Overnight Regulation: Trump signs order to undo Obama’s climate actions

Welcome to Overnight Regulation, your daily rundown of news from the federal agencies, courts, Capitol Hill and beyond. It’s Tuesday evening here in Washington, and we’re bummed President Trump turned down the opportunity to throw out the first pitch for the Washington Nationals on Opening Day. Here’s the latest. 

 

THE BIG STORIES 

President Trump signed an executive order Tuesday to start rolling back President Obama’s climate change agenda. 

As The Hill’s Timothy Cama reports, the most significant piece of the order instructs the EPA to formally consider repealing the Clean Power Plan, which orders a 32 percent cut in the power sector’s carbon dioxide emissions by 2030.

The administration claims the order will increase the nation’s energy independence and create jobs in affected sectors and related industries.

“The President strongly believes that protecting the environment and promoting our economy are not mutually exclusive goals,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday. “This executive order will help to ensure that we have clean air and clean water without sacrificing economic growth and job creation.”

Environmental and public health groups, however, have challenged the claim that rolling back Obama policies will benefit energy independence or jobs.

“Right now, clean energy jobs already overwhelm dirty fuels in nearly every state across America, and that growth is only going to continue as clean energy keeps getting more affordable and accessible by the day,” Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune said.

The American Lung Association has also vowed to oppose the order, citing its health effects.

“Implementing the Clean Power Plan alone would prevent 90,000 asthma attacks and 3,600 premature deaths every year once fully in place,” Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the organization said in a statement. 

“Our nation needs these lifesaving protections. Ignoring climate change puts the health of millions of Americans at risk, and the longer our leaders delay climate action, the more the public will suffer the consequences.”

Read the full story here. 

And click here for more on how green groups are vowing to fight back.

 

In other news, industry groups are ramping up their fight to scrap an Obama-era rule aimed at reducing blue-collar workers’ exposure to beryllium, a toxic material that can cause a deadly lung disease.

The Labor Department has delayed the rule, but industry is now turning to the courts to eliminate the regulation all together.

The rule requires companies to limit the amount of beryllium that enters the air when it is cut, machined, ground, mechanically sheared or crushed to dust.

Coveted for being lighter than aluminum but stronger than steel, pure beryllium metal is used to make satellites and nuclear weapons, among other things, while beryllium alloys are found in products from computer parts to golf clubs and dental crowns.

Trace amounts of beryllium are also found naturally in coal and copper slag used in abrasive blasting operations at shipyards and in construction. Those two industries were wrapped into the rule in its final stage. 

Companies that manufacture blasting materials are now fighting back against the rule.

Read the full story on that here. 

 

ON TAP FOR WEDNESDAY 

The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee will meet to consider the nomination of Sonny Perdue to be Secretary of Agriculture. 

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation will hold a hearing on the nomination of Jeffrey Rosen to be Deputy Secretary of Transportation. 

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee will hold a hearing examine ways to close the skills gap and boost the country’s competitiveness. 

The Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee will hold a hearing to look at how small businesses confront and shape regulations.

The Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women’s Issues will hold a hearing to discuss the United State-Mexico relationship and look at ways to advance security and prosperity on both sides of the border. 

The House Small Business Committee will hold a hearing to evaluate the Paperwork Reduction Act and whether burdens are being reduced. 

 

TOMORROW’S REGS TODAY

Keep an eye on these rules in Wednesday’s edition of the Federal Register.

–The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will delay new environmental guidelines for nuclear power plants.

The NRC drafted the guidelines in February, but will extend the comment period to give the public more time to consider the changes.

The public now has until May 31 to comment.

–The Department of Energy (DOE) will correct a mistake made in new efficiency rules for central air conditioners and heat pumps.

The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy sought to delay the test procedures last week, and is now correcting errors made in the postponement.

The corrections go into effect immediately.

–The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will allow dozens of truck drivers with hearing disabilities to get behind the wheel.

The FMCSA will exempt 31 truck drivers from a hearing requirement that would otherwise prohibit them from operating commercial motor vehicles between states.

The public has 30 days to comment.

 

NEWS RIGHT NOW

Here are 10 Obama environmental regs Trump wants to scrap (USA Today) 

Justices side with Texas death row inmate who argued intellectual disability

Border wall funding likely to be put on hold

Path to 60 narrows for Trump’s Supreme Court pick

No. 2 Senate Democrat opposes Trump’s Supreme Court pick

Top GOP senator: ‘Tragic mistake’ if Democrats try to block Gorsuch

GOP senator on going nuclear: ‘I really hope that it doesn’t come to that’

NRA launches $1M Supreme Court ad

Liberal groups plan protests against Gorsuch

DHS misses deadline to submit cyber strategy to Congress

Dem lawmakers push for FCC to tackle major cellphone security flaw

Pelosi calls on internet providers to oppose GOP bill to kill privacy rules

McCaskill investigating opioid producers

Trump nominates Bush-era official for DOJ antitrust chief

Dems debate working with GOP on consumer bureau revamp

Dakota Access puts oil in pipeline

 

BY THE NUMBERS

4: Proposed rules

6: Final rules

(Wednesday’s Federal Register)

 

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“My administration is putting an end to the war on coal,” — President Trump said as he signed an executive order reversing many aspects of the Obama administration’s climate change agenda.

 

We’ll work to stay on top of these and other stories throughout the week, so check The Hill’s Regulation page (http://digital-staging.thehill.com/regulation) early and often for the latest. And send any comments, complaints or regulatory news tips our way, tdevaney@digital-staging.thehill.com or lwheeler@digital-staging.thehill.com. And follow us at @timdevaney and @wheelerlydia.

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