Ariana Marmolejo Regional Communications Strategist (West) | Conservation Voters New Mexico
April 29 marked the 100th day of the Biden Administration's term; however, it’s the previous administration under President Donald Trump that is currently under scrutiny. During Trump's tenure, several controversial environmental and governmental decisions were implemented, leading to what some critics claim were significant rollbacks on environmental protections and democracy.
The previous administration’s actions include declaring a national energy emergency to increase fossil fuel production on federal lands and using alternative review processes to reduce public input under key environmental laws such as NEPA and ESA. Additionally, Trump ordered the Attorney General to halt enforcement of state and local regulations that hinder mining and fossil fuel production.
The Trump Administration also announced plans to roll back 31 environmental actions. This included reconsidering the “Endangerment Finding” which identified greenhouse gas emissions as a factor of climate change that the EPA could regulate, and declared a national emergency to open large areas for timber harvesting, circumventing standard review processes.
One of the contentious actions during this period was the dismissal of the National Climate Assessment Team—consisting of hundreds of scientists who provide comprehensive assessments of the impact of climate change. Furthermore, funding cuts affected federal grants and disaster relief, and climate change-related content was removed or altered on government websites.
These changes resulted in layoffs affecting several vital service areas, including low-income energy assistance, and lay a particular strain on LGBTQ+, low-income families, and immigrant communities. Demis Foster, Chief Executive Officer of the Conservation Voters New Mexico (CVNM), criticized the past policies, stating, "The Trump Administration has declared war on public lands, public health, and our land, air, water and wildlife."
In response to these actions, Foster said, "We are facing the prospect of a disastrous decline in air and water quality," and warned of increased pressure on state and local governments in addressing extreme weather without sufficient federal support. Foster and CVNM view the actions as an attempt to dismantle democracy and environmental protections and call for state leaders to take protective measures.
Conservation Voters New Mexico, a nonpartisan organization, works to empower residents of New Mexico to combat these challenges through voter mobilization, accountability for elected officials, and support for responsible policy-making.
