EJToday: Top Headlines

Data Center Boom Sparks Lobbying Surge [9]

"The number of companies, associations and advocacy groups lobbying around data center issues more than doubled this spring compared to the same time last year as Congress and the Trump administration sought to address the industry’s rapid growth."

Climate Change [10]
Economy & Business [11]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Water & Oceans [15]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
Source: E&E News [18], 07/30/2026
- Read more about Data Center Boom Sparks Lobbying Surge [9]
Trump Bets Chevron’s Fall Lets Him Rewrite Rules For Imperiled Wildlife [19]

"For decades, presidents of both parties and the Supreme Court have agreed that federal law prevents developers from destroying habitat critical to vulnerable wildlife. The Trump administration is now making the case that a landmark Supreme Court ruling ending judicial deference to federal agencies gives it room to reverse that longstanding interpretation."

Biodiversity [20]
Environmental Politics [13]
Government [21]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Wildlife [22]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
Source: E&E News [23], 07/30/2026
- Read more about Trump Bets Chevron’s Fall Lets Him Rewrite Rules For Imperiled Wildlife [19]
Half Of England Officially In ‘Exceptionally Serious’ Drought [24]

"Half of England is officially in drought, with July set to be the driest on record after winter floods, the Environment Agency has said. The “flash drought” developed quickly because of unusually low rainfall and high temperatures."

Agriculture [25]
Climate Change [10]
Consumer [26]
Water & Oceans [15]
Public [16]
Europe [27]
Source: Guardian [28], 07/30/2026
- Read more about Half Of England Officially In ‘Exceptionally Serious’ Drought [24]
Louisa, Va., Homeowner Sues Amazon Over Data Center Construction [29]

"Round-the-clock disruptions drive a Central Virginia man to file a lawsuit against the tech giant as it seeks to build its latest digital warehouse in the commonwealth."

Consumer [26]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Health [30]
Environmental Politics [13]
Laws & Regulations [14]
People & Population [31]
Pollution [32]
Technology [33]
Public [16]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [34]
Source: Virginia Mercury [35], 07/30/2026
- Read more about Louisa, Va., Homeowner Sues Amazon Over Data Center Construction [29]
In This Costa Rican Forest, Monkeys Come Face-to-Face With A.I. [36]

"CapuchinAI, a portable testing station equipped with a touch screen and facial recognition software, could help scientists study primate intelligence in the wild."

Biodiversity [20]
Environmental Politics [13]
Environmental Studies [37]
Science [38]
Technology [33]
Wildlife [22]
Public [16]
Central America & the Caribbean [39]
Source: New York Times [40], 07/30/2026
- Read more about In This Costa Rican Forest, Monkeys Come Face-to-Face With A.I. [36]
DOJ’s Environmental Enforcement Collapsed Under Trump 2.0; Lawyers Exit [41]

"The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division recently changed its name to the Energy and Natural Resources Division and added “unleashing American energy” to its mission."

Conflict/Corruption [42]
Environmental Justice [43]
Environmental Politics [13]
Government [21]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Pollution [32]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
Source: Inside Climate News [44], 07/29/2026
- Read more about DOJ’s Environmental Enforcement Collapsed Under Trump 2.0; Lawyers Exit [41]
Energy Dept. Names 5 States For Possible Nuclear Waste Disposal [45]

"The Department of Energy announced Tuesday that it is in talks with Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Idaho to create special nuclear hubs that would support “final disposition of used nuclear fuel.”

Economy & Business [11]
Environmental Health [30]
Environmental Politics [13]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [46]
Pollution [32]
Waste [47]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
Source: E&E News [48], 07/29/2026
- Read more about Energy Dept. Names 5 States For Possible Nuclear Waste Disposal [45]
Fossil Fuel Executives Cash In Selling Stock During Iran War [49]

"Insiders at leading oil and gas companies have made millions from stocks since the Iran war began."

Climate Change [10]
Conflict/Corruption [42]
Economy & Business [11]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Military [50]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
International [51]
Middle East [52]
Source: New York Times [53], 07/29/2026
- Read more about Fossil Fuel Executives Cash In Selling Stock During Iran War [49]
White House’s Pandemic Preparedness Office Has A Remarkably Tiny Team [54]

"As recently as 2024, the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy had 15 employees. In 2026, it has two."

Disasters [55]
Environmental Health [30]
Environmental Politics [13]
Government [21]
Health [56]
People & Population [31]
Planning & Growth [57]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
Source: MS NOW [58], 07/29/2026
- Read more about White House’s Pandemic Preparedness Office Has A Remarkably Tiny Team [54]
Exxon Now Challenges EU Carbon Capture Rule It Used To Promote [59]

"ExxonMobil is striking back against a European Union climate rule built around carbon capture and storage, a technology the oil giant has promoted as a way to address global warming."

Climate Change [10]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Pollution [32]
Technology [33]
Public [16]
Europe [27]
Source: Inside Climate News [60], 07/29/2026
- Read more about Exxon Now Challenges EU Carbon Capture Rule It Used To Promote [59]
Enviros Say Newsom Appointee Has Conflict of Interest And Should Resign [61]

"Environmental groups are demanding the resignation of the Board of Environmental Safety’s newest member, Rhys Williams, because of his work as a lobbyist for a firm that represents clients that handle toxic materials."

Chemicals [62]
Conflict/Corruption [42]
Environmental Health [30]
Environmental Politics [13]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Pollution [32]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [17]
California [63]
Source: CalMatters [64], 07/29/2026
- Read more about Enviros Say Newsom Appointee Has Conflict of Interest And Should Resign [61]
"Near the Salton Sea, Little League Players Struggle to Breathe" [65]

"Pediatric asthma is common in Calipatria, where young athletes compete despite extreme heat and air pollution. Some worry a lithium boom could make things worse."

Air [66]
Chemicals [62]
Climate Change [10]
Consumer [26]
Environmental Health [30]
Natural Resources [67]
People & Population [31]
Pollution [32]
Public [16]
California [63]
Source: Capital & Main [68], 07/29/2026
- Read more about "Near the Salton Sea, Little League Players Struggle to Breathe" [65]
NOAA Finds Gulf Of Maine Warming Slowed For Now, But Still Unstable [69]

"Maine’s fishing ports are doing well for now, but climate change is destabilizing the Gulf of Maine, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s latest “State of the Ecosystem” report for New England waters. Federal scientists presented the report to the New England Fishery Management Council in April, and published it online last week."

Biodiversity [20]
Climate Change [10]
Fish & Fisheries [70]
Water & Oceans [15]
Public [16]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [71]
Source: Maine Monitor [72], 07/29/2026
- Read more about NOAA Finds Gulf Of Maine Warming Slowed For Now, But Still Unstable [69]
California Can’t Replant Forests Fast Enough To Keep Up With Wildfires [73]

"California’s wildfires are destroying forests faster than the state can replant them, and federal cuts are making the gap worse. One expert says the crisis is barely known — even though it could reshape half the state’s forests by 2071."

Biodiversity [20]
Climate Change [10]
Disasters [55]
Environmental Health [30]
Forests [74]
Public [16]
California [63]
Source: CalMatters [75], 07/29/2026
- Read more about California Can’t Replant Forests Fast Enough To Keep Up With Wildfires [73]
Record Seaweed Blankets Mexico's Caribbean Coast, Threatening Tourism [76]

"A record wave of brown, smelly seaweed is washing up on beaches along ‌Mexico's Caribbean coast, forcing closures in top tourist destinations and inflicting mounting economic damage on hotels, restaurants and shops."

Biodiversity [20]
Climate Change [10]
Disasters [55]
Environmental Politics [13]
Natural Resources [67]
People & Population [31]
Pollution [32]
Water & Oceans [15]
Public [16]
Mexico [77]
Central America & the Caribbean [39]
Source: Reuters [78], 07/29/2026
- Read more about Record Seaweed Blankets Mexico's Caribbean Coast, Threatening Tourism [76]

Pages