The Trump administration is moving to effectively eliminate a crucial protection in the half-century-old federal Endangered Species Act by redefining a single word: harm. A proposed rule, issued this Wednesday from the U.S....more
4/18/2025
/ California ,
Clean Water Act ,
Critical Habitat ,
Deregulation ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Energy Policy ,
Environmental Policies ,
Government Agencies ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
NOAA ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pollution Control ,
Proposed Rules ,
Public Health ,
Refineries ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Trump Administration ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
President Trump issued an executive order this Tuesday taking aim at state and local climate change laws and policies, including California’s landmark market program for reducing greenhouse gases. The order directs U.S....more
The Trump administration is offering coal-fired power plants and other industrial facilities an opportunity to obtain exemptions from Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements designed to reduce emissions of chemicals such as mercury,...more
President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) plans to terminate lease contracts at nearly two dozen California offices relating to science, agriculture, and the environment, according to its federal...more
On Tuesday, in a 5-4 opinion authored by Justice Samuel Alioto, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a pivotal ruling that the Clean Water Act (CWA) provisions authorizing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to impose...more
3/7/2025
/ California ,
City and County of San Francisco v Environmental Protection Agency ,
Clean Water Act ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Logging ,
NPDES ,
Permits ,
Regulatory Authority ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
SCOTUS ,
Sewer Systems ,
Trump Administration ,
Wastewater
On February 20, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) posted a pre-publication notice on its website of an Interim Final Rule rescinding its regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act...more
Newly-appointed U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote in a memo this Wednesday that the Justice Department will reverse a Biden-era directive to prioritize enforcement of environmental laws in disadvantaged and low-income...more
2/7/2025
/ Attorney General ,
Bureau of Land Management ,
California ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Clean Air Act ,
Clean Water Act ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement ,
Environmental Justice ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Federal Funding ,
Oil & Gas ,
PFAS ,
SCOTUS ,
Trump Administration ,
Water ,
Wildfires
The Trump administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to pause its review of a case involving California’s stricter vehicle emissions and electric vehicle standards. Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris filed the request...more
2/3/2025
/ California ,
Clean Air Act ,
Climate Change ,
Energy Policy ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Executive Orders ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Oil & Gas ,
Paris Agreement ,
SCOTUS ,
State Health Departments ,
State Legislatures ,
Trump Administration ,
Water ,
Wildfires
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday issued a new regulation preventing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, from being approved through low volume exemptions — abridged reviews...more
12/6/2024
/ Biden Administration ,
California ,
Endangered Species ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Hazardous Substances ,
Hazardous Waste ,
Infrastructure ,
Native American Issues ,
Oil & Gas ,
PFAS ,
Public Health ,
Settlement ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Trump Administration ,
Water
In the last four years, California has adopted some of the nation’s most innovative air regulations, including a ban on new gasoline-powered car sales by 2035 and a prohibition against diesel-fueled trucks visiting state...more
11/8/2024
/ Air Pollution ,
Air Quality Standards ,
Ballot Measures ,
California ,
Climate Action Plan ,
Environmental Policies ,
Incidental Take Permits ,
Infrastructure ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Trump Administration ,
Waste Disposal ,
Water ,
Wildfires
Trump administration reverses migratory bird protections -
Bullet The New York Times – December 21 -
The U.S. Department of the Interior this Tuesday finalized a reversal of protections for wild birds under the 1918...more
1/8/2021
/ Dams ,
Deregulation ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Trump Administration ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service ,
Water ,
Water Districts ,
Wetlands
Congress takes aim at climate change in massive relief bill -
Bullet Associated Press – December 21 -
The pandemic relief and spending package that President Donald Trump signed into law on Monday includes billions of...more
12/30/2020
/ Asbestos ,
Carbon Capture and Sequestration ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals Rule ,
Housing Developers ,
Infrastructure ,
Pesticides ,
Trump Administration ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Walgreens ,
Water Resources Development Act ,
Wetlands
President Trump makes agricultural water demands priority for new office -
U.S. News & World Report – October 13 -
President Donald Trump this Tuesday created what he called a “subcabinet” for federal water issues,...more
10/16/2020
/ Air Pollution ,
Board of Supervisors ,
Bureau of Land Management ,
Climate Change ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Executive Orders ,
Oil & Gas ,
Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) Policy ,
Trump Administration
Redwood City salt ponds subject to environmental protections, federal judge rules -
San Francisco Chronicle – October 5 -
A federal court ruled this Monday that an area containing salt ponds in Redwood City are waters...more
10/9/2020
/ Air Quality Standards ,
California Air Resources Board ,
Clean Water Act ,
Climate Change ,
Department of Toxic Substances Control ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Governor Newsom ,
NASA ,
PFAS ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Trump Administration ,
Water Resources Control Board
White House directs agencies to relax enforcement -
Los Angeles Times – September 9 -
A memorandum produced by the White House Office of Management and Budget and sent to federal agency heads last week instructs them to...more
9/11/2020
/ Bureau of Land Management ,
Critical Habitat ,
Department of the Interior ,
Deregulation ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Enforcement Guidance ,
Environmental Policies ,
Farms ,
Groundwater ,
Infrastructure ,
Mineral Extraction ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pipelines ,
Trump Administration ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service ,
Water ,
Water Supplies
Contaminated groundwater plume in north Orange County placed on federal Superfund list -
Orange County Register – September 1 -
A five-square-mile plume of contaminated groundwater in north Orange County has been...more
9/4/2020
/ Contaminated Properties ,
Department of Toxic Substances Control ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Free Trade Agreements ,
Governor Newsom ,
Groundwater ,
NEPA ,
NHTSA ,
PFAS ,
Site Remediation ,
Superfund ,
Trump Administration ,
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) ,
Wastewater ,
Water Supplies
California and five major automakers finalize deal on vehicle emissions standards -
The New York Times – August 17 -
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) this Monday finalized “Settlement Agreements” with five of...more
8/21/2020
/ Automotive Industry ,
California Air Resources Board ,
California Endangered Species Act ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Center for Biological Diversity ,
Endangered Species ,
Environmental Policies ,
Fuel Standards ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Historic Preservation ,
Liquid Natural Gas ,
NASA ,
Native American Issues ,
PHMSA ,
Renewable Energy ,
Trump Administration ,
Wildfires
Federal court blocks Interior Department’s relaxation of migratory bird safeguards -
U.S. News & World Report – August 12 -
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York this Tuesday struck down a U.S....more
8/14/2020
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Biofuel ,
Clean Water Act ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Department of the Interior ,
Diesel Fuel ,
Endangered Species ,
Environmental Litigation ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Incidental Take Permits ,
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) ,
Navigable Waters Protection Rule ,
Oil & Gas ,
Renewable Energy ,
State Attorneys General ,
Trump Administration ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Wastewater ,
Water Quality Control Boards ,
Water Resources Control Board ,
Waters of the United States
Congress sends landmark conservation bill to White House -
Bullet The New York Times – July 22 -
The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a measure that, for the first time, guarantees maximum annual funding...more
7/24/2020
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Clean Water Act ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Groundwater ,
Monsanto ,
Paris Agreement ,
Popular ,
Public Land ,
RCRA ,
Trump Administration ,
Water ,
Water Quality ,
Water Resources Control Board
EPA limits states’ power to review projects that affect water quality -
Bullet Courthouse News Service – July 13 -
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday issued a new 401 Certification Rule under the...more
7/17/2020
/ Bureau of Land Management ,
Certifications ,
Clean Water Act ,
Conservation ,
Construction Permits ,
Dams ,
Demolition ,
Energy Projects ,
Environmental Assessments ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
FERC ,
Mineral Leasing Act ,
NEPA ,
Tribal Governments ,
Trump Administration ,
Water Quality
Bayer to pay more than $10B to resolve lawsuits over Roundup, PCBs, and Dicamba -
Bullet NPR – June 24 -
Bayer will pay more than $10 billion to end tens of thousands of lawsuits filed over its Roundup weedkiller, the...more
6/26/2020
/ Air Pollution ,
Clean Water Act ,
Drinking Water ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Fuel Efficiency ,
Monsanto ,
Navigable Waters Protection Rule ,
Pesticides ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Tribal Lands ,
Trump Administration ,
Water ,
Water Pollution ,
Water Resources Control Board ,
Wetlands
EPA limits states' power to stop oil and gas pipelines -
Bullet NPR – June 1 -
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday issued a new rule intended to expedite the approval process for pipeline...more
6/5/2020
/ Clean Air Act ,
Clean Water Act ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Executive Orders ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pipelines ,
Section 401 ,
Trump Administration
Federal court rejects attempt to toss endangered species lawsuit -
Bullet The Hill – May 19 -
On Monday, Judge Jon Tigar, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, denied the federal...more
Federal judge rules California-Quebec cap-and-trade agreement is valid -
San Francisco Chronicle – March 12 -
California’s agreement with Quebec to share cap-and-trade markets to reduce greenhouse gases survived its...more
3/13/2020
/ Cap-and-Trade ,
Clean Air Act ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Foreign Commerce ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Oil & Gas ,
Proposition 65 ,
Shipping ,
Stormwater Discharge Permits ,
Trump Administration ,
World Health Organization
California sues Trump administration to block water rules -
Bullet ABC News – February 20 -
California sued the Trump administration on Thursday to block new rules finalized this week that would let farmers take more...more
2/21/2020
/ Air Pollution ,
Contaminated Properties ,
Drinking Water ,
Endangered Species ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Groundwater ,
Pesticides ,
PFAS ,
Pollution Control ,
Superfund ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Trump Administration