Trump’s new environmental team

“Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night.”

Bette Davis

“All about Eve”

Will the environmental policies and actions of the upcoming Trump administration be a continuation of the Biden agenda? No, definitely not. Trump has made no secret of his intentions. One of his first moves would be to rescind the more than 100 environmental Executive Orders installed by President Biden (many reinstating ones originally put in place by President Obama). Next he might remove the United States from the United Nations 2015 Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty on climate change adopted by 196 countries at the UN Climate Change Conference covering climate change mitigation, adaptation and finance.

More than two dozen agencies and other federal organizations have some role in environmental affairs. Among the major entities are the Environmental Protection Agency, the Interior Department, the Commerce Department, the Transportation Department, the Agriculture Department, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services. Here are a few of Trump’s candidates to run these agencies.

Lee Zeldin, a former congressman from eastern Long Island is an “election denier” who refused to certify Biden’s election in 2020. He campaigned against the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, the largest environmental bill ever (but since most of its funds are being spent in Republican districts, he will no longer try to block it). The League of Conservation Voters gave him a score of 13% for his voting record covering his 8 years in Congress, a terrible record for one about to lead the nation’s leading environmental agency.

Trump’s pick for Secretary of the Interior, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, a billionaire businessman is unlikely to follow the path of his predecessor Deb Haaland, known for expanding the country’s National Parks and Monuments, Burgum plans to play a key role in greatly increasing coal, oil, and gas production in public lands.

Proposed for Secretary of Transportation is former (2011-19) GOP congressman from Wisconsin, Sean Duffy. Recently he has been a host on Fox News “The Bottom Line”. He has no particular experience for the job but is a devoted Trump supporter.

Trump has chosen Chris Wright, the head of a fracking company, to be the next Energy Secretary. A vigorous enthusiast for fossil fuels, he minimized the contribution of cleaner energy. An MIT grad, he may alter his views somewhat in the future in response to scientific knowledge.

Howard Lutnick, proposed Secretary of Commerce, might become involved future plans for its subsidiary agency NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The current Republican guidebook, Project 2025, has called for it and its ancillary organization, the National Weather Service, to be dismantled. Calling NOAA “a primary component of the climate change alarm industry”, Project 2025 calls for NOAA to be downsized and the NWS to be sold to commercial interests.

Proposed Secretary of Education, Connecticut’s Linda McMahon was the chief of the Small Business Administration during the first Trump administration. Brooke Rollins, the proposed Secretary of Agriculture is a Texas attorney, active in state Republican politics, she has no prior federal government experience.

Health and Human Services proposed Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy has little to recommend him but his famous family name; he has no medical training or experience running a large organization. His attacks on various aspects of the medical profession, especially vaccines, have made him many enemies.

However, should he be confirmed, he might possibly help foster something positive; his enthusiasm for better nutrition and improved school lunches, and his condemnation of industrial agriculture would be welcomed by environmentalists as would his hostility to pesticides and other poisons so prevalent around us. Although he won’t get far inveighing against corn syrup and ethanol. The main key to success here would be keeping Trump happy.

Unless they have a major falling out, Elon Musk, Trump’s benefactor and, some say “co-president” will likely reverse Trump’s hostility to electric vehicles, a major environmental accomplishment. And who knows what else?

Trump’s appointments, especially Cabinet Secretaries, tend to have little experience directly relevant to their proposed new positions. Also, nearly all are very wealthy; several are billionaires. And (without any evidence), many are referring to Musk as “the world’s richest man”.

Trump’s victory is a massive blow to environmental progress. But even though slowing, much less halting, climate change, may be stymied for a few years there are countless other significant accomplishments that may be possible. We need to remain positive and hopeful. As Monty Python put it, “Always look on the bright side of life . . . ”

Architect and landscape designer Mac Gordon lives in Lakeville.