Credit: Peter Massas/Flickr

Big oil spent decades sowing doubt about fossil fuel dangers, experts testify

Experts and lawmakers, during a Senate hearing, revealed a strategic shift by the fossil fuel industry from outright climate denial to more sophisticated disinformation campaigns aimed at protecting profits while undermining climate policy.

Dharna Noor reports for The Guardian.

In short:

A Senate report, backed by subpoenaed documents, showcases how the fossil fuel sector transitioned from denying climate change to deceiving the public through disinformation.
Lawmakers cited the industry's greenwashing efforts, emphasizing its dual messaging: acknowledging climate change privately while publicly downplaying it.
Democrats argued that oil companies should bear the financial burden of climate change impacts, rather than taxpayers.

Key quote:

“In my view, it should not be state government or the federal government having to pick up the bill. I think it’s time to ask the people who caused that problem, who lied about that situation, to pick up the bill.”

— Vermont Senator, Bernie Sanders

Why this matters:

The fossil fuel industry's influence on climate change narratives has impacted public understanding and delayed policy action, contributing to worsening climate crises. Read more: Climate change denial and me.

www.theguardian.com

Smoke billows from an industrial chimney at sunset near several homes.

Credit: Tanner Messenger/Unsplash

Judge rules EPA overstepped in cutting pollution grants

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from canceling $600 million in environmental justice grants aimed at helping underserved communities reduce pollution.

Rachel Frazin reports forThe Hill.

In short:

The grants stem from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which set aside $3 billion for environmental justice programs.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Biden had planned to distribute the $600 million through regional groups, which would fund local efforts, before the Trump EPA terminated the grants earlier this year.
Judge Adam Abelson ruled the EPA's cancellation exceeded its authority “precisely because they are ‘environmental justice’ programs."

Key quote:
The move included a “lack of any reasoned decision-making, or reasoned explanation.”

— Judge Adam Abelson, U.S. District Court

Why this matters:
Underserved communities often face the greatest environmental health risks and climate impacts. These grants were designed to help local groups respond to long-standing environmental harms and health risks, and canceling them would have cut off vital support just as cleanup efforts were beginning to gain traction. The Trump administration has also attempted to cancel a similar $20 billion program that would fund climate-friendly projects.

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