EJToday: Top Environmental Politics Headlines

Close Friend of JD Vance Skirts Normal Channels to Take Over NIEHS [9]

"Despite a federal hiring freeze, the Trump administration just appointed a scientist who calls Vance one of his “closest friends” to head the nation’s key environmental health research arm."

Environmental Health [10]
Environmental Politics [11]
Environmental Studies [12]
Government [13]
People & Population [14]
Science [15]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
Source: Inside Climate News [18], 10/23/2025
- Read more about Close Friend of JD Vance Skirts Normal Channels to Take Over NIEHS [9]
"Trump Demolishes White House East Wing" [19]

"President Donald Trump’s move to demolish part of the White House to make way for a $250 million ballroom is eliciting outrage and calls for more oversight before any further changes are made."

Environmental Politics [11]
Government [13]
Infrastructure [20]
Laws & Regulations [21]
Planning & Growth [22]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [23]
Source: E&E News [24], 10/23/2025
- Read more about "Trump Demolishes White House East Wing" [19]
"From Mexico to Ireland, Fury Mounts Over a Global A.I. Frenzy" [25]

"As tech companies build data centers worldwide to advance artificial intelligence, vulnerable communities have been hit by blackouts and water shortages."

Climate Change [26]
Economy & Business [27]
Energy & Fuel [28]
Environmental Politics [11]
Infrastructure [20]
Laws & Regulations [21]
Pollution [29]
Technology [30]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
International [31]
Mexico [32]
Europe [33]
Source: NYTimes [34], 10/23/2025
- Read more about "From Mexico to Ireland, Fury Mounts Over a Global A.I. Frenzy" [25]
Anti-Science Bills Hit Statehouses, Ending Public Health Protections [35]

"More than 420 anti-science bills attacking longstanding public health protections – vaccines, milk safety and fluoride – have been introduced in statehouses across the U.S. this year, part of an organized, politically savvy campaign to enshrine a conspiracy theory-driven agenda into law."

Environmental Health [10]
Environmental Politics [11]
Government [13]
Laws & Regulations [21]
People & Population [14]
Science [15]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
Source: AP [36], 10/23/2025
- Read more about Anti-Science Bills Hit Statehouses, Ending Public Health Protections [35]
"US Hits Top Russian Oil Companies With Sanctions, EU Bans Russian LNG" [37]

"U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday imposed Ukraine-related sanctions on Russia for the first time in his second term, targeting oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft as his frustration grows with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war."

Energy & Fuel [28]
Environmental Politics [11]
Military [38]
Natural Resources [39]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
International [31]
Source: Reuters [40], 10/23/2025
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Trump Officials Refer Biden-Era FEMA Staff To DOJ For Criminal Charges [41]

"The Trump administration has sent a referral to the Department of Justice recommending Biden-era Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staff face criminal charges, alleging politicization of emergency funding."

Disasters [42]
Environmental Politics [11]
Government [13]
Laws & Regulations [21]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [43]
Source: The Hill [44], 10/23/2025
- Read more about Trump Officials Refer Biden-Era FEMA Staff To DOJ For Criminal Charges [41]
Trump Tariff Fight With China Means Trouble for Vast Wilderness in Brazil [45]

"Brazilian farmers are lobbying to roll back deforestation restrictions in order to sell more soybeans to the huge Chinese market."

Agriculture [46]
Climate Change [26]
Economy & Business [27]
Environmental Politics [11]
Forests [47]
Laws & Regulations [21]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
Asia [48]
South America [49]
Source: NYTimes [50], 10/22/2025
- Read more about Trump Tariff Fight With China Means Trouble for Vast Wilderness in Brazil [45]
"Trump EPA Seeks To Weaken Scrutiny For Some Of US’s Most Toxic Chemicals" [51]

"New rule would prohibit states from banning dangerous chemicals, and could invalidate hundreds of protections"

"A new rule proposed by the Trump administration would dramatically weaken safety reviews for some of the nation’s most toxic chemicals that are already on the market, public health advocates and an EPA employee warn.
Chemicals [52]
Environmental Health [10]
Environmental Politics [11]
Environmental Studies [12]
Laws & Regulations [21]
People & Population [14]
Pollution [29]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
Source: Guardian [53], 10/22/2025
- Read more about "Trump EPA Seeks To Weaken Scrutiny For Some Of US’s Most Toxic Chemicals" [51]
L.A. Pumps Owens Valley Groundwater, But Tribes Want It Back [54]

"In the Owens Valley, Los Angeles not only siphons water from streams, but also pumps groundwater from wells. Leaders of Native tribes are calling for the city to take less water and are pushing for negotiations on water rights. They say pumping from wells has dried up springs and meadows."

Agriculture [46]
Climate Change [26]
Environmental Justice [55]
Environmental Politics [11]
Laws & Regulations [21]
People & Population [14]
Water & Oceans [56]
Public [16]
California [57]
Source: LA Times [58], 10/22/2025
- Read more about L.A. Pumps Owens Valley Groundwater, But Tribes Want It Back [54]
"Record Annual Rise In Atmospheric CO2 Levels Alarms UN Climate Body" [59]

"The United Nations warned Wednesday that CO2 levels in the atmosphere saw their biggest annual jump on record in 2024, driven by fossil fuel emissions, wildfires and weakening natural absorption by land and oceans. The findings come ahead of November’s COP30 climate summit in Brazil, with scientists warning of a “vicious cycle” of feedback effects that could push the planet past critical tipping points."

Climate Change [26]
Energy & Fuel [28]
Environmental Politics [11]
Laws & Regulations [21]
Pollution [29]
Science [15]
Public [16]
International [31]
Source: France 24 [60], 10/22/2025
- Read more about "Record Annual Rise In Atmospheric CO2 Levels Alarms UN Climate Body" [59]
"Fears Of Heat-Rationing For Millions In US As Shutdown Delays Energy Aid" [61]

"Millions of Americans face having to ration heating this winter as the US federal government shutdown and mass layoffs by the Trump administration cause unprecedented delays in getting energy assistance aid to low-income households, a group that helps people pay energy bills has warned."

Disasters [42]
Energy & Fuel [28]
Environmental Health [10]
Environmental Justice [55]
Environmental Politics [11]
Laws & Regulations [21]
People & Population [14]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
Source: Guardian [62], 10/22/2025
- Read more about "Fears Of Heat-Rationing For Millions In US As Shutdown Delays Energy Aid" [61]
"White House Halts $11B For Water Projects In Blue States" [63]

"The Trump administration is “pausing” more than $11 billion in water infrastructure projects to 12 Democrat-controlled states, White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought said Friday."

Agriculture [46]
Economy & Business [27]
Environmental Politics [11]
Infrastructure [20]
Laws & Regulations [21]
Water & Oceans [56]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
Source: E&E News [64], 10/22/2025
- Read more about "White House Halts $11B For Water Projects In Blue States" [63]
""Fix Our Forests Act" Draws Mixed Reactions" [65]

"A U.S. Senate committee hearing Tuesday revealed the dramatically differing views regarding the potential benefits of the Fix Our Forests Act, a bipartisan proposal that critics say would lead to logging of old-growth trees and weaken the country's environmental laws."

Biodiversity [66]
Climate Change [26]
Disasters [42]
Environmental Politics [11]
Forests [47]
Laws & Regulations [21]
Natural Resources [39]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
Source: National Parks Traveler [67], 10/22/2025
- Read more about ""Fix Our Forests Act" Draws Mixed Reactions" [65]
"The Government Is Shut Down. But Not for Fossil Fuels." [68]

"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."

Climate Change [26]
Economy & Business [27]
Energy & Fuel [28]
Environmental Health [10]
Environmental Politics [11]
Government [13]
Laws & Regulations [21]
Pollution [29]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
Source: NYTimes [69], 10/21/2025
- Read more about "The Government Is Shut Down. But Not for Fossil Fuels." [68]
Interior Reveals Plans To Fire Hundreds Of National Park Service Employees [70]

"The Interior Department plans to lay off more than 2,000 employees, including hundreds of National Parks Service (NPS) workers, according to a Monday court filing."

Biodiversity [66]
Environmental Politics [11]
Natural Resources [39]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
Source: The Hill [71], 10/21/2025
- Read more about Interior Reveals Plans To Fire Hundreds Of National Park Service Employees [70]

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