National (U.S.)

Billionaire Donor Benefits as Trump Plans to Protect Methane-Leaking Wells

"Trump’s EPA is planning to weaken restrictions on oil and gas wells that produce very little energy but release vast amounts of methane. Oil billionaire Jeffery Hildebrand, a major Trump donor, is set to reap the benefits. Society as a whole will deal with the environmental costs."

Source: ProPublica, 06/17/2026

Dangerous Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals Found In US Breast Milk Samples

"Breast milk samples from mothers in Seattle contain alarming levels of dangerous hormone-disrupting chemicals, including BPA, BPS, melamine, cyanuric acid, and triclosan, new peer-reviewed research has found."

Source: Guardian, 06/16/2026

Hoover Dam Approaches a Hydropower Cliff

"Some day in the next 12 months – maybe in late-August, maybe not until next spring – Lake Mead will drop below the critical threshold of 1,035 feet above sea level. That is the water-level elevation at which hydropower generating capacity at Hoover Dam, the largest in the Colorado River basin, will be cut by 70 percent."

Source: Circle of Blue, 06/16/2026

Trump DOE Issues Emergency Order to Keep Florida Coal Plant Running

"The Orlando plant had been scheduled for retirement in 2025. The order cited an energy emergency related to a shortage of facilities and proliferation of data centers."

Source: Inside Climate News, 06/16/2026

Pentagon Reviews Are Blocking Wind Farms, Putting Jobs At Risk: Lawsuit

"Renewable energy groups are suing the U.S. military because they say national security reviews for new wind farms on private land have been effectively frozen for months. The groups say this logjam jeopardizes $47 billion in investments and thousands of jobs in 21 states."

Source: AP, 06/16/2026

What Most Battleground House Districts Have In Common: Data Centers

"More than 200 data centers are going up in dozens of competitive House districts — and neither party knows how to handle their political fallout heading into the midterms."

Source: Politico, 06/16/2026

A Super (Probably ‘Duper’) El Niño Is Coming. Watch Out!

The news has been full of warnings about a larger-than-normal El Niño, the periodic weather pattern that portends drastic fluctuations in everything from temperatures and precipitation to ocean currents and hurricanes. The latest Issue Backgrounder takes a step back to help explain exactly how this phenomenon works and what its impacts may be, while offering a parting thought on smart coverage.

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