Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
With the news that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has lost more than 700 employees since the start of the year, climate advocacy groups are growing concerned about the agency’s effectiveness going forward. The Song of the Week explores environmental themes with “Plastic Beach,” the title track of the 2010 album by British virtual band […]
The House of Representatives recently voted 216 to 212 to repeal the power plant rule that “prevents facilities previously subject to strict standards for seven hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act (CAA) from being reclassified into a less-strict category of regulation,” according to a Washington Examiner article on MSN News. No replacement rule […]
The EPA officially reports it lost 733 staffers from January 1 to May 30, 2025, according to an article by The Hill. However, that number is certainly higher, as staffers who opted out when the “fork in the road” buyout offer e-mail was sent are still counted as employees because they still draw a salary. […]
As the EPA continues to cancel and freeze funding for grants awarded under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), environmental justice programs appear to be targeted, with more than $2.4 billion in grant funding for disadvantaged communities eliminated. “The administration argues these programs constitute ‘favoritism’ and has tied them to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives it […]
Offshore wind projects are in jeopardy in the wake of President Donald Trump’s initial Executive Order (EO) to halt wind energy leasing projects. With massive monetary investments on the line, lawsuits are certainly forthcoming. “The Trump administration took a more aggressive step against wind in April when it ordered the Norwegian company Equinor to halt […]
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), a group of labor unions representing workers in education, manufacturing, mining, and nursing, and a personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturer filed a suit in federal court to reverse the recent reorganization of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the AFL-CIO announced […]
In a letter dated April 9, 2025, 180 Democratic legislators call on EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to halt his “egregious attacks on the public health and well-being of the American people” in response to his announcement regarding the launch of the “biggest deregulatory action in U.S. history.” Zeldin’s announcement stated three goals for the planned […]
On April 28, 2025, the EPA announced upcoming agency actions to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). While the list of actions is lengthy, experts say it lacks substantive measures. In line with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s Powering the Great American Comeback initiative, the Agency’s “work in this space will advance Pillar 1: Clean Air, […]
News broke this week that the Trump administration plans to use technology to ensure that federal workers are back in the office. All of which led to much consideration at Song of the Week headquarters of songs about Big Brother and surveillance. Ultimately, we went with Cheap Trick’s 1979 tale of power pop paranoia, “Dream […]
The EPA recently announced its approval of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality’s (WDEQ) request to allow the expansion of uranium mining in Sweetwater County. This approval provides a green light for projects in the Battle Springs Formation, an aquifer located throughout the Great Divide basin in south-central Wyoming. Working with the WDEQ, the EPA […]