A federal judge in Boston issued a preliminary injunction halting enforcement of several federal policies affecting wind and solar energy development. The ruling applies to members of nine advocacy organizations and trade groups, including RENEW Northeast and the Alliance for Clean Energy New York. The groups had challenged a policy requiring multiple levels of approval from senior political appointees for nearly every step in the permitting process. The decision represents one of several recent judicial setbacks for President Donald Trumpâs administration.
Trump's approval rating on the economy has slumped over the past month as the Iran war drives prices higher. His tariffs have kept much of the economy in limbo and hiring has slowed despite his boasts of a âgolden ageâ Only 33% of U.S. adults approve of Trumpâs overall job performance, down slightly from 38% last month. The vast majority of Americans disapprove of Trump on cost of living.
New rule changes at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will erode antidiscrimination requirements in the housing and lending industries. Under the new rule, lenders are subject to a new interpretation of the 1974 Equal Credit âOpportunity Act. Lenders will still be responsible for intentional discrimination but will not be subject to disparate-impact claims and liability.
A federal judge in Massachusetts struck down several Trump administration actions slowing down development of clean energy projects. A coalition of regional wind and solar developers sued the interior secretary, Doug Burgum, in December, saying his actions had the "goal and effect of destroying solar and wind energy" proposals.
The New York Times published internal memos about the Supreme Court's emergency docket, which fast-tracks major cases. The memos show how Chief Justice John Roberts pressed the court in 2016 to block President Obama's Clean Power Plan. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said the memos are intended to discredit the court.
23 state Republican attorneys general sent a letter to Fitch, S&P, and Moodyâs for downgrading fossil fuel companies based on what they believe are flawed environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics. The agencies have made many incorrect predictions about the state of ESG. They want the agencies to withdraw their ESG-related commitments and revise their sector-specific methodologies.
The president held a number of events this month to shore up support with key parts of his coalition that had begun to fray. On Saturday, Trump had Rogan in the Oval Office to roll out an executive order to review psychedelic drugs for conditions like severe depression. In mid-April, top White House officials sat for a listening session with MAHA advocates. The visit was seen as a peace offering to the movement that helped elect Trump.