Trump Wins Another Fake Award — but He Actually Deserves This One

Summary

The Trump administration announced plans to revoke the 2009 EPA “endangerment finding” — the scientific determination underpinning nearly all federal greenhouse gas regulation — while simultaneously directing the DoD to purchase coal electricity and extending coal ash cleanup deadlines. These moves are broadly unpopular: 66% of voters favor clean energy transition by 2050, and 74% want CO2 regulated as a pollutant.

Key Points

• The endangerment finding reversal was secretly drafted during the Biden years by a small group including Russell Vought and Jeffrey Clark
• DoD ordered to purchase electricity from coal plants; coal ash cleanup deadlines extended 33 months
• Trump received the inaugural “Undisputed Champion of Coal” award from the Washington Coal Club
• 66% of registered voters favor clean energy transition by 2050; 74% want CO2 regulated as a pollutant
• Almost no mainstream Republicans or fossil fuel executives pushed for these policies — a handful of ideologues found a willing vehicle in Trump