Biden administration finalizes environmental regulations ahead of potential Trump presidency

In a race against time, Biden’s team completed key environmental and energy regulations to safeguard them from potential repeal under a future Trump administration.

Kevin Bogardus and Robin Bravender report for E&E News.

In short:

• Biden’s administration rushed to finalize significant regulations on power plants, public lands, and energy efficiency.
• These regulations aim to protect policies from being overturned if Republicans regain control of the White House.
• The Congressional Review Act could allow a new administration to dismantle recently finalized rules.

Key quote:

“We were all on the same team trying to really deliver on these rules priority for the administration so that we could ultimately protect human health and the environment.”

— Vicki Arroyo, head of EPA’s policy office

Why this matters:

With the possibility of a Trump presidency, the Biden administration’s finalized regulations are at risk of being repealed, which could hinder progress on climate and environmental policies. The rush to complete these rules emphasizes the high stakes of upcoming elections for environmental governance.