Trump orders agencies to ‘sunset’ environmental protections

President Trump directed agencies that regulate energy and the environment to sunset a wide array of environmental protections in an executive order issued Wednesday night.

He ordered agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Energy Department, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and Fish and Wildlife Service to amend regulations so that they expire by October 2026.

The order applies to all regulations issued under laws governing things like energy appliance standards, mining and offshore drilling — as well as regulations issued under the Endangered Species Act.

It’s not yet clear whether the order will also apply to regulations at the EPA under laws like the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act or Safe Drinking Water Act because the order directs that particular agency to provide the White House with a list of statutes that should be subject to the order. 

There also may be exemptions, as the order allows agencies to extend the sunset date for up to five years. It’s not clear how widely such exemptions will be used.

In a statement incorporated into the order, the White House lamented what it described as an “energy landscape perpetually trapped in the 1970s.”

“By rescinding outdated regulations that serve as a drag on progress, we can stimulate innovation and deliver prosperity to everyday Americans,” it said. 

“This order directs certain agencies to incorporate a sunset provision into their regulations governing energy production to the extent permitted by law, thus compelling those agencies to reexamine their regulations periodically to ensure that those rules serve the public good,” it continued.

Environmental activists, meanwhile, raised alarm — and indicated that they’ll challenge the legality of the order in court. 

“Attempting to repeal every environmental safeguard enacted over the past 50 years with an executive order is beyond delusional,” said Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity, in a written statement.

“Trump’s farcical directive aims to kill measures that protect endangered whales, prevent oil spills, and reduce the risk of a nuclear accident. This chaotic administration is obviously desperate to smash through every environmental guardrail that protects people or preserves wildlife, but steps like this will be laughed out of court,” Hartl added.