The Inevitability of Local Environmental Law

The United States is entering a new era of environmental law. Within the first few months of President Trump’s second term in office, the administration issued a mass of executive orders, memoranda and policy changes that seek to peel back environmental protections, in many cases, to the point of erasure. The administration shuttered entire agencies, such as USAID, dissolved the Environmental Protection Agency’s research arm, terminated life-saving programs like the National Weather Service’s translation service, cut funding to housing and public health initiatives, and eliminated diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across the country. Given the reality of these large-scale drawbacks, it is necessary to look to local environmental governance for the sake of community stability and environmental health and well-being. Local knowledge and belonging exist at the forefront of local governance, and are the very reason that local governments often are best positioned to protect their own populations and environments. Amidst the blur of executive orders and policies that weaken environmental protections under the Trump administration, one thing is clear: the increased importance of local environmental governance is not just likely, but rather, is inevitable.