Environmental Studies

"Forest Service Will Close Research Stations That Study Wildfire Risk"

"Scientists say their work on fires and climate change could be lost as the agency moves its headquarters to Utah from Washington and shuts 57 research stations."

Source: NYTimes, 04/07/2026

Florida Power & Light Profit Margins Top Other Utilities’ Nationwide: Report

"Florida Power & Light’s profit margins consistently ranked among the highest in the nation over the past five years and topped other utilities’ in 2024 and 2025, with 27 cents of every dollar in revenue last year retained as profit, according to a new report." "Utility profit margins are one reason why electricity bills are rising, the report says. Advocates say low-income communities are hardest-hit by the costs."

Source: Inside Climate News, 04/06/2026

"Agriculture Department’s Permitting Rewrite Limits Public Input"

"The Trump administration is speeding up environmental reviews of large infrastructure projects under a final rule set to be published by the US Department of Agriculture Friday."

Source: Bloomberg Environment, 04/06/2026

BLM Proposes Removal Of Land Protections Around Chaco Culture Natl. Park

"The U.S. Bureau of Land Management opened a seven-day public comment period on March 31 as part of its proposal to open 336,425 acres of public lands in the Greater Chaco Region in New Mexico to oil and gas drilling. If the proposal moves forward, new oil and gas leasing and development on federal lands will be allowed within 10 miles of Chaco Culture National Historical Park, even on lands directly bordering the park."

Source: National Parks Traveler, 04/02/2026

"Judge Orders Construction On White House Ballroom To Stop"

"A judge ruled on March 31 that construction on President Trump’s White House ballroom must halt until Congress authorizes the project. The lawsuit was brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation."

Source: National Parks Traveler, 04/02/2026

Trump Plans To Move Forest Service HQ To Utah And Shutter Research Sites

"President Donald Trump’s administration will move the U.S. Forest Service headquarters out of the nation’s capital to Salt Lake City as part of an organizational overhaul that involves shuttering research facilities in 31 states and concentrating resources in the West, the agency announced Tuesday."

Source: AP, 04/02/2026

Why I Write About Extinction

Reporting on species who are gone forever can be disheartening, but don’t let that stop you. After more than two decades on the extinction beat, John R. Platt has learned this work can also be deeply rewarding. He explains why he’s stuck with it and why other journalists should consider joining him in telling the stories of vanishing animals and plants.

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"Japan and the U.S. Agree to Team Up on Seabed Mining"

"The United States has spent nearly a year pursuing deep sea mining without cooperation from the rest of the world. Now, Japan has said it will help out." "The arrangement could signal a fracture in the decades-long effort among nations to reach consensus on how to mine the ocean floor while protecting ecosystems."

Source: NYTimes, 03/30/2026

Medicinal Plants In National Parks of Appalachia Are Facing Several Threats

"Medicinal and aromatic plants in the Appalachian Mountains, which have stood for hundreds of millions of years and contributed to biodiversity across the region, are facing threats from poaching, climate change, and more. The multiple national parks dotting the region are often havens for these plants, though even the protections afforded by the parks cannot prevent all threats."

Source: National Parks Traveler, 03/27/2026

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