"Pope Francis’ care for the environment was telegraphed early in his papacy. His chosen name honored St. Francis, the Italian friar who proclaimed “Praise God for all his creatures.” As pope, Francis called for immediate action on climate change and exhorted the world’s Catholics to “better recognize the ecological commitments which stem from our convictions.”"
"The Everglades is more than just swamps, fan boats and alligators and restoration efforts impact more than the land between Florida’s east and west coasts. Florida Bay, a body of water located between the southern end of mainland Florida and the Florida Keys, makes up about a third of Everglades National Park."
"Up to 17 percent of the planet’s agricultural land may be contaminated by toxic heavy metals, a new study has found. As many as 1.4 billion people reside in areas with soil dangerously polluted with compounds like arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, nickel and lead, according to the study, published in Science."
"EPA rebuffed attempts to make public its initial downsizing and reorganization plan submitted for White House review." "The Phase 1 “Agency RIF and Reorganization Plan,” which was due at the White House on March 13, remains shrouded in secrecy."
"Sources in Washington, including within the Department of Justice and on Capitol Hill, have told Inside Climate News that White House officials are preparing executive orders on environmental issues. One order, they say, would target the tax exempt status of environmental nonprofits, particularly those that do legal work."
"The Trump administration gave notice Thursday that it’s advancing Arizona’s Resolution Copper mine, a divisive project that’s opposed by members of Native American tribes who are asking the Supreme Court to intervene." "The Forest Service on Thursday said it intends to advance the contentious Arizona project that some tribal members are asking the Supreme Court to halt."
"An appeals court has temporarily halted a lower court’s order that enabled the release of contested climate funds."
"“Off spec” liquid from Winston Weaver fertilizer fire that was applied on a nearby farm field contained toxic PFAS."
"Besieged by thousands of lawsuits alleging that its paraquat weedkiller causes Parkinson’s disease, Syngenta has entered into an agreement aimed at settling large swaths of those claims."
"A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked enforcement of a new rule to limit silica dust exposure for coal and other miners. The rule, from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), was imposed last year in response to an epidemic of severe black lung disease among coal miners."
