Current Issues
Global Warming/Clean Air
Power Plant Carbon Emissions Rule
The EPA issued a proposed rule (May 11) that seeks to substantially reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants using fossil fuels. US power plants account ...
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Recycling, Plastics, Ocean Trash
EU Common Charger Rule
The European Union formally adopted (October 4) a plan to establish a common charging standard for most electronic devices. The standard would be USB Type-C, and would ...
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Protecting Endangered Species
Votes to Overturn Species Protections
The Senate voted to approve three resolutions (May) seeking to overturn key decisions of Federal agencies last year related to the Endangered Species ...
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Bees-Insects/Pesticides
EU Court Rejection of Bee Protection Exemptions
A European Court of Justice (ECJ) decided (January 19) that EU countries can no longer grant ...
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Elephant & Rhino Poaching
US-South Africa Anti-Poaching Cooperation
The US and South Africa announced (January 25) the formation of a new Task Force on Combating the Financing of Wildlife Trafficking to combat, among ...
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Water Supply and Safety
Colorado River Allocation Reductions
The Department of the Interior announced (May 22) an agreement among Lower Colorado River Basin states to implement further water use reductions that totals 3 million acre-feet through the end of 2026. Half of the water savings ...
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Protecting Forests/Rainforests
Brazil’s Amazon Protection Plan
Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva outlined (June 5) the details of a government-wide plan to meet a previous goal of achieving net-zero deforestation of the ...
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Oil/Gas/Coal Extraction
House Energy Legislation
The US House of Representatives passed the Lower Energy Costs Act (March 30), comprehensive energy policy legislation, by a vote of 225 to 204, with 6 Members of Congress ...
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Batteries for Clean Energy
Ford Partnership with Chinese Battery Company
Ford announced (February 13) that it will invest $3.5 billion to build a battery manufacturing facility in Marshall, Michigan. Ford will undertake the project ...
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Electric Vehicle Availability/Use
New EV Tax Rules
The Treasury Department published a proposed rule (April 17) with new requirements on critical mineral and batter components that will affect electric vehicle (EV) purchases ...
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Renewable Energy & Conservation
Offshore Wind Acceleration Plan
The US Energy Department released (March 29) a plan that it says will help accelerate the deployment of offshore wind energy in support of reaching the Administration's goals ...
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Lands & Waters
Waters-of-the-United States
The US Supreme Court issued a long-awaited ruling (May 25) that concerns Federal jurisdiction in the protection of waters under the Clean Water Act (CWA). In general ...
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Research & Analysis
Mature & Old Growth Forest
Forest Service & BLM
This report (April 21) provides the first estimates of old-growth and mature forests across all US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands.
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Climate Change - 6th Assessment Report
UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
This report (March 20) is issued periodically by United Nations in advance of global climate discussions. The report provides a status on progress towards meeting international climate goals.
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COP27 Draft Paper on Outcomes
United Nations
This draft paper (November 2022) summarizes the draft outcomes of the 27th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP27). The UN indicates this draft will undergo revision in the coming months.
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Accelerating Global Companies to Net Zero by 2050
Accenture
This report (November 2022) provides an assessment of large company long-term, net-zero carbon emissions commitments, including if such commitments are on track to be met and how to improve the chances for success.
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Ecosystem Restoration in the Infrastructure Act
Congressional Research Service
This report (October 2022) provides a summary of funding provided in the 2021 Infrastructure and Jobs Act specifically for ecosystem restoration, which was not a primary focus of the Act and which includes activities that may be less obvious to ecosystem efforts.
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Recent Developments in Everglades Restoration
Congressional Research Service
This report (August 2022) provides a summary of the latest status information on Florida Everglades restoration projects, including progress on past, current, and future major projects, as well as levels of Federal funding support.
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PFAS Contamination in U.S. Waterways
Waterkeeper Alliance
This announcement (October 2022) presents the results of U.S. waterways testing which found levels of one or more PFAS–a.k.a. "forever chemicals"–present in 93% of tested waters. Most samples had more than one chemical. One type of PFAS chemical (PFOS) was detected above the EPA’s interim health advisory level of 0.02 parts per trillion at 159 of the 228 sampling sites
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A Legal Guide to Bold Climate Action from President Biden
Center for Biological Diversity
This report (February 2022) provides a concept of the legal basis for measures to address climate change using the emergency powers of the President.
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National Emergency Powers
Congressional Research Service
This CRS report (February 2021) summarizes the basis for, and specifics of, Presidential emergency powers.
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Worth More Standing
Climate Forests Coalition
This document identifies and describes 10 logging projects on Federal lands that that this group claims includes "mature and old-growth" trees that should be protected from logging. These represent both projects that are underway or are expected in the near future.
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Future of America's Fish and Wildlife
Blue Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America's Diverse Fish and Wildlife Resources
This report (March 2016) provides the results of a review by a panel of primarily private corporate and public interest organizations on actions to strengthen fish and wildlife in the United States. Its core recommendation is to create permanent annual funding of $1.3 billion per year that will finance State wildlife action plans.
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The Real Truth About the U.S. Plastic Recycling Rate
The Last Beach Cleanup
This report (May 2022) summarizes the best available data on plastics recycling and makes the case that plastics recycling is, in reality, not real despite industry claims regarding actual and potential plastics recycling. The report says that current U.S. plastics recycling is between 5-6%, though it could actually be lower.
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Revealing global risks of labor abuse and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing
Nature Communications
This study examined the links between illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and labor abuse, and poor government oversight. The study found that 57% of assessed ports were tied to labor abuse or IUU fishing, and were higher for fishing trips that ended at assessed ports (82%)
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Statement on Nature-Related Financial Risks
Network for Greening the Financial System
This statement summarizes the postions and general actions that should be taken by the worldwide financial community regarding the risks of biodiversity loss and the need for solutions such as sustainable finance.
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The Clean Water Act at 50: Promises Half Kept at the Half Century Mark
Environmental Integrity Project
This report (March 2022) provides an analysis of existing data on the conditions of waterways in the United States as measured against the goals and objectives of the landmark Clean Water Act of 1972. The report says that about half of the river and stream miles and lake acres that have been studied across the U.S. are so polluted they are classified as “impaired;” meaning, they are too polluted to meet standards for swimming and recreation, aquatic life, fish consumption, or as drinking water sources.
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Curtailing Methane Emissions from Fossil Fuel Operations
International Energy Agency
This report (February 2022) describes the basis of the worldwide challenge of methane emissions from the oil and gas industry, and the potential regulatory actions governments should consider. Some of the key regulatory policy options include leak detection and repair requirements, mandates for updated equipment, limits on non-emergency flaring and venting, minimum standards of performance, and charges/taxes applied to methane emissions.
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U.S. coastline to see up to a foot of sea level rise by 2050
NOAA
This report (February 2022) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that the United States could see a rise in sea levels within 30 years (by 2050), as it has already seen occur over the previous 100 years.
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Are federal disaster policies making the harmful impacts of climate change even worse?
Brookings
This article argues that federal spending on disasters is weighted too heavily in favor of recovery over preventing future disasters (i.e., "resilience"), and that policy reforms are needed to strike a more appropriate balance between response/recovery and resilience.
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Climate Change: How Do We Know
NASA
Climate Science Special Report
Cross-US Federal Government
This is the fourth National Climate Assessment required under the Global Change Research Act of 1990. The fifth assessment is currently under development (expected in 2023). The assessments detail current scientific evidence on the causes and impacts of climate change.
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U.S. Global Change Research Program
GlobalChange.gov
This is the website of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), which coordinates federal research and investments in understanding the forces shaping the global environment, both human and natural, and the impacts.
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Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
This is the Summary for Policymakers of the Sixth Assessment Report on climate change issued by the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
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Leveraging Multi-Target Strategies to Address Plastic Pollution in the Context of an Already Stressed Ocean
High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy - the World Resources Institute
This Blue Paper details the impact of plastics and other pollution in the ocean and offers seven key recommendations for comprehensively addressing the problem.
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20 Years of Government Responses to the Global Plastic Pollution Problem
Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University
This report synthesizes world-wide government policy and regulatory responses to plastic pollution.
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Learn About Ocean Dumping
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
This EPA website provides comprehensive information about Ocean Dumping, including what is permitted and not permitted, and how the EPA addresses dumping given the agency's authorities.
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Endangered Species Act (ESA): Overview and Implementation
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
This CRS report provides an overview of the key provisions of the Endangered Species Act and how those provisions are implemented by the Federal Government.
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Endangered Species Listing (International/Comprehensive)
International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN Redlist)
The IUCN Red List is a website that likely the most comprehensive listing of animals and plants deemed threatened with extinction. The list has more than 37,400 species with status information on each.
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Endangered Species
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
This FWS website provides endangers species status information by US State, including Puerto Rico and US territories.
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Solar Futures Study
U.S. Department of Energy
This Energy study (September 2021) provides an assessment of solar energy's role in driving the US to a carbon-free electric grid and concludes that with certain large-scale actions, solar could account for as much as 40% of the nation’s electricity supply by 2035, and 45% by 2050.
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Final Biological Evaluations of Three Neonicotinoids
Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA released final biological evaluations (June 2022) of three insecticides -- clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, which are part of a group of insecticides known as the neonicotinoids, used for crops, turf, and ornamental plants, and for other residential and commercial indoor and outdoor uses. EPA made a “likely to adversely affect” (LAA) determination, where the agency reasonably expects that at least one individual animal or plant, among a variety of listed species, may be exposed to the pesticide at a sufficient level to have an adverse effect.
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Key Federal Programs
Animal/Plant Health Inspection Service [Agriculture - APHIS]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$1,067,354,000
$1,152,461,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$0
Natural Resources Conservation Service [Agriculture]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$1,017,727,000
$1,001,101,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$1,193,000,000
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [Commerce - NOAA]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$5,877,349,000
$6,884,121,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$3,308,039,000
Army Corps of Engineers - civil program
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$8,343,000,000
$6,601,730,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$22,810,000,000
Water and Related Resources [Interior - Reclamation]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$1,521,125,000
$1,270,376,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$1,870,000,000
Orphan Oil Well Plugging, Remediation, Restoration [DOI]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$0
$0
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$4,677,000,000
Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy [DOE]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$3,200,000,000
$4,018,885,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$8,207,200,000
Office of Electricity [DOE]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$277,000,000
$297,386,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$1,660,000,000
Nuclear Energy Program [DOE]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$1,505,000,000
$1,518,460,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$1,200,000,000
Fossil Energy & Carbon Management [DOE]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$825,000,000
$893,160,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$1,839,000,000
Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy [DOE]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$3,200,000,000
$4,018,885,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$8,207,200,000
Science [DOE]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$7,475,000,000
$7,799,211,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$0
Advanced Research Projects Agency [DOE]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$450,000,000
$700,150,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$0
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [Interior]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$1,645,611,000
$2,062,559,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$244,227,000
National Park Service [Interior]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$3,264,994,000
$3,607,227,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$229,472,000
U.S. Geological Survey [Interior]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$1,394,360,000
$1,779,999,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$265,952,000
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement [Interior]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$268,097,000
$271,218,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$11,293,000,000
Ocean Energy Management [Interior]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$163,748,000
$237,407,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$0
Offshore Safety and Environmental Enforcement [Interior]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$140,848,000
$172,378,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$0
Wildfire Management/Supression [Interior]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$1,356,097,000
$1,800,917,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$100,000,000
Science & Technology Programs [EPA]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$750,174,000
$864,155,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$0
Clean Air Programs [EPA]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$424,642,000
$705,571,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$0
Environmental Compliance & Enforcement [EPA]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$439,434,000
$436,075,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$0
Environmental Protection National/Geographic Priorities [EPA]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$612,892,000
$578,635,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$343,400,000
