In a speech in Kentucky on Monday, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt said the old rules aimed at reducing carbon dioxide were tantamount to declaring war on the coal industry.
A 2014 EPA climate report warned that Superfund site cleanup and monitoring processes needed updates to prepare for more severe floods. That report is no longer located on the current agency website.
The document, which was leaked ahead of publication, states that humans are causing climate change. The findings are at odds with statements by President Trump and key members of his administration.
President Trump followed through on his campaign trail vow to exit the historic international agreement. But he said the U.S. would begin negotiations to possibly re-enter the pact or a similar deal.
The Trump administration faces protests for its plan to aggressively rein in the EPA, an agency created by President Richard Nixon. But environmental protection was not always so politically divisive.
A Trump official says he expects peer-reviewed research will be subject to vetting during the transition period. If such a rule became permanent, it would be a radical departure from existing policy.
California Gov. Jerry Brown is vowing to lead the nation on climate change, as the Trump administration pulls back. But Trump's EPA could get in California's way over tougher car rules.
Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt has sparked controversy for his denial of climate science and his ties to fossil-fuel interests. Here's what to expect in Wednesday's confirmation hearing.