Environmental Politics

"States Attack U.S. Endangered Species Act Rules"

"More than a dozen state attorneys general are asking Pres. Donald Trump to throw out recent federal rules regulating the environment for endangered or threatened plants and animals. The states claim the rules, which enlarge the definition of species habitat, give the federal government excessive power over state and private lands."

Source: Scientific American, 03/08/2017

"E.P.A. Head Stacks Agency With Climate Change Skeptics"

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, "a former Oklahoma attorney general who built a career out of suing the agency he now leads, has moved to stock the top offices of the agency with like-minded conservatives — many of them skeptics of climate change and all of them intent on rolling back environmental regulations that they see as overly intrusive and harmful to business."

Source: NY Times, 03/08/2017

Get Wise on Water Rule

Wondering what WOTUS is? Or how the Clean Water Rule relates to the Clean Water Act and to the Section 404 permitting program meant to prevent the destruction of U.S. wetlands? Our Beat Basics column explains the history and background of the rule to help you cover White House, EPA and court action likely ahead.

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Draining a Different Kind of Swamp

As the Trump administration last week began its rollback of the Clean Water Rule, reporters are likely to see many more stories about wetlands permitting — especially on the local level. The latest TipSheet walks you through the Section 404 permitting maze and helps you find out what's happening in your locale and state.

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"Top Trump Advisers Are Split on Paris Agreement on Climate Change"

"The White House is fiercely divided over President Trump’s campaign promise to 'cancel' the Paris agreement, the 2015 accord that binds nearly every country to curb global warming, with more moderate voices maintaining that he should stick with the agreement despite his campaign pledge."

Source: NY Times, 03/06/2017

"Trump Got Nearly $1 Million in Energy-Efficiency Subsidies in 2012"

"The Trump White House has wasted no time in targeting pro-climate policies, freezing energy-efficiency standards finalized during the last days of the Obama administration. Its “America First Energy Plan” makes no mention of renewable energy or energy efficiency, and it is focused on fossil fuels. But in 2012, Donald J. Trump, the businessman, played a different tune."

Source: NY Times, 03/06/2017

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