Join us for SEJ's 34th annual conference, hosted at Arizona State University! The ongoing devastation of wildfires in Los Angeles is a stark reminder of the urgency of this moment for environmental journalism. As extreme weather and natural disasters grow in frequency and magnitude, a shift in the political climate adds another layer of complexity to covering these issues. Now more than ever, our collective mission to uncover and share critical and empirical truths about science, energy, policy, health impacts and equity is vital.
"The LA fires have left domestic workers and day laborers jobless. They may soon be hired for wildfire cleanup work, where they can be exposed to ash and other toxins."
"In one of the first acts of his second term, President Trump is seeking to put his stamp on California water policy by directing the federal government to put “people over fish” and send more water from Northern California to the Central Valley’s farms and Southern California cities."
"The U.S Army Corps of Engineers announced last Friday it’s moving forward with an altered version of the Yazoo Pumps, a flood relief project that the agency has touted for decades. The project now also has the backing of the Environmental Protection Agency, whose veto killed a previous iteration in 2008 because of the pumps’ potential to harm 67,000 acres of valuable wetland habitat."
"The House on Thursday passed legislation that supporters say will improve how the nation manages its forests to prevent fires but opponents argue will undercut environmental safeguards."
"The committee that decides the fate of endangered species is rarely summoned. But the president’s “energy emergency” could change that."
"The Trump administration is putting its faith in an empowered “God Squad” that might help energy projects maneuver around Endangered Species Act obstacles.
In verse meant to be far-reaching, President Donald Trump’s new executive order designating an “energy emergency” strengthens what the landmark environmental law formally calls the “Endangered Species Act Committee.”
"Health officials and experts said this week they are reeling after the new Trump administration on Tuesday abruptly halted external communication at the Department of Health and Human Services and its agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health."
"Climate science deniers from a US-based thinktank have been working with rightwing politicians in Europe to campaign against environmental policies, the Guardian can reveal."
"A lawsuit claiming billionaire Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” violates federal transparency rules was filed within minutes of President Donald Trump’s inauguration Monday, kicking off a legal battle over a key aspect of the incoming administration’s agenda."
"Billionaire former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Thursday that his foundation would fund the UN climate change agency after President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement. Bloomberg’s pledge will cover the 22 percent of its $96.5 million budget previously provided by the US for 2024-2025."
Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/calendar/sej2025-annual-conference-arizona
[2] https://www.sej.org/headlines/workers-clean-after-la-fires-can-state-keep-them-safe
[3] https://calmatters.org/environment/wildfires/2025/01/la-fires-worker-cleanup-safety/
[4] https://www.sej.org/headlines/trump-wants-upend-calif-water-policy-officials-say-it-could-do-harm
[5] https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-01-23/trump-california-water-policy
[6] https://www.sej.org/headlines/epa-support-corps-moving-forward-yazoo-pumps
[7] https://mississippitoday.org/2025/01/22/with-epa-support-the-corps-is-moving-forward-with-the-yazoo-pumps/
[8] https://www.sej.org/headlines/amid-raging-fires-house-passes-contentious-forestry-bill
[9] https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5103306-wildfire-prevention-bill-passes-house/
[10] https://www.sej.org/headlines/trump-resurrects-god-squad-bend-esa
[11] https://www.eenews.net/articles/trump-resurrects-god-squad-to-bend-the-esa/
[12] https://www.sej.org/headlines/health-researchers-alarmed-trump-pauses-travel-communications
[13] https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/01/23/trump-administration-hhs-health-agencies-pause-travel-communications/
[14] https://www.sej.org/headlines/revealed-us-climate-denial-group-working-european-far-right-parties
[15] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/22/us-thinktank-climate-science-deniers-working-with-rightwingers-in-eu-parliament-heartland-institute
[16] https://www.sej.org/headlines/elon-musk-s-doge-sued-minutes-after-trump-inauguration
[17] https://wapo.st/40LWwHc
[18] https://www.sej.org/headlines/bloomberg-fund-un-climate-agency-after-us-exit-paris-accord
[19] https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20250123-bloomberg-us-climate-paris-agreement
[20] https://www.sej.org/search_results
[21] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=306
[22] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=303
[23] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=304
[24] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=305
[25] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=308
[26] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=309
[27] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=310
[28] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=311
[29] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=4936