What Does a Second Trump Term Mean for US Environmental Policy?

Abstract

What can we expect in environmental, energy and climate policy from a second Trump term? Given the slim Republican majorities in the House and Senate, legislative change in core environmental laws is unlikely. The new administration’s impacts will be felt in budgets and regulatory actions under existing laws. Where there are statutory mandates, such as the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, opportunities for deregulation will depend on the care taken to justify actions and the outcome of judicial reviews. The most significant effects of the new administration will occur in climate mitigation, where there is little existing law and the incoming president has expressed hostility to acting.