"WV Senate Bill Eliminates Mine Safety Enforcement"
"State safety inspectors wouldn’t inspect West Virginia’s coal mines anymore. They would conduct 'compliance visits and education.'"
Source: Charleston Gazette-Mail, 03/16/2017
Natural Resources
EPA Budget Cuts Threaten a Program Near You
As the Trump administration proposes big cuts at environmental agencies like the U.S. EPA, the latest TipSheet explores how to dig up local angles from the budget action. Examples: Tracking changes at EPA regional offices and labs, at Superfund or at state revolving funds for clean water and safe drinking water programs.
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"Water Rights: Landmark Ruling Lets Tribe Tap Calif. Aquifer"
"A Native American tribe has a legal right to groundwater in Southern California's arid Coachella Valley, a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled yesterday."
Source: Greenwire, 03/09/2017
"Senate To Consider Resolution Rolling Back Obama-Era Land Rule"
"The Senate is set to roll back another Obama-era environment rule this week. Senators on Monday will begin the process of repealing a Bureau of Land Management rule to reorganize the government’s land planning and management guidelines."
Source: The Hill, 03/07/2017
"GOP Chairman Seeks $50M To Transfer Federal Land"
"The chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee is asking budget writers to set aside $50 million to account for the costs to transfer federal land to state or local governments."
Source: The Hill, 03/07/2017
Get Wise on Water Rule
Wondering what WOTUS is? Or how the Clean Water Rule relates to the Clean Water Act and to the Section 404 permitting program meant to prevent the destruction of U.S. wetlands? Our Beat Basics column explains the history and background of the rule to help you cover White House, EPA and court action likely ahead.
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Draining a Different Kind of Swamp
As the Trump administration last week began its rollback of the Clean Water Rule, reporters are likely to see many more stories about wetlands permitting — especially on the local level. The latest TipSheet walks you through the Section 404 permitting maze and helps you find out what's happening in your locale and state.
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Court Backs Oil Firms, Not Levee Authority In Wetlands Damage Suit
"A federal appeals court refused Friday (March 3) to revive the east bank levee authority's controversial lawsuit charging oil and gas companies with threatening hurricane levees by digging exploration and production canals through Louisiana's coastal wetlands. It was the latest setback to the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East's four-year effort to make the companies pay for environmental damage inflicted decades ago."
Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 03/06/2017
White House Proposes Steep Budget Cut To Leading Climate Science Agency
"The Trump administ"ration is seeking to slash the budget of one of the government’s premier climate science agencies by 17 percent, delivering steep cuts to research funding and satellite programs, according to a four-page budget memo obtained by The Washington Post."
Source: Washington Post, 03/06/2017
Humans Caused Explosion Of Never-Before-Seen Minerals All Over The Earth
New evidence for the "anthropocene" -- scientists have found human activity is responsible for an explosion in the diversity of minerals on Earth.
Source: Washington Post, 03/03/2017
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