EJToday: Top Headlines

Rivers Deliver Staggering Amount Of Microplastics Into The Ocean: Study [9]

"Up to a quarter of all plastic flowing from rivers into the ocean are microplastics — delivering more than 260,000 metric tons in 2022, according to a new study published last week in Science." "Nearly all of the pollution comes from rivers in developing countries. High plastic use, mismanagement of waste, strong rainfall and high solar radiation are major factors."

Chemicals [10]
Environmental Health [11]
Pollution [12]
Waste [13]
Water & Oceans [14]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
International [17]
Asia [18]
Source: Washington Post [19], 09/18/2026
- Read more about Rivers Deliver Staggering Amount Of Microplastics Into The Ocean: Study [9]
Toxic Fracking Waste Bubbling Up in Ohio Is Becoming a Political Issue [20]

"The Democratic candidate for governor backed restrictions on disposal of fracking wastewater around a hard-hit town, and called for a “thorough investigation” of the dangers."

Energy & Fuel [21]
Environmental Health [11]
Laws & Regulations [22]
People & Population [23]
Pollution [12]
Technology [24]
Water & Oceans [14]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [25]
Source: New York Times [26], 09/18/2026
- Read more about Toxic Fracking Waste Bubbling Up in Ohio Is Becoming a Political Issue [20]
Ranch Manager Tied to Trump Appointee Started 5,600-Acre Idaho Wildfire [27]

"A state investigation shines light on the unpermitted fire, which cost nearly $950,000 to contain."

Climate Change [28]
Conflict/Corruption [29]
Environmental Politics [30]
Forests [31]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [32]
Source: Public Domain [33], 09/18/2026
- Read more about Ranch Manager Tied to Trump Appointee Started 5,600-Acre Idaho Wildfire [27]
Calif. Eyes Prison Heat Protections That Fall Short of Other Workplaces’ [34]

"California is crafting weaker heat protections for prisons than for other workplaces, citing billions in costs to cool aging institutions as climate and health risks increase."

Climate Change [28]
Disasters [35]
Environmental Health [11]
Environmental Justice [36]
People & Population [23]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
California [37]
Source: Canary Media [38], 09/18/2026
- Read more about Calif. Eyes Prison Heat Protections That Fall Short of Other Workplaces’ [34]
Colorado River Officials Back Emergency Releases From Wyoming Reservoir [39]

"Officials in the Upper Colorado River Basin plan to continue draining Flaming Gorge in Wyoming to protect Lake Powell, one of the basin’s largest reservoirs."

Climate Change [28]
Consumer [40]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Science [41]
Water & Oceans [14]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [32]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [42]
Source: Colorado Sun [43], 09/18/2026
- Read more about Colorado River Officials Back Emergency Releases From Wyoming Reservoir [39]
New Cat Species Discovered In Bolivia For First Time In Over 100 Years [44]

"A new cat has been discovered in Bolivia, the first time in more than a century that scientists have confirmed a new feline species in the world."

Biodiversity [45]
Science [41]
Wildlife [46]
Public [15]
International [17]
South America [47]
Source: Washington Post [48], 09/18/2026
- Read more about New Cat Species Discovered In Bolivia For First Time In Over 100 Years [44]
Trump Donor Harold Hamm’s Oil Company Announces Venezuela Deal [49]

Trump donor Harold Hamm’s oil company Continental Resources announced a deal Wednesday to drill in Venezuela.

Climate Change [28]
Conflict/Corruption [29]
Economy & Business [50]
Energy & Fuel [21]
Environmental Politics [30]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [51]
Pollution [12]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Central America & the Caribbean [52]
South America [47]
Source: The Hill [53], 09/17/2026
- Read more about Trump Donor Harold Hamm’s Oil Company Announces Venezuela Deal [49]
House Passes Bill To Put Data Center Electricity Costs On Tech Companies [54]

"The House on Tuesday passed a bill aimed at shielding Americans from increased electricity costs associated with data centers"

Consumer [40]
Energy & Fuel [21]
Environmental Politics [30]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Technology [24]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: The Hill [55], 09/17/2026
- Read more about House Passes Bill To Put Data Center Electricity Costs On Tech Companies [54]
"Climate Change Primed Nepal Glacier for Deadly Collapse" [56]

"Climate attribution researchers say “there is absolutely no doubt” that decades of global warming set the stage for the deadly rock and glacier collapse on Langtang Lirung Mountain in Nepal."

Climate Change [28]
Disasters [35]
People & Population [23]
Water & Oceans [14]
Public [15]
International [17]
Asia [18]
Source: Inside Climate News [57], 09/17/2026
- Read more about "Climate Change Primed Nepal Glacier for Deadly Collapse" [56]
Miners Stake Claims Where Trump Slashed Bears Ears National Monument [58]

"The first mining claims have been staked in areas that were formerly part of Utah’s Bears Ears National Monument, after President Donald Trump issued an order in July shrinking it to less than 10 percent of its original size."

Conflict/Corruption [29]
Environmental Politics [30]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [51]
Public [15]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [32]
Source: Washington Post [59], 09/17/2026
- Read more about Miners Stake Claims Where Trump Slashed Bears Ears National Monument [58]
Bill Could Obstruct New Efficiency Standards for Appliances—and Repeal Old Ones [60]

"The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources heard testimony Wednesday on the Energy Efficiency Reform Act. The new bill would make it much more difficult for the Department of Energy to update energy efficiency standards for home appliances like dishwashers, washing machines and boilers. It would also set a path for the department to backslide on existing energy efficiency mandates."

Climate Change [28]
Consumer [40]
Energy & Fuel [21]
Environmental Politics [30]
Government [61]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Technology [24]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: Inside Climate News [62], 09/17/2026
- Read more about Bill Could Obstruct New Efficiency Standards for Appliances—and Repeal Old Ones [60]
Court Rules in Favor of Feds and Denver Water on Dam Expansion [63]

"The decision allows Colorado’s largest water utility to triple a reservoir’s storage, despite concerns about diverting more water from the dwindling Colorado River."

Climate Change [28]
Consumer [40]
Government [61]
Infrastructure [64]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [51]
Water & Oceans [14]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: Inside Climate News [65], 09/17/2026
- Read more about Court Rules in Favor of Feds and Denver Water on Dam Expansion [63]
Satellites Show Earth Lost More Than 12 Trillion Tons Of Ice In 47 Years [66]

"About 12.5 trillion tons (11.3 trillion metric tons) of ice from glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica have melted since 1979, which is enough frozen water to stack ice 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep across the continental United States, according to a major scientific report."

Climate Change [28]
Science [41]
Water & Oceans [14]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
International [17]
Source: AP [67], 09/17/2026
- Read more about Satellites Show Earth Lost More Than 12 Trillion Tons Of Ice In 47 Years [66]
Park Service Quietly Awards Contracts For Trump’s East Potomac Golf Course [68]

"The Trump administration has awarded contracts to begin work on President Donald Trump’s planned takeover of the East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee said Wednesday."

Conflict/Corruption [29]
Environmental Justice [36]
Government [61]
Infrastructure [64]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [51]
People & Population [23]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [69]
Source: AP [70], 09/17/2026
- Read more about Park Service Quietly Awards Contracts For Trump’s East Potomac Golf Course [68]
Greene: $6.20 Gas ‘Is Trump’s Fault’ [71]

"Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) blamed President Trump for rising gas prices amid the Iran war, calling high fuel costs “ridiculous.”"

Activism [72]
Energy & Fuel [21]
Government [61]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Technology [24]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: The Hill [73], 09/17/2026
- Read more about Greene: $6.20 Gas ‘Is Trump’s Fault’ [71]

Pages