EPA In Deep Fudge

The Liberal In The Basement

Alyssa Tompkins

The EPA is an organization that should be of importance to everyone because the environment is important to everyone, right? WRONG! The environment is not a big deal to the Trump Administration, as proven by the conformation of Andrew Wheeler, a former coal lobbyist, to be the head of the EPA.

That's a lot to unpack, so let's start with Wheeler himself. According to the New York Times, Wheeler knows the ins and outs of Washington due to his high up position as a well known coal lobbyist. Why is this important? Well, having a man who promotes the destruction of our environment in efforts to gain a limited resource as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency is incredibly bad. As to be expected in our polarized America, the vote for Wheeler was split down party lines. But there was one exception: Susan Collins, A Republican Senator from Maine. According to the New York Times article previously mentioned, Collins said, "

'“The policies he has supported as acting administrator are not in the best interest of our environment and public health, particularly given the threat of climate change to our nation”'.

Furthermore, another point against the Trump Administration's act is deregulation. It's no secret that the current Administration is all for removing regulations on all playing fields. This is most dangerous when the environment is being being deregulated. Regulations are important for the health of our environment because they stop corporations like Monsanto (a GMO production company, which is a story for a whole other time) from pouring chemicals into rivers which pollutes the surrounding areas drinking water. Regulations are important so that hunters do not hunt a species into near extinction. Regulations may seem like a hindrance to some, but they support everyone in the long run.

Having a man who has proven that he does not like the environment as the head of the ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY is an act that will forever have incredibly negative consequences on nature and all human life to come.