Trump's Disregard for Climate Change Science to Bring About Severe Future Consequences
In a letter to the editor, Chad Edwards of Altadena expresses his concerns about the Trump administration's recent actions on climate change and environmental protections. Edwards, a concerned citizen, highlights the administration's pattern of undermining objective science and environmental protections, which he believes could compromise our ability to ensure a habitable home for future generations.
The letter points out several alarming actions taken by the administration. For instance, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has placed the majority of environmental justice staff on administrative leave, cancelled billions of dollars in grants to vulnerable communities, and removed tools that helped address environmental equity. These actions disproportionately harm Black, poor, disabled, LGBTQIA+, and other historically overburdened communities.
Moreover, the EPA has ignored its own scientific assessments on critical health risks related to asbestos, mercury, and greenhouse gases. The administration has rolled back or reconsidered health-based standards, including drinking water limits for carcinogenic PFAS chemicals. The EPA leadership promotes fossil fuel-powered auto industries while withdrawing support for cleaner electric vehicles, decisions that contradict peer-reviewed research and agency expert recommendations, damaging EPA's credibility as a trusted scientific authority and endangering public health and scientific progress.
On the regulatory front, the Trump administration rescinded all National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) rules, significantly weakening environmental review processes that help assess climate and ecological impacts of projects. Broader federal actions include withdrawing the U.S. from key international agreements like the Paris Climate Accord, which sought to limit global greenhouse gas emissions.
The letter also mentions the administration's actions to bury data needed for long-term strategies to protect the planet, remove any mention of climate change from numerous government websites, and impose draconian cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA research budgets. The suppression of objective science regarding climate change is the most pernicious aspect of these actions, according to Edwards.
In April, more than 400 experts preparing a congressionally mandated National Climate Assessment report were summarily dismissed. It is necessary, Edwards argues, to demand that Congress push back on the administration's actions and ensure that objective science data continues to guide national climate policy.
The U.S. Global Change Research Program, established to coordinate federal research on climate and global change, is no longer operational due to the administration's actions. The Program's website has been closed, further reducing the availability of objective climate data.
This article is one of several letters to the editor in the publication, reflecting the widespread concern among citizens about the administration's actions on climate change and environmental protections.
- Chad Edwards, a resident of Altadena, California, expresses his disapproval of the Trump administration's policies regarding climate change and environmental protections in a recent letter to the editor.
- Edwards specifically criticizes the administration's pattern of disregarding objective science and environmental protections, which he believes could jeopardize the future habitation of our planet.
- The letter points out several worrisome actions taken by the administration, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placing environmental justice staff on administrative leave, canceling grants for vulnerable communities, and disregarding scientific assessments on critical health risks.
- The EPA's decisions to roll back health-based standards, promote fossil fuel industries, and withdraw support for cleaner electric vehicles contradict peer-reviewed research and agency expert recommendations, raising concerns about public health and scientific progress.
- The administration has also weakened environmental review processes through the rescindment of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) rules, withdrawn from international agreements like the Paris Climate Accord, and suppressed objective science regarding climate change.
- In addition, the administration has dismissed over 400 experts working on a National Climate Assessment report and made drastic cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA research budgets.
- The suppression of objective science, Edwards argues, is the most harmful aspect of these actions, and he calls for Congress to push back on the administration's policies and ensure that scientific data continues to guide national climate policy. The widespread concern among citizens about the administration's actions is evident in numerous letters to the editor, reflecting the general news and political climate.
