"The Trump administration is seeking to loosen federal rules intended to protect historic sites, alarming outside groups who say the changes would allow government agencies and developers to pursue major projects — such as President Donald Trump’s planned triumphal arch — without soliciting public input."
"The president joined Republican officials who slammed the National Academies of Sciences for a chapter about climate science in an educational guide for judges."
With billions of North American birds lost during recent decades, a survey of the successful efforts to save their species is a welcome read. Author Scott Weidensaul highlights winning initiatives, such as rewilding, innovations to protect puffins and more, along with appraisals of less fruitful projects. BookShelf contributor Jennifer Weeks has a review of “The Return of the Oystercatcher.”
An effort by the Trump administration to tank a highly useful data source on climate change trends has met impressive resistance — in the form of a group of fired NOAA staffers who have rebuilt the climate.gov website stripped by the federal government. And as the latest Toolbox notes, it’s a great resource. Reacquaint yourself with it.
SEJournal welcomes two additions to our Publications masthead — veteran data/multimedia journalist Geoff McGhee and early-career freelancer Julie Zenderoudi. McGhee joins us as co-editor of our visual journalism column, EJ InSight. And Zenderoudi comes aboard as co-editor of Freelance Files. Learn more about them and watch for their contributions to our pages in the near future. Plus, two farewells.
"President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to impose tariffs on Canada in retaliation for wildfire smoke, but it was not clear that he has the legal authority to impose such a levy."
"For decades, fishers, swimmers and environmental groups have complained that mud and silt from dredging operations in the Mobile Bay shipping channel have been smothering seagrasses, choking out oysters and clouding water that was once pristine." "A measure to permanently ban the practice of “thin-layer disposal” of dredged sediment nationwide has advanced through a House committee with bipartisan support."
"After a nearly two-year inquiry, Colorado’s Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) approved deals allowing firms owned by its largest oil and gas companies to avoid the majority of assessed penalties for falsified data submitted by their contractors."
