The plastics industry is sponsoring PR and lobbying campaigns to make it illegal for local governments to ban plastic producsts to limit waste and pollution.

"Senators from both sides of the aisle are backing a bill to strengthen the public’s ability to obtain government records, seeking to counteract recent changes that make it easier for the Trump administration to withhold information."

A good-government advocacy group filed suit July 23, arguing that EPA's June 26 Freedom of Information Act rule had been issued illegally and violated FOIA law. The group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) asked a federal district court in D.C. to strike down the new EPA rule.

"The Interior Department’s internal ethics watchdog has opened an investigation into whether top Trump appointees at the agency have violated federal open-record laws by withholding or delaying the release of public documents, emails and policy memos."

"At least 17 service members have died from heat illnesses in the past decade, and the rise in heat stress injuries suggests the military isn't prepared for worse."

"Congressional negotiators and the White House announced a bipartisan budget deal last night that's likely to provide increases for energy and environmental agencies over the next two years."

"Major U.S. cities may be leaking far more methane into the atmosphere than government estimates suggest."

"A new analysis details widespread bacterial contamination at U.S. beaches, with more than half of the tested sites exceeding a federal safety threshold at least once in 2018."