At a Tuesday town hall with CEOs, President Donald Trump said his administration will be able to get rid of 90 to 95 percent of regulations “and still have the same kind of protection.
"We want safety and we want environmental protection," Trump said April 4. "I've won awards on environmental protection. I'm a big believer, believe it or not. But we want that kind of protection. We want clean air and we want clean water, but we shouldn't have to get the approvals from 16 different agencies for almost the same thing."
Many readers asked us to look into Trump’s statement about his environmental awards.
In 2007, one of Trump's golf courses got an award. The Metropolitan Golf Association gave its first annual environmental award to the Bedminster New Jersey Trump National Golf Course.
How much credit did Trump get? Some. The association’s announcement said Greg Nicoll, who accepted the award on behalf of the golf course, “has been an environmental leader among Met Area clubs. Through the leadership of Donald J. Trump, Nicoll has implemented an environmental strategy that has resulted in the preservation of a dedicated 45 acre grassland bird habitat on the property, as well as intensive erosion control and stream stabilization management plan.”
Trump did get personal recognition in the second award on the White House’s list. (Hat tip to the Washington Post Fact-checker.)
In 20 07, the Friends of Westchester County Parks gave Trump its inaugural Green Space Award for donating over 400 acres to the state park system. The group's treasurer, Chris Frawley , said, "It is with heartfelt gratitude that we honor Mr. Trump for his vision and commitment to preservation of open space."
There’s a golf connection here, too, and a backstory of Trump’s experience with environmental permitting.
Trump had bought land in Yorktown, about 35 miles north of Manhattan, with plans to turn forest and meadows into a 155-acre golf course. He spent four years trying to win approval, but hit delays due mainly to wetlands on the property and its proximity to a drinking water reservoir. Golf courses use a bevy of chemicals to maintain the turf essential to the game.
In 2002, Trump pulled the plug on the project. In a letter announcing his decision, as reported by the New York Post, Trump told the Yorktown supervisor, “You have done a terrible disservice to your constituents who have sadly lost out on a tremendous opportunity.”
Trump told the New York Times, “I think the approval process in Westchester is even more difficult than the approval process in Manhattan,” ”But in a perverse way, they’ve done me a favor because the land has gotten more valuable.”
Trump’s letter said he could make more money selling the land to home builders than developing it for golf. Ultimately, after a few years, he decided to donate the land. The state created the Donald J. Trump State Park, and Trump got his award.
Our ruling
Trump said that he has won awards for environmental protection. The White House pointed to two that include his name. One thanked him personally for donating over 400 acres of undeveloped land to the New York State Park System. The other recognized the environmental stewardship of a Trump golf course in New Jersey operated by a well known manager, and cited Trump’s leadership in general terms.
So Trump can firmly claim one personal award and one where his role and the accorded honor are more diffuse.
By definition, two is plural, but the personal recognition of Trump is thin for the second one. We rate this claim Half True.
“We want safety and we want environmental protection. I’ve won awards on environmental protection. I’m a big believer, believe it or not. But we want that kind of protection. We want clean air and we want clean water, but we shouldn’t have to get the approvals from 16 different agencies for almost the same thing.”
President Donald Trump on April 4.
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