EJToday: Top Headlines

S.Calif. Fires Ease As Santa Ana Winds Die Down. Rain Threatens New Risks [9]

"Strong Santa Ana winds that fueled a rash of wildfires in Southern California have abated, and crews were turning a corner Sunday on the blazes that closed highways, damaged a military base and destroyed multimillion-dollar homes. But an incoming storm system could pose new risks for the region as crews continue to brace for more wild weather this fall."

Climate Change [10]
Disasters [11]
Environmental Health [12]
Public [13]
California [14]
Source: Los Angeles Times [15], 10/19/2026
- Read more about S.Calif. Fires Ease As Santa Ana Winds Die Down. Rain Threatens New Risks [9]
Brazil’s Election Could Determine The Fate Of The Amazon [16]

"Brazilians filling out presidential ballots earlier this month saw three-term incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva pitted against Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. Environmental observers saw something else: a referendum on the future of the Amazon rainforest."

Climate Change [10]
Energy & Fuel [17]
Environmental Politics [18]
Forests [19]
Government [20]
Laws & Regulations [21]
Natural Resources [22]
Public [13]
South America [23]
Source: Grist [24], 10/19/2026
- Read more about Brazil’s Election Could Determine The Fate Of The Amazon [16]
US Corporate Lobbyists in ‘Blitz’ To Dilute EU Deforestation Law: Report [25]

"US corporate lobbyists launched a two-year “blitz” to postpone and weaken the world’s most progressive legislation to protect forests, according to a new investigation by the environmental watchdog Mighty Earth."

Economy & Business [26]
Environmental Politics [18]
Forests [19]
Government [20]
Journalism & Media [27]
Laws & Regulations [21]
Public [13]
National (U.S.) [28]
Europe [29]
Source: Guardian [30], 10/19/2026
- Read more about US Corporate Lobbyists in ‘Blitz’ To Dilute EU Deforestation Law: Report [25]
Workers Facing Deadly Heat Borrow From Tomato Pickers To Win Protections [31]

"As efforts to protect people from extreme heat stall, organizers are embracing an approach that targets major brands’ reputations"

Agriculture [32]
Climate Change [10]
Environmental Health [12]
Environmental Justice [33]
Government [20]
Laws & Regulations [21]
People & Population [34]
Public [13]
National (U.S.) [28]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [35]
Source: Guardian [36], 10/19/2026
- Read more about Workers Facing Deadly Heat Borrow From Tomato Pickers To Win Protections [31]
EPA Quietly Backtracks On Claims US Has Phased Out Toxic Pfas Compounds [37]

"The Environmental Protection Agency has quietly backtracked on a claim that the US has phased out two of the most dangerous Pfas compounds – Pfoa and Pfos."

Chemicals [38]
Consumer [39]
Environmental Health [12]
Environmental Politics [18]
Laws & Regulations [21]
Pollution [40]
Technology [41]
Public [13]
National (U.S.) [28]
Source: Guardian [42], 10/19/2026
- Read more about EPA Quietly Backtracks On Claims US Has Phased Out Toxic Pfas Compounds [37]
Maybe There Was an Egg Cartel After All [43]

"For years, economists dismissed collusion as crankery and blamed bird flu for high prices. Then the feds found evidence that could prove the cranks right, and almost nobody noticed."

Agriculture [32]
Economy & Business [26]
Food [44]
Laws & Regulations [21]
People & Population [34]
Public [13]
National (U.S.) [28]
Source: POLITICO [45], 10/19/2026
- Read more about Maybe There Was an Egg Cartel After All [43]
Trump Touted Suspiciously Cheap Gas Stations: What He Didn’t Tell You [46]

"To understand how Donald Trump would come to use the power of the presidency to promote a small discount gas station operation — one with murky finances, mysterious ownership and allegedly dubious business practices — you need to start with a former South Jersey mayor who also happens to be a Super Bowl-winning NFL kicking coach."

Conflict/Corruption [47]
Economy & Business [26]
Energy & Fuel [17]
Public [13]
National (U.S.) [28]
Source: POLITICO [48], 10/19/2026
- Read more about Trump Touted Suspiciously Cheap Gas Stations: What He Didn’t Tell You [46]
Nations Meet in Armenia as Goal to Protect Nature Remains Out of Reach [49]

"The United Nations is convening delegates from nearly 200 countries to try to make progress on pledges to protect plants, animals and ecosystems."

Biodiversity [50]
Environmental Justice [33]
Environmental Politics [18]
Laws & Regulations [21]
Wildlife [51]
Public [13]
International [52]
Source: New York Times [53], 10/19/2026
- Read more about Nations Meet in Armenia as Goal to Protect Nature Remains Out of Reach [49]
USDA Scientists Get Reprieve From Lab Closures, But For How Long? [54]

"Last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it was closing its largest research campus and radically reorganizing research at the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The moves were controversial because they involved long-distance job transfers that threatened to uproot many scientists and derail research programs. This week, a federal judge declared the plans were likely illegal and ordered a halt until at least 11 December, when the current federal budget runs out."

Agriculture [32]
Food [44]
Government [20]
Laws & Regulations [21]
People & Population [34]
Science [55]
Technology [41]
Public [13]
National (U.S.) [28]
Source: Science [56], 10/19/2026
- Read more about USDA Scientists Get Reprieve From Lab Closures, But For How Long? [54]
Trump Rule Lets Alaska Hunters Lure Bears With Bacon-Greased Doughnuts [57]

"Hunters on some public lands in Alaska will be allowed to bait bears with doughnuts soaked in bacon grease before shooting them at close range, under a rule the Trump administration released Friday."

Biodiversity [50]
Environmental Politics [18]
Laws & Regulations [21]
Natural Resources [22]
People & Population [34]
Wildlife [51]
Public [13]
National (U.S.) [28]
Alaska and Hawaii [58]
Source: New York Times [59], 10/19/2026
- Read more about Trump Rule Lets Alaska Hunters Lure Bears With Bacon-Greased Doughnuts [57]
Watchdog Questions Zeldin’s Tour With Embattled GOP Candidates [60]

"The EPA administrator is visiting battleground districts and states in the runup to the midterm elections. Are the trips for policy or politics?"

Environmental Politics [18]
Government [20]
Pollution [40]
Public [13]
National (U.S.) [28]
Source: Inside Climate News [61], 10/16/2026
- Read more about Watchdog Questions Zeldin’s Tour With Embattled GOP Candidates [60]
Hot Weather And Winds Raise Calif. Wildfire Threat As Power Shutoffs Start [62]

"Tens of thousands of people in California were without electricity Thursday as utilities tried to reduce the risks of hot, windy weather that could blow over power lines and spark wildfires."

Climate Change [10]
Disasters [11]
Energy & Fuel [17]
Infrastructure [63]
Public [13]
California [14]
Source: AP [64], 10/16/2026
- Read more about Hot Weather And Winds Raise Calif. Wildfire Threat As Power Shutoffs Start [62]
EPA Is About to Hand Oil and Gas Companies a Huge Methane-Related Gift [65]

"Rolling back regulations will give industry players “exactly what they’ve long wanted.”"

Chemicals [38]
Climate Change [10]
Conflict/Corruption [47]
Energy & Fuel [17]
Laws & Regulations [21]
Pollution [40]
Public [13]
National (U.S.) [28]
Source: Mother Jones [66], 10/16/2026
- Read more about EPA Is About to Hand Oil and Gas Companies a Huge Methane-Related Gift [65]
EPA Rollbacks Could Shift Pollution Costs To NC Families, Report Says [67]

"North Carolina families could face longer exposure to contaminated drinking water and power plant pollution as President Donald Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) weakens or delays federal safeguards, according to a new report."

Air [68]
Environmental Health [12]
Environmental Politics [18]
Laws & Regulations [21]
People & Population [34]
Pollution [40]
Water & Oceans [69]
Public [13]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [35]
Source: WRAL [70], 10/16/2026
- Read more about EPA Rollbacks Could Shift Pollution Costs To NC Families, Report Says [67]
Supreme Court Weeds Out $28 Million Roundup Ruling [71]

"The high court reversed a California man's victory against Monsanto over the agricultural giant's failure to warn of Roundup's cancerous risks, dooming similar cases in the future."

Agriculture [32]
Chemicals [38]
Environmental Health [12]
Laws & Regulations [21]
Public [13]
National (U.S.) [28]
California [14]
Source: Courthouse News Service [72], 10/16/2026
- Read more about Supreme Court Weeds Out $28 Million Roundup Ruling [71]

Pages