Reuters reports: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro claimed on Friday that Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio financed fires being set in the Amazon rainforest, without presenting any evidence, the right-wing leader’s latest broadside in casting blame over forest fires that have generated international concern. Bolsonaro appeared to be commenting on social media postings claiming that the environmental organization the World Wildlife Fund …
Read More »Another Step Towards Privatizing National Parks
The Los Angeles Times reports: At the urging of a controversial team of advisors, the Trump administration is mulling proposals to privatize national park campgrounds and further commercialize the parks with expanded Wi-Fi service, food trucks and even Amazon deliveries at tourist camp sites. Leaders of the Interior Department’s “Made in America” Outdoor Recreation Advisory Committee say these changes could …
Read More »Nation’s Largest Private Coal Producer Goes Bankrupt
The Columbus Dispatch reports: Murray Energy Corp., the U.S. coal giant that had pressed the Trump administration for help, has filed for bankruptcy. The largest closely held coal miner in America failed to make multiple payments to lenders this month, prompting a deal with creditors that will see them make a “stalking horse” bid under Chapter 11 bankruptcy to exchange …
Read More »CANADA: Oil Truckers Convoy Against Greta Thunberg
The CBC reports: A group of oil and gas supporters is planning a counter-rally when Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg shows up at the Alberta legislature in Edmonton on Friday. Glen Carritt, who organized the United We Roll convoy that travelled to Ottawa in February, said a similar convoy will start in Red Deer, Alta., on Friday morning and make …
Read More »Trump Orders Lift On Logging Ban In Alaska Rainforest
The Washington Post reports: The Trump administration Tuesday proposed allowing logging on more than half of Alaska’s 16.7 million-acre Tongass National Forest, the largest intact temperate rainforest in North America. President Trump instructed federal officials to reverse long-standing limits on tree cutting at the request of Alaska’s top elected officials, on the grounds that it will boost the local economy. …
Read More »Trump Seeks To Gut Restrictions On Mining Companies
Trump’s rape of the environment proceeds unchecked: “The Trump administration is dedicated to enhancing the exploration and development of federal solid mineral resources in an environmentally conscious manner,” said Interior Secretary David Bernhardt in a statement. “By eliminating burdensome regulations, the U.S. will have a stronger foothold to compete globally in non-energy, solid, leasable commodities markets and increase job opportunities …
Read More »18 States Sue Trump Over Endangered Species Act
The Los Angeles Times reports: California and 17 other states on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s weakening of the Endangered Species Act, a landmark law that has ensured the survival of the California condor, the grizzly bear and other animals close to extinction. The lawsuit is California’s latest in a blitz of legal challenges to the president’s …
Read More »REVENGE: EPA Threatens California’s Highway Funding
The Sacramento Bee reports: The Trump administration is ratcheting up its threats against California with a letter warning the state faces sanctions – including cuts in federal highway funding – over its “failure” to submit complete reports on its implementation of the Clean Air Act. In the letter to the California Air Resources Board, Andrew Wheeler [photo], administrator of the …
Read More »23 States Sue Trump Over CA Emissions Standards
The Sacramento Bee reports: California and 22 other states sued the Trump administration Friday over the federal government’s revocation of California’s authority to impose stricter limits on greenhouse gas emissions from cars. The suit came a day after federal officials formally revoked California’s powers under the federal Clean Air Act. Gov. Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Xavier Becerra and other state …
Read More »Trump Admin Finalizes Repeal Of Clean Water Rules
The Washington Post reports: Weakening the Obama-era water rule had been a central campaign pledge for Mr. Trump, who characterized it as a federal land-grab that impinged on the rights of farmers, rural landowners and real estate developers to use their property as they see fit. Environmentalists say Mr. Trump’s push to loosen rules on clean water regulations represents an …
Read More »Trump To Revoke California’s Auto Emission Standards
Bloomberg reports: The Trump administration is preparing a plan to strip California’s authority to set tougher auto efficiency regulations than the federal government, even while agencies continue finalizing a rollback of national standards, according to a person familiar with the matter. The matter is still under consideration and no final decision to proceed has been made but is expected in …
Read More »Trump Rolls Back Rules On Light Bulbs To Spite Obama
Bloomberg reports: The Trump administration is rolling back Obama-era rules that expanded energy-use requirements to some of the most commonly used light bulbs. The Energy Department made public a final rule Wednesday that withdrew a requirement that light bulbs commonly used in recessed lighting, track lighting, bathroom vanities and decorative fixtures meet the same energy efficiency standards that effectively phased …
Read More »Great Barrier Reef Outlook Downgraded To “Very Poor”
ABC News reports: The government agency that manages Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has downgraded its outlook for the corals’ condition from “poor” to “very poor” due to warming oceans. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s condition report, which is updated every five years, is the latest bad news for the 345,400 square kilometer (133,360 square miles) colorful coral network …
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