SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN)

"The Florida legislature passed a bill on Friday that prevents any city, county, or municipality in the state from adopting legislation aimed at protecting outdoor workers from extreme heat, prompting many to call out lawmakers for being “cruel” to the “most vulnerable workers”."

"Amid a crawfish shortage in Louisiana, the nation’s top producer of the crustaceans that are a staple in Gulf Coast seafood boils, Gov. Jeff Landry issued a disaster declaration for the impacted industry Wednesday."

"A federal agency is asserting legal rights to waters that feed the Okefenokee Swamp and its vast wildlife refuge, setting up a new battle with a mining company seeking permits to withdraw more than 1.4 million gallons daily for a project that critics say could irreparably harm one of America’s natural treasures."

"A measure that will ban local governments from passing heat-protection ordinances inspired strong emotions from the public Thursday, but lawmakers approved the bill backed by big business interests."

"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) raised concerns in a letter to its Georgia counterpart about the state utility’s storage of coal ash."

"Community organizations teach individuals to manage their land with fire in states like Georgia, where 93 percent of the land is privately owned".

"Drought and last winter’s hard freeze have caused a massive shortage, driving up prices by 500 percent or more."

"The Trump administration failed to account for risks to endangered species when it allowed Florida to take over a federal permitting program for wetlands, a federal judge ruled Thursday."

"The sweet, earthy scent of tomatoes hangs in the air as a crew of 44 workers speeds through rows of vines. They fill 32-pound buckets with fruit, then deliver them to co-workers waiting on the backs of flatbed trucks who dump the contents into crates to be sorted and packaged."

"In his first four weeks in office, Louisiana Republican Gov. Jeff Landry has filled the ranks of state environmental posts with fossil fuel industry executives."