In One Week, Trump Moves to Reshape U.S. Environmental Policy

Administration Targets Two Cornerstone Conservation Laws

The Trump administration has launched a rapid series of deregulatory actions aimed at weakening two of the nation’s most fundamental environmental statutes: the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. Within a single week, senior officials announced rule revisions that would narrow the scope of water protections and reduce the criteria used to list species as threatened or endangered.

These moves are part of a broader effort to roll back regulations that, according to the White House, impose “unnecessary burdens” on industry and hinder economic growth. Critics argue that the changes could jeopardize water quality across the country and leave vulnerable wildlife without the legal safeguards they have relied on for decades.

Environmental groups have already pledged legal challenges, warning that the expedited process bypasses required public comment periods and undermines decades of scientific research. The administration, however, maintains that the revisions will streamline permitting, cut red tape, and ultimately benefit both businesses and consumers.