Biodiversity

"Cases of Powassan virus disease in New Jersey and New Hampshire have made national headlines in recent months because of the potential severity of the symptoms, which can include neurological problems such as memory loss, difficulty speaking and seizures. "

"In its 52 years, the Endangered Species Act has been a muscular protector of vulnerable plants and animals, invoked to stymie roads, development, and logging or shipping patterns, and shielding entire areas from activity that could edge those species toward extinction. Shifting the political winds to target the landmark law’s clout, the Trump administration has sought more leeway for energy, mining, and other industries that the ESA has interfered with in the name of protecting vulnerable species."

"The Trump administration and a company that is promising to bring long-gone animals back from extinction announced a partnership on Thursday to preserve cells, tissue and DNA from threatened and endangered species."

"A cacophony of honks and quacks greet Jim Faulstich on a spring afternoon visit to a shallow lake on his ranch on the South Dakota prairie. Hundreds of birds have landed in the wetlands for a drink, to feed, or to rest on their journey north. There are lots of ducks and gulls, but no whooping crane — which would be difficult to miss standing five-feet tall in the shallows foraging for food."

"The Big Hole River, a blue-ribbon fishery that’s become a focal point in a years-long debate over nuisance algae growth, is poised to receive an impairment designation."

"Congressional Democrats called for investigations Wednesday into renovations at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, as the ongoing drama over the president’s problem-plagued, $16 million rehabilitation project continued to roil the capital."

"The legislation includes forestry and conservation provisions but steers away from issues like pesticide labeling and biofuels policy."

"Since April, an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo has ballooned to 1,114 confirmed cases and 279 deaths, already the third-largest such epidemic since the disease was identified 50 years ago. Despite its worrying size, this outbreak is threaded with mystery — particularly regarding its origins."

"The documents do not indicate that the peeling blue coating and algae blooms were caused intentionally."

"An environmental group sued the Trump administration Monday to pursue protections for a brightly colored sea star that inhabits the Pacific coast, a move that could affect the fishing industry." "The sunflower sea star population in the Pacific Ocean has plummeted from a wasting disease that may be tied to climate change."