Conservationists fear that a second term under Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump could result in crucial environmental projects being rolled back. The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 agenda targets legislation like the 1906 Antiquities Act — a landmark law protecting archeological and historical sites on federal land.
What's happening?
The Department of the Interior, or DOI, manages the United States' natural resources and reports scientific data and information about them. Agencies it lists under its purview include the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the National Park Service. All in all, the DOI protects more than 400 national parks, 560 wildlife refuges, and around 250 million acres of other public lands.
However, as the Guardian detailed, there are indications that Trump aims to make over the DOI and repeal other landmark legislation like the Antiquities Act if he is elected for a second presidential term in November.
In July, when Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination, he famously said, "We will drill, baby, drill" — seemingly in reference to an energy agenda focused on extracting dirty fuels rather than infrastructure for non-polluting renewables like solar and wind.
The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 is expected to be a significant part of the game plan. If enacted, it would result in weaker environmental protections, including for endangered species and sensitive wildlands, as oil and gas companies pursue their interests.
Agencies conducting scientific research would also be hobbled, with Project 2025's "Schedule F" (detailed by the Guardian) aiming to replace civil servants with political appointees under the Trump administration.
For his part, Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, as the Guardian noted in September. However, as The Heritage Foundation reported in January 2018, the former president adopted almost two-thirds of its recommendations one year into his term, raising the question of whether the distancing is political posturing.
Why is this concerning?
As the Cornell Chronicle notes, more than 99.9% of scientific studies agree that human activities are driving warming global temperatures, and dirty fuels are primarily to blame, per the Environmental Protection Agency.
While U.S. oil and gas production hit a record high in 2023, the Biden administration also took action to reduce the amount of land available for oil and gas development and made it more expensive for companies to drill on federal lands, per The Wilderness Society.
It also invested in initiatives to adopt cleaner technologies, including the nearly $370 billion Inflation Reduction Act — touted as the most significant piece of climate legislation in U.S. history.
David Hayes, a DOI deputy secretary under former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, told the Guardian that the reported agenda of another Trump administration would move the needle in the wrong direction and hinder the development of effective solutions as the world grapples with the effects of rising global temperatures, including more intense extreme weather.
"The playbook is basically rinse and repeat," Hayes said. "It is a completely backward-looking agenda."
What can be done about this?
Getting involved in causes that matter to you can help the country work toward a cleaner future. Voting in federal and state elections, attending community town halls, and donating to conservation organizations are among the ways to participate.
You can also use your purchasing power to support brands committed to sustainability and reduce your individual environmental impact by investing in clean-energy solutions for your home, like solar panels — a surefire way to lower pollution and electric bills.
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