EJToday: Top Environmental Politics Headlines

Black Dust Covers Oklahoma Town As Residents Face Renewed Pollution Fears [9]

"Across a quiet Oklahoma town, a mysterious black dust has appeared throughout neighborhoods. As residents search for answers, many say this triggers memories from decades before."

Air [10]
Environmental Health [11]
Environmental Justice [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Laws & Regulations [14]
People & Population [15]
Pollution [16]
Public [17]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [18]
Source: KOCO5 [19], 05/20/2026
- Read more about Black Dust Covers Oklahoma Town As Residents Face Renewed Pollution Fears [9]
"Manager at Trump’s N.J. Golf Club Helped Plan Reflecting Pool Repairs" [20]

"The general manager of President Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, N.J., has offered suggestions to guide the renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and helped recruit one of the contractors for the job, according to federal documents and a government spokeswoman."

Environmental Politics [13]
Infrastructure [21]
Natural Resources [22]
People & Population [15]
Water & Oceans [23]
Public [17]
National (U.S.) [24]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [25]
Source: New York Times [26], 05/20/2026
- Read more about "Manager at Trump’s N.J. Golf Club Helped Plan Reflecting Pool Repairs" [20]
US-Mexico Border Wall Is Desecrating Sacred Sites, Indigenous Leaders Say [27]

"White sage burning, Norma Meza Calles gathers guests at a Mexican wellness resort into a semicircle facing Kuuchamaa Mountain and asks everyone to close their eyes and feel its presence."

Biodiversity [28]
Environmental Politics [13]
Infrastructure [21]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Natural Resources [22]
People & Population [15]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [29]
Public [17]
National (U.S.) [24]
Mexico [30]
Source: AP [31], 05/20/2026
- Read more about US-Mexico Border Wall Is Desecrating Sacred Sites, Indigenous Leaders Say [27]
"2026 World Cup Set To Become ‘Most Polluting’ Games Ever" [32]

"As nearly 300,000 fans prepare to arrive in Los Angeles for the men’s World Cup soccer championship in mid-June, the international soccer federation is coming under fire for what climate scientists and advocates are calling the most polluting World Cup in history."

Air [10]
Climate Change [33]
Economy & Business [34]
Energy & Fuel [35]
Environmental Politics [13]
People & Population [15]
Pollution [16]
Public [17]
National (U.S.) [24]
International [36]
Canada [37]
Mexico [30]
Source: LA Times [38], 05/20/2026
- Read more about "2026 World Cup Set To Become ‘Most Polluting’ Games Ever" [32]
"Federal Chemical Safety Board Sends Warning on Trump Disaster Policy" [39]

"The board said the administration is taking “a significant step backwards” on preventing chemical disasters."

Economy & Business [34]
Energy & Fuel [35]
Environmental Health [11]
Environmental Justice [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Government [40]
Infrastructure [21]
Laws & Regulations [14]
People & Population [15]
Pollution [16]
Technology [41]
Public [17]
National (U.S.) [24]
Source: New York Times [42], 05/19/2026
- Read more about "Federal Chemical Safety Board Sends Warning on Trump Disaster Policy" [39]
"E.P.A. to End Some Limits on ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water" [43]

"The Trump administration announced Monday that it will drop some limits on “forever chemicals” in drinking water that officials had determined can cause cancer and other serious health problems — angering some key activists who had supported President Trump’s campaign."

Environmental Justice [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Environmental Studies [44]
Infrastructure [21]
Laws & Regulations [14]
People & Population [15]
Pollution [16]
Water & Oceans [23]
Public [17]
National (U.S.) [24]
Source: New York Times [45], 05/19/2026
- Read more about "E.P.A. to End Some Limits on ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water" [43]
Oily Sludge Is Flooding Their Dream Home. Okla. Regulators Don't Help. [46]

"The Merediths were forced to abandon their house after it filled with black goo, reaching gas concentrations at explosive levels. Despite evidence of oil and gas pollution, the state “wanted to act like it would go away,” the family says."

Chemicals [47]
Disasters [48]
Energy & Fuel [35]
Environmental Health [11]
Environmental Justice [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Infrastructure [21]
Laws & Regulations [14]
People & Population [15]
Pollution [16]
Technology [41]
Water & Oceans [23]
Public [17]
National (U.S.) [24]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [18]
Source: Frontier/ProPublica [49], 05/19/2026
- Read more about Oily Sludge Is Flooding Their Dream Home. Okla. Regulators Don't Help. [46]
"Data Centers Drive 76% Surge In PJM Power Prices" [50]

"The findings highlight inflationary pressures on electricity costs in mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states. “The price impacts on customers have been very large and are not reversible,” the grid market monitor said."

Climate Change [33]
Consumer [51]
Economy & Business [34]
Energy & Fuel [35]
Environmental Health [11]
Environmental Politics [13]
Infrastructure [21]
Laws & Regulations [14]
People & Population [15]
Technology [41]
Public [17]
National (U.S.) [24]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [25]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [52]
Source: E&E News [53], 05/19/2026
- Read more about "Data Centers Drive 76% Surge In PJM Power Prices" [50]
Calif. Hazardous Waste Rules Slammed as Years Late and ‘Polluter-Friendly’ [54]

"Wherever they turn, residents in and around Santa Fe Springs, California, contend with toxic hazards." "Proposed hazardous waste oversight changes are years behind schedule and fail to account for a community’s health risks from pollution, environmental groups warn."

Chemicals [47]
Consumer [51]
Economy & Business [34]
Energy & Fuel [35]
Environmental Health [11]
Environmental Justice [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Laws & Regulations [14]
People & Population [15]
Pollution [16]
Technology [41]
Waste [55]
Public [17]
California [56]
Source: Capital & Main [57], 05/19/2026
- Read more about Calif. Hazardous Waste Rules Slammed as Years Late and ‘Polluter-Friendly’ [54]
TVA Put Out Booklet Downplaying Coal Ash Risks. Experts Call it ‘Dishonest.’ [58]

"A 35-page booklet distributed in a public meeting by the Tennessee Valley Authority about coal ash is filled with “lies” and misleading information, according to coal ash researchers."

Chemicals [47]
Climate Change [33]
Disasters [48]
Energy & Fuel [35]
Environmental Health [11]
Environmental Justice [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Infrastructure [21]
Journalism & Media [59]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Natural Resources [22]
People & Population [15]
Pollution [16]
Technology [41]
Waste [55]
Water & Oceans [23]
Public [17]
National (U.S.) [24]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [60]
Source: Inside Climate News [61], 05/19/2026
- Read more about TVA Put Out Booklet Downplaying Coal Ash Risks. Experts Call it ‘Dishonest.’ [58]
Minnesota Sues 3M, Says PFAS From Cottage Grove Continue To Pollute Water [62]

"The state of Minnesota has filed a new lawsuit against Maplewood-based 3M, alleging that PFAS from the company’s manufacturing plant in Cottage Grove continue to contaminate groundwater and the Mississippi River."

Activism [63]
Chemicals [47]
Consumer [51]
Economy & Business [34]
Environmental Health [11]
Environmental Justice [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Laws & Regulations [14]
People & Population [15]
Pollution [16]
Water & Oceans [23]
Public [17]
National (U.S.) [24]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [64]
Source: MPR News [65], 05/19/2026
- Read more about Minnesota Sues 3M, Says PFAS From Cottage Grove Continue To Pollute Water [62]
Steve Pearce's Confirmation Tested Senate Public Lands Caucus. It Failed [66]

"The Senate on Monday narrowly confirmed Steve Pearce, a former New Mexico congressman with a long history of pushing for federal public land sell-offs, to serve as director of the Bureau of Land Management."

Agriculture [67]
Biodiversity [28]
Climate Change [33]
Energy & Fuel [35]
Environmental Politics [13]
Forests [68]
Government [40]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Natural Resources [22]
Water & Oceans [23]
Wildlife [69]
Public [17]
National (U.S.) [24]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [70]
Source: Public Domain [71], 05/19/2026
- Read more about Steve Pearce's Confirmation Tested Senate Public Lands Caucus. It Failed [66]
"Trump Picks A Potomac River Site For ‘Heroes’ Statue Garden" [72]

"President Donald Trump said Friday that he plans to build a statue garden of “American heroes” at a park location along the Potomac River near the Tidal Basin in Washington."

Activism [63]
Environmental Politics [13]
Government [40]
Infrastructure [21]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Natural Resources [22]
People & Population [15]
Planning & Growth [73]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [29]
Public [17]
National (U.S.) [24]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [25]
Source: E&E News [74], 05/19/2026
- Read more about "Trump Picks A Potomac River Site For ‘Heroes’ Statue Garden" [72]
"The Surprising Climate Fix That Democrats And Republicans Both Love" [75]

"Politicians across the spectrum want more housing. Apartments are a great answer, because they also slash carbon emissions in a big way."

Climate Change [33]
Economy & Business [34]
Energy & Fuel [35]
Environmental Politics [13]
Infrastructure [21]
People & Population [15]
Pollution [16]
Technology [41]
Public [17]
National (U.S.) [24]
Source: Grist [76], 05/18/2026
- Read more about "The Surprising Climate Fix That Democrats And Republicans Both Love" [75]
Appeals Court Weighs Legality Of Orders Keeping Michigan Coal Plant Open [77]

"Michigan’s Department of Attorney General and several environmental justice groups presented oral arguments on Friday before a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, arguing that emergency orders that kept the J.H. Campbell coal plant from retiring were illegal applications of federal law."

Climate Change [33]
Energy & Fuel [35]
Environmental Politics [13]
Infrastructure [21]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Pollution [16]
Technology [41]
Public [17]
National (U.S.) [24]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [64]
Source: Michigan Advance [78], 05/18/2026
- Read more about Appeals Court Weighs Legality Of Orders Keeping Michigan Coal Plant Open [77]

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