EJToday: Top Headlines

Wildfire Smoke Blankets Midwest And Northeast, Prompts Evacuations [9]

"Thousands of visitors were told to evacuate a remote Minnesota wilderness area accessible only by boat as wildfires send dangerously heavy smoke over the U.S. Midwest and Northeast this week."

Air [10]
Climate Change [11]
Disasters [12]
Environmental Health [13]
Forests [14]
Natural Resources [15]
People & Population [16]
Pollution [17]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Canada [20]
Source: AP [21], 07/17/2026
- Read more about Wildfire Smoke Blankets Midwest And Northeast, Prompts Evacuations [9]
As Climate Extremes Collide, Attribution Science Evolves [22]

"A National Academy of Sciences report on extreme climate event attribution confronts political climate denialism with scientific evidence."

Agriculture [23]
Climate Change [11]
Disasters [12]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Studies [24]
People & Population [16]
Science [25]
Water & Oceans [26]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Source: Inside Climate News [27], 07/17/2026
- Read more about As Climate Extremes Collide, Attribution Science Evolves [22]
As Climate Expands Mosquito Ranges, Monitoring Helps Prevent Disease [28]

"Monitoring is expensive and labor intensive. But it helps public health officials stop outbreaks."

Biodiversity [29]
Climate Change [11]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Studies [24]
Health [30]
People & Population [16]
Science [25]
Wildlife [31]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [32]
Source: Inside Climate News [33], 07/17/2026
- Read more about As Climate Expands Mosquito Ranges, Monitoring Helps Prevent Disease [28]
Michigan Issues Line 5 Tunnel Permits Despite ‘Significant Impacts’ [34]

"State agencies on Wednesday issued key permits for the controversial Line 5 tunnel in the Straits of Mackinac, concluding the project’s benefits outweigh drawbacks that include disruption to Native American burial sites and harm to wetlands and rare species."

Disasters [12]
Energy & Fuel [35]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Politics [36]
Infrastructure [37]
Laws & Regulations [38]
Pollution [17]
Transportation [39]
Water & Oceans [26]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [40]
Canada [20]
Source: Bridge Michigan [41], 07/17/2026
- Read more about Michigan Issues Line 5 Tunnel Permits Despite ‘Significant Impacts’ [34]
Google’s $3.5B Solar Project Pushes US Into New Territory [42]

"The largest solar and battery project in America broke ground this week, as Cypress Creek Renewables began construction of the Steel River Energy Center in Arkansas."

Climate Change [11]
Energy & Fuel [35]
Infrastructure [37]
Planning & Growth [43]
Technology [44]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [45]
Source: E&E News [46], 07/17/2026
- Read more about Google’s $3.5B Solar Project Pushes US Into New Territory [42]
Analysis: Andy Burnham, Next British PM, Faces Tough Climate Decisions [47]

"Wildfires cast a pall of smoke this week over Greater Manchester, whose former mayor Andy Burnham stands on the threshold of No 10. Amid three UK heatwaves so far this year, which have killed thousands of people in England and Wales, damaged harvests and left children crying in classrooms, the new prime minister’s plans for the climate crisis remain as shrouded as his city."

Climate Change [11]
Disasters [12]
Economy & Business [48]
Energy & Fuel [35]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Politics [36]
Government [49]
Laws & Regulations [38]
Planning & Growth [43]
Pollution [17]
Public [18]
Europe [50]
Source: Guardian [51], 07/17/2026
- Read more about Analysis: Andy Burnham, Next British PM, Faces Tough Climate Decisions [47]
US Trial Could Reveal Who Paid Hackers To Target Exxon Climate Critics [52]

"A group of American climate activists are closely watching a US court case that could reveal who hired hackers to target their inboxes a decade ago."

Activism [53]
Climate Change [11]
Conflict/Corruption [54]
Energy & Fuel [35]
Environmental Politics [36]
Journalism & Media [55]
Laws & Regulations [38]
People & Population [16]
Pollution [17]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
International [56]
Source: Guardian [57], 07/17/2026
- Read more about US Trial Could Reveal Who Paid Hackers To Target Exxon Climate Critics [52]
Puerto Rico Announces Emergency Water Rationing As Drought Worsens [58]

"Puerto Rico announced water rationing measures on Thursday as a drought grips the U.S. territory, worsening chronic water shortages that have forced the governor to declare a state of emergency."

Climate Change [11]
Disasters [12]
Environmental Health [13]
Infrastructure [37]
Laws & Regulations [38]
Water & Oceans [26]
Public [18]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [45]
Source: AP [59], 07/17/2026
- Read more about Puerto Rico Announces Emergency Water Rationing As Drought Worsens [58]
"The Mysterious Case Of Disappearing Chesapeake Ospreys" [60]

"It was a glorious spring here on the lower Potomac River in 2023 for ospreys and for the townsfolk like Joanie and Barry Millward who applaud their annual return from the tropics and thrill to watch them dive for fish." "Then, a sudden and mysterious population crash: Only five chicks reached adulthood in 2024, eight in 2025."

Biodiversity [29]
Environmental Health [13]
Water & Oceans [26]
Wildlife [31]
Public [18]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [61]
Source: Bay Journal [62], 07/17/2026
- Read more about "The Mysterious Case Of Disappearing Chesapeake Ospreys" [60]
After Wildfires Destroyed Forests, CA Tribe Finds 1,200 Ancestral Sites [63]

"Until recently, when members of the Konkow Valley Band of Maidu pulled up a map of their ancestral land in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, only about two dozen of their historic sites appeared." "Then the forests burned."

Climate Change [11]
Forests [14]
Natural Resources [15]
People & Population [16]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [64]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
California [65]
Source: Los Angeles Times [66], 07/17/2026
- Read more about After Wildfires Destroyed Forests, CA Tribe Finds 1,200 Ancestral Sites [63]
Data Centers to Add Billions in Power Costs in 13 PJM States [67]

"A power auction conducted by a giant grid operator is expected to add $6.3 billion in additional charges to consumers and businesses because of electricity needs of data centers."

Climate Change [11]
Consumer [68]
Energy & Fuel [35]
Environmental Politics [36]
Infrastructure [37]
Laws & Regulations [38]
Technology [44]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [61]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [32]
Source: New York Times [69], 07/16/2026
- Read more about Data Centers to Add Billions in Power Costs in 13 PJM States [67]
Ellisons Sued by Paramount Investor Over Alleged Trump CNN Side Deal [70]

"A fourth lawsuit has been filed looking to block Paramount‘s bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, this time by shareholders who accuse David Ellison and his father, Oracle scion Larry Ellison, of striking an illegal deal with President Trump for approval of the merger." "The lawsuit claims that the Ellisons illegally promised to overhaul CNN as the administration looks to reshape media. The complaint follows a coalition of state attorneys general, the Writers Guild of America and Paramount+ subscribers filing lawsuits against the studio."

Conflict/Corruption [54]
Consumer [68]
Economy & Business [48]
Environmental Politics [36]
Journalism & Media [55]
Laws & Regulations [38]
Technology [44]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Source: Hollywood Reporter [71], 07/16/2026
- Read more about Ellisons Sued by Paramount Investor Over Alleged Trump CNN Side Deal [70]
Trump Admin Proposes To Hand States Control Over Grizzlies [72]

"The Trump administration proposed Tuesday to hand over management of grizzly bears to Western states, a win for advocates of local control that did not change the underlying imperiled status of the bears."

Biodiversity [29]
Environmental Politics [36]
Laws & Regulations [38]
Natural Resources [15]
Wildlife [31]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [73]
Source: E&E News [74], 07/16/2026
- Read more about Trump Admin Proposes To Hand States Control Over Grizzlies [72]
Senate Panel Releases Bipartisan Water Projects Bill [75]

"The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released bipartisan legislation Monday that seeks to address major water infrastructure priorities and bar the Trump administration from canceling congressionally authorized projects." "The legislation addresses a broader suite of issues compared to the House version."

Economy & Business [48]
Environmental Politics [36]
Environmental Studies [24]
Infrastructure [37]
Laws & Regulations [38]
Military [76]
Planning & Growth [43]
Technology [44]
Water & Oceans [26]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Source: E&E News [77], 07/16/2026
- Read more about Senate Panel Releases Bipartisan Water Projects Bill [75]
Texans Fighting The Big Bend Border Wall Across Party Lines [78]

"Residents across party lines say Trump’s proposed wall threatens their homes, livelihoods and wilderness along the Rio Grande"

Activism [53]
Biodiversity [29]
Environmental Politics [36]
Infrastructure [37]
People & Population [16]
Water & Oceans [26]
Wildlife [31]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [79]
Source: Guardian [80], 07/16/2026
- Read more about Texans Fighting The Big Bend Border Wall Across Party Lines [78]

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