To the editor:
I was shocked when I first heard Donald Trump say during a Republican presidential primary debate that “we are going to get rid” of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. But as president, Trump is smart enough to know that if he fired everyone at the agency, EPA regulations would remain in force. So he decided to gut the EPA, one regulation at a time. (“Trump’s rollback of methane rules endangers us all to save oil and gas companies pennies,” editorial, Aug. 29)
Trump has changed the EPA from a “protection” into a “pollution” agency. By appointing what amounts to arsonists to lead the fire department, he is systematically destroying protections to the environment that President Richard Nixon first authorized in 1970, and which have been enhanced over the past 49 years.
Trump’s latest EPA rule rollback will permit methane gas, which is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to climate change, to further contaminate our air. Hopefully, the nation will be able to stop the anti-environmental onslaught in the 2020 election.
Phillip J. Stevens, Newport Beach
Note from KBJ: Have you ever met a regulation you didn't like, Phillip? President Trump is getting rid of the bad ones.
