EJToday: Top Headlines

Anxious Scientists Brace For Trump’s Climate Denialism: ‘Target On Our Backs’ [9]

"As the world’s largest gathering of Earth and space scientists swarmed a Washington venue last week, the packed halls have been permeated by an air of anxiety and even dread over a new Donald Trump presidency that might worsen what has been a bruising few years for science."

Climate Change [10]
Environmental Politics [11]
Environmental Studies [12]
Natural Resources [13]
Science [14]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: Guardian [17], 12/17/2024
- Read more about Anxious Scientists Brace For Trump’s Climate Denialism: ‘Target On Our Backs’ [9]
Emboldened by ABC Settlement, Trump Threatens More Lawsuits Against Media [18]

"President-elect Donald Trump had not been terribly successful in suing media organizations until this weekend when ABC News agreed to settle a closely-watched defamation case he brought against the network to the tune of $16 million. Now, Trump is expanding his threats of legal action against the news media as he prepares to move back into the White House, stating he wants to “straighten out the press.”"

Environmental Health [19]
Environmental Politics [11]
Government [20]
Journalism & Media [21]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Science [14]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: CNN [23], 12/17/2024
- Read more about Emboldened by ABC Settlement, Trump Threatens More Lawsuits Against Media [18]
UN Talks Fail To Agree On Dealing With Rising Risk Of Global Drought [24]

"Despite two weeks of U.N.-sponsored talks in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh, the participating 197 nations failed to agree early Saturday on a plan to deal with global droughts, made longer and more severe by a warming climate."

Agriculture [25]
Biodiversity [26]
Climate Change [10]
Disasters [27]
Natural Resources [13]
People & Population [28]
Water & Oceans [29]
Public [15]
International [30]
Africa [31]
Source: AP [32], 12/17/2024
- Read more about UN Talks Fail To Agree On Dealing With Rising Risk Of Global Drought [24]
"‘Unfettered’ Gas Exports Would Harm U.S. Economy, Energy Secretary Warns" [33]

"If the United States were to continue exporting liquefied natural gas in the way that has made it the world’s biggest gas supplier, it would drive up costs for American consumers and businesses, pollute struggling communities and increase global greenhouse gas emissions, according to a letter written by Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm that was obtained by The Times."

Climate Change [10]
Energy & Fuel [34]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
International [30]
Source: NYTimes [35], 12/17/2024
- Read more about "‘Unfettered’ Gas Exports Would Harm U.S. Economy, Energy Secretary Warns" [33]
"Velsicol’s Defunct Memphis Plant May Become Environmental Trust" [36]

"Velsicol, a legacy polluter that manufactured pesticides, is proposing to hand over its 83-acre defunct facility in North Memphis to Tennessee as an environmental response trust. Should the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) accept a settlement agreement from the company, the state will be left to determine what to do with wide-ranging contamination including a baseball diamond-shaped pile of hazardous waste and a fluctuating groundwater plume of chemicals beneath it."

Chemicals [37]
Environmental Health [19]
Environmental Justice [38]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Pollution [39]
Waste [40]
Public [15]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [41]
Source: Tennessee Lookout [42], 12/17/2024
- Read more about "Velsicol’s Defunct Memphis Plant May Become Environmental Trust" [36]
"Biden Touts Labor Protections As He Creates Maine National Monument" [43]

"President Joe Biden elevated the Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Landmark in Maine to national monument status Monday, honoring the nation’s first female Cabinet secretary and an architect of the New Deal."

Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [13]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [44]
Source: E&E News [45], 12/17/2024
- Read more about "Biden Touts Labor Protections As He Creates Maine National Monument" [43]
Feds Propose Protection For Giant Salamanders Devastated By Helene [46]

"You never forget your first time seeing a giant salamander, according to Andy Hill. He was a teenager, standing thigh-high in the Watauga River outside Boone, North Carolina, casting a line on an early fall day when he saw his first eastern hellbender. The salamander stretched 2 feet long and was camouflaged among rocks beneath the clear water."

Biodiversity [26]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [13]
Water & Oceans [29]
Wildlife [47]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [41]
Source: AP [48], 12/17/2024
- Read more about Feds Propose Protection For Giant Salamanders Devastated By Helene [46]
"Huffman Wins Key Vote To Succeed Grijalva Atop Natural Resources Democrats" [49]

"Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) won a Democratic Steering and Policy Committee vote Monday to succeed Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) as the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, advancing him to a full vote of the Democratic caucus."

Environmental Politics [11]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [13]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
California [50]
Source: The Hill [51], 12/17/2024
- Read more about "Huffman Wins Key Vote To Succeed Grijalva Atop Natural Resources Democrats" [49]
3 Years After Huge Sewage Spill El Segundo Still Stinks. Why Can’t LA Fix It? [52]

"On the worst days, Tamara Kcehowski said, she has thrown up when the stench from Los Angeles’ nearby sewage plant overwhelms her El Segundo apartment. She said her dog, Maggie, has even retched alongside her."

Environmental Health [19]
Environmental Justice [38]
Infrastructure [53]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Pollution [39]
Waste [40]
Water & Oceans [29]
Public [15]
California [50]
Source: LA Times [54], 12/17/2024
- Read more about 3 Years After Huge Sewage Spill El Segundo Still Stinks. Why Can’t LA Fix It? [52]
Burmese Pythons: How 20ft Predators Are Wreaking Havoc On The Everglades [55]

"An invasive predator that can grow up to 20ft, weigh over 100kg and devour prey six times its size – it is enough to make anyone’s skin crawl. That’s what residents of southern Florida have been struggling with for the past few decades, with the rapid growth of the Burmese python population in the Everglades."

Biodiversity [26]
Wildlife [47]
Public [15]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [41]
Source: Guardian [56], 12/17/2024
- Read more about Burmese Pythons: How 20ft Predators Are Wreaking Havoc On The Everglades [55]
"Trump’s Choice to Run Energy Says Fossil Fuels Are Virtuous" [57]

"Chris Wright, Donald Trump’s pick for energy secretary, says oil, gas and coal are key to solving global poverty. Some call that misleading."

Climate Change [10]
Energy & Fuel [34]
Environmental Politics [11]
Pollution [39]
Science [14]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: NYTimes [58], 12/16/2024
- Read more about "Trump’s Choice to Run Energy Says Fossil Fuels Are Virtuous" [57]
"Pipeline Opponents Receive Cease And Desist Letters From Summit" [59]

"Several opponents of the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions carbon sequestration pipeline have received letters on behalf of the company threatening lawsuits over perceived defamation, an environmental group representative said."

Environmental Politics [11]
Journalism & Media [21]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: Iowa Capital Dispatch [60], 12/16/2024
- Read more about "Pipeline Opponents Receive Cease And Desist Letters From Summit" [59]
"Trump’s CDC Pick Wouldn’t Let Go Of False Theory Vaccines Cause Autism" [61]

"Dave Weldon’s long record of promoting the disproven link between vaccines and autism raises concerns among some public health experts about his ability to run the CDC."

Environmental Health [19]
Environmental Politics [11]
Health [62]
Science [14]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: Washington Post [63], 12/16/2024
- Read more about "Trump’s CDC Pick Wouldn’t Let Go Of False Theory Vaccines Cause Autism" [61]
"Members Of Congress Question Oz’s Credentials For CMS Post" [64]

"On Tuesday, top Democrats, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts), Dick Durbin (Illinois) and Ben Cardin (Maryland), sent Mehmet Oz a letter asking whether he was qualified for the job Trump has said he’ll nominate him for — running two of the federal government’s largest health-care programs as director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services."

Environmental Health [19]
Environmental Politics [11]
Health [62]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Source: Washington Post [65], 12/16/2024
- Read more about "Members Of Congress Question Oz’s Credentials For CMS Post" [64]
"Earthquakes And Blowouts Undermine Case For Carbon Storage In Texas" [66]

"Texas has seen surging interest from companies hoping to bury carbon dioxide in its oilfields, putting the state at the vanguard of a government-subsidized program to fight climate change. But pumping CO2 into the ground could exacerbate earthquakes and well blowouts already happening in the Permian Basin as Texas struggles to manage wastewater disposal, potentially undermining public support."

Disasters [27]
Energy & Fuel [34]
Environmental Studies [12]
Natural Resources [13]
Pollution [39]
Water & Oceans [29]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [16]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [67]
Source: Reuters [68], 12/16/2024
- Read more about "Earthquakes And Blowouts Undermine Case For Carbon Storage In Texas" [66]

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