"When Tony Tooke became regional forester for 13 Southern states in 2015, he made a promise that's shaped his reputation at the Forest Service: He wanted to meet soon with every state forester in the region."
"In a sharp break with tradition, U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has inserted a senior political appointee into the role of vetting competitive grant solicitations collectively worth hundreds of millions of dollars each year, according to a memo obtained by E&E News."
"Even after the Flint scandal reawakened the nation to the dangers posed by lead drinking water pipes, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency appears to be in no rush to strengthen federal health standards."
"For the first time in centuries, the American shad entered the Musconetcong River during its spring spawning migration upriver this year. The Musky, as it’s known to locals, is a tributary of the Delaware in Northwestern New Jersey. The Hughesville Dam, standing 18 feet tall and 150 feet wide, had blocked its way."
SEJ President Bobby Magill, in his latest report, outlines the organization's efforts to fight back against restrictions on freedom of the press, as well as a new push to build a more diverse SEJ and a special fellowship in tribute to recently deceased board member and freelancer Lizzie Grossman.
The Trump administration has moved aggressively to roll back environmental and energy-related rules, so much so that keeping tabs on all the developments has become a major challenge. To help reporters get the lay of the land, this week's TipSheet has a roundup of more than a dozen regulatory tracking reports. Track the trackers.
"Federal scientists might feel as if their parents are out of town. In the Trump White House, there isn't a presidential science adviser to oversee a major report on climate change."
"EPA staffers are spending their days addressing an industry wish list of changes to environmental law, according to Elizabeth Southerland, a former senior agency official who issued a scathing public farewell message when she ended her 30-year career there on Monday."
"As many as 10 workers in Yellowstone National Park's maintenance division will be disciplined after an investigation found female employees were subjected to sexual harassment and other problems."
A federal court has ruled unconstitutional a Utah law that made undercover filming of livestock operations illegal. What's it mean for similar laws elsewhere? The latest WatchDog has the story, plus news on protecting whistleblowers, a digital journalist's legal guide, shielding of climate info and leaked government reports.
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