Environmental Studies

"National parks are full of awe, discovery, and even mystery. ... For the past 21 years, the National Parks Traveler has worked to keep the public informed not only on these aspects of the National Park System but on how the National Park Service and Congress have managed these incredible lands that are owned by the American taxpayers. ... Today, however, the Traveler is suspending operations due to insufficient funding."

"For the next five years, the Environmental Protection Agency has indicated it will not require public water utilities to test for microplastics or pharmaceuticals in drinking water, according to a proposed rule published in the Federal Register."

"A nearly century-old precedent that has been in conservatives’ cross-hairs for years met its demise Monday, when the Supreme Court ruled to limit the independence of agencies like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission."

"As the Trump administration censors history on parks and public lands — a move out of the autocrats’ playbook — people have six ways to honor and defend our shared history."

"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 US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is violating the law by failing to turn over records related to an executive order issued by President Donald Trump protecting production of the controversial pesticide glyphosate, according to a lawsuit filed Monday."

"The Supreme Court has dealt a devastating blow to the Make America Healthy Again Movement by blocking a path for users of the popular Roundup weedkiller to secure payouts from Monsanto for failing to disclose the product’s cancer risk."

"In January 2025, the Trump administration began shutting down projects within the EPA’s independent science division that touched on climate change and environmental justice. Air quality researcher Thomas Luben, who had worked at the agency for 18 years, was fired for objecting."

"The National Science Foundation on Thursday reversed a decision to dismantle a sprawling ocean monitoring network after vigorous objections from Democratic lawmakers and scientists who rely on it to track everything from ocean circulation to extreme weather."