High stakes for Dems' green agenda in midterms

Voters head to the polls Tuesday for a midterm election that could have a crucial impact on key environmental policies. If Democrats take control of the House, they would be in position to change the direction of major Trump initiatives and bring tougher scrutiny on administration officials. Democrats on the House committees overseeing the Interior Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have long complained about their inability to bring agency heads in for questioning and Dem staffers are already gearing up ahead of the Tuesday vote for a potential shift in power. One of the top issues lawmakers will hope to address are the various inspector general investigations opened into Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, including recent reports that one of the cases was referred to the Department of Justice for future investigation and potential criminal charges.. The committee is also exploring other issues it could address in hearings that Democrats say have been suppressed under Republican leadership, such as the environmental impacts of President Trump's promised U.S.-Mexico border wall and other issues involving Native American land management, according to staff. At the EPA, Democrats want to relentlessly scrutinize the Trump administration's aggressive deregulatory agenda. Thus far, the EPA has worked to repeal rules limiting carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, fuel efficiency rules for cars, methane pollution rules for oil and natural gas drillers, water pollution rules for coal-fired power plants and a wide array of other policies.Here's what else is at stake in Tuesday's midterm elections
Climate change policies: 
 If Democrats take the House they could be in a prime position to push Congress to pass bills that aim to remedy the causes and effects of climate change. There has not been a concerted environmental push on Capitol Hill even as the Trump administration pushes ahead on efforts to weaken Obama-era EPA regulations ranging from rules on carbon, methane and vehicle emissions to clean water policies...
 Endangered Species Act policies
Republican members in both the House and Senate have worked aggressively this year to offer legislative changes to the Endangered Species Act to make compliance easier for landowners and industry. Critics however have said those changes are at the expense of species protections. If Democrats take the House majority, expect efforts to ease the law to stall. In the Senate, Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) has put out draft legislation aimed it giving states more say over how species are recovered. Critics say it would give states too much power and likely let them prioritize industry over species. In the House, the Congressional Western Caucus has put forth a package of nine bills that would, among other changes, make it easier to remove species' protections and require the Fish and Wildlife Service to change how it reviews scientific findings in making decisions. Grijalva, who would chair the House Natural Resources Committee, has been highly critical of the GOP's efforts...
Environmental ballot initiatives
Voters in various states will also be weighing in Tuesday on high-stakes ballot initiatives that could implement major changes to environment and energy policies. Millions of dollars are being spent on both sides in some of the fiercest battles, with the idea that if passed, the initiatives could act as test cases for future federal policy. Issues on the ballot include a Washington state carbon tax, which would charge companies $15 for each metric ton of carbon dioxide they emit. That would increase by $2 each year until Washington meets its 2035 climate goal of 25 percent below greenhouse gas emission levels from 1990. The ballot has attracted international attention, and contributions from across the country, with more than $25 million spent in opposition and $12 million in support, according to state records. Another initiative in Florida aims to ban offshore drilling...

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