Piping plovers lay their eggs on the ground. They became an endangered species as development encroached on their habitat and made it harder for their chicks to survive. Under the Same Moon/Flickr

Why Trump’s move to gut the Endangered Species Act likely won’t hold up in court

If Congress didn’t believe habitat destruction and degradation constitute ‘harm’ under the statute, why would it require permits and plans to offset habitat loss?
Several U.S. climate regulations aim to reduce burning of fossil fuels, a driver of climate change. Visions of America/Joseph Sohm/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Revoking EPA’s endangerment finding – the keystone of US climate policies – isn’t simple and could have unintended consequences

The Trump administration’s goal is to roll back rules limiting planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, vehicles and oil and gas production, but it could backfire for industry.
Keurig, maker of K-Cup single-use coffee pods, was recently fined for claiming the pods were recyclable. Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post, via Getty Images

Can you trust companies that say their plastic products are recyclable? US regulators may crack down on deceptive claims

As concern about plastic pollution mounts, the federal government is revising its standards for calling products recyclable. A recent fine against Keurig could be a sign of things to come.
Street flooding has become more common in parts of Honolulu. Eugene Tanner / AFP via Getty Images

More than two dozen cities and states are suing Big Oil over climate change – they just got a boost from the US Supreme Court

Honolulu, Baltimore, Charleston, S.C. and several other cities harmed by rising seas and extreme weather are suing the oil industry. At stake is who pays for the staggering costs of climate change.
A banner reads “Fuera Luma” (Luma out), opposing the company managing Puerto Rico’s electric grid, at a May Day protest in San Juan on May 1, 2021. Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images

Puerto Rico has a once‑in‑a‑lifetime chance to build a clean energy grid – but FEMA plans to spend $9.4 billion on fossil fuel infrastructure instead

Four years after Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico, federal money to rebuild its electricity system is finally about to flow. But it may not deliver what islanders want.
Snow geese settle on a wetland in North Dakota. If the Trump administration successfully rescinds the Clean Water Rule, many wetlands might lose federal protection. Krista Lundgren USFWS/Flickr

Does Scott Pruitt have a solid case for repealing the Clean Water Rule?

The Clean Water Rule spells out which streams, wetlands and other water bodies receive federal protection. The Trump administration wants to repeal it, but will face high hurdles in court.
Activists in Seattle practice for demonstrations against Royal Dutch Shell’s plans to drill in the Arctic, April 17, 2015. AP Photo/Elaine Thompson

Will Obama’s offshore drilling ban be Trumped?

President Obama used an obscure 1953 law to bar offshore drilling in Arctic Alaska and along the Atlantic coast. Republicans and energy companies want to reverse the ban, but it will not be easy.
In addition to the Clean Power Act policy for climate change, the Supreme Court will be hearing cases on the extent of protections under the Clean Water Act. ex_magician/flickr

What Scalia’s death means for environment and climate

A look at Scalia’s decidedly negative legacy on environment reveals how important the next Supreme Court will be on environmental questions, including the EPA Clean Power Plan.

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