EJToday: Top Environmental Politics Headlines

Burgum Hosted ‘VIP Dinner’ for Oil, Gas, and Coal Execs Last Year: Emails [9]

"Doug Burgum, one of President Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees, held a dinner for fossil fuel CEOs at a private event during the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference, held in Bismarck, ND, from May 14 to 16, 2024, emails obtained by the research group Fieldnotes and shared with DeSmog show."

Energy & Fuel [10]
Environmental Politics [11]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [13]
Source: DeSmog [14], 01/28/2025
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"Trump Fires EPA Watchdog Who Closely Scrutinized Biden's Agency" [15]

"The surprise dismissal of the EPA’s inspector general has left agency veterans puzzled, given Sean O’Donnell’s track record in recovering money and scrutinizing waste within the agency."

Environmental Politics [11]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Pollution [17]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [13]
Source: Bloomberg Environment [18], 01/28/2025
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As Trump Targets Environmental Justice, Activists Gear Up for Legal Fights [19]

"Activists across the United States say they’re preparing to take the federal government to court after President Donald Trump unveiled a series of executive orders that seek to undo much of his predecessor’s climate and environmental justice legacy."

Activism [20]
Environmental Health [21]
Environmental Justice [22]
Environmental Politics [11]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [13]
Source: Inside Climate News [23], 01/28/2025
- Read more about As Trump Targets Environmental Justice, Activists Gear Up for Legal Fights [19]
Trump’s Denali Effort Puts A Spotlight On A Little-Known Panel Of Experts [24]

"Within hours of taking office, President Donald Trump outlined in one of his many executive orders a mission to celebrate American greatness and to recognize those who have made contributions throughout history. ... The U.S. Board on Geographic Names will play a role."

Environmental Justice [22]
Environmental Politics [11]
Journalism & Media [25]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Natural Resources [26]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [13]
Alaska and Hawaii [27]
Source: AP [28], 01/28/2025
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"Trump Stocks E.P.A. With Oil, Gas and Chemical Lobbyists" [29]

"President Trump is stocking the Environmental Protection Agency with officials who have served as lawyers and lobbyists for the oil and chemical industries, many of whom worked in his first administration to weaken climate and pollution protections."

Chemicals [30]
Climate Change [31]
Environmental Health [21]
Environmental Justice [22]
Environmental Politics [11]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Natural Resources [26]
Pollution [17]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [13]
Source: NYTimes [32], 01/27/2025
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Mass Firing: Trump Removes Independent Inspectors General At 17+ Agencies [33]

"The Trump administration has fired about 17 independent inspectors general at government agencies, a sweeping action to remove oversight of his new administration that some members of Congress are suggesting violated federal oversight laws." EPA, Energy Dept., Interior, Commerce, Agriculture are included in the list.

Chemicals [30]
Energy & Fuel [10]
Environmental Health [21]
Environmental Politics [11]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Pollution [17]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [13]
Source: AP [34], 01/27/2025
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US Is Trying To Unravel A Hacking Plot That Targeted Climate Activists [35]

"A yearslong U.S. Justice Department investigation of a global hacking campaign that targeted prominent American climate activists took a turn in a London court this week amid an allegation that the hacking was ordered by a lobbying firm working for ExxonMobil. Both the lobbying firm and ExxonMobil have denied any awareness of or involvement with alleged hacking."

Activism [20]
Climate Change [31]
Environmental Politics [11]
Journalism & Media [25]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [13]
International [36]
Source: NPR [37], 01/27/2025
- Read more about US Is Trying To Unravel A Hacking Plot That Targeted Climate Activists [35]
134M Poultry And Counting: Charts Show Counties Hardest-Hit By Bird Flu [38]

"The latest data from the CDC and USDA show the continued devastating effects of bird flu outbreaks across the United States – with Iowa, the nation's leading egg producer, suffering substantial losses."

Agriculture [39]
Biodiversity [40]
Consumer [41]
Economy & Business [42]
Environmental Health [21]
Environmental Politics [11]
Food [43]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Wildlife [44]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [13]
Source: Investigate Midwest [45], 01/27/2025
- Read more about 134M Poultry And Counting: Charts Show Counties Hardest-Hit By Bird Flu [38]
EPA Proposal For Pesticide Tied To Reproductive Harm Lands Back With Trump [46]

"US environmental regulators are planning to change allowable levels of a weedkiller linked with reproductive health problems to a concentration critics say discounts years of documented health and environmental risks — potentially marking a new battlefront within the Trump administration."

Agriculture [39]
Chemicals [30]
Environmental Health [21]
Environmental Politics [11]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Pollution [17]
Water & Oceans [47]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [13]
Source: The New Lede [48], 01/27/2025
- Read more about EPA Proposal For Pesticide Tied To Reproductive Harm Lands Back With Trump [46]
"Senate Committees Advance Trump’s Energy, Environment Nominees" [49]

"President Trump’s picks to lead the nation’s energy and environment-focused agencies all sailed through committee votes on Thursday morning."

Climate Change [31]
Energy & Fuel [10]
Environmental Health [21]
Environmental Politics [11]
Government [50]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [13]
Source: The Hill [51], 01/24/2025
- Read more about "Senate Committees Advance Trump’s Energy, Environment Nominees" [49]
"Bloomberg To Fund UN Climate Agency After US Exit From Paris Accord" [52]

"Billionaire former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Thursday that his foundation would fund the UN climate change agency after President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement. Bloomberg’s pledge will cover the 22 percent of its $96.5 million budget previously provided by the US for 2024-2025."

Activism [20]
Climate Change [31]
Economy & Business [42]
Environmental Politics [11]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [13]
International [36]
Source: France24 [53], 01/24/2025
- Read more about "Bloomberg To Fund UN Climate Agency After US Exit From Paris Accord" [52]
"Elon Musk’s DOGE Sued Minutes After Trump Inauguration" [54]

"A lawsuit claiming billionaire Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” violates federal transparency rules was filed within minutes of President Donald Trump’s inauguration Monday, kicking off a legal battle over a key aspect of the incoming administration’s agenda."

Environmental Politics [11]
Government [50]
Journalism & Media [25]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [13]
Source: Washington Post [55], 01/24/2025
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"Revealed: US Climate Denial Group Working With European Far-Right Parties" [56]

"Climate science deniers from a US-based thinktank have been working with rightwing politicians in Europe to campaign against environmental policies, the Guardian can reveal."

Climate Change [31]
Environmental Politics [11]
Science [57]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [13]
Europe [58]
Source: Guardian [59], 01/24/2025
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Health Researchers Alarmed As Trump Pauses Travel, Communications [60]

"Health officials and experts said this week they are reeling after the new Trump administration on Tuesday abruptly halted external communication at the Department of Health and Human Services and its agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health."

Environmental Health [21]
Environmental Politics [11]
Health [61]
Journalism & Media [25]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Science [57]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [13]
Source: Washington Post [62], 01/24/2025
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"Trump Resurrects ‘God Squad’ To Bend The ESA" [63]

"The committee that decides the fate of endangered species is rarely summoned. But the president’s “energy emergency” could change that."

"The Trump administration is putting its faith in an empowered “God Squad” that might help energy projects maneuver around Endangered Species Act obstacles.

In verse meant to be far-reaching, President Donald Trump’s new executive order designating an “energy emergency” strengthens what the landmark environmental law formally calls the “Endangered Species Act Committee.”
Biodiversity [40]
Environmental Politics [11]
Environmental Studies [64]
Government [50]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Natural Resources [26]
Wildlife [44]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [13]
Source: E&E News [65], 01/24/2025
- Read more about "Trump Resurrects ‘God Squad’ To Bend The ESA" [63]

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