SCOTUS’ October term could be somewhat “mooted”
[STEVE VLADECK for SCOTUSBLOG] Recent discussions of the Supreme Court’s upcoming term have understandably focused on the implications of the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg — and the seemingly inevitable confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to succeed her. At least some of that commentary, in turn, has raised the possibility of the court […]
5 of the 6 largest California wildfires in history started in the past 6 weeks
[SACRAMENTO BEE] The staggering statistics keep piling up for California’s wildfire season: August and September account for five of the six biggest fires in nearly 90 years of recorded history for the state. The destructive Creek Fire that continues to burn in Fresno County grew about 3,000 acres between Monday and Tuesday for a new […]
Oil Companies Are Profiting From Illegal Spills
[PRO PUBLICA] In May 2019, workers in California’s Central Valley struggled to seal a broken oil well. It was one of thousands of aging wells that crowd the dusty foothills three hours from the coast, where Chevron and other companies inject steam at high pressure to loosen up heavy crude. Suddenly, oil shot out of […]
‘Nurdle Patrol’ survey finds plastic pellets on almost every Louisiana and Texas beach
At Grand Isle State Park, on a sandy beach popular with sunbathers and anglers, Jace Tunnell pointed to the tide line and its usual scattering of litter: milk jugs, water bottles, candy wrappers, plastic bags. But there’s a lot more trash not easily seen, said Tunnell, a marine biologist with the University of Texas. He […]
EPA Methane Rollback Temporarily Paused by Federal Court
[BLOOMBERG] The EPA’s rollback of methane emissions standards for the oil and gas industry is temporarily suspended while a federal court weighs a longer-term freeze. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Thursday issued an administrative stay that blocks the rescission from taking effect while the court fields briefs from […]
A ‘Crossroads’ for Humanity: Earth’s Biodiversity Is Still Collapsing
[NY TIMES] The world is failing to address a catastrophic biodiversity collapse that not only threatens to wipe out beloved species and invaluable genetic diversity, but endangers humanity’s food supply, health and security, according to a sweeping United Nations report issued on Tuesday. When governments act to protect and restore nature, the authors found, it […]
How Big Oil Misled The Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled
[from NPR] Laura Leebrick, a manager at Rogue Disposal & Recycling in southern Oregon, is standing on the end of its landfill watching an avalanche of plastic trash pour out of a semitrailer: containers, bags, packaging, strawberry containers, yogurt cups. None of this plastic will be turned into new plastic things. All of it is […]
Lake Pollution a Concern in Lake Charles After Hurricane Laura
FROM KPEL: (LAKE CHARLES) Residents who live near the lake in Lake Charles are smelling something fishy. At least, we hope that what so many of you have been asking about is simply fish. As you might imagine after a destructive storm like Hurricane Laura and the close proximity of so many chemical and petroleum […]
Americans Back Tough Limits on Building in Fire and Flood Zones
From the New York Times (WASHINGTON) — Americans support far more aggressive government regulation to fight the effects of climate change than elected officials have been willing to pursue so far, new research shows, including outright bans on building in flood- or fire-prone areas — a level of restrictiveness almost unheard-of in the United States. […]
Majority Of Hurricane Laura Deaths Linked To Improper Use Of Portable Generators
FROM NPR: More deaths associated with Hurricane Laura were caused by the improper use of portable generators than the storm itself. And officials warn that the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning persists, as thousands of households in Louisiana remain without power. Eight of the 15 hurricane-related deaths confirmed by the Louisiana Department of Health are […]