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Court OKs Border Wall Environmental Waiver

Court OKs Border Wall Environmental Waiver

The usually liberal federal appeals court in California sides with President Trump on Monday, ruling that the government has wide latitude to waive environmental laws to build a segment of the border wall in order to put on a speed construction of some border construction projects in southern California.  According to NPR, the court let stand a Department of Homeland Security decision to bypass environmental regulations — including the National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Air Act, and Endangered Species Act — to quickly construct barriers and roads near the U.S.-Mexico border.

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Protests Against Drilling in ANWR Dominate Public Meeting

Protests Against Drilling in ANWR Dominate Public Meeting

Last week, the Interior Department held a public meeting in Fairbanks to hear their comments and concerns about plans to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling.  The agency brought scientists who were there to explain the environmental impact of the project and then take testimony from members of the public. 

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One Bubbly Problem: Soil Erosion in Italy

One Bubbly Problem: Soil Erosion in Italy

Italy is known for its delicious Prosecco – a sparkling wine from Italy that is similar to champagne.  As its popularity expands, so does the “footprint” of this wine — and a new study says it is unsustainable at its current rate of growth.  The Washington Post reports that increasing demand for the prosecco seems […]

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National Parks Picking Up

National Parks Picking Up

With the shutdown over, for employees of our country’s National Parks, the tough clean up job is just getting started.  Sadly the toll of the shutdown on our natural heritage may have been greater than feared in some locations.  For example, Joshua Tree National Park suffered damage from vandalism that will be irreparable for the next 200 to 300 years, according to former park superintendent Curt Sauer.  The Trump Administration kept many parks open for most or all of the shutdown, but volunteers who helped clean up trash and service bathrooms in popular parks like Joshua Tree could not keep up with routine maintenance, much less stop the vandals.  

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Southeastern Iran In the Grip of Climate Change Is a Dustbowl

Southeastern Iran In the Grip of Climate Change Is a Dustbowl

Heat, drought, and debilitating dust storms have, according to National Geographic, brought much of southeastern Iran to the brink of being uninhabitable.  The temperature in Sistan and Baluchestan province is often above 110 degrees F and it never rains, but the wind blows non-stop for 120 days straight each year. And so “the entire areas wanes under a months-long barrage of sand, cloying dust, and noise.” The entire area is in the grip of an unrelenting succession of environmental disasters that are a harbinger of what’s to come for many other parts of the planet.

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Earth’s magnetic north pole shifting more quickly than before

Earth’s magnetic north pole shifting more quickly than before

You may think of the north pole as an affixed point the very “top” of the planet (which would be correct and that’s called the geographic north pole) but since the Earth is essentially a giant magnet the magnetic north pole is where the northern lines of attraction enter the Earth or where a compass needle […]

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