The Trump administration is comfortably settled in their first few months in office, and some of their boldest moves relate to their continuous actions in changing the country's science and environmental policies that affect, not just the country's citizens, but its wildlife and environment as well.
There seems to be no slowing down the changes that the administration wants to see, from bold statements about their stand on climate change to significantly deep budget cuts to science and environmental agencies.
Here are some of the changes that the administration has done this March alone:
March 2 - Ammunition Ban Lifted
Newly appointed U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's first move in his office was to lift the Obama-era ammunition ban that aimed to protect the wildlife on federal lands and waters. A hunter himself, Zinke's move aims to expand access to public lands and make way for wider recreational fishing and hunting.
March 7 - 'Science' Removed From EPA Website
On March 7, the EPA removed the word "science" from its mission statement, a subtle move that declares the new EPA's stand.
March 9 - Scott Pruitt's Stand On Climate Change
EPA head Scott Pruitt made clear his stand on climate change, which is that he does not believe that carbon dioxide is a primary contributor to the phenomenon. The EPA head received a lot of angry phone calls and backlash because of the statement.
March 13 - EPA And NOAA Budget Threatened
The White House's release of their first budget outline under the current administration immediately caught the attention of many as it has significantly cut down the funding for science and environmental agencies by up to 26 percent in favor of an increased defense budget.
March 17 - Additional Funds For Michigan
$100 million in funding was awarded by the EPA to Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality to continue the Obama-era infrastructure projects that will provide Flint, Michigan with clean drinking water.
March 24 - Keystone XL Pipeline Approved
A project formerly rejected by President Obama for fears of exacerbating carbon emissions was approved by the State Department. The pipeline would run 1,200 miles, connecting Alberta's oil sands to plants in Texas.
March 27 - Dakota Access Pipeline Begins
The controversial project that sparked protests over its damage to a sacred site as well as possible water contamination began just as March ends. The company building the pipeline notified a federal court that they have begun pumping oil into the pipeline under Lake Oahe.
It is very likely that the list will keep on going as the administration continues to re-shape the United States' science and environmental policies. We will just have to wait and see what their next move will be in the months to come.
