President Trump moves to silence American public’s voice with environmental rulemaking orders 

WASHINGTON D.C. – President Trump signed an order Wednesday night that attempts to rob Americans of their voice on important federal rules that protect their communities. Another order this week attempts to eliminate crucial energy and environmental regulations by forcing them to expire on arbitrary timelines that have nothing to do with the environmental risks that prompt them. 

“No one voted to strip away bedrock environmental protections, nor to block Americans’ ability to speak up for their own health and safety. The Trump administration’s attempt to limit public input on key environmental safeguards is both illegal and terrible policy,” Southern Environmental Law Center Litigation Director Kym Meyer said. 

“Eliminating the provisions that support clean air, clean water, and other environmental and public health protections is simply wrong. This move injects needless bureaucracy into a process that we actually need to work faster and more efficiently. Our need for a healthy environment does not have an expiration date, and neither does our need to protect the amazing wildlife and public lands of the United States.” 

The order on “Directing the Repeal of Unlawful Regulations” attempts to allow all federal agencies to skip the public notice and comment period for any rule they deem “clearly contrary to the public interest.”   

The Trump administration knows eliminating important environmental protections is not popular, so they are seeking to avoid being transparent and responsive to the American public on rules that directly affect them. But this is yet one more blatantly illegal move by the Trump Administration that will not hold up in court. 

 Another order titled “Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy” directs agencies that oversee energy and environmental rules to incorporate sunset provisions into their rules, meaning existing regulations would automatically expire after one year.  

Under this order, a host of existing regulations around energy, environmental review for energy projects, and wildlife protections, could cease to be effective after September 2026 unless they are specifically renewed. This will only create confusion for everyone impacted by these policies. 

SELC’s Litigation Director Kym Meyer is available for interviews on the harmful consequences of these orders. Please reach out if you would like to set up a call with her or have any further questions.