Could ‘Sue-and-Settle’ Ban Backfire for Trump Team?

E&E News covers developments of the “sue-and-settle” ban.

In its quest to overturn regulations, the Trump administration has left no stone unturned, including taking on legal tools commonly used to resolve environmental law disputes and hold polluters accountable.

During the administration’s first year, Attorney General Jeff Sessions barred the Justice Department from entering into settlement agreements that funnel money to third parties, cutting off a key funding stream for environmental projects. U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt issued a sweeping directive that in part requires agency lawyers to seek concurrence from regulated entities before entering into settlements.

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At a 2012 House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing titled “Mandate Madness: When Sue and Settle Just Isn’t Enough,” Pruitt, then attorney general of Oklahoma, testified along with representatives from the Competitive Enterprise Institute and U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Read the full article at E&E News.