The Zone

The Trump administration announced payouts totaling nearly $900 million to Bluepoint Wind and Golden State Wind to end their offshore wind leases. As part of the deals, the companies are required to invest the reimbursements into fossil fuel projects, including a liquefied natural gas facility and oil and gas assets along the Gulf Coast.

This action demonstrates a clear prioritization of fossil fuel interests over renewable energy goals. By using public funds to incentivize the abandonment of clean energy projects and redirecting those investments toward oil and gas, the administration is actively eroding environmental protections and promoting a pro-pollution agenda.

The Trump administration announced a deal to pay $1 billion to the French company TotalEnergies to walk away from two offshore wind leases off the coasts of North Carolina and New York. In exchange for the reimbursement of lease fees, TotalEnergies pledged not to develop any new offshore wind projects in the United States and will instead invest the funds into fossil fuel projects, including a liquefied natural gas plant in Texas.

This event demonstrates a misuse of taxpayer funds to actively dismantle clean energy infrastructure in favor of fossil fuels. By paying a private company to abandon renewable energy projects, the administration is prioritizing a pro-pollution agenda over climate goals and eroding the stability of the energy transition.

Terra Energy Center is investing $1 billion in a 1.25 GW coal-fired power plant in Alaska, marking the first new coal power investment in the US since 2013. The project is supported by the US Department of Energy and the US Interior Department, with an agreement for boilers from Hyundai Heavy Industries Power Systems.

The decision to invest in new coal power contradicts global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. This shift toward fossil fuels over renewables represents a pro-pollution agenda that actively undermines environmental protections and scientific consensus on climate change.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright invoked the Defense Production Act to direct Sable Offshore Corp. to restore oil and gas operations and pipelines in waters off southern California, including the Santa Ynez unit and the Las Flores Canyon Processing Facility.

The use of the Defense Production Act to force the restart of oil pipelines that have been shuttered due to environmental disasters and legal challenges represents an abuse of emergency powers to benefit private industry. This action bypasses state regulatory authority and ignores existing court orders, undermining the rule of law and environmental protections.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) repealed the 2024 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule, reverting the industry to 2012 standards. This action removes tighter pollution limits on mercury, nickel, arsenic, and lead from coal-fired power plants to reduce costs for utilities and support the fossil fuel industry.

By rolling back critical environmental protections, the administration prioritizes the financial interests of the fossil fuel industry over public health. This action erodes the system of regulatory oversight and subverts the agency's mission to protect the environment and air quality, potentially harming vulnerable populations.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) repealed the 'endangerment finding' that served as the legal basis for federal climate change regulations for 17 years, effectively eliminating requirements controlling greenhouse gas emissions in new cars and trucks.

This action represents a systemic dismantling of environmental protections and a disregard for scientific consensus. By removing the legal foundation for climate regulation, the administration is prioritizing industrial profit over public health and the stability of the global climate.

The Trump administration revoked the scientific determination known as the 'endangerment finding,' which allows the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and industrial sources. This move removes the legal foundation for the government to limit climate-heating pollution, specifically targeting tailpipe standards for cars and trucks.

By revoking a bedrock scientific determination to prioritize corporate profits over public health, the administration is actively dismantling environmental protections. This action demonstrates a disregard for scientific consensus and subverts the regulatory capacity of the EPA to protect citizens from climate-related harms.

President Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the formal repeal of the 2009 'endangerment finding,' which had served as the legal and scientific basis for the federal government to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from sources such as vehicles and power plants.

This action represents a significant reversal of climate policy by removing the scientific foundation for regulating pollutants. By dismissing established science as a 'scam' and prioritizing deregulation over public health, the administration is effectively subverting a regulatory agency to benefit the fossil fuel industry.

The Environmental Protection Agency has ceased assigning a monetary value to lives saved in cost-benefit analyses for new air pollution regulations, specifically regarding fine particulate matter and ozone. While the agency continues to calculate the costs of compliance for businesses, it no longer uses the 'value of a statistical life' metric to quantify the health benefits of reducing pollutants.

By removing the quantitative value of human life from regulatory reviews, the agency effectively prioritizes corporate profits over public health. This shift undermines decades of scientific and regulatory practice, eroding the agency's institutional capacity to justify and maintain critical environmental protections.

Despite pledging to cut energy bills by 50% within his first year in office, US household electricity bills increased by an average of 6.7% in 2025, with some regions seeing jumps as high as 23%. Gas prices also rose by 5.2% on average, leading to a spike in power disconnections for unpaid bills.

The failure to deliver on a key campaign promise while dismissing the resulting financial burden on citizens as a 'hoax' demonstrates a disregard for the average American's economic reality. This policy shift toward fossil fuels and the blocking of renewable energy projects prioritizes corporate interests over consumer affordability and public welfare.

The Department of Energy issued emergency orders to prevent the scheduled retirement of two coal-fired power plants in Indiana: the R.M. Schahfer Generating Station and the F.B. Culley Generating Station. The administration cited grid reliability and energy shortages as the justification for the emergency orders, while critics and environmental groups argue that the use of emergency powers to prolong the use of polluting, aging facilities is unnecessary and costly to ratepayers.

The use of emergency orders to override scheduled plant closures and environmental regulations is an example of the administration's commitment to fossil fuels over climate goals. This action demonstrates a pattern of preventing the transition to clean energy by using federal authority to force the aging, polluting infrastructure to remain operational.

The Environmental Protection Agency approved the pesticide isocycloseram for use on golf courses, lawns, and food crops including oranges, tomatoes, almonds, peas, and oats. The pesticide is a perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), commonly known as a 'forever chemical'.

The approval of a persistent chemical known to be harmful to human health and pollinators is an example of pro-pollution policies. By ignoring safety buffers for children and the pesticide industry's influence on the agency's leadership, this action demonstrates a corporate capitulation that prioritizes industry profits over public health and environmental safety.

On November 18, 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency approved the use of the pesticide isocycloseram, which contains per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), for use on a variety of food crops, golf courses, and decorative lawns. This followed the approval of another PFAS-containing pesticide, cyclobutrifluram, shortly before that date.

The approval of 'forever chemicals' known to be linked to cancer and other health risks demonstrates a disregard for public health and environmental safety. This action, led by officials with ties to the chemical industry, suggests a prioritization of corporate interests over scientific consensus and regulatory oversight.

During a government shutdown, the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management have continued to process oil, gas, and coal permits and leases, utilizing filing fees to fund these activities. Interior Secretary Terry Burgum stated that the administration is prioritizing these activities to avoid being 'handicapped' in advancing its energy policy, while other government services, such as SNAP benefits, are affected by the funding lapse.

This event demonstrates a prioritization of corporate fossil fuel interests over essential public services during a government funding crisis. By ensuring that permitting continues while other services are cut, the administration is effectively bypassing the standard budgetary constraints of a shutdown to advance a specific ideological and corporate agenda.

U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced that the Trump administration finalized plans to open the 1.5 million-acre coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to potential oil and gas drilling and restored oil and gas leases that had been canceled by the previous administration.

Opening a protected wildlife refuge for industrial development prioritizes corporate oil interests over environmental preservation and the rights of Indigenous communities. This action undermines established conservation efforts and threatens the biodiversity of a pristine wilderness area.

The United States, under the Trump administration, pressured other nations to abandon a landmark deal to cut global shipping emissions. President Donald Trump labeled the plan a "green scam" and his administration threatened countries with tariffs if they voted in favour of the agreement, which would have established internationally mandated targets to reduce emissions for the shipping industry.

This event demonstrates the use of government coercion and foreign nation bullying to undermine international environmental agreements. By threatening tariffs to force other countries to change their position, the US administration actively eroded a global effort to combat climate change, prioritizing short-term economic interests over environmental sustainability.

President Donald Trump ordered the approval of a 211-mile gravel road through Alaska wilderness to facilitate the mining of copper, cobalt, gold, and other minerals. The project, which had been blocked by the Biden administration due to environmental and indigenous rights concerns, includes a 26-mile stretch through Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. Additionally, the White House announced it is taking a 10% equity stake in Trilogy Metals, a the company seeking to develop the site.

This action demonstrates a disregard for environmental protections and the rights of indigenous tribes who rely on the land for subsistence. By taking an equity stake in a private mining company, the administration is engaging in corporate capitulation and potential conflicts of interest that prioritize industrial profit over ecological preservation and human rights.

President Donald Trump ordered the approval of a 211-mile gravel road through Alaska wilderness, including 26 miles through Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, to enable the mining of copper, cobalt, gold, and other minerals. In a related move, the White House announced it is taking a 10% equity stake in Trilogy Metals, a Canadian company developing the site.

This action prioritizes industrial extraction over environmental protections and the rights of Indigenous tribes. By taking an equity stake in a private mining company, the administration is engaging in a conflict of interest and potential profiteering from public land development.

A report by Public Citizen and the Revolving Door Project analyzed 111 officials in the second Trump administration, finding that 43 former fossil fuel industry employees and 12 people tied to fossil fuel-funded think tanks were appointed to key roles. The analysis found that 25 out of 37 Senate-confirmable nominees for the Department of Energy, EPA, and Department of the Interior had ties to polluting industries.

The appointment of industry insiders to the agencies they are tasked with regulating creates a clear conflict of interest and erodes public trust in government institutions. This pattern of staffing reflects a prioritization of corporate profit over public health and environmental protection, effectively capturing the regulatory state to serve a specific industry agenda.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has filed a motion in federal court asking to reverse its own recently implemented drinking water standards for PFAS chemicals, citing procedural own-failures in the implementation process. This action follows a lawsuit from water utilities and chemical companies seeking to reverse the the same limits.

The EPA's request to reverse its own health-protective standards for toxic 'forever chemicals' demonstrates a capitulation to corporate interests over public health. By delaying the removal of cancer-linked contaminants from drinking water, the agency is effectively subverting its own regulatory role and prioritizing industry costs over human safety.

Debris from the demolition of the White House East Wing was transported to the East Potomac Golf Links, a public golf course in Washington, D.C. A report by Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. found that the soil at the site contains lead, chromium, PCBs, pesticides, and other toxic metals and chemicals at levels above laboratory reporting limits. The National Park Service began dumping the debris in October 2025, and over 30,000 cubic yards of excavated soil were moved to the site by April 2026.

The disposal of hazardous materials on a public golf course demonstrates a reckless disregard for public health and the environment. This action reflects an abuse of power by the administration, bypassing environmental regulations to facilitate a construction project for the president's personal preference.

The Trump administration announced it will open 13 million acres of federal lands for coal mining and provide $625 million to modernize or recommission coal-fired power plants. Additionally, the EPA will delay deadlines for wastewater pollution rules and open a public comment period to potentially change the regional haze rule.

This action prioritizes the interests of the coal industry over environmental protections and public health. By subsidizing an uncompetitive and polluting energy source while rolling back pollution regulations, the administration is actively promoting pollution and disregarding climate goals.

During his address to the UN General Assembly, President Trump criticized Europe's energy transition and specifically singled out Germany, claiming it had returned to nuclear energy and fossil fuels. He argued that fossil fuels are essential for energy security and development, stating that "all green is all bankrupt," while German officials countered that over half of Germany's electricity is generated from renewables and that the country is phasing out coal and nuclear power.

This event demonstrates a push for fossil fuel reliance over sustainable energy, aligning with a pro-pollution agenda. By presenting inaccurate claims about another nation's energy policy to justify the abandonment of green energy, the president is actively promoting an anti-environmental stance that contradicts global climate goals.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) filed a motion requesting a federal court to vacate portions of a lawsuit challenging the EPA's 2024 drinking water regulations for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The agency argues that it did not follow proper legal procedures, specifically regarding public comment periods, when setting standards for four types of PFAS: PFHxS, PFNA, PFBS, and HFPO-DA. While the EPA intends to continue defending the regulations for PFOA and PFOS, it plans to rescind the standards for the other four chemicals and extend compliance timelines for the remaining two.

The EPA's move to reverse its own health-based drinking water standards represents a significant rollback of environmental protections. By requesting the court to bypass regulatory hurdles to remove these limits, the agency is prioritizing corporate interests over public health and the environment, which effectively subverts the regulatory agency's own mission to protect the same.

A new analysis by Oil Change International reveals that the US government provides nearly $31 billion per year in subsidies to the fossil fuel industry, a figure that has more than doubled since 2017. The report highlights that these funds, consisting of tax breaks and direct appropriations, primarily benefit shareholders and executives while creating barriers to decarbonization.

The allocation of billions in taxpayer funds to highly profitable fossil fuel companies demonstrates a prioritization of corporate interests over environmental protection and climate goals. This practice constitutes a corporate capitulation that enables pollution and delays the transition to clean energy, effectively subsidizing the profits of industry giants.

President Trump has used tariffs and threats to pressure other nations to relax their climate pledges and increase their use of fossil fuels, specifically targeting the wind energy industry in several European countries, China, and Brazil.

This event demonstrates an abuse of power by using economic leverage to force other countries to abandon environmentally sustainable energy policies. By pressuring nations to retreat from climate goals, the administration is actively promoting a pro-pollution agenda that undermines global efforts to combat climate change.

President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that his administration will not approve new solar or wind power projects, citing concerns over land use and electricity prices. This announcement follows the centralization of federal permitting for renewables in the Interior Secretary's office and the termination of investment and production tax credits for wind and solar through the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act'.

This action represents a direct attack on clean energy infrastructure, prioritizing fossil fuel interests over sustainable energy transitions. By blocking new renewable projects and removing tax incentives, the administration is actively eroding environmental protections and promoting a reliance on outdated, polluting energy sources.

The Trump administration is reducing the capabilities of the Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite constellation, removing instruments designed to measure air quality, greenhouse gases, and ocean conditions. The administration is also reducing the the number of satellites in the constellation from six to four, which officials say increases the risk of data outages.

This action represents a clear effort to reduce the collection of data on climate change and pollution, effectively blinding the government to environmental degradation. By prioritizing a narrow definition of weather forecasting over comprehensive climate science, the administration is eroding scientific institutions and promoting a pro-pollution agenda.

An analysis by Climate Power found that Republican lawmakers who voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which provides billions in giveaways to fossil fuel companies and scales back clean energy credits, accepted over $105 million in political donations from the fossil fuel industry.

This event highlights the influence of corporate interests over public policy, where lawmakers prioritize the profits of billionaire donors over the economic and environmental health of their own constituents. By scaling back clean energy credits and providing fossil fuel giveaways, this action demonstrates a clear alignment with the Big Oil Agenda and a capitulation to corporate interests.

The Department of the Interior approved a mining plan modification for the West Antelope II South Tract, allowing the Navajo Transitional Energy Company to access an additional 14.5 million tons of federal coal in the Powder River Basin.

This action prioritizes the expansion of fossil fuel extraction over environmental protections and climate goals. By accelerating the approval of coal mining projects and reversing previous administration's leasing bans, the administration is actively promoting pollution and clinging to outdated energy sources.

The Trump administration proposed a rule to rescind the 2009 'endangerment finding' which determined that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare, serving as the legal basis for regulating emissions from vehicles and power plants.

This action represents a direct attack on scientific consensus and the regulatory framework designed to protect public health. By attempting to dismantle the legal foundation for climate action, the administration is subverting a regulatory agency's mission to protect the environment and the public from known hazards.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced on July 29, 2025, that the Environmental Protection Agency will rescind the 2009 'endangerment finding' which determined that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health and welfare. This action is intended to facilitate the repeal of tailpipe emission standards for vehicles and other greenhouse gas regulations for power plants and oil production.

This action represents a fundamental shift in federal environmental policy by rejecting established scientific consensus on climate change. By removing the legal foundation for climate regulations, the administration is prioritizing corporate interests over public health and the environment, thereby subverting a regulatory agency's scientific mission.

The Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to repeal the 2009 scientific finding that greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels endanger human health and safety. This proposal is based in part on a report authored by five climate skeptics and is intended to remove the legal foundation for federal regulations on climate pollution from vehicles, power plants, and the oil and gas industry.

This action represents a direct attack on established scientific consensus and the use of evidence-based policymaking. By attempting to dismantle the legal basis for climate regulations, the administration is prioritizing the interests of the fossil fuel industry over public health and environmental protection, thereby eroding the integrity of scientific institutions.

On July 3, 2025, the US Congress approved a bill that removes most tax credits for renewable energy, electric vehicles, and clean manufacturing previously established under the Inflation Reduction Act. This legislation effectively terminates Biden-era climate policies and is expected to increase US greenhouse gas emissions by 7 billion tonnes by 2030 compared to previous targets.

The passage of this legislation represents a significant reversal of environmental protections and climate goals, prioritizing short-term industrial interests over global ecological stability. By dismantling the transition to clean energy, the government is actively promoting pollution and disregarding the scientific consensus on climate change.

The US Department of Energy (DoE) ordered the JH Campbell coal plant to remain open beyond its May 31 closure date and is moving to prolong the life of the Monroe power plant, citing grid reliability. The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) and Consumers Energy stated that there is no energy emergency and that the plants' continued operation increases costs for ratepayers and continues high levels of pollution, including arsenic water pollution from the Monroe plant.

This action demonstrates an abuse of power by using a national energy emergency executive order to override state regulations and utility company decisions. It prioritizes fossil fuel interests over environmental protections and public health, while ignoring the market forces and the same state's clean energy laws.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it is reconsidering a Biden-era rule that banned the last remaining type of asbestos used in the United States, specifically chrysotile asbestos. The administration is reviewing whether the ban on importation and use in certain industrial applications, such as the production of chlorine and the installation of sheet gaskets in power and chemical facilities, should be removed.

This action represents a reversal of critical public health protections based on a known carcinogen. By reconsidering a ban on a substance linked to tens of thousands of annual deaths, the administration is prioritizing industrial interests over human life and scientific consensus, which demonstrates a disregard for public safety and a pattern of reckless governance.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to revoke a Biden-administration rule limiting carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants, as well as repeal updated limits to the Mercury and Air Toxic Standards rule. The agency also proposed making a finding that greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel power plants do not contribute significantly to dangerous air pollution.

This action represents a significant shift in environmental policy that prioritizes industrial interests over public health and climate goals. By rolling back science-based pollution limits and attempting to redefine the danger of greenhouse gases, the administration is actively eroding the EPA's role as a protector of the environment and public health.

The Trump administration's EPA announced plans to repeal limits on greenhouse gas emissions and other airborne pollutants from fossil fuel-fired power plants, including the repeal of a 2009 endangerment finding regarding greenhouse gases.

This action represents a systemic effort to dismantle environmental protections and prioritize fossil fuel interests over public health and climate stability. By rolling back critical pollution limits and challenging scientific findings on greenhouse gases, the administration is actively eroding the EPA's regulatory capacity and subverting the agency's mission to protect the environment.

An analysis by the nonpartisan organization E2 indicates that businesses have cancelled or delayed more than $14 billion in investments and 10,000 new jobs in clean energy and clean vehicle factories so far in 2025, citing concerns over the removal of key tax credits and the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act'.

The reversal of clean energy policies and the removal of tax credits represents a shift toward anti-environmental and anti-worker priorities. This action harms the economy by discouraging private investment and destroying thousands of potential jobs in emerging industries.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order to keep the J.H. Campbell Plant in West Olive, Michigan, operating through the end of summer, despite it being scheduled for closure on May 31. The Department of Energy (DOE) cited a heightened risk of blackouts and critical grid security issues in the Midwest to justify the emergency order, while the Michigan Public Service Commission argued that the order was unnecessary and would increase costs for consumers.

This event demonstrates an abuse of emergency powers to override local energy transitions and environmental goals. By forcing a polluting coal plant to remain operational against the state's planning, the administration is prioritizing a pro-coal agenda over environmental protections and local economic considerations.

The House Natural Resources Committee voted 26-17 to advance a provision in a broader tax cut package that would authorize the sale of hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands in Nevada and Utah. The proposal includes reducing royalty rates for oil, gas, and coal extraction on public lands and mandating lease sales in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

This action represents a shift toward prioritizing corporate interests and short-term revenue over long-term environmental protection. By selling off public assets to fund tax cuts, the government is eroding public trust and facilitating industrial exploitation of protected lands.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 246-164 to approve House Joint Resolution 88, which seeks to withdraw an EPA waiver that allows California to phase out the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. The House also approved measures to block California's standards for zero-emissions trucks and nitrogen oxide emissions. The move was conducted using the Congressional Review Act, which the Senate Parliamentarian and the Government Accountability Office have both stated does not apply to these state waivers.

This action demonstrates a disregard for established legal interpretations by nonpartisan congressional arbiters like the GAO and the Senate Parliamentarian. By using the Congressional Review Act to override state-level environmental protections, the House is undermining the rule of law and advancing a pro-pollution agenda that prioritizes corporate interests over public health and climate goals.

Acting Solicitor of the Interior Department, Gregory Zerzan, restored a legal opinion stating that the Migratory Bird Treaty Act does not apply to the incidental or accidental killing of migratory birds, effectively removing liability for industrial activities such as oil and gas operations.

This action demonstrates a disregard for the law by reinstating a legal interpretation that had been previously ruled illegal by a federal court. It prioritizes the interests of the fossil fuel and mining industries over environmental protections and the legal constraints of the federal judiciary.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced an emergency order that reversed Biden-era environmental protections on thousands of acres of land in Nevada's Ruby Mountains and New Mexico's Upper Pecos watershed, opening them to oil, gas, geothermal development, and hard-rock mining.

This action demonstrates a prioritization of extractive industries over environmental conservation and the needs of local and tribal communities. By bypassing local input and using an emergency order to fast-track deregulation, the administration is eroding the long-term ecological protections and institutional safeguards that protect public lands.

President Donald Trump signed a measure into law that repealed a Biden-era EPA rule known as the Waste Emissions Charge, which would have imposed the first-ever federal tax on methane pollution from oil and gas facilities.

This action dismantles a critical climate protection measure, prioritizing the interests of fossil fuel producers over environmental stability. By removing a financial penalty for greenhouse gas emissions, the administration is actively promoting pollution and undermining the United States' climate goals.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced 31 actions to roll back environmental regulations, including the reconsideration of the Clean Power Plan 2.0, the 2009 Endangerment Finding, and vehicle emissions standards. The actions also include the termination of the agency's Environmental Justice and DEI arms, and the reconsideration of various air and water quality standards.

This massive wave of deregulation targets critical environmental protections and climate change mitigation efforts, effectively dismantling the agency's core mission. By removing safeguards against pollution and pollution-related health risks, these actions prioritize industrial interests over public health and environmental sustainability.

The Trump administration's EPA has proposed to undo the 2009 'endangerment finding,' a key scientific determination that greenhouse gases from fossil fuels endanger public health and welfare, which serves as the legal foundation for federal climate regulations. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin described the move as 'driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion' to reduce costs and unleash American energy.

This action represents a systemic effort to dismantle the scientific basis for climate regulation in the US, prioritizing fossil fuel interests over public health and environmental protection. By attempting to revoke a long-standing scientific finding, the administration is effectively subverting a regulatory agency's scientific integrity to facilitate a pro-pollution agenda.