
vancouversun.com
12 March 2019
Honey farmers bring in foreign bees as other B.C. apiarists wait to learn winter losses
Problem pests, hungry wasps and 'two winters' in one has been hard on B.C.'s bee hives.
Problem pests, hungry wasps and 'two winters' in one has been hard on B.C.'s bee hives.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is moving to gut its independent chemical risk program, potentially stalling regulation of dangerous substances and handing a long-sought victory to the chemical industry.
In short:
Key quote:
“Nothing is getting regulated right now."
— Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta, former principal deputy assistant administrator of the EPA Office of Research and Development and a former EPA science adviser
Why this matters:
The timing couldn’t be more convenient — for the chemical lobby. Gutting IRIS could mean years-long delays in protecting people from the very real dangers of daily chemical exposure. With over 80,000 chemicals registered for use in the U.S. — and more added each year — slowing regulation means longer exposure to toxic substances linked to cancer, reproductive harm, and chronic illness. This is part of a larger rollback strategy with major impacts for environmental health, just as new threats like PFAS demand urgent, science-based action.
Read more: The silent threat beneath our feet: How deregulation fuels the spread of forever chemicals
A group of House Republicans is clashing with party leaders over plans to gut clean energy tax credits, raising the possibility of a GOP showdown.
Kelsey Brugger, Andres Picon, Nico Portuondo and Manuel Quiñones report for Politico.
In short:
Key quote:
“Across the country, there is a huge economic impact that would happen if we just cut these things off.”
— Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.)
Why this matters:
Republicans have spent the last two years slamming the Inflation Reduction Act as a liberal spending spree — but now some are getting cold feet about gutting its green tax credits. Clean energy tax credits are funneling billions into red-state districts, transforming economically depressed towns into hubs for solar, wind, and battery production, and bringing jobs that are hard to hate come reelection time. Is the GOP is willing to sacrifice an economic boon — one that’s driving green manufacturing and cutting pollution — to score points in a political fight?
Read more: The real scam — rail against renewables, run away with factories
Over 30 states and cities suing oil giants for climate damages now face direct legal opposition from the Trump administration, which has begun suing states to block their cases.
In short:
Key quote:
“The climate crisis is here, and the costs of surviving it are rising every day. The burden should fall on those who deceived and failed to warn consumers about the climate dangers lurking in their products.”
— Josh Green, governor of Hawaii
Why this matters:
As the climate warms, communities across the United States are racking up billions in damages from floods, fires, droughts and storms — costs that state and local governments argue should be shared by the companies that profited from fossil fuels while allegedly misleading the public about their risks. These lawsuits resemble earlier efforts to hold the tobacco industry accountable and could set powerful legal precedents. But the federal government’s new legal interventions raise the stakes. Suing states to stop climate litigation marks an aggressive defense of fossil fuel interests and could undermine the ability of local governments to recover funds for climate resilience. If successful, this strategy might close off one of the few remaining avenues for holding corporations responsible for climate impacts — especially in the absence of sweeping federal climate policy.
Related: Oil companies seek legal immunity modeled on gun industry’s shield from lawsuits
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drew bipartisan criticism in a contentious Senate hearing over whether the agency defied federal law by halting billions in climate and environmental justice grants.
In short:
Key quote:
“So you understand that when you impound funds, you’re violating the law?”
— Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley
Why this matters:
The EPA’s funding decisions affect how communities across the country — especially those already burdened by pollution — can protect themselves from environmental threats. The grants at issue were meant to reduce exposure to contaminated water, heatwaves, and floods, and to boost infrastructure like heat pumps and health clinics in underserved neighborhoods. Withholding these funds could stall or reverse efforts to clean up toxic sites, upgrade water systems, and prepare for climate-driven disasters. In addition, the dispute reflects a deeper clash over executive power and the role of science and equity in federal policy.
Related: EPA dismantles decades of work on environmental justice
The U.S. Interior Department plans to revoke a Biden-era rule that slashed costs for renewable energy developers using federal lands, a step back toward fossil fuel-friendly policies.
In short:
Key quote:
"Eliminating the Biden administration's preferential treatment of unaffordable, unreliable 'intermittent' projects and dismantling excessive, one-sided restrictions on traditional energy sources like oil, gas, and critical minerals, will unlock the full potential of America’s natural resources."
— Doug Burgum, secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior
Why this matters:
The cost of developing solar and wind farms on public lands has long been a barrier to scaling up renewable energy in the United States. By slashing those fees in 2024, the Biden administration aimed to create a more level playing field with oil and gas, whose access to public lands has traditionally faced fewer financial hurdles. Reversing that policy signals a return to favoring extractive industries over low-carbon alternatives. Public lands make up a large share of the nation’s undeveloped potential for utility-scale renewable energy, especially in the sunny Southwest and windy Great Plains. Making them less accessible to clean energy developers could slow the transition to a cleaner grid and deepen the country’s reliance on polluting fuels.
Read more: Trump administration seeks to open more public lands to oil, gas and mining under new Interior plan
Plastic production emits about 5% of global greenhouse gases, but scientists warn that microplastics may also hinder the planet's natural ability to store carbon, amplifying climate change beyond current estimates.
In short:
Key quote:
“An incomplete understanding must not halt action to comprehensively account for plastic climate impacts.”
— Holly Kaufman, senior fellow at the World Resources Institute and a lead author of the report
Why this matters:
Scientists are learning that microplastics affect far more than marine life. These tiny fragments can slow plankton growth, disrupt fish waste, and alter microbial processes in the soil, all of which could reduce Earth’s ability to absorb and store carbon. This undermines a vital natural buffer against climate change. On top of that, plastic particles might change how sunlight reflects off snow, ice, and even clouds — and may emit methane as they break down. These pathways aren’t yet fully understood, but they suggest we’ve been underestimating plastic’s climate footprint. As plastics continue to spread through ecosystems, including remote oceans and mountaintops, it becomes more urgent to study how they affect planetary systems in addition to human health.
A wave of retirements and layoffs has left the National Weather Service scrambling to fill critical roles as the Atlantic hurricane season approaches, raising bipartisan fears about the nation’s storm readiness.
In short:
Key quote:
“We’re not prepared. We’re heading into hurricane season as unprepared as anytime as I can imagine.”
— Tom DiLiberto, former NOAA official
Why this matters:
The National Weather Service staffing crisis couldn’t come at a worse time. As climate change drives stronger hurricanes, heavier rainfall, and more erratic storm patterns, gaps in forecasting and emergency communication could mean communities don’t get timely alerts. Local NWS offices are essential not just for tracking storms but for coordinating with emergency responders on the ground. If hydrologists, IT specialists, or lead meteorologists aren’t in place, radar systems could fail or data could lag just when it's needed most. Compounding the issue, NOAA’s tracking systems for billion-dollar disasters and polar data are also under threat.
Related: U.S. pauses weather alerts translation, leaving non-English speakers at risk during disasters
One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.
“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”
"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”
A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations
“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”
“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.