The leasing of public lands to drill for oil and gas may seem a labyrinthine topic. But it could be time to get wonky and, ahem, drill down on it, as the politics of 2020 bring the controversial practice to the fore. The latest Backgrounder helps get you up to speed on the story.
Happen to have any air breathers in your audience? Then the latest State of the Air Report will give you fodder to cover the persistent pollution problems that plague the skies. This week’s TipSheet has the backstory on the fight against air pollution and five smart ways to tell the story from a local-regional context.
"Australia’s ban on super-sized industrial fishing boats is far too narrow and places local fisheries under threat, environmentalists have said."
"The Trump administration has illegally delayed rules limiting the discharge of climate-changing methane gas from landfills around the United States and must act on plans for California and several other states by September, a federal judge ruled Monday.
The EPA was to approve or disapprove the state plans by Sept. 30, 2017, and to prepare its own solution two months later for states without an approved plan.
"The governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, signed legislation Friday designed to address decades-long disputes in his state over who gets access to the state's beaches and waterfronts."
"Two Democratic senators are calling for another probe into the head of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) air office after comments from an old lobbying client were incorporated verbatim in an EPA memo."
"A Canadian court ruled on Friday that a federal carbon-pricing plan does not violate the constitution, marking a victory for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over one of his trademark policies ahead of the October national election."
"Two federal judges took President Donald Trump's administration to task on Friday over its decision to return to the market a group of banned refrigeration chemicals that are potent greenhouse gases."
"The Securities & Exchange Commission has more Trump appointees now, and energy and utility companies see an ally as they try to stop investors' climate resolutions."
"Under a proposal being considered in the Texas House this week, activists who engage in civil disobedience to stop or delay construction on pipelines would be charged with the same level of felony as attempted murderers." Journalists covering protests could also be hit with felony charges.
