Peter Dykstra: Support your local enemies of the state

Peter Dykstra: Support your local enemies of the state

On Giving Tuesday, consider giving us more than thoughts and prayers.

This Tuesday, the 27th, is designated as Giving Tuesday. It's the day when we're encouraged, exhorted, and maybe a little guilt-tripped to support all manner of worthy causes.


This was a big year for journalists – the first full year of our presidential designation as Enemies of the State.

We're proud of what we do, and grateful that you read what we report and aggregate. It goes without saying that we feel our work on climate and environment is more important than ever with the Trump Administration hell-bent on dismantling environmental protection and denying basic science.

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Diluting the meaning of "toxics"

Oxford Dictionaries has named "toxic" as its official word of the year. We use it a lot in its original context – to identify a poisonous or harmful substance. But the real growth in use of the word has been as a metaphor – "toxic" relationships or "toxic" attitudes, like those that inspired the #MeToo movement.

Oxford reports a 45 percent increase in searches for the word. Environmental scientists and activists have labored for years to defeat the notion that "dilution is the solution to pollution." Now, it's the word "toxic" itself that faces dilution.

Didn't see that one coming.

Belated birthday wishes

Credit: Gage Skidmore/flickr

Last Thursday, Senator Jim Inhofe turned 84. I have a standing interview request with the Senator for Nov. 17, 2034, his hundredth birthday – he's an unusually youthful octogenarian, so he may make it.

At that time, I'm looking for a sit down to discuss how the Senator's climate "hoax" is going.

Zinke: Next to resign?

There's stiff competition on which Trump principal will go next: Chief of Staff Kelly? Homeland Secretary Nielsen? But for those who keep records on such things, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is another likely pick, with multiple ethics investigations underway.

Ronald Reagan's scandal-plagued EPA Administrator Anne Gorsuch Burford and Interior Secretary James Watt both made fairly quick exits – Gorsuch lasted two years, two months before spending more time with her family, including future Supreme Court Justice and son Neil. Watt made it two years, nine months.

Scott Pruitt bested the elder Gorsuch, exiting in a year and six months. If Zinke leaves any time before next October, Trump's environmental team will enjoy a clean sweep in the swampy Olympics.

Books on an outdoor bookshelf shaped like a house, with trees in background.
Credit: Gigi/Unsplash

Our annual summer reading list, 2025 edition

Happy 4th of July! Here's what our staff is reading this summer.

Welcome to summer, everyone! Each 4th of July, our staff share a memorable book that they’ve recently read, and this year, like every year, has produced an eclectic, thought-provoking mix. We hope our picks inspire some new additions to your own lists.

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Silhouette of a person on a hill in front of a setting sun.

Major climate change reports vanish from US federal websites, raising transparency concerns

Federal climate reports that help communities plan for extreme weather and rising seas have quietly disappeared from public websites, with little explanation from the Trump administration.

Seth Borenstein reports for The Associated Press.

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a scale with the words Truth/Facts and fake news on it

UN official calls for criminal penalties for fossil fuel disinformation and lobbying bans

The United Nations’ top climate and human rights expert urged governments to criminalize fossil fuel disinformation, ban industry lobbying and ads, and phase out oil, gas, and coal by 2030 to meet their legal obligations under international law.

Nina Lakhani reports for The Guardian.

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A ship near an iceberg.

EPA staffer’s offhand remark on climate funds fuels political firestorm after secret video sting

A midlevel U.S. Environmental Protection Agency employee was secretly recorded on a Tinder date by a Project Veritas operative, triggering political attacks and agency rollbacks based on a misrepresented comment about clean energy funding.

Lisa Friedman reports for The New York Times.

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silver and black electric oscillating fan in close up photography.
Credit: Roy Muz/Unsplash

Coal use drives sharp rise in U.S. power plant emissions amid summer heat

U.S. power plant emissions have surged to a three-year high, driven by a spike in coal use as utilities scramble to meet rising electricity demand during record summer heat and elevated natural gas prices.

Gavin Maguire reports for Reuters.

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building with vegetation wall.

Cities are quietly outpacing nations in climate progress

Cities worldwide are cutting emissions, greening streets, and adapting to climate threats faster than national governments, according to a new international report.

Matt Simon reports for Grist.

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a herd of cows standing next to each other in a barn, confined in individual metal stalls.

California residents challenge methane policy they say pollutes under the guise of clean energy

Residents in California’s Central Valley are pushing back against a state-backed program that incentivizes methane digesters at industrial dairies, arguing it locks in pollution and worsens environmental health in Latino communities.

Ray Levy Uyeda reports for Prism.

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From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

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