Is the campaign to realign the nation's environmental policies a needed adjustment, or a gutting of environment laws?
New York Newsday is running a series called "Erasing the Rules" about the Bush administration's coordinated efforts to remove or weaken regulations on industry. The third installment is about the administration's staffing of the U.S. EPA, Interior Department, and Agriculture Department with lawyers and lobbyists drawn directly from industries those agencies regulate. While Bush has had little luck persuading Congress to weaken the Clean Air Act or allow drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge -- perhaps because open debate on these unpopular measures draws undue public attention -- he has been able to drastically alter the regulatory landscape, thanks in part to agencies staffed with industry veterans. Newsday's analysis of public personnel records shows that Bush's appointments at the top level have been markedly less diverse than Clinton's, who spread them more evenly over lawyers and lobbyists, nonprofit workers, and academics:
"With this administration, it seems like everybody at the political level here has either a close attachment with industry or with an ultra-conservative think tank or legal organization," said a long-time EPA attorney who elected, probably wisely, to remain anonymous.
Thanks to Grist Magazine
FULL STORY: A facelift at the EPA

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

End Human Sacrifices to the Demanding Gods of Automobile Dependency and Sprawl
The U.S. has much higher traffic fatality rates than peer countries due to automobile dependency and sprawl. Better planning can reduce these human sacrifices.

San Francisco Enhances Urban Planning Initiatives with Green Infrastructure
San Francisco incorporates green infrastructure in its city development initiatives, elevating the importance of sustainability in urban planning.

Chicago Approves Green Affordable Housing Plan
The Mayor’s plan calls for creating a nonprofit housing corporation tasked with building affordable housing that meets Green Building standards.

House Committee Proposes $250 EV Tax
The fee is higher than the average tax paid by gas-powered vehicle owners.
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