"Nearly a dozen U.S. states and Washington D.C. on Tuesday promised to defend federal automobile efficiency standards against a rollback proposed this week by Scott Pruitt, the embattled head of the Environmental Protection Agency."
"Capital expenditures on U.S. municipal water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure will rise 11 percent in the next 10 years, in part to cope with poor water quality, environmental mandates and crumbling systems in some areas, according to a report on Tuesday."
"A key White House adviser on infrastructure policy is 'moving on' to pursue unspecified opportunities, a White House official told the Washington Examiner."
"Reporters from Politico, Buzzfeed, and other outlets noted that Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt barred them from his April 3 announcement about loosening automobile fuel economy standards. Pruitt is currently under fire for a slew of scandals and seemingly corrupt activities, including a sweetheart deal he got to rent a D.C. condo from the wife of an energy lobbyist."
Scandals over ethics centered on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Scott Pruitt continued to burgeon, as calls for his resignation and investigations raised doubts over his political future. The big question: would President Trump continue to back him?
The Society of Environmental Journalists has written EPA again, asking that its press shop stop distortions, ethically questionable treatment of journalists and appropriation of partisan news for official press releases. That, plus an update on the SEJ’s executive director search, in the latest President’s Report.
A veteran freelancer struggles with tax season in the wake of an unexpected personal tragedy. But as she makes her way through a forest of forms, she offers a series of tips and observations for fellow independents, in the return of our regular Freelance Files column.
They may not be the sexiest topics on the environmental agenda. But building codes and zoning can become a matter of life and death when natural disasters strike. This week’s TipSheet runs down the reporting challenge when floods, earthquakes and wildfires threaten your coverage area.
"An EPA survey of drinking water utilities revealed that they need nearly half a trillion dollars in infrastructure upgrades during the next two decades."
"Former Texas Comptroller Susan Combs, who has a long history of sparring with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over species listings, has been appointed to a key Trump administration post overseeing policy for the wildlife agency and national parks."
Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/headlines/us-states-vow-defend-auto-fuel-efficiency-standards
[2] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-epa-autos/u-s-states-vow-to-defend-auto-fuel-efficiency-standards-idUSKCN1HA2DI
[3] https://www.sej.org/headlines/us-water-systems-capital-spending-rise-11-percent-2027-report
[4] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-municipals-water/u-s-water-systems-capital-spending-to-rise-11-percent-by-2027-report-idUSKCN1HA2NJ
[5] https://www.sej.org/headlines/top-infrastructure-adviser-leaving-white-house
[6] https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/top-infrastructure-adviser-dj-gribbin-leaving-white-house
[7] https://www.sej.org/headlines/amid-scandals-scott-pruitt-blacklists-reporters-epa-announcement
[8] https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2018/04/03/pressure-over-his-scandals-builds-scott-pruitt-blacklists-reporters-epa-announcement/219830
[9] https://www.sej.org/headlines/pruitt-faces-intensifying-scrutiny-criticism-his-ethics-decisions
[10] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/04/03/epas-pruitt-gave-big-raises-to-two-close-aides-after-being-rebuffed-by-the-white-house/
[11] https://www.sej.org/sej-presidents-report/sej-takes-epa-task
[12] https://www.sej.org/publications/freelance-files/death-and-taxes
[13] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/when-disaster-strikes-building-codes-may-make-things-worse
[14] https://www.sej.org/headlines/epa-nearly-half-trillion-needed-drinking-water-infrastructure
[15] https://bnanews.bna.com/environment-and-energy/epa-nearly-half-a-trillion-needed-for-drinking-water-infrastructure
[16] https://www.sej.org/headlines/foe-endangered-species-act-lands-gig-overseeing-wildlife
[17] https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/susan-combs-fish-wildlife-parks-appointment_us_5abea206e4b0f112dc9c47dc
[18] https://www.sej.org/search_results
[19] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=2228
[20] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=2225
[21] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=2226
[22] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=2227
[23] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=2230
[24] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=2231
[25] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=2232
[26] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=2233
[27] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=4924