EJToday: Top Headlines

Citing ‘AI Arms Race,’ Trump Admin Aims to Rekindle US Coal Industry [9]

"The administration is opening millions of additional acres of public land to mining while slashing royalty rates and environmental regulations for coal. Environmentalists warn of skyrocketing costs and threats to land, water and air."

Climate Change [10]
Economy & Business [11]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Natural Resources [15]
Pollution [16]
Technology [17]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Source: Inside Climate News [20], 09/30/2025
- Read more about Citing ‘AI Arms Race,’ Trump Admin Aims to Rekindle US Coal Industry [9]
Indigenous Land Defender Killed As Ecuador Cracks Down on Activists [21]

"An Indigenous land defender was shot and killed on Sunday in Cotacachi, Ecuador, where he was marching in protest of high costs of living and government crackdowns on Indigenous and environmental activists."

Activism [22]
Environmental Justice [23]
Environmental Politics [13]
Military [24]
Natural Resources [15]
People & Population [25]
Public [18]
South America [26]
Source: Inside Climate News [27], 09/30/2025
- Read more about Indigenous Land Defender Killed As Ecuador Cracks Down on Activists [21]
Trump Can't Condition Disaster Grants On Immigration Policy, Judge Rules [28]

"A federal judge this week blocked the Trump administration from conditioning disaster and security funds for states on their immigration policies."

Climate Change [10]
Disasters [29]
Economy & Business [11]
Environmental Health [30]
Environmental Justice [23]
Environmental Politics [13]
Government [31]
Laws & Regulations [14]
People & Population [25]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Source: The Hill [32], 09/30/2025
- Read more about Trump Can't Condition Disaster Grants On Immigration Policy, Judge Rules [28]
"EPA’s Effort to Pull Back PFAS Limits Spurs Statutory Tug of War" [33]

"The EPA is attempting an end run around the Safe Drinking Water Act by trying to rollback drinking water limits it previously set for four PFAS, attorneys representing affected communities said in legal briefs."

Chemicals [34]
Consumer [35]
Environmental Health [30]
Environmental Justice [23]
Environmental Politics [13]
Infrastructure [36]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Pollution [16]
Water & Oceans [37]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Source: Bloomberg Environment [38], 09/30/2025
- Read more about "EPA’s Effort to Pull Back PFAS Limits Spurs Statutory Tug of War" [33]
"Energy Dept. Adds ‘Climate Change’ And ‘Emissions’ To Banned Words List" [39]

"The Energy Department has added “climate change,” “green” and “decarbonization” to its growing “list of words to avoid” at its Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, according to an email issued Friday and obtained by POLITICO."

Climate Change [10]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Health [30]
Environmental Justice [23]
Environmental Politics [13]
Journalism & Media [40]
Laws & Regulations [14]
People & Population [25]
Science [41]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Source: Politico [42], 09/30/2025
- Read more about "Energy Dept. Adds ‘Climate Change’ And ‘Emissions’ To Banned Words List" [39]
"Trump Agencies Lean Into Shortcuts for Public Comment Process" [43]

"The Trump administration is repeatedly disregarding the notice-and-comment process normally required for creating or repealing regulations, raising alarms from those who say it’s sidestepping safeguards against arbitrary and ineffective government action."

Environmental Justice [23]
Environmental Politics [13]
Journalism & Media [40]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Source: Bloomberg Environment [44], 09/30/2025
- Read more about "Trump Agencies Lean Into Shortcuts for Public Comment Process" [43]
"Endangered Whooping Crane Dies Of Avian Flu At Wisconsin Wildlife Refuge" [45]

"The International Crane Foundation announced Monday that Ducky, an endangered female whooping crane the foundation planned to release into the wilds of Wisconsin this fall, died on Thursday after becoming infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, a strain of avian flu."

Biodiversity [46]
Environmental Health [30]
Natural Resources [15]
Wildlife [47]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [48]
Source: AP [49], 09/30/2025
- Read more about "Endangered Whooping Crane Dies Of Avian Flu At Wisconsin Wildlife Refuge" [45]
"Carrier Wants To Pair Batteries With Air Conditioners To Help The Grid" [50]

"Utilities are struggling to meet demand as AI data centers surge. Equipping air conditioners with batteries could be an easy and hugely scalable way to free up electricity supply at peak times."

Climate Change [10]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Infrastructure [36]
Pollution [16]
Technology [17]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Source: Canary Media [51], 09/30/2025
- Read more about "Carrier Wants To Pair Batteries With Air Conditioners To Help The Grid" [50]
One Year After Helene: The Massive Effort To Rebuild The Appalachian Trail [52]

"More than 680 volunteers, including some from as far away as Japan, descended on the Appalachian Trail in the past year to help recover a landscape forever scarred by Hurricane Helene."

Activism [22]
Climate Change [10]
Disasters [29]
Infrastructure [36]
Natural Resources [15]
People & Population [25]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Source: National Parks Traveler [53], 09/30/2025
- Read more about One Year After Helene: The Massive Effort To Rebuild The Appalachian Trail [52]
"What Do Fens Do? Make Peat, Store Water And Help Combat Climate Change" [54]

"Meet the researchers restoring these unique wetlands high in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains."

Biodiversity [46]
Climate Change [10]
Environmental Studies [55]
Natural Resources [15]
Science [41]
Water & Oceans [37]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [56]
Source: High Country News [57], 09/30/2025
- Read more about "What Do Fens Do? Make Peat, Store Water And Help Combat Climate Change" [54]
"Federal Workforce Girds For Mass Firings Amid Shutdown Threat" [58]

"Federal workers across the government are bracing for possible cuts after the White House instructed agencies Wednesday night to consider widespread layoffs in the event of a shutdown." "The White House has directed federal agencies to consider handing out pink slips if the government shuts down."

Economy & Business [11]
Environmental Politics [13]
Government [31]
Infrastructure [36]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Source: E&E News [59], 09/29/2025
- Read more about "Federal Workforce Girds For Mass Firings Amid Shutdown Threat" [58]
"National Weather Service At ‘Breaking Point’ As Storm Approaches" [60]

"Staffing cuts under the Trump administration mean forecasters are struggling to maintain normal operations." "Some National Weather Service staffers are working double shifts to keep forecasting offices open. Others are operating under a “buddy system,” in which adjacent offices help monitor severe weather in understaffed regions."

Climate Change [10]
Disasters [29]
Environmental Health [30]
Environmental Politics [13]
Journalism & Media [40]
People & Population [25]
Science [41]
Water & Oceans [37]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [61]
Source: Washington Post [62], 09/29/2025
- Read more about "National Weather Service At ‘Breaking Point’ As Storm Approaches" [60]
Trump Officials Shut Off Funding For USGS Climate Adaptation Centers [63]

"A third of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Climate Adaptation Science Centers are expected to drastically wind down and possibly close after Sept. 30." "Tracking bird populations after hurricanes. Mapping the risk of megafires across the Midwest. Identifying less expensive ways to battle invasive plants. Preparing communities’ stormwater drains against intense flooding."

Climate Change [10]
Disasters [29]
Environmental Health [30]
Environmental Politics [13]
Natural Resources [15]
People & Population [25]
Technology [17]
Water & Oceans [37]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Source: Washington Post [64], 09/29/2025
- Read more about Trump Officials Shut Off Funding For USGS Climate Adaptation Centers [63]
Arduous and Unequal: The Fight to Get FEMA Housing Assistance After Helene [65]

"One Year After Helene: People who lost their homes turned to FEMA for aid. Some are still slogging through red tape. Wealthier Getting More: We found that in some North Carolina counties, homeowners with the highest incomes received two to three times as much FEMA housing assistance as lower-income ones."

"Slogging through a thick slop of mud and rock, Brian Hill passed the roof that Hurricane Helene’s floodwaters had just ripped off someone’s barn and dumped into his yard. Then he peered into the unrecognizable chaos inside what had been his family’s dream home.
Climate Change [10]
Disasters [29]
Environmental Justice [23]
Government [31]
People & Population [25]
Water & Oceans [37]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [61]
Source: ProPublica/Assembly [66], 09/29/2025
- Read more about Arduous and Unequal: The Fight to Get FEMA Housing Assistance After Helene [65]
Bureau of Land Management to Sell Off Federal Coal Reserve Leases in Wyoming [67]

"The Trump administration has offered coal reserves in Wyoming in its latest move to reinvigorate the country’s coal industry. One environmental lawyer says it’s “ludicrous” to be selling leases for the most expensive and dirtiest form of energy."

Climate Change [10]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Health [30]
Environmental Politics [13]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Natural Resources [15]
Pollution [16]
Technology [17]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [56]
Source: Inside Climate News [68], 09/29/2025
- Read more about Bureau of Land Management to Sell Off Federal Coal Reserve Leases in Wyoming [67]

Pages