In a set of two recent executive orders, President Donald Trump began an effort to end a wide variety of environmental regulations. The executive orders enact a new set of legally questionable requirements that would make all environmental regulations related to energy production automatically sunset after one year, unless otherwise extended by Congress. Legal experts have noted the move is unlikely to hold up when challenged in court, but it could create significant chaos as the impact of these executive orders gets resolved.
Trump Signs Executive Orders Demanding Sunset for Environmental Regulations
President Trump signed two executive orders, entitled “Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy” and “Directing the Repeal of Unlawful Regulations,” which are intended to broadly eliminate a large number of environmental regulations. Specifically, they target regulations which require energy companies, including coal, oil, and natural gas companies, to limit their emissions or otherwise avoid environmental damage. Any regulation covered by these orders would have a “sunset” provision introduced, which would cause them to expire after one year unless renewed by an act of Congress.
Executive Orders Face Significant Legal Challenges
Suffice it to say that these executive orders have already faced substantial criticism, and legal experts broadly agree that they are legally dubious at best. Aside from the fact that it is questionable whether the President even has the authority to introduce such provisions into existing regulations, in many cases these rules directly conflict with existing legislation. Thus, it is unclear how much of these executive orders would survive a legal challenge.
The Potential Impact of These Executive Orders
Despite the fact that these executive orders are unlikely to survive in court, they may nevertheless have a significant impact on the enforcement of environmental regulations. It is likely that enforcement of existing regulations will be thrown into chaos while they are being litigated, making it difficult to tell which rules should be enforced and how. This, in turn, may make it easier for polluters to get away with contaminating the environment while any lawsuits are ongoing.
Why This Matters
These executive orders are another sign of why it is important to hold polluters accountable through private litigation, and not just by relying on regulators to keep them in check. Suing companies that allow people to be harmed by environmental contaminants can not only obtain justice for those who have been harmed, it also helps keep them honest. However, if you want to know what legal options are available, you should speak to a lawyer with experience handling environmental law matters.
Williams Cedar is a law firm dedicated to helping clients with personal injury, environmental law, and civil rights cases. We specialize in assisting clients who have been injured due to exposure to environmental toxins, including veterans and their loved ones. If you need legal assistance due to toxic exposure or other related matters, please give us a call at our New Jersey and Pennsylvania offices at (215) 557-0099, or visit our contact page.