Natural Resources

"A top oil trade group submitted a policy wishlist to top DOI appointees. The Department is moving quickly to give industry what it wants."

"The U.S. Congress has passed hundreds of laws protecting federal public lands over the past century through bipartisan efforts and with the support of local governments. Now, President Donald Trump’s administration and some Republican lawmakers in Congress are pushing policies and legislation that upend these protections."

"Fireflies are lighting up summer evenings across the U.S. Northeast, putting on dazzling shows in backyards and city parks."

"Independent experts with the United Nations Human Rights Council on Friday publicly called on President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil to veto parts of a new law that would carve giant loopholes in the country's environmental regulations."

"Seven proposals at the upcoming Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species conference of the parties would benefit up to 70 species of sharks -- if they pass." 

"In August, representatives of the world's nations will meet in Geneva, Switzerland, to hopefully finalize a U.N. plastic treaty. But negotiators remain far apart, with an overwhelming number of nations wanting a legally binding treaty that limits plastic production, while a much smaller number want a voluntary agreement focused on waste management."

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will close its flagship, but deteriorating research site in Maryland as part of a major reorganization aiming to shift 2600 employees away from the nation’s capital area, the agency announced this week. At the same time, USDA said it plans to shutter most of its forest research stations around the country. "

"The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is opening crucial gorilla habitats and pristine forests to bids for oil and gas drilling, with plans to carve up more than half the country into fossil fuel blocks."

"The EU has narrowly avoided a full-blown trade war with Donald Trump by pledging to buy $750 billion of U.S. oil and gas by the end of his term. But achieving that will be almost impossible."

"Federal wildlife officials approved a plan last year to protect northern spotted owls by shooting other owls, but it has faced pushback from animal rights advocates and lawmakers — including conservatives. Now lawmakers could kill the plan."