Laws & Regulations

"Senate Votes To Kill Worker Safety Rule Aimed At Federal Contractors"

"President Trump and congressional Republicans are poised to roll back a series of Obama-era worker safety regulations targeted by business groups, beginning Monday night with a vote by the Senate to kill a rule that required federal contractors to disclose and correct serious safety violations."

Source: Washington Post, 03/07/2017

"Exxon's Auditor Could Hold Key Piece of Climate Fraud Investigation"

"A high-stakes legal battle between ExxonMobil and the New York attorney general's office is roiling around documents held by the company's auditors. Those documents, usually dry disclosures that hold little public interest, could afford a candid—and perhaps damaging—glimpse into Exxon's private calculations of the business risks posed by climate change."

Source: InsideClimate News, 03/07/2017

"Oklahoma Tribe Sues Oil Companies In Tribal Court Over Earthquake"

"An Oklahoma-based Native American tribe filed a lawsuit in its own tribal court system Friday accusing several oil companies of triggering the state’s largest earthquake that caused extensive damage to some near-century-old tribal buildings."

Source: AP, 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

"Trump to Undo Vehicle Rules That Curb Global Warming"

"The Trump administration is expected to begin rolling back stringent federal regulations on vehicle pollution that contributes to global warming, according to people familiar with the matter, essentially marking a U-turn to efforts to force the American auto industry to produce more electric cars."

Source: NY Times, 03/06/2017

"Climate, Water Safety Programs Slashed In EPA Budget Proposal"

"The Trump administration would slash programs aimed at slowing climate change and improving water safety and air quality, while eliminating thousands of jobs, according to a draft of the Environmental Protection Agency budget proposal obtained by The Associated Press."

Source: AP, 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

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