Environmental Enforcement in the Trump Administration

The Trump Administration Environmental Protection Agency makes clear it will pursue different avenues from those of the Obama Administration EPA.  The Trump EPA intends to pull back on the scope of the Obama EPA’s broad climate regulations and definition of “waters of the United States.”  The Trump EPA will rely more heavily on the state and local governments, and there will be other changes in enforcement emphasis and methods.  At the same time, EPA is expected to continue to pursue enforcement against traditional violators of environmental regulations.  EPA is expected to continue its joint EPA, OSHA, and Department of Justice worker safety initiative to protect workers exposed to hazardous environmental conditions on the job.  This presentation will review the Trump EPA’s enforcement priorities and methods from the perspective of an experienced environmental lawyer.