Tracking Biden’s environmental actions
The new president is unwinding Trump’s legacy while forging his own
protections
17
Added
7
Proposed
environmental rollbacks
23
Overturned
70
Targeted
129
Not yet targeted
President Biden outlined an array of ambitious climate proposals as part of his infrastructure plan Wednesday, which aims to shift the nation’s energy trajectory away from fossil fuels over the next decade and a half.
Unlike many of the environmental actions Biden has taken since his inauguration, all of these proposals require congressional approval. They include establishing an “Energy Efficiency and Clean Electricity Standard” that would require power companies get a certain portion of their electricity from renewable sources, and a $174 billion proposal to expand electric-vehicle use in the United States by building 500,000 new charging stations by 2030 and bolstering the domestic supply chain.
Other proposals include $400 billion in tax credits for renewable energy, sequestering carbon and other projects, along with $35 billion to support breakthrough technology related to climate change.
“The sooner we reduce our greenhouse-gas emissions the easier the future will be, and the better the future will be, for all of us,” White House national climate adviser Gina McCarthy told reporters Thursday. “We have to start spending money to continue to grow the kind of economy we want.”
The clean energy standard the administration is proposing would require utilities across the country to get a portion of their power from carbon-free sources, including wind, power, nuclear and hydropower. While McCarthy did not specify what percentage would be required, she said it would help ensure the U.S. would eliminate fossil fuels from its power grid by 2035.
“We think it’s a method, one of the best methods, to get the reductions we’re looking for with a level of certainty,” she said.
The administration also took steps over the past week to advance its environmental agenda. On Monday it launched an initiative to expand U.S. offshore wind production, now in its infancy, to 30 gigawatts by 2030. The plan, which involves the Interior, Energy, Transportation and Commerce departments, would speed permitting for projects off the East Coast, invest in research and development, provide low-interest loans to industry and fund changes to U.S. ports.
And Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan reversed a Trump-era overhaul of the agencies’ scientific advisory panels Wednesday, dismissing more than 40 appointees brought on by his predecessors Scott Pruitt and Andrew Wheeler.
On Thursday, the Energy Department proposed overhauling a rule finalized in the last days of the Trump administration that would make it harder to tighten energy efficiency standards.
“This rule will pave the way for the department to set strong standards that slash greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs,” Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, an advocacy group, said in a statement.
These moves are the start of what promises to be a much longer — and more arduous — effort to unwind the Trump administration’s sweeping environmental and energy policies, which were marked by aggressive deregulation, prioritizing the fossil-fuel industry and sidelining efforts to combat climate change or protect imperiled animals.
Trump worked to scale back or abolish more than 200 environmental protections in just a single term, according to a Washington Post analysis, completing more than 170 of them. Biden can overturn some of them with a stroke of a pen. Others will take years to undo, and some may never be reversed. Four Obama-era regulations were nullified under the Congressional Review Act, which prevents the introduction of a new rule that is “substantially the same” as what had been replaced, making Trump’s actions particularly hard to reverse.
The majority of Trump’s rollbacks affect air pollution and greenhouse-gas emissions linked to climate change, though 27 affect wildlife and 23 relate to infrastructure and planning. Though Biden is unlikely to target every one of his predecessor’s environmental actions, dozens of them are already in his sights.
Air pollution and greenhouse gases
The Trump administration enacted at least 64 policies weakening or overturning regulations aimed at curbing air pollution and greenhouse-gas emissions fueling global warming. Biden has said he will reverse that legacy and promote a low-carbon future instead. By signing a document to rejoin the Paris climate agreement on his first day in office, the new president reversed one of his predecessor’s signature policies and signaled a different path.
New 9
Easy to overturn 23
Medium 31
Difficult 11
Policy put in place or proposed by the Biden administration
Can be reversed by a simple act, such as signing an executive order or new directive
Can be reversed only through more extensive action, such as rewriting a regulation or court ruling
Can only be reversed through a lengthy regulatory process, act of Congress or court ruling
President Biden proposed spending $35 on breakthrough climate technology and $15 billion on climate-related demonstrated projects. Read more »
President Biden proposed an "Energy Efficiency and Clean Electricity Standard" that would require utilities to get a percentage of their power from carbon-free sources. Read more »
The Interior Department's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management signed off on the final environmental review for Vineyard Wind, an 800-megawatt offshore wind project that promises to the be the nation's largest if it wins final federal approval. Read more »
The Biden administration is establishing a national program to phase down the production and import of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), potent greenhouse gases used in refrigeration and air conditioning. Read more »
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin established the Defense Climate Working Group to incorporate climate risk analysis into all of its operations and assess how it can curb the department's greenhouse gas emissions. Joe Bryan, the special assistant to the secretary for climate change, will head the group. Read more »
Instructed the Secretary of the Treasury to assess climate risk and work with other agencies to align U.S. spending -- including foreign aid -- with the nation's climate goals Read more »
Instructed the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a plan within 90 day to spur 'climate-smart' strategies in farming and forestry. Read more »
Mandated the government buy clean and zero-emission vehicles for its fleet, including federal, state and tribal vehicles Read more »
Ordered national security agencies to deliver a report within 90 days on how they will integrate climate change into their work Read more »
Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 Paris climate agreement, but Biden rejoined it on his first day in office Read more »
Biden ordered the Secretary of State to submit the Kigali Amendment, phasing out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), to the Senate for ratification Read more »
On Jan. 19, the D.C. Circuit vacated the Trump administration's rule replacing the Obama-era plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions from power plants Read more »
The Biden administration withdrew a plantwide permit for Limetree Bay refinery, whose operations disproportionately affect poor communities on St. Croix. The Trump administration, which issued the permit in December 2020, based the pollution levels on the operations of an old refinery that processed more than twice as much oil. Read more »
Instructs Interior Department scientists to use all climate models, including ones suggesting fewer impacts Read more »
The BIden administration is reexamining a Trump proposed rule that would allow manufacturers to use alternative standards to test small-motor efficiency Read more »
The Energy Department has delayed updating 25 energy-efficiency rules Read more »
Rescinded policy curbing pollutants power plants can emit during startup, shutdown and malfunctions Read more »
The Biden administration reestablished the panel that formulates the social cost of carbon, an estimate for the damage caused by climate change for federal cost-benefit analyses. As an interim measure, it placed the figure at $51 per ton of carbon dioxide released into the air. Read more »
Would grant coal ash disposal permits without review to some state and tribal sites Read more »
Changing testing for heavy-duty vehicles and engines that could lead to higher CO2 emissions Read more »
Proposed reversing a requirement that plant owners get a pollution permit for expanded operations Read more »
Instructs Interior scientists to use several climate models, including ones projecting fewer impacts Read more »
Unsuccessful effort to rework a rule on hydrofluorocarbons, potent greenhouse gases Read more »
Revoked California's waiver to regulate air pollution under the Clean Air Act Read more »
Weakened an Obama-era rule meant to improve air quality in national parks and wilderness areas Read more »
Lifted the summertime ban on a gasoline-ethanol blend linked to smog formation Read more »
Allowed states, tribes and localities more flexibility in complying with limits on smog-forming ozone Read more »
Proposal would change how anticipated pollution from a new facility is calculated Read more »
Dismantled the federal advisory panel for the National Climate Assessment Read more »
Reversed an Obama-era policy that restricted U.S. financing of coal-fired power plants abroad Read more »
Stopped payments to the Green Climate Fund, which helps poor nations address climate change Read more »
Withdrew guidance directing agencies to include carbon emissions in environmental reviews Read more »
Curbs CO2 only in sectors that account for at least 3 percent of U.S. emissions. On April 5, 2021, a federal court vacated the Trump-era policy. Read more »
The Biden administration is reconsidering a Trump proposal to withdraw test procedures for conventional cooking tops Read more »
On April 1, 2021, the Biden administration proposed overhauling a Trump rule that made it more difficult to impose stricter energy-efficiency rules Read more »
The Biden administration is reconsidering Trump's reversal of an Obama-era rule making lightbulbs more efficient Read more »
Scaled back measures oil and gas producers have to take to control air pollution Read more »
The Biden administration is reconsidering a rule exempting some clothes washers and dryers from current energy- and water-efficiency standards Read more »
The Biden administration is reconsidering a rule that grants manufacturers a waiver from uniform energy-efficiency test procedures Read more »
Restricted which public health benefits could be factored into new air rules Read more »
The Biden administration indicated in court on March 10 it will not enforce this rule, which prevents environmental, social and government funds from being the default in 401(k) investments Read more »
Loosened a Clinton-era rule aimed at limiting toxic emissions from major emitters Read more »
Removed the EPA Environmental Appeals Board's authority to consider environmental justice challenges related to clean air, clean water or waste-permit decisions. Read more »
The Biden administration is reviewing a Trump rule requiring a comparative analysis of the relative benefits and burdens of potential energy conservation standards for appliances Read more »
Weakened Obama-era greenhouse-gas standards for cars and SUVs Read more »
Reversed an Obama-era moratorium on federal coal leasing Read more »
Delayed issuing a plan to limit landfill methane emissions Read more »
Scaled back limits on methane emissions from drilling on public lands Read more »
Withdrew the legal justification for a 2012 rule limiting mercury emissions from power plants Read more »
Withdrew and delayed a rule to inform consumers about fuel-efficient replacement tires Read more »
The Biden administration indicated in court on March 10 that it will not enforce this rule, which makes it more difficult to hold proxy and shareholder votes on environmental, social and governance grounds Read more »
Reduced reporting requirements for hazardous pollutants issuing from power plants Read more »
Removed requirements to control methane across the oil and gas industry Read more »
Indefinitely delayed adding 1-bromopropane (1-BP), a solvent linked to neurological damage, to the list of regulated hazardous air pollutants Read more »
Relaxed air pollution regulations for a handful of power plants that burn coal mining waste Read more »
Approval of Jordan Cove Energy Project, a natural gas export terminal Read more »
Withdrew rule requiring the detection and repair of hydroflourocarbon leaks from major appliances Read more »
Provided complete penalty forgiveness for firms that disclose and self-correct air violations Read more »
Rescinded the Clean Fuels Grant Program, which was to help areas cut pollution and deploy clean-fuel buses Read more »
Withdrew a 2016 proposal to impose energy conservation standards on manufactured housing Read more »
Declined to reduce cross-state air pollution involving soot and smog contributors Read more »
Denied petitions from several states to regulate air pollution coming from upwind states Read more »
Reversed stricter emission standards for large, publicly owned sewage treatment plants Read more »
The Biden administration is reviewing Trump's move to withdraw efficiency standards for residential furnaces, commercial water heaters and gas appliances Read more »
The Biden administration is examining a rule relaxing efficiency standards for showerheads, letting them use unlimited amounts of water Read more »
The BIden administration is reconsidering a rule that weakened energy-efficiency standards for dishwashers Read more »
Eliminated methane emissions control requirements for all oil and gas operations Read more »
Revised a program to make it easier for new power plants to avoid emissions regulations Read more »
Weakened a 2016 rule tightening air pollution limits on offshore operations Read more »
Made changes to a program aimed at curbing emissions from new or modified industrial facilities Read more »
The rule streamlines pre-construction approval for minor sources of pollution on Indian Country Read more »
Exempted large animal farms from having to report risks to state and local officials Read more »
Revised commercial and industrial incineration standards to address industry concerns Read more »
Allows petroleum refineries more easily to flare gas and conduct other activities Read more »
New 9
Policy put in place or proposed by the Biden administration
President Biden proposed spending $35 on breakthrough climate technology and $15 billion on climate-related demonstrated projects. Read more »
President Biden proposed an "Energy Efficiency and Clean Electricity Standard" that would require utilities to get a percentage of their power from carbon-free sources. Read more »
The Interior Department's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management signed off on the final environmental review for Vineyard Wind, an 800-megawatt offshore wind project that promises to the be the nation's largest if it wins final federal approval. Read more »
The Biden administration is establishing a national program to phase down the production and import of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), potent greenhouse gases used in refrigeration and air conditioning. Read more »
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin established the Defense Climate Working Group to incorporate climate risk analysis into all of its operations and assess how it can curb the department's greenhouse gas emissions. Joe Bryan, the special assistant to the secretary for climate change, will head the group. Read more »
Instructed the Secretary of the Treasury to assess climate risk and work with other agencies to align U.S. spending -- including foreign aid -- with the nation's climate goals Read more »
Instructed the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a plan within 90 day to spur 'climate-smart' strategies in farming and forestry. Read more »
Mandated the government buy clean and zero-emission vehicles for its fleet, including federal, state and tribal vehicles Read more »
Ordered national security agencies to deliver a report within 90 days on how they will integrate climate change into their work Read more »
Easy to overturn 23
Can be reversed by a simple act, such as signing an executive order or new directive
Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 Paris climate agreement, but Biden rejoined it on his first day in office Read more »
Biden ordered the Secretary of State to submit the Kigali Amendment, phasing out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), to the Senate for ratification Read more »
On Jan. 19, the D.C. Circuit vacated the Trump administration's rule replacing the Obama-era plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions from power plants Read more »
The Biden administration withdrew a plantwide permit for Limetree Bay refinery, whose operations disproportionately affect poor communities on St. Croix. The Trump administration, which issued the permit in December 2020, based the pollution levels on the operations of an old refinery that processed more than twice as much oil. Read more »
Instructs Interior Department scientists to use all climate models, including ones suggesting fewer impacts Read more »
The BIden administration is reexamining a Trump proposed rule that would allow manufacturers to use alternative standards to test small-motor efficiency Read more »
The Energy Department has delayed updating 25 energy-efficiency rules Read more »
Rescinded policy curbing pollutants power plants can emit during startup, shutdown and malfunctions Read more »
The Biden administration reestablished the panel that formulates the social cost of carbon, an estimate for the damage caused by climate change for federal cost-benefit analyses. As an interim measure, it placed the figure at $51 per ton of carbon dioxide released into the air. Read more »
Would grant coal ash disposal permits without review to some state and tribal sites Read more »
Changing testing for heavy-duty vehicles and engines that could lead to higher CO2 emissions Read more »
Proposed reversing a requirement that plant owners get a pollution permit for expanded operations Read more »
Instructs Interior scientists to use several climate models, including ones projecting fewer impacts Read more »
Unsuccessful effort to rework a rule on hydrofluorocarbons, potent greenhouse gases Read more »
Revoked California's waiver to regulate air pollution under the Clean Air Act Read more »
Weakened an Obama-era rule meant to improve air quality in national parks and wilderness areas Read more »
Lifted the summertime ban on a gasoline-ethanol blend linked to smog formation Read more »
Allowed states, tribes and localities more flexibility in complying with limits on smog-forming ozone Read more »
Proposal would change how anticipated pollution from a new facility is calculated Read more »
Dismantled the federal advisory panel for the National Climate Assessment Read more »
Reversed an Obama-era policy that restricted U.S. financing of coal-fired power plants abroad Read more »
Stopped payments to the Green Climate Fund, which helps poor nations address climate change Read more »
Withdrew guidance directing agencies to include carbon emissions in environmental reviews Read more »
Medium 31
Can be reversed only through more extensive action, such as rewriting a regulation or court ruling
Curbs CO2 only in sectors that account for at least 3 percent of U.S. emissions. On April 5, 2021, a federal court vacated the Trump-era policy. Read more »
The Biden administration is reconsidering a Trump proposal to withdraw test procedures for conventional cooking tops Read more »
On April 1, 2021, the Biden administration proposed overhauling a Trump rule that made it more difficult to impose stricter energy-efficiency rules Read more »
The Biden administration is reconsidering Trump's reversal of an Obama-era rule making lightbulbs more efficient Read more »
Scaled back measures oil and gas producers have to take to control air pollution Read more »
The Biden administration is reconsidering a rule exempting some clothes washers and dryers from current energy- and water-efficiency standards Read more »
The Biden administration is reconsidering a rule that grants manufacturers a waiver from uniform energy-efficiency test procedures Read more »
Restricted which public health benefits could be factored into new air rules Read more »
The Biden administration indicated in court on March 10 it will not enforce this rule, which prevents environmental, social and government funds from being the default in 401(k) investments Read more »
Loosened a Clinton-era rule aimed at limiting toxic emissions from major emitters Read more »
Removed the EPA Environmental Appeals Board's authority to consider environmental justice challenges related to clean air, clean water or waste-permit decisions. Read more »
The Biden administration is reviewing a Trump rule requiring a comparative analysis of the relative benefits and burdens of potential energy conservation standards for appliances Read more »
Weakened Obama-era greenhouse-gas standards for cars and SUVs Read more »
Reversed an Obama-era moratorium on federal coal leasing Read more »
Delayed issuing a plan to limit landfill methane emissions Read more »
Scaled back limits on methane emissions from drilling on public lands Read more »
Withdrew the legal justification for a 2012 rule limiting mercury emissions from power plants Read more »
Withdrew and delayed a rule to inform consumers about fuel-efficient replacement tires Read more »
The Biden administration indicated in court on March 10 that it will not enforce this rule, which makes it more difficult to hold proxy and shareholder votes on environmental, social and governance grounds Read more »
Reduced reporting requirements for hazardous pollutants issuing from power plants Read more »
Removed requirements to control methane across the oil and gas industry Read more »
Indefinitely delayed adding 1-bromopropane (1-BP), a solvent linked to neurological damage, to the list of regulated hazardous air pollutants Read more »
Relaxed air pollution regulations for a handful of power plants that burn coal mining waste Read more »
Approval of Jordan Cove Energy Project, a natural gas export terminal Read more »
Withdrew rule requiring the detection and repair of hydroflourocarbon leaks from major appliances Read more »
Provided complete penalty forgiveness for firms that disclose and self-correct air violations Read more »
Rescinded the Clean Fuels Grant Program, which was to help areas cut pollution and deploy clean-fuel buses Read more »
Withdrew a 2016 proposal to impose energy conservation standards on manufactured housing Read more »
Declined to reduce cross-state air pollution involving soot and smog contributors Read more »
Denied petitions from several states to regulate air pollution coming from upwind states Read more »
Reversed stricter emission standards for large, publicly owned sewage treatment plants Read more »
Difficult 11
Can only be reversed through a lengthy regulatory process, act of Congress or court ruling
The Biden administration is reviewing Trump's move to withdraw efficiency standards for residential furnaces, commercial water heaters and gas appliances Read more »
The Biden administration is examining a rule relaxing efficiency standards for showerheads, letting them use unlimited amounts of water Read more »
The BIden administration is reconsidering a rule that weakened energy-efficiency standards for dishwashers Read more »
Eliminated methane emissions control requirements for all oil and gas operations Read more »
Revised a program to make it easier for new power plants to avoid emissions regulations Read more »
Weakened a 2016 rule tightening air pollution limits on offshore operations Read more »
Made changes to a program aimed at curbing emissions from new or modified industrial facilities Read more »
The rule streamlines pre-construction approval for minor sources of pollution on Indian Country Read more »
Exempted large animal farms from having to report risks to state and local officials Read more »
Revised commercial and industrial incineration standards to address industry concerns Read more »
Allows petroleum refineries more easily to flare gas and conduct other activities Read more »
Chemical safety
From plastic water bottles to farmworker pesticide exposure to chemical dangers for infants and children, the Trump administration favored industry over consumer health. At least 14 chemical safety laws are under review by the Biden administration to restore lost protections.
Easy to overturn 6
Medium 6
Difficult 2
Can be reversed by a simple act, such as signing an executive order or new directive
Can be reversed only through more extensive action, such as rewriting a regulation or court ruling
Can only be reversed through a lengthy regulatory process, act of Congress or court ruling
Unsuccessful effort to block Agricultural Worker Protection Standard Read more »
Rejected a proposed ban on chlorpyrifos, a pesticide linked to neurological damage in children Read more »
Proposal would narrow the regulation of toxic solvents used in dry cleaning Read more »
Proposed relaxing restrictions in interim pesticide registration for pyrethroids Read more »
Proposed allowing commercial nuclear reactors to dispose of radioactive waste, aside from spent fuel, in local landfills Read more »
Reversed rule restricting platic water bottle sales in national parks Read more »
Eased compliance requirements for storing volatile organic liquids, including petroleum products Read more »
Limited the use of the deadly chemical methylene chloride but exempted commercial uses Read more »
Limited the scope of how the EPA evaluates the risks of toxic chemicals available on the market
Withdrew a proposed ban of NMP, a toxic chemical used in paint strippers Read more »
Adopted a pesticide spraying rule, narrower than the Obama-era rule, after a court loss Read more »
Rescinded a chemical disaster rule aimed at improving safety at sites with dangerous chemicals Read more »
Altered requirements for facilities that use extremely hazardous substances to develop risk management plans in case of accidental releases Read more »
Revised how the government gauges pesticide effects on endangered species
Easy to overturn 6
Can be reversed by a simple act, such as signing an executive order or new directive
Unsuccessful effort to block Agricultural Worker Protection Standard Read more »
Rejected a proposed ban on chlorpyrifos, a pesticide linked to neurological damage in children Read more »
Proposal would narrow the regulation of toxic solvents used in dry cleaning Read more »
Proposed relaxing restrictions in interim pesticide registration for pyrethroids Read more »
Proposed allowing commercial nuclear reactors to dispose of radioactive waste, aside from spent fuel, in local landfills Read more »
Reversed rule restricting platic water bottle sales in national parks Read more »
Medium 6
Can be reversed only through more extensive action, such as rewriting a regulation or court ruling
Eased compliance requirements for storing volatile organic liquids, including petroleum products Read more »
Limited the use of the deadly chemical methylene chloride but exempted commercial uses Read more »
Limited the scope of how the EPA evaluates the risks of toxic chemicals available on the market
Withdrew a proposed ban of NMP, a toxic chemical used in paint strippers Read more »
Adopted a pesticide spraying rule, narrower than the Obama-era rule, after a court loss Read more »
Rescinded a chemical disaster rule aimed at improving safety at sites with dangerous chemicals Read more »
Difficult 2
Can only be reversed through a lengthy regulatory process, act of Congress or court ruling
Altered requirements for facilities that use extremely hazardous substances to develop risk management plans in case of accidental releases Read more »
Revised how the government gauges pesticide effects on endangered species
Drilling and extraction
The 61 rollbacks Trump enacted on drilling, mining and logging ranged from weakened oil worker safety on offshore platforms to extracting fossil fuels from public lands. Biden announced a moratorium on oil and gas drilling on Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and is reassessing a range of extractive activities, including expanded timber operations in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest and coal leasing out west in the Lower 48.
New 7
Easy to overturn 41
Medium 21
Difficult 7
Policy put in place or proposed by the Biden administration
Can be reversed by a simple act, such as signing an executive order or new directive
Can be reversed only through more extensive action, such as rewriting a regulation or court ruling
Can only be reversed through a lengthy regulatory process, act of Congress or court ruling
President Biden proposed spending $16 billion on plugging abandoned oil and gas wells, and restoring lands that had been damaged by mining. Read more »
The Interior Department announced it was postponing quarterly lease sales in Colorado, Montana, Utah and Wyoming "to confirm the adequacy of underlying environmental analysis." Read more »
The Agriculture Department's acting deputy undersecretary for natural resources, Chris French, instructed that any activities in roadless areas such as road building, timber harvesting and mining must undergo special review by the Natural Resources and Environment Division. This effectively blocks any new road construction in Alaska's Tongass National Forest. Read more »
Establishes a new interagency council to devise economic strategies to shift communities away from fossil fuels Read more »
Instructed all agencies to identify existing fossil fuel subsidies and eliminate them from their FY 2021 budget request Read more »
Halted all new oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters in order to conduct a thorough review. The Western Energy Alliance intially sued over this decision, and on March 24, 2020, attorneys general from 13 states sued in federal court in Louisiana. Separately, the State of Wyoming filed another challenge in federal court in Wyoming. Read more »
Subjected all major DOI decisions, including awarding new permits, to approval by a senior Biden appointee. The department later revoked 70 drilling permits that had been approved by career appointees. Read more »
The Biden administration terminated a proposal scaling back protections in Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan Read more »
The Biden administration rescinded a proposal that would have allowed mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP to mine copper in Oak Flat, Ariz. Read more »
The Biden administration reversed the move by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to award 10-year grazing permits to Hammond Ranches, Inc., whose owners had their grazing permits revoked after being convicted of arson in 2012. Dwight and Steven Hammond's fight with federal officials sparked the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, and they were later pardoned by President Trump. Read more »
The Interior Department rescinded the Record of Decision for a region-wide lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico that was issued just before President Trump left office on the grounds that new oil and gas drilling would damage the climate. Read more »
Canceled Cook Inlet OCS Oil & Gas Lease Sale 258, off Alaska's southcentral coast, on the grounds that it conflicted with Biden's EO 14008. Read more »
Instructed agencies to speed up the development of energy projects such as pipelines Read more »
Shrank two national monuments in Utah and called for changes to other national monuments Read more »
Biden rescinded the 2017 cross-permit Trump granted for the Keystone XL pipeline Read more »
The Biden administration extended the comment period for a draft management plan affecting 13 million acres of public land in Alaska by three months. The proposal, which will now be subject to public input until June 9, would open up nearly the entire area to oil, gas, mining and other forms of development. Read more »
The Biden administration extended the comment period for this proposed rule, which would allow ranchers to make nonmonetary settlements when they overgraze or illegally graze on public lands, by 60 days beyond the Feb. 16, 2021 deadline for public input. Read more »
The Biden administration extended the comment period on a proposed rule weakening standards governing oil and gas exploratory drilling in the Arctic Ocean Read more »
The Biden administration started to reassess a rule overturning higher federal royalties for oil, gas and coal leases adopted at the end of the Obama administration Read more »
Proposal would make it easier to harvest timber on BLM land Read more »
Sped up oil and gas leasing on Bureau of Land Management lands Read more »
Extended 20-year authorization for natural gas exports to non-trade agreement countries Read more »
Proposal to reduce the financial assurances oil and gas firms leasing offshore rights must supply Read more »
Proposed scaling back of security requirements for drilling on federal land Read more »
Proposed reducing federal fees for non-energy minerals such as potash and phosphate Read more »
Proposed scaling back rules governing oil pipeline spills Read more »
Proposed overhauling grazing on Bureau of Land Management lands Read more »
Proposed speeding up the issuing of oil and gas permits on national forest land Read more »
Proposed making it easier to locate minerals on national forest land Read more »
Proposed plan would expand drilling in the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans Read more »
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers allowed a controversial mine permit application but then denied it Read more »
Amended hazardous materials rules to allow liquefied natural gas exports
Provided royalty relief to oil and gas firms while denying relief to renewable-energy companies Read more »
Allowed seismic testing in Big Cypress National Reserve without a permit Read more »
Executive order to encourage logging on federal lands Read more »
Allowed state and tribal officials to lay claim to 1.3 million acres of Alaska land for development Read more »
Moved international border-crossing permit decisions to the White House, to speed pipelines Read more »
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration announced it would not enforce rules against operators that do not comply with farm tap regulations Read more »
Barred requiring users of public lands to offset their environmental damage unless specifically directed Read more »
Removes protections from 229,715 acres in Alaska to allow for minerals extraction Read more »
Instructed agencies to use coastal, oceanic and Great Lake resources for energy production Read more »
Changed how regulators consider the greenhouse gas impacts of pipelines in environmental reviews Read more »
Canceled move to ban mining on 1.3 million acres of California Desert National Conservation Lands Read more »
Shrank two national monuments in Utah Read more »
Made most of the Arctic Ocean and parts of the Atlantic Ocean open to oil and gas leasing Read more »
Instructed Interior to revise five-year offshore leasing plan to expand energy production Read more »
Withdrew a 2016 information collection request for greenhouse gas emissions from existing oil and gas operations Read more »
Approved construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline Read more »
The Biden administration asked for a pause in litigation over the Trump administration's move to revive mining leases near Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. A federal judge granted the motion, that will allow the Agriculture and Interior Departments to review the matter until June 21, 2021. Read more »
Biden paused an Office of Comptroller of the Currency rule finalized on Jan. 14, 2021 that barred banks from refusing to finance projects for certain sectors, such as fossil fuels. It was set to take effect April 1, 2021. Read more »
Proposed limiting protests on federal timber sales Read more »
Would make more than 13 million acres in the Western Bering Sea open to development Read more »
Biden is reexamining the Trump administration's approval of ConocoPhillips Willow Project on the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, which which would allow the construction of a major oil processing facility that could produce up to 160,000 barrels of oil a day during its 30-year operation. Read more »
Allowed road-building and logging in most of the Tongass National Forest Read more »
Allowed the bulk transport of liquified natural gas in rail tank cars Read more »
Withdrew rule that would ensure mining firms paid the cost of cleaning up their operations Read more »
Rescinded tighter fracking rules on federal and Indian lands Read more »
Allowing drilling in Utah's Labyrinth Canyon, in an area surrounded by wilderness Read more »
Opens 9.7 million acres in western Alaska to mineral leasing Read more »
The Trump administration reached an agreement with Canadian-owned Midas Gold, over the objections of Idaho's Nez Perce Tribe, to do a partial cleanup of the historical Stibnite Mine Site that clears the way for a massive open-pit gold mine. Read more »
Expanded drilling on the largest swath of federal land, in Alaska, by 7 million acres Read more »
Expanded grazing by amending the Sonoran Desert National Monument Grazing Plan Read more »
Reduced the requirements that tribes face when they enter into energy agreements involving tribal land Read more »
The Trump administration authorized a petroleum company, Hilcorp Alaska LLC, to “take” marine mammals incidental to oil and gas operations in Cook Inlet. Activists sued, arguing the policy is harmful to endangered beluga whales. On March 30, 2021, a federal court agreed. Read more »
Eliminated most of the "Sagebrush Focal Areas" created to protect the imperiled sage grouse Read more »
Determined that coal mining can take place in an area near Bryce Canyon National Park Read more »
Overturned guidance to protect sage grouse habitat Read more »
Removed copper filter cake, which contains heavy metals, from EPA's hazardous waste list Read more »
Nullified an Obama-era rule requiring firms to disclose payments to foreign governments for mining projects Read more »
Weakened the requirement for oil firms to test fail-safe devices use to prevent oil spills Read more »
Lifted the ban on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge's coastal plain Read more »
Approval for a lithium mine on BLM land that provides habitat for sage grouse, pronghorn antelope and a rare type of springsnail Read more »
Weakened federal oversight of mine safety and requirements to report safety violations Read more »
Leased drilling rights to 552,000 acres in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Read more »
Rolled back offshore drilling equipment safety rules adopted after Deepwater Horizon disaster Read more »
Quickened approvals for small-scale natural gas exports to non-trade agreement countries Read more »
New 7
Policy put in place or proposed by the Biden administration
President Biden proposed spending $16 billion on plugging abandoned oil and gas wells, and restoring lands that had been damaged by mining. Read more »
The Interior Department announced it was postponing quarterly lease sales in Colorado, Montana, Utah and Wyoming "to confirm the adequacy of underlying environmental analysis." Read more »
The Agriculture Department's acting deputy undersecretary for natural resources, Chris French, instructed that any activities in roadless areas such as road building, timber harvesting and mining must undergo special review by the Natural Resources and Environment Division. This effectively blocks any new road construction in Alaska's Tongass National Forest. Read more »
Establishes a new interagency council to devise economic strategies to shift communities away from fossil fuels Read more »
Instructed all agencies to identify existing fossil fuel subsidies and eliminate them from their FY 2021 budget request Read more »
Halted all new oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters in order to conduct a thorough review. The Western Energy Alliance intially sued over this decision, and on March 24, 2020, attorneys general from 13 states sued in federal court in Louisiana. Separately, the State of Wyoming filed another challenge in federal court in Wyoming. Read more »
Subjected all major DOI decisions, including awarding new permits, to approval by a senior Biden appointee. The department later revoked 70 drilling permits that had been approved by career appointees. Read more »
Easy to overturn 41
Can be reversed by a simple act, such as signing an executive order or new directive
The Biden administration terminated a proposal scaling back protections in Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan Read more »
The Biden administration rescinded a proposal that would have allowed mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP to mine copper in Oak Flat, Ariz. Read more »
The Biden administration reversed the move by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to award 10-year grazing permits to Hammond Ranches, Inc., whose owners had their grazing permits revoked after being convicted of arson in 2012. Dwight and Steven Hammond's fight with federal officials sparked the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, and they were later pardoned by President Trump. Read more »
The Interior Department rescinded the Record of Decision for a region-wide lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico that was issued just before President Trump left office on the grounds that new oil and gas drilling would damage the climate. Read more »
Canceled Cook Inlet OCS Oil & Gas Lease Sale 258, off Alaska's southcentral coast, on the grounds that it conflicted with Biden's EO 14008. Read more »
Instructed agencies to speed up the development of energy projects such as pipelines Read more »
Shrank two national monuments in Utah and called for changes to other national monuments Read more »
Biden rescinded the 2017 cross-permit Trump granted for the Keystone XL pipeline Read more »
The Biden administration extended the comment period for a draft management plan affecting 13 million acres of public land in Alaska by three months. The proposal, which will now be subject to public input until June 9, would open up nearly the entire area to oil, gas, mining and other forms of development. Read more »
The Biden administration extended the comment period for this proposed rule, which would allow ranchers to make nonmonetary settlements when they overgraze or illegally graze on public lands, by 60 days beyond the Feb. 16, 2021 deadline for public input. Read more »
The Biden administration extended the comment period on a proposed rule weakening standards governing oil and gas exploratory drilling in the Arctic Ocean Read more »
The Biden administration started to reassess a rule overturning higher federal royalties for oil, gas and coal leases adopted at the end of the Obama administration Read more »
Proposal would make it easier to harvest timber on BLM land Read more »
Sped up oil and gas leasing on Bureau of Land Management lands Read more »
Extended 20-year authorization for natural gas exports to non-trade agreement countries Read more »
Proposal to reduce the financial assurances oil and gas firms leasing offshore rights must supply Read more »
Proposed scaling back of security requirements for drilling on federal land Read more »
Proposed reducing federal fees for non-energy minerals such as potash and phosphate Read more »
Proposed scaling back rules governing oil pipeline spills Read more »
Proposed overhauling grazing on Bureau of Land Management lands Read more »
Proposed speeding up the issuing of oil and gas permits on national forest land Read more »
Proposed making it easier to locate minerals on national forest land Read more »
Proposed plan would expand drilling in the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans Read more »
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers allowed a controversial mine permit application but then denied it Read more »
Amended hazardous materials rules to allow liquefied natural gas exports
Provided royalty relief to oil and gas firms while denying relief to renewable-energy companies Read more »
Allowed seismic testing in Big Cypress National Reserve without a permit Read more »
Executive order to encourage logging on federal lands Read more »
Allowed state and tribal officials to lay claim to 1.3 million acres of Alaska land for development Read more »
Moved international border-crossing permit decisions to the White House, to speed pipelines Read more »
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration announced it would not enforce rules against operators that do not comply with farm tap regulations Read more »
Barred requiring users of public lands to offset their environmental damage unless specifically directed Read more »
Removes protections from 229,715 acres in Alaska to allow for minerals extraction Read more »
Instructed agencies to use coastal, oceanic and Great Lake resources for energy production Read more »
Changed how regulators consider the greenhouse gas impacts of pipelines in environmental reviews Read more »
Canceled move to ban mining on 1.3 million acres of California Desert National Conservation Lands Read more »
Shrank two national monuments in Utah Read more »
Made most of the Arctic Ocean and parts of the Atlantic Ocean open to oil and gas leasing Read more »
Instructed Interior to revise five-year offshore leasing plan to expand energy production Read more »
Withdrew a 2016 information collection request for greenhouse gas emissions from existing oil and gas operations Read more »
Approved construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline Read more »
Medium 21
Can be reversed only through more extensive action, such as rewriting a regulation or court ruling
The Biden administration asked for a pause in litigation over the Trump administration's move to revive mining leases near Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. A federal judge granted the motion, that will allow the Agriculture and Interior Departments to review the matter until June 21, 2021. Read more »
Biden paused an Office of Comptroller of the Currency rule finalized on Jan. 14, 2021 that barred banks from refusing to finance projects for certain sectors, such as fossil fuels. It was set to take effect April 1, 2021. Read more »
Proposed limiting protests on federal timber sales Read more »
Would make more than 13 million acres in the Western Bering Sea open to development Read more »
Biden is reexamining the Trump administration's approval of ConocoPhillips Willow Project on the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, which which would allow the construction of a major oil processing facility that could produce up to 160,000 barrels of oil a day during its 30-year operation. Read more »
Allowed road-building and logging in most of the Tongass National Forest Read more »
Allowed the bulk transport of liquified natural gas in rail tank cars Read more »
Withdrew rule that would ensure mining firms paid the cost of cleaning up their operations Read more »
Rescinded tighter fracking rules on federal and Indian lands Read more »
Allowing drilling in Utah's Labyrinth Canyon, in an area surrounded by wilderness Read more »
Opens 9.7 million acres in western Alaska to mineral leasing Read more »
The Trump administration reached an agreement with Canadian-owned Midas Gold, over the objections of Idaho's Nez Perce Tribe, to do a partial cleanup of the historical Stibnite Mine Site that clears the way for a massive open-pit gold mine. Read more »
Expanded drilling on the largest swath of federal land, in Alaska, by 7 million acres Read more »
Expanded grazing by amending the Sonoran Desert National Monument Grazing Plan Read more »
Reduced the requirements that tribes face when they enter into energy agreements involving tribal land Read more »
The Trump administration authorized a petroleum company, Hilcorp Alaska LLC, to “take” marine mammals incidental to oil and gas operations in Cook Inlet. Activists sued, arguing the policy is harmful to endangered beluga whales. On March 30, 2021, a federal court agreed. Read more »
Eliminated most of the "Sagebrush Focal Areas" created to protect the imperiled sage grouse Read more »
Determined that coal mining can take place in an area near Bryce Canyon National Park Read more »
Overturned guidance to protect sage grouse habitat Read more »
Removed copper filter cake, which contains heavy metals, from EPA's hazardous waste list Read more »
Nullified an Obama-era rule requiring firms to disclose payments to foreign governments for mining projects Read more »
Difficult 7
Can only be reversed through a lengthy regulatory process, act of Congress or court ruling
Weakened the requirement for oil firms to test fail-safe devices use to prevent oil spills Read more »
Lifted the ban on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge's coastal plain Read more »
Approval for a lithium mine on BLM land that provides habitat for sage grouse, pronghorn antelope and a rare type of springsnail Read more »
Weakened federal oversight of mine safety and requirements to report safety violations Read more »
Leased drilling rights to 552,000 acres in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Read more »
Rolled back offshore drilling equipment safety rules adopted after Deepwater Horizon disaster Read more »
Quickened approvals for small-scale natural gas exports to non-trade agreement countries Read more »
Infrastructure and permitting
The Trump administration circumvented environmental rules to speed approval of major projects such as a four-lane highway that could crush desert tortoises in the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area and adopting changes that will curb public input in the development of highways, power plants and incinerators near communities.
New 4
Easy to overturn 19
Medium 4
Difficult 5
Policy put in place or proposed by the Biden administration
Can be reversed by a simple act, such as signing an executive order or new directive
Can be reversed only through more extensive action, such as rewriting a regulation or court ruling
Can only be reversed through a lengthy regulatory process, act of Congress or court ruling
President Biden proposed investing $174 billion in electric vehicle charging stations, supply chains and raw materials. He pledged to build 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations by 2030 and electrify 20 percent of the nation’s yellow school buses. Read more »
The Biden administration launched an initiative to expand offshore wind production to 30 gigawatts by 2030, by working to speed permitting for projects off the East Coast, invest in research and development, provide low-interest loans to industry and fund changes to U.S. ports. Read more »
Established a new cadre of workers to help restore landscapes and help communities adapt to climate change Read more »
Instructed agencies to expedite offshore wind development in order to double installed capacity by 2030 Read more »
The Biden administration issued a legal opinion saying that the section of Missouri River flowing through North Dakota's Fort Berthold Indian Reservation belongs to the reservation's affiliated tribe, the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. The Trump administration had issued an opinion on May 26, 2020 awarding control of the riverbed to the state, which reversed an Obama-era legal interpretation of the matter. Read more »
President Biden rescinded Trump-era guidance that federal agencies no longer have to take a project’s long-term climate impacts into account Read more »
Instructed agencies to expedite infrastructure projects during the pandemic Read more »
President Biden restored a 2013 executive order on preparing for climate change impacts Read more »
President Biden restored federal flood standards Trump revoked in 2017 Read more »
Revoked an Obama executive order promoting climate resilience in the northern Bering Sea region Read more »
Ruled it was legal to take sand from a protected area to replenish a beach elsewhere Read more »
Instructed agencies to invoke their emergency powers to speed up infrastructure projects Read more »
Proposal would narrow the Transportation Department's environmental reviews of major projects Read more »
Proposed changing the way the EPA weighs costs and benefits of environmental regulation Read more »
Would withdraw stiffer federal flood risk standards Read more »
Allows radioactive phosphogypsum to be used in government road construction projects Read more »
Citing the pandemic, instructed agencies to waive regulations to bolster the economy Read more »
Opened up 5,400 acres surrounding Utah's Factory Butte to off-road vehicles Read more »
Revoked directive to minimize impacts on wildlife and land when approving development projects Read more »
Rolled back Obama-era policy to protect Alaska's Izembek National Wildlife Refuge Read more »
Directed Interior Department to streamline its environmental review documents Read more »
Withdrew 2016 order to consider climate change in the management of national parks Read more »
Revoked Obama-era standards requiring that federal projects consider sea-level rise and other climate impacts Read more »
Granted a 50-year right-of-way for a 210-mile private mining road over an Alaskan roadless are that includes Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve Read more »
Sped up environmental review process for U.S. Forest Service projects Read more »
Limited the climate and environmental impact analysis of major federal actions Read more »
Changed policy to allow coastal replenishment projects to use sand from protected ecosystems. Read more »
Streamlined Army Corps of Engineers permitting for pipelines and other projects Read more »
Allows construction of a four-lane highway in a protected area home to threatened desert tortoises Read more »
Overturned a Clean Water Act veto of a project that will drain and damage Mississippi wetlands Read more »
Exempted exports of natural gas from environmental reviews Read more »
Nullified the Bureau of Land Management's updated planning rule Read more »
New 4
Policy put in place or proposed by the Biden administration
President Biden proposed investing $174 billion in electric vehicle charging stations, supply chains and raw materials. He pledged to build 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations by 2030 and electrify 20 percent of the nation’s yellow school buses. Read more »
The Biden administration launched an initiative to expand offshore wind production to 30 gigawatts by 2030, by working to speed permitting for projects off the East Coast, invest in research and development, provide low-interest loans to industry and fund changes to U.S. ports. Read more »
Established a new cadre of workers to help restore landscapes and help communities adapt to climate change Read more »
Instructed agencies to expedite offshore wind development in order to double installed capacity by 2030 Read more »
Easy to overturn 19
Can be reversed by a simple act, such as signing an executive order or new directive
The Biden administration issued a legal opinion saying that the section of Missouri River flowing through North Dakota's Fort Berthold Indian Reservation belongs to the reservation's affiliated tribe, the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. The Trump administration had issued an opinion on May 26, 2020 awarding control of the riverbed to the state, which reversed an Obama-era legal interpretation of the matter. Read more »
President Biden rescinded Trump-era guidance that federal agencies no longer have to take a project’s long-term climate impacts into account Read more »
Instructed agencies to expedite infrastructure projects during the pandemic Read more »
President Biden restored a 2013 executive order on preparing for climate change impacts Read more »
President Biden restored federal flood standards Trump revoked in 2017 Read more »
Revoked an Obama executive order promoting climate resilience in the northern Bering Sea region Read more »
Ruled it was legal to take sand from a protected area to replenish a beach elsewhere Read more »
Instructed agencies to invoke their emergency powers to speed up infrastructure projects Read more »
Proposal would narrow the Transportation Department's environmental reviews of major projects Read more »
Proposed changing the way the EPA weighs costs and benefits of environmental regulation Read more »
Would withdraw stiffer federal flood risk standards Read more »
Allows radioactive phosphogypsum to be used in government road construction projects Read more »
Citing the pandemic, instructed agencies to waive regulations to bolster the economy Read more »
Opened up 5,400 acres surrounding Utah's Factory Butte to off-road vehicles Read more »
Revoked directive to minimize impacts on wildlife and land when approving development projects Read more »
Rolled back Obama-era policy to protect Alaska's Izembek National Wildlife Refuge Read more »
Directed Interior Department to streamline its environmental review documents Read more »
Withdrew 2016 order to consider climate change in the management of national parks Read more »
Revoked Obama-era standards requiring that federal projects consider sea-level rise and other climate impacts Read more »
Medium 4
Can be reversed only through more extensive action, such as rewriting a regulation or court ruling
Granted a 50-year right-of-way for a 210-mile private mining road over an Alaskan roadless are that includes Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve Read more »
Sped up environmental review process for U.S. Forest Service projects Read more »
Limited the climate and environmental impact analysis of major federal actions Read more »
Changed policy to allow coastal replenishment projects to use sand from protected ecosystems. Read more »
Difficult 5
Can only be reversed through a lengthy regulatory process, act of Congress or court ruling
Streamlined Army Corps of Engineers permitting for pipelines and other projects Read more »
Allows construction of a four-lane highway in a protected area home to threatened desert tortoises Read more »
Overturned a Clean Water Act veto of a project that will drain and damage Mississippi wetlands Read more »
Exempted exports of natural gas from environmental reviews Read more »
Nullified the Bureau of Land Management's updated planning rule Read more »
Accountability
Biden has said he will change the way the federal government works, making environmental justice a top priority. He will also restore the role of science in decision-making across the entire federal government. That includes taking aim at one of the EPA’s final acts under Trump: limiting the scientific data that can be used in the crafting of public health protections.
New 3
Easy to overturn 2
Medium 1
Policy put in place or proposed by the Biden administration
Can be reversed by a simple act, such as signing an executive order or new directive
Can be reversed only through more extensive action, such as rewriting a regulation or court ruling
Mandates a report within 180 days on how climate change will spur migration, including the international security implications of climate refugees and proposals for how the U.S. can provide foreign aid to alleviate global warming's negative impacts. Read more »
Mandated that 40 percent of all federal sustainability investments go to disadvantaged communities Read more »
Established a new White House interagency council as well as new offices in the Justice and Health and Human Services Departments Read more »
Biden officials rescinded a policy that curbed funding of environmental and community projects through legal settlements and lawsuits Read more »
The BIden administration overturned a policy limiting what scientific studies the Interior Department uses to craft rules Read more »
On Feb. 1 a federal judge in Montana vacated this rule, which restricted scientific studies the EPA considers in crafting public health rules Read more »
New 3
Policy put in place or proposed by the Biden administration
Mandates a report within 180 days on how climate change will spur migration, including the international security implications of climate refugees and proposals for how the U.S. can provide foreign aid to alleviate global warming's negative impacts. Read more »
Mandated that 40 percent of all federal sustainability investments go to disadvantaged communities Read more »
Established a new White House interagency council as well as new offices in the Justice and Health and Human Services Departments Read more »
Easy to overturn 2
Can be reversed by a simple act, such as signing an executive order or new directive
Biden officials rescinded a policy that curbed funding of environmental and community projects through legal settlements and lawsuits Read more »
The BIden administration overturned a policy limiting what scientific studies the Interior Department uses to craft rules Read more »
Medium 1
Can be reversed only through more extensive action, such as rewriting a regulation or court ruling
On Feb. 1 a federal judge in Montana vacated this rule, which restricted scientific studies the EPA considers in crafting public health rules Read more »
Water pollution
Trump eased restrictions on how companies store coal ash, weakened rules on dumping toxic waste from power plants into waterways and altered which wetlands and streams require federal oversight. Biden has said he will crack down on legacy pollution, particularly in vulnerable communities, and will prioritize upgrading the nation’s crumbling drinking-water infrastructure.
Easy to overturn 3
Medium 6
Difficult 5
Can be reversed by a simple act, such as signing an executive order or new directive
Can be reversed only through more extensive action, such as rewriting a regulation or court ruling
Can only be reversed through a lengthy regulatory process, act of Congress or court ruling
Creates a loophole in the discharge of water pollution, despite Supreme Court ruling Read more »
Proposed limiting the scope of an Obama-era coal ash rule Read more »
Memo allowing the dumping of a toxic PFAS chemicals into nearby waterways Read more »
The Biden administration dropped the appeal of a district court decision that the Environmental Protection Agency improperly removed Clean Water Act protections from the San Francisco South Bay salt ponds. The Trump administration's action made it easier for Cargill to sell off the wetlands area. Read more »
Delayed electronic reporting requirements for water pollution discharges by five years Read more »
Allowed some coal ash impoundments to keep operating Read more »
Reversed the finding that perchlorate, a toxic chemical, must be regulated nationwide Read more »
Weakens cleanup requirements for the power, oil and gas, and chemical manufacturing industries Read more »
Withdrew a proposed rule requiring groundwater protections in uranium mine operations Read more »
Weakened rules on dumping toxic waste from power plants into waterways Read more »
Extended the operating life of some coal ash ponds leaking toxic waste Read more »
Weakened a Clean Water Act provision that states and tribes used to object to federal project approvals Read more »
Scaled back federal protections for streams, wetlands and other waterways. Read more »
Scrapped Obama rule requiring mining firms to reduce harm to streams Read more »
Easy to overturn 3
Can be reversed by a simple act, such as signing an executive order or new directive
Creates a loophole in the discharge of water pollution, despite Supreme Court ruling Read more »
Proposed limiting the scope of an Obama-era coal ash rule Read more »
Memo allowing the dumping of a toxic PFAS chemicals into nearby waterways Read more »
Medium 6
Can be reversed only through more extensive action, such as rewriting a regulation or court ruling
The Biden administration dropped the appeal of a district court decision that the Environmental Protection Agency improperly removed Clean Water Act protections from the San Francisco South Bay salt ponds. The Trump administration's action made it easier for Cargill to sell off the wetlands area. Read more »
Delayed electronic reporting requirements for water pollution discharges by five years Read more »
Allowed some coal ash impoundments to keep operating Read more »
Reversed the finding that perchlorate, a toxic chemical, must be regulated nationwide Read more »
Weakens cleanup requirements for the power, oil and gas, and chemical manufacturing industries Read more »
Withdrew a proposed rule requiring groundwater protections in uranium mine operations Read more »
Difficult 5
Can only be reversed through a lengthy regulatory process, act of Congress or court ruling
Weakened rules on dumping toxic waste from power plants into waterways Read more »
Extended the operating life of some coal ash ponds leaking toxic waste Read more »
Weakened a Clean Water Act provision that states and tribes used to object to federal project approvals Read more »
Scaled back federal protections for streams, wetlands and other waterways. Read more »
Scrapped Obama rule requiring mining firms to reduce harm to streams Read more »
Wildlife
One of the hallmarks of former interior secretary David Bernhardt’s legacy has been the narrowing of safeguards for endangered wildlife. The northern spotted owl, whose forest habitat is disappearing; the Pacific walrus, which faces shrinking sea ice; and the Bryde’s whale, threatened by oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, are likely to receive enhanced protections under Biden.
New 1
Easy to overturn 10
Medium 13
Difficult 6
Policy put in place or proposed by the Biden administration
Can be reversed by a simple act, such as signing an executive order or new directive
Can be reversed only through more extensive action, such as rewriting a regulation or court ruling
Can only be reversed through a lengthy regulatory process, act of Congress or court ruling
Set a goal of conserving 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 Read more »
Interior informed the Kaktovik Iñupiat Corporation it failed do to three surveys of maternal polar bear dens as part of its application for a seismic testing permit in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. As a result, seismic testing will not take place during the 2020-21 winter drilling season. Read more »
The Biden administration rescinded an order that eliminated the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership. The program supports parks and greenspace projects in cities, urban areas, and historically underserved communities. Read more »
The Biden administration postponed the effective date ofTrump's move to shrink the spotted owl's critical habitat by 3.4 million acres until April 15, 2021, to review it. Read more »
Biden officials halted a Trump-era legal interpretation that killing scores birds by accident is not subject to prosecution. On Feb. 25, 2021, they dropped an appeal of an adverse ruling against the Trump administration. On March 8, Interior rescinded the underlying legal opinion issued under President Trump. Read more »
Proposed allowing the trapping and baiting of brown bears in Alaska's Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Read more »
The Trump administration determined designating habitat for the rusty patched bumble bee would be "not prudent," despite the fact that it's listed under the Endangered Species Act. Read more »
Lifted all commericial fishing limits within the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument Read more »
Withdrew a prohibition on using neonicotinoid pesticides and GMOs in national wildlife refuges Read more »
Made it legal to destroy Canada geese nests year-round Read more »
Lifted ban to allow for some elephant and lion trophy imports Read more »
Prioritized industrial and other uses when making critical habitat designation Read more »
Allowed oil and gas operators to harm marine mammals while during surveys in the Gulf of Mexico Read more »
Withdrew sage grouse protections spanning 10 million acres to allow drilling Read more »
Relaxed environmental protections for salmon and smelt in California’s Central Valley Read more »
Scaled back consultations under the Endangered Species Act Read more »
Reversed a 25-year policy of barring the logging of trees with a diameter of 21 inches or more in national forests in eastern Oregon and Washington. Read more »
Vetoed bipartisan bill phasing out mile-long driftnets that entangle marine mammals and sharks Read more »
Scuttled a recovery site for the endangered black-footed ferret Read more »
Reclassified American burying beetle from endangered to threatened, despite ongoing threats Read more »
Adopted rules with fewer safeguards for Atlantic bluefin tuna Read more »
Weakened rule for shrimp trawl nets that entangle sea turtles Read more »
Overturned a ban on the use of lead ammunition and fishing tackle on federal lands Read more »
Denied Endangered Species Act protections to the Pacific walrus, which is threatened by climate change Read more »
Requires consideration of financial impacts in designating critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act Read more »
Narrowed the definition of what constitutes critical habitat for imperiled species Read more »
Reversed Obama-era ban on controversial hunting practices on some lands in Alaska Read more »
Limited when the government identifies habitat as critical for an imperiled species Read more »
Rolled back inter-agency Endangered Species Act consultations on pesticides Read more »
Overturned a ban on the hunting of predators in Alaskan wildlife refuges Read more »
New 1
Policy put in place or proposed by the Biden administration
Set a goal of conserving 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 Read more »
Easy to overturn 10
Can be reversed by a simple act, such as signing an executive order or new directive
Interior informed the Kaktovik Iñupiat Corporation it failed do to three surveys of maternal polar bear dens as part of its application for a seismic testing permit in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. As a result, seismic testing will not take place during the 2020-21 winter drilling season. Read more »
The Biden administration rescinded an order that eliminated the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership. The program supports parks and greenspace projects in cities, urban areas, and historically underserved communities. Read more »
The Biden administration postponed the effective date ofTrump's move to shrink the spotted owl's critical habitat by 3.4 million acres until April 15, 2021, to review it. Read more »
Biden officials halted a Trump-era legal interpretation that killing scores birds by accident is not subject to prosecution. On Feb. 25, 2021, they dropped an appeal of an adverse ruling against the Trump administration. On March 8, Interior rescinded the underlying legal opinion issued under President Trump. Read more »
Proposed allowing the trapping and baiting of brown bears in Alaska's Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Read more »
The Trump administration determined designating habitat for the rusty patched bumble bee would be "not prudent," despite the fact that it's listed under the Endangered Species Act. Read more »
Lifted all commericial fishing limits within the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument Read more »
Withdrew a prohibition on using neonicotinoid pesticides and GMOs in national wildlife refuges Read more »
Made it legal to destroy Canada geese nests year-round Read more »
Lifted ban to allow for some elephant and lion trophy imports Read more »
Medium 13
Can be reversed only through more extensive action, such as rewriting a regulation or court ruling
Prioritized industrial and other uses when making critical habitat designation Read more »
Allowed oil and gas operators to harm marine mammals while during surveys in the Gulf of Mexico Read more »
Withdrew sage grouse protections spanning 10 million acres to allow drilling Read more »
Relaxed environmental protections for salmon and smelt in California’s Central Valley Read more »
Scaled back consultations under the Endangered Species Act Read more »
Reversed a 25-year policy of barring the logging of trees with a diameter of 21 inches or more in national forests in eastern Oregon and Washington. Read more »
Vetoed bipartisan bill phasing out mile-long driftnets that entangle marine mammals and sharks Read more »
Scuttled a recovery site for the endangered black-footed ferret Read more »
Reclassified American burying beetle from endangered to threatened, despite ongoing threats Read more »
Adopted rules with fewer safeguards for Atlantic bluefin tuna Read more »
Weakened rule for shrimp trawl nets that entangle sea turtles Read more »
Overturned a ban on the use of lead ammunition and fishing tackle on federal lands Read more »
Denied Endangered Species Act protections to the Pacific walrus, which is threatened by climate change Read more »
Difficult 6
Can only be reversed through a lengthy regulatory process, act of Congress or court ruling
Requires consideration of financial impacts in designating critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act Read more »
Narrowed the definition of what constitutes critical habitat for imperiled species Read more »
Reversed Obama-era ban on controversial hunting practices on some lands in Alaska Read more »
Limited when the government identifies habitat as critical for an imperiled species Read more »
Rolled back inter-agency Endangered Species Act consultations on pesticides Read more »
Overturned a ban on the hunting of predators in Alaskan wildlife refuges Read more »