Beth Gardiner wrote a report in Yale Environment 360 about industries that are getting financial or regulatory relief from pandemic recovery plans. The industries say they need the relief because of the coronavirus recession, but much of what the industries asked for is part of their long-term agenda to roll back regulations.
Oil and gas and coal companies have received billions in loans, tax breaks, and fee waivers for using public lands. They claim their problems are due to the pandemic when in reality they are having long term problems as an industry. There is a glut of oil and gas that started before the pandemic, and coal has been in decline for years.
The CARES Act is allowing almost $2 billion in extra deductions and immediate funds. The Bureau of Land Management is reducing royalties on some oil leases, and is suspending rent payments for other leases. Meanwhile, it is making rent retroactive for solar and wind.
The EPA has suspended enforcement of air and water pollution rules, and waived the endangered species act and other environmental reviews for mines, pipelines, and highways, and is pressing ahead with a slew of new rules that rollback environmental regulations.
Many of the actions taken have little oversight or public input, because the decisions are happening rapidly and by virtual/remote meetings.
Most of these decisions will have more impact on Black and other communities of color, due to our country’s history of environmental racism. There is already more pollution exposure, and these changes that are happening will allow even more.
It’s not just the U.S.: China and S. Korea are giving loans and permits to coal companies, and Brazil is overlooking mining and other commercial activities in the Amazon. Companies in Europe are seeking delays in environmental rules or taxes.
Decisions that leaders are making now will set the course for a healthier and cleaner world after the pandemic, or for a world with more pollution and climate change because of infrastructure built now.
We need to hold our elected leaders accountable. In the time of a pandemic caused by a respiratory virus, a disease made worse by air pollution, it makes no sense to be favoring polluting industries, rolling back regulations, and charging more to clean energy projects.
