those plants would be considered major pollution sources subject to the law.
#Lame duck session install#
In the past, the EPA required power plants that emitted a certain amount of hazardous pollutants to install control technology. On November 19, the Environmental Protection Agency changed its interpretation of the Clean Air Act to benefit polluters. Allowing Air Polluters to Avoid Oversight.Fossil fuel companies and anti-labor groups oppose the move towards ESG investment. Sustainable investment strategy, or environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) investment, is emerging as a way for investors to attain returns and positive societal impacts. On November 11, the Labor Department issued a rule that limited pension fund managers investment decisions to financial, non-social factors only. Limiting Socially Responsible Investing.Coal producers store coal ash in large, unlined landfills that pose major environmental risks. Coal ash, a toxic biproduct of the coal combustion process, is one of the most common forms of industrial waste in the US. On November 11, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule that outlines a process for approving existing unlined coal ash pits. Approving Coal Ash in the Environment.Wolves are a crucial part of establishing and maintaining an ecosystem’s balance. The wolf population has slowly but not fully recovered after receiving federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. Gray wolves were nearly wiped out by overhunting in the United States by the 1960’s. On election day, the Interior Department issued a final rule to removed endangered species protections for the gray wolf. Removing Protected Status for the Gray Wolf.The following actions have occurred since November 3 rd. Although the Trump era is coming to an end, his political appointees in the federal agencies are still working away and finalizing major policy changes. Over the past four years, the Trump administration has gutted key regulations to protect people and our environment.