Trump Lead Scientist: His Assault on Clean Air, Safe Water & Climate System in High Gear

Let me get that for you — anything else, just ask

(I'm only here to help, believe me)

WASHINGTON (NY Times) — The Trump administration is expected to complete the legal repeal of a major Obama-era clean water regulation, which had placed limits on polluting chemicals that could be used near streams, wetlands, and water bodies.

The rollback of the 2015 measure, known as the “Waters of the United States” rule, has been widely expected since the early days of the Trump administration, when Trump signed an EO directing federal agencies to begin the work of repealing and replacing it.

Look back to 2015 when Mr. Obama initiated that rule:

The agencies and their supporters say the safety of drinking water and stream health are threatened because of weak state and local regulation and a lack of enforcement. 

The rule is meant to make it clearer which waterways EPA and the Corps of Engineers can oversee under the 43-year-old Clean Water Act, which covers “navigable waters” such as the Mississippi River and Lake Erie but is vague on how far upstream protections must go to keep those water bodies clean. 

In essence, the rule would establish whether antipollution laws are triggered if a farmer blocks a stream to make a pond for livestock, a developer fills in part of a wetland to put up a house or an oil pipeline has to cross a creek.

Then, Senior White House adviser Brian Deese told reporters during a conference call about the rule: “The only people with reason to oppose the rule are polluters who threaten our clean water, which is based on common sense. The status quo is rife with unsustainable confusion over what’s protected and what’s not.”

Now along comes Trump who is weakening that Obama-era water rule has been a Trump central campaign edge.

Trump characterizes that rule (as many GOPers before him) as “a federal land-grab that impinged on the rights of farmers, rural landowners and real estate developers to use their property as they see fit.”

(I insert: So, those farmers and others are scientific experts about clear air, water, and the environment just like most GOP science deniers, right)?

The environmentalist experts in those critical areas re: human life sustaining elements (air, water, food) say Trump’s push to loosen clean-water regulations represents an assault on the nation’s streams and wetlands at a moment when Trump has repeatedly declared his commitment to “crystal-clean water.”

(I insert: This fact check reminder of Trump's environmental rhetoric versus his record on what Trump says vs. what he does, or as most of us already know by now is utter büllshït and is always the precise opposite of what he says, e.g., he says things are up/proof shows they are down; he says great achievement/actions show miserable outcomes; he says he’s the most-positive president ever/his actions show 99% negative, etc. etc. We always get the exact opposite from Trump – that’s his style – and he expects everyone to believe his every word, no questions asked).

My 2 cents: This again shows exactly who Trump is. It’s his M.O. his true self – it’s in his DNA and has been for his way for his whole miserable life. 

It impacts and destroys and damages all that is good and productive and safe for and about us. It’s not what he believes in. It’s his raw ugly hatred and jealousy of anything positive from Obama. 

That Obama success makes Trump ill to see a black man out perform him, and he is livid. Trump's hatred drives him 24/7. Just like he keeps blaming Hillary Clinton for his win – how pathetic is that? 

Expect more from him, too, so hang on tight.

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