Can Trump Abolish The EPA?
Donald Trump made a lot of promises during his run for the White House, and his transition team picks seem to support some of the most egregious. There's a world of difference, though, between a promise and the capability to fulfill that promise—even for the holder of the highest office in the land.
Starting this week, and continuing every week between now and Inauguration Day, January 20, 2017, we'll take a look at these promises. Rather than focus on whether Trump will fulfill a promise, we'll look at if he can fulfill a promise.
Where does his wishful thinking end, and his Executive Powers begin?
Absolishing the EPA
Among the most consistent promises Donald Trump made during his race for the White House is his promise to "abolish the EPA".
From a Fox interview in 2015:
Q: Would you cut departments?
TRUMP: ...
Environmental Protection, what they do is a disgrace. Every week they come out with new regulations.
Q: Who's going to protect the environment?
TRUMP: We'll be fine with the environment. We can leave a little bit, but you can't destroy businesses.
We'll ignore for the moment how leaving a "little bit" of the environment allows for life, much less industry. Instead we'll focus on Trump's claim to abolish the EPA. Can he do this?
In a word, no.