"New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said he would consider a bill in his last month in office that would subsidize the state's nuclear power plants to prevent them from retiring early, sparking criticism from some energy companies and environmental and public interest groups on Friday."
"Minnesota became the latest U.S. state on Tuesday to restrict controversial weed killers made by Monsanto Co and BASF SE that were linked to widespread crop damage, while Arkansas took a step back from imposing new limits."
"The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit on Tuesday upheld a 20-year ban on uranium mining around Grand Canyon National Park but ruled in a separate case that a uranium company could open a mine nearby."
"Climate scientists say the magnitude and rate of sea ice loss this century is unprecedented in 1,500 years and issue a warning on the impacts of a changing climate."
As SEJ begins a search for a new executive director — its second in two years — President Bobby Magill reflects on the challenges faced by an ever-shifting journalism industry and an environment under political attack. Plus, in his latest President's Report, why the SEJ board is considering a different path for the search.
Almost a dozen investigations are underway at the U.S. EPA and the Interior Department, including of unusual travel, private sector connections and staff/advisory panel moves. This week's TipSheet runs down the probes in detail, and offers resources for coverage of developments in 2018.
"Advocates on both sides of the aisle say doubling funding for the USDA’s organic research program will help farmers meet demand and remain competitive."
"When environmentalists press for the removal of river-choking old dams, George Howard can smell the money."
"Will Badlands National Park have enough forage in the future for its bison herds? Can the Wind River Reservation manage tribal water storage to account for the fact that snow now melts earlier? Could flash droughts be predicted more accurately, such as the one that Montana experienced last summer that led to one of the worst ever wildfire seasons in the state?"
"U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has picked Anne Idsal, a well-connected Texas state official, to lead the agency's Region 6 office."
Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/headlines/nj-governor-christie-eyes-nuclear-power-subsidies-sparks-criticism
[2] https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2017/12/08/us/08reuters-newjersy-nuclear-subisidies.html?smid=tw-share&_r=1
[3] https://www.sej.org/headlines/minnesota-joins-us-states-limiting-controversial-farm-chemical
[4] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pesticides-minnesota/minnesota-joins-u-s-states-limiting-controversial-farm-chemical-idUSKBN1E702G
[5] https://www.sej.org/headlines/court-upholds-uranium-mining-ban-around-grand-canyon-allows-nearby-mine
[6] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/12/12/federal-appeals-court-upholds-obama-era-uranium-mining-ban-around-grand-canyon-tuesday-but-allows-nearby-mine-to-open/?utm_term=.d6d2a1b548f4
[7] https://www.sej.org/headlines/arctic-report-card-lowest-sea-ice-record-2nd-warmest-year
[8] https://insideclimatenews.org/news/12122017/arctic-report-card-sea-ice-extent-temperature-record-2017-noaa
[9] https://www.sej.org/sej-presidents-report/path-ahead-new-ed-hire-should-draw-honest-reflections-lessons
[10] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/investigations-may-bring-news-2018
[11] https://www.sej.org/headlines/bipartisan-bill-might-seed-future-organic-farming
[12] https://civileats.com/2017/12/12/bipartisan-bill-might-seed-the-future-of-organic-farming/
[13] https://www.sej.org/headlines/clean-water-act-may-offer-magic-key-dam-removal
[14] https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2017/12/11/stories/1060067979
[15] https://www.sej.org/headlines/interior-department%E2%80%99s-climate-science-centers-persevere
[16] http://www.hcn.org/articles/dc-dispatch-interior-climate-science-centers-could-ride-out-the-trump-administration
[17] https://www.sej.org/headlines/epa-texas-official-former-hill-aide-helm-dallas-office
[18] https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2017/12/11/stories/1060068669
[19] https://www.sej.org/search_results
[20] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=2455
[21] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=2452
[22] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=2453
[23] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=2454
[24] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=2457
[25] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=2458
[26] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=2459
[27] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=2460
[28] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=5069