"The Trump administration on Monday moved to repeal one of the last unchallenged climate-change regulations rushed into place in the waning days of the Obama presidency — a rule restricting the release of planet-warming methane into the atmosphere."
For decades, federal law has required environmental impact statements for big federal actions, like the building of dams, highways and more. Those impact statements, a valued reporting tool, may now be under threat. This week’s TipSheet explains how journalists can find them and use them, and why they could be at risk.
"California officials and clean air advocates are increasingly concerned the Trump administration may attempt to unravel a key program to drive down greenhouse gas emissions from automobile fleets while also jeopardizing the ability of California and other states to set pollution standards stronger than federal rules."
After taking office in 2017 as a top Interior Department official, Doug Domenech bought stock in a mining company that does business with the agency.
"When oil companies drill offshore, they still need to build infrastructure onshore, things like pipelines and helicopter pads. And it's cities who control the zoning and building permits that allow that, not the federal government." That gives state and local governments a way to say no."
"Federal prosecutors yesterday filed an appeal that seeks to reinstate a criminal indictment against Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy and two of his sons, arguing the case's dismissal last month "increases the risk of danger to federal officers executing their duties" on public lands."
"The two-year budget deal reached by congressional leaders would set up the biggest sale in history from the nation’s emergency oil stockpile."
"The budget deal that [passed early Friday morning] includes the one-year, retroactive renewal of a host of expired tax breaks." They included extension of tax breaks for renewable energy.
"House Democrats on Thursday called for $1 trillion in federal dollars for an infrastructure overhaul, a proposal that comes just days ahead of the announcement of President Trump’s long-awaited infrastructure proposal."
"The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday released annual data about how it is enforcing the nation’s environmental laws, saying it had racked up nearly $5 billion in criminal fines and civil penalties, as well as significant commitments from companies to clean up contaminated sites around the country."
