TRACKING PRESIDENT BIDEN

"If I have the honor of being elected President, we’re not just going to tinker around the edges… We’re going to lock-in progress that no future president can roll back or undercut to take us backwards again.”

Joe Biden - July 14, 2020

We're here to make sure President Biden does what he promised.

CAMPAIGN PROMISES TRACKER

President Joe Biden made 29 environmental campaign promises while running for office in 2020.

So far, he has completed 7 of those promises.

This tracker is updated to reflect every time Joe Biden follows through on his promise to “lock-in big progress that no future president can roll back.”

Campaign PromiseStatus
Ban new oil and gas leasing on federal lands In Progress
Revoke fossil fuel subsidies In Progress
End Trophy Hunting Not Started
Achieve 100% clean energy by 2035 In Progress
Revoke authorization for Keystone XL pipeline Completed
Protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge In Progress
Reverse Trump rollbacks on Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments Completed
Rejoin Paris Agreement Completed
Stop offshore drilling In Progress
Set stricter methane standards In Progress
Develop new fuel economy standards for cars and trucks In Progress
Appoint Native Americans to high-level government positions Completed
End all financing for overseas coal projects Not Started
Adopt tax credits for renewable energy projects In Progress
Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for all new buildings by 2030 Not Started
Transition all school buses and public sector vehicles to zero-emission vehicles In Progress
Protect the Amazon Rainforest Not Started
Host a climate world summit within first 100 days Completed
Create a climate division within the Department of Justice to hold polluters accountable In Progress
Create Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool to identify communities disproportionately harmed by pollution In Progress
Conserve 30% of America’s land and waters by 2030 In Progress
Require any federal permitting decision to consider the effects of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change Not Started
Install 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations Not Started
Promulgate stricter appliance and building efficiency standards Not Started
Expand solar and wind by 500 million solar panels and 60,000 wind turbines within 5 years In Progress
Issue an Executive Order recommending climate and environmental justice based executive actions that contains recommendations for protecting frontline communities Completed
Reinstate federal flood protection standards Completed
Mandate disclosure of climate risks and greenhouse gas emissions by public companies In Progress
Plant 16 billion native trees by 2050 Not Started

UNDOING TRUMP-ERA ENVIRONMENTAL ROLLBACKS

To date, the Biden administration has not taken definitive action to reverse the vast majority of environmental rollbacks that occurred during the previous administration

We reviewed 50 of the most impactful Trump rollbacks that continue to cause significant harm to wildlife, public lands, and undermine our ability to address pollution or stem the climate crisis.

So far, the Biden administration has fully reversed only 10 Trump-era rollbacks and started work on 12 more.

CategoryTrump Attacks on EnvironmentStatus
ClimateWeakened EPA limits on methane emissions from oil and gas drilling operationsReversed by Congress
ClimateWeakened the cost-benefit analyses under Clean Air Act to make it harder to address GHG pollutionReversed by Biden
ClimateEliminated considerations of the “Social Cost of Carbon” in environmental reviewsReversed by Biden
ClimateWeakened greenhouse gas standards for cars and SUVsStarted
ClimateEnacted do-nothing greenhouse gas standards for airplanesSupporting Trump Position
ClimateCurtailed categories of industrial polluters subject to GHG regulations.Reversed by Biden
ClimateApproved continued operation of the Dakota Access PipelineSupporting Trump Position
ClimateApproved the Willow Project to drill for and gas in the Alaska Petroleum ReserveSupporting Trump Position
ClimateApproved the Line 3 Pipeline in MinnesotaSupporting Trump Position
PesticidesWeakened protections for farmworkers under the Farmworker Protection StandardNot Started
PesticidesReversed proposed ban on neurotoxic pesticide ChlorpyrifosReversed by Biden
PesticidesWeakened human health and safety standards for all Pyrethroid pesticidesNot Started
PesticidesApproved use of previously-banned pesticide Aldicarb in FloridaSupporting Trump Position
PesticidesExpanded the use of medical antibiotics on citrus agricultural cropsSupporting Trump Position
PesticidesIncreased legal limit for Atrazine pollution in rivers and streamsSupporting Trump Position
PesticidesWeakened protections for endangered species from all pesticidesSupporting Trump Position
PesticidesApproved continued use of Dicamba pesticide for next five yearsSupporting Trump Position
PesticidesExpanded the use of pesticides on National Wildlife Refuge landsSupporting Trump Position
PollutionWeakened safeguards for major sources of hazardous air pollutionNot Started
PollutionGutted the limits for allowable mercury pollution from industrial facilities and power plants into airStarted
PollutionExempted factory farms from pollution-reporting requirementsNot Started
PollutionRestricted the use of health data through the “Secret Science Rule” across all EPA programsReversed by Biden
PollutionDismantled protections for wetlands nationwide under the Clean Water ActReversed by Biden PollutionIncreased speed of slaughterhouse lines in meat productionReversed by Biden
PollutionIncreased toxic discharges into lakes and rivers from power plantsStarted
PollutionCurtailed when groundwater pollution is regulated under the Clean Water ActReversed by Biden
Public LandsEliminated methane pollution limits from oil and gas operations on BLM landsStarted
Public LandsScrapped regulatory effort by EPA to prevent mining operations from becoming Superfund sitesNot Started
Public LandsDismantled Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National MonumentReversed by Biden
Public LandsApproved the Twin Metals mining proposal in MinnesotaStarted
Public LandsWeakened the Tongass National Forest Roadless RuleReversed by Biden
Public LandsApproved copper mine at Oak Flat sacred area on San Carlos Apache lands in ArizonaStarted
Public LandsApproved Rosemont Copper mine in Santa Rita Mountains of ArizonaSupporting Trump Position
Public LandsWeakened protections under all aspects of the National Environmental Policy ActStarted
Public LandsApproved a new road easement through Izembek National Wildlife RefugeSupporting Trump Position
Public LandsApproved construction of a four-lane highway through Red Cliffs National Conservation AreaNot Started
WildlifeDismantled protections for all migratory birds under the Migratory Bird Treaty ActStarted
WildlifeLifted restrictions on the import of elephant and lion hunting trophyStarted
WildlifeExpanded bear hunting in Kenai National Wildlife RefugeNot Started
WildlifeRescinded the Endangered Species Act 4(d) Protections for “Threatened” speciesNot Started
WildlifeWeakened process for listing species and designating critical habitat under the Endangered Species ActNot started
WildlifeWeakened the interagency consultation process under the Endangered Species ActNot Started
WildlifePrevented Fish and Wildlife Service from taking enforcement actions to protect endangered speciesNot Started
WildlifeChanged regulations to allow industry and states to veto critical habitat designationsReversed by Biden
WildlifeEliminated fishing restrictions in Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.Reversed by Biden
WildlifeReversed a ban on lead ammunition and fishing tackle on national wildlife refugesStarted
WildlifeIncreased killing of bears and wolves inside National Preserves in AlaskaStarted
WildlifeEnded federal protections for gray wolf nationwideSupporting Trump Position
WildlifeGutted habitat protections for greater sage grouse on national forest and BLM lands.Reversed by Biden
WildlifeDelayed protections for the monarch butterfly under the Endangered Species ActSupporting Trump Position

SPECIES EXTINCT UNDER BIDEN'S WATCH

Species of animals have gone extinct since Jan. 20, 2021

Source: About one species vanishes every hour. This is based on the common estimates that the background extinction rate is 1 species per million per year, that extinction is now happening at 1,000 times the background rate, and that there are 8 million species on Earth.

BARRELS OF OIL PRODUCED ON PUBLIC LAND UNDER BIDEN'S WATCH

Barrels have been produced on public lands since Jan. 20, 2021

Source: The US produces an estimated 29.35 barrels of oil per second on public land, according to data from the Department of the Interior [1].

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About the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund

We seek to strengthen our core environmental laws, support lawmakers from all political parties that believe in a healthier environment, and to hold accountable any politician regardless of party who does not.