Infrastructure

RFK Jr. Directs CDC To Stop Promoting Fluoridation; EPA Will Re-Assess

"Citing health concerns, newly appointed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said this week that he will direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop recommending that states add fluoride to their water, and will convene a federal taskforce of independent health experts to study the health risks presented by the practice while establishing a new “optimal” level."

Source: The New Lede, 04/09/2025

"Worries Grow Over Risks To Americans As Trump Cuts Health, Safety Agencies"

"The chorus of experts issuing warnings include Republican lawmakers, former Trump officials and civil servants who worked under GOP and Democratic presidents."

Source: Washington Post, 04/08/2025

Storms Tore Up Two Of America’s Iconic Trails. Federal Cuts Disrupt Repairs

"Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail is a challenge, especially for adventurers making the entire run from Southern California to Canada, and Eric Kipperman’s job is to greet them at the start and lay bare the difficulties ahead. He has lately begun warning that the journey may be even tougher. Following cuts by the Trump administration, plans to clear downed trees and rebuild storm-battered stretches in 2025 have been scrapped."

Source: AP, 04/07/2025

Jury Orders Chevron To Pay Over $744M For Destroying Louisiana Wetlands

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"Chevron has been ordered to pay more than $744m in damages for destroying parts of south-east Louisiana’s coastal wetlands over the years. The ruling, which came in the form of a civil jury verdict on Friday, marks the conclusion of the first trial among 42 lawsuits filed about 12 years earlier which alleged that the company’s oil and gas projects have led to the degradation of the region’s wetlands."

Source: Guardian, 04/07/2025

Coal Country Voices Say Closures Of MSHA Offices Will Endanger Mine Safety

"Retired coal miner Stanley “Goose” Stewart questions whether it’s safe for anyone to work in the industry right now. The Department of Government Efficiency, created by President Donald Trump and run by Elon Musk, has been targeting federal agencies for spending cuts. That includes terminating leases for three dozen offices in the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the agency responsible for enforcing mine safety laws."

Source: AP, 04/07/2025

Rising Rivers Threaten US South and Midwest After Dayslong Torrent Of Rain

"Rivers rose and flooding worsened Sunday across the U.S. South and Midwest, threatening communities already waterlogged and badly damaged by days of heavy rain and wind that killed at least 18 people."

Source: AP, 04/07/2025

Dam Safety Firings Leave Downstream Residents at Risk

Among the widespread federal firings that look like they’re putting the public increasingly at risk are those that strip away government oversight of dam safety. The latest TipSheet looks at what’s at stake and offers up a dozen story ideas, questions to ask and reporting resources to help environmental journalists spot the dam dangers nearest them.

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B.C. Quietly Let Oil And Gas Giant Sidestep Rules For 4,300+ Pipelines

"The British Columbia government quietly granted one of Canada’s biggest oil and gas companies an exemption for thousands of pipelines that should have been deactivated before a legal deadline, according to documents obtained under freedom of information legislation."

Source: The Narwhal/IJF, 04/04/2025

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