EJToday: Top Headlines

"High-Ranking D.C. Federal Prosecutor Resigns Over Order To Freeze EPA Funds" [9]

"The head of the criminal division in the U.S. attorney’s office in D.C. resigned Tuesday morning after declining to comply with an urgent Trump administration demand to freeze the assets of a multibillion-dollar Biden administration environmental grant initiative, according to the official’s resignation letter and two people familiar with the matter."

Activism [10]
Climate Change [11]
Environmental Justice [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: Washington Post [17], 02/19/2025
- Read more about "High-Ranking D.C. Federal Prosecutor Resigns Over Order To Freeze EPA Funds" [9]
"Trump Administration Moves to Fast-Track Hundreds of Fossil Fuel Projects" [18]

"The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has created a new class of “emergency” permits for fossil fuel projects, raising the possibility that pipelines, mines, power plants and other facilities could be fast-tracked for approval as part of President Trump’s demand to increase oil, gas and coal production."

Climate Change [11]
Energy & Fuel [19]
Environmental Politics [13]
Infrastructure [20]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Natural Resources [21]
Pollution [22]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: NYTimes [23], 02/19/2025
- Read more about "Trump Administration Moves to Fast-Track Hundreds of Fossil Fuel Projects" [18]
USDA Accidentally Fired Officials Working On Bird Flu, Now Trying To Rehire [24]

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Tuesday that, over the weekend, it accidentally fired "several" agency employees who are working on the federal government's response to the H5N1 avian flu outbreak. The agency said it is now trying to quickly reverse the firings."

Agriculture [25]
Consumer [26]
Environmental Health [27]
Environmental Politics [13]
Food [28]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Wildlife [29]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: NBC News [30], 02/19/2025
- Read more about USDA Accidentally Fired Officials Working On Bird Flu, Now Trying To Rehire [24]
"FEMA Restricts Media Communications" [31]

"The agency’s acting administrator directed employees to not engage with the media without “prior authorization.”"

Disasters [32]
Environmental Health [27]
Environmental Justice [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Government [33]
Journalism & Media [34]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: E&E News [35], 02/19/2025
- Read more about "FEMA Restricts Media Communications" [31]
"Trump’s Oil Ambitions Face Harsh Economic And Geologic Realities" [36]

"The president is calling for energy dominance, but aging shale plays aren’t positioned to deliver a surge of new oil production."

Climate Change [11]
Energy & Fuel [19]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: E&E News [37], 02/19/2025
- Read more about "Trump’s Oil Ambitions Face Harsh Economic And Geologic Realities" [36]
"Climate Aid Projects Fighting Extremism and Unrest Are Closing Down" [38]

"Numerous programs aimed at averting violence, instability and extremism worsened by global warming are ensnared in the effort to dismantle the main American aid agency, U.S.A.I.D."

Climate Change [11]
Disasters [32]
Environmental Health [27]
Environmental Politics [13]
Military [39]
Natural Resources [21]
People & Population [40]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
International [41]
Source: NYTimes [42], 02/19/2025
- Read more about "Climate Aid Projects Fighting Extremism and Unrest Are Closing Down" [38]
"Food Head At FDA Quits Citing Trump Administration’s Mass Staff Cuts" [43]

"The head of the food division at the US Food and Drug Administration has quit in protest over sweeping staff cuts that he warns will hamper the agency’s ability to protect public health."

Agriculture [25]
Consumer [26]
Environmental Health [27]
Environmental Politics [13]
Food [28]
Government [33]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: Guardian [44], 02/19/2025
- Read more about "Food Head At FDA Quits Citing Trump Administration’s Mass Staff Cuts" [43]
"National Science Foundation Fires Roughly 10% Of Its Workforce" [45]

"The National Science Foundation fired 168 employees on Tuesday. According to an NSF spokesperson, the firings are to ensure compliance with President Trump's executive order aimed at reducing the federal workforce in the name of efficiency."

Biodiversity [46]
Chemicals [47]
Environmental Health [27]
Environmental Politics [13]
Environmental Studies [48]
Government [33]
Science [49]
Technology [50]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: NPR [51], 02/19/2025
- Read more about "National Science Foundation Fires Roughly 10% Of Its Workforce" [45]
"EPA Plan For LA Wildfire Cleanup Stirs Protests Over Toxic Dangers" [52]

"Demonstrators have protested against an expedited cleanup process that would involve using a beloved beach as a toxic waste sorting site"

Activism [10]
Chemicals [47]
Climate Change [11]
Disasters [32]
Environmental Health [27]
Natural Resources [21]
Pollution [22]
Waste [53]
Water & Oceans [54]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
California [55]
Source: Guardian [56], 02/19/2025
- Read more about "EPA Plan For LA Wildfire Cleanup Stirs Protests Over Toxic Dangers" [52]
"Another Casualty Of Trump’s Funding Freeze: New Orleans’ Tree Canopy" [57]

"When President Donald Trump issued a series of orders that froze billions of dollars in federal climate funding late last month, he also slammed the brakes on the most ambitious replanting initiative in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina wiped out more than 200,000 trees across the city. The blocked funding could also spell the end of the nonprofit group spearheading the restoration of New Orleans’ tree canopy, which has suffered an almost 30 percent decrease over the past 20 years."

Environmental Politics [13]
Forests [58]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [59]
Source: Verite News [60], 02/19/2025
- Read more about "Another Casualty Of Trump’s Funding Freeze: New Orleans’ Tree Canopy" [57]
"As Trump Vents About Covid, Experts Worry His Moves Could Worsen Next Threat" [61]

"The president, still angry about the pandemic response, may be cutting into the country’s fundamental ability to identify emerging diseases and head them off."

Disasters [32]
Environmental Health [27]
Environmental Politics [13]
Health [62]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: Washington Post [63], 02/18/2025
- Read more about "As Trump Vents About Covid, Experts Worry His Moves Could Worsen Next Threat" [61]
"EPA Fires Nearly 400 Workers After OPM Order" [64]

"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fired nearly 400 employees after a directive from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)."

Environmental Health [27]
Environmental Politics [13]
Government [33]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: The Hill [65], 02/18/2025
- Read more about "EPA Fires Nearly 400 Workers After OPM Order" [64]
Trump Wants States To Clean Up Forests To Stop Wildfires. But He Cuts Funds [66]

"President Donald Trump’s administration is holding up money for wildfire mitigation projects funded through legislation championed by his Democratic predecessor, threatening efforts to prevent catastrophic blazes like the ones that recently ripped through Southern California."

Climate Change [11]
Disasters [32]
Forests [58]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: AP [67], 02/18/2025
- Read more about Trump Wants States To Clean Up Forests To Stop Wildfires. But He Cuts Funds [66]
"Musk Accused Reuters Of ‘Social Deception.’ The Deception Was His." [68]

"Trump’s DOGE chief mischaracterizes a contract as he marshals “deep state” conspiracy theories to justify cuts to federal agencies."

Environmental Politics [13]
Journalism & Media [34]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: Washington Post [69], 02/18/2025
- Read more about "Musk Accused Reuters Of ‘Social Deception.’ The Deception Was His." [68]
Trump DOE Delays Implementation Of Biden-Era Appliance Efficiency Rules [70]

"The Energy Department on Friday afternoon announced it would “postpone” Biden’s efficiency rules for lightbulbs, clothes washers and dryers, air conditioners, air compressors and gas-powered water heaters."

Climate Change [11]
Consumer [26]
Energy & Fuel [19]
Environmental Politics [13]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Technology [50]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: The Hill [71], 02/18/2025
- Read more about Trump DOE Delays Implementation Of Biden-Era Appliance Efficiency Rules [70]

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