"Manatee County’s commissioners didn’t expect to be threatened with removal from office for considering two measures meant to enhance disaster resilience in this fast-growing county on Florida’s Gulf Coast."
"The state enhanced battery safety rules in response to the Moss Landing fire. The industry is on board, hoping better standards will reassure the public."
"Federal regulators have rescinded a requirement that the nation’s largest financial institutions factor climate risks into their long-term planning, a policy dating from the Biden administration that Federal Reserve Board staff called “distracting” and “not necessary” and that Republicans have labeled overreach."
"California ramped up its efforts to curb plastic pollution Friday — suing three plastic-bag makers, alleging the companies falsely claimed their products were recyclable."
"The US Senate is poised to approve Donald Trump’s nomination of an industry lobbyist to lead the US Environmental Protection Agency’s chemical safety office."
"Brazil’s government approved on Monday exploratory drilling by state-run oil-giant Petrobras near the mouth of the Amazon River. The decision comes only weeks before the United Nations climate conference in Belem, COP30, where efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels will be discussed."
"More than 700,000 federal employees have been sidelined and thousands more are at risk of being fired as the government shutdown drags on." "Federal workers who issue permits for oil, gas and mining operations are on the job, along with those working to repeal pollution limits."
Drinking water may be ubiquitous in the United States, but that doesn’t mean it’s always safe. To report the answer in your community, the latest Reporter’s Toolbox suggests exploring the Safe Drinking Water Information System, a federal government database mandated by the Safe Drinking Water Act. Here’s how to use it to identify whether your local systems meet its standards.
For years, state-sponsored programs have helped California farmworkers get much-needed access to clean water. But many immigrants now shun these services, afraid of exposure to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. As Circle of Blue intern Anahita Banerjee dug into this story, she discovered that their fear extended to speaking with journalists — and that ICE activities threatened her own safety.
"The Trump administration directed staff to open wildlife refuges to hunters even as many national parks and other government services close."
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