Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

California is banning paraquat, a highly toxic herbicide controversial for its use on American cropland. Public health advocates characterize it as a deadly substance virtually proven to cause Parkinson's disease, and it is already banned in over 70 countries, including China, the UK, and the EU. Despite this, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reapproved paraquat for use in the US in 2021 and 2024.

Donald Trump’s energy projects risk being blocked by the Environmental Protection Agency's veto authority under Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act, which allows blocking disposal even after permits are issued. This broad power threatens projects already under construction and is a major hurdle for fast-tracking infrastructure development. Advocates are seeking legislative or regulatory changes to limit this EPA authority.

Federal courts issued rulings determining that attempts by the Trump administration to cancel significant clean energy and climate justice grants were unlawful. In total, a federal appeals court ruled the EPA could not terminate $20 billion in grants, while another judge ordered the agency to reinstate $1.6 billion for environmental and climate justice programs.

Federal courts ruled that the Trump administration illegally attempted to cancel environmental and clean energy grants totaling billions of dollars. Specifically, a federal judge ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to restore $1.6 billion in climate justice grants after finding it unlawful for the EPA to claw back the funds. Separately, an appeals court restricted the agency's ability to terminate over $20 billion in clean energy grants awarded to nonprofit groups.

Two courts blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to cancel climate grants, ruling the EPA’s termination of $20 billion in clean energy grants and $1.6 billion in climate justice grants unlawful. The rulings require the EPA to reinstate funds awarded under the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act, though the agency has requested a delay to appeal.

Wildfire smoke poses health risks due to tiny airborne particles, and experts recommend using high-efficiency air filters, sealing HVAC systems, and creating clean rooms with portable or DIY air purifiers to maintain indoor air quality.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that state courts cannot hold Monsanto liable for Roundup's labeling, stating federal law preempts such claims. The decision overturned a $1.25 million award to a man who claimed Roundup caused his non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with Justice Brett Kavanaugh's majority opinion and a dissent from Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Santa Monica Pier in California has been ranked as the second most polluted beach in the U.S. for the second consecutive year due to fecal pollution, urban runoff, and sewage spills. Despite infrastructure upgrades like stormwater systems, bacteria levels remain elevated, prompting public health advisories. Heal the Bay highlights the need for sustained investment to address chronic pollution.

The Trump administration proposes to partially roll back drinking water protections from toxic 'forever chemicals'. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will allow delays for water systems and rescind some types of forever chemicals covered under a Biden-era rule. This move aims to regulate these chemicals in drinking water.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin testifies before the Senate Appropriations Committee on President Trump's fiscal 2027 budget request, which seeks to cut EPA funding by 52 percent. The proposed budget authority for the EPA is $4.2 billion. The hearing follows President Trump's previous actions regarding the EPA.

House Republicans split over removing a pesticide liability shield from the farm bill, with 73 GOP lawmakers backing Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s amendment to strip the provision. The MAHA movement, advocating for stricter pesticide regulations, influenced the vote, while opponents argued the change could increase consumer costs.

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers removed a controversial pesticide liability provision from the farm bill after Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., threatened to block the legislation. The vote, with 73 Republicans supporting the amendment, highlights the MAHA movement's influence, as advocates pressured GOP members to back the change, while opponents argued it would raise consumer costs.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin clashed with Rep. Robert Menendez Jr. during a congressional hearing over EPA policy changes and climate change impacts, with Zeldin making a cryptic reference to Menendez's father, a former senator imprisoned for corruption. The exchange highlighted partisan tensions over environmental regulations and fiscal policies.

The Trump administration, through the EPA, is enhancing efforts to combat childhood lead exposure by launching public-education tools, reallocating $3 billion for lead reduction in drinking water, and pressuring states to use previously unused funds. The EPA is also enforcing lead renovation rules and addressing lead contamination in older homes and schools.

Omaha, Nebraska, faces significant lead contamination due to a Superfund site, yet most children aren't tested for lead. A lack of universal testing laws in Nebraska contrasts with 13 other states that require lead screening for all kindergarten-aged children, leading to missed cases of elevated lead levels.

A government watchdog alleges the Obama-era EPA pre-determined legal grounds for climate regulations through internal emails, which are now central to a legal battle over the Trump administration's attempt to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding. The case involves multiple organizations challenging the validity of the EPA's regulatory framework.

A government watchdog accused the Obama-era EPA of pre-determining climate regulations through internal emails, which the GAO claims laid the groundwork for extensive energy policies. The Trump administration seeks to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding, facing legal challenges from environmental groups.