Democratic-led coalition says gutting key protections will set US back decades and worsen climate crisis

States and cities sued the Trump administration on Thursday for repealing rules that limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas.

Twenty-one states, led by New York, are challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s power plant rule. The Democratic-led coalition also includes Pennsylvania’s governor, the District of Columbia, New York City, Chicago and the city and county of Denver. They argue that “gutting one of the country’s most significant climate protections” will set the nation back decades and worsen the climate crisis.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

© Photograph: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

© Photograph: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

Federal workers’ union alleges EPA illegally terminated agreement with the goal of repressing political dissent

The union representing more than 8,000 workers at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) filed a lawsuit against the agency and administrator Lee Zeldin on Tuesday alleging the agency illegally terminated the union’s collective bargaining agreement.

The lawsuit, filed by two local unions of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), claims the agency failed to justify the contract’s termination and was motivated by a desire to repress political dissent, a violation of the employees’ first amendment rights.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images

© Photograph: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images

© Photograph: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Environmentalists decry move that relaxes requirements on automakers to control pollution from gas-powered cars

The Trump administration on Monday announced it was slashing clean car rules that had been aimed at reducing planet-heating emissions and boosting electric vehicles.

The move, which was criticized by environmentalists, relaxes requirements on automakers to control pollution from gasoline-powered cars and light trucks for model years 2022 through 2031.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Apu Gomes/Getty Images

© Photograph: Apu Gomes/Getty Images

© Photograph: Apu Gomes/Getty Images

At the Climate Forward live event, policymakers, executives and activists debated the boom in data centers, the growing backlash and its environmental effects.

© Demetrius Freeman for The New York Times

Environmental Protection Agency asked firm to choose rules it wanted for dicamba, then put the choices in a proposed federal rule

The EPA allowed pesticide giant Bayer to pick from a menu of regulation options for the controversial and destructive weedkiller dicamba, newly released internal agency documents show.

The documents provide an unusually clear look into the process of developing pesticide regulations, which is typically done out of public view. It shows in detail how the EPA asked Bayer which regulations it wanted, received a response from Bayer, then put Bayer’s choices into a proposed federal rule.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: The Washington Post/Getty Images

© Photograph: The Washington Post/Getty Images

© Photograph: The Washington Post/Getty Images