EJToday: Top Headlines

El Niño Could Push 50M People Into Acute Hunger By End Of Next Year [9]

"About 50 million people are likely to be pushed into acute hunger before the end of next year by the rapidly developing El Niño weather system, according to forecasting. This is in addition to the hundreds of millions of people already facing dangerous levels of hunger, owing to years of drought in parts of Africa and pressure on food prices from the war in Iran."

Agriculture [10]
Climate Change [11]
Disasters [12]
Economy & Business [13]
Environmental Health [14]
Environmental Justice [15]
Food [16]
People & Population [17]
Public [18]
International [19]
Source: Guardian [20], 08/07/2026
- Read more about El Niño Could Push 50M People Into Acute Hunger By End Of Next Year [9]
Trump DOI To Pay German Firm $1.22Bn To Cut More Offshore Wind Leases [21]

"The German energy company RWE has reached a $1.22bn deal with the US government to relinquish its offshore wind leases and instead redirect funds towards fossil fuel investments. The agreement marks the fifth deal the Donald Trump administration has struck with energy companies, offering payouts in exchange for abandoning renewable energy projects and redirecting investment towards fossil fuels."

Climate Change [11]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Politics [23]
Infrastructure [24]
Laws & Regulations [25]
Pollution [26]
Technology [27]
Water & Oceans [28]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [29]
International [19]
Source: Guardian [30], 08/07/2026
- Read more about Trump DOI To Pay German Firm $1.22Bn To Cut More Offshore Wind Leases [21]
Federal Judge Orders Pentagon to Lift Freeze on Wind Power [31]

"A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Pentagon to lift its freeze on reviewing onshore wind projects and to end some of the delays that have brought U.S. wind power development to a standstill."

Climate Change [11]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Politics [23]
Laws & Regulations [25]
Military [32]
Technology [27]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [29]
Source: New York Times [33], 08/07/2026
- Read more about Federal Judge Orders Pentagon to Lift Freeze on Wind Power [31]
All Bodies Of Water In England Polluted With Toxic Chemicals: Data [34]

"Every single English water body is polluted with toxic chemicals, new government data shows, while just 14.3% of surface waters achieved good ecological status."

Chemicals [35]
Consumer [36]
Environmental Health [14]
Laws & Regulations [25]
Pollution [26]
Water & Oceans [28]
Public [18]
Europe [37]
Source: Guardian [38], 08/07/2026
- Read more about All Bodies Of Water In England Polluted With Toxic Chemicals: Data [34]
Sunrise Co-Founder, Data Center Critic Nabs Big Michigan Primary [39]

"William Lawrence, a data center moratorium supporter who co-founded the progressive Sunrise Movement, won a critical Michigan congressional primary Tuesday over two more-moderate and better-funded Democrats."

Activism [40]
Climate Change [11]
Environmental Justice [15]
Environmental Politics [23]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [29]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [41]
Source: E&E News [42], 08/07/2026
- Read more about Sunrise Co-Founder, Data Center Critic Nabs Big Michigan Primary [39]
Virginia To Offload More Grid Costs Onto Data Centers [43]

"The data center capital of the world is shifting more transmission costs onto the energy-hungry sector." "The decision is expected to shift hundreds of millions of dollars in transmission costs away from the public."

Climate Change [11]
Economy & Business [13]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Politics [23]
Government [44]
Infrastructure [24]
Laws & Regulations [25]
Planning & Growth [45]
Pollution [26]
Technology [27]
Public [18]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [46]
Source: E&E News [47], 08/07/2026
- Read more about Virginia To Offload More Grid Costs Onto Data Centers [43]
Supreme Court Sets Oct. 5 Date For Blockbuster Climate Case [48]

"The case, Suncor v. Boulder, has spurred calls for two of the justices to recuse themselves as they weigh whether federal law or the Constitution bars local governments from suing fossil fuel companies over the costs of addressing climate change."

Climate Change [11]
Economy & Business [13]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Politics [23]
Infrastructure [24]
Laws & Regulations [25]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [29]
Source: E&E News [49], 08/07/2026
- Read more about Supreme Court Sets Oct. 5 Date For Blockbuster Climate Case [48]
Lumberjack Lawmaker: Troy Jackson Cuts A Mixed Environmental Image [50]

"A late add to try to unseat Sen. Susan Collins, the Democratic Senate hopeful blends a progressive streak with roots in the timber industry."

Biodiversity [51]
Climate Change [11]
Environmental Politics [23]
Laws & Regulations [25]
People & Population [17]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [29]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [52]
Source: E&E News [53], 08/07/2026
- Read more about Lumberjack Lawmaker: Troy Jackson Cuts A Mixed Environmental Image [50]
Unusually Intense Haboob Dust Storms Strike Phoenix Twice This Week [54]

"Dust storms that blanketed the Phoenix area in thick haze this week were among the most intense to hit the region in years, scientists said Thursday. The storms — called haboobs — occur throughout the U.S. Southwest when strong downdrafts from thunderstorms stir up loose dust and dirt that get blown along in front of the approaching storm cell."

Climate Change [11]
Disasters [12]
Environmental Health [14]
Pollution [26]
Public [18]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [55]
Source: AP [56], 08/07/2026
- Read more about Unusually Intense Haboob Dust Storms Strike Phoenix Twice This Week [54]
On Frontline Of Australia’s Bird Flu Outbreak, People Are Distressed [57]

"As Australia prepares for the H5 bird flu to potentially rip through hundreds of species, residents of the Limestone Coast are already seeing the impacts"

Biodiversity [51]
Disasters [12]
Environmental Health [14]
Health [58]
Wildlife [59]
Public [18]
International [19]
Australia & Oceania [60]
Source: Guardian [61], 08/07/2026
- Read more about On Frontline Of Australia’s Bird Flu Outbreak, People Are Distressed [57]
Hacks on U.S. Water Supply Follow Years of Warnings and Neglect [62]

"In 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency under the Biden administration proposed creating stronger cybersecurity guidelines to better safeguard the nation’s water supply from hackers. ... The E.P.A. rescinded the order, however, after Republican-led states and industry groups sued to block its enforcement."

Chemicals [35]
Consumer [36]
Disasters [12]
Environmental Health [14]
Government [44]
Infrastructure [24]
Laws & Regulations [25]
Military [32]
Pollution [26]
Technology [27]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [29]
International [19]
Source: New York Times [63], 08/06/2026
- Read more about Hacks on U.S. Water Supply Follow Years of Warnings and Neglect [62]
Data Center Foes Win Big In Tuesday’s Primaries [64]

"Winners this week either want to crack down on new data centers or enact a moratorium."

Activism [40]
Climate Change [11]
Consumer [36]
Economy & Business [13]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Politics [23]
Infrastructure [24]
Laws & Regulations [25]
People & Population [17]
Planning & Growth [45]
Pollution [26]
Technology [27]
Water & Oceans [28]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [29]
Source: E&E News [65], 08/06/2026
- Read more about Data Center Foes Win Big In Tuesday’s Primaries [64]
Trump’s Vision for A.I. Dominance Comes With Major Air Pollution [66]

"The president’s push for data centers is driving a boom in gas-burning power plants. Texas is leading the way."

Air [67]
Climate Change [11]
Economy & Business [13]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Health [14]
Infrastructure [24]
Laws & Regulations [25]
People & Population [17]
Pollution [26]
Technology [27]
Water & Oceans [28]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [29]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [55]
Source: New York Times [68], 08/06/2026
- Read more about Trump’s Vision for A.I. Dominance Comes With Major Air Pollution [66]
Senate Confirms CDC Head After Debate Over Her Independence Of RFK Jr. [69]

"The Senate on Wednesday voted mainly along party lines to confirm Erica Schwartz to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The vote ends months of leadership uncertainty at the nation’s premier public health agency but leaves unresolved the central question that dominated her confirmation process: Will she preserve the agency’s scientific independence under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.?"

Environmental Health [14]
Environmental Politics [23]
Government [44]
Health [58]
People & Population [17]
Science [70]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [29]
Source: Washington Post [71], 08/06/2026
- Read more about Senate Confirms CDC Head After Debate Over Her Independence Of RFK Jr. [69]
How Trump’s Claims Of Vandalism At Reflecting Pool Crumbled [72]

"Trump has lashed out at U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro after she dropped vandalism cases and blamed damage at the pool on rushed and flawed work by a contractor."

Environmental Politics [23]
Government [44]
Infrastructure [24]
Laws & Regulations [25]
People & Population [17]
Pollution [26]
Technology [27]
Water & Oceans [28]
Public [18]
National (U.S.) [29]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [46]
Source: Washington Post [73], 08/06/2026
- Read more about How Trump’s Claims Of Vandalism At Reflecting Pool Crumbled [72]

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