Another midnight regulation

From The New York Times Jan 13th 2021.
Trump Opens Habitat of a Threatened Owl to Timber Harvesting

The outgoing administration opened 3.4 million acres, of northern spotted owl protected habitat, to timber harvesting. The plan in August was to open 205,000 acres, but they decided to open 3.4 million acres. That is more than 15 times the planned amount.

Quoting the article:

Two people familiar with the spotted owl decision said the sharp increase in excluded land was done at the behest of Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and other senior Trump administration appointees and was not backed up by the months of biological analysis previously conducted by the agency.

The final rule does not provide new scientific analysis. Instead it says “the Secretary has exercised his discretion”…

They know this will challenged in the courts, but I guess that is the point. If you can do anything to make life more difficult for the next administration, then do it.

On Jan 4th, the EPA finalized another regulation: “restricting the use of scientific studies in policymaking.” A Plan Made to Shield Big Tobacco From Facts Is Now E.P.A. Policy

On Jan 5th, they reversed bird protections, “The rule change means companies will not be punished for killing migratory birds.” Trump Administration, in Parting Gift to Industry, Reverses Bird Protections

And these are not the only ones prioritising industry over environment. The Trump Reversals

I guess government should have a warning label:
Do not operate without adult supervision.

PS This from The Washington Post Jan 16, 2021
In Trump’s final days, a spree of environmental rollbacks