Science

Trump’s DOJ Drops Environmental Justice Lawsuit Against Chemical Plant in ‘Cancer Alley’

Trump’s DOJ Drops Environmental Justice Lawsuit Against Chemical Plant in ‘Cancer Alley’

The Trump administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) has agreed to drop an environmental justice case against the Denka petrochemical plant in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley.” The Biden-era lawsuit sought to curb chloroprene emissions that are harming surrounding majority-Black communities like Reserve, Louisiana. Filed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the lawsuit stated that Denka’s chloroprene […]

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    ‘A Weird Way of Making America Great’: Trump NOAA Purge Targets Scientists Working on Key Climate Models

    ‘A Weird Way of Making America Great’: Trump NOAA Purge Targets Scientists Working on Key Climate Models

    Layoffs by the Trump administration at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have reached the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL), a small but important institute that is responsible for climate models the world relies on. Kai-Yuan Cheng, an atmospheric scientist who was notified of his firing late last week, said he rushed to finish […]

    Trump Signs Executive Order Handing U.S. Public Forests Over to Private Logging Industry

    Trump Signs Executive Order Handing U.S. Public Forests Over to Private Logging Industry

    A new executive order signed by President Donald Trump over the weekend could have a disastrous effect on endangered species, climate change and local economies, warned conservation groups. The order encouraging the “Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production” seeks to erode Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection rules in favor of the expansion of tree felling […]

    Microplastics Found in Birds’ Lungs in New Study

    Microplastics Found in Birds’ Lungs in New Study

    While previous research has revealed the presence of microplastics in human lungs, a new study confirms that microplastics are making their way into birds’ lungs as well. The study, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, is the first to confirm microplastic presence in birds’ lungs. The researchers focused on analyzing potential microplastics in birds, […]

    Trump’s NOAA Firings Could Be ‘Dangerously Risky’ to Americans’ Well-Being, Experts Warn

    Trump’s NOAA Firings Could Be ‘Dangerously Risky’ to Americans’ Well-Being, Experts Warn

    The Trump administration fired roughly 800 employees of the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA) on Thursday, with more layoffs possible. An email from the U.S. Department of Commerce Thursday afternoon informed employees that they would lose their jobs the same day, reported The Guardian. “The majority of probationary employees in my office have been […]

    Scientists Develop Open Database With 500+ Potential PFAS Alternatives

    Scientists Develop Open Database With 500+ Potential PFAS Alternatives

    With increasing concerns regarding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and their potential impacts on human health, scientists from the Department of Environmental Science at Stockholm University have compiled a comprehensive database with potential alternatives to these “forever chemicals.” According to the European Environment Agency, PFAS exposure has been linked to risks of liver damage, thyroid […]