Water & Oceans

Trump DOJ Killed Criminal Probe of GOP Senator’s Coal Firms

“EPA and Justice Department officials were looking into potential criminal violations by the vast coal empire owned by Sen. Jim Justice. Then the Office of the Deputy Attorney General told them ‘pencils down.’”

Source: ProPublica, 06/10/2026

Troubled by Spreading Landfill Pollution, a Long Island Community Demands Action

“For decades, a landfill has towered over the town of Brookhaven. A groundwater contamination plume has spread beneath nearby properties.”

Source: Inside Climate News, 06/09/2026

Is Climate Disaster Insurance a Worsening Disaster?

The growing disconnect between climate risk and risk insurance for homeowners is leaving millions on the knife-edge of economic disaster. But the latest TipSheet suggests that reality offers environmental journalists an opportunity to navigate the morass, community by community. Get more than a dozen story ideas and reporting resources in the latest column.

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Kelp — The Understory, Underwater

Massive kelp groves, little-noticed despite their proximity to populated coastlines or their importance to ecosystems and to us humans, face numerous pressures and a drastic decline. In “Forest of the Sea,” author David Helvarg dives into the subject, literally, to help reveal this unique undersea world. BookShelf contributing editor Jennifer Weeks has a review.

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Pritzker Pauses Data Center Tax Incentives in Illinois

“Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) said Friday he is pausing the state’s data center tax incentives starting in July amid a push to address concerns about electricity costs and water resources that have plagued the AI infrastructure build-out nationwide."

Source: The Hill, 06/08/2026

Fishermen Prepared for the Longest Red Snapper Season in Recent Memory. A Court Order Stopped It

"Recreational fishermen like Kemp are pitched against commercial fishermen and environmentalists in a legal dispute that has halted what was expected to be the longest snapper season in years, reflecting broader tensions over the Trump administration’s efforts to loosen fishing rules and deregulate the seas."

Source: AP, 06/08/2026

Energy, Water Use and Pollution of AI and Data Centers Rival Most Countries

"The environmental footprint of data centers already rivals some of the world’s largest countries, according to a United Nations University report, which also predicts their water and energy use and pollution will double in just four years as use of artificial intelligence grows."

Source: AP, 06/04/2026

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